Friday, November 18

A good week for Watt: The last time the Steelers and Bengals met in Week 1, an overtime win by the black and gold, the defense got to quarterback Joe Burrow, sacking him seven times.

While every defense wants to put up numbers like that on a weekly basis, linebacker T.J. Watt knows you never go into a game expecting it.

"Never go into a game expecting certain stats, you just go into the game wanting to play the best you can and come out with a win," said Watt. "So, there's no preconceived expectations for statistical things. We just want to get after the run and the pass and put our offense in the best situation we can."

Watt said what worked in that game was the matchups and being able to get the pressure they needed on Burrow.

"I think it was just creating good matchups," said Watt. "Then we were just able to fluster Burrow a bit. Get back there and make him hold on to it just a tad longer. Being able to finish at the quarterback is always a point of emphasis for rush man too, so there weren't many that he got out of."

This will be Watt's second game back after being out since Week 1 with his pectoral injury and he is feeling great.

"It took us a few days, but I'm finally back and I'm expecting to feel much better as the weeks progress here," said Watt. "I feel good about the week that I've had."

Stepping up again: Communication.

It is one of the main aspects that a defense needs in order to survive, and when two of your key communicators are on the sideline, somebody has to step up.

Last week that somebody was linebacker Robert Spillane.

With Myles Jack and Minkah Fitzpatrick not playing against the Saints, it was Spillane who was one of the main communicators for the defense, something he takes pride in but not all he wants his game to be about.

"I want to be remembered as a playmaker, somebody who changes the outcome of games, someone who comes up when my teammates need me, being a good teammate to others," said Spillane. "Part of that in my job description is communication so I do take pride in that. At the end of the day, I want to go out there make tackles, get interceptions, make sacks, do everything I can to help this team win."

He delivered on both accounts against the Saints. Spillane had a team-high seven tackles, including five solo stops and a tackle for a loss, while playing 100 percent of the defensive snaps.

"It was my first game this year with 100 percent of the defensive snaps," said Spillane. "It felt good. I feel very comfortable when I am on the field. It seems like a place of chaos for people watching, but it's like a safe place for me. The place I feel most comfortable is the playing field at Acrisure Stadium with 65,000 people screaming. It sounds intense and chaotic to a lot of people, but it's a safe place for me. I love what I do and take great pride in it."

Spillane hasn't been lacking in playing time this season, but he is the latest in the next man up when injuries have impacted the team and he knows he isn't the only one stepping up.

"That is something we pride ourselves on," said Spillane. "As a person who didn't start the season as a starter, I prepare myself as if I am going to play 100 percent of the snaps every week. It doesn't come as a surprise to me when that happens. We have a locker room full of guys ready to play as much as they have to. I am never surprised they step up at big times and we expect to do that moving forward."

Bringing energy: It's round two of Steelers-Bengals this Sunday, a rematch of the Week 1 game the Steelers won, 23-20.

The defense had a huge game, with seven sacks, four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery.

Both teams have gone through changes since that meeting, including Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase sidelined with a hip injury.

"The biggest difference is we played them the first week, we only had last year's film to go over," said cornerback Levi Wallace. "There is a lot more tape on them now. They had to change their offense a little bit with Chase not in. You see what their schemes are now and see what we have to attack. They still have the same quarterback. We have to do a good job of taking the ball away like we did last time."

The Steelers secondary has gone through their share of changes since the last meeting as well, with players up and down due to injuries. But it hasn't changed the approach.

"Our mindset never changed," said Wallace. "Whoever is in there you expect to make plays and it won't change this week. It's a must win for us, every week is. We have to go out there and compete like we have been and when the opportunity presents itself, make plays on the ball."

There is one addition to the secondary that has already been beneficial for the defense. Safety Damontae Kazee returned to the lineup after being on the Reserve/Injured List since the start of the season, and his energy alone has been huge.

"Kazee has always been a guy with high energy," said Wallace. "Sometimes too much."

All kidding aside, that energy inspires Wallace and others.

