1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers' 4 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: audio network. Here on a Monday, West Yeuler Matt Williamson 5 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 2: with you for the next two hours. In Matt, I 6 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: think quite a stark difference from how we were feeling 7 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 2: last Monday as the Steelers fall thirty one seventeen to 8 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 2: Seattle in the home opener, and I just the whole 9 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: way driving in here and everything, I'm thinking, like, how 10 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 2: do we start this? How do we just? Yes, I 11 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 2: think it's it's just a disappointing effort, all three phases 12 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 2: of the ball, from the offense, from the defense, from 13 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: the special teams. And I know we'll talk about Caleb 14 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: Johnson and that gaff and a lot of people want 15 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: to pin it on that, and that was certainly a 16 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 2: huge moment. But I thought, from from top to bottom 17 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: of the roster, from top to bottom of the coaching staff, 18 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: just just a disappointing Sunday afternoon, a disappointing home opener 19 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 2: against Seattle. 20 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know you mentioned a much different feeling 21 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 3: than last Monday, and it is but what we saw 22 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 3: in the field wasn't all that much different. It's a 23 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 3: fair and that's how this league is. Well, that's how 24 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 3: the Steelers are playing right now, and unfortunately over the 25 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 3: last couple of years, there is a fine line of Man, 26 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 3: if you're not winning down to down consistently, you know, 27 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 3: if your success rate isn't high on both sides of 28 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,559 Speaker 3: the ball, winning this down, not huge plays and being 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 3: reliant on bozers, watt sacks, interception, splash splash, which they're 30 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 3: really good at it, and there's an arc to that that, 31 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 3: you know, but if the splash doesn't go your way 32 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 3: and it didn't go their way with two huge plays, 33 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 3: the end zone interception, which at least is three points 34 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 3: and was a weird play. It wasn't like Rogers hit 35 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: someone of the numbers and just didn't see them, you 36 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 3: know what I mean, Like that was a football play 37 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 3: at least, but it was bad and it was kind 38 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 3: of bad luck, and you know. 39 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: It was everything you didn't need, right. 40 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 3: You didn't need when you were going pretty good at 41 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 3: that point too. I mean, the play before that I 42 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 3: would have bet the Steelers would win that game. 43 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 2: Is that the Jalen Warren big play, and. 44 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 3: They were moving in their momentum, and yeah, exactly are 45 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 3: you mean in general? In general? At that moment, I'm like, 46 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 3: if I had to bet on one of these two 47 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 3: teams to win right now, I'll take the Black and 48 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 3: Gold with how this is going. And then obviously the 49 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 3: Caleb Johnson play, you handed them seven points. I mean, 50 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 3: it wasn't even like they did something to make it happen, 51 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: or this defensive back tipped the ball and made a 52 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: good play, or this guy ran a wrong route. I mean, 53 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 3: you just took gate. Here's seven points. Do you want 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 3: it or not? Yes, here, you take it. Now. This 55 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 3: game and this season is much worse or worrisome than 56 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 3: those two plays I referenced. But when the big plays 57 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 3: go their way and you're not winning at the lines 58 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: of scrimmage, particularly both running games, then you have a 59 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: very little chance, you know what I mean. You know, 60 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 3: at least in the Jets game, you hit the sixty 61 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 3: yard or game Bill makes a play. 62 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: Okay, you got you got the special teams game. 63 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 3: You got the exactly exactly, and then you end up 64 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 3: with a win in the game. Maybe you weren't the 65 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 3: best team down to down, but you were the best 66 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 3: team in the end because you got the big plays 67 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 3: this game. I didn't think you were the best team 68 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 3: down to down and you didn't get the They got 69 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 3: the big plays at the end. And that's where you're 70 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 3: living right now. That's razors edge. 71 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: That's how you end up losing by two scores. And man, 72 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: you are like, you are so right. And we talk 73 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: about this when we do our NFL pick and we 74 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: go through the spreads of the games every Friday, like 75 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: we do. You see how infrequently those spreads are more 76 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: than a touchdown, more than one score, because that's life 77 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: in the National Football League. Motes used to I never 78 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 2: forget this. Like twenty nineteen, I think it was the 79 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: second year that Arthur Mots and I were doing a 80 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: show together. I remember I made a comment about like 81 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: I expect them to lose. We were talking about some 82 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 2: game and I was like, I expect them to lose, 83 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 2: but I don't expect them to get blown out. And 84 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: he goes, what's getting blown out in the NFL to you? 85 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 3: And I was like, that's interesting. 86 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 2: I was like, I think two touchdowns are more I 87 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 2: would say, is getting blown out? And he kind of 88 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: gave me a look, and I was like, well, what 89 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,679 Speaker 2: you tell me. You're the one who played a decade 90 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: in the league. You tell me, And he said, he said, 91 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: anything more than a possession is getting blown out in 92 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 2: the NFL, Like if you lose by more than seven, 93 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 2: that was not a close game like they you know, 94 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 2: and the term blowout is it would depends how you define. 95 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: Some people might say that's getting embarrassed. But from NFL standards, 96 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: when you look at the spreads, when you look at Vegas, 97 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: when you look at the average game the league, they're 98 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: one possession games higher, high percentage of the time. 99 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 3: So the Steelers are the best in the league. Are 100 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 3: great at winning those, absolutely, and there's an art to that. 101 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 3: I used to think it was random. I don't think 102 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 3: that at all anymore. 103 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 2: No quarterback play. 104 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that kind of stuff goes a long way. 105 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 3: One thing I'll fight MoES on and he's not wrong. 106 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 3: But there are games like I dominate the whole time 107 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: and then against a pre event you score and we 108 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 3: end up losing by nine. But I could have but 109 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 3: it was. 110 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: But it was a three point game the whole There's nuance, Yeah, 111 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 2: there's nuance in there. 112 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 3: But I hear what he's saying. For sure, it's not 113 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 3: rarely you to see a team resting their starters in 114 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 3: the fourth quarter or like yesterday, Trubisky's in at the 115 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 3: end of the game. 116 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: It's not It's not Ohio State against Active right exactly. Yeah, So, 117 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 2: when you have a game that was going to be 118 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 2: that tight, the seven points that you hand him on 119 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: special teams like you. 120 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 4: Mentioned, gigantic, it's a gift, particularly when the second biggest 121 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 4: moment of the game was probably that interception in the 122 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 4: end zone, the kind of miscommunication there with Calvin Austin. 123 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: As you mentioned, it was probably at least going to 124 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: be a field goal for the Steelers ten point swing 125 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: right there. Even if you're at home against a bad 126 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 2: team that's tough to overcome. Maybe you can do it 127 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: against Carolina, may but a team like Seattle, maybe Philly. 128 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 3: Can do it against Carolina. 129 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 2: Maybe Buffalo right against Carolina. 130 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 3: On this team can do against anybody, and most teams can't. 131 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 2: It's a tough way to live. And then, as you mentioned, 132 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: when a lot of the concerns and that's the biggest 133 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: picture thing for me. 134 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 3: Super quick, those two players don't even bother me that much. 135 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 3: They're horrible, especially the Johnson one is horrible. 136 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 2: It's inexcusable. 137 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 3: But that's not gonna happen again. Losing the line of 138 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 3: scrimmage has happened twice in a row on both sides 139 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: of the ball, and might happen fifteen more times right 140 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 3: right right through. 141 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: One hundred and twenty minutes of football. 142 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 3: I got a spreadsheet for you, by the way, but 143 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 3: I'm saving that for demorrows. We got too much talk 144 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 3: about today. 145 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 2: I can't I can't wait. I can't wait. That is 146 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: man like you you are. That's that's what worries That's 147 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 2: that's what worries me. 148 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 3: Is I always look at like I'm a doctor, like 149 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: I'm a patient and I come in and you're the doctor, 150 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 3: and I'm like, I got all these symptoms. I got 151 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 3: these little bumps all over, my throat hurts, blah blah 152 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 3: blah blah blah. It's like those are symptoms. Son, Here's 153 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 3: here's the problem. Is you have this disease or you're 154 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 3: not eating enough fiber or whatever. Well, the disease that 155 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 3: the problem is the lines of scrimmage. You know, one 156 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: hundred bumps and the symptoms are showing up all over 157 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 3: the place. But if you would win more battles at 158 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 3: the line of scrimmage, all those things get a lot nicer, 159 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 3: you know. 160 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: My I have like a mantra of September football, and 161 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 2: it's just don't sink yourself. 162 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 3: I like that, Like. 163 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 2: Make it too October and have your relative health. Yeah, 164 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: and be at least five, be at least. 165 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 3: Two and two, no matter how you get there. 166 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 2: No matter how you get there, like just just just 167 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 2: still could be in the cards, which absolutely could absolutely 168 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 2: could still be in the car. 169 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 3: How many teams went to one and one? You know, like, 170 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: but I'm interruptingly crazy. I won't wand up. I had 171 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 3: too much coffee of this show before. It's not like 172 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 3: you watched last night's game. It's like, I don't think 173 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 3: Minnesota or Atlanto's really a two and o team or 174 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 3: zero and two team. I don't think the Steelers are 175 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 3: really a two and o team or an oh and 176 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 3: two team, and that they regulate themselves. All of them 177 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 3: are now one and one. You know, like, Okay, you're surviving. 178 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 3: You might get to October. Like you said at two 179 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 3: and two, all these teams I mentioned. 180 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 2: It, you know, fine, yeah, and and and but but 181 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 2: what really matters, though, is the improvement that you see 182 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: in the course of those four games. Yeah, yeah, not 183 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 2: being zero to four, one and three and and you know, 184 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 2: being way behind the eight ball and having tangible improvement. 185 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 2: And I think particularly for this Steelers team, was so 186 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 2: much turnover at the quarterback position on defense with a 187 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 2: lot of their primary weapons on offense as well. 188 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, and a million defensive endsies, which I'm not saiting. 189 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: We absolutely that that that should be that should be mentioned. Yes, 190 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 2: Like it's about learning your personnel and improving in those 191 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 2: first four ish games of the season. And right now, 192 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: as you rightfully point out, that conversation begins and ends 193 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 2: with the trenches on both sides of the football. Because 194 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers can be great. They can continue to make 195 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 2: splash plays, interceptions, get their hands on footballs, which I'm 196 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: sure they will I'll make, But none of that is 197 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,199 Speaker 2: going to matter in the grandy. It might get you 198 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: ten wins and sneaking into the playoffs again, but none 199 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 2: of that, Ravens, None of that in the grand scheme 200 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 2: of things of trying to get where we want to go, 201 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 2: which is double digit wins and winning a playoff game. 202 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 2: And hopefully going on a run. None of that is 203 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 2: going to transpire if you don't if you don't fix, 204 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: if you don't diagnose the issue. And they, Matt, believe me, 205 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 2: they are having much harsher conversations about this on the 206 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: South Side right now than you and I are. But 207 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: it begins and ends in the All the other stuff 208 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: is like window dressing. 209 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. 210 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 2: The trenches are the foundation of the house, and right 211 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: now the foundation's got some cracks in it. It doesn't 212 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 2: matter matter great. 213 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 3: Some of the shutters are nice, the electricity is fine, it. 214 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 2: Doesn't matter how nice the new rooms they put on. 215 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: The house is right, and the foundation has. 216 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 3: Cracks, right Like the bedroom's beautiful. Some rooms are crappy. 217 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 2: You got a sweet sixty five TV in the base. 218 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 3: Right right. But sometimes the foundation rattles in falls and smashes, 219 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: you know. But the thing is the good news is 220 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 3: I a thousand percent think they know this. Every team 221 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 3: knows their problems more or less. But they've also put 222 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 3: their money where their mouth is. Benton, Harmon and Frasier 223 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: both tackles there. They've used their resources where they now. 224 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 3: It needs to come to fruition, you know, And it 225 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 3: hasn't yet in twenty twenty five. 226 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 2: No, it is not, and it is only one hundred 227 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: and twenty minutes of football. I think that is important 228 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 2: obviously to note we no question, we do the overreaction 229 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 2: underreaction thing in the NFL like no other business because 230 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 2: we love this so much. It's such a big deal. 231 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: We spend so much time getting ready for just seventeen 232 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 2: regular season games. But right now, through one hundred and 233 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 2: twenty minutes, that's what you got is. 234 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 3: And the problem it's to seventeenths of the season. It's 235 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 3: not the Penn's had bad goalie play for the first 236 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 3: two weeks of the season in the first two. 237 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 2: Games, exactly right, exactly right. And you know, don't look now, 238 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 2: but you're not going to be back home again until 239 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 2: week six. No, I mean you're going on the road. 240 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: New England is not a great team. I'm not trying 241 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 2: to gas that up, but they're going to be a 242 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 2: team that wants to win in the trenches as well too. 243 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 2: Just like the Steelers for their. 244 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 3: First round pick was a tackle. They invested like crazy 245 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:41,719 Speaker 3: in the. 246 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 2: Line and big money on that defensive line. 247 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 3: I mean, we will talk Patriots, but the little I've 248 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 3: dug in they had the fewest sacks in the league 249 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 3: this year, they already have nine, and they're getting after 250 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 3: quarterbacks like crazy, you know, like they're fixing their problems. 251 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 3: They're trending the right direction, you know. 252 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: And a lot of those things too, Matt again, new season, 253 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: new quarterback, lot of tons like I think you and 254 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 2: I probably the most roster overhaul, roster change that the 255 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: Steelers have had in an off season that I can remember. 256 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 3: And that's really hard, especially in today's NFL, when you 257 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 3: don't do as much in camp or preseason and nobody does. 258 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 2: But a lot of the struggles from last year are 259 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 2: continuing still early on. Yeah, through two games. A lot 260 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 2: of things that we talked about, sack differential, turnover differential, 261 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: yards per carry for the run game brutal. It's still 262 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: not even close to where they need it. 263 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 3: To be, not even close. So I'm getting real deep 264 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: into the weeds. But something I've really found out this morning, 265 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 3: you know, to pull back the curtain my Monday's until noon. 266 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 3: I am not on the air from noon until today. 267 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 3: With two Monday night games, I will be busy from 268 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 3: noon until the end of the last case. One thing 269 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 3: after another or a game in front of me, maybe 270 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 3: find a sandwich somewhere in between. But from the day 271 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 3: the second I wake up until noon when I'm on 272 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 3: the air or I get here, I just do research, 273 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,599 Speaker 3: like you know, it's Matt's stat starts. 274 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 2: Growing pound coffee and get some numbers. 275 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 3: So but one thing that really stood out to me, 276 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 3: and it and my big thing is to the stats 277 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 3: and the stuff I'm looking at match what I saw 278 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,079 Speaker 3: on Sunday too. If it doesn't, I don't even bring 279 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 3: it up to. 280 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 2: You guys, that's no way to use analytics and statistics. 281 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 3: Like that doesn't quite add up. But one thing, like 282 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 3: if you look at Matt stats going into week one 283 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 3: the last two or three years, and there's a lot 284 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 3: of examples we'll talk about, you know, yards carries another one. 285 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 3: The Steelers face more past attempts in the middle of 286 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 3: the field than any defense over the twenty twenty two, 287 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 3: twenty three, twenty four seasons and twenty four it was 288 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 3: a little less they know this, you know, people think, oh, 289 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 3: they don't know anything, they're not anything. Client Well, if 290 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 3: they went and got Queen Wilson Elliott and then Ramsey 291 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 3: is a slot corner. So you think that, and I 292 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 3: think people have attacked the middle of the field because 293 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: first off, their linebackers have been weak in previous years 294 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 3: posts Zere, They've been bad on the second level. They'll 295 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 3: be the first to tell you that. And their pass 296 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 3: rush is so good. I don't want to hold the ball, 297 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 3: pat the ball, throw deep outs and goes outside the 298 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 3: numbers because it takes a lot longer for the ball 299 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 3: to get there, and my quarterback gets hit a lot, 300 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 3: and I don't like it. So I'm going to attack 301 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 3: the middle of the field. So the Steelers know this, 302 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 3: and they've reinforced the middle of the field. But yesterday 303 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 3: forty six percent of the Seattle attempts were in the 304 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 3: middle of the field. Twenty five is a high number, 305 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 3: you know, like that was all they were doing. And 306 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 3: then it's like, ooh, the things that were weak. It's 307 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 3: one game, and that's where Kupp and Smith di Jigman 308 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 3: make their money and their tight ends, and they don't 309 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 3: really have the metcalf outside the numbers anymore. But they 310 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 3: attacked like it was any other year with great success, 311 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 3: and that bothered me, you know what I mean. And again, 312 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 3: that's a one game thing. 313 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 2: I want to We need to get to a break here, 314 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: but I want to when we come back, I want 315 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 2: to dig into that more with you because I do 316 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 2: think again you have to kind of grain of salt 317 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 2: all of it. Yeah, because it's only two games this year, 318 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 2: but there is also that sample size of the past, which, 319 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 2: even with the roster turnover, still matters. 320 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 3: Still matters. It's how other offensive coordinators. 321 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 2: Have the blueprint, is there? 322 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, really smart coordinators in this league have decided that's 323 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 3: how we attack the Steelers. I think that's super important, 324 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 3: especially when you see trends. 325 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 2: There's a couple other trends in that regardless how to 326 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: attack the Steelers. Yahy, talk about that when we return 327 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 2: on the other side. A whole bunch going on today. 328 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: We will talk to Rob King in a little bit 329 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 2: as well too, as we continue to dissect a disappointing 330 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 2: thirty one to seventeen loss in the home opener for 331 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 2: the Pittsburgh Steelers. Matt Williamson west Shuler will continue the 332 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: conversation as we roll along here. It's the Drive on 333 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 2: Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. 334 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven 335 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 336 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: All right, Matt, let's jump right back into it here 337 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 2: in terms of a blueprint some trends for how to 338 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 2: attack this Steelers defense. 339 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 3: The defense will that we've again seen. 340 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 2: For the last couple of years and seen through the 341 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 2: first two games of this twenty twenty five season. You 342 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: mentioned attacking the middle of the field that I think 343 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: is impossible to deny at this point. The other thing 344 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: is they're just running away from TJ. 345 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 3: Watt. I mean ridiculous, right if you look where. 346 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 2: The Seahawks are running the football to the left side 347 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 2: like four six percent of the time. That's not an accident. 348 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 3: No, it's screaming that. That's the only reason why, especially 349 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 3: with high Smith goes out and herbigs in totally. 350 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 2: I mean, that's not his special. 351 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 3: Specialty, but no, they are. Both teams have ran away 352 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 3: from what mattily now sorry to hijacket, and I've gotten 353 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 3: a lot of this today. People are just mad, Well, 354 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 3: then why doesn't Watt go to the right side in 355 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 3: this game? I wouldn't have moved them because the weak 356 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 3: link of the Seahawks offensive line was the right side 357 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 3: and the right tackle. Now that doesn't mean you couldn't 358 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 3: bump people more to the left as a whole when 359 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 3: you see the trends are that strong. But I'm glad 360 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 3: you brought that up. I mean, it's two games and 361 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 3: everybody runs left. Everyone runs left, everyone runs left. 362 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 2: It's like Matt I played a little basketball growing up. 363 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 2: I wasn't a superstar, but I couldn't dribble with my 364 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 2: left hand. 365 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was going right. 366 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 2: Every time you. 367 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 3: Str to figure it out. You could figure if you're 368 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 3: if you're you know, they're watching the Euler tape. 369 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,439 Speaker 2: They're watching the Euler tape. These coaches are making millions 370 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 2: of dollars. They're like, this guy can't dribble with his 371 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 2: left hand right. It's I mean, it's almost that blatant, 372 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 2: where like, here's where we're going over ninety percent of 373 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 2: the time. And when you combine that with the success 374 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 2: over the middle of the field, like that is that 375 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 2: is something that was. 376 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 3: Harder to do. If Hayward is one of the best 377 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 3: players in the league, totally hasn't been yet. Totally. I 378 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 3: thought he was better in this game, but he hasn't 379 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 3: been yet, and he's out there too much, and he's 380 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 3: never on the same size. 381 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 2: Walk correct, and he I think will get more comfortable 382 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 2: and more up to speed. Certainly he's the you know, 383 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 2: he's the vintage you know FOURD f one fifty that 384 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 2: you can't just start it up and go zero to sixty, right. 385 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 2: You gotta get a you gotta get the juices flowing 386 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 2: and get get activated and get ali. 387 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 3: He's not going to get out of the starting blocks 388 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 3: probably as quick as others, nor should he at this point. 389 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 2: But and I know, listen, the defense is banged up. 390 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,120 Speaker 2: They are down some key starters. Patrick Queen miss snaps 391 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 2: in that game, Peyton Wilson miss snapped snaps in that game. 392 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 2: You we're already down Elliott and Porter. Uh. You you 393 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,919 Speaker 2: lose louder Milk, you lose high Smith. 394 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 395 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 2: But again, this is one of those things when when 396 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,400 Speaker 2: we get a couple of weeks into October here where 397 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 2: it's really okay, we know who we are now. You know, 398 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 2: you've had the first four games, and. 399 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 3: By then Cam might be one the best defense tackles 400 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 3: the league. Wouldn't expect him. 401 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 2: Like, I don't think that would surprise us one bit. 402 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 3: Which would go a long way. 403 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 2: But in the interim, you you better start to find 404 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: some ways to figure this out. You better start to 405 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 2: make teams play left handed a little bit more. To 406 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 2: use my basketball analogy. 407 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 3: Losing high Smith doesn't help that, cause not you're gonna 408 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 3: get a lot of runs the left. If not more, 409 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 3: I'm not sure he could do it more. So we 410 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 3: talked about pro football focus that you can't ignore them. 411 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,640 Speaker 3: They're a great resource. But what basically broke their run 412 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 3: defense grade for an edge player last year? He was 413 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 3: that good. He's great. 414 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 2: He doesn't get enough credit. He's great in the run game. 415 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 3: I know he's gone six games without a sack. Blah 416 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 3: blah blah. Why did you give any money? You know 417 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 3: he's really good, guys. I mean, he'll get his sacks. 418 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 3: They don't sweat it. But his run defense is awesome 419 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,120 Speaker 3: and everybody knows it, you know. So you're gonna get 420 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 3: this more and more and more. Now. Losing high Smith 421 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 3: definitely hurts in that regard because you're a lesser team 422 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 3: of Sawyer's out there. You're not a lesser team versus 423 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 3: the pass if Herbing's there, but you are versus a run. 424 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 3: I mean, these are facts. Cam goes a long way 425 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,199 Speaker 3: of fixing it. You know, or at least making it 426 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 3: less desirable to run to the left year, let's just 427 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 3: put it that way. But he's not up the speed yet. 428 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 3: You hope he will be. I think he will be. 429 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 3: And I thought this game was better than Week one. 430 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 3: But this is my problem is again going back to you. 431 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 3: When you go to the doctor's offices, the doctor isn't 432 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 3: super worried that you have a lump or a pimple. 433 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 3: It's where it came from. You know. The d line 434 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 3: snaps to me are not where you wanted them to 435 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 3: be through two games, so Benton has never been close 436 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 3: to a full time player. He's been either the nose 437 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 3: in the three four and then like his first season, 438 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 3: this is third year. His first year he only played 439 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 3: like four snaps on third and lungs or in the nickel. 440 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 3: Last year he played more. But he's never been a 441 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 3: massive snap eater. I mean, even the nose. You're on 442 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 3: the field than three four for thirty percent of plays 443 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 3: or something. 444 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty five, less than ever. 445 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 3: Right, and this can't be by design. Some of this 446 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 3: is injury related, but their defensive line snaps right now, 447 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 3: Benton leads the way with ninety four, not how you 448 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 3: drew it up. Cam is second at ninety one, with 449 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 3: considering his offseason, probably not how you drew it up. 450 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 3: The third guy is why a Black. It's six all 451 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 3: the way down to sixty four, and I think they're 452 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 3: giving him more and more and that's been somewhat successful. 453 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 3: I'm cool with that. 454 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 2: I think there's some things to like there. 455 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, I think that's a good development. Yes, 456 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 3: you know, and some of it by necessity, but great 457 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 3: inventions have been made by necessity too. But no other 458 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 3: defensive lineman's played more than thirty seven, you know. So 459 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 3: you're at ninety four, ninety one, sixty four. 460 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 2: A massive drumming thirty. 461 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 3: Seven way down here, and that ain't cutting it, you know, 462 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 3: Like some of that that's because Loudermilk got hurt, which 463 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 3: I hope he's fine, but could be a good thing 464 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 3: by the way, I mean he was starting and not 465 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 3: playing well. Truckle Yeah, yeah, U k Lee, I don't know, 466 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 3: I know, I don't pronounce the name particularly well. I 467 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 3: think he's been a bright spot too. Maybe he gets 468 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 3: more and more nos and takes stuff off Benton's plate. 469 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 3: Harmon someday we'll be back. 470 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: You know, he was hopefully, hopefully in New England, hopefully 471 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: right there in Foxborough this weekend. 472 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 3: So I just think that is kind of telling. It's 473 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 3: not an excuse, but it's kind of telling of which 474 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 3: defensive linemen have been out there and when. Isn't how 475 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 3: you drew it up, even though you have a deep 476 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 3: D line and what you thought was a really good 477 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 3: D line. Again, the root of all ninety percent of 478 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 3: the Steelers' problems to me, he was losing at the 479 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 3: line of scrimmage. Losing at the line of scrimmage on both 480 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 3: sides of the ball. 481 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 2: You know, I do think it's that simple. And again 482 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 2: there's a ton of other minutia, there's a ton of 483 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 2: other details in there, but I do think it's a 484 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 2: number two receiver. 485 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 3: Yes, so they get in attacked the mile field too much. Yeah, 486 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 3: but if you win at both lines the scrimmage, everything 487 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 3: else gets easier. Yes, Sometimes the game's that simple. And 488 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 3: I and I Drew Noe was sitting there and be 489 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 3: like block people get off blocks. 490 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: Blocking, tackling, shedding blocks, the traditional elements of football. I 491 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 2: do want to talk a little bit about the Steelers 492 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 2: secondary with you as well, too, but let's let's stay 493 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 2: there and kind of spin the block for a second 494 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 2: to the Steelers offensive line, because I do feel like 495 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 2: for the first you know, half an hour of the show, 496 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 2: we've spent more of the time talking about the defensive side. 497 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, just expectation wise and how Seattle's built. I'm much 498 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 3: more worried about the defense than the offense or disappointed. 499 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 2: I think it's fair to say that the Steelers the 500 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 2: last two weeks, they're opening two games, they have played 501 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 2: good to very good defensive fronts. Yes, I think the 502 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 2: Jets is good. I think Seattle's is very good. 503 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 3: Agreed. 504 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 2: But at the same time, as you mentioned, this is 505 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 2: supposed to to be the time that we're talking about 506 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 2: the Steelers offensive line ascending and being good to very 507 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 2: good as well. They have two first round picks as bookends. 508 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 2: They got a second round pick at center, Isaac Sayamalu 509 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 2: was a big free agent investment when they signed him 510 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 2: a few years ago, and Mason McCormick was not a 511 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 2: first or second round pick, but he wasn't a seventh 512 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 2: round pick either, and. 513 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 3: He was a success story as a rookie. 514 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 2: To me, I understand that they've had some significant tasks 515 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 2: in the first two weeks in terms of the teams 516 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 2: that they've been playing. But it's got to look better 517 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 2: than it has through one hundred and twenty minutes. 518 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 3: And I say this a million times over three hundred 519 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 3: and sixty five day year. The lines are way better 520 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 3: than O lines in the league. It's the biggest discrepancy. 521 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 2: Go Apex predators all across. 522 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 3: The defensets everywhere. 523 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 2: On the defense that's not Apex predator. 524 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 3: And they're all different too. Some are rhinos, some are 525 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 3: Grizzly Bears, Mako sharks. I mean you got a block, 526 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 3: I mean block a great White, you know. I mean, 527 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 3: it doesn't get any better. New England's went from the 528 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,199 Speaker 3: worst to being quite good now all of a sudden, 529 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 3: and then you can get the bikes and then you're 530 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 3: gonna you know, doesn't get any easier. But this is 531 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 3: a problem all teams are dealing with is de linemen 532 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 3: are nasty nowadays. You gotta figure out a way around it. 533 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 2: You know that you do. And there has not been 534 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 2: a lot of bright spots in that regard through through 535 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 2: through the first two games. 536 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 3: I when those Jones was quote to blame the first week, 537 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 3: I thought he was better yesterday. 538 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 2: That is the one bright spot. Uh, no one, No 539 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 2: one was talking about Roger Jones yesterday, and I think 540 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 2: that's a good thing. Troy Futanu did not have his 541 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 2: best game. I also think we need to expect that, 542 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,959 Speaker 2: as it was his third start in his NFL career. 543 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,200 Speaker 3: He was disappointing yesterday. But I'll still buy that stock 544 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 3: all day long. Yes, yeah, absolutely right. But there's just Matt. 545 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 2: There's there's just no push, you know, like even when 546 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 2: they would have some explosive plays and I don't know 547 00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 2: did they did they have one again in the run game, 548 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 2: the one in the Run game, three in the Run Game. 549 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 2: I'm trying to remember. The numbers are all running together 550 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 2: at this point. But even when it feels like they're 551 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 2: getting explosive plays in that department, it's felt more like 552 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 2: it's been Jalen Warren making a player or two miss 553 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 2: and making something out of I don't want to say nothing, 554 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: but not much. You know, it's it hasn't been Wow, 555 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 2: look at all the space at the offensive line cleared 556 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 2: there and they were moving bodies and Jalen Warren was 557 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 2: able to hit the hole. It was Jayleen Warren, Bruce Hall. 558 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 3: And Walker getting that and doing the stuff. 559 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 2: Brit had a nineteen yard touchdown run and didn't get touched. 560 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 2: Keith Walker sorry, had a nineteen yard touchdown run yesterday 561 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,920 Speaker 2: and didn't get touched. Jalen Warren, when he's getting nine 562 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 2: yard runs a little bit of chunk runs, it feels 563 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 2: like it's more he's breaking a tackle or two and 564 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 2: doing something spectacular, hurdling somebody or breaking a tackle, and 565 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 2: that that to me is we haven't. 566 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 3: Heard only has one run play that has gone for 567 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 3: ten or more yards in two. 568 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,159 Speaker 2: Games, because I know they had none against the Jets 569 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 2: against Jets, Jen, we're at a nine yard run. But 570 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 2: but right on kind of that line. But even if 571 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 2: you want to count that, that's that's one per game. 572 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 2: Then if you give Jalen Moore in that nine yard 573 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 2: run at MetLife Stadium, it's going. 574 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 3: To make an arbitrary cutoff at ten because it's a 575 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 3: round nine. 576 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 2: Let's make it nine. But it so only gets you 577 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 2: one more. Yeah, it's I mean, it's it's it's not enough. 578 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 3: I was going to say that I spread chief for tomorrow, 579 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 3: but explosive run differential that's ten. 580 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:26,359 Speaker 2: Yards or a run of ten yards and more. 581 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 3: Yep, they're minus nine in two games. Minus nine. 582 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: That's one hundred and twenty minutes of football. 583 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 3: Right, I mean minus nine that is. And when you 584 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 3: just runs, when you especially you want to talk about 585 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 3: I mean, that kind of just tells the whole story. 586 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 2: If you're the Cincinnati Bengals. And I know it's different now, 587 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: because yeah, but if you're a team that's clearly predicated 588 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 2: upon your quarterback and throwing the football, that might not 589 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 2: be the end of the world. 590 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 3: You might be right. 591 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 2: But if you are a team that is predicated on 592 00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 2: running the football and stopping the run, and you combine 593 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 2: those two things, that's how you are. Where the Steelers 594 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 2: are right now, where I know hindsight is always twenty twenty. 595 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 2: But as you kind of alluded to at the start 596 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 2: of the show, you're feeling a little more fortunate about 597 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 2: getting out of met life with a win. But some 598 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 2: of those warts, some of those issues are looming a 599 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 2: little bit larger right now in the face of what 600 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 2: just happened and kind of repeating a lot of those 601 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 2: sins yesterday. 602 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I don't mean to harp back on the 603 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 3: steel defense too much, but they actually weren't bad down 604 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 3: to down against the run as they were against the Jets. 605 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 3: Now Fields has something to do with that too. I mean, 606 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 3: the running quarterbacks a nightmare and he's phenomenal at it, 607 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 3: but he still allowed the explosives. I was joking. I 608 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 3: mean some people were saying, like, well, if you take 609 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 3: away the six big runs that Walker had, the run 610 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 3: defense wasn't bad. 611 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, if you take away then you take away 612 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: the one fastball where the pitcher gave up a grand slim. 613 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 2: It wasn't that. 614 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 3: Bad, right right, that counts. It counts, and it was one. 615 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 3: That's also the. 616 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: Purpose of sticking with the run game is eventually this 617 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 2: damn is going to break and we're gonna hit. 618 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 3: A big exactly. Now, there is something to be said 619 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 3: that their success of it rate, you know, just down 620 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 3: or down against the run, was better than Week two, 621 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 3: but you still allowed six or seven or eight explosives. 622 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 2: And it's situationally, it seemed like at the worst possible. 623 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 3: Time to say, I know, like their third down conversion 624 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 3: rate on defense wasn't that terrible, but it felt terrible. 625 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 3: It was third and they convert a lot of third 626 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 3: and longs. 627 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 2: Whether five of sixteen. Does that sound right? 628 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 3: I'm thinking about the defense. 629 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 2: The defense. Yeah, Seattle was with they six of sixteen 630 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 2: or does that? 631 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 3: It was like fifty percent, but it felt like eighty. 632 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 2: Because again situationally, yeah, it was like they got them 633 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 2: when they needed them. 634 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, woit, Cup just got eight when on third and seven? 635 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 2: Man, where did that? Where did that performance? 636 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 3: You know what I mean? Yeah, I was. 637 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 2: Not expecting that. And you know what, that's kind of like, let's. 638 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 3: Let's the cup stuff worries. 639 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 2: Let's think, let's dig deeper into that because I said 640 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 2: a few minutes ago I wanted to talk to you 641 00:29:57,720 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 2: about the Steelers secondary. 642 00:29:59,200 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 643 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's do that to close down the first hour 644 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 2: and we return on the other side, get into some 645 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 2: more of that here. We'll talk to our buddy Rob 646 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 2: King at the top of the second hour. Plenty to 647 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 2: get into as we roll along West Shuuler and Matt Williamson, 648 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 2: It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers 649 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 2: Audio Network. 650 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven 651 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 652 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 2: So let's talk about this Steelers secondary and Matt, your 653 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,719 Speaker 2: I think correct diagnosis doctor Williamson. Maybe that's what we'll 654 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 2: call you on Mondays, is doctor Williamson about the. 655 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 3: I wasn't college long enough. 656 00:30:54,440 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're called doctors, Richard. The diagnosis of the splash 657 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 2: plays are there, but when you take that away, it's 658 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 2: a lot of not so good. 659 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. 660 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 2: I think that works with the Steelers secondary. Through these 661 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 2: first two games, there's been a lot of big plays, 662 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: a lot. I mean the Jalen Ramsey interception was a huge. 663 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 3: Moment, big play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 664 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 2: At that point it's seventy three. You you know, they 665 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 2: open with a touchdown, you open with a field goal. 666 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 2: Jalen Ramsey intercepts it and gives you the ball in 667 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 2: plus territory. If you score there a touchdown and you 668 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 2: go up ten to seven instead of kicking a field goal, 669 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,719 Speaker 2: maybe the game plays out differently, right, Sure, But at 670 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 2: the same time, it's it is feeling a little bit 671 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 2: too and I don't know, maybe this is an overreaction 672 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 2: just two games in, but it's what we got of 673 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 2: like a feast or famine with the Steelers secondary. They're 674 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 2: either making that big play or they're giving up the 675 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 2: big play. How do you fix that? How do you 676 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 2: diagnose that, and I just have to ask the question. 677 00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 2: I know this is not where we wanted to be 678 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 2: asking two games into the season, but would you consider 679 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 2: a little bit more, maybe some more zone concepts in 680 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 2: that secondary because good question. It feels like I am 681 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 2: not I know a lot of Steeler fans are slaves 682 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 2: old Ramsey's old. They don't have the speed anymore. I'm 683 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 2: not quite there yet, but maybe when you're playing against 684 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 2: somebody like Jackson Smith and Jigba, who can fly, who 685 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 2: can move it, it shows up a little bit more. 686 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 3: So pull back to Curtin, I have not watched the 687 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 3: All twenty two yet and as of recording this on Monday, 688 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 3: and I don't know their zone man rates, et cetera, 689 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 3: et cetera, et cetera. But I think there's some things 690 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 3: that are becoming obvious and one of them, some of 691 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 3: them are one of them's outside their their hands that 692 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 3: you have Elliott and Porter. I mean, that's that's two. 693 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 3: You're glad. 694 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 2: I am glad that you're I am glad that you 695 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 2: mentioned that, because it's not an excuse, but it's certainly 696 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 2: part of the conversation. 697 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 3: Definitely matters. Definitely, there's no doubt. Pepper's just got here. 698 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 3: Clark kind of just got here. So let's be honest, 699 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: you know. And by the way, we were talking about 700 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 3: a lot of the change on offense, thorign Hill's new, 701 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 3: Sleighs new, Ramsey's new, Like who's left from last year 702 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 3: from the secondary? Echos is new? 703 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 2: Joey Porter and Elliott and they're the two who are 704 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 2: been around, you know, who have been around are out. 705 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 3: I actually, just as talking through that, I this dawned 706 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 3: on me that everybody playing was not here last year. 707 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 3: He is. That matters. 708 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 2: That totally matters, particularly this early in the season. That 709 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 2: would be different if it was game twelve. 710 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, then it's on excuse anymore that that really matters, 711 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 3: definitely matter because that's a communication thing. Like if all 712 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 3: your if you had five new offensive linemen and they 713 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 3: didn't pick up stunts, you'd be like, well, they've never 714 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 3: ever played together. And so I'm glad we actually had 715 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 3: that conversation. 716 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 2: I'm glad we landed there as well, Like. 717 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,360 Speaker 3: Everybody playing was on this team last year. That's just 718 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 3: a fact in the secondary and Minca's good. Now, I'm 719 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 3: not saying they shouldn't have made the trade. But you've 720 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 3: heard me made this analogy with Minca is. Okay, maybe 721 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 3: he didn't make as many big plays at the end 722 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 3: of his Steeler career at the beginning, and there's no 723 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 3: way he could have kept that up. 724 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 2: Like first six or seven games he had an interception 725 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 2: I think, or a turnover forced. 726 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 3: But I always said he was grand fewer. Now, you know, hockey, 727 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 3: it's a great analogy. Whenever you had Earl Thomas ed 728 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 3: Reid Minka, you could let Paul Coffee go deep into 729 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 3: the offensive zone. 730 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,919 Speaker 2: You know what, more skaters forward. If we get beat 731 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 2: coming back, it's fine, I got it. 732 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 3: I got this guy. 733 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 2: You guys take your chances, maybe a little high. 734 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 3: But we're going to score a lot of goals with 735 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 3: the Doctor, more than I'm gonna give up. Oh yeah, 736 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 3: grad Ski and right, that was the the. 737 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:40,240 Speaker 2: Two thousand and eight Penguins, the first ones that lost 738 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 2: to the Red Wings and the Stanley Cup before they 739 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 2: went back and beat him the next year. Yeah, that 740 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 2: was some Mark Andre Flurry vibes too. 741 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,320 Speaker 3: You guys can go eighteen. 742 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 2: I got so active going forward and Fleurry had the 743 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 2: best year of his career, and it was like, you 744 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 2: guys go I got this. 745 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 3: That's great. Yeah. My best example is coffee because there's 746 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 3: a great offensive defense, great one to let the coffee 747 00:34:57,960 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 3: get up there. 748 00:34:58,480 --> 00:34:59,439 Speaker 2: Dude, we'll score some goals. 749 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 3: Will be fun. I don't need to play d and 750 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 3: you don't do it that great anyways, but I don't care. 751 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 3: But Minca allowed the other ten to be way more aggressive, 752 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 3: and that was great. I also thought this was a 753 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 3: bad Thornhill day overall, and I'm a Thornhill guy, and 754 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 3: I still would make the trade. And I'd rather have 755 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 3: Ramsey than would Maca brought. But Mica would have been 756 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 3: useful yesterday, that's for sure, especially in the middle of 757 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 3: the field. And Ramsey could use a little help too. 758 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 3: I thought Ramsey got picked on and I didn't see 759 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 3: a lot of people giving him a lot of support 760 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 3: in this game, you know. But it's funny. I'm glad 761 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,440 Speaker 3: we had this. It's fun having these conversations with you 762 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 3: or being on the air with other people when you 763 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:40,879 Speaker 3: talk through things. It's like, all their defensive backs weren't 764 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 3: here last year, everybody that played yesterday. 765 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:43,399 Speaker 2: That's an important point. 766 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, Clark Pepper's Thornhill. Their top three safeties not here. 767 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:51,439 Speaker 3: There's been a lot of Ramsey eccles. That's the only 768 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 3: guys that played, and none of them are Steelers last year. 769 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:55,480 Speaker 2: There's been a lot of good there's been a lot 770 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 2: of good points made by people in the last twenty 771 00:35:57,719 --> 00:35:58,320 Speaker 2: four hours. 772 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 3: But I think that one is, Yeah, going to use 773 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:01,399 Speaker 3: that a lot this week. 774 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 2: That's that's definitely. How about that one? We might have 775 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:05,800 Speaker 2: just stumbled onto Plymouth Rock there. 776 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 3: Matt, Yeah, I'm on with Martin Madden in half an hour, 777 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:12,839 Speaker 3: and I bet I use that get uh? 778 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 2: And that is that is certainly, that certainly matters. But 779 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,399 Speaker 2: again too like that's that's where I think you get 780 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 2: the performance that you got from JSN, that you got 781 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:27,360 Speaker 2: from Cooper cup is when you combine a lot of injuries, 782 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 2: sure to the defensive front end the secondary. 783 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 3: And I might be right to Cooper cup shot, but 784 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 3: he's not dumb. He knows how to exploit any little 785 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 3: weaknesses or leaning this way or I thought he was 786 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 3: very impressive. I know he may end up being better 787 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:41,120 Speaker 3: than I thought too. 788 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 2: I expected Jackson Smith and jig but to get his 789 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, maybe not to the tune of over one 790 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 2: hundred yards, but I expected him to get his but 791 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,640 Speaker 2: I did not expect Cooper Cup to have the impact 792 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 2: that he did a thousand. So with all that, I mean. 793 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 3: You, how do you make it better? Nobody cares about 794 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 3: the pain. Show me the baby, you know what I mean. 795 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 2: We're on the same page today because I was gonna say, I. 796 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:06,439 Speaker 3: Don't care, fans don't care. Make it better. 797 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 2: As our good friend Ton Jokin would have said, I 798 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 2: don't care about the labors. Show me the baby they have. 799 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 2: They have got to listen. 800 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:16,439 Speaker 3: I don't think Patriots aren't going to take it easy, 801 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:16,920 Speaker 3: paun you. 802 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:18,960 Speaker 2: The Patriots aren't suddenly just going to be like, hey, 803 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:20,680 Speaker 2: we're going to run the ball left every time here 804 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: we go. You know exactly what's coming super. 805 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 3: Quick West, I put out sacked differential. It's also part 806 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:27,839 Speaker 3: of you. That's part of it's really terrible right now. 807 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 2: The thirty thousand foot view conversations that we had of 808 00:37:31,239 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 2: areas of improvement heading into this season. 809 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 3: Aren't going there. 810 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 2: That wasn't one or two on the list, but it 811 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 2: was definitely in the top five. 812 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 3: Right So I put it out there and someone on Twitter, 813 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 3: and I'm not giving this personal hard time says, I 814 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 3: don't think it's fair to cite sack differential because the 815 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 3: Steelers have a young line and their quarterback doesn't move 816 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:50,399 Speaker 3: well and he's older, like nobody cares. 817 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 2: Nobody cares. 818 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 3: Do you think the Patriots aren't going to attack the 819 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 3: crap out of that? Like nobody cares. You know that 820 00:37:56,360 --> 00:37:58,840 Speaker 3: this is the wild you know, if you're the antelope, 821 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 3: it's limping, the tigers going to eat you. Yes, you 822 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 3: know that's how it goes. 823 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:06,440 Speaker 2: Yes, that's the NFL. The the joke is stands for 824 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 2: not for long, right, Yeah, because they're they're coming for 825 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 2: your heart and your soul. It is not And yeah. 826 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:17,360 Speaker 3: Quarterback doesn't move well, they're gonna make them move or 827 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 3: they're gonna hit. 828 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 2: Them exactly right, exactly right. And show the baby, Show 829 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:24,520 Speaker 2: me the baby. I don't care about the labor pains, 830 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,839 Speaker 2: Show me the baby. And for for that defense, they 831 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 2: got to find a way to get through the labor 832 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:30,360 Speaker 2: and fast. 833 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:31,759 Speaker 3: Yeah right, all right? 834 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 2: I mean, because I know that they are shorthanded, but 835 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,360 Speaker 2: they are certainly more talented than they've than they've shown 836 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 2: through two games. I don't think I don't think you 837 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 2: can deny that at this point. And you know that's 838 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 2: the thing too. While you you know, the other guys, 839 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 2: the other guys make money, the other teams have superstars 840 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 2: and all that, but the Jets and Seattle are also 841 00:38:57,520 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 2: not even close to the best offenses you're going to 842 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 2: see the season. 843 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 3: If that was the Ravens in either one of those 844 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 3: two weeks. 845 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 2: Or Buffalo, who will you know, who will see in November, 846 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:09,400 Speaker 2: or maybe if it was even a team like the 847 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:11,880 Speaker 2: Chargers who have a great, great time. 848 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 3: Right right, It's gonna get harder, folks. 849 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,640 Speaker 2: It's going to get more difficult. Maybe maybe not necessarily 850 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:20,200 Speaker 2: this weekend, maybe not even necessarily this month. 851 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,319 Speaker 3: Maybe not, but pretty soon, or even the Browns or 852 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,280 Speaker 3: you know, but there there are some scary ones looming. 853 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:31,760 Speaker 3: There's some there's some more would have ripped you apart. 854 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 2: And and and so that to me is you better 855 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 2: figure this out and quick because the back half of 856 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,800 Speaker 2: the schedule. I'm not saying it's the murderer's rogue gauntlet 857 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 2: that it was last year, but I think five of 858 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:45,080 Speaker 2: the last six teams they play went to the postseason 859 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,320 Speaker 2: last year. You got Buffalo in there, You've got a 860 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 2: road game at Detroit in there, You've got the Ravens 861 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 2: in there. 862 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,760 Speaker 3: Fortunately you don't have Burrow looks like but Mark Lamar 863 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 3: and Josh Allen. And if you want to get to 864 00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:58,359 Speaker 3: where you want to get in the AFC, you're gonna 865 00:39:58,360 --> 00:39:59,439 Speaker 3: beat that. You have to beat those guys. 866 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:00,480 Speaker 2: You have to beat those all. 867 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 3: Right, right right, and you haven't seen those guys anything 868 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:02,759 Speaker 3: close to those guys. 869 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:05,640 Speaker 2: If you're gonna beat those guys, you've got to look 870 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 2: like one of the best defenses in the National Football League. 871 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:10,560 Speaker 3: And again, and that's what they're trying to build here, 872 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 3: that's what they're trying to put money into it. And 873 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:13,680 Speaker 3: you know, right, and that's the plan. 874 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,280 Speaker 2: Players are allowed to get better, Teams will get better. 875 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,239 Speaker 2: They've had a ton of turnover on that defense and 876 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 2: a lot of injuries that is that is not nothing. 877 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:25,319 Speaker 2: But but starting this Sunday in New England, you better 878 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:27,080 Speaker 2: start finding some ways to overcome it. 879 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, that's what you spend all week doing as 880 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,839 Speaker 3: a coaching staff. Okay, well, and we're getting body blow 881 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 3: after body blow. How can I still stand in the ring? 882 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,320 Speaker 3: And you know, I would think. 883 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 2: The next and I'm not saying that they have to 884 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:41,840 Speaker 2: suddenly look like a top three defense in the league. 885 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:43,080 Speaker 2: Sunday at Foxborough. 886 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 3: But improvements necessary. 887 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:48,799 Speaker 2: But they they better look I think, noticeably improved from 888 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:51,200 Speaker 2: where they've been the last two weeks again, particularly in 889 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:51,760 Speaker 2: the trenches. 890 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:53,839 Speaker 3: Agreed, Agreed, Matt. 891 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:56,680 Speaker 2: An hour in the books, another hour to go along. 892 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:58,640 Speaker 2: What do you say we bring in our good friend 893 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:01,839 Speaker 2: Rob King to get his thoughts on this conversation as 894 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 2: we go here, we'll start our number two with Rob King. 895 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 2: We will in our number two as well. We need 896 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 2: to go around the league at some point and talk 897 00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 2: about that, talk about Burrow, and talk about some of 898 00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 2: these other results across the NFL. In week two. We'll 899 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 2: do all that and more in our number two. West Yuler, 900 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 2: Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on 901 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:22,320 Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network