Steelers prepared for ‘Bucs’ stop at Heinz Field

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent the week preparing for their week four game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Heinz Field.  We go around the locker room and practice field to find out what the Steelers are saying about the game.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

On the Steelers Offense:

“We need to cut down on mistakes, cut down on the penalties, convert third downs and not punt as much.  We still have a lot of work to do.”

On struggling against teams that are below .500 in recent years:

“We just have to go out and approach each game like it’s the biggest one of the year and that it’s the best opponent that we’re going to face in the year.  That’s what we’re going to do this week.”

How do you guard against letting down for an opponent that struggled the previous week and how do you make sure your teammates are where they need to be?

“Well offensively speaking, (Tampa Bay is) a good defense. The games they’ve played, other than last week, have been close and they’re really good on defense. Coach (Tomlin) when he went over the scouting report today he spent probably three-quarters of the time on their defense. They’re getting a couple guys back healthy on their d-line that will really help them. It doesn’t get any easier for us on offense this week. It’s going to be a tough task and we’re going to have to really come out and be on our p’s and q’s.”

On whether there is a sense of urgency for the offense against Tampa Bay due to defensive injuries:

“We always want to have that urgency. We always want to put 30 points on the board and dominate on offense. Is there going to be a little more of it this week and probably the next couple of weeks because of injuries? Probably, but we have to be careful not to get caught up in trying to do too much to protect our defense because our defense will be fine. We have guys that can make plays. So we just have to keep doing what we want to do and continue doing what our goals are.”

On the performance of Le’Veon Bell at running back:

“I knew that he was an all-around back. You get a lot of guys in this league that are either really good runners, they’re specifically pass catchers (and) things like that. He can do a little bit of everything. I think he does each one of them really well. I think the thing that gets overlooked at sometimes, not from us, is his pass blocking. He does such a good of picking up blitzes and really sticking and not being afraid. We say stick his face in the fan, and really just even if a linebacker is blitzing (and) has a six-yard head start, he’s not going to just get out of the way or cut him. He’s going to stick in there and do his job because he knows how important it is.”

On how Bell’s performance helps the passing game:
“Well it makes us a very balanced offense. It opens up play-action. It opens up him in the pass game whether it’s screens or down the field. (I’m) just excited about what he’s done so far and what he can do.”

NFL Network analyst and former running back LaDainian Tomlinson on Bell/Blount Combo

“They mean everything to that offense.  They have gotten back to being a power football team and that’s what’s best for this Pittsburgh Steelers football team”

“These two guys together are fun to watch. You bring in LeGarrette Blount at the end of games. He is a closer – he will close the game for you. Le’Veon Bell, he can do it all; he can run inside, he has the speed to turn the corner, he can catch the football. He’s versatile, he’s athletic. I love Le’Veon Bell.”

Running back Le’Veon Bell

On having the number one rushing attack in the NFL and sitting at second in the league in total rushing (first in AFC):

“I love it.  Everybody talks about this league being a passing league. We want to be known as one of the teams that runs the football. That is what we are trying to do.”

On whether there is a difference in 2014 than in 2013:

“I feel a little quicker, a little more explosive.  I am able to get to the hole quicker than I was last year. I felt better when I got lighter. I was 245 in college, and when I lost that weight I felt better. Once I did that I got the results. I feel better. I don’t feel like I lost a lot of power.”

Running back LeGarrette Blount

“It’s a tough league.  There are a lot of guys in this league that can play football, so we are not going to have that performance every week. That is what we envision though. That is what we want to do for sure.”

Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley

On the keys to keeping running game going:

“I don’t think it’s any one thing. I think that we just need to build off of what we’ve been doing all the way back to the offseason. It’s been an emphasis and we knew it was something that needed to be better. We couldn’t run the ball as inefficiently as we did last year. I think it’s just been a process and we are making progress. I think we saw some of the fruits of that labor last week against a really good defense. We got to just keep building and keep getting better.”

On the Buccaneers being 0-3:

“I have been through it – nobody is ever really comfortable with change. When you ask guys to change – there are young guys and veteran guys and it’s not always comfortable. There are some growing pains that come with that. But it looks like (the Buccaneers) have everybody on the same page and they are doing a good job selling the way they want to do things and how they want to play football down there”

On having Maurkice Pouncey back in 2014:

“He is one of the best at his position if not the best. The more good players and great players you have the better you are. But he’s such an energy bringer. He brings so much with him every day. You know when he is in the room. You know when he is in the hallway. You know, obviously, when he’s out here. There is no substitute for that.”

Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau

On whether the defensive line’s performance against Carolina was at level he expects for entire season:

“Well the whole defense was obviously better.  (We had) better pressure, better playmaking ability and stopped the run.  We just have to build on that.  We have a long way to go but we took a good step there…Defense always starts upfront.”

On playing without Ike Taylor, Jarvis Jones and Ryan Shazier against Tampa Bay:

“Well it is a challenge. It’s basically one-fourth of your starting lineup. We’re fortunate that we have some good people behind them and we’ll have to adjust. It won’t be the only game during the season that this situation will arise. I’m sure of that. We try to prepare for this starting at coaching sessions and up into training camp. We try to practice for plan B and plan C. Many games I’ve been a part of, you have to go to plan B, C and D. So at least we’ve been through the scenario. I thought our guys did a good job of staying focused. We gave up some plays later in the game, but we were able to get off the field and keep the score relatively low.”

On whether James Harrison will return to play against the Buccaneers:

“You would have to talk to Coach Mike (Tomlin) about that but I don’t think Mike brought him back to not dress him.“

How he sees Cortez Allen developing:

“Like a lot of young corners he’s been up and down a little bit. He’s got tremendous athletic skills and great ball skills. Sometimes he doesn’t let those ball skills come to play, and I think once he gets over that final hurdle that you’ll see it in him. He’s been a productive interceptor and I know he can make those types of plays. Like a lot of our young players we’re just looking for him to continue to grow and become more and more productive as we go along.“

On having any doubt that the Steelers defense would get back to where it needed to be after the first two games of the season:

“We haven’t one way or the other yet, and everybody’s kind of in the same boat right now in the whole league. We certainly didn’t get off the way that I wanted this to and these are important games for us here coming up. But I don’t have any doubt about the work ethic and the commitment of these guys. It’s how we can play together and how productive we can be. I have confidence that they will work until we get to where we need to be.”