STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN
(Opening Statement) “Man, it’s great to go on the road and win, particularly in the AFC. We don’t take it for granted. I appreciate the efforts of all the parties involved – players and coaches and support people. We did the job today. We checked the boxes. It wasn’t perfect, but nothing is perfect about us except our record and we talked opening about that last night. We just want to wear it the proper way. We wanted to step into stadiums and be prepared to fight and compete every week and understand we are going to get people’s best shot. I like the general attitude of the group today. We were able to get the job done and we will get ready for our short week. Man, we are back into the AFC North in the hot kitchen on Thursday night and we are honored to do that and entertain on that special day and be a part of that. We don’t take that for granted as well. We have to travel. We have to assess the injuries and put together a plan to get ready in a very short week. We have some work ahead of us.”
(On injuries) “On the injury front, Zach Gentry had a significant knee injury in game. I will have an update on that for sure for you tomorrow. All of the others were minor bumps and bruises associated with play, even Joe Haden. He was able to go back into the game after he sustained an injury. But with bumps and bruises on a short week, we are not taking anything for granted so we will assess those and update you guys appropriately and put together a plan that is focused on the healthy guys. I think that is the appropriate thing to do on a short week.”
(On how much Terrell Edmunds progressed yearly and in what ways) “This guy has logged a bunch of snaps. I think his best ability is availability when you really look at his career. As a young guy he has logged a bunch of snaps of the course time. He has gained a quality experience because of it. He has taken that experience and has continually made himself a better player, really in all areas and in pass recognition. I can’t say enough about his run-game fits in the way he is playing in that element of the game here in 2020. But largely, his game has always been on the upswing because he is a young guy and is diligent and a young guy who is very available. When you are very available and diligent, it’s a reasonable thing to expect your play to improve and his has.”
(On if he was satisfied with his run game today) “You know, I don’t know man. I will let you guys keep talking about that. It was better today, and we will keep assessing it. We are not going to crack that nut with the first swing. It will take continual work and effort on our part to continue to work on our warts and that is not our only wart. It’s just the one that you guys choose to recognize.”
(On if they are a week-to-week team in terms of how they scheme it up) “First and foremost, we have quality players with different skill sets and we are committed to utilizing them based on the matchups of the week. That allows us to be different, first and foremost. But secondly, we have experienced some attrition and we have missed some guys. Some guys had an opportunity to ascend and really it has challenged us from a coaching perspective at times to be unique in our approach in an effort to get the best people on the field. We don’t apologize for that. We are going to do what is required for us to win each and every single game and put our best foot forward on a week-to-week basis. Sometimes that is a little bit different and if that causes issues with those who we compete against (then) great.”
(On what allowed Diontae Johnson to have so many catches) “It’s really about what they did. They were probably down some corners and they played more zone that they did man. It provided an opportunity for volume catches for some and he happened to be on the receiving end for it today.”
(On how important is was to come out healthy since they are on short week) “We don’t have control over health. We don’t spend a lot of time focused on worried about that. We understand that this is part of the game as much as blocking and tackling. We respect it. That is why you have to fortify yourself with a good team and that is always our focus. Not those who are lost, the preparedness of those who step up. We spend our time focused on the preparedness of our young guys in an effort to combat what you have mentioned.”
(On playing the game with one tight end and an update on Vance McDonald) “None. I am sure I will have something for you at some point next week.”
(On how important the team’s patience was after a slow first half) “It’s the National Football League. We don’t anticipate rolling out of tunnels and people laying down for us. These are going to be competitive games. I don’t know if we even have a mentality when we anticipate what you mentioned. We step out of tunnels ready for a 60-minute fight each and every week.”
(On if he holds stuff back to see what a quarterback is doing before they unleash the defense) “No. We just have an unleash mentality regardless of who we play.”
(On what he likes about the defense these last two weeks and the key to shutting down the Jaguars today) “The guys are playing hard and playing fast and collectively well. We are getting turnovers. The catalyst for it all is the guys are playing extremely hard and fast, that is as a collective. I think that creates the frenzy that provides the wave that we ride.”
(On if there is pressure as they keep winning and how they approach it) “There is pressure in our business. I don’t know if you call it more pressure or not. I know regardless of the record we would be committed to winning this game that we are walking into play on Thursday. Again, I think that is more some outside fodder. That is storylines, if you will, and gives you guys something to talk about during the week. We respect our process. We are going to prepare and step into the stadiums we play. There is urgency to that. There is pressure associated with that. All of the above. That is the same regardless of the record. I am sure people who are not perfect feel pressure to perform week in and week out.”
(On if the traditional up-and-down run game was by design or due to tight end depth) “We did what we had to do once Zach [Gentry] went out. But I don’t know if it had anything to do with what it is that you mentioned.”
(On if JuJu Smith-Schuster got nicked up on his leg in the fourth quarter) “Yeah, I don’t think it’s anything major because that is why I just associated (it) with the bumps and bruises associated with play. Again, it could be a factor for him. It could be factors for others knowing we are dealing on a short week. I will update you guys as soon as I can when we get back to the top of the week.”
STEELERS QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER
(On the slow start in today’s game) “We just didn’t execute. Give them credit, they threw some looks at us and they’re a good defense. We didn’t do enough.”
(On throwing a lot of passes in today’s game) “Yeah, they just gave us some looks where we felt we need to throw the ball. We got behind the chains too much. We had too many second, third-and-longs. That kind of put us in some tough situations but we overcame some. We didn’t overcome enough.”
(On his confidence level in WR Chase Claypool) “We feel confident. We feel like we have a lot of looks. We have a lot of different ways that we can move guys around and put them in different spots. Like I said, I have to give those guys a lot of credit because we put them in different spots and they just respond and they do what they’re supposed to do and they make plays. The kudos goes to the skill guys in that.”
(On having a good fourth quarter going into a short week playing the Ravens next) “Anytime you can get out for a few plays, it’s a good thing. At the end of games, if we can come out and let guys come in and finish if off, that’s a good feeling, so we know what this week is.”
(On the pressure of a perfect season) “[We] just focus on one week at a time and that’s what this team’s done and I said this week, we’re not chasing perfection in terms of 16-0. We’re chasing Lombardi’s, so that’s the most important thing for us is we just have to focus on this week and playing our best one week at a time.”
(On the offensive line providing good protection) “It feels good. I believe in those guys up front and they’ve gone against some really good defenses, some good d-lines, some crazy blizes, different things. I love those to death and I wouldn’t want anyone else out in front of me.”
(On targeting WR Diontae Johnson) “He’s a heck of a football player and I believe in him. I’ll say it again, he’s a heck of a football player.”
(On if WR Chase Claypool drawing pass interferences calls is a factor in targeting him) “Well we’d rather have a touchdown obviously and I reiterate that to him. The penalty’s nice but we’ll take the touchdown. He’s working though fighting through guys holding on to him because he’s such a big body and strong and runs. He’s understanding that you don’t want to just get the penalty, you want to get the touchdown too. He’s going to keep growing in that area because he’s special down the field.”
(On the run game) “We’ll be just fine, not worried about it.”
(On finding inspiration in the wide receivers unit) “Absolutely. They’re a fun young group. I enjoy working with them. I enjoy communicating with them at night through videos and texts and things like that. I joke that they keep me young but they really are something, this group that believes in each other and then they’re genuinely happy for each other. They just want to win football games, so I’m blessed to have such a fun skill group.”
(On WR Diontae Johnson stepping up) “He stepped up and made plays today for us, a lot of guys did really. We never single out one guy because a lot of guys are making it for us. We have to put more points on the board. I know the scoreboard says what it does but there’s too many times we punted today and we didn’t do enough. Offensively, we’re happy we got the win but we know that we have to be better.”
(On if having a good defense helps alleviate the pressure offensively) “Absolutely. They’re fun to watch. They’re turning the ball [over], getting turnovers for us. I hate that we turned the ball over once today. That’s on me. [It] obviously didn’t hurt us but still it’s not fun. But the turnover differential, the way they get after the quarterbacks, it’s just so much fun to watch them play.”
(On if their defense is one of the best the team has had) “As long as we win football games, we don’t need to compare ourselves to anybody else, offensively, defensively, any other team or anything like that. We feel like we’re our own unique team and that we’re special in who we are, so we just want to win and do everything we can to win a Super Bowl.”
STEELERS RB JAMES CONNER
(On what was the difference in getting the running game going today) “It was about opportunity. We weren’t down on ourselves. Even though everybody else counted us out, we knew that we had another opportunity to keep growing in the run game and keep working on things to get it going. We had a good week of practice, running hard today, line was blocking, good opportunity.”
(On the defense’s ability to get turnovers and how that helps the offense out) “For sure, man. Football is the ultimate team game. For the defense to create those turnovers and give us the short field and having us take the field halfway through – the defense is just playing big, man. They got so much going for them. We just play off of each other.”
(On where he’s seeing people counting them out in the run game) “Everywhere. Got more games left.”
(On what enabled him to be able to run wide this game) “Just got some looks where I could bounce the ball to the outside and try to get one-on-one with those corners. Every game’s going to be different. With this game, we tried to get those one-on-one matchups on the outside and we were able to get some big gains.”
STEELERS S TERRELL EDMUNDS
(On both of his interceptions) “Really just trying to help the team out the best way I can. The first one was an overthrown ball. Tips and overthrows, as a DB, that’s what you’re asking for. The second one was just playing my zone. Made a nice drop and just tried to help the team the best way I could.”
(On how important it is to have the momentum going into this next game against Baltimore and the importance of being mostly healthy) “Honestly, we’re just excited. Yes, we have the momentum going into it, but it’s a divisional game, it’s a rivalry game, we’re already excited about it. We feel like we just got to go out there and play our game, so just keep on working throughout this week, get all the minor injuries intact, and let’s go out there and win the game.”
(On if there’s anything different the Steelers did after the Jaguars kicked the field goal) “We just got to start off faster, I’d say. Limit their time of possession in the beginning of the game, get the ball to our offense as soon as possible, and then let our offense get into their rhythm and keep everything building. As a defense, we’ve just got to come out and play our game from the first play to the last play.”
(On if the Ravens losing today gets his attention) “It definitely gets our attention for the long haul. Right now, we’ve just got to focus on 1-0, because we know they’re going to come in with a chip on their shoulder. They’re coming off a loss. So we’ve got to come out and play our game because we know they’re going to try to knock us down now. We’ve just to come out and play how we play.”
STEELERS SAFETY MINKAH FITZPATRICK
(On Coach Tomlin saying the defense has an “unleashed mentality” no matter who they play) “We’re in the NFL. Everybody that lines up across from you is a talented, paid professional, and you have to treat them as such. We can’t look at somebody because they have injuries or their record is [not great] –
they’re talented players. Jacksonville is a very talented team. They have weapons that can hurt you. You have to treat them as such. You can’t prepare as if they’re 1-8, you have to prepare as if you’re going to be 1-0. So, I think that’s the mentality we have week to week.”
(On the defense dominating recently and if the defense is starting to “get it” or if there’s more to work on) “No, there’s definitely still more to work on. It’s just Week 11, so we’re looking at what we’re doing. Guys are more understanding of schemes and schematics and who they’re playing with. Those are two teams that we should’ve beat like that. We’re a very talented team, and we should’ve won those games like that.”
(On if the team talks about going 16-0) “We don’t talk about it at all. The media and everybody else will talk about it. I think Ben [Roethlisberger] said it before, we’re not worried about 16-0, we’re worried about 1-0. We have a great team in Baltimore on Thursday, and they’re looking to knock us off. We already beat them one time, and I think they’re going to give us their A++ game, so we’ve got to go out there and play 1-0. When you start thinking too much about the future, you stop preparing the way you’re supposed to be preparing, doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
(On if everything slows down when the ball is tipped into the air) “It speeds up. You’ve got to speed up to get the ball because there’s probably three or four other people in the area that’s trying to go get it. You know if you get a good break, you just got to go get it. It definitely doesn’t slow down. You definitely have to speed up in your sense of urgency getting to the ball.”
STEELERS WIDE RECEIVER DIONTAE JOHNSON
(On how confident is he that they can move the ball through the air against anybody) “We’re very confident because we’ve got guys who can make plays and whatnot all across the field. We’re just a special group, and we take everything serious. We like to make each other better. If we see something wrong, we tell them about it so they can correct it the next play. I feel very confident because we have a quarterback that knows what he’s doing back there, and he’s been back there for a long time, so we trust him to put us in the right positions and we’re going to make plays for him.”
(On his connection with Ben Roethlisberger and if he feels like Ben’s having an MVP caliber season) “It’s just him really trusting and being in the right spot. We talk about that all the time in practice, if we’re in the right spot, he’s going to put the ball where it needs to be and we just need to make a play on it. MVP? I would say yeah, in my view. That’s my quarterback, and I’m all in with him. I hope he wins it, even if he’s running up for it or not, I hope he wins it regardless because that’s my quarterback.”
(On if he had any idea he’d be targeted so much and his two biggest catches in the game) “I never really know when the ball’s coming to me on certain plays or whatnot, I just really go out there and play my game. If the ball’s thrown my way, I’m going to try and make a play for Ben and get the team in the right field position. Like I said, on those two plays, it’s just me getting open, doing what I do and making a play at the end of the day. Ben’s putting the ball where it needs to be, so I’m trying to capitalize on everything.”
(On the kind of relationship the wide receiver group has formed) “We came close during camp when we realized we have a special team and a really special defense. A lot of guys being older, you can see it in Ben’s eyes that he wants to play and he wants to do good. Everybody coming together each and every week, and we’re just going to attack it. That’s what we’ve been doing and we’re going to continue to show that.”
