STEELERS VS. RAMS
Thursday, December 20,  2007
at Edward Jones Dome

RAMS CONFERENCE CALLS

HEAD COACH SCOTT LINEHAN

What have you seen the last few weeks watching the Steelers?

They ran into a couple of pretty good football teams, which is an understatement. I think what one team was able to do was to do what they have been doing all year and that was to move the football. They did it primarily though the air. The other team, on a bad weather day, had success. I know that Pittsburgh players, the standards they have had all year is not what they’ve shown the last few weeks. So I’m sure we will get their best effort Thursday.

Do you feel your team is playing better since the bye week?

I think we’ve played a lot better. It just shows that where we were and where we are now as far as our ability to run the ball and getting some production throwing the ball and defensively getting some pressure on the quarterback and stop the run. But it is nothing to get to fired up about when it comes to our record, but compared to how we have played as a team in our first eight games, we are playing much better in the second half of the season.

With all of the injuries on your offensive line, how have you had to adjust?

We’ve had to adjust all year. I think the offensive line was hit the hardest and earliest. We’ve had to adjust personnel wise and somewhat schematically. Part of the adjustment is that we have had different other players in there. We’ve had three quarterbacks playing at different times and I’ve noticed that some other teams have had to do that and then we had our back out for five games. So our adjustments have been back and forth between offensive line and really our whole offense to be honest with you.

You lost Steven Jackson for five games and when a lot of teams lose a back they are able to just plug in – why has it been a struggle?

We lost Steven after we lost our offensive line so that might have had something to do with it. Brian Leonard is a young player. He came in with a hundred yards rushing his first start. I think his initial first start was against Arizona. He did a nice job as a rookie. He is really our fullback. We are pretty young in our backfield and Antonio Pittman being our next guy in there, he is a rookie as well. I think a lot of that has to do with the continuity of your offense and offensive line. Also, there are some teams out there that have two legitimate proven backs playing in their backfield and I think that probably has something to do with it too.

What about the other teams out there who don’t have a proven back and their rookies are just jumping out and surprising everybody? 

I know that there are a couple of instances like that. Those are the exceptional cases that happen every year in the league. I think someone is going to step in and in the Rams' case, in 1999 they had a free agent quarterback step in. So it kind of just depends what position and what they are asking the guy to do. But there are backs out there like the one that we played last week against Green Bay that stepped in and really had great years.

What about your Rookie Adam Carriker – he’s started since Week 1?

Yes. He started at nose guard at Week 1 and has started all year. We played him a little bit more.

Has he been everything you’ve expected him to be?

He’s been great. I think he’s going to be an NFL player for years and years and eventually I think he will be one of those guys who will be getting Pro Bowl type numbers once he proves that he can.

How much pressure do you bring with your defense?

It’s a little similar to Pittsburgh. Especially third down. We have had to make a lot of adjustments to our defense just recently when we lost Leonard Little in the four three team. He was primarily our number-one pass rusher. We’ve done it a little bit more from a linebacker spot. I would say we blitz more than normal.

Pittsburgh has had trouble protecting Ben Roethlisberger. Is it more scheme that is giving them problems or individual success? 

I think everyone of those plays are exceptional. We are no different. I think there are reasons. Sometimes it is schematics and sometimes it is going up against pretty good pass rushers and pretty good defenses in the league. But you have to protect the quarterback if you expect to win on a regular basis. I think there have been some days when they have been able to get to Ben but he has been able to burn them too.

Getting Marc back at Quarterback – what does it mean to you guys?

It gets us back to at least some stability. We have been all over the boards with stability. He has been out a couple of times with broken ribs and a concussion. So we’ve got a real struggle with continuity at the QB position. Gus Frerotte, another Pittsburgh native came in for us and filed in nicely and then he gets hurt. Two weeks ago we had a quarterback that never played in the NFL, so it’s nice to get Mark back in there.

Pittsburgh has given up a few big plays – are they susceptible to giving up big plays down the field?

We would like to find way to find a weakness in that defense but know they’ve given up a couple lately, but they are still number-one in the league and almost at the top of every category. There aren’t too many things going wrong with that defense.

 

QUARTERBACK MARC BULGER

Can you talk about your turnaround playing on Sunday and then having to Thursday?

I think just with Christmas for selfish reason, a lot of guys are pretty happy because they get to spend some more time with family. We just had practice, just got done and I think it was tougher than most of us thought. I’m pretty sore and I only get hit a couple of times a game, so I can’t imagine how those guys got through. I think once Thursday rolls around I think everyone will be fine. It was tougher today than usual.

Isn’t saying you only get hit a couple of times being generous?

Real generous.

Here in Pittsburgh we say that protecting the quarterback is an eleven man job – do you hear that back in St Louis?

It’s been a rough year just because we lost Orlando and Steussie. We lost four and five guys that played a lot of time for us on the line. I think three of our guys that lined up last week on our line were in Arizona Cardinals’ training camp and didn’t make it through. It’s been tough. Then Steven Jackson getting hurt earlier in the year for six or seven weeks and we have had a couple of receivers banged up. It has been tough to get continuity. When you don’t have a running game they are obviously going to focus on the pass and pass rush, so it’s been not only tough on me but tough on the line too because they are put in a tough situation.

How tough has it been on you?

This is just the first year my numbers have been pretty bad. Obviously I’m not throwing for a lot of yards, but we’re just not use to losing like this since I’ve been here. We’ve had some bad streaks, starting out zero and eight was defiantly the toughest. The thing is we are professionals. We’ve climbed out of that hole a little bit. We are trying to make a positive of it, but the season gets longer and longer when you aren’t playing well.

What have you learned the last two weeks about what to do against a defense that had been number one in the league?

We are trying to catch up to speed, with the short week we have watched some film this morning. We haven’t been able to put in a ton of things just because of the short week. But I’m more worried about third downs and their defense does a good job of mixing things up and they are really confusing. New England obviously threw the ball very well, Jacksonville ran the ball well, and we are going to have to do maybe a mixture of both. If we can avoid third and longs, because that’s when I think offenses get in really bad situations and that is when you can turn the ball over and make really bad decisions. We just need to do a good job on first and second downs.

What was the fan breakdown last week with Green Bay?

I’d say at least thirty thousand fans. It was pretty loud for them. Everyone is a little bit upset about it but I’m trying to warn everyone that it could be worse this week. We’ll have to see.

What are you hearing in that regard?

Not much. We only win three games, I think we only get half an article in the paper now and it’s usually not good. I know a lot of people that are coming out, but I just know how Pittsburgh fans are. Growing up there, there’s going to be a lot. Especially with the holiday, I think people are going to be taking a couple extra days off, so I am anticipating a bunch.

Any other sell outs besides this one coming up?

Yeah we had a couple earlier. Seattle in our opener, Carolina and you know obviously last week against Green Bay was. This week. The thing that upset people about the Green Bay game was that there were a lot of fans down in our PSL seat holders. So there is a lot of selling of tickets going on and that is what the word was here.

Is this a big deal game for you or have you been in the league long enough that playing Pittsburgh is no longer a big deal?

I think it will always be a big deal. I think definetely when I was at West Virginia playing Pitt it was a huge deal. Then my first time playing Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh was a huge deal. This one isn’t quite as big of a deal and I don’t know if it is because we are having a bad season or if it is because I have been in now for seven or eight years. It honestly does feel like another game. I have been out here now for so long and don’t get to know the team. Before when we played the Steelers I knew who was on defense and offense. I could tell you the whole roster, but now I’m looking at it and I’m struggling. That helps a little bit with taking the personal side out of it.

Did you ever travel to see the Steelers when you were a fan?

No. I got to go to a bunch of games at Three Rivers. If I traveled it was to go see Notre Dame and that was it.

What do you think about Rodriguez?

I’m still emotional about it. I don’t think I should talk about it. Good for Michigan. They took two of our guys now and hopefully we get a good replacement. 

Something wrong with the athletic department there – what is going on?

No. I think obviously we aren’t a basketball school and it was a great opportunity for Coach Huggins. But you think when a coach tells you he is there for the rest of his career less than a year ago. I think the school made a great commitment to him and you would think you’d honor it, but things in college football change I guess.

Feel any better about Central Catholic?

Yes. I texted Coach Totten the other night and I’m going to spend a lot of time with him in the off season. I am really happy for the kids and the school. Terry does a great job there and I am happy they are back to where they were when I was little because we weren’t quite as good when I was there.