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Kenny Impressing Early In Philly!

I agree that KP lost support in the locker room...especially with certain aging vets desperate for a SB. That's the problem with the franchise at this time though, right? You have some dudes on D making big money who want to win big now on a team that likely can't. By the time the Steelers have a legit SB contending roster, they'll probably be gone. The best long-term plan for the franchise is for them to draft another young QB, take some lumps, and stack good drafts, but the same personalities are probably going to be pissy again if the kid doesn't play like CJ Stroud did right out of the gate.

Plus the HC is a guy who's really good at winning the next game in front of him with what he's got, but maybe not so great at the bigger picture and longer-term planning. I think we should have believed Jay Glazer when he said that Tomlin didn't want to start over with a rookie. He signed off on KP, but I don't think he's wired for it. Hell, I think you can see how happy Tomlin is that Wilson will just manage his QB shit with no need for babysitting.

That's why I think Dak Prescott will probably be a Steeler next year, even if the best thing for the franchise is a new young king. Tomlin is so loyal to his defensive star guys that he'll try to get them a SB even if the attempt will probably fail. I've never been a Tomlin hater, but it feels like the franchise should have moved on a while ago just so they can start actually building toward something rather than repeated tape jobs and salvaged seasons that don't really go anywhere. The mediocrity they're stuck in isn't just about draft position. Tomlin is the one ultimately driving it, even as he means well by wanting the team to be competitive every year.

Lol. A Super Bowl? Were they drunk and high to think that team was anywhere close to a Super Bowl? It's been a perpetual rebuild for over a decade.
 
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Yeah, I don't exactly get that logic. Especially when Colbert publicly announced that they think they found their QB of the future and when so many guys in later rounds have succeeded. Who in the world would purposefully burn a first round pick while saying, "Well, we just hope he can give us 2ish seasons of low-level production that we could probably get with a mid-round QB" instead of doing literally anything else with said draft pick? You'd take a solid kicker before you did that.
Who's logic is that, and why would anyone ever expect Colbert to think that?

They blew it signing Mitch and thinking they could patchwork an OL with a band of scrubs. They were forced to throw the #20 pick in there and basically pray he was a pro QB who could make Matt Canada and a horrendous OL look good. It didn't work. Nobody should be shocked.
 
I'm talking about draft position, not yinzer nation expectations. My initial comment was in reference to a comment about expectations and becoming a franchise QB. Your chances of getting that at #20 aren't real good. If that's what you're banking on, maybe time to find another line of work.

While the Steeler book on him is closed, the rest of it isn't written yet.
A capable starting QB was perfectly acceptable. No one thought he was going to be the next Ben Roethlisberger.
 
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Tomlin hired the worst OC in the league, kept him when he failed with Roethlisberger and doubled down keeping him after Pickett's rookie year.
I'll say one thing about #7 in that last year. I'm not sure all was failed because #7 was an absolute shadow of himself in that last season. I'm not sure what offense you can run when the QB can't push the ball down field beyond 30 yards with any velocity.
 
They blew it signing Mitch and thinking they could patchwork an OL with a band of scrubs. They were forced to throw the #20 pick in there and basically pray he was a pro QB who could make Matt Canada and a horrendous OL look good. It didn't work. Nobody should be shocked.
In reading this, it dawned on me just how awful the Steelers management has become. The whole thing is indefensible. Worse, they were not really forced to throw a #20 pick at a qb, that again was a calculated decision, one that does not fit with an aging defense.
 
Average/Below Average is subjective.

However, this is how the ACC coaches saw it -

In 2019 -
Trevor Lawrence - 1st team (36 TDs)
Bryce Perkins - 2nd team (22 TDs)
Sam Howell - 3rd team (38 TDs)
Jamie Newman - Hon Mention (26 TDs)

KP - 13 TDs
Fields - 41 TDs

In 2020 -
Trevor Lawrence - 1st team (24 TDs)
Sam Howell - 2nd team (30 TDs)
Ian Book - 3rd team (15 TDs)
D'Eriq King - Hon Mention (23 TDs)

KP - 13 TDs
Fields - 22 TDs in 8 games

2021 - KP lit the stat sheet up and consequently he had his best year and PITT had a good year. Prior to 2021 he was an average college QB.
Don’t understand the point you are making here. You are saying that because Pickett was not in the top four ACC qbs in TD passes each of these years he was a below average quarterback for all the years at Pitt except his last year?
 
