TITANS VS STEELERS
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020
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Q. Can you explain what you saw on the ball that got intercepted in the end zone? Were you glad that Ben (Roethlisberger) threw it there and did you think you had a shot at it?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Yeah, I was glad Ben threw it. Obviously, Ben trusted not to throw the ball there and that's a play I have to make for myself, just go over and grab it over his shoulder and his back. But, no, all -- I knew I had the ball in my hands and they just -- they broke it up and had a good play.
Q. What does it say that you build a big lead like you did, scoring on your first four possessions on the road against an unbeaten team, but still turn the ball over three times and win? What does it say about your character or resolve or whatever it is you feel it was?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: I think for us it was more so staying positive and not letting those turnovers distract us. I think it's more so we know our defense got our back. They're going to stop them. They're going to hold them. And we're going to come back and keep striking again, keep striking and put points on the board.
Q. For you, you have another big game. Diontae Johnson has a big game, what does this, again, say about the receiving corps that Chase Claypool doesn't have a big afternoon, James Washington's shut down. What were they showing you guys that allowed you and Diontae to kind of have a breakout?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: I think for them they wasn't trying to get nothing up top. I think they were trying a lot of Tampa 2, a lot of deep, two safeties in the back, trying to keep everything in front of them. And with that being said, Diontae backs out one-on-one, we're throwing everything short. Me playing on front side, everything that's short. And that's the kind of game it was. Not every game is going to be a home run, but, hey, it is what it is. And like I said, you just never know whose turn it is to ball every week.
Q. How important was that first drive? Can you talk about that. I think you went nearly 10 minutes, 15 plays, first eight were throws. How important was that?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: I think it was huge for us. I think it shocked a lot of us. I think because we flipped the coin and we always want our defense to go on the field first, just to set the tone, I think it changed the momentum. And when Ben called tails and we got tails, Ben said, 'Y'all, let's receive.' It changed the whole tone that, you know, first drive you go down and put points on the board and the rest is history. As you can see in the previous games, we always put our defense on the field first to set the tone, but we believe our offense can do the same thing.
Q. What's your feeling as you're watching Stephen Gostkowski lining up for that last kick?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Oh, man, I mean, I was surprised he missed it. Ideally, I was hoping to go into overtime. I mean, a good kicker, I mean, it's tough, but it is what it is. It's a great win for us. We can go home, away, go back home, an hour flight and just enjoy ourself and got the W. 6-0, baby.
