Here's what coach Staley, Justin Herbert and coach Swinton had to say heading into Week 11 of 2021.
Quarterback Justin Herbert on how the offense has prepared for the Steelers this week
"They're an incredibly well-coached team, they have some really good guys on defense, and offense, as well. They're a tough team, so it's going to take our full effort all week to have a good week of preparation heading into the game on Sunday ... We have a great opportunity against the Steelers this Sunday, so it's all about them and getting prepared for the game."
Herbert on wide receiver Joshua Palmer
"Keep doing what he's doing. He's put in the hard work, and he's doing all the right things. Like we've seen him make plays in big-time games, he's one of those guys that we trust out there. When we put him out there, we know something good's going to happen. If he keeps working like he's going to, good things will happen."
Head coach Brandon Staley on the linebacker rotation if Drue Tranquill is activated
"We'll play all three of them, if Drue [Tranquill] can come back. As we've talked about, we really feel like we have three starters. Then, within our packages, within our personnel groupings, kind of activate them accordingly. Then, taking into consideration where Drue is within the gameplan. As you guys know, he's a quick study. He doesn't need, probably, the practice reps that somebody else would. We'll just kind of wait and see how he is, if he can play and where he's kind of at physically and mentally within the gameplan. We always want to trust our guys. If he can go then, we're going to put them out there."
Staley on depth at defensive line
"That's part of the NFL, but we have a lot of confidence in these guys. They've improved a lot. Where we were at the beginning and where we are now, with all of our guys, are different. We expect them to go play well. I know that Linval Joseph and all of these other guys are expecting those guys to play well. [Defensive Line Coach] Giff Smith has done a really good job of improving that group. They've shown a lot of improvement from the bye, all of them — game action and in practice. We expect those guys to go out there and do the job."
Staley on if there's any extra pressure with back-to-back AFC opponents on the schedule
"Just because we're passed halfway, each week you have that urgency and those types of implications, just because we're far enough along now where things start to matter from the standing standpoint. The fact that it's an AFC game, from a tie-breaker standpoint, all those things that matter down the road, yes. But all of us that are in it are looking at Pittsburgh. You know how well-coached they are. You know this team's gotten a lot better from where they were at the beginning to now. It's a great challenge for us an it's going to be exciting to do it on national television."
Staley on making adjustments due to COVID-19 the last two seasons
"Being able to manipulate the roster to get guys up and things like that, it's been a unique part of the league for the last couple of years. The thing that's not changing anytime soon about the NFL is that week-to-week, you need to be able to figure it out, because if it's not COVID-19, it's injuries. If it's not injuries, it's something else. That's part of the greatness of the NFL, that week-to-week, anything can happen."
Special Teams coordinator Derius Swinton on Chargers defensive back Trey Marshall
"He shows up. His impact, really, we challenged him a few weeks ago. I said, 'Where is the guy that we saw in Denver that was just running through people?' You saw him last week. You saw him the last few weeks. He's not going to be stopped. He runs through people's faces, he runs through their sides, he runs through his own teammates. He really shows up. I told the guys, 'Trey Marshall is going to make the tackle. He's not going to cover the kick.' I go, 'We can get other guys to get cardio. You have 24 hour fitness, we can get a lot of people to run down the field for cardio.' I said, 'We're running down the field to go make the tackle and that's what you watch Trey Marshall do.'"
Swinton on Andre Roberts
"We're establishing a culture in that room where guys can say, 'Hey, I messed that up. I got you, I won't let it happen again.' He stood up, as a man, and said to the group, 'I got you. I'll make up for it.' That was the good thing, but yeah. He will tell you that it was there and sometimes you have to trust the returners. Sometimes, it's for a big return."
Swinton on Chris Rumph II almost blocking a punt
"It was an in-game adjustment. Credit to him. We work on those things all the time. I talk about how we work on the techniques. In a game, we might have to scheme a certain way and we might see something. I told him — he was working that gap pretty good early on and the last one came. I wanted to get a return and I said, 'Hey, listen. Do this.' He said, 'Okay.' He went out there and it went right through his hands. It was a great, great job of taking the techniques to the game. He's a young guy that's coming on. We work on that with everybody. It's an in-game adjustment where he's coming and giving me feedback."
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