By Teresa Varley/Steelers.com
The Steelers remain on the road this week, taking on the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Steelers started the season off with an 18-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, while the Broncos lost their opener, 26-20, to the Seattle Seahawks.
“Certainly, when we watched this game tape and evaluate the cue, there’s a number of things that we’ll get cleaned up and corrected,” said Broncos Coach Sean Payton. “One of the key things that was important in this game is winning the run game battle, and we weren’t able to do that. We struggled and in that inefficiency on first and second down, it was one of our keys to victory and we were anything but. Defensively in the first half we were outstanding, then the third quarter was the flip around quarter. That was when the momentum shifted.”
Payton and the Broncos are looking to shift the momentum this week, but they know it’s going to be a tough task, especially against the Steelers defense that is ranked third in the AFC and fourth overall in the NFL after one week.
Find out what is being said about the defense in Denver this week and more about what the Broncos are saying about the game.
Coach Sean Payton on facing stout defensive units in the first four weeks of the season, including the Steelers this week:
“I think the No. 1 thing for good head coaches is they’re good leaders. Obviously, you can’t control if they come from the offensive or defensive side of the ball. (Seahawks Coach) Mike Macdonald Week 1, the tape you’re watching, all of that. He’s a bright young coach. Week 2 now, Mike ‘T’ (Tomlin), I’ve known forever. I don’t know that it’s looked at differently.
“Certainly, the Steelers defensive tradition and how they’ve performed over the years is deserving of the accolades and all the success they’ve had. It’s tough, it’s physical. They do a lot of things extremely well, and that’s not by accident.
“I think we’ll be seeing a better defense this weekend, and that’s with no disrespect at all to Seattle. It’s just a more experienced defense. That’s a better way to say it. We’ll have to obviously make the corrections and then get ready for a good week here for a home game.”
Quarterback Bo Nix on the challenge the Steelers defense presents:
“Well, it’s definitely a challenge. They have great players. They’ve been a great defense for a long time. I [have] a lot of respect for them. It’s going to be fun playing them for the first time and seeing what it’s like.”
Payton on the challenge T.J. Watt poses:
“I don’t get into naming who the top defensive players are, but he’s in that discussion. He’s certainly disruptive in the run game and disruptive in the pass game. Each film you look at, he’s beating doubles. He’s very athletic. I think he’s very strong, and he can bend. Those are all good traits to have, and he’s exceptionally smart.”
Receiver Courtland Sutton on facing the Steelers defense and if he knows it could take just a play or two to make the difference:
“More than one or two big plays. Any chance I can to go impact the game, whether it’s catching however many passes, or catching a big touchdown or getting a key block in on a run play to get one of our backs out in the open. Whatever it may be, my job is to do my job at the highest level I possibly can so that we can have the best success to go win. I’m probably one of the last people that’s going to be like, ‘It’s me, me, me.’ It’s going to take all 11 of us on the field, and whatever they need me to do in that specific moment, I’m going to go do it.
“If I have to go put my hands on T.J. Watt, then I’m going to go do that. If I have to go run a route and go get open against the secondary, then that’s what I’m going to do. Whatever job they need me to do, whatever task they need me to go do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability so that we can go be successful.”
Payton on how the Broncos will prepare for the possibility of facing Justin Fields and what tape they will watch:
“I think you study closely the game they just played obviously, preseason. You study the Atlanta cut-ups. Then you understand the skill set he has relative to…you might look at the quarterback run package in Chicago where they went up and played really well against New England after a tough loss on a Thursday night. He played exceptionally well. A lot of QB-design runs. So, you’re kind of taking all of that into your cut-up consideration.”
Sutton on if he has talked to Russell Wilson this week:
“Russ and I have a very good relationship. I’m excited for him and what he has going on in his next part of his journey. Wishing him well, and success and health. Each week besides this one. (laughing)
“It’s one of those weeks that he knows what the situation is because he’s very similar to myself. He’s a competitor. He wants to go out there and be successful, and we want to go out there and be successful. We’re going to go out there and compete and tally it up at the end.”
Payton on if they will prepare for both Fields and Russell Wilson:
“I think you look at Fields last week, and then obviously you prepare for both. Both guys have different strengths. You have a plan for both, but certainly it starts with Fields.”
Cornerback Pat Surtain II on his thoughts of who may start at quarterback for the Steelers:
“We’re focused on the next man up at the end of the day as a defense. That’s about it. Focus on the next man up and just prepare for that.”
Surtain on what the key is to containing Fields:
“With a guy like that we have to make sure that we plaster the receivers and don’t allow them to get second chances because we know that Justin creates second opportunities for the receivers and for their offense. When you (have) a dual threat quarterback like that, you really have to lock in and hone in on second play ahead, rather than the first play.”
Payton on if coaching Wilson last year will help him anticipate what the Steelers might try and do with him:
“No. I don’t think so. I mean that. I think every time you have a new system and a new coordinator, I don’t think there’s really much to that.”
Payton on if the team has talked about going against Wilson:
“No. We’re not playing tennis or golf. We’re playing a team game, and we’re focused on the Steelers. They’re a good football team.”
Surtain on what stands out to him about George Pickens:
“I think he has elite body control in the air. He can track the ball well. He has great ball skills. He’s a playmaker for sure. He’s a great player.”
Payton on if he has a friendly rivalry with Tomlin:
“No, I would say we’re friendly though. I consider him one of my—as you do this long enough, pretty soon you’re not as familiar with the other coaches that are getting hired. He’s a good friend, and he’s obviously a heck of a football coach. We didn’t play a lot because I was in the NFC and he was in the AFC. He’s done a great job there for a long period of time. The most impressive thing you would say is his body of work. We like to use that term—his body of work is really impressive.”
Payton on if anyone has talked to Levi Wallace about his experience with the Steelers:
“That’s a fair question because they’re running the same defense. You might ask him about fire-zone rules or certain coverage rules and indicators. That would be much more relevant than having coached a player that’s with another team. It kind of comes up week-to-week. In other words, it’s not uncommon to have players that were on our roster that are going to be on an opponent’s roster. So, you get some, but not a lot.”
Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on if there is a unique plan needed to stop Watt:
“I feel like the last time I was part of playing Pittsburgh, he was hurt that game, which was good for us. He kind of has an Aaron Donald-like effect on the game. There are great players in this league, but there are just a couple guys that I can remember that are as disruptive consistently as this guy. So, you better know where he is every play.”
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph on his relationship with Tomlin:
“That’s my guy. We’ve been tight for a long time. To watch what he’s done in Pittsburgh that long is impressive. He’s a Hall of Fame coach. His teams are always in it, that’s impressive. His team will be ready to go on Sunday. Again, it’s going to be a tough brand of football. It’s always hard to beat him, so I’m looking forward to it.”
