Steelers, 28 - Texans, 21
Q. Bill, could you talk about difference in the first half and the second half and how little you guys had the ball in the third quarter?
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, give Pittsburgh credit. They did a good job of possessing the ball. We went three and out, so offensively we have to do a much better job in the second half. We ended the first half with a good dive and then we didn't do anything in the second half.
Defense was on the field too long. Defense, they have to get off the field, too. Give Pittsburgh credit. They ran the ball well. We weren't able to do that. So we have to -- again, we have to work hard to improve and set our sights set on Minnesota.
Q. You mentioned the running. What specifically did Pittsburgh do to make running on them such a challenge today?
BILL O'BRIEN: They're a good run defense. We tried to work different schemes and really nothing worked. We weren't able to get to the edge. We weren't able to get up inside too much. So we just have to look at it.
Not much of that will carry over to Minnesota because that's a different defense, but we have to figure out how to get our running game going.
Q. In terms of balance, you obviously want to have the run to set up the pass and vice versa. What do you think it'll take to become a more balanced offense?
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, you know, I think we have to -- we were in second and 19, second and 16, second and 26. I mean, we lose that much yardage on first down, you're going to have a hard time gaining the first down.
So we have to figure out what we're doing on first down. We just put ourselves in too big of a hole, especially there in the second half. Whether it was a tackle for a loss or a sack or whatever, we were just behind the eight ball.
Give Pittsburgh credit. They did a good job. We ended the first half well, but obviously didn't finish the game, and we got to figure that out.
Q. What you did think of Deshaun's play? Obviously you'd like to win the game, but...(interference.)
BILL O'BRIEN: Deshaun fought and was excellent in the first half. I have to look at the tape for the second half, but I thought he fought hard. We just have to -- like I said, we got to keep trying to get better, try to get a win here this week.
Q. Bill, Deshaun was sacked five times today and it's at 13 through three games. How concerning is that for you knowing that he's got to have the protection in a lot of ways to be able to get the big plays going? And also, knowing it has been an issue ever since he's been your guy's quarterback.
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, you're right. We've got to protect him better. You know, again, like I always say, it's not always the offensive line. Sometimes that's getting rid of the ball a little bit quicker or tight ends, receivers, running back, understands the protection and what we're trying to do.
Yeah, no, we can't keep going that way. You're right. He's taken a lot of hits, and we got to try to get that better. We work hard on it. Got to keep working hard on it, and we got to figure it out.
Q. Do you think there is any panic in your team with the 0-3 start?
BILL O'BRIEN: I don't think so. I mean, we have a lot of the veterans. We got to get our sights set on Minnesota. We're back home. Minnesota is a good team. We haven't played anybody in the division yet. There is a lot of football left.
It's not where you want to be, but I don't -- we have a really, you know, veteran team in many aspects, so I don't think anybody is panicking.
Everybody knows 0-3 is not where we want to be. It's urgency more so than panic. There is no panic. It's just we got to get over the hump here somehow.
Q. Bill, what are your difficulties in stopping the run, especially again in the fourth quarter?
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I think they were on the field a lot, and I think that some of that had to do with not being able to convert third downs on offense, you know what I mean? So I think we had a bunch of three and outs and the defense was right back out there.
Playing the Pittsburgh Steelers they're going to wear you down if they possess the ball like that. So, again, we got to play the run better. But I think that as a team we have to play better complementary football. I thought we did in the first half. I thought we did that in the first half; but in the second half we did not.
Q. Bill, why was Blacklock inactive?
BILL O'BRIEN: We just try to make decisions for the best interest of the team for that week, and that's what we decided to do.
Q. Hey, Bill, was there something that Pittsburgh did at halftime in terms of adjustments that made a difference, or was it just you guys were not able to execute?
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I think it's a good question. I don't think so. I mean, they do what they do. You know, we just weren't able to protect or run the ball.
Like I said, we would be in second and 16, second and 19, second and 26, and I think any time you're behind the sticks like that, you're so off schedule you really don't have a chance of getting a first down.
That's not good. I don't think -- they do what they do. I give them credit. They play a very fundamentally sound defense and they did a better job than we did in the second half.
Q. On the touchdown that you JuJu Smith-Schuster scored, what kind of coverage was it? Zone man thing? We saw a couple guys run with (indiscernible) and he was by himself.
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I definitely have to see it on tape, but it looked like you're right. Cut a guy loose there, JuJu, and either got picked off or we had a miscommunication there. I have to see it on tape to be able to tell you.
I saw it from the field and it looked like couple guys got picked off there in man coverage.
Q. And AJ Moore grabbed his leg. Looked like a pretty serious hamstring injury.
BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I'm not sure how serious it is, but, yeah, wasn't able to come back in the game.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports