WEBVTT - HR 1 - Benz Hosts, Brian Metzer 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:47.059 There seems to be a weird push and pull within 0:00:47.100 --> 0:00:51.639 the Steelers fan base these days. How excited should we 0:00:51.860 --> 0:00:55.480 all really be about the team's 5-2 start? I keep 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:58.810 hearing that topic debated on local sports talk radio. I 0:00:58.870 --> 0:01:01.370 heard it kicked around a lot with Mark Madden yesterday. 0:01:01.390 --> 0:01:04.850 It came up on the Madden Monday podcast that I 0:01:04.890 --> 0:01:06.910 do with Mark. I keep seeing it on social media. 0:01:08.030 --> 0:01:11.590 To me, the answer is, how do you define excitement? 0:01:12.660 --> 0:01:15.750 Is this team lighting up the scoreboard and dominating opponents? 0:01:16.569 --> 0:01:16.809 No. 0:01:17.709 --> 0:01:19.910 You aren't getting the greatest show on turf or Arena 0:01:19.950 --> 0:01:23.250 League final scores, but you are getting a team that 0:01:23.290 --> 0:01:28.300 will be 6-2 atop the AFC North halfway through the 0:01:28.300 --> 0:01:31.760 2026 season if they beat Cleveland on Sunday. You are 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:34.540 getting a team that is at least good enough to 0:01:34.580 --> 0:01:37.500 have beaten most of the teams it was supposed to beat... 0:01:38.450 --> 0:01:40.670 You are getting a team that is on a path 0:01:41.069 --> 0:01:44.569 to at least reach the relatively low level of expectations 0:01:44.690 --> 0:01:47.900 set for it back in January when Mike McCarthy was hired. 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:53.060 Nine or ten wins, get back in the playoffs, maybe 0:01:53.120 --> 0:01:57.400 win a game there for a change. The Steelers are 0:01:57.600 --> 0:02:01.680 on track for where they should go. Can't that be 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:03.120 enough for late October? 0:02:03.140 --> 0:02:04.510 8-3-3, 4-1-2, 99-39. 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:13.399 For now, I think it has to be. I'm just 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:18.760 happy that the reuniting of Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:21.960 isn't blowing up in the face of Omar Khan, in 0:02:22.000 --> 0:02:24.660 the face of Art Rooney II. Based on how things 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:29.130 went against Cleveland the first time around, it certainly appeared 0:02:29.190 --> 0:02:34.149 that that potential could exist. So I'm happy they beat 0:02:34.190 --> 0:02:36.010 three teams in a row that they were supposed to 0:02:36.050 --> 0:02:39.320 beat without stubbing their toe. As we saw so often 0:02:39.419 --> 0:02:42.380 during the Mike Tomlin regime, this franchise is prone to 0:02:42.419 --> 0:02:46.120 doing that. I'm happy the team has leaned into the 0:02:46.180 --> 0:02:49.890 run game as its best offensive attribute. I'm happy Rodgers 0:02:49.930 --> 0:02:53.690 has at least avoided falling off a cliff at age 42. 0:02:53.690 --> 0:02:57.310 I'm happy the defense didn't wither despite playing the first 0:02:57.630 --> 0:03:00.590 third of the season without Joey Porter Jr. who's now 0:03:00.650 --> 0:03:02.660 gone and Deshaun Elliott who was hurt for a while. 0:03:03.500 --> 0:03:06.060 I'm happy that they figured out how to better utilize 0:03:06.100 --> 0:03:09.290 Jalen Ramsey and that A year older T.J. Watt, a 0:03:09.330 --> 0:03:14.089 year older Cam Hayward. It's not like that extra year 0:03:14.150 --> 0:03:18.680 has totally made them a negative. I still think that 0:03:18.700 --> 0:03:23.400 they're pretty good, if not very good at times. None 0:03:23.419 --> 0:03:25.800 of that is pumping the tires of a team that 0:03:25.919 --> 0:03:29.120 usually runs out of tread in the playoffs. I'm not 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:32.389 trying to overhype these guys. I mean, I can't be 0:03:32.450 --> 0:03:34.750 happy about those things, can I? I don't think that 0:03:35.140 --> 0:03:37.140 any of what I just said is pushing a false 0:03:37.220 --> 0:03:43.240 narrative or overbaking the Steelers' accomplishments so far. Let's not 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:46.020 