Steelers 34, Bengals 11
ALEX HIGHSMITH: (In progress.) Getting those turnovers was huge, and so just getting back to our culture. That's what that is, getting turnovers and taking the ball away, and really shoutout to Mason. He had a heck of a game and just coming out and doing his thing.
He's been working and it showed, and so we all rally around him and he came out and did his thing today. Super proud of this whole team. Feels good to get back on the win side, but this is only one game. We got to close out the last two, win the last two.
So we just got to build on this.
Q. I know it's just one game, but it's been so tight for you guys. Was it almost like more fun to be in an environment where both sides in all three phases were contributing?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: It felt great to win by a lot and to just really handle and control the game. You know, I think we were up 14 to nothing the first quarter of the game and I think everyone was saying on the sidelines, we were just preaching we can't let up. We were up 13-zero last week and let them back in the game and we know what the results were.
We did a good job of just staying on it, so I think setting that tempo from the jump helped us come out with the victory.
Q. You guys were dealing with a lot of injuries. Lost another key player with Elandon Roberts going down. What challenge did that present and what was the key to overcoming it?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: Feel for E-Rob because he gives everything to this game. I know that he's hurting because he loves this game, he loves to play football. We got capable guys that will come in and do the job for us.
Myles Jack and Mike and everybody played well today that came in. Mark, everybody. Just to have guys step up, and we're confident in the guys who are going to do that.
Q. Been a rough week for George. What was the reaction to his response and the game he had today?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: Yeah, heck of a game. You know, that's what he does. To see him come out and respond like that was huge. He just put his head down and worked. Those results showed today.
Q. Do you feel you guys had a different air about practice this week this led to these results?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: I just think we were tired of being -- three-game losing streak, it hurts, especially knowing you work hard and you pour everything into this game.
Just to be able to come back and win and get a statement win against a division team was huge for us. We just got to make that consistent. Just got to build on it next week.
Like I said, this is only one week. Just got to build on that next week. We got to go in and analyze the film and see which ways we can be better.
I know we won the game today, but there are a lot of ways we can be better, myself included. We just got to continue to get better.
Q. It even seem like you had two new safeties out there?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: I mean, they did a great job out there for us. Just having those guys, you know, P and E-Rowe coming out there doing what they did all game shows how selfless this team is, guys just coming out and doing whatever it is to help us win. So shoutout to those guys for doing their thing.
Q. TJ and the other outside linebackers having to compensate in any way or additional communication because of all the new inside guys?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: I think we've emphasized communication all around. I think those guys have done a job in practice. That's what we emphasize in practice is communication. They do a good job of pouring in crowd noise to create a game-day environment. That's helped these guys. They did a good job of that today.
Q. Pick or sack?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: That's hard. I do like picks because they don't come very often.
Q. Diontae was talking to us earlier in the week about the way Mason has gone about his job the last few years resonates at least on the offensive side of the ball. You're on the other side of the ball. Do you notice the way he goes about this and does it make it that much sweeter watching him have the day he had today?
ALEX HIGHSMITH: Absolutely. I'm just so happy for him because I know how hard he works and how committed he is. He prepares like he's the starter every week, staying extra, you know, taking care of his body, watching film. He's someone who has been working. He got his opportunity and he ran with it.
So just proud of him just seeing how to continues to get better throughout the year.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports