Day 5 Afternoon Practice: Sanders stars in red-zone drill

By Dale Grdnic

Photo: David Hague - Inside Pittsburgh Sports

LATROBE, Pa. -- Once again, situation down and distance work was the primary focus for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their Tuesday afternoon training camp practice at Saint Vincent College.

And Steelers coach Mike Tomlin couldn't have been more pleased about it.

"That was a legitimate training-camp practice,'' Tomlin said. "I loved the ebb and flow. There was success and failure on both sides of the ball, but I think we have our feet on the ground and growing as a football team. We need to match that effort (Wednesday). ... But I liked the effort and enthusiasm.''

The main team sessions started with a red-zone drill, first-and-10 from the 19.

Ben Roethlisberger hit wideout Hines Ward with a short pass, and then it was changed to third down and six from the 16.

Mewelde Moore went in motion and came out of the backfield to catch a pass down the sideline that he ran in for a score.

Linebacker Lawrence Timmons was late in coverage on the play.

Running back Isaac Redman also got a lot for, catching the ball for short gains out of the backfield and running it effectively as well.

Justin Vincent got his share of work, too, while starter Rashard Mendenhall (toe) was held out.

On third down from the 8, Redman caught a swing pass in the flat after a delay, but Larry Foote knocked him out short of the goal line.

The Steelers also failed to get in on the next play, third-and-goal from the 8, as Roethlisberger's toss to Ward ended up at the 2.

Byron Leftwich took over the Steelers offense for a third-and-10 play from the 19 and immediately hit rookie Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown on a leaping catch in the middle of the end zone.

Sanders basically split coverage by William Gay and Foote, while Will Allen was a little late with safety help.

"Hopefully, you're going to see even more catching like that and touchdowns from me during the preseason and regular season,'' Sanders said. He also believed he wouldn't just make the team, but win the rookie of the year award.

On the next play, third down and 10 at the 11, Leftwich was picked off after a deflection. It was the first interception thrown in a team drill. The previous two were during 7-on-7 work, and one of those was deflected as well. Safety Tuff Harris tipped it, and cornerback Crezdon Butler pulled in the carom.

Leftwich hooked up with Sanders again for a first down inside the 6, and then he hit Tyler Grisham for the touchdown.

On first-and-goal from the 5, Leftwich lobbed a scoring pass to tight end Matt Spaeth, who had position on Farrior. Cornerback Ike Taylor was covering tight end David Johnson past the pylon, and there was no help on Spaeth.

Dennis Dixon got a chance to show what he can do, and he opened with a......