Motivated Steelers Defense Rises To Training Camp Challenge In 7 Shots Drill

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on their third day of training camp, and the heat is turning up in more ways than just the sweltering weather. Fans line the boundaries as the various battles are fought to determine positions and to help this squad gel into a cohesive, competitive unit. Head Coach, Mike Tomlin, has never been one to shy away from creating adversity, and utilizing the right drills to get the best out of his players is a big part of that. That is where the "7 Shots" drill was born, and it quickly became a fan favorite and an excellent way to pit the strengths of the team against one another.

Steelers' First String Goes To The Defense

The concept is simple enough; ball on the two-yard line, offense against defense, and seven chances to get into the endzone or protect the goal line. The aim is to create a situation that is as "live game" as it can be in the waning days of July, complete with rowdy fans and penalties to keep the players honest.

Without a quarterback competition this season, starting under center was Kenny Pickett, who has looked every bit the second-year leader that the Steelers were hoping for after an inspiring end to his rookie campaign. With storm clouds looming on the horizon, the whistle let everyone know that one of the more anticipated battles was about to commence.

Pickett took the reins for the first four shots out of the seven chances given. The first shot was not the kind of result that fans or coaching staff will be aiming for as camp progresses. Pickett gave second-year receiver, George Pickens, a viable chance at a touchdown, but the usually reliable hands of Pickens couldn't pull the pass in, and the defense got the first point (0-1, Defense). Pickett was a bit more responsible for the second shot also falling incomplete, with Najee Harris as the apparent target, giving the defense a two-point lead in the drill (0-2, Defense).

On the third shot, the defense took a more aggressive stance, and veteran defender, Cam Heyward, batted down another Pickett attempt. With three straight incompletions to begin the drill, the defense was flying high, and the knockdown by Heyward provided palpable energy (0-3, Defense). It took four shots, but finally, Pickett found his target by scrambling until tight end, Zack Gentry, made himself available. The huge tight end kept control and got the offense their first score of the drill (1-3, Defense).

With Pickett scoring on the fourth shot, it was time for the backup quarterback, Mitch Trubisky, to come and handle the last three chances. Building on the positive momentum from Pickett's scrambling touchdown pass, Trubisky put a perfect pass into the hands of versatile tight end, Connor Heyward. The pass wasn't just a positive due to the touchdown, Trubisky had to thread the needle with Joey Porter Jr. covering Heyward to near perfection. The throw had to be right on the money, and thanks to a tough pass, the offense got closer to the defense in the drill (2-3, Defense).

The rain was still threatening as the offense readied themselves for the sixth chance. This time Trubisky tried to find receiver, Cody White, in the endzone, but rookie cornerback, Corey Trice Jr. had excellent coverage, and the pass fell incomplete. Another great down by the defense had them up in the drill with only one chance left and all of the energy surging toward the defenders (2-4, Defense). After a false start by rookie tight end, Darnell Washington, the final shot was ready to go.

Trubisky managed to find Gunner Olszewski for a completion, but yet another solid move by Trice Jr. stopped him short of the goal line, solidifying the defense's win over the offense, 2-5. Following the entire drill was our very own B-Wall, bringing you all the training camp updates as they happen!

Steelers Need 7 Shots To Succeed In 2023

It isn't just the energy gained from having an early-camp triumph, the lessons being learned by this squad at the goal line will hopefully fix a glaring issue from last year. The Steelers ranked a mediocre 22nd in the NFL when it came to scoring redzone touchdowns, only getting the ball into the endzone 51.9% of the time. Mike DeFabo of The Athletic puts that into perspective because with the Steelers ranking in the bottom third of the league, the results of scoring redzone touchdowns speak for themselves.

"The importance of scoring seven points instead of three goes without saying. It’s no small coincidence that the two Super Bowl teams — the Chiefs and the Eagles — ranked second and third, respectively, in that stat."

Considering that the Steelers brought back Matt Canada as their Offensive Coordinator, a major factor in halting drives and eroding momentum, it is all the more vital for Pittsburgh to score whenever possible. Training camp may just be starting out, but the entire offseason has been about building a strategy, finding the pieces to execute it, and now they are putting it into practice. Every drill, every whistle, and every new experience is leading this squad toward 2023, which will be more efficient and will find more creative ways to score.

At least, they will if they want this season to be different than 2022.

Will the Steelers score more effectively in the redzone during the 2023 season? Comment below!

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