1 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: Home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. Welcome 3 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: to the Drive. I'm Dale LOLLI he is Matt Williamson 4 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: and uh, well Matt. We get a little bit of 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: Steelers news here to get to before we drop into 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: the show. Here. Looks like Brian Flores is a finalist 7 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: along with Mike Kafka and lou and Oramo uh for 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals job. And if Flora's doesn't get the 9 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: head coaching job there, he's also still a candidate for 10 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: the defensive coordinator job in Denver and I believe Minneapolis. 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: So he's been a guy who has been a hot 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:53,639 Speaker 1: name on the the markets this this off season. Yeah, 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: and deservedly so. I mean, he has a great resume, 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: He's overqualified for what he did. Did you has done here? 15 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: Be great if he returns to Steelers. But I'm also 16 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: wishing him the best and get you know, get a 17 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: better job higher um precedent's type of job. I think 18 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: he'd be great in Arizona. I mean, those other names 19 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: are fine, but they've never been head coaches. I think 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: you need someone that demands attention owns the room, has 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: a tough mentality like he does to keep Kyler in 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: line and get that thing back on track because that 23 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: organization is off the tracks. Yeah, that's an interesting one. Uh. 24 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: If I'm Flores, I don't know that I'm interested in 25 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: just taking a defensive coordinator's job. I was thinking that too, 26 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: Like he could he could hold out, stay in Pittsburgh 27 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: another year and in the next hiring cycle, still be 28 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: a hot name in the head coaching cycle as opposed 29 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: to heal quickly for people. But I don't think he 30 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: would be out of it. It's not an hour or never. 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: I would think. No, I would agree with that. Um, 32 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: you know. So I think that's the the interesting part 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: of this all. And and for fans who don't know, 34 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: uh know, the Steelers would not get a any draft 35 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: picks in conversation if he leaves for another job, because 36 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: he has to be with the team for at least 37 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: two years. So your fans, for that reason and the 38 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: fact that he's a really good coach, you're rooting for 39 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,239 Speaker 1: him to return. Yeah, let him, Let him hire Louis 40 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: and a Romo, someone from the division. Yeah, steal someone 41 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: from the Bengals. There you go. That's perfect. Um. But yeah, 42 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: so you know that that's going to, you know, continue 43 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: to be something that we watch here. Um. You know 44 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 1: again it never hurts too uh, at the very least 45 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: interview for those jobs and keep your name out there. 46 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, but I don't know. Again, I don't know 47 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: that the Cardinals would be a job that I would 48 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,679 Speaker 1: necessarily want. I was thinking that too, like it's hard 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: to turn it down a head coaching job, and of course, 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: of course, but I do think if I'm looking at 51 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: it through flora as eyes, I could I could wait 52 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: one more year and still be in in the hunt. 53 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: And plus you'd have Tom and Volgin for him and 54 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: calling people know things behind the scenes would work out 55 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: well for you couldn't see his defense taken step forward 56 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: and your resume improves a little in that regard to possibly. 57 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: But our buddy Mike Sando, when when the season ended, 58 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: ranked all the available head coaching jobs and frankly he 59 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: had Houston and Carolina at the top and Arizona dead last. 60 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: And it goes to show none of them are all 61 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: that sweet. And there's a reason these jobs come open 62 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: to I mean, perfect situations. Rarely does built Kyward walk 63 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: Away or Chuck Nol or whatever too. But this could 64 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: be as bad as any job out there. Like, you're 65 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: married to Kyler Murray and he's hurt and all the time. 66 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: Yeah he's expensive, right, you're not gonna you're not gonna 67 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: have him to start next season. So the quarterback that 68 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: you're tied into for fifty million dollars, you get the work, 69 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, it's just gonna be a that's a 70 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: rough situation. So it'd be interesting to see how that 71 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: works out. Uh, As I mentioned the top of the show, 72 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: and we do this every once in a while. He 73 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lally For people who 74 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: don't know who we are, if you're just finding the 75 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: show here. Um, obviously Matt and I have been doing 76 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: this show together now for what five or six years? 