Steelers - 19, Titans - 13
Q. Ben, I saw you talking with the official after you were hit. It was a run play, looked like an RPO. What kind of explanation did you get there? Do you feel like you should be protected on that play?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, it was just a run play. I didn't try and carry out a fake. I just stood there. The guy hit me square in my chest. It was not like I was trying to act like I had the ball or anything. I was just standing there.
And the ref told me once the ball is handed off he looks to the front to the play side. And I asked him about what about the other ref that we have standing back there. He said he was looking at the backside. And he said he'll have to look at it. And that was the explanation I got.
Q. Was it frustrating that you had those turnovers on short fields, those takeaways and only just came away with field goals? And also in your quarterback sneaked touchdown you walked off with the ball. Are you saving that one for that circumstance, because of that?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Extremely frustrating, the first part of your question. We felt like there were opportunities and points obviously that we couldn't get that were left out there. We know we can always count on Boz but obviously we want to put more points, especially the last one, a chance to make a two-score game.
It's extremely, extremely frustrating. Give them credit. They're a good defense. Whether we would have a penalty, whether we had a negative rush, whatever it was. We couldn't put the points on the board and threw a touchdown, that's very frustrating.
I just kept the ball. No real reason. I just had it. One of the guys was talking a lot of trash so I asked him if he wanted the ball.
Q. Could you just take us through the play you threw to Ray-Ray in the end zone, third down, seemed like you went pretty quick on that play. Could you tell take us through why that play, why that decision?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Was it, like, towards the open end, that play?
Q. It was, like, a third and seven.
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, we jumped the ball quick with a RPO. They had too many guys in the box. So you kind of have to make, you have to pick a throw. And Ray-Ray had press, and he's a quick, little jittery bug-type receiver that you expect can win. And gave him a chance.
He kind of got walled off. I was expecting or hoping for a flag. But you go there because it's either him or Diontae on the other side because Chase was in the game coming across.
Those are your two options. I wanted to give him a chance to make a play. I thought he was interfered with, but it is what it is.
Q. You said earlier this season that you called a keeper basically for yourself. What happened on these two down there? And what was it like coming up from the bottom of that pile there?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: The two sneaks? It's been a while. They didn't feel real good. My neck's going to be a little sore for sure. But glad we could get in on the second one -- any way we can help the team.
Q. Despite the offensive struggles, what does it mean to be able to walk away with a win in a game like this?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: It's huge. We'll take -- at this point in the season we'll take them any way we can. A lot of props to our defense stepping up and getting us chances. We didn't do enough on offense. But, like I said, at this point in the year you'll take a win any way you can get it.
Q. On the broadcast it showed you taking a minute to yourself, I think, in the second half on the steps of the tunnel. Can you just take us through what was going on there?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I thought I broke the all-time Heinz rushing record, so I was just trying to take a moment to myself.
Q. This isn't quite like the Ravens game but it was very similar where I know you like to have the balls in your hand to win a game, but are you kind of getting used to having your defense come up for you at the end?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Obviously you want the ball. You want a chance. But I believe in our defense. What a great play by Joe and the rest of the guys. It's fun. I mean, to get a win any way you can we'll take it.
But, like I said, we'll be frustrated on this one not scoring a touchdown on the last drive when we had a chance.
Q. With that rushing touchdown, did you hold onto the ball, are you going to do anything special with it?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I don't have it. I tried to offer it to one of the defensive guys.
Q. When you watch your defense, they're struggling to stop the run. Do you have something in the back of your mind that says it's going to take 25, 30 points the rest of the way?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: No, we don't go into it saying we've got to put X amount of points on the board or this, that or the other. We'll take one more point than the other team.
But we go against our defense. We know what they are. I don't want to speak for them, but I'm sure they were a little fired up after last week and some of that stuff. So they were coming out to make a statement. I thought they did. I don't know how many turnovers it was, but it was a lot.
But fortunately we didn't capitalize like we should have to help them. But it's fun watching that defense when they're flying around making place like that. We have all the faith in the world in them.
Q. What do you feel like is going into the pre-snap penalties, and what needs to be done to get those taken care of, especially at home?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I've got to go back. I know we had a false start or two. We had one ball snapped a little early on a double cadence. It's just things we've got to just focus on.
And our fans get extra excited. So, it's loud in there even though we're doing the cadence. But we've got to make sure, pre-snaps, we've got to be smarter at that.
Q. Were they trying to take Diontae away a little bit? Seemed like safety was rolling a little into that side a little bit. Is that correct?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Yeah, I think so. He's a playmaker. Thousand yards, really happy for him to get that. I know it's all about individuals. But it's really cool he got that and happy for him.
But he's a guy that teams need to keep an eye on because he'll hurt you if he doesn't. And I'm kicking myself because he had a touchdown late in that game, I threw it to James, got the first down. But I missed Diontae. So I'm going to kick myself for that.
Q. You've had success against these division-leading teams -- Buffalo, Baltimore, today against Tennessee. What's it about the team, do they rise up in these games are or what is it?
BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I don't know. When you've got teams like this and environments like this this time of season, every game is like a playoff. Had the feel of a playoff game -- physically, emotionally, the fans, everything -- so I think we still have a pulse in this thing. So we'll see where it goes from here.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports