The Pittsburgh Steelers were back in Latrobe today, ending an eventful week with a Sunday practice. 

And while they're off tomorrow, Pittsburgh brought the intensity today, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

But despite the absence of some key members of the defense line, Pittsburgh seemingly dodged a bullet in the secondary:

Duke Dawson Avoids Major Injury

If you were watching the fourth quarter of Friday's game, you probably saw the horrific-looking injury that Steelers' CB Duke Dawson sustained. In a great deal of pain, unable to put any weight on his leg, and last seen leaving the field on a cart, many feared the worst for Dawson. 

But when everyone showed up for practice today, so did he. And while he obviously didn't participate, he had nothing on his leg, no crutches, and was actively walking around the practice field. 

That's terrific news for both Dawson and the Steelers' especially when you consider his lengthy injury history which includes a prior ACL tear. 



Battling for a roster spot, that injury could have not only ended his time in Pittsburgh but in the NFL. 



So hopefully Dawson is back to full speed, as he and Pittsburgh may have dodged a bullet. 

Offense Cools Off

After a hot start that included Kenny Pickett and the offense marching down the field on their opening drive of 2023 against Tampa, the Steelers defense had other plans in store for them this afternoon. 



Starting practice per usual with "Seven Shoots" the Steelers' first-team offense lost every rep, with Pickett going 0-3 on passing attempts. 

That shouldn't necessarily create cause for concern, however, as we have seen both sides have dominant days over one another. 



I won't be shocked if the offense comes out firing on Tuesday. 

Minkah & Kazee Go Crazy

Part of the reason the offense struggled so mightily is probably much to do with the return of DB Damontae Kazee, who last practiced two weeks ago today. 



Nursing an ankle injury, he was back to his "high-flying" self, along with Minkah Fitzpatrick. The two of them roam the secondary like they own the field and made plays on the football throughout practice. 



Likely the starting duo at safety come September, it was nice to see these two back on the field together. 

D-Line is on their Last Legs

After missing Friday's game with an injury, Steelers starting defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi was out again today, along with the man who stole the show against Tampa, Keeanu Benton. 



And while those weren't necessarily surprising given what happened before or on game day, the absence of Cam Heyward was, especially given that no other veterans had the day off and he didn't play on Friday either. 



Hopefully, Pittsburgh is just being smart with Heywards' usage. He is in his mid 30's now, and they will need him to accomplish their goals when the games actually matter. 

DJ & KP Continue to Bond

The opening drive of Friday's game saw Diontae Johnson targeted on half of Kenny Pickett's completions. The talented wideout caught all three and was a staple in the passing concepts, often isolated as the boundary x:

#Steelers run a form of Double Slant to the field but Kenny once again targets the boundary X, making a nice throw out of the pocket.

He liked reading and attacking the backside of the concept on his lone drive. pic.twitter.com/32oujyhNZJ

— Rob Gregson (@NFL_Rob) August 13, 2023

Well, the two of them kept that going today, including a fantastic sideline grab from Johnson. 



And while I know it's early, the preseason alludes more than you think, and I would expect the offense to have a similar structure come September, with Johnson getting the lion's share of the targets, and George Pickens doing most of the scoring. 

---

So that wraps up week three of practice in Latrobe for the Steelers. This week will see them have their final practices before camp breaks on Thursday and they finish out the preseason over the following week. 



The first game was a terrific start for the offense, so maybe the defense wanted to serve up some humble pie for the starters today. Hopefully, Pittsburgh will garner clarity on some of their defensive line injuries, as we will be monitoring this week's lead-up closely. 

Steelers Stock Watch: Risers after preseason game one win at Buccaneers

See who shined the most in the first contest of 2023

Featured image via: © Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports-The Cincinnati Enquirer