1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Football is about the jimmies and joes and exes and 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: oh's check New York plenty. Ain't thank you, Bruce. It's 3 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: time to get out the chopboard and diagram some plays. 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: Here's what all starts right, Here's what jam money Chris. 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: This is Inside Football with former Colts and NFL coach 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: Rick Venturi. Hello again, Welcome to Week twelve. This is 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: Inside Football with Rick Venturry. I'm Matt Taylor and the 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: Colts are trying to shake off that heartbreaking seventeen sixteen 9 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: loss to the Eagles last time out at Lucas Oil Stadium. 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: The Colts were up ten points going into the fourth quarter, 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: couldn't close the deal, and they're now four and six 12 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: and one. They've lost four of their last five games. 13 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: And Rica, I know you're glad the Colts play on 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: a Monday night this week to have that extra day 15 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: to get over that tough loss to Philadelphia, one of 16 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: the best teams in the NFL. I know that one 17 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: got you pretty good. I know you're still kind of 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: heartbroken over that one. Well, yeah, and I'm finally you know, 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: I'm finally onto Pittsburgh. But you're exactly right. I needed 20 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: forty eight hours. This time, I got myself in such 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: a you know, kind of an upper kind of a 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: fit that we could win this. I felt like that 23 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: even going in, you know, that we had them just 24 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: lined up perfectly on the schedule, with the short week, 25 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: with the struggles they were having, you know, with us 26 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: having momentum coming out of there. I felt so good 27 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: about it, really, and I it wasn't a phony. It 28 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: wasn't like a make believe, you know, motivate yourself. I 29 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: totally believe that, you know. And then obviously I think 30 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: both of us were so let down because you know, 31 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: they teased us again with that thirteen to three lead. 32 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: It was a lot like the Commanders, you know, thirteen 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: to three lead going into fourth quarter. You know, in 34 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: our overall numbers all season, defensively have been good in 35 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, but you know, it just wasn't to be. 36 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: The Eagles made, you know, some good coaching adjustments, and 37 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: more importantly, their players made big plays. The guys that 38 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: had to make big, big plays they made them. So 39 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: you know, it was a gunt wrencher because man, we 40 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: had a chance to really not only gain credibility, but 41 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: going to Thanksgiving, you know, five five and one, which 42 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: is kind of a big number going in there, five hundred. 43 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: But I will say this is that I've known teams. 44 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: There's been several teams that are have been, you know 45 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: in the old days, seven and seventy Christmas in one 46 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: World Championships, So you know, always not lost, and we 47 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: certainly can get well this week, you know, if we 48 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: play well, no doubt about that. Pittsburgh is up next, 49 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: they're three and seven. But what conclusions did you draw 50 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: from the Philadelphia game? Where are the Colts? Who is 51 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: this team with six games to play? And maybe more importantly, 52 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: you know, bigger picture, Rick, is anything capable of changing 53 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: in a big way with this team on off? Well, 54 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: that's a good question, you know, I thought there maybe would. 55 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: I think we probably drew a little bit too much praise, 56 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: a little bit too much, a false conclusion out of 57 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: the Raiders game. I kind of thought that was fool's 58 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 1: goal because I knew they were really really bad on defense. 59 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: But I thought, you know, that would be some momentum. 60 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: I think the most disappointing thing for me is the 61 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: same things are plaguist Matt over eleven weeks now, and 62 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: we haven't fixed them. I thought maybe we would get 63 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: them fixed into coaching change. I haven't seen any any 64 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: any of that right yet. And and it really comes 65 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: back number one to not being able to run the football. Now, 66 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: in that first drive, you know, they the Philadelphia came 67 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: out kind of played flat, they played in that over defense, 68 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: their base defense, and we just cashed them. I mean, 69 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: I mean our offensive line blocked. They get so much, 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: they get so much criticism, but that first drive, I 71 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: mean they blocked, they got up into the second level. 72 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: Jonathan got it downhill. I mean, we practically ran every 73 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: play and just gashed him. And it looked like, you know, okay, 74 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: this is gonna be fine. But then really they made 75 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: they made an adjustment right now. They said, okay, we're 76 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: going to the double sync. We're gonna play it all day. 77 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: You know, these guys have had trouble with it. I 78 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: was surprised they didn't start with it. And then again 79 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: we got nothing. I mean, Jonathan got twenty five yards, 80 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: you know, in fifty four minutes. Fifty four four minutes, 81 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: he got twenty five yards rushing. And when you can't 82 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: run the football and we haven't figured out how to 83 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: run it against that bare defense. And I'm really disappointed 84 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: because our offensive line and Jonathan are taking all the criticism, 85 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: and part of that is schematic we just don't do. 86 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: We don't have a good gap blocking scheme and so 87 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 1: and they give you that bare front. I've been talking 88 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: about it for eleven weeks and I people probably think 89 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: I'm crazy, But there's a reason that he gets twenty 90 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: five yards in fifty and it's not all the offensive line. 91 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: I mean, there's there's numbers there, there's not good angles 92 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: against that defense. So that's number one. And then I 93 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: think the second thing that really troubled me from an 94 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: offensive standpoint is we gotta help Ryman and we know 95 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: that going in. I mean we got a false sense 96 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: of security against the Raiders, but you know, going against 97 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: Philly where they have good rushers up and down, I mean, 98 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: there's no way you can let your left tackle or 99 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: your right guard alone on great players. It just in 100 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: particular the year left tackle, because he's going to be 101 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: out there on a really good player. He's going to 102 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: be out there in space, and we do so little 103 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: to help him. I mean almost never occasional chip, but 104 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: almost never. And so you know, critical situations, we get sacks, 105 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: and you know, it's really not his fault. He's just 106 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: not ready to play. A year for him. Now, you know, 107 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: he'll be ready to play. He'll grow, he'll get bigger, 108 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: he'll be experienced, he's got some talent. But at this 109 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: point in time, it's just you know, Riddick and the 110 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: red zone came right underneath him. He couldn't handle it. 111 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 1: And then at the end of the game, you know, 112 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: Grahams has crushed him. But on the same play, Hardgraves 113 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: crust Nelson. So it's not like he owns it totally. 114 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: But that's a real Those two issues are disappointing to 115 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: me because I look at the game from a you know, 116 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:31,799 Speaker 1: very highly technical standpoint and schematic first, but most people don't. 117 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: I mean even a lot of the media guys have 118 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: no idea what's really happening. And to me, it's it's 119 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: it's not a question of whether he's good enough or not. 120 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: He's not right now. So you really got to help 121 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: him into me that it's a real you know, like 122 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: I said in my world, you know, after eleven weeks, 123 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: that's really that's really inexcusable in some respects. And I 124 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: guess maybe you could answer this. The other thing that 125 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: really troubled me was why JT wasn't in there at 126 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: the end of the game. You have to explain that 127 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: because they say it's a coaching decision. It was, Yeah, 128 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: Jeff Saturday and Scotty Montgomery said that in that in 129 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: that two minute situation, that Dion Jackson would be the 130 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: pass catching back in that situation over Jonathan Taylor. So 131 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: that that was the coaching explanation that Jeff gave on 132 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: Monday after the game on that got it. Now. Defensively, 133 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: I feel for them in a sense. I've been that 134 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: soldier so many times. And the biggest issue that one 135 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: of the biggest what makes a defensive coordinator's job the toughest, 136 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: And this is statistically, this has been proven, it's been discussed, 137 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: it's been studied. A defensive coordinator in the National Footballing 138 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: is the toughest single position in all of pro sports. 139 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: And the reason for that is you can play, you 140 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: can play forty eight minutes fifty eight minutes of really 141 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: good football and if you can't hold it at the end, 142 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: you know it's on you. It's just this. Everybody thinks 143 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: you're bum Hey, you didn't do enough. Well, you know, 144 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: I know, I think seventeen points of the commander, seventeen 145 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: points to the to the chief, seventeen points of the Eagles, right, 146 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: but you don't have a lot to show for it. 147 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: But you don't have show for it. And in the 148 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: last four games we didn't. We didn't stop the last drive, 149 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean, and so you know it, you know, those 150 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: those things there, I mean, I saw a lot of 151 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: good things, There's no question about it. In gok Way 152 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: was felt. Gilmore has been tremendous. I thought Facon had 153 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: the best game. I thought he had shut down Smith 154 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: after they went after him. Um, you know, I thought 155 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: McLeod really good and I thought Dale really improved. So 156 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: you know, you know, but at the end of the day, 157 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: my biggest, my biggest concern was the third and seven call. 158 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: And I can't let that go because you know, I 159 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,719 Speaker 1: do blame the coaching staff on that. I just felt like, 160 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: you know, that is a situation where if they beat 161 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: you with a fade route or a stick route, so 162 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: be it. You just can't let you know, a great 163 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: running quarterback who runs it in the red zone, who 164 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: runs it with the game on the line, you can't 165 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: let them walk in and so you know, I think 166 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: that you know, if they tell you that they wouldn't 167 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: want to have that over again, then they're really lying, 168 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: you know. But at the end of the day, it 169 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: really came down to the two and it always does. 170 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: If you look at over time, you can throw out 171 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: most statistics in the league. It almost always your success 172 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: or failure usually comes down to how you do in 173 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: the red zone on both sides. And really this game 174 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: uniquely came down in the last six minutes to two 175 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: red zone sequences. Okay, we've got the ball first in 176 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: goal after Paris Campbell's catched down there. We got a 177 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: first in goal, and we just have an atrocious series. 178 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: We run an inside zomboom nothing, we run that reverse path. 179 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 1: You tell me why we do that, and then we 180 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: are Then we get a sack on third down, so 181 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: you know, instead of have and instead of just putting 182 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: them away, which you know would have been twenty to 183 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: ten game over, you know, we have to kick a 184 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,959 Speaker 1: field goal, and now it's sixteen to ten and at 185 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: eight game over with four minutes, and then our ability 186 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: to stop them, you know, in our inability to stop 187 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: the quarterback running in for a touchdown really was the 188 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: game because really, at the end of the day, the 189 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: game down, the real score was seven to three. In 190 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 1: the last six minutes, it was really seven to three. 191 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: You know, if you look at the you know, if 192 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 1: you look at the overall numbers in the game, they're 193 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: they're really they're really pretty close, you know. But at 194 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you know, they won the 195 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: red zone issue in the fourth quarter, the fourth quarter issue, 196 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: and the other the other critical one. I haven't really 197 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: talked about this, and this is really disappointing. They won 198 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: the penalty issue. Penalties just absolutely killed us. So, you know, again, 199 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: tremendous football game to watch if you're a fan. Again, boy, 200 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what if you got if you got 201 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: a hard problem, you don't want you can't follow the colt, 202 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: it's gonna be at that point, that fourth quarter, it's 203 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 1: gonna be crazy right down to the last second. So 204 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: but again, you have to spit that out. I've had 205 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: to spit it out. It was hard, but you have to. 206 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: And I do think that good thing is is that, 207 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: you know, obviously we get a prime time and Monday 208 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: night football is still Monday night football, and so we 209 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: got an opportunity and we get a little bit of 210 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: a deep breath here with an extra day, and you know, 211 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: to come back from that to fix our mistakes and 212 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: try to do this on national television. How about this one, 213 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: rick before we close out here and move ahead to 214 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: the Steelers. To your point, the Colts have played out 215 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: of eleven games, They've played eight games decided buy one 216 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: score right there, four three and one in those games. 217 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: The NFL put out this week that the average margin 218 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: a final scorer this season league wide is nine point 219 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: four points, the lowest in a single season since nineteen 220 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: thirty two and the second smallest in a season in 221 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,959 Speaker 1: NFL history. So it's not just the Colts. Everybody's playing 222 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 1: close games. That's what this league is. And all of 223 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: these games are coming down to the last four minutes here. 224 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: You're exactly right, you know, it kind of resembles the 225 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: NBA and way. You know, the NBA is the last 226 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: two minutes. Us as you said, we're the last five 227 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: to four minutes, you know, And this is what the 228 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: NFL wanted. This is competitive balance. You know, I look 229 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: at everybody, you know, I've had a chance. I looked 230 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: at Dallas this morning I mean, there's just not great differences, 231 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: you know, particularly on any Sunday. I mean, what was 232 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: really the difference in the Eagles and the Colts. It's 233 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: really one play, you know, it's really one player making 234 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: one play. I mean that's that's how close that is. 235 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: And so you can't you really cannot. You can't shut 236 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: it down at four to six and one. You gotta 237 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: keep fighting up in here, because there's nobody. You've already 238 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: proved it with the Eagles in the Chiefs, there's really 239 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: no one you can't play with, doubt. Yeah, and those 240 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: two teams, heck, they might have even playing the Super Bowl, 241 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,719 Speaker 1: and the Colts had a chance to beat both of them. Absolutely, 242 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 1: you know, there's no one we can't play with, regardless 243 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 1: of our issues. So you know, clean it up, clean 244 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: the penalties up, you know, figure out a little bit 245 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: better game plan against that double sinking, help that left tackle. Period. 