Welcome to “Quick Yinzing”, a fast reaction article where a member of the SCU staff gives their initial post-game impressions without digging into any films, stats, or other analysis. It’s as real as that car ride home or sobering down at the bar following the game! 

With practically every player looking to start or have a major role on the Steelers during the regular season sitting out the team’s final preseason game, a small window of opportunity opens for a handful of NFL hopefuls to add enough positive plays to their resume to stick to an NFL roster.

Thursday night that same situation which was playing out in 15 other stadiums was also on display at Heinz Field as the Pittsburgh Steelers took on the Carolina Panthers in what has become an annual Week 4 preseason tradition. Rather than witness Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and other starters play, the hometown crowd was treated with a glimpse of players who have a potential future in Pittsburgh.

Chief among those hopefuls is second-year quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who went 8-for-12 passing for 151 yards and a touchdown. He caps off his preseason with seven offensive drives of 70 yards or more, all ending in six.

While his final drive of the first half was shorter than 70 yards, Dobbs still drove the team over 50 yards to only see what would’ve have been his second touchdown pass of the evening dropped by Tevin Jones. Dobbs also added 18 yards on the ground with a dazzling aerial dive for a rushing touchdown too.

The wide receivers all appeared to be hungry for a roster spot as Justin Hunter went up and grabbed a laser beam Dobbs pass out of the air, the aforementioned Jones snuck into the corner wide-open on his score, and Damoun Patterson was questionably robbed of his one-handed touchdown catch that appeared to not only be jarred out of his grasp after he hit the ground, but he couldn’t use his second hand which was pinned by a defender.

I don't see the ball touching the ground. IJS #Steelers.
Nice to know there is still catch controversy. pic.twitter.com/VT3MSgMi1U

— Brian E. Roach (SCU) #TheRefsStink #GAM (@CannonsDontThun) August 31, 2018

Tight end Bucky Hodges stated his case with a pair of catches for 43 yards, while veteran running back Stevan Ridley made mincemeat of the Panthers defense, rumbling for 36 yards on 7 carries and a 17-yard-long run.

On the defense, Olasunkanmi Adeniyi continues to make good on wearing the number 92 by forcing a fumble off of a strip sack. The ball would be recovered by teammate Keion Adams, setting up Mason Rudolph’s first drive before the end of the first half, which would end with another Tevin Jones touchdown reception.

Oddly, Mason Rudolph would be flagged for taunting after scrambling into the end zone for a two-point conversion: it was odd, because Rudolph was hit by a Panthers defender late, again, with the referees pocketing their flags on the hit and failing to make good on the follow up.

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1035347408866033665

Matthew Thomas, who has jumped off the page this preseason, literally jumped off our TV screens tonight after stripping Carolina’s QB, coming up with the ball for himself and then racing nearly 70 yards down the field attempting to score, only to be brought down just short of the goal line.

The punting job may also be in limbo as Matt Wile continues to battle incumbent Jordan Berry, with the former being more consistent on his kicks throughout the preseason than the latter.

Overall the shining star of Thursday night’s game was Dobbs, who looked like a leader, showed his arm strength, and was practically unable to be brought down as he showed incredible awareness of the opposing pass rush, and mobility to get away from pressure and extend plays.

But Dobbs wasn’t quick to runaway like other mobile passers in the league. The former Tennessee Volunteer stood tall several times in the pocket, taking big hits while delivering the football near its intended target but yet out of harm’s way.

His play on this evening will force the Steelers to make a difficult decision as to which quarterbacks they keep on their regular season roster. Pittsburgh is already one of few NFL teams to retain three quarterbacks on their depth chart during the year, but may be compelled to do something even more unconventional by keeping all four.

If they only see a trio as a possibility, it will be sad to see one of those passers go. In all likelihood, the decision comes down to keeping a veteran (Landry Jones) or proceeding with two passers who have never taken a regular season snap.

No matter how you look at it, or what position you view, each of those decisions carries some risk. However, Dobbs has likely made the biggest impression when the spotlight has shined the brightest on him. Adeniyi appears to have a chance at making the 53 as well as his fellow linebacker Michael Thomas. For everyone else, the numbers game in a harsh business may have seen them close out their football careers with a victory.