The Steelers will take on the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium and they will see some familiar faces on the other side of the field, with Le'Veon Bell at running back and Hines Ward an offensive assistant.
For the Jets, though, what they will be seeing is a team with an opportunistic defense and an offense that is on the mend as they fight for a playoff spot.
"This is a tough defense," said Jets Coach Adam Gase. "These guys are playing really well right now. We are going to have to do a really good job of trying to get positive plays and avoid these negative plays and sacks. These guys have been doing an unbelievable job against every offense they have been playing. These guys don't give a bunch of big plays up."
The Jets weighed in more on the defense, including talking about Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick, as well as Devlin Hodges and the fans.
Gase on the what they have to do against the opportunistic Steelers defense:
"The ball security, it's something we are always talking about and harping on, especially this week because these guys are doing such a good job of getting the ball out. The amount of fumbles they are forcing right now, our guys are very aware of what they're going up against in that aspect of it."
Gase on Cam Heyward:
"Cam is such a powerful guy. His ability to really lock a guy in and toss him, whether it be the run game or pass pro, he is playing at such a dominant level. It's tough because there are so many guys up front, you can't put two guys on everybody. That is what makes it so difficult to play these guys."
Offensive assistant coach Hines Ward on what's it's going to be like to face his former team:
"It's going to be kind of weird. The first time I put on the color green it was kind of weird. It will be kind of weird facing a team you played for, for 14 years. I will always bleed black and gold and great things during my football career. I won a couple of championships, the city of Pittsburgh treated me great. It's like a home away from home. I still want to beat those guys. It will be a little bittersweet. I am thankful for the opportunity to play for the Steelers, but I am also thankful to the Jets. That will be the only time I will root against Pittsburgh."
Gase on Minkah Fitzpatrick:
"To see Minkah play the way he has played since he has gotten there. I paid attention to him being with him in Miami and I am happy for him that he has had the success he is having. He is playing exactly the position he was drafted to play. You can tell he is playing as aggressive as those guys need him to play. The ball finds him. He has a knack. You throw a ball in his area, he finds a way to get his hands on the football."
Safety Jamal Adams on Steelers fans:
"I know they are going to bring a lot of fans. They are going to travel well."
Gase on Devlin Hodges rebounding from Bills game:
"That's a tough assignment to go for a veteran quarterback to play against that defense. It was one of those games it could have gone either way. Sometimes when you are a young player you have to fight through the rough outings you have and then move on to the next one, learn from it and try to play better the next week."
Gase on Fitzpatrick playing the position he was meant to play:
"It doesn't surprise me. The guy is a phenomenal locker room guy, a phenomenal worker. He just does everything right. He plays the game the way you want a player to play it."
Gase on if he has to factor in crowd noise from Steelers fans to be a factor:
"I think most of the time I've ever played them anywhere I've been it's been kind of been one of those things you prepare for. You kind of feel it out there in the game, you work on both. You just never know. I was in Denver and there was a huge Pittsburgh following there, I've been to a couple different places and it's been consistent. They have a really good fanbase that travels with them."
Gase on how difficult T.J. Watt is to prepare for:
"Both those edge guys (Watt and Bud Dupree) are. I mean, they're playing lights out, aggressive, great job on the one on ones. They pursue the ball as well as you could ever ask any defensive player. Those guys are running down the field, popping balls out, you have to protect the ball all the way to the ground."
Gase on what he has seen of Devlin Hodges:
"He's done a good job of what they've asked him to do. They're asking him to manage the game, they're taking shots down the field, they might not hit them all but they're keeping the defense honest and their running the football. He's done a good job of not turning over, I know last game was a little different, that's why they have him in there, he's doing what they ask him to do. They try to create chaos on defense for the opposing offense trying to get turnovers, negative plays, flip the field that way which they're doing a great job of, obviously outside of interceptions and fumbles, they're top two in both those categories so they're playing the game exactly the way they want to."
