The Steelers left Orchard Park with a preseason record of 1-2, and the finale did exactly what August football is supposed to do: stir up more questions than answers.
Quarterback play sits near the top of that list, and Will Howard remains one of the biggest talking points. He threw another interception, his third of the preseason, on a miscommunication with Lake McRee.
But the issue with Howard isn’t only the turnovers. The bigger concern is the way the ball comes out.
There just isn’t much zip on it right now, and that’s going to hang over him even as his footwork and processing continue to develop.
Howard still looks like a safe bet to make the 53-man roster, and the Steelers appear set on carrying four quarterbacks. He may even be the kind of player they could try to slip to the practice squad, but that doesn’t seem likely.
The offensive line also left a strange impression. Pittsburgh kept shuffling pieces in ways that didn’t make much sense, especially with Dylan Cook.
If Cook is supposed to be the Week 1 starter at right tackle, why was he starting at left tackle against Buffalo? That naturally raises more questions: does that point to Broderick Jones on the right side, or is Max Iheanachor suddenly in the mix?
The Steelers have an answer in mind, but they aren’t showing it yet.
Iheanachor, the first-round pick out of Arizona State, finally got his preseason debut, and it was a rough one. He entered with the group of five in the second quarter and had several plays where he looked slow off the ball or let technique get in the way. The Steelers may still feel good about his long-term outlook, but this wasn’t the kind of performance that suggests he’ll open the season as the Week 1 starter at right tackle.
There was also a notable shift with Malik Harrison. The veteran linebacker didn’t dress for the final preseason game, which strongly suggests the Steelers aren’t risking him anymore and may be preparing to move on and save more than $4 million in salary cap space.
The running back picture remains unsettled too. Lew Nichols got the start against the Bills, while Travis Homer came off the bench, and both remain very much in the mix.
Nichols and Homer each had solid runs in the first half and both contribute on special teams, which keeps the battle tight. Nichols didn’t even get his first snap until the third quarter, when he relieved Eli Heidenreich in the middle of a drive.
Heidenreich, for his part, turned in his best showing. He gave Pittsburgh a decent kick return to open the third quarter and then led the backfield on the next drive, finishing it with a touchdown. That still feels like a long shot for a roster spot, but the performance stood out in a game where the Steelers were clearly sorting through the edges of the roster.
In the end, the Steelers got through preseason with optimism, uncertainty and a handful of decisions still hanging in the air. The final score in Buffalo mattered less than the way the night sharpened the questions they’ll carry into the regular season.
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