LATROBE, Pa. - Even with bad weather cutting the day short, Mike McCarthy still found a way to crank up the heat at Steelers camp.
Friday’s headline item was the debut of a new competitive segment McCarthy called the “Smackdown” period, a red-zone style drill built around a 25-yard line start and a race to 21 points. Offense and defense went at it with the scoreboard running, and the energy in the session reflected exactly what the coach wanted.
“Today, this is a really good practice. It gives you everything.
We have a period that we call red zone smackdown. It’s basically, put the ball on a 25-yard line.
Offense competes against the defense, keep score. There’s a scoring process, whoever gets to 21 first,” McCarthy said.
There wasn’t much agreement afterward on who actually won. Michael Pittman Jr. said the offense got the better of it, while Doneiko Slaughter and others pushed back and said the defense took the period. What everyone did agree on was that the trash talk picked up and the competition level jumped.
Pittman also singled out rookie wideout Germie Bernard for a touchdown in the drill, crediting the youngster’s feel for finding space in the zone.
“He just has a good feel in space, and he’s also super shifty. For a guy that’s 200-plus pounds, he moves great. He just has a great feel for space, and he’s just sitting down in zones and he’s catching passes,” Pittman said.
The Steelers are set to go to Latrobe Memorial High School on Saturday, and the expectation is another physical practice - the kind that usually stands out as one of the most competitive days of camp.
One player making the most of his chance is Slaughter, who has stepped into the slot with Brandin Echols and Jalen Ramsey injured. The first-year defender has turned those reps into real momentum, showing enough to make a case for at least a practice squad spot.
McCarthy pointed to Slaughter’s route-matching and understanding of releases and stems as part of what has stood out.
“Number one, I would say in the pass part of it, I think the ability to match routes. I think he has a really good understanding of the releases and the stems.
I think that that’s something you can see right away. But other than that, I think you’ve already stated it, the fact he’s getting those reps, it’s very important for him to take advantage of it,” McCarthy said.
Slaughter said he’s simply trying to handle whatever the staff asks of him, especially after moving inside from outside cornerback this spring.
“Whatever the coaches need me to do, I’m here to do,” Slaughter said. “I’m appreciative of the opportunity.”
There were also signs that Pittman and Aaron Rodgers are starting to build something. Pittman’s camp has been fairly quiet so far, but Friday brought a little more rhythm between the veteran receiver and the four-time MVP. Pittman said the timing is coming along as the reps pile up.
“We’re trying to get in as many reps as possible. That’s why I kind of started out slow and you’re seeing it ramp up more and more. So, just looking to build on that and keep going, I guess,” Pittman said.
One of the clearest examples came on a route Pittman bent toward Rodgers, which drew a nod from the quarterback.
The defense was making plays too. D’Shawn Jamison said he, Payton Wilson and Jaquan Brisker each came away with interceptions at different points in practice, a strong showing for a secondary that kept finding the football.
And McCarthy had high praise for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, saying the unit’s communication has advanced to the point where it can disguise looks before the snap. McCarthy went even further, calling Graham a future head coach in the NFL for the way he has organized the defense.
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