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ARTICLE
HEAD COACH BILL COWHER BILL COWHER Head coach Initial comments... “First of all, I just want to congratulate Cincinnati on a tremendous season. I feel very bad about Carson Palmer. It’s an unfortunate accident. You hate to see someone’s season end like that. That’s a good football team. This was a big challenge for our team coming in and kind of weathering the storm early in the game. We came out in the second half and made a couple of big plays. These are two very evenly matched teams, as was proven this year. We’re fortunate and feel good about moving on. We’re looking forward to next week.” On the throwback touchdown pass… “We’ve been repping that play for about two months. We repped it this week and walked through it on Saturday. We’ve had it in there for a while and Whiz mad a great call in the perfect situation. We’ve got a lot of things and still have some more left. We’re at the point now where there is no tomorrow. It was just a good call by Whiz.” On how QB Ben Roethlisberger kept his cool when they were down… “He made some big plays, some big scrambles, and (had) very good decision making. I just thought our offensive line, we got through that first part after a couple of false starts, really they were with the receivers. There was a lot of energy and emotion in this game, and we kind of knew that going in. It will be no different next week in Indianapolis. Obviously, the score at the end of the first half was big. We got down 17-7 and cut it back to three.” On Jerome Bettis… “He had some great one-yard runs today. There were a couple of times he was hit in the backfield and he was twistin’ and turnin’. I told him on that drive, ‘That was a heck of a drive.’ He brought the ball in the end zone. The big guy still has some pretty good feet, I think. He’s just been invaluable. What can you say about Jerome?” On the high emotions of this game… “We knew there would be emotions in this game. There was a lot that was being said leading up to this game, none of which I want to get into. We understood that this was a rivalry game. This is a rivalry team. Certainly the playoffs are here; there was a lot leading up to this game. There were a lot of emotions. What happened with Carson was nothing that was intentional and I don’t think anyone would interpret it that way. It was an unfortunate accident, really.” On the improved second half pass defense… “We didn’t do a whole lot (to adjust), we just executed a little bit better as the game went on. That’s a good offense. Rudi Johnson is a good back. They had us on our heels. Our offense did a good job of responding. The biggest thing is not to overreact and to keep responding. Our guys just kept responding. You can’t get caught up in the emotion and the finality that these games can bring. The fact this team’s been there before, I think, they really understand that mindset.” On the biggest challenge for next week… “We gave up some big plays today. James Harrison has an ankle sprain, and Quincy Morgan as well. I’ll have to see how we get out of this physically. We’re going to play a team that is well rested. It’s a big challenge.” On a possible “redemption game” against the Colts… “Right now, we just enjoy playing. We’re just going to go to the next game where they send us and we’re going to try to find a way to win this next game. If we don’t, then we understand that mentality.” On the big games from Randle El and Cedric Wilson… “They’re good receivers, and Ben has a lot of trust in them. Ben’s been working in practice to develop some timing and continuity. That will be the biggest difference against Indianapolis this time.” On Rothlisberger’s improved play this postseason… “It’s experience. He’s been there. It’s not a case of having to do too much and take too much on his shoulders. He did a nice job of stepping and getting out of the pocket and hitting check-downs. That’s the thing is his composure. He’s aware of what’s going on and does a good job being the leader that he is.” On Cincinnati needing the threat of Carson Palmer making plays downfield… “Well they have a lot of guys. I know Chris Henry went out of that game early too, so that’s two good players that went out. Carson Palmer is a Pro Bowl quarterback, so it’s tough to lose a guy like that.” On playing better in the second half… “We felt at halftime that we had taken their best shot. There were so many positive things coming from their side and it was only 17-14. That’s not bad. I felt good that we didn’t play very well in the first half, but yet we’re only down by three points.”
STEELERS PLAYERS JAMES FARRIOR Linebacker Was there a reason QB Jon Kitna was holding onto the ball that long, or did you guys know that you had the receivers covered? “I guess we had them covered in the back end, because he was running around with the ball, holding it a lot, and it allowed our guys more time to get to him. We did a good job in the back end covering.” Was that part of the plan, dropping more guys and not blitzing as much? “We did a little bit of both. We mixed it up a lot. We didn’t want to just stay doing one thing. We wanted to try to blitz a little bit, cover a little bit and just keep them off of their pace.” BEN ROETHLISBERGER Quarterback Any difference this year from last year? How was your playoff experience this year? “I think my play and our play spoke volumes for that. I have to give a lot of credit to the Bengals, they came out and were firing on all cylinders. They gave us a few 1-2 punches in the mouth, and I think we weathered the storm very well and we were able to keep it under control. I told the guys we should batten down the hatches, weather this out and hopefully when it goes away we can step it up and play good football, and I think we did when it mattered.” At what point during the flea flicker did you know it was going to work? “At no point. I faked like it was over my head. I saw the cornerback come towards me, and I’m like, ‘Oh boy he’s going to stay here and watch me.’ Luckily I played opossum and he started running after Antwaan (Randle El), so I am sitting there waiting for Antwaan to throw me the ball. He went about 10 yards further than he was supposed to. The ball seemed like it was in the ball forever. When I was catching the ball, I saw out of the corner of my eye ... I saw a bunch of guys running down the field and I knew they were in man coverage, and they were staying with somebody. When I caught the ball, I turned and saw two people open. It was my pick who to hit, Hines (Ward) or Cedric (Wilson). I said that Hines had enough touchdowns this year, so I am going to make up for the ones that I missed to Cedric. I got it to him. I wasn’t sure if Hines was going to box him out and catch it anyway, but he threw a good block and got Cedric the touchdown.” You had enough time to think about that once you saw Hines and Wilson out there… “It wasn’t a pretty ball, so I thought it might get knocked out before it even got there.” Why are gadget plays such a big part of the offense? “We have had those plays in all year. We practice them every week, but we never run them. We called them today. And when coach called them in, I thought, ‘Is this play going to work or not?’ I give coach a lot of credit. He made those plays work. And we should have had another, Bussie (Jerome Bettis), should have had a touchdown pass, but Hines is going to thank him so that he would get a chance.” Are you going to have to coach him up on the passing, because it was pretty bad? “Jerome and I, every day, we play a little accuracy game, and I beat him the last two weeks. Maybe I need to get his confidence back up.” A year ago, could you have done this, being down 10 points and then throwing three touchdown passes in a playoff game? “It felt good. Everyone said that if we couldn’t run the ball, we couldn’t win. They did a good job of stopping the run early. I think the offensive line did a great job of opening things up for me — giving me time, picking up the blitzes — and I think our passing game really stepped up today. I know it was a big step for us on offense to complete our offense and make it a more well-rounded offense.” HINES WARD Wide receiver After the game started, it looked like a street fight. You guys kind of took control after that. What turned things around for this team? “They came out and we withstood their first punches. Playing on the road, we wanted to come out and play pretty fast, get off on a good start. It took us the whole first quarter to do that. We kind of settled things down, and got back, calmed things down. It is always tough playing on the road. The crowd was behind them and we got some false-start penalties early. Once we settled down and got into the rhythm of things, we went out there and did what we did. For them to make a rap video, and come on out (the way they did) — it was exciting for the city. But it was kind of disrespecting us. We have won this division for a long time. Yes, they won it. But in the playoffs, the loser goes home.” How different was this game without Carson Palmer? “It was different because when your leader goes down it takes a lot out of you, but it is a part of the game. In the playoffs teams have to worry about injuries, and it was unfortunate, and my heart goes out to him because he had a tremendous year, but it is a part of football and injuries do happen and people have to deal with it.” It seemed like it was tough to run the ball at first. Talk about how the passing game really picked this team up… “We just found ways just to go out there. We are going to go out there and run the ball, but we like our chances as far as the passing game, and when we did get opportunities to make the most of it, I think we as receivers did. It was just one of those games that we couldn’t get things going in the running game, so we had to make plays in the passing game.” CEDRICK WILSON Wide receiver How much did the earlier plays in the season set that play up? And how much were you banking on that happening? “We are always banking on our gadget plays — reverse passes, and things of that nature. We have done a good job with that. Bussie (Jerome Bettis) had an opportunity to hit Heath (Miller) in the end zone, but it came up a little short. He is going to get (teased) about that too. We did a great job and won the game. Cincinnati played well, but we are going to move on to Indianapolis.” TROY POLAMALU Safety Do you think the Bengals felt they had to come and rough you up? “No, we were just two teams trying to go on in the playoffs.” Did someone say something to you when you got the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct? “No, I was just being stupid.” Was that one of the playoff lessons? “Yeah, it definitely is.” Speaking of lessons, having played the Colts in Indianapolis already, do you feel better prepared for this game coming up now? “Well, we know what to expect, but it is a very different situation than earlier in the season. We both have playoff experience and they are very tough at home. It will be very tough for us.” The way that last Indy game started with the bomb to Marvin Harrison, how much did that do to disrupt you guys right away? “We were pretty solid throughout the rest of the game. We were in the game. But against a team that great, you can’t give up too many big plays. I think this was a great test for us, facing Cincinnati, because they are a big play team as well.” JEROME BETTIS Running back The experience this team has, you are down 10 in the first quarter, you have the Bengals losing their quarterback, talk about how experience came through… “We knew it was going to be a four-quarter game. I think the experience comes into play when you are down like that and you take their best punch. I think the experience was a factor in the second half.” What was learned from the regular season game in Indianapolis that you can take for the game next week? “Understanding that we aren’t going to be able to hear. I think that is an important part of the game. We understand that it is going to be deafening, and we aren’t going to be able to hear, but it helps us having played there earlier this season.” What were your thoughts when Carson Palmer went down? “My heart was with him. It looked really bad. I was just hoping that he would be OK. After that, we knew that Kitna is battle-tested. He’s a veteran in this league, so we knew it was still going to be a tough test.” Could you talk about the go-ahead drive? You had a couple of carries on third-and-one, and you got a touchdown … “For me it was important, because that is my role. Third-and-one, I am licking my chops because it’s my opportunity to come in and make an impact in the game. When they called my number, I knew I had to get my yard. On the first one, a guy was free in the hole and I had to just make him miss and get a yard. I was able to do that. I feel really proud to be able to get those tough yards.”
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