Coach McCarthy Press Conference (Week 8 vs Cleveland Browns) — Pittsburgh Steelers

[3:04] Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. [3:07] I'm Bob Pompiani, and this is the Mike McCarthy Press Conference brought to you by PNC. [3:11] And Mike McCarthy, back from France, is already at the podium. [3:14] Let's join him there. [3:15] Back through training camp. [3:17] But, yes, it's a long year. [3:21] Got a big game coming up with Cleveland in division games. [3:25] So, you know, all those things are part of your equation each and every week. [3:30] But, you know, we definitely want to be running the ball. [3:33] You know, with those guys touching the ball is what it's supposed to look like as far as the offense. [3:39] And so I felt really good about their distribution yesterday. [3:43] When you were putting together that game plan, what did you see that made you think the jumbo package would be something that would be useful for you? [3:50] And did this team's success with that last year play any part into that decision? [3:53] Oh, absolutely. [3:54] I mean, I go back to, you know, when you get the job, the first thing you do, you sit down and you start going through the personnel. [4:00] You know, and, you know, Spencer, I was so impressed with him. [4:06] And it was a big part of, you know, the discussion of how we were trying to forecast him for where we thought he could play. [4:13] Because, I mean, he played so many positions. [4:16] You know, I did a similar experience with Connor McGovern. [4:19] You know, he's up there in Buffalo now. [4:22] And the whole time we were together in Dallas, it was like, hey, we got to get him on the field. [4:26] I mean, he's, you know, is he a guard? [4:29] Is he a center? [4:30] He can play fullback. [4:31] You know, he can do all those things. [4:33] So when you have someone like Spencer with his unique talents, it gives you such great versatility. [4:39] But in fairness to him, you know, I wanted to give him a chance to compete for a job. [4:42] So, and that's why we started the way we did. [4:44] And, you know, and with him with the right guard and then, you know, he had the injury and so forth. [4:48] So he carries a lot of value on our football team, you know, especially up front. [4:53] And it's important for us to continue to, you know, create opportunities for him. [4:58] You said yesterday that after an earlier loss, you pointed to this four-game stretch as an opportunity to go 4-0. [5:04] Why was it important for you at that point to define that goal for this team? [5:07] Well, I think, you know, just the way the, you know, the schedule comes out every year. [5:12] You can usually probably break it into quarters or trimesters. [5:14] It's been my personal experience. [5:16] I think when you chart, you know, your schedule, you know, there's training, you know, how do you look at September? [5:24] You know, I view September as an extension of training camp, how we're training a team. [5:27] I think October is such a transition month for your team, where you are, the padded work, the fundamentals, the things looking away. [5:34] So, I mean, all those things factor, and it's all part of the planning. [5:37] I think it's underrated for what a head coach brings to a program. [5:45] You know, I've always felt that how you schedule your team, how you train your team, you know, the internal resources balance with the external resources, [5:53] that's all part of the equation of creating the environment. [5:57] And everybody throws the word buzzword culture on it, but it's so much deeper in that with, you know, what culture truly means. [6:06] But your structure and your training regiments and scheduling is a huge part of how you operate the city you live in, the external resources. [6:13] I mean, this, you know, this is what keeps coaches up late at night. [6:16] I know it does me personally, because at the end of the day, you know, it's about winning and creating the environment, [6:24] the structure for your players to be the best they can be, because hopefully it'll be the best they can be for your organization. [6:30] So, with that, the simple, you know, this is called a filibuster. [6:34] So, I'm hoping I'll have to answer one question after this, but if you're following along here. [6:38] But, no, so I think clearly, you know, breaking up in quarters and trimesters, it gives you a chance to plug and play and, you know, doing it for a long time. [6:49] You have metrics that you can kind of say, hey, this is where I think I'm at, you know, compared to the way it was, you know, over how many years ago. [6:55] So, because, you know, the CBA has changed the way you can train the team, you know, so, and we're all on an equal playing field there. [7:02] So, you know, it's, to me, it's part of the chess match of being a head coach. [7:07] So, Mike, what are you learning about your culture or your group through some of these tight wins? [7:11] Yeah, it's great. [7:12] We need these games, frankly. [7:13] I mean, trust me, I'd love to win my 21 points every week. [7:16] And, but you need these games. [7:21] I've been in a, I've had an experience of being 15-1 and not having really any close games. [7:26] And then you get to the playoffs and, whoa, here you go, now you're in one. [7:30] So, so, dance those dances, you know, have those memories. [7:34] I think it's all part of your journey and what you can help try to emulate for your team. [7:41] But close games are critical. [7:44] I mean, Cleveland's won a bunch of close games. [7:46] You know, that pays forward. [7:47] You know, it's, everybody talks about being comfortable, you know, in those moments. [7:53] You know, it's, you know, everybody trains game management. [7:56] Everybody trains the, you know, those situations, you know, week in and week out, going all the way back to the OTAs. [8:01] But to have it in live action, you know, the, you know, the thunder, the rush on field goal for us right at the end of the half. [8:07] You know, we, I can't, how many, how many times we practiced that and our guys, bang, they nailed it. [8:11] You know, it was perfect. [8:12] So, you have to have those moments in live action. [8:14] So, so with that, I do, I feel like we're, we're building confidence. [8:19] We're, we're stacking it. [8:20] And I do, I, I think there's a tremendous amount that comes off of that wind. [8:25] And, you know, especially on the road, the travel stress, you know, stress is additive, whether it's physical, emotional, mental. [8:32] That's, that's the reality of life. [8:34] It's the reality of how I feel, how you need to train a team. [8:37] And so, I love the vibe of our guys. [8:40] I like the card playing. [8:41] I like the interaction. [8:42] I love everything about the trip, you know, because it was, it's not easy. [8:45] It wasn't easy for anybody. [8:46] So, so there's a, there's a lot of, a lot of good that comes out of it. [8:49] And most importantly, we won. [8:51] You know, that's, that's where you can put the stamp on it. [8:53] But, you know, your preparation is separate from the performance. [8:56] I think we all, it's human nature to think, oh, you know, I didn't, you know, we didn't prepare, you know, right, that's why we didn't win the game. [9:04] Or we prepared so good, why didn't we win the game, you know, so I think you really got to watch that. [9:08] But if you see things in your preparation during the course of the week and then they show up on Sunday, then that's the responsibility of us as coaches. [9:15] And that's where I'll kick myself in the ass, where just say, I saw that on Wednesday and I didn't redo it on Thursday or types of things. [9:21] So, because things can carry, you know, so you give what you emphasize. [9:26] You know, but I think in today's world, you know, generationally, just raising children, you get what you tolerate, too. [9:33] So, I think you just got to be conscientious of those things as you break seasons into quarters or trimesters or you talk about the importance of close games. [9:42] You know, all this is very important of putting together a run. [9:45] And we're trying to complete a four-game run right now. [9:48] That's what we set out to do. [9:49] And we got a chance to do it, you know, here at home. [9:53] So, we're right where we need to be. [9:54] Mike, with the guys having off today, how much catch-up do you have to play at all this week to get to where you need to be by Wednesday? [10:04] Which one? [10:05] Which, you know, they usually come in. [10:06] This is where you're about there. [10:07] Both. [10:08] Thank you. [10:08] Well, I think, you know, just kind of, you know, it's just an example of what I just talked about. [10:14] I mean, you have to factor in the flight. [10:17] You know, you factor in the, you know, that was a hard-fought game. [10:20] The flight over, you know, being in a hotel for an extra day or two. [10:24] So, I mean, you know, the old adage that, you know, it's one bottle of water for every hour that you're on the flight. [10:32] You know, times that by two for every day you're in the hotel. [10:35] I mean, hydration, you know, everybody says, hydrate, sleep. [10:38] Okay, cool. [10:39] All right, I'll do that. [10:40] But the specifics of it, you know, we have a great support staff here. [10:46] I mean, our people, you know, Gabe and his staff, training staff, you know, I just, I can't say enough about those guys. [10:54] You know, gals, too, and the training staff. [10:57] So, you know, players are buying in. [10:59] It's no ways the same. [11:01] You know, everybody does it a little differently. [11:03] You know, we do it a little differently now. [11:04] So, when you have this opportunity, you go over and, you know, you get out on the field and you say, okay, the team's prepared. [11:13] You know, I felt like we definitely checked the box of what we wanted to get done before that. [11:17] But it's definitely this week, too. [11:19] It's not over yet. [11:20] So, and that's why our Wednesday practice will be very similar to last week. [11:25] So, we'll treat the beginning of this week similar to how we treated the beginning of last week. [11:28] First talk to you, I think one of the things you said, you talked about the big guys on this team will be the first ones off the bus [11:34] and how impressed you were with the linemen you guys have assembled. [11:36] You guys are the only offense in the NFL right now that's converted every time you've run the ball on third or fourth or two and less. [11:43] What do you guys do? [11:44] That sounds like a t-shirt, huh? [11:46] What do you guys do? [11:47] What do you see them do so well to win at the point of attack? [11:50] And what goes into preparing to win those situations? [11:52] I mean, it starts with the personnel. [11:54] It starts with the individuals, the men. [11:55] I think just, you know, when you get into your first personnel meeting and you talk about the profile of your players and, you know, our D-line and O-line, [12:04] they look the way they're supposed to look. [12:06] You know, I'm not a short guy, but I'm not the tallest guy. [12:10] You know, when I walk off the bus, I want to look out with my guys like this. [12:14] Sorry about that. [12:14] I was trying to make a point. [12:16] But, you know, I don't want to look at anybody eye to eye. [12:18] So, I don't want to look at anybody that's as tall as you. [12:21] So, but I just, so that goes to Omar and Art and, you know, what's been done here before. [12:27] I think it's important. [12:29] So, you know, our length and all those things, but most importantly, the men. [12:34] I mean, we got the right, we got the right guys. [12:35] We got a really good mix of veterans, you know, and young guys. [12:39] And, you know, you're, you're just seeing it come together. [12:42] You know, our young defensive linemen played well. [12:44] I mean, they're doing some good things. [12:45] You know, Cam is doing an excellent job, you know, with his leadership and his give back. [12:50] I think, see, veterans can give back so much in just the little things that they can say in a one-on-one drill [12:55] and what they can say, you know, in passing in a weight room, you know. [13:01] So, in the video component of it, because, you know, it is, it's a lot like parenting. [13:06] You tell your kids something two or three times, but, you know, Farron Rogers or Cam Hayward [13:12] or TJ says something to them like they act like they never heard before. [13:14] So, and that's, you know, that's real, and I just think the give back of our bets has been good [13:20] and our young guys are responding, and it's really a challenge every year that I've been doing. [13:27] As you look at your veterans and your young guys and that cavern that's between them, [13:31] you see it come together, and, you know, and it's important to do that and win. [13:36] You know, you got to win while you do it, but, you know, our young guys are playing some snaps [13:40] and they're contributing. [13:41] So, you know, the next step is it's got to show up on special teams. [13:44] You know, that's a little bit of our, you know, challenge right now. [13:48] We need to get more production out of our special teams, and we'll just keep working [13:51] the fundamentals, keep emphasizing it, and I believe that, you know, that'll get to where it needs to be. [13:56] Mike, growing up in Pittsburgh as you did, rooting for the Steelers as you did, [13:59] does coaching against their arch rival mean anything extra to you, or is it just another game? [14:05] Absolutely. [14:05] I mean, Cleveland is, you know, if you grow up here, you think, you know, I was shocked the first time [14:13] I went to Cleveland because it looked like nothing I was told it looked like. [14:18] You know, they have nice suburbs, they've got a good downtown, and, you know, but the impression [14:22] of, you know, of what you think of the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland as a kid is different. [14:29] So, yeah, I enjoy it. [14:30] I remember the great rivalries in the old days, the cardiac kids, and, you know, the history of it too. [14:35] So, that's cool. [14:38] When I do bring it up, I don't think some of the guys even know the hell I'm talking about it, [14:41] if I bring up the cardiac kids, but so, and, you know, some of the, some of those, some of those years. [14:46] But, you know, this is a, this is a new era, and they got a new coach, and we have a new coach. [14:53] So, you know, we had our first game together up here in Cleveland. [14:56] It was a, it was a tough battle, and so I'm looking forward to getting it on again. [15:00] When you think of that loss, what are a couple of things that have to go differently for you guys [15:03] to just win the outcome in your favor? [15:05] Oh, I just think that just, you know, build off of where we are today. [15:10] Let's not lose sight of what we've accomplished, you know, the last three weeks. [15:15] Recognize what they've done, you know, the last, you know, every how many weeks, [15:19] when they have four or five, you know, victories coming back in the fourth quarter. [15:22] So, just recognizing those specifics of, you know, what's being done, how they're doing. [15:27] And, but at the end of the day, you know, we need to play to our play style, you know, [15:31] play to everything we believe in, the specifics of it, [15:35] and our performance will be where it needs to be to win the game. [15:38] So, the nice way about what you were saying earlier about, you know, the big guys on the team. [15:41] When you inherited this roster, you saw, you know, guys like Keanu, Zach, Troy, [15:45] there are guys that have, you know, been developing but were still young and developing. [15:48] What kind of conversations or planning did you put in to say, [15:51] hey, I want to create an environment that not only maintains their development, [15:54] but progresses and finds the other ways we need to do to get the best out of those guys? [15:58] Well, I mean, that's, you know, that's a question you can answer on so many levels. [16:04] You know, we first just start from the personnel department. [16:07] I think clearly, you know, defensively playing the 3-4 defense here since 1992. [16:13] You know, I have an understanding of what the outside linebacker position is [16:18] and how you draft for it. [16:20] No one's done it better. [16:22] I mean, it's, you know, history shows you that repeatedly here. [16:25] So, and that's still in place. [16:28] The inside pieces, you know, with the length, you know, and Cam and Derek and, you know, KB, [16:35] all those guys reflect that. [16:37] So, you know, they're big men, you know, big men with length. [16:41] So the profile's definitely, it has been in place here, you know, up front. [16:45] And offensive line, just, you know, you look at the draft capital that's, you know, in place. [16:50] You know, that's why it's so important to take Max, you know, [16:52] and the way that worked out with Max, it's, he belongs here. [16:56] You know, he's what a Pittsburgh Steeler offensive tackle looks like. [17:00] You know, he has the ability to play right or left in today's game. [17:03] So we, you know, we don't just draft the left tackle profile, the right tackle profile, [17:08] which was done at one time in my career. [17:11] So from the personnel emphasis and direction, I think it's clearly we, you know, we agree. [17:18] And that's the way we'll, you know, look at it moving forward. [17:20] And then for me, it starts with the coaching. [17:22] I mean, look at the coaches I hired. [17:23] You know, the first two guys I hired, you know, Patrick Graham and James Campin. [17:27] Enough said. [17:28] Enough said. [17:29] I mean, those guys, no one does it better in the front. [17:33] You know, Patrick, you know, his origin is, you know, defensive front linebacker. [17:37] So far, started off as an offensive line coach, which I, which I love that about him and his, [17:41] in his journey and, you know, as we've talked football over, you know, over time and in James [17:47] Campin, I think he's the best O-line coach in the league, you know, and felt that way [17:51] for decades. [17:52] So, so yes, all that, but at the end of the day, you know, it's the, the players got to [17:57] buy in and, you know, and have an understanding that this thing's set for them to be the big [18:01] brothers. [18:02] They're the big brothers of our football team, you know, you know, it hits the fan, they're [18:06] in the front, you know, and let's get it on. [18:08] So, you know, what a better team to do than the Cleveland. [18:11] So this, this will be a great game for us to take a step forward as a team, you know, [18:15] win this game, get to six and two and, and went up front. [18:18] You know, we went into Paris and said that we needed to own the line of scrimmage on both [18:23] sides of the ball. [18:23] We did it. [18:24] So we need to, we need to build off that. [18:25] Mike, what allowed for some of the results? [18:27] It hasn't been my filibuster here. [18:30] What allowed for some of the results we saw from the middle linebackers yesterday? [18:34] What, what allowed me, what, what were they, they doing well or what were people [18:38] around them doing? [18:39] I think just, you know, we're growing, we're growing through our menus. [18:42] You know, I thought Patrick Graham did an extra job and I thought PQ had an excellent week [18:47] and frankly, we cut them loose on some pressures early, you know, activate them and, you know, [18:52] gave him a little more ownership in what exactly what we're doing and, and, you know, the play [18:58] caller meetings and the things that are going on. [19:00] So yeah, you definitely see growth. [19:02] Peyton's plays has been probably one of the biggest plays in the game, you know, clearly. [19:04] I mean, that's a big time play on a eight, nine, 10 play drive. [19:08] So yeah, I just think those guys are stepping forward and you're just, you're just seeing [19:11] us getting connected. [19:12] And I think the up kicking pressure has, has benefited us too. [19:16] And I think we all recognize that. [19:17] Mike, how do you evaluate how Deshaun Elliott played in his first regular season game back [19:22] in nearly a year? [19:23] That was great. [19:24] I mean, I just look at his journey and I can't tell you just how much respect I have for him [19:29] and just watch him attack this, this opportunity. [19:33] You know, we, we had a play count just, you know, just wanted to make sure he was, you know, [19:37] getting him back into the flow. [19:38] He, you know, he needed that, you know, to get back out there too. [19:41] So I just look for him to, you know, continue to grow, but he definitely got over that first [19:47] hurdle. [19:47] We just need him back out there. [19:48] Two more. [19:49] Mike, Aaron can throw the ball and still move around a little bit. [19:52] But can you talk about his mental ability and his playing quarterback and how much that [19:56] contributed to his success this year? [19:58] Just knowing that. [19:59] I think it's contributed to his success for quite some time. [20:03] You know, his understanding is, is very high. [20:06] But I think just like a lot of things I've already said with, you know, different positions [20:10] we've talked about scheduling, it's, it's all about the connection, you know, and, and [20:14] what he has here. [20:15] I mean, he puts a lot of time, not only just here in the facility, but away from the facility [20:19] with his teammates. [20:21] But yeah, his mental capacities is, is one of a kind. [20:26] It's been a few weeks since you played the Browns the last time. [20:28] What does that short timeframe between two games, but who does a divisional team do for [20:33] the preparation? [20:35] Shoot. [20:36] I don't say it makes it easier. [20:38] It probably makes it more current. [20:39] You know, just watching them this morning, you know, there hasn't been a lot change, you [20:45] know, as far as the, you know, the depth chart. [20:47] And we had a preliminary meeting with, with the personnel department, you know, so, and [20:53] then we'll get into that more tonight. [20:54] So it doesn't look like, you know, just because the first thing is the personnel and you got [20:58] to make sure that, you know, personnel, how you think they're going to line up, you know, [21:02] whether they're doing differently, how, you know, how they're using their guys differently. [21:05] What are we doing differently? [21:06] How, how do you think it's going to affect how they play? [21:08] So, you know, we're, we're, we're in a normal Monday phase of it. [21:12] And I'm talking more offensively, but, you know, we do so much pre-planning, you know, [21:18] like for instance, like our coaching staff, you know, they're, they're Friday and Saturdays [21:22] in Paris were spent on Cleveland. [21:24] You know, that, that's what we normally work ahead. [21:27] So, you know, everybody else is ready. [21:28] I, I personally don't until Monday. [21:31] So, so we're, you know, we're ready. [21:33] I don't think there's been a tremendous amount of change. [21:35] All right. [21:35] Thank you. [21:36] All right. [21:40] That's Mike McCarthy press conference today after a big win yesterday at Stade de France, [21:45] 16-10 as they beat New Orleans to get the five and two, which puts him in a first base tie [21:49] with Cleveland. [21:50] All Cleveland right now has the tiebreaker. [21:52] So that's what's at stake this coming Sunday at Acreshurst Stadium. [21:55] When we come back, we'll break down what happened yesterday. [21:57] Look ahead to Cleveland and hear from more of the coordinators right here on Mike Monday. [22:02] Mike McCarthy press conference, by the way, Missy Matthews is on her way back from France. [22:06] She'll be back here in the seat coming up next Monday. [22:09] We'll be back with more right after this on KDK Plus and all the Steelers digital platforms. [22:13] Game day, a shared experience between all of us shared by those who make history and those who witness it. [22:42] Be there for every moment. [22:51] Physicality on full display. [22:54] Good experience. [22:58] A lot of great fans in both places. [23:00] I mean, Pittsburgh travels well. [23:02] There was a ton of terrible towels. [23:04] And in Ireland, same with here. [23:06] So we had two great experiences, and it's nice to get two wins. [23:09] Yeah, I mean, I'm a lot more reticent to run these days. [23:30] I'm just not very fast anymore. [23:31] But I feel like I'm moving pretty good and made some plays outside the pocket today. [23:36] That situation, you know, I looked over as I cleared the pocket and knew I had to probably not be able to slide on that one. [23:43] You know, and sometimes you've got to suck it up and make a play for your guys. [23:46] And I think because I am so much less athletic than I used to be, it actually fires up the guys more on the sideline. [23:53] I feel like the guys were, you know, that I made that run because it's so unexpected. [24:01] So it's kind of like a backhanded compliment almost, I feel like. [24:03] But I'll take it. [24:06] Were you running? [24:06] Mike said when you saw you playing, you're back. [24:08] What did you do? [24:09] Oh, I don't know about that. [24:10] I mean, I was pre-snap. [24:11] I felt really good about the play. [24:13] We had a couple verticals. [24:15] But at the snap, they rotated out. [24:16] They're playing like a real soft zone. [24:20] I just felt like I could move and extend it. [24:23] And I wasn't thinking I was going to run until, you know, I kind of cleared the first level and peaked and realized, oh, I only have to get five yards here. [24:31] I could probably do that, you know. [24:32] Might have to abort the slide possibility. [24:36] But, yeah, that was a good play. [24:39] But there were a lot of good plays today. [24:40] We still got to play a little better on offense to help our defense out. [24:45] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [24:48] Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in-store or online for all things black and gold. [24:53] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere else. [25:02] And, of course, get the ultimate Steelers game-day accessory, the terrible towel. [25:07] Steelers Nation shops here. [25:09] Get your gear in-store or online at shop.steelers.com. [25:13] All right, welcome back. [25:30] Mike McCarthy press conference day here on a Monday. [25:32] Bob Pompeian with you. [25:33] Missy Matthews will be back later today. [25:36] So she'll join the program again, as usual, next Monday. [25:38] In the meantime, we're waiting for some coordinators to speak about yesterday's game and planning ahead for Cleveland. [25:43] But the Steelers, by virtue of that win now, 16-10 yesterday against New Orleans. [25:47] Top spot, 5-2 tied with Cleveland. [25:50] First time they met back on a Thursday night, Week 4. [25:53] It was Cleveland winning that game, 27-24. [25:55] Cleveland, the one thing about them, they win every Thursday night, it seems. [25:58] They've won eight straight Thursday night games, not just against the Steelers, but others as well. [26:03] They're pretty good at home on Thursday night. [26:05] And on that occasion, they had a 21-7 lead. [26:08] Steelers came back to tie it on a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers to Pat Friermuth. [26:11] And then a two-point conversion by Rodgers as he sneaked that ball in. [26:15] And so they end up losing on a last-second field goal by Andre Smits, who's been very busy for them. [26:20] A 56-yarder that day. [26:21] He hit one yesterday in Tennessee to get them to a 27-24 win. [26:25] If you just joined us, Mike McCarthy spent a lot of time complimenting some of the coaching hirings he made. [26:30] The first two were Patrick Graham and James Campin. [26:33] And let's break that down a little bit. [26:35] Patrick Graham's defense has really come alive of late. [26:38] They've won three games in a row, and in each of those games, they have stopped the other team's leading rusher. [26:43] It was Jonathan Taylor three weeks ago. [26:45] As he got into that game and didn't do much, 45 yards total. [26:49] Last week was Bucky Irving down in Tampa, 46 yards total. [26:53] Keep in mind, Irving went over 100 yesterday. [26:56] And then yesterday, it was the New Orleans run game. [27:00] And what happened there? [27:01] Well, Aaron Rodgers outperformed any of them, as New Orleans had 17 carries for 18 yards. [27:05] Danny Crossman is in the room right now. [27:08] Let's hear from the Steelers' special teams coach. [27:10] Can you take us through getting the kick in that field goal and just how many times you rep that? [27:22] Some that we, especially early in training camp, that's a multiple times a week situation. [27:30] We spend a lot of time working situations. [27:33] We have periods designed just for specific situations. [27:36] And obviously, that's a big one that comes up. [27:39] There's a lot of things that go into that. [27:41] You know, the time on the clock, where it ends up, how far down the field people are. [27:45] You know, offensively, they did a great job of hustling off. [27:48] The guys from the sidelines did a great job getting on and really had a lot of time available, so to speak, there at the end of that thing. [27:55] So there's 22 seconds when the, you know, when the offense snapped the ball. [27:59] Obviously, we understand without any timeouts, we're in that alert. [28:01] And then, obviously, with the sack, obviously, it eliminated the possibility of how close is it. [28:07] Do you have to make any kind of decision? [28:09] It was clear. [28:10] It was evident. [28:10] And then the guys did a great job getting in. [28:12] And then the execution was well done. [28:14] At a certain time, you get them ready on the sideline if it's a minute left. [28:18] Any time we take over possession, you know, the conversation with all the guys on the field goal team ties into, okay, here's how many timeouts we have left. [28:26] Once we get to one timeout remaining, I'm going to come back and find you and make sure you understand that, you know, with one left, as soon as that thing disappears, we're automatically into that alert. [28:35] You know, so in that situation, we started with the one. [28:38] It came on the, you know, on the Jeremy play down the field. [28:41] We had to use that timeout. [28:42] So immediately when we took over on first and ten, we knew we were out of timeouts. [28:46] So right from Jump Street, you know, the offense could control it up two-third down. [28:51] If not, we were going to be in thunder. [28:52] What's that moment like as a coach just to see it happen, be it flawless? [28:59] You know, it's nice. [29:00] That's one of those situations, though. [29:02] You practice it a whole bunch. [29:04] You know, we've had years where I've had several of them, and then you may go eight or nine years without having one. [29:10] So it's something that you rep constantly, you talk about constantly. [29:13] You know, it's always in the reminders and the situation stuff weekly, but rarely does it come up. [29:19] I think teams do such a good job with holding on to their timeouts anymore that, you know, usually everybody's got one in the pocket to be able to use, so you're not really in that situation. [29:29] So, but again, really good execution by the players. [29:32] They were dialed in, and, you know, it went very, very smoothly. [29:35] Did you call it thunder? [29:37] Yes. [29:37] Everybody has a different name for it. [29:39] You know, it's been Toro. [29:40] It's Hurricane. [29:41] It's, you know, every team, every coach has a different name for it. [29:45] But it's, you know, third down, no timeouts, hustle on the field, field goal. [29:50] What's your assessment of the return game right now when you look at those two units? [29:54] Well, again, I think a lot of it is, you know, opportunities. [29:58] You know, you go, you know, start with, you know, punt return. [30:01] You know, we were only on the field twice, you know, and one of them is a plus 50, you know, fair catch inside the 10-yard line where, sadly, we have a penalty on it to put us in an even bad field position. [30:11] And then we get the second one where we have an opportunity, you know, and he, you know, he was able to get 13 yards. [30:15] He'd like to get a little bit more out of that. [30:17] But, you know, we only had two ops on that, you know, and then kickoff return-wise, you know, started the game with a nice return, came back on the second one. [30:24] You know, they kicked it away. [30:25] We slipped and fell, which, you know, disrupts the timing of that play, which it's a timing play, you know, to begin with. [30:32] So when you lose that timing, it disappears. [30:35] And then the last one, we ended up out at the 31-yard line. [30:38] So, you know, again, just continue working. [30:40] I think, you know, Caden's starting to see some things a little bit better. [30:42] We just got to continue with him and continue improving on the blocking. [30:45] And I think there's, you know, there's going to be plays there to be made. [30:49] You referenced Lou's kickoff return where he slipped and fell. [30:52] There seemed to be a number of traction issues on the field yesterday. [30:57] Were you given a reason for that? [30:58] Well, no, I mean, that's Europe in the fall. [31:01] I mean, I've played over there several times now, whether it's been in Germany or whether it's been in England. [31:08] You know, that time of year when you're playing at 2.30 in the afternoon over there, it's a wet, rainy season. [31:14] You know, the fields are, and the grass is slick. [31:17] They like it slick for soccer, and the ball moves well on the field. [31:21] But, you know, for us, the fields are always a little bit softer and a little bit slick. [31:25] So, you know, the cleats and that stuff become a big part of that. [31:29] So, you know, yeah, there was a lot of slipping on the field yesterday. [31:31] But I think you see that when you watch, you know, all the international games on grass. [31:37] What's the process like for your specialists when you get into a stadium nobody's ever played in an NFL game before? [31:43] Yeah, to your point, it is a process. [31:46] You know, and the hard thing is you can, you know, when you play in a stadium, you know, here that maybe a player hasn't played in, [31:53] you know, you can access all kinds of video of, you know, certain times of year, what was the weather, what was the wind, what was the sun, what was happening. [32:02] So there's opportunities to show visualization of what you're about to see. [32:07] So without having those resources where you're flying in there blind a little bit, it's, you know, it makes it interesting. [32:14] You know, fortunately with our veteran guys, you know, they're pros. [32:18] They were out there really early trying to get a feel for it. [32:20] And what a beautiful facility that is, you know, so it wasn't a factor like you might have thought it was going in. [32:28] And, you know, especially when we flew in on Friday, it was very, very windy. [32:31] You know, I think the stadium didn't swirl. [32:34] It was more of a straight one direction wind, you know, towards their sidelines. [32:37] So that made it a little bit easier. [32:38] It wasn't a swirling wind. [32:41] One more. [32:43] What makes those kicking balls so different from the regular game balls? [32:47] The amount of time that they're allowed to work on them. [32:49] And if you ask, you know, Christian, he would love to snap the quarterback ball, which obviously in that, you know, end of half situation, there's not time to change the football. [32:59] So you're kicking the offensive football. [33:01] If you ask Christian, he'll tell you he'd love to be able to snap that ball, you know, every single time because it's the way it's worked in by the equipment guys. [33:09] It's fabulous. [33:09] Whereas you're allowed the, you know, the kicking ball is a little bit different. [33:13] Now, Boz doesn't want to kick that ball. [33:15] You know, Boz wants to kick the K ball, but two completely different balls. [33:20] How many different, how many, how much yardage is different with a kick? [33:25] Well, the hardest, because we don't, we don't kick the, we don't kick the quarterback balls a lot, you know, because they are, there's a completely different feel to them. [33:33] You know, it's a, it's a much heavier ball. [33:35] Do you do it when you do the Thunder practice or not? [33:37] No, we usually try and kick our own, but we'll, every couple of weeks, we'll hit some of those balls just to make sure it's something we've done. [33:43] You know, and more importantly for Christian to handle it. [33:47] Appreciate y'all. [33:48] That's Danny Crossman, special teams coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, talking about number one, the slick field conditions, which is not unusual for Europe this time of the year. [33:59] It's a rainy season. [34:00] But also that fire drill that we saw at the end of the first half, and the Steelers managed to get three points out of that, very well exercised drive there. [34:11] They used their timeouts wisely, but at the end, Rodgers got sacked, and that forced that field goal team to get on there very quickly. [34:17] They still had time. [34:18] There was no panic, and Boswell hit big three points as they went into halftime. [34:22] When we come back, we'll concentrate on the offense and the defense. [34:25] And again, getting back to some of the stuff Mike McCarthy talked about with James Kampen and the offensive line and how well they've done. [34:30] It's all coming up as we continue live right here, KDKA Plus, Steeler Digital Platforms. [34:35] It's a Mike McCarthy press conference on Monday, brought to you by PNC. [34:39] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [34:59] Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in-store or online for all things black and gold. [35:03] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere else. [35:13] And, of course, get the ultimate Steelers game day accessory, the terrible towel. [35:18] Steelers Nation shops here. [35:20] Get your gear in-store or online at shop.steelers.com. [35:28] I mean, that's honestly just a credit to our coaches and what we do every day in practice. [35:33] I mean, I've repped that play, no lie, more than 20 times now. [35:37] And, you know, Coach Simo, PG, Scott, they all do a really good job of, you know, that space away from three, two by two. [35:44] A lot of, I mean, pretty much all throughout the NFL, that's where they're going to attack. [35:48] So just, you know, gambling a little bit and undercutting it, you know, having to defend that play against him a lot throughout training camp [35:56] and, you know, just in practice has really helped. [35:59] So just credit to those guys, put me in those situations enough to trust myself to go do it. [36:04] If it's two by two, pretty much across the NFL, they're going to be working that space away from three, three being the running back, obviously. [36:10] And we were in a quarters concept and, you know, they motioned across, speeded it too. [36:15] So we get into our call and, you know, like I said, we've just repped that so many times. [36:22] And, you know, I trust the guys behind me that if I do take a gamble and, you know, they don't throw it there, [36:28] that they're going to be there to back me up. [36:29] And PQ and Jaquan Brisker, those guys, they play so hard. [36:32] So just, you know, being able to understand the concepts kind of league-wide really helps and just, yeah, I mean, they were on the move there. [36:42] They were working a little bit. [36:43] So it was just a good opportunity and a good spot to be in. [36:46] Did it help that you picked me off in practice on this very similar play this week? [36:50] Yeah, it definitely did help, like I said, and also took it all the way back to the house in that one. [36:54] Maybe I need to wear it. [36:55] The whistle's blue. [36:56] It'll stop, Dan. [36:57] Game day, a shared experience between all of us. [37:08] Another turnover. [37:09] Shared by those who make history. [37:11] E.J. Watt, strip sack. [37:14] And those who witness it. [37:16] Firing Pittsburgh Steelers. [37:23] Be there for every moment. [37:26] Physicality on full display. [37:54] Every Monday we have the Mike McCarthy Press Conference 3 until 4 right here on KDK Plus [37:58] and all the Steelers digital and streaming platforms. [38:00] Steelers coming off a win yesterday, 16-10, which gets them to five wins, two losses. [38:05] And getting back to what Mike McCarthy said when he was addressing the media, [38:08] in addition to Patrick Graham, he complimented James Campin on the job he's done with the offensive line. [38:13] He calls him the best in the business. [38:15] And, boy, this thing is getting better and better each and every week, especially in the run game. [38:19] They're opening up big holes, which allow guys like Jalen Warren, who's tough to tackle once he gets to the second level, [38:25] and Rico Dowdle, to some degree, yesterday, they're working him back into it. [38:28] Warren had 62% of the snaps. [38:31] He had 21 touches, where Dowdle had 44% of the snaps and 15 touches. [38:36] The long game here is to keep them healthy as this season rolls on. [38:40] They need to be fresh. [38:41] And Jalen Warren is putting up some really big numbers. [38:43] You're talking about maybe Offensive Player of the Year in the AFC. [38:47] I mean, he has, from lines of scrimmage, scrimmage yardage as good as anyone in the game. [38:51] He's good out of the backfield running the ball, of course, but he's also good in the flat when he gets the ball. [38:55] Some of those short passes