The week that was 

LATROBE, Pa. – A look back at what resonated from Week One before looking ahead to Week Two at Saint Vincent College …

DIFFERENT APPROACH: Head coach Mike Tomlin cautioned the media upon the Steelers’ arrival not to expect every throw to affect the depth chart at quarterback, and maintained he had relayed as much to the three QBs vying to replace Ben Roethlisberger.

Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett seem to have taken Tomlin at his word.

But Mason Rudolph apparently has a different idea in mind.

“He wants us to go out there and play free,” Trubisky said. “It’s practice, so you gotta test throws, you gotta let guys go make plays.

“You just gotta let it go, go out there and play. And when you’re not thinking about it, that’s when you play your best, anyway.”

Added Pickett: “You just get better and play. I gotta get some more reps in a new offense, new system, get more comfortable and just compete, really.”

Now, consider Rudolph’s response to how he intends to approach practices:

“You expect a lot from yourself. I wanna be near-perfect on every throw, on every hand-off, on every protection adjustment. I put a lot of pressure on myself.”

The chip on Rudolph’s shoulder has been noticeable.

So has his compete level while running behind Trubisky and ahead of Pickett through the first week of training camp.

The two quarterbacks on either side of Rudolph on the depth chart were both added to the roster after last season, Trubisky through veteran free agency and Pickett as the Steelers’ No. 1 pick in the draft.

But Rudolph is not deterred.

He hasn’t looked like anything but a guy who thinks he has a legitimate chance to start, and one who’s embracing the opportunity.

“I’ve been positive the entire time,” he said. “I knew all I needed was a chance to compete.”