1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on Home of the Black and 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: Goals Steelers Nation Radio, and we're back on Dale Lally 3 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: here with Matt Williamson. We're pleased to be joined at 4 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: this time by Bob Labriola, the esteemed editor of Steelers 5 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: Digested Steelers dot Com. What can you be steamed? Do 6 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: you have to be esteemed? You're probably a little steamed 7 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: after what happened on the Sunday, I would put it 8 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:48,319 Speaker 1: that way. Well, I mean I was disappointed. I mean 9 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: I didn't really you know, you're hopeful, um, you know, 10 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: for the best possible outcome, but I mean, you know, 11 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: expecting them to go to Kansas City and beat the 12 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: Chiefs in the playoffs. So I mean I think that 13 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: that's um, you know, a little bit over the top. 14 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: But the performance was just off. Yeah, I thought the 15 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: I mean the offensive performance was the It's kind of 16 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: the season in a nutshell, Um, you know, nothing early. 17 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: We've seen that show many many times. It was like 18 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: watching reruns of Cheers or something. You know, they were 19 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: funny the first time, it's called clever, and then it's 20 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: just okay, I've seen this, I've seen this, I've seen this. 21 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: Let's uh let's try something different, fellas like scoring Well, 22 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: but that didn't that didn't happen. And you know, the 23 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: the really disappointing thing to me. I mean, there are 24 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: a lot of things that were disappointing, but and then 25 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: this is just my personal um, the receivers. Yeah, and 26 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: you know, the drop passes, the jump balls or combat 27 00:01:55,120 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: catches or whatever that weren't made. Um. You know, you need, 28 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: you know, to go and beat on the to go 29 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: on the road and beat the Chiefs in the playoffs. 30 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: You need guys to do things even above and beyond 31 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: you know what they're normally capable of. Um. And you know, again, disappointing, 32 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: I keep using that word, you know, but I just 33 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: kind of thought the whole offensive unit let the quarterback 34 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: down on his last game. You know what. I kept thinking, 35 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: Um as that game was going on, you know, as 36 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: a second quarter then into the third quarter, and I'm thinking, 37 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: is this gonna be Jacksonville, Miami where the Jaguars beat 38 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: Marino in his last game? Like, okay, what's two points 39 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 1: among friends? But yeah, you know, um, it didn't get 40 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: to that point. But you know, um, Simon asked this 41 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: many times LABS this season as a whole success or not. Well, 42 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: I mean I think that, Um, I wouldn't call it 43 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: a success, but I do think that there were some 44 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: things accomplished, um, that were you know, worthwhile. Yeah, and 45 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: you know the way the season unfolded. Uh, and you 46 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: know a lot of those things. Now you know, there 47 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: are no moral victories in the NFL, and I get 48 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: all that they don't grade on the curve, as Mike 49 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: Thomlins said, Thank god they did that when I was 50 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:43,839 Speaker 1: in school. Um, but you know, I do think that 51 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: the way they finished the season, especially in light of 52 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: how they finished last season, Uh, there was considerable improvement there. 53 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: And you know, they got into the playoffs, and UM, 54 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: I get it. Prepared for the nature, I get it that. Um, 55 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: you know there was a seven team playoff field in 56 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: each conference this year, and you know, so there were 57 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: some mitigating, mitigating circumstances that helped them. But you know, 58 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: it is what it is. They made the playoffs, and 59 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: so I do think that, you know, that is an 60 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: accomplishment now you know the performance and was just yeah, 61 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: um at your point, Bob, I mean, you know, all 62 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: we heard about the previous couple of years. Oh, the 63 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: Steelers have faded in December, they've they've fallen short down 64 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: the stretch. Well, that didn't happen this year. They won 65 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: their final two games, they won three of their last 66 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: four to get into the playoffs. Games they had to have. 67 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: They made the playoffs. With the schedule. Then everybody at 68 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: the beginning of the season, a boy, this is gonna 69 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: this is gonna be a really tough schedule. And they 70 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 1: won nine and a half games playing that schedule, made 71 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: the postseason. They were eight four and one in their 72 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: last third team, right, and people forget about that. That's 73 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: a pretty good that's a decent stretch no matter who 74 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: you play and how the games go. And so yeah, 75 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 1: and to that's point, I think there worsome. So you 76 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: you now have that to fall back on, you know, 77 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: even though you don't have that quarterback anymore, You've got 78 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: a lot of these guys on that roster experience and 79 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: not only playoff games themselves, but some playoff type atmospheres 80 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: before that in the division. Within the division, you and 81 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: you swept the Browns and Ravens. Yeah. That that that 82 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: was another thing I was going to bring up to was, 83 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: you know, all the predictions of them finishing last in 84 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: the in the division winning. Um. Yeah, And I do 85 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: think certainly going forward. It seems to me anyway that um, 86 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: whoever was predicted to be the best team in the division, 87 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: it is the Cincinnati Bengals, and I think that's gonna 88 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: be for a while now because of that quarterback they have. 89 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: He's the best quarterback in the division. Um uh. Looking 90 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: around the a f C. And I'm just doing this 91 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: real quick. I didn't really give too much thought. But 92 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: to me, there's only two guys in his league in 93 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: the a f C, and they're playing it right. Um um. 94 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: But I mean, you know I've said this before, Um, 95 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: that guy Joe Burrow, it's going to be a problem 96 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: for the Steelers and Steelers fans for a while because 97 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: beyond his physical talent, he has that charisma um or 98 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,359 Speaker 1: whatever it is. I call him the pipe piper. He 99 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 1: is a guy that those Bengals teammates will follow now. 100 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: They believe in him. And I think that that guy 101 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: Burrow as an opportunity to do for the Bengals to 102 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: a lesser degree that Joe Green did for the Steelers. 103 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: He can be the player reading them out of right 104 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: out of the dark ages now I don't know that 105 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: they're gonna win four Super Bowls in six seasons and 106 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, dominate a decade of the league or anything. 107 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm not going that far, but what I'm saying is, 108 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: you know, you look at the Bengals franchise to this 109 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: point in it, in its existence, and you know, it's 110 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: pretty dreary. Not as dreary as the first forty years 111 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: of Steelers franchise history, but dreary nonetheless. And um, I really, 112 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: I mean I again, Um, this guy he's he's it. 113 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: You know when when fans want to talk about franchise quarterbacks, 114 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: look at him. That's that's that's what you're talking about. 115 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: You're not talking about Jared Goff, you know, or some 116 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: of these other guys. YEA, who's Daniel Jones? Um, other picks. 117 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: Other guys were picked highly that that's not a franchise quarterback, 118 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes. That's my list of 119 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: you know, the new young guys. Yes, is the problem 120 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: then that does it then become Bob. The Steelers have 121 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: had two of those guys in their history. One was 122 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: picked first overall, the other one was picked eleven overall, 123 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: and the Steelers. Just don't they rarely picked that high? Yeah, 124 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: I mean, um that that's certainly gonna The degree of difficulty, Um, 125 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: you know, rises considerably when you don't have those kinds 126 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: of picks. But um, there are ways to win without 127 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. I mean, it 128 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: does happen, and uh so, I just I don't buy 129 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: into the narrative of, you know, this team is nothing, 130 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: you know until they get the next Ben Roethlisberger or 131 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: the next Terry Bradshaw, because that's it's just not realistic, 132 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: you don't. You just those those kinds of guys don't 133 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: come around that often, and even if they do come around, um, 134 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: you have to have the opportunity to pick them. I mean, uh, 135 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: you know I knew that. Um, let me see, I 136 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: knew that. You know, Dan Marino, I could look and see, 137 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: you know, Dan Marino's a great quarterback. But if you 138 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: don't have the opportunity to draft him, um, you know, 139 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: it's a whole different. There's a two pronged thing with 140 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: um adding a franchise quarterback, a legitimate franchise quarterback, scouting him, 141 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: identifying him, and then having the opportunity to pick him. 142 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: And so to your point of Steelers brought Patrick Mahomes 143 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: in on a player of visits, uh pre draft. They 144 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: obviously liked him, but you gotta have the opportunity to 145 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: draft him. They weren't trade enough to tend to get 146 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: him at the time, not from and and And that's 147 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: the thing. So, um, you know, I don't I don't 148 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: buy the fact that you know, the Steelers are now 149 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: going to be in the going back to the dark 150 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: ages until they find another first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. 151 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 1: Um because personally, I think, you know, for the next period, 152 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: I don't know how long that period is going to be. 153 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: Let's consider it a short period for the purpose of 154 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: this discussion. The alpha dog on the offense is number 155 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: twenty two. Uh. And you know, the Steelers showed that 156 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: you can win a couple of Super Bowls go on 157 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: that route too, because Bradshaw was a passenger on those 158 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: first two trains. Um. Um, it's history Dale, you know that. 159 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: But I'm just saying this blasphemy in some circles, Well 160 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,479 Speaker 1: that's fine, they can you know, uh Bay at the 161 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: Moon or you know, Bray in the meadow or whatever. 162 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: But it is it is a fact. And so because 163 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: I've I've actually had a couple of people on those 164 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: teams who also have gold jackets tell me the very 165 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: same thing. So I'm very confident in saying that and 166 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: defending it if I have to. But anyway, um, so 167 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: you know, again, I'm not trying to diminish the task 168 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: at hand for the Steelers or you know, predicted it's 169 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: gonna be easy, or I'm not forecasting any parades in 170 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: downtown Pittsburgh, you know, in the next couple of februaries 171 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: or any of that kind of stuff. Um. But again, 172 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, the sky isn't falling. There is a lot 173 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: of work to do. However, so the Labs free agencies, 174 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: the next step here, and it's right around the corner, 175 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: will be here before we know it. Um, the Steelers 176 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: have an unusual amount of cap space for what we've 177 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: accustomed to with this team. And if your role within 178 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: the organization changed and they said, hey, Labs, we need 179 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: you to acquire some talent from outside the organization, what 180 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: positions would you be looking to add, Well, let me 181 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: just say this, then the sky would be falling. Put 182 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: me in charge of back But honey, of course, he 183 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: was was a scribe who went on to become a GM. 184 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: Why not you? So it was Bill Nunne but not 185 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: a GM. But it's far better judge of talent than me. UM. 186 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: Let me say this. You know, and I don't know 187 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: what's going to be available, so we don't even talk 188 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: about the names. I mean, all things being I understand 189 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the positions to basically and UM. But 190 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: you know, all things being equal, you know, I'm looking 191 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: for defensive lineman first, first, first, first free agency when 192 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: you're when you get to the draft, you know I'm 193 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: looking at you know, I got an eyeball on the 194 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: list of defensive line and UM all the time, because 195 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: you know the whole. Then this is my opinion on 196 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: this too. This is I'm not as adamant about this 197 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: as I am about Franco Harris. To me, that UM, 198 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: the structure of the Steelers defense, the UM the way 199 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: it's built or the way it's supposed to be built 200 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,319 Speaker 1: to succeed. You know, if you want to have those 201 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: kinds of inside linebackers that the Steelers have on their roster, 202 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: you better have some guys up front that are gonna 203 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: kick some butt on a regular basis, because if I 204 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: gotta listen to one more ex stealer player tell me 205 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: that Devin Bush gets engulfed by three five pound guards, 206 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna just askuse ever paying this person to make 207 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 1: these comments, you know, or they can think they're getting 208 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: their money's worth from that. You know, Um, everybody knows that. 209 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: How could you you know, how can you expect uh, 210 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifteen pounds inside linebacker to take on 211 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: guards or whatever over a hundred pounds heavier than them 212 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: and win those battles? Certainly not on a consistent basis. 213 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: You just can't. And so um, you know. And one 214 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: of those guys on the seventies teams, Jack Ham, told 215 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: me a long time ago. He said that there were 216 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: games in the seventies and he played on the side 217 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: of that steel curtains where Greenwood was the end and 218 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: Joe green was the tackle. And Ham said there were 219 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: times he got almost through the entire first half where 220 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: he was not touched by an opposing offensive lineman, not 221 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: touched and that's why, boy, you know, Jack him he 222 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: ran around and made a lot of tackles. Well, duh, 223 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: you know, I mean that's the way it was designed. 224 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: He'll tell you why. And so, UM, that's why defensive lineman, 225 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: defensive lineman, defensive lineman uh is to me is the 226 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: number one. And I don't know how many you gotta 227 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: pick or I'm not going there. But arias UM also, 228 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: I would think that UM, I would look at offensive 229 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: lineman and free agency because drafting more of those guys 230 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: then you're going through the same thing again, young inexperienced UM. 231 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: And being on the in the locker room with wolf 232 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: Lee and Starks, you know, I got those guys to 233 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: explain to me this that every time, you know, everybody 234 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: falls in love with this motion stuff pre snap motion uh. 235 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: And that looked good all the window dressing, but they said, well, 236 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: Max said that every time when they when you run 237 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: a guy in motion and the backfield, every time he 238 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: crosses the center, the entire all of the blocking assignments 239 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: may change, the center's identification of the mac linebacker may change. 240 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: So UM, you know that's that's that's nice, all the 241 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: motion and stuff, but also is complicating things for all 242 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: these young and young and inexperienced offensive lineman. So that's 243 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: why I want I don't want to draft more of 244 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: them necessarily. I think they've got a nice group of 245 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: young guys that they can develop and maybe build around. 246 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: But you need some experienced people now to plug in 247 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: there too. You know, young guys if you can find 248 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: them again, young guys still um on the come. As 249 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: the scouts say, would you start at center on that project? Well, um, 250 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you this. What I think about it, 251 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: what you think about it doesn't matter. Because the head 252 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: coach likes number fifty three at center. Um. And he 253 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 1: talks about He talked about him having be be careful, Lord, 254 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: listen closely to what I'm saying so that you don't 255 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 1: because he didn't compare him to Marquise Pouncing. He said 256 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: he has a lot of the physical skills that Pouncy 257 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: brought to the position. To me, that's a big difference. 258 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: So I do believe and this is just my sense 259 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: that Kendrick Clay, Kendrick Green, it's going to get an 260 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 1: offseason to learn because I think there are again Max 261 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 1: and wilfully told me that there are techniques that you 262 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: can teach a guy like him had to anchor and 263 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: not get blown into the backfield. Plus he can get stronger, 264 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 1: get a little bit more used to some of the 265 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: things that a center face is from the opposing defense 266 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: as opposed to what a guard faces from the opposing defense. 267 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: And so I don't think that that's gonna be a 268 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: one and done um experiment. To use a word that 269 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,639 Speaker 1: I just don't believe it is so um. So No, 270 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: then I'm not because to me, that's wasted that's wasted effort. 271 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: You know, the Steelers in the eighties, the when the 272 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: there was a disconnect between Chuck and Noll and the 273 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: personnel department. You know, you can't have that where one 274 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: group thinks one thing and the head coach thinks something else, 275 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: because then you're just spinning your wheels. And so my 276 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: opinion of that would be, it's the coach thinks that 277 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: this guy can develop into a center, then I'm not 278 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: bringing in people um like the guy from Iowa. Tyler 279 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: Lyndon Palm is the name that I keep getting Already, 280 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: Am I correct with that name? Okay, I'm not. I'm not. 281 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: I'm not spending a first round draft pick on him, 282 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: um because to me, that's a wasted pick. If you know, 283 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: the head coach beliefs that Kendrick green Um could develop 284 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: into the into the job. So the answer your question 285 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: was a long winded way to get to it. No, 286 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: I'm not looking for a center. Are not certainly not 287 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: a starting caliber one. And and I don't know that 288 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: I would draft a center on the first round anyway. 289 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: Mike Webster and Demrning Dawson were in first round pick Ah, 290 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: I don't know that it's necessary to pick a center first. 291 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: You brought up the draft and you just said you 292 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't you wouldn't take a center in the first round. 293 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: Am I crazy? I brought this up a few weeks 294 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: ago that if there's a stud wide receiver in the 295 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: first round available, Am I crazy to say that you 296 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: that you take that guy? If there's another Chase or 297 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: there's another Jefferson that was the name that was right 298 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: on the tip of my tongue. Yes, but he's got 299 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: to be like that. I mean, he's got to be 300 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: someone who has difference making physical skills right off the 301 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 1: bat before he learns a thing. You know, he's got 302 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: to be either um, you know, I don't know, Tyreek 303 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: Hill fast or Jamaar Chase dynamic or you know, I'm 304 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: trying to think of other guys justin Jefferson uh, Stefon Diggs. 305 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: You know one of these kind of people at a 306 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: minimum heightweight, speed, guy I mean trade absolutely, you know 307 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: a guy, a guy that, um you know Tom Donahoe's 308 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: Tom Donahoe. Ohs used to say, my wife knows he's 309 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: a good player. Somebody like that you don't need, right, Um. 310 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 1: Kind of like two thousand and four training camp when 311 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: h and watching the positional drills, individual drills and you're 312 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: looking at the four quarterbacks Brian Saint, Pierre Charlie Batch, 313 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger and Tommy Maddox. I mean, with one eye open, 314 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: I look at those four and tell you and tell 315 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 1: you who was the best one of Um. So that's yes. 316 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: They simple by the way, like well if my son 317 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: and say or my daughter who knows nothing, and say 318 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: who do you want? Who do you want to not 319 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: play against? Tom? You know I don't want to play 320 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: against seven. He's better than all the other guys. It's 321 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 1: that quick, you know. Yeah. Um, but you know if 322 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: you have that kind of player sitting there for you, 323 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: Um yeah, there's there's really nothing in terms of position 324 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 1: that I would consider, uh, you know, center, as I said, um, 325 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: running back, tight end, running back, running back. You never 326 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 1: believe in the tight end in the first round there, 327 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,239 Speaker 1: So that's nothing new there. Well, my point on that 328 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: was always this, if you can tell me he's the 329 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: next tith Miller, I'm in. But if he's not, I'm 330 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: not interested. Uh. And I really like, I really like 331 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: the tight ends they have now. I think they're a 332 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: nicely Yeah. Yeah, I bet they don't add anything there. 333 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: I think they're probably very happy with what they have, 334 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 1: and I think they should be because even Kevin Raider 335 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: is um, yeah, various stories of the year when you 336 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: got it. You had a guy on the on your 337 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: practice que all season in Sternberger who had some pedigree. 338 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: They just they just resigned him yesterday. So I mean 339 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: they've got they've got four guys there who are NFL caliber. Yeah, 340 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: they don't need to add anything there. But outside I 341 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: gre with you. Outside of that, everything else should be 342 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: on the on the table. Um. But I think wide receivers, 343 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: I mean, if you look at the last few drafts 344 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: where some of those stud wide receivers went twenties, not 345 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: a bad spot to be between twenty and fifty. Yeah, right, 346 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: a lot of them. I think a lot of that 347 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: also depends did you did you already bring Juju back 348 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: by the time the draft. I don't even care about that, honestly. 349 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 1: If you can add if if you can add one 350 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 1: of those dynamic playmakers again, you're to me, you're building 351 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 1: that nest around the quarterback. If you can make things 352 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: easier on your quarterback to make plays, and that's the 353 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: way to do it, that's the way to do it. 354 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 1: You both the Bengals convinced me this year the heck 355 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: with the offensive line, let your quarterback at sack fifty times. 356 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: We got that guy three of those dudes that are 357 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: hard to deal with well, and you know you talk 358 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: about making it easier. Um, it also makes it easier 359 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: for the offensive lineman right right, because they're not gonna 360 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 1: line up one on one that guy, I mean, Jamar 361 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: Chase is gonna be drawn too much single coverage, um, 362 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: because I don't think Jalen Ramsey even wants too much 363 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: of that for sixty minutes. Uh So, Yeah, if if 364 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: the defense has to commit more people to cover, that's 365 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: fewer people that they have to go after your quarterback, Bob, 366 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: We're gonna let you go. We appreciate you stopping by 367 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: and I hope, I hope you're feeling better. Hope the 368 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: voice is completely back and it sounds like it is. Yeah, No, 369 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: you know, UM, it's getting there. I just wish it 370 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: sounds good. I just wish, um, you know, sometimes better 371 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: things would come out of my mouth. But I don't 372 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:48,120 Speaker 1: think that's my voice. That's more to head. We'll catch 373 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: up with you down the road here, maybe in another 374 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 1: month or so, Bob, and get chances to watch some 375 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: of the Senior Bowl stuff. Let's just let's the smoke 376 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: settle a little bit more UH on what this season was, 377 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: and we'll have a better idea of where this team 378 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: is UH is headed and how it's going to get there. Labs, 379 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: there's your super Bowl back real quick. Well, UM, I 380 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: I kind of went with this team when we were 381 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: talking about the start of this regular season. Um, you know, 382 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: I said, I thought Josh Allen was the toughest quarterback 383 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: on the Steelers schedule, um, this this season. So I'm 384 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 1: gonna stick with the Bills. I mean, I really like 385 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: the Bills. I don't know if they can I would 386 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: certainly I'll certainly be rooting for the Bills if they 387 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: play Tom Brady's team. I can tell you that I 388 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: don't think Tom Brady's team is gonna make it there. 389 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: They get some they'll be around next week. Yeah, I 390 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: guess they get a tough road and uh, well they're 391 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 1: missing some guysers so there's eight good left. Yeah. This is. Um, 392 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 1: this Divisional round weekend for me is I don't know. 393 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: I think I might enjoy the Divisional round weekend And 394 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 1: in terms of a fan watching games on TV more 395 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: than any other weekend of the playoffs, I'd be shocked 396 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,159 Speaker 1: there's any blowouts, you know. I mean we saw a 397 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: lot of lots of good teams, two games each day. Um, yeah, 398 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: this is I'm ready to hunker down, uh for some 399 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: and watch some football this weekend, and you know, just 400 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: watch it as a as a fan instead of charting 401 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: every play. Yeah. It should be a lot of fun. 402 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: But Bob, we'll catch up soon. Take care. He is 403 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: Bob Labriola. That's Matt Williamson over there. I'm Dale Lali. 404 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: You're listening to the drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. 405 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: We'll be back with more breakdown, a little bit more 406 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: what Bob said and what we what we think here 407 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: and what there's some mock draft coming up and we'll 408 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: take a look at one of those. We'll do that 409 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: right after this