"You love when a guy is out there playing with so much passion," said Wallace. "It brings so much energy and good spirit to the team, especially the defensive back room. When you have a guy who can instantly come in and make plays like that, you want to play for someone like that. He is just a great dude. I am how I am, he is completely different. Always talking. You can hear him now. It's fun to have someone like that."

Time change alert: The Steelers game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals has been flexed by the NFL.

The game, which will be played on Sunday, Nov. 20 at Acrisure Stadium, has been changed to a 4:25 p.m. kickoff. The game will be broadcast on CBS, KDKA-TV in the Pittsburgh market. The game was originally scheduled to kickoff at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday Night Football.

This is the first game this season that the Steelers have had flexed.

Get out and vote: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.

The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.

Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.

Fans can vote for their favorite Steelers players now through Dec. 15. A social aspect of voting will be available beginning on Dec. 1, so keep an eye out for that.

-->> Cast your votes today.

Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.

Thursday, November 17

Back to work: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returned to practice on Thursday after missing the Saints game due to an appendectomy on Saturday.

"It's pretty good," said Fitzpatrick. "Obviously, you feel it a few days off of surgery, on the table. You feel it. I just want to keep working and when Sunday comes around, we'll see how I feel."

Fitzpatrick said on Thursday night of last week he felt some pain in his stomach, an unusual fullness.

"It started Thursday night. I just felt full in my belly," said Fitzpatrick. "Friday, I practiced, and I was fine. Saturday did walkthrough and I was fine. I told the trainers I still felt the pain, that full feeling."

After some attempts to see what the issue was, seeing the doctor was the next step.

"I was on the operating table 20 minutes later," said Fitzpatrick.

While he returned to practice, how he fares the rest of the week will determine whether or not he can play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. He also said protecting it with padding might not be the answer.

"The worry is where they cut open, they cut through muscle," said Fitzpatrick. "You just want to make sure that is healed. I don't think padding will do too much. It's the muscle they cut. It's more the twisting, turning, stretching up and down, stuff like that, that aggravates it. The doctor said if I would play, he doesn't think padding will do too much."

Fitzpatrick told Coach Mike Tomlin last week he wanted to play, but his coach wasn't hearing it. Fitzpatrick said the message this week from Tomlin is to make sure that he feels right before going out on the field.

"He is just telling me to be smart, be honest with myself," said Fitzpatrick. "He said if I can't play 110 percent there is no point in me being out there and hurting myself and not giving my full self."

In his absence last week safety Damontae Kazee, who just came off the Reserve/Injured List, got the start and provided energy and spark in the secondary.

"He is a great player. I love playing with him," said Fitzpatrick. "I have practiced with him. I haven't gotten to play with him. I am excited to see what it is like, all three of us out there making plays. He never has a bad day. He is full of energy, excitement. He brings passion to the game."

A new challenge: After struggling throughout the season against stopping the run, the defense stepped it up last week against the Saints, holding Alvin Kamara to only 26 yards on eight carries, and 29 yards overall on the ground.

The question is, did they solve what was ailing them so that they can correct it moving forward.

"We'll see," said defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. "Every week there is a different challenge. It's not assuming that just because we got it done last week it's going to get done this week. We have to get better and keep trying to get better at our craft."

That different challenge this week comes in the form of Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Mixon, who has 585 yards and six touchdowns this season, had 27 carries for 82 yards in the Week 1 meeting.

"They have a multitude of weapons. Obviously Ja'Marr Chase is a great player," said Heyward, referring the receiver who is injured and hasn't practiced this week. "But Joe Mixon, he starts with the run game and can be a factor out of the backfield. He's looking to really punish the secondary. He's not shying away from contact. He's got good balance. You really got to wrap up well with him.

"They have Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Hayden Hurst, those guys are all electric. They can really fill up a stat sheet. We've got to make sure we take our assignments well. Joe Burrow can scramble as well. When he does pass the ball, we have to make sure we can affect him. We can't give up our assignments as well."

Burrow was able to scramble in the Week 1 meeting for 47 yards, but the defense got to him, forcing four interceptions and sacking him seven times.

"I feel like with the competitor in him, that's not gonna happen again," said Heyward. "And for us, what can we do to sustain that and make sure that he feels uncomfortable in the pocket.

"He's even keel. Even if you do fluster him, he's still gonna give you a shot. He's deceptively mobile. He does a great job shrugging off defenders. If you look back at the New Orleans game, he had a really good run where it looked like everything was bottled up and he found a way to get out of it and scored a touchdown. There were a lot of plays like that throughout the season. So, you really got to make sure you bottle them up. Keep them in the pocket because he can beat you with his feet as well as arm."

He said it: Receiver Diontae Johnson gave his take on the Steelers-Bengals rivalry.

"It's a big game," said Johnson. "A rivalry game every time we play them, everyone out there competing. AFC North football. We have to win. Divisional game. We have to win this one. No excuses. We have to be locked in this week. We are going to be ready and focused on the game plan this week."

Get out and vote: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.

The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.

Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.

Fans can vote for their favorite Steelers players now through Dec. 15. A social aspect of voting will be available beginning on Dec. 1, so keep an eye out for that.

-->> Cast your votes today.

Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.

Wednesday, November 16

Keep on working: Diontae Johnson's stat line from Sunday's win over the New Orleans Saints reads five targets which translated into four receptions for 63 yards, a 15.8-yard average and a long of 36 yards. 

What doesn't show, though, is two more passes to him. Two that Johnson drew defensive pass interference calls on, something he has done on a regular basis this season.

Johnson said he can't get frustrated over it, knowing the reason it's happening.

"I just have to keep playing. It's part of the game," said Johnson. "Can't let some PI calls get in the way. It's going to happen. Once you get open a lot, people tend to grab you. Can't blame them. That's all it is, getting open, trying to make a play, people grab you. It's going to happen. You have a guy who is continuously getting open, they have to do something to try and stop you, rather than give up a touchdown.

"You want to make a play, but in the moment it happens, you can't do anything about it. Just look forward to the next play."

Johnson feels like he is getting closer and closer to having that big game he so desires, with an 84-yard performance against the Browns in Week 3 his highest output so far this season.

"You just have to keep working," said Johnson. "Something is going to happen eventually. You have to keep playing through. Something is going to happen."

One thing he wants to make sure doesn't happen again is losing yards, something that happened on a reception against the Saints when he was trying to get up field but went backwards.

"I am just trying to make a play after the catch," said Johnson. "You expect a defender to come a certain way sometimes and they don't. It's not like I try to do that on purpose. I know what I can do. I just have to make sure I am going in the right direction next time."

Hearing from one of the best: Former NFL and University of Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald was at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday to talk to the team's rookies, as well as a larger group of the team's veterans who wanted to hear what he had to say.

Fitzgerald spoke to the players about his playing career, as well as life after football and the importance of preparing for that.

"It was really cool," said rookie Connor Heyward. "He shared a lot of things about how he went about his career, why he had so much success. It was so quiet and then at the end a lot of guys asked some really cool questions and picked his brain, asked him what it took for him to get to where he is now, what he is doing off the field now."

Heyward said the biggest takeaway for him is what is available away from the field for players and how important it is to take advantage of opportunities.

"There is so much outside of football," said Heyward. "The football years are limited. You have another life after football. Life doesn't stop after football, it just begins. We are more than football players and just use your resources."

He said it: Safety Terrell Edmunds on cornerback Levi Wallace, who came up with a key interception against the Saints.

"He is a guy that tries to perfect his craft. He always says he has the best hands on the team, and it showed in this game and also the Bills game. Those were two jump balls he just went up and got. Those are plays that we talked about that we needed to make. He was one of the guys that went out there. Art (Arthur Maulet) made a big play too, but Levi came down with the ball."

Get out and vote: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.

The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.

Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.

Fans can vote for their favorite Steelers players now through Dec. 15. A social aspect of voting will be available beginning on Dec. 1, so keep an eye out for that.

-->> Cast your votes today.

Time change alert: The Steelers game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals has been flexed by the NFL.

The game, which will be played on Sunday, Nov. 20 at Acrisure Stadium, has been changed to a 4:25 p.m. kickoff. The game will be broadcast on CBS, KDKA-TV in the Pittsburgh market. The game was originally scheduled to kickoff at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday Night Football.

This is the first game this season that the Steelers have had flexed.

Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.

Monday, November 14

A step back means a step forward: Sometimes you need to step away from something to turn things around, and that's what the Steelers did last week during their bye.

And it worked.

The players had four consecutive days off which is mandated league-wide for a bye weekend. It allowed players the opportunity to collect their thoughts, evaluate their own play and figure out what they need to do internally to help turn things around.

"I think it helped a lot," said guard Kevin Dotson. "You get out of the mindset you were in. You get a fresh look, a fresh start. You don't think about what happened in the past. I think that helped us move forward, have more confidence so we are able to play are actual brand we want to play. We have to keep it going.

"I feel like every week we had the chance for this type of game. Those games didn't click. This is the game that clicked. This is how our offense is supposed to look. Everything clicked.

"It boosts the confidence. You want to build off it. You don't want to dwell on it. You just want to move to the next game and know what you are capable of when you see it."

One of the key factors before the team headed off for their bye was some of the conversations that took place in meeting rooms. It was open conversation, holding everyone accountable for the struggles and working on cohesion amongst all.

"It was eye opening for some people," said Dotson. "Some people we already knew what it was, it just had to be said out loud. Once we cleared the air on everything, cleared up anything anyone was uncomfortable with, coaches did too. Coach T (Mike Tomlin) opened the air up for everybody. He could feel the rooms weren't too cohesive. Now we started meeting as a whole offensive unit watching film instead of separately. We'll watch it separately, but we'll watch it as an offensive team, defensive team watch theirs, so we can see where everybody is coming from."

Tight end Pat Freiermuth felt like it was heathy conversation, no tension, just talking to each other.

"I feel like we came together, talked things out, understood what we wanted as players and coaches and figured that out," said Freiermuth. "It was good understanding our roles. I think we did a great job coming together and starting to put things together. There was obviously an issue. I feel like we started to figure it out.

"I don't think there was any tension built up. Everyone was just frustrated with losing and obviously our job is to win. Whatever we can do to help make that process of winning is what we are going to do."

That communication is something that Dotson said has to remain moving forward because it is beneficial for everyone.

"That is one of the main things," said Dotson. "You can't be afraid to communicate. You have to be able to say what is on your mind. Just to get it out there, say it, somebody might have an answer for you."

On the run: The ground game came to life on Sunday in the 20-10 win over the New Orleans Saints, with a combined 217 yards on the ground, including a 99-yard performance by running back Najee Harris.

"He was a little more confident and a little more forceful in asking for the things he wants to run," said guard Kevin Dotson. "Those were the main things. When you know exactly what you feel will work the best, you can run those plays more comfortably.

"We ran plays we were comfortable with and that did a lot for the confidence."

Quarterback Kenny Pickett also did his part on the ground, with 51 yards rushing on eight carries to go with his 199 yards passing. Having that mobility at the quarterback spot is something an offensive lineman loves.

"It does a lot to be able to make somebody think a lot harder than they usually have to," said Dotson of Pickett's mobility. "It makes the defense think harder of who they need to look out for or watch for. People don't realize how much it impacts the game."

Time change alert: The Steelers game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals has been flexed by the NFL.

The game, which will be played on Sunday, Nov. 20 at Acrisure Stadium, has been changed to a 4:25 p.m. kickoff. The game will be broadcast on CBS, KDKA-TV in the Pittsburgh market. The game was originally scheduled to kickoff at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday Night Football.

This is the first game this season that the Steelers have had flexed.

Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.