confuse a golf clap after the first two months with 0:03:46.060 --> 0:03:52.210 a standing ovation. To this point, 5-2 is meeting my expectations, 0:03:52.290 --> 0:03:56.170 not exceeding them. Exceeding them won't be possible until the 0:03:56.210 --> 0:03:58.690 first round of the playoffs, assuming they get that far 0:03:58.850 --> 0:04:03.850 and win. If your expectations were higher coming into the 0:04:03.910 --> 0:04:08.230 season than 5-2 right now, I have to wonder why. 0:04:10.220 --> 0:04:12.500 And I wonder what you think of what you've seen 0:04:12.580 --> 0:04:17.120 so far then. If you are considering 7-1 or 8-0 0:04:17.660 --> 0:04:22.810 at the bye as likely or even possible, okay, I 0:04:22.830 --> 0:04:24.690 guess I could see how you might then be a 0:04:24.710 --> 0:04:28.130 little disappointed because not only are they a team with 0:04:28.170 --> 0:04:31.690 two losses already, but it hasn't looked real pretty at times. 0:04:32.310 --> 0:04:34.870 So you must have really overvalued the Steelers then if 0:04:34.890 --> 0:04:37.610 you're in that camp. Not only the win total, but 0:04:37.630 --> 0:04:41.140 also in the manner in which they were winning. I'd 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:44.039 also wonder if you made that prediction at the start 0:04:44.060 --> 0:04:45.440 of the year that they're going to be 7-1 or 0:04:45.460 --> 0:04:47.060 8-0 at the bye, I would really wonder what you 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:49.260 were smoking if you could pass some of it my way. 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:54.180 But that's not the only kind of skepticism that exists 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:58.950 in the Steelers fan base. It's not just cockeyed optimists 0:04:59.490 --> 0:05:02.770 who may have been expecting more of like a grandiose 0:05:02.810 --> 0:05:06.070 first half than what they've even gotten. It's also just, 0:05:06.730 --> 0:05:09.910 plain old John Q. Yinzer football fan out there who 0:05:09.930 --> 0:05:12.810 has fallen into this Steeler malaise. I keep hearing from 0:05:12.830 --> 0:05:15.250 that level of fan. Like the first level of fan 0:05:15.270 --> 0:05:18.039 is the one I just outlined. People who were delusional 0:05:18.580 --> 0:05:21.500 that thought that the McCarthy offense and Aaron Rodgers was 0:05:21.540 --> 0:05:23.920 going to take off like the Concord. And, you know, 0:05:23.980 --> 0:05:26.279 all of a sudden you're going to get this greatest 0:05:26.300 --> 0:05:28.280 show on turf effect. Like I said before, you're going 0:05:28.300 --> 0:05:29.940 to have to be ringing up the scoreboard and they're 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:31.789 going to be seven to one or eight. No, by 0:05:31.810 --> 0:05:34.790 the time they got to the bye. The next subsect 0:05:35.510 --> 0:05:38.550 of Steelers fans that don't seem to be happy with 0:05:38.589 --> 0:05:41.410 where things are, they're regular fans just like you and me, 0:05:41.510 --> 0:05:43.810 but they're the kind of fans that have been burned 0:05:43.890 --> 0:05:46.170 so often by what they've seen in recent years that 0:05:46.190 --> 0:05:48.930 they're not allowing themselves to enjoy this. And I think 0:05:48.950 --> 0:05:52.870 that's the wider swath of Steelers fans that I'm talking 0:05:52.890 --> 0:06:01.920 about and talking to. Again here, 412-9939, 833-412-9939. You know, 0:06:02.339 --> 0:06:04.220 there's a lot of folks out there, to use a 0:06:04.240 --> 0:06:07.620 Mike Lang-ism, that have seen this fish before. There are 0:06:07.660 --> 0:06:10.620 people out there that got burned touching the stove too 0:06:10.640 --> 0:06:13.750 many times. That the Steelers would be really good in 0:06:13.810 --> 0:06:16.690 October and November. Even under Tomlin, they were great in 0:06:16.750 --> 0:06:19.489 October and November. They always were. A lot of teams, 0:06:19.550 --> 0:06:23.450 especially towards the end... in the post-Super Bowl years for Tomlin, 0:06:23.950 --> 0:06:27.530 not real good early, not real good late, really good 0:06:27.550 --> 0:06:31.210 in the middle, like October, November, and that's how they 0:06:31.230 --> 0:06:33.230 would always be above 500. That's how they would always 0:06:33.250 --> 0:06:35.150 get to eight or nine wins, what they would rack 0:06:35.230 --> 0:06:38.730 up in October and November. So we've seen this fish before. 0:06:39.470 --> 0:06:43.710 We've touched the stove. And for folks who are thinking 0:06:43.750 --> 0:06:46.890 that right now, I'm with you. Consider me one of you. 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:50.750 The Steelers are exactly who we thought they'd be when 0:06:50.770 --> 0:06:53.330 they reported to St. Vincent College for training camp, and 0:06:53.350 --> 0:06:55.650 they won't be anything more until they win a playoff game. 0:06:56.029 --> 0:06:59.730 I'm with you. But again, I'm at least happy that 0:06:59.750 --> 0:07:04.810 they're on that path. What other way is there to 0:07:04.870 --> 0:07:10.870 go about it? Skip watching the games until January? Should 0:07:10.890 --> 0:07:13.970 we just watch early November NHL and NBA games to 0:07:14.010 --> 0:07:16.630 pass the time once the World Series ends? Should I 0:07:16.710 --> 0:07:19.480 gas myself up to see if Pitt can really rally 0:07:19.500 --> 0:07:22.060 late in the season to get to the Duke's Mayo Bowl? 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:25.480 What about the WNBA? Is that still going on? It's 0:07:25.500 --> 0:07:30.300 been five minutes since the latest political maelstrom surrounding that league. 0:07:30.340 --> 0:07:32.400 I lost track of whether or not they're still actually playing. 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.840 But I get it. Having a 5-2 record on Halloween... 0:07:37.420 --> 0:07:39.860 means a lot more to the Browns and their fan base. 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.840 Their season right now is a clear ascent. It's a gift. 0:07:43.980 --> 0:07:47.780 It's way better than people expected. They're on spring break 0:07:47.820 --> 0:07:51.220 at Daytona Beach. Steelers fans are in study hall before 0:07:51.260 --> 0:07:54.930 the recess. And that's literally too because they're by, but 0:07:54.950 --> 0:07:57.690 you get the analogy. I'm not going to tell any 0:07:57.770 --> 0:08:01.210 Steelers fans how to feel about five and two through 0:08:01.250 --> 0:08:04.850 seven games. But please then extend me the same courtesy 0:08:04.910 --> 0:08:08.750 back and understand that any endorsement of the Steelers' performance 0:08:08.790 --> 0:08:11.740 so far that I'm giving, it's not a prediction of 0:08:11.830 --> 0:08:16.560 future results. Because that prediction is probably a lot closer 0:08:16.620 --> 0:08:21.020 to a cynic's reality than I want to admit. Approaching 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:24.540 the halfway point of what's becoming another winning season for 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:27.940 the Steelers, it might end in the same place, but 0:08:27.960 --> 0:08:29.580 at least I'm on board with how they're getting there. 0:08:29.700 --> 0:08:33.420 Because this is how they should be getting there. You 0:08:33.440 --> 0:08:36.050 can agree or disagree. Tell me what you think. 833-412-9939 0:08:36.630 --> 0:08:43.290 or tweet me at TimBenzPGH. We'll get into the wide 0:08:43.330 --> 0:08:46.310 receiver trade talk when we come back on 105.9 The X. 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:52.079 Brought to you by the Steelers Pro Shop. Get it 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:56.920 direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop. Shop.Steelers.com. Alright, 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.479 lots of responses on social media to our opening segment 0:09:00.500 --> 0:09:04.160 here in the 3 o'clock hour about the schism that 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:06.900 exists within the Steelers fan base as it relates to 0:09:07.540 --> 0:09:11.829 whether or not this 5-2 start, potentially 6-2 start is 0:09:11.870 --> 0:09:14.470 anything to get excited about. Like I said, there are 0:09:14.850 --> 0:09:18.490 three factions of Steelers fans, I think, right now. One 0:09:19.070 --> 0:09:21.130 that is kind of pumped up about where they are. 0:09:21.630 --> 0:09:24.450 I'm probably closest to that because I