Mike Tomlin's all about keeping it clean"”literally! As the NFL buzzes around the new dynamic kickoff rule, the Steelers' head coach Tomlin's got a unique take on the whole situation. While some might be ready to shake things up, he's playing it safe"”well, mostly. During his recent pre-week one interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tomlin made it clear that teams may not be risking much for that extra yard (yeah, he's eyeing that 28.5-yard preseason average). He expects a lot of touchbacks across the league. But his focus is less on the "wow" moments and more on preventing what could go wrong, especially after Andy Reid's Chiefs fell victim to some special teams' mishaps in the preseason. "Globally, I think you'll see a lot of teams err on the side of caution and not compete for that yard and a half, and kick touchbacks and spot the ball on 30. Arthur Smith talked about the physicality he wants to see out of his offence up front. But your run game, what you've seen from Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren up to this point, they're definitely grown now," Mike Tomlin asserted, noting that teams will probably spot the ball at the 30-yard line. With the NFL's latest kickoff rule, teams are leaning towards risk management"”and it's clear the Steelers' HC is ready to toe that line, keeping his players disciplined in the process. But let's get real. It's not just about special teams and kickoffs. The 52-year-old's eyes are on the bigger prize"”starting strong in week one against Atlanta. And to do that, he's got a pretty specific checklist. "For us, it's week one things," he explained. So what's on that list? First, he's demanding "clean" pre-snap action (yep, no sloppy penalties or missteps). He's all about fluidity when it comes to breaking the huddle. Miscommunication? Not on Tomlin's watch. The last thing he wants is for his defense to be caught off-guard. "We gotta adjust with urgency," he added. "We gotta be ball-ready on defense. We got to do a good job communicating, so we don't have errors. Then the cleanliness of play, the penalty component, the self-inflicted wounds. You get an offensive holding call week one. That's gonna kill a drive." His game plan? Play smart, avoid self-inflicted wounds, and minimize penalties that could derail early momentum. And let's not forget the guys carrying the rock. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have grown into bonafide bruisers in the Steelers' backfield. "They never run away from the fight, they run to it," Pittsburgh's HC gushed. With that kind of tenacity, the Steel City's ground game is expected to bulldoze their way through any defensive front. For Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, Week One's not just about kicking off the season"”it's about setting the right vibe. While they're dialing in on precision with the new kickoff rules, former President Donald Trump's throwing shade at the change.
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2024-09-07T18:08:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd