What Steve Wilks Said Following the Loss to Pittsburgh

RE: Opening Statement

"A lot of credit to the Steelers. Good football team. Came in today extremely well-prepared and ready to go. We didn’t do a great job and that starts with me. Our preparation – I thought we were ready. We didn’t go out and execute today in so many different fashions. One, starting with the defense with our run fits, you know, 157 yards rushing. Definitely not good enough. On the offensive side of the ball, we couldn’t create any momentum. Didn’t establish the run game at all. We’ve got to do a much better job in our protection and giving Sam [Darnold] an opportunity to be able to go through his progressions to get down the field. Third down was horrendous, to say the least on both sides. We were 4 of 11 and then they were 12 of 16 so not good enough in regards to affecting time of possession which they had 36 minutes to our 23 and it all results with that. There is nothing we can do about this game. This is behind us. We are off tomorrow. We are back in here on Tuesday getting ready for Detroit."

RE: What happened to not being able to establish the run game today?

"I’ve got to watch the tape. Eye-level, they were stout upfront. They did a lot of movement. The linebackers did a good job playing downhill but end result, I’ve got to see the tape."

RE: CJ Henderson's injury status

"Don’t really know his status. Moving forward...it is an ankle. With that, next man up and Keith’s [Taylor Jr.] got to go out there, and perform and make plays."

RE: In previous games, the Panthers have set the tone physicality-wise. Today it seemed the Steelers did. Did you notice the same thing and why do you think that happened?

"I put it on me. I didn’t have the guys ready and prepared. That’s my fault and I agree with the statement. They were more physical than us today which is not our mantra. It’s not us."

RE: Did you have any other options besides Keith [Taylor Jr.]? It seemed like they were targeting him. Did you consider TJ Carrie for instance?

"Keith’s got to make plays. Whoever is in there. TJ Carrie, Keith Taylor, whoever it may be, they’ve got to make plays."

RE: Given that you couldn’t run the ball, you kept trying to run the ball a couple times inside the 5-yard line late. Did you just feel like that is your identity and stick to it?

"No, we mixed it up. We ran the ball when we felt like we had the opportunity based off the look and the personnel that was in the game. Then we took our shot right there. Again, they had pressure a couple of times and we have to do a much better job, again, of protecting Sam and allowing him to go through his progression."

RE: From a play-calling standpoint, where do you think you came up short?

"Play calling could have been better. Execution by the players could have been better. Better organization and instruction by the head coach could have been better. So, we’ve all got a hand in this. It’s not just one player, one person, one coach."

RE: Earlier in the week with the talk of the playoff picture, you said you wanted the team to focus on us. How do you feel that focus was maintained if at all up to the game?

"I thought the focus was fine. The execution did not prevail. Still not worrying about it last week, not worrying about it now. We’ve got to worry about trying to get ourselves right to win a football game. I don’t want anybody in this building talking playoffs."

RE: Did Sam Darnold play well enough to be the quarterback in the last three games?

"We are going to watch the tape and evaluate everybody."

RE: Looking at the first drive of the 2nd half – 11 minutes 43 seconds, 21 plays, 91 yards – is that the type of drive you want to show your defense to show where everything could have gone better since that drive did take so long and took a huge chunk of time?

"What we are going to do with that drive is we are going to pull all the third downs out. That’s where we went wrong and that’s what I just mentioned earlier. We didn’t execute on third down. We had what I considered a couple times, the right call. We have to execute and finish. We have to tackle."

RE: You were fairly successful with fanning Sam Darnold out but it seemed he was in the pocket more today and vulnerable. Do you think that might be something you explore?

"Well, it’s something that we talked about and something that we did throughout the game. Maybe we could have done it a little bit more. I’m not saying that was the answer. Whether we drop back or whether we spread out, we have to protect."

RE: Were any of the sacks the result of Sam Darnold holding it too long?

"I’ve got to look at the tape and see exactly what happened, you know. A couple times a guy came off the field and said it was ‘my bad,’ so I assume it was the lineman on that one particular thing. But as you look at the tape, it could have been as well as Sam holding onto the ball. We have to see."

RE: Were you disappointed by the amount of Steelers fans in the stands?

"You know, I was focused on the game. I really didn’t pay attention to it once I get in the mindset of game life. I’m not affected by it."

RE: Where do you go from here? You had some good momentum but today seemed like a step back.

"Again, we have to hit the reset button. Don’t allow it to get in the way, you know. We have been down this road before. There was a setback against Cincinnati. We came back the next week and played a great game against Atlanta. So, we have to find a way as coaches and the men in the locker room to make plays and we have to do a much better job of putting them in position to make plays."

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