The idiom “a knee jerk reaction” means that you respond to something in an equally unthinking way. That’s something as sports fans that we typically do, and if it’s in an unthinking way then I definitely qualify. Knee jerks apply especially if you are a full blood Yinzer, or even just a part Yinzer, who am I fooling it’s more like if you are a Steeler fan in general. As is the custom, I compile my knee-jerk thoughts and publish them immediately after each Steelers game (my son Kyle might have a few things to say as well). It’s my version of running my mouth first and apologizing later (if at all). So with that being said, it’s time to react to the Steelers Preseason Week Two game against the Bills. Let’s get this going, HERE……WE……GO!!!

1st Quarter

• Big Bro might be along eventually, so Lil’ Bro will start this one off tonight and possibly even finish it.
• Stadium was emptied in pregame due to weather, but kickoff is still set for the regular time. Let’s get this one in.
• Steelers will receive the interesting kickoff. They get it almost to the 30.
• Russ completes his first past for 4 yards.
• Pre-snap penalty on the first set of downs is a big no-no. Come on CA3.
• A 3rd & 5 turns into a 3rd & 10 and the sack loses another 11. Not the start the offense wanted.
• Punt return team gives up a decent return but it was due to a block in the back.
• So much for Josh Allen playing. It’s Mitch Trubisky starting off. TJ Watt isn’t playing either.
• Herbig takes down Trubisky for the sack on third down and the Steelers will get the ball back.
• Three drop backs for Wilson and two sacks. Not good.
• Steelers needed 12 yards and got 10 on the dump off the Freiermuth. Another three and out.
• That’s a boot of a punt! Decent return but still inside the 20.
• A pass and a couple of runs and the Bills have a two first downs.
• First it was Ogunjobi, then Herbig, and then Benton. I don’t know who’s gonna get credit for that sack but they weren’t letting him go.
• Steelers snuff out the screen on 3rd and long and will once again receive a punt.
• After a short gain on first down, Najee Harris gets eight to get the Steelers first first down of the game.
• Patterson gets his first touch as a Steeler but it’s a pass behind the line of scrimmage and he fights to get back.
• Wilson barely had time to dump that pass off because Broderick Jones was ridden all the way back into him. That is not a good sign.
• Jones gives up another sack and the Steelers will have to punt again. Three drives and only one first down.
• What a punt! That almost ended up a safety! But it ended up going for a 9-yard return after the 65 yarder. The best thing the Steelers have done in possession of the football has been punting.
• Bills end the quarter with a 1 yard gain. The Steelers hold them down 25 net yards for the quarter, but only have 9 net yards themselves. No score.

2nd Quarter

• All day to throw for Trubisky. But after the short completion it’s Queen making the stop on the second play in a row.
• Larry O stops them short on third and two. What will the Bills do on 4th & 1 in their own territory? They are lined up to punt.
• Wilson back out there in the second quarter. Steelers open with an end around to Watkins to gain six.
• After the holding call on Washington, the Steelers have a 3rd and long. Once again they dump it short and come up just shy of the yardage they need.
• Another booming punt! But once again it’s a decent run back, this time for 31 yards.
• We have a Dean Lowry sighting. Nice pressure on that play. I’m interested to see how he fits into the rotation.
• Mitch Trubisky hits a wide-open Miles Killebrew. Wait. Trubisky isn’t on the Steelers anymore. But he threw it right to him.
• One thing I was surprised to see on that interception was really good coverage from Mark Robinson. That has been a weak spot of his game.
• George Pickens finally gets a target and gets 4 yards on first down.
• Najee Harris is running hard and finally has the Steelers across midfield for the first time. But it’s third and short coming.
• Steelers burn the time out as the play clock is running down. Not good, but better than taking the penalty on a 3rd and short.
• Oh no. They just announced Jaylen Warren is out with a hamstring injury. That’s not what you want to hear.
• After the time out the Steelers have their biggest gain of the night on the 3rd and short as Russell Wilson hits Jefferson over the middle for 11 yards.
• Russ goes deep for the first time and Pickens pulls it in along the sidelines although it’s called out of bounds. He got his feet in but I’m not sure he had the ball yet. Tomlin is challenging it this time.
• Even though the feet were down, he didn’t actually have the ball so it’s incomplete.
• Another check down on 3rd and long. But they did get enough to attempt a long field goal by Boswell.
• Boz hits the upright from 52 yards that had another 15 yards of distance. Still scoreless.
• Buffalo rips off a run of more than 10 yards but it was aided by a hold. It looks like that’s why the run went so well.
• I thought Thomas Graham had a chance to knock that away but just missed it. Buffalo is moving the ball.
• Should have been a sack of Trubisky, but he ends up gaining a yard. Third down coming with the Bills just outside of field goal range.
• Steelers give up the 27 yard completion and the Bills are in the red zone.
• Darius Rush was the closest defender for the last two incompletions. Buffalo settles for the field goal and takes the 3–0 lead.
• Fields into the game. He was looking deep but had nobody and gets 3 yards before the two minute warning.
• It’s another three and out for the Steelers. They only have two first downs the entire game.
• Not nearly as long of a punt, but the coverage is right there.
• Steelers hold a three and out as well so they’ll get another chance on offense.
• Two completions and the Steelers have a first down.
• With 0:48 left and no timeouts the Steelers run the ball? On top of it they get only 3 yards.
• It’s another first down throw to midfield.
• Fields scrambles for 20 yards but can’t get out of bounds. Steelers burn their last time out with 0:12 left. Anything in the field of play and the half will end. They are in field-goal range.
• Steelers gained 5 yards on a quick pass to the sidelines and send out Boswell. He’s right down the middle from 43 yards and the Steelers tie the game 3–3.
• steelers defend the kickoff well and that’s the half. 3–3 tie.

3rd Quarter

• Two plays into the half and Payton Wilson goes down. Yes, you want to see productive play on the field in the preseason. But more than anything you don’t want injuries.
• Bill’s running the ball right across the midfield.
• A horse collar tackle puts the Bills in field goal range. A 19-yard run now has them first and goal.
• Payton Wilson heads to the locker room. This sucks.
• After eight runs to start the drive, Darius Rush knocks it away as he’s trying to get his head around on the first pass and now the Bills settle for a field goal. 6–3.
• Fields look good when he keeps the football. Turns it up field and fast.
• Fields eludes the pressure and flings it to MyCole Pruitt and gets the first down.
• Nobody open so Fields takes it himself and slides after 8 yards. He’s the Steelers leading rusher tonight by a lot.
• Nice bootleg to Connor Hayward for 15 yards. I’m not overly excited about the hurdle at the end, more about Fields escaping the unblocked player and getting the ball to the right receiver.
• Perine bursts for two different carries to get the first down.
• Fields is trusting his legs much more than what he’s seeing from his receivers downfield. I can’t tell on first watch if he’s making the right decision or not.
• Steelers are going for it on 4th & 2 inside the Buffalo 10 yard line. Bills call time. Will they still go for it?
• I think if the handoff is made the Steelers may have converted. Would have been close. Instead Fields keeps it and the Bills completely snuff it out and he loses 7 yards. That’s no points in almost a nine minute drive.
• Anthony Averett out with the hamstring. Tyler Matakevich down on one knee. This is what you don’t want in a preseason game.
• Do the Steelers have any inside linebackers left?
• Steelers won the time of possession in that quarter on just one drive but came away with nothing. 6–3 Bills.

4th Quarter

• The Bills rushed for 72 yards in the third quarter. Each of their first two rushes in the fourth goes for 7 yards. Steelers giving up a lot on the ground in the second half.
• That’s nine straight runs for the Bills who have moved the ball from their own 16 to the Steelers 17.
• Right on cue the Bills throw a pass and don’t gain much.
• Steelers hold on third down and the Bills kick the short field goal. 9–3 Buffalo.
• Didn’t even get the ball to the 20 yard line on that kickoff return. Plus there’s a flag. But it’s an illegal formation on the Bills so they’ll re-kick.
• Justin Fields back in and rolls out to hit Dez Fitzpatrick for a first down on the first play.
• Fields fires one downfield that was almost  picked off as the defender stepped in front. Probably his worst decision of a pass so far.
• Fields look like he was going to takeoff but instead fires it to Deuce Watts for the third down conversion.
• Nice hard run by Edwards.
• Fields fires it deep down the middle to the open receiver but it’s too high. I like taking the deep shot on second and short.
• I take it back. After the entire offense moves but the center now it’s a 3rd & 7.
• What did I just see? It looked like Fields was sacked and then he escapes. Then he fires down the sideline where I thought he overthrew a guy but here it’s really to Dez Fitzpatrick hauling in a great catch on the sideline.
• It’s only the Steelers second drive of the second half and there’s just over four minutes left in the quarter.
• That’s ridiculous. The ball looked like it was spotted as an obvious first down but they don’t measure. Then the Steelers lose 3 yards on the next play.
• They’re going for it on 4th & 3…
• It’s off the hands of Connor Heyward. The Steelers get no points again on another drive with double-digit plays.
• Steelers give up 8 yards on first down. Not looking good to get the ball back.
• A Bills false start and a Steelers stop and it’s 3rd & 5. A stop here gives them the ball before the two minute warning.
• And the German gets the sack to end of the drive! I’m not even going to try to spell his name.
• Penalty on punt return. So instead of the 38 they take over at their own 28.
• Fields goes down on the sack. Clock is running. Fields fumbles the next play but grabs it out of the air and still throws the pass but it’s incomplete.
• On 3rd & 15 they throw a dump off for 3 yards?
• Fields scrambles and throws a desperation pass that goes out of bounds. There was a flag for roughing the passer that was picked up. Now it’s time for the Bills to take a knee.
• That’s a wrap. Giving up 9 points is impressive by the defense, but only scoring 3 is embarrassing.
• Not a lot to get excited about with this one. Too many injuries. Couldn’t finish drives. Gave up a lot on the ground in the second half. Got to be better.
• Two down, one to go.

Once again, I just fired off what was going through my head at the time. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching the game with a me and Kyle, you just don’t have to go to another room because of my screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle leaves the room). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me as we move on to week 3 of the preseason and the Detroit Lions. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.