Tuesday, October 14

Fun and games: If you follow Cameron Heyward on social media, or T.J. Watt for that matter, it's likely you saw the video on Saturday.

After the Steelers finished their walk-through ahead of the Browns game, Watt was met in the parking lot by a mariachi band performing Happy Birthday to celebrate the linebacker's big day. That was after they left a large card they signed in his locker, and sang to him in a team meeting.

It was fun, entertaining and enjoyed by everyone.

And just another example of how close the 2025 Steelers are, and how much fun they are having being around each other.

"I wanted to do something special for T.J.," said Heyward. "Me and a bunch of other guys, we were saying we've got to have more fun this year, and it was a nice little added-on thing.

"We gave him a card earlier in the day, so he wasn't expecting anything after, but our player development guy, Darrel Young, helped make sure everything went smoothly."

It's not like the players haven't had fun in the past, but you can see a difference this year. The defensive backs are always hanging out together in the locker room, and laughter can always be heard. Heyward's booming voice is always getting on someone, joking and teasing. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

"I think we're just a more together group," said Heyward. "More fun is winning more games, but also just being around each other a lot more.

"Everybody's a part of it from the first guy to the 53rd man to all the practice squad. It starts with myself, it starts with Aaron (Rodgers), it starts with a lot of our guys who have experienced a lot of success in this league and have just been very intentional about that this year."

It doesn't hurt that the Steelers are currently 4-1, a team that is continuing to improve on a weekly basis and feel more comfortable on both sides of the ball.

The defense brought in a plethora of veterans this offseason, but there is also youth peppered throughout, and they are young players that Heyward said they have plenty of trust in.

"I know we have some younger guys, but I love the way everybody prepares," said Heyward. "Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Y.A. (Black), guys especially on the d-line. They're younger guys but they soak up a lot of information.

"And as a defense, I think we have so many moving parts. But to be able to run the exotic defenses we do and be able to blitz from everywhere, you've got to have a lot of buy-in and a lot of guys that you can trust."

And having that has allowed a rotation in the front seven, and beyond, that is valuable now, but going to pay even bigger dividends as the season progresses.

"We talk about making a run late in the year," said Heyward. "We all got to be healthy. We all have got to be trending the right way. Sometimes you watch these players who play 12 games, and then they'll be out of action for like four weeks. But then they're playing their best ball at the end of the year. We're not talking about missing games, but we're talking about mitigating the amount of reps we take, and that means we got to dominate early."

Ready with plenty of tricks: Halloween is still a few weeks away, but that isn't stopping the Steelers from having to face a two-headed monster this week in Bengals receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

The tandem is among the best in the NFL, and the Steelers are going to need plenty of tricks up their sleeves to contain them and keep it from being a fright fest.

"It's a unique talent," said cornerback Darrius Slay. "They both are capable of being great at what they do. Higgins is great at 50-50 balls. Chase is great at doing all that as well. And the part about him is after the catch, his YAC. He's one of the best in the league. I'd say by far the best in the league to me with YAC.

"And just the competitive spirit that both of those guys have got that they can go out there and really produce with any quarterback. They've been proving that year in and year out.

"It's always a challenge. Those guys are at the top of level of their game, and that's why they're getting paid the big bucks."

Adding to the intrigue is the addition of quarterback Joe Flacco, who was acquired via a trade with the Cleveland Browns leading into the Bengals Week 5 game against the Vikings.

Flacco is a veteran who isn't fazed by much, and he has seen it all.

"He's a great guy," said Slay. "He knows how to anticipate throws instead of waiting for guys get open and throwing it. He's doing a great job at it. He's seen every coverage possible.

"We've got to continue to keep playing ball and just compete."

Slay and Flacco were teammates briefly during part of the 2021 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he saw firsthand what type of player and person he is.

"Great man, he's a good dude," said Slay. "He's a guy that helped me with my golf swing a little bit. So that's my dude, a good dude.

"I'm looking forward to competing with him. I was there with him in Philly. He showed me a lot, taught me a lot, and helped me improve my game as well.

"Joe's been in the game for a long time. There aren't too many new concepts you can do in this game that he did not see before."

Knowing what to expect: Patrick Queen has played in enough AFC North games in his six seasons in the NFL, four with the Baltimore Ravens and the last two with the Steelers, to know exactly what Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals is going to be like.

And the physical linebacker welcomes it.

"It's going to be a lot of hard-nosed football," said linebacker. "You've got two of the best deep receivers in the league going at it. Those guys over there are incredible.

"The quarterback's been around, he's been savvy. They've got a good team, and it's an AFC North game.

"So, it's going be a whole lot of emotions going into it, a lot a fireworks. Both sides are going to make plays. It's going to be fun."

Queen was referencing Bengals receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and quarterback Joe Flacco, who was acquired by the Bengals via a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 7.

Flacco, who is in his 18th season in the NFL, brought a lot of energy with him last week against the Packers, and Queen knows they have to be prepared for the veteran.

"He's a smart dude, a savvy dude," said Queen. "He's been around the league. He's seen all these coordinators and what they call and how they do it. He understands them and he's just so smart.

"Once he recognizes coverages, he'll get it out right now to the right guy. Even if the guy's head isn't turned around yet, he is on point with it.

"We've got to be true to our zone, getting closer to people. Try to give our guys a chance to get back there and get them."

Queen knows it's going to be a challenge for the defense, but he has also seen the defense continue to grow over the first five weeks of the season.

"I feel like it's all coming together," said Queen. "I think guys are communicating at a high level, all parts of the defense. Guys are understanding situations.

"Everybody's just out there having fun playing for each other. Nobody's being selfish. We're all just are going out there playing for each other."

Another new challenge: For a rookie, every week can present a new challenge.

And for defensive end Derrick Harmon, the Steelers No. 1 pick, this week it's about the quick turnaround of playing on Thursday Night Football.

This fast of a turnaround is something that Harmon never experienced in college and he knows he has to be ready.

So, what is he doing to prepare for it?

"Just follow my vets. See what they're doing," said Harmon. "Trying to pick up little things, how they just take care of their bodies.

"And really, the mental side of things, that's the biggest part of this. You have to stay mentally prepared because you're not getting a lot of physical reps, but there's a lot a lot of mental reps going around."

Those mental reps will be needed facing a veteran quarterback like the Bengals Joe Flacco, who has seen it all in his 18 seasons.

"He's a vet," said Harmon. "He's been playing this game, in this league, at a high level for a long time. You've got to try and get him down."

One advantage the defense has right now is health, with a full complement of players for the second straight week.

And it's a difference maker for the defense, who had a lot of players miss time early on.

"It's a major component of that, just to get guys back in the field, back in the rhythm," said Harmon. "But with the guys down, it's just next man up. It was just time for those guys to get back, like it was for me. Just got to come here ready to play."

One major component the defense has is a full slate of outside linebackers in T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig all healthy.

"Oh my God, it's fantastic," said Harmon. "The guys are rushing and just making that quarterback step up for the guys in the middle. We push in the middle, and everybody eats."

No time to waste: The Steelers have a short week with a Thursday night game, condensing six days of preparation into three.

The key though is to make sure nothing gets left out.

"We don't have that much time to really go over our usual game plans," said cornerback Joey Porter Jr. "I trust our staff to make a great game plan for us to be prepared and ready on Thursday, which they always do on a short week like this.

"We're going to lean on the coaches and they're going to get us right."

The short week is tough for players who are trying to get healthy, but with a bye just a few weeks ago, and a few days after the game to heal, the timing this year can be somewhat of a benefit for those trying to get back on track physically.

"Depending on how you go about it and how you prepare," said tight end Jonnu Smith. "Some guys were kind of banged up over the bye, so I'm sure that that gave them a lot of time to recover.

"And then what will also be key for us is the couple of days after Thursday night's game, considering everyone comes out healthy. Those couple of days will really be helpful to us knowing that we had an early bye."

Consistently catching on: Wide receiver DK Metcalf has a chance to extend his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception to five when the Steelers visit the Bengals.

But the chance to do so against a second consecutive AFC North Division opponent doesn't figure into the equation regarding what Metcalf might or might not be anticipating.

"I play football for a living," he said. "I don't do the divisional-rivalry thing. Everybody gets it on Sunday."

Or on Thursday night, as the case may be this week. Metcalf got into the end zone against the Browns last Sunday via a 25-yard hookup with quarterback Aaron Rodgers that exploited 1-on-1 coverage.

It was one of a handful of such opportunities Metcalf was presented with in the Cleveland game and one of multiple shots Rodgers took when the Browns opted to cover Metcalf 1-on-1. Metcalf expects more of the same moving forward, even on days such as last Sunday when No. 2 wide receiver Calvin Austin III turned up unavailable due to shoulder injury.

"Everybody's good in the NFL," Metcalf said. "I would assume defenses trust their corners against me 1-on-1, so no, I'm not surprised."

He intends to stay prepared in the event things play out as he suspects against the Bengals.

"Just make sure when those chances do come and those ops do present themselves that I'm ready for it and we capitalize on it," he said.

One way to do so is by employing the "late hands" technique Metcalf put on display against Cleveland.

"It's just something that I've been working on since I got here, 'late hands' just so the DB doesn't have a chance to knock it out at the last second," he said.

Metcalf has also been effective turning slams into splash plays in the early going this season.

"I would give credit to Josh Gordon on that one, his time in Seattle," Metcalf said. "He definitely taught me how to run a slant for a bigger-body receiver, just getting yourself in-between the defender and the ball. The quarterback is going to do the rest."

The offense, Metcalf said, is working hard to continue building the chemistry necessary to be in position to take advantage of any and all opportunities as they develop.

"Just extra communication," he emphasized. "Communication when we're here (at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex), when we're at the crib chillin' and think of something. We're about to go meet right now making sure we speak up. Everybody's speaking up, not just me, about what they see on film and what we can do better."

-- Blog entry by Mike Prisuta

On the same page: Tight end Connor Heyward admittedly doesn't have extensive experience practicing or playing with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

But Heyward has just enough, as it turns out.

"Here and there during the season," Heyward said of the regularity with which the two are on the field together. "More just from Latrobe, honestly, banking a lot of stuff (during training camp). And then in-season, getting a lot with the No. 2s, and stuff like that. Here and there with him, routes on air, stuff like that.

"But I feel like we have a good amount of built-up chemistry, honestly."

That was apparent on what became a read-and-react, 12-yard touchdown connection in last Sunday's 23-9 victory over Cleveland.

"Just ran a clear-out corner (route)," Heyward explained. "Usually, you get those earlier if you're gonna catch those for a touchdown. Locked eyes with Aaron and luckily, we were on the same page. I was kinda thinking what he directed me to do right when we locked eyes."

Rodgers pointed the way for Heyward to adjust his route prior to delivering the pass on which Heyward made a diving reception in the end zone for a 16-3 Steelers lead midway through the third quarter.

"I felt I had the guy beat inside, anyway," Heyward continued. "(Rodgers) saw that no one was in the middle because usually, you don't throw across your body but there was no one else in the middle of the field. Scotty (Miller) was the backside receiver on another route but there was no one near me."

Heyward's touchdown was scored on his "second or third" offensive snap of the Cleveland game. He ended up playing six offensive snaps against the Browns and 16 on special teams, where the Steelers lost safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew to a knee injury.

Heyward, Killebrew, wide receiver Ben Skowronek, cornerback James Pierre, rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer and rookie inside linebacker Carson Bruener played on the punt, punt return, kickoff and kickoff return units against the Browns.

"Obviously, Miles is a great player, a great leader," Heyward said. "We'll miss him but it's just room for somebody else to step up. Coach (head coach Mike Tomlin) always talks about next guy up and another guy's opportunity. We'll all have to step up. Obviously, we'll miss him, but for sure me, Ben, we'll have to carry the guys and pull the guys along with us.

"We have Carson Bruener, Jack Sawyer, we have a lot of guys playing at a high level."

-- Blog entry by Mike Prisuta

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Monday, October 13

Up for the challenge: Another week.

Another AFC North challenge for the Steelers.

This time it's in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals and a pair of star receivers in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Chase has 42 receptions for 468 yards and four touchdowns. Higgins has 18 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns.

"I feel like they've always been good," said cornerback Joey Porter Jr. "They always have their weapons. It doesn't really matter who the quarterback is really when you've got weapons on the outside that can really make any play happen.

"So, we're not going to look at it any different way. We know what Joe Flacco brings to the table. We know what those guys bring and we're going to be ready for that.

"From my time here, I faced both of them one-on-one multiple times. I never really had no problems with those guys. I know those guys are good. But I mean, we're going to handle business like usual."

The Steelers secondary took on a new look this season, adding Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers.

And it's for games like Thursday night's showdown against the Bengals at Paycor Stadium they made the additions for.

"Coach (Mike) Tomlin told us from the jump, right from training camp, we got all of us for a reason," said Porter. "Every corner, every defensive back, he picked was for a reason. It was to lock these guys up and be able to play man across the board.

"And now we get to really show what we really made of. So, we're all ready and we're all prepared for that."

The defense, a unit that there have been high expectations for since the start of the season, continues to grow every week, and the joy for Porter is they still haven't played their best.

"I feel like we're playing to our potential, but we're still not satisfied," said Porter. "We all know that we still have stuff to work on and improve on. So, we've just got to stay with that chip on our shoulder, and I think we're going to keep climbing."

A player who has helped the defense climb to where they want to be is Ramsey, who was acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins before training camp. He has played multiple roles in the secondary, and showed his toughness on Sunday when he returned from a hamstring injury to not just play against the Bengals, but dominate.

