1
00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,360
Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on

2
00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:12,440
Speaker 1: your home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

3
00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,120
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Drive. I'm Dale Lolly here with Matt Williamson.

4
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,040
Speaker 1: It is a victory Tuesday. Victory Tuesday Tuesday. Well, I

5
00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,120
Speaker 1: guess you have a lot in Thomas and Mike Thomas

6
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,720
Speaker 1: and three three. Yeah, they played very well. I think

7
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,559
Speaker 1: fans should be highly encouraged. There was a little bit

8
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:51,920
Speaker 1: of bad of course, you know, I mean they're not

9
00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,720
Speaker 1: a perfect team, still work in progress, but working progress

10
00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,280
Speaker 1: is kind of the word here. Quarterback offense. Yes, yes,

11
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,560
Speaker 1: uh Steelers of course beating Co seventeen the improved four

12
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,880
Speaker 1: and seven, Um, you know, still not the record that

13
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,040
Speaker 1: everybody would like, but four and seven it is what

14
00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,600
Speaker 1: it is. You win this week, all of a sudden,

15
00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,640
Speaker 1: you're five and seven. If five and seven, would the

16
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,440
Speaker 1: Steelers then be relevant in the NFC? Yeah, that's the thing.

17
00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,720
Speaker 1: I mean, disaster right. There are four good teams and

18
00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,800
Speaker 1: somebody's gonna win the South and then five and seven.

19
00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,200
Speaker 1: Five and seven in the NFC would be in definite

20
00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,560
Speaker 1: playoff contention. Not so much in the a f C.

21
00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,400
Speaker 1: But they can play spoiler here. Oh yeah, and they

22
00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,120
Speaker 1: can keep getting better and right and improve the roster.

23
00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,760
Speaker 1: That's what I think. Yeah, what I You know, so

24
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,600
Speaker 1: you always get asked these what if questions? What if

25
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,320
Speaker 1: the Steelers have a losing record this year, tell me

26
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,360
Speaker 1: how they got there? Oh yeah, you know, yeah, don't

27
00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,960
Speaker 1: just say, well, let's let's say the Steelers go six

28
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,400
Speaker 1: and six and eleven, everybody get rid of fire them all.

29
00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,520
Speaker 1: Let's see how you get the last eleven straight. Maybe

30
00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:12,680
Speaker 1: you think about it right after being you know, Broncos. Yeah,

31
00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,640
Speaker 1: and you think about it, right, I mean, look at

32
00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,919
Speaker 1: the Texans right now or some of these. Really there's

33
00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,000
Speaker 1: a couple of really bad teams right now. But anyway,

34
00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,639
Speaker 1: I mean I feel a little justified in that pre

35
00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,040
Speaker 1: I know this is going to be the narrative around

36
00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,680
Speaker 1: the team is pre buy Steelers working things out, awful

37
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,519
Speaker 1: schedule post by Steelers promising I'll take it with a

38
00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,720
Speaker 1: rookie quarterback. Last four games, Matt, the Steelers have averaged

39
00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,519
Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty seven rushing yards per game. I

40
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,679
Speaker 1: don't have a running game. Now, they've got a running game.

41
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,600
Speaker 1: If you I was looking at football outsiders today, they

42
00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:55,040
Speaker 1: of course they update everything Tuesday morning and sixteen now

43
00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,920
Speaker 1: an offensive line d v O, A offensive line. Yeah,

44
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,720
Speaker 1: they've come a very long way. I mean they were

45
00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,639
Speaker 1: running the ball no offense to McFarlane's now any of

46
00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,560
Speaker 1: those backs. But it didn't matter who the backs, it

47
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,919
Speaker 1: didn't matter. They were running the football. And they're now

48
00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,680
Speaker 1: doing it every week and they're stopping the run. I mean,

49
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,280
Speaker 1: they're not turning the ball over. You know, they're making

50
00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,600
Speaker 1: life a little easier on Kenny, who keeps getting better

51
00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,040
Speaker 1: and better. They're finding some things out post Clay Pool

52
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,320
Speaker 1: of who's this fifth guy gonna be your you know

53
00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,520
Speaker 1: whose keepers who's not? That doesn't even really matter, does

54
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:35,640
Speaker 1: throwing the ball enough? This is what you Yeah, this

55
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,120
Speaker 1: is kind of what you wanted here from the beginning.

56
00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:39,960
Speaker 1: With Kenny Pickett. I get they threw him into the

57
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,080
Speaker 1: deep water early to see if he could swim. Um,

58
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,840
Speaker 1: you know his first starts in Buffalo. You know that's

59
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,920
Speaker 1: that's no easy task. But he came out and played

60
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,000
Speaker 1: well Monday night. Um, he was the reason why they

61
00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,520
Speaker 1: won or a reason why they won that game. It

62
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,760
Speaker 1: wasn't in spite of or you know, because you know

63
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,920
Speaker 1: everyone else brought him along. I mean that play on

64
00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,520
Speaker 1: two pickings where he got the shot to the head too.

65
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,400
Speaker 1: I mean things were things were bleak at that point,

66
00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,560
Speaker 1: and that was the third nine. Yeah, I mean the

67
00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,720
Speaker 1: half was going terribly and he steps up and makes

68
00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,440
Speaker 1: a big quarterback play. You know that if it's Herbert

69
00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,040
Speaker 1: her Marhomes or something like that, You're like, well, that's

70
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,560
Speaker 1: why we have that stuff, you know. And I mean

71
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,560
Speaker 1: that that's the kind of stuff he's starting to do

72
00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,680
Speaker 1: while not making the big mistakes, feeling you know, a

73
00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 1: couple of things I've been critical of him, or he

74
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,640
Speaker 1: keeps getting better at you know, I mean he had

75
00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,320
Speaker 1: one game that I was had a problem with his

76
00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,080
Speaker 1: like pocket presence at Saints game. Haven't seen it since.

77
00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,480
Speaker 1: You know, I doubt that was a fluke, you know

78
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,160
Speaker 1: what I mean, probably working on these things. And um,

79
00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:49,120
Speaker 1: I briefly saw coach Thomla's press conference. Um, and I

80
00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,200
Speaker 1: guess of course someone asked him about pick it and

81
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,320
Speaker 1: he said, you guys asked me this. Every week. He's

82
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,320
Speaker 1: getting better. He's a good player, like he's' that's what

83
00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,440
Speaker 1: they think of him, you know, Like, you know, yeah,

84
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,719
Speaker 1: it does become a little redundant there Um, the defense

85
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,200
Speaker 1: pitches a shut out and when I say it, pitches

86
00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,760
Speaker 1: a shutout in the first quarter, didn't allow a yard

87
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:18,000
Speaker 1: zero yards in the first quarters. The first time that's happens. Um.

88
00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,080
Speaker 1: Their first down came with like seven fifteen left in

89
00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,120
Speaker 1: the half. Yeah, and they get the the mock cheer

90
00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,560
Speaker 1: from the yeah from the fans in attended, which by

91
00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,280
Speaker 1: the way, it's about fifty fifty in that place. There

92
00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,320
Speaker 1: were a chance of defense in the fourth quarter that

93
00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,080
Speaker 1: were audible as there as the as the cults are

94
00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,800
Speaker 1: trying to mount a potential game tying drive, you hear

95
00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,720
Speaker 1: chance of defense and it's like we're in Indianapolis here,

96
00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,560
Speaker 1: Well to pull the curtain back, folks. My partner here

97
00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,920
Speaker 1: has not gotten a wink since waking up yesterday morning.

98
00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,280
Speaker 1: So all the travel, all the responsibilities. So I'm sure

99
00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,839
Speaker 1: you've not watched the TV copy. I did not, But

100
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,279
Speaker 1: leading in, I guess there's a ticket master. One of

101
00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,240
Speaker 1: those ticket people said ticket sales are the Steelers, and

102
00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,839
Speaker 1: so all right, you know, I mean if not, and

103
00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:08,680
Speaker 1: I don't know if that's an exact science, but you know,

104
00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,080
Speaker 1: I mean they don't know everyone's rooting interest. I would

105
00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,840
Speaker 1: expect something similar in in Atlanta, if not more so.

106
00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,040
Speaker 1: I've seen that show before. Yes, you're thinking about going

107
00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,440
Speaker 1: to a nice little warm getaway. How's Atlanta sound this weekend? Yeah,

108
00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,640
Speaker 1: and all the people who you know, all the Steeler

109
00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,000
Speaker 1: fans who live in the South. Atlanta is easy to

110
00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,080
Speaker 1: get to. I mean you can get direct flights from

111
00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,000
Speaker 1: all over the country there, so yeah, I expect that

112
00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,760
Speaker 1: a lot. But yeah, just um, you know, a good,

113
00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,039
Speaker 1: solid team victory, absolutely, I mean the only thing that

114
00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,800
Speaker 1: you look at, uh you know is a negative. It

115
00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,800
Speaker 1: was you know, the special team's kickoff coverage. And even

116
00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:53,320
Speaker 1: that though there no Spillane, no boy Can, no Jalen Warren,

117
00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:57,560
Speaker 1: Yeah no Boswell like that makes a difference to I'm

118
00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,359
Speaker 1: not gonna sit there with a stop Watch, but I

119
00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,520
Speaker 1: can get tu. Boses kicks have better hang time, Yes

120
00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,680
Speaker 1: they do. I mean they just do. And that's a big,

121
00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,159
Speaker 1: big deal. That's always gonna hurt rights chances of sticking

122
00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,240
Speaker 1: in the league, even when he's even gotten better at

123
00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,760
Speaker 1: that than he was, you know last year in the preseason,

124
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,800
Speaker 1: when even when he was here, he couldn't put the

125
00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:17,680
Speaker 1: ball in the end zone. Now he's putting the ball

126
00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,600
Speaker 1: in the end zone, but everyone knows I'm still bringing

127
00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,360
Speaker 1: it out. Yeah, I mean, like, I think there's an

128
00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,760
Speaker 1: obvious scouting report that Okay, he does kick at five

129
00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,440
Speaker 1: yards deep in the end zone, I'm coming out, but

130
00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,960
Speaker 1: it's a line drive. He doesn't get any hang time

131
00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,280
Speaker 1: on it, so that will help itself. I mean I heard, Oh,

132
00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,320
Speaker 1: Danny Smith doesn't know he's doing. Like we know the facts,

133
00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,080
Speaker 1: so first I did. I said the exact same thing

134
00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:38,880
Speaker 1: on a podcast day. I'm like, the hang time is

135
00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,760
Speaker 1: noticeably worse and they're missing three starters. But was it

136
00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,120
Speaker 1: good enough? No, I mean, you gotta find a way

137
00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,720
Speaker 1: to get the guy on the ground. Could have been better,

138
00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,480
Speaker 1: and I mean they're decent returners and that kept the

139
00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,360
Speaker 1: Colt in it. Yeah, that gave the Colts set that

140
00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,600
Speaker 1: little boost that they needed coming out of the half

141
00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,720
Speaker 1: um and they took advantage of it. Uh turned to

142
00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,040
Speaker 1: ended up making a game of it. But it's set

143
00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,920
Speaker 1: the stage for Kenny pickets first fourth quarter comeback. Okay,

144
00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,120
Speaker 1: I guess that adds up. Yeah, I mean I think

145
00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,000
Speaker 1: there's many more to come. Moments certainly wasn't too big

146
00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,800
Speaker 1: for him, that's for sure. Um had a running game

147
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,640
Speaker 1: to lean on. That's a good defense too, Yeah, that

148
00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,280
Speaker 1: was That's a top ten defense. They did whatever they

149
00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,680
Speaker 1: wanted to, they absolutely did, and so I thought that

150
00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,440
Speaker 1: was really promising. I mean, again, not perfect there. They're

151
00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,280
Speaker 1: still a work in progress as a team. They're not

152
00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,560
Speaker 1: gonna win the Super Bowl this year, but that was

153
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,800
Speaker 1: maybe the most encouraged I've been with this team all year.

154
00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,040
Speaker 1: I talked to a couple of the offensive linemen after

155
00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,560
Speaker 1: the game in the locker room. I bet they're in

156
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,480
Speaker 1: good spirits nowadays, and you know, they're like, I'm like,

157
00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,280
Speaker 1: what was the feeling like you guys come out of

158
00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,160
Speaker 1: the third quarter to three and ounce. You just did

159
00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,280
Speaker 1: that against the Bengals last week. Are you feeling like, oh,

160
00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,200
Speaker 1: here we go again. They're like, no, because we were

161
00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,440
Speaker 1: running the ball. We knew we could We knew we

162
00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,040
Speaker 1: could move the football because they couldn't stop our running game.

163
00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,960
Speaker 1: Which shocked me because I think they were averaging under

164
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,600
Speaker 1: three yards or four yards a carry against them going

165
00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,120
Speaker 1: into there's like three it was seven, they were they

166
00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,679
Speaker 1: were three point seven. It had been three point four

167
00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,000
Speaker 1: yards per carry over to like the last three weeks, right,

168
00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:17,840
Speaker 1: and they ran all over and they just did, I

169
00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,320
Speaker 1: mean jam right down their throats. Absolutely. I thought that

170
00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,320
Speaker 1: was really promising. And as you mentioned, what's been three

171
00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,760
Speaker 1: or four weeks in a row where they're well over

172
00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,760
Speaker 1: a hundred yards. Kenny's legs help, but that doesn't mean

173
00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,400
Speaker 1: it doesn't count. All the backs are playing well. You've

174
00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,319
Speaker 1: got to give a shout out to McFarland and Snell

175
00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,520
Speaker 1: to like you and I do a ton of fantasy

176
00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,200
Speaker 1: stuff on here and every year, and I'm gonna suggesting

177
00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 1: this what these guys are. There's a back or two

178
00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,760
Speaker 1: in the NFL that comes in with unbelievably fresh legs

179
00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,680
Speaker 1: and looks like he's playing at different speed than everybody else.

180
00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:48,520
Speaker 1: You know, and those guys have a you know there

181
00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,439
Speaker 1: near career. Wasn't my next ship and somebody you get

182
00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,040
Speaker 1: a carry. I mean, they're leaving everything out there, fresh legs.

183
00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,960
Speaker 1: It's great. You know, they smell didn't didn't have a

184
00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,440
Speaker 1: carry this season, even though he had been active in

185
00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:06,719
Speaker 1: every game. McFarland had just gotten caught up from practice. Yeah,

186
00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,120
Speaker 1: I mean, you're talking about two guys who hadn't done anything.

187
00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,200
Speaker 1: They had a plan in that game. It looks like

188
00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,240
Speaker 1: they had McFarland plan. Yeah, yeah, early on they wanted

189
00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,080
Speaker 1: to use him as in the passing game a little bit.

190
00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,120
Speaker 1: Is that third down boost kind of thing. He's got

191
00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:26,000
Speaker 1: different juice than the rest of Yeah, he's he's he's

192
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,160
Speaker 1: he's not Jalen Warren, but Jalen Warren's not doesn't have

193
00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,200
Speaker 1: his speed, no, exactly right, you know, And it looks

194
00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,600
Speaker 1: like McFarland's one game, he's becoming more of a professional runner.

195
00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,559
Speaker 1: There's a lot of wasted We saw it in the preseason.

196
00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,800
Speaker 1: You know, he was hitting a hole much more confidently.

197
00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,280
Speaker 1: There was no it wasn't the dancing that you saw before.

198
00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,000
Speaker 1: He was just getting it and go. I thought he

199
00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:48,840
Speaker 1: had a real chance to make the team, and shocked

200
00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,280
Speaker 1: me a little when he didn't. Well because Warren emerged. Yeah,

201
00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,560
Speaker 1: you kind of keep so many Yeah, but yeah, really

202
00:10:55,640 --> 00:11:00,480
Speaker 1: really solid efforts. Um, you know, I know Taylor finished

203
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,640
Speaker 1: with decent numbers, but they kept him in check. He's

204
00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,160
Speaker 1: longer almost thirteen yards. Yeah, I mean, you'll gladly take

205
00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,440
Speaker 1: what he brought to the table. He played every snap

206
00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,440
Speaker 1: at two I think because there were also some negative

207
00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:16,319
Speaker 1: you know runs in there. There were some runs for

208
00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:18,760
Speaker 1: as soon as as soon as they got a negative run,

209
00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,640
Speaker 1: it was done because Matt Ryan wasn't gonna beat You know,

210
00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,480
Speaker 1: Matt Ryan's a shell of what he wants was and

211
00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,080
Speaker 1: still gives them the best chance to win. I mean

212
00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:29,920
Speaker 1: the couple of I mean the Colts did some good

213
00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,480
Speaker 1: things too, like Woods and Pittman. I mean, that was

214
00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,560
Speaker 1: a great breakout type game for Woods and Um. I

215
00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,280
Speaker 1: thought both lines past protected quite well. Brandon Smith did

216
00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,040
Speaker 1: a nice job against wat which worries me a little bit.

217
00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,200
Speaker 1: I'm not sure if he's right or he didn't look

218
00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,319
Speaker 1: like himself to me yesterday. He getting doubled quite a

219
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,960
Speaker 1: bit again too. Oh yeah, I mean, of course, But

220
00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,719
Speaker 1: I mean they did some things too, but their their

221
00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,560
Speaker 1: quarterbacks a problem. The Steelers were the better team. I mean,

222
00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:55,679
Speaker 1: I thought it was a good game. Man. I think

223
00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:57,520
Speaker 1: the Steters win that one much more often than they

224
00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,840
Speaker 1: lose it. Yeah, um and I think you look, I

225
00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,560
Speaker 1: wrote this in my in my ten thoughts, you almost

226
00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:06,640
Speaker 1: have to look at that Bengals game is the outlier

227
00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,280
Speaker 1: now for the defense with what back, because they've now

228
00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,160
Speaker 1: had what for four four games. Basically they've given up

229
00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:18,120
Speaker 1: twenty seventeen and ten points and the thirties something to

230
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,439
Speaker 1: the Bengals. I mean, the Bengals have a good offense.

231
00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:23,040
Speaker 1: I think they're one of the best teams in the league.

232
00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,199
Speaker 1: I've been saying this for really since that game. I

233
00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,199
Speaker 1: think Burrow has been the second best quarterback in the

234
00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:29,280
Speaker 1: league this year. I mean, actually can take those first

235
00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,400
Speaker 1: two games out appendectomy time. I mean, he's a nightmare.

236
00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,679
Speaker 1: So I would expect something similar this week against the

237
00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:42,600
Speaker 1: Atlanta Falcons, who are a week on the road there.

238
00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,080
Speaker 1: Because they're so physical and they're only run the ball.

239
00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,440
Speaker 1: You know, you better be not better not show any

240
00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,079
Speaker 1: signs of fatigue. But they really don't have good football

241
00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,760
Speaker 1: players and they run the ball and run the ball around.

242
00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,880
Speaker 1: So the Steelers yesterday head four players go over thirty

243
00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:00,760
Speaker 1: yards rushing in that game. Is first time since the

244
00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,760
Speaker 1: nineties they had a game like that. Including yeah, yeah,

245
00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:10,000
Speaker 1: if you look at this bonkers, this Atlanta team, They've

246
00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,120
Speaker 1: got four rushers with over three hundred forty seven yards rushing.

247
00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,320
Speaker 1: So they basically do the same. They do that every week.

248
00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,880
Speaker 1: This is what they do. They're They're leading receiver has

249
00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,319
Speaker 1: I assume it's Drake London at this point. He has

250
00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:27,880
Speaker 1: four hundreds actually, as he has four hundred and sixty

251
00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:33,280
Speaker 1: five receiving yards. They've got two rushers with more than that.

252
00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,840
Speaker 1: They played ten games to eleven maybe. I mean, so

253
00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,520
Speaker 1: they're leading rusher or the leading receiver averages like forty

254
00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,840
Speaker 1: two yards a game, right, you know, and it's actually

255
00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,720
Speaker 1: thirty eight point eight. That's so basically it's like one

256
00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,920
Speaker 1: or two catches per game for is basically three or

257
00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:49,880
Speaker 1: four ball carriers at average out of game. Yeah, I

258
00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,520
Speaker 1: mean it's that's all they want to do, is they do,

259
00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,280
Speaker 1: and they can control games that way, and they've been successful.

260
00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,439
Speaker 1: But if the Steelers are able to run the ball,

261
00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,559
Speaker 1: like like that game last night was it was over

262
00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,640
Speaker 1: and under three hours NFL game under three hours, this

263
00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,840
Speaker 1: one might be tot Yeah, this is gonna even more

264
00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:12,560
Speaker 1: than Indy. Yeah right, Um, I don't know. I just

265
00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,440
Speaker 1: took a lot of good things out of last night's game.

266
00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:16,640
Speaker 1: I mean, you and I were talking off the air.

267
00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,400
Speaker 1: Bush played every snap. Yeah. I thought it was a

268
00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,280
Speaker 1: very nice step in the right direction for him. Pierre

269
00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,200
Speaker 1: came in on the outside exclusively in nickel and dime.

270
00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,400
Speaker 1: I thought he had a really good night. Wallace made

271
00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,800
Speaker 1: a play Sutton looked good in the slot. Um. Trying

272
00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,520
Speaker 1: to think some of the other guys that stepped up,

273
00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,680
Speaker 1: and we talked about the backs. You know, the combination

274
00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:41,960
Speaker 1: of Gentry Hayward Sims Gunner doesn't make you go, oh no,

275
00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,880
Speaker 1: that's the two Chargers, but they give you something different

276
00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,840
Speaker 1: and they all play hard. And it was White who

277
00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,640
Speaker 1: got activated too. I mean these guys block yeah. Um,

278
00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,560
Speaker 1: And so you know, I look at this as a

279
00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,440
Speaker 1: you know, since the since the bye weekend, since they

280
00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,680
Speaker 1: came out of the bye week, they've played three very

281
00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,760
Speaker 1: competitive games, including the one against the Bengals. The Bengals

282
00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,080
Speaker 1: game was there for them to win if they don't

283
00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:13,640
Speaker 1: have that third quarter law. That was you know, but

284
00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:19,440
Speaker 1: you beat the Saints handily. Yeah, you go into Indianapolis

285
00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,760
Speaker 1: on a Monday night. That was Indianapolis first. That was

286
00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,840
Speaker 1: their first Monday night game. Since they're a little fired

287
00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:33,280
Speaker 1: up at home. They played some other ones on the road,

288
00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,160
Speaker 1: so you know, it's a tough environment to go into

289
00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,520
Speaker 1: and they handled that. Now they ahead, you know, down

290
00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,360
Speaker 1: to Atlanta. See if you know, so again you see

291
00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,800
Speaker 1: that something building here a little bit. And this is

292
00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,360
Speaker 1: what we talked about the entire time when people saw

293
00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,360
Speaker 1: I just lose them all and no, you're trying to

294
00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,880
Speaker 1: you get a young football team here. They're figuring things out,

295
00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,640
Speaker 1: especially on offensive course, and they're extremely young. And we

296
00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,720
Speaker 1: mentioned the old line has really come together. Well, um,

297
00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,800
Speaker 1: more guys are getting snapped since Claypool. Now we've got

298
00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,360
Speaker 1: a stable back, so we're getting to see. But most

299
00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,960
Speaker 1: importantly is the quarterback. And you know during the broadcast

300
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:11,920
Speaker 1: they said this over and over and something we all know,

301
00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,680
Speaker 1: but pick it. The pickens is a really good thing

302
00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,840
Speaker 1: to build off of around here. You know, uh, you know,

303
00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,400
Speaker 1: if you look at the numbers on you So when

304
00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:26,000
Speaker 1: they took the field for pickens, pick it to take

305
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,440
Speaker 1: a knee to end the game, Steelers had a hundred

306
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,440
Speaker 1: and seventy four rushing yards and a hundred seventy four

307
00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:38,280
Speaker 1: passing yards. Yeah, you know, people talking about a balanced offense, right,

308
00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,640
Speaker 1: that's pretty I don't care how many times you threw

309
00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,480
Speaker 1: it or did you know we did whatever, But even

310
00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,440
Speaker 1: at that thirty six rushing attempts including the kneel down

311
00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:51,320
Speaker 1: at the ends attempts and a lot of completions three

312
00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,520
Speaker 1: sacks in there. But even like when he ran last night,

313
00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,120
Speaker 1: a lot of couple that were designed. They were. Yeah,

314
00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,880
Speaker 1: there were design runs in there, the draws and things

315
00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,800
Speaker 1: of that nature. It wasn't Panics stuff. No, No, I

316
00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,600
Speaker 1: thought the running was very timely. Yeah, it was timely

317
00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,040
Speaker 1: and and and you know, the pocket presence was good.

318
00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,480
Speaker 1: He did run himself into one sack. Yeah, there was

319
00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:15,360
Speaker 1: one that I would blame him on. Yeah, and more

320
00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,960
Speaker 1: that was after the interception. Yeah. I thought More was

321
00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,840
Speaker 1: having troubles with the dockway there for a while, but

322
00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,720
Speaker 1: not as a game went on. Yeah, and then they ran.

323
00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,040
Speaker 1: Then he figured out, Yeah, just okay, I'm just gonna

324
00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,280
Speaker 1: take this guy, move him over here. Yeah. I mean

325
00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,760
Speaker 1: that guy needs to be a designated pass rusher. Yeah.

326
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:33,479
Speaker 1: He can't play the run at all. I mean they

327
00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,040
Speaker 1: were caving him in left and right. Dan Moore is

328
00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,080
Speaker 1: interesting to me, Like, I'm sure we'll have lots of

329
00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,399
Speaker 1: talks with Steeler. First round pickuld be left left tackle.

330
00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,600
Speaker 1: I'm a favor of that because I think More can

331
00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:44,800
Speaker 1: do a lot for you, and I'm happy he's a Steeler.

332
00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,600
Speaker 1: He's had some tough assignments though, I mean, like that

333
00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:49,720
Speaker 1: goes just playing in that position. Yeah, I mean you

334
00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,680
Speaker 1: were your fourth round pick throwing right in the mix,

335
00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,280
Speaker 1: and you're in year two and he's a hell of

336
00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,399
Speaker 1: a run blocker to say he could be a guard

337
00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,960
Speaker 1: or a third tackle or the six guy on that line,

338
00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,080
Speaker 1: and I mean, he's gonna be useful. He's not gonna

339
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,200
Speaker 1: be a female yours, but he's gonna be useful. Yeah. No,

340
00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:06,920
Speaker 1: he he can definitely run block and he mashes people.

341
00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:08,639
Speaker 1: He does, he does, and they're figuring that out. I

342
00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,760
Speaker 1: thought the left side of the line in general was

343
00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,280
Speaker 1: caving people down pretty cause. Yeah, I thought played well

344
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,440
Speaker 1: to um and again that gives it gives you know, confidence.

345
00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,760
Speaker 1: I mean, that's the forced bucker out there. Get some guys.

346
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,720
Speaker 1: I was impressed too. I excited this on a podcast

347
00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:29,200
Speaker 1: that when the pressure came consistently, I thought the Steelers

348
00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,480
Speaker 1: front interior three did a really nice job in protection

349
00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,920
Speaker 1: to most notably Cole, but Dotson as well. I mean

350
00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,480
Speaker 1: that's Buckner, I mean that's Audrey. Those are good players,

351
00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,040
Speaker 1: and it was not a consistent push up the middle.

352
00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:42,879
Speaker 1: I thought there that would be a problem going into

353
00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:47,920
Speaker 1: this game. Yeah. Yeah, James Daniels should he should get

354
00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,960
Speaker 1: Pro Bowl consideration this year. I don't think that's crazy.

355
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,040
Speaker 1: He's played really well. He's been really well. Yeah. I

356
00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,040
Speaker 1: mean I think he's everything we thought he would be

357
00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,920
Speaker 1: when they signed him, and maybe a little more. And

358
00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:58,400
Speaker 1: we had high hopes. I mean, that was the guy

359
00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,360
Speaker 1: we were targeting before free Jo. Absolutely, I think he's

360
00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,280
Speaker 1: just continued to get better and better and better. There

361
00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,200
Speaker 1: are questions about him, and you know, the first couple

362
00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,760
Speaker 1: of preseasons, Oh my god, this guy's awful. Yeah. I

363
00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,000
Speaker 1: mean some camp stuff was scary. Yeah, but he probably losing,

364
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,040
Speaker 1: you know, learning new techniques, new new teams, he told me.

365
00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,360
Speaker 1: And I think after maybe the second or third preseason game,

366
00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:20,800
Speaker 1: I went to him and talked to him about that.

367
00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,560
Speaker 1: He goes, we had a long season ahead. I'm not

368
00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,199
Speaker 1: gonna kill myself in the I know what I can

369
00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,200
Speaker 1: do here. I've been around the block right right. Just

370
00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,240
Speaker 1: because I'm new here doesn't mean I have to run

371
00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,760
Speaker 1: through the wall every practice. That's camp, Heyward. So it was.

372
00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,719
Speaker 1: It was an impressive effort. We'll see if the Steelers

373
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,120
Speaker 1: can continue that and Matt when we come back. We'll

374
00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,840
Speaker 1: see where that moved them in the power rankings. Probably not.

375
00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,159
Speaker 1: There were leagues really interesting. There were some upsets this weekend.

376
00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,960
Speaker 1: There were some just everything's really tough to figure out

377
00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,400
Speaker 1: right now in the NFL. Yeah, I do think there's

378
00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:58,200
Speaker 1: a couple of really bad teams that happens. Uh the

379
00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,200
Speaker 1: Steelers happened on one of their draft picks, by the way,

380
00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,520
Speaker 1: which is lovely that deserves to be well at the bottom.

381
00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,199
Speaker 1: And we'll talk about that next segment. But yeah, so

382
00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,359
Speaker 1: we'll do that when we return. He is Matt Williamson.

383
00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,880
Speaker 1: I am Dale Lally. You're listening to the drive here

384
00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,000
Speaker 1: on Steelers Nation Radio. And uh, Matt, did you know

385
00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,879
Speaker 1: I did? But I'll pretend like I did. Okay, you

386
00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:19,879
Speaker 1: could do that. Did you know you can listen to

387
00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:27,720
Speaker 1: uh Steelers Nation Radio on your smart smart I haven't slept.

388
00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,800
Speaker 1: I mentioned I haven't slept. You could not listen to

389
00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,600
Speaker 1: Steelers Nation Radio anytime anywhere through your smart speaker. Just

390
00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,520
Speaker 1: say Alexa, play Steelers Nation Radio from my heart, and

391
00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,359
Speaker 1: Alexa will take care of the rest. He is, I'm

392
00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,280
Speaker 1: gonna go get a coffee between segments, get a couple

393
00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,879
Speaker 1: of minutes, figure some more of this stuff out. Just

394
00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,680
Speaker 1: taking nap. I could do that. Power and apps. That's

395
00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,000
Speaker 1: what it's all about. He is Matt Williamson. I am

396
00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,240
Speaker 1: Dale Lally. You're listening to the Drive here on Steelers

397
00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,320
Speaker 1: Nation Radio. We'll be back with more right after this