Bengals 19, Steelers 17
Q. Russ, appeared to be a different game plan this time. You guys wanted to run the ball. Why did it change? Did it just take too long to switch things up?
RUSSELL WILSON: Yeah, you know, I think that was our game plan kind of going into it, you know, just trying to establish our physical nature. You know, the game kind of took a while for us to get going. Wasn't really until the fourth quarter. Our defense did a good job of keeping us in the game, making some plays.
You know, because a high-powered offense and things they do well, I thought our defense gave us a chance to win that game. Good thing is in the fourth quarter we responded the right way. Felt like we had a chance. We had two drives to help try to win the game; unfortunately didn't get it done.
Q. Why hasn't this offense been able to start consistently fast?
RUSSELL WILSON: You know, I don't really have -- I think what I'm going to say is I don't really want to talk about the past just because I think we have been in that for a little bit here.
I think the best thing we can do is get ready for the playoffs. It's a new season. That's the only thing that really matters anymore at this point, right? Obviously us winning that game would have helped us in some form or fashion, but at the end of the day you go into the playoffs you're zero and zero and you got to beat everybody.
That has to be our focus right now. It's been a tough few weeks. We thought we had a chance in this game. I love how the we fought. Defenses made some great plays, special teams; offensively came back, had a huge drive to make it a one-score game.
Get the ball back, we had the chance to win it. That's what playoff football will be like. It's going to be intense, come down to the wire. It's going to be ups and downs. It's going to be tough environments and everything else.
We're going to have to go on the road and get it done. That's really the only thing that matters right now is us being able to adjust and think about that and be prepared for that. Really it's one-and-done type mentality. You got to go get it and find a way to win the next game.
Q. You feel confident you guys can do that after the past four games?
RUSSELL WILSON: I do. I feel like everybody we've played we have had a chance in those games. Even going back to Philadelphia. It's really where it kind of went negative a little bit and didn't get all our stuff done that we needed to. Had some moments in that game; good football team.
You know, obviously the Ravens are a good football team. We battled back and forth with those guys. We feel like if we just do right and look forward to the next moment, that's got to be the only thing that matters and the thing we answer to.
And then I think most importantly is we got to have amnesia going into this and just win the next play. Just win the next play, win the next game. We got to have the best week we can possibly have this week.
Q. What would you like to start doing better on first down?
RUSSELL WILSON: We got to be effective on first down, give ourselves a chance on third down, and whatever that is, I think we got to be able to do that. That's a key part of the game is obviously being great on first and second down, getting ourselves a third down, an d when we get our third downs, converting them.
That he name of the game obviously. I thought we did a good job of that in the fourth quarter especially. We were in attack mode. We had to go get it in the fourth quarter. I thought Pat played a great game. Had some really big plays for us. You know, I think the guys battled, and unfortunately we didn't get to win to tonight.
Q. What plays do you want back from the end of the game? Had two drives late where you could have taken the lead and sealed the win. Any plays where you were like, hey, missed this opportunity here and there in your offense?
RUSSELL WILSON: I got to watch it. I think that we had some opportunities there to make some plays, and unfortunately didn't go our way. You know, we all believe that we can get it done and we didn't.
Q. There were a few plays to George that weren't completed. What is your message to him and do you think that connection can be brought back here in the postseason?
RUSSELL WILSON: Yeah, I believe in George. Listen, everybody -- everything is not always perfect for everyone. This is an imperfect game. I believe in George. I believe in who he is, the player he is. He's been a star for us all season.
You know, he's going to be a difference maker for us in the playoffs obviously, and I'm looking forward to that and what he can do, what we can do together.
I'm not blinking on George. If anybody believes in him I definitely do.
Q. What has to happen to strengthen that connection?
RUSSELL WILSON: Yeah, I think guys, he missed three weeks, you know. Feels like he hasn't made plays? In forever because he was out for three weeks. You know, it's hard to compile all that and look back, oh, yeah, he hasn't made plays in five weeks. Well, he missed three of them.
Last week didn't go our way, for whatever reason, week and a half ago, whenever it was. Tonight obviously didn't go our way. I think great players, you know, sometime doesn't go their way that day. You go to the ballpark and sometimes doesn't go your way. If anybody believes in George I do. I have no hesitation to throw the football to him and what he means to us and our football team.
The rest of the guys, too. All the guys we trust in what they can do.
Q. George only had one target I think going into the middle, late in the third quarter. Was there a plan to use him as a decoy in this game or is that how the game progressed?
RUSSELL WILSON: I think it was naturally how the game progressed. Kind of got going in the fourth quarter there. Just what it was.
Q. The first drive of the fourth quarter you guys went down and scored; fast approach. Last three drives of the game were kind of short. Did they adjust in any way to stop that passing attack late?
RUSSELL WILSON: No. I thought we did a good job the drive we ended up going down and scoring. I thought guys made great plays and the line did a great job in protection and everything else. We responded in the right way there. Obviously we need a touchdown to give us chance. We got that touchdown. Pat made a great play.
And then the next drive we got the turnover by the special teams. Heck of a play by those guys. Then we got to convert there. We got to make a play. That's just the name of the game. Especially in these moments looking forward, that's going to be the part that we got it capitalize on.
So final drive we had a chance. Trying to get in field goal range and get Bos a chance there. Obviously best in the world there; unfortunately didn't go our way.
Q. When you talk about having amnesia, how much does it help that the season is over and you're starting playoffs, it's a reset, and how much is it going to be a different identity for you guys to go into the playoffs as an underdog?
RUSSELL WILSON: You know, I think that's a good question. I think the big part is no matter where you are in the playoffs, I mean, been fortunate to be able to play in the playoffs a bunch. The reality is when you step in the playoffs it's a new slate. You know, it's a new opportunity. That's just the truth. That's just the reality of what it is.
No matter how successful you've been in the regular season, no Howie tough the last part has been for us, we have a choice to respond the right way. You know, I had a cool conversation this morning, earlier with Jerome Bettis, and talked to him about the 2005 football team. There were some you bumps and bruises and things that happened and some losses along the way. Just I think they went in as the sixth seed he was telling me.
Man, it was cool talking to The Bus about that because I wanted to get some perspective on how the team approached it. The reality was like, man, this week is the only week that matters. That team overcame a lot of obstacles. That team was able to respond the right way.
I believe that's who we're going to be. I have no doubt about the guys in our locker room and obviously Coach Tomlin, who he is. We got the right response and got to make that response a good one.
You know, we get to control that. We get to control our approach, and the great thing is we get another opportunity to put on our pads and go out and play. The only thing that matters is we win the next one.
Q. Russ, you talked about Jerome, the '05 season. They went in with three straight wins. Obviously with your four losses, does that make much of a difference in your message?
RUSSELL WILSON: No. I think they also lost three at one point in a row, right? So they lost three in a row right before that. Obviously we came in hotter throughout the season. Obviously the last few games we haven't won.
No matter if you win in the middle or don't, whatever it is, at the end of the day it's still a clean slate. Important thing for us is having the right perspective, figuring out what we can do better as a collective group, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to respond.
It's going to be heavyweight fight whoever we play. We with got to go in with the right attitude and mentality.
Q. With what's ahead, do you guys feel any added pressure to get together quickly here?
RUSSELL WILSON: What do you mean?
Q. Get the offense together, clicking. Is there any extra pressure to do that within this week?
RUSSELL WILSON: You know, I think the most important thing is we're just hyper, hyper, hyper focused on controlling what we can control this week and getting prepared for whoever we're going to play.
We believe there is nobody on the list that we cannot beat. We just got to be ready. Got to be right. Got to be clean. We got to fix our mistakes. Also think about the things we're doing well. Got to respond the right way.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports