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Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven

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Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

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Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers

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Speaker 2: Audio Network. Wes Shuoler and Matt Williamson with you here

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Speaker 2: on this Thursday. As we've got so much to get

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Speaker 2: to and so little time, a lot of moving and

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Speaker 2: shaking and Black Monday has extended all the way to Thursday.

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Speaker 3: Now ongoing process. Yes, we have some.

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Speaker 2: More significant news to start us off today as it

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Speaker 2: relates to head coaching dismissals and head coaching searches around

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Speaker 2: the National Football League. And let's kind of start from

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Speaker 2: the top here. Something that we had talked about was

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Speaker 2: even after Harbaugh, this coaching carousel might not be done.

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Speaker 2: And you highlighted especially the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa

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Speaker 2: Bay Buccaneers.

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Speaker 3: And two other teams possibles.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, possible, not not just out of the woods yet

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Speaker 2: if you're if you're those coaching staffs, and well, one

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Speaker 2: of those shoes fell today as the Miami Dolphins fired

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Speaker 2: head coach Mike McDaniel uh and also announced that they

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Speaker 2: are expected to hire their new general manager soon. With that,

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Speaker 2: with that as well so let's let's start there. Surprised,

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Speaker 2: not surprised, kind of sort of what was your kind

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Speaker 2: of initial reaction to the Mike McDaniel firing.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and I want to focus on McDaniel and the Dolphins,

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Speaker 3: but it also was sent out today that Tampa is

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Speaker 3: keeping bulls but firing but firing the offense coordinator Glizzard,

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Speaker 3: Lizard Wizard something something. Is that a band Slizzard? Yes?

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Speaker 3: Ke My buddy's like, yeah, King, it's.

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Speaker 2: Funny because I know your buddies are kind of they're

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Speaker 2: into some of the jammy or I am, And you've

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Speaker 2: told me, like Billy Strings, all your guys you got

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Speaker 2: my buddies love him. Yeah, King Wizard and the Lizard

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Speaker 2: Gizzard is a popular jam around now.

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Speaker 3: Uh. Anyway, I would I gave McDaniel fifty to fifty.

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Speaker 3: I mean it seemed like a month in the season,

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Speaker 3: six months, six weeks into the season. Oh man, this

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Speaker 3: is a disaster. Yeah, he might shock. He made as

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Speaker 3: long as he did. And then by the point where

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Speaker 3: the Steelers were playing him, it's like wow, you know,

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Speaker 3: they're putting things back together, and they had a winning

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Speaker 3: streak going and didn't have Tyreek and some of their

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Speaker 3: dudes and had traded the guys at the deadline and

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Speaker 3: it alreadys fired their GM at that point, so I

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Speaker 3: figured he might be safe. You know, he's making a

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Speaker 3: lot out of nothing here. But they've been kind of

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Speaker 3: spinning their wheels with the same approach for a couple

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Speaker 3: of years in a row. They pushed a bunch of

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Speaker 3: chips in the middle on Tyreek and Tuah and play

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Speaker 3: in the way that they do, which is speed speed speed,

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Speaker 3: speed speed, and you know that type of thing. And

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Speaker 3: I will give them credit. They adapted over the last

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Speaker 3: year or so. And you know, my big with them

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Speaker 3: as too may Ferrari's not enough dumb trucks. But they

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Speaker 3: did get a couple dump trucks, you know, and realized

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Speaker 3: the error in their ways too little, too late. The hunch,

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Speaker 3: and this is just like rumor and speculation, which is

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Speaker 3: everywhere this time of year, of course, is they must

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Speaker 3: think they at least have a shot at Harball, Okay,

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Speaker 3: because I got the impression that McDaniel probably keeps his

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Speaker 3: job unless there's some other option that they're be super

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Speaker 3: attracted to. And that guy popped up, so I think

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Speaker 3: maybe they were, you know, thinking they're at least involved

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Speaker 3: there because I think he is going to visit there

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Speaker 3: and interview. Now. I say that for two couple reasons.

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Speaker 3: First off, I don't think it's a very attractive job.

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Speaker 3: I mean, if you're Harbaugh, I think you could, if

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Speaker 3: you're the pick of the litter of the coaches, you

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Speaker 3: could do better.

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Speaker 2: You could be in a better quarterback situation, a better

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Speaker 2: organizational position of strength.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean for a couple of reasons. First off,

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Speaker 3: two is a problem, and his contracts a real problem.

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Speaker 4: You know.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a real problem. And you really want to

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Speaker 3: do battle with Drake May and Josh Allen for the

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Speaker 3: next ten years. I mean, you're a long way away

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Speaker 3: from being with those guys. But there's no division. That's wonderful,

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Speaker 3: you know what I mean, Like you can't always just

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Speaker 3: look at that way, like we're the three easiest teams

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Speaker 3: to play. There's only thirty two jobs. Miami doesn't have

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Speaker 3: any state income tax. That's kind of nice. That is nice,

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Speaker 3: you know, And you're gonna make what he Harball's gonna

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Speaker 3: make a big buck. I mean, of course you never

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Speaker 3: get see coaches contract.

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Speaker 2: If you look like teams from Florida have won like

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Speaker 2: four of the last five or six Stanley Cups in

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Speaker 2: the NHL. And I think there's a direct correlation to

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Speaker 2: that no income tax and how the how the Panthers

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Speaker 2: and the Lightning have built such good rosters.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and frankly, I think sports needs to examine that

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Speaker 3: at some point to be like, well, then their salary capture.

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Speaker 2: We small people from Canada won't stop complaining about it

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Speaker 2: as like, well.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, Mitton Oilers losing the Florida Panthers.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but look at their roster, playing all these guys

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Speaker 2: way less because they don't have any.

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Speaker 3: It is a competitive advantage for sure. Where's it going

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Speaker 3: with that though? Oh and there a division?

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Their owner is a big Michigan guy. Yes, he was

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Speaker 3: linked to Brady and obviously must have brother Harbaugh connections

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Speaker 3: like crazy. So maybe that's what happens. Again jump into

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Speaker 3: conclusions here, but that's the rumors of the day too.

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Speaker 3: Around that. I would assume McDaniel a minimum will be

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Speaker 3: a extremely the most sought after offensive coordinator out there. Yes,

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Speaker 3: oh I would. I would think they could be a

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Speaker 3: head guy next year.

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Speaker 2: I would think so. Yeah, and a and a pretty

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Speaker 2: darn good one.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, oh yeah, highly desirable.

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Speaker 2: Yes, So that's interesting from Harbaugh's standpoint. I mean, we

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Speaker 2: know that there's gonna be some real interest for him. Giants, Dolphins,

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Speaker 2: maybe some of these other teams.

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Speaker 3: They're the ones that seem to be linked most to him.

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Speaker 2: Today, shiny silver object. Before we get back into this,

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Speaker 2: do any of those if you're John Harbaugh, do any

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Speaker 2: of the any of the openings. Is there one that

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Speaker 2: you're like dialed in on, is that's the most attract

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Speaker 2: Like we talked about this yesterday, from the Ravens becoming

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Speaker 2: the most attractive open job for Harbaugh, what's the best

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Speaker 2: one that's open other than Baltimore.

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Speaker 3: It's funny because the Ravens now are the best job,

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Speaker 3: and he's the best candidate, but they're not going together.

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Speaker 3: You pretty much know that. Maybe the Giants, I mean,

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Speaker 3: I know they seen they haven't won forever, but I

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Speaker 3: still think that ownership group like the Rooneyes or you know,

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Speaker 3: is still really sought after respected patient have a He'd

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Speaker 3: have a lot of power there, you know, I mean

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Speaker 3: probably any of these spots, he'd have a lot of power,

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Speaker 3: which is a little different than Baltimore's. I mean, as

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Speaker 3: big as he was there. Sure it was always Ozzie

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Speaker 3: or Dacostra or Dicastra or whatever his name was, you know,

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Speaker 3: in charge of the roster and whatnot. So I would

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Speaker 3: think those are probably your two best landing spots if

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Speaker 3: you're him.

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Speaker 4: You know that if you like Dart, that that that yeah,

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Speaker 4: a bicker with the giant or does he look like

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Speaker 4: does he look at an Arizona Cardinals or of Vegas

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Speaker 4: Raiders and say the slate's completely blank?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I can got a crazy long leash. I can

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Speaker 2: go get my quarterback. It'll be it'll be interesting to

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Speaker 2: see how this all plays out. But we do know

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Speaker 2: that Mike McDaniel is now out in Miami. Dolphin's job

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Speaker 2: added to that list of openings, as you mentioned. I

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Speaker 2: think McDaniel certainly, I don't know if he's going to

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Speaker 2: get any head coaching interviews, but he would not He

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Speaker 2: would have a lot of takers for O C positions.

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Speaker 3: I mean, I think he'll be one of these coordinators

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Speaker 3: that like breaks the bank. If you're the commanders with Daniels.

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Speaker 2: If if the Chiefs end up losing Naggy, which sounds

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Speaker 2: like it's going to happen, bring bring him into work

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Speaker 2: under Andy Reid.

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Speaker 3: I mean the one that actually appealed to me. And

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Speaker 3: we'll talk Steeler stuff here in a minute, but what

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Speaker 3: about the Lions. Oh man, that's like frightening would hate that. Yeah, right,

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Speaker 3: I mean you give him those weapons, tr right. I

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Speaker 3: mean he's had to adjust to to I mean, I

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Speaker 3: don't think he'd play it exactly that way in a

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Speaker 3: perfect world. It's something most smart to say, probably not whatever,

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Speaker 3: get around it.

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Speaker 2: He was four years in Miami nine and eight. The

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Speaker 2: first year lost to the Bills in the wildcard game,

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Speaker 2: eleven and six. The second year lost to the Chiefs

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Speaker 2: in the wild card eight to nine. Last year, didn't

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Speaker 2: make the playoffs, seven to ten. This year didn't make

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Speaker 2: the playoffs. Thirty not that horrible, No, thirty five and

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Speaker 2: thirty three.

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Speaker 3: Overall, it's not with an A plus quarterback or a

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Speaker 3: great roster.

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Speaker 2: You know, the Dolphins had made the playoffs one time

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Speaker 2: in like the twenty years prior before he took over.

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Speaker 3: They I mean, they were He definitely progressed them in

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Speaker 3: the right mate, absolutely, absolutely absolutely.

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Speaker 2: I mean that eleven and six season they had two

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Speaker 2: years ago was the best year that Miami has had

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Speaker 2: in a long time, and yeah, he'll layd on his feet.

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Speaker 2: Probably not as a head coach, but he's certainly gonna

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Speaker 2: have a lot of great OC opportunities and Matt let's

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Speaker 2: transition that into the side I.

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Speaker 3: Was gonna say real quick is Harbaugh. What's a little

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Speaker 3: bit unique about him? Although he's kind of past this

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Speaker 3: point because he has such a strong resume as a

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Speaker 3: head coach, his specialty isn't on offense or defense. I mean,

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Speaker 3: he was a special teams coach. So it's not like

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Speaker 3: you hire him for someone who's established as him. I

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Speaker 3: would won a little bit firmer knowledge of who are

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Speaker 3: your coordinators? Okay, you know what I mean, just because

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Speaker 3: he's not going to coordinate either side of the ball. Sure, Yeah,

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Speaker 3: he's a CEO. Sure.

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Speaker 2: And speaking of coordinators, speaking of the Pittsburgh Steelers, one

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Speaker 2: of those jobs that is currently open for the next

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Speaker 2: head coach is that of the Tennessee Titans. They were,

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Speaker 2: if I remember incorrectly, they were the first organization to

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Speaker 2: fire their head coach this year, right, I mean like

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Speaker 2: two months ago. It's been a while.

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Speaker 3: They and the Giants were both early.

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Speaker 2: Giants were pretty early too, and we thought that Miami

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Speaker 2: was going to be in that company for a while.

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Speaker 2: But Arthur Smith his former team, the Texans, of course,

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Speaker 2: that's where he was offensive coordinator before. He was the

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Speaker 2: head coach of the Falcons for a few years before

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Speaker 2: coming to the Steelers. The Tennessee Titans have requested to

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Speaker 2: interview Arthur Smith for their vacant head coach coaching position.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know much to react for good for him,

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Speaker 3: I'd be really interested in McDaniel for you had happen

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Speaker 3: to leave it.

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Speaker 2: That's absolutely would would be I think a very uh,

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Speaker 2: very welcomed replacement if Arthur.

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Speaker 3: Smith doesn't getting a congratulated and that's what you want,

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Speaker 3: you know, right. I find it kind of interesting, you

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Speaker 3: know that one of the criticisms of Tomlin over the

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Speaker 3: years are, you know, your coordinators never your coaching tree

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Speaker 3: is bad, blah blah blah. He's getting he's getting interviews

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Speaker 3: for the head job, you know, and I'm sure he's

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Speaker 3: familiar with ownership.

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Speaker 2: I always so I always go this is an off

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Speaker 2: season conversation that we could kick around and have fun on.

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Speaker 2: But I always go so back and forth on that

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Speaker 2: coaching tree thing. Because Bill Belichick has one and it sucks.

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Speaker 3: And it's jobs. All of them, from from.

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Speaker 2: Charlie Weiss to to Josh McDaniels and everybody.

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Speaker 3: In between, Matt Patricia, and they're all flamed out. They've

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Speaker 3: all flamed out.

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Speaker 2: And then there's Nick Saban, who has an amazing coaching tree.

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Speaker 2: All four head coaches in the college Football play Off

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Speaker 2: today and tomorrow all worked under Nick Saban and Alabama

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Speaker 2: at one point.

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Speaker 3: That's but he's stunk in the pros, you know, oh right, right, right, Like,

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Speaker 3: but he's a college guy, right, So it's just I

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Speaker 3: know Walsh has a great one. Yeah, it's fine, but

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Speaker 3: that doesn't mean that it's not. My job is to

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Speaker 3: turn you into the next Hall of Fame coach. Yes, exactly.

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Speaker 3: I have mixed feelings on that.

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Speaker 2: Now, if you want to say to me, the Steelers

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Speaker 2: aren't getting their coordinators plucked enough like this for hired

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Speaker 2: for higher you know, higher fluting jobs, fine, like I

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Speaker 2: want my I want my offensive and defensive coordinators interviewing

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Speaker 2: for head coaching jobs. That means they're doing a dang

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Speaker 2: good job.

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Speaker 3: I mean, that's one of the problems of hiring a

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Speaker 3: defensive minded head coach is if you're great at hiring

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Speaker 3: offensive coordinators, which frankly the Steelers have been great at.

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Speaker 3: They get plucked and you go find another one. I

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Speaker 3: mean the Tampa Bay problem. You lose great ones that

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Speaker 3: turn into really dice a coach.

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Speaker 2: But I'd rather have that problem than firing my guy,

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Speaker 2: like I'm Tampa now.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you get what I'm saying.

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Speaker 2: Like this happens a lot in college at programs like

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Speaker 2: Pitt in West Virginia. Yeah, they high paton Ardoozy and

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Speaker 2: it's like, yeah, well, if he has success, all he's

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Speaker 2: gonna do is go back to Michigan State or go

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Speaker 2: back to the big tent.

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Speaker 3: Go back to where he was. That happens.

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Speaker 2: That means you had some really bleeping good years.

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Speaker 3: Say, yeah, that's what you're it's what you're hoping for.

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Speaker 3: That's the light the end of tunnel. Right, that's a

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Speaker 3: goal here, right.

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Speaker 2: WU hired Dana Holgerson when he was like the up

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Speaker 2: and coming, you know, sexy offensive coordinator, and if he

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Speaker 2: has a bunch of success, he's just gonna leave for

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Speaker 2: Texas or Oklahoma. Okay, if Texas or Oklahoma steal your head, coach,

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Speaker 2: you know how good that guy was you're.

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Speaker 3: Not focusing on the right part of the sex. If

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Speaker 3: you have a lot of success exactly, that's what matters here.

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Speaker 3: We're trying to win games, right.

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Speaker 2: Nobody is trying to pluck the offensive coordinator from the

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Speaker 2: Las Vegas Raiders, although it was Chip Kelly and he

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Speaker 2: got shared. But you get what I'm saying.

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Speaker 3: That's where he belive.

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Speaker 2: I think, right, yeah, I think in fact, did he

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Speaker 2: did he already do that? Oh?

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Speaker 3: I don't know, trying to Yeah? Northwestern Northwestern? Yeah, which

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Speaker 3: is head guy? Interesting offensive coordinator? Offensive coordinator? He doesn't

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Speaker 3: want to be a game at Northwestern? Maybe he doesn't.

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Speaker 3: I mean he is sixty two.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe he just wants to be in OC and

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Speaker 2: be comfortable and not have as much on his plate.

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Speaker 2: But for Arthur Smith, I mean there's connections there.

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Speaker 3: He's from Tennessee. He spent a long time with that organization.

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Speaker 2: Hm. If this is he's a young, exciting, up and

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Speaker 2: coming quarterback. Yeah, in a lot of draft and resource

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Speaker 2: capital to work with. I mean, if if Arthur Smith

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Speaker 2: wants this opportunity, I think he's got a good shot

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Speaker 2: to get it, and I wouldn't blame him.

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Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, I mean it'd be great for him.

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Speaker 3: I would think he's not the leader in the clubhouse.

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Speaker 3: I mean they're looking like most teams six seven guys

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Speaker 3: are gonna Interdix seven. Sorry I had to, but he's

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Speaker 3: got a shot. Yeah, yeah, right right, yeah, absolutely, So

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Speaker 3: that'll be something we'll keep an eye on.

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Speaker 2: I mean, that's that's obviously a pretty significant storyline.

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Speaker 3: No congrats to him. Let me, just getting an interview

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Speaker 3: is a big accomplishment for headshot.

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Speaker 2: Absolutely, and again, this is you know, this is what

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Speaker 2: you want. This is you know you want your coordinators

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Speaker 2: getting interviewed for head coaching jobs. I was trying to

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Speaker 2: look at some of the other names that have been

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Speaker 2: floated around the Titans. I know Jeff Hafley, the defensive

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Speaker 2: coordinator for the Packers, is one of those guys, but

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Speaker 2: I haven't seen a ton of other names at this point.

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Speaker 3: But I'm sure the talk the most about is Naggy

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Speaker 3: with the Chiefs I think they hired. I think the

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Speaker 3: GM came from the Kansas City Organization, and Naggy, I

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Speaker 3: think is the leader in the clubhouse. That would make sense.

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Speaker 2: He's probably the leader in a lot of clubhouses in

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Speaker 2: terms of this conversation at this moment.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and I don't quite get it, to be honest

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Speaker 3: with you, because he wasn't successful as a head coach

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Speaker 3: with the Bears, and they had a really really good defense.

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Speaker 3: He's an offensive minded guy, and that those Bears teams

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Speaker 3: had great defenses, which he kind of inherited. And this

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Speaker 3: does sound bad, but it's also an indictment on Andy Reid.

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Speaker 3: You have the best quarterback in the world, and your

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Speaker 3: offense is sputtered and gone backwards the last couple of

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Speaker 3: years in Kansas City, you know, I mean, they don't

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Speaker 3: outscheme people like they used to.

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Speaker 2: No, they don't, and they've lost a lot of talent

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Speaker 2: they have, because that's what happens when you're in championships.

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Speaker 3: Get older, and yeah, guys.

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Speaker 2: Get a little bit older, and a lot of the

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Speaker 2: a lot of the big, big name guys on their

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Speaker 2: offensive line have been, you know, signed up big deals.

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Speaker 3: Other way.

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Speaker 2: A couple of the guys on their defense, bigger names,

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Speaker 2: have signed big deals everywhere. When you're you know, paying

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Speaker 2: Mahomes that type of money. You can't afford to keep

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Speaker 2: everybody Chris Jones that type of money. Yeah, that'll be

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Speaker 2: that'll be a very interesting one to see a lot

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Speaker 2: of this, this movement and shaking and if Naggy moves

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Speaker 2: that ripple effect that has with people like McDaniel and

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Speaker 2: the offensive coordinator conversations. But that's kind of our our

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Speaker 2: news of the day. And you mentioned Bucks firing their

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Speaker 2: offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, the Wizard Gizzard as well, and

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Speaker 2: so yeah, the the the staff changes and firings and

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Speaker 2: dismissals and interviews continue to roll on here and we'll keep.

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Speaker 3: Tabs on it. Yeah, yeah, a lot.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, there certainly is. And uh, we are just getting started. Hey,

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Speaker 2: Steeler fans, get ready for the Black and Gold to

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Speaker 2: take on the Houston Texans at the Steelers Playoff Party

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Speaker 2: presented by your neighborhood Ford Store this Saturday, five to

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Speaker 2: seven at Tequila Cowboy, hosted by Rob King and Charlie

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Speaker 2: Batch and two Jabroni's named tom Ot from n and West.

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Speaker 2: Yuler will be broadcasting the party live on Steelers Nation

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Speaker 2: Radio one oh two point five d ve E HD

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Speaker 2: two and of course, as always on the iHeartRadio app.

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Speaker 2: That's five o'clock Saturday here on SNR. And of course,

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Speaker 2: if you're in the area, come out and see us

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Speaker 2: at Tequila Cowboy. If you do come to the Steelers

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Speaker 2: playoff party, you will receive a Steelers coozy, a rally sign,

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00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,520
Speaker 2: chances to win playoff tickets, and autograph giveaways. Steely mcbeam

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Speaker 2: will be on site, plus a Steeler's alumni legend appearance.

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Speaker 2: One legendary Pittsburgh Steeler, maybe even more than one, but

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Speaker 2: we'll see who that will be will be on hand

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Speaker 2: at Tequila Cowboy as well. And if you are under

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Speaker 2: twenty one, you need to be accompanied by an adult.

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Speaker 2: All right, please rsvp in advance on Steelers dot com.

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Speaker 3: I'll be there.

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Speaker 2: I'll be the handsome guy up on stage waving a

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Speaker 2: terrible tow Saturday five o'clock at Tequila Cowboy. You can

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Speaker 2: hear myself and Tom and I'm sure we'll nab Rob

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Speaker 2: and Charlie and whoever that alumni guest is to join

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Speaker 2: us at some point.

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Speaker 3: Will be a lot of fun.

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Speaker 2: As we get ready for Monday Night football, well, Monday

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Speaker 2: Night Wildcard football against those Houston Texans, will start to

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Speaker 2: look at the stats, the matchups, the numbers, the analytics

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Speaker 2: behind Steelers and Texans. When we return, we'll talk to

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Speaker 2: our buddy Bob Labriola in this hour as well, so

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Speaker 2: plenty more as we are just getting started here on

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Speaker 2: the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,

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Speaker 2: your tuns.

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Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of

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Speaker 1: the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

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Speaker 2: Rolling along here on the drive, and it's time to

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Speaker 2: talk some matchups, talk some Matt's stats. As it is

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Speaker 2: a Thursday, and obviously it is time to really start

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Speaker 2: focusing on and previewing this big matchup between the Steelers

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Speaker 2: and the Texans on Monday night. Of course, wildcard weekend

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Speaker 2: across the National Football League. We had college football playoff

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Speaker 2: today Thursday and Tomorrow Friday, and then wild card games Saturday, Sunday, Monday,

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Speaker 2: five straight days of very important football and for both

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Speaker 2: of these teams, Matt, as we start to look into

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Speaker 2: some of your numbers and some of the matchups and

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Speaker 2: things like that.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, there's some interesting one on one matchups, for sure.

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Speaker 2: There are some very interesting one on one matchups, and

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Speaker 2: I want to get into those with you here.

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Speaker 3: But a little bit of an overview. First.

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Speaker 2: Listen, the turnover battle, the turnover margin, ball security. It's

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Speaker 2: massive in every NFL game, every college football game, high

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Speaker 2: school football game. It's a huge ch a huge part

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Speaker 2: of the equation. But I think especially for both of

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Speaker 2: these teams and their defenses. The Houston Texans so far

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Speaker 2: this season have scored ninety points off of turnovers. That's

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Speaker 2: fourth most in the NFL.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: The Pittsburgh Steelers have scored one hundred and one points

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Speaker 2: off of turnovers, that's third most in the NFL.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: This Houston defense has only allowed twenty nine points off

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Speaker 2: of turnovers when their offense gives the ball away. That

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Speaker 2: is the lowest in the National Football League.

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Speaker 3: So they toughen up in those tough situations when it

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Speaker 3: does happen. And oh, by the way, Houston's great in

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Speaker 3: turnover differential too, outstand it's one of their absolute straits.

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Speaker 3: Usually the Steelers have the edge just in the turnover

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Speaker 3: department overall going into games. This is one you wouldn't

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Speaker 3: say they do, you know, right.

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Speaker 2: And when Mike Tomlin, you know that kind of typical

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Speaker 2: cadence that he has to his Tuesday press conferences. He

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Speaker 2: talks about the last game, he gives any injury updates,

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Speaker 2: and then he previews the next game. And when he

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Speaker 2: got into that portion of previewing the next game and

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Speaker 2: talking about Houston. That was one of the first things

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Speaker 2: that he mentioned, okay, was you know how often their

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Speaker 2: defense takes the ball away. They do a good job

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Speaker 2: of taking care of it on offense, particularly in the

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Speaker 2: last month or so when CJ. Stroud really hit his stride.

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Speaker 2: Something that we talked about.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I did that Wednesday show with Tom and Tim

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Speaker 3: last night, and I had not heard the entire press conference.

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Speaker 3: I knew the injury stuff we go, I had not

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Speaker 3: like watch the whole thing. And Tim made a point,

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Speaker 3: He's like, he didn't talk a lot about Stroud and

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Speaker 3: the reporter you know, Nintendo went out. Sure, yeah, like

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Speaker 3: he kind of was talking about Davis Mills and but

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Speaker 3: he immediately said values of football, you know, like that

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Speaker 3: that's you can tell. I'm sure that is a huge

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Speaker 3: theme through the South Side this week is value the football,

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Speaker 3: take the ball away, value football. You know, I mean

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Speaker 3: more than ever and it always is, but more than.

434
00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,639
Speaker 2: Ever always is for this Steelers team. But that better be,

435
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,920
Speaker 2: especially the case Monday night against the Texans team who

436
00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:35,640
Speaker 2: was just as good, if not a little bit better

437
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:36,280
Speaker 2: in that department.

438
00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,440
Speaker 3: Yeah, opportunistic defense. They got four guys with four interceptions.

439
00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,760
Speaker 3: I mean that's rare. Yes, they generate through pass rush.

440
00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,920
Speaker 3: It's not like it's a super schemed up defense. Stroud

441
00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,520
Speaker 3: in the offense do value the football, well, they're good

442
00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,040
Speaker 3: on special teams. You know, it's playoff team, you know. Matt.

443
00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,640
Speaker 2: Let's stick with the Steelers defense here a little bit

444
00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:00,800
Speaker 2: and talk about third downs. Talk about conversion rates. Okay,

445
00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:05,400
Speaker 2: So the league average for a third and medium conversion

446
00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,040
Speaker 2: rate in the National Football League is just a little

447
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,399
Speaker 2: over forty one percent forty one point three percent. The

448
00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:15,800
Speaker 2: Steelers allow a third and medium conversion rate on defense

449
00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:20,040
Speaker 2: fifty three point three percent of the time, league worst

450
00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,119
Speaker 2: in the National Football League and average of eight point

451
00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,399
Speaker 2: four yards per allowed. Now, I guess some good news

452
00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,000
Speaker 2: is if you look at the top five teams that

453
00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,639
Speaker 2: struggle in this department, the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia

454
00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,720
Speaker 2: Eagles are also in that top five. Of the Steelers,

455
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,840
Speaker 2: so three of the top five or playoff teams. So

456
00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,480
Speaker 2: it is something that you can overcome by maybe forcing

457
00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,000
Speaker 2: more third and longs right as opposed to third and mediums.

458
00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,480
Speaker 2: But seventy five plays this season, the Steelers faced third

459
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,720
Speaker 2: and medium situations on those seventy five plays. They allow

460
00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,680
Speaker 2: a first down forty times.

461
00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,000
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a pretty it's them in the Bengals, and

462
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,119
Speaker 3: it's a gap that you get to thirty. Yes, it is.

463
00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,359
Speaker 3: That's why I kind of put it out there because

464
00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,760
Speaker 3: it's stunning. I heard something about that on a show

465
00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:03,640
Speaker 3: I was listening to, and I wanted to double check

466
00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,600
Speaker 3: and see how where the discrepancy is and all those things. Now,

467
00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,120
Speaker 3: I think a huge key to this game, and it's

468
00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,399
Speaker 3: it's a very attainable one is Houston runs the ball.

469
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,600
Speaker 3: It's probably what they do worst of all the things

470
00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,360
Speaker 3: about the Houston Texans the analyzer team top to bottom,

471
00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,920
Speaker 3: big picture items, big bullet points. Their offensive run game

472
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,119
Speaker 3: is their weakest area. There's really no weaknesses on defense.

473
00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,200
Speaker 3: They throw the ball pretty well good on teams, et cetera.

474
00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:36,359
Speaker 3: Well coach team turnovers are great, as we mentioned, but

475
00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,199
Speaker 3: can you get them into third and longs? And I

476
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:44,000
Speaker 3: think that's quite stroud it because they as much as

477
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,720
Speaker 3: they trust Shroud and like them, they don't ask them

478
00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,640
Speaker 3: to throw a super high percentage of the time. They're

479
00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:50,280
Speaker 3: not going to Joe Burrow it and say, throw it

480
00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,560
Speaker 3: fifty times if they can help it. They stay pretty

481
00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,720
Speaker 3: dedicated to the run. It's the defensive minded head coach,

482
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,320
Speaker 3: you know. I mean, they understand the value of time

483
00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,840
Speaker 3: and possession. But I don't think it's all that extreme

484
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,960
Speaker 3: to think you could get deep into the second quarter

485
00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,800
Speaker 3: or into the early in the second half and make

486
00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,560
Speaker 3: them more or less one dimensional, you know, and really

487
00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,800
Speaker 3: keep them if it's yous play run defense like they

488
00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,760
Speaker 3: have lately against a not so good run defense, and

489
00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,879
Speaker 3: your your D lineman have an advantage over their O lineman.

490
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:24,000
Speaker 3: I said this on another show. I bet Houston adds

491
00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,639
Speaker 3: a back at some point, like what he marks is fine.

492
00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,680
Speaker 3: But Mixon was supposed to be the guy they grabbed

493
00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,160
Speaker 3: Chubb off the scrap eep like that's one of their

494
00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,719
Speaker 3: biggest needs. Is just a ball carrier too, and they

495
00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,800
Speaker 3: don't have an early day two pick it. Yeah exactly,

496
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,320
Speaker 3: you know, like a quality young guy to complete the picture.

497
00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,000
Speaker 3: But I think you could make them one dimensional and

498
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:44,760
Speaker 3: get them into third and laws.

499
00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:50,240
Speaker 2: Well, that is the goal, certainly, and you know that

500
00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,399
Speaker 2: needs to be an area where the Steelers excel because

501
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,280
Speaker 2: one of the crazy things that's stuck out the me

502
00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,560
Speaker 2: mat in your in your weekly stats packet. The Houston

503
00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,400
Speaker 2: Texans have won fifteen straight games when they score over

504
00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:02,000
Speaker 2: twenty points.

505
00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:02,920
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's not that much.

506
00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,720
Speaker 2: They get to not twenty four, twenty seven, Yeah, twenty

507
00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 2: plus fifteen straight games.

508
00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 3: They were might not be the best offensive league, but

509
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,359
Speaker 3: getting the twenties not that hard for Shroud and Nico

510
00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:15,640
Speaker 3: And you know right, yeah.

511
00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,359
Speaker 2: Uh, they are eleven to zero this year when they

512
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,680
Speaker 2: score twenty plus points. They're the only team in the

513
00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,680
Speaker 2: NFL without a loss when they put at least twenty

514
00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:24,560
Speaker 2: points on the scoreboard.

515
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:26,800
Speaker 3: Shouldn't be a magic number that low.

516
00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,240
Speaker 2: And they have played in nine games this season where

517
00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,960
Speaker 2: there have been fewer than forty total points scored. Only

518
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,600
Speaker 2: Cleveland has more with eleven.

519
00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,720
Speaker 3: And you'd think the Browns auld legally, of course, they're

520
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,400
Speaker 3: a comparable defense with a garbage.

521
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,640
Speaker 2: They had to win a lot of thirteen to six

522
00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,600
Speaker 2: games the Browns did if they were only path if

523
00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:44,400
Speaker 2: they wanted to win.

524
00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,760
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's very telling. I mean, can you

525
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,000
Speaker 3: can the Steelers keep the Texans to under twenty? It's

526
00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,480
Speaker 3: asking a lot. I mean, that's asking a real sure

527
00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,000
Speaker 3: is yeah, yeah, it sure is. Another thing I found interesting.

528
00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,880
Speaker 3: It's right in that near area. The stat is boy.

529
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,679
Speaker 3: I mean, I made a couple of comments throughout the

530
00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:06,440
Speaker 3: course of the year. It's like, I feel like every

531
00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,720
Speaker 3: week when we're picking Texans games, they played a great team,

532
00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:11,399
Speaker 3: and they played a great team the week before and

533
00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,879
Speaker 3: played the great team before that. And we all know

534
00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,760
Speaker 3: they started zero three and that they're on a nine

535
00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,720
Speaker 3: game winning streak. Now they ended up with five losses.

536
00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,040
Speaker 3: Four of the five teams that they lost to won

537
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,439
Speaker 3: twelve or more games. I mean, they're like the best

538
00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,480
Speaker 3: teams in the league is who you lost to. I mean,

539
00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,520
Speaker 3: like they're just going through their schedule. It's like they've

540
00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,879
Speaker 3: ever had an easy game, and they won way more

541
00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:34,840
Speaker 3: than they lost, and the ones they lost were against

542
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:35,800
Speaker 3: big time teams.

543
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,600
Speaker 2: They had one of those very difficult first place schedules.

544
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,160
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think I told you, I think they're

545
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,120
Speaker 3: third or fourth in Dboa. I believe, all right, there's

546
00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:45,560
Speaker 3: a lot of that who you played.

547
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,320
Speaker 2: And completely completely believe it.

548
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:48,200
Speaker 3: Yeah, Matt.

549
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,359
Speaker 2: An area where the Texans really excel, an area that

550
00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,960
Speaker 2: they've had success all year is time of possession. Yes,

551
00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,119
Speaker 2: they have the fourth highest on average in the NFL.

552
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,040
Speaker 2: Only Bills, Chargers and Bucks with a better t op

553
00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,600
Speaker 2: than Houston, and they're not a great running team. And

554
00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:08,320
Speaker 2: they're also fourth in time of possession in the league

555
00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,080
Speaker 2: in road games. So it's not just it's not just

556
00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,399
Speaker 2: a home split thing. It's something that they do on

557
00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,440
Speaker 2: the road. Matt, we know you and I almost talked

558
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,879
Speaker 2: about this at nauseum. We almost beat this horse to

559
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,720
Speaker 2: death talking about Steelers and their struggles and time of

560
00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:27,800
Speaker 2: possession and play differential until what about late November.

561
00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,240
Speaker 3: Last five weeks or so, late November.

562
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 2: So let's start here before we get into the ebb

563
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,639
Speaker 2: and flow between the Steelers in this regard and how

564
00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,080
Speaker 2: important it is one of the You and I go

565
00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:41,800
Speaker 2: back and forth sometimes about the things that you and

566
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,600
Speaker 2: Dale used to joke about, the things that Motes and

567
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,399
Speaker 2: I used to used to joke about. A Arthur mozism,

568
00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:48,960
Speaker 2: yea was. I always want to hear your praise be

569
00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,560
Speaker 2: as loud as your criticism. You know, if you were

570
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,479
Speaker 2: crushing Joey Porter Junior for two years, make sure you're

571
00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:55,480
Speaker 2: singing his praise is now.

572
00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,359
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, like when they when they deserve it.

573
00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:00,840
Speaker 2: We're so quick and vocal to size people but then

574
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:02,920
Speaker 2: we don't keep that same energy whenever it's time to

575
00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:03,840
Speaker 2: give them credit.

576
00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:05,200
Speaker 3: Right, And that's unfair.

577
00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,360
Speaker 2: That is unfair. I understand it sells, right, That's that's

578
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:12,160
Speaker 2: our business. That's everybody's business. That's the media, news whatever.

579
00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:12,760
Speaker 3: In general.

580
00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,080
Speaker 2: There's a reason that the third grader selling girl Scout

581
00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,640
Speaker 2: cookies doesn't lead off the local newscast and raising money

582
00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,640
Speaker 2: for her local charity. It's the person, you know, who

583
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,359
Speaker 2: got shot or ran over or whatever. If it leads,

584
00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,320
Speaker 2: it bleeds, that's a or if it bleeds, it leads,

585
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,320
Speaker 2: that's like the that's the you know, that's the kind

586
00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,439
Speaker 2: of prevailing logic in the news world. Let's give the

587
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:35,760
Speaker 2: Steelers some credit.

588
00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,040
Speaker 3: And credit and really, yeah, I.

589
00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,320
Speaker 2: Want to know you're your who? What, when, where?

590
00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:41,200
Speaker 3: Or why? And how?

591
00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,359
Speaker 2: How are the Steelers able to flip their time of

592
00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,960
Speaker 2: possession over these last five ish games into what was

593
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:48,760
Speaker 2: such a weight around.

594
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,119
Speaker 3: Their neck, oh so brutal before and to.

595
00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,000
Speaker 2: What's now become a bit of an advantage lately.

596
00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:57,359
Speaker 3: Yeah, and they've been against good running teams too, you know, Baltimore, Miami,

597
00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,720
Speaker 3: et cetera. You know, but I think more of than

598
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:01,919
Speaker 3: I remember when we were talking about going to the

599
00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,240
Speaker 3: doctor and fix your time possession. The doctor said, here's

600
00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,679
Speaker 3: a script for running the football more. Well, they don't.

601
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,680
Speaker 3: I mean, it's still not a high percentage run offense,

602
00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,399
Speaker 3: despite being quite good at it. And that's still a

603
00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:16,280
Speaker 3: criticism I have. They're almost two different related things. But

604
00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:18,639
Speaker 3: I do think they throw the ball a higher percentage

605
00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,360
Speaker 3: than I would like, and they can get away from

606
00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,040
Speaker 3: their run game, and I'm starting to think it's a

607
00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,479
Speaker 3: Rogers thing, you know, and him throwing the ball as

608
00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:26,800
Speaker 3: once as he did against Baltimore was highly effective. So

609
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,080
Speaker 3: there's many ways of skin a cat. But I do

610
00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,439
Speaker 3: think that they are a high end or definitely a

611
00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,080
Speaker 3: well above average running game. I mean they're fifth and

612
00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,360
Speaker 3: success right, fifth and epa. I mean stuff I care

613
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,120
Speaker 3: about in the running game. So they're good at it,

614
00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,440
Speaker 3: and they've been. It's probably the best they've been running

615
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,080
Speaker 3: the ball. But the biggest key is their run defense.

616
00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:48,120
Speaker 3: It's been way better. I think their third down defense

617
00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,480
Speaker 3: has been way better. Yeah, I mean they're getting off

618
00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,400
Speaker 3: the field. It's not like they have a million turnovers

619
00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,440
Speaker 3: you know lately. I mean it's fair amounts, I mean,

620
00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:58,880
Speaker 3: but it's not inordinate like boy, this is just a fly.

621
00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,560
Speaker 2: Defense is forcing or four turnovers.

622
00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,520
Speaker 3: Yeah, which can be fluky, as we know. I mean,

623
00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,560
Speaker 3: this is better. It's like you're more fundamentally sound. You're

624
00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,240
Speaker 3: tackling the better. Harmon's in there. We know what his

625
00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,440
Speaker 3: splits are with the run game, you know. So it's

626
00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,320
Speaker 3: it's a multitude of things. But boy, part of me

627
00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,360
Speaker 3: thinks they're lucky that they escaped with their lives were

628
00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,320
Speaker 3: as bad as they were, you know, like because the

629
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,560
Speaker 3: problem with losing time, possession and that play differential things

630
00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,400
Speaker 3: so much, it almost always snowballs. Rarely does it go

631
00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,000
Speaker 3: this direction. We get better, we saw it.

632
00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you're talking in terms of an entire season.

633
00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,280
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, like when we're in week twelve and your

634
00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,000
Speaker 3: last still Usually it doesn't turn around and get good

635
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:38,840
Speaker 3: at it all of a sudden, usually teaching old dog

636
00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,360
Speaker 3: new tricks. Yeah. Usually the guys have been on a field,

637
00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,120
Speaker 3: Cam Hayward, Watt Ramsey, they all get hurt, and it

638
00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:45,880
Speaker 3: gets worse, and you put worse guys out there and

639
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,320
Speaker 3: they get hurt and you know, because they're out there

640
00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,800
Speaker 3: too much, you know, But to turn it around pretty impressive.

641
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,480
Speaker 2: It's it's very impressive, and I think you have seen

642
00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:55,520
Speaker 2: the proof of the pudding massively.

643
00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,200
Speaker 3: I mean, Cam fresher late in the games and.

644
00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,720
Speaker 2: Right especially the guys in the trenches on that defensive

645
00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,800
Speaker 2: side of the football, the Cam Haywards and the Keanu

646
00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:06,320
Speaker 2: Bentons and even guys like Patrick Queen. They just look

647
00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:11,040
Speaker 2: fresher and more physical and more of them more energized

648
00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:12,840
Speaker 2: in the fourth quarter. And that's been massive.

649
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,440
Speaker 3: That's been massive, massive. Yeah, it's definitely. I think it's

650
00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,640
Speaker 3: real too. You know, it's not like you played one

651
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,440
Speaker 3: team that just scored quick on yet you know, yeah, yeah,

652
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,280
Speaker 3: it's a nice body of work against quality teams. Matt.

653
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,280
Speaker 2: One thing that was almost a massive detriment to the

654
00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,480
Speaker 2: Steelers on Sunday night. There would have been a lot

655
00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,520
Speaker 2: that we would discuss differently this week if the Steelers,

656
00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:34,680
Speaker 2: if that Tyler Looke forty four yard field goal is

657
00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,479
Speaker 2: true and the Ravens get to celebrate and get their

658
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,080
Speaker 2: hats and T shirts at Akershuer Stadium. Thrown up a

659
00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,920
Speaker 2: little bit in my mouth thinking about that, and you know,

660
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,400
Speaker 2: you and I were eulogizing and putting a bow on

661
00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,520
Speaker 2: this thing. I think one thing we would have really

662
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,640
Speaker 2: talked about, maybe not right away on Monday, but eventually

663
00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,880
Speaker 2: was how the Steelers struggled with field position. The Ravens

664
00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,479
Speaker 2: really accelerate. Ravens were better in the punt game. Ravens

665
00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:59,400
Speaker 2: got that big return at the end that set them

666
00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,360
Speaker 2: up to be in position to kick that field goal.

667
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:05,760
Speaker 2: Both of these teams on the whole seventeen games sample

668
00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,840
Speaker 2: size now excel in that department they do. The Houston

669
00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:11,800
Speaker 2: Texans defense starts with the league's best starting field position

670
00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,480
Speaker 2: on average the opponent's twenty seven and a half yard line.

671
00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:16,280
Speaker 3: That's really good, really good.

672
00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,840
Speaker 2: Steelers defense not even a yard behind them, the second

673
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,960
Speaker 2: best defense in the NFL at twenty eight point three

674
00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,080
Speaker 2: average starting field position for the Steelers defense Matt that

675
00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:28,720
Speaker 2: looms large for Monday night.

676
00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:30,480
Speaker 3: Once again, we saw it. I don't think this could

677
00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:32,560
Speaker 3: be a back and forth, super high scoring game. Field

678
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:33,640
Speaker 3: position could be huge.

679
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,440
Speaker 2: We saw it almost cost the Steelers Sunday night against

680
00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,720
Speaker 2: the Ravens. You better, you better be on your details.

681
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,800
Speaker 2: You better not let this be a detriment Monday night.

682
00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,800
Speaker 3: Now, something that's huge in terms of average starting field

683
00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,880
Speaker 3: position is takeaways. And if I turn you over to

684
00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,080
Speaker 3: fifty yard line, I get the ball to fifty. I mean,

685
00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,760
Speaker 3: that goes a long way because the Steelers, and I

686
00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:55,560
Speaker 3: think they'll need to look at this in the offseason.

687
00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:58,640
Speaker 3: Their kickoff return team hasn't been particularly good, isn't here

688
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,040
Speaker 3: in a league? Were now all of a sudden with

689
00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:06,520
Speaker 3: the second rule change of the dynamic kickoff, it's more important,

690
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:10,840
Speaker 3: and I think that'll be a somewhat offseason goal when

691
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,160
Speaker 3: getting Killer Brew back and some of their core special

692
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:14,880
Speaker 3: teamers will help too, But they might want to get

693
00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,040
Speaker 3: a true returner as opposed to your running backs that

694
00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,120
Speaker 3: are fine at it, but they're not dynamic, you know

695
00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,760
Speaker 3: what I mean. But a lot of that goes back

696
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,400
Speaker 3: to your original point of turnovers, you know, and it's

697
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,720
Speaker 3: just going to be a field position game. Houston's very

698
00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:32,800
Speaker 3: good on special teams. I mean, if Boswell is a

699
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,760
Speaker 3: great kicker, we know that. I know that the last

700
00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:37,440
Speaker 3: three weeks there's a couple of balls that didn't go

701
00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,360
Speaker 3: between the uprights like always, But still I have the

702
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,640
Speaker 3: extreme faith in him. I was not many kickers I

703
00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:43,760
Speaker 3: trade him with, Yes.

704
00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,600
Speaker 2: If he's If he's not the nailed on elite number

705
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,840
Speaker 2: one in the NFL, he's still top five or something right.

706
00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,120
Speaker 3: Like, he's fine, don't worry. And I even tweeted something

707
00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,120
Speaker 3: out about kickers today about him right, which the Next

708
00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:58,760
Speaker 3: Gen put out and basically saying he's still awesome.

709
00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:01,440
Speaker 2: He's still out kicking his expectations for the year.

710
00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:05,920
Speaker 3: A ton way over average. Yes, yeah, but they're some

711
00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,000
Speaker 3: of it's weather related. They're they're kicking game and Stroud

712
00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:15,400
Speaker 3: definitely benefits from being Houston Southern not dealing with weather shrouds.

713
00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,680
Speaker 3: Splits are a little much worse outside at Dome, but

714
00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:21,160
Speaker 3: they have the most field goals in the league. I

715
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,520
Speaker 3: mean fair Baron has been really really good and on

716
00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,560
Speaker 3: special teams in general, they've been well above average. So

717
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:29,720
Speaker 3: that's in a really important phase in this game because again,

718
00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,480
Speaker 3: and if it's a race to twenty, because twenty they win.

719
00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,120
Speaker 3: Special teams is important team very Yeah, you can't be

720
00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:38,200
Speaker 3: missing kicks or you.

721
00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,520
Speaker 2: Know, exactly right, and that's not just kicks and punts

722
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,840
Speaker 2: and field position a big part of that equation as well. Finally,

723
00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:47,000
Speaker 2: of course, everybody knows the Steelers have won twenty three

724
00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,080
Speaker 2: straight games at home on Monday Night football. Mike Tomlin

725
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,320
Speaker 2: twenty two of those twenty three the last one was

726
00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,240
Speaker 2: Bill Cower and then coach t has had the twenty two.

727
00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:58,920
Speaker 2: Mike Tomlin is twenty two and three in his career

728
00:33:58,960 --> 00:33:59,760
Speaker 2: on Monday Night Football.

729
00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:03,800
Speaker 3: Three it doesn't matter. Yeah, that's nuts to pretty nuts too.

730
00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:05,880
Speaker 3: Only lose three out of twenty five on the road.

731
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,560
Speaker 2: And actually I got that backwards. The twenty three is

732
00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,320
Speaker 2: not twenty two Mike Tomlin because he's won some of

733
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:13,560
Speaker 2: those on the road. Yeah, the Steelers have won twenty

734
00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:15,840
Speaker 2: three straight at home on Monday Night football. Mike Tomlin

735
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,560
Speaker 2: is twenty two and three on Monday Night Football in general,

736
00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:20,799
Speaker 2: all three of those losses coming on the road.

