1
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,160
Speaker 1: See them all with herbig are limited. That ain't good.

2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,640
Speaker 1: It's a short week as well. But at this point

3
00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,600
Speaker 1: the NFL is a war of attrition. Let's be honest.

4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:16,080
Speaker 1: They play too many games. It should be fourteen. It's

5
00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,320
Speaker 1: gonna wind up being probably, I don't know what what

6
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,760
Speaker 1: max out as I used to think it couldn't possibly

7
00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,680
Speaker 1: go past sixteen, and now here we are at seventeen.

8
00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,320
Speaker 2: Gonna be eighteen? I bet at some point it's twenty.

9
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,080
Speaker 1: And to be honest, if the league doesn't care if

10
00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,800
Speaker 1: the guys live or die, or if they have CTE

11
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,800
Speaker 1: or if they can walk at the end of the careers,

12
00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:38,760
Speaker 1: well that makes two of us. I don't care either.

13
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,400
Speaker 1: You know what you can tell about the real state

14
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,520
Speaker 1: of the Steelers, how the fans feel, how the players feel.

15
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:53,239
Speaker 1: Even every win is over celebrated that guy Scarps who

16
00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,320
Speaker 1: used to work for the Steelers. He pointed that out

17
00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,480
Speaker 1: on Twitter, chest pounding, overreacting, et cetera.

18
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,040
Speaker 2: Every time they win a game.

19
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,320
Speaker 1: I remember the days when the Steelers were supposed to win,

20
00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,200
Speaker 1: expected to win, and like I said, even the players

21
00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:17,360
Speaker 1: like you hear Rogers talking about how the belief is growing. Well,

22
00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,440
Speaker 1: he's trying to talk you into that. But he's also

23
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,800
Speaker 1: trying to talk his teammates into that, and he's trying

24
00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,320
Speaker 1: to talk himself into that. But how will all y'all

25
00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,560
Speaker 1: feel when this season ends the same way as the

26
00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,640
Speaker 1: last day, Because that's the way I would bet I'm

27
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,119
Speaker 1: a little more optimistic given than winning last night, having

28
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,280
Speaker 1: beaten Baltimore the week before. And if you went out

29
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,160
Speaker 1: then yeah, you don't have a two thousand and five

30
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,480
Speaker 1: vibe about it, even though these Steelers are old and

31
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,160
Speaker 1: those guys were young and on the way up. But

32
00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,360
Speaker 1: right now it just feels same old sable. I am

33
00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,760
Speaker 1: impressed that Rogers ain't got hurt yet, except very briefly

34
00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:03,960
Speaker 1: with the broken wrist, which he has handed impeccably. But now,

35
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,560
Speaker 1: right now, Rogers looks very comfortable out there, very confident

36
00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,400
Speaker 1: out there. What he says after the game too, I

37
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,120
Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know. Things look better. I'm not

38
00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:21,040
Speaker 1: quite ready to say that they look good. Here's an

39
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,320
Speaker 1: unbelievable number. That's twenty three consecutive home wins for the

40
00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,960
Speaker 1: Steelers on Monday night football.

41
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,800
Speaker 2: That doesn't mean much, but it doesn't mean nothing.

42
00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,799
Speaker 1: So let me ask you for calls on the fifteens

43
00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,720
Speaker 1: should be sponsored. Isn't not my fault? What's the biggest

44
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,440
Speaker 1: overreaction coming out of last night? I see references to

45
00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,160
Speaker 1: Rogers heating up. I saw that phrase in a couple

46
00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,720
Speaker 1: summations of the game in the media, heating up. He's

47
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,560
Speaker 1: forty two. Maybe it's a hot flash, menopause, something like that.

48
00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,480
Speaker 1: I saw a reference to Kenneth Gainwell being the team MVP.

49
00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,320
Speaker 1: If he is, it's not a very good team. And

50
00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,119
Speaker 1: maybe it's not as I've been saying. I like the defense,

51
00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,280
Speaker 1: especially how well at play without Wat and Harmon. The

52
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,760
Speaker 1: numbers don't lie and they spell disaster for you would

53
00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,240
Speaker 1: sacrifice four sacks, seven tackles for a loss one pick,

54
00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:24,040
Speaker 1: physical play, real good tackling. The Steelers have missed a

55
00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,000
Speaker 1: lot of tackles, but not last night. The defense was

56
00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:32,120
Speaker 1: absolutely one percent legit, and that is not an overreaction.

57
00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,560
Speaker 1: The defense held the game at check until the offense

58
00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,280
Speaker 1: got going, which took the best part of a half.

59
00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,560
Speaker 1: But then the offense scored touchdowns on four straight possessions,

60
00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,200
Speaker 1: which was like seeing a UFO land. It's like what

61
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,360
Speaker 1: they scored again. Let me make a big mound of

62
00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,760
Speaker 1: mashed potatoes. Richard Dreyfus reference way over your heads?

63
00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:55,480
Speaker 2: What movie was that?

64
00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,960
Speaker 1: The alien movie? Richard drives the big mound of mashed potato?

65
00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,200
Speaker 1: Why am I thinking? Call me by your Name? That

66
00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,200
Speaker 1: was a decidedly different movie and did not feature Richard Dreyfus.

67
00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,360
Speaker 2: But I watched part of it last night after the game.

68
00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:17,120
Speaker 1: And now the Steelers visit Detroit on Sunday, and if

69
00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,400
Speaker 1: you want to make a statement, win that game. Tom

70
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,720
Speaker 1: and I were talking about that earlier. Detroit is eight

71
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,640
Speaker 1: and six, same as the Steelers. It's not an unwinnable game.

72
00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,600
Speaker 1: Detroit scores a lot most points in the league. Goss

73
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 1: very good at quarterback, gives is a great running back,

74
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,920
Speaker 1: that Saint Brown, who has a super cool name, Amon

75
00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,680
Speaker 1: Ross Saint Brown. That's a super cool name that sounds

76
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:43,400
Speaker 1: like a like a religious deity. He's a great wide out.

77
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,359
Speaker 1: And Baltimore is still one game behind the Steelers, So

78
00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:48,000
Speaker 1: go win.

79
00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:55,280
Speaker 2: I feel like the Steelers d might stop Detroit. Might.

80
00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:58,760
Speaker 1: I don't want to go past night because I'm just

81
00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,960
Speaker 1: not that can vinced by last night when Cam got

82
00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,720
Speaker 1: a sack, and by the way, he's still nowhere near

83
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,800
Speaker 1: reaching his bonuses, but when Cam got a sack, he

84
00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:13,760
Speaker 1: did watch kick celebration. Kind of not real high. The

85
00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:19,680
Speaker 1: Rockets will not be recruiting the whole game. The Steelers

86
00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,920
Speaker 1: played pretty good and beat an ok team, But can

87
00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,160
Speaker 1: they legitimately punch above their weight class at Detroit and

88
00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,960
Speaker 1: in a playoff game. That's the question for me, is

89
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,120
Speaker 1: still a long way from being answered. But don't let

90
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,120
Speaker 1: me stop your overreaction and let me just say by

91
00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,080
Speaker 1: way of prefacing, the Steelers very potentially pulling the upset

92
00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:45,039
Speaker 1: of Detroit. Detroit's secondary is very banged up. I'm not

93
00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,320
Speaker 1: sure any of their starters are one hundred percent, and

94
00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,280
Speaker 1: I'll be surprised if more than one or two of

95
00:05:52,320 --> 00:06:02,200
Speaker 1: them plays against the Steelers this coming Sunday. Greenberg on

96
00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:08,640
Speaker 1: Get Up Today, he was pumping Tomlins tires, and he

97
00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,760
Speaker 1: said that certain cities would kill to do what the

98
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,719
Speaker 1: Steelers do every year, like Carolina and Atlanta, And I

99
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,159
Speaker 1: give Jeff Saturday a lot of credit. Saturday said those

100
00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:24,400
Speaker 1: franchises aren't in the same category as Pittsburgh. Huzza for

101
00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:26,760
Speaker 1: that bang on here in Pittsburgh with six Super Bowls,

102
00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,200
Speaker 1: And Greenberg did the thing, Oh that was a long

103
00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,280
Speaker 1: time ago, the seventies. They've won two super Bowls since

104
00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,760
Speaker 1: nineteen eighty, and that's true, but they did win those

105
00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,400
Speaker 1: four super Bowls, and they do have six super Bowl championships.

106
00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,600
Speaker 1: And ergo and he Steeler fan with a lick of

107
00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,920
Speaker 1: sense and an outs of pride doesn't give a frig

108
00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,360
Speaker 1: about the no losing seasons.

109
00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:48,159
Speaker 2: I know I don't.

110
00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,280
Speaker 1: In fact, I look at his embarrassing that some of

111
00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,159
Speaker 1: you and you're not that bright and you're young, and

112
00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,360
Speaker 1: which makes you even stupider. You take that so seriously,

113
00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,720
Speaker 1: like like what's the new thing? Kansas City is out

114
00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,200
Speaker 1: of the playoff race, so they will be playing three

115
00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,919
Speaker 1: meaningless games. The Steelers in Tom Wins nineteen years have

116
00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,160
Speaker 1: only played one meaningless game. If you believe that's important,

117
00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:15,040
Speaker 1: go f yourself because it doesn't matter. The key is

118
00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,520
Speaker 1: what does not playing meaningless games get you? And since

119
00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,360
Speaker 1: Tom wins first four years coaching, it's gotten the Steelers

120
00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:32,880
Speaker 1: in the city. Bupkus any hoodles uh eight three three

121
00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,080
Speaker 1: four one two w XDX number to call. We're gonna

122
00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,000
Speaker 1: talk some more penguins as well. I'm gonna do my

123
00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,200
Speaker 1: tearful thank you to Tristan Jari in just a little

124
00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,800
Speaker 1: bit and at the bottom of the hour we did

125
00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,200
Speaker 1: a switcher route today Mike Defebo joins us at three

126
00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:47,760
Speaker 1: point thirty.

127
00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,240
Speaker 2: Peerre Maguire flip flop in the fourth third.

128
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,960
Speaker 1: I believe he's flying to Ireland or Scotland or someplace

129
00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,840
Speaker 1: shed again one five ninety X.

130
00:07:55,480 --> 00:08:03,480
Speaker 2: You're holding up first. You know what's great about European soccer? Well, everything, But.

131
00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,080
Speaker 1: I'm watching a League Cup game in Angle between Chelsea

132
00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:13,240
Speaker 1: and they're playing at Cardiff City in Wales, and I

133
00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,800
Speaker 1: think Cardiff are a Triple A team or maybe even

134
00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,360
Speaker 1: a Double A level team right now, but their home

135
00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:20,600
Speaker 1: pitch is impeccable.

136
00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:21,680
Speaker 2: Think about that.

137
00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,800
Speaker 1: A minor league team in Wales has a better home

138
00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,520
Speaker 1: field than these Steelers have.

139
00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,520
Speaker 2: Although it was okay last night, it was cold. Who

140
00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:32,000
Speaker 2: could tell?

141
00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,480
Speaker 1: It's time for calls on the fifteens eight three three

142
00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,040
Speaker 1: four one two WXDX.

143
00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:41,960
Speaker 2: Let's go to Joe.

144
00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,240
Speaker 1: Joe, you're on with double M.

145
00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,000
Speaker 3: Hey Mark, listen. I remember talking on your show recently

146
00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,720
Speaker 3: about how you were asking whether it was really worth

147
00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,120
Speaker 3: bringing Aaron Rodgers to the team, right and after.

148
00:08:54,960 --> 00:09:00,320
Speaker 2: Witnessing legitimate question, but go ahead, yes, sir, Well.

149
00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,880
Speaker 3: What I witnessed last night, the guys last night looked

150
00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:03,800
Speaker 3: like a warrior to me.

151
00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,240
Speaker 4: You know, it was cold. He's still getting hammered.

152
00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,960
Speaker 2: Oh my god, he's cold, and he's still played good.

153
00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,320
Speaker 2: You're right. I mean he's like he's like a latter

154
00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:12,040
Speaker 2: day Rambo.

155
00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,480
Speaker 3: Well, it's forty two years old, that's the way I

156
00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,480
Speaker 3: look at it. But basically I see him carrying a

157
00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,040
Speaker 3: poorly coach team that doesn't stand a chance of winning

158
00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:23,719
Speaker 3: the playoffs.

159
00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:25,120
Speaker 4: Well, that's my opinion.

160
00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:26,640
Speaker 2: Rogers played real well last night.

161
00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,800
Speaker 1: I would call it more efficient and spectacular, but that's

162
00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,760
Speaker 1: what they needed, was efficient. As far as being a

163
00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,080
Speaker 1: poorly coached team, I mean, I don't know. I mean,

164
00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,280
Speaker 1: clearly he's assumed maybe not assumed control, but he has

165
00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 1: influence over what's going on with the offense. In terms

166
00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:46,320
Speaker 1: of play calling. He can, you know, do checkdown and

167
00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,840
Speaker 1: does quite a bit. And that's okay because he has

168
00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,120
Speaker 1: vision and thought that that few quarterbacks ever have had.

169
00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,719
Speaker 1: He's getting mvs and feeling in there. I'm not sure

170
00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,439
Speaker 1: if that's good over younger guys, faster guys.

171
00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:01,000
Speaker 2: So I I think it's a mixed bag.

172
00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,400
Speaker 1: With him, and I still think it's in doubt if

173
00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:05,079
Speaker 1: he can win a playoff game.

174
00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,280
Speaker 2: But let me ask you this, So you think it's

175
00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,120
Speaker 2: good that they brought Rodgers in, right, Yes, sir, I do. Okay,

176
00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:13,520
Speaker 2: what if they don't win a playoff game.

177
00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,000
Speaker 3: I don't think I'll change my mind still, because it's

178
00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,120
Speaker 3: the whole picture. Like I said, he can't carry the

179
00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:21,319
Speaker 3: whole team himself.

180
00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:23,839
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, But if they don't win a playoff game,

181
00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:25,840
Speaker 1: which is a low bar But if they don't win

182
00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:27,920
Speaker 1: a playoff game, then they've wasted another year with an

183
00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,040
Speaker 1: old quarterback. And where do they go from there? What's

184
00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,920
Speaker 1: been gained the Steelers at some point? The Steelers, at

185
00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,920
Speaker 1: some point have to think past just the next game.

186
00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,120
Speaker 1: That there's no big picture thinking at all in that

187
00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,079
Speaker 1: organization and it's why they're stuck in the mushy middle.

188
00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:45,640
Speaker 4: I totally agree.

189
00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:47,600
Speaker 2: Thank you for the call. Good call. It's good to nick.

190
00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:48,920
Speaker 2: Nick you're on the Mark Madden Show.

191
00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,800
Speaker 3: Hey, Mark, I think a good barometer to use is

192
00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,480
Speaker 3: this upcoming game against the Lions when it comes to

193
00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,319
Speaker 3: the chances of winning a playoff game, simply because I

194
00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,680
Speaker 3: know you said the defense will legit. But the Steelers

195
00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,720
Speaker 3: did exactly what they needed to do and could do

196
00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,400
Speaker 3: stop the run and let Tua lose it, and that's

197
00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:07,480
Speaker 3: exactly what happened.

198
00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:09,280
Speaker 4: Golf is no Tua.

199
00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,840
Speaker 1: So I think depending on how much right and as

200
00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,640
Speaker 1: good as the Miami run game is, Detroit is even

201
00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,599
Speaker 1: better with Gibbs.

202
00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,719
Speaker 3: And you now got to worry about Golf and his arm.

203
00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,400
Speaker 3: So I think that's a good indicator. But I do

204
00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,120
Speaker 3: have a question that you brought up with the last caller,

205
00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,240
Speaker 3: because I honestly don't remember. When it comes to a

206
00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,320
Speaker 3: playoff game and losing, would you say that it was

207
00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,760
Speaker 3: more about the defense not stopping where the offense was

208
00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,400
Speaker 3: able to score. I don't remember from the previous years.

209
00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,520
Speaker 2: I can make it a lot simpler than that.

210
00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,520
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously, they gave up a lot of points

211
00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,880
Speaker 1: in the playoff losses since they last won a playoff game,

212
00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,240
Speaker 1: and they fell behind early in those games as well,

213
00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,600
Speaker 1: except a Kansas City where Watt got that scoop and score.

214
00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,000
Speaker 2: But I can make it a lot simpler. Broth.

215
00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,800
Speaker 1: They haven't won a playoff game eight years because they

216
00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,720
Speaker 1: haven't been good enough. It hasn't been failure on one

217
00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:05,680
Speaker 1: side of the ball or the other. It's been a

218
00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,480
Speaker 1: total failure. It's a roster not good enough, a game

219
00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,000
Speaker 1: plan on got good enough, and certainly coaching not good enough.

220
00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,040
Speaker 3: You brought up a valid point, though, if Rogers wins

221
00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,200
Speaker 3: a playoff game, you know wasn't worth it. Well, to

222
00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,760
Speaker 3: be honest with you, if the Steelers do win a

223
00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,360
Speaker 3: playoff game, I don't think it's going to be that

224
00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,520
Speaker 3: telling of the Steelers being better. I don't think it's

225
00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:30,559
Speaker 3: gonna be a big deal, but I do think it

226
00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,240
Speaker 3: would be important. If it was Rogers with four scoring

227
00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,360
Speaker 3: tds in a row, yeah, then you would say, okay,

228
00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,280
Speaker 3: yeah it was because of that.

229
00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,360
Speaker 1: But even then, no, right, if he goes out there

230
00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,200
Speaker 1: and wins the playoff game, then I guess it'll have

231
00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,120
Speaker 1: been worth it. But my my opinion is that they

232
00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,440
Speaker 1: winning a playoff game is a really low bar, and

233
00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,440
Speaker 1: I always think that every team should be designed to

234
00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,640
Speaker 1: be building towards winning a championship, even if you need

235
00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:01,760
Speaker 1: to take steps backwards to go forward, and the Steelers

236
00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,000
Speaker 1: just won't do that. Let me tell you they they

237
00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,800
Speaker 1: people can be as optimistic as they want and as

238
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,400
Speaker 1: impressed as they want by last night's win. They are

239
00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,240
Speaker 1: stuck in the mushy middle more than ever. There is

240
00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,720
Speaker 1: no hope of them winning a championship for like, I mean,

241
00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:18,439
Speaker 1: I don't think they have a chance to win a

242
00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,000
Speaker 1: championship in the next decade, to be quite honest, because

243
00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,959
Speaker 1: they butchered anything but bringing in old guys to patchwork.

244
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,840
Speaker 3: I think if they win a playoff game, I don't

245
00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,080
Speaker 3: think it proves anything, but I do believe they've set

246
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,760
Speaker 3: it up to win a playoff game. Like I'm a

247
00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,760
Speaker 3: fan of the Seelan and Scantlon because regardless how fast

248
00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,679
Speaker 3: they are, they're comfortable on.

249
00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,200
Speaker 4: The field and they know where they fit.

250
00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,520
Speaker 3: And Rogers needs that because that's a kind of quarterback.

251
00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,760
Speaker 1: If your goal is to just win a playoff game

252
00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,520
Speaker 1: after eight years, not then yeah, I agree with that.

253
00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,959
Speaker 2: It's building building to nothing.

254
00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,560
Speaker 1: And if they don't win a playoff game, then they

255
00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,840
Speaker 1: got some splaining to do, Lucy, but they won't. Let's

256
00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:04,840
Speaker 1: go to Bartholemew Bartholomew, you're on with Mark, Mark, I said,

257
00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:05,280
Speaker 1: good day.

258
00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,120
Speaker 3: Well, that's back to back weeks where Mike Commins made

259
00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:10,680
Speaker 3: old double M look pretty stupid.

260
00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:12,920
Speaker 1: Huh No, that's not true. They're eight and six and

261
00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,320
Speaker 1: have won a playoff game. You know one will make

262
00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,080
Speaker 1: me look stupid when he wins a playoff game.

263
00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,760
Speaker 4: Okay, well he's about to win his eighth division.

264
00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:21,240
Speaker 2: Title.

265
00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:21,720
Speaker 3: Yay.

266
00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,360
Speaker 1: When I was a kid, we worried about winning super Bowls.

267
00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,040
Speaker 1: But but I understand, you're young, you're dumb, I dot,

268
00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,720
Speaker 1: you're full of anything, let alone that. But but the

269
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,880
Speaker 1: bottom line is that they need to do better. And

270
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:37,080
Speaker 1: until they do, I'm right, he's wrong. I'm successful. He's

271
00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,080
Speaker 1: a failure. But a failure like yourself would embrace failure,

272
00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,160
Speaker 1: so I'm not surprised. Please do go on anything else

273
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,000
Speaker 1: I didn't think so, thanks for the call. Okay, Up next,

274
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:46,960
Speaker 1: we talked football with Mike de Fabo one O five

275
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:47,680
Speaker 1: to nine.

276
00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,200
Speaker 5: Every weekd at ten am is trying to starting your

277
00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,880
Speaker 5: day commercial free on one O five nine DX and.

278
00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:01,280
Speaker 2: Now the super genius Mark Madden. Yes, like wetter to

279
00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:02,880
Speaker 2: my ear. The last thing we need is a lot

280
00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:03,560
Speaker 2: of loose talk.

281
00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:05,680
Speaker 1: I like it.

282
00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:07,920
Speaker 4: The X at one five nine.

283
00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,480
Speaker 1: Steelers with a big win last night at home against

284
00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,600
Speaker 1: Miami and it was cold outside, baby joining me now

285
00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,280
Speaker 1: to talk about it. He covers the team for the

286
00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,120
Speaker 1: Athletic and Smike de Fabo, Mike, I thought that was

287
00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,360
Speaker 1: a convincing win. I'm just not sure quite what we

288
00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,480
Speaker 1: should be convinced of moving forward.

289
00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:27,040
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would agree with you.

290
00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,040
Speaker 5: I would consider it a taking care of business type

291
00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,920
Speaker 5: of win. I know that the Miami Dolphins were hot

292
00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:33,840
Speaker 5: and coming into that game.

293
00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:35,840
Speaker 4: I know that they had a really good rushing offense.

294
00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,360
Speaker 5: At the same time, people are talking about their head

295
00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,200
Speaker 5: coach losing his job earlier this year and some of

296
00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:41,800
Speaker 5: the teams.

297
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:42,360
Speaker 4: That they beat up on.

298
00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,440
Speaker 5: Yes, the Miami Dolphins had beaten the Bills in pretty

299
00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,360
Speaker 5: convincing fashion during this stretch. You're also talking about them

300
00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,160
Speaker 5: beating teams like the Saints and like the Jets, and

301
00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,520
Speaker 5: so the real question is does this get the Steelers

302
00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,480
Speaker 5: any closer to their end goal, which is to win

303
00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,120
Speaker 5: a playoff game. It does in the sense that they're

304
00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,560
Speaker 5: one step closer to qualifying for the playoffs. But still,

305
00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,280
Speaker 5: I feel like if you're looking for the Steelers to

306
00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,800
Speaker 5: prove they could stop the run, slow down a really

307
00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,360
Speaker 5: good offense, and beat a quality team that should be

308
00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,760
Speaker 5: in the playoffs, you only have to wait six days

309
00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,680
Speaker 5: because they're about to play one of those teams coming up.

310
00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like Miami is kind of Detroit lights.

311
00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,120
Speaker 1: Detroit does a lot of the same things, only they

312
00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:28,280
Speaker 1: do it better. Commin was aggressive, went for unfourth down.

313
00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,880
Speaker 1: Where did that come from? I'm not sure I expected

314
00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:33,160
Speaker 1: that from a guy who plays tip to the vest,

315
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,040
Speaker 1: not least at home and not least in cold weather.

316
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:37,760
Speaker 3: Yeah.

317
00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,160
Speaker 5: I think that was really what set the stage for

318
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,120
Speaker 5: the middle eight, so to speak, where the Steelers were

319
00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,880
Speaker 5: able to score a touchdown before the halftime, and then

320
00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:48,720
Speaker 5: they came out of halftime and scored again.

321
00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,480
Speaker 4: And it started with taking some risks and being aggressive.

322
00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,120
Speaker 5: That Connor Hayward push push has been in the playbook

323
00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,760
Speaker 5: for a long time, and they've really now I think,

324
00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,800
Speaker 5: started to perfect it, or become very efficient at it

325
00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,920
Speaker 5: at least, and also develop some different kind of wrinkles

326
00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,160
Speaker 5: off of it. So as long as it keeps working,

327
00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,520
Speaker 5: I see no reason not to continue to be aggressive

328
00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,240
Speaker 5: in those situations and continue to run it.

329
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:13,600
Speaker 3: Yeah.

330
00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:15,720
Speaker 1: The one thing I didn't understand is why Aaron Rodgers

331
00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:17,840
Speaker 1: is out there. I mean, why not put another blocker?

332
00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:20,159
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you.

333
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,280
Speaker 5: When he's just standing there, you know, joking around and

334
00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,119
Speaker 5: just signaling first down. It doesn't seem to make a

335
00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,520
Speaker 5: whole lot of sense, so you know, they can do

336
00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:29,639
Speaker 5: some different things off of that, and.

337
00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,160
Speaker 4: I would agree that it would make sense.

338
00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,800
Speaker 5: Why not put a big, physical guy who can be

339
00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,879
Speaker 5: part of the pushing back there instead of just someone

340
00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:38,320
Speaker 5: who's there for comedic effect?

341
00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,200
Speaker 1: Right the signal touchdown? They didn't miss water harmon? Why

342
00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,640
Speaker 1: not the how'd they play around that? Who came through

343
00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:45,520
Speaker 1: in their absence?

344
00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,520
Speaker 5: I think camp Hayward had a good game, you know,

345
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,520
Speaker 5: two tackles for a loss, But even more than what

346
00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:53,040
Speaker 5: he did in the stat sheet, I think that he

347
00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,800
Speaker 5: was part of resetting the line of scrimmage and winning

348
00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:56,359
Speaker 5: things there.

349
00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,240
Speaker 4: And I had an interesting conversation with Peyton Wilson after

350
00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:04,560
Speaker 4: the game, and he said that he felt like the Dolphins.

351
00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,080
Speaker 5: As much as they're very creative and non conventional type

352
00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,440
Speaker 5: of rushing offense, they also had a lot of tells.

353
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,159
Speaker 5: So it seemed like the Steelers knew which direction they

354
00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,080
Speaker 5: were going to be running the football when they might

355
00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,440
Speaker 5: be running the football, and they were able to shut

356
00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,480
Speaker 5: it down. I also feel like to that might have

357
00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,639
Speaker 5: been his last chapter as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

358
00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,440
Speaker 5: He is just so bad that interception that he threw

359
00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,080
Speaker 5: to Santae Samuel Junior was horrendous. So when you're dealing

360
00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,800
Speaker 5: with a quarterback who has some pretty clear limitations and

361
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,040
Speaker 5: is not playing his best, doesn't want to be out

362
00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,560
Speaker 5: there in the cold, it does give the Steelers an

363
00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:43,159
Speaker 5: opportunity to really hone in on the run, shut that

364
00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:45,280
Speaker 5: down and then make to a beat them.

365
00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:46,199
Speaker 4: Which he was unable to do.

366
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,880
Speaker 2: How good was Rogers half the time?

367
00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,360
Speaker 1: He just swhipped it the game well, but he rifled

368
00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:52,680
Speaker 1: in some big throws as well.

369
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,359
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would agree with that assessment, Mark.

370
00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:58,920
Speaker 5: I think that a lot of what he was doing

371
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,360
Speaker 5: was taking what the defense gave him. But he also did,

372
00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,439
Speaker 5: I think, make a really good throw a DK metcalf

373
00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,480
Speaker 5: fitting into a tight window that high cross the touchdown

374
00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:08,800
Speaker 5: he scored to MVS.

375
00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:10,840
Speaker 4: I thought that that was a very good throw.

376
00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,480
Speaker 5: And so, you know, I looked at Rogers over the

377
00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:16,720
Speaker 5: last two games and going into that game against Baltimore,

378
00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,639
Speaker 5: his play had regressed and over the ten or twelve

379
00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:23,080
Speaker 5: previous quarters, you know, his numbers were down in every

380
00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,240
Speaker 5: single area. He had only completed like fifty two percent

381
00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,199
Speaker 5: of his passes over the three games leading to that

382
00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,480
Speaker 5: game in Baltimore. But in both of those cases, he

383
00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:33,760
Speaker 5: again took what the defense gave him. But it was

384
00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,560
Speaker 5: a completely different thing. Against Baltimore. It was a single

385
00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,960
Speaker 5: high team, a lot of pressman coverage, basically daring the

386
00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:41,720
Speaker 5: Steelers to beat them deep, and they were able to

387
00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,320
Speaker 5: do it. Basically the exact opposite here from the Miami

388
00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,080
Speaker 5: Dolphins defense. They sat in that two high shell and

389
00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,440
Speaker 5: they said, you can dink and dunk us all day.

390
00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,080
Speaker 4: You're gonna have to be incredibly efficient to beat us.

391
00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,520
Speaker 4: And that's what Rogers was. You know, I know that there's.

392
00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,720
Speaker 5: The stats about him attacking the middle field going around

393
00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,200
Speaker 5: right now. I think about eight or nine of those

394
00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,159
Speaker 5: passes were behind the line of scrimmage. So there was

395
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,440
Speaker 5: certainly the just getting the ball out of his hands

396
00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,680
Speaker 5: safe plays, But when he needed to make the throws

397
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,199
Speaker 5: over the middle, he was also able to do so.

398
00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:17,199
Speaker 1: When did Kenneth Gainwell turn into Ladanian Tomlinson? Is that

399
00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,400
Speaker 1: no matter of him being forced fan or no matter

400
00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:20,320
Speaker 1: of him being legit.

401
00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,280
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I think that the Steelers kind of.

402
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,280
Speaker 5: Have a good one two punch at running back. I

403
00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,880
Speaker 5: think did a by committee approach probably is what makes

404
00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,439
Speaker 5: the most sense now, because I still have a lot

405
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,159
Speaker 5: of faith in Jalen Warren and think that if he

406
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,919
Speaker 5: was getting the same number of touches and opportunities, he

407
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:39,439
Speaker 5: may be doing similar things.

408
00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,960
Speaker 1: I agree, But I think Rogers likes gain Well better,

409
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:43,359
Speaker 1: don't you?

410
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,399
Speaker 5: And more importantly, Arthur Smith likes Gainwell better because the

411
00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,920
Speaker 5: one area where Gainwell is more well rounded is as

412
00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,720
Speaker 5: a route runner, as a pass catcher, as a versatile

413
00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,600
Speaker 5: guy who can split out and act as a wide receiver.

414
00:20:57,920 --> 00:20:59,359
Speaker 2: Yards after catch too.

415
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,400
Speaker 1: He he knows what to do better after the reception.

416
00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,919
Speaker 4: I think, yeah, I agree with you.

417
00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,480
Speaker 5: He's a little shiftier, a little bit of a quicker

418
00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:08,240
Speaker 5: first step.

419
00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:10,480
Speaker 4: So he's been a pleasant surprise.

420
00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,400
Speaker 5: I mean, before the season not to take the old

421
00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,600
Speaker 5: victory lap, but I'll go ahead since I'm already doing it.

422
00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,920
Speaker 5: Someone within the organization said when from the minute they

423
00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,920
Speaker 5: signed him, they said, we think that this is going

424
00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,160
Speaker 5: to be our Deshaun Elliott.

425
00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,040
Speaker 4: You know, the year before they had signed to Shawn.

426
00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,720
Speaker 5: He was kind of a bargain basement guy, went under

427
00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,359
Speaker 5: the radar, didn't feel like a big addition, but internally

428
00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,680
Speaker 5: they had a lot of faith and it was similar

429
00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,760
Speaker 5: with Kenneth Gainwell, they had believed in him, they watched

430
00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,399
Speaker 5: him from Afar, from what he did in Philadelphia, and

431
00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,359
Speaker 5: now they're able to, you know, work around his skill

432
00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,119
Speaker 5: set and highlight a kind of unique player.

433
00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,159
Speaker 1: Talking to Mike de Fable of the Athletic here on

434
00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,000
Speaker 1: the Mark Madden Show, Mike brought to us by Armstrong

435
00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,800
Speaker 1: We internet you kind of on the people you trust

436
00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:57,720
Speaker 1: Armstrong one wire dot Com. Mike, what did the Steelers

437
00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,600
Speaker 1: change or figure out on offense before they scored touchdowns

438
00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:02,639
Speaker 1: on four straight drives?

439
00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,680
Speaker 2: Because it was pretty grim up till then.

440
00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,720
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think it was just the execution picked up

441
00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:10,600
Speaker 5: more than anything else.

442
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,240
Speaker 4: And also I think that they had more balance.

443
00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,159
Speaker 5: As much as Rogers played an efficient game, as we're mentioning,

444
00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:18,720
Speaker 5: a lot of that was just dumping the ball up

445
00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,560
Speaker 5: to Kenneth game while creating yards after the catch. And

446
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,440
Speaker 5: then they did run the ball more effectively, and that's

447
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,360
Speaker 5: really the formula for this offense. When they've had balance,

448
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,480
Speaker 5: that's taken some pressure off of Rogers and made him

449
00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,359
Speaker 5: even better and made him look more like, you know,

450
00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,520
Speaker 5: the quarterback that the Steelers thought that they were signing

451
00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,240
Speaker 5: up for. So you know, going forward, I think that's

452
00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,720
Speaker 5: that's key for the Steelers. They have to they can't

453
00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,159
Speaker 5: become one dimensional as they've been sometimes this year. They

454
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,360
Speaker 5: have to still have that threat of running the football,

455
00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:49,200
Speaker 5: you know, to make them a more diverse and more

456
00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:50,400
Speaker 5: more talented offense.

457
00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,280
Speaker 1: What made the Steelers defense come up big and play

458
00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,840
Speaker 1: more physical than has all year. My god, Mike Patrick

459
00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,680
Speaker 1: Queen actually looked like a linebacker.

460
00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:02,040
Speaker 4: Yeah.

461
00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:03,880
Speaker 5: Patrick Queen was good in that game, and I think

462
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:05,800
Speaker 5: his best play was when he shot that gap on

463
00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,399
Speaker 5: third down to create the negative play and ultimately I

464
00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,520
Speaker 5: think it led to a long field goal, but got

465
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:13,080
Speaker 5: the Steelers off the field.

466
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:13,720
Speaker 1: You know.

467
00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,080
Speaker 5: I think that they're becoming more connected to a degree

468
00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:18,360
Speaker 5: now that they're.

469
00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,080
Speaker 4: Established in their roles. You know, now Jalen Ramsey has

470
00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,040
Speaker 4: been playing safety a little bit longer. They have their

471
00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:25,120
Speaker 4: rotations figured out.

472
00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,920
Speaker 5: It inside linebacker, where Billie Harrison is typically the rundown guy.

473
00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,640
Speaker 5: I think that you're starting to see continued development from

474
00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,520
Speaker 5: guys like Ya Black. Keanu Benton, who's had an up

475
00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:38,359
Speaker 5: and down season, I think had one of his better

476
00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,840
Speaker 5: games of the year. So I think it was just

477
00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,360
Speaker 5: a little bit of everything and then guys were trusting

478
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,760
Speaker 5: each other. Like it's cliche and I'm sick of Like

479
00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,280
Speaker 5: every time you go in the locker room they play

480
00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,000
Speaker 5: running team, they say the same things. Guys have to

481
00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,560
Speaker 5: be in their gaps, Guys have to trust other players.

482
00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,280
Speaker 5: It's one thing to say it, it's another thing to

483
00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:57,880
Speaker 5: do it. And it felt like the Steelers were doing

484
00:23:57,920 --> 00:23:58,680
Speaker 5: it last night.

485
00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,520
Speaker 1: In the physicality Mike, even on offense. How about DK

486
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:04,000
Speaker 1: blasting through Minca.

487
00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,120
Speaker 5: Yeah, that was a pretty great moment that I think

488
00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,800
Speaker 5: again shows Minca's continued decline and why it was important

489
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:16,960
Speaker 5: for the Steelers to move on from him when they did.

490
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,680
Speaker 5: But yeah, that was a hell of a play from DK.

491
00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:26,199
Speaker 5: And I think that you're starting to see, uh, you know,

492
00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,080
Speaker 5: like Rogers tap into some different sides of DK.

493
00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,080
Speaker 4: Like before it seemed like it was.

494
00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,159
Speaker 5: Just slants, Like slants was the only way they were

495
00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:36,800
Speaker 5: getting the ball to DK metcalf And now you're starting

496
00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,200
Speaker 5: to see some deeper patterns, some posts like the one

497
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,000
Speaker 5: that he hit there. He's starting to see them a

498
00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,439
Speaker 5: pack down field more. And I think that's just so

499
00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,159
Speaker 5: important because DK is a pretty well rounded receiver. He

500
00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,440
Speaker 5: can hurt you in a variety of ways, and the

501
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,600
Speaker 5: Steelers were really only tapping into one side of that

502
00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:52,960
Speaker 5: for most of the year. Now he's starting to look

503
00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,560
Speaker 5: like more like the receiver that the Steelers paid for.

504
00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:56,960
Speaker 3: Uh.

505
00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,399
Speaker 1: Can they win a Detroit because, like I said a

506
00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,280
Speaker 1: moment ago, I think Detroit does a lot of the

507
00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:03,440
Speaker 1: same thing as in Miami, only they are better at it.

508
00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,399
Speaker 1: They got better players, not at least a quarterback, but

509
00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,719
Speaker 1: they're only eight and six same as the Steelers. I

510
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,680
Speaker 1: think they missed the coordinators they lost from last year

511
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,080
Speaker 1: that went on to head coaching jobs. And aren't their

512
00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,840
Speaker 1: defensive backs like all hurt. I mean there's some question

513
00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:18,680
Speaker 1: marks up there.

514
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:21,600
Speaker 4: Yeah, you hit the nail on the head on all

515
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:22,400
Speaker 4: of those departments.

516
00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,000
Speaker 5: I think they're missing three of their four defense starting

517
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:26,760
Speaker 5: defensive backs right now.

518
00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:28,880
Speaker 4: In this game, you.

519
00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,440
Speaker 5: Know, I think it's going to come down to can

520
00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,040
Speaker 5: the Steelers stop the run again against Demir Gibs. And

521
00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,880
Speaker 5: you look at what he's done in wins, he's averaging

522
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,360
Speaker 5: one hundred and six yards per game and losses it's

523
00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,160
Speaker 5: just forty two and in even like week to week,

524
00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,760
Speaker 5: you're talking about like two hundred and nineteen and one

525
00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,840
Speaker 5: hundred and forty two yard performances and wins and thirty

526
00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:50,920
Speaker 5: nine and thirty eight.

527
00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,120
Speaker 4: Yard performances and losses. So if the Steelers.

528
00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:57,600
Speaker 5: Honed in on the run and realized that that was

529
00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,880
Speaker 5: going to be their formula to win last week, it's

530
00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,600
Speaker 5: even more true. And it's a bigger test against a

531
00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:04,840
Speaker 5: more talented offense.

532
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,080
Speaker 4: You know, even though it's kind.

533
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,360
Speaker 5: Of wild that the Lions have gone through some dysfunction

534
00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,119
Speaker 5: and now Dan Campbell is calling the plays, they're still

535
00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:17,440
Speaker 5: the highest point producing offense in the league with more

536
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:18,600
Speaker 5: than thirty points per game.

537
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,800
Speaker 4: So this is going to be a big challenge for

538
00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:21,400
Speaker 4: that defense.

539
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,800
Speaker 5: Like if this defense felt like they discovered something and

540
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:27,880
Speaker 5: turned a corner in the most recent game, they've got

541
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,800
Speaker 5: six days to prove that they can actually do it

542
00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,119
Speaker 5: and that that's sustainable. And then, as you're mentioning I

543
00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:35,360
Speaker 5: think offensively for the Steelers, I think that there could

544
00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,399
Speaker 5: be opportunity for Aaron Rodgers to throw the football downfield.

545
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:40,760
Speaker 5: One thing that I think could be a challenge is

546
00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,200
Speaker 5: they play a ton of man coverage and they also

547
00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,480
Speaker 5: play a lot of too high coverages, and so you're

548
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,400
Speaker 5: talking about teams are going to try to match up

549
00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:54,159
Speaker 5: physically with DK Metcalf, try to be in receivers faces

550
00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,760
Speaker 5: to limit that short, quick passing game the Steelers have

551
00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,320
Speaker 5: leaned upon. And so ultimately it's going to be up

552
00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:01,560
Speaker 5: to Aaron Rodgers to expose the secondary that could be

553
00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:02,440
Speaker 5: missing some pieces.

554
00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:05,000
Speaker 1: I want to talk a bit more about the Aaron

555
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,240
Speaker 1: Rodgers factor because I think it's odd Mike.

556
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,960
Speaker 2: He's either zen or a weirdo. He wants what he wants.

557
00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,680
Speaker 1: He's influencing the offense in the depth chart for better

558
00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:17,200
Speaker 1: or worse.

559
00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,600
Speaker 2: I'm not sure what's really working and what isn't.

560
00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,439
Speaker 1: But I do know he's playing chess out there, and

561
00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:25,280
Speaker 1: the rest of them appear to be playing checkers.

562
00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,919
Speaker 5: I think that you sign up for all these things,

563
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:31,879
Speaker 5: and I'll take it a step further.

564
00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,560
Speaker 4: Mark. I mean, he said a couple of weeks ago

565
00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,439
Speaker 4: that he felt like they didn't have good practices, and

566
00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,840
Speaker 4: he said maybe it was because they were practicing outside.

567
00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,679
Speaker 4: Mike Tomlin, who always.

568
00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,800
Speaker 5: Practices outside, practically moved his practices indoors over the last

569
00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:47,359
Speaker 5: two weeks.

570
00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:47,760
Speaker 4: Now.

571
00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:49,840
Speaker 5: They did practice at Akasher Stadium one of those days.

572
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,760
Speaker 5: But I have to think that Aaron Rodgers had a

573
00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,040
Speaker 5: substantial say in that, and so I think that they're

574
00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,600
Speaker 5: kind of saying, look, this is the the date that

575
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 5: we invited to the prom, this is who we're going with,

576
00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,280
Speaker 5: and we're going to dance with them all night. And

577
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,440
Speaker 5: they're they're going to go down with Rogers for better

578
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,120
Speaker 5: or worse. And you know, Mike Tomlins said after that

579
00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,480
Speaker 5: win in Baltimore, you know, games like that are why

580
00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,640
Speaker 5: you sign up for Aaron Rodgers, And really, I.

581
00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,240
Speaker 4: Think that's going to be what tells the story of

582
00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:21,800
Speaker 4: the season.

