PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Some of the other notes from Mike Tomlin's news conference on Tuesday that may not get the obvious headlines. It includes the toughness of his team, the fake punt and having not played any divisional games until this week.
Finally, AFC North action
There have been a few seasons where division games were backloaded, but never to this extent. The Steelers playing a first AFC North game on November 17. The response from Mike Tomlin is probably what you expect.
"You know I don't care," Tomlin said Tuesday. "I'll play them whenever they schedule us. We've got no control over schedule. Our goal is to beat
everybody, but specifically week to week, we get singularly focused on this week's opponent. And so, I'd be making it up if I told you I cared about the schedule of when we face people. I don't."
Coming off best road, probably best win overall
"I just love the collective mentality of the group, the fight displayed, the way that they were engaged and locked in and really unflinching throughout," Tomlin said of the 28-27 win over Washington. "It was a close ball game. Obviously, at one point we were down by 10, but I never felt a lack of belief or a lack of focus, individually or collectively. Guys realize how you get out of those circumstances is to make plays. It's the same things, really that put you in those circumstances
– the lack of play making or strategy at times – because coaching is a component of it as well, and we're always willing to own those things and remain focused on the task at hand and the opportunities that that are ahead. And I think our guys live that out."
Fake punt
It was fourth and 15 from the Steelers own 16-yard line with 5:20 to play in the first quarter. The Steelers had a 7-0 lead and all the momentum. They saw the look they practiced against and Tomlin called for a fake punt. All worked to plan, the snap to the up-man, special teams captain Miles Killebrew. He threw a pass right into the arms of a wide-open James Pierre for an easy first down and likely field-flipping play. Pierre dropped it and Washington would use the short field to tie the game. Tomlin was asked if he was trying to establish an attitude Sunday afternoon.
"No, I was trying to get the first down," Tomlin said. "But, sidebar, yes, because we're just not going to allow people to do unorthodox and potentially unsound things against us. I'm not going to allow people to overstress our punt protection unit by leaving people uncovered.
We've got people that are capable of throwing and catching the football."
"We don't view it as a gadget or trick play, to be quite honest with you. That discussion and that work didn't start last week in preparation for the Commanders. It's what we do. It's steeped in our culture. We've been working that since the spring, and so our attitude about it is probably a little bit different than you might think because of that."
"We're not hoping and wishing. There's nothing mystical. This is routine for us.
This is a base pass and a running play or a base defense. We've got that level of comfort in it, but all of that being said, we didn't execute it in that moment, and that's why I took responsibility for it certainly."
More Mike
It most likely will impact his 100% catch to touchdown rating with the Steelers, but you'll likely see more than just the nine snaps from Steelers receiver Mike Williams against the Ravens.
"I think it's reasonable to expect his workload to increase. The rate in which it increases, and all of those things are determined by factors I really don't know the answer to. I'm still getting to know him and how he learns, and specifically, the detailed component of his skill set in terms of how to best utilize it and position him to help us. And so we'll be evolving in that way. He'll be evolving in that way, not only this week, but in the upcoming weeks. And think it's safe to say the same for a guy like Preston [Smith]."
Bottom line
"We're highly familiar with them, but we don't seek or find comfort in that because we know that they're highly familiar with us," Tomlin said. "It's Steelers vs. Ravens, so let's get at it."
