After a long eight-month wait, the Pittsburgh Steelers played their first game since their playoff defeat to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round. Pittsburgh lost its preseason opener 20-12 to the Houston Texans, falling behind 17-0 before earning a respectful scoreline with a better second-half performance.
The Steelers outgained the Texans by nearly 100 yards, but a pair of turnovers — notably a muffed punt leading to a touchdown — and a failed fourth-down conversion at the Houston two-yard line overshadowed a solid performance from this new-look Steelers team. The team also had a few notable absences, including quarterback Russell Wilson, who is still waiting to make his official debut in Black and Yellow.
Pittsburgh has two more preseason contests and two weeks before the team must decide its final 53-man roster. These next 14 days will be crucial for determining the cut candidates on the edge of the roster, but first, it is important to evaluate what we saw on the field against the Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Here are three Steelers roster hopefuls who improved their stock in the promising defeat to the Houston Texans.
Jeremiah Moon (OLB), Kyron Johnson (OLB)
Within a week, the Steelers re-signed edge rusher Marcus Golden — who finished third on the squad last year with 4.0 sacks — only for him to announce his retirement. Golden's sudden departure reignites the competition in Pittsburgh for the fourth outside linebacker spot between Jeremiah Moon and Kyron Johnson — both of whom played well against the Texans.
Moon, who spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens, recorded six tackles and registered a sack versus Houston
Johnson was a sixth-round pick for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and played six games for Pittsburgh last season. He finished with three total tackles and a key tackle for a loss in the preseason opener. Johnson's Pro Football Focus Player Grade of 81.9 was also the fourth-highest among Steelers players in the preseason contest.
With both players performing well against the Texans, the battle for the final outsider linebacker spot intensifies as the season looms.
Scotty Miller (WR)
For a brief moment during the 2020 season, it seemed as if Scotty Miller might be the next impactful receiving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miller had at least 70 receiving yards in four of seven games to begin the campaign, including a pair of touchdowns. But the slot receiver had just 11 catches the rest of the year and has only 384 yards over the last three seasons.
The 5-9 wideout spent last year with Arthur Smith's offense in Atlanta, giving him a leg up on the current jumble of Steelers pass-catchers. He demonstrated the strength of that relationship in the team's preseason opener. Miller finished with three catches on four targets for 47 yards, with his 38-yard catch in the fourth quarter representing the longest play of the evening for the Pittsburgh offense.
Miller is currently listed as the seventh receiver on the Steelers depth chart. But with his impressive performance against the Texans, the sixth-year wideout should see his name move up the depth chart and increase his odds of earning a spot on the final 53-man roster.
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