Coach McCarthy Press Conference (Week 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers) — Pittsburgh Steelers

[2:48] Good afternoon everyone. It's a McCarthy Monday. I'm Bob Pompiani along with Missy Matthews here [2:53] at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. We get set for week six of the NFL season. Week five was a good [2:59] one for the Steelers as they came away with a 12 point win 34-22. Had just about everything. A lot [3:05] of points is always enjoyable to see though isn't it Missy? Yeah and especially the last two games [3:09] prior to yesterday 24 more points. So you're just kind of going up and up which is what you want to [3:15] see and which it will require I'm sure at some point when it turns into a shootout with a team [3:19] you want to know that you can score those points and I think the fact that [3:22] how many times the Colts had a chance the Steelers defense the bend not break [3:28] being able to hold them to field goals or turnover on downs. Yeah bottom line is they took advantage [3:35] of what they could. I thought Aaron Rodgers was outstanding but the star of this game was Jalen [3:38] Warren. There's no question about it. Oh yeah. Something we haven't seen since the Herschel Walker [3:43] days 40 years ago. An 80-yard reception by a running back and then a 50-yard scamper to the [3:49] end zone. Pretty phenomenal and that guy just keeps getting better and better and I think right now [3:54] he's at the top of the list when it comes to scrimmage yards and he's embarking in some very [3:58] interesting territory that could be historic. Oh yeah absolutely and I think what every teammate [4:02] no matter if they're on offense or defense says about him tells you the type of player he is, [4:07] the type of teammate he is and he's never tired. I mean even after those two big plays it's not [4:13] like he's coming out and huffing and puffing. It's a credit to him and how he practices. They [4:17] say a lot of times even you know if he doesn't have to he still runs into the end zone. We're [4:23] going to be hearing from Mike McCarthy here soon to begin this press conference. One thing about [4:27] Jalen Warren he's a guy who seems to get better with more touches which is interesting because [4:31] it looks like Rico Dowdle's about to return at some point and the plan was a one-two punch but I [4:38] think the one here is Warren right now. I think you got to keep feeding him and I'm going to be [4:42] wondering how the division of labor works. I also will be wondering you know that Rico worked with [4:48] coach McCarthy so they have some familiarity there. Same with Brock Hoffman but maybe the past few [4:55] weeks will change things in terms of how they handle those workloads but again they are a staff [5:01] that pays attention to how many snaps you're getting. How much beating you're taking on your [5:05] body to make sure that guys can stay safe throughout the season. Missy's a trooper here by the way she's [5:10] battling a cold and sore throat which happens this time of year all the time so I give her credit for [5:16] doing this. Unfortunately I can still talk. So let's talk about Aaron Rodgers. Again you know a lot of [5:22] people look say oh he's 42 he's going to have some problems this year he's going to be hit. He's been [5:26] hard. Harder than a lot of quarterbacks. In the Cleveland game he had five sacks against him. [5:30] He got sandwiched in New England but yesterday was a different kind of game. He got the ball out quickly [5:35] made great decisions as he always does. He looks like he's back in his 2021 MVP form. He really does. [5:42] And the numbers are the same. You know three or more touchdowns in three straight games. He hasn't [5:46] done that since the MVP season of 2021 you mentioned. I think also just the way the offense [5:53] is starting to gel more and specifically the offensive line with pass pro that was a big improvement but [5:59] they also need to though do it on the road. It needs to travel because clearly they want all their [6:05] home games and lost all their away games. All right Mike McCarthy has just entered the building. [6:10] Let's go to his press conference live. [6:16] Mike any update on your two injured receivers and anything going on with Landon Roberts? [6:23] Yes. Landon he's coming back on practice squad and both receivers will not be available this week. [6:31] That's kind of the information I have so far. [6:33] Just one week or a thing long. That's what we're going to have so far. [6:37] Both wide receivers you mean Ben and Roman. [6:40] Ben. Yeah Ben and Roman I guess. [6:42] Do you guys look for, are you comfortable with Brandon Smith as just a guy you can call up? [6:47] Do you think you need more help from outside the team? [6:48] Well I mean those conversations are always going on but Brandon, I've known Brandon a long time [6:53] and he's earned this opportunity so we'll definitely feel, we feel very good about Brandon [6:59] moving forward. So he'll definitely get more opportunities. [7:03] Mike you talked yesterday about the decision to move Patrick to the sideline. [7:08] It was your decision and you didn't ask the players about it. [7:10] But did you get any feedback from the players like during the game or post game about that decision? [7:15] Morning game? [7:16] No. [7:17] No I haven't. I haven't really spoke to him about it. [7:20] But you know once again, there's a lot that goes into staff responsibilities, going back to the preseason. [7:28] You know everybody has experience of what they've done other places in their career. [7:34] The communication is obviously very important. [7:36] Frankly I thought the network of communication was what it needed to be. [7:42] Yesterday on the defensive lines from my interaction, you know, I've called games from the sideline. [7:51] It's easier to call, you know, from the box. [7:55] But the direct communication with the players to me has always been the most important. [7:59] So we tried it the other way. [8:02] And you know this is what it needs to look like from my opinion. [8:05] I talked about the initial vision of the offense having the one-two punch at both Rico and Jalen. [8:10] And with what Jalen's doing right now, being third in the NFL in yards from scrimmage, [8:16] how do you ride that line of, hey, I want to keep Jalen fresh, but I also want to get Rico in there? [8:23] I don't really know. [8:24] I understand maybe with the term, you know, one-two punch, maybe our definitions are different. [8:29] But I mean, Jalen's our future player right now. [8:31] I mean, let's make sure we all recognize that. [8:35] He's hot. [8:36] He's playing great football for us. [8:38] So it's important for us to, as an offense, you know, coaches and players alike, [8:43] to continue to put him in position to make plays. [8:48] So that won't change. [8:49] But, you know, Rico, he's been injured, but, you know, he looked good Friday and Saturday. [8:57] So he's definitely close to getting back there. [9:00] And so hopefully we can get the ball more on offense. [9:03] You know, we only had the ball really 54 official plays. [9:05] So we'd like to get up in the high 60s and 70s and create more opportunities for all of our perimeter players. [9:11] Mike, why bring a Landon Brett back? [9:15] Oh, I enjoyed him in training camp. [9:18] You know, I thought he did a nice job. [9:19] But I think timing was a little bit to do with his, you know, his opportunity. [9:23] And, you know, once again, we're trying to get better. [9:27] All these, you know, all these opportunities that we're creating for players that are here or, you know, [9:33] or those changes that you make are, we're trying to improve the team. [9:38] So, I mean, he's a veteran, has done great things, you know, throughout his career. [9:43] But, you know, this man just wants to win. [9:45] So you can't have enough people like that. [9:48] Mike, going back to what you just said there about, you know, [9:50] obviously it's dictated by how often you have the ball, what you can give to Jalen or any running back. [9:55] But is there a threshold? [9:57] Is there a number that's too high for a back to get the ball in a game? [10:02] I think, like, you know, once again, I mean, I'm not going to, you know, pick at numbers. [10:08] You know, and these are great questions. [10:11] But, yeah, I mean, it depends on the game, too. [10:15] I mean, who you're playing, what's going on in the game. [10:18] I do think, you know, you definitely think over the course of a season and so forth. [10:22] But at the end of the day, we want to win the game. [10:23] So let's just start there. [10:25] And whatever it takes to win the game, you know, that will be our approach this week. [10:32] So, you know, now there's a medical report that goes on. [10:36] And, you know, today there's a lot of information that's still floating around. [10:39] I don't have exact, you know, I don't have everybody on the board exactly where I think they're going to be by the end of the week. [10:45] So, I mean, that's the normal process of projecting your 53 into your 48 and who's going to play and so forth. [10:51] But, you know, I think Jalen clearly today looks better today than he did the last two Mondays. [10:56] So that's very encouraging for me. [10:58] So, but you look at all the information involved. [11:02] But, you know, as far as how much he's going to touch the ball, he needs to touch the ball enough for him to be productive and for us to win the game. [11:08] Mike, you talked about Braden Smith. [11:10] But what do you think about your receiver depth as a whole? [11:12] And when you have three guys out, like you will in this upcoming week, how does it change maybe your game preparation? [11:19] I don't know how much it will change the game preparation without diving into specifics of how we're going to game plan. [11:23] Frankly, it's, you know, I've had probably more conversation today how we're going to practice, you know, because, you know, it's a full seven-day practice slate. [11:33] It's important for the defensive guys to get the looks that they need to see on Wednesday, Thursday, and then, you know, in a lighter fashion on Friday and Saturday. [11:42] So that's where really the numbers, you know, as far as that group are probably the biggest effect immediately. [11:48] But as far as game planning and how we're going to utilize our players, you know, we feel very confident on, you know, our perimeter group and how we'll utilize them for the game Sunday in Tampa. [11:59] Mike, over the years, how have you seen Aaron in how he works to build trust and bring some of those younger receivers up to speed, [12:08] especially in a week like this where he may be working with some guys that he didn't anticipate working with as much as he will be? [12:14] You know, it's a number of different ways, frankly. [12:19] I think in the old days, you know, back in 20 years ago or 15 years ago, you know, I think there's probably more things going on as far as where he was in his life. [12:30] You know, now I see him do things away from the building more, you know, with the guys, you know, as far as meetings that, you know, their get-togethers and what they're doing. [12:40] So, yeah, he brings a tremendous amount of experience to work every single day and, you know, and he feels it. [12:51] You know, his give-back meter is really very, very high. [12:55] And so he spends a lot of the time with those guys, you know, always interacting and particularly in meetings. [13:01] You know, we have an afternoon meeting after the practice. [13:05] You know, we call it a signal callers meeting, you know, something that we did in Dallas that I really liked and brought here. [13:12] And it's more for the players, you know, it's a meeting for the players to talk on the specifics of the, you know, the communication that goes on the field. [13:23] Because, you know, at the end of the day, the players play. [13:26] And it's important for them to have their language, their connection, you know, their time together to work through those things and communicate in that environment. [13:36] And so, you know, it's part of the preparation for Sundays. [13:39] Mike, did you have any amount of curiosity or wonderment about Aaron when you got here, what he was going to be like at 42? [13:46] And after five games, what do you think? [13:50] No, I, you know, yeah, I'm not sure. [13:54] Well, when you first came, did you have any in your mind? [13:57] Did you think, you know, how's Aaron going to be at 42? [14:00] And then after five games, how would you evaluate him? [14:03] I'd say physically. [14:04] I think, you know, after, you know, the, I don't want to say the concern, just because there was a lot of conversation that went into it. [14:09] I had a chance to watch him play last year. [14:11] So, I had a chance to go through the cut-ups, you know, leading up to the time he came back. [14:18] So, and really just listening to him talk. [14:21] I mean, I know how much he puts into the preparation part of it, you know, and physically the things that he does away from the facility, away from football. [14:29] So, you know, there wasn't any concern there, but I think that, frankly, I think he moves much better than I anticipated coming off an Achilles injury. [14:39] And I know he said he struggled a little bit last year. [14:42] So, but yeah, no, no concerns there. [14:45] Mentally, I think, you know, the only challenge there is just trying to get everybody on the same page, you know. [14:52] And I think that's the case with any veteran quarterback that plays a long time. [14:56] It's getting everybody connected. [14:58] That signal callers, that signal callers mean you mentioned who's in that. [15:02] Is that like Patrick Queen and Aaron or? [15:04] Yes, the offensive defense. [15:05] Oh. [15:06] Jeremy Bernard continues to get more opportunities. [15:09] What have you seen from him in terms of where he's grown or developed the most through the early part of the season? [15:13] Yeah, football comes easy to him. [15:14] You know, I think there's some young guy mistakes he made yesterday, but you can see it coming. [15:19] You know, he's, he's acclimated very well to the offense. [15:24] The ability to play all three positions, you know, it's, you know, he sticks his nose in there in the run game, too. [15:30] So I've been, I've been very, very impressed. [15:33] Thanks. [15:33] We, sorry. [15:34] What's the evidence that football comes easy to some of you? [15:38] And how do you see that with Jim? [15:40] Well, I just think the ability to, you know, go through the process. [15:43] You know, you, you have a classroom operation, there's communication that goes there, you take it to the walkthrough. [15:49] And then when you get your chance in live action, you know, it's just, you know, his process has been pretty smooth. [15:55] You know, so, you know, some, some processes are smoother than others. [16:00] You said that the guys needed to improve on third and two, third and six. [16:05] You guys went four of six in that department this week. [16:08] How did, what did you guys do to make that happen? [16:10] And what do you guys do to improve overall of their guys? [16:13] Well, first of all, we got to, we got to keep it, you know, keep it down in that range. [16:16] You know, and, you know, the, the man to man is, is the part, you know, we, we've got to do better, you know, attacking man to man and, you know, spacing with our route concepts and things like that. [16:28] So those are the things we talked about today. [16:30] You said yesterday that the big thing that you took from last year's game against the Colts were the individual matchups, the player matchups. [16:37] What was it that you saw on tape that you liked, that you felt like you could duplicate, replicate this time around? [16:43] What worked for you that you pulled from that, from that viewing of the tape? [16:47] Oh, I would say much as the matchups, because, I mean, it was, I mean, I thought there was good, solid matchups across the board. [16:53] I didn't think we had to go away from anything, you know, all day. [16:57] I mean, I'm talking offensively to their defense, but then, you know, defensively, obviously the big, big focus on the run game. [17:03] So, you know, I think, I think we hit the target there. [17:06] Warren in the past game, we, you know, he, he had a productive day, but that's, you know, something that we talked about. [17:11] So, yeah, I think it's more, you know, creating the, the looks that you want, you know, as far as where the matchups are. [17:19] So, I think we, we, you know, we did okay there. [17:23] So, you know, they had a couple of plays early in the game they made, you know, but, you know, outside of the four holding calls, you know, we, I felt like we were able to, you know, accomplish what we wanted to accomplish, you know, offensively. [17:35] Including Jeremy, there were seven rookies who played meaningful snaps for you guys yesterday. [17:40] And is that, across all three phases, do you feel like that group is coming along and progressing the way you anticipated, pitching in with such a veteran team? [17:47] I really liked them when, when we drafted them, you know, we were, we were all very excited on draft day, like every, all 32 teams are that day. [17:54] But, you know, I, I definitely, you know, felt that this could be a really good draft class. [17:58] But, you know, I, I do agree with you. [18:01] I think we're off to a good start there because they're playing, you know, they're playing early. [18:04] It's a veteran team. [18:06] So, yeah, we, a number of those guys are, you know, are doing good things. [18:11] We need to be better on special teams. [18:12] You know, something that, you know, we need to, we need to keep, continue to work there. [18:16] And that's always the biggest challenge because you get, you know, the most moving parts there too. [18:20] So, and I think I look at that as like compared to the offensive line, you know, thankfully we were able to get another game with all five guys playing together. [18:26] So just, those are the kind of things we keep, continue to focus on. [18:31] And going back to training camp, just trying to get as many different players to work together and those different combinations. [18:38] And hopefully that work will continue to pay off for us. [18:42] You opened the practice window for Deshaun last week. [18:45] What did you make of his week of work? [18:47] And is there a possibility of him being activated ahead of this game? [18:51] Well, it really, it's going to, it's going to go, you know, how he goes this week. [18:55] So, you know, there's workouts that you do on the, you know, on these off days here. [19:00] So when we, we get together tomorrow, we'll, we'll set the plan for him Wednesday. [19:05] So we'll know more Wednesday by how he practices. [19:09] Mike, how do you feel about the versatility of your tight ends to do things more than just what traditional? [19:13] Love it. [19:14] Yeah, I love it. [19:15] I love all three of them too. [19:16] You know, I think, I think Bobby gives us another, you know, veteran piece there that you can, you know, I say this all the time. [19:24] You're either playing in one back, two back, or no backs. [19:26] And we can play in all three of those categories with our three tight ends. [19:32] So, and that's, that's what, that's what, that's what you like. [19:34] So I think, I think Pat and Darnell have, have really established themselves. [19:38] You know, I think they give us a lot of flexibility to do things, to play big, you know, to play open. [19:45] You know, just conceptually not have to get away from anything if, if we don't have the third receiver, you know, for instance. [19:52] So, and that's what you want out of your tight end group. [19:55] Both Aaron and Jalen Ramsey last week talked about how some of the best teams they've been on have been player-led teams. [20:03] As a head coach, how do you foster something like a player-led team? [20:06] Well, I think like anything, it's, it's responsibility and expectations. [20:10] You know, I, you know, it's, you know, I think you have to be very organized in, in, in which, in, in your administration of your operation. [20:19] I think there clearly has to be distinct structure and what, you know, what needs to be done. [20:25] But it's, at the end of the day, you have to have, you know, boundaries that are, you know, that are broad enough for all the personalities that fit in it. [20:32] And then with the, establishing that, you know, it, the, the organic method of the locker room is where you're going to have the most success. [20:40] So, if, if I'm the guy down in the locker room, you know, doing, doing everything that you feel that needs to be done, that's, that, that, that may, that may last in the short term. [20:52] It may feel good. [20:53] It may, may look right. [20:54] But it has to come down to the players. [20:56] I mean, it's, the players have to hold themselves accountable, you know, no, I believe in regulation. [21:02] That's what I'm paid to do. [21:03] I'm the regulator of the program. [21:04] You know, that's ultimately my job. [21:06] I'm in charge of volume, you know, ultimately when, you know, those decisions of, you know, we're going to go this way or that way. [21:14] Yes, that's, that's my responsibility, but the players have to push each other internally. [21:19] And that's why, you know, I don't think we can do enough as an organization to support the locker room and to make sure we protect that locker room. [21:27] So that's what I, that's my meaning of play, you know, player led football team. [21:33] Mike, some of the receivers have mentioned the pop quizzes Aaron gives him during the week. [21:37] I assume you've been in the room when that happens. [21:40] How do you think that helps the receivers and maybe especially the younger ones? [21:43] I think it's, I think it's really good. [21:45] It's a method of accountability, but also it's, it's an opportunity to talk football in specifics of football. [21:50] And it's an opportunity to think, to engage with him, you know, even, even further. [21:56] So yeah, at the, at, at the end of the day, that, that, that, that stuff's very healthy. [22:00] Um, so our, if you look at our schedule, um, and it's really by design, um, if you, if you follow closely, it's a schedule. [22:10] So I was in for the first 20 plus years of my career where you go in on Wednesday, you put in normal down distance and third down. [22:18] And then, you know, uh, Thursday was more, more third down pressure and red zone goes on Friday. [22:24] Then you have Saturday to review. [22:27] Well, what we do is red zone third down, everything goes in by Thursday. [22:30] So when, when our players leave for Thursday night, they have everything in the game plan. [22:34] And then we, you know, we crank it pretty hard Thursday night to make sure they have all the first calls on Friday. [22:40] And so really Friday and Saturday is really total review for the players on the game plan. [22:46] Now, I say that with great pride because our, our, our missed assignments and MEs were the lowest of the year yesterday. [22:53] So hopefully it's working. [22:55] Um, but it's, it's the method of what I believe in. [22:58] So, um, and it's really from my experience of coaching very young teams, young quarterbacks. [23:04] And I think it works. [23:05] So, and I think when you have that extra time where you have two days of retesting and testing, you're able to have those type of meetings and so forth. [23:14] And I think Aaron does a, an incredible job with that. [23:16] Mike, do you give Aaron pop quizzes or was that part of the quarterback school, the pop quiz? [23:23] I think, I think Aaron's, you know, rightfully so has graduated from quizzes. [23:28] He's, uh, he's had a couple of decades of them. [23:30] So, he's definitely, he's, and he's even, I would definitely, definitely classify him for, you know, he's, he's, he's, he's in good shape. [23:37] So, we'll just, I'm just, I'm too tired to be funny right now. [23:40] Sorry. [23:41] Last one. [23:42] You talked about liking your, your tight ends and having faith in both running backs. [23:46] Can depth at those positions help offset when you're missing three wide receivers? [23:50] Or is it difficult to shift the sort of personality of an offense in that way? [23:55] Uh, the question earlier, I, I think the, the ability to, to play in, in schematic categories is, you know, can you, you conceptually teach is, is what I'm talking about. [24:06] So, we can do that, um, with, with less receivers. [24:11] All right. [24:12] Thank you. [24:13] All right. [24:16] That's Mike McCarthy with some interesting stuff today regarding injuries, of course, Missy. [24:20] And that's always big and the wide receiving core is going to be, uh, somewhat shorthanded again this week. [24:25] Yeah. [24:25] Not a whole ton of information, but he did say that Ben Skoranek and Roman Wilson will not be available this week. [24:32] Uh, it was bad when they went out in the game, not able to return. [24:36] They did have Brandon Smith who was able to step in, um, and I'm sure they'll be working with him more this week. [24:41] All right. [24:42] We're going to take a break on that note. [24:43] When we come back, we're going to hear from some of the coordinators about what happened yesterday and looking ahead to the Tampa Bay game. [24:47] As the Steelers get ready for a one o'clock tilt down into Raymond James stadium. [24:51] This is the Mike McCarthy press conference brought to you by PNC. [24:55] It's back right after this game day, a shared experience between all of us. [25:21] Shared by those who make history. [25:25] And those who witness it. [25:32] Be there for every moment. [25:36] Yeah, I mean, I felt like we moved the ball pretty good, but we also had some splash plays. [25:49] Obviously you throw in the flat and go 80. [25:51] That's a big, uh, boost. [25:54] Also had a 50 yard run. [25:56] First guy since, uh, Herschel Walker in 1986. [25:59] I just found out 80 yard catch and a 50 yard run. [26:03] That's pretty incredible. [26:04] See, it been, uh, uh, what 40 years. [26:08] Yeah. [26:08] Pretty, uh, pretty outstanding. [26:09] Have you thrown too many one yard passes that turned into an 80 yard run? [26:13] No, I've definitely thrown a few of those where I did absolutely nothing. [26:15] Now, although I did take a shot on that play. [26:18] So I feel like I kind of earned a little bit, maybe not 80 yards in the touchdown, but yeah. [26:23] A few weeks ago you talked about Jaylen's top net. [26:27] Called him one of the toughest guys in the league. [26:28] What's it like from your perspective seeing the type of day that he had and what he was able to do? [26:32] No, you're just not really surprised. [26:35] Uh, he's just such a slippery player. [26:37] The first guy rarely brings him down. [26:40] He's good inside of the tackles, good outside of tackles. [26:43] Uh, always moving forward, always, you know, spinning, slipping out of plays, finishing runs. [26:50] You know, he's just, he's one of the most liked players on the team and so guys want to block [26:55] for him on the offensive line and the tight ends and the receivers and just, uh, really [27:01] enjoy his energy from start to finish every day of the week and enjoy what he does for [27:07] us. [27:09] A recognition nationally? [27:10] Who? [27:12] Jaylen Warren. [27:13] Yeah, but I mean, they have their favorites and people they want to talk about, so it's [27:18] what it is. [27:19] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [27:23] Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in store or online for all things black and gold. [27:28] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere [27:37] else. [27:38] And of course, get the ultimate Steelers game day accessory, the terrible towel. [27:43] Steelers Nation shops here. [27:44] Get your gear in store or online at shop.steaters.com. [27:49] Welcome back to the Mike McCarthy Press Conference brought to you by PNC. [28:14] Bob, I miss you with you and there's a old face but a new face in many ways coming back [28:19] to this team and that would be a Landon Roberts, a man they call the tooth chipper. [28:23] Really good, uh, stopping the run. [28:25] He was here, uh, at the end of training camp and I thought for sure he had a spot on that [28:29] roster but he went away and now he's back. [28:32] Yeah, and maybe it was a numbers thing, um, at some point so we'll have to wait and see but [28:36] coach said once he goes through some workouts he'll know more. [28:38] He'll be on the practice squad and right now we're going to join Danny Crussman, special [28:42] teams coordinator, his thoughts on yesterday's game. [28:44] Ben Skorak, Mike just told us that Skorak would not play this weekend. [28:50] I know you obviously had to adjust in game but what do you miss without him on the field? [28:53] Well obviously he's a productive player. [28:56] He's made some game changing plays over the years so that's what, that's the biggest thing [28:59] you miss, you know, guys being able to play at a high level and make impact plays so that's [29:04] the biggest thing you're going to miss. [29:05] You know, we had to adjust during the course of the game is, it's a shame he plays the game [29:09] like it's supposed to be played so yeah, we'll miss him so hopefully he gets healthy and gets [29:13] back as soon as possible. [29:14] Danny, what uh, they had a pretty big kick return against you guys yesterday, what are you [29:20] seeing that needs to be cleaned up? [29:22] Well, that was a, any bad play I always start with me and it was a, you know, a call that [29:27] was not a great call based on the return they happened to run. [29:31] I was thinking something else and you know, good for them, they made a good play. [29:35] There's things that we need to do better with some, some avoidance and some leverage and [29:39] some presses and then, you know, we have opportunities to make tackles, we got to do that, you know, [29:43] we missed a couple of other tackles, other, other spots in the game. [29:46] Um, so yeah, you know, and you don't ever want to start the game like that, you know, after [29:51] a big play, you know, to give up field position like that, put the defense in a bind, obviously [29:55] they did a good job to get the stop, but uh, you know, that's got to get eliminated. [29:58] Uh, you, you look around the league and uh, you know, those things are, you know, they [30:03] come up at, you know, they're, they're, they're never going to put you in a good position [30:06] and you know, again for them, good call for them against us and against that call, so bad [30:11] call by me. [30:13] For you on the opposite side, uh, from a kick return standpoint, Caden, you said it feels [30:16] like you guys are getting close there, even facing dirty kicks last week. [30:21] Um, what, what do you think needs to kind of tighten up to get that one big play going [30:25] in the game? [30:26] There's, there's, there's a lot of elements involved in it. [30:29] I think that we're, we're making progress in some areas. [30:32] We just got to get it all tied together on each individual play. [30:35] So there's, you know, you, you have one little breakdown, it can, you know, be a disaster [30:40] play where if that doesn't happen, you think you got an opportunity for a good play. [30:43] So, like I said before, you know, until we get those plays, you know, the, the, the getting [30:49] better, it's got to show on Sunday, so that's what we keep working for, you know, fundamentals, [30:53] techniques, but little things become big things, both good and bad. [30:57] So we just got to keep working on those fundamentals and techniques and hopefully, you know, keep [31:02] grinding and get a result because that's what it's all about. [31:04] You guys have, you've worked a lot with the rookies on special teams. [31:08] Um, what stood out about the way that group collectively has continued to progress and [31:12] grow? [31:13] Yeah, obviously, you know, it's, it's a good class. [31:17] It's a good group. [31:18] You know, we've had some of those guys really performing at a, at a really high level, you [31:22] know, going forward. [31:23] It may be some other guys need to, uh, to step up and perform in those levels. [31:27] We'll look at where we're at with, you know, with the roster and those kinds of things [31:30] going forward. [31:31] But, you know, again, a, a, a group that loves football and it all starts with that and they [31:35] play hard. [31:36] So, you know, we're happy to have all of them, um, obviously keep working with them just like [31:40] we do every guy on a roster. [31:41] We've talked about it since, since training camp, it's, you know, once we got the 53, [31:46] it's not only the 53, it's the practice squad guys. [31:48] You've seen us, we've had elevations every week. [31:51] So, you know, every guy is available. [31:53] Uh, sometimes we know it early, sometimes it happens late in the week. [31:56] So you got to keep prepping every guy with that possibility that, you know, you could be [32:00] active any week at any time. [32:02] It could happen on Tuesday. [32:03] You may have an idea. [32:04] It may not happen until Friday or Saturday. [32:06] So, you know, again, as a roster, good group, young guys working hard. [32:10] Feel good about boss having a good day, especially when their guy was kicking from the north side, [32:16] you know, like all the way up. [32:17] Yeah, it was an interesting day. [32:20] That was, you know, you know, in pregame, it was, it was one thing. [32:24] And then next thing you know, you came out and, you know, with, within two minutes of the game, [32:28] all of a sudden the wind, the wind and the rain all of a sudden disappeared. [32:31] Where in pregame, it was, it was a completely different animal, but I thought both, both kickers [32:37] performed at a high level. [32:38] That was, you know, their guy early with the, you know, with the two long ones, you know, [32:42] and then boss late making it not only a two score game, but a two touchdown game, which was, [32:46] which was a huge swing taking it from, from nine to 13, which changes the complexion of a little bit. [32:51] But big kick for him. [32:52] You know, he's, you know, again, I've never wavered at all. [32:55] You know, he's, he's a true pro. [32:57] You know, he's going to be fine in the league today that you need to talk about another game or whatever, [33:01] but they kicked off winning by one and went back and they ended up losing the game and either, [33:06] in your experience, you've been doing this a long time. [33:08] Does the head coach consult you when they make decisions about those in-game moments, [33:14] like kicking, whether it be the last minute or not, or is that a head coach decision? [33:19] I've worked for a lot of head coaches, so it's, each one is a little bit different. [33:23] You know, I've worked with, you know, head coaches where he just gave it all to me. [33:27] I've worked with head coaches where, you know, they're going to have their voice. [33:31] I've worked with head coaches that, you know, have a game management coach and, you know, [33:35] he's the guy that's the communicator for the head coach based on a lot of things and what the, [33:40] you know, what the numbers say even going into the game based on, you know, time, timeouts, [33:45] all that kind of stuff. [33:46] The analytics, it's, it's, it's crazy where, where this is going. [33:50] But, you know, any of those decisions, it's, you know, if not, if it doesn't work, [33:55] it's going to bite you and you're, and you're going to hear about it. [33:57] So there's a, you know, we, we have our philosophy and we have what our beliefs. [34:01] And, you know, when those things come up, we'll, we'll play our stuff. [34:04] It's, it makes it interesting. [34:06] Danny, I don't think many teams kick the ball into the end zone and just give it to them to 35. [34:11] As a special teams coach, is that just too much yardage to give up? [34:14] In base situations, I think so. [34:18] But again, you, you look at the numbers and, and where it's going, which is, again, [34:22] one of the reasons why they changed, you know, where they, you know, it was at the 30 [34:26] and then they moved it to the 35 because it, you know, the average starting field position [34:30] on those kickoff returns was the 32. [34:32] So everybody was, you know, everybody just bailed on it and said, [34:35] don't even give that opportunity for the two yards. [34:37] And, you know, then they moved it to the 35. [34:39] So you just don't get, it's time a lot of times, but most importantly, [34:43] it's, it's free yardage based on how the game is going. [34:46] The way the kickers are today. [34:48] I mean, you get somebody to go up to 35 and one, you know, they're one first down away from, [34:52] from being in, in field goal range. [34:54] It's crazy. [34:55] Is it still too hard to kick it? [34:57] You know, let it bounce before it goes into the end zone with 40. [35:00] Is that too hard? [35:01] You know what? [35:03] I think it's, and if you look around the league, the kickers a year ago, [35:07] the team that was the best team in the league through the beginning of the season and doing that, [35:13] they were leading the league and drive start average and limiting returns. [35:16] They were doing a fabulous job with the kicker doing that. [35:21] But you're asking the kicker to complete, can kick a completely different ball. [35:26] And it affected his field goal PAT. [35:28] He wasn't able to make kicks. [35:30] They had to get rid of him, you know? [35:31] So, you know, you look at Indy, you know, for them to do it with, [35:34] with Sanchez, who is a background as a kicker, but is the punter. [35:39] Some of those techniques on how to hit the ball, to create that dirty ball, [35:42] tie into a little bit on some of the things that some punters do. [35:46] So it makes it easier as opposed to doing it with your kicker, [35:49] where you're asking him to change the technique that he's going to use on, [35:53] on field goals. [35:54] It's a, it's a game of points. [35:55] So, you know, if I have my druthers, we're going to make sure we're, you know, [35:58] good on the field goals. [36:01] Does that dirty ball float like a knuckleball? [36:05] There's a lot of different ways that guys hit them. [36:07] You know, some of them float, some of them drop, [36:09] you know, some of them carry a little bit further than you think, [36:12] which happened to us yesterday, you know, some of them nose dive and dive. [36:15] So there's a, there's a couple of different ways guys hit them and you know, [36:18] it can, it can create problems, but you know, it's also, you look at, you know, [36:22] they, they got us on one or two and then, you know, [36:24] they get one short where you give them at the 40. [36:26] So, you know, you're swapping and it ends up being a, you know, [36:29] a wash to the 30, but you know, teams that are able to do that. [36:32] It's, it's an advantage. [36:33] It puts you in a bind as a return team for sure. [36:35] The time, you know, timing's hard enough to work with, with this new rule. [36:39] And that even changes the timing more standing crossman, [36:45] special teams coordinator, a lot of stuff going on with special teams. [36:48] Everybody talks how important it is. [36:49] Missy one third of the game. [36:50] It really is. [36:51] And when you see moments, [36:52] especially with this dynamic kickoff that they are using now, [36:55] it can change very quickly and field position is huge as it always is. [36:58] We're going to take a break. [36:59] Come back with more as we continue with the Mike McCarthy press conference [37:02] brought to you by PNC. [37:03] Thank you for joining us on KDK plus and all the Steelers digital platforms [37:07] back right after this, [37:08] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [37:28] Shop the Steelers pro shop in store or online for all things black and gold. [37:33] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, [37:38] custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere else. [37:42] And of course, get the ultimate Steelers game day accessory, [37:45] the terrible towel. [37:47] Steelers nation shops here. [37:49] Get your gear in store or online at shop.steelers.com. [37:57] Uh, I don't want to say surprise, but yeah, it doesn't happen often. [38:00] So when it did, I was, I saw DK on my left of blocking. [38:04] I just knew I had to stay on the outside of him and just run fast, [38:07] make sure I didn't trip. [38:08] Wanted to see if anybody's chasing? [38:11] No, I didn't live. [38:12] No. [38:12] Wanted you to have the success that you did today, [38:15] both on the ground and on that? [38:18] On that play? [38:18] Just in general. [38:20] Just trusting my teammates. [38:21] You know, they, I mean, I always trust my teammates, [38:24] but just the camaraderie we've built over the past, you know, couple, couple weeks. [38:27] Uh, it really shows on Sunday for me. [38:29] Jalen, what explosion plays do for you and also the offense when you get to like that? [38:34] I would just say, uh, you know, it gains momentum. [38:36] It, you know, it allows the atmosphere and even the team, [38:41] let them know that we're here of the team. [38:44] So, yeah, that's what I like about it. [38:46] Jalen, did you, do you feel that this, your offense moved closer [38:50] to what its identity could be over the course of the season today? [38:53] Yeah, uh, it just shows we got a bunch of playmakers that all, [38:57] you know, both sides of the ball. [38:59] Um, you know, offensively, we, uh, you know, anywhere, [39:03] you can go anywhere with the ball and get exposed to plays. [39:05] So, I think that's what's great about it. [39:06] Going back to one of you, uh, can you speak to the levels of blocking [39:10] that you got down the field? [39:12] You mentioned DK earlier, but also your run. [39:14] You look like Johnson and, uh, uh, Washington. [39:18] Uh, Smith and Washington have big blocks down the field for you, too. [39:21] Yeah, that just goes, you know, that's just credit to our, uh, [39:24] you know, the way we prepare throughout the week. [39:25] That's how we practice. [39:26] And so, when it shows up on Sundays, none of us are surprised. [39:29] Game day, a shared experience between all of us. [39:41] Shared by those who make history. [39:46] And those who witness it. [39:54] Be there for every moment. [39:56] Physicality on full display. [39:59] Welcome back as we continue Mike McCarthy press conference. [40:27] Bob Pompeian along with Missy Matthews. [40:28] We talked with Danny Crossman about that, you know, field position, yardage. [40:33] It's amazing with dynamic kickoff. [40:35] All of a sudden, you're one pass away from getting in the field goal range. [40:37] And we saw that in play yesterday, you know, where the Eagles, uh, [40:41] give up a huge, uh, return to Jacksonville. [40:44] And then Cam Little comes up and with one, you know, eight seconds is all it took. [40:47] It looked like that play was over, but he got one second. [40:50] And that was enough for Little to make it. [40:52] So it is a big part of what goes on. [40:54] Absolutely. [40:54] And I think that's why, you know, [40:55] Coach McCarthy even said when he spoke to the media last night and today, [40:59] special teams needs cleaned up here in terms of some of the things that they're doing [41:04] and maybe not doing more so. [41:06] Yeah. [41:06] So you got to be aware of that with time on the clock. [41:09] Uh, and even going back to the Steelers Cleveland game, they had a chance. [41:12] Right. [41:12] One completion. [41:13] They would have been in Boswell range because these kickers now, [41:15] as we saw with Trader yesterday, he could kick from 15, 60 yards easily. [41:19] It's pretty, pretty wild. [41:20] Yeah. [41:20] Boss has kicked from 57 at home as well, obviously on the road too. [41:24] And we know he's, you know, he's boss. [41:28] Yeah. [41:28] And I don't think there should be any reason to doubt him. [41:31] He missed three field goals this year, but he's still [41:34] a guy who, you know, you can count on in this situation. [41:36] So now the Steelers move on to Tampa Bay. [41:38] Uh, I thought it was interesting when he said about, um, [41:42] Jeremy Bernard football comes easy to him. [41:44] And, you know, yesterday you watched him. [41:45] He had a couple of drops early. [41:47] And then all of a sudden Rogers kept going back to him. [41:49] And obviously there's some connection there. [41:51] Normally, you know, with a guy like Rogers, if there are a couple of drops, [41:54] he may not look your way too soon, but he did with him. [41:56] And he was their leading target guy. [41:58] I mean, you have to look at the type of leader that Aaron is. [42:01] He had the same mentality when things were going a little rough [42:03] for DK earlier in the season that he's now having for a rookie. [42:07] Obviously he knew there was going to be a chance with Michael Pittman [42:10] potentially going on IR, which is what they decided on, [42:13] that his snap count was going to go up. [42:15] Um, you know, coach McCarthy was asked about Aaron's pop quizzes [42:18] that he gives wide receivers to make sure everyone's on the same page, [42:22] hand signals, everything. [42:23] And I just think that, you know, Jeremy Bernard is that very mature rookie, [42:27] um, who can take it in and is not afraid to ask for feedback. [42:31] No. And speaking of Rogers and on a play with Bernard at the end where he had to, [42:35] um, invade the rush, spin to his left, throw down. [42:39] And, and he immediately saw Bernard who was sitting there like, [42:42] okay, I'm here along the sideline. [42:43] That was one of the bigger plays in the game that doesn't get talked about. [42:46] Right. And you know, he's not as mobile as he once was, [42:49] but that still was a very impressive play, as you said. [42:52] And all you need to do is look at the numbers for Aaron Rogers, [42:55] three consecutive games now with three touchdown passes. [42:58] They seem to be really clicking on a lot of these and I looked at interception [43:02] totals and they're kind of deceiving because he has 10 touchdowns, [43:04] four interceptions, but one was a hail Mary in that Cleveland game. [43:08] That really shouldn't count. [43:09] There were a couple of drops in there, uh, [43:11] that went into the hands of defensive players. [43:14] So really, uh, he's as efficient as he's ever been with football. [43:17] He takes care of it. [43:18] Um, and that's one of the best qualities I think he has. [43:21] I think that's why the Steelers, you know, [43:22] were attracted to him last year, um, obviously with a different coaching staff [43:26] because of how mentally tough and mentally strong he is. [43:29] That was definitely something. [43:31] And you can see, I mean, defensive players, opponents, [43:34] they say every time Aaron can diagnose something like this. [43:38] And all of a sudden what you think is a great plan, [43:41] isn't the hard count. [43:42] I mean, he will do anything to, uh, [43:45] play a little mind game in favor of the Steelers. [43:47] He's very good at that. [43:48] And I would imagine guys like, uh, Howard and Aller sitting around watching. [43:51] If I were them, I'd absorb everything that guy has to say [43:54] because he's been there, done that at a Hall of Fame level. [43:57] So that can't be anything but good for those young quarterbacks. [43:59] Yeah, no doubt. [44:00] I know Will Howard even last year during his rookie season, [44:03] when it ended early, uh, due to that injury, [44:06] he was doing presentations for Aaron Rodgers of upcoming opponents. [44:10] What do they do on third down? [44:11] Different things like that. [44:13] And Will also said that he writes down everything that Aaron says [44:16] so that he won't forget anything and will be able to go back and look. [44:19] I'm sure the binder is this big now. [44:21] I'm sure it is. [44:22] And it's going to get bigger too. [44:23] One thing we haven't talked about is the defensive play in this game. [44:26] And they played kind of a bend, not break mentality, uh, zone quite a bit. [44:30] They didn't necessarily get pressure on Daniel Jones, [44:32] which surprised me because I thought, you know, [44:34] one of the things they would do, but they didn't. [44:35] However, they still made plays, especially at the goal line. [44:38] I thought the game was one there when they, [44:40] they really clamped down and allowed just five field goals [44:43] and no, or only one touchdown in this game. [44:45] Yeah, I will say that was pretty impressive. [44:46] And I think just the fact that tackling was cleaned up so much, uh, [44:50] opposed to what we saw Thursday night in Cleveland, that was clearly a major issue. [44:53] I think next gen stats had it at 17 missed tackles for over a hundred yards. [44:57] That can, uh, you know, very much so swing a game in the wrong direction. [45:01] Yeah. And for the year, it was over 300 yards when it comes to missed tackles. [45:04] So certainly that's something that needs to get better. [45:06] And it did yesterday and we'll have to do it on the road as well. [45:09] I'm not sure what the Tampa Bay situation is. [45:11] Baker Mayfield was supposed to be out three weeks, [45:13] but there's some talk that he might be available. Have you heard anything? [45:15] I have just started following all of the good reporters from Tampa and turning on notifications. [45:20] And I just looked before this and nothing yet. [45:23] Although I have to say that undrafted rookie played pretty well, Daniels, he did on the road. [45:27] And, uh, if the Steelers get that assignment, then obviously, um, that would be something good [45:32] because I think they will match up against young, uh, quarterbacks very well. [45:36] Mm-hmm. [45:36] We're going to go to Brian Angelico. Uh, he's now at the podium. We'll do that. [45:41] Or should we do take a break? Let's go to the podium. [45:43] We'll go to the podium now and we'll get a little taste of what he has to say, [45:46] the offensive coordinator. Especially in 32 to 36. [45:51] Ooh, he was asking about the what, the what? [45:54] The passing concept of how to beat guys, how to get more natural wins against man coverage. [45:59] Yeah. You're just trying to find, you know, you're trying to study what they're playing, [46:03] how much zone versus man. And then you try to, you know, hunt your man beaters, um, when you can get [46:08] the information. Sometimes the defense doesn't allow you to get the, the man zone tells, [46:13] but generally you're trying to hit man concepts versus man. And then if you're getting zoned, [46:18] you'll lean towards, uh, some zone contact concepts. And then there's concepts that are, [46:24] are good versus man and zone that are, uh, that serve dual purposes. So we're, we're always trying [46:29] to look at those areas. Where's the break? Where's, where's their high tendency of man? [46:33] Where's the zone? Um, you know, all those things that go into it. [46:36] When Aaron approaches the line, do you guys generally try, especially on third down, [46:40] Bobby's passing's a choice. Do you guys generally try to give him both zone and man beaters for [46:45] each sort of look that you guys get? Not, not for every play. Uh, like I said, we'll, we'll just [46:49] have call and run it that are, that are good versus both. But if there's specific looks that we're [46:53] hunting that week, certainly Aaron's has the ability to, to check to the man beaters. [46:58] Try to make up for the loss of three or top five receivers. [47:02] Yeah. You know, I think that's what's, what's, what's nice about having the flexibility with [47:08] the tight ends. I think the way, um, you know, with the versatility of Darnell and Pat, [47:14] you know, you saw it the other night, you know, we're, we're in a, maybe a plays out of 11 personnel, [47:18] but we quickly can flip and get it out of 12 personnel. And, and those guys did a really good [47:23] job of that. And I think you saw that in the third, fourth quarter, you know, with the injuries. [47:28] What did you think about Jalen Warren when you first got here, when you arrived [47:32] and what, if anything, has he done to broaden your view of what he can be as a back? [47:37] I mean, I'm, I'm just each, each week I get, I'm impressed with him. I just love his approach, [47:42] how he practices, how hard he practices, the effort he, he gives. I mean, he is even, [47:49] he makes plays without the ball in his hands. Like he's running the cover and finish a play, [47:53] uh, downfield that, you know, if a receiver catches a pass and it was, [47:57] it was just awesome to see him, uh, um, you know, have success, uh, Sunday and certainly, [48:03] you know, we needed that. Was, uh, any of that surprising to you or, you know, to see it in [48:08] person, um, that looks different, that doesn't film with him? No, I mean, just, you know, you knew from [48:14] OTAs and training camp, you know, he, he's, um, you know, with the abilities that he has. And so [48:20] just the consistency that he plays with, um, it's really impressive. So what, what he does now, [48:27] it doesn't surprise me. He's just, he's just, he's just as steady as it gets. [48:32] Mike did call him. He said he's our featured player right now. Did, is he, is he, [48:36] has he earned more? I mean, I guess he has like, in terms of things you design or call up for him [48:41] that you would do for Jalen than maybe week one you weren't thinking he would do? [48:44] Yeah, I think, you know, obviously out of necessity, he's played a lot of snaps for us and, and he's done a really [48:50] good job and I think it speaks to his toughnesses and competitiveness. But, uh, certainly, uh, we're [48:55] going to lean on him. But I think a lot of those, like the, the 80 yarder he went, you know, he was, [49:00] you know, we were trying to get an op to DK and they blitzed and, you know, Aaron threw it to the [49:04] flat, a nice read. And then, you know, Jalen just made it happen, win 80. So it's just within the, [49:10] within the, uh, structure of the offense, you know, he's, when his numbers called, he's always there. [49:15] Jalen made it happen, but on the front end of those long plays, it seemed like the downfield [49:20] blocking was really good. What have you seen from that group, whether it's Darnell and Pat, [49:24] or even DK Jeremy in this game, Brandon Smith? Yeah, no, I think when you, you look at, uh, [49:30] the perimeter of how they blocked in that game, they did an outstanding job and you had mentioned [49:34] them, you know, Brandon going in there on the long run that we hit, uh, that Jalen hit the 50 yarder, [49:39] Brandon did a phenomenal job of, uh, you know, blocking, uh, the nickel and then climbing up to the [49:46] safety and, and, and sprung, um, Jalen. So phenomenal. And then DK on Jalen's pass, I mean, [49:52] he blocked two guys on that. Uh, so just the unselfishness and the attitude of the players to, [49:59] to, you know, to do their job, regardless if they're, they have the football has been really [50:04] impressive. Brian, what stands out to you about that? I think that's one of the big things when [50:09] you're playing team football, your stats may not be all that good, like Metcalf or Darnell [50:13] Washington yesterday, nothing will blow you away, but when you contribute in a blocking game, [50:17] the way they did, that says a lot about your team willingness to do what it takes to win games. [50:22] Absolutely. And I think the Steelers offense has really embodied that, especially in the past few [50:26] weeks, averaging nearly 30 points a game over the last three games. And that hopefully is something [50:30] that continue on Sunday in Tampa Bay. We'll take a break, come back with more of the Mike McCarthy [50:35] press conference show right here, presented by PNC game day, a shared experience between all of us. [51:00] shared by those who make history and those who witness it. [51:13] Be there for every moment. [51:22] Starts with JT and it's a 11 man job, multiple guys to the ball. Obviously you want to replicate that, [51:29] but you know, it's harder said than done. And, you know, that was definitely one of the deciding [51:34] factors in the game. Jim, your ability, the team's ability to bounce back in games after a loss, [51:38] it's been repeated. You've done it several times this year. What is it about the guys do it? [51:43] We hate losing. We try to learn from our mistakes. Got good leadership in a guy like Aaron and, [51:50] you know, the offense played very well. And then on defense, we just, we understand that we got to [51:55] clean up our mistakes, whether it's, you know, tackling or execution. And you can always be better at that. [52:02] Okay. Your thoughts on just the team's ability, your unit's ability to only allow one touchdown [52:09] and along with the turnover on downs as well. [52:11] I think that's the deciding thing in the game. I think being