If this indeed was the final game for Josh Dobbs as a member of the Steelers, he wanted to make sure it was a good one.
Meanwhile, rookie Mason Rudolph, a player who might very well be pushing Dobbs out the door, made sure he let everyone know why that was happening, as well.
The results of those efforts was each quarterback providing a pair of touchdowns as the Steelers downed the Carolina Panthers, 39-24, in the preseason finale for both.
Dobbs, a fourth-round draft pick in 2017, started the game and completed 8 of 12 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown while also running three times for 18 yards and another score.
And Rudolph, a third-round pick this year, went 5 for 9 for 102 yards and two scores as the Steelers finished off the 2018 preseason at 3-1.
But with starter Ben Roethlisberger and backup Landry Jones entrenched, it's likely the Steelers will try hard between now and the NFL's official cutdown time of 4 p.m. Saturday to trade one of their quarterbacks rather than keep four.
"We've got four above-the-line quarterbacks," Mike Tomlin said. "None of them beat themselves. None of them waned in terms of their enthusiasm or efforts and that's good for them and good for us. I liked how those guys played and the spirit in which they compete."
Dobbs would seem to be the most likely to go, something he's known since the spring.
“That will all play itself out,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know what the future holds. I think that’s just how it is and that’s the business we’re in. You can’t worry about those type of things.”
If he was worried at all, he didn't let it show.
He came out chucking the ball downfield, just missing on his first throw, a ball deep down the right sideline to Justin Hunter. But even his missteps weren't all that bad.
When he mishandled a shotgun snap on third-and-6, Dobbs evaded pressure and ran for a first down, picking up 17 yards.
A couple of completions to Hunter and a 36-yard play down the sideline to tight end Bucky Hodges set up this pretty touchdown run:
When Dobbs wasn't showing off his legs, he was putting his accuracy on display.
He started off the Steelers' second offensive possession with this throw down the seam to Hunter, who might have secured a spot on the 53-man roster with his three catches for 72 yards, including this 46-yarder.
“He’s been stacking these games,” said Hunter, who, like Dobbs, played his college football at Tennessee. “His ceiling is high.
"That's my guy. We're pretty tight. I loved being in there with him throwing the ball."
Dobbs finished off that drive with a 27-yard TD pass to first-year receiver Tevin Jones before leading the Steelers on a 51-yard field goal drive on his fourth, and final, possession.
“When you know you’re getting limited time, you want to go out guns blazing,” Dobbs said. “It’s very important to have that key drive, get in a rhythm quickly early and have guys make plays for you.”
Rudolph, seeming to sense the third-string quarterback competition heating up, didn't blink an eye. He led the Steelers to a touchdown on his first possession, throwing a 24-yard strike to Jones on third-and-20, moments after making a pretty throw to the left side of the field to Damoun Patterson in the end zone that he was unable to come down with.
The Panthers (3-1) jumped offside when the Steelers lined up for the PAT, so Pittsburgh went for a two-point conversion. Rudolph scored that himself, scrambling up the middle and taking a hit from Panthers linebacker Andre Smith two yards into the end zone.
Rudolph took offense at the hit and jumped up into the face of the 6-foot, 240-pound Smith, creating a scrum that ended with the Steelers quarterback drawing a penalty for taunting and some jeers from his teammates.
"I thought he got me a little deep in the end zone," Rudolph said.
"Landry was happy. I don't think he really expected that from me. But he gave me some crap. But yeah, it was funny."
It was that kind of night for the Steelers, who sat nearly all of their front-line players, save nose tackle Javon Hargrave and inside linebacker Jon Bostic.
The Steelers led, 25-7, at the half and Rudolph led two more touchdown drives in the final two quarters, sliding in the pocket to escape pressure in the third quarter, then finding Quadree Henderson open in the middle of the field for this leaping one-handed catch:
They then tacked on another score early in the fourth quarter as rookie linebacker Matthew Thomas, who recorded a team-high 11 tackles, made the defensive play of the game, sacking fourth-string quarterback Kyle Allen and stripping the ball loose. Thomas grabbed it out of the air and raced 75 yards the other way before being tackled from behind at the Carolina 1 by running back Reggie Bonnafon.
Two plays later, rookie running back Jarvion Franklin bowled into the end zone for the Steelers' final touchdown and a 39-10 lead.
Now, it's on to the difficult process of cutting the roster from 90 to 53 players, which likely won't include four quarterbacks.
"They're good dudes," Rudolph said. "I kind of knew both of them (Jones and Dobbs), especially Josh before I got here. That decision is out of my hands. I'm sure we'll stay tight no matter what happens."
That decision will be up to the coaching staff. And the players are thankful they don't have to make them.
"I want those coaches to have some sleepless nights having to make this 53-man roster," said defensive end Cam Heyward. "I think they will. We have some quality guys. Some guys that aren't here, they should be picked up off the street pretty quickly because I know they can play in this league."
1. RIDLEY STATES HIS CASE
Veteran Stevan Ridley had missed the past two preseason games with a hamstring injury, putting his status with the team in doubt.
But the 29-year-old back, who joined the Steelers late last season after James Conner was placed on Injured Reserve, showed he still has some bounce in his step, gaining 39 yards on eight carries in this game.
"I had fresh legs," Ridley joked.
The Steelers have kept both four and five running backs in the past, but with Le'Veon Bell's decision to report still looming, the team might be inclined to keep five this year counting fullback Roosevelt Nix.
Conner and fifth-round draft pick Jaylen Samuels also likely have the team made, so it was important for Ridley, a 1,200-yard rusher for the Patriots in 2012, to have a good game.
"In this business, the only thing you have to live on is your film," Ridley told me. "I've grown to learn that. That was my main thing. Anytime I'm on the field, I want to put it out there. I didn't try to make it anything it wasn't. I knew my back was against the wall. I had missed the past two weeks. I had to come out and play. I made the most of it."
2. THOMAS SHINES AGAIN
Thomas, an undrafted rookie out of Florida State, had the kind of game you want to see out of a player in his position in the preseason finale.
After recording seven tackles last week against Tennessee while mixed in with the starters, he was all over the field working against Carolina's backups in this one. There was a bit of a scare, however, when he went down after making a tackle in the fourth quarter and reached for his leg.
It turned out to be a cramp.
Of course, after his 75-yard run after a forced fumble on which he plucked the loose ball out of the air after recording a sack, a cramp might be expected.
"I think he's continually been on the rise," said Tomlin. "He's got some physical talent. He's gained more detail throughout. He put a nice exclamation point on his efforts with a ridiculous splash play there in the second half of the game."
3. PASSING GRADES
Dobbs and Rudolph both posted strong passer ratings in the game. Dobbs was at 137.5, while Rudolph was at 135.2.
Together, their rating worked out to 143.5 for the team, largely because they combined to complete 13 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. That's an average of 19.5 yards per catch.
Yes, Carolina's secondary is that much of a weakness.
INJURY UPDATE
The Steelers got out of the preseason nearly unscathed. Nearly.
Safety Malik Golden suffered a serious knee injury in the fourth quarter when he was hit awkwardly while making a tackle by teammate Marcus Allen. The two were also teammates at Penn State.
Linebacker Keith Kelsey, who was on the team's practice squad a year ago, suffered a pectoral injury, while Patterson and linebacker Ola Adeniyi both suffered hamstring injuries.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers vs. Panthers, Heinz Field, Aug. 30, 2018. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS