Steelers who sparkled vs. Falcons
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Finding the Five Standouts through the first half on Sunday didn鈥檛 appear to be an easy venture, but the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied in the second half for a 17-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons and made this job easier:
5. MATT FEILER
The offensive tackle from Bloomsburg is now an offensive guard without practice-squad eligibility, so last night鈥檚 performance was important for the 6-6, 330-pounder, and it appeared that Feiler rose to the occasion. He blew open a hole early for Fitzgerald Toussaint that should鈥檝e gained more than three yards, and just about every time James Conner cut back into the left side he was doing so behind some effective blocking from Feiler, who, with his 50 snaps (83 percent), played more than anyone Sunday with the exception of Conner (54 snaps).
鈥淚 was told I was going to get a decent amount of work,鈥� said Feiler. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to get that many reps and kind of show them I鈥檓 capable of playing a full game.鈥�
Feiler started in place of Ramon Foster, who鈥檚 needed time off to rehab from offseason knee surgery. With B.J. Finney moving to center to replace Maurkice Pouncey, and Chris Hubbard used as the first tackle off the bench, Feiler was the eighth man last week at practice. But he doesn鈥檛 believe that鈥檚 an indication of how the coaches are viewing the competition.
鈥淣o, not at all,鈥� Feiler said. 鈥淢unch (OL coach Mike Munchak) pulled me aside earlier and kind of told me 鈥榃e want to see what you鈥檝e got. Put yourself on film with the other ones, just to kind of get yourself out there in case it doesn鈥檛 work out here.'鈥�
Feiler took pride in his run-blocking at Bloomsburg, where, as a sophomore left guard he helped establish a PSAC record for rushing yardage. He moved to left tackle his last two seasons and believes he can still play tackle if necessary.
4. MIKE HILTON
The only repeat Top 5er from last week, Hilton very nearly 鈥� and probably should have 鈥� been credited with the defensive play of the game, but officials ruled that his fourth-quarter hit on QB Matt Simms wasn鈥檛 a sack/safety via grounding, but just a quarterback hit and forced incompletion off the arm of defensive lineman Johnny Maxey.
Either way, the third-and-12 play in the Falcons鈥� end zone forced a punt to midfield that set up the Steelers鈥� game-winning touchdown drive.
鈥淚t was a big stop for the defense,鈥� said Hilton. 鈥淚t changed the game.鈥�
Will Gay鈥檚 backup at slot cornerback has become a recognized game-changer and playmaker thus far in preseason.
He鈥檚 been the first-team punt gunner (Sunday with Brandon Dixon) and has become an exceptional blitzer, which he says comes from listening to the quarterback鈥檚 cadence when he鈥檚 not blitzing.
Still, Mike Tomlin can鈥檛 help but remind Hilton that he鈥檚 not even 5-9 when the two are engaged in practice chatter.
When Hilton breaks up a pass, he enjoys dishing it right back to his coach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just the confidence I have,鈥� Hilton said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been something I鈥檝e been hearing my whole life. It鈥檚 nothing new to me. I just go out and perform.鈥�
Hilton spent time on the New England practice squad last season. He was asked if he ever talked back similarly to Bill Belichick.
鈥淣o, I didn鈥檛,鈥� Hilton said with a laugh. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a little different out there. That鈥檚 a great organization up there and I鈥檓 happy where I鈥檓 at. But, no, Belichick doesn鈥檛 open his mouth too much.鈥�
3. ANTHONY CHICKILLO
The Steelers went from seven sacks in their preseason opener to four sacks Sunday, and Chickillo had two of them, both of Simms.
The first resulted in a 13-yard loss in the second quarter, and the other forced a punt to open the third quarter.
Chickillo, a perpetual 鈥渃amp surprise,鈥� is having yet another outstanding camp. He鈥檚 heard it before, but this time he鈥檚 feeling it.
鈥淚 felt good last camp, but the first punt of the preseason I hurt my ankle,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nkle鈥檚 can be nagging, and I 鈥� I just feel good now and I just want to keep improving.鈥�
Chickillo appears to be aligning himself as the first backup outside linebacker on both sides after working 鈥� as set up by Tomlin 鈥� this past offseason with Booger McFarland in Tampa.
