Will Howard didn't get under center at the end of the first half Thursday night and tell himself it was time for an explosive play.
As tempting as it can be to try to dial one up in the preseason, particularly when a young quarterback knows this is his time to shine and impress the decision-makers in the building, Howard is walking the fine line to find the right balance.
"You can't go chasing them. The minute you go chasing them is when you get in trouble," he said after practice Wednesday, a few hours after Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy announced Howard will start Friday against the Jets. "You've really just got to be brilliant in the basics and wait for that opportunity to come.
It did come for Howard, more than once, in his debut at the NFL level last week. The 22-yard completion to tight end Robert Tonyan that was initially ruled a touchdown was the first example that came to mind for Howard as he extolled the virtues of that "brilliant in the basics" mantra.
Howard simply saw the coverage Green Bay played, trusted the play call from McCarthy and fell back on his preparation. The result was almost six points on the scoreboard.
"I wasn't searching for that ball over the middle to Bobby. It just kind of happened," Howard said before explaining the pre-snap machinations. "I think that's really what you have to do to get those big plays is not reach, not force, and take the game as it comes to you."
That might be even tougher to do at the end of this week when he gets his first start, with both Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph sitting out. And because Tonyan was ruled down just short of the goal line, Howard has yet to throw a touchdown pass.
If there are any jitters associated with another bite at the apple, and this time being the leadoff quarterback, Howard hopes he got them out of his system in the opener. He thought he was a bit "antsy" in the pocket on his first drive as the adrenaline was flowing. Now he may run out of the tunnel and be introduced with the starting lineup.
"I'm just blessed and honored to be getting my first start," Howard said. "First opportunity here in the big leagues."
Howard insisted it's "me versus me" when it comes to his standing in the quarterback room. But following him Friday will be rookie third-round pick Drew Allar, who's also trying to make the most of these mid-August moments.
Allar has been the talk of Steeler Nation since he threw for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns, all in the second half after backing up Rudolph and Howard. Now he figures to get a little longer look, too, and show that he can continue that efficient quarterback play — and the crowd will have his back again.
"It's definitely cool to see how many fans did show up for our first preseason game," Allar said. "I'm excited to see how many show up for a Friday night game. The fan support was great when we were out on the field."
Allar already has come a long way from his initial NFL scouting combine meeting with McCarthy, who recalls the Penn State product being "beet-red." Then there was Allar's first time talking ball with Rodgers, who asked him what he calls his haircut.
Now the conversations between the oldest and youngest quarterbacks on the roster are less about hairstyle and more about play-action fakes, ball-handling and film study. Allar relishes it all while learning on the job, a role he "won't take for granted."
"There were one or two plays I'd like to have back, which is how it's going to be every week, no matter how good or how bad the performance is," Allar said. "For me, it's just continuing to be clean with my decisive decision-making, be clean in my footwork and protections, and master the fundamentals to allow me to go out there and play fast."
You could even call it brilliance in the basics.
