1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 2: What's going on Steelers Nation Radio. It's the Drive on 4 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network. West Shooler and Matt Williamson with 5 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: you here for the next two hours on this Thursday, 6 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: as we have got plenty to get to as we 7 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: begin to turn the page to the Steelers upcoming opponent, 8 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 2: of course, on the road to take on the New 9 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 2: England Patriots at Foxboro Stadium this Sunday. We've got our 10 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: buddy bout Bob Labriol. We're gonna join us in about 11 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 2: twenty minutes. We'll do the we'll do the double guest 12 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: thing today. 13 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 3: Maneah. How about that? 14 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 4: Well, you know, unheard of for that is that is 15 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 4: unheard of. 16 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 2: Usually when you when you only have two hours of show, 17 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: one guest is enough. But we had some issues with 18 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 2: the phone lines here in our building. 19 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 3: Left Chris hanging a little bit left. 20 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 2: Left our guy Chris Hallick hanging, as we were not 21 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: able to. It's been an issue with the building this 22 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: whole week. Something wonky. There's some kind of squirrel, some 23 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: kind of gremlin in the system that's messing with the 24 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: phone lines that unfortunately happens when you have so much 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 2: technology in one area. 26 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 4: But that is all squared away and fixed. 27 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: So we'll talk to labs here in about twenty minutes, 28 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: we'll talk to Chris Halleck in our number two. We're 29 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: gonna dive deep into Matt's stats as we always do 30 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 2: on this Thursday. Some injury news to get to, a 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 2: whole bunch to get to, and it's a. 32 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 3: Tweet if you want, you know, there's a chance we'll 33 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 3: give time for that. 34 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: I was I was just gonna say, I think we're 35 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 2: gonna kind of do like a Twitter Thursday, an ex 36 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 2: Twitter Thursday as our as our guy Dale Lawley would 37 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: have said. 38 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 39 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: So for those of you who want to get your questions, comments, concerns, reactions, 40 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,559 Speaker 2: any of that stuff in uh he's at Williamson NFL. 41 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 4: You can find me at Wesley Yuler. 42 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: We will get to some of your tweets before we 43 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 2: get up out of here today. 44 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 3: Speedawitch. Thank you everybody for the unbelievable feedback from yesterday's show. 45 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: I'm going to leave it at that. We're not going 46 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 3: down that road today. I'm not going to be blubbering 47 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 3: all over the place. We're talking football. But thank you. 48 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 3: The feedback was ridiculously kind. 49 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 4: Meant a lot what you said, Matt, meant a lot 50 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 4: what everybody said. I'm with you. 51 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: I I know what things typically look like when you 52 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 2: read the comments, when you read. 53 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 4: The mentions, oh, often not so kind, often not so common. 54 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: And told the story that when you work at ESPN 55 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 3: dot com, people laugh to be like, when I got hired, 56 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,799 Speaker 3: like you read your comments, Why would you do that? 57 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: I mean, just a bunch of anonymous internet cychic stabbing 58 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 2: forks in your eyes, you know, like, what's wrong with you? 59 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 4: But you guys were you guys were anything but that yesterday? Certainly. 60 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 2: I actually, Matt tried to read some of the comments 61 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: a couple of times, and I was getting jammed up 62 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: at all the nice words that people had to say. 63 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: So I'm right there with you. Thank you everybody for 64 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: being there for us as hopefully, yeah, yeah, as hopefully 65 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 2: we were there for them. And it will continue to 66 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 2: be as it's gonna it's gonna take a it's gonna 67 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: take a long time. Things will never get who I mean, 68 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 2: who am I like? We've lost Tounch, We've lost wolf 69 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 2: we've lost Dale. Things will never get back to normal now, 70 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: but we're not. We'll do our best to keep We're 71 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: gonna battle on, battling on in their name and in 72 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 2: their honor. 73 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: In part, and we're talking football today. 74 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 4: Oh, you're darn right, we are. 75 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 5: Uh. 76 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: And part of that, Matt is something that we're gonna 77 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 2: do every Thursday is spend a nice chunk of the 78 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 2: first hour of the show diving deep into your Matt's 79 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 2: stats packet. 80 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, worked it up late last night, put the finishing 81 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 3: touches on it, polished it up. You know. 82 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 2: The cheat sheet version is now out on Steelers dot com, 83 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 2: is it? Who wants to see that? 84 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 4: There? 85 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: But a couple of things that I pulled to get 86 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: us started, A couple of things that you talk about 87 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: in the in the stat packet. You've also been tweeting 88 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: about some of these things over the last couple of 89 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: days as well. Two, the Steelers defense is second in 90 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 2: blitz rate. When blitzing, they rank sixteenth overall in e PA. 91 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: When they don't blitz they rank thirty first. 92 00:03:58,200 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. 93 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 2: Okay, so real quick expected points added right right, right right? 94 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 2: How any given play ads or subtracts from your expected 95 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: success second highest blitz rate in the NFL, sixteenth overall 96 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: and EPA when they do so dead average, right in 97 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 2: the middle of the league. When they don't blitz thirty 98 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 2: first way at the bottom of the barrel. Break that 99 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: down for me, what exactly is that talent us? 100 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 3: And that's only past drop drop backs, you know. So 101 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: if the teams are both teams kind of ran all 102 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 3: over them, that's a different world, you know. So we're 103 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 3: just taking down dropbacks and blitz verse not. I don't 104 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 3: have a wonderful reason why it's such a big discrepancy, 105 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 3: to be honest with you, because I maybe I'm patting 106 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: myself and us on the back too much. But I 107 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 3: think they believe the same thing we do all off season. 108 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 3: That they they're god given right with these football players 109 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 3: is to lead the league in sacks. We're gonna do 110 00:04:57,880 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 3: it no matter what. And I'm all for that. I've 111 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 3: said that for months. You should, you should be right 112 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: at the top of the league. And to defend them. 113 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 3: I was laughing with Rob King today and I was like, 114 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 3: if there was a stat for almost getting a sack, 115 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 3: they would lead the league in that too. I mean, 116 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 3: like there was so many near sacks in two games. 117 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 3: Is a bald just comes out, or you fall off 118 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 3: a tackle, or the fields is credit, He's just hard 119 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 3: to bring down. So they've generated pressure blitz or not. 120 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 3: In my opinion, I definitely think they are dabbling with 121 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 3: blitz a lot. One thing I don't love that they've 122 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 3: been doing out of blitz is not playing enough man coverage. 123 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 3: But EPA doesn't show that. I mean, the blitz numbers 124 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 3: are average. What I'm not gonna say they're good. Were 125 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 3: they sixteenth or something like that? 126 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 4: Dead average? 127 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 3: Dead average? Right? I can't quite grip why the non 128 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 3: blitz stuff is so much worse, you know, drastically, drastically, 129 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 3: because I don't feel like they've been unable to get 130 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 3: pressure with four. I mean, I still think pressure is 131 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 3: not a problem. Sacks have been a problem, but that's 132 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 3: a real fine line too, you know. And when they 133 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 3: bring four, they've gotten a lot of near sacks. You know, 134 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 3: maybe that's just when they've gotten hit hard with the 135 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 3: big plays through the air. I don't have a wonderful 136 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 3: reason for it, but it was such a big discrepancy 137 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 3: I wanted to throw it out there. 138 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 2: Made more sense when you bring in the Justin Fields angle. Yeah, yeah, 139 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 2: I mean everyone knows what he is as an athlete, 140 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: what he's capable of doing with his feet, his athleticism. 141 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 4: We saw that on display at MetLife. 142 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 2: Man, now that we're kind of recalling and getting into it, 143 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: we did see that a few times. 144 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 4: A couple of. 145 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 2: Times from Sam Darnald as well too that you kind 146 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: of mentioned the near Sacks thing a lot. There were 147 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 2: a couple times that I. 148 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 3: Get a video today with Rob and Missy and they're 149 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 3: showing like all these highlights and like five times while 150 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 3: I'm watching them, like almost got them, almost got them, You're. 151 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: Like, yeah, right right, right, right right, yeah, And it's understandable. 152 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 2: It makes more sense when it's Justin Fields. But you 153 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 2: saw Sam Darnold doing some of the same stuff, just 154 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: able to buy himself an extra millisecond to get rid 155 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 2: of and make a play. And I thought they ran 156 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: the screen game effectively, and they did a lot of 157 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: over the over the middle of the. 158 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 4: Field quick stuff effectively. The Stocks did. 159 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 2: But that is that is something that clearly they are. 160 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 2: There's some issues that I don't know if you can 161 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 2: just fix in the film room. But but this might 162 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 2: this might be one of them. 163 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 3: It might be. I mean past defense stuff worries me 164 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 3: less than run defense stuff. I mean, I think run 165 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 3: defense stuff. They're losing one on one battles and getting 166 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 3: pushed around too much, and they're not the better man necessarily. 167 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 3: Through these two games where the past defense stuff, I 168 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 3: think they've been really close to disrupting passers. As you 169 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 3: were talking through you know, you mentioned fields, and I'm like, well, 170 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 3: what are these two quarterbacks like. Darnold doesn't like blitz, 171 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 3: which is thus they blitzed a lot. So I'm guessing 172 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: if we just isolated it to the Seahawks game, maybe 173 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 3: that's where the discrepancy comes into. Blitz numbers were much 174 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 3: better than non blitz numbers because Darnold doesn't like blitz. 175 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 3: He doesn't handle pressure as well. We talked about that 176 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 3: preview in the game, but just a pass defense thing overall, 177 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 3: MY biggest complaint concern is more with the back seven, 178 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 3: the non pass rushers, and not even necessarily their fault. 179 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 3: But I think that there And I didn't know this 180 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 3: till I was at the facility today. Missy mentioned it 181 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 3: and we were on the air. She's like, the biggest 182 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 3: word that they've talked about all week is communication amongst 183 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: defensive backs, and you and I deciphered it on the air. 184 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 3: None of these guys have played together. They're all new. Yeah, 185 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 3: the whole team, the whole defensive backfield that got snaps 186 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 3: and doesn't even include Peppers, weren't Steelers last year. Communication 187 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 3: should be a problem. So that should get better. If 188 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 3: we're talking about in week six, week seven, e huse anymore? 189 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 4: That's fine once we get back from Doublin. Different story right. 190 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 3: Right, this is game two, you know, so I think 191 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 3: that is an issue communication, you know, like it seemed 192 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 3: like there were times Ramsey wasn't thrilled with the support 193 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 3: he was getting over the top or those around him. 194 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 3: And I trust him. He's better on the block. He 195 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 3: knows how where safety support should be. And I also 196 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 3: think they need to re examine two things. I think 197 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 3: they're well more equipped now to play press man, but 198 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 3: especially with Porter, and they didn't have Porter, so you know, again, 199 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 3: you lay out the plans in the off season and oh, well, 200 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 3: Porter and Ramsey manning them up, and then one's not. 201 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 4: There right right into chaos. 202 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 3: But I also think they're playing too much off to 203 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 3: begin with, because You're asking these corners to run with 204 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 3: guys that already have ahead of steam. You know, you're 205 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 3: playing man where I'm sitting there on the balls my 206 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 3: feet and this guy is already up to full speed 207 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 3: and I got to turn around with him, and I 208 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 3: don't know where he's going. Wilson, no question, they quick 209 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 3: fast and Smith n Jagba turns on a dime. He's 210 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 3: like the best to ricone and wide receiver history. You know, like, well, 211 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 3: let alone if it's Tyreek or who, I mean, you're 212 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 3: gonna battle somebody every week. That's going to be a handful. 213 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 3: So I'd like to see them just disrupt receivers again. 214 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 3: I think near sacks will turn into sacks if you 215 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: can get that quarterback just to pack the ball. I'm 216 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 3: not even getting a half a second, I mean just 217 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 3: a pulse longer. And the two things I think that 218 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 3: could help with that would be banging around receivers more 219 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: at the line of scrimmage. And I think Slay can 220 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 3: do it. I mean, but you'd love it to be poor. 221 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 3: And instead of always having a static, single high middle 222 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 3: of the field safety across the league, you're seeing a 223 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 3: lot more safety rotation and movement at the snap, just 224 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 3: so the quarterback has to think twice. 225 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 2: So you might show like a too high look, but 226 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 2: then someone one of the someone's exploding down the line 227 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: of scrimm right, or the other way around, like. 228 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 3: Rock and roll, where one of them turns into strong 229 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 3: and one turns into the free or vice versa. You 230 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 3: just just don't know. And it's not like, oh my god, 231 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 3: you confused me. It's just it's one more thing for 232 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 3: me to pat. 233 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 4: The ball, one more thing to look at to account for. 234 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 3: To and what gets one step closer? 235 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 4: You know what, It makes a ton of sense. 236 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 3: So that's kind of a fine line. You know, maybe 237 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 3: that works out. 238 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:13,679 Speaker 2: No, that that that makes a ton of sense. It 239 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 2: absolutely does, and again becomes more challenging when you are 240 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 2: missing some key pieces. 241 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 3: Yes, I mean that's undeniable. 242 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 4: That that's undeniable. 243 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 2: But you also at the same time got to start 244 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: getting at least move it in the right direction. 245 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 4: You got to row the boat in the right direction. 246 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:31,959 Speaker 4: Another concerning number. 247 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 3: Lastly, Yeah, because they're playing a quarterback who I adore 248 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 3: and I even wrote today I think the next great 249 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 3: AFC quarterbacks are Ward in May. But he's only played 250 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 3: what ten games in his life, so very the coverage 251 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 3: is even more. I mean a static back seven. You're 252 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 3: doing him a favor, have him. 253 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 4: He needs to be thinking a lot to getting one pulse, 254 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 4: you know, just a beat overthinking right there. 255 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 2: Okay, now I know, cognizant of his details, sure, instead 256 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 2: of just out there playing. 257 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 3: That Stuff's not gonna confuse Rogers or Brady in a 258 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 3: Patriots uniform. But the guys haven't been around. At least 259 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 3: make them decipher it a little more. 260 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 2: Too, I guess, say, same church, different pew. Did you 261 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 2: see this Kenneth Walker stat from from this past Sunday 262 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 2: against a stacked box, so via next Gen Stats, that's 263 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 2: eight or more guys in the box. Yeah, he averaged 264 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: eight point two five yards per carry against a stacked box. 265 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,119 Speaker 3: I know, and I think that has something to correlate 266 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 3: with the number I sole from Next Gen about being 267 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 3: the worst tackling team in the league. So I'm gonna 268 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 3: heart more on the tackling thing because my theory on 269 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 3: the tackling thing is, first off, before we're just talking 270 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 3: about running game for right this minute, the Steelers have 271 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 3: a lot of tackles for loss in the run game. 272 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 3: Mostly what, but that's why you're paying them. I mean, fine, totally. 273 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 3: He's out there all the time, and he played and 274 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 3: he's a good player, so that part is good. And 275 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 3: I did a show Monday night with Pursuda and Rob 276 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 3: and Rob opened the show and it was a little 277 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 3: more flowery than I wanted to be at the time. 278 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 3: He's like, well, the run defense was better, especially if 279 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 3: you take out those six or seven really long runs. 280 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, yeah, but there's six or seven really long runs. 281 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 2: And then so if I said to my parents, yeah, 282 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 2: I got a D on that report card, but if 283 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,319 Speaker 2: you take out my three or four bad tests, I 284 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 2: got all. 285 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 3: The test yeah, I mean right, my homework was good. 286 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 3: I just failed every test you know or whatever. I'm like, yeah, 287 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 3: you can't really do that though. Rob and I didn't 288 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: watch the All twenty two at that point, and I 289 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,199 Speaker 3: was just giving them a hard time. Beyond the air, 290 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 3: you know it his flowery. That's why we are right, 291 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 3: all right. I mean, he's gonna positive spin. He's a 292 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 3: voice of Steelers. It was a little under the weather 293 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 3: and want to pick on them too much, but he 294 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 3: was actually right. I mean, the run defense was better, definitely, 295 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 3: on a down to down basis, and they had some 296 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 3: gaffes and Walker is going to split that to no end. Now, 297 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 3: going back to tackling, I think I said this on 298 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 3: those airways, but I don't even care about the stats, 299 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 3: because tackling stats, to me, I can kind of take 300 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 3: with the grains salt. But these are straight from the NFL. 301 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 3: These aren't someone doing it in their basement. They were 302 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 3: the best tackling team in the league last year. This 303 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 3: year they've basically been the worst. That's a pretty drastic change. 304 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 3: Like Minka is a great tackler, but that's not enough, 305 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 3: you know, right right, It's not like Lambert and ham 306 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 3: retired on you, you know what I mean. But I 307 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 3: think the problem is when they haven't gotten tackles for loss, 308 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: especially in the Jets game fields. Walker Hall really dynamic 309 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 3: ball carriers, but really hard to tackle once they get 310 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 3: past that first level and they're in space a little bit, 311 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 3: and because the D line's been getting moved so much, 312 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 3: they've been getting to the second level. It just is 313 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 3: a harder tackle than someone dancing behind the line of 314 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 3: scrim you know what I mean. And that kind of 315 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 3: plays into the eight man boxed thing. To me too, 316 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 3: because loaded boxes stop runs. Yes, but if I have 317 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 3: a lot of people at the line of scrimmage, attack 318 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 3: and the damn breaks, I don't got nothing behind him either, right, 319 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 3: exactly right. So if you miss a tackle or you're 320 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 3: getting moved at the line of scrimmage and a big 321 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 3: hole rises and fields walker Hall is all of a sudden, 322 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 3: eight yard is downfield or the full head of steam 323 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 3: and it's a corner and mead left to go. That's 324 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 3: a lot harder tackle than Levon Kirkland shuffling into the 325 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 3: a gap and smacking somebody. You know what I mean. 326 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 2: If you're gonna stack that box, you better have some 327 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 2: share tackling. And they did not have shed tackling. Yeah, 328 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: you make one or two miss and all of a 329 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 2: sudden you got way more space than you should have. 330 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 2: We're gonna take a break here. When we return on 331 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: the other side, Bob Labriola will join us to discuss 332 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 2: all of this and more. Reminder, keep those tweets rolling 333 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 2: in we see him coming now. We'll get to those 334 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:57,359 Speaker 2: before we get up out of here as well. Wes 335 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 2: Matt Williams sentence the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on 336 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes. 337 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: About drive on your twenty four to seven home of 338 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 339 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 2: Back on the drive here into the phone lines, we 340 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 2: go to talk to our good friend Bob Labriola, of 341 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: course Steelers historian. You can read all his work on 342 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 2: Steelers dot Com. Listen to him on the pregame show 343 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 2: on every single Steelers broadcast on WDVE with Mike Persuda 344 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 2: and Jerry Dulac Labs. Thank you for taking the time, 345 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 2: as always plenty that we want to get into of 346 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 2: all the kind of concerns that we've all seen and 347 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 2: discussed this week. You know, run game for the offense, 348 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 2: pass protection for the offense, run game for the defense, 349 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 2: communication in the secondary. Is there one of these things 350 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 2: that at the forefront of your mind that should be 351 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: I don't want to say an easy fix, but something 352 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 2: that you think is correctable and quick that the Steelers 353 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 2: can start to get moving in the right direction this 354 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 2: Sunday in Foxborough. 355 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 5: Yeah, looking at it that way, I don't know that 356 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 5: I have an answer for you. I mean, I'm not 357 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 5: I'm not the doctor of you know, fixing problems, but 358 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,679 Speaker 5: of all of the areas that you mentioned. What I 359 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 5: would say is the most critical is protecting the quarterback, 360 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 5: not because that it is, you know, the most important thing, 361 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 5: maybe to get fixed in order to have a chance 362 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 5: to win on Sunday. But Aaron Rodgers can't be taking 363 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 5: those kind of hits regularly and if he gets hurt. 364 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 5: All due respect to Mason Rudolph, and I do respect 365 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 5: Mason Rudolph a year you're you're not the same team 366 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 5: without Aaron Rodgers. So the just looking for me, looking 367 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 5: at the consequences of continuing to allow Aaron Rodgers to 368 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 5: take those kind of hits is the most concerning to 369 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 5: me because I don't think this Steelers team can afford 370 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:35,919 Speaker 5: to be without him for stretches of this season and 371 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 5: hope to you know, get into the playoffs. 372 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 3: My hunches Labs, you probably agree with me on this 373 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 3: one just by your tone there. But if we just 374 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 3: isolate Rogers, which I think is an important thing to 375 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 3: do with all quarterbacks, and we can all concede that 376 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 3: they're not running the ball very well, the defense isn't 377 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,479 Speaker 3: helping the offense all that well. Protection is not great. 378 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 3: I don't see a wealth of guys just get open 379 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 3: at will. Yet the offense is still pretty darn good. 380 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 3: That sure seems to me like Rogers has been a 381 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 3: success story at this point. 382 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 5: He gives them a chance, them a chance, Yes, all 383 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 5: the time, because you know, uh, just a couple of situations. 384 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 5: Uh if uh Friarmouth holds onto that pass early in 385 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 5: the game down the sideline, you know, and that's that's 386 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 5: a catch you gotta make. In my opinion, if Calvin 387 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 5: Austin isn't trying to do too much in the end zone, 388 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 5: you know, those two plays right there, you know, you're 389 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 5: I don't think we're vastly changing the flow of the 390 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 5: game or the issues that the Steelers had in that game, 391 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 5: But you make those two plays and you have a 392 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 5: chance to win at the end. 393 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 3: And that's not alone. The play was a negative exactly right, 394 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 3: and that's at least three points you lost. 395 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 5: Yes, right, And so that's that's what I mean. He 396 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 5: Aaron Rodgers in my opinion, is you know, if you 397 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 5: just do some of the I don't know, routine things, 398 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 5: He's going to give you a chance to win. 399 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, gives you a chance, gives you. 400 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 5: A chance, yes, Uh. And that's why for me, you know, 401 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 5: there's a lot of things. You're You're right about the 402 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 5: running game that's not helping him. The run defense isn't 403 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 5: allowing the offense to have more possessions, which means he 404 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 5: gets more snaps, more chance of the other team's defense. 405 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 5: All of those things are true. But to me, his 406 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 5: health is paramount. And uh whatever. You know, we always 407 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 5: heard touching Wolf talking about times when they were in 408 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 5: the huddle, and you know they just look around and say, 409 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 5: you know, the quarterback doesn't get touched. Whatever it is, holding, tripping, 410 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 5: whatever you got to do. You've got to protect the franchise, 411 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 5: so to speak. And for me, that's that's where I 412 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 5: am right now. There may be other ways of looking 413 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 5: at this and other issues that I'm sure could be 414 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 5: argued or pointed out that are as important or possibly 415 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 5: more so, but that's that's it for me. He cannot 416 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 5: get hurt if something bad would happen to him. I don't. 417 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 5: I don't like this team's chances very much moving forward. 418 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 3: So Wes and I, I mean, we have ten hours 419 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 3: to fill a week and we've talked about a lot 420 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 3: of different issues. A lot of them were very prevalent 421 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 3: in the Seattle game. But deep down, I feel like 422 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 3: the root of the problem, and it's on both sides 423 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 3: of the ball, is they just have their big guys 424 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 3: haven't been good enough. I mean, if they win at 425 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 3: the line of scrimmage a higher percentage of the time, 426 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 3: we know that there's such a ripple effect with the 427 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 3: little fast guys haven't been able to be more successful. 428 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 5: Yes, and that to me is disturbing. Yeah, because getting 429 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 5: handled on the line of scrimmage is to me is 430 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 5: pretty basic win or lose. If you're going to look 431 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 5: at something one thing, you know, and it's not a 432 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 5: stat that you can look at the game book and say, well, 433 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 5: look at this stat and this will ninety nine times 434 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 5: out of one hundred point to which team won. But 435 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 5: for me, it's more of a feel or a sense. 436 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 5: And if you're the team that's getting handled on the 437 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 5: line of scrimmage, and a lot of times that's shown 438 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 5: in your ability to run the ball and your ability 439 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 5: to stop the run, but not necessarily all the time. 440 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 5: But if you're getting handled on the line of scrimmage, 441 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 5: and I think that's what you're referring to, that's that's 442 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 5: bad news. And that's bad news because I think in 443 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 5: the NFL that's blood in the water. For opponents. 444 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 3: Could feel it, and Jerome could feel it. 445 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 5: And you know, right right, and and until that doesn't 446 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 5: until that's not the case anymore, opponents are going to 447 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 5: try and do some of the same things, whatever those 448 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 5: same things are. I mean, I don't know. I can't 449 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 5: watch and say, well, you know, this guy and this 450 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 5: gap or you know, those kinds of things. My my 451 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 5: knowledge of the sport isn't to that technical degree. But 452 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 5: to me, it's it's more of a heel. Yeah, you know, 453 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,439 Speaker 5: just watching. You know, Bill Nunn told me this a 454 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 5: long time ago. You know, he said, don't try and 455 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 5: figure out too much. Just watch the colors. Where are 456 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 5: the colors after the snap of the ball? Is the 457 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 5: white bleeding into the black? Or is the black bleeding 458 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:19,360 Speaker 5: into the white? 459 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 3: Referring to the jerseys the complex game, but it really isn't. 460 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 5: But it really is watching the game through the binoculars 461 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 5: from the akor Sheer Stadium press box. You know, the 462 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 5: colors were not in the Steelers favor. I could tell 463 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 5: you that. 464 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 3: Tom often talks about which way the pals wereling. You know, yep, guys, it's. 465 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 5: Not even I'm sorry, I don't mean to. Sometimes it's 466 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,919 Speaker 5: not which way the pile is. Movement has to do 467 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 5: I think with you know, point of contact with the 468 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 5: guy with the ball. None was just talking about the 469 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 5: five offensive linemen and how many other guys on the 470 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 5: defensive front four, three, six, whatever it might be at 471 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 5: the snap. If they're both coming off the ball, which 472 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 5: way is the color bleeding and guys. 473 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 2: I think a good example of that, I think a 474 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 2: good microcosm of that has been what we've seen from 475 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 2: Jalen Warren. He has not had much opportunity to find space. 476 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 2: He's been contacted behind the line of scrimmage for first 477 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 2: contact way too often. But I think we saw on 478 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 2: Sunday Labs like you give Jalen Warren an inch, he 479 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 2: can take a mile. They they've got. They've got to 480 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 2: start finding ways to get that guy in space and 481 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 2: get him more opportunities to do Jalen Warren type things well. 482 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 5: And that also was, in my opinion, was Najie Harris's 483 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 5: cross to bear. I mean, how many times I used 484 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 5: to complain about this all the time. How many times 485 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 5: did Naji Harris need to break two tackles, you know, 486 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 5: to get stuffed. 487 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 4: For no game, just a lot too often. 488 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 5: That's right, that's ridiculous. You know, I always believe, you know, 489 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 5: the criticisms of nause Harris, there were a lot of 490 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 5: things that were legitimate, but I just wanted to see 491 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,719 Speaker 5: him get through one game where he got to the 492 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 5: line of scrimmage on every carry clean of his Now 493 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 5: show me what he can do. Now, show me or 494 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 5: tell me after we see that. Is he or is 495 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,160 Speaker 5: he not a first round pick? Because I don't think 496 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 5: the guy ever had that opportunity. And so, uh, you know, 497 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 5: I understand the analytics or whatever it is of you know, 498 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 5: using high picks and paying big time second contracts to 499 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 5: these running backs in the NFL. Maybe isn't the way 500 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 5: to go based on you know, their availability and where 501 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 5: you can find them and the abuse that they have 502 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 5: to take and their shelf life and all that stuff. Okay, 503 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 5: all of that's fine. But I like Nausee Harris as 504 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 5: a player in college. I was I was happy when 505 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 5: the Steelers picked him in the first round, but I 506 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 5: just didn't think that we know, we didn't. We didn't 507 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 5: see too much of Alabama nause Harris with the Steelers 508 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 5: because I just thought there were too many instances where 509 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 5: he's getting hit before he got in the line of 510 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 5: script even got to the line of scrimmage. Excuse me so, 511 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 5: and that certainly applies to Jalen Warren, Caleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell, 512 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 5: Sakwon Barkley. I don't care who it is. If these 513 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 5: guys have to fight their way back to the line 514 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 5: of scrimmage through defenders on a regular basis, they've got 515 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 5: no chance. 516 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 3: So it sounds like I'm reading the tea leaves here 517 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,919 Speaker 3: that you're kind of on board with Wes and I 518 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 3: as well, that they're sort of in a precarious situation 519 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 3: with how they divvy up their running back usage. I mean, 520 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 3: Johnson either isn't ready or is incapable, and who knows, 521 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 3: we haven't seen them. I don't think Gainwell is built 522 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 3: or ever was designed to be on the field as 523 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 3: much as he has been, but he kind of has 524 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 3: to be. Do you just hand it all to Warren 525 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 3: and hope he can handle it or I don't know 526 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 3: what the answer is, but I think they're running back 527 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,719 Speaker 3: usage is not going as planned. 528 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 5: Well, I'm going to go back to what I was saying. 529 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 5: I don't think it matters until you figure out. 530 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 3: The Oh yeah, I hear it. 531 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 5: You know, the way I looked at it towards the 532 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 5: end of training camp, Gamewell was going to be your 533 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 5: third down back. I thought that was going to be 534 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 5: a his well, it would be a good thing if 535 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 5: that was his role. And then the other two guys, 536 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 5: Jalen Warren and Caleb Johnson would I'm not saying you 537 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 5: split the carries or you know, they're one a one 538 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 5: in one a as Najie Harris and Jalen Warren were. 539 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 5: You know, I don't know how the usage was going 540 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 5: to translate with those two guys, but that was how 541 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 5: you know you'd use all three and maybe you play 542 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 5: the hot hand. Gain Well is the third downback and 543 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 5: the other two guys who played the hot hand with 544 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 5: now until the Seattle game, it was really no hot 545 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 5: hand and that was you know, Jayalen Warren showed some 546 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 5: of the things that he showed in his first few 547 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 5: seasons that burst some nice balance, you know, I refuse 548 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 5: to go down easily kind of thing. Now, whether he 549 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 5: can sustain that, how many hits can he take? You know, 550 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 5: those kinds of things. I mean, at this at this stage, 551 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 5: I don't know that you can really be worried about that. 552 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, say, I think just figured out as you go 553 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 3: and give them the ball to your best guy. 554 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 5: You know. Yeah, it's too early, you know, to be 555 00:29:55,440 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 5: counting snaps. I think we're worrying about accumulation of naps, 556 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 5: you know, a Thanksgiving and later, because I think right 557 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 5: now there's a there's an urgency in getting some of 558 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 5: these things going. I mean, I'm not it doesn't have 559 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 5: to be a well oiled machine, but I think you 560 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 5: need to see some success for your own mental health 561 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 5: of your team, both as a group and as some individuals, 562 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 5: and you need to have some success in that phase. 563 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 5: As we were talking about, you've got to protect the quarterback, 564 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 5: open up the passing game a little bit, you know, 565 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 5: some of the things that you may want to do 566 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 5: on offense. If you're strictly one dimensional and can't run 567 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 5: the ball at all and it's not even a distraction 568 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 5: for the opposing defense, that's not a good situation to 569 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,719 Speaker 5: be in. Maybe you get out of a game with 570 00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 5: that occasionally, or if you have Jamar Chase and T Higgins, 571 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 5: you know, you have that kind of star power. Dynamic 572 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 5: receivers you can get away with a game or two 573 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 5: putting it into the strictly in the hands of the 574 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 5: receivers and the quarterback, but you know that that's not 575 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 5: real here in Pittsburgh. So yeah, you need that, and 576 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 5: I think the offensive line needs that as well, so 577 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 5: that they're able to come off the ball and deliver 578 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 5: some punishment you need to. I think that there's a 579 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 5: feel that those guys get and like you know, that 580 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 5: was always Russ Grimm's line. You know, the secret to 581 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 5: running the football is moving a guy from point A 582 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 5: to point B against his will. And when you're doing that, 583 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:57,479 Speaker 5: I think that there's some satisfaction as an offensive lineman, 584 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 5: as an offense in general in total that you know 585 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 5: you're having your way with these your particular one on 586 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 5: one opponents, the guy who's opposite you on the line 587 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 5: of scrimmage for the most part. And I think that 588 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 5: for NFL players, for football players at whatever level, that 589 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 5: that feeling when you're doing it to someone is a 590 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 5: good thing and it it breeds more of that, I think, 591 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 5: and if it's happening to you, it's the exact opposite. 592 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 3: Welabs. The last thing I have for you in everyone 593 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: knows that a loss in week one costs the same 594 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 3: in the standings is a loss in week twelve or 595 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 3: fifteen or whatever. But the league has changed so much 596 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 3: in terms of how you prep for the season preseason. 597 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 3: There are no two a days anymore there. I mean, 598 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 3: obviously there's a lot of things that are way different. 599 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 3: What's your thoughts, not just even Steelers, but league wide 600 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 3: of early season football. Are these teams and people say 601 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 3: it's an extension the preseason. I think that's crazy. But 602 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 3: I mean, just like I don't know if these teams 603 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 3: have shown their true colors yet, especially in the physicality aspects, 604 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 3: stopping the run, running the football, things like that, Well 605 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 3: I don't. 606 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 5: I don't think they have either. But the key to 607 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 5: the the early part of the season for me is 608 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 5: and I you know, I mentioned this to you know, 609 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 5: fans or people who engage me in conversation, there is 610 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 5: no level of performance that you need to achieve, uh 611 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 5: in the early part of the season. You just need 612 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 5: to be better than the slappies. 613 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 3: You're playing that sea and. 614 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 5: That's that's it. That's all it is. You know, Don't 615 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 5: don't tell me that this doesn't look good or this 616 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 5: part of their performance you know, isn't top five in 617 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 5: the league or whatever whatever standard or measuring stick you 618 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 5: might want to use, that is totally irrelevant. Okay, if 619 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 5: you're one point better than whoever you're playing every week 620 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 5: in September, you're four and oh you know, or however 621 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 5: many out. Yeah, as you're figuring it out, you don't 622 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 5: have to really get I don't think humming along, you know, 623 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 5: hitting on all cylinders, whatever cliche you care to use 624 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 5: to me. You can almost get all the way to 625 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:43,279 Speaker 5: Thanksgiving before you need that. As long as you are 626 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:47,439 Speaker 5: doing what you need to do, finding ways to win, 627 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 5: being better than the other guy on any given Sunday, 628 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:56,880 Speaker 5: you're keeping yourself relevant in terms of your standing because 629 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 5: you can't be like, oh an eight right, I yes, 630 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 5: you've got to have some numbers in the win callum. 631 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 5: So if you're doing that at a nice rate, you know, uh, 632 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 5: get the Thanksgiving I don't know, whatever it is ten games. 633 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:17,360 Speaker 5: You know, you're seven and three. You might rank in 634 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 5: the bottom half of a lot of statistics offensively and defensively, 635 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 5: but you're seven and three and now you have a 636 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 5: chance to, you know, stand off some of those rough 637 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 5: edges or file off some of those rough edges, you know, 638 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 5: figure out who your real players are, you know, figure 639 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 5: out how you want to deploy these guys, or how 640 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,360 Speaker 5: you want to hide them, or you know, with whichever 641 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 5: way you want to look at it, and maybe you 642 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 5: get on a roll down the stretch. And because you 643 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 5: want to be playing really good, you know, in Santa 644 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:58,680 Speaker 5: Claus is making his trip around the globe. So but 645 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,800 Speaker 5: you got to get where they right You got to 646 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,919 Speaker 5: get there and where the Steelers are right now, they 647 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 5: need some numbers, you know, like Aaron Rodgers said in 648 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 5: his media availability, he doesn't want to get to binary, 649 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 5: but you need to win. And that's that is exactly right. 650 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,719 Speaker 5: It doesn't have to look pretty, it doesn't have to 651 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,640 Speaker 5: be aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't have to be anything. It 652 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:27,920 Speaker 5: just needs to be a win. Because you won the opener. 653 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:33,240 Speaker 5: You lose two in a row, you know. Mike Tomlin 654 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 5: said it his news conference. 655 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 3: Two is a pattern. 656 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 5: He was talking about, I believe aspects of performance, and 657 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 5: I don't disagree with that, but what's three? You know, 658 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 5: help is three? You know. Bubby Bristol once said, fixing 659 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 5: to come unglued is this when you start, you know, 660 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:55,960 Speaker 5: throwing the baby out with the bath bath water. I 661 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 5: don't know, but two is bad, I get it. Three 662 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 5: is worse. How bad is it? How bad is three 663 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 5: compared two? I just hope we don't have to experience 664 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 5: that or figure that out next week when we're talking. 665 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 2: Completely agree and you know it. It could be ugly 666 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,800 Speaker 2: against Mike Rabel and this Patriots group, but just find 667 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 2: a way to get it done and go from there. Labs, 668 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 2: thank you so much for taking the time on this Thursday, 669 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 2: and we will we'll be looking forward to talking to. 670 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 4: You on Sunday. 671 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 5: Okay, take it easy, fellows you as well. 672 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 2: Bob Labriola, the Great Labs kind enough to give us 673 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 2: some of his time there on a Thursday. 674 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 4: I mean, that's he's one hundred. It is. 675 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 2: It is all about getting to It's all about getting 676 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 2: to Halloween and having your head above level, and then 677 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 2: getting to Thanksgiving and we're starting to improve and we're 678 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 2: still where we want to be, and then hopefully playing 679 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,839 Speaker 2: your your your best, you know, your best football around 680 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 2: Christmas time. 681 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:56,280 Speaker 4: That's the ideal formula. 682 00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 3: So hypothetical, Boz and hit the sixty yard or in 683 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 3: the meadowlands, right, falls, the yard short falls, yard short, 684 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,399 Speaker 3: just wide whatever, what tough kick bas is still bas 685 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 3: We're not worried. But to think of our tone would 686 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,359 Speaker 3: have been so much different one week ago, you know. 687 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 2: Sitting here on the panic button at oh two right now, 688 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 2: and you're right, you're not playing another home game for 689 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 2: four weeks. 690 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,280 Speaker 3: Right, you know, And hey, you know I love stats 691 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 3: blah blah blah blah blah. But he's right if you're oh, 692 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:28,720 Speaker 3: you're the bottom third in the league in rushing EPA 693 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 3: on third and long after three games, Like, yeah, but 694 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:33,680 Speaker 3: we're two to one. 695 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:36,400 Speaker 4: Right right, right, you got fourteen of these to go. 696 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, we'll get that figured out by the playoffs. 697 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 3: We just got to get the playoffs and figure out 698 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:40,239 Speaker 3: a way to win. 699 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:43,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean this is this is not college football 700 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,280 Speaker 2: like and I know college football now with the expanded playoff. 701 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 4: It doesn't mean you can win. You can lose games. 702 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 4: But like style, points don't matter. 703 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 3: How boys don't matter. 704 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 4: Just put put put marks in the win column, not 705 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 4: the lost call. 706 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:55,799 Speaker 3: It's usually a ton of great stuff to say, but 707 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:57,800 Speaker 3: just have one more point than your opponent. When the 708 00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:58,799 Speaker 3: buzzer rings, you know. 709 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 2: You have two more against the Jet Yeah, and that 710 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:02,759 Speaker 2: was enough this time of year. That's a good way 711 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,719 Speaker 2: looking at against a Patriots team that's gonna, you know, 712 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 2: want to muck it up a little bit, rock fight 713 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 2: it up a little bit. 714 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 4: I think too. 715 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 2: Sure that might be the That might be the mantra 716 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:16,080 Speaker 2: once again for this Sunday in Foxborough. Great stuff from Labs. 717 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 2: Thanks to him for joining us. Make sure you're listening 718 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,640 Speaker 2: to him on the pregame show. Matt on the pregame show, 719 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 2: right into Labs on the pregame show this this upcoming Sunday. 720 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 2: Of course, everything will begin at nine am on DVE 721 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 2: and the Steelers Audio Network. We'll get back into some 722 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:32,799 Speaker 2: of Matt's stats to close down the first hour of 723 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,479 Speaker 2: the show. Your tweets an hour number two are Buddy 724 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 2: Chris hallickan hour number two plenty to get to as 725 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 2: we roll along on the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio 726 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:41,920 Speaker 2: on the Steelers Audio Network. 727 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven 728 00:39:55,000 --> 00:40:13,880 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio. 729 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 2: Closing down the four o'clock hour here of the Drive 730 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 2: on a Thursday. Reminder, keep those tweets rolling in at 731 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:24,000 Speaker 2: Williamson NFL. At Wesley Juler. We will get to those 732 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:27,439 Speaker 2: in our number two of this program. But a couple 733 00:40:27,520 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 2: numbers that I want to run past you here as 734 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,720 Speaker 2: we close down the first hour, Matt kind of Matt's 735 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:34,920 Speaker 2: stats related and all these different things that we like 736 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:39,080 Speaker 2: to discuss on a Thursday. Twenty nine point one percent, 737 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 2: so a little over twenty nine percent of the time 738 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 2: past attempts versus the Steelers defense are going to the 739 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:48,120 Speaker 2: intermediate level of the field. That is the third highest 740 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 2: rate in the National Football League. Why are teams attacking 741 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:52,640 Speaker 2: the Steelers? 742 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 4: There? Is it? 743 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:56,520 Speaker 2: Patrick Queen and Peyton Wilson? Is it is at the 744 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:58,759 Speaker 2: defensive front? I mean, I'm sure it's a combination of 745 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:02,800 Speaker 2: multiple things, but why does that seem intermediate area to 746 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 2: be where defenses are fine on a sweet spot? 747 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:09,760 Speaker 3: Not exactly what you asked me, But over the last 748 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:13,200 Speaker 3: couple of years, the Steeler defense, I would say the 749 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 3: last three years, we'll call it, that has been attacked 750 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 3: between the numbers more than any other pass defense in 751 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 3: the league. And I think a huge reason for that 752 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 3: isn't because they have Dion and Woodson a corner. I 753 00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:26,520 Speaker 3: think their pass rush is so long they don't want 754 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:30,759 Speaker 3: long developing outside the number, risky stuff gonna get hit. 755 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:34,719 Speaker 3: Attack the middle of the to no offense. But we've 756 00:41:34,719 --> 00:41:38,120 Speaker 3: had you know, Beanie Bishops ben your slot. There was 757 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:43,080 Speaker 3: a stretch there where linebacker Shazir till Now was very suspect. 758 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:47,800 Speaker 3: So I think that's been offensive coordinator's book to attack 759 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:51,920 Speaker 3: the mid range against this defense going in. You know, 760 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:53,359 Speaker 3: But no matter what, like I'm. 761 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:54,680 Speaker 4: Gonna mitigate the pass rush. 762 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:58,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm gonna have a pre conceived notion that I'm 763 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:00,920 Speaker 3: gonna throw kind of over the middle in the intermediate 764 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 3: area against the Steelers. All in all this year, I 765 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,239 Speaker 3: don't know one hundred percent, because what I will tell 766 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 3: you the hardest area for a quarterback to excel is 767 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,800 Speaker 3: ten to twenty one to ten aren't real hard throws. 768 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 3: We know that deep balls aren't hard throws for these 769 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 3: guys either. I mean, like, with all respect to Rust 770 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:25,759 Speaker 3: with the moonball, he's really good at it, but that's 771 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:27,600 Speaker 3: not that great a skill to have, you know what 772 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 3: I mean. The best dudes are the ones that can 773 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:32,560 Speaker 3: layer it in over the linebacker and in front of 774 00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:36,520 Speaker 3: the safety. The two hardest areas to complete passes are 775 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:38,759 Speaker 3: the red zone and ten to twenty yards in the 776 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:40,719 Speaker 3: line of scrimmage. This is where the most bodies are, 777 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:42,960 Speaker 3: and that's where the most coverage changes. 778 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:44,120 Speaker 4: Atast amount of space, at least amount of. 779 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 3: Space, and you tight window throws. What do I gotta 780 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:51,040 Speaker 3: throw a fastball between two little guys here, or do 781 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:52,920 Speaker 3: I gotta layer it and put it you know. 782 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:54,880 Speaker 4: Perfect six foot three linebacker. 783 00:42:55,120 --> 00:43:01,279 Speaker 3: Yeah, So my thoughts are, no, the linebackers haven't been 784 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 3: great in coverage. Nothing's been great on defense. But I 785 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 3: kind of hope teams keep attacking that area because I 786 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:10,440 Speaker 3: think they'll make them pay more. You know, Ramsey's here 787 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:13,920 Speaker 3: instead of Beanie Peppers now could be in the mix. 788 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:18,040 Speaker 3: Elliott someday comes back. I don't think Wilson and Queen 789 00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:20,880 Speaker 3: are bad coverage linebackers are not Fred Warner, but I 790 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 3: don't think they're, you know, like some of the guys 791 00:43:23,680 --> 00:43:27,239 Speaker 3: they've had to play with recently. Sure, so, okay, they 792 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:29,799 Speaker 3: have been attacking that area, But keep it up and 793 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 3: we'll see how it goes, you know what I mean? 794 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:34,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, Yeah, No, that that. 795 00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:35,719 Speaker 3: Ten to twenty is a hard place to live. 796 00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 2: It is, And you're right, I mean, that's that's where 797 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 2: the best quarterbacks in the league excel. That's where that 798 00:43:41,719 --> 00:43:46,440 Speaker 2: accuracy is here so much it comes into play, And 799 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,440 Speaker 2: that was just interesting that that's where you know, a 800 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:51,799 Speaker 2: nice chunk there nearly thirty percent of the time is 801 00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:53,640 Speaker 2: where opponents opposition. 802 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:56,520 Speaker 3: The more I think about it, too, the Steelers have 803 00:43:56,560 --> 00:44:00,640 Speaker 3: faced very few tight end targets. One of those teams 804 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:02,960 Speaker 3: have good tight ends. I mean if they if they 805 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:05,200 Speaker 3: face kiddl, they probably wouldn't face a lot more. Again, 806 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:08,839 Speaker 3: tiny sample size, so you'd think that'd be tight end neighborhood, 807 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,200 Speaker 3: but it's really cup in the Jigman neighborhood too. I 808 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:15,880 Speaker 3: mean that those guys aren't deep threats. They're not burner burners, 809 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,839 Speaker 3: but they're gonna get ten plus. They're just not gonna 810 00:44:18,840 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 3: get twenty plus true often, you know what I mean. 811 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 2: Sure, Steelers average four point eight yards per play. Only 812 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:29,879 Speaker 2: six offenses are worse. New England allows six point six 813 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 2: yards per play. Only Chicago is worse. Yeah, something's got 814 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:35,640 Speaker 2: to give. 815 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:38,880 Speaker 3: There, give right? Is this is this a get right game? 816 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:41,759 Speaker 4: And see, I like I was thinking about that. 817 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and maybe I even hesitate to go there because 818 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:46,279 Speaker 2: a get right game feels like you go out and 819 00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:47,720 Speaker 2: you win thirty one to ten. 820 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:50,240 Speaker 3: Right, Like these guys are high school team or something, 821 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 3: and I don't I don't see that happening. 822 00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:55,839 Speaker 4: No, Like Buffalo might beat Miami thirty one to ten tonight. 823 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:57,680 Speaker 3: But right, and if they were zeroing too, that's to 824 00:44:57,719 --> 00:44:58,480 Speaker 3: get right game. 825 00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:00,719 Speaker 4: Exactly the Bills, exactly right. 826 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:02,479 Speaker 2: But that's one of the best teams in the league 827 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:04,960 Speaker 2: against one of the worst teams struggling. 828 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 4: In the in the league. But Matt, this feels like 829 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 4: an opportunity. 830 00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:10,520 Speaker 2: I don't even want to say, to get right and 831 00:45:10,520 --> 00:45:13,200 Speaker 2: you're gonna knock off all the woes that you've had 832 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,399 Speaker 2: through two weeks or suddenly those warts are going. 833 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:17,279 Speaker 4: To turn into beauty marks, you know. 834 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,919 Speaker 2: But I think that this is this is the week 835 00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:22,520 Speaker 2: for the offense to start punching back, to start finding 836 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:25,000 Speaker 2: some level ground, kind of like what we talked about 837 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,839 Speaker 2: during training camp. Yeah, you know, the first week and 838 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:31,200 Speaker 2: change of training camp, it was all defense, yeah right, right, 839 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 2: dominating team period, dominating seven shots. 840 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:36,040 Speaker 3: Hopefully this starts to change, and it did. 841 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:38,120 Speaker 2: But then like the halfway through the second week of 842 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:40,120 Speaker 2: training camp, it was like, oh, the offense won seven 843 00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:40,719 Speaker 2: shots today. 844 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:43,520 Speaker 4: The offense was making more way more plays. 845 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:45,600 Speaker 3: To me, a couple offensive linemen getting fights because they're 846 00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:47,960 Speaker 3: not happy about it, or Roger's shooting somebody out a 847 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 3: little bit more exactly right, sudden things start picking up 848 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:52,560 Speaker 3: and it's a little more competitive. It's not as one 849 00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:54,040 Speaker 3: sided here. 850 00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:56,359 Speaker 2: That's what I'm hoping this week is not like it's 851 00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:59,839 Speaker 2: some it's I keep used of this, not that it's 852 00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 2: so Mono Liso work of art for the offense, but 853 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:05,640 Speaker 2: did they clearly take a step forward and I think 854 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:08,680 Speaker 2: find some things to hang their hat on going forward 855 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:09,399 Speaker 2: because it's not a. 856 00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:13,480 Speaker 3: Super talented defense. I mean, teams are really throwing all 857 00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:15,799 Speaker 3: over these guys right now, and they're not even really 858 00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:18,480 Speaker 3: choosing to run. So I don't know, I don't think 859 00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:21,320 Speaker 3: it's a case of like when the Steelers at Casey Hampton, 860 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:23,200 Speaker 3: we're not even gonna bother trying to run, you know. Like, 861 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:27,000 Speaker 3: I just think it's been We've been passing with great success. 862 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:29,799 Speaker 3: We're fine doing it. Even though the Patriots lead the 863 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,319 Speaker 3: league in sacks. It's the back seven doesn't have a 864 00:46:33,320 --> 00:46:35,920 Speaker 3: lot of good players, and they're work in progress and 865 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:39,759 Speaker 3: they're best players. Gonzalez, who hasn't played yet, he's your 866 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:42,280 Speaker 3: best man to man guy out there at times a thousand. 867 00:46:43,000 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 3: So I don't know if their run defense is good 868 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:47,200 Speaker 3: or bad because people just aren't doing it that much 869 00:46:47,239 --> 00:46:51,239 Speaker 3: against them. But still their front is talented, and that's 870 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:54,200 Speaker 3: I should have said this even earlier. Such show like 871 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:58,400 Speaker 3: I really think this is a massively rebuilding organization. The 872 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:01,239 Speaker 3: shadow of Bell Check. They're getting it out of that. 873 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:04,440 Speaker 3: Brady's long gone. You had a coach that didn't come 874 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:07,560 Speaker 3: close to working out last year. But I like the 875 00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:11,160 Speaker 3: way that they are takeing how they're starting their rebuild. 876 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:12,920 Speaker 3: I think they have a quarterback. 877 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:14,479 Speaker 4: Paulways a good start, great start. 878 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:16,040 Speaker 3: You know, you have the second pick in the draft, 879 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:17,600 Speaker 3: third picking the draft, you took a guy and it 880 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,480 Speaker 3: looks like you hit. I'm very fond of Drake May. 881 00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:24,600 Speaker 3: Then you go get a legit coach. You know Braybuls 882 00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:26,279 Speaker 3: won games in this league. You know he's not going 883 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 3: to be it. 884 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:28,759 Speaker 4: We can talk about his ceiling, but he is right. 885 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,560 Speaker 2: Without a NFL coach who's going to raise your floor certainly. 886 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,160 Speaker 3: So if we can check those two boxes now, I 887 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:37,640 Speaker 3: think they have a pass rush. That's a good box 888 00:47:37,680 --> 00:47:39,759 Speaker 3: to check, but all the other boxes are kind of 889 00:47:39,800 --> 00:47:40,759 Speaker 3: empty you know. 890 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:42,839 Speaker 4: When they started in the top five of the draft. 891 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:45,759 Speaker 3: We'll see, yeah, right, maybe a year from now the 892 00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:49,640 Speaker 3: O line is checked, but we'll see, you know. And 893 00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:51,600 Speaker 3: that's the way, and that's probably how I would love 894 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:53,600 Speaker 3: to build my team. You know, if I get one thing, 895 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:55,799 Speaker 3: I want to quarterback, it's two things. I want a 896 00:47:55,840 --> 00:47:58,120 Speaker 3: quarterback and head coach. I have three things. It might 897 00:47:58,160 --> 00:48:00,560 Speaker 3: be a quarterback, head coach, and a pass rush, you 898 00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:02,160 Speaker 3: know what I mean. And then next week here I 899 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:03,000 Speaker 3: won four and five. 900 00:48:04,320 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 2: Last one, I wanted to run past you quickly before 901 00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:09,920 Speaker 2: we go to break. Steelers offense utilizing twelve personnel over 902 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:11,400 Speaker 2: fifty percent. 903 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:13,600 Speaker 3: Of the time, number one in the league, number one 904 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:14,240 Speaker 3: in the league. 905 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:17,480 Speaker 2: To me, that's where that's another one of those areas 906 00:48:17,480 --> 00:48:19,200 Speaker 2: that they got to start finding some footing. 907 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:21,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, we've seen them. 908 00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:23,799 Speaker 3: The EPA is not great for twelve personnel, but it's 909 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:24,760 Speaker 3: not great for any the offense. 910 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:28,360 Speaker 2: But I mean, we saw we saw zero four personnel 911 00:48:28,480 --> 00:48:30,880 Speaker 2: at one at one point last week. Like, I think 912 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:34,800 Speaker 2: they're trying creative things with the tight Endsas Labs mentions 913 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:37,000 Speaker 2: that deep ball to Pat Freiermuth, he catches that maybe 914 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:39,520 Speaker 2: we're singing a different tune, but like, probably you need 915 00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:41,640 Speaker 2: these tight ends to start chipping in with a couple 916 00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:42,040 Speaker 2: of big plays. 917 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:44,200 Speaker 3: You're really counting on us, Yes, And it's as tight 918 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:46,960 Speaker 3: end eccentric offense as there is in the league. I mean, 919 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 3: it's not Gronk in his prime or Kelsey in his prime, 920 00:48:50,600 --> 00:48:52,680 Speaker 3: where they're going to lead the league in targets and 921 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:55,799 Speaker 3: receptions and all those things and moonwalk into the Hall 922 00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:58,879 Speaker 3: of Fame. But you're really counting on that trio. I'm 923 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:02,879 Speaker 3: not including Connor with it. Those guys to be mismatches 924 00:49:04,480 --> 00:49:10,399 Speaker 3: personnel advantages, and my only semi complaint is because they 925 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,120 Speaker 3: have struggled with the line of scrimmage. I don't love 926 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:17,399 Speaker 3: that Washington is third in snapcounts of the three. Now. 927 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:19,440 Speaker 4: I know that he's not some tweets about that in 928 00:49:19,480 --> 00:49:19,759 Speaker 4: the past. 929 00:49:20,320 --> 00:49:23,560 Speaker 3: Okay, I know that he's not as dynamic of a receiver, 930 00:49:24,480 --> 00:49:26,200 Speaker 3: but I think he's the hardest guy to play against 931 00:49:26,239 --> 00:49:28,080 Speaker 3: in the whole group. And if you want to get 932 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:30,480 Speaker 3: physical and run the football, especially an outside zone on 933 00:49:30,520 --> 00:49:34,160 Speaker 3: the edge, and that dude is not fun to play against. 934 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:36,360 Speaker 3: I would have him out there. I would bump his 935 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:39,680 Speaker 3: snapcounts well. Maybe that means more. Thirteen. That's time too. 936 00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:40,799 Speaker 3: I don't care how you do it. Just get him 937 00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:43,320 Speaker 3: on the field. And it's not like he's not doing anything. 938 00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 3: I mean, but he shouldn't be third. But those guys 939 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:48,560 Speaker 3: have good cases too. They're good players, they do. But 940 00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:50,320 Speaker 3: you're right, that room needs to give you more, and 941 00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:51,600 Speaker 3: you just need more. 942 00:49:51,960 --> 00:49:53,640 Speaker 2: You need to be calling their name more. You need 943 00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:56,680 Speaker 2: big plays more from from that room. With the way 944 00:49:56,680 --> 00:49:58,680 Speaker 2: that the Steelers offense is built. Yeah, yeah, talk a 945 00:49:58,719 --> 00:50:00,080 Speaker 2: little bit more about that when we get into some 946 00:50:00,120 --> 00:50:02,960 Speaker 2: of the tweets, specifically about Darnell Washington will do that 947 00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:05,920 Speaker 2: and our number two catch up with our buddy Chris Halleck. 948 00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:08,800 Speaker 2: We'll also give you all the latest on the Steelers 949 00:50:08,840 --> 00:50:12,120 Speaker 2: and Patriots injury front. When we return to begin our 950 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:14,239 Speaker 2: number two wash uler Matt Williams and it's the Drive 951 00:50:14,320 --> 00:50:17,040 Speaker 2: on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.