Something new we’re doing for Steelers Depot. Tomlin gives his press conference early in the week before each game, outlining what happened the previous weekend and focusing on the upcoming one. While we’ll write about the most notable things Tomlin had to say in separate articles, we’ll throw in a couple of smaller nuggets of information in this post. A one-stop shop for the rest of what Coach T. had to say.
For the full press conference, visit the Steelers’ YouTube channel.
Before we get into tidbits, here’s everything we’ve written so far today from the press conference:
Injury Roundup: Mike Tomlin Says Kenny Pickett Has High Ankle Sprain, Underwent Surgery Monday
He’s Been A Franchise Quarterback Before’: Tomlin Explains Why Trubisky Will Start Over Rudolph
Mike Tomlin Not Worried About Kenny Pickett’s Injury History In First Two Seasons
‘Keep Working’: Mike Tomlin Makes It Clear How Steelers Will Address Self-Inflicted Mistakes
Mike Tomlin Offers No Opinion On Diontae Johnson’s End-Game TD Celebration
ROUTINE THINGS, ROUTINELY
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals was a complete team effort. Offense, defense, and special teams were equally to blame. The Steelers failed to execute routine things like snapping the football or getting aligned properly before a snap. Tomlin spoke about this in his Monday press conference.
“There were some areas where we failed miserably, quite honestly, and it produced the outcome. On the offensive side, some pre-snap penalties and procedural things really kind of hurt our efforts. We had two poor snaps, one was a turnover, another one was on a possession down early on that cost us a possession. And Oftentimes I say routine things routinely. It doesn’t lessen the importance of routine things. If anything, it’s the exact opposite.”
C Mason Cole is one player who needs to get back to the basics to eliminate errors that should never happen at the NFL level. His poor snaps cost the team in a big way. There were also the penalties, both pre-snap, post-snap, and on special teams.
“We had three pre-snap penalties that hurt our efforts, and that’s just unacceptable, particularly at this juncture…pre-snap things are things that you have complete control over.”
END OF HALF SEQUENCE LED TO A 14-POINT SWING
One of the most significant sequences in this game in deciding the outcome was the Steelers’ last drive of the first half, which was turned over on downs at the one-yard line. It was significant in a lot of ways as QB Kenny Pickett got hurt, the Steelers failed to score, and they subsequently allowed a 99-yard touchdown drive to the Cardinals. That was a 15-play drive for the Cardinals which should never happen to a defense that prides itself on being one of the league’s best.
“Oftentimes we are aggressive in those moments because we realize the field positioning component of play, and the defense’s ability to oftentimes back up our offense in those moments and put us right back in the short field. But that didn’t occur. Let’s talk about why that didn’t occur. We gave up, I think, three or four possession downs in that sequence. Oftentimes kind of in the interior portions of the field. We had Elandon Roberts go down in the first half of that game…we weren’t as in sync from an adjustment standpoint as we would like adjusting to the loss of Elandon.”
Tomlin called Roberts the defensive quarterback as he has stepped up to wear the green communication dot following injuries to Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb. With Roberts going down in-game, the communication aspect was difficult to overcome, and the Steelers gave up too much down the middle of the field to TE Trey McBride.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE KEEPING SCORES DOWN
While the Patriots are 2-10, the Steelers proved that records are irrelevant in their loss to the Cardinals team of the same record. The Patriots are built well to compete with the Steelers due to their stingy defense. They have allowed ten or fewer points in three straight weeks. They lost each of those games, but a stingy defense is not what the doctor ordered for a struggling Steelers offense without their starting quarterback. The game has one of the lowest Vegas over/under betting lines of the last decade for a reason.
“They’re doing an awesome job of keeping scores down. When you look at them, I think you just look first and foremost at this safety tandem, [Kyle] Dugger and [Jabrill] Peppers. They do a lot. They do a lot schematically, both guys are capable of playing in deep defense and do. Both guys are capable of playing at the linebacker level and functioning on the second level of defense and are very capable tacklers, good at shedding blocks.”
Those two safeties are responsible for three of the Patriots’ six interceptions this season. Peppers also has a forced fumble. Much of Tomlin’s talk about their defense was centered around those two players, so the game plan will be made with limiting their impact in mind. He also talked about their defensive front and the challenges they present.
“They have a veteran group. [Lawrence] Guy, [Deatrich] Wise, [Christian] Barmore, Davon [Godchaux]. They’ve been together now for a number of years, and I think that’s a component of why they’ve been able to really keep scores down. They’re very stout against the run…they give up very few explosion plays via the run.”
PATRIOTS QB SITUATION POSES A CHALLENGE
The Patriots started the season with Mac Jones at QB, but have since switched back-and-forth between Jones and Bailey Zappe. They also had Malik Cunningham active for their game on Sunday against the Chargers. Tomlin spoke about the challenge of gameplanning for their offense without fully knowing who will play at QB.
“I’m really concerned about the quarterback position and the things that they’re doing at the quarterback position from our preparedness standpoint. They got two guys that are somewhat similar in Mack and Zappe, but Malik Cunningham potentially is very different.”
Cunningham is more mobile than either of the other two and so he poses the challenges that all mobile quarterbacks do. It adds a dimension to defend against and stresses the defense in ways that a pocket passer cannot.
“When you’re looking at something potentially like wildcat or quarterback mobility or designed quarterback runs, period, they have your attention. It would behoove us to be prepared in that way.”
