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Kovacevic: There'll be no greater shock to the system than all this speed

"There's obviously some big dudes here."

Calvin Austin III shared this observation with me the other day on the South Side, blissfully timing it with the biggest of dudes, Darnell Washington, blocking the sun as he passed by us.

"Some fast dudes, too," Washington would quip upon overhearing. "Don't forget about them."

No, don't do that. No matter how much of a shock to the collective system it might be on this special Sunday, the occasion of the Steelers' 88th season opener, 1:02 p.m. against the 49ers at Acrisure Stadium.

In fact, I see it as the factor in this one.