鈥淚 benefitted from that,鈥� Chickillo said. 鈥淲orking with him and working on my hands, having a plan, using your eyes, hands and feet, making sure they鈥檙e all working together. The game is starting to slow down for me.鈥�
This was Chickillo鈥檚 first two-sack performance since the East-West Shrine Game, when he was trying to show NFL scouts that he had been playing defensive tackle at 285 pounds just to help his team. Chickillo, in his third NFL season, weighs a more comfortable 250.
鈥淚 always felt I should play what I play at now in college,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut they asked me to do something different. I like playing this position I鈥檓 playing now. I feel a lot better. I feel a lot more explosive.鈥�
2. JORDAN DANGERFIELD
鈥淒anger鈥� almost had his nickname changed to 鈥淒ivision I-AA safety鈥� by Tomlin last week in practice when Dangerfield allowed Conner to catch a short pass and turn it up for a 45-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the two-minute drill.
But Dangerfield bounced back Sunday with two interceptions in the second half. The first one, late in the third quarter, was a gift from Simms one play after Josh Dobbs had been intercepted by the Falcons.
鈥淭he easy ones are the hard ones,鈥� Dangerfield said of the pass that appeared to be intended for him. 鈥淎sk any defensive player out there, the easy ones are actually the hard ones to catch, so I wanted to make sure I caught it and then started running with it.鈥�
Dangerfield returned the interception 18 yards to the Pittsburgh 31. It prevented the Falcons from adding to their 13-10 lead.
After the Steelers had taken a 17-13 lead, Dangerfield鈥檚 interception of Alek Torgersen, off the hands of a Falcons running back, sealed the win with 2:14 left.
Dangerfield also rocked a return man on a first-quarter punt. The physical play is a specialty of his as the backup strong safety.
鈥淵eah, but I also want to show I can play the ball, too,鈥� Dangerfield said. 鈥淚 want to show I can cover and that I鈥檓 the whole package.鈥�
Dangerfield did that Sunday with his first two-interception game since playing high school ball at Royal Palm Beach (Fla.).
1. TREY WILLIAMS
The 5-7 1/2, 200-pound ball of energy and enthusiasm made the play of the game at a position of need for the Steelers.
Williams鈥� 64-yard punt return for a touchdown with 4:06 left in the third quarter pulled the Steelers to within 13-10. It was Williams鈥� first punt return since playing high school at Dekaney in Houston.
鈥淚 feel great, man,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淩eally just praying and being patient. Going in undrafted and you don鈥檛 really have much hype on you, you鈥檙e the underdog, you know? I don鈥檛 mind being an underdog, though, and I showed my talent. But it鈥檚 not just me. I thank The Man every day. I鈥檒l continue to push and be patient and wait on my moment.鈥�
Williams has now bounced to his sixth team since leaving Texas A&M a year early in 2015. He鈥檚 always been a wanted man because of his speed and uplifting attitude, and he鈥檚 always come up just shy. But the Steelers have always looked for gadget-type scatbacks, and if one can return punts, he can win a job here.
Williams hopes his big return last night will help, because he dropped a couple of punts at training camp and was asked if that was the reason he only returned kickoffs in college.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure why I didn鈥檛 return punts there,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淏ut me dropping punts, that鈥檚 just more of a practice thing. It happened in practice. That鈥檚 practice. Doing it in the game is different.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy that鈥檚 learning to catch punts,鈥� said Tomlin. 鈥淔orget what he did once he had the ball. I thought he did a good job of judgment and decision-making fielding the ball for a guy with very little experience in that area.鈥�
Williams credited Sammie Coates with the key block on his return. Williams returned two other punts (for 13 combined yards) and fair caught two others without a problem. He鈥檚 hoping the return will lead to more reps at running back in the next two preseason games.
鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to make a name for myself,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淏een down. I鈥檓 just here for the come up.鈥