The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a break and the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time to reset with a 2-6 record. The Steelers came out with one of their best efforts of the season in Week 10 with a 20-10 victory running over the New Orleans Saints with Najee Harris turning in his best game of the season.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin earned his first win over the NFL’s Louisianan representative to accomplish the impressive feat of beating all 32 franchises and improving to 12-4 in post-bye games.
Steelers guard Kevin Dotson is encouraged by the communication over the bye week. Photo Credit: Erik Drost / Wikimedia Commons
Third-year guard Kevin Dotson told Steelers.com's Teresa Varley that it was a good week of rest to give them a reset going into the second half of the campaign.
"I think it helped a lot," Dotson said. "You get out of the mindset you were in. You get a fresh look, a fresh start. You don't think about what happened in the past. I think that helped us move forward, have more confidence so we are able to play are actual brand we want to play. We have to keep it going. I feel like every week we had the chance for this type of game. Those games didn't click. This is the game that clicked. This is how our offense is supposed to look. Everything clicked.”
Not everything was perfect in the win. The Steelers left points on the board with replacement kicker Matthew Wright missing a pair of field goals but the team managed to get up over 200 rushing yards for the first time in 2022 and didn’t turn the ball over. That is an element in all three victories this year.
Steelers Head Coach Solving the Issue
Dotson said Tomlin felt that communication had been a problem going into the bye. So, before the players went away for their mandated time off the future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach held a meeting that the former first-team All-Sun Belt with the University of Louisiana-Lafayette to get the players on the same page.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gives instructions to his team during a 38-3 loss at Buffalo. Photo Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
“He could feel the rooms weren't too cohesive,” Dotson added. “Now we started meeting as a whole offensive unit watching film instead of separately. We'll watch it separately, but we'll watch it as an offensive team, defensive team watch theirs, so we can see where everybody is coming from."
Tight End Pat Freiermuth said the Steelers have been discontented with where the team record is standing which has led to some pressure within the room. The second-year man out of Penn State told Varley that there was obviously an issue.
“I feel like we came together, talked things out, understood what we wanted as players and coaches and figured that out,” Freiermuth said. “Everyone was just frustrated with losing and obviously our job is to win. Whatever we can do to help make that process of winning is what we are going to do."
"Everyone was just frustrated with losing and obviously our job is to win. Whatever we can do to help make that process of winning is what we are going to do," Freiermuth finished.
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (#88) warms up prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium |Photo Credit: Twitter @JSKOPhotos
Open lines of communication are key in helping football teams win games. For both Dotson and Freiermuth, it’s clear that bye week helped the team to improve communication within the unit.
"You can't be afraid to communicate,” Dotson said. “You have to be able to say what is on your mind. Just to get it out there, say it, somebody might have an answer for you."
It’s clear for the Steelers that improving these lines of communication and Tomlin continuing to help them improve will be key to the team having a successful season on and off the field.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen Kevin Dotson (69) and Kendrick Green (53) warm up during OTAs at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex / Photo Credit: ED THOMPSON
So, Steeler Nation, what do you think of Dotson and Friermouth’s comments? Did you see communication as an issue earlier in the year? As always, let us know what you’re thinking either in the comment section or on our social media.
#SteelerNation
