The Steelers take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, in a game where the black is gold is trying to get back on track after losing the last two games.
It's a similar situation for the Raiders, who at 2-3 are trying to bounce back after losing to the Denver Broncos a week ago.
In an effort to give his team a spark, Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce made a change at quarterback this week, naming Adian O'Connell the starter over Gardner Minshew, who started the first five games of the season. O'Connell has appeared in two games this season, completing 19 of 32 passes for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
"It was my decision," said Pierce of making the change. "That's just what I felt was best for the offense going forward."
While a lot of the talk in Las Vegas this week is about the quarterback position, the Raiders did weigh in on the Steelers, including talking about Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and T.J. Watt.
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Coach Antonio Pierce on how tough it is to prepare for a team that has two quarterbacks in the mix:
"I think well one, the good part, we've went up against Russell (Wilson) a few times now. We're familiar with him as well. But really, we don't worry about that. You've got to look at the scheme and the offense. Listen to Mike Tomlin's presser, how many reps does he get, who is the hot hand? That's not really my job. We've just got to do the best job we can really to make sure we don't make mistakes to give them opportunities as well."
Defensive tackle Adam Butler on preparing for two quarterbacks:
"Every week is unique. Whatever they do, we have to be prepared for it. They're a team, they have their identity. We're a team, we have our identity. We're going to do the best that we can to prepare."
Tackle D.J. Glaze on going against the Steelers:
"The coaches did a good job of the plan that they put in. We know going in who we're going to attack, what we're going to do. Just use that, try to get guys free. It's going to be a fist fight. We're going to try and run, open holes up and hopefully those guys hit it, and we see some big runs."
Defensive coordinator Patrick Grahm on how much time they are spending on both quarterbacks this week with Russell Wilson returning to practice:
"It's our job to be prepared for all scenarios. So absolutely we've got to be prepared for that. I'm sure Mike (Tomlin) is not going to let us know anytime soon, we saw that he was a full participant with practice. Russell is a pro. I've known him since he was a young kid in high school or middle school, when I was at the University of Richmond, we coached his brother.
"But you've got to get ready for both. But that's really not different from any week. To the extent maybe, but us as a coaching staff, we've got to know what could happen. It's collision sport, we've got to make sure we know what could happen if one of the quarterbacks go down. So, we've got to be responsible and make sure we cover all bases right there."
Pierce on utilizing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and others who are familiar with the Steelers for information:
"Our staff did that right away. And the same thing with - we've got Gerald Alexander, Robert Spillane, we've got some guys that are familiar with Pittsburgh. So, whatever intel we have inside the building, and we can share with one another, the better it is for us."
Quarterback Adian O'Connell on the Steelers:
"Obviously they're a great defense, great team. They've had the same head coach for a long time. Offensively we're going to have to take what they give us. Make sure that I'm being smart with the ball. I'm just trying to put our guys in the best position to execute and have positive plays. I think that is going to be the big thing, be consistent and have positive plays."
Butler on the keys for success against a mobile quarterback like Fields:
"Just play smart football. Just play smart. Try to be in good position to put pressure on them. We have to do that for 60 minutes."
Graham on the biggest challenge Fields presents to a coordinator:
"You see him at the line of scrimmage, I'm always impressed with young guys when they graduate to the point where at the line of scrimmage, they're able to get in and out of checks. He's doing some of that. He has a big arm and his ability to make plays when people are around him, when he's throwing the ball, like you've got to wrap this guy up. I'm not saying it's Ben Roethlisberger, like that was a whole tackling plan for him back in the day, but he could get rid of the ball from different angles with people around him. You've got to get his arm down. And obviously as a runner, when the play breaks down, he can make some plays, especially in the red area. You see that in the red area, his ability to say, 'Okay, it's not there,' he goes. And we know that as a defense that most quarterbacks, there's a certain level of them being fearless to run the ball down there in the red, so we've got to be ready for that."
Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy on going against Fields, a quarterback he is familiar with:
"Justin is an incredible guy. I mean, just an incredible competitor, great teammate. I can only imagine that those guys love playing for him. And yeah, he's a competitor, so he's going to bring it every single play. He doesn't have any back down. There's no excuses with that guy. That guy goes and balls, and so it'll be great to see him. I know that our defense will have a big challenge going up against him."
Pierce on his respect for Coach Mike Tomlin:
"When I was playing, he was coaching, and he's been winning, he's been winning. He's winning. He just wins. He wins. I know we always judge him on championships, but each and every year to have a winning season, to get a team ready to play their style of play, their identity, right? You know what Steelers football looks like. That's hats off to him.
"He was a young coach when he took over, and all he's done and matured into probably one of the greatest coaches in this game."
Getsy on if he helped provide the defense information on Fields:
"I think anytime that there's crossover anywhere when you're in those situations, those guys are professionals, and they're really good at what they do. And so, whenever there's just a question or something, or maybe they have something that's up in the air, then that's when they ask your opinion or whatever along those lines, and you're there to help them out. And so, when you're talking about a particular player, I think those guys, they don't need much of my help. But when you're talking schemes or maybe places you've been in the past, I think sometimes that can go into a little bit of the conversation. Maybe you show a clip and say, 'Hey, why are they doing what they're doing?' And you can maybe have a little background for that stuff."
Glaze on what to expect going against T.J. Watt:
"Great player. Great rusher. We're going to do things we need to do to make sure we slow him down as much as possible. Just going in expecting a fight. We're expecting a fight. He is going to throw his best. Relentless player. He is going to mix things up, give me different moves. I'm just going to go in, be disciplined. We have things in place to slow him down when we need to."
Graham on the Steelers run-first identity and the threat Najee Harris poses:
"There has to be a plan. There has to be a tackling plan, no different than a game plan. For a man of his size, a man of his production, and I don't want to say stubbornness, but they're going to run the ball. It doesn't matter. I forget what game it was, he had three yards rushing in the first half, 70 in the second half. They're not going to abandon it.
"And that comes from the identity of the organization, the identity of the head coach, the identity of the offensive coordinator, who all three levels I have a ton of respect for what they do. I have a ton of respect for what Arthur (Smith) does in terms of as a play caller. I have a ton of respect for how Coach Tomlin shapes the team into his image, the toughness, and then the organization and how they represent the City of Pittsburgh. I mean, it's a tough team that comes in, it's a hard hat game like AP (Antonio Pierce) talks about, and you've got to be ready for that."
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