Opening Comments:ML: "After looking at the tape, obviously there's a lot of correction to be made. We were fortunate enough to make plays down the stretch to win. We made enough plays in the first half to stay in the game and limit their scores. Defensively, we didn't play very well across the board, almost to a man. Offensively, we had penalties in the first two drives that put us behind a little bit, and there was some miscommunication with not getting the ball where we needed to. We did make some defensive plays late to get the ball back, stopped them on the third downs. On special teams, we need to do a better job. It wasn't our best effort as far as execution. We've got to keep working to get better at that. We got off to a good start in the return game, but we left some returns out there on kickoffs. We did a good job on the one punt we had a chance to return. We've still got to work on punting the football. We can still be a little more productive with that, with Kevin (Huber).
Q: To what do you attribute your team's recent late-game poise?ML: "I think it starts with the quarterback (Carson Palmer). There's a calmness that he has in those situations. He has command of the things that he likes, when it's up to him to make the calls. All three games thus far this year, we've had timeouts left and been able to huddle and work the field. That's been good. It also gives a sense of calmness that way. The poise comes from this being the situation we practice. We have different situations, different scenarios all the time in practice, in order for our guys to feel comfortable with it. I think they have taken those steps to feel comfortable at the end of the game, to know to be in the right spots and how critical it is not to make an error."
Q: How did the team come out of yesterday's game physically?ML: "We'll see how we are Wednesday. We've got some guys bumped and bruised. As I told you yesterday, Tank Johnson's foot is going to be sore for a bit. Carson (Palmer) came out of the game a little bit sore. Rey Maualuga will be a little sore with the knee, and they're going to do some further studies today. He seems to be OK. Chinedum (Ndukwe) has a little soreness in the leg. Leon (Hall) came back out, but a little sore. We have the usual football soreness. We'll see how we are over the next 48 hours."
Q: Do you feel good about the way the line protected Carson Palmer yesterday?ML:"Yeah. I think the guys are doing a good job of really working together. They keep growing, and keep getting better and better. We just have to keep working. I think it's been good, those five guys working together. We played Dennis (Roland) in there just a little bit yesterday, and we just keep working at it. I think they become more and more comfortable, and that's the way an offense line has to play -- more as a unit than any other group on the football field. And I think they're doing that."
Q: The defense had a few chances to sack Ben Roethlisberger, but left some running lanes for him to get away:ML: "We had miscommunication on a couple of things, and a mental error or two in things. We didn't do a very good job of it. Antwan (Odom) had a chance to get him on the ground a couple of times, and we don't get it done. So we just have to keep getting better at that. You have a quarterback you know is going to be mobile. He's going to move to throw, and it's important that you get him on the ground. On the other side of it, you've got to stay in your coverage, and we made an error that way as well."
Q: Does it affect your preparation not knowing who the Browns will start at quarterback? ML: "As we look at the Browns here later today and tomorrow, we'll go through and prepare to see whoever plays at quarterback."
Q: Brad St. Louis has had a few bad snaps now. Does that concern you?ML: "It's obviously not what you want. Brad has to perform better in that situation. We're very confident with Brad, and he has done an excellent job for a long time. Brad doesn't have missed snaps in practice. For whatever reason, they've shown up in the game. We have to go back and stay confident and execute. Go back fundamentally and do a good job with his technique, and what's he's doing and be accurate with the snap."
Q: With kick returns, you're not getting much in the way of field position. Is that a concern?ML: "We ran one to midfield yesterday, the very first one, and brought another one out to the 30. So I thought we did pretty well. We could've done a little better on the other two. We would like to be better, because we would like to return them for touchdowns. All in all, we keep getting better. Andre (Caldwell) is getting confident."
Q: How is Dan Coats growing?ML: "The tight ends keep working, and they're doing a good job. There are some things we need to get cleaned up, but the more he plays, the better he gets. They (Coats and J.P. Foschi) had to block some guys yesterday who are good players, and they did a good job."
