All the rest, if we're being honest, is wonderful window dressing.
James Conner's bulldozer, B-button running toward those Le'Veon-like 185 total yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster rocketing upward for that early touchdown. Rosie Nix stretching every sinew to block that punt. And that defense ... that push up front from Cam Heyward, L.J. Fort setting a new standard in Vince Williams' absence, Joe Haden eating Julio Jones' lunch, all part of an overdue overall performance that prompted Stephon Tuitt to emotionally tell me afterward, "That's Pittsburgh Steelers football. That's the Steelers. That's how we play. Write it down, my man. Write it down."
Just did, big guy.
But with all due respect, defense isn't the Steelers' brand anymore, not even after those guys doubled down on the Falcons, 41-17, on this summery Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.
It isn't their brand anymore for the broader reason that it can't be anyone's brand anymore in the NFL.
This, right here, on this single, simple passing route, executed eloquently on the opening drive of the second half, not only is the Steelers' brand. It's the Steelers' everything:
Beautiful, right?
Oh, just wait. There's plenty more on the way.
____________________
Roethlisberger and Randy Fichtner had gotten together during halftime, as always, and did some standard scripting for their upcoming possession. It had helped immensely, Ben told me afterward, that Conner and the offensive line had spent the first half clocking Atlanta's overmatched front seven and that, in turn, the Falcons occasionally were leaving AB in single coverage.
"That's where it all starts," Ben told me. "James and the big boys were softening everything up, so there were times I knew AB would be out there."
And in the case above, he added, "They had a linebacker coming over."
Ouch.
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