Projo Pats Blog

Well, a great half of football for our football team produced a great team win. It was just that: a team win. I think we had significant plays in all three phases. We had big returns, we got turnovers, the kicking game, [the] offense got going there and the defense, well, they were their usual selves. Needless to say, we're pleased with this. We'll keep it in perspective. We'll put it with the other ones. Our greater challenges, of course, lie ahead. We'll enjoy this today, no doubt, but we'll definitely move forward because we have an understanding of what's ahead of us.

Can you talk about James Harrison and what he did today?
Not to take it for granted, but that's what we've come to expect from him because that's what he's capable of. He's got tremendous talent. He's got tremendous work ethic and he's a heck of a football player.

Can you talk about the elements and how they might have impacted your offensive scheme and if they did impact the game?
We kind of embrace the bad weather. That's kind of our group. We've got a quarterback from Finley, Ohio. That's how we play football.

The Patriots were 1 for 11 on third down. What did you do to limit them?
We didn't do anything [differently] than we normally do. Of course we were conscious of Randy Moss and where he was located--he can hurt you, of course, big time--but we didn't step outside of our personality. We did what we usually do.

You weren't here for some of the history between the teams, but did you get a sense that some of your guys wanted this game because it was the Patriots, aside from what it meant for the playoff race?
You heard a lot of talk about it being a rivalry. I think more than anything our focus this week was that it hasn't been much of a rivalry because they've gotten after us. For it to be a rivalry we've got to win some and that's what we set out do when we came up here today.

Your nose tackle Casey Hampton didn't seem happy with that holding call and then he got the sack a play or two later. Can you talk about how important that was?
You know, Hamp [Casey Hampton] is a catalyst for us in a lot of ways--usually it's because he's a stout guy and tough to move in terms of playing the run. He got a nice play for us. It was a significant play, but there were a bunch of significant plays in the game. The credit goes to our players. They stepped up and embraced the challenge in a hostile environment against a very good football team and played the way we are capable of playing.

Can you talk about the play of Keyaron Fox and how much his plays swung the game?
Again, like I said, you can pick plays that swung the game. Keyaron played big for us today, other than the initial penalty to get us started. This is a guy that's passionate about his role as a core special teams player and I think he's a source of energy for a lot of people. We like humble, grounded guys like him. He's one of the reasons we're much improved in our special teams game.

Was it your game plan to use the two running backs the way you did today or was that just the evolution of the game?
That was the plan. We were going to use both guys. I think everybody knows what Willie [Parker] is capable of and of course Mewelde [Moore] continues to prove that he's a valuable asset to us. It was our plan to use both guys and it ended up working pretty well.

You had over 160 yards rushing today. What does that tell you about what you're trying to do in the running game with all the injuries you've had?
You know, we still can't run it. We're working. That's what you guys will write, anyway.

Can you talk about how important it was early in the game when they jumped out to a quick lead to hold your composure as a team?
That's kind of been our personality here, as much as you don't like to accept that. We've gone into some hostile environments and gotten off to a slow start. But the guys don't blink; they persevere. We got off to a slow start in [Washington,] D.C. against those guys in a hostile environment. That's kind of how it's been for us, but they didn't blink. They knew we had 60 minutes of football and we just continued.

You went to a no-huddle offense on the drive that tied the game. Why then and what did that do for you?
We had the intentions of jumping in and out of no-huddle, just like we intended to rotate out backs. So it wasn't any grand scheme of things, we were just going to continue to do that and change the rhythm of the game.

Offensively, it looked like they were spreading you out a little bit in the first half. Did you do anything differently to get James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley involved?
We had the intentions of dropping people versus empty because they get the ball out of their hands so quick we didn't think we could get home. We carried that personality all game and it was probably less empty in the second half, so those guys had an opportunity to rush. It wasn't any change, It's just how it fell for us.

What do you think about that penalty on Ryan Clark when he hit Wes Welker?
I don't comment on penalties or officiating.

What does it say that your team was able to hold onto the ball and the Patriots weren't?
When you play good people -- make no mistake, the New England Patriots are a good team -- we've got to take care of the football. We talked last night about scoring or punting and that was going to be a significant determinant of the outcome of the game. And we did. We took care of the ball. Ben [Roethlisberger] did a nice job, the ball carriers did a nice job, the receivers did a nice job. The elements and all of that are part of it, but more than anything you've got to understand that when you're toting the ball, you're carrying our livelihoods.

How were you trying to attack their secondary?
We were just trying to spread the ball around and be inclusive, include everybody -- tight ends, wide outs, running backs. I think we're more concerned about what it is we do as opposed to attacking them.

There was a third and two on a no huddle and it looked like Ben Roethlisberger audibled on a draw to Mewelde Moore. Do you know what he saw?
He called the play. It wasn't an audible.

You talked about in the second half trying to get some pressure on them. What did you do differently?
We were able to get home some, and it's not because we did anything differently, really. They probably just were throwing the ball down the field a little bit more than they were in the first half, due to game circumstance. Sometimes things like that snowball. I don't want to make more out of it than what it is. When you start to get up on people and they have to start to throw the ball vertically, you get more rush opportunities. It's not like any grand scheme of things that we changed or that our level of intensity changed. I think just game circumstances created more opportunities for us.

Is Ben Roethlisberger getting better at calling the plays and no huddle?
He's been pretty consistent. That's how he's been.

Any injuries?
None to speak of, thankfully.

Are you concerned Ryan Clark might get fined for the hit on Wes Welker?
I'll let the league do their job. I'll let the officials do their job. I'm not going to express my opinions in regards to any of that.

You guys hit pretty hard today.
They hit pretty hard, too.

Yeah but they're the ones that walked away bloodied and dazed.
They're a good football team.

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