able to [52:17] have multiple hats to the ball, surrender three instead of seven was huge for us. [52:23] And our offense was scoring at a high rate. So you put that together and it definitely makes [52:28] us to be a tougher opponent. And, you know, we got to continue to keep doing that. [52:33] One touchdown, of course, but it was seven plays inside of four or so. [52:37] You generally, I mean, you know, one through, but would you be proud of the way the run defense and [52:42] the way you guys stood up in this scenario? I would have been more proud if we didn't surrender it. [52:47] But hats off to a lot of our guys. You know, when you have these long drives, [52:52] we get other guys to step up. Gabriel Rubio, Keanu Benton, Y.A. Black. There's just a multitude [52:59] of guys who stepped up in those instances. And, you know, I think, you know, just really hitting home, [53:07] getting off the field when we can and especially in the red zone and only [53:10] surrounding one touchdown was huge. [53:11] All right, let's continue with Brian Angelico still at the podium. [53:56] We, you know, lessen some of Jalen's load. And I think that'll certainly help. [54:03] You talked about necessity and that type of thing. How different does this offense look [54:08] than maybe you and Mike were thinking about it, looking, go back to January? And what are [54:14] sort of the things that you've maybe highlighted as strengths that you wanted to lean into? [54:18] Yeah, I think, you know, after you get through the first two, three games, you kind of see what [54:24] the offense is going to be and what the players do well. And I think that's [54:28] we're trying to find that sweet spot as we go. And it's still a work in progress. And I think [54:33] as, you know, new guys get in there and different groups are out there, [54:38] that's what we're working through. You know, what does the 12 personnel look like? What does the 11 [54:42] personnel look like? But I think we're trying to settle in the core concepts and, you know, [54:47] continue to grow them. All right. Thanks, Andy. Thanks. Thanks, John. [54:51] All right. That's Brian Angelico, tail end of it. And certainly his offense is doing well. He and [54:58] Mike McCarthy with those plays and better performance from the offensive line too. And [55:02] I think it was important that those five guys played together for the third week in a row. You [55:07] know, when it first happened, there was a short week involved and Maxie Hahn is sure maybe he wasn't [55:10] ready for that because of how quickly it can happen and the competition you're going against. But three weeks in [55:15] a row now, you get a better idea of what they can do as a unit. When I think for Max specifically, [55:19] as a rookie, somebody who hasn't played a ton of football in his lifespan yet, that he has already [55:25] checked the box on a home game and he's checked the box on a road game. So he understands what [55:30] happens or could happen. So it'll be good to see as we move forward and hopefully can finally get a win [55:35] on the road. Some of the things you check in the boxes are opening holes, which they did for the [55:40] running game and also protecting the quarterback. And for the most part, he was very much protected [55:44] yesterday. And when he wasn't, he spun out and showed you he still has the mobility. [55:47] Just showing up. Yeah. J.J. Watt and Jim Nance couldn't believe it at his age. But he had that [55:52] ability to make things happen and he did on that one specific play to Jeremy Bernard. All right, [55:57] it's going to be the Steelers and Tampa Bay Bucks coming up on Sunday. When we come back, [56:00] we'll delve into that matchup a little bit. Tampa coming off a win at Dallas and the Steelers, [56:05] of course, trying to win their first on the road. We'll do that when we continue on the Mike McCarthy [56:09] press conference right here on KDK Plus and Steeler Digital Platforms. [56:13] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in-store or online for [56:32] all things black and gold. You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear and exclusives [56:42] you can't find anywhere else. And of course, get the ultimate Steelers game day accessory, [56:47] the terrible towel. Steelers Nation shops here. Get your gear in-store or online at shop.steelers.com. [56:55] I think when you turn on that film, you're going to see guys just flying around. And [57:01] you know, the love we have for one another really showed today those relationships we've built all [57:04] the way back to St. Vincent. I think that's just what it is, you know, just playing hard, [57:08] playing physical and playing fast. When you say building on last week, [57:11] do you think it was more schematically or more just, you know, bringing it and feeling like there [57:15] was more pressure on you guys in the middle to be harder? I mean, I really, [57:20] really trust our defensive coaches. So I don't think it's ever schematically. I think, [57:25] you know, there's some things that on us that we could do a little better. Obviously, when we turn [57:30] on the film, we're going to see that today. But me personally, I really trust our coaches. I think [57:33] they do a really good job. I think it just comes down to us executing the call, no matter what's [57:37] called. What did you guys do so well in cold to go? Say that again? Cold to go situations, [57:42] you guys did so well. What was the key there? Just playing physical, trusting the guys up front, [57:47] you know, us off-ball guys just flowing. And, you know, honestly, when it gets to those situations, [57:53] that's when the big guys got to eat. Patrick on the sideline, Alex told us that was his call. [57:58] What was that like? You know, it seems like that's going to stick here. Yeah, I mean, [58:02] he just brought a sense of poise and just comfort, you know, when things kind of, you know, gave up [58:08] an explosive here or there, you know, he was there just to, you know, kind of show us what went on, [58:12] show us how we're going to fix it, show us how he's going to help us. So it was just really cool [58:17] having him down there, Coach Joe Witt, just experiencing the poise they bring. What does it say about him being able to [58:22] make that decision and change, you know, just week to week here? And if it helps you guys, [58:27] it helps the team. Yeah, one thing I want to say about PG is his want to and his care for the game [58:33] and his care for his players. Every single day in and out, he's working to get better. He holds [58:39] himself accountable as well in front of us. Game day, a shared experience between all of us. [58:49] Another turnover. Shared by those who make history. [58:53] DJ Watt, strip sack. And those who witness him. [58:58] Final touchdown, Pittsburgh Steelers, and it's gone. Be there for every moment. [59:07] Physicality on full display. [59:10] All right, next up for the Steelers, a trip to Tampa Bay. It's been hot down in Florida and hopefully the [59:33] Steelers game offensively remains hot. One thing about Tampa, they've struggled this year. We may not see [59:38] Baker Mayfield. If it's Jalen Daniels, he's undrafted. Hasn't seen maybe a defense like [59:43] Patrick Graham's going to call up. But the one thing they do well is run the ball. And Bucky Irvin [59:47] had 175 yards rushing in that Dallas game. Yes, absolutely. But anytime you talk about going to [59:52] Tampa to play there, I cannot not think about Vance McDonald and the Vannable with the stiff arm. [59:57] That will never not be the first thing I think of. He ended Chris Conte's career at that point, [1:00:02] didn't he? Probably. I mean, that was one of the best in the business without question. But [1:00:07] the Steelers will try to go down there and stop that run game while continue what they've done [1:00:11] with Jalen Warren. And it appears as if Rico Dowdle will be back. So we'll find out what happens [1:00:16] one o'clock on Sunday. Thanks for joining us. For Missy Matthews, I'm Bob Pompiani. [1:00:19] We'll see you again next Monday night for another edition of the Mike McCarthy Press Conference [1:00:23] Brought to you by PNC.