The third preseason game is traditionally the one in which the starters play the longest, and it will be no different Saturday night against the Atlanta Falcons at Heinz Field.

Coach Mike Tomlin said the starters will play at least a half, and one of the units might even begin the third quarter. He said his top two quarterbacks — Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich — will play, but he hasn’t decided how he will use Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon .

“For a young guy, there probably aren’t as many opportunities in this game,” Tomlin said.

But he also added: “This is a big step for us, for a lot of people. The clock is ticking, if you will, in terms of some men making a statement or making a move. They’re well aware of that.”

Hills to start at guard

Tomlin said former offensive tackle Tony Hills will start for the second game in a row at right guard, though he cautioned Hills has not been anointed the permanent starter.

He said Hills will start there against the Falcons because he didn’t get enough time with the first team at right guard against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Hills had to move to left tackle after the first series when starter Jonathan Scott and rookie Marcus Gilbert were injured.

“He’s earned that,” Tomlin said of Hills. “But that battle, by no means, is over.”

One of the unsettled positions is tight end, where the team is looking for a backup to pair with Heath Miller along the line of scrimmage.
Who is the No. 3 receiver? One of the few position battles in Pittsburgh is the No. 3 receiver role. Second-year player Antonio Brown and veteran receiver Jerricho Cotchery are both playing well. Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians likes to use multiple wide receivers. Therefore, the No. 3 receiver is important. Brown and Cotchery need to separate themselves in the next two games.

Keep forcing turnovers: The Steelers’ defense was in midseason form last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Pittsburgh forced four turnovers, which included three interceptions by the first-team defense. The Steelers will get another test for about three quarters Saturday with quarterback Matt Ryan and the explosive Atlanta offense.

Work on no-huddle offense: The Steelers are expected to spend the final two weeks working on their no-huddle offense. This has been an effective change of pace for Pittsburgh in the past. The Steelers will experiment with it to determine if it should be a bigger part of the offense. Pittsburgh starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has an unconventional, backyard style, seems to thrive in the no-huddle. Keep an eye on this development.