Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Green Bay Packers 19
THE MODERATOR: Fire away.
Q. T.J., when you see the offense putting together three straight scoring drives, starting fast like that, what does that do for you guys?
T.J. WATT: Oh, it's huge. I think it's always good to see the offense putting up points and sustaining long drives, being able to have us sitting over there on the bench. We talk about all the great defenses spend a lot of time on the bench and I feel like I think the first half was only like 22, 26 something plays. In the 20s. And this year it feels like that's been the amount of plays we've played in just a quarter alone, so very pleased with that, but we need more three-and-outs as a defense. That's something we've been emphasizing and something we need to continue to get better at.
Q. T.J., you started the game minus two starters. You lost two more as the game went on. What was your level of confidence in the group at the end of the game?
T.J. WATT: Huge. I mean, being able to walk away with a win is huge, and we know it sucks when guys go down, but like I've said since the beginning is everybody in here practices every week. Everybody's in the same meetings. Everybody knows what the standard is. It's all about stepping up in those moments. We don't have time to sit around and sulk while we have a football game going on. We just need to take it in stride and I feel like we did a good job of that today.
Q. Specifically with Elandon. Anything you notice from him today or since you have been his teammate this year?
T.J. WATT: What are you asking?
Q. What Elandon Roberts has brought to your group and everything together today.
T.J. WATT: Yeah, he's just got a steady voice inside. He's never too high. Never too low. Very confident player. He's going to get us lined up exactly how we need to and that's all we really need as a defense. We just need to be on the same page and he's a guy that's been able to do that since he's been here, a true professional and he's making some good plays for us as well.
Q. When you came into this season knowing Cole would probably be the every down guy, he comes into this game thinking Kwon would be the every down guy. What does that say about a veteran to adjust on the fly like that and play as much as he did in this kind of setting?
T.J. WATT: Yeah, everybody in the building prepares like they're a starter, and he's no different. He's always been really good at communicating, been in every single meeting, every additional meeting and he's done a great job. Even on top of the special teams that he's been playing. So he's had a full plate, and to be able to step up in a game like this when you didn't know if your number was going to be called just shows how much he's been preparing this whole time for that moment.
Q. So many close games you guys have played. Does that kind of allow you to keep your composure in those late moments when you're up against it?
T.J. WATT: Yeah, I mean, as a defense we always want to be out there when the game's on the line. Obviously we don't love close games, but if we have to, we want to be able to dictate what happens in the end of the game. And, I mean, we've had so much built-in adversity through the whole process, Coach T's all about it. So, it's just a matter of not blinking in those moments.
Q. T.J., a couple of big plays on third and long. I know it's tough having not seen it, but anything you can kind of diagnose as to what happened?
T.J. WATT: No, we just need to clean up the splash. Overall I feel like we're playing pretty well. Defensively, we need to clean up the three-and-outs, obviously, and then just the splash. We're creating negativity in early downs, it's just when we get them behind the chains, it's how do we close out drives? And I'm sure that's going to be a point of emphasis this week.
THE MODERATOR: Anything else?
Q. What did you see in that little scrum at the end from your vantage point?
T.J. WATT: I was too tired to even know what was going on honestly. (Laughter)
THE MODERATOR: Good? Thanks, everybody.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports