WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

September 29, 2018 at 9:44 am.

–The Steelers committed 13 penalties for 155 yards against the Buccaneers. Half of those penalties were 15-yard fouls for roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct.

They are by far the most-penalized team in the NFL. They have committed 44 penalties in the first three games, 37 of which have been accepted. They have been penalized for an average of 120 yards per game.

“The penalties were a significant element of the game,” Tomlin said. “I understand it was an emotional game, a big game, primetime, responding from a negative performance. So I understand the emotions in it, but boy, we have to play cleaner than we did (Monday) night. We played hard, but we have to play cleaner, and we have to play smarter.”

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said the personal foul penalties are really hurting the team.

“To me, it’s the post-play stuff, hitting people out of bounds, or unnecessary penalties,” he said. “Those are the things that lack discipline in my opinion.”

–Kicker Chris Boswell missed another field goal and another extra point against the Buccaneers. For the season, he is 1-for-4 on field-goal attempts and has missed two extra points.

His misses loomed large Monday night when the Buccaneers staged a late comeback and had a chance to win the game with a touchdown or tie the score with a field goal.

Tomlin said he is not concerned with Boswell, who last month signed a long-term deal that pays him an average of $4 million per season.

“He’s a heck of a kicker,” Tomlin said. “He’s our kicker. I am concerned about the ball not going in. But I’m not concerned about him. I have a great deal of confidence in him. He’ll get it turned around.”

–Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has four consecutive 100-yard receiving games, the longest such streak in the NFL. Smith-Schuster is the league’s third-leading receiver through three games and has become the top target for Roethlisberger.

Smith-Schuster has flourished while opposing defenses have concentrated their efforts on stopping All-Pro Antonio Brown, whose production has dipped early in the season. Smith-Schuster isn’t the only player stepping up to help Roethlisberger. Tight ends Jesse James and Vance McDonald each have had 100-yard games the past two weeks.

“It’s other guys stepping up and playing well,” Roethlisberger said. “When other guys are making plays and making catches and are in the right spot, you don’t feel like you have to get the ball to A.B. every time.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 34 — Touchdown passes by Ben Roethlisberger against the Ravens. Twenty five of those 34 touchdowns have come at Heinz Field, the venue for this week’s game. Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes against the Ravens in 2007 game at Heinz Field and six against them in 2014 at Heinz.