If the shift in offensive philosophy by the Steelers works well, instead of playing the "Star Spangled Banner" before the team's games this season, they'll add "O Canada" to the docket instead.
Fans have gotten to see snippets of new offensive coordinator Matt Canada's offense in the Steelers' first two preseason games. But they haven't gotten an opportunity to see what it looks like in a game.
That opportunity will happen Saturday when the Steelers host the Lions in their third preseason game.
Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the starters will see their first -- and only -- action of this preseason, even if it is in a truncated fashion.
"We’ve had two good games as far as going out and trying to work on what we wanna work on," Canada said this week. "I think that’s the great thing about the preseason. You go in with kind of a plan on what we wanna work on, and nobody knows what we’re working on and who we’re trying to see. We’ll have another similar plan."
So, the Steelers will show some of the new offense, they won't completely tip their hand to give their Week 1 opponent, the Bills, a chance to see too much.
Besides, he's seen enough of Roethlisberger in this training camp to have a pretty good idea what the quarterback is capable of doing.
"I think Ben is right where he wants to be. He’s playing very well," Canada said. "He’s worked extremely hard to bring along the many young guys up front, working with them. We’ve got a young guy in the backfield. We’ve got a young guy at tight end. He’s certainly had some rapport with those guys on the edge. They don’t have a lot of years.
"JuJu (Smith-Schuster)’s got a little bit more. Ben’s worked very hard to get everyone on the same page. The few changes we’ve had in our offense, the tweaks we’ve had in terminology, he’s embraced those and learned them, as well as teaching everybody else now. I’m excited for where we all are, but he’s certainly been great."
For Roethlisberger, who took a pay cut to lower his salary cap hit and come back in 2021, embracing the changes in the offense were important.
He wants to win and go out on a better note than what happened last season when the Steelers started the season 11-0 before stumbling down the stretch.
"I think every year that you play in this league your urgency has to go up," the 39-year-old quarterback said. "For a guy that’s played for a long time, every year seems like there’s some urgency to it. Someone like Cam (Heyward), I’m sure he’s feeling the same way, that he’s been doing this for a while. I’ll never forget, it was my first or second year, Chad Scott got up in front of the team and was like, 'Listen, I’ve been doing this a long time and there’s no guarantees you’re ever going to make the playoffs again.' So, I think every guy needs to take that approach, that this could be the last chance you have."
The Steelers certainly seem to be treating things that way. Since the end of minicamp in June, they've added three former Pro Bowl players in guard Trai Turner, outside linebacker Melvin Ingram and, last week, inside linebacker Joe Schobert.
Schobert is expected to see his first game action when the first-team defense takes the field in this game, despite having only been with the team since Saturday after coming over via a trade with the Jaguars.
"We’re gonna play him with the first group. I don’t know if it’s needed to play him any more," Mike Tomlin said. "He’s proven quickly that his football intellect is on a professional level. He’s adapting quickly and gaining the detail. But playing with people and communicating and working to play together is something that’s going to be continually addressed with him.
"It’s not going to get solved on Saturday night, so I don’t know that that’s our mentality. We’re going to give him some game exposure with that group and go from there."
Exposure to the fans, as well.
Heinz Field will be open to fans -- at least more than a couple of thousand -- for the first time since Dec. 15, 2019, when the Steelers lost a 17-10 game to the Bills.
It's been even longer since Roethlisberger ran out of the tunnel during introductions with anything close to resembling a normal crowd in the stadium. He hasn't started a game at Heinz Field with a full stadium since injuring his elbow Sept. 15, 2019 -- a span of nearly two years.
And believe it or not, being able to do so again was one of the reasons he felt it necessary to return for a team-record 18th season.
"For sure. This place is special. These fans are special," Roethlisberger said. "They’re the best fans in all of sports, not just the NFL. It would’ve been really hard to walk away and not be able to play in front of them because almost half my adult life I’ve been playing football in front of them. They mean the world to me so I wanna give them everything I have."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Who: Steelers (2-0) vs. Lions (0-1)
• What: Preseason Week2
• When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Heinz Field
• Forecast: 80°, 4 mph wind
• TV: KDKA
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh
• Streaming: Steelers Nation Radio
• Satellite: Sirius XM 228, online 826
• Boxscore: NFL Game Center
• Media notes: Steelers | Lions
THE KEY VARIABLE
Jamir Jones spent last season out of football after initially signing with the Texans following his final year at Notre Dame. He worked a number of jobs back home in Rochester, N.Y., including for a sporting goods store, an on-line merchant and a digital company as a content producer.
