Inside the Ropes: Mitch Trubisky directs TD drive while running two-minute offense

Mitch Trubisky showed he was efficient at running the two-minute offense in his first test as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.

Trubisky directed the offense to a touchdown Wednesday while running the situational drill that concluded the workout at Saint Vincent.

The situation called for the Steelers needing a touchdown with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining and the offense 53 yards from the end zone.

Trubisky began by completing a pass to rookie George Pickens, who ran out of bounds after a 17-yard gain. Trubisky followed with a six-yard completion to rookie Calvin Austin III. After an incompletion, Trubisky checked down with a completion to Benny Snell that should have set up fourth down.

Coach Mike Tomlin, though, signaled first down, and Trubisky had a clean slate. After a completion to Austin at the 6, Tomlin called time, stopping the clock with 28 seconds left.

A pass to the left side of the end zone to Cody White was ruled incomplete even though offensive players standing on the sideline vigorously objected. “Where’s the replay, where’s the replay,” wide receiver Diontae Johnson said.

Trubisky came back and found Pickens in the back of the end zone for the score.

Working under the same conditions, Mason Rudolph had 7-yard completions to Steven Sims and Gunner Olszewski to open the drive. Kevin Rader made a leaping catch across the middle for a 19-yard gain to the 20.

Rudolph faced a fourth-and-6 but completed a pass to Olszewski that put the ball on the 7 with 11 ticks remaining.

Rudolph couldn’t find Sims on a post route, and Olszewski barely got a hand on a high pass that sailed through the end zone as time expired.

• It took seven practices, but Trubisky didn’t get all of the quarterback snaps with the first-team offense. And he received the same number of snaps in Seven Shots as Rudolph.

Rudolph moved back into the No. 2 role after getting the third-team snaps the past two days. In Seven Shots, he and Trubisky received three snaps each. Kenny Pickett, dropped back to third team after two days taking Rudolph’s spot, got the final rep.

In team periods, Trubisky continued to get most of the first-team reps, but there were times when Rudolph and Trubisky subbed in for a couple of snaps. The rotation continued for much of the afternoon.

• Seven Shots began with Joe Haeg starting at right tackle and Kevin Dotson at left guard. Trubisky went 1 for 3 and missed a chance at having a second score when Pickens dropped a pass in the end zone.

• Trubisky’s first pass was batted down. He bounced back to find Anthony Miller in the left flat, and he got over the goal line for the score. His third attempt bounced in and out of Pickens’ hands after the rookie had gotten a step on cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.

• Rudolph collected a pair of scores in his three chances in Seven Shots. On his first snap, he rolled right, and, after a pump fake, he targeted Olszewski in the back of the end zone, but the former Patriots receiver caught the ball beyond the end line. On Rudolph’s second snap, he looked right and threw a low pass to Sims, who cradled the ball just above the grass for the score. Rudolph finished his reps with a pass to rookie running back Jaylen Warren for the points.

• Pickett’s lone rep in Seven Shots was a shovel pass to rookie tight end Connor Heyward that reached the end zone.

• In a one-on-one session pitting receivers against defensive backs, White had a nice back-shoulder catch in front of James Pierre. Pickens also got both feet in bounds on a sideline throw. The completion was confirmed by one of the officials on hand, much to Pickens’ pleasure.

• Pickett had a pass batted down in another team period, but he came back to thread a pass to Tyler Snead, who made a diving catch across the middle.

• Miller was the pre-practice star when he put on a show in the punt return line. The returners line up and see how many balls they can catch — and maintain possession of — from the punting machine. Miller caught ball after ball after ball until he had seven in his possession, which is considered an unofficial camp record.