The Steelers take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It will be a reunion of sorts for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and new Falcons coach Raheem Morris. The two coached together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002-05 and have remained close friends.
But on both sides, the focus is strictly on the game as it will be Morris' first one as the Falcons head coach.
"The first time I was a full-time head coach, probably a little bit more jitters back then," said Morris. "It's the same mentality to go out there and win the first game. The same mentality to go out there and find the best way to get you a win. It becomes all about winning, it's the same edge. It's really similar to what it always is and just how you go about it with your mindset. I'm a little bit more nosy now when it comes to being involved in offense, defense, special teams and the kicking game. It's a lot more fun for me right now just having a nice, relaxed sense and state of mind going into this game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers."
Find out what Morris and the Falcons had to say about the game this week, including their take on Minkah Fitzpatrick, T.J. Watt and more.
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Head Coach Raheem Morris on if there is any more meaning playing Mike Tomlin week one:
"I answered a similar question to this on the Pivot Podcast, but not really for me, it's more for him. He's the older statesman in this league. He looks on us with a lot of pride and the guys that he's helped develop and the guys he's been a part of and he's certainly that for me. I've certainly got a lot of respect for him. As we always will say when we go up against each other, we're grey matter."
Morris on whether this week is a coaching chess match due to the new aspects of both teams:
"Who sees it best live? There will be a lot of situations where you'll have to go look at it live, with the different players and the different formats. Arthur [Smith] is going to bring something different to those guys when it comes to offense. Their defense is going to be the most known thing that they know.
"Our offense and our defense will have a different feel. They know what it's going to be like, or think they know what it's going to be like, and same thing with our defense. So, go out there and play the game, and let's have fun. Let's go play that chess game that you love to play on Sundays – or Thursdays or Mondays, whatever the case may be."
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson on how he feels with the different matchups with the Steelers:
"It's going to be a great challenge. Those guys have been good for a long time. I've played them two times, 2019, and then we played them last year, and you know what you're getting with Pittsburgh. It's a tough football team, very well coached since Coach Tomlin's been there, and even before then. It's a great storied franchise. We know what we're getting with those guys. They're going to play tough. They're going to play physical, so we've definitely got to match that. I know we got our hands full, got a lot of work to do with preparation just to get ready for that, but I know the guys will be ready to go."
Morris on challenges Russell Wilson presents:
"Whoever is playing quarterback is going to present that challenge. Mike told me to prepare for Justin Fields (during his Tuesday presser), so we did. Russell is going to be able to go out there and present the challenge he always presented to teams and with the I am sure the obnoxious amount of preparation he's put into the game plan in order to go out there and what he's got to get done. But there are roles that guys are going to play. Expect the expected. That's what we'll do. We'll go out there and prepare."
Safety Justin Simmons on if they are prepared to see both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on Sunday:
"It won't matter. I am sure, knowing Coach Tomlin and how well he's done there, even if Russ goes out and starts, there might be packages where Justin Fields comes in with his ability.
"Russ is a proven veteran in this league, and I had the pleasure of being his teammate the last few years in Denver. Know he's gonna be prepared and he's gonna be ready. He's gonna have those guys going.
"We have our work cut out for us defensively. I think we'll answer the bell. We've got our work cut out for us. They've got great receivers, great run game, so we're going to have to be able to do our thing."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins on what makes Minkah Fitzpatrick special:
"Well, I think he's an intelligent football player. I think he sees the game really well. I think he's a very versatile player. He could do a lot of things, and I think he's a team leader for them. He's kind of similar to the way I talked about Justin [Simmons] and Jessie [Bates III]. I would think he's in that same mold as a player."
Simmons on how him being familiar with Wilson can benefit the Falcons secondary:
"I can give my insights on what I have seen the past few years, and playing against him when he was in Seattle. There are a lot of guys here that have played against him, so they know as well. There's obviously some advantages there. For them too. Russ being able to share maybe some insights on what it was like playing against this defense. It's similar to what he has seen in years past.
"There's pros and cons to both. Me knowing the type of competitor he is, he's going to be ready. That is pretty much the message to the guys. I've seen it firsthand. He's going to be ready, so we have to be prepared. We have to be ready. We have to put our best foot forward."
Cousins on the Steelers defensive front:
"It's a great group. Again, just full of professionals and productive players who have been very consistent. They're not up and down players. They're players who are going to get after you from the first snap to the last, and that's an intensity and an excellence that we have to match, play in and play out all the way through. It's a great challenge for us."
Morris on the Steelers defense:
"The history of the group is phenomenal. That's just the nature of the beast when you are talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Steel Curtain. But we don't have to play ghosts. We just have to play the guys that are on their team now, and they certainly have a bunch of good guys that you have to worry about. Talking about Cam (Heyward) being re-signed. Or you are talking about those two edge rushers, or that safety that's just phenomenal.
"I do know their names, I know me and Mike Tomlin like to use the phrase that they are nameless grey faces, but you know those guys names. You know a bunch of those guys on that team. They've got a couple of additions to that team that you know are going to do really well. You have to go out and prepare for those guys, prepare to play against those guys in a system that has been very well documented for a long time."
Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams on how to contain Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson in the return game:
"Contain? That's a great question. A guy like CP, he's dynamic with the ball in his hand. He is an explosive returner, and he's always one play away from scoring a touchdown. There's a reason why he's number one in NFL history when it comes to that play, kickoff return. A guy like him, you've got to limit his opportunities. I've coached against him many a times – when I was with the Chargers, he was with the Raiders. I'm like, 'Oh, man, we're playing outside and it's windy'. You've got to kick it to him. If you're not kicking it out the back of the end zone, that ball is going to come out.
"As a coach and as a team, expect every ball that you kick is going to be returned because he is a fearless returner that does a great job of getting vertical with the ball. You can tell there's part of the reason why he's one of the best – and he is the best to ever do it in that kickoff return play – is because the other guy is blocking for him. They want to block for him. He's a great teammate. When it comes to that, it's not only stopping CP, it's stopping those other 10 guys that are trying to block for him.
"We have to have a great game plan when it comes to the kick and coverage, making sure that matches well because you can have a great kick and have poor coverage. That's 50-50. You may win that rep. You may not. You could have poor coverage or a poor kick and great coverage, 50-50. But, I know if you have poor coverage and a poor kick, that's a recipe for disaster. You're giving them an opportunity to capitalize on your mistakes. So, our kick and coverage have to match to put ourselves in a position not only to contain them but eliminate them.
"We've got to make him a non-factor. That's a credit to him and his career and what he's done. He's the first play on offense. He could be a big explosive. We don't want to give those guys opportunities where the Steelers go out there and they're 1st and 10 from the 50-yard line or they have their PAT team out there on the next play. So, I've been on the end of where he's had big returns versus us when I was with the Chargers and he was with the Raiders and when I was with the Chargers, he's with the Patriots. I go to Detroit, 'Oh, no, he's in the division. He's with the Bears. So, I've been a part of that. I respect the hell out of him, and I'm excited for him come Sunday."
Receiver Casey Washington on if it's more about the Steelers defense or executing what he has been told:
"I feel like there is a balance to that. The biggest thing is making sure I've got everything I need to do to make this the best week possible I can for the team. At the same time doing the breakdown of the players and who they have over there. Definitely a lot of respect for Pittsburgh and what they've got going on. Just taking it one day at a time and trying to be as intentional as possible.
Morris on how to stop a player like T.J. Watt without changing their plan:
"T.J. Watt is a game-wrecker, and I am not going to let him go out there and wreck the game. That is going to be part of our plan. He still may. That's what those guys do."
Cousins on linebacker Patrick Queen:
"He played on an elite defense last year, knows what it looks like. High respect for Patrick, for his production as a player in his career, for the defense he's now on, for the coaches they have. It'll be one of the best groups we play all year and a great challenge for us."
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