Mike Tomlin

It's probably the most significant component of good defense collectively.

I think that's why the edge rushers make what they make globally.

They might be the highest paid position in our sport outside of quarterback.

And so anytime you have a significant rush, it is a challenge for the opposing offensive unit.

That's why we value top-end rushmen and depth at that position.

I'm sure that's why some of the teams that you mentioned do as well.

And so it certainly is a challenge, but it's certainly not a new challenge.

Our unit and units face it week in and week out.

because it is that significant in today's game.

The weightiest downs are generally one-dimensional passing moments.

Those guys, more than top flight cover guys, have an impact on what goes down in those moments.

And so we got our work cut out for us.

It's certainly going to require some strategy.

But as I continually mentioned, minimizing those moments, being in manageable one-dimensional passing down moments where you can maybe throw the ball shorter and let legs do some of the work and things of that nature,

is a major component of minimizing their impact on the game.

You know, we generally have, but we're not patting ourselves on the back for that.

That is required in this game and particularly at the highest level and doubly so as the road gets narrow.

You're certainly not getting into this tournament and you're certainly not going to be in this tournament long.

based on talent alone, there has to be some substance, there has to be an intangible quality, a display of individual and collective will, and certainly we have a collective that's capable of doing that.

But as I've mentioned many times, we not only work at developing that individually and collectively, but it's really the building block of