you've seen by the Steelers just at the line of scrimmage or even behind the line of scrimmage, [39:01] he turns them into very nice gains. [39:02] So that was impressive. [39:04] But I think what Mike McCarthy was really alluding to was the jumbo package that they had when Spencer Anderson got into the game. [39:11] That's one way to really inflict your will on another team, and that's exactly what they did on those occasions. [39:18] When he was in there, 12 carries, 79 yards behind the jumbo package. [39:23] That is an extra offensive lineman, six of those guys, and they were really good at it, especially when they take the lead. [39:28] You want long drives, you want possession time on your side, and it makes it a lot easier for your defense. [39:34] As far as that defense is concerned, man, they've had some really good results up front. [39:38] Cam Hayward yesterday, by the way, 200 career games. [39:41] Congrats to him on that one. [39:42] He ties Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Webster all-time on the Steelers' games played list. [39:47] But it's him, it's Keanu Benton, who has really turned into quite a player this year. [39:52] You can see confidence each and every week. [39:54] Then you see YA Black, all 370 pounds of him. [39:58] It's hard to move him. [39:59] He occupies a lot of guys. [40:01] They have really dominated the line of scrimmage, and this is even without Derek Harmon, who is out with injury. [40:06] So all of that is good stuff for the Steelers' defense. [40:09] T.J. Watt, I thought yesterday, got robbed of a hat trick. [40:11] We don't often talk hot tricks in football, but he had a sack, he had a forced fumble, and he had a fumble recovery all on one play. [40:19] They had to go to replay and figure it out. [40:21] They ruled it a sack fumble on the field, but every turnover is looked at by the NFL, and they concluded that Tyler Shuck's knee was down, [40:29] although I think the ball was coming out before that knee was down. [40:33] So I didn't like that call, that reversal, but they changed it. [40:35] He's still got a sack, and right now five and a half sacks for T.J. Watt. [40:39] And the secondary, you can look at the numbers and say, wow, they didn't have that good of a day. [40:43] 30 of 38 was Shuck, 278 yards, but a lot of that was throws underneath. [40:49] You know, they were trying to keep everything ahead of them, not to allow touchdowns. [40:52] And yesterday, outside of one fourth down and goal that turned into a touchdown pass, they didn't allow much in terms of points. [40:59] And that's the bottom line, limiting points, limiting opportunities. [41:03] And even though the numbers don't look good on paper, 30 of 38 for Shuck, who I might say is a pretty good young quarterback. [41:08] Yesterday, maybe the biggest play of the game was turned in by Peyton Wilson. [41:12] When he made the interception in the flat, I mean, if that's complete to Olave, they're in business. [41:17] And Tyler Shuck, for being a second-year player, did not throw a red zone interception all of last year and all of this year until yesterday [41:25] because of that great play by Peyton Wilson. So, give him credit. I thought the combination of Patrick Queen and Peyton Wilson were outstanding yesterday. [41:33] Queen, it's interesting, has only two sacks in the last two years. One of them was in Dublin, one of them's in Paris. [41:37] So, he's a European kind of player. But, you know, you ended the game essentially with a sack, just like last week when Jalen Ramsey did the same in Tampa Bay. [41:44] Although they had the ball after that just to end the game. [41:48] But I thought it was also a smart call that Mike McCarthy kicked the field goal with Boswell to make it 19-10. [41:54] You could have very easily taken those points and, you know, kicked off to New Orleans. [41:58] But they decided, the smarter move, of course, take the points off the board, keep possession, and then just try to use the clock and wind it down. [42:06] Basically, two knees and you're done. And that's what happened in that game. [42:09] All in all, a very good day for the Steelers, who have now won three in a row. [42:14] We spent a lot of time here talking about stacking wins last week, and that's what they're in the process of doing. [42:19] A big one coming up on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. [42:22] Say what you want about Cleveland. They're winning. [42:24] They're the only team in the top seven right now in the AFC that have a negative point differential. [42:31] And that tells me that there was one game against Jacksonville that got pretty much blown out. [42:35] Everything else has been close. [42:37] You heard Mike McCarthy talk about close games and what they do to a team. [42:41] It's helpful to have those kind of close games. [42:44] He alluded to a team he had in Green Bay. [42:45] They were 15-1, but they didn't have many close games. [42:47] So when the time came to operate in, you know, short game, those kind of situations, then, you know, you're not used to it. [42:53] Cleveland's used to it. [42:54] They've won three basically walk-off field goal games, one of them against the Steelers by Andre Smits, who's had a field goal in each of those games to win the game. [43:02] So they're used to that. [43:04] Deshaun Watson, you know, even though I look at his game sometime and I think, okay, there could be more turnovers. [43:09] He only has three interceptions. [43:11] There have been turnover-worthy passes he's made, but they haven't been intercepted. [43:15] So the bottom line there is, you know, he's getting a job done in the fourth quarter especially. [43:19] He's had four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter, and that is top among the quarterbacks in the AFC. [43:26] So far on the season, Watson with 1,482 yards, seven touchdowns, just three interceptions. [43:31] And they're getting production from a lot of their young players as well. [43:34] So that'll be an interesting game on Sunday at Acrester Stadium. [43:38] It's tough to have a game like that after a trip to Europe, but that's exactly what they're doing. [43:43] They're going to play that game. [43:44] No bye week. [43:45] The bye week comes after that. [43:46] And so they'll get a chance to have a week off getting set for the Cincinnati Bengals after that. [43:52] And that's when the schedule gets very interesting because it's Cleveland this week. [43:56] You have a bye week next week. [43:58] Then it's at Cincinnati and then at Philadelphia. [44:01] And Philadelphia's having their problems. [44:03] You know about Joe Burrow yesterday, the kind of job he did. [44:05] He had 35 unanswered points in the second half. [44:09] Four touchdown passes. [44:10] He was dynamic after it looked like Baltimore may sneak a win out of that. [44:13] They were up 13 to nothing in that game. [44:15] And then Cincinnati came roaring back to win at 35 to 13. [44:18] So Burrow and company at four and two. [44:21] The only reason they're not top or on the top with the Steelers and the Browns is because [44:25] they played one less game. [44:26] They had their bye week last week. [44:28] And then after that, again, Philadelphia on the road. [44:30] It doesn't look quite as challenging as it did in the preseason. [44:33] Jalen Hurts is out for the year. [44:35] Saquon Barkley has not played. [44:37] It seems like a team, a little bit of turmoil out there. [44:39] So the Eagles may not be as tough, although the Steelers have not won in Philadelphia in [44:43] quite some time, just as Cleveland has not won in Pittsburgh in 22 straight regular season [44:48] games. [44:48] That's quite an amazing number when you think about it. [44:51] But the Steelers have had their number just as Cleveland has had their number in Cleveland. [44:56] So we'll see what happens. [44:58] That's a very big game only because of the tiebreakers at this point of the season. [45:02] I don't think I'll use the word must, but it's a very important game considering that [45:05] if Cleveland wins, they will be 3-0 in the division and head-to-head against the Steelers [45:10] 2-0. [45:11] So that's very important moving forward. [45:13] The Steelers need to get this win. [45:15] They will be favored to do so. [45:16] And this game will be on KDK coming up at 1 o'clock. [45:20] This Sunday, our pregame begins at 1130 a.m. [45:23] And as far as the rest of the schedule, I think it gets tougher, at least when you look [45:28] at the number of games against the teams we're talking about. [45:31] But boy, it's funny how it changes. [45:33] Houston right now is a team that has a lot of problems, and it's not because of their [45:36] offense. [45:37] Last year, we saw Houston come to Pittsburgh and win that wildcard game. [45:41] And what happened in it was that C.J. [45:43] Stroud just was not very good. [45:44] The Steelers made him look bad. [45:46] On the other hand, their defense was tremendous. [45:48] And I think everyone thought Houston coming into the season was going to have a defense [45:52] that was going to be number one in the league. [45:54] They certainly paid a lot of guys. [45:56] But so far, their problems have been on defense. [45:58] They've given up a lot of points, and they did so yesterday in another loss to the New [46:02] York Giants, who go into their bye week at 4-2-1. [46:05] Interesting. [46:06] J.J. McCarthy has new life in New York, and Jackson darts out. [46:10] Next year, they'll have a little bit of a quarterback competition, I would imagine, in New [46:13] York. [46:13] But again, Mike McCarthy started this press conference show off by talking about some of the things [46:18] he was mostly happy about. [46:19] Most trench play on both sides of the ball. [46:22] That's where it all starts with the Steelers. [46:23] If they can dominate the line, both offensively and defensively, then they're in pretty good [46:28] shape. [46:28] And they certainly did so on the offensive side of it. [46:31] Jalen Warren had another very good day at the office. [46:33] He accounts for over 100 yards, once again, both in the pass game and the run game. [46:38] Rico Dottle comes in, does a very good job in his situation there. [46:42] So they complement each other very, very well. [46:44] And here to talk more about that offense is offensive coordinator, Brian Angelico. [46:52] Let me know. [46:53] Yeah. [46:53] Oh, I'll take it with Jeff. [46:55] Yeah, he's all right. [46:56] Brian, I just asked Mike about this. [47:02] You know, looking up, you guys are the only offense in the NFL to convert third and fourth [47:07] downs when running the ball 100% of the time when it's two yards or less. [47:12] What goes into the game plan to be able to win so consistently at the point of attack when [47:16] the team's most likely looking for you to run? [47:18] Yeah, I think it's a credit to the guys up front. [47:21] You know, Frey's leading the way. [47:23] He's doing a great job. [47:25] Him, Mace, and Brock. [47:27] You know, just doing a good job getting movement. [47:29] And the runners, you know, just getting downhill. [47:32] Typically, there's some kind of movement or a linebacker. [47:35] And I think Jalen and Rico have done a good job of just staying tight in there and, you [47:41] know, keeping their paths forward. [47:42] So it's a credit to the players. [47:44] And when you start Spencer, when Spencer's out there, does that bring an attitude for [47:52] that part of that group? [47:54] Yeah, he was talking about when we went the extra tight, the big tackle. [47:58] Yeah, you know, Spence did a good job, did a lot of it last year. [48:01] He's athletic, you know. [48:02] You know, he can do some things. [48:04] You can throw him the football, too. [48:05] So he's not always just a blocker. [48:07] So it was good. [48:09] And now you get a chance to have Spence and Darnell. [48:12] So if they want to play a nine technique and try to blow up the wing, now you've got Darnell [48:17] on the wing. [48:18] And then if they get heavy and put a six in there, now you've got Spence there. [48:24] So it gives us some flexibility. [48:26] And I think what makes it come to life is Spence's ability to be viable in the pass game [48:31] and be viable to do some of the tight end stuff, which you saw last year. [48:35] I don't know, maybe you snuck it in while I was looking, but I didn't see you guys do [48:38] a lot of that in the summer with T.A.'s training camp. [48:41] How often do you, this early in the season, say, well, let's grab something that we didn't [48:46] necessarily have high on the menu early, but decided you want to put it in? [48:49] No, you're correct. [48:50] We did not. [48:51] And because, you know, Spence was playing right guard. [48:53] So it wasn't really something, you know, because of his traits that he has. [48:59] But once, you know, we made the move with Brock, you know, we were like, well, hey, [49:03] let's get Spence involved. [49:05] You know, he's a valuable piece and he's a smart guy. [49:08] He knows the offense. [49:09] And like I said, he's legitimate in the passing game, too. [49:12] So, you know, certainly want to try to build off that. [49:16] Brian, can you give us an idea, a degree of difficulty for Darnell to try to wrestle [49:22] the ball away while heading to the ground, keeping your feet in? [49:26] Keeping his feet in was impressive. [49:28] Just, you know, his ability to sense the sideline and the concentration to go up and, to your [49:35] point, secure the catch. [49:37] And I think that's the trust that, you know, Aaron has in Darnell. [49:41] You know, typically when you get a corner out there, you say, is that a good matchup? [49:44] But, you know, obviously the size. [49:46] I mean, Darnell's a tough cover. [49:48] And, you know, that's something we've been doing, you know, all through training camp and [49:52] something that I know Aaron feels confident with. [49:55] If he has a one-on-one out there, let the big boy go get it. [49:58] And, you know, it's a great throw by Aaron and a great, great finish by Darnell. [50:06] All right, that's Brian Angelico talking about Aaron Rodgers. [50:09] And he moved ahead of Peyton Manning yesterday. [50:11] 540 career touchdown passes, number three all time. [50:14] He'll be looking to add to that this Sunday when Cleveland comes to town. [50:17] We'll take a break and come back with more of Brian Angelico. [50:19] Or by that time, we may have Patrick Graham in the studio. [50:22] We'll do that all when we continue right here on the Mike McCarthy Press Conference Show, [50:25] brought to you by PNC. [50:27] Game day, a shared experience between all of us. [50:52] Another turnover. [50:53] Shared by those who make history. [50:55] E.J. Watt strips that. [50:59] And those who witness it. [51:00] Final stop. [51:04] Pittsburgh Steelers. [51:06] Gone. [51:07] Be there for every moment. [51:10] Physicality on full display. [51:16] It's huge. [51:16] It's huge to have him on our team. [51:17] I mean, he's still playing really solid football at a high level. [51:20] And we're going to need it going forward. [51:23] So, we feel like we're playing some good football. [51:25] Obviously, there's some things out there we need to correct. [51:27] But it will take a win, especially on the road, especially when it's this far away from home. [51:30] How big was that last drive, getting the two batted down balls and then the PQ sack? [51:34] Huge. [51:34] I mean, PQ really showed out. [51:36] Obviously, Pete Willey had a good day, too. [51:37] I think a lot of guys played some really good football. [51:40] Obviously, the schedule and time change. [51:42] There's a lot of adversity there. [51:43] So, to come away with the wins is big time. [51:45] You think you have two turnovers and they both get overturned in the first half. [51:50] You've got to put that behind you and get back on the field. [51:53] Is that hard to do whenever that happens? [51:54] A little bit. [51:55] I mean, more than anything. [51:55] Just getting your win back from celebrating. [51:57] But, no, I think we have a lot of confidence in being able to get turnovers and creating those splash plays. [52:02] I think we've done a really good job not trying to press too hard to make those plays happen. [52:06] And they've been coming to us. [52:08] How much easier is your job as a defense when the run game is working like this for you guys? [52:12] Yeah, the first quarter went by really quickly, obviously, because we were able to run the ball and control the time of possession. [52:18] And then you're able to make teams one-dimensional, especially down the road when the time is running out and they're down by two scores there at the end. [52:24] Do you see your offense get up with the jumbo package like they were and running as much as they were? [52:28] I mean, what's that do for a defense when you see your offense? [52:30] More or less, man, when you can't stop the run, you can't hang your hat on anything, especially when you try all things schematically and they're still running on you like our offense was today. [52:40] Anytime good defenses are always sitting on the bench, so today felt like one of those days. [52:44] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [52:50] Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in-store or online for all things black and gold. [52:54] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere else. [53:04] And, of course, get the ultimate Steelers game-day accessory, the terrible towel. [53:09] Steelers Nation shops here. [53:11] Get your gear in-store or online at shop.steelers.com. [53:43] All right, welcome back. [53:43] Brian Angelico continues his press conference. [53:45] Let's get the tail end of it. [53:47] ...which you saw, you know, and they're going to play man coverage downfield. [53:52] You know, Aaron, you know, he has a great ability to do that, [53:56] and certainly that was a huge, huge play at the end of the game. [53:59] And even the one we hit DK on, on the 51-yarder on third down, you know, [54:04] him sliding in the pocket, stepping up, you know, and he's always a passer, [54:07] so he's always a threat between his no looks and, you know, all that stuff. [54:11] So the defense, you know, they got to play it, you know, play it straight [54:16] and obviously opened up the run. [54:18] Brian, what's the emotion like on the sideline when Aaron has that run right after that? [54:22] Oh, it's just great. [54:22] I mean, it's, you know, it's obviously was a huge play regardless of who had to run, [54:27] but, you know, just seeing him at 42, you know, doing whatever it takes for the team to win, [54:34] and, you know, he's going to do that. [54:35] He's going to put his body out there in whatever he can do to help us win. [54:39] Does it surprise you that a guy like Jared Burks has yet to have a sack this year? [54:44] Yeah, obviously, you know, Jared's a great player. [54:47] You know, a lot of battles with him in L.A. [54:49] I remember him from his rookie year, his ability to speed rush, speed to power. [54:53] He wants to get you on an edge, and here comes the power. [54:57] So, you know, he'll, but it's a long year, and I'm sure when the year, you know, [55:01] when we get to week 17, Jared Burks is going to have Jared Burks numbers, [55:05] but he's obviously still a big priority for us and, you know, [55:09] someone that we have a lot of respect. [55:13] TK had just two catches on six targets. [55:15] Can you live with that when one of them is a 50-yarder, [55:17] or do you need to be more efficient when you're going that often to your number one receiver? [55:21] Yeah, no, I mean, certainly you're always striving to, you know, [55:26] be efficient with the targets, you know, [55:28] and it's just some of the credit to New Orleans, what they did to, you know, [55:32] to take it away and, you know, but with that being the case, spread the ball around. [55:36] You saw the backs were very involved. [55:38] You know, they were going to try to, you know, and if that's the beauty of it, [55:41] hey, if they're leaning to coverage or doing things to take away other components of the pass game, [55:48] now, you know, we got the luxury. [55:49] Here we go, let's get it to Rico. [55:51] Let's get it to Jalen, you know, and I think he saw that, you know, Sunday. [55:55] Ryan, are you beginning to see some of that explosiveness come back to Rico after missing a few games? [56:00] Yeah, no, I agree. [56:02] He certainly, you know, he looked healthy. [56:05] You know, his legs are fresh and you saw that and that was, it was certainly good to see [56:09] and hopefully we can continue to build off that. [56:12] All right. [56:17] Well, as an offensive coordinator, you love to see 10 for 16 on third down [56:20] and that's exactly what the Steelers were, especially third and short running the football [56:24] and getting those yards, knowing their offensive line in conjunction with guys like Jalen Warren [56:29] and Rico Dowdle combined will push forward to get those short yardage distances [56:34] and they did yesterday perfect on the day, but overall 10 for 16, third down, 62%. [56:39] We'll take a break, come back, wrap it up right here on the Mike McCarthy Press Conference show [56:43] every Monday, 3 to 4. [56:45] It's all brought to you by PNC. [57:02] Get all your Steelers gear direct from the team. [57:05] Shop the Steelers Pro Shop in-store or online for all things black and gold. [57:09] You can get jerseys, hats, authentic memorabilia, custom gear, and exclusives you can't find anywhere else. [57:19] And, of course, get the ultimate Steelers game day accessory, the terrible towel. [57:23] Steelers Nation shops here. [57:26] Get your gear in-store or online at shop.steaters.com. [57:34] Two hard-nosed backs. [57:35] They both bring it every day in practice. [57:38] It's really fun to be able to block for two guys like that, for sure. [57:42] All offseason, there was talk about developing the passing game. [57:45] There's alignment. [57:46] How much fun is it to have this running attack going the way it is? [57:49] Just getting down to it. [57:50] Yeah, obviously, I mean, I just want to score points, however. [57:55] The running game is obviously fun. [57:57] We have two awesome backs. [57:59] But regardless, I'm just here. [58:00] I just want to win. [58:01] Do you feel like you guys had a good amount of energy going? [58:03] Because that first drive, you guys went down the field really well. [58:05] I feel like you guys had a really good amount of energy going into this game. [58:08] Yeah, I mean, you've got to bring it every single week. [58:12] It's the NFL. [58:13] So we're going to, regardless of where we're at, what we're doing, when we show up, we're going to show up. [58:18] You know what I mean? [58:18] We're going to bring that energy. [58:20] It's on us to do that. [58:21] It's our job. [58:22] You guys reintroduced that jumbo package with the extra linemen. [58:25] Is there a personality that comes with that when you see Spencer Anderson reporting as eligible? [58:28] Yeah, I mean, Spencer's a really good player. [58:31] And so it's fun to be able to get him on the field. [58:33] He does a really good job at it, too. [58:35] And so it's great. [58:37] And then when you're running the ball on third and five, third and six, and getting first downs, [58:41] as open to my mouth called me, Red's the best. [58:43] Yeah, yeah, it's definitely nice to be able to do that. [58:46] Our backs do a good job of seeing all the lanes, too, and so it's awesome. [58:51] I know this is kind of an overworking question, but what do you think the mentality of this offense has with the run of the ball? [58:56] They stopped picking us tight over. [58:58] Yeah, yeah. [58:59] I mean, the run game is a mentality. [59:03] You know what I mean? [59:03] Like, we take pride in it. [59:06] Obviously, it's on us. [59:07] It's on the backs. [59:07] And our tight ends and receivers do a really good job in it, too, which is cool. [59:11] We've got a really selfless offense that wants to run the ball well, and it's fun to be a part of. [59:20] The Pittsburgh. [59:21] Game day. [59:23] A shared experience between all of us. [59:25] Another turnover. [59:27] Shared by those who make history. [59:29] E.J. Watt strips it. [59:32] And those who witness it. [59:34] Go Steelers, go Steelers. [59:36] Be there for every moment. [59:44] Physicality on full display. [1:00:02] All right, let's reset everything for you. [1:00:04] The Steelers coming off that big 16-10 win in Paris, France yesterday. [1:00:08] Gets them to 5-2. [1:00:10] One more game before their bye weekend. [1:00:12] It's Cleveland coming here on Sunday afternoon, 1 p.m. [1:00:15] You'll see it on KDK TV. [1:00:16] And this is kind of a revenge game for the Steelers, who lost in Cleveland on a Thursday night once again, 27-24. [1:00:23] So, look forward to that game. [1:00:24] It should be a fun week. [1:00:25] And thank you for joining us here on the Mike McCarthy Press Conference Show brought to you by PNC. [1:00:30] I'm Bob Pompiani. [1:00:31] We'll check you out later today and see you on KDK Sports.