Steelers’ inside the ropes: Anthony McFarland shows off speed in mismatch with linebackers
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On a day when the Pittsburgh Steelers had linebackers assigned to stopping running backs in pass coverage, nobody could keep up with Anthony McFarland.
Back for a fourth training camp with the Steelers after spending most of last year on the practice squad, the 5-foot-8, 193-pound McFarland showcased his speed in a drill that proved to be a mismatch for the linebackers.
On his first play, McFarland blew past Kwon Alexander to haul in a pass that led to a long touchdown. Then, he ran by Tanner Muse on a deep route. McFarland had to come back for the ball thrown by Kenny Pickett, and he caught the pass while falling on his backside. McFarland also got behind Chapelle Russell and made a toe-tapping catch along the sideline. On his final reps, McFarland again beat Alexander on a route over the middle.
McFarland was hardly the only star of the drill. Jaylen Warren caught a pass in front of Cole Holcomb, then did a stutter step toward the sideline. As Holcomb slowed, Warren cut upfield and ran about 50 yards to the end zone.
Najee Harris also had a long reception along the sideline with Muse in coverage.
One of the rare wins for the linebackers came when Bethel Park’s Nick Kwiatkoski leaped and deflected a pass away from Darius Hagans.
• The defense scored a 5-2 win in “seven shots” to open practice. Pickett went 0 for 4 running the first-team offense, although he had an apparent score when George Pickens highpointed a pass and kept both feet inbounds at the back of the end zone. The officials brought in to oversee the practice ruled it no catch, saying Pickens had touched the back line on his route and hadn’t re-established himself in the field of play before making his catch.
• Mitch Trubisky was 2 for 3 in seven shots. He threw a nice fade to rookie tight end Darnell Washington for a score and then completed a quick pass to Gunner Olszewski in the end zone.
• Diontae Johnson slipped on an out route with Patrick Peterson in coverage but still managed to haul in the pass from Pickett while on the ground.
• In a team run period, safety Elijah Riley made an ankle tackle on Warren in the backfield as the second-year back was trying to run wide left.
• Kwiatkoski dropped Hagans in the backfield with the ball popping loose after Hagans was on the ground.
• Allen Robinson caught a short pass over the middle from Pickett despite Peterson being draped all over him.
• Cornerback Levi Wallace had a nice pass deflection on a sideline throw to Johnson.
• Calvin Austin beat rookie corner Joey Porter Jr. down the sideline on a deep pas from Trubisky that gained about 40 yards.
• Cody White was the recipient of a forearm shiver from safety Kenny Robinson that forced him out of bounds after he caught a pass over the middle and continued across the field.