Morning After: Steelers – Colts Post Game Buzz on 1st team offense, Mike Adams, O-line, Hrapmann, Gilreath, Dwyer

— The Steelers offense still hasn’t found a comfort zone and I’m sure Ben Roethlisberger loved the team opening the game with seven runs on the first eight plays, while rookie Andrew Luck was winging the ball around like a 10 year veteran, throwing the ball on seven of the Colts first nine plays.

Roethlisberger was on the field for 18 plays on four possessions and ended up with a 50-50 split, throwing nine times and the first team offense rushing nine times, but a focus on calling passing plays didn’t start to happen until Roethlisberger was calling his own plays in the no huddle that began on the Steelers third possession of the game with 5:31 left in the first quarter.

Even Falcons all-pro wide receiver Roddy White who has never played for Todd Haley chimed in on the Steelers offensive coordinator last night. “Todd Haley problem is he really thinks that coaches win games not players when he realizes he doesn’t win games than he will be fine, ” White said on Twitter.

While the Steelers aren’t doing a ton of game planning through two preseason games and have wanted to focus on the short game, I’ve seen nothing about Haley’s new scheme that has really jumped out at this point.

— Second round pick Mike Adams is an absolute train wreck………Scouts, draft pundits leading into April’s draft who felt Adams was not going to be ready to play in year one appear to be spot on. Adams just doesn’t have the physical strength or smarts right now which was a knock on him coming into the draft and if the Steelers put him out there in week 1, he’s going to get Roethlisberger killed.

—  Ramon Foster showed some promise at right tackle where the Steelers could get away with a starting O-line left to right (if Max Starks is not ready) of Marcus Gilbert – Willie Colon – Maurkice Pouncey – David DeCastro – Ramon Foster. Gilbert did not play lights out by any means at left tackle and had some miscommunication issues with Willie Colon on some blitz pickups but the above mentioned line is the Steelers only realistic option if Starks is not fully ready for Denver.

— The Steelers coaching staff has been waiting for someone at the receiver group after Brown, Sanders and Cotchery to show them something and a player has finally separated himself from the pack and it was David Gilreath last night who had a team-high four receptions for 78 yards, including a long catch of 41 yards. Gilreath who also has return abilities, has outplayed the likes of Derrick Williams, Toney Clemons, Marquis Maze, Tyler Beiler, Toney Clemons, Jimmy Young, Juamorris Stewart and Paul Cox. Williams who is a former high pick out of the group, has been a big disappointment and doesn’t have the look of an NFL receiver, while 7th rounder Tony Clemons has showed few flashes in camp of being a viable No. 5 receiver this season.

— Jonathan Dwyer (8 CAR – 43 yards) continues to flash big play ability with a long run of 23 yards…..Baron Batch is still not showing much running the ball but his intangibles in the blocking department were on display again last night on Antonio Brown’s 57 yard catch and run. Batch though will be the odd-man out if the Steelers only keep four running backs (Mendenhall, Redman, Rainey, Dwyer) on their active roster, despite Steelers brass believing Mendenhall won’t be ready for game action until week three at the earliest.

— The Steelers really like rookie kicker Daniel Hrapmann who the team is said to feel has a stronger leg than Shaun Suisham. Hrapmann was 4-4 on field goals, hitting 25, 39, 43 and 22 yards

— Andrew Luck was impressive at times last night but he doesn’t have much help around him. The Colts are a team with Bruce Arians at the helm that makes a lot of sense to go hard after Mike Wallace as a free agent next off-season.