Play.
Stephen A.: It's time for Big Ben to leave.
Stephen A. Smith believes that Ben Roethlisberger should hang up his gun. (3:10)
3:06 PM
The 5-5-1 team will have changes after the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, according to the coach.
He said that they stunk the place up. The reality is that when we play the way that we played, the score is as big as it is.
... You can't do the things that you've been doing and expect a different result. We are open to schematic changes. We are open to personnel changes. They will be more subtle in nature, but hopefully significant. Significant in a positive way.
Last year's Week 8 win against the Baltimore Ravens is an example of how the changes will come in both what the Steelers do and who they do it with. The package of three outside linebackers that the Steelers used in that game was leaning on their depth at the position.
"It could be the positioning of people or it could be the leaning on depth as a strength," he said. We don't overcomplicate things, but we are open to change when there is a chance to produce a desired outcome.
You paint your barn red when you have red paint. It's a motto that we live by at times. That's what I mean when I say we're open to change. Is it people or people with people? If it makes us better, but not for the sole purpose of change. It could be that it means the alignment or configuration of people in an effort to highlight areas where we have depth and minimize areas where we don't.
On both sides of the ball, some of those changes will be seen. The offensive tackle who tore his knee in the first half of the season, has slowly earned more playing time in jumbo packages, and he could be in line to regain the starting spot he lost. Montravius Adams, a former Green Bay Packers third-round pick, was signed to the Pittsburgh defense.
One change that won't be happening any time soon is the return of defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, who hasn't participated in any team drills since training camp. Tuitt is still recovering from knee surgery, and he hasn't had an update on a timetable for his return.
"He won't be available to us this week, and so the people that have my attention are those that will be," he said. I will have an update when he gets close.
After players like Minkah Fitzpatrick said the team needed to change how it practices, they could use pads this week. Ben Roethlisberger, who often misses Wednesday and has been limited in some Thursday practices, may need to get more work in practice.
Some people need physical work, some people need mental work, and some people need to get well. We don't use a broad brush. We make individual decisions that are based on the individual men that put us in position to carry the strongest unit into a stadium on weekends, and that philosophy will not change.
Chase Claypool, a second-year wide receiver, suggested one change that isn't coming down the pipe. Claypool said that playing music at practice might be a positive change.
Claypool said that some music would help. Music was played in the warm-ups. I think music would make practice more fun and up-tempo, but Coach T has been doing this for a long time, so I don't think it would work.
Claypool and Tomlin agreed.
"Claypool plays wideout, and I'll let him do that," he said. I'll come up with a practice approach. I think that division of labor is appropriate.
