Steelers 23, Browns 9
Q. What do you like about the way the offense is evolving here each week you go?
DK METCALF: We keep finding different ways to win, and the defense keeps, you know, keeping us in games whenever we lull through the first half like we did today. I think we were just playing complementary ball on both ends.
Q. What's key to the timing on those routes that you are having success with Aaron right now?
DK METCALF: I think it's just the timing during practice, and you know, us talking about the different DBs that we're going to go against throughout the week and making sure we're both on the same page, how they play me, either press coverage, soft shoe, or hard jam, if they two-hand jam or one-hand jam and all those details about the DBs.
Q. The two 25-yarders that you had, when you got to the line, did you feel like those were opportunities that were going to cash in? Did you think you had a chance of those two?
DK METCALF: Yes, sir, especially when 8 is in the gun, especially throwing the football, I always think I got a chance, especially with the way our O-line is playing. They're definitely giving him time back there to find the open guy down field.
Q. We saw the personnel groupings. You are able to start seeing single high, which allows you to get the downfield attack going. How has that opened things up for you, not just in the yards after catch game, but also catching those deep balls on those fade routes and the 9 routes?
DK METCALF: I think it's pretty much the run game opening up all those middle-of-the-field throws are on the outside throws because they got to stack the books to try to stop the run.
Like I said, I keep giving praise to our O-line for either pass blocking or run blocking because they go against some heavy hitters week in and week out. They're holding their own every week.
Q. What did you see click with that group, especially in the third quarter? You had several of 9, 10, 11 yard runs, and that seemed to open up more play action passes that came together for you guys.
DK METCALF: I think it's just wearing the defenses down, whether they're handling the four down linemen and then pushing up to the second level, getting hands on linebackers to where we got strong running backs in Kenny G, Kaleb, and Jaylen Warren, who can break tackles from one, two, three guys when they want to. So just kudos to our running backs and our O-line.
Q. How exciting is it for you as a vet to see a line with three second-year guys and a third-year guy playing this well against a team that was the No. 1 run defense going into this game?
DK METCALF: It's no surprise because I see them and the way that they work and handle their business throughout the course of a week. They're always hanging around each other, always joking. I always see them in the weight room early in the morning, and they're serious about their work when we strap up and hit the field. I commend them for that.
Q. How do you describe your first true taste of AFC North football?
DK METCALF: It was football, at the end of the day. They couldn't beat us today. So, you know, got another one Thursday, and hoping to do the same thing.
Q. Darnell was another guy with a big game. I would say at what point in the game did you know he was going to be heavily involved? It was the first play. At what point in the week did you know that he was going to be a big point in this one?
DK METCALF: Mike T. teed us up for Darnell to have a big game today. He kept putting up Myles Garrett or other D-linemen saying that he had the opportunity to block those guys, and when he got in space, you know, he is a very big, unmovable object whenever he has the ball. Just put the ball in his hands and let him do the rest.
Q. I'm guessing you're not used to lining up at fullback like he did today?
DK METCALF: Why did you say that? My stance wasn't good enough (smiling)? I thought it was good personally, but yeah, that was my first time being back there. The view was a little wicked, but I like being outside the nose.
Q. What kind of problem does Jalen Ramsey present for opposing offenses? What kind of impact do you see him making on the game?
DK METCALF: Yes, sir. With the way that he blitzes, you never know when he's going to blitz. Then his disguises, he's a very cerebral player on defense to where he studies the game and loves the game of football to where he knows how to disguise a blitz and play man coverage or play zone coverage.
The whole defense is like that. Not just Jalen. We got dogs everywhere on the field. That's a big plus for us, especially going against him during the week. We make sure we get good work on both ends.
Q. What kind of energy does Jalen give you guys when you see him flying in there and having those two sacks?
DK METCALF: He gives us energy. Herbig, TJ, Cam, PQ, I mean, I can go down the list of guys. I think this whole team is just very close-knit with how we place for each other.
Mike T. tees that up every week at the start of the week that we're a team and one band, one sound, and when we go out there on the field, they got to play all 11 of us every play.
Q. This is the first time that you're playing with Aaron Rodgers. Is there anything that you can say that has surprised you about playing with him?
DK METCALF: Nothing, because I don't go into a relationship or a teammate go one-on-one with a person expecting for them to act a certain way. I let them show me everything that they want to show me or talk to me how they want to talk to me, and then I'll be the judge of that from the rest.
What I've seen and heard from him is he loves the game of football, loves hanging out, loves the people who are playing for him and works hard. I can respect a guy like that, especially with the work that he's put in since I was 3, I want to say, in the league. He's done this for a long time at a long clip. Just happy he's throwing me the ball.
Q. When the team brings in a corner midweek like they did with Cam, was that a strategy for you guys to go out and see if he is ready yet in this scheme and everything?
DK METCALF: We were going to go at whoever was out there on the field. Like we saw the way that they lined up on defenses with certain motions, we tried to attack that this week. Then, you know, like you said, with one-on-one balls, down the field.
Q. You described your preparation earlier. Did it change at all when you found out Cleveland traded for Tyson Campbell who was your matchup?
DK METCALF: No, sir. Just continued to watch film on him Thursday -- no, Wednesday, and implemented that throughout the rest of the week.
Q. A lot of credit has been given to Arthur Smith and his play-calling and saying it's helping them play faster and more aggressive. What do you like about what Arthur Smith has coordinated for you guys and helped this group find its path?
DK METCALF: I think he's just calling core plays that we've repped since training camp, since OTAs. We've got a lot of mileage. So we know what to do in our sleep when he calls those plays.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports