Arthur Smith and the Pittsburgh Steelers made sure Atlanta Falcons S Jessie Bates wasn’t going to ruin their day. But it didn’t mean they’d avoid him all game. Pittsburgh strategically went after Bates on one play, WR George Pickens’ 33-yard gain at the end of the first half. After the games, Bates hit up Smith to tip his cap.
“He texted me and said, ‘You caught me sleeping right at the half,'” Smith told reporters Thursday via a team-provided transcript. “I said, ‘Yeah, we want to lull you to sleep.’ Get disinterested, and we set him up on that situationally.