Steelers 29, Bears 27
MATT NAGY: So I'll start off with injuries. A-Rob has a hamstring and Akiem has an ankle sprain. We'll see where that goes and how that is.
Losing a game is tough. It's difficult. Too many penalties, 12 penalties, 115 yards. The first half for us, to let them start with the ball at the minus 40 twice and then within our own territory, we can't have that, so we've got to get more points in that first half offensively. I thought the second half the defense played better, had that deal down there at the 1-yard line going in for the touchdown, put us back a little bit.
Second half there was a lot of ups and downs, and emotional across the board. Special teams was big getting that fumble. We talked all week about that, with getting the ball away, and special teams did that, and for AE to pop it out for 36 to scoop and score, I thought when they went up six and for us to get the ball, for Justin to lead that offense down there and finish with a touchdown was really good.
But in the end we didn't finish, and gave them the chance to make that field goal in the end and win it, and that's where we're at.
With that, I'll go ahead and open it up.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
MATT NAGY: I don't know, I'll have to find out. I didn't see it. But you can't -- in those situations you've got to be able to get off the field. I think that's one example of us making sure that we don't have that stuff happen.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
MATT NAGY: No, I mean, I just -- I don't know about the two teams, I just look at what we have with 12 penalties, it's too many. For us we've got to -- because what it does is it just pushes you back or it gives them free yards. It's a rhythm game, and you want to stay in rhythm. You want to stay away from penalties, and I feel like we need to be better there.
Q. On the last play of the game, obviously you've got a decision to make; can you just take us through that.
MATT NAGY: Yeah, we tried to steal a few yards there. On the play before, Watt made a good play, tipped the ball down. Credit to him. So it could have went either way there realistically. You could try to throw the Hail Mary and have something happen or try to kick the field goal. Obviously we chose that one.
I think both are low, but it would have been nice to get a few extra yards on that previous play.
Q. Prior to ultimately what was the game-winning drive for the Steelers, was there any conversation between you and Coach Desai about how you wanted to defend them schematically on that drive?
MATT NAGY: No, because I think Sean knows, we were really excited going into that drive, very confident, felt good about hey, man, here's where they're at, they've got the one time-out, they've got to get a field goal to win it. Schematically with what we do, we want to make sure that we keep them inbounds, wrap up, and we gave them some free yards, too, with some defensive offsides and neutral zone stuff.
Again, that's probably what we'll look back and see. They had the false start there that kicked them back five yards and then they had that 3rd down which made it 4th and inches where they ultimately kicked it.
Those are moments that we've got to understand where we're at. You get a quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger, he can make you pay, and a credit to their coaching staff for finishing that game and not giving up at the end.
Q. I know it's a loss, but for Justin to have those passes to A-Rob and Mooney to bring you guys back, how important is that in the grand scheme of things?
MATT NAGY: Yeah, the big picture for him is great. You know, when they kicked that field goal, went up six, there was a really pretty neat moment of just looking on the sideline and you could feel it from the players, like okay, we fought back to get to this point where a touchdown wins it, and I looked over at Justin and he had this smile on his face where it was like it was his time.
To see that, the confidence that gives you as a coach when you see that, it was like he was almost hoping that this was going to be the situation.
And then for him to follow through with that and make those plays that he made, it was a really, really good feeling on that sideline, and I think when you talk about the growth for him and for the offense and just our team in general, like that's a moment. That's a moment.
But in the end, we lost. When you're in that locker room right there, this is a team game, and that's what our guys care about. That's what we care about. We've got to figure it out.
Q. Specifically on the shot to A-Rob, what did you see on that play?
MATT NAGY: Well, A-Rob ran a good route. Justin -- I thought the one thing, too, as we went through this game, I thought our offensive line especially against this front, they did a good job of really making sure that T.J. Watt didn't affect the game, and along with Heyward, too. He had time. He made a nice throw. You guys probably felt more downfield shots today, having an opportunity to do that, and that was one we connected on. We need to get more of those and then execute, and we ended up doing that in the red zone.
But again, Justin being able to kind of feel that, stay on time with his feet in the pocket, make a nice throw, A-Rob make a nice catch, it was good for us.
Q. The first half offensively was pretty clunky; what did you guys say at halftime?
MATT NAGY: Yeah, well, it's not an easy -- it's a difficult environment out here when you're out here getting going, and there's some things that we want to always -- I think the biggest thing is when you say the word clunky, it's probably just more rhythm and tempo in and out of the huddle.
We had the one play where we called a time-out, but other than that, there's just a -- it's the communication. We want to keep that going in and out of the huddle. If you have any formation motions or shifts, you've got to keep that going. You've got the play clock.
Again, with Justin being a rookie and going through it, these experiences are good for him, just understanding that, and then I thought starting with him and the rest of the guys coming out that second half in a tough environment down like that, that he really showed how he was able to improve with that, with the offense.
Q. In particular what did you do to try and neutralize T.J. Watt in the second half?
MATT NAGY: Well, you know, he's going to get his production. That's going to happen, because he's too good of a football player. You just can't have it be over the top where it ruins the game and affects it so much that you just can't -- it affects how you call a game.
Give credit to Coach Lazor and Coach Juan on the O-line and being able to get some chips and slams on the edges, and then the guys got to execute, too. The offensive line got to execute. Justin has got to stay on time, the wide outs got to get open.
In the end I thought that we were able to do that more so in that second half, and that's where when we go back and watch the tape, we want to see that kind of stuff more often in the first half.
Q. The taunting call, that was a big moment not only in this game but also for a guy just off the practice squad. As a coach how do you balance a guy being able to adequately celebrate perhaps the biggest play of the game --
MATT NAGY: Yeah, I know. Again, I did not see it so it's hard for me to comment yet because I haven't seen it. I think we all understand it's a very, very emotional game. These guys -- it's a different deal when you're watching it on TV. It's a different deal when you're -- it's an emotional game.
That's not excusing anything, but we've just got to be smart. It's also an emphasis this year. It's a major emphasis.
Knowing that it's a major emphasis, we all as coaches and players got to make sure that you just don't even put it in the gray area. Don't put it in that area, and you guys did a great job, you worked like hell to get off the field, so come off the field and celebrate with your guys.
Again, I've got to see it. I didn't see it. But it's one of those deals that we know they're emphasizing it.
Q. Tony said after the game that he saw the player (indiscernible) saying something to the bench. Does that change anything from your view?
MATT NAGY: Yeah, I mean, again, I've still got to look at it. It doesn't matter what I think and when I look at it. But the biggest thing is what they're trying to direct is whatever you do, don't do it to your opponent, do it to your own teammates if you're celebrating or anything like that. That's the rules and we've got to follow the rules, and it's as simple as that.
Q. On that touchdown to Grant that was negated, did you get a description on what the penalty was with that? And were you expecting a personal foul (indiscernible)?
MATT NAGY: So the first question that you asked, I got -- the first question you asked, no comment on that.
Q. What were you seeking on that?
MATT NAGY: That it was a cut in the box, which is a rule, but again, I've got to see it. I don't have a comment -- I don't have a comment on that play.
Q. What about the two subsequent ones? Looked like you had a discussion when (indiscernible) got hit on a scramble and obviously on the screen --
MATT NAGY: Yeah, again, it's a fast game down there for those guys, so I know it's not easy. So we just -- again, the rules of like taunting and everything else is protecting the quarterback, and luckily Justin bounced back up, and it didn't faze him. But I was just asking them like was it close and stuff like that, and they gave me what they saw.
It is, it's a quick game down there. It's hard.
Q. I know 3-6 is not where you want to be, but is there still time to get on a roll in terms of --
MATT NAGY: Well, we've just got to -- yeah, you're right, 3-6 is not where we want to be. We have the bye coming up, and the guys are in there, they care, but in the end, it's going to be about doing it. We've got to do it, and so a chance for us right now with the bye to get healthier, both mentally and physically, and it's -- you lose four in a row, you've got to figure out -- the only way to get rid of that sting is to win, so we've got to -- unfortunately it's never fun going into a bye on a loss. Now you've got to self-evaluate, self-reflect everybody, and that's what the guys talked about in the locker room, and just make sure that you do keep fighting because I think the one thing is, I think we all saw it, a tough environment, the guys fought. They fought. You've got to give them credit for that, but in the end, not enough credit because we didn't win for all of us.
Q. There were a lot of missed opportunities offensively. You can talk about the touchdown that came back, the interception from Cam Heyward. Can you tell us about what happened on the one drive where Justin Fields came the bootleg out to T.J. Watt's side --
MATT NAGY: Yeah, took us out of range. That's a play -- there's a little bit of a risk with a naked like that. I was watching Watt from the snap of the ball and right away his first step, they were straight upfield. That's hard as a quarterback as you're coming back out to the right and your back is to him, you turn around and he's right there, so you're right, that got us out of field goal range. Those are ones that we always look back at and say, darn, I wish we would have done something different there and helped out that way. But he made a good play, and I think right before that you guys saw we had a naked bootleg going to the left, he hit Cole Kmet. That's a part of the game, and that's always ones that we look back at and wish we could change.
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