Mike Tomlin: "I'd prefer to be a team on the rise" heading into Week 18
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have rebounded from a 2-6 record to keep their playoff hopes alive heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Mike Tomlin began his press conference by recapping last week's 16-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
"At the end of the day, we were able to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball," Tomlin said. "I think our guys' willingness to embrace the type of game it was going to be, to prepare and then deliver a performance is what I like to acknowledge," Tomlin said.
Tomlin took a moment to speak on the injury that Buffalo Bills defender and former Pitt player, Damar Hamlin, suffered during the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"It's a really personal thing for me, being a Pittsburger and that young man being a Pittsburgher. I've known that guy since he was about 12. I have a lot of respect and love for him as a human being. His commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL, and to watch him make personal decisions, and make that realization, it's just an honor to get to know young people like that," Tomlin said. "I have a lot of love for that young man. We lift him and that organization up in prayer. I reached out to Sean McDermott to lend whatever assistance I could," Tomlin added.
Tomlin then switched gears to preview the upcoming AFC North battle.
"You have to respect their run game," Tomlin said of the Cleveland Browns' offense. "They have to be a top tandem in football," Tomlin added while describing the committee of Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb at the running back position. The "attrition" component will be a determining factor in this contest, Tomlin added.
"Obviously, stepping into a stadium with Deshaun Watson has our attention," Tomlin said. Cleveland will start Watson, not Jacoby Brissett, for the team's final contest. However, Tomlin didn't see much difference between Brissett and Watson from a schematics point of view.
"We have to do a better job with [Amari] Cooper as a featured, central guy. With each exposure, it's reasonable to expect you to be better, so that's an agenda for us."
"On the other side of the ball, man it always starts with 95," Tomlin said, referencing Cleveland's dominant pass rusher, Myles Garrett. "You can't allow him to wreck the game, and he's the type of guy that can wreck the game in an instant," Tomlin said. Additionally, Tomlin said Pittsburgh will need to double-team Garrett to have success on the offensive side of the ball.
From a health standpoint, Tomlin remained largely optimistic about the players at his disposal. Both Myles Jack and Minkah Fitzpatrick will be monitored throughout the week but should be able to suit up. Defensive back James Pierre remains in concussion protocol, Tomlin added.
Tomlin cited the resolve needed from players and the preparation that is needed to increase the chances of success throughout the grind of an NFL season.
Tomlin was asked about rookie DeMarvin Leal's increased role on the defensive line. Tomlin has been impressed with Leal's "elite" movement as a defensive lineman. "He's one of those guys, man. Elite defensive linemen are usually power players who are uniquely athletic or are oversized athletes, they have the hand-eye coordination of smaller people, they play catch, they punt balls with DBs, and Leal is the type of guy that falls into that latter category. He doesn't realize he's a lineman."
Another notable rookie, linebacker Mark Robinson, "likes physical confrontation," Tomlin said, describing Robinson's skill in the wake of an increase in playing time. "That's the one component of his game that's never been in question."
"You get 17 opportunities to state a case for yourself and it's my job to continually educate our guys on the significance that, not only now, but continually, and so we have. We acknowledge where we are, we're willing to lay in the bed that we've made, but more importantly, we're going to stay focused on the work that we have an opportunity to affect."
"Everything that I do professionally is intentional," Tomlin said of his leadership style and the impression he makes on his roster of young players.
"I'd simply prefer to be a team on the rise," Tomlin said when asked about his preference of clinching a playoff spot early or grinding it out until the final week of the regular season. "A team that's playing better ball, increasingly, is a team that you want to be."
The Steelers battle the Browns on Sunday. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. and the game can be seen on KDKA-TV.