Steelers - 32, Raiders - 13
Q. Aidan, can you put your finger on what you think happened today with this team?
AIDAN O'CONNELL: Yeah, I think again just some self-inflicted stuff. Obviously opened up with a good drive and had a couple three and outs. We can't put our defense in a spot like that where we're not running plays, and we're not on the field for very long.
We're trying to do a better job of sustaining drives. Obviously can't turn the ball over as well, starting with myself.
Yeah, just frustrating, some self-inflicted wounds.
Q. You made your first start of the season today, but down one of your top tight ends, down your starting running back, down your top two receivers. Obviously not an ideal situation, but how do you feel like that contributed to the outcome?
AIDAN O'CONNELL: I think we have confidence in our guys. The guys obviously -- some guys are getting in there for the first time or maybe have not had as much of an opportunity. I've gotten reps with all of those guys. There's really no excuse. You've got to go out and execute, and that's our job.
Q. You mentioned that first drive, you had some nice rhythm. Is it especially frustrating because you guys couldn't keep that going, I mean the way it was going so well?
AIDAN O'CONNELL: Obviously we've been emphasizing we wanted to come out fast, and we did that. It was a great first drive to come out and get points and a touchdown specifically.
It was huge for momentum, but like I said, it takes 60 minutes. Obviously there's going to be good drives, drives that aren't as good, but you just try to maintain and sustain that momentum, and I don't think we did that very well.
Q. Aidan, injuries aside -- I understand you're taking over the offense now, but you mentioned the self-inflicted mistakes, they are continuing to happen. Can you explain or can you argue, is this a good football team right now, or are there things that need to be done to make it a good football team?
AIDAN O'CONNELL: Yeah, I think, like I said, I'm super confident in our locker room. I look around at our players, and I know the work that's been put in. I know what we've done before, obviously we've seen it done. We had a big win earlier in the year in week 2. Obviously don't want to look in the past, but we know we can do it. It's about going out and executing during the week to give ourselves the best chance on Sunday.
I still have full confidence in our guys. That's definitely not going to waver for me.
Q. Aidan, what does become the message though in the locker room? I know this is a young team, trying to find some leadership right now, but to make sure it goes in that direction rather than slides in the other direction.
AIDAN O'CONNELL: I think we have guys that want to go to work. Obviously it's not the start we wanted for the first six games, but it's a long season. There's other teams in the NFL that aren't where they want to be. It takes looking at ourselves in the mirror. I think each one of us looking at ourselves first, starting with me, and just trying to get better.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports