Steelers 27, Broncos 19
Q. A performance like this, not only you, but the entire team, can it quiet the critics?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Probably not. But we won the game. That's all that matters truthfully.
Q. What does it mean to get a win?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Just to get a win. That's all that matters. No disrespect to your question but that's all that matters, winning the football game. We didn't care if it was pretty, ugly. We just wanted to win the game and we did that and it took all of us and it took the whole game.
Q. Take some pressure off yourself?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I thought he did great tonight. But you know, the running game is more than just one person. It's the line has to open things up and they did that. I don't know that -- I wish I could give you a better percentage. I don't want to say a wrong number. But there's a very high percentage of those runs today, from the shotgun, especially, were RPOs and we probably had some of the throws but why take it out of his hand when you're grinding it and you're getting it. It was fun to watch him kind of excel and take over, and I thought Benny came in end of the game and ran really hard. KB, too. I'm happy for Najee, I really am.
Q. Inaudible.
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: It's just different. Different types of offense. That's all.
Q. The 59-yarder to Claypool, did you anticipate going to him based on your formation? Did you see that pre-snap or attack it specifically?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: That actual play was designed to go to Najee on a linebacker was kind of the first read. So they rotated a corner down at the last minute. Saw it out of the corner of my eye and took me off that. The whole time I was watching. I didn't realize Von was on him at first. I didn't realize who was guarding Najee, inside leverage, outside leverage, was the safety coming and once they rolled to the Cover 2 brought my eyes back over and Chase is the first read on that side and so happy to give him the ball in space and he's going to make something happen.
Q. You didn't have three guys blocking him --
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Well, we still had chips over there. We weren't going to sacrifice our whole -- by putting extra tight ends and extra guys over there. We asked Schuchs to do a job against one of the best pass rushers in the game, and I thought he did a great job tonight.
Q. One of those runs that you mentioned, did you use less motion this game than other games? Did it make a difference?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I don't know about less. We had some -- we had some motions under center, some stuff. It's one of those things if you can stay on schedule. We were able to stay on schedule picking up positive yards on first down always help. Some of the stuff from the gun, maybe less, but there was still plenty of motion.
Q. Being able to build on the lead in the third quarter what does that do for your offense?
A. It's encouraging. You know, obviously we would have liked to have stayed on the field at the end of the game to finish it. We were able to go out and get points, which is big, three is not ideal but it got us to a point that we were okay with. I told the guys, before that drive, I said, listen, we either end the game on the field or we score points. Next time I'll try to be specific with how many points. That was a good drive. Not sure how much time we used but it was a decent amount ask went down the field and everyone contributed in that drive.
Q. Power running, third down conversion, deep shots, is that how this offense has to perform to be at its best?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I think it helps. I don't -- like I said, I don't know stats and I don't know the numbers but felt like we were converting a lot of third downs. I would love to know what our yards on first down were. That's big. When you can get three, four, five yards on first down it makes those third downs much more manageable and I felt like we were in manageable third downs tonight -- today.
Q. What went into your touchdown pass, if you looked off Jackson, is that what happens?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, Coach came up with a heck of a play call. We had something set up, we put Chase on the inside it. Was a double-move outside Diontae and they slacked off him and there were two wide safeties and I knew chase was going down the mid the so best thing I could do is keep the safety left for as long as I could and just try and deliver it close to where he can make a play and he did the rest and the line gave me great time.
Q. What did you see on the touchdown Diontae on that opening drive? Looked similar to the one you had a week ago?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Different play call. We just had a go-route. Got inside and he faded out and made a great play. What an awesome play by him. He's a great football player.
Q. Guys in the box -- do you just have a feel?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I can't give you our secrets because I know they will figure it out. There are a lot of things out. Safety is down. Sometimes just a look. There's a lot more involved than just kind of which one you're going to do.
Q. You were able to get some yards after the catch on some of the quick slants, any difference today, anything they do that made them --
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I think guys just stepped up and made plays. I think a lot of that, obviously Chase was big, Diontae in the last drive. Probably not ideal to tell the coach on the head mindset -- he's going to throw it, and sure enough got to him.
When you get the ball to a guy like that in space, and sometimes space doesn't have to be a lot, it can be a crack and he's going to make something fun happen and you know, that's just guys making plays, and I told them going in that we obviously, thinking about Juju and Chase wasn't getting much reps in the second half and you know, we had guys to step up and make plays and guys did that and that's what I think I'm most proud about.
Q. Why was the line better today?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I don't know. They just did a great job. We ran the ball. They gave me time throwing the ball. We had I think one sack and that was a sack fumble, that's on me, good coverage sack. Tried to get out-of-the-pocket and didn't know the guy came around from behind. I don't know why they played well but they did and I'm happy for them.
Q. Unanimous in your response to the 1-3 start, no panic, don't listen to the noise and all that. Does that stuff reach a saturation point? Would that have been harder to sell at 1-4?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I guess we'll never know.
Q. If someone said Ben is dealing with Z o why are -- you left to get checked out after the sack? Physically where are you at compared to three and a half hours ago?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Sore. But I just played an NFL football game and we're all a little sore. So you know what, it feels better when you win, though.
Q. Do you feel like you made some strides in that area?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, just how you feel after the game. I haven't looked at it yet but you know, feels like some things were there and felt a little more comfortable moving around.
Q. With less receivers, is it easier to build chemistry, when Juju goes out, Chase, how do you prefer that?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, you we are rotating guys. You see Ray-Ray getting in there, Cody coming in, and that's just from practice, in practice we don't just have two guys or three guys. We try and rotate them all in so that we understand what each guy is doing. I hate hey missed Cody on that deep crossing route but just happy that guys can step up and like I said, we just feel for Juju and just ask everyone to play for him.
Q. Does the clock in your head ever change week-to-week in terms of when you feel like you have to get rid of the ball?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, sometimes, and sometimes it can go as the game goes. I think any quarterback, they would be lying if they told you they didn't sometimes think about that, okay, the ball has to come out, whatever. Today it felt really comfortable. I felt like could I sit back there and slide and go to second, third reads at times. Like I said, I'm proud of the way the guys played and fought today. We challenged the line this week to be better in the pass game, be better in the run game and honestly they answered the challenge in my opinion.
Q. How do you challenge them? Is it a long conversation? Do you just say play better?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: It's a little bit of both. I think Coach Canada, I don't know what happens in the O-line -- Coach Canada was very vocal this week and for me this week was about trying to encourage, talk to each guy and tell them I believe in them and I know they can do it and you know I'm not sure which each one responds to if it's the yelling or the encouragement. But each coach and then myself and maybe other guys just trying to encourage and let those guys know that we need them. We are going to go as they go, so that's kind of how it went.
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