Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference recap: Bucs, Boz, but no Bell

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin holds his weekly press conferences every Tuesday. Each week, we will take a glimpse at what stood out from coach’s comments about the previous week and heading into the Steelers next game.

Opening Statement

Good afternoon. As always, I will kind of outline last night’s game. I talked after the game about the penalties. The penalties were a significant element of the game. Really, I will say two specific things about the penalties. I understand it was an emotional game, big game, primetime for us responding from a negative performance so I understand the emotions in it. But, boy we have to be cleaner than we played last night. We played hard, but we have to play cleaner. We have to play smarter.

The second thing I’ll say is penalties were talked in a similar fashion on both sides and from that perspective it is fair. I do not worry a lot about how the game is being officiated provided it is being officiated in a similar way and I thought it was from that perspective. But somebody that appreciated the game and understands that we are in the sport entertainment business, it is worrisome from a fan perspective. I do worry about what it is like to watch that game at home with penalties being administrated at the rate they were.

But in terms of the competition, in terms of how the game unfolded, I thought it was a wash. I do acknowledge that we have to play better and smarter. In some of those instances, particularly in special teams, from a field position standpoint, it was significant.

First opening kickoff, we got out beyond the 30-yard line, we got a holding penalty, I think we started around the 10 or the 11. The first kick we covered we tackled them around the 10 or 11, I think, and we got a facemask and obviously that tacked on 15 there.

We had a false start on a punt and then a 15-yard penalty and we had downed that ball later in the game well inside the 10-yard line. The subsequent kick ended up being a touchback so the hidden yardage element of it is extremely significant and, in that regard, we will get to it as soon as the guys get in, in the morning.

The second thing I’d like to talk about is we’ve given up some big plays, particularly at the cornerback position and we are playing a number of people. We are just going to keep playing a number of people until someone distinguishes themselves. They all have had their moments, them being Artie [Burns], Coty [Sensabaugh], and Cam Sutton. We’ve been playing them all, but we’ve given up some balls down the grass and really just about instance. We’ll continue to play all three of those guys. All three of those guys work, they are putting themselves in position to make plays, but they are not making enough of them. Until we get that the rotation will continue.

It is good to have Joe [Haden] back in the game. I think his presence was felt early in the game. That first third down being ball aware and breaking it up then going on and having the type of game he had. Good to have him back in the fold as we sort through some unsteady times at the spot opposite of him.

On the offensive side I thought the splash play by Vance [McDonald] was significant for a lot of reasons. It responded to a negative offensive possession prior to that when we turned the ball over. It responded to a negative defensive possession when we didn’t get the stop after a sudden change. It put us back in the football game. Needed that from him and hopefully that continues.

It’s good to get a variety of contributions that we are getting from eligibles whether it is Vance one week or Jesse [James] another week. Our ability to spread the ball around I think helps us continue to move it fluently. On the injury note coming out of the game, Mike Hilton’s elbow is being evaluated as we speak. A number of the guys that missed time last week because of injury Morgan Burnett, David DeCastro, Marcus Gilbert, all have a legitimate chance to participate in this game and as we always do their practice participation will be their guide in terms of their availability.

We are getting ready now for the Baltimore Ravens. It’s AFC North football. We understand what that is. It’s as home, we are excited about getting back into Heinz Field. They have some new components. Some things that we need to be concerned about, really they overhauled their receiving core. Mike Crabtree, Jon Brown, and Willie Snead are new to them, so we are getting familiar with them.

Their talents, their division of labor, how Joe Flacco utilizes within in the frame of the offense. Seeing a good solid division of labor with their running backs in [Alex] Collins, who has established himself as a primary good ball carrier and [Javorius] Allen is a third-down ball carrier. They utilize a number of tight ends, employ in a variety of ways. Their spread ball has evolved and they are moving the ball very fluently. I’d imagine they’d have to be one, two, or three in the NFL in red zone offenses. Seems like every possession I’ve looked at, they are getting points and putting points on the board so that is going to be challenging.

Obviously defensively, familiar matchups: [Terrell] Suggs and company. We’ve been going at it with these guys it seems like forever now. Be familiar but familiar we’ll not frame the game in any way. You learn not to go into this game with any preconceived notions. You better prepare and play hard and anticipate playing hard for the 60 to 60-plus minutes. Whatever it takes to get the job done. Glad the game is Sunday night. We are going to utilize all that time between now and then to prepare ourselves and do so appropriately.

With being on the competition committee do you feel you have a good rule place for roughing the passer?

I don’t think you ever have a feeling what it is until you it plays itself out inside stadiums. The application is just as significant as the rule itself, so I think I am learning like we are all learning what it means, in terms of the rule.

If there is anything the committee can recommend next week during the conference call

I’m not going to speculate on the nature of that conference call.

How can the team clean up face mask penalties when they cannot practice anything

You don’t practice face-masking or not face-masking in a practice like-setting, but you expect guys not to get face mask penalties in games. What you preach is fundamental development and you hope that they stay focused in those areas that they are playing, but then within the rules.

There is a disparity between you and next highest team in the NFL, how do you evaluate if you have been accurately penalized

Again, it’s much too early in the season for me to paint with a broad brush and look at global things. I’ve just been focusing on the stadiums that we have been in and it’s been pretty balanced in the stadiums we’ve been in. We will keep watch, and we will keep working our tails off to play within the rules, first and foremost. And we will just keep watching, watching it as the volume of things to look at gets greater and probably more accurate.

What he told D.H.B. [Darrius Heyward-Bey] after the emotional penalty towards the end of the game

I didn’t say anything to him because I know D.H.B. [Darrius Heyward-Bey] and I understand his attention to detail, his level of professionalism. I thought it was something that we could sort out after the fact. There was too many moving parts and things going on at that juncture of the game. We had to kick a ball into the red zone and then play defense. We talked about it after, but again it’s less significant when you get an opportunity to talk about it after. Perspective changes and all those things – the game was over.

His opinion on the entertainment value of penalties to people watching at home and if the competition committee has a responsibility as a steward of the game to make it more appealing

Just an appreciator of the game. Somebody that is in this ecosystem that understands the entertainment and the fan makes it all go. I just see it from that perspective, not as a member of the committee or anybody in a titled position in any form or fashion. Just as somebody who loves football, that probably wasn’t a fun game to watch.

What he has seen from the run game so far

We’ve had our moments. I like the way we ran the ball at the end of the game when you had to run it. Again, probably not a big enough body of work to paint with a broad brush, we’ve done it when we needed to do it. I’m sure we are going to do it more when the opportunity presents itself. Right now, we are just focusing on utilizing all of the weapons within our offense and working to keep people off balance and the chains moving fluidly.

On sending more people, more frequently after the quarterback than he had done the first two games

I hadn’t looked at the self-scout analysis in terms of the raw numbers, but we were within our personality in that football game.

Does that go for [Jon] Bostic, too, who seemed to be effective last night

He missed one. I don’t know if you were referring to that one.

It was in the backfield

He was. We sent him enough. We were trying to keep him off-balance. Ryan [Fitzpatrick] was on a tear and so boy, you had to move him off the spot some. You had to work to disrupt him in the receivers and work to minimize that element of play and that’s all we were trying to do.

If the rotation of cornerback is a “hot hand” type thing or how do you decide

I’m not going to frame it, we will play it by ear. I am not going to box myself in.

On if the team is willing to listen to offers for Le’Veon and if there has been any change in the mindset of the organization

I’m not talking Le’Veon [Bell]. I’m just not. There is nothing new to add.

Did he have Joe Haden shadow DeSean Jackson or if it just happened to be his side

It was his side a lot and we knew that. And sometimes it just falls like that.

Any concern with [Chris] Boswell

No, he is a heck of a kicker. He is our kicker. I am concerned about the ball not going in, but I am not concerned about him. I have a great deal of confidence in him. He’ll get it turned around. I’ll acknowledge that it hadn’t been where we needed to be thus far.

What you seen an improvement in the approach to how the Ravens operate offensively with their movement within the red zone

I just think that more than anything else this early in the year when you got so many new components, there’s an element of the unknown. People try to figure out how to match-up against them, how the new key components are going to divide the labor and who to minimize situationally. And I think sometimes that when you go through transition, it is a positive for you because people are trying to figure out what it is that you do. I don’t want to take anything away from them. They have been highly successful but when you start talking about Mike Crabtree is new, John Brown is new, Willie Snead is new, it’s an adjustment to those who compete against them as well. Not only an adjustment for them in terms of gaining continuity, it’s an adjustment for those who compete against them.

If that goes for preparing for Lamar Jackson as well

No question.

If he expected James [Conner] to be as effective as he is as a receiver in the backfield

I did. I just go by what I see in practice settings and he’s been very effective.

On his assessment on [Matt] Feiler

I thought Matt [Feiler] did an awesome job and thank you for mentioning that. I would be remiss if I didn’t. Not surprised by it. We don’t take our contributions from our starters for granted. We expect those guys to perform well, but at the same time we appreciate it. Guys like B.J. Finney over the last several years has had an opportunity to prove that he’s capable in those ways. Matt hadn’t had a lot because we’ve had guys like Chris Hubbard and so for him to get an opportunity, I think that’s probably his second start. To come in and play the way that he played and be a part of a winning performance I think is big for him and big for us.

If [Anthony] Chickillo’s playing time a reward for what he’s done or to keep the guys fresh

He’s varsity and so we are going to play varsity guys, guys that can help us win. I think it helps them all play at a higher level, particularly later in the game.

if A.B.’s [Antonio Brown] average yards per catch being down a result of how teams are defending him

It’s just like we’ve been talking a lot about the first part of the year. People probably spent all summer working to minimize his downfield action and it will smooth out over time I’m sure. A.B. [Antonio Brown] is A.B. He’s a significant contributor in any setting. He showed that in the first half of that game last night on that catch-and-run for seven. I’m not concerned about it at all.

If this is what he expected to get from Vance McDonald

Yes.

On if Jordan Berry can bounce back after he publicly expressed Tomlin’s dissatisfaction with him

Keep watching. I like some of the things that happened last night. We have to build that day-by-day.

Transcript provided by the Pittsburgh Steelers


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