Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference recap: not getting hypothetical on Peterson, 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. Coming off a bye week, I’ll just give you an assessment of kind how we spent our time. Bye week is an opportunity for us to get a couple significant things done. Feel comfortable with what we were able to get done. Obviously, you measure it by how you are able to utilize that time and information for our good as we move forward. We spent some time focusing on us, what we’ve done schematically. We also spent some time looking at division of labors, roles of what we have asked people to do, and analysis of those things and with an eye toward how we move forward. We spent some time looking at things that are trending in football, things that are going on outside of us, that we are very much a part of. Trends in the game, how the game is being played, how the game is being played out globally if you will. Lastly, we spent some time updating and preparing ourselves for the Cleveland Browns, our next opponent. Largely, that is how you spend the bye week, but I was extremely comfortable with the things we were able to get done. We were able to spend some time talking about specific issues relative to people that are available to us.

I’ll start now talking about some of those things, personnel-related things, who’s available, who’s not. We largely have a healthy football team. We have a group of guys that maybe missed some time in the last game, or in recent games, that are participating in a limited-like capacity, but we are excited about their inclusion in our work. Morgan Burnett worked some yesterday, he’ll continue to work in a partial capacity. We’ll let that be our guide in terms of his potential availability. Darrius Heyward-Bey with his ankle, same thing. [L.J.] Fort with his ankle, same thing. We’ll look at some others along those lines but those are the guys in most recent time that have missed some time and are working their way back to us. Excited about that.

You spend some time looking at the Cleveland Browns and preparing for them. They are a group that presents some very specific challenges and they are different in some ways than they were the last time we played them. So, I spent some time talking about that. First, on the offensive side, the most significant change is Baker Mayfield. Here is a guy that has a competitive spirit. You can describe it in a variety of ways, some call it moxi, or what have you, but the bottom line is this guy is a tremendous competitor. He makes plays that way. He’s always made plays that way. It is helpful to him, but it is also helpful to his team, because I’d imagine that people gain energy off competitors and guys that play ball that way. You see it when you play their tape. I think it goes beyond the playmaking that he brings. I think he’s a catalyst for them. I think he inspires others with his spirit and how he approaches it. I think his inclusion and play has been a positive thing for them. I think [David] Njoku, their young tight end, is emerging in terms of the splash plays that he is providing them consistently. His ability to be a big-time situational target, that red zone touchdown against Tampa last week but also some situational things. Third down, he is very much a part of it and you see his inclusion and his role growing since the last time we played them. Now it’s [Jarvis] Landry, him [David Njoku], and Duke Johnson Jr., particularly on third down, seen some growth there. At the running back position, Nick Chubb is they’re runner now. Not surprised by that. Studied Nick a lot when he came out. A lot of guys when they come out you are forecasting what their professional game is because they are redshirt sophomores or third-year juniors and so forth. This guy seemingly played ball for about eight years down there at Georgia, you know. There was no guess work with this guy. This guy had an extended body of work from a college football standpoint to meeting him in the draft process. You saw the maturity in his person. So, going through that process it is not surprising that they felt comfortable enough to move [Carlos] Hyde and feature him. He’s a grown man so we have to minimize his impact on it and know that they are going to work to include him in the game, not only him but Duke Johnson Jr. is a formable situational guy and concept guy in the run and pass. We’ve seen that from him a lot.

On the other side of the ball I just think it is about the growth and development of top quality talent. Myles Garrett is first overall pick, [Denzel] Ward is extremely high, [Jabrill Peppers] Pep is extremely high, they have quality players at every position. Those guys are continually coming together, and the play reflects it. The splash plays specifically reflect the pedigree. They are plus-10in the turnover ratio, they are number one in the league, they’ve produced 20 turnovers. What happened in our game was no lightning strike. These guys are producing turnovers every stadium they step into. I think the Chargers game is the only game they weren’t producing turnovers in bunches and you see how that game unfolded. It’s going to be a big challenge for us to maintain possession of the ball to minimize some of this top talent I talk about like Myles Garrett. His sack-fumble ability and [Denzel] Ward’s ability to come back with the ball and Pep’s line of scrimmage run game impact, and blitzing ability and so forth. They are continually coming together with top-flight talent. They are getting better each and every week. They are providing their team a wave that their team is riding in and they are working their way back into games and getting into games because of the turnovers that these guys are producing. It happened against us in the fourth quarter in Week One. One of their drives was a one-yard drive because it gave their offense an extremely short field for their offense last week against Tampa. Red zone turnovers, they get extremely stingy when your offense is on the short field. That has been a signature of their turnovers as well. We threw an interception with the ball on the 13-yard line in the red zone and came away with no points. Baltimore, I think had 2nd and two on the two going in and turned the ball over on an interception, no points. Those lack of points obviously are significant in terms of how these games are unfolding so we have to work out tails off to minimize the impact of the special talent there. You can’t deny also, they got quality coordination. Gregg Williams has been at it for a long time. We have to do a good job, but more than anything the focus is us and how we come out of this bye week, getting back on this train if you will, doing so in a fast and fluent manner and play the type of ball that we were applying as we went into the bye week.

What would Morgan Burnett’s role be?

That is going to be determined as he displays availability and that availability is being able to put consecutive practice days together and so we are going to give him an opportunity to practice. We gave him an opportunity to practice in a partial capacity. Not at the expense of others because he hasn’t proven that consistent availability yet. As he does then we will infuse him and potentially define a role for him and get him ready to play but we have a number of days. He’s a veteran player, he is very good above the neck, the first thing is first though is the consistent health, being able to walk on the field, participate, walk off the field and repeat process.

Are you satisfied with the play of your safeties at this point?

I’m very hesitant [with] happiness with anything. We are just trying to get better.

Do you have any thoughts on when you are down 14 and scoring a touchdown, is it becoming a trend?

I do not have any thoughts on that.

How do you feel you team has developed?

We are just trying to improve in all areas every day. I know I say that to you and it sounds like a cliché but it’s not. We have to continue to be a group on the rise and the only way that you do that is your group of individuals on the rise. Guys have a better understanding of their roles, their assignments, they execute with better detail. They play with better speed. They understand what it is they are doing and how it fits into the big picture and what we are doing. You have growth of those opportunities in those areas every day. We work our tails off to improve in those areas to gain those understandings to find that fluidity. As you go on you journey the road gets narrow, and we want to be one of those teams that stay on the road. You better be getting better every day. Forget where you are, forget what happened specifically as you step into a stadium, win or lose. Obviously, the goal is to win but as you step out of stadiums you better make a commitment to be better the next stadium you step in so that is where we put our focus or try to, and we’ll continue.

What did you learn about your team during the bye week?

A myriad of things, not anything I’m trying to paint with a broad brush and tell you guys. It’s just about how we continually work to get better to increase our chances of winning as we go into a stadium and play. The definition of roles, the division of labor, the utilization of people, our schematics – we analyze it all.

Re: Scoring early and often:

That’s low hanging fruit though, that’s easy. All you’ve got to do is watch a game, and that’s evident. We’re in the more minutia – specifically how do we get that done with our personality and our people and how do you counteract those things that are going on globally defensively.

How much do you have conversations amongst yourselves about Patrick Peterson who says he wants a trade?

I don’t play the hypothetical game. We focus on us, and potential free agents and so forth, it’s our normal business. I just don’t delve into the hypothetical fodder about who’s potentially available and who’s not. Some of those things are just speculation – there’s no significance or anything real to it, so why comment on it? Why think about it? Why waste one iota of our time? We’ve got real, tangible issues relative to guys who are on our team that need addressed.

Would you like to add, or do you feel comfortable with the group?

I’ve been focused on the guys that we have here working right now, and the same goes for Le’Veon [Bell] if anybody’s got any of those questions. The guys who are here working have our attention and focus and appropriately so. We’ll deal with some of the potentials, some of the other hypothetical things, as they fall at our feet.

Re: Strategy playing Cleveland and how they played against the Ravens:

I haven’t looked at that. I’ve just been…man, we’ve got an extended body of work versus these guys and their people meaning Todd Haley, Gregg Williams. There are enough tangible, relatable things in terms of how they play football, who they have to play football with versus how we play football and who we have to play football with. There aren’t a lot of secrets in matchups like this, so I’m not going to pretend to unearth some ridiculous nugget. We better play good football, we better tackle, we better take care of the football, we better stop them from gaining possession of the football. Those fundamental things that may not be attractive in settings like this are what’s going to determine the outcome of the game.

Re: The numbers in the running game being close to last season’s, the offensive line, Mike Munchak, the factor they play in the success of the running game:

We’re not trying to ensure that numbers stay consistent, particularly as it relates to [2017]. Those ’17 variables are so different. That’s a different group of guys, so there’s really nothing to compare it to. We’re just trying to be good. We’re trying to run it, we’re trying to throw it, we’re trying to have balance, we’re trying to control the line of scrimmage. We realize our big boys are essential to that. We’re trying to increase our chances of winning, and so the discussion you bring up is central to that in terms of winning by attrition, controlling the flow of the game and doing so in a cleaner, more efficient banner as you walk the journey. That’s what we’re trying to get done, not only with the offensive line and with the running game or the running back position, but with our football team.

Re: James Conner embracing contact and not going out of bounds as much:

Again, there’s nothing dramatic there. We expect all our second-year players to be dramatically better. JuJu [Smith-Schuster] is better. T.J. Watt is better. He’s better. We’ve been singing that song since I’ve been standing at this podium. It’s reasonable to expect those guys to be better in all areas between year one and year two because of their experience and their knowledge, and he is no different.

Did he get particularly better after that fumble in Cleveland when it comes to still running hard and running with confidence?

Man, that guy ran hard at Pitt. I’m assuming he ran hard in high school at Erie. That’s one of his calling cards, so he is who he is in that regard.

What will Artie Burns’ role be and what does he have to do to get better?

We’ll determine that with the quality of his work and the work of others in practice. He’s just got to keep working. He’s got to smile in the face of adversity. Young guys in the National Football League go through periods of lulls in play, particularly in the secondary, particularly at the cornerback position. You see it time and time again. Oftentimes, their careers are defined why how they respond to it – how they smile in the face of adversity, how they remain unaverred, how they continue to work through the misery. So, he’ll be given that opportunity. He’s been given that opportunity. I like the way he’s worked. The other guys have been given the same opportunity. We’ll just keep punching the clock. I know that when you step into stadiums and you step across that white line, you’ll have an opportunity to show that growth because when you have negative plays on tape at the cornerback position, people are going to throw at you, and that’s how it goes.

Hue Jackson said he’s going to have more input on the Browns offense. How do you expect that will go?

I have no idea, nor do I care.

What needs to happen for Olasunkanmi Adeniyi and Eli Rogers to get on the active roster?

They’ve got to get healthy. We’ve got to clear them. It hasn’t happened yet.

Is that Eli?

Yes, anybody on those lists.

Have you coached against a team where Hue Jackson was the offensive coordinator?

Oh yes, yes, many times over the years. That’s why it doesn’t…it’s less relevant to us, his inclusion or play calling. We’ve competed against Coach Haley obviously, we’ve competed against Hue. Hue called plays over there I think the last couple of years. Hue called plays in Cincinnati. So, we’re familiar with those guys and their personalities and the ramifications of his potential inclusion and so forth. Some of those things you can’t answer until you get in stadium, and we understand that. That’s why we’re focused on the things that we should be focused on – our prep and the things that we see from them on video.

Re: How the Browns have decided to use Baker Mayfield’s running abilities:

I don’t see any restrictions in that regard. I don’t. Both guys are mobile. Tyrod [Taylor] is probably more of a runner once it breaks down. Baker [Mayfield] probably works to extend plays, and there is probably the difference in terms of the numbers, the raw numbers in terms of the yardage. But they’re both equally dangerous because the bottom line is that mobility allows them to extend plays it allows them to create seemingly when something else isn’t there. So that’s something to be reckoned with, and so we’ve got a lot of work in that regard in terms of minimizing the mobility aspect in terms of how the game plays out, especially situationally – possession downs, red zone play. It’s going to be a challenge.

What have they done to create so many turnovers?

I think what it is, is they’re a very fundamental group and they’re putting this young talented group in positions to make plays and they’re not overcomplicating things for them I think. The guys are playing fast, they’re hunting the ball, they’re ball aware, they’re displaying that ball awareness. They’re doing a heck of a job.

How do you feel about having T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree switch sides now that we’re halfway through the season?

We’re comfortable with the move. We’ll continue to watch it. We’re not opposed to doing anything, the movement of anyone to better us. It’s been helpful thus far, but by no means are we married to it. I think, if nothing else, it’s shown us that both guys are flexible and it’s probably going to provide opportunities for us from a physical matchup standpoint over the second half of the year of maybe allowing Bud [Dupree] to match up against tackles that he matches up against from a skill or talent or physical standpoint, and then same with T.J. [Watt].

Transcript provided by the Pittsburgh Steelers


Suggested articles from our sponsors