77 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: It seems like decades, but yeah, I know, well it's 78 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: like it's been a long marriage. Um, you know, a 79 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: convenience for both of us, but we can't find anybody else. Uh, 80 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: but you know, Matt, Matt came up in the scouting 81 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: ranks and uh eventually worked for the Cleveland Browns and 82 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: then went to work for ESPN for what over a decade. 83 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: It was ten years exactly and years exactly. So the 84 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: four letter of network. Yeah, that's that's where Matt's experience 85 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: comes from. And obviously now big into the fantasy a 86 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: ball world and and doing those kind of things as 87 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: your you have your locked on podcast as well, that 88 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: uh is the number one UH show for locked On 89 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: for the network gets there. It's their flagship flagship show. 90 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: There you go, That's what I was looking for, uh 91 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: For myself. I've been doing this for thirty years, covering 92 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: the Steelers for a number of different outlets. Um but 93 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: I've been doing um well, Steelers Nation Radio since the onset, 94 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: I believe back in four team what every year we 95 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: started this thing, I've been I've done a number of 96 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: different shows, but the show that Matt and I do here, 97 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: the Drive, is the one that, uh well, it seems 98 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: to work the best for me. We're right, We're let's 99 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: sit down and talk football and and play off of 100 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: each other. I think our strengths and weaknesses playoff of 101 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,799 Speaker 1: each other well, and so that's what we do, folks, 102 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: and and we we thank you for listening here. But 103 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: let's get into a little more Steeler talk here. Before 104 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: we before we get too far down the upth hold, 105 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: um man, if you're looking at the two Super Bowl teams, Yeah, 106 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: how far off are the Steelers from those two franchises 107 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: right now? Well, let's start with the Chiefs. I think 108 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: they're the outlier of the league. You know in that 109 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 1: I guarantee if you gave Andy Reid troops here, um 110 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 1: and said what were your expectations for the two thousand 111 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: two NFL season, I think he would say we realized 112 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: we were getting a little head of our skis. We 113 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: traded tyreek Hill, we created a lot of cap space, 114 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: and drafted a lot of dudes, car Loft, this sky More, 115 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: you know, there a lot of Day one and two picks, 116 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: and figured we'll do what we can with Pat and 117 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: Kelsey and rebuild Chris Jones and go from there. Do 118 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: our best to compete eats. But we're really thinking about 119 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty three and beyond. With their off season 120 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,799 Speaker 1: a year ago, Well, when you have the best player 121 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: on the planet and frankly, I think the best quarterback 122 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: I've ever seen, and you get some breaks, so as 123 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: everyone does to get to the Super Bowl, Well, they're 124 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: still in it, and they may end up hoisting a 125 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: Lombardy and what their version of a quote rebuilding years. See, 126 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: I like in them a little different different. I think 127 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: they're more like say the two thousand eight or two 128 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: thousand ten Steelers where you you just started. Probably more 129 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: like the two thousand ten Steelers. You just gave the 130 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: quarterback a big contract, and now you have to divest 131 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: yourself of some of those other big contracts because you're 132 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: paying the quarterback so much money. And that's all part 133 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: of it. But the reason you pay the quarterback so 134 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: much money is because he's expected to carry the team 135 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: a little bit more. So, you know, you have to 136 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: live with your draft picks. You have to put guys 137 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: on the field, you know. They they were talking about, 138 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: I think the Chiefs have like what thirteen rookies on 139 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: their roster or some ridiculous Yeah, well that's why, because 140 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: they're playing the quarterbacks so much money that you have 141 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: to go that route. You can't afford to have veteran 142 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: backups and veterans all over your roster. Yes, I was 143 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: gonna go there too. I'm glad, as you said, we've 144 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: been doing this a while and we play off each other. 145 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: That that was a you know, the Steelers had their 146 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: version of a rebuild year two, which often ended in 147 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: playoff runs. And you know, during Ben's heyday, we're talking 148 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: about here where you have to take a step backward 149 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: or a youth movement to some degree, let some people 150 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: walk that you want, you would have loved to keep. 151 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: But that was life of doing business with an expensive, 152 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: great quarterback. So I heard a couple of these things 153 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: this morning. Is Mahomes and Chris Jones make up thirty 154 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: of which this year, and they're getting their money's worth, 155 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 1: which is rare. Their secondary is the thirty second highest 156 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: paid secondary in the league. They're just a bunch of 157 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: rookies that are playing well, you know. I mean it's 158 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: working out pretty well where they're playing, that's right, a 159 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: lot of experience. And their old line, which is considered 160 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: one of the better ones in the league, is middle 161 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: of the road in terms of spending, even though they 162 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: franchised Orlando Brown and tunis like the highest paid garden 163 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: the league because they have two guys on rookie contracts 164 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: and why at least just a dude, you know. So 165 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: it's interesting how they're built. You know, it's a lot 166 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: more like the stealers than the news stealers. The problem 167 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: becomes in a year or two. And this is why 168 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: they had to let Tyreek Hill go. When you have 169 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: to pay guys like Willie Gay, guys like uh, you know, 170 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: the Smith Smith. The offensive line is getting Smith the 171 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: right to break guard. Yeah, Humphrey is gonna be expensive soon, 172 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: He's gonna be. Yeah, those guys, Humphrey and Smith were 173 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 1: both set were second in sixth round picks. You don't 174 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: even have the fifth year option. Yeah, you don't have 175 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: a fifth year option. You've got four years. So they're 176 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: already two years in exactly, and they're gonna be expensive, absolutely, 177 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: And just you know, we just talked about they traded 178 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: Tyreke for a bunch of early picks. Well, it's not 179 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 1: long before you're gonna have to pay them too, you know. 180 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: I mean, Mahomes is the best alick sir, you know, deodorant, 181 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 1: locomotive whatever out there. But you got they've been very 182 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: fortunate with their drafting two hitting on the Pachecos of 183 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: the world and guys like that that have been fine. 184 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: They're not superstars, but they're fine. Yeah, So to me, 185 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: that that's you know, Steelers are are a nice example 186 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: of that. You drafted it. You drafted Emmanuel Sanders in 187 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: the third round, in Antonio Brown in the sixth round, 188 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: and lo and behold they become, you know, really good 189 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: football players. But you can't afford him. You drafted Mike 190 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: Wallace in the third round the year before that, and 191 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: he became you know, and so you hit on some 192 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: of those guys and you go to the super Bowl. 193 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: But the problem becomes maintaining that. And that's what they 194 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: couldn't do with the defense. In the defense got older, 195 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: then you got to start rebuilding that and you better 196 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: hit on every pick. Because the quarterbacks making so much money, 197 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: people talk about that. You know the Steelers, well they 198 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: they wasted the last ten years of Ben Roethlisberger's career. 199 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,199 Speaker 1: They didn't waste it. They were still competitive and they 200 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: you know, they won a lot of games. They won 201 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: a lot of football games, they won playoff games and 202 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: all that stuff. Let's see what the Chiefs do here 203 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,559 Speaker 1: in a couple of years when Mahomes still making the 204 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: big money and you've got to start replacing some some 205 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: of those guys on your roster, the Creed Humphries and 206 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: and things of that nature. You can't afford them anymore, 207 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: and you're picking in the bottom of the first round. Yeah, 208 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 1: and with all respect to Ben why I said the 209 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: chief are an outlier though, is because I've never seen 210 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: anyone like Mahomes. Yeah he's he's yeah, no doubt. But 211 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: the great quarterback gives you a chance. You know, people 212 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: look at that. You know, Sean Payton just got hired 213 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: in Denver. Sean Payton had three consecutive losing seasons with 214 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: Drew Brees at quarterback. Yeah, yeah, I mean two notes 215 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: on the Chiefs, are you mentioned it? They've drafted very 216 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: well that that has separated them from some of these 217 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: other teams that have We've also taken some chances on 218 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: some guys some other teams might not have. They helped 219 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: to Tyreek was a guy that a lot of teams 220 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't have touched. And they have a propensity to do that. 221 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: Like I look at Buffalo, Cincinnati's about to be in 222 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: that boat. The Chargers are about to be in that boat. 223 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: You better draft well. I mean, you better draft very well. 224 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: And the Steelers did, and you you cited some examples. 225 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: When you have a top five paid quarterback, you better 226 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: be in the top half the league in terms of drafting. 227 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 1: And I'm sure Kevin Colbert would even tell you this, 228 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: that the best drafters in the league. It's kind of 229 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: like coming up to the plate. I mean, if you 230 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: hit five hundred or six hundred, you know, six ten 231 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 1: of your draft picks, you're doing great. You know, like 232 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: there's gonna be no matter how good you are at it. 233 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: But what happens when you miss, you miss on a 234 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: guy like a Jarvis Jones. It becomes magnified because you 235 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: can't you know, you don't have the cap space to 236 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: make up for that m hm. And what also becomes 237 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: a balancing is can we They were probably counting on 238 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 1: sky More not to step right in and be Tyreek Hill, 239 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,839 Speaker 1: but hey, he's not quite ready yet. Will he ever 240 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: be ready? Who knows. But it's harder to develop your 241 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: guys too. You don't have James Harrison behind stars because 242 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: you need him to play now because those stars are 243 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: now on another team because they're paying your quarterback. Right. 244 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,439 Speaker 1: It's just it's a it's an interesting conundrum and it's 245 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: but it's one that you know, when you have the 246 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: opportunity to to to have and you have to pay 247 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: that quarterback, as Art Rooney said a couple of weeks ago, 248 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: you do it, I mean, he just yeah. I mean 249 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: that that's the you're going to be in the mix. 250 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 1: If you have your quarterback, you're going to be in 251 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: a mix every year. You should. You should, absolutely, especially 252 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: a guy like the Homes. Of course, So you want 253 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: to go to Eagles or do you want to do 254 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 1: a whole statement on the Eagle. No, let's let's let's 255 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: talk Eagles here. Um to me, the Eagles are a 256 00:13:55,160 --> 00:14:00,079 Speaker 1: year farther down the road than the Steelers. Yes, to 257 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: say this at this point, hopefully, I mean that's guaranteeing 258 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: the Steelers are going to be in Super Bowl next year. 259 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: But first of all, they have a hurts issue coming 260 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: up as well. I mean, he's remarkably cheap, but unlike 261 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: Burrow and Herbert and two of that class, he doesn't 262 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: have the fifth year options. So they're year on their 263 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: star quarterback. And boy have they maximized the rookie quarterback. 264 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: I mean they were fortunate enough to get out of 265 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: Wentz and turn him into picks and have nothing at 266 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: the quarterback position and have spent very, very wisely people 267 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: in the salary cap world think their masters with their 268 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: cap situation, that they handle it. They take a different 269 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: approach than the rest of the league. But I think 270 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: where you were going in where agree with was one 271 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: year ago the Eagles had a young, unproven core quarterback 272 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: hurt like pict and they were a borderline playoff team. 273 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: You know that the Steelers get one more bounced. They 274 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: could have had the seventh seed they got the seven 275 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: seed the year before, or the Eagles got basically man 276 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: handled by the Bucks in the first round. Crush they 277 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: get destroyed. Yeah, they got yeah, And the Bucks were 278 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: a high quality team and they look like they didn't 279 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: belong and Hurts had to ask the answer questions like 280 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: can he throw the ball well enough against a big 281 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: time defense in the playoffs? You know? And fortunately for him, 282 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: he hasn't had to prove that, but he sure looks 283 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: like he can. I mean, their path to get here 284 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: was remarkably easy. But I'm not taking any away from him. 285 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: But they built around their cheap young quarterback as well 286 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: as any team can and starting with lineman. But people away. 287 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: I mean, yes, they have two great lines and they 288 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: stress lines more than any team in the league. But 289 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: their last year's first round pick went for A. G. Brown. 290 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: The first round pick before that went Davante Smith. You know, 291 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: like they understand the value of weapons too. Yeah. I 292 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: mean if you look at this is this is Hurts 293 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: third year. So next year he's heading into the final 294 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: year of his contract, right right. Um, you know, so 295 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: there's a good chance that after this season they're going 296 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: to have to extend him absolutely and because you don't 297 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: want him going into the final year of his contract 298 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: playing it out next year and then all of a 299 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: sudden he you know, you have to use the franchise 300 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: tag on him. Yeah, you know that that's you know, 301 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: because you're gonna have other guys on that roster that 302 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: that you're going to have to, you know, make similar 303 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: decisions about. You know, by the way, you're now paying 304 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: A J. Brown million dollars a year, Um, you know, 305 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: things of that nature that they're already done with being 306 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: a team that can trade for the A. J. Browns. 307 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: I mean, like you know, and before you know it, 308 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: Kelsey and Lane Johnson and Fletcher Cox are going to 309 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: retire hard Graves up this year for big, big money. 310 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: You know, do you franchise him and run it back 311 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: or do you count on Jordan Davis and a draft 312 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: pick or whatever to make up for it, and he 313 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: hits the open market. The Miles Sanders of the world 314 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: probably don't return, you know, like starting now, they're gonna 315 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: lose more every off season. And they gained whereas the 316 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: last couple of years. And and so if you look 317 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: at Hurts stats, So his rookie year, he started four games, 318 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: and if you remember back to those those four games 319 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: he started, he looked lost. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I 320 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: mean he was in over his head yea. And then 321 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: last year he worked hard to get to where he is. Yeah. 322 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: Last year he leads them to an eight and seven 323 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: record in the fifteen games he started, but sixteen touchdown passes, 324 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: nine interceptions. Um, you know, so it was very much like, 325 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: very much like Kenny Picket's rookie year. Yeah, statistically it's 326 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: pretty similar to be on with average two nine point 327 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: six passing yards per game, you know, the completely his passes. 328 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: He got better, he looked better, and then this year 329 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: he made the big jump. Now they got him another weapon, 330 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: which didn't hurt, but he progressed as well. He wasn't 331 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,360 Speaker 1: just is uh you know, some people have suggested systems 332 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 1: wasn't just a system that made him. I had a 333 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: lot more doubts about Hurts one year ago than I 334 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: have about pick It now. Yeah, I would agree, But 335 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: I mean, Hurts a better player than Picket right now. 336 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that right you gonna take him the 337 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: Super Bowl next year or being the m v P Hunt. 338 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: But talented, hard working quarterbacks can take a big jump. 339 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:27,680 Speaker 1: I mean, Josh Allen, a lot of these guys did 340 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: that about Kenny's age. Yeah, so I mean that that 341 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: to me, I look at this um, you know, and 342 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: if you want to look at uh fourth quarter, just 343 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: fourth quarter comebacks in game winning drives. Hurts has three 344 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: fourth quarter comebacks in his career and four game winning drives. 345 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,959 Speaker 1: Pick It's already past that. Yeah, that's a little bit 346 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: of a miss nomer because you can get it. I 347 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: get it. But at the same time, you know, yeah, 348 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,679 Speaker 1: I hear you. But still that he proven that he's 349 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: gonna do that. I mean, like if on Sunday night, 350 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: Sunday evening, there's a minute fifty three on the clock 351 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 1: and they're down four Chiefs punted away and the Eagles 352 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 1: get the ball at their own seven yard line, do 353 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: we know Jalen is gonna Montana and always down down 354 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 1: the field and win this thing. Not really, I mean 355 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: he's not done at the time, right he has, It's 356 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: not that's not shown yet. Yeah. So, I mean I 357 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: look at the Steelers and the Eagles and I see 358 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: some similarities there in terms of the build and how 359 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: things are, how things are progressing. Because you've got you know, 360 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,719 Speaker 1: Cam Hayward upfront is still you know, a Fletcher Cox 361 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: like player. Heyward's better than Cox right now. Uh, you know, 362 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: you've got a T. J. Watt there on the outside. 363 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: You've got to make it Fitzpatrick in the secondary. You've 364 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 1: got guys who match up defensively well with what Philadelphia has, 365 00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: in some cases probably better. Mhm. Now the Eagles overall 366 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: as a group, I mean they they played well this season, um, 367 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: you know, and so you know, you you would think 368 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: that the one area where Philadelphias was clearly better this year, 369 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: I thought, than the Steelers. And defensively it was with 370 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: the cornerback play, without question, without question. But both defenses, 371 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: the schemes aren't the same, but both defenses and the 372 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: value rushing the passer. Yeah, They're gonna build from the 373 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: front back. You know that that's just that probably starts 374 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: with ownership, GMS all the way down of how they 375 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: look at building a defense. I frankly think the Eagles 376 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: have not only the best roster in the league, but 377 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: are probably the best team in the league. But I 378 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,719 Speaker 1: mentioned they have an easy path. They played the thirty 379 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: seconds easiest by a d v O, a schedule they 380 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: gotta buy. Then they get the Giants at home, who 381 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: really didn't belong, and then the Niners, to no fault 382 00:20:55,400 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: of the Eagles didn't have a quarterback for three quarters. 383 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: Like I put this on Twitter and every Eagles fan 384 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: called me every name in the book, you hate him. 385 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: I'm just stating a fact. I still think they're the 386 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 1: best team in the league. And you can only play 387 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: who who's in front of you. But that helped. You 388 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: can't tell me that didn't help. Well to that to 389 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: that point, the Steelers kind of get in playoff games. Yeah, 390 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: the Steelers kind of get that schedule next year at least, 391 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: how things look right now, you're not playing Kansas City, 392 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: you're not playing Buffalo, you're not playing Philadelphia, You're not 393 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: I mean all the teams that were you know, in 394 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: the final eight this year the Steelers other than Cincinnati. 395 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: Did the Steelers play any of them next year? Right? 396 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: I don't think so. I don't think so. And obviously 397 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: you have to play Cincinnati because they're in your division, 398 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,959 Speaker 1: but they're gonna lose stuff too, right in Baltimore can 399 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: lose lamer and you know right, I mean it's Watson 400 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: good and you know right. And so generally the Steelers 401 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: have played first place. Schedules are really difficult schedules. The 402 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: last couple of years they've been no matter what metric 403 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: you want to use, have had the hardest schedules in 404 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: the league. And it looks like that's finally easing up, 405 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: which makes and you know, division title instead of a 406 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: wild card or whatever. Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. And 407 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: now you have the picks in the draft, with three 408 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,679 Speaker 1: or three of the top fifty picks that you can 409 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: make a splash in the draft. Yeah. And I get 410 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:19,479 Speaker 1: with all the credit in the world because I think 411 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: they're the best team in the league at this but 412 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: the Steals could also be the team now that sends 413 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: a fifth round pick for Chauncey Gardener, Johnson or Darius 414 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: Slay is not happy I'll give you a pick for 415 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 1: him because you can move the cap around to get 416 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: those guys. Well, and then they've started doing some of 417 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: those things in recent years. You know, you go out 418 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: and you acquire and make a Fitzpatrick, you make the 419 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: chick that you went the other way with that and 420 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: traded Chase Claypool for a pick because he was basically 421 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: an extra in your office, right right, you decided you 422 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: were going to run the ball more in the second half. Well, 423 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: we don't need three receivers as much. That forum will 424 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: take it, yeah for nothing, but right, speaking of the 425 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: draft man, there's a new draft mock draft out today 426 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: on ESPN from Matt Miller. I believe as the guys 427 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: that Matt Miller. Yes, yeah, um, I thought it was 428 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: really interesting and I would take that one. I would 429 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: take that one right now. We'll get to that mock 430 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: draft here in a minute. He is Matt Williamson. I 431 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: am Dale Lali. You're listening to the drive here on 432 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: Steelers Nation Radio. And you can listen to the drive 433 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: on all the different platforms um that are out there. 434 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: You just have to go check them out and find him. 435 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: Just do a search for Steelers Nation Radio and the 436 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: Drive and you can find us that. We're all available 437 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: out there on every streaming platform. But we're gonna take 438 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: a break. We'll be back with more right after this