In reading this, it dawned on me just how awful the Steelers management has become. The whole thing is indefensible. Worse, they were not really forced to throw a #20 pick at a qb, that again was a calculated decision, one that does not fit with an aging defense.

What's wrong with taking a quarterback in the first round of the draft when you don't have one? The mental gymnastics in this thread are as impressive as anything I've ever seen.

First round quarterbacks are bad picks. Kenny Pickett exceeded expectations. I just need to know how the Illuminati factors into all of this and I'll be set.
 
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You keep reciting your opinion like it's fact. It's not, you're just making up hypotheticals.
It's just a message board - you're doing the same exact thing.
I said KP met or exceeded his draft position as a QB. I went back 15 years - 11 guys drafted in spots 15-32, 6 of those guys clearly worse than KP, 2 better, and 2 likely similar to KP.
He might've met or exceeded expectations compared to other QB's who've been drafted at that range. However, as everyone knows the QB hit rate for even 1st rounders isn't that good. There are plenty of articles that describe the #'s behind it. But - all of those QB's who didn't cut it failed to meet expectations. KP isn't alone in that discussion.
Teams don't draft QBs in the middle to late first round, because anyone considered a franchise guy is gone before that. 15 years worth of picks in spots 15-32 and 11 QBs were drafted. Last 4 years, 13 QBs were taken in picks 1-12. That includes 2022 where 0 were taken.
So you're telling me that when teams happen select QB's after the 12th pick, they haven't convinced themselves that this player's floor isn't high enough to be a franchise QB in a league where we've seen countless examples of QB's drafted beyond the 12th pick?
How dumb would the Steelers need to be to think they're drafting a franchise QB later in the first round? How much dumber would they be to start that QB in his first year behind a garbage OL with the worst OC in history? Then, what kind of morons would blame the QB, rather than the coaches & guys who drafted and put him in that position?
Many "experts" criticized the pick. https://steelersdepot.com/2023/07/k...last-five-years-compared-to-2024-draft-class/

Here is a hypothetical for you. I think Rooney told Tomlin that if don't fix the QB situation, you'll be employed elsewhere next season. Why? If you're Rooney, you see the pick and all the decision making with drafting Pickett, signing Mitch, handling Rudolph, hiring Canada, etc and say - "this was done on your watch Mike." "You signed off on all of this." That's probably why it was reported that Kenny was going to be benched after the Cleveland game and Canada was going to keep his job. It appeared there is/was some serious riff going on between ownership and management.
 
Who is going to ask your hypothetical question that nobody is going to answer? It's a useless statement.

The facts are that QBs looked at as potential franchise QBs get snatched up before the 20s. Your comment in your 2nd paragraph is exactly why there are so few QBs drafted in the second half of the first round. The "franchise" guys go way earlier and there's more value at other positions.

These are the QBs who get picked 15 - 32. That's it, that's the list over the last 15 years.
2022 - #20 KP
2021 - #15 Mac Jones
2020 - #26 Jordan Love
2019 - #15 Dwayne Haskins
2018 - #32 Lamar Jackson
2016 - #26 Paxton Lynch
2014 - #22 Johnny Manziel
2014 - #32 Teddy Bridgewater
2013 - #16 EJ Manual
2012 - #22 Brandon Weeden
2010 - #25 Tim Tebow
Curious, how do you define franchise qb? For example, does Ryan Tannehill rate?
 
I'll say it again. No QB was going to have a good season with Canada as the OC, that OL an ond those diva WRs. Canada has not been hired, suggesting that his offense is not going to be effective anywhere. The Steelers selected THREE offensive lineman with their first 5 picks. And of course, KP is apparently looking good in Philly. If I was him and had a choice, I'd bolt, too. He was not the problem.
 