583
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,919
Speaker 5: He was supposed to be supported by a consistent defense,

584
00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,400
Speaker 5: He's supposed to be supported by a consistent running game.

585
00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,040
Speaker 4: Those things have been inconsistent, and.

586
00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:31,720
Speaker 5: Now I think that they're going to end up putting

587
00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:33,560
Speaker 5: a lot on Aaron Rodgers shoulders.

588
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:35,680
Speaker 4: And I think given the.

589
00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,560
Speaker 5: Construction of the team and the way that they've allowed

590
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,800
Speaker 5: Rogers to influence a number of decisions, I think that

591
00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,560
Speaker 5: he's going to play the biggest role in whether they're

592
00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:45,800
Speaker 5: able to win a playoff game or not.

593
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,640
Speaker 1: I still feel like Week eighteen at home against Baltimore

594
00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:52,719
Speaker 1: decides the division.

595
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,400
Speaker 2: It almost feels preordained. Mike, what say you.

596
00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:57,840
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would agree with you.

597
00:28:57,880 --> 00:28:59,240
Speaker 5: I think you can go ahead and just pencil that

598
00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,200
Speaker 5: into a prime time game either Saturday night or Sunday night,

599
00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,600
Speaker 5: when they typically like to put those games when it's

600
00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:05,400
Speaker 5: winning get in.

601
00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:08,600
Speaker 4: So I completely agree with you.

602
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,280
Speaker 5: I've been saying that for weeks that I think it's

603
00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,360
Speaker 5: going to come down to Week eighteen, and even if

604
00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:15,959
Speaker 5: the Steeler I don't think the Steels are gonna win

605
00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,880
Speaker 5: this week in Detroit, and even if they beat the

606
00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,280
Speaker 5: Cleveland Browns, it still is probably going to come down

607
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,520
Speaker 5: to that Week eighteen, and it's going to be a

608
00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,040
Speaker 5: huge game, and I think it's gonna be like a

609
00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:28,760
Speaker 5: lot of Steelers games where it's gonna turn out to

610
00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,200
Speaker 5: be kind of a coin flip that could go either direction.

611
00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,480
Speaker 1: We know the teams that they could play in the

612
00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,360
Speaker 1: first round, assuming they win the division. Which would be

613
00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,080
Speaker 1: the worst matchup, which would be the most favorable matchup?

614
00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,200
Speaker 5: You know, I guess the Bills would be the worst matchup,

615
00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,360
Speaker 5: just because they ran all over the Steelers a couple

616
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:55,000
Speaker 5: of weeks ago. And you look historically like even when

617
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,160
Speaker 5: the Steelers defense has been a lot better than spend

618
00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,200
Speaker 5: this year, they've completely fallen apart when they face to

619
00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,480
Speaker 5: Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson in the playoffs.

620
00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,240
Speaker 5: So I think that that would be probably the worst matchup.

621
00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,320
Speaker 5: I would say the Chargers could be the best matchup.

622
00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,720
Speaker 5: And I say that knowing that the Steelers went to

623
00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,720
Speaker 5: LA and Rogers played one of the worst games of

624
00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:21,760
Speaker 5: his career, and that defense, I think played the perfect types.

625
00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,200
Speaker 4: And schematics to shut down Aaron.

626
00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,600
Speaker 5: But just as we were talking about what the Lions

627
00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,080
Speaker 5: dealing with a number of injuries, that defense has been

628
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,200
Speaker 5: ravaged by injuries, and so I think they're going to

629
00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,080
Speaker 5: be getting a different type of Chargers team, and especially

630
00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:36,200
Speaker 5: getting them at home.

631
00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,680
Speaker 4: I think I'm not sure that I would pick.

632
00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,480
Speaker 5: The Steelers necessarily to win that game, but I think

633
00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,200
Speaker 5: that they would have a better chance of winning that

634
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,200
Speaker 5: one than they would playing against the Bills.

635
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:46,040
Speaker 2: It's kind of weird.

636
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,520
Speaker 1: I like draw a line assuming there's four teams they

637
00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:54,920
Speaker 1: could play, barring incredible circumstances, either be Buffalo, Houston, Jacksonville,

638
00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:57,280
Speaker 1: or the LA Chargers. I could see them having a

639
00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,120
Speaker 1: chance against the Chargers in Jacksonville, zero chance against Buffalo

640
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,960
Speaker 1: and Houston. Like you said, Buffalo beat him badly here

641
00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,160
Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh. Not long ago, and I think Houston's defense

642
00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:08,440
Speaker 1: would break Rogers in two.

643
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,200
Speaker 4: Again, I agree with you. I think that that defense

644
00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:12,920
Speaker 4: is dominant.

645
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,240
Speaker 5: I think that that defense would give the Steelers a

646
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,680
Speaker 5: ton of headaches. So I agree with you, And I

647
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:21,680
Speaker 5: don't know if I would pick the Steelers necessarily in

648
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,400
Speaker 5: any of these playoff games, just given recent history and

649
00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:26,720
Speaker 5: the way that the Steelers have been so inconsistent this year.

650
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,280
Speaker 5: But you could probably say that about most of the

651
00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:31,360
Speaker 5: AFC as well.

652
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:35,040
Speaker 1: Mike has always great stuff, terrific work at the Athletic.

653
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:36,480
Speaker 1: We'll talk to Gain next week.

654
00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:39,200
Speaker 4: All right, sounds great, Mark, thanks for having me.

655
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:45,600
Speaker 1: That's Mike Defabo, brought twist by Armstrong one wire dot Com.

656
00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,840
Speaker 1: Up next, got a lot of national media feedback to

657
00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,960
Speaker 1: the Steelers winning last night, mostly good, some a bit

658
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,480
Speaker 1: skeptical like I am. We got some hockey talk at

659
00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,520
Speaker 1: the top of the hour and again at four thirty

660
00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:00,880
Speaker 1: with Pierre McGuire, who does the best hockey talking ton

661
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:02,000
Speaker 1: with me of course.

662
00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,920
Speaker 2: One oh five ninety X It's The Woody Show weekday

663
00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,680
Speaker 2: mornings at six on one oh five nine d X.

664
00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,320
Speaker 2: This hour, The Mark Madten Show is brought to you

665
00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:13,880
Speaker 2: by Bud light probably served a tequila cowboy on a