Steelers 28, Dolphins 15
AARON RODGERS:
Q. That was as complete a performance rushing and passing, and would you happen the recall the last time you scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions?
AARON RODGERS: Yeah, it's been a while. Probably not this year. So, you know, it was slow going. They were playing a bunch of shell. They game in and had a certain amount of pressure percentage that they played and we expected them to play a little maybe a little more one high. Last week Baltimore played a lot of one high and we hit some shots down the field, so I expected them to play some more shell, but it was a lot of shell.
We had to be efficient and dink and dunk at times and kind of take what was there. Once we started to run the ball everything opened up. The action game opened up and hit a couple keepers, finally converted some third downs, held the football.
That drive was a big one after they got the field goal, right, to go up three nothing. They had the short kick and went 60. You know, for us to keep the ball for the last four, whatever it was on the clock and give them no time was good. Then we came out and we got a first down and we scored.
So that was good to double up like that. Kept the momentum going. A lot of guys made plays today. We would like to get some more opportunities for DK, but Kenny had a fantastic game. 126, what, combined yards; Pat had some nice plays; Marquez had a touchdown. Of course that was awesome. Asante Samuel had a pick. Junior I should add, because I played against his dad.
Kind of what I said after the game, there are some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special. Kenny Gainwell signed a next-to-nothing contract. Connor Heyward, afterthought. Had a touchdown run. You know, Marquez been on a couple teams. Adam Thielen got cut. Samuel was on the street for a long time. Says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in.
Q. Do you consider yourself one of those castoffs, too?
AARON RODGERS: No, I'm not a castoff?
Q. You talk about your ability to hit the cover two. When they went to their two high you guys attacked the middle part of the field. What can you say about the work that you guys have been putting in to making sure to capitalize when teams do that even when they disguise it?
AARON RODGERS: I don't think we did that a whole lot. First 24 minutes of the game, but we started to get some things going. Obviously had one to DK early for 22, but the play by DK was one of the better plays I've seen in my 21 years. There is a play by Driver back in 2009, which was one the greatest catch and runs I've ever seen.
That was pretty special. Yeah. Tight window, catch, juke, hard, stiff arm. That was fun to see him get that one. But there was a lot of little plays that made a big difference. I thought all three of Pat's catches were adjustments where he did really good stuff. Didn't have Pat have involved as much as I would have liked, but those were three impactful plays.
Q. How important is it to win back to back games, something you guys hadn't done since early October?
AARON RODGERS: Has it been that long? Yeah, these are two huge games. Obviously division game is the most important game. These guys have won four straight coming in. We know -- well, some of us, maybe few of us, know about how obviously the first way to get to the playoffs is win your division.
There is -- you know, having beaten Baltimore already there is tiebreakers that come into affect, including divisional record, conference record, so winning your AFC games are really important. Keeping the one-game lead plus the head-to-head is big as well.
Q. You had a stretch of 13 consecutive completions. The highest completion percentage since 2014. Did you feel like you were locking into a rhythm early? What kind of led to that?
AARON RODGERS: Probably the cool weather. I'm a California kid but always enjoyed playing in the cold weather. Feel like there can be some advantages to the offense, especially when you're playing on a field that's a little beat up or super slick like Green Bay became over the years.
So I've always enjoyed that. You know, I'm gifted with hands that can handle a cold ball, a ball that's a little slick when the weather gets cold like that. Always been able to throw pretty good.
You know, doesn't tell the whole story. There was some nice catches, good adjustments, dink and dunks, but I knew I needed to be efficient today, especially if they played a bunch of shell, and I felt like we were pretty efficient.
Q. What was the impact Kenny G had on this game?
AARON RODGERS: Really every game. The run he had, 38 yards I belive on just a simple inside zone leak, just his vision. Just fun to watch. I can't tell you exactly what I call him every week because there is some expletives in there. I love playing with him. I really do. He is as smart as they come. He is super smart, and I still cannot believe what we got him for.
I told him a long time ago my goal was to get him paid because I've been a fan of his since he was in Philly, and thought that every time you he went in the game something good happens. So just to be able to play with him and the type of guy he is, man, I can't say enough good things about Kenny. Every game he comes up with impactful plays and makes guys miss and catches the ball.
I was telling -- who was I telling? I think Marquez on the sideline. One of the most impressive things is to watch us of Friday practice just do pat-and-go drill, which is just an over-the-shoulder drill. He's as fluid as anybody on the team catching the football. For a guy that's making damn near a vet minimum, he's been a tremendous asset to our team this year.
Q. Aaron, you guys have won back to back games against teams that have one four out of their last five. Are you guys starting to play your best ball you have this season and what's clicking for you guys that you see working for this team?
AARON RODGERS: Well, I think the defense has played really well the last couple weeks. Obviously up 28 to 3 at one point, thought I might get to take a seat on the bench and let Mason get in there.
They got good football players. They made a couple plays. But to hold them to 15 points, that's a game we should win. Last week, 22 points, a game we should win.
Offensively I feel like Art got into a really good rhythm today, especially second quarter on. It wasn't his fault in the first quarter. We just didn't execute very well. Put ourselves behind the chains a few times.
But him and I got a real good relationship. Spend a lot of time together during the week. I felt like he was really good situationally with the calls. Then we converted I think three fourth downs as well.
If you look at the big stat that's been killing us a lot of the season is the time of possession, and today we had quadruple fours -- or threes, sorry. So obviously up by six and change in that department, which was really important.
Q. You talked about wanting to play meaningful December football; that was one of the reasons you wanted to come here and play.
AARON RODGERS: Keep playing, yeah.
Q. Your play tonight, did you physically feel different in December? Curious, is it different for you in December than it might be in September?
AARON RODGERS: Well, '22 we were 4-8 at one point and we won four straight and gave ourselves a chance. '23 I played four plays. '24 we weren't very good.
So been a while since I've been a part of stuff like this. Nothing changes. It's just I feel real comfortable in this environment. Obviously the crowd was really good tonight. But I feel comfortable in the cold weather, and I've always been able to throw pretty good in the cold over the years in Green Bay.
Could be an advantage if you embrace it.
Q. ...talking about that tight window to DK earlier, talked about the cold weather, we call it the zone or that part where you're just (indiscernible); is that fair to say kind of in that realm tonight or no?
AARON RODGERS: I feel good. Feel like to be in the zone maybe there would be some more like down-the-field shots. It wasn't because of the defense they were playing, the soft coverage, especially at the safety position. There wasn't a ton of down-the-field shots. It was a very efficient game, but I expect in that type of game to be efficient.
Obviously in this case we caught the ball and we got open, but the zone is a state, the flow state, like to put the tag on it now; that's obviously the desired destination every single week, but it's all about efficiency and being smart with the football.
Q. Aaron, very balanced offense today; 28 points; you were able to run as well as pass the ball. So moving forward, how much can we expect from this offense?
AARON RODGERS: You guys can expect whatever the hell you want, but we were 4, 13 on third down. A lot of that is in the first half in the four-minute drill. But 3-3 on fourth dawn was good. We finally had 62 plays, which we haven't been doing in a while. Obviously efficient throwing the football. We had three sacks. One of them was on me to keep the clock going in the fourth quarter, so really just two sacks.
3-3 in the red zone. We haven't been the most dynamic, explosive offense this season, but I feel like we've been good in the red zone. I don't know where we are at leaguewide, but we got to be in the upper half at minimum I would assume, and we've had stretches with we played good football. I think tonight was the first time we had complementary football in a three phase and that's the standard, so we're going to try and meet that next week in Detroit -- this week in Detroit.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports