Bill Cowher Question Quotations

We won the game, but we certainly didn't play our best game. We're going to have to play better if we want to move on. There's no question we were fortunate. But we won the game and that's what is most important.

I've added way too much to (the rivalry), I know that. But you know what, I have so much respect for what Marvin (Lewis) and Mike Brown have done in Cincinnati and the team they have put together. Without question they are there. They are on the cusp of a championship year. We realize that every time we play them it's a battle, it always has been.

I will tell the players, as I've told the coaches, there will be no more questions about it, there will be no more discussion about it, our focus this week will be on the Indianapolis Colts. I don't think it will be a distraction at all and, having gone through the process myself, if anything it's inspiring to know there's an opportunity potentially for you.

It was less than a yard. We were going to go for it; it was just a question of what play we were going to call.

Carson Palmer will be back, I don't think there is any question to that, but there are a lot more pieces to that puzzle and not just Carson. He's an integral part of it, trust me, but they've got a lot of pieces around him and with Marvin overseeing that defense they're going to continue to get better. It's going to a big-time rivalry for years to come.

We have an unbelievable fan base. You go around the country and pull into hotels, there is always black and gold and Steelers fans hollering. There is no question it goes back to the rich tradition this team has and this organization built back in the '70s. What we are seeing now is the second generation of that fan base. It's great.

We didn't do a very good job of handling the noise element the last time we went there. I would like to think that having been there once, you know what to expect. When we walked out of the RCA Dome, there was no question that it was louder than we anticipated going in. Now we understand what it is going to be like and we have to deal with it.

One thing you see now is when Willie makes a decision, he's going north and south. You see him hitting the pile and going forward. I know one of the questions was, 'Can Willie run inside?' and I think he's answered a lot of that.

They've got a lot of football players who are trying to build something. I don't think there's any question they're making strides in the right direction.

Why was he not in the game in the last series? ... That's a legitimate question ... I wish I would have gotten him in the game in the second half.

We score there and the game's over and you certainly don't question that.

We've got to run the ball better, there's no question about that. We've played two pretty good defenses and this one's no different, they're ranked fifth against the rush. We have to be able to run the ball more efficiently than we have the last couple weeks. We can't sit there and rely on throwing the football all the time. Not that we don't want to have balance, we do.

We've got to run the ball better, there's no question about that.

Ben is a leader out there for us, there is no question about that. He's a very focused player right now and he needs to be, we are all kind of following his lead.

Ben is a leader out there for us, no question about that. We are kind of following his lead. Being leaders on this team isn't just about guys who have six or seven years; it is the role that they have and what they have to do.

I think, if you look at him early in the season to where you see him now, there is no question. The one thing you see, when he makes a decision, he is going north and south; you see him hitting the pile and going forward. I know there were questions as to can Willie Parker run inside. I think he has answered a lot of that doubt through the year.

It starts at the top, there is no question about that. I've been very blessed and fortunate to be in a very stable organization. At the same time, you can take nothing for granted. You still have to go out there every year and improve yourself. You ask players to do it and I think as coaches you have to do it. I think we all understand that. I'm just very fortunate and blessed to be part of an organization that is very open, very stable and very understanding.

I think you'll find in any second-year player, his comfort level is much greater. There's no question he's more comfortable with our offense and understanding the plays and the design of the plays and where they're intended to go. Consequently, he's much more in control of the huddle than he was a year ago.

I just think that he is making good decisions. He is getting confidence and we feed off him. Ben is a leader out there for us, there is no question about that. I just like the frame of mind that he is in. He is a very focused player right now and he needs to be.

There's no question that he's the best there is when he's healthy. He was an integral part of our defensive success before the injury, and we expect him to be part of the future as well. He has worked very hard to come back, so we're not worried about him at all.