1 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: Well, hello, I am Dale Lallie. 2 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: He is Matt Williamson and this is a special edition 3 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: of the Drive here from the Steeler OTAs at the 4 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 2: upmc rooney Sports Complex of course, listening on Steelers Nation 5 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: Radio and. 6 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 1: ESPN nine seventy and Matt football. 7 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 2: Is officially back. 8 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: Yeah. There are big, strong, fast men right in front 9 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: of us with helmets on doing football stuff. I'll grow 10 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: with that football stuff absolutely. Yeah. So in George Shase 11 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, so he sort of doing football stuff. 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: But lots of stuff going on here, lots of stuff 13 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: happening around the league as well. Of course, the NFL 14 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: announcing this morning that the Steelers have now been awarded Ireland, 15 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: the island of Ireland as a as an international I 16 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 2: forget what's the exact global marketing So in addition to 17 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: the country of Mexico, they now have Ireland as well. 18 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: Game of risk, well, yeah, to apply for these things 19 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: and that gives you marketing rights in those countries, also 20 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 2: opens the door for you to play football games in 21 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 2: those countries. 22 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: Obvious correlation there. Yeah. 23 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: Of course, the Steelers have played in Ireland before. In 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety seven they went over and played the Chicago 25 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 2: Bears in a preseason game. I went over with them 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 2: for that for that game. That was a lot of fun. 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 2: The game at Croke Park was well attended, and you know, 28 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: the fans were great over there. 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: Experienced be pretty cool. Just a tremendous experience. 30 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 2: I know they've they've had a lot of college football 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: games over the years in Ireland, but that's been the 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: only NFL. 33 00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: Game, okay, and so I can't remember many of the 34 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: been there. 35 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: So the NFL trying to grow the grow the markets there. 36 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: We had some other The Saints of got in France 37 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: now which okay, okay, French connection. In addition to the 38 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: Steelers getting the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the 39 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: Jaguars were also awarded. That's so they now have England 40 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: and Ireland. Okay, they're taking the whole island. Yeah, got 41 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: the island. Taking the islands by storm. And then the 42 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: Atlanta Falcons were granted became the fifth team to be 43 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: granted international marketing rates for Germany. 44 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: For Germany, Yeah, interesting, I hear the German market is 45 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: really exciting. 46 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 2: Well yeah, yeah, that's that's that's one that uh, you know, 47 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 2: there have been some German players who have played and 48 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 2: and you know you've also got a lot of military 49 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 2: bases there. 50 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: So you know there's some natural stuff developing, some smaller 51 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: leagues and things like that. 52 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,839 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, NFL euro was big there, and we'll see 53 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 2: that there's been some talk of some new professional football 54 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: in Europe that would I would assume include a lot 55 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 2: of teams in Germany, England or the United Kingdom, I should. 56 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: Say, right, right, so they have the stadiums to handle 57 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: it and the base is growing, and right. 58 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: I mean the league, the league definitely wants to grow 59 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 2: the fan base internationally. 60 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: Well, the thing that was telling to me is not 61 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: even know if we touched on it when the schedule 62 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: came out, but Jacksonville staying there for back to back games. 63 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: You know, they've never been done before. It's never been 64 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: done before, and they've always been sort of the Lions 65 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Jags in London, 66 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, and that's starting to be you know, the 67 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: Werewolves of London and you know the Jaguars of London. 68 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: Well, the interesting thing is so there, I don't know 69 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: if you've stayed up on this. So they're talking about 70 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: doing a refit of the stadium in Jacksonville, right right 71 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: right where it might be shut down for two years 72 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: when they when they do this refurbishing of the stadium there, 73 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: and they need somewhere to play, and the options are 74 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,839 Speaker 2: Orlando has put in a bid to host the jack 75 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: be the home of the Jaguars. Well obviously the obvious 76 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: one as well will be to have then play, yeah, 77 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: play their games in London. 78 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: So this is a bit of a test run for 79 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: them a little bit, you know, like, yeah, can the 80 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: facility handle us for two weeks and practice fields and 81 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: getting to and from and where do all the players 82 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: stay that? But the team's traveling in, you know, and 83 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 1: exactly and doing those things. So you know, I'm always 84 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: thinking about rosters and you know, game day and things 85 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: like that. So how does it work? Though, if let's 86 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: say even this year, you know, game one, your punter 87 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: gets hurt and you got to try out five punters 88 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: for the next week, I. 89 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: Guess you gotta fly them out. You better have your 90 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: list ready. 91 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: And yeah, or do you keep I was thinking maybe 92 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: you keep half your staff in Jacksonville. 93 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: I'm sure their staff in Yeah, I mean, I'm sure, 94 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: much like the Steelers do hear they've got their their 95 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: people who work here, then you also have people work 96 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 2: over at the stadium. 97 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: And never between me and big big contingent in the 98 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: organization would still be in Jacksonville, and maybe in some 99 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: coaches scout. 100 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: In your scouts are still gonna be over here scouting 101 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,119 Speaker 2: college games and things of that nature. Your pro scouts 102 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: are going to be scouting the pro games. 103 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, the program of the pro scouts don't don't have 104 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: to go over right, So yeah, you just put somebody 105 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: into it. 106 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 2: Here's here's the two guys we got, or here's the 107 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 2: one guy we got. 108 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: Plus if it's a kicker videos and you know, right too, if. 109 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 2: It's a kicker, you might have somebody on hand. Well 110 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: maybe over there, right, they do some kicking over there. 111 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: The ball might just take an extra day to get 112 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: them there for game day or whatever. But no, that's 113 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: all feasible in today's world and zoom's and you know, 114 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: i mean, flights aren't as bad as it used to be. 115 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: I'm sure, so it's interesting. Yeah, I mean I often 116 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: think though, if I'm Seattle and the schedule comes out 117 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: and I got to go to London, like that's pretty 118 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean it's a bit of a haul. The West 119 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: Coast travels more than anybody to begin with, and now 120 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: you're adding many, many miles to that. 121 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 2: But it could be worth it, No, there's no doubt. 122 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 2: I think it could be worth it. And I think, 123 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 2: you know, anytime you can grow the game. I know, 124 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: we love the game. You know, we wouldn't be doing 125 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 2: what we do. Uh, And you know I think that, 126 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 2: you know, the world is starting to catch on to Yeah, 127 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: how this is right, right, no question about it. You know, 128 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: it's still I mean, it's the number one sport in 129 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 2: the United States. There's no ifs about that. You know, 130 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: internationally it's still has a ways to go to catch Soccer. 131 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: Sure, I would say it reminds me when I was 132 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: a kid, and you know, soccer was starting to catch on, 133 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: you know, when I was ten years older. 134 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,679 Speaker 2: I've been hearing I'm fifty four, I've been hearing for 135 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: fifty years. Soccer is really growing in the United States. 136 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 2: It's the next big sport. 137 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: Okay, well it was bigger than when I was a kid. 138 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: I mean, in the in the whole scheme of things, 139 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 1: I guess the era is pointing out. But I mean, 140 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm just comparing it the football over there. You know, 141 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: the NFL or football in general is never going to 142 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: beat European soccer, I'm sure. 143 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 2: And the thing is, I mean, you know anywhere where 144 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 2: you have big, fast guys mm hm. You know, and 145 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 2: you know, for cultures that have rugby, for example, I 146 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: mean there's a direct correlation there between rugby and football. 147 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: That's where football kind of came from, was rugby. 148 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: And there's certainly some body types you know that don't 149 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: play that play football, that don't play soccer or basketball 150 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: or you know. 151 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 2: It gets a little bit like for example, Chucks of 152 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: kor for sure, when when he was a kid played soccer, 153 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: you know when he was in NI area, and you 154 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: know in the other countries that he lived in, well 155 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 2: you don't see too many six foot five. 156 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: Pounds running around in the seventy five or whatever. Right, 157 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: it's rotten all day and right. 158 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can remember when the Steelers had Christian Scotland 159 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: Williamson here and no no relation to relation, right, but 160 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 2: he was he had been a you know, a soccer player. 161 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: He was a big body, he was huge. Yeah. Yeah, 162 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: he sat down with us and it was an interesting 163 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: guy to talk to. It too. 164 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I mean you do see that, you know 165 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 2: those So I think if you can continue to grow 166 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 2: the game internationally. There's a lot of untapped markets in 167 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 2: terms of fandom, but there's also a lot of untapped 168 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: markets in terms of potential players. 169 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: That's what I was thinking too. I mean even when 170 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: we were a kid, the NBA wasn't drafted many kids. 171 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: How many guys out of Europe and China? Remember, like now, 172 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: ming was. 173 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 2: A huge you know, the top three picks in this 174 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 2: year's draft or top two of the top four or 175 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 2: three of the top five or something like that could 176 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 2: be international players. 177 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: Like a big portion around one every year, ye from overseas, right, Yeah, 178 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: just imagine if you can find I don't know thirty 179 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: kids in every draft that are non Americans or for 180 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: you know, you know in Europe somewhere. 181 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: Well, I mean that thing is, you know, they do 182 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 2: still come here to play college football. True, true, true, 183 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: there was the kid Bernard Raymond was one that was 184 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 2: in not this year's draft, last year's lastys draft, last 185 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: year or left acklic Yeah, so you do find those guys, 186 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 2: and again, the body type is the body type, and 187 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: you know what you're looking for. 188 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: Because I assume colleges now are more aware of overseas markets. 189 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: I mean when I was next door working, I mean, 190 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: we were watching VHS tapes and there was barely any Internet. 191 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: I mean, so you know, we know, one of the 192 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: budget to go over to recruit those guys or whatever. 193 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 1: But if they're going to come here and tour five colleges, 194 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: you know, because they're playing football, great, I mean, you 195 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: got all the tape on them and you can make 196 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: your judgments from there. 197 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: One of the other things, of course, they awarded super Bowls. 198 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: I believe the forty nine ers or I guess Northern 199 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 2: California will get one in twenty twenty six. 200 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: I think I really don't pay much attention to wear 201 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. No, I don't either. But the big thing, 202 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 1: you don't even know, and I don't know where the 203 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: next one is, to be honest with. 204 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 2: You, we'll figure it out, you know. But by the times, 205 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 2: you know, we get closer to the season, playoffs season. 206 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 1: Yeah. 207 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 2: But the other big thing that fans will notice is 208 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: the third quarterback rule. 209 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: It's back. I can't believe it ever left, Like I 210 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: didn't realize it left. And then a couple of times 211 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: this year it came up in a big way, especially 212 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: obviously in the NFC Championship game. I never understood the 213 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: logic of why I went away. It seems like a 214 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: very logical role at this point. Well, I get asked 215 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: this all the time. 216 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 2: Why the league has roster limits on game days, and 217 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 2: it's to level the playing field. Yeah, because if I've 218 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 2: got fifty three guys on my roster and we're completely healthy, 219 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 2: and you've got forty six guys who are. 220 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: Completely healthy, right, I. 221 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: Got an advantage, right, I get seven extra bodies that 222 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 2: you don't. So you know, it allows you that opportunity 223 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: to do to have a guy who's hurt but not injured, 224 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: but not to have to put him on He's not 225 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 2: going to play, he's not gonna play this week, so 226 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:03,719 Speaker 2: I don't have to put him on IR. He's only 227 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 2: going to miss a week and it's not going to 228 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 2: hurt me on game day. 229 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: It's like hockey. I mean, those guys get hurt all 230 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: the time. They play so many games. Like we're gonna 231 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,559 Speaker 1: put some guy in active today just while he heals 232 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: one game, so you put him on the an active 233 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: list or a healthy scratch or whatever too. Now you 234 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: have to you can't. You can't have to one team 235 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: play with more than the other. 236 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 2: So the caveat to this whole thing with the third 237 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 2: quarterback possibilities is that roster exemptions that you now get 238 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: where you can increase your roster to fifty four or 239 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: fifty five players on game days call guys up from 240 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 2: your practice squad. If you do that and you're carrying 241 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,599 Speaker 2: forty seven or forty eight players, you can't use the 242 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 2: emergency quarterback. 243 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: Oh okay, I missed that. Okay, so you either how much. 244 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: So there is a give and take. There is a 245 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: given take the yeah, necessarily going to have the third guy. 246 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,119 Speaker 2: Because what would happen then because you're that you're expanding 247 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 2: and that's just something that they've done in the last 248 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:58,719 Speaker 2: two years because of COVID. They allows you to bring 249 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: those two guys up off the practice. 250 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: Which I think is a good thing that came out 251 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: of COVID. Yeah, yeah, and the expanding practice squads. 252 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 2: But if you do that that, you know, and then 253 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: you also have the emergency quarterback, in effect, you would 254 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 2: have a forty eight man game day roster. 255 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 1: And so they're not gonna let teams do that Okay, 256 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,439 Speaker 1: so there's still a limit of helmets you're gonna get. Yeah, 257 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: So I wonder is it more valuable now you at 258 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: least have the option. Is it more valuable to put 259 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: Mason Rudolph out there or a fifth safety who's a 260 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: killer on special teams? I mean, that's one probably doesn't 261 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: get a jersey dirty. Yeah. 262 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: I wondered that, you know, in my five for Friday 263 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 2: last week on Steelers dot Com. 264 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: Will this. 265 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 2: Cause teams more teams to keep three quarterbacks on their 266 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 2: active roster? Yeah, everybody's gonna have a third quarterback on 267 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 2: their practical practice squad at the very least. Right, you're 268 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 2: not going to see teams with just two quarterbacks. Not 269 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 2: that a lot of teams did, but that was true 270 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 2: any standard. But I wonder if this now forces or 271 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 2: causes more teams to just keep three on the active roster. 272 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: I think the answer is yes, And I think you 273 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: may even see a fourth on the practice squad it's 274 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: a guy, yeah, you know, potentially. So I was really 275 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 1: interested this offseason. I bring this up all the time 276 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: on the drive. You know, there were sixty nine starting 277 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: quarterbacks in the league this year, and several teams had 278 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: had four, which is ridiculous, you know, yeah, obviously, I mean, 279 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: and that's a bit of an anomaly. But I really 280 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: thought that the free agent market would be kinder to 281 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: backup types, you know, some of those guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 282 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 1: And it was okay, but it wasn't great. But then 283 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: the draft rolled around and like that fourth fifth round, 284 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: Clayton crazy, they went like crazy. So I think the 285 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: league does value those guys more than ever, and they 286 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: might look at the dak Prescott's, and Brock parties and 287 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: hope they get somebody on Day three that can start 288 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: for them. 289 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 2: But I see that's why that's where everybody was, Well, 290 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 2: everybody's looking for the next Rock Party. 291 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 1: No, everybody. 292 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 2: They probably knew this was coming down the pike and decided, 293 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 2: you know what, if I'm gonna have a third quarterback, A, 294 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: he's going to be cheap. 295 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: I'd say the cheap this is what was going with. 296 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: And B, I might as well have a developmental guy 297 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,599 Speaker 2: who might get better because he might become something and 298 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 2: to having a veteran guy there. 299 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 1: This particular draft wasn't great in the six and sex 300 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: rounds either, so let's get a cheap backup. The Clayton 301 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: tunes of the world. You know, Harner or I was 302 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: just pronounce his name with the Saints, you know, and 303 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: especially because the quarterback contracts for the starters are going 304 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: crazy too. You know. The Browns are the perfect example. 305 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson's going to be a massive, massive cap hit. 306 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: They can't afford a Mason Rudolph or a Bitch Trubisky rights, 307 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: you know, and they need to have a rookie, cheap guy. 308 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: Well, the other side side of the equation one this 309 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 2: too as well, is because of the way, because of 310 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 2: what happened to the forty nine ers, Josh Johnson took 311 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 2: a big hit in that in that NFC change and 312 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 2: was immediately placed in the concussion protocol. The way that 313 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 2: the league is now is now handling concussion protocol. If 314 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: you take that hit, you're out of the game. You're 315 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 2: the game, right, it doesn't matter what position you play. 316 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 2: You know, they're gonna be They're gonna air on the 317 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: side of caution on in many cases on on you know, 318 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: the concussion stuff. So you may have that's why, in fact, 319 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 2: sixty nine quarterbacks played last year because some of that 320 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: was because you know, if Teddy Bridgewater for example. 321 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: If you remember, took a hit and. 322 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: Then they came back and said he wasn't After the game, 323 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 2: he said, oh, he wasn't a cussed, but the hit 324 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,319 Speaker 2: was such that we didn't want to put it take 325 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 2: a chance there, right, So in that case, you better 326 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 2: have three quarterbacks, ready, you better. 327 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm gonna sound old school, and I'm not 328 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: ignoring player safety at all, but I have a hard 329 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: time pulling a player out when there isn't an injury, 330 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: you know, just because there's a large hit. If it's 331 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: Pat Mahomes and the Super Bowl, you know, I mean, 332 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: you don't want to see that, but I get it. 333 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: I would definitely get it. 334 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, And as I mentioned on our show last week, 335 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: I think there were only seven quarterbacks who played all 336 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: seventeen games. 337 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: Less it was seven or eight, It was something like that, 338 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: well under ten, you know, think about that. That's crazy. 339 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: It used to be, you know, half the league would 340 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 2: play all sixteen games. 341 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: And I mean there's seventeen games now, but that's not 342 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: enough for it to drop that dramatically. Obviously, maybe one 343 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: or two of them were Week eighteen six, right, that possible, 344 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: that's possible, But you would think. I mean, I'm sure 345 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: the league office wants that number to be fifteen. You 346 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: know what I mean. You know, you want your stars 347 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: out there, You want your your big dogs playing well. 348 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 2: Again, you mentioned the money part of you want the 349 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: guys who are making forty or fifty million, you want 350 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 2: them to play games. Sure, that's where the fans want 351 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 2: to come out and see. 352 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: I mean, if you take your kid to an NBA 353 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: game to see Lebron and he sits that day, it's like, wow, 354 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: that's not quite as fun. 355 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: It's funny you say that because I remember when I 356 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: was a kid. Actually I wasn't here. I was fifteen 357 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: or sixteen. I guess I was a kid. My basketball coach, 358 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: we made a plans. We made plans as a team 359 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 2: to go up and watch the Cavaliers host the seventy 360 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 2: six ers. 361 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: Doctor J. It was truly servings last season. 362 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 2: And you go up to say we're gonna go watch 363 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 2: Doctor J play and lo and behold, he didn't play that. 364 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. Uh so we get to see Andrew Tony and 365 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: World b Free go back and forth. Okay, yeah, game, 366 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: but I picked that game a reason. Yeah, you didn't 367 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: go to the Pacer game you know right, you wouldn't 368 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: say doctor. 369 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 2: Jack me being the jerk that I am, my buddy 370 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: Detroit Piston's pennant is. 371 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: That when you became a fan officially, I was. 372 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 2: I was a Pistons fan before that, but you couldn't 373 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 2: exactly find NBA stuff. 374 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: I guess that's true too. You didn't just county and 375 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: there's no such thing. 376 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: And so I bought a Piston's pennant and I've waived 377 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 2: at the entire game. 378 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: And there find you. 379 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: This is like nineteen eighty four, and this is before 380 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 2: they actually got good. 381 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: And this wasn't load management back then too. 382 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 2: I mean you just got um Lucky turned his ankle 383 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: or something to thirty six thirty seven years. 384 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: Old at the time too. They play a bunch of 385 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: regular season games, yeah, but I mean the NFL is 386 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: different that way, where if you're healthy, you're playing. You know, 387 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: there's such a small mound, but you still want to 388 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: see the stars. 389 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 2: You want to see the stars play, and so that's 390 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: what the NFL is trying to do. 391 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: Here. 392 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 2: We'll talk a little more about well, this particular team, 393 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 2: but I did want to touch on those couple of 394 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 2: things that are going on across the league. Uh, he 395 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 2: is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to 396 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: a special edition of The Drive. 397 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: We're going to be here every day. Uh. 398 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 2: The Steelers have an O T A session. So Tuesday, Wednesday, 399 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 2: Thursday night a couple of weeks. Yeah, we'll have nine 400 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 2: of those in the next. 401 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: Couple of weeks. 402 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 2: Here three three three, I believe, So I think Tuesday Thursday. Uh, 403 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: of course that's when they're here on the practice field. 404 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 2: We're here from eleven to one each day. That that happens, 405 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 2: we'll get some players coming off the field, so you 406 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 2: don't want to miss that. They'll be coming off the 407 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 2: field around noon. So sometime in that that noon hour, 408 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 2: we'll be getting a player. I don't want to promise 409 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 2: anybody today, but I do I have an idea. It's 410 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 2: just a matter of whether he is available or not. 411 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 2: But looks like every weather great weather. Yeah, and a 412 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 2: couple of them down here, Chili. 413 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: Yeah. 414 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 2: This is what our fifth maybe fifth year, we least 415 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 2: maybe six. Uh, but we're gonna take a break. You're 416 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 2: listening to Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. He 417 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 2: is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lallie. 418 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: We will be back right after this. 419 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 3: When gold Football Talk SNR. Steelers Nation Radio. 