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Mathias Kiwanuka, 09.23.10

Q: So you guys go from having to face the best quarterback in the league to the best running back in the league:
A: That'll definitely be a good challenge for us. I think we have a good game plan, and everyone is ready to go. Especially after the performance we gave last week, I think everybody is ready to get back on track and we'll be alright.

Q: From your experience with Vince Young, what do you think his quickness and his ability to escape is like after seeing it first hand in 2006?
A: Definitely. He's a gifted athlete, and I think he's made a lot of strides as far as distributing the ball and getting the ball down the field. Even though he might not have had the best couple of games, he's definitely a very good and proven player.

Q: Does it start with Johnson first though?
A: Absolutely. I said last week that no matter who you're facing, you have to stop the run. You have to stop the run and defend the pass. If we stick to our game plan and everybody is in the right gaps, and knows their assignments, then we'll be good.

Q: Do you have any unfinished business with Vince Young?
A: I'm done with that. Next question.

Q: Are you surprised you have to address concerns about leadership in this locker room?
A: We have great leaders on this team. People have stepped up in a lot of situations where they're needed. Now, was Rolle right to say what he said? Absolutely. There was a void at that moment. You can't expect people to be 100 percent all the time. There are going to be lapses here or there, and it's good that he said something because now everyone is paying attention to it.

Q: Do you think it re-energizes the team even more, especially coming off a loss like that?
A: Yeah, it definitely makes us re-focus. It gave us a little boost of energy, and it put a little chip on people's shoulders who felt like they should have stepped up. Like I said before, we do have good leadership on this team and that was one incident. You can't put everything in that category. You can't say there was bad leadership because of that one incident.

Q: I'm sure you know that you'll be going up against a different Titans team after the way they performed this past Sunday?
A: Absolutely. We're preparing for them as if they're going to come out firing on all cylinders. We expect them to be preparing as hard as they ever have this week, and that's the kind of game we're expecting to have.

Q: Do you feel that you have to match the way they play physically?
A: Yeah, absolutely. A lot has been said about their physical nature and how they play the game, and I respect their approach to the game. That's the kind of football we like to play.

Q: Did the Steelers provide any kind of blueprint for you guys as far as physical play?
A: Yes. They played them very tough, and it was definitely a battle. If you watch film, both teams were battling. It makes it a little easier knowing that they do what they do.

Q: You ever play anyone quite like Chris Johnson?
A: No. I think he is one of the most explosive in the league since I've been here. It's hard to duplicate that, especially at the college level.