Steelers 34, Bengals 12
Q. Mason, you haven't been in a game that mattered for a while here. What was it like when you found out? It didn't seem to stop you from attacking.
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah, you never know when it's going to come, but I was -- you always have little jitters first time going back all year. But I was -- when we're running the ball the way we were and then a couple guys made a couple nice plays on 3rd and extra long, Darnell on that check-down, Kenny on that -- kind of that flare route, I mean, two touchdowns right when we needed it the most was huge.
We ran the ball really well. I barely got touched. So offensive line, hats off to them. It was a lot of fun.
Q. What was the timeline like? Did you know you were going into the game before halftime, after halftime?
MASON RUDOLPH: Well, I saw what you guys saw, which was A kind of go down, gingerly a little bit, but I wasn't sure the severity, and I'm still really not sure, either. We talked in the locker room, and he gave me the finger and said, hey, you're going. Not the bad finger but the index, and said you're going in. We appreciate Arthur Smith and Tom working with me to kind of get to the stuff that I like in the game plan and tailoring it to kind of my favorites. That's how it went.
Q. You also had that really long protracted Bengals drive, had the ejection and all that built into it, did that allow you guys to talk through some things on the sideline, sort of get your bearings back? Did that aid you in any way?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah, I think you always want to use the time that you have on the sidelines. I was sitting right there next to Arthur and we were going through just about every category and what I liked. I send him my favorite plays each and every week, but we were just kind of talking through what's already been called and what he liked that's remaining that they haven't seen.
Q. Are you comfortable with Kenny Gainwell, not having worked with him maybe a lot?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah. I didn't know a whole lot -- I knew he was a Super Bowl champion last year and I knew his game, but I didn't know how versatile and how great of a pass catcher he is. He runs the ball extremely hard, like Jaylen Warren. But he did a great job today.
The extra effort to get in the end zone on that touchdown pass in the flat was huge.
Q. The first drive you come in and then you lose Jaylen very quickly. What does it say about the offense that you were able to find a way to keep going, score on that drive, which was a big answer for you?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah, I think he came back the next drive, but he was definitely out, which was scary. Yeah, I think DK had a couple catches on that drive over the middle. Kenny, again, the flat left, and then on 3rd and 11 or so was Roman on an out breaker.
I think credit to Arthur for putting all those guys in the right spots and having confidence in me to let me throw it.
Q. How do you feel like you performed just in general?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah, we won, and that's the only objective. I thought once I settled down a little bit -- I had a couple errant ones early, but just tried to get it to our guys. They played a lot of soft one-I zone, so weren't letting a whole lot of stuff go over the middle.
I thought our run after the catch was huge. From Darnell, running over people on 3rd and 12 or 15, to Kenny. It was a lot of fun.
Q. When you hit those passes that you're describing, including the one that ended up getting flagged back, was that where you found, like, all right, I'm here, I'm on all right now?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah. I think it usually takes a few completions to get into the flow of the game and find a rhythm. But yeah, that big one to DK would have been nice had it not been overturned. But I was really proud of the way the guys -- we had a couple bad penalties backed us up, and we overcame it and got some points on the board.
Q. Coach Tomlin, we asked him about the comfort of you coming in with your experience here, and he emphasized, no doubt. What's it like for you? Is there a calmness with the familiarity, with everything, being here, having had that experience?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah. I really was thankful for the opportunity that I had last year in Tennessee, the way things worked out, to get a different perspective on football. But coming back here, like you said, just so much comfortability from the people that you see in the tunnel that work the security, the friendly faces there on the field, Joseph Maroon, one of the doctors. It really feels like home, some of the great relationships.
To answer your question, it's an easy -- I wouldn't say easy, but it's very comfortable to come back in, and you just know where everything is. You've won games here, and that gives you confidence.
Q. Converting 3rd downs, you had three of 3rd and 11 or longer. What were the keys on those plays?
MASON RUDOLPH: Well, we had the one to Roman, which credit to Arthur. He was wide open. It was a great schemed-up play. They doubled DK deep, and can't say enough about his selflessness to -- he's not a decoy on that play, but he took a lot of -- I think he took three defenders on that play and cleared it out to Roman. Then the one to Darnell was just a big dude running somebody over, and Kenny Gainwell.
The protection was incredible all night. I didn't get touched, didn't get sacked. It was great.
Q. I don't know if you heard it, but there was a pretty good cheer when you came in the game. I'm sure you were thinking about other things right then. But what does that mean to you?
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah. I love playing here. This is where I was drafted, and this is home. Yeah, very special.
Q. Can you take us on the sidelines with Darnell, stiff-arms one guy, goes up under another, runs another guy over?
MASON RUDOLPH: You're talking about the 3rd and long play?
Q. Yeah.
MASON RUDOLPH: Yeah, unbelievable. He's one of the hardest working guys. He's in there sometimes earlier than me on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, takes care of his body, big-time studier. He's hungry. Like any player in their first contract, it's to make it to their second. He's done a great job.
But really, we've got such a deep tight end room from Pat to Jonnu to Conner, doing the quarterback sneak deal like he's done. I think he's three for three or four for four. But yeah, Darnell adds a different element to it.
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