When they deactivated running back Jaylen Warren in advance of last Sunday's meeting with the Vikings in Dublin, the Steelers knew they'd have to replace their leading rusher and leading receiver through the season's first three weeks.
They also knew what they had in running back Kenneth Gainwell.
With Warren and his 132 rushing yards and 142 receiving yards sidelined due to a knee injury, Gainwell responded with a career day in the Steelers' 24-21 victory.
Gainwell's 19 carries constituted a career-high total, as did his 99 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
His 5.2-yard average per carry was the second-highest he'd achieved in a game in which he'd been asked to carry the ball at least 10 times.
Gainwell also had six catches on six targets for 35 receiving yards.
His signature series in the estimation of running backs coach Eddie Faulkner was the five-play, 35-yard drive that produced a touchdown and a 21-6 Steelers' lead with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
The possession commenced after an interception and 13-yard return by outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit tight end Darnell Washington for 8 yards to start the march.
After that, Gainwell carried for gains of 7, 6, 10 and 4 yards on the way to the end zone.
"You know, that drive, we went down and scored after T.J.'s interception, (Gainwell) was doing a really good job of controlling the game," Faulkner said. "You saw some patience come out on him. Whether it was gap-scheme or zone-scheme he was being patient, letting the blocks develop for him and then bursting through the hole.
"That was a really good series to see where he kind of took the game over. But Kenny's a vet, professional, and so I expect him to be able to do those things, to be honest."
A bonus against Minnesota was the opportunity to get rookie running back Kaleb Johnson involved.
Johnson hadn't been used in the Steelers 21-14 win on Sept. 21 at New England after failing to field a kickoff in the Steelers' 31-17 loss to the Seahawks on Sept. 14.
The gaffe against Seattle was part of what has been a slow start for Johnson.
But the Steelers haven't lost faith in their third-round draft pick from Iowa.
Johnson carried six times for 22 yards against the Vikings, the first time he's rushed more than once in a game this season.
"He has the luxury of having two really good veterans that have played a lot in front of him who are selfless and willing to help him in any way they can," Faulkner said, referencing Warren and Gainwell. "Obviously, (Johnson) is a great talent. There's some growth there, he knows that. We all know that and we're just going to keep working toward it because we know we're going to need him to win here down the stretch.
"That was a big boost for him, that last drive that he was in. He was able to get a couple good runs in there and I could feel a little bit of some of the pressure that he had been feeling lift off his shoulders.
"I expect him to keep getting better and better."
