PHILADELPHIA -- Finally, a game.
It's not just the media feeling that way. It's the players. It's the coaches. It's pretty much everyone associated with the Steelers or any NFL team right about now outside of Baltimore and Chicago, who played last week in the Hall of Fame game.
The NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement has lessened the number of practices that take place at training camp. Two-a-day practices in full pads are a thing of the past. But in their place are rookie minicamps, OTA practices, minicamp and then training camp, with only a few weeks off in between.
Needless to say, players get tired of working against the same guys day after day, week after week, month after month.
"I've experienced it throughout high school and college; you get out there and you're working against your own team every single day, you get frustrated because they're learning all of your calls, cheating off your play sheet, figuring your stuff out. They're trying to game plan against you," said Steelers rookie quarterback Mason Rudolph. "You get out there in a game and it's easy because those guys are scared. They're all in their spots. They don't want to get yelled at by their coaches and you end up scoring points. That's the way I feel this will go."
The "this" to which Rudolph refers will be the Steelers' first game since losing Jan. 14 against Jacksonville in the playoffs. It's just a preseason game Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, but it's a big one for a lot of players, including Rudolph, a third-round pick the Steelers hope is the heir apparent to Ben Roethlisberger.
Rudolph won't be the only player trying to make a good impression on the coaching staff.
"There’s always a lot of excitement, always a lot of angst, because it is a first time for many of these guys in a professional setting," Mike Tomlin said. "We will be thoughtful about what we want from them. And what we want to see are the things that we really emphasized in competitive situations here in Latrobe, fundamental things. We want to see good pad level. We want to see good hand usage. We want to see good tackling. We want to see good ball security on the offensive side. We want to see good ball awareness on the defensive side. We want to see guys display an understanding of the rule changes, particularly in special teams and the point of emphasis. We spent quite a bit of time working in those areas. If we kind of show solid effort in those areas, I think it will be a pleasing performance."
If that sounds like a lot, it's because those are the things the coaching staff has emphasized coming out of last season. They want better tackling. They want to see the secondary produce more turnovers. They want the offense to take better care of the football.
Wins and losses in the preseason? Those don't matter so much. But the coaching staff does want to see improvement in the things on which it has resolved to improve. And they want to see it happen against outside opponents.
Tomlin has always weighed what happens in the preseason games a little more heavily than what happens in practice settings. But, he also admits, he hasn't seen a lot of good practice performances turn into poor game play and vice versa.
"It is weighed differently, but they are interrelated. They are tied to one another," Tomlin said. "This sets the stage for what happens in stadiums. Not only in terms of performance, but I am looking for displays for awareness, situational awareness. We worked a lot of situational football, particularly over the last week that we have been up here. I want to see that awareness show in stadiums as we are moving the ball and playing legitimate football."
THE ESSENTIALS
• When: 7:02 p.m.
• Where: Lincoln Financial Field
• TV: KDKA
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh, Steelers Nation Radio
• Satellite: SiriusXM
• Forecast: 70, clear skies
• Will call open: 5 p.m.
• Gates open: 5 p.m.
• Boxscore: NFL Game Center
• Odds: MyBookie.AG
THE INJURY REPORT
Steelers: Will not play: WR Antonio Brown (quad), TE Vance McDonald (foot), OLB Bud Dupree (concussion), OLB T.J. Watt (hamstring), QB Ben Roethlisberger (coach's decision)
Eagles: QB Nick Foles (neck), QB Carson Wentz (knee), WR Mike Wallace (knee), WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder), DE Brandon Graham (ankle), DT Timmy Jernigan (back)
WHAT TO WATCH
Since this is a preseason game, I'm not going to get into my normal, extensive game preview. We'll get back into the Key Variable, Main Matchup, Storyline and Staff Picks when we get back to the regular season. But here are some things to watch for, including players outside the rookie draft picks who have looked good thus far who you'll need to keep an eye on, plus some players who are in critical battles:
Seven Defensive Backs: The Steelers rolled out their seven defensive backs package late last week and have showed it just about every day since in practice. You can bet they'll want to take a look at it as more than a theory in the preseason. Look for it on second- and third-and-long situations. The team wants to get all of its playmakers on the field.
Running backs: James Conner (No. 30) will get the start and likely get a decent amount of carries. Fitzgerald Toussaint (33) and Stevan Ridley (22) will see plenty of work as well with what regulars play. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers deploy rookie Jaylen Samuels (38). Look for him to split out on many occasions, similar to the way the Steelers use Le'Veon Bell. Rookie Jarvian Franklin (40) also is interesting. At 6-0, 239 pounds, he's got excellent size, but looks pretty nimble.
Dashaun Phillips/Jamar Summers: These two will have a tough time making an impact in a secondary that has become the deepest position on the roster. But both have flashed. Phillips (35), in particular, is a tough, physical corner the coaching staff seems to like. He played in 11 games the past two seasons with the Redskins. Summers, meanwhile, got some run with the first team last week when Joe Haden and Artie Burns were both out.
Matthew Thomas: at 6-3, 232 pounds, Thomas (46) looks as much like a bulked-up receiver or safety as he does a linebacker. But he's got coverage ability and also showed some good pass rush moves in backs-on-backers. The team is looking for help at inside linebacker and how he does there and on special teams will be key. Thomas was a top recruit coming out of high school before ending up at Florida State. He's showing why in this camp.
Tevin Jones: A week ago, I would have said Damoun Patterson (83) of Youngstown State would have been the receiver to keep an eye on. But he's had issues with drops in the past week, causing his stock to fall. Jones (14), meanwhile, is a big-bodied, (6-2, 225) receiver with excellent hands. He's come on strong. Jones went to camp with Houston last season but didn't make it. He's making a push this year.
Parker Collins/R.J. Prince: We all know how well Mike Munchak has done working with undrafted rookies or young unheralded linemen. Here are two to keep an eye on. Collins (6-3, 295) is a feisty center who has gotten into several scraps, including one with Dan McCullers in which he was giving up more than 50 pounds. Prince, meanwhile, has good size (6-6, 313) and pretty good feet. The team has worked him at both left and right tackle. Collins (60) and Prince (64) are the best of this year's bunch thus far.
Ola Adeniyi: Adeniyi is a 6-foot-1, 248-pound undersized defensive end from a MAC school -- Toledo -- who is wearing No. 92. Talk about putting some pressure on a kid. He's been playing through a painful wrist injury that hasn't stopped him from practicing each day. And with Watt, Dupree and maybe Keion Adams — who missed practice Sunday and Tuesday with an undisclosed injury — likely out for this game, Adeniyi will get a lot of opportunities. Know this: The coaching staff already loves his toughness. He's got a very good first step and some bend on the edge. And he won't turn 21 until next month. Raw but promising talent.
Quadree Henderson/Justin Thomas: Henderson (10) and Thomas (18) will be trying to make this team as return men, largely on punts since both are diminutive in stature and most teams like a kick returner to be a little bigger. Both have had some moments of late as receivers, but it's going to be what they do as punt returners that makes or breaks them. The Steelers would still like to get Antonio Brown out of those duties, so a strong showing by either player would be a big help.