Audio and video from Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin post game press conference following the 2010, week 17 win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday January 3rd, 2010. Transcript to follow!
[audio:https://steelersdepot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/mike_tomlin_1_3_2010_press_conference.mp3][flv:http://ll.video.nfl.com/films/s2009/nflcom/w17/steelers_presser_700k.mp4 480 368]
(On game in general) – “How about a little adversity, huh? That game right there is kind of a snap shot of how it’s been for us. I’ve seen it quite a few times these past couple of weeks, this is our bed and we’ve got to lay in it. It was also us who made the best of a bad situation too. I mean let’s be real; there are a lot of teams that are capable of going 6-and-10 or whatever, and facing the circumstances this team was faced with. They knuckled down and hung together, and did the best of their ability to fix it. We won our last 3 ballgames and gave ourselves a chance. We handled our business here today and did all that we could do coming down here, it wasn’t easy, it never is, but I got a great deal of respect for our football team; not only in terms of their closeness, but their willingness to fight.”
(On scoreboard watching) – “I don’t know that it was available to us today. I didn’t see any scores. What’s done is done. (Asked about Houston’s win) – “You just told me. I didn’t know.”
(On 3-game win streak) – “We have a singular goal every year and that’s to be world champs. We understand that there are 32 teams going for it and there can only be one. I’ve been in this league nine years and seven times I’ve been disappointed. That’s the reality of it. So if we’re not that team, so be it. I’m not interested in correcting problems; I’m interested in pursuing Lombardi’s, and hopefully winning them.”
(On the Dolphins comeback) – “That’s how they play the last few weeks leading up to today. They stormed back on Houston and Tennessee the week before that. We didn’t expect those guys to lie down, and quite frankly, we’ve been in those kinds of games, we’ve been up and relinquished some leads. So that was some familiar territory for us. It irritates the heck out of you but we didn’t panic just made the necessary plays to stay in it.”
(On Willie Parker and his big plays) – “He gave us everything he had, running that ball into that front that’s committed to stopping him, but not only him, the big men up front did a good job.”
(On a possible turning point from losing streak to now) – “In the last three games we made timely plays, in the five prior to that, we didn’t. Same football team, that’s how fragile it is in the NFL, that’s how fine a line, it is in the NFL and we respect that and we know that. I think that knowledge enabled us to fight and win the last three games.”
(On if they don’t make the playoffs will he look back and say what if) – “I’ve done it seven of the last nine seasons I’ve been in this league. That’s the nature of it, that’s what you do when you’re not the one that the confetti’s raining on.”
(On momentum from last three games carrying over to next year) – “No, there is no carry-over. This body of work stands on its own. Next year’s body of work is next year’s body of work. We didn’t carry over from last year, so it is what it is.”
(On if this season’s a failure) – “Yea, along with 30 other teams that don’t hoist the Lombardi.”
(On LaMarr Woodley having sacks as of late) – “He’s a guy that’s come on the late part of the season all three years he’s been here; evidently that’s a part of his game. It’s about rhythm, his moves come together, he develops a feel for it, and he sharpens his sword over the course of the season, which is good. You look for guys who are on the rise as the season goes on, and he’s proven through his first three years in the league that that’s kind of how he plays the game. And that’s what you need; you need guys whose arrows are pointing up at the end of the road.”
(On Super Bowl chances if they indeed make the playoffs) – “If I’m in, heck yea! Why not?”
