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The training camp is supposed to be a test. It's supposed to push players to their limits. It's supposed to be miserable. He is supposed to eliminate the weak. But this has never been supposed to go so far as to require the services of professional grief counselors.
But that's the kind of week it has been for the Steelers. Their last week at St. Vincent College this summer began with a death in the family, an event in which Mike Tomlin used the word "devastated" to describe its effects.
Exactly one week ago today, the Steelers became aware of the death of Darryl Drake, who describes their receivership but their spiritual compass and support system in reality. A man who had been with them for just 18 months and yet managed to make a lasting impact on so many of them was gone, torn apart by a horrible tragedy.
At the end of this week of hell, there was a football game, the second of four in this pre-season, and it was their duty to play at a standard level at a professional level. They wanted to have a future in this profession. It was thus that some five days after meeting with grief counselors, the Steelers had a football game to play against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field, and even if that match would not be taken into account he was still acting in a position where jobs would be busy. line.
Their sport is not made for the weak minded and it can not be practiced without the proper approach leading to the kickoff, and then without the proper mindset once the ball is on the tee. After a few days and a few days to overcome their grief, the Steelers returned to work, but the situation was just back to normal. Their first practice after Drake's death reflected their fragile emotional state. Even if they improved the next day, they still had to deal with the incessant memories of the man they had lost.
Instead of some of the traditional end-of-camp fun, such as the rookie show and the home derby, the Steelers boarded buses and went to the funeral home to pay a last tribute. Their practices included impromptu prayer circles that grew as players noticed what was going on. When the players felt they were ready to talk to the media about their loss, they did it with a heavy heart and red eyes.
But finally, the day of the match had arrived, but even that was not quite normal. After attaching their "DD" commemorative stickers to the back of their helmet, the lightning shifted into the area and the sending shot was postponed for one hour. When that was finally over, the teams warmed up and just before the kickoff, the Steelers formed a final circle of prayer on their sideline. Then they went to work.
It was not a perfect performance, not a shot from a distance, but it was a performance that paid tribute to Darryl Drake because she was focused and hardworking and did the job with a 17-7 victory. .
The Chiefs are a much better team than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that the Steelers defeated in their pre-season match, which was reflected in the match. Mason Rudolph started at quarterback for the Steelers, and his performance was more resilient than brilliant, as evidenced by the fact that he finished his game with a score of 79.0, but on a touchdown 14 yards and 89 yards. With a 7-0 lead, he completed 5 of 6 passes for 60 yards, including 2 for 2 for 35 yards on the third try.
And it was somewhat fitting that the younger receivers, once thought of as Drake's personal stakes to become knowledgeable professionals, have come together in a way that would no doubt have made their coach proud.
Second-year professional James Washington led the group with four catches for 78 yards, while continuing to meet the expectations of a second-round pick. Rookie Diontae Johnson, a player Drake described the day he was qualified by the Steelers as "an extremely talented young man and the most natural receiver (of football) I've seen in a while," saw his first match at the height of these words.
Johnson made an NFL adjustment on one pass for a 24-yard touchdown that was canceled by a ghost pass interference penalty, but he came back with a nice dive later in the game for a 24-yard touchdown that been allowed to stand.
But this game turned out to be more than a couple of wide receivers that would have made their coach proud. It was about each member of a team who felt able to put their personal feelings aside and get together to do group work. It's more than just the three things to remember about fumble recovery, more than standing up to one of the best teams in the NFL.
Several players were wearing a T-shirt in their uniforms that carried a message that Darryl Drake was constantly preaching to them: "Shut up the noise." That's what this game was for these Steelers, and how they handled the task during the day. 39, a difficult week – We made their coach proud of the receivers.
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