It didn't exactly fit with his college major of psychology, but the former Notre Dame star learned enough in those courses in his major to get a good read on himself. Doing those jobs wasn't for him.
"It didn’t take long to figure out that was what I didn’t want to do," Jones said.
He wanted to give playing in the NFL another shot. So earlier this year when the Steelers gave him a call, Jones jumped at the opportunity. The younger brother of former Steelers offensive tackle Jarron Jones, who has since been released, Jones made a pact with himself that he would leave everything he had on the football field in what could be his last opportunity to make it in the NFL
"I’m a person who, whenever I’m given a chance, I’m going to give 100 percent, so hopefully I am opening some eyes," Jones said.
He is certainly doing that and has played himself into a position to perhaps earn a spot on the Steelers' roster with another strong game.
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound outside linebacker has consistently flashed throughout training camp and into the preseason games, working his way up to the second-team defense. Part of the reason for his elevation is because T.J. Watt isn't practicing as his contract continues to get worked out, but Jones has made the most of his chances.
While he's only been credited with three tackles on defense, he leads the Steelers with five quarterback hits in two preseason games. He also picked up his first sack and a special teams tackle in the team's 24-16 win over the Eagles last week.
"I’m relentless. I’m going to rush until the whistle is blown every single play," Jones said. "With that relentlessness, as the game goes on, I’m going to outhustle some guys."
It's something he learned during his career for the Irish. An outside linebacker when he arrived on campus, he was moved to defensive end later in his career. Because of that, he played mostly on special teams early in his career before finally becoming a starter in 2019, when he recorded 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss.
Yeah, they're not overwhelming statistics. But Jones was honing his craft after some of the best offensive linemen in college football over the past few years.
"Liam (Eichenberg), Tommy (Kraemer), Rob (Hainsey), I was even there when Quenton (Nelson) and all of those guys were there," he said when I asked him if he got to work a lot against some of the many offensive linemen the Irish have had drafted in recent years. "I got to go against some great offensive linemen."
That work is paying off for him, at least for now. Whether that work will pay off for him into September remains to be seen.
At some point Watt will return. And Alex Highsmith and Ingram are guaranteed two of the other outside linebacker spots on the roster. The Steelers likely have room for just one, maybe two, more outside linebackers.
Veteran Cassisus Marsh and rookie sixth-round draft pick Quincy Roche also have played well in the preseason.
That's why it's been important for Jones to try to make a splash on special teams.
"When I was sophomore and freshman, I was on all four special teams," Jones said. "I wasn’t in my later years. Special teams is something I’ve always loved. I feel like it’s the most important part of the game, setting the defense up in good position and setting the offense up in good position."
It might be the thing that puts Jones in a good position.
"I was a linebacker. Switching to d-line was tough," he admitted of his college tape. "I really didn’t have any pass rush moves. I’m still working on that every day. I’m still raw at the position. But my motor, being able to go all out on every single play and get around the ball, I’m able to use that to my advantage."
THE FIVE DATA POINTS
• Led by the Steelers' 2-0 record, the AFC is 15-2 overall heading into Week 2 of the preseason. The AFC is 14-1 against the NFC in the preseason.
• The Steelers are 4-5 in the preseason in goal-to-go situations. Opponents are 0-1.
• Steelers quarterbacks are completing 72 percent of their passes in the preseason.
• The Steelers are 16 of 30 converting third downs. Opponents are 7 of 25.
• Sixth-round draft pick Quincy Roche leads the Steelers with 1.5 sacks.
FIVE I WANT TO SEE
• Zach Banner, offensive tackle -- Banner has only come back to full-time practice this week. And even then, he has been in and out of the lineup as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL.
• Cody White, wide receiver -- The Steelers thought enough of White that they didn't waive him injured despite him missing time early in camp with a hamstring injury. He had five catches for 39 yards last week. Can he keep that momentum going?
• Dan Moore, offensive tackle -- Moore has looked competent on the left side of the line. He was moved to the right side earlier this week to get acclimated there. How does the rookie fourth-round pick hold up?.
• Joe Schobert, linebacker -- Usually a starter wouldn't necessarily make this list -- I know, Banner is already here, but for obvious reasons. Schobert is going to be thrown into the deep end in a game. Will he look out of place or blow coverages? He's done so a couple of times in practices, but that's to be expected.
• Benny Snell, running back -- Snell also missed a week, which in this backfield could leave him on the outside looking in. He'll get a good look in this game. He's now behind Najee Harris, Anthony McFarland and Kalen Ballage in the running back pecking order. Is he behind Jaylen Samuels, as well? The Steelers won't keep more than four on the active roster -- and that number might even be three.