Trustworthy: Rookie first-round pick Artie Burns continues to grow each week after he missed extensive time early on because of a quadriceps injury. Coach Mike Tomlin said Burns is gaining their trust more and more each week as he continues to perform in both practice and games.
"He is in the process of continuing to earn our trust," said Tomlin. "He missed a lot of time with injury during the team development phase, preseason and training camp and so forth. He is one of those guys that is attempting to get on a moving train. To his credit, his attention to detail and urgency in practice has been excellent. That has provided a sense of comfort and allowed us to allow him to work himself into some packages. With that play he is earning more. He is going through that process of growth and development and proving he is capable. Doing a good job in the big scheme of things, but it needs to continue."
- Bell's balance: The offense got a huge boost with the return of Le'Veon Bell this week, who had 18 carries for 144 yards and had five receptions for 34 yards. While the Steelers didn't change their offense with Bell back, they were able to do more things because of his versatility.
"It's pretty unique," said Tomlin. "We are going to see a guy in (Jets running back) Matt Forte that has done it for over a decade this week. We are excited about having Le'Veon Bell at our disposal. He is a significant contributor to our efforts. When he is available, we utilize his talents. Maybe it didn't change our plan in terms of personality, but distribution of the ball, utilization of him, and his presence is significant."
Clarity needed: Wide receiver Antonio Brown has been penalized twice this year, hit both times with 15 yard penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct after dancing following touchdowns. Tomlin was asked if he would talk to Brown about it, and he said the main thing is finding out what is legal as far as celebrations.
"We have to get some clarity in terms of what is legal and what is not," said Tomlin. "I know he doesn't want it to be a negative thing. He wants to provide positive energy for us and entertain our fans. We have to get detailed clarity of what he can and can't do. Some guys are followed more closely than others. AB is probably one of those guys and he probably needs to respond accordingly."
