STEELERS VS. BROWNS 
Post-Game Quotes
Sunday, December 7, 2006
at Heinz Field

Steelers Quotes - Below
Additional Steelers Quotes - Click on Link
Browns Quotes - Click on Link

 

HEAD COACH BILL COWHER: 

Obviously it was a good night, and I'm happy for Willie Parker. He's such and unselfish kid and I couldn't be happier for him. What a job the offensive line did, and I thought Ben (Roethlisberger) did a great job too. That first touchdown pass was thrown right into the teeth of the wind. It was a heck of a throw. I thought we played well defensively. Even in the kicking game, we did a lot of good things tonight. I told the players that we should move the next game up to Monday so we could keep playing. We'll get some time off here this weekend and play this thing out. We have three games left and we'll see what happens.

 

How did the rookies do making their first start?

 

Anthony Smith I thought was really good. He made some big hits. He made the big interception. Santonio (Holmes) made some big catches today. The one on third down in the third quarter was a big catch. Those two kids played well.

 

How did the receivers hold onto the ball?

 

I thought the best thing we did this week was to go outside and practice. We went outside and were throwing in the wind. We practiced Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, on the field every day. It made it a pretty normal week. I thought we played with that type of energy tonight. It's not like we had time to think about it. Monday was like a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday was like a Thursday, and Wednesday was like a Friday. After Friday's practice I called everyone to the sideline and made it officially Saturday. We ran our one-play walk thru. The way the guys responded to the short week, the way that we practiced, even on Monday, I said give me what you have and was really a quick tempo. We had good week of work. It didn't surprise me the way we played tonight.

 

How did Sean Morey and Walter Young do?

 

Sean Morey came through. We got Lee Mays back. Sean, you always look at him as just a special teams player but he's a good football player. He knows what to do. He knows different positions, made catches. Walter on the first scramble came in there. He's been on the practice squad the whole time this year. It was good to get him out there. A lot of guys stepped up tonight. We needed them to and I was happy for them.

 

The defense has been stingy lately except for the first half against Baltimore.

 

Yeah, and even the first half against Baltimore, to be honest with you, if you look at the two scores, they came on short fields. This was a good game for us.

 

Were you aware that Parker was close to the record?

 

Yes.

 

Were you determined to get it for him?

 

Not determined but I knew he was getting close to it so we weren't going to deny him of that.

 

 

Did the team remain focused?

 

Well, like I said, no one liked what took place in Baltimore. The only thing you can do is go out and play. A year ago heading into this game we were 7-5, this year we're 5-7. What's the difference between this year and last year? I can think of two or three games that a year ago we had won. This is the time of year that you have to play your best football. These guys understand that. You could just feel the tempo, the preparation is a big part of that. They understand that mindset and mentality. The difference between this year and last year is basically two games. Those two games we won last year and we didn't win this year.

 

Why were you able to get the running game going finally?

 

It's hard to say. I looked at the weather conditions and didn't think that this would be a good night for Willie Parker. How about that thinking going in? We were talking about this might be a night for Najeh Davenport because you can't cut and do those things. The field really held up great. We stayed with the run. We started to sort some things and it unfolded.

 

Do you think Parker doesn't get enough credit?

 

I think the guy is one of the top backs in the National Football League. I said that to people that come in and ask me about players. They ask about your players and he's the first guy I think about. Willie Parker is a good football player. He's a tough kid. His blocking is good. He's been catching the ball very well. His stats speak for it. He's one of the top backs in the National Football League in my mind.

 

What was the difference today with the running game?

 

It's hard to say. I can't put my finger on it.

 

Did you block better?

 

We did. We were able to stay with it and get some big runs. I give a lot of credit to the offensive line, the tight ends, Danny Kreider, all those guys. Willie ran well. Najeh ran well. It was just one of those nights.

 

How are you injury-wise?

 

Mike Logan has a hamstring. That's the only one I'm aware of. I think everybody else is good.

 

Chris Collinsworth said that you told him if you go to North Carolina it would be to get away from football. Did you say that to him?

 

That's an interpretation. I guess if I went to Carolina, that's what it would be.

 

Have you made up your mind?

 

No.

 

 

Are the players off the rest of the week?

 

Yeah, the players are off until Tuesday. We'll have our press conference with you guys on Monday so Tuesday will be our extra day. We'll have a long weekend. We'll come back and get to work on Tuesday. Wednesday will be a normal Wednesday.

 

How are Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward?

 

We'll see.

 

 

BEN ROETHLISBERGER

Talk about the weather conditions.

 

It was tough out there. We would have fooled you if we didn't think it was tough. I threw it as far as I could and then there were two to Santonio (Holmes). One deep down the middle, that when I let go of it, the wind didn't do what I thought it would do. The ball just kept doing. Yeah, it was tough out there, but I think our guys did a good job. The receivers adjusted to the ball. The ball was moving a lot out there. For them to be able to focus and catch the ball like they did, I give them a lot of credit.

 

Talk about Willie Parkers' performance?

 

I'm proud of the way a lot of guys played tonight. A couple young receivers stepped up big. The offensive line gave me all day, it seemed like, and blocked and opened up holes for Willie and the rest of the backs. I'm just really proud of how our whole offense played.

 

Linemen said they haven't been consistent. Did you see a difference tonight?

 

I don't think I did. I don't remember getting hit. Some of the holes, when I turned around and watched Willie (Parker) run, were pretty big. I might have been able to make it through a couple of them. I have to give them a lot of credit today. They opened up holes and gave me all day (to throw). We were talking about it. Me, Brian St. Pierre and Charlie Batch were talking about it on the sidelines, we said that our offensive line dominated. They did it all day and that's a big credit to them.

 

How big was the play by Sean Morey and Walter Young?

 

It was big. Like I said, I'm proud of how everyone stepped up.  I told Nate Washington and Santonio Holmes that they both grew up today.  I was really proud of the way they played. They stepped up and made a lot of big plays, and key plays. Sean Morey and Walter Young stepped up big and made some big plays and the tight ends. Everyone really stepped up and contributed big today.

 

Was your touchdown a planned run?

 

Yeah, I was keeping it.

 

Did you ever wonder if Willie Parker was the right back for this offense?

 

I knew that Willie Parker was going to help us change this offense and be a faster, slashing offense, being able to throw the ball, which we have, be able to develop into an offense that I feel is able to stretch the field when we need to. Willie is able to pound it when he needs to, but is able to get to the outside when he feels that that is necessary. I have to give Willie a lot of credit because he's a much more patient running back, but he's still able to get outside when he needs to.

  

Do you hold out hope when the team's record is improving and other teams in the conference are starting to stumble?

 

To tell you the honest truth, we are 1-0 after today, but tomorrow we're 0-0 again. That's the approach we've been taking and it's been working. We go into every game like we are the under dog and we are trying to get our first win of the season. We need to come out fired up to play and play our best football. I think today on offense, I haven't watched the film or anything obviously, but it felt like one of our best offensive performances.

 

Do you feel like your building momentum?

 

I feel like we are playing good football right now and we need to continue to do that. We are playing obviously good teams down this home stretch, but right now our focus is going to be on Carolina.

 

Is it hard not to think about the standings?

 

We're not thinking about game two or three, because it doesn't matter if you don't win the first one. You can't think about the playoffs until you win the first game, that's Carolina this next weekend.

 

Coach said that he would want the team to play again Monday night?

I don't think any of us, players want to play Monday night.