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 2 game against Buffalo. Let’s get this going, HERE……WE……GO!!!

1st Quarter

• Big Bro is at the game tonight, so it’s Little Bro at the keyboard
• Pickett to Pickens early for a first down.
• Third down conversion! It’s nice to see Alan Robinson get a target in this game.
• Isaac Seumalo is a man! He crushed open that hole and Jaylen Warren takes it to the house!
• 67-yard touchdown catch in Week 1 of the preseason and a 62-yard run in Week 2. Bring on the big offensive splash! 7–0 Steelers.
• Cornerbacks getting tackles for no gain in the run game is a big help.
• Steelers get some pressure to Josh Allen and the ball farms harmlessly to the ground. Here comes the punt.
• Can this get much better? Steelers open up with a touchdown, defense holds to three and out, and Calvin Austin with the huge punt return!
• It can get better! I love one-play touchdown drives! Pickett to Freiermuth in the middle of the field. 14–0 Steelers.
• Elijah Riley and Nick Herbig with a nice special teams play on the kickoff. This is how Riley can definitely make this team.
• Lots of great pressure on Josh Allen, but he does Josh Allen things and escapes for a nice completion.
• Nick Herbig couldn’t get out there early last week, but this time he’s there on the second drive and disrupts the pass.
• On second and forever the Bills complete a long pass but only because Markus Golden got held terrible and would’ve had the sack. So now it’s second and even more forever.
• If Miles Killebrew didn’t get a piece of that punt, his presence affected it enough.
• After 14 points on seven plays, the first offense is done. Bring on the next unit!
• Cody White brings in the third down pass that’s thrown short of the sticks but it was a pass interference. Still managing to catch the ball is nice to see.
• I held my breath for a minute at the end of that screen to McFarland because I thought his knee buckled. But he’s fine and picked up the first down.
• McFarland almost broke the short dump off for another conversion but instead the Steelers punt.
• Alex Highsmith knocking down the pass defending Stefon Diggs. Not a matchup I’d typically want if I’m the Steelers but what a nice job!
• Is that a sack after the quarterback breaks the line of scrimmage and then goes backwards? I don’t think it is.
• You know it’s a good first quarter when I use a lot of exclamation marks. Steelers up 14-0.
  

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2nd Quarter

• Mitch better have my money. Meaning he better move the football.
• The second team offensive line is nowhere close to the same unit as the first team. But with the sixth man of Nate Herbig out due to injury I’m not surprised.
• Third down conversion. That’s how it starts.
• Losing 17 yards on the next play because of the sack is awful. I’m not sure who’s fault that was.
• What are the Steelers going to do on 3rd & 20? Throw it short and get 9 yards. But I honestly wasn’t expecting much.
• Steelers get their first penalty of the game in the second quarter and it’s on special teams.
• There’s a Cole Holcomb sighting! Quiet in camp but was there for the tackle for loss.
• I’d try to get a head start if Nick Herbig was about to burn me around the corner as well.
• That was way too easy to pick up all that yardage on second and long. Somebody missed covering the tight end.
• Bills convert another long one, this time on third down. And it’s not even Josh Allen.
• I don’t like seeing these passes to the tight ends with the linebackers in coverage when it’s still the starting ones in the game.
• Matt Barkley with a great tackle of Latavius Murray. He did it as soon as he handed him the ball.
• Holcomb gets his hand on the ball and Elijah Riley picks it off in the end zone! And just as we thought the Steelers were going to give up some points, the defense gets the takeaway.
• Mitch don’t kill my vibe. Put up some points.
• Trubisky hit’s a hot read when he had pressure on second down and completes a nice lamp to Austin on third down for the conversion. I can live with that.
• Broderick Jones is not in on this series. I wonder if he’s done or just rotating out?
• There’s not much going in the run game with this offensive line group.
• Trubisky has to scramble on third down and gets the completion downfield, but Spencer Anderson gets his name mentioned for the wrong reason and now it’s 3rd & 19.
• With a 4th & 6 at the Bills 40 I’d love to see the Steelers go for it. But instead it’s a punt down to the 5-yard line.
• JPJ pulls in the INT! And the penalty is on the Bills. Steelers in business just before the half.
• Broderick Jones is back in and just casually pushed the blitzer to the ground as Trubisky scrambles to the left side.
• With the pressure in his face Trubisky chooses a wise target as he tries to throw it up to Washington. But he was interfered with so the Steelers get it at the 1.
• On third down trying to defend Washington it’s another interference call. I think they only have the choice of interfering with him or simply letting him catch the ball.
• It’s very simple… the Steelers can’t run the ball up the middle at the goal line with Kendrick Green at center.
• There’s a touchdown pass to Connor Heyward just before the half. 21–0.
• What’s more exciting: scoring 21 points in the first half or shutting out the Bills in the first half? Or is that just like asking if I want a million $1 bills or a hundred thousand $10 bills?
• Officially halftime. Steelers 21, Bills 0.

3rd Quarter

• Nice tackle on the catch by Mark Robinson.
• What did I just see? Chandon Sullivan pulled a T.J. Watt-like interception!
• Kendrick Green is making the best case he can to get cut.
• Only three points off the turnover. 24-0 Good guys.
• Hate seeing anyone get injured on either team
• Herbig gets the strip sack and Muse covers it up! That’s four takeaways.
• Nice pickup by new running back Xazavian Valladay on the swing pass. But he isn’t going to get to show much running behind this reserve line.
• Penalties are to the Buffalo Bills as Kendrick Greene is to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They completely destroy anything you’re trying to do. That was terrible giving up that sack that way. He just got pushed. Technically it was Jones’ guy who got the sack, but it started with Green getting blown up.
• Renegade is in the air and the Bills kickoff return only goes to the 7-yard line.
• If Tanner Muse is going to make plays like that on defense, his special teams will definitely put him on the roster.
• So how is Nick Herbig against the run? I’d say that’s pretty good. Nice tackle for loss.
• I don’t like seeing the pass being converted, but man that was a nice hit after the fact by Mark Robinson. Surprised he didn’t get flagged.
• Another shutout quarter. Steelers lead 27–0.

4th Quarter

• Elijah Riley jumps up and pats down the pass. No idea why the refs let them run around with the ball afterwards.
• Seriously? It’s bad enough Kendrick Green can’t block anybody now he’s got to snap the ball when nobody is ready? Bills are on the cusp of the goal line.
• Runner goes untouched into the end zone. 27–7 Steelers.
• Is that Marky D from Down Under on my television?
• Nice 3rd down conversion to Gunner O.
• Not a nice 3rd down conversion to Gunner O. Lucky it wasn’t picked.
• Nice punt by Big Press. Not a lot of yardage for him tonight because of field position, but there have been no return yards and all four were inside the 20-yard line.
• Tanner Morgan gets the last five minutes. At least he’s got Broderick Jones out there.
• Ouch. Not a good sack to give up. At least the clock is running.
• That’s another great punt by Harvin. Going 52 yards gave the chance for a return but Dez Fitzpatrick keeps it to only 2-yards It’s 5-5 going inside the 20.
• Two more minutes. Let’s get this thing over with.
• Good job tackling guys in-bounds to keep the clock running.
• Gave up the touchdown too easy. Not a good look for the bottom-of-the-depth-chart guys.
• Twelve men on the field has the Bills going for two. The running back walks in. Steelers still up 27-15.
• Steelers in victory formation even though the Bills have all their timeouts. Thank goodness they don’t call any.
• That’s the end. Steelers 27, Bills 15.

Once again, I (or Dave in this case) 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 Scho Bro, you just don’t have to go to another room because of screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle does). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me as we move toward Preseason Week 3. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.