The post-practice interview session began where it inevitably had to, even if Chukwuma Okorafor had no interest in pursuing the obvious narrative.
That included a question about whether it's time to change his nickname from "Chuks" to "The Von Stopper."
"Stop, stop, no, stop, stop," Okorafor pleaded to the assembled media. "Let's not do that. I think I played pretty good but I still feel like there's some stuff I could have done better or fixed.
"Pretty solid day."
Okorafor's assessment of his performance in Sunday's 27-19 victory over outside linebacker Von Miller and the Broncos was modest in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's estimation.
"We asked 'Chuks' to do a job against one of the best pass rushers in the game and one of the better ones of all time," Roethlisberger said.
"I thought (Okorafor) did a great job."
Okorafor did so without a preponderance of help.
"We weren't going to sacrifice our whole offense by putting extra tight ends and extra guys over there," Roethlisberger added.
Miller finished with two assisted tackles.
The closest he came to Roethlisberger was on a rush inside of Okorafor on second-and-15 from the Broncos' 18-yard line with 3:07 left in the second quarter.
Roethlisberger flushed right away from Miller and tired to hit running back Najee Harris with a pass that could have been intercepted by inside linebacker Alexander Johnson but was dropped.
Miller played 58 defensive snaps (89 percent) and lined up most of the time but not all of the time against Okorafor, who had occasional but not consistent help.
The stat line was similar to what Miller had managed against Okorafor on Nov. 25, 2018 in Denver (one tackle, one assisted tackle, one sack).
Okorafor, then a rookie, was making what amounted to his first career start in place of right tackle Marcus Gilbert after having been credited with starts in two games against the Browns for having lined up as an extra tackle/tight end on the first snaps of opening possessions.
"I think someone like Von, the guy can change the play every snap so you kind of have to be at your best," Okorafor said. "Whether it's a run or the pass you always have to play you best every snap."
Okorafor's effort against Miller and the Broncos stood out on a day when the entire offensive line played well enough for Harris to register his first career 100-yard game on the ground (122) and for Roethlisberger to feel "really comfortable" in the pocket (he was sacked once, a coverage sack according to Roethlisberger).
"I think it just took time, just having the guys being out there for a couple of weeks," Okorafor said. "Most of us are still new or haven't really played next to each other for a while.
"I think it just took a little bit of time to kind of get used to it."
Previous performances had frustrated the offensive line "1,000 percent," Okorafor said.
The effort against Denver is one to build upon individually and collectively, but not take for granted, he emphasized.
"We still have a long, long way left," Okorafor said. "We can't really feel good now."