"We all think he's a Gold Jacket type of player," said Porter. "I mean, he put it on tape for years. So just the energy he brings, the knowledge he brings. Him and Slay, they just elevate our room to another level, to where every guy wants to be on that type of level and compete on that level.

"So, I feel like just them being here brings the morale up."

Solid as a rock: The Steelers offensive line set out to do multiple things against the Browns.

One was to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers, especially with the likes of Myles Garrett on the other side of the line.

Another was to establish the ground game.

They were successful in both.

Rodgers wasn't sacked once against the Browns, while the Steelers ran for 100 yards.

And Garrett's impact, well, he had just two assists on the day.

When asked how he would evaluate their performance, tackle Broderick Jones kept it simple.

"It was solid," said Jones. "I would say it was solid. It was enough to get us out of the stadium, for sure.

"But, it's always trials and tribulations you've got to come through. I feel like I could have played a little bit better. But just me, trying to uphold the standard for myself. I feel like I've got to play at a better, more consistent level. That's what it has got to be."

While the offensive line was 'solid' on Sunday, it won't mean much to them if they don't come out on fire on Thursday night against the Bengals.

"This is the NFL, man. It never gets easy," said Jones. "You've got good players every week. So, you've just got to continue to prepare the right way.

"We're going to Cincinnati in an away game. We're going into their home turf. So, I know they're going to be fired up. It's a rivalry game, so we've just got to be on it."

All about yourself: The Steelers could see a change in the defense they have become accustomed to over the years from the Bengals, with new defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Golden, who spent the last three seasons at Notre Dame, is in his first season in the role with the Bengals and that newness can create challenges.

"They have a new defensive coordinator in Al Golden. That certainly has our attention," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "There's intimacy in these divisional relationships. Most cases, you know them, they know you, and it creates an awesome chess match that's competitive and challenging and fun.

"They probably have a better handle on what we're capable of in this component of the match-up. Not highly familiar with Coach Golden's schematics. Just getting a first look at it.

"They're doing some things differently than they have done in the past, and that's reasonable to expect when you have a new coordinator. Because it is a short week, that really has our attention.

"We're really working with some urgency there. We've got to be good. We can't be surprised by any schematics, obviously. So, we'll be working around the clock to level the playing field in terms of familiarity in that area."

Tight end Jonnu Smith knows that might be a challenge for the coaches, but from a player's standpoint, the focus is on what each of them has to do as opposed to what the opponent is doing.

"You always got to focus on yourself," said Smith "It starts with yourself.

"At the end of the day, you can study your opponent as much as you can. But if you're not prepared and confident in what your plan of attack is, then you don't really put yourself in a position to win.

"The reality of it is we can watch as much tape as we should. We can do all those things that it takes to put us in the best position to win, but that doesn't guarantee us a win. And what I mean by that is, our opponents, as much as we can come out there (prepared), they have a different plan that week.

"So, we've got to focus on ourselves regardless always. It has always been about us and always will be about us."

A clear vision: When the Steelers signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers not long before the team's minicamp in the summer, Coach Mike Tomlin didn't have a full-out preconceived notion of what the offense would look like with the four-time NFL MVP at the helm.

Yes, he had a vision of what it could be, but nothing where he had a outline as to where the team would be at this point.

But the ideas that he did have, well, five games in with a 4-1 record, they have been confirmed.

"I certainly had an overall vision of what it could look like, but it wasn't so detailed that I could compare it to our present state," said Tomlin. "I think sometimes when you're inflexible from a planning perspective in that way, you're not adaptable enough to be what you need to be.

"A lot of ideas certainly that we had about what it would look like have been confirmed, but you really don't know what you've got until you get it. Being around him day-to-day and that component of it, his experience, what's natural and fluid for him, the relationships that he's able to develop with others, all of that's a component of the equation that could alter the vision component.

"I'm never too married to a vision. It's certainly moving in the general direction that I anticipated it doing, but it's also reasonable to expect that to continue as we push forward."

Receiver DK Metcalf said nothing has surprised him about Rodgers, because he went in to playing with him with an open mind.

"I don't go into a relationship or a teammate or one-on-one with a person expecting for them to act a certain way," said Metcalf. "I let them show me everything that they want to show me or talk to me how they want to talk to me, and then I'll be the judge of that from the rest.

"What I've seen and heard from him is he loves the game of football, loves hanging out, loves the people who are playing for him and works hard. I can respect a guy like that, especially with the work that he's put in since I was 3, I want to say, in the league. He's done this for a long time at a long clip. Just happy he's throwing me the ball."

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