Preseason Game Thread, Week 3: Buffalo Bills

As always: here's to hoping nobody gets hurt. By the way, since I live in Upstate New York and I'll get the game live. I'll try to send the occasional updates if anything interesting happens.

Random Football Stuff

We talked to Texans quarterback Matt Schaub on the ol' FanHouse podcast yesterday and, well, he was really funny. If you're looking to kill 15 minutes, knock yourself out. Oh, and subscribe via iTunes while you're at it. Baby needs a new pair of shoes and whatnot.

Mike Reilly Almost Died Last Night

I don't care so much about the loss -- it's the preseason -- but avoiding injuries are sorta important. Dennis Dixon had to leave the game early with a bum shoulder and that may or may not be a big deal.

But it leads to this: for the love of all that is holy, let's not ever (ever ever ever) again line up Alex Stepanovich and Tony Hills at right guard and right tackle. Mike Reilly would have been justified in pressing charges (aiding and abetting) against those two.

Oh, and one more thing: Joe Burnett, you're off return duty.

Preseason Game Thread, Week 2: Washington Redskins

Here's to hoping nobody gets sacked in an intimidating manner. Or hurt.

Steelers Start Preseason Undefeated!

So one preseason game is like,what, 10 tweets? We saw the starters for a few series, got our first look and the new mugs, and now we'll spend the next week making predictions about what it all means. With that in mind:

* The first-team offensive line is in midseason form. Not a compliment, but again, I've learned to accept it.

* Bruce Arians is still in love with the five-wide set, particularly when the Steelers are deep in their own end. Good to know.

* Rashard Mendenhall didn't do a whole lot. That seems to be one of the camp story lines, but I'm unconcerned for now. It would be nice, yes, but, well, you know my philosophy on NFL running backs, and FWP and Mewelde are still on the roster. Oh, and they also have ISAAC REDMAN.

* Limas Sweed gets a virtual high-five.

* Mike Wallace reminds me of Willie Reid in that he's a speedy returner and wideout. The difference is that he's fast and can actually makes plays.

Okay, those were some of the thoughts I had as I watched the offense. Feel free to add your own, talk about the defense, or how awesome it was that we were subjected to Mike Vick talk during most of the game.

Preseason Game Thread, Week 1: Arizona Cardinals

I can't believe it's already time for another game thread. As always, the preseason prayer:

"Please don't let anybody get hurt. Thanks."

Feel free to leave your impression of the new guys in the comments.

It's Almost Game Time

Will and Finnegans Wake have already busted out their early takes on the 53-man roster, and we'll all get our first looks Thursday night. I know some of you take the Twitter-tastic approach to training camps with a grain of salt because, well, it's training camp and there's still a lot to be decided, but I love it.

In much the same way I love science fiction. It's a nice break from reality, but with the full understanding that, ultimately, it doesn't mean much. And I think most of us feel that way. That said: Urbik's DEFINITELY getting cut, Kennan Lewis will start opposite Ike Taylor and the team clearly got a first-round talent in Mike Wallace.

So, right: perspective.

O-Line Is Only an Issue if You Let it Be an Issue

I know we shouldn't put too much into an immediate, 140-character observation from the first week of training camp practice, but this is sure to concern some folks, especially since the Steelers used a third-rounder to "bolster" the offensive line. From Wex's Twitter Machine:

"Ramon Foster is a better player than Kraig Urbik. Urbik, frankly, is too soft. And I'm stunned."

And then there's this:

"At this point, Legursky will make the team and Shipley will be on the practice squad. Not being able to play G will hurt Shipley now."

Personally, I'm over the o-line issues. Every August we bellyache about how bad things are, Ben subsequently gets sacked 450 times, and the Steelers somehow make it to the postseason. We then spend the spring bellyaching about how the team has to take only fat guys in the draft. Inevitably, it doesn't happen, they get a few second-day stiffs, and the process repeats itself. Could Pittsburgh have a better offensive line? Um, hell yeah. But last year, 31 other teams would have gladly taken Starks, Kemoeatu, Hartwig, Stapleton and Colon if that mean winning a Super Bowl.

Well, I'm not getting sucked into the o-line debate this time. Nope, instead I'm going to focus my energies on perpetuating the "Frank the Tank = Bus" story line. Who's with me?!

Everybody's Twitterin'

This is the first NFL season where everybody will be on Twitter, and I wonder if it will be the last. In the meantime, Wex is doing a fantastic job on the Twitter Machine, and Schefter, Ross Tucker and Peter King also did solid work from Latrobe over the weekend.

Although, Tucker actually tweeted something about the Steelers' o-line not being that bad and Willie Colon being one of the league's most underrated offensive tackles. Normally, I like Tucker, but, well, I'm having a tough time buying that. Here's to hoping he's right.

Feel free to add your favorite Twitter feeds (football or otherwise) in the comments.