Mike Tomlin

He's displayed some of that in some significant moments over the last several weeks as well.

Again, as I've mentioned, our running backs have been a major component of our passing game in recent weeks.

Maybe not down the field, but their ability to turn short into longer has bridged the gap for us in a lot of ways.

I think we lead the league in yards after catch as a collective for the season, and I think the running backs are central to that.

And I think we all grow as strategists.

I think as a collective, as a coaching staff,

When you're faced with adversity, it's important that you pivot.

There's an expiration date on adjustments, and certainly we had to make some adjustments.

We felt the effects of it in Cleveland.

But as I mentioned, in this setting, it was reasonable to expect us all to be better.

the players themselves, us as strategists, and I think we displayed that.

And so hopefully returning him to the fold, we get the benefits of all the things that I've just discussed, our adaptability, the growth of individuals, the growth of continuity and new individuals, and you couple that with his presence, hopefully we're all continually, collectively better.

I know it's going to be required.

You know, certainly relationships and trust and the ability to anticipate and work with others at the quarterback receiver combination is significant.

And so it's not only, you know, DK missing games, but he missed practices and those balls go elsewhere daily in practice.

And so certainly I'm sure there was some residual benefit in terms of him doing so, not only in the two games, but in the two weeks.

Let me be clear.

I've mentioned this several times, but you guys don't seem to hear me.

We didn't do anything uniquely against the Cleveland Browns from a protection standpoint that we don't always do when we play the Cleveland Browns.

We did the same thing the first time we played Cleveland.