1
00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,920
Speaker 1: This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson

2
00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:12,479
Speaker 1: on Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

3
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,880
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Drive. I'm Dale Lolly, he is Matt Williamson.

4
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,320
Speaker 1: And it is a victory Monday for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

5
00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,800
Speaker 1: They beat the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte on Sunday and

6
00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,960
Speaker 1: a lot of good uh coming out of that game.

7
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,760
Speaker 1: Matt um Absolutely, I know, you know you didn't think

8
00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,879
Speaker 1: that the Steelers matched up particularly well with the matchups

9
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,240
Speaker 1: I was concerned about. They negated a bunch of them,

10
00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:52,400
Speaker 1: even got the better of right, you know what I mean,

11
00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,279
Speaker 1: Like Brian Burns didn't hear his name very much, you know,

12
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,960
Speaker 1: I mean a lot of those matchups that I thought, boy,

13
00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,959
Speaker 1: this is this isn't lining up grade for the Steelers,

14
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,120
Speaker 1: totally negated or flipped them, you know, the Judo move,

15
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,080
Speaker 1: use their aggressive this against them or whatever. As it

16
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,199
Speaker 1: turned out, the Steelers ran the ball times in this game.

17
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,840
Speaker 1: And really, I mean I don't have much negative to

18
00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,839
Speaker 1: say at all about the team, the whole performance start

19
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:17,760
Speaker 1: to finish. I mean, there was that stretch where they

20
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,400
Speaker 1: were shooting themselves in the foot. Marcus Allen you know, etcetera.

21
00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,320
Speaker 1: But overall they were the much better team. Yeah, they

22
00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,279
Speaker 1: dominated the play and uh four, no against the NFC

23
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,400
Speaker 1: cell nice to be in that division right now? Boy,

24
00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,160
Speaker 1: that division is bad. I mean, just like who should

25
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,080
Speaker 1: go the playoffs? Yeah? Um, I don't know that they're

26
00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,760
Speaker 1: awful awful. They're not the the super bad teams. No, no,

27
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,000
Speaker 1: they're not the Texans right right right, I just mean

28
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,960
Speaker 1: right as division winners, not strong a playoff game. Along

29
00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,720
Speaker 1: those lines. I've already heard some people disco all, the

30
00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,360
Speaker 1: Steelers haven't beaten anybody this year, this whole now, they

31
00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,640
Speaker 1: they've won four of their last six. Well, I haven't

32
00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,840
Speaker 1: beaten in a body good in this whole stretch. C NFL. Yeah,

33
00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,840
Speaker 1: I mean who is good? First of all, that's more

34
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,919
Speaker 1: of a power ranking Tuesday conversation. Okay, there's five to

35
00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,119
Speaker 1: eight teams that are good, and once in a while

36
00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,640
Speaker 1: you get one that isn't on their best day and struggles.

37
00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,040
Speaker 1: And I don't look at it that way. It's not

38
00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,600
Speaker 1: like their schedule has been the easiest in the league.

39
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,639
Speaker 1: It's been one of the most difficult, exactly exactly, and

40
00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,000
Speaker 1: you know they're nearing five again. I don't see that

41
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,480
Speaker 1: at all. I mean, there's a lot of teams in

42
00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,960
Speaker 1: the Steelers tier right now. I mean, and that's how

43
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,560
Speaker 1: the league's designed. So if you're looking at this, Matt,

44
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:40,119
Speaker 1: they have three games remaining, Let's say they win two

45
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,360
Speaker 1: of the last three, or I think that's very to

46
00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,000
Speaker 1: get to eight and nine. Are you making major changes

47
00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,160
Speaker 1: with this roster given how this team is performed, or

48
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,120
Speaker 1: are you looking at this and going well, with a

49
00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,120
Speaker 1: few tweaks, we could we could be right back in there. Well,

50
00:02:55,160 --> 00:03:00,400
Speaker 1: I think that's the I guess that depends. So I

51
00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,359
Speaker 1: think they're not losing much. I mean they they've set

52
00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,880
Speaker 1: up for this day very well. And I give Omar

53
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,400
Speaker 1: and even Kevin and you know who's not here anymore.

54
00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,480
Speaker 1: They've prepared for this day with a rookie quarterback contract.

55
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,800
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, they have names that are free agents,

56
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,800
Speaker 1: and we'll talk plenty about those, and there's many that

57
00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,200
Speaker 1: I have interest in retaining, but like I don't put

58
00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,400
Speaker 1: you know, you know how we feel about pro football focus.

59
00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,760
Speaker 1: But they put on an article today of their war metric.

60
00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,720
Speaker 1: We don't even know what stands for win's above replacement

61
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,800
Speaker 1: whatever it is. And then they showed a graph of

62
00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,200
Speaker 1: the teams that are set to lose the most war

63
00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,320
Speaker 1: in free agency. Well, the Steelers are in the bottom left,

64
00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,240
Speaker 1: lowest defense, lowest offense. So I think this is it's

65
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,040
Speaker 1: more you build upon what you have. That's what I think. Like,

66
00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,560
Speaker 1: I think you're pouring the concrete right now. I the

67
00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,320
Speaker 1: more I watched this offensive line play together, yeah, I'm

68
00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,000
Speaker 1: okay bringing that same group back. Maybe you had you

69
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,280
Speaker 1: had a draft pick at some point along, you know,

70
00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:01,080
Speaker 1: a young offensive tackle to add to the room. But

71
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,000
Speaker 1: I don't have a problem with Mason coleit center, or

72
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,200
Speaker 1: James Daniels at right guard, or even Kevin Dotson a

73
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,920
Speaker 1: left guard. Those five are an adequate to good offensive

74
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,040
Speaker 1: line and they're showing a time and time again. Now

75
00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,279
Speaker 1: I worry about six through ten, and that's why you

76
00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,240
Speaker 1: add to it. You add to it, and that might

77
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,200
Speaker 1: be a first round pick which makes more or coal.

78
00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,120
Speaker 1: But if you remember, you've got guys we saw play

79
00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,760
Speaker 1: last year. Hassenauer, who at the beginning of the season

80
00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,800
Speaker 1: I didn't two years ago. I didn't think he was

81
00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,000
Speaker 1: an NFL player. He proved that. Okay, he can get

82
00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,000
Speaker 1: you through. John Leglue, another guy that played a lot

83
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,840
Speaker 1: down the stretch last year hasn't played a snap this year.

84
00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,520
Speaker 1: So they've got some curse in a blessings. They've lost

85
00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,680
Speaker 1: no snaps up front, you know, you don't know who

86
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,160
Speaker 1: those groups are, but the veterans that they've got from

87
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,440
Speaker 1: outside the organization. I'm not doing cart wheels, right. I'm

88
00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,240
Speaker 1: pretty happy we haven't seen that. I would I would

89
00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,400
Speaker 1: like to add another offensive tackle to that game. I mean,

90
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,080
Speaker 1: it's funny because a big narrative after this game is

91
00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,279
Speaker 1: games are one in the trenches. Just draft big guys.

92
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,120
Speaker 1: Just draft big guys, and deep down I believe that,

93
00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,000
Speaker 1: and this game showed that. But what if they would

94
00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,360
Speaker 1: have had a dynamic slot receiver or a number one corner,

95
00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,279
Speaker 1: you know, for that game in addition to what they have,

96
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,040
Speaker 1: you know, So I think you can go a lot

97
00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:29,000
Speaker 1: of different directions. Um, but basically what's happened is they've

98
00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,200
Speaker 1: they've built a really good core and on offense, they're

99
00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,320
Speaker 1: not gonna lose hardly anything, you know, And it's designed

100
00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,080
Speaker 1: for this and I'm just gonna add pretty pieces to it,

101
00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,600
Speaker 1: you know. And that's what I was thinking about all

102
00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,880
Speaker 1: that on the flight back today and I'm like, who

103
00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,880
Speaker 1: are you looking to replace on this offense? Then all

104
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:51,200
Speaker 1: the young guys who were ascending. I know, I don't

105
00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:55,080
Speaker 1: think anyone needs replaced. I actually think you can always

106
00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,800
Speaker 1: do better, of course, But at the end of the day,

107
00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,120
Speaker 1: I mean, I think of the will say twelve guys,

108
00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,000
Speaker 1: two tight ends and three receivers that they play that

109
00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,080
Speaker 1: are out there the most. I think slot corner right

110
00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,680
Speaker 1: now is our slot receiver is the weakest spot of

111
00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,600
Speaker 1: the group. But you don't have to spend the pick

112
00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,080
Speaker 1: in the draft on a slot receiver. I mean, you've

113
00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,120
Speaker 1: still got guys like Anthony Miller sitting around, you know,

114
00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,480
Speaker 1: you know, Calvin Austin sitting around. You've got two guys

115
00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,480
Speaker 1: in house that are kind of attractive, and the sims

116
00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,200
Speaker 1: and gunners and Boykin's are all auditioning for next year.

117
00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,760
Speaker 1: Two and slot receivers aren't hard to find. I mean,

118
00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,480
Speaker 1: that's you know, I mean that so, but I mean

119
00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,120
Speaker 1: a franchise left tackle would be great, you know, I mean,

120
00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,960
Speaker 1: of course, but need need versus one I think is

121
00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,800
Speaker 1: very big difference. Okay, And they're fortunate enough that there's

122
00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:43,680
Speaker 1: gonna have a lot of once you know that they

123
00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,840
Speaker 1: can pick from with right now, if three picks in

124
00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:51,400
Speaker 1: the top right, Um, yeah, I even you know, they're

125
00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,599
Speaker 1: now five and two with t J. Watton the lineup

126
00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,320
Speaker 1: this year and he's not even quite looking like the

127
00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,440
Speaker 1: m v P type guy, you know, right of course

128
00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,680
Speaker 1: getting better. I mean not a coincidence, not a coincidence, right,

129
00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,919
Speaker 1: you know. And and you know even the two games

130
00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,279
Speaker 1: that they lost with t J. Watt in the lineup

131
00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,360
Speaker 1: have been you know, they lost by six to the Bengals.

132
00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,360
Speaker 1: The Bengals are playing really well right now, and lost

133
00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,600
Speaker 1: that game last two weeks ago to the to the Ravens.

134
00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,840
Speaker 1: Those are the two losses that they had with t J.

135
00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,800
Speaker 1: Watt in the lineup. Um, you know, if they score

136
00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,000
Speaker 1: any points at all and that that Ravens, they don't

137
00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,800
Speaker 1: turn the ball over three times, they win that one. Um.

138
00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,240
Speaker 1: But yeah, the the uh, I think there's a really

139
00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,320
Speaker 1: good foundation. Yeah. I don't think there's I just I

140
00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,800
Speaker 1: think people are looking at this, at least some people

141
00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,600
Speaker 1: are looking at this. Well, they're not beating anybody. It's

142
00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,000
Speaker 1: the NFL. You beat who you who's on your schedule?

143
00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,680
Speaker 1: Is anybody in New York right now saying well, the

144
00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,600
Speaker 1: Giants aren't beating anybody. They aren't beating anybody all year.

145
00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:50,960
Speaker 1: We're gonna go to the playoffs. I think you look

146
00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,480
Speaker 1: at it like this, that they're now proving that they

147
00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:59,280
Speaker 1: are pretty consistently beating the teams on their level or lower. Now,

148
00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,920
Speaker 1: what pieces can we add to compete to get to

149
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,680
Speaker 1: that next level to get to the And if you're

150
00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,800
Speaker 1: looking at that, then you say, well, cornerbacks, you gotta

151
00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,600
Speaker 1: get better in the defensive backfield, you better rush the

152
00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:10,920
Speaker 1: pass her better and they can play off each other.

153
00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,600
Speaker 1: Of course, Um, the d line could get old in

154
00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,960
Speaker 1: a hurry, you know, right, or worry some in a hurry.

155
00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,680
Speaker 1: Without question, I would never turn my back on a

156
00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,120
Speaker 1: no lineman. But I can live with these five as

157
00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,680
Speaker 1: my starters an opening day next year. And I bet

158
00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,680
Speaker 1: a lot of people are like turning over losing their mind.

159
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:31,480
Speaker 1: If just pops up, I'll grab them. But I mean again,

160
00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,120
Speaker 1: you you put up another hundred and fifty yard rushing

161
00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:39,440
Speaker 1: game yesterday. It was consistent. Um, that's not a bad

162
00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,880
Speaker 1: run defense. It's not not one of the better ones.

163
00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,320
Speaker 1: But it's the middle of the Yeah, the the middle

164
00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,200
Speaker 1: of the road. Um, and you just ran the ball

165
00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,520
Speaker 1: down their throat and played well. Sisky played well. I

166
00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,840
Speaker 1: mean everything went well. Deante played well, Pickings played well.

167
00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,240
Speaker 1: They have a formula, you know. So um No, I'm

168
00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,560
Speaker 1: sure we'll unpack a lot of things that happened yesterday.

169
00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,080
Speaker 1: But I like where the team's at in terms of resources.

170
00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,840
Speaker 1: A lot of caps face. Who's who's set the hit

171
00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,000
Speaker 1: free agency. There's some guys I'd love to bring back

172
00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,040
Speaker 1: draft picks. But if one of their top two picks

173
00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,480
Speaker 1: isn't a tackle, I'm not gonna lose my mind. It

174
00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,960
Speaker 1: doesn't mean he can't take a choos project in the

175
00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,120
Speaker 1: third round, you know, or something. That they're gonna draft

176
00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,760
Speaker 1: lineman folks. Yeah, absolutely, we're not saying that they're not

177
00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:25,400
Speaker 1: gonna be and this is gonna be the exact same

178
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,319
Speaker 1: offensive line room is next year. That's not gonna be

179
00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,079
Speaker 1: the case. But I think if you know, if you're

180
00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,800
Speaker 1: looking for the m v P of the Steelers coaching staff,

181
00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,319
Speaker 1: it's gotta be Pat Meyers, right, It's gotta be absolutely,

182
00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,880
Speaker 1: which I am meant to say just five minutes ago,

183
00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,600
Speaker 1: because maybe the dudes we haven't seen are better than

184
00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,760
Speaker 1: we think. They may have gotten better to us and

185
00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,080
Speaker 1: these guys too. I mean, he does doesn't talk to

186
00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,280
Speaker 1: the top five the other guys might be we thought

187
00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,400
Speaker 1: because of coaching. I think that's a nice hypothesis. Yeah,

188
00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,400
Speaker 1: that's that's one of the beauties of having a young

189
00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,679
Speaker 1: group is that they are, as I always say, allowed

190
00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,760
Speaker 1: to get better, to get better in sure and learn

191
00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,760
Speaker 1: about this league. And your quarterback's gonna get better, you know. Well,

192
00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,920
Speaker 1: that's the thing I think people overlook, Well, they need

193
00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,560
Speaker 1: to do all this one. They're only ever they're they're

194
00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,079
Speaker 1: averaging eight team points a game right now, which obviously

195
00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,480
Speaker 1: isn't good enough over the course of the season, but

196
00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,920
Speaker 1: that's what the rookie quarterback for most of the season,

197
00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,560
Speaker 1: and and you know, an offense, it was completely finding

198
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,600
Speaker 1: its way earlier earlier this year. Um, you know, if

199
00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,800
Speaker 1: you look at what they've done over the last I

200
00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,520
Speaker 1: mean I just look at a pre buy and post

201
00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:32,200
Speaker 1: by it's an easy way to you know, have harped on. Boy,

202
00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,120
Speaker 1: they have a brutal point differential over the last six games.

203
00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,880
Speaker 1: They're like plus twenty plus thirteen or something like that,

204
00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,520
Speaker 1: something like that. I mean, they're plus Noticeably, they're not

205
00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,760
Speaker 1: even close to even you know, like, yes, they've played

206
00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,720
Speaker 1: easier teams, but they've also gotten better. Played a lot

207
00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:50,360
Speaker 1: of those games on the road. To play a lot

208
00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,600
Speaker 1: of those games on the road, you know, I forget

209
00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,839
Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago, coach Tomlin's record post by

210
00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,280
Speaker 1: for his career is remarkably good. Like I don't that's

211
00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,360
Speaker 1: an accident, you know. And even if they lose these

212
00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,400
Speaker 1: last three, it's not gonna be like, boy, this blow

213
00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,360
Speaker 1: the whole thing up. I would never be convinced to that. Yeah,

214
00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,199
Speaker 1: I just I think there's a lot there to like. Um.

215
00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:18,240
Speaker 1: The defense yesterday was stifling. Yeah, Donald had one good drive.

216
00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,960
Speaker 1: That was it. That read your article about if you

217
00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,079
Speaker 1: take that drive out, which isn't how the world works,

218
00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,800
Speaker 1: of course, But yards per play's three point three point

219
00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,000
Speaker 1: four yards per play outside of that one touchdown drive.

220
00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:36,320
Speaker 1: Me d yeah, right, I mean, and I thought Donald

221
00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,360
Speaker 1: actually played quite well. He played about as well as

222
00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,280
Speaker 1: he could possibly play. I really didn't got my way

223
00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,960
Speaker 1: to commend and be hard on the opponent too. I

224
00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:48,240
Speaker 1: thought DJ Moore and and Donald were legit yesterday and

225
00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,960
Speaker 1: he wasn't the problem, no, no, um. But they had

226
00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,000
Speaker 1: they had trouble blocking the Steelers in the run game.

227
00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,839
Speaker 1: In the passing game, Um that Christiansen dude playing guard

228
00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,679
Speaker 1: Brogan Joey ate him up, then Heyward ate him up.

229
00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,200
Speaker 1: And their interior line in general, I thought had a

230
00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,640
Speaker 1: really rough day. Um, the rest of their receivers were

231
00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,520
Speaker 1: just fine. You texted me about Foreman during the game.

232
00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,120
Speaker 1: I mean he looked bad too. I mean he deserves

233
00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,280
Speaker 1: some of the credit or some of the heat as well.

234
00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,880
Speaker 1: I think he is who he is. I know, you know,

235
00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,240
Speaker 1: takes a lot to get going, and they ain't room

236
00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:22,920
Speaker 1: to get going. And he's had a lot of carries

237
00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:24,560
Speaker 1: this here and looks like he's coming back to earth.

238
00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,280
Speaker 1: He's very He's he's like a mini version of Derrick

239
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,720
Speaker 1: Kenry without the speed, without the extra juice, because once

240
00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:34,760
Speaker 1: he gets going, he's a load. Maybe he's hard to

241
00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:36,400
Speaker 1: get on the ground, but if you get him before

242
00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,480
Speaker 1: he gets going. There were a couple of yeah, there

243
00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:40,920
Speaker 1: were a couple of times where he was he went

244
00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,040
Speaker 1: to the sideline early in the game, just like shaking

245
00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,079
Speaker 1: his head and you know, banking like they were visibly upset.

246
00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,040
Speaker 1: I mean they their first four carries of the game

247
00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,360
Speaker 1: they got one yard. Yeah, that kind of set the

248
00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,120
Speaker 1: tone and tackles for a lot. Yeah, and it kind

249
00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:58,840
Speaker 1: of just scared almost like that scared, yes, the Panthers

250
00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:00,839
Speaker 1: out of their running game, and they had a little

251
00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:05,000
Speaker 1: bit of success in that one touchdown drive throwing the football,

252
00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:08,480
Speaker 1: and they never got back really back to the running

253
00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,720
Speaker 1: game the way that they want to. It wasn't as

254
00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,920
Speaker 1: bad as if Atlanta of just kind of ignoring the

255
00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,160
Speaker 1: run game at first half. But I still think they

256
00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,080
Speaker 1: looked at it today like what were we thinking. I mean,

257
00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,840
Speaker 1: we only do one thing well, but I but they

258
00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,640
Speaker 1: weren't doing it well. That was, you know, and that's

259
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,199
Speaker 1: a credit to the Steelers defense. They were just attacking

260
00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,840
Speaker 1: downhill and and uh, I mean, I'm sure those linemen

261
00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:28,680
Speaker 1: go over to the line coach and be like, I

262
00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,839
Speaker 1: can't block. I mean, I'm really struggling, or the line

263
00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,719
Speaker 1: coach just notices it and says he play caller. I mean,

264
00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,559
Speaker 1: this run games on happening right now. People. We'll get

265
00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,520
Speaker 1: back to it. But this isn't gonna be our bread

266
00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,520
Speaker 1: and butter. Yeah, Ogan Job he was dominating early in

267
00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,640
Speaker 1: that game. In fact, I know he was dominating early

268
00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,360
Speaker 1: in the game because they kept mispronouncing his name in

269
00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,880
Speaker 1: the press. Box even from there, because that's what I said,

270
00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:52,760
Speaker 1: he played his college football here. You think they'd know

271
00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,240
Speaker 1: how to pronounce his name. But you know, the broadcast,

272
00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,040
Speaker 1: they were highlighting the Highsmith family. I'm like, Larry's right

273
00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,600
Speaker 1: there the same. I don't know it was his family there,

274
00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,440
Speaker 1: I don't know. But the Steelers actually stayed basically on

275
00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,760
Speaker 1: the campus of un Charlotte, so I could look at

276
00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,959
Speaker 1: the back window of the of the hotel and see

277
00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,160
Speaker 1: the UNC Charlotte football field, which isn't very big, but

278
00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:22,360
Speaker 1: it's not nice campus. Yeah, nice campus, but it's it's

279
00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:27,000
Speaker 1: it's very very dainty, very in that neighborhood too, by

280
00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,440
Speaker 1: the way, going back, So there were a lot of ties.

281
00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,440
Speaker 1: But no, it was a very successful day. Yeah. I

282
00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,280
Speaker 1: thought they thought they were a little bit of trouble.

283
00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,120
Speaker 1: You know. I didn't trust to see those run defense

284
00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,760
Speaker 1: going into that one. Some individual matchups. I didn't like

285
00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,240
Speaker 1: it at all. But they overcame it and more. They

286
00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,040
Speaker 1: beat the crap out of the pan. They really did.

287
00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:45,720
Speaker 1: They were, you know, as much as they were not

288
00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,040
Speaker 1: the more physical team against the Ravens, they were definitely

289
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,960
Speaker 1: the more physical team in this game. And uh, and

290
00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,400
Speaker 1: you're right, about the pride thing and embarrassing and all

291
00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,640
Speaker 1: that stuff. You know, you know, they get to play

292
00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,800
Speaker 1: the Ravens again in two weeks. I'm sure they're looking

293
00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,240
Speaker 1: forward to. Yeah. Probably haven't forgotten about the Browns either. No.

294
00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:04,680
Speaker 1: They those are two games that you know, they kind

295
00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,480
Speaker 1: of got pushed around a little bit um, you know,

296
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,640
Speaker 1: and maybe just maybe, I know you said t J.

297
00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,880
Speaker 1: Watt doesn't look like himself yet. So I don't think

298
00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,160
Speaker 1: we know though, because the last two games the teams

299
00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,320
Speaker 1: haven't thrown enough. He still had a second and a

300
00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,080
Speaker 1: half you saw yesterday was because I said that after

301
00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,680
Speaker 1: the Ravens game. I'm like, boy, he was really struggling

302
00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,360
Speaker 1: before the Ravens game. But I'm like he played snaps

303
00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,000
Speaker 1: against the Ravens and wasn't like cringing when he got

304
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,240
Speaker 1: you know, but they just never threw. So I'm like, well,

305
00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:35,960
Speaker 1: we just haven't seen him as a pass rusher. And

306
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,000
Speaker 1: then yesterday was there were a couple of times he

307
00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:40,240
Speaker 1: was shot out of a can and a couple of

308
00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:45,240
Speaker 1: times he'll be fine, but you know, just the run stops.

309
00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,200
Speaker 1: And you know, Caroline only ran the ball sixteen times

310
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,400
Speaker 1: and the Steelers had six tackles for a loss. I

311
00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,520
Speaker 1: was gonna say because I did a video with Wolf

312
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,480
Speaker 1: and he mentioned that he said there was six zero

313
00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,600
Speaker 1: or backwards runs and that added up to me. But

314
00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,840
Speaker 1: I just in double check their long run. Yeah, their

315
00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,240
Speaker 1: long run for the day was five yards. So I'm

316
00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,480
Speaker 1: gonna throw a little negative spin and things in a way.

317
00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,520
Speaker 1: I watched the Steelers run game and thought, what could

318
00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:18,920
Speaker 1: be because the Steelers long runs we're nine by Warren

319
00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,440
Speaker 1: ten by hairs from the from the the running backs,

320
00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,080
Speaker 1: and by no means am I saying draft running back

321
00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,040
Speaker 1: in the first round. But if they had a little

322
00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:32,000
Speaker 1: more explosion from their ball carriers, I mean, they could

323
00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,040
Speaker 1: have eighty more yards. I mean you know what I mean,

324
00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,120
Speaker 1: Like they grind it out and it's very impressive and

325
00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:43,240
Speaker 1: it demoralizes teams. One played drive six yards right right,

326
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,720
Speaker 1: right right, and they were coming tote penalty and things

327
00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,760
Speaker 1: like that. But I just thought, you know, if we're

328
00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:50,720
Speaker 1: in the critique things, but if there were a little

329
00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,480
Speaker 1: more explosion out of the ball carriers, what could have been?

330
00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,640
Speaker 1: And I don't know what the answer to that. You know,

331
00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,880
Speaker 1: I think you worried about it a year from yeah, right,

332
00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,080
Speaker 1: because I think j Len Warren has some explosiveness. Yeah,

333
00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,520
Speaker 1: I don't know that he's gonna outrun people for freight yards. No,

334
00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,399
Speaker 1: I mean I don't think that's but he's he's a

335
00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:11,320
Speaker 1: four five five issue um, and he's got some shiftingness

336
00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,119
Speaker 1: to him. He stays low to the ground and you

337
00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,480
Speaker 1: know it's tough to find. Um. You know, Harris was

338
00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:18,920
Speaker 1: having a really good day. Well, he's having a good

339
00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,440
Speaker 1: day until until late in the game when they knew

340
00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,800
Speaker 1: that the Steelers were running, and they just stacked a

341
00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,119
Speaker 1: line of scrimmage and and you know his, he watched

342
00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:28,920
Speaker 1: his his. I mean he was averaging five yards of

343
00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,679
Speaker 1: carry and he just kept going down and down and

344
00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,639
Speaker 1: down and down and down until he ends up averaging

345
00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,240
Speaker 1: three point six. Um. But this crazy volume running that

346
00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:38,720
Speaker 1: these teams are doing, including the Steelers yards for carried,

347
00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,200
Speaker 1: matters less to me. But I do want to see

348
00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,480
Speaker 1: some explosion you're gonna That's what was nice about the

349
00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,960
Speaker 1: Stephen Sims runs is a twenty two yard chunk play

350
00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,840
Speaker 1: that you know, um, he can't count on those yea

351
00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,720
Speaker 1: and things like that. But I would like to see

352
00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,560
Speaker 1: a back take one of the house. And my thought

353
00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,840
Speaker 1: was and This is not where I planned on doing

354
00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:00,680
Speaker 1: it for the first segment of the of the week

355
00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,800
Speaker 1: because it was it was good. But what if they

356
00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:09,639
Speaker 1: had like a Percy Harvin that was your slot slash

357
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,280
Speaker 1: change a pace ball carrier. Yeah, I just kicked. That's

358
00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,240
Speaker 1: what my brain's been doing for a little bit. You're

359
00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,200
Speaker 1: always thinking, always get better. Yeah, you're always thinking ahead.

360
00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,119
Speaker 1: You know. I think you know, if you had the

361
00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,320
Speaker 1: speed element of like a Calvin Austin to this offense, Um,

362
00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,199
Speaker 1: that certainly changes things as well. Um, he was like

363
00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,160
Speaker 1: lineman aside, I want big play guys if I'm at stuff,

364
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,080
Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Yeah? Absolutely, Um, but yeah,

365
00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,520
Speaker 1: just just a workman like effort. Um. You know, I

366
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:39,760
Speaker 1: thought that they they could have put more points on

367
00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,840
Speaker 1: the board if they wanted to. Um. They was. They

368
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,720
Speaker 1: were moving the ball pretty regularly against that defensete Johnson

369
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,560
Speaker 1: every time. Yeah. J C. Horne said, oh, he you know,

370
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,040
Speaker 1: he wasn't that tough to cover? Well, you didn't. Nobody

371
00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,080
Speaker 1: covered him all day. He had ten catchers on ten targets,

372
00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,520
Speaker 1: basically running slants and out. Yeah, you know, I mean

373
00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:02,399
Speaker 1: it looked pretty hard to cover to me. He was

374
00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,480
Speaker 1: open all the time. And when they needed to get

375
00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:08,280
Speaker 1: a stop, it was third and fourteen. Yeah, he catches

376
00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,600
Speaker 1: a nineteen year passes you get, you get the ball

377
00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,600
Speaker 1: back there, you've got a chance, and you give up

378
00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,159
Speaker 1: a fourteen year nineteen year past. You either wrote this

379
00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,080
Speaker 1: or said something about I don't know, or tweeted it

380
00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:22,520
Speaker 1: or something. But the people were spending things really wrong

381
00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:24,600
Speaker 1: last week, for my opinion, and you think you said

382
00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,240
Speaker 1: it better than me that they asked unte about Rudolph

383
00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,000
Speaker 1: or whatever and he said, yeah, I'd like him to play.

384
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:35,960
Speaker 1: I'd like him to play. But Trabisky looks for Johnson

385
00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,520
Speaker 1: more than anything as like crazy and they have a

386
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,240
Speaker 1: thing going. I mean, I don't think they're exactly friendemies

387
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:47,080
Speaker 1: or you know, there's there's none of that. I when

388
00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,439
Speaker 1: he I was there when when Deonte said that, and

389
00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:51,960
Speaker 1: I didn't take it that way. Yeah, you know, maybe

390
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,359
Speaker 1: this is his week, he's actually getting the practice. Yeah,

391
00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:55,920
Speaker 1: you know, right, all right, that's the way I took

392
00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,240
Speaker 1: it to, like that's the guy I want because this guy. Yeah,

393
00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,040
Speaker 1: and that's how something people tried to spin that and

394
00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,119
Speaker 1: I just didn't get it. Yeah, that didn't that up

395
00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,880
Speaker 1: to me at all. You know, he's got eyes for Deonte. Yeah,

396
00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:13,640
Speaker 1: there were numbers going into that and it's successful too. Yeah. Um,

397
00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,119
Speaker 1: well that's you know, veteran quarterbacks know where there. You know.

398
00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,120
Speaker 1: I know people are down on Johnson. I just don't

399
00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,480
Speaker 1: quite get it because people in the know and opposing

400
00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,840
Speaker 1: defenses and things like that treat him like he's a

401
00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,600
Speaker 1: really good player. And he showed it again yesterday. Yeah,

402
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:32,560
Speaker 1: the Panthers. The Panthers started that game off with J. C.

403
00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,280
Speaker 1: Horne following Deante Johnson all over the field, and then

404
00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,160
Speaker 1: their other cornerback, Henderson, got hurt early in the game,

405
00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:41,520
Speaker 1: and so they just played sides at that point and

406
00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:43,840
Speaker 1: it didn't matter which side Deante Johnson lined up on.

407
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,200
Speaker 1: He was getting the ball. Yeah, only threw the ball

408
00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,720
Speaker 1: twenty two times. He got ten targets. It's getting like

409
00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,960
Speaker 1: half the snaps, you know, right. That was one of

410
00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,639
Speaker 1: my concerns going in because the Henderson horn combo. I

411
00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,160
Speaker 1: thought they can hang with Johnson and Pickens and any

412
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,119
Speaker 1: think the Steelers had a slot to really expose a

413
00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,680
Speaker 1: third corner because their third they don't have one yea

414
00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,520
Speaker 1: And then they lose Henderson and the announcers weren't real

415
00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,440
Speaker 1: clear on that it was a it was an ankle. Yeah. Um,

416
00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:12,199
Speaker 1: so goodwin by the Steelers. They improved the six and eight. Uh,

417
00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:17,800
Speaker 1: stay alive at least in the playoff race. Yeah. But

418
00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,520
Speaker 1: a lot of things happened in the league over the

419
00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:25,200
Speaker 1: weekend that that's a crazy, crazy, crazy weekend. We'll talk

420
00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,639
Speaker 1: a little bit more about that. From sitting on my

421
00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:34,440
Speaker 1: lazy boy watching Triple Better not doing anything around the house.

422
00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,359
Speaker 1: Is the wife like glaes that you? Yeah, I know

423
00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,320
Speaker 1: how that goes. You can subscribe now to our show.

424
00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,240
Speaker 1: Every episode we do is available for you to download.

425
00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,000
Speaker 1: You can subscribe today through the Steelers mobile app, the

426
00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,320
Speaker 1: I Heart Radio app, and wherever you get your podcast.

427
00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,800
Speaker 1: He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lally. We'll be

428
00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,960
Speaker 1: back to talk more about the Steelers win over the

429
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,040
Speaker 1: Carolina Panthers in some of the other craziness that happened

430
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,840
Speaker 1: about the league. Just a crazy week in the NFL.

431
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,520
Speaker 1: We'll do that when we come back right after this