*PittsburghSteelers Conference Call *
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HEAD COACH BILL COWHER (on beating two undefeated teams last year and if there is a different feel in a game like this) 11/20/05
"It's hard to compare last year. I think it's a little bit later. I think that has something to do with it. I think any time you get into mid-November or late November, there's a lot of playoff implications that take place. It's a big challenge for us. Certainly, we're in a situation where we're just battling to keep up with Cincinnati. So there's a lot of implications that go with this game from our standpoint and certainly, playing the best team in football makes it a big game from any standpoint."
HEAD COACH BILL COWHER (on if there is a key to beating any unbeaten team) 11/20/05
"I think obviously what you're playing is a very confident football team and certainly they're unbeaten for a reason. They're on top of their game, and it's going to take us to play our best game. Certainly, I think we're far from where we'd like to be at this point, but at the same time, it's a great challenge that we have and really a great opportunity to, again, see where we measure."
HEAD COACH BILL COWHER (on what RB-Edgerrin James brings to the offense and what it's like to stop Edgerrin) 11/20/05
"The one thing watching Edge run, I think he is running as well as I've seen him run in recent years. His balance is phenomenal, he runs so low to the ground, he's a strong runner and sees the field, and again, he's one of those guys that, he runs so low to the ground that he's always bouncing off, he's always falling forward. I think that's a big key when you're looking at a team that's No. 1 in the league in converting third downs. I think it's because of his ability to get those extra yards and make it a very manageable third down. He gives them an element in the running game that you have to honor, be respectful of, and you couple that with obviously the weapons they have in the passing game, the way Peyton (Manning) runs that offense, they're so balanced with the run and pass, that's what makes them difficult to defend."
HEAD COACH BILL COWHER (on if RB-Edgerrin James is the key to this offense) 11/20/05
"I think with this offense, it's hard to pinpoint any one part of it. You can certainly gameplan and take the running game out, there's no question you can do that, but the problem in doing that is you just open yourself up for big plays down the field. I think that their offense, what makes them so dynamic and really so productive is the fact that they're so balanced. I think you have to be very careful in trying to take away any one element because the other side of it is so potentially potent that you're not going to win a game by just taking away just one element, and I think that's what makes them so dangerous."
HEAD COACH BILL COWHER (on the Colts' offense being able to adapt and play to what the defense is giving them) 11/20/05
"When you look at it, you've seen them win every game possible and I think that you're not going to win a shootout with them and even in the close games, there's no reason to believe that they can't respond. They've won close games and low-scoring games. When you look at the players that they have across the board, they're offensive line is playing outstanding, the receivers they have, whether they have the three-wide with (<
