This article originially appeared on Steelers Now.
Former Penn State QB Drew Allar’s first NFL preseason appearance wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty close.
Allar trotted out, high-fiving guard Ryan McCollum and then covered the ear holes of his helmet to take the play call. The Acrisure
Stadium crowd’s cheers might not have been as loud as they were for fellow Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard earlier in the night, but they were there.
So too was the encore to Howard’s encouraging effort during the 28-9 preseason-opening win over the Green Bay Packers.
Howard got three series to show what he could do — orchestrating a good-looking two-minute drill — before Allar climbed into the cockpit late in the third quarter, with Max Hurleman, Jakobie Keeney-James, Levi Wentz and Kaden Wetjen at his disposal as pass-catchers.
Allar, a finished his night 10 for 13 for 154 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He ran another one in himself.
During his first drive, on a third-and-7 from his own 23-yard line, the rookie third-round draft pick hit Wetjen in the numbers on a slant after Packers cornerback Jaylin Simpson stumbled trying to blanket him. Wetjen wheeled to the 3-yard line before running out of steam and being tracked down.
On the next play, Allar booted right and fellow rookie Riley Nowakowski dropped a would-be score. Allar punched it in on a keeper the same way on the following snap, Packers linebacker Kristian Welch’s diving tackle try be damned. Five plays, 80 yards, touchdown.
(Nowakowski later made up for it by pulling down Allar’s second scoring throw of the night, from four yards out with 1:46 until the final gun.)
Allar’s next turn began at the Steelers’ 11. He hit Hurleman on an out route for 18 yards, then Wentz drew a pass interference call, moving Pittsburgh to the 40. Two plays later, Allar hit him on a slant, picking up another new set of downs and pushing the offense past midfield. Allar alternated between Hurleman and tight end Lake McRee as he forged into the red zone.
Allar booted to his left and zipped it to Wetjen for a five-yard strike that put the Steelers up 21-9 with 8:51 to go. The play before, on a third-and-3 from the 9, Allar prematurely worried about his pocket, readying to run, before dropping back again, resetting his feet and shuffling to his left. He floated it over Wetjen, wanting to get it out of his hands before a defender closed in from his right. A defensive holding penalty wiped that incompletion away.
Allar finished that march completing seven of his eight offerings for 69 yards, his lone incompletion a go ball to Hurleman down the right sideline.
Allar wasn’t without a misfire, throwing behind Keeney-James on a slant during his third time out, but the positives far outweighed the negatives.
Aaron Rodgers, the 42-year-old four-time NFL MVP, didn’t suit up to play against his former team, leaving Mason Rudolph, Howard and Allar to split reps behind center. They didn’t have the Steelers’ top two receivers to throw to, however, as DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman Jr. (leg) sat out.