Don’t understand the point you are making here. You are saying that because Pickett was not in the top four ACC qbs in TD passes each of these years he was a below average quarterback for all the years at Pitt except his last year?
It's the ACC, outside of Lawrence there were no gems at the QB position his 1st 4 seasons @ PITT.

He was an average at best QB prior to his 5th year.

Sort through the #'s, and list your rationale why he was a "good" QB prior to 2021

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2020-passing.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2019-passing.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2018-passing.html
 
In reading this, it dawned on me just how awful the Steelers management has become. The whole thing is indefensible. Worse, they were not really forced to throw a #20 pick at a qb, that again was a calculated decision, one that does not fit with an aging defense.
I thought Khan/Weidl have been really good over the past two years adding better talent through the draft as well as some key free agent signings like Seumalo and Queen.
 
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What's wrong with taking a quarterback in the first round of the draft when you don't have one?
If you are counting on a #20 pick to quickly turn a bad/average offense into a Superbowl contender you made a questionable move. Watt and Heyward didn't have that much time left, it would maybe been better to get a solid veteran and go from there....but if you think it was a good pick, so be it.
 
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It's just a message board - you're doing the same exact thing.

He might've met or exceeded expectations compared to other QB's who've been drafted at that range. However, as everyone knows the QB hit rate for even 1st rounders isn't that good. There are plenty of articles that describe the #'s behind it. But - all of those QB's who didn't cut it failed to meet expectations. KP isn't alone in that discussion.

So you're telling me that when teams happen select QB's after the 12th pick, they haven't convinced themselves that this player's floor isn't high enough to be a franchise QB in a league where we've seen countless examples of QB's drafted beyond the 12th pick?

Many "experts" criticized the pick. https://steelersdepot.com/2023/07/k...last-five-years-compared-to-2024-draft-class/

Here is a hypothetical for you. I think Rooney told Tomlin that if don't fix the QB situation, you'll be employed elsewhere next season. Why? If you're Rooney, you see the pick and all the decision making with drafting Pickett, signing Mitch, handling Rudolph, hiring Canada, etc and say - "this was done on your watch Mike." "You signed off on all of this." That's probably why it was reported that Kenny was going to be benched after the Cleveland game and Canada was going to keep his job. It appeared there is/was some serious riff going on between ownership and management.
You're making my point. He didn't live up to lofty, and frankly unwarranted, expectations in his first two year. Two years where he was forced to play with a horrendous OC and putrid OL, yet he still won games.

People should be blaming Tomlin rather than KP and his lack of TD passes.
 
Curious, how do you define franchise qb? For example, does Ryan Tannehill rate?
I'd say Tannehill is probably on the fringe.

I'm glad you brought up Tannehill as I always thought he was a good comp for KP, and low an behold I did post that two years ago.


Edit: Tannehill was a top 10 pick too.
 
I'll say it again. No QB was going to have a good season with Canada as the OC, that OL an ond those diva WRs. Canada has not been hired, suggesting that his offense is not going to be effective anywhere. The Steelers selected THREE offensive lineman with their first 5 picks. And of course, KP is apparently looking good in Philly. If I was him and had a choice, I'd bolt, too. He was not the problem.
I mean...he was *part* of the problem. Most rookie QBs are (sure, he wasn't a rookie last year, but his growth was certainly stunted with the sh*tshow around him). It wasn't an environment that allowed him to shine, but he could have played better too. He has to own some of it, and I bet he does.

Again, I think Philly is a great spot for him. I don't think it was a coincidence he mentioned 'communication' in that interview the other day though. His butt still seems to be chapped from what happened during that Seattle week, and if it went down how DK said it did (which seems likely given that he all but said Trubisky and/or Rudolph was his source) I'd probably be bitter about that too.
 
I thought Khan/Weidl have been really good over the past two years adding better talent through the draft as well as some key free agent signings like Seumalo and Queen.

The best move they could make is realizing that the roster isn't good enough and trade Watt (while he still has value) to help replenish the overall talent.
 
