Quotes from:

Courtesy Steelers PR.

Zac Taylor

Head coach

Opening Statement:

Disappointing game. You got to give them credit, they did the things you need to do to win these games in the AFC North, November and December football. They did it. They tackled better, they won the turnover battle 2-0, and that's the recipe for success. I think ultimately the score is not indicative of how the game played through the first three quarters, but it is what it is. They did the things you got to do to win and so they got a chance to run away with it. It's really frustrating and disappointing and not what we expected on our end, but it's what did. We lose the turnover battle two to nothing. That's how it's going to play out.

The drive where you get the field goal to get to 20 to 12, there was a delay of game and you had to burn a couple of timeouts. What was happening during that particular drive?

It got loud. The communication became a problem on one of the timeouts, so your choice is to just stand there and run no as you're trying to figure it out with ten seconds on the play clock, so we called the timeout there. The delay of game was because it was hard to hear. A lot of repeat calls on my end, we can't hear them in the huddle so we had to repeat it. It was challenging, it was a loud environment.

What led to the decision on 4th and 1 to take the timeout?

To try to get them to jump. It's a tough call, they are a tough short yardage unit to go against. Yeah, the decision was worth criticizing, but we felt that was an opportunity and it didn't work out.

Did you feel like you were going to get momentum after their safety was disqualified even though it happened beforehand?

We were just expecting to go score. We came away with a field goal that drive if I'm not mistaken. I don't read too much how that situation unfolded, we were just trying to call the next play.

After [Joe] Flacco took the big hit early, did you sense a bit of hesitation in his shoulder and how he was throwing the ball?

I still thought he threw the ball well. It was as windy a game as we've been a part of. We'll watch the tape. I don't know how that factored into anything. He was throwing well and where he wanted to, but maybe he'll tell you different. It was a windy game.

Were you going to go for it on 4th and 1 after the timeout?

Yes.

Do you think the defense did enough today to put you over the hump?

It was one of the better games they played. They gave us those opportunities, only allowing 10 points going into halftime after giving up the first drive of the game. I was happy with the punts they forced. Unfortunately, we couldn't capitalize on offense and get enough points on the board to take advantage, especially getting the ball in the second half. Overall, during the second half, those two possessions we just got to get them on the ground. There's a lot of opportunities. We've got to get them on the ground. Working like crazy. Talking like crazy. We've just got to show up.

Do you think the defense did enough today to put you over the hump?

It was one of the better games they played. They gave us those opportunities, only allowing 10 points going into halftime after giving up the first drive of the game. I was happy with the punts they forced. Unfortunately, we couldn't capitalize on offense and get enough points on the board to take advantage, especially getting the ball in the second half. Overall, during the second half, those two possessions we just got to get them on the ground. There's a lot of opportunities. We've got to get them on the ground. Working like crazy. Talking like crazy. We've just got to show up.

Why wasn't the offense as effective as you have hoped?

Their defense did a great job. You have to give them credit. Well coached, they have great players. We had some drives in first half. We weren't backed up, per se. But minus 10, minus 15, felt like we were working our way out of that thing. Just can't stall at midfield. Just didn't sustain, didn't get the explosive plays we'd like to get. That's a credit to them. That's how they played us. They were going to go the length of the field, and we weren't able to do that the first half outside of the first drive.

How deflating were those chunk plays that they had with tight ends and running backs?

We had them behind the sticks plenty of times. It was great for the guys to do that and some opportunities for us to take advantage of. So when they convert, that takes the wind out of you a little bit.

Just three catches for 30 for Ja'Marr [Chase] today. How do you think they eliminated his production?

Again, I don't think we were ever in a tremendous rhythm in any facet. And you have to credit them. They had a great plan. They played well. At times, we found some momentum and just it wasn't enough of that to go out and score enough points to win the game.

Do you credit Chase for keeping his cool there?

Yeah. I mean, these guys are in emotional match-ups. We all know that. There's a lot at stake for teams. There's a lot at stake for the individuals. It's competitive when you've got great players going against great players. It's going to be emotional at times. Ja'Marr has always done an excellent job of controlling what he can control. I respect that about him.

Seems like every week, we ask you about tackling. Do you get to a point where you practice so much, you talk about it much after games that you might need to just make some personnel changes to see if that can help with tackling?

No.

Jalen Ramsey was ejected. He was obviously the only one ejected. Are you comfortable with how you guys accorded yourself?

I have no idea. I didn't see any of it. I got the worst view in the house. They didn't call us for anything so I'm proud of our guys. I've have worst seat in the house. No idea.

How frustrating was it. 3-7 through ten games last year. Given the hot start, how frustrating is it now?

You feel them. You feel all the losses. You feel them all. They eat at you all. You know, we're working like crazy to make sure that this doesn't happen. It happened today. It's disappointing. Our option is come back tomorrow and keep fighting and find a way to get a win. And got a red-hot team coming in here. So that's what we're going to do. We're going to do everything we can to clean this up, mistakes, get back to work, and fight another week and find a way to get a win.

Message to your team, Zac?

Same. Just what I said. Same thing.

Feel like it was missed opportunity to kind of tighten things in the AFC north?

Of course. Our goal was to be 3-0 in the division coming out of this game. That's not how it played.

What's ahead for you now? Where do you go from here?

New England. I mean, it's simple. Find a way to scratch and claw and get a win and get the feeling we had back three weeks ago when we beat Pittsburgh, you know. Gave us a good opportunity, and so that's what we're back to. We're back to finding a way to get a win against New England and try to capitalize. That is our only option right

In the pick 6, did your arm get hit?

I don't know if my arm got hit. I just got hit, you know. I was trying to wrap it around that guy. Kind of saw him sitting there and felt like there was a lot of room in the middle of the field trying to wrap Tee [Higgins] in there. And maybe it's out in front of Tee or not. I thought there was room in there, and kind of got bumped and couldn't get the ball where I wanted to.

What will linger from the missed opportunities offensively today?

Any time you come in here and aren't able to get the job done you're going to think about things, go watch things and clean them up. Obviously, your thoughts are going to be with you for a little bit, and you've got to find a way to move on and watch the film and see what it really was and take care of it.

Given where the division is, did today feel like a huge opportunity, potentially, to really gain some momentum coming out of the bye week?

Listen, we're halfway through the season, basically. A little bit more now. But it really is so tough to look at it that way. I think it's easy to get caught up in that stuff. But, you know, I really try to remove myself from those situations and just go play football. And I think if you do that, that's when you give yourself the best chance to be in the best position you want. Obviously, that's there lingering and you know the opportunity all that stuff. But you've got to try to avoid getting caught up in those things.

Have you tried to manage the pain in the shoulder? How much worse did it get after the late hit by T.J. Watt?

Listen, that's football. He did a good job. He buried me in the turf. But I felt good all game.

Did they change the way they attacked Ja'Marr [Chase] today?

I think they made sure that they probably did it more. They probably had a couple guys on him more often than they did in the first game. And, you know, that's why they're a good football team. We knew they were going to make adjustments and come in here and play better than they did the first time we played them, and we've just got to match that.

Two new safeties with [Kyle] Dugger and 5 [Jalen Ramsey]. Did that change much from last time?

Listen, I think everything they did, we kind of had a plan for and could see why they were doing it and the fact that they were going to do it. You have to ask them, I mean, in terms of what they feel like they can do and, you know, I know those guys are good players. Anytime you get your best players out there, you feel like you've got a good thing going.

Did you feel like there was a miss in terms of when they lose their safety in the situation? They're already down to the secondary.

I just think the way they were playing, that stuff mattered. Obviously, it matters over the long haul. The way they were playing and trying to double guys and doing those things and trying to get pressure with their front, I don't think it was one of those things where you could start drawing stuff up and take advantage of because guys were out. I think they were still sticking to their plan and doing what they were

You've been in so many of these games here. When did you begin to think they might be putting their foot in the ground?

Well, no. I mean, listen. These games, you know they're going to be battles. Even though this looks really bad, it's one of those typical games that you come play in here. All of a sudden, it breaks loose and goes the other way. But you felt it today. It was a hard, physical game. You knew they were going to make it tough for us, and we just didn't come through in those couple little moments. They got two touchdowns on defense and got everybody excited and were able to pin their ears back and do their thing. That's what this game comes down to. It's one or two plays that you can look back on. Obviously, there's more than that and just the consistency of it. But there's always those plays, and it comes down to just playing winning football and kind of waiting for your opportunity and not letting yourself get too far out ahead of yourself and trying to make things happen when they're not going to. I don't really think we were doing that today, but we obviously, you know, just we weren't able to wait, wait, wait, wait, and strike. We made mistakes, and they capitalized.

Was it really windy here?

I don't think so. I don't think so. I didn't pay much attention to it during the game, but it was windy out there. You could tell pregame; the ball was moving around. I don't think I've seen it like that before.

Did it affect you?

I don't think so. I think during the game it didn't really end up being a huge factor.

Did you feel like your defense put the team in a good position?

I thought they did a lot of good things today. It's just a shame the way that when we're kind of not matching each other right now and playing both sides as well as we can at the same time.

I know you're worried about your job when you're on the sidelines, but to the extent that you got to see the defense if at all, was there anything to your eyes that looked different about what they were doing well today versus last time?

It looked like they were pinning their ears back a little bit more and playing with some confidence and playing with some speed, so they were able to break through the line a little bit and get into the backfield a little bit more. It just looked like