CB Asante Samuel

* On the Steelers challenging him during the game:*
"I saw they were doing a lot of short hitches so I had to switch my game up a little bit. I was definitely surprised by it though."

* On what he was thinking during his interception:*
"It was stride for stride and I could run with him so I just tried to get up as high as I could and get it at its highest point. He was up there too so we just fought for it and I came up with it."

* On if he stole the ball from the WR:*
"I think I had the most possession of it from the beginning. I think he was trying to get it away from me."

* On the defense's play during the game, after last week:*
"It just says that we're a good team. To come back from giving up 38 points, to be a good defense in this league you can't do that and we definitely are one of the better teams."

* On whether the defense felt there was something to prove:*
"Of course, after you give up that many points, this can't happen again. This is the NFL, a win is a win and we'll take it however we can get it."

* On his getting pressure to QB Ben Roethlisberger:*
"That was one of the reasons I signed here. I know our defensive coordinator is aggressive. He calls a lot of blitzing, a lot of things that could confuse you up. He was sending them at him and he was getting to him and riled him up a little bit."

* On FS Brian Dawkins play tonight:*
"He's an animal. He's a hell of a player and I love playing with him. He plays with a lot of emotions and a lot of heart and he just wants to win."

* DE Juqua Parker*

* On the pressure the defense might have felt after last week's loss*
: "I got offended by a couple things, but I knew we were going to come back and bounce back after last week's game against Dallas. I knew we had to come out and get the job done."

* On the defensive pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger:*
"They didn't know what was coming at them. People were getting free and he was getting flushed out of the pocket to me, so that's why I got everything."

* On the defensive game plan:*
"Yes, the plan was to get pressure and that's what we did."

* On the differences in his play from this week and the previous two:*
"I don't really know. I just came out and tried to be myself. I just tried to relax and play. I think the first game I was uptight, so I decided I was just going to come out and be myself."

* On his feelings about people questioning his play this year:*
"I wasn't worried about it. I just wanted to play my game and that's what I did."

* On his strategy to carry out the game plan:*
"Most of my sacks came from going up the field and coming back. So, I just kept trying to get at him."

**

DE Trent Cole**

* On whether there is communication between the defense and QB Ben Roethlisberger during the game:*
"No, not really. We don't really talk to the quarterbacks. We have to save our breath for the next play."

* On whether he felt relief after getting his first sack:*
"I was happy to get it started and I just have to keep doing what I'm doing."

* On maintaining the good attitude throughout the locker room:*
"I think everyone has to keep their head on straight and don't forget, coming off a short week our bodies were tired. We have to overcome these things and we've done this before and go through all that fatigue and we just came out here and got it done."

* On whether he expected to face the Steelers running game more:*
"I was surprised. I was surprised they didn't use the running backs more. They came out passing and I was just like 'Wow, this is going to be fun.'"

* On DE Juqua Parker's play:*
"It was great because they called the blitzes and it looked like they wanted to double team, but we switched as soon as they got on me and they'd have to get off. It was a great feeling not to be doubled all the time. You have everyone working together; it just takes all the pressure off the other guys. When that double team comes, it just leaves someone else open to get there."

* On recovering from a loss like last week:*
"We really did come off a hard loss last week. We know we should have won that game. It's tough now but we know we should have won against Dallas. Dallas is a good team and we're going to see them again so 'Round 2' will happen."