Steelers coach Tomlin talks about Ben Roethlisberger,the QB’s foot and the Kansas City Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts on the sideline during the first half of the Steelers' wild-card win Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Associated Press
Associated Press Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stands on the sidelines during the first half on Sunday.
PITTSBURGH 鈥� With the chance to play for the AFC Championship this week, Mike Tomlin is getting all the distractions out of the way. Tomlin addressed the elephant in the room 鈥� Joey Porter鈥檚 leave from the Steelers 鈥� and his decision to play Ben Roethlisberger late into last week鈥檚 win over Miami. Oh, Tomlin also got around to talking about the Kansas City Chiefs, who the Steelers will play Sunday in the AFC Divisional Round. Below, Times Steelers Writer Chris Bradford gives you a recap of the Tomlin presser:
TALKING POINTS
n Tomlin says he, and he alone, is responsible for Ben Roethlisberger throwing on third-and-8 with 4:34 to play with an 18-point lead against Miami last week. 鈥淚 got a little overaggressive there,鈥� Tomlin said. Though Roethlisberger suffered a minor ankle injury, and his second interception of the game on the play, the franchise QB was kept in the game to aid the Steelers run game, according to Tomlin. 鈥淎 lot of our run game was check-oriented based on what (Roethlisberger) saw from the defense,鈥� said Tomlin, adding that the plan was to have DeAngelo Williams run out the clock. Tomlin said there is 鈥渘o cookie cutter鈥� formula as to when to pull the star QB from a game that鈥檚 been decided.
n Tomlin says the Steelers defense has evolved both schematically and in terms of personnel.
That, he said, was the difference between the Steelers winning the wildcard against Miami and losing to the Dolphins in Week 6. 鈥淎s that division of labor gets more black and white and your guys have evolved in the right ways and positive ways, we responded accordingly from a coaching standpoint,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淲e do what鈥檚 in their wheelhouse. We lean on what they do well.鈥�
n Similarly, Tomlin says the Steelers have evolved on offense based on the absences of receivers Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton. 鈥淏etter understanding of who and what we are, evolving to present circumstance and gaining traction in that evolution,鈥� Tomlin said. The return of FB Roosevelt Nix, who missed the first five weeks with a back injury, also has helped open up the run game.
n Bud Dupree is playing exactly like Tomlin thought the outside linebacker would when he drafted him 22nd overall last year. In fact, 鈥淚t鈥檚 what I thought he鈥檇 be as I walked past him the first eight games of this season (when Dupree was injured),鈥� Tomlin said. The coach has been most impressed by Dupree鈥檚 mental toughness to stick through the rehab after groin surgery in September and putting in all the class work while not playing.
n Tomlin concedes the Steelers special teams haven鈥檛 been good and vowed to take a hard look at it this week against a dynamic kick returner like the Chiefs鈥� Tyreek Hill. The Steelers have been hurt, Tomlin says, by the absence of Shamarko Thomas among others, but 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to put guys in better position to execute and when they do, they have to do better than they鈥檝e been executing.鈥� Tomlin said that CB Justin Gilbert, scratched last week with a shoulder injury, is a possibility as a kick returner.
n The Steelers were well aware of Tyreek Hill before last year鈥檚 draft but Tomlin would not get into why they passed on the Pro Bowl kick returner. In 2015, Hill pled guilty to punching and choking his pregnant girlfriend. Hill was dismissed from Oklahoma State and he finished out his college career at West Alabama, where he was drafted by the Chiefs in the fifth round of last spring鈥檚 NFL draft.
n Tomlin said the Steelers will have to 鈥渢read lightly鈥� when it comes to kicking Hill鈥檚 way but that will be 鈥渆asier said than done.鈥� The Steelers tried that two weeks ago against Baltimore only to have Chris Boswell kick out of bounds twice. Tomlin added that the Chiefs special teams, not just Hill, are dynamic.
n Jesse James, whose block helped spring Antonio Brown鈥檚 second TD against the Dolphins, has come a long way, but his best days are still ahead, Tomlin said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a really a durable young guy,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always in control of his emotions. He takes an analytical approach to getting better. And I think that approach is going to aid him.鈥�
n Though the Steelers have won four straight road games after losing three of their first four away from Heinz Field, Tomlin dismissed that there鈥檚 no secret to any secret to it. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not earth-shattering or game-breaking that teams change over the course of the season,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淭hankfully, we鈥檝e changed for the better.鈥�
INJURY UPDATE
n Three weeks after suffering his third head injury in a little over a year, TE Ladarius Green remains in concussion protocol. It had been hoped that Green would be able to return last week but was abruptly shut down last Friday. Did he suffer a setback? 鈥淚 guess you could describe it as that if you want to,鈥� Tomlin said. If cleared, Tomlin didn鈥檛 rule out Green from playing this week if he can get some practice time in.
n Ben Roethlisberger鈥檚 foot injury 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 appear to be an issue, we鈥檒l watch him closely as we push forward,鈥� Tomlin said. Roethlisberger is not expected to be limited in practice.
n RB Le鈥橵eon Bell could be held out of practice Wednesday. Tomlin said Bell sustained some bumps and bruises vs. Miami.
n Rookie S Sean Davis (shoulder), who missed one defensive snap against Miami, will also be monitored.
n RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (concussion) has been placed in league protocol after self-reporting.
n LB Vince Williams (shoulder) played through his injury last week and could be limited in practice this week.
n LB Anthony Chickillo (ankle), S Robert Golden (ankle), DE Ricardo Mathews (ankle), who all missed the Dolphins game, will be monitored this week and haven鈥檛 been ruled out.
QUOTEWORTHY
鈥淭here are 24 teams tomorrow wishing they could practice.鈥�
Tomlin, on Steelers being one of eight teams still playing.