Transcript – Mike McDaniel Media Availability

Q. A couple near endings this season already. Those closing drives – choices off Kenny Pickett after which Noah Igbinoghene receives the toe-tapping grab? What`s going via your thoughts the ones moments?

MIKE McDANIEL: ‘Hooray.’ This is some thing that we have got been creating a massive factor of emphasis in the group on turnover differential. So it is some thing that we have got been focusing on, getting one early, after which on the give up of the sport whilst it mattered maximum to get extra turned into manifestly the distinction in prevailing and losing. So it turned into very exciting, however on pinnacle of that, it turned into some thing that we have got made a focus so it turned into top to peer that happen.

Q. What do you observed occurred with the offense? Obviously they scored thirteen factors withinside the first quarter, 3 the relaxation of the sport. You had been slowed down withinside the purple quarter. What do you observed went into that?
MIKE McDANIEL: There turned into a few — it wasn’t one component. We had been performing some top matters, and gamers had been performing some stable matters. But then there has been key mistakes, whether or not it turned into a awful play name or it turned into a man creating a play right here or there. We simply were not truely coming together. We lacked that rhythm and specifically when we had withinside the 1/3 quarter, that first force that we went for it on fourth-and-three withinside the tight purple, felt like proper after that we sort of hit a lull that we are able to all examine from as it turned into like we were given punched withinside the belly or some thing. Yeah, it turned into a war to the Pittsburgh Steelers protection, to their credit. They adjusted themselves, and we did not make the in addition adjustment, that’s some thing that we are going to recognition on transferring forward.

Q. You referred to that fourth-and-three. Can you dialogue the choice to head for it there after which additionally the play name?
MIKE McDANIEL: Yeah, so that is some thing that we are going to by no means — I’m very conscious that it is one of these matters that if it works, it is a incredible play, and if it doesn’t, you already know precisely what you need to — it can be a figuring out issue in the sport, so that you do that. I suppose in the meanwhile I had a few religion withinside the gamers after which regardless, you do it, and also you do not convert; that is a awful choice due to the fact you’ve got got factors, specifically with the manner Jason (Sanders) is kicking. It could had been a -rating recreation. Those are matters that you are properly privy to whilst you input into it. It turned into some thing that I felt quite top approximately it operating out. It did not, so that is some thing that I take complete duty for and happily the relaxation of the group had that choice’s back, and we had been capable of provide you with a win.

Q. Specifically to that, turned into it one of these — in phrases of your choice-making method, do you’ve got got any individual on your ear telling you the analytics at the back of it and win possibility and you then definately go along with your gut, or is it only a natural numbers component in figuring out?

MIKE McDANIEL: No, I even have a pair men inside analytics which might be in my ear in all the ones kinds of situations. In this example they did now no longer endorse me to head for it. So there is masses of selections which might be made that — it is a balancing act. You take the statistical percent chance, that’s what they may be evaluating, and it is one of these matters, I suppose it turned into a fourth — I suppose the scoreboard may have stated 3, however I suppose it turned into like a protracted and a half, however it is one of these if it is fourth-and-2 they may be loads extra supportive; fourth-and-three the odds move manner down. But that turned into some thing that I do quite a good deal each recreation in which you are balancing that with the momentum of the sport and in which we had been at. I felt truely assured that we would be capable of convert. Obviously we did not. I could have by no means even entered into that chance-taking method if I wasn’t terrific assured withinside the manner the protection turned into playing. I truely desired the group so as to make it a -landing recreation due to the fact we had been going to head for 2 if we had been capable of get ultimately quarter and rating. It did not paintings out, however that is why it is a whole group feature and activity to win a soccer recreation. The protection got here via, and we did not flip the ball over, so we ended up at the prevailing side.

Q. From a protective perspective, what are a few stuff you preferred approximately what Josh Boyer did from a making plans after which in-recreation adjustments, specifically with all of the injuries?
MIKE McDANIEL: No, it turned into a superb plan. We felt quite top approximately our matchups with reference to our the front and the way we ought to truely disrupt them and get them out of the pocket. We did not truely get the sacks that we had been hoping for, however you need to be very disciplined with that younger quarterback due to the fact he’s short and he could make you pay in case your rush lanes do not have integrity. I truely preferred that. I truely preferred how the plan all week turned into going to play to our power after which make use of basics and lead them to earn the whole lot and be physical. We’ve been operating on numerous open-area tackling and such things as that and getting turnovers, and I notion together the whole protective team of workers and the protective gamers positioned forth a completely prevailing effort, so it is encouraging.

Q. Tua’s overall performance specifically the fast begin after lacking 3 video games and complete weeks of exercise?
MIKE McDANIEL: It’s now no longer an clean component to do due to the fact we had been on a Thursday night time recreation in Cincinnati whilst he closing played. Those video games you do not have complete-velocity practices. So his closing complete-velocity exercise turned into earlier than the Buffalo recreation, which turned into our 1/3 recreation of the season. It’s to his credit. If he wasn’t so organized and hadn’t positioned himself in