just am happy 0:09:24.470 --> 0:09:26.810 that they're on track and they haven't screwed it up. 0:09:26.910 --> 0:09:30.210 My expectation bar is so low that when they manage 0:09:30.230 --> 0:09:33.689 to avoid screwing things up, that gets me excited. So 0:09:33.850 --> 0:09:36.310 I'm there. Then there's the group that is just kind 0:09:36.330 --> 0:09:40.750 of in a malaise because they, I don't know, have 0:09:40.820 --> 0:09:43.250 seen this so many times before in recent years that 0:09:43.270 --> 0:09:45.280 they're not going to believe it matters until the clock 0:09:45.340 --> 0:09:47.540 strikes zero in the first playoff game and they finally 0:09:47.580 --> 0:09:49.940 win one For the first time since 2016. And then 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:53.350 the third group is essentially those that were wackadoos coming 0:09:53.410 --> 0:09:56.089 into the season and thought that the McCarthy offense was 0:09:56.110 --> 0:09:57.990 going to have them take off like a fighter jet 0:09:58.450 --> 0:09:59.610 and they were going to be eight. 0:09:59.650 --> 0:09:59.829 No. 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:03.020 With the fastest-paced offense in the league and putting up 0:10:03.020 --> 0:10:05.760 40 points a game, and they're somehow disappointed about where 0:10:05.780 --> 0:10:08.220 the Steelers are. I don't know how those people actually exist, 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:10.180 but I guess there's some of them who just don't 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.380 like the final scores at the end of the games 0:10:12.450 --> 0:10:14.510 and see it still be at times a rock fight 0:10:14.809 --> 0:10:15.390 to get there. 0:10:16.070 --> 0:10:16.479 Again, 8-3-3, 4-1-2, 99-39. 0:10:20.260 --> 0:10:23.920 The Somali Pirate texts me and he says, or actually 0:10:24.260 --> 0:10:26.860 tweets me, he says they've got a really soft schedule, 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:30.000 at least. Not winning the division or missing the playoffs 0:10:30.020 --> 0:10:34.650 would be really disappointing. Super Bowl contender is crazy talk. Yeah, 0:10:34.690 --> 0:10:36.189 I don't think they're a Super Bowl contender. And I 0:10:36.410 --> 0:10:38.490 keep seeing that as sort of a repeated theme, too, 0:10:38.530 --> 0:10:40.150 in the responses that I'm getting. Because I wrote a 0:10:40.170 --> 0:10:43.540 column about this very similar thing. today for the trip 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:45.900 and i got some responses there too and i keep 0:10:45.940 --> 0:10:49.040 saying well how i keep seeing how are they compared 0:10:49.100 --> 0:10:51.590 to the broncos how are they compared to the bills 0:10:52.130 --> 0:10:56.770 how are they even compared to um denver buffalo kansas 0:10:56.809 --> 0:10:58.390 city are the three i keep seeing over and over 0:10:58.429 --> 0:11:00.750 again i don't know teams of the nfc the vikings 0:11:00.950 --> 0:11:02.710 if you you see them in the super bowl like 0:11:02.730 --> 0:11:04.809 tom was joking about no i'm not going to put 0:11:04.850 --> 0:11:06.480 them up there with some of those teams i'm not 0:11:07.130 --> 0:11:08.849 But again, the goal is to finally get back to 0:11:08.870 --> 0:11:11.870 the playoffs and actually win a playoff game to suggest 0:11:11.910 --> 0:11:13.210 that they're going to take a leap from what they 0:11:13.230 --> 0:11:15.530 were last year to a Super Bowl contender or going 0:11:15.570 --> 0:11:17.910 on the road and beating Kansas City or beating Buffalo 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:21.120 in the postseason. That to me is, like this guy said, 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:25.400 crazy talk. Spicoli says, I don't measure the Steelers by 0:11:25.420 --> 0:11:27.720 their current record who they played. I measure them by 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:30.420 my belief. Here's a guy right here. Whether or not 0:11:30.440 --> 0:11:32.660 they could beat the best in the AFC right now. Chiefs, 0:11:32.750 --> 0:11:37.300 probably not. Bills, probably not. Broncos, probably not. Broncos, well, 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:41.620 we'll find out on Black Friday. The Bills, the Chiefs, no. 0:11:41.780 --> 0:11:45.420 I don't think they'd beat either of those teams. Let 0:11:45.440 --> 0:11:47.339 me see if there's another couple I can get to here. 0:11:49.540 --> 0:11:51.660 This guy who was talking about the Chiefs in comparison 0:11:51.700 --> 0:11:53.619 to that whole conversation, he says, don't forget that the 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:55.880 Chiefs just scored three points in a 500 team. Yeah, 0:11:55.920 --> 0:11:57.760 but they're a Super Bowl team, too, so I wouldn't 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:00.980 go that far. That's not your average Bear 500 team. 0:12:01.020 --> 0:12:03.920 That's the Seahawks. They're plenty good. And this guy says, 0:12:03.990 --> 0:12:07.670 Super Bowl champions, you fanboys can justify anything to defend 0:12:07.690 --> 0:12:10.650 a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 10 years. 0:12:11.190 --> 0:12:12.829 I'm not going that far. That might have been a 0:12:12.850 --> 0:12:15.150 response to a different part of the thread. I'm not 0:12:15.210 --> 0:12:17.270 going that far to say that they're Super Bowl contenders. 0:12:17.510 --> 0:12:19.690 I'm not trying to justify anything. The only thing I'm 0:12:19.710 --> 0:12:21.969 trying to justify is the record that they got right 0:12:22.030 --> 0:12:25.370 now and why it's close to what I think they 0:12:25.390 --> 0:12:28.200 were supposed to be at this point in time in 0:12:28.220 --> 0:12:31.349 the season. Nick, in the truck, you're on 105.9 The X. 0:12:34.130 --> 0:12:34.449 Hey, Tim. 0:12:34.470 --> 0:12:35.430 Thanks for taking my call. 0:12:35.530 --> 0:12:36.350 Go ahead, Nick. How are you? 0:12:36.750 --> 0:12:38.030 I'm doing well. 0:12:38.070 --> 0:12:38.469 Thanks, man. 0:12:38.970 --> 0:12:42.240 I'm confident right now with the Steelers. I'm really pleased 0:12:42.250 --> 0:12:45.410 with the defense. I wasn't going to be as confident 0:12:45.429 --> 0:12:48.020 in the preseason or the beginning of the season because 0:12:48.120 --> 0:12:51.040 I was worried about the offensive line. But the fact 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:53.900 that they're coming together each week, I think that is 0:12:53.940 --> 0:12:57.300 going to give us a better look for playoffs because 0:12:57.340 --> 0:12:59.660 they are getting better and better each week, especially when 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:02.069 you see with the run, the left side, was opening 0:13:02.130 --> 0:13:05.390 some large holes in last week's game against the Satan. 0:13:05.450 --> 0:13:08.720 So I'm very confident in where they will be by 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:09.520 the end of the season. 0:13:10.620 --> 0:13:12.280 How about wide receiver? Do you want to see them 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:13.730 go get a wide receiver? Do you want to see 0:13:13.760 --> 0:13:15.630 him go after downs if he really is available? 0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:19.520 I we have the if we have the cap space 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:20.710 and we have the ability. 0:13:21.010 --> 0:13:21.610 Absolutely. 0:13:21.670 --> 0:13:23.970 I mean, would you say that's one of our weak points? 0:13:24.070 --> 0:13:25.910 Yes, I think it is. I think if there's two 0:13:25.950 --> 0:13:29.449 spots to be addressed, it's potentially corner and wide receiver 0:13:30.030 --> 0:13:31.800 in terms of bodies, in terms of health and in 0:13:31.860 --> 0:13:35.120 terms of weaponry. I think they lack in both areas. 0:13:35.179 --> 0:13:37.480 So get one or the other, get both. That'd be great. 0:13:37.540 --> 0:13:41.260 They probably won't do that. But, you know, people fretting 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:43.140 about a third round pick or whatever it would take 0:13:43.179 --> 0:13:45.480 to get a guy who's halfway through the final year 0:13:45.500 --> 0:13:47.970 of his contract that's having a down season. I don't 0:13:47.990 --> 0:13:49.680 think it should take more than a third and they 0:13:49.710 --> 0:13:52.290 can afford to give up a third. One third this 0:13:52.330 --> 0:13:53.890 year or next is not going to be the difference 0:13:53.950 --> 0:13:58.210 between them swinging something for a quarterback in April or not. 0:13:58.270 --> 0:13:58.750 You know what I mean? 0:14:00.090 --> 0:14:02.710 Absolutely. I'm going to say receiver, to be honest with you. 0:14:02.770 --> 0:14:06.410 I think the corner, yeah, it needs addressed, especially next season. 0:14:06.450 --> 0:14:08.920 But I think the D-line is doing so well and 0:14:08.960 --> 0:14:11.520 putting so much pressure on. I think that's helping out 0:14:12.059 --> 0:14:15.199 a lot more than it's hurting at corner. And with 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:18.240 the receiver, that's only going to open up all the 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:20.840 rest of the offense. So I'm going to say receiver, definitely. 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:21.780 So go after downs. 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:24.750 Appreciate it. Tom in Greensburg wants to talk Steelers, too. 0:14:24.790 --> 0:14:25.370 Go ahead, Tom. 0:14:26.430 --> 0:14:30.300 Hey, Tim. Okay, so I know how we feel. Do 0:14:30.340 --> 0:14:33.540 you feel that they feel they're a suitable contender? Do 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:36.460 you feel that they felt coming in that they were? 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:40.140 And if not, why is Aaron Rodgers here? 0:14:42.410 --> 0:14:45.590 That's a big picture question. Yeah, they must think that way. 0:14:45.690 --> 0:14:47.530 I know the owner thinks that way. I think the 0:14:47.570 --> 0:14:51.130 general manager thinks that way. It's funny, when you said they, 0:14:51.790 --> 0:14:53.970 the first thing I thought of was the players themselves. 0:14:55.270 --> 0:14:57.050 In a certain way, I wonder if some of these 0:14:57.090 --> 0:14:59.610 players are a little bit more realistic than Rooney and 0:14:59.650 --> 0:15:03.000 Kahn are. I bet you if you gave them all 0:15:03.100 --> 0:15:06.480 truth serum, they would put their own cut line right 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:09.820 about where I did. That they could play with anybody. 0:15:10.650 --> 0:15:14.370 anywhere but maybe in Buffalo and Kansas City. Now, they 0:15:14.410 --> 0:15:17.070 might sing a different tune if they win the division 0:15:17.530 --> 0:15:20.400 and they're an 11-win team, and then it actually comes 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:22.780 up on the schedule like they're going to Buffalo or 0:15:22.820 --> 0:15:25.540 KC in the second round of the playoffs, then that 0:15:25.580 --> 0:15:28.100 might change their own mind. But I wonder if you 0:15:28.180 --> 0:15:30.380 polled them, you could actually get them to give a 0:15:30.500 --> 0:15:33.370 real response if they told you, I think we could 0:15:33.410 --> 0:15:35.930 beat anybody except those two teams in their buildings. I 0:15:36.450 --> 0:15:38.260 think that's about where their own cut line would be. 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:43.060 And I'd also like to say, no bigger decision has 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:47.820 been made this year than a swap out them offensive linemen. 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:50.680 And that's absolutely something Tomlin would have done. That may be. 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:54.300 Oh, you mean the guys on the right side? You're 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:57.030 not talking about the flip-flopping. You're talking about putting Hoffman 0:15:57.410 --> 0:15:59.170 and Hehanachor in there. That's what you mean, right? 0:15:59.190 --> 0:16:02.730 Oh, starting to rookie that early. And the other guy, absolutely. 0:16:02.770 --> 0:16:05.770 Yeah, I do think that. Appreciate the call. You can 0:16:05.790 --> 0:16:10.360 also call in at 833-412-9939. We've got to get to 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:13.180 hockey talk right now, though. Brian Metzer, Pittsburgh Penguins Radio Network, 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:15.600 is next here on your home for the Pens. With 0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:18.800 the game coming up tomorrow, the pregame show on the 0:16:18.820 --> 0:16:22.040 network side starts at 6. The hockey night show starts 0:16:22.180 --> 0:16:25.920 at 5.30. Play-by-play Utah and Pittsburgh, 7 o'clock, right here 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:28.100 on the X. Normally at this time on the Mark 0:16:28.140 --> 0:16:31.920 Madden Show, Mike DiCorsi joins us on Wednesdays to talk 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:34.780 about all things surrounding the Steelers and the sports world. 0:16:34.830 --> 0:16:37.420 Mike is going to join us at 5 this evening. 0:16:37.850 --> 0:16:40.070 Going to push him back a little bit to open 0:16:40.110 --> 0:16:42.510 up the 5 o'clock hour. You can also hear Mike 0:16:42.530 --> 0:16:45.220 with me on the Friday Football Show on the Breakfast 0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:48.940 with Benz podcast over at Trib Live. Right now, as promised, 0:16:49.060 --> 0:16:52.600 Hockey Talk, Penguins Talk with Brian Metzer of the Pittsburgh 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:56.600 Penguins Radio Network. You can listen to him during intermissions, postgame, 0:16:56.660 --> 0:16:59.390 Penn's Live Weekly, right here on 105.9 The X during lunchtime. 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:04.159 All Penguins broadcast, and that includes tomorrow night with the 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:07.470 Pens at home against the Utah Mammoth. Make sure you're 0:17:07.510 --> 0:17:11.129 listening for the Hockey Night Show at 5.30, Network Pre-Game 0:17:11.170 --> 0:17:14.650 at 6, Puck Drop at 7, and tonight at 6, 0:17:14.650 --> 0:17:17.470 it's the GM Show with Kyle Dubas. But we talk 0:17:17.510 --> 0:17:20.050 Pens right now with Mets, and let's look at the 0:17:20.090 --> 0:17:22.490 game so far on their homestand. Brian, they got a 0:17:22.540 --> 0:17:27.760 victory in shutout fashion against the Florida Panthers, and then 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:31.159 a victory in overtime and comeback fashion against against the 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:35.340 Nashville Predators. Do you think that they've stopped the bleeding 0:17:35.820 --> 0:17:39.109 after that four-game losing streak that they incurred on the road, 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:42.550 dropping all four against those Western Conference teams before getting 0:17:42.590 --> 0:17:43.889 back to PBG Paints Arena? 0:17:44.690 --> 0:17:47.350 It feels like it, but what I worry about, Tim, 0:17:47.369 --> 0:17:50.390 is when you look at the Penguins, they were struggling 0:17:50.490 --> 0:17:53.690 with what was pretty much a regular roster, and then 0:17:53.750 --> 0:18:01.050 whenever you took Brian Rust out, Geno was out, And 0:18:01.090 --> 0:18:03.730 they did what they always have done historically whenever they 0:18:03.750 --> 0:18:05.750 were riddled with injuries. 0:18:05.770 --> 0:18:08.710 They always found a way to attack it and maybe. 0:18:08.470 --> 0:18:10.670 A little bit more of a blue collar way, play 0:18:10.690 --> 0:18:13.490 a little simpler game, that kind of thing. And it 0:18:13.510 --> 0:18:15.730 worked for them. They got some good goaltending as well, 0:18:15.790 --> 0:18:20.120 I should mention. And you wonder if getting everybody back 0:18:20.140 --> 0:18:22.980 in throws them off at all. So that's my concern 0:18:23.020 --> 0:18:25.639 moving forward, just because we've seen that where when you 0:18:25.660 --> 0:18:28.900 get your better looking lineup back out there, it sometimes 0:18:28.940 --> 0:18:31.700 goes the other direction. But I guess I'm most excited 0:18:31.790 --> 0:18:33.830 that Ben Kindle looks like he's going to center the 0:18:33.850 --> 0:18:37.070 second line, which should give them a one-two punch down 0:18:37.109 --> 0:18:38.790 the middle on the top two lines that should be 0:18:38.830 --> 0:18:42.000 pretty effective. And if they can continue to defend the 0:18:42.040 --> 0:18:45.620 way that they did against Florida and against Nashville, that 0:18:45.660 --> 0:18:48.520 might work pretty well. A big test waits Thursday with Utah, 0:18:48.740 --> 0:18:51.570 who kicked their butts pretty well on October 19th out 0:18:51.609 --> 0:18:52.050 at their rink. 0:18:53.300 --> 0:18:56.340 Utah in town to close out the three-gamer at home 0:18:56.380 --> 0:18:59.970 before they go to Montreal for Halloween. Avery Hayes came 0:19:00.030 --> 0:19:03.170 back up because of some of those issues that you 0:19:03.270 --> 0:19:06.390 outlined due to injury. And he just continues to play 0:19:06.430 --> 0:19:08.330 the way he's supposed to play. When are they going 0:19:08.350 --> 0:19:10.710 to start looking at this guy as who he is 0:19:11.190 --> 0:19:12.550 as opposed to what he is not? 0:19:14.740 --> 0:19:15.600 That's a good question. 0:19:16.060 --> 0:19:18.080 He had five shots the other night, which was great 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.919 to see. And he's been an offensive catalyst down on 0:19:21.940 --> 0:19:25.030 the farm, which is really exciting to see that he 0:19:25.090 --> 0:19:26.990 is really putting the puck in the net. I talked 0:19:27.010 --> 0:19:29.470 to Nick Hart, their play-by-play announcer, a couple of weeks 0:19:29.510 --> 0:19:32.180 ago on Penguins Live Weekly, Tim, and He said he 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:35.580 is pretty much outplaying the American Hockey League at this point. 0:19:35.960 --> 0:19:39.380 He's one of those guys that not necessarily a tweener 0:19:39.460 --> 0:19:42.830 where he's just like a quad A or a 4A player. 0:19:43.109 --> 0:19:44.609 He's not necessarily just that. 0:19:44.869 --> 0:19:46.870 I think he can play in the National Hockey League, 0:19:47.190 --> 0:19:49.690 but you need to look at him as a catalyst. 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:54.300 ball of energy, bottom six guy that could probably be 0:19:54.359 --> 0:19:57.159 in there in a situation with, like, I don't understand 0:19:57.200 --> 0:19:59.320 why he's not playing with Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar 0:19:59.380 --> 0:20:00.720 on like a quality fourth line. 0:20:01.119 --> 0:20:02.979 It would give you something very similar to what you 0:20:03.020 --> 0:20:03.720 had last year. 0:20:04.180 --> 0:20:08.669 Where you're out there forechecking like crazy, maybe putting up 0:20:08.690 --> 0:20:11.350 some goals here or there, just making life difficult for 0:20:11.369 --> 0:20:12.050 the opposition. 0:20:12.090 --> 0:20:12.810 Because if you look at. 0:20:12.830 --> 0:20:16.340 Avery Hayes' game, Tim, he's kind of a little bit 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:19.280 of an SOB too. I mean, he gets in people's craw, 0:20:19.680 --> 0:20:22.580 seems to agitate the opposition. He's drawn some penalties over 0:20:22.619 --> 0:20:24.780 the last couple of seasons, does that down on the 0:20:24.840 --> 0:20:26.920 farm as well. So I think he would be a 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:29.969 really nice fit in the bottom six. I don't know 0:20:29.990 --> 0:20:31.790 that you need to play him really up the lineup. 0:20:31.830 --> 0:20:34.750 They did that a little bit. off and on over 0:20:34.770 --> 0:20:36.710 the course of his tenure in Pittsburgh. And he's kind 0:20:36.750 --> 0:20:39.869 of started that way just based on necessity. But he 0:20:39.890 --> 0:20:42.170 doesn't have to be a first or second line guy. 0:20:42.210 --> 0:20:44.780 I think his best fit is third or fourth line. 0:20:44.820 --> 0:20:46.840 And I personally would employ him the way I just 0:20:46.880 --> 0:20:48.340 told you. I'd get him on the fourth line and 0:20:48.680 --> 0:20:50.140 doing some good stuff down there like that. 0:20:51.100 --> 0:20:53.679 Mitch, you brought up the goaltending. And I think Artur 0:20:53.740 --> 0:20:58.650 Shilov deserves applause for shutting out Florida and keeping Nashville 0:20:58.690 --> 0:21:02.320 at bay, winning that game. 3-2 in overtime. I just 0:21:02.340 --> 0:21:05.360 don't want to turn this into he's now the one 0:21:05.580 --> 0:21:10.300 and Murashov is the 1B. I think Murashov's development is 0:21:10.420 --> 0:21:13.590 way more important than a few results that might go 0:21:13.619 --> 0:21:18.510 the other direction if you start Shilov's more often. I agree. 0:21:18.630 --> 0:21:21.290