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The best move they could make is realizing that the roster isn't good enough and trade Watt (while he still has value) to help replenish the overall talent.
Unless that involves getting a franchise QB it's not really worth it.
 
I'll say one thing about #7 in that last year. I'm not sure all was failed because #7 was an absolute shadow of himself in that last season. I'm not sure what offense you can run when the QB can't push the ball down field beyond 30 yards with any velocity.

I thought that was the case also but now not so sure the play calling (many dump offs to Najee) wasn't by choice and not Ben's physical limitations.
 
Unless that involves getting a franchise QB it's not really worth it.

The next playoff win with TJ Watt will be the first playoff win with TJ Watt.

Stockpile picks then make a trade of you need to. Unfortunately, the stillers would probably bundle their picks together draft another average running back.
 
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It's the ACC, outside of Lawrence there were no gems at the QB position his 1st 4 seasons @ PITT.

He was an average at best QB prior to his 5th year.

Sort through the #'s, and list your rationale why he was a "good" QB prior to 2021

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2020-passing.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2019-passing.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2018-passing.html
Personally, I think it is not particularly fruitful to evaluate college qbs this way and to infer something about pro potential. Statistically, Joe Burrow was a below average qb except for one year in college, same was true for Josh Allen, same was true for Tom Brady. On the other hand, Landry Jones was outstanding statistically for all four years at Oklahoma, Kellen Moore was too at Boise State. What’s the point?

I was at the game when freshman Pickett led the Panthers to an upset over Miami, and I remember walking back to the car with friends and we were all feeling like Duzz had found his next starting qb1, someone he could build the offense around. He must have felt the same way because he completely committed to Pickett after that game, fired his good friend Shawn Watson the following season, and brought in a passing game expert as OC, who developed Pickett into a first rate passer who eventually led the team to an ACC championship and became Pitt’s all time passing leader. IMO, there is nothing below average about this story.
 
Personally, I think it is not particularly fruitful to evaluate college qbs this way and to infer something about pro potential. Statistically, Joe Burrow was a below average qb except for one year in college, same was true for Josh Allen, same was true for Tom Brady. On the other hand, Landry Jones was outstanding statistically for all four years at Oklahoma, Kellen Moore was too at Boise State. What’s the point?
Joe Burrow was an average to below average QB in college outside of his last year - everyone agree with that. His situation probably was different then Pickett's. The QB room at OSU was drastically different then the one Pickett was in at PITT and that's why he wasn't on the field until late in his career.

Tom Brady was in the same boat. He was in a QB room early on with a national champion QB in Greise and later with the #1 player in the country in Henson.

Kellen Moore and Landry Jones each had better college careers then Pickett. Pickett had 1 really good year. It doesn't mean that Jones/Moore were better pro prospects then KP.

In terms of pro potential - QBs get drafted high all the time without a ton of production or success in college. My entire point is, we've seen 1 year of really good football from KP in the last 7 years. Kenny got drafted in the 1st round because of his senior year and the ridiculously weak QB year of 2022. Had Kenny came out the year before, he obviously wouldn't have been a 1st round pick.
 
Joe Burrow was an average to below average QB in college outside of his last year - everyone agree with that. His situation probably was different then Pickett's. The QB room at OSU was drastically different then the one Pickett was in at PITT and that's why he wasn't on the field until late in his career.

Tom Brady was in the same boat. He was in a QB room early on with a national champion QB in Greise and later with the #1 player in the country in Henson.

Kellen Moore and Landry Jones each had better college careers then Pickett. Pickett had 1 really good year. It doesn't mean that Jones/Moore were better pro prospects then KP.

In terms of pro potential - QBs get drafted high all the time without a ton of production or success in college. My entire point is, we've seen 1 year of really good football from KP in the last 7 years. Kenny got drafted in the 1st round because of his senior year and the ridiculously weak QB year of 2022. Had Kenny came out the year before, he obviously wouldn't have been a 1st round pick.
It's pretty common to be a 1st round QB with only one really good season. Not just Burrow but Kyler and Cam Newton, plus some other busts like Trubisky.

Kenny had a mixed profile but there was a lot of good. It was mostly good IMHO. There were minuses (primarily age at draft and lack of early production or efficiency) and pluses (starting experience, pass volume, best year production which was really elite, best year efficiency which was also good). The age thing actually kinda cuts both ways because he was the best QB on the roster by the end of his freshman season. Despite his age he was the best analytical profile in the class.

The tape was also a mixed bag. He played in a vertical offense with full-field reads against top competition. He was the only QB in the 2022 class you can say that about. Tools and arm strength were fine. Accuracy was fine. Mobility good. Sack avoidance was good. The downsides were nervous feet, sometimes slow processing, and drifting/not climbing in the pocket. But again, overall, this was a good developmental profile. Definitely not a 1st round lock but not a bad pick there either. I think Kenny went in the early range of where he could go.

But this is how scouting looks, especially with a QB at pick 20. Based on his overall profile, I thought that he was a somewhat long-shot for major further development but that overall success in the NFL (i.e., winning games and moderate production) was within his range of outcomes. The Steelers didn't have a franchise QB on the roster and I was fine taking Pickett in those circumstances. I know that the next QB didn't go until round 3 and pre-draft a lot of people had them all ranked together but I do think Pickett was the best of the bunch and he's mostly validated that (Sam Howell was a stat padder with 2x the attempts; dreadful efficiency and negative plays // similar story with Ridder who had comparable production to Kenny but way more turnovers and negative plays // Malik Willis couldn't even get on the field for a team that also lacks a QB and then he was drafted over).

All of the negatives showed up in the NFL. Some of the positives showed up. I'd say it was more negative than positive. But as had been litigated ad nauseum, Kenny had to play in uniquely challenging circumstances. It was always going to be a long shot for him and he needed a really good environment to thrive. Something like peak Andy Dalton with a really good OL, run game, and WR. It's a shame that the Steelers basically did the exact opposite and so foolishly wasted that pick.
 
I'll say one thing about #7 in that last year. I'm not sure all was failed because #7 was an absolute shadow of himself in that last season. I'm not sure what offense you can run when the QB can't push the ball down field beyond 30 yards with any velocity.
And that Ben, saddled with Canada, threw for 22 TDs and 3700 yards.
 
And that Ben, saddled with Canada, threw for 22 TDs and 3700 yards.
Do you ever look at rate stats? I feel like I have to respond to your volume-only perspective every week.

Ben had 3,700 yards on 605 attempts. Sam Howell last year went for 3946 and 21 TDs on 612 attempts.
 
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Do you ever look at rate stats? I feel like I have to respond to your volume-only perspective every week.

Ben had 3,700 yards on 605 attempts. Sam Howell last year went for 3946 and 21 TDs on 612 attempts.
That is better than 13 TDs in 25 games and 713 attempts.
 
The Steelers are where they are at because the last two years of the Tomlin Colbert show was a joke and the owner just went along for the ride.
 
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I'll say it again. No QB was going to have a good season with Canada as the OC, that OL an ond those diva WRs. Canada has not been hired, suggesting that his offense is not going to be effective anywhere. The Steelers selected THREE offensive lineman with their first 5 picks. And of course, KP is apparently looking good in Philly. If I was him and had a choice, I'd bolt, too. He was not the problem.
Canada literally was terrible everywhere other than one season at PITT

He parlayed that into several terrible seasons at LSU , Maryland and the Steelers

It’s completely undeniable
 
Canada literally was terrible everywhere other than one season at PITT

He parlayed that into several terrible seasons at LSU , Maryland and the Steelers

It’s completely undeniable
PPG UNDER CANADA

2008 - 20 PPG
2009 - 23 PPG
2010 - 27 PPG
2011 - 38 PPG
2012 - 30 PPG
2013 - 23 PPG
2014 - 30 PPG
2015 - 33 PPG
2016 - 40 PPG
2017 - 27 PPG
2018 - 28 PPG

Literally terrible is a stretch - he was pretty average outside of a few seasons.

Canada was at his best when he was systematic and I'm not defending him but I don't think he had full reigns of his offense once he left PITT. I don't think Durkin let him have complete reigns and I remember Orgeron not buying into all of the shifts/motions and jet action stuff. Rothlisberger did not want to go under center and to me when Canada was at his best it's when he was under center. When Canada was really systematic, he was excellent. When he's trying to play straight up, his feel for the game is poor.

I suspect Canada will pick up a job as an OC at the FCS level or he'll get hired on as an analyst or position coach at the FBS level in a year or 2.
 
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PPG UNDER CANADA

2008 - 20 PPG
2009 - 23 PPG
2010 - 27 PPG
2011 - 38 PPG
2012 - 30 PPG
2013 - 23 PPG
2014 - 30 PPG
2015 - 33 PPG
2016 - 40 PPG
2017 - 27 PPG
2018 - 28 PPG

Literally terrible is a stretch - he was pretty average outside of a few seasons.

Canada was at his best when he was systematic and I'm not defending him but I don't think he had full reigns of his offense once he left PITT. I don't think Durkin let him have complete reigns and I remember Orgeron not buying into all of the shifts/motions and jet action stuff. Rothlisberger did not want to go under center and to me when Canada was at his best it's when he was under center. When Canada was really systematic, he was excellent. When he's trying to play straight up, his feel for the game is poor.

I suspect Canada will pick up a job as an OC at the FCS level or he'll get hired on as an analyst or position coach at the FBS level in a year or 2.

Man. How does someone go from OC with the Steelers to possibly needing to move to FCS to get the same job?
 
Man. How does someone go from OC with the Steelers to possibly needing to move to FCS to get the same job?
This is why I think Rooney probably told Tomlin, you got us into this mess. You signed off on Canada, Pickett, the OL decisions, drafting Najee, etc etc etc.. You either make major changes or ....??
 
It's just a message board - you're doing the same exact thing.

He might've met or exceeded expectations compared to other QB's who've been drafted at that range. However, as everyone knows the QB hit rate for even 1st rounders isn't that good. There are plenty of articles that describe the #'s behind it. But - all of those QB's who didn't cut it failed to meet expectations. KP isn't alone in that discussion.

So you're telling me that when teams happen select QB's after the 12th pick, they haven't convinced themselves that this player's floor isn't high enough to be a franchise QB in a league where we've seen countless examples of QB's drafted beyond the 12th pick?

Many "experts" criticized the pick. https://steelersdepot.com/2023/07/k...last-five-years-compared-to-2024-draft-class/

Here is a hypothetical for you. I think Rooney told Tomlin that if don't fix the QB situation, you'll be employed elsewhere next season. Why? If you're Rooney, you see the pick and all the decision making with drafting Pickett, signing Mitch, handling Rudolph, hiring Canada, etc and say - "this was done on your watch Mike." "You signed off on all of this." That's probably why it was reported that Kenny was going to be benched after the Cleveland game and Canada was going to keep his job. It appeared there is/was some serious riff going on between ownership and management.
"I think Rooney told Tomlin that if don't fix the QB situation, you'll be employed elsewhere next season." Crack or LSD? The possibility of Rooney dressing down Tomlin is equivalent to my winning the Powerball 4 times in secession.
 
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"I think Rooney told Tomlin that if don't fix the QB situation, you'll be employed elsewhere next season." Crack or LSD? The possibility of Rooney dressing down Tomlin is equivalent to my winning the Powerball 4 times in secession.
If Tomlin goes 9-8 or 8-9, does he return in 2025?
 
So you're telling me - Tomlin/Khan and the rest of that locker room thought KP was the guy, so much so that they wanted to see Kenny compete with Russ? If that's the case, then KP walked away from competition. When in reality, they didn't and neither did the team believe in KP. They recognized their draft mistake, and knew if the right situation presented itself, they were going to replace him.
I think their discontent with Kenny was his push back on being lied to and it became public via the Seahawks game. I think it was more of that than anything else.
 
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