420 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: Welcome back. 421 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 2: I am Dale Allie. He is Matt Williamson, and we 422 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 2: are live at the Steelers Ota Sessions here the first 423 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 2: one of the open sessions here at the upmc rooney 424 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 2: Sports Complex and Matt getting an opportunity. We've gotten to 425 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 2: see some of these draft picks early on. I've gotten 426 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 2: to see a few of the well, I've pretty much 427 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 2: seen all the free agent signings that just being. 428 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:35,959 Speaker 1: Down here hanging out. 429 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 2: But they've had some press conferences with some of these 430 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 2: guys others that just didn't work out. Some of them 431 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: have been on zoom, some have been in person. So 432 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 2: I'm interested to see some of these guys for the 433 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 2: first time on the football field. And Steelers have done 434 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 2: some work this offseason. 435 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: They sure have. I mean, I'll be honest. I mean 436 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: the thing I was looking forward to most is I 437 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 1: have not run into some of these guys. I mean, 438 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: you and I were down here when Washington was on 439 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: his UH I was called official visit, but his thirty visit, 440 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: you know, Porter sat down with us. I saw Jones 441 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: walk in after he get been drafted, and obviously what 442 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: stands out about those three as well is pretty much 443 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 1: every new edition is these guys are big, big and 444 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: body types and you know, but now looking at the 445 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, the free agent additions. You know, those type 446 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: of dudes. I've seen them in other uniforms, but it's 447 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: great to be this close to them and get a 448 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: good looking body type them up. And I mean, body 449 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: types don't make you a great football player, but it 450 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: doesn't hurt. Doesn't hurt your length and how much way 451 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: are you carry in and how you're proportioned and all that. 452 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 1: But there's certainly a theme with all the new guys 453 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: and that size. Yeah. 454 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 2: I'm just looking here at their offensive line grouping here 455 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 2: and uh. 456 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: Man, they look apart. I mean there's certainly do. They're 457 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: not fat guys. You know, they're not stumpy dudes, you 458 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 1: know them, and they all have some length to them. 459 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 1: They all can move really well. That left side now 460 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: with Jones, it's all them. Alho really stand out in 461 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: that regard to Daniels, I thought was a really good 462 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: mover that they added last year, and not that the 463 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: others aren't, but I mean it's the O line looks 464 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: athletic and lean and long, you know, but also deep 465 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: and also thick too, though they're not like a bunch 466 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 1: of wiry athletes. I mean, there's some power players. Well, 467 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: it leads me into the question. 468 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 2: And we've talked, you know, kind of hashter and kicked 469 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: us around on our show regularly. But I saw something 470 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 2: on the nfl dot com came out over the weekend 471 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 2: about the ten most complete teams in the NFL, and 472 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: the Steelers were not listed among them. 473 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: It's a little surprising. I mean you just ran reference 474 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 1: to the O line, which this time last year, I 475 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: looked at the starting five and thought, if they can 476 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: get close to league average, that would. 477 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,640 Speaker 2: The question was how long is it going to take 478 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 2: them to jail? Right now, that's not a question. 479 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: But you know a year where I was going with 480 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: it though, is not only was that a question, but 481 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: a year ago I thought, man, the depth on this 482 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: line is real worrisome. I mean, you've got journeyman's or 483 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: young guys where now former starters. Right, You've got guys 484 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 1: you could they you know, many teams would be starting 485 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: or certainly in the mix. So you're a lot better 486 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: shape to deal with that. But an offense. That's now 487 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: true at every position. I mean, maybe not running back, 488 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: but I feel like the depth in what I know 489 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: about the wide outs, the quarterbacks, they're all one year older, 490 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: same group, definitely the tight ends is better. And part 491 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: of it's because they were unusually young last year or two, 492 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,399 Speaker 1: so they're all one year older, which is huge. 493 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 2: Well, that's one of the one of the benefits of 494 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 2: having a younger team, is I mean, hey, we see 495 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 2: it as we get older, like any kind of knicker, 496 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 2: you know, you get banged up a little bit or something, 497 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 2: it takes longer to heal. No, of course, these young guys, 498 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 2: I mean, okay, they play a game on Sunday, maybe 499 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,199 Speaker 2: they're a little fresher on a Monday or Tuesday than 500 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 2: a guy who's in his thirties. 501 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: I think that's one hundred percent true. But I also 502 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: think there's a counter argo that too, is those young 503 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: guys don't know what they don't know yet either that 504 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, they don't know how to, you know, 505 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: handle the rigors of the season, and they were fortunate 506 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: that they stayed so injury free on offense. But you know, 507 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: I just read something about how the second half of 508 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: the season was so much better than the first. Well, 509 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: those young guys got better. Yeah, and help, as we 510 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 1: always say, the young guys are allowed to get better, right, 511 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 1: exactly imagine that. And where I'm kind of going with 512 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: this is the jump they made from the first half 513 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: of the season to the second half of the season. Now, 514 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: all almost all that returning young guys, you know, have 515 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: a whole off season. I mean, this is Kenny's first 516 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: year as a true off season starter, you know. I 517 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,120 Speaker 1: mean that's that's what often when guys make their biggest jump. 518 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you you have all that experience to fall 519 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,239 Speaker 2: back on from last year, you know, if you make 520 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 2: that that same jump. That's why I'm I was kind 521 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 2: of surprised that the Steelers weren't listed. I what team 522 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 2: in the AFS, for example, has better depth than this one. 523 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: Not a lot. I mean there really aren't. And I 524 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 1: mean even quarterback depth now all of a sudden, Yeah, 525 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 1: and you know, defensive line, there's a lot more guys. 526 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: It was a really crowded cornerback room and they've thinned 527 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: that out a little, but it's still quite deep. I 528 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 1: mean maybe safety and linebacker. You don't look at her 529 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: edge and think you know, while they're loaded there in 530 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: terms of the backups and whatnot, but they've added a 531 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: lot more. Maybe how I would do that is if 532 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: you had like a spreadsheet of every team you lost 533 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: xxx y, and you added this. Well, the Steelers definitely 534 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: added a lot more than they lost. Yeah, absolutely far. 535 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 2: And what surprised me about the list on NFL dot 536 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 2: com is that the Bengals were listed in there. 537 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,400 Speaker 1: I mean it's a really good team. Yeah, the Ravens 538 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: were listed in there. How complete, The Ravens and the Browns. 539 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 2: Were listed in there, all three, all three of the 540 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,400 Speaker 2: other AFC North teams, and. 541 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: I like the Browns offseason. 542 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 2: The Steelers have better depth than all of those. 543 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: I think so too. And if you really actually wrote 544 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: this article, I went to position by position, and hardly 545 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 1: any of them. Did I give the nod depth wise 546 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: over the Steelers. 547 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I mean there may be some areas 548 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 2: where obviously the the you know, the the Bengals wide 549 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 2: receiver room. 550 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: Might say the best in the NFL, right right. I'm 551 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 1: not saying Steelers position groups or tops across the board 552 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: of the division, but rarely were they at the bottom, 553 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: and always depth was one of their strengths. 554 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I mean they have guys on the bench, 555 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 2: And we've talked about this all offseason, Like you know, 556 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 2: when you roll into November and you're you're playing the 557 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 2: game on Thursday night game against the Patriots. The guys 558 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 2: that you know, if somebody's hurt, you're missing a starter 559 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 2: or two. The guys you're bringing into play are guys 560 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 2: who played a lot of. 561 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: NFL games, right and now they'll have, you know, this situation. Obviously, 562 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: training camp all that to get acclimated to their new team. 563 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: But it's a heck of a lot easier I think 564 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: for a Solomlu to get you know, acclimated to his 565 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: team than a rookie ar or you know those type 566 00:24:59,040 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: of things. 567 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: He's going to step right in it, you know, and 568 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 2: not miss a beat. And you know, all we've heard 569 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 2: about him is you know how intelligent he is. Yeah, right, 570 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 2: the football intelligence is off the charge again, son. 571 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: Of a coach, much like James Daniels. I don't see 572 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: the transition being difficult for them a year ago or 573 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, so I just I like the status 574 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 1: of the roster. And I'm not just saying that because 575 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 1: they're right in front of me and we're on SNR. 576 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:20,959 Speaker 1: You know. I mean, I like what they have, and 577 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: I like the moves they make, and they there's an 578 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: obvious plan here. There's a theme, as we mentioned, of 579 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: physicality and size, but I don't think they're sacrificing speed 580 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 1: to do it, you know, or athleticism. So they had 581 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 1: a lot of professionals too. 582 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, That's why I just don't get the idea that 583 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 2: you know, he keeps seeing this team and that you know, 584 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,680 Speaker 2: these other teams thrown out there and this I think. 585 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 2: I feel like the Steelers are flying under the radar. 586 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: I do too. I think part of it's because the 587 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: division is very strong and there are big name quarterbacks, 588 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: and I can see why the Bengals are a hot team, 589 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: and you know, Lamar just got locked up after that 590 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: being one of the main lines, and who knows what's 591 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 1: going on with Watson. And also the conference is really 592 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: really hard, you know. I mean, like, if you're doing 593 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 1: predictions and whatnot, if the Steelers are on the NFC side, 594 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: I think every analyst out there would be counting them 595 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: as a pretty I don't want to say a sure fire, 596 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: but a certain play, you know, certainly in the playoff mix. 597 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they're going to be in the playoff mix. 598 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 2: And then I look at the schedule and I know they're. 599 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: Going to be in the play Yeah. 600 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 2: Is there any spot on this team where if somebody 601 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 2: got injured you look at it and go, oh, that's devastating, right, 602 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 2: I mean maybe if Hayward gets hurt. 603 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: We saw that last year. I mean, these are some 604 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: of the best players in the league, and they would 605 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 1: be you know, you could say that on every team. 606 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: I mean Aaron Donald or Jamar Chase quarterback. 607 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 2: You're like, if Joe Burrow goes down, the pals are cooked. 608 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 2: It's over right, right right, we saw We've seen it 609 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 2: with the Ravens the last two years. You know, when 610 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 2: Lamar Jackson's not out there, they are a completely different team. 611 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 1: And there are some teams that take that strategy that 612 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,639 Speaker 1: I'm not going to invest in my backup because if 613 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers goes down the sea and shot anyways, and 614 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:02,640 Speaker 1: we'll wait till he gets back and get a better 615 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: draft pick and go from there. Not that they're tanking, 616 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 1: but it's like the drop off so massive, and hopefully 617 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: the drop off is you know the pick it becomes 618 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: that good and the drop off is unbelievable. But I 619 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 1: think this team could absolutely win games, not only with 620 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: Trubisky but with Mason Mason Rudolph. 621 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think a part of that is because 622 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 2: of how they're built up front and how they won 623 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 2: games last year. 624 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: They've created a good nest. They're really good. Yeah. So 625 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: your running game and your defense travel without question. Yeah. 626 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 1: I think what we were saying last week that a 627 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: really good running game gives you a high floor. Yeah. 628 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: And I think that that that was the concrete that 629 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: was poured on the house in the second half of 630 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: the season last year. 631 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: But there's there seems to be this idea out there 632 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 2: that you just have to go out and outscore the. 633 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 1: Other the opposing team. I just don't. 634 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: I think defense still matters. I did too, And I 635 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 2: think a running game more than ever, maybe not more 636 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 2: than ever, it's certainly more so than in the last 637 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 2: decade has showed. 638 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: It showed last year that. Yeah. I have mixed feelings 639 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: on that because I do think the league is transitioning 640 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: in last year was a strange year. Is at the 641 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:14,439 Speaker 1: start of something to come or was it a bit 642 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: of a one off? And the scoring was really down. 643 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: Run games were very important. I mean not all these 644 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: teams ended up with great records, but like the Giants 645 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: in Atlanta and Chicago, I mean this time last year, 646 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: I thought they might be the three worst teams in 647 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: the league, you know, I mean just rosters, and they 648 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: were very competitive. The Wheels came off on the Bears 649 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,120 Speaker 1: the second half of the season, and they just ran. 650 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: I mean how many times I say the word voluminous running? 651 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: You know, just running and running and running against two 652 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: high shells keeps you in games, and you know, keeps 653 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: you know, really cute. You know, it gives you a 654 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: narrows a playing field a little bit. 655 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, it shortens the game a little bit. You know, 656 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 2: it's almost like playing a four corners offense in basketball. 657 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 2: I'm going to shorten the game. We're going to play 658 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 2: this game in the thirties and muck it up in hockey. Yeah, 659 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 2: we're gonna you know, we're gonna yeah, same same idea, 660 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 2: Like you may be more skilled at certain positions, but 661 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna let you. 662 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 1: Have the ball. I'm gonna make a tough on you. Yeah, 663 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: eat clock, and all I need to do is get 664 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: a few stops. I don't know enough about your basketball analogy, 665 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 1: but I assume you're not shooting right as soon as 666 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 1: shot clock hits, I mean, you're like, you're you're eager 667 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: to run it down. We're gonna make We're gonna make 668 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: some passes. I want layups, win time at possession, and 669 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: you know, right. 670 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 2: And we're gonna we're not gonna let you just run 671 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 2: up and down the floor, and we're gonna, you know, 672 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 2: we're gonna force you into playing our style game. And 673 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 2: I think that's what when you start running the football 674 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 2: and eating up clock, I think that's that becomes the 675 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 2: It puts pressure. I can remember Tom Brady talking about 676 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 2: this before. You almost certainly start looking at the clock 677 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 2: as the opposing quarterback when the when the other team 678 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: is out on the field eight or nine. All right, 679 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 2: so you start doing the math in your head. Okay, 680 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 2: I'm gonna we're only gonna have three more possessions, you 681 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 2: know in this football game. I gotta make everyone count. 682 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 2: And then you start to press. 683 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: A little bit. Yeah, without question, and yeah, if you 684 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: can limit the ma Homes of the world and give 685 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: them one less possession, yeah, chances are that's four points difference, 686 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, I don't know what they average 687 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 1: per possession, but it's the top of the league, you know. 688 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: I Mean the reason I mixed feelings though, is I 689 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: mean still to me, the formula is having an elite quarterback. 690 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: I mean, there's no time about it. I mean, that's 691 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 1: the cheat code. But they're six of them. Yeah, well 692 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: that's the thing. 693 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 2: I mean, if you start looking around the league at 694 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 2: the quarterbacks, I mean, who's really quote unquote elite, right? 695 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: I mean I think it's Mahomes, Allen Burrow. Herbert's knocking 696 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,600 Speaker 1: on that door heavy. I don't know if he's there yet. 697 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: Lawrence isn't there yet. And those guys aren't elite. I'm 698 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: not sure I could would give it to Hurts who 699 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: had an MVP type season. Could he take a game 700 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: over like a Mahomes or Brady in his prime or Ben? 701 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: And you know when age thirty two, it's five of 702 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: them as sure so and some are knocking on the door, 703 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah. 704 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 2: So you know, again, if if you protect your quarterback, 705 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 2: if you're only gonna ask Kenny Pickett and I say, only, hey, 706 00:30:58,120 --> 00:30:59,959 Speaker 2: go out and make us five to ten big time 707 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 2: throws every game. 708 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what you're looking for. 709 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 2: And if you can do that, if you play good defense, 710 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 2: if you run the football and shorten the game, you 711 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 2: got a A. You're gonna be in a lot of games, 712 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: and B you're probably gonna win something. You're gonna win 713 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 2: the war of attrition, Yeah, fourth quarter. You know, the 714 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 2: opposing defense is a little worn out. We talked about, 715 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 2: you know two years ago with the Steelers. Well, the 716 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 2: the defense is on the field too much first half 717 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 2: of last season. That's right, defense is on the field. 718 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 2: I don't I don't care how good your defense is. 719 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: That's definitely true. On the other side of the ball. 720 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 2: If it's out there for seventy five plays and your 721 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 2: offense is running. 722 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 1: Fifty too much, defense is a killer. I mean, it 723 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: just flat out is if you're and that really really 724 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: hurt this team to start the season, and to me, 725 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: it was maybe one of the most impressive transformations. And 726 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: it's a simple number, but I might even do this 727 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: when I get home. It's just chart their time and 728 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: possession each and every game, because the second half of 729 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: the season was like best in the league. Yeah, first 730 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: half of the season was worst of the league, you know, right, 731 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 1: You're just completely described right, right, right, and this narrows 732 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: the playing field. And all the analytics are great, and 733 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: I like analytics, don't get me wrong. And they'll say 734 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: passing is more valuable than running, and it is. But 735 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: there's also an aspect to I've had to stop Nausey 736 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: Harris and Jalen Warren in a thick offensive line now, 737 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: and it's. 738 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 2: This guard has pulled the last year right seven in 739 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 2: the last ten plays, has smacked me in the face. 740 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 1: And it's late in the third quarter and I'm starting 741 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: to go backwards instead of forwards on defense and the 742 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: missing tackles I used to make. And there's still a 743 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: physicality in a you know, a stamina aspect of the 744 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 1: game that will always. 745 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 2: Always builds a mentality too with your offense, Like hey, right, 746 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 2: you know, you talk to any offensive lineman, they want to. 747 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: Come go grab wolf and say do you want to 748 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: come out and you want to come out run the football? 749 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 2: Do you want to come out and pass block yeld 750 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 2: you want to take you want to deliver the blow 751 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 2: or do you want to take. 752 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: The play right? Do you want to start in a 753 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: two point stance or do you want to come out 754 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 1: and maul the guy in front of you time and 755 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: time again. And it doesn't always work, you know, the 756 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: initial time. But that's why they call it pound the rock. 757 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: I mean, just keep pounding on that rock and eventually 758 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: it cracks. 759 00:32:57,800 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, So that's what that's what you're looking to do here. 760 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 2: That was the formula when Bill Kower was here with 761 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 2: with you know, Jerome Bettis. 762 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: They've got a two hundred and forty. 763 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 2: Pound running back that you know he's going to run downhill, 764 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 2: you know, is he going to break a bunch of 765 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 2: long runs. No, But if you keep pounding the rock 766 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 2: like that in the fourth quarter, and now all of 767 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 2: a sudden, those those those four or three or four 768 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:22,719 Speaker 2: yard games become eight or nine yard gains. Yeah, somebody 769 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 2: falls off a tackle that that that has that that 770 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 2: that pays dividends in late in the game. 771 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 1: And I think the next step is, well, now, how 772 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: do we create explosives off of that? You know, I 773 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: mean if if we're going to bludgeon teams and we 774 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: now have this reputation which every defensive coordinator is preparing 775 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:39,880 Speaker 1: for the Steelers now is gonna watch second half games 776 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: not the first half? Ye you know, like we know 777 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 1: what they are. They're gonna come out in twelve personnel 778 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: with a big back and a stable offensive line, and 779 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: they're going to run the football and their defense will 780 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: probably allow them to do that. Even if there's a 781 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 1: series or two that you know, it's quick punt, you know, 782 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: it doesn't go great. But Kenny showed that he's really 783 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,719 Speaker 1: really good on third downs? Is that fluky? Is that sustainable? 784 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: I don't know, you know, we'll see. I mean maybe 785 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: he does have a collectionist to him, and his ability 786 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: to scramble and make plays with his legs certainly helps 787 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: that as well. But now if strong safeties are in 788 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: the box, if it's you know, and you're seeing single 789 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: high and Calvin Austin runs by, you, you. 790 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:22,959 Speaker 2: Know, like George Pickens is opened twenty yards down the field, 791 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 2: but right he always is. 792 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 1: And then I mentioned the article I wrote this week too, 793 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 1: was they played a lot of the same offensive skill 794 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: guys last year, you know, I mean when Claypool left, 795 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 1: Gentry's snaps went up and all added up and it worked. 796 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,800 Speaker 1: But now you start playing the game of what five 797 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,320 Speaker 1: do I want to put out there? It's a fun game, 798 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: you know, like do I like to play that game. 799 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: I love to play that game. And you know, before 800 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: last year, the Steelers are always near the top of 801 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 1: the league in a sixth offensive lineman and it's not 802 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 1: a high percentage, but it's like three or four percent 803 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 1: where the league is at one or two. Right. Well, 804 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 1: last year they hardly did that because I don't think 805 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: they trusted their sixth offensive lineman. But that changes, you 806 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: know what I mean. 807 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:07,240 Speaker 2: Or you've drafted essentially a guy who license plates a sixth. 808 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,799 Speaker 1: Offensive your tight end room now is gigantic, and you 809 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:15,280 Speaker 1: have three slash Hayward, all of whom that deserve touches. 810 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: And you hope Alan Robinson's an upgrade over Claypool or 811 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 1: whoever your third receiver was, and Austin's back, and I mean, 812 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: you can just mix and match a great deal, yeah, 813 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 1: and get mismatches all over the field, all over the field, 814 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: and those guys stay fresher, you know, and instead of 815 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: running three go routes in a row and huffing and puffing, 816 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 1: you run two, come off, Austin comes on in and 817 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: runs one. Then you come back out the next you 818 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,000 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Like you can just keep you 819 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:44,399 Speaker 1: can rotate play to play team, the team, you can 820 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 1: be more specific in a Belichick kind of way of 821 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:50,359 Speaker 1: this opponent loves to stay and nickel. Well, we're gonna 822 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: bludgeon you. Yeah, you're what they you know. Okay, you 823 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: want to do that, here's what we're gonna do. Now, 824 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 1: you've got to change. You either got got out of 825 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 1: your nickel that you're not comfortable doing or live with 826 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: the consequences. 827 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and we're gonna take a break here as Matt Williamson, 828 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,279 Speaker 2: I am Dale Lollie. We are live here from the 829 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 2: Steeler OTAs on the South Side at the upmc rooney 830 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:12,840 Speaker 2: Sports Complex. We are here until one o'clock today and 831 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 2: we'll be back with more right after. 832 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: This some time. 833 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 3: The Black and Gold live here twenty four to seven. 834 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 3: This is SNN Steelers Stationwide Pittsburgh Traffic