Steelers 24, Colts 17
MIKE TOMLIN: Man, I'm just appreciative of having an opportunity to compete on Monday Night Football. All of us grew up on it and it's just a part of the fabric of our society, and it's an honor to participate in it and win.
Appreciative of the efforts of the guys. We got a lot to work on, but we were good enough to secure victory, and for that we're thankful. Got a short week. Got another road trip waiting on us, so we got to sleep fast and do those things.
From a health standpoint, Naj was out with an abdominal injury. He's being evaluated. So I don't know the extent of that. I'm sure we'll visit again tomorrow and I'll have more information for you there. You know, I thought our kickoff unit has to be better. I thought that was a catalyst for whatever got started with them in the second half; the field position component of it was a big negative. We got to get better there. The field positioning was a negative in that aspect of the game.
That's what jumped out at me. There was a lot of good, a lot of things to grow from. We'll assess and move.
Questions?
Q. Mike what was the impetus for the division of labor in the secondary, particularly getting Pierre and Kazee as many snaps as they got?
MIKE TOMLIN: We use everybody in the secondary that's in a helmet. We've been in that mentality all year. The rotation of how we utilize them might change from game to game based on much up components and things of that nature. It's been pretty consistent that DBs in the helmet we utilize. We utilize them all.
Q. What did Snell and McFarland give you at running back tonight there as they alternated in those roles? What you did you like about what they gave you?
MIKE TOMLIN: I'm just appreciative of both guy's efforts. Sometimes you get battlefield promoted. Guy like Benny Snell became a central part of what we were doing offensively and he was still on punt team, punt return, kickoff. Matt (?) is guy that's always waiting and working for his opportunity. He did some things that we saw in team development in the pre-season that make him a little bit different than some of the other backs, things he's able to do in space, the screen game, draw game.
I just thought he was an asset to us.
Q. What have you seen from Kenny Pickett in terms of week to week progress, particularly his ability to overcome adversity?
MIKE TOMLIN: You guys ask me that every week. He's getting better every week and it's in a very natural way, because of experience. He's a competitor. He's smart. Still a lot of meat on the bone and it's just a process. But like I always say, he's good enough and we're good enough to win while that happens.
So we're not grading him or us on a curve. We acknowledge that he's very much in development. You can ask me next week and I'll tell you he got better in all areas again next week, because with each snap becomes exposure, and the sharp guys, guys that are competitors, they grow from those things.
Q. (regarding final scoring drive.) What did you see on that drive from him?
MIKE TOMLIN: We have him in there because we think he's capable of that. He proved it. You know, I'm sure he's going to get a lot of other opportunities moving forward to prove that.
We need people that run toward action not away from it. He runs toward it.
Q. How impressive was Alex Highsmith when you guys...
MIKE TOMLIN: Alex is legit. I think everybody knows that. But at the same time, it's good to have old 90 on the opposite side of you. I think that helps.
Q. Had the big lead and then you lost it. What happened?
MIKE TOMLIN: Kickoff coverage.
Q. Your team came back and retook the lead. Anything facilitate that?
MIKE TOMLIN: Just a natural ebb and flow of football. They got momentum with that kickoff, was able to put that ball in the end zone, and so you got to turn that tide. That's professional football. That's just part of it.
It doesn't happen in an instant.
Q. Mike Levi went down there, three minutes to go, and the way he was coming off the field, was that medical request coming from...
MIKE TOMLIN: I don't know where it came from, but obviously wherever it came from, we respect it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports