Vikings 36, Steelers 28
MIKE TOMLIN: Disappointing game to say the least. Just to be blunt, we're getting handled up front on both sides of the ball, and that makes it difficult. It makes it difficult to do what we desire to do. It makes it difficult to maintain balance. It makes it difficult to dictate to our opponents what happens or what happens next.
It's going to be tough sledding for us until we get better in that area. We're not good in that area. We were JV again tonight, and I'm talking about up front on both sides. We lost the battle in the line of scrimmages, and that's football. We make no excuse. It is what it is. We've got to be better than we were.
We'll turn over every stone to do that. We've got a long week coming up between this and our next one. We'll make good use of that time and assess not only what we're doing but who we're doing it with.
We had two injuries in the game. T.J. went down with a groin. Alex Highsmith went down with a quad. We got thin at that spot.
But just disappointed, but such is life. We won't blink.
Q. Weren't you severely limited on both sides of the ball?
MIKE TOMLIN: What do you mean?
Q. In terms of personnel.
MIKE TOMLIN: We're limited tonight. We've got 10 days, 11 days, whatever, between now and our next one, so we'll do whatever we can to strengthen ourselves.
Q. What was the difference between first and second half in the trenches?
MIKE TOMLIN: You know, we stayed in the fight, but they were up 29 damn points at halftime or whatever it was.
Q. You guys have had a couple games this season where there have been second-half comebacks. What it is that's keeping you guys from scoring fast?
MIKE TOMLIN: We're getting beat in the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, like I opened this with. Really I'm not going to make it more complex than what it is. Football is a complex yet simple game. You've got to whip blocks, you've got to make tackles, you've got to sustain blocks. You've got to make your power is falling in the right direction.
We're not doing those things. We're not doing those things nearly consistently enough to hang our hat and find the type of footing to have consistency and performance.
Q. It looked like you benched Chase Claypool for a while.
MIKE TOMLIN: I did.
Q. Was that because of the penalties?
MIKE TOMLIN: Yes.
Q. Was the message -- do you feel like --
MIKE TOMLIN: We'll see.
Q. You went with (indiscernible)?
MIKE TOMLIN: Man, we're not whooping enough tail, you know. We're not striking enough. We're not making the power fall the right direction enough.
I'd be remiss -- I'd be doing that group a disservice if I didn't look at all options, and Buddy is an option that has worked, and so we played him some.
Q. You also had Marcus Allen out there --
MIKE TOMLIN: Same. Same. We will not be bashful about turning the stones over.
Q. When you say not be bashful, does that extend to the coaching staff?
MIKE TOMLIN: What do you mean? A coach hasn't made a play, sustained a block, made a tackle. I know I hadn't in a long time.
Q. What did you see from the no-huddle offense?
MIKE TOMLIN: You know, when they're up like that, you're going to -- they're going to allow you to move the ball some. I'm not going to make more out of that than what it is. I gave you guys a synopsis from my perspective, and maybe I'll give you a little bit more detail the next time we come together, but that's my gut and knee-jerk reaction because that's what I saw.
Q. How did you think Derrek and Taco played with those two guys down?
MIKE TOMLIN: I just appreciate their efforts. Those are guys that are new to us and haven't played a lot, and they quickly became every-down players. I appreciate their efforts, but effort don't get the job done. We didn't put enough pressure on the quarterback. But that's life.
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