737
00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:23,920
Speaker 3: Tomlin's never lost at home, never lost at home on

738
00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:25,839
Speaker 3: Monday Night. So that goes back to knowl I said

739
00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,359
Speaker 3: that I was a senior libo whenever they lost at

740
00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:29,320
Speaker 3: home last Yeah.

741
00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,080
Speaker 2: I told you it was October of ninety one, the

742
00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,080
Speaker 2: last time the Steelers lost at home on Monday Night Football.

743
00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:34,160
Speaker 3: I was born in February of.

744
00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,839
Speaker 2: Ninety one, right, Well, young Wesley couldn't even walk yet.

745
00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:40,880
Speaker 2: Houston owens six on the road in the playoffs and

746
00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:44,319
Speaker 2: franchise history. And we also know, obviously the Steelers have

747
00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:47,319
Speaker 2: lost six straight playoff games. I believe it is in

748
00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,879
Speaker 2: the last eight years, and so Matt, something's got to give.

749
00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,399
Speaker 3: I say, some streaks getting broken, some streaks getting broke.

750
00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,200
Speaker 3: Pretty impressive streak is getting broken.

751
00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's why I had there is. There is a

752
00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,920
Speaker 2: ton of fun story lines going into this one.

753
00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,200
Speaker 3: And this isn't as long as streak by any stretch.

754
00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:10,040
Speaker 3: But I do think it's impressive that Stroud and their

755
00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,560
Speaker 3: head coach Ryan's have been together.

756
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,800
Speaker 2: Now three years, won the division every year.

757
00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:19,160
Speaker 3: And they've gone the division a round every year. I mean,

758
00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,440
Speaker 3: at a minimum, they've played next week.

759
00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:23,520
Speaker 2: They won the division the last two years and then

760
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:24,480
Speaker 2: wild card this year.

761
00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,160
Speaker 3: I mean, peoplen't look at them like the Bills and

762
00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,279
Speaker 3: Chiefs and Jags, or even like the Bucks that win

763
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,560
Speaker 3: their division every year. But if they lose on Monday Night,

764
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,800
Speaker 3: that's a bad year for that pair, which is pretty amazing.

765
00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:39,160
Speaker 3: They have their quality organization.

766
00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:43,560
Speaker 2: Man, never won a playoff game in franchise history that

767
00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:45,000
Speaker 2: hasn't been played on a Saturday.

768
00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:48,520
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's crazy. I think every one of their playoff

769
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:51,120
Speaker 3: games has been the early four thirty slot on Saturday,

770
00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,200
Speaker 3: except for this one. Because they're not a big draw

771
00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:54,520
Speaker 3: exactly right, exactly.

772
00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,600
Speaker 2: They always they always, they always get that home Saturday

773
00:35:57,640 --> 00:35:59,320
Speaker 2: game when they win the division, and most of the

774
00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,200
Speaker 2: time they've on it, they're like six and two in

775
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,040
Speaker 2: those games, and then they're like Zho and six when

776
00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:04,680
Speaker 2: they have to go on.

777
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:08,239
Speaker 3: The roads and JJ Watt and yeah, they always get

778
00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:09,160
Speaker 3: that early spot.

779
00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:11,879
Speaker 2: But they are they are certainly a franchise that has

780
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,319
Speaker 2: been here plenty lately, much like the Steelers looking to

781
00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,319
Speaker 2: really kind of break through and get to another level.

782
00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,600
Speaker 2: And yet a whole bunch of different streaks and records

783
00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:21,879
Speaker 2: and numbers on the line.

784
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:23,560
Speaker 3: Monday Night. We'll get more and more.

785
00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,640
Speaker 2: Into stats and matchups as we roll along today and tomorrow.

786
00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:28,719
Speaker 2: But when we come back, we'll close down the first

787
00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:31,160
Speaker 2: hour of the show with the Dean Doom, the lord

788
00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:32,360
Speaker 2: of living in his Fears, the.

789
00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,440
Speaker 3: Great Steelers historian Bob Labriola.

790
00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,520
Speaker 2: We've gone a couple weeks without talking to Labs due

791
00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,000
Speaker 2: to these holidays being on Thursdays. We'll catch up with

792
00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,320
Speaker 2: our buddy when we return. On the other side, was

793
00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,879
Speaker 2: Shuler Matt Williamson. It is the Drive on Steelers Nation

794
00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:45,920
Speaker 2: Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

795
00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:48,960
Speaker 1: Your two weeks about Drive on your twenty four to

796
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:52,240
Speaker 1: seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

797
00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,160
Speaker 2: Back on the drive here, closing down the first hour,

798
00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,200
Speaker 2: We're gonna audible at the line of scrimmage, much like

799
00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:10,920
Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers. Right, We're gonna check into a different segment here.

800
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:16,000
Speaker 2: We're gonna talk to labs about ten minutes from now. Yeah,

801
00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:18,360
Speaker 2: just run out in the flat, just run and go

802
00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:22,080
Speaker 2: right now and then make a miraculous catch. Uh So

803
00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:23,960
Speaker 2: we'll talk to labs here in just a few minutes.

804
00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:27,759
Speaker 2: But with that actually good timing. We have the Steelers

805
00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,960
Speaker 2: practice report from Thursday today, which, remember, is kind of

806
00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:37,360
Speaker 2: like a normal Wednesday report. Behind this obviously means something,

807
00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:39,080
Speaker 2: but don't it's not the end all be all.

808
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,360
Speaker 3: It's not a typical Thursday.

809
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:44,239
Speaker 2: It's the first one of the week and mostly much

810
00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:46,560
Speaker 2: like we heard from Mike Tomlin on his Tuesday press conference,

811
00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,320
Speaker 2: mostly good news. The only concerning thing. Hey boys, Hey TV,

812
00:37:52,239 --> 00:38:00,480
Speaker 2: something's going, Ryan Jalen Warren misspractice with illness. Something's something's going.

813
00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:03,120
Speaker 2: Don't be touching any door knobs, all right.

814
00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:05,759
Speaker 3: I said. We're out there today though, don't be shaded. Yeah,

815
00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:06,480
Speaker 3: it's really good.

816
00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:10,399
Speaker 2: Drink fluidal I washed my car before the show today.

817
00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:12,480
Speaker 2: I was like, I gotta get all this brime and

818
00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:13,200
Speaker 2: everything off.

819
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,200
Speaker 3: Their backup camera. I can't even see.

820
00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:19,800
Speaker 2: I was taking the girls of the daycare this morning

821
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,040
Speaker 2: and I couldn't even say, I'm a backup cam and

822
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:23,480
Speaker 2: this's gonna be sunny this afternoon.

823
00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:24,759
Speaker 3: I got a little bit of time. I'm not as

824
00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:26,880
Speaker 3: a year old enough, but like, my kids can't operate

825
00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,840
Speaker 3: without a backup camera, Like they can't do this really.

826
00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:33,160
Speaker 3: I mean, there seeven I still do this. I don't now,

827
00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:35,440
Speaker 3: but I mean I could get out of my driveway

828
00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,080
Speaker 3: without a backup cam. I did for years. I've told

829
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:38,560
Speaker 3: you this before.

830
00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:40,200
Speaker 2: I was kind of right on that line of like

831
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:42,640
Speaker 2: not really growing up with a cell phone. Yeah, because

832
00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:44,480
Speaker 2: I got one when I was like sixteen or seventeen,

833
00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:46,000
Speaker 2: but it was a little I didn't have a smartphone

834
00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,560
Speaker 2: until I was twenty one years old and almost a

835
00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:51,320
Speaker 2: senior in college, so like I never had the Internet

836
00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:54,399
Speaker 2: in my pocket. And yeah, my parents didn't get their

837
00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:56,960
Speaker 2: first car with a backup cam until I was like

838
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:58,120
Speaker 2: eighteen or nineteen.

839
00:38:57,920 --> 00:38:59,720
Speaker 3: Oh and it was like a luxury, so I'd already

840
00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,040
Speaker 3: even felt like I used it. I didn't trust it

841
00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:04,480
Speaker 3: because I had driven for so long before. I'm like,

842
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:06,080
Speaker 3: this thing is just gonna smashed me into a pool.

843
00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:06,799
Speaker 3: I don't trust it.

844
00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:08,640
Speaker 2: And I think I was kind of raised by wolves

845
00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,680
Speaker 2: in that regard. My mom had a massive Toyota minivan

846
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,360
Speaker 2: and my dad had an suv, so both my parents

847
00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:16,719
Speaker 2: had big so I had to learn how to do

848
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,520
Speaker 2: all the parallel parking and all that with no backup cam. Yeah,

849
00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:21,760
Speaker 2: and it's not like my parents were driving a Honda

850
00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,920
Speaker 2: Civic or like a car, like. They both had big

851
00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:28,480
Speaker 2: boats that they drove minivan and suv. So I felt like,

852
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:30,200
Speaker 2: you know, that was kind of my baptism by five,

853
00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:32,319
Speaker 2: and I was. I was pretty good after that.

854
00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:36,000
Speaker 3: But it is nice. It's nice to obviously, but it's

855
00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:38,399
Speaker 3: funny like the generational things like my kids have never

856
00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,359
Speaker 3: looked over their shoulder. Yeah, they trusted as they should.

857
00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:43,839
Speaker 2: Their idea of going somewhere new without GPS on their

858
00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,120
Speaker 2: phone probably proper blows their minds.

859
00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:48,279
Speaker 3: Ah man, I mean big time.

860
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:49,920
Speaker 2: I know I've told you this story before, but I

861
00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:51,520
Speaker 2: look back on it. Me and my buddies one time

862
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:54,040
Speaker 2: went to a Pen's Red Wing Stanley Cup game in

863
00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:58,000
Speaker 2: Detroit our senior year of high school. No GPS, like

864
00:39:58,040 --> 00:39:59,600
Speaker 2: we just we just got in the car and drove

865
00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:00,200
Speaker 2: the det He.

866
00:40:00,239 --> 00:40:00,879
Speaker 3: Did that all the time.

867
00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,840
Speaker 2: I couldn't imagine doing that now, like when those directions

868
00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:07,640
Speaker 2: know nothing, But when you're seventeen, it sounds like the

869
00:40:07,640 --> 00:40:08,239
Speaker 2: best idea ever.

870
00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:09,879
Speaker 3: Who I'm gonna throw one of my best buds under

871
00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:11,560
Speaker 3: the bus. And he actually listens to the show a

872
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:16,319
Speaker 3: lot too. But he plays paddle tennis very competitively. No

873
00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:19,480
Speaker 3: addle tennis, like with a cage on it. I'll tell

874
00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,720
Speaker 3: you more about it. But he's one of the best

875
00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:24,600
Speaker 3: in PA, even at our age. I mean, you know,

876
00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:27,160
Speaker 3: he's for his advanced age, plays with a lot of

877
00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:30,200
Speaker 3: people that are younger. It's getting super popular. His partner,

878
00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:32,920
Speaker 3: I think was like fifteen years young, probably like you

879
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,440
Speaker 3: and me. Sure they were like the paddle tennis partners.

880
00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:38,640
Speaker 3: And they've traveled to like Cleveland for tournaments or Detroit

881
00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:41,600
Speaker 3: for tournaments. Blah blah blah. It's probably ten years ago.

882
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,839
Speaker 3: It's probably longer. He'll probably text me and be like, dude,

883
00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:45,879
Speaker 3: it wasn't that long ago. It was longer than that.

884
00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:48,719
Speaker 3: But his buddy, the young dude comes and picks him

885
00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:51,600
Speaker 3: up and my man goes running out. I printed off

886
00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:55,360
Speaker 3: directions I printed after kid just takes it. You know.

887
00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,160
Speaker 3: That was the thing we did a lot of that.

888
00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:01,680
Speaker 3: Oh map covers was big man right let alone. My

889
00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:03,680
Speaker 3: parents did like get go to Triple A and get

890
00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:05,839
Speaker 3: the highlighter out on the map. You know we're going

891
00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:07,440
Speaker 3: to Ohio out.

892
00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:09,120
Speaker 2: I remember doing that with my grandpa when we would

893
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,960
Speaker 2: take family vacations like the Carolinas and Florida and yeah,

894
00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:13,480
Speaker 2: we'd have to go to Triple A and get the

895
00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:15,440
Speaker 2: atlas and plot it all out.

896
00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:18,040
Speaker 3: You might want to get on seventy nine here, you.

897
00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:22,640
Speaker 2: Know, Steelers Thursday report. Those are good times from a

898
00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:25,800
Speaker 2: different time. Like I said, pretty much good news, except

899
00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:28,200
Speaker 2: for is that time of year. Something's going around. It's

900
00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:30,840
Speaker 2: only Thursday. Jalen Warren with an illness. Hopefully that's just

901
00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:32,600
Speaker 2: go rest, abundance of precaution.

902
00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:34,040
Speaker 3: This is a good day to get sick. It's a

903
00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:34,480
Speaker 3: good day.

904
00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:36,759
Speaker 2: It's a good day to miss one with illness if

905
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:40,120
Speaker 2: you're going to CAM was given a limited practice rest

906
00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:43,680
Speaker 2: day perfect. Other than that, everyone full participant TJ full

907
00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,960
Speaker 2: participant with the lung, Christian Kuon's full participant with the knee,

908
00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,040
Speaker 2: Ben Schronic full participant with the hand, Aaron Rodgers, full

909
00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:51,120
Speaker 2: participant with that wrist.

910
00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:51,640
Speaker 3: That's it.

911
00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:52,560
Speaker 2: That's your injury report.

912
00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:55,920
Speaker 3: I mean you'll take that all day long, let alone

913
00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:59,239
Speaker 3: coming off a Ravens game. That's a great point. Yeah.

914
00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,799
Speaker 2: Physical, knock down, drag out slugfest like that.

915
00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:07,000
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, usually you have more bumps and bruises after

916
00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:07,560
Speaker 3: the Birdies.

917
00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:11,239
Speaker 2: Yes, And I have not seen anything yet from the Texans.

918
00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:14,040
Speaker 3: They are different. There's a couple paying attention to the

919
00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:15,920
Speaker 3: different different time zones.

920
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:18,440
Speaker 2: They are a little a little behind us in that regard,

921
00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:21,840
Speaker 2: so maybe we'll get something for them. But good news

922
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,680
Speaker 2: for the Steelers today, only Jalen Warren and miss practice

923
00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:27,200
Speaker 2: and that was with an illness, not an injury. Hopefully,

924
00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:30,480
Speaker 2: just abundance of precaution, keep them away from everybody, give

925
00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:32,840
Speaker 2: them an extra day to to you know, hydrate and

926
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:36,160
Speaker 2: rest up and all those things. And uh and yeah,

927
00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:38,520
Speaker 2: and and and full speed ahead for a big one

928
00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:41,600
Speaker 2: on Monday night. We're going to uh say goodbye to

929
00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:43,799
Speaker 2: the first hour, start the second hour. We'll have Bob

930
00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,319
Speaker 2: Labriola when we return for hour number two. We're also

931
00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:49,760
Speaker 2: going to rank all the defenses across wild card weekend

932
00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:50,919
Speaker 2: in National Football League.

933
00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:57,440
Speaker 3: I love it Brandon Thorne put out his line ranks

934
00:42:57,440 --> 00:42:58,160
Speaker 3: for the playoff team.

935
00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:00,520
Speaker 2: Love me some Brandon Thorn. I we also have some

936
00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:05,000
Speaker 2: DK Metcalf. Holy cow. Has this guy been impressive in

937
00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,160
Speaker 2: the playoffs and his career numbers that I want to

938
00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:07,600
Speaker 2: run by?

939
00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:07,879
Speaker 3: Matt.

940
00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:11,400
Speaker 2: Yeah, we've got college football playoff thoughts to give before tonight,

941
00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:13,319
Speaker 2: A whole bunch to get to an hour number two,

942
00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:15,359
Speaker 2: So stay with us on your twenty four to seven

943
00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:17,319
Speaker 2: home of the Black and Gold. It's Steelers Nation Radio

944
00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:18,800
Speaker 2: on the Steelers Audio Network.