246 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: All right, let's turn the page. Let's start talking about 247 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: Monday night football against the Steelers, and Pittsburgh comes in 248 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 1: first time since two thousand and seventeen. They're after their 249 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: worst start since two thousand and three. You talk about 250 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: franchise stability, three and seven their worst season in almost 251 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: two decades. They're in last place in the AFC North, 252 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: and just like the Colts, they've lost four of their 253 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: last five. Lucas Oil Stadium is gonna be hopping despite 254 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: the Colts troubles the last couple of home games, losing 255 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: to the Commanders and the Eagles by identical scores of 256 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: seventeen to sixteen. First home Monday night game for the 257 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 1: Colts since two thousand and fifteen. Steelers come in there 258 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: twenty eighth and scoring twenty sixth and points allowed, which 259 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: is not a good recipe when you're got to buy 260 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: an erratic rookie quarterback and Kenny Pickett. Mike tim won 261 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 1: the head coach in his sixteenth year. Is one hundred 262 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: and fifty seven regular season wins, fourth most among active 263 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: coaches and third most since he took over at the 264 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: Helm in two thousand and seven. The offense is bottom 265 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: third in both rushing and passing twenty seventh and total yards, 266 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: and they have struggled in one score games. You're talking 267 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: about the Colts with their woes in that department. Steelers 268 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: just two and four in tight games. Who are these Steelers? We? 269 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: You know? I think Colts fans and NFL fans around 270 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: the league are trying to figure out, you know, who 271 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: these Steelers are, what they're all about, kind of a 272 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: new identity at quarterback without Big benback there. So give 273 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: us the rest of the big picture on the Steelers 274 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: going into this game on Monday night. Yeah, that is 275 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: probably the question that everybody's asking in Pittsburgh's who are 276 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: these Steelers? I have great respect for or Mike Tomlin. 277 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: I've known him since he came in the league as 278 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: assistant secondary coach at Tampa. I've known him extremely well 279 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: at great great respect for him. He's a brilliant guy. 280 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: He's been steady and resilience. You know, he was a 281 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: five beta Kappa. People don't realize that at William and Mary. 282 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: This is a real sharp guy. Uh, he's you know, 283 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: one of the things that's really impressive to me being 284 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: a former coach is the fifteen consecutive non losing seasons. 285 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: I mean, that is the you know, that is It's 286 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: not going to happen this year, but that is the 287 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: that that is the pillar really of consistency. Um. You know, 288 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: they're they're a team. You know, they've been criticized they're 289 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: one hundred and eight million dollar defense that you know, 290 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: it's been called one hundred eight million dollar failure and 291 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to exactly figure that out because 292 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: it's pretty talented. You know. Now they lost Watt for 293 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: a long time. Now he's back and that can change 294 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: the venue a little bit because obviously he's defensive Player 295 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: of the Year and twenty one. I mean, his numbers 296 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: are off the charts, seventy three and a half sacks, 297 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: twenty two forced fumbles, and you know Highsmith is playing 298 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: really good on the other side. So they I mean, 299 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: they've got a couple of guys that can ruin the game. 300 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: They've really they've really had trouble in the secondary. You 301 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 1: know that. I think you mentioned that they're pretty good 302 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: run defense. I think they're they're like fifth in the 303 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: league in terms of yards per rushing, so you know, 304 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: they're pretty good rush defense. But their past defense, particularly 305 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: the corner position, has just been an absolute mess for him. 306 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: They ranked thirty second. That's almost hard to come out 307 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: of my mouth for a Pittsburgh Steeler team, but you know, 308 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: that's you know, that's what they are. They underachieved on defense. 309 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: That that's probably the statistic that drives me almost to 310 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: drink that they would be twenty sixth in points given 311 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: up because you know, with the great Steeler tradition on defense, 312 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: I think, you know, the biggest issue is we hit it. 313 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: I think they've gone with Pickett. I think they basically 314 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: have said we'll buy the bullet here. Uh you know 315 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: in two thousand and twenty two, will battle through it. 316 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: And we like him, we want to go with him, 317 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: and we want him ready for two twenty three. And 318 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 1: that's what happens when you go into that experimental phase. 319 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: You know, he's been a kid that's had his highs 320 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: and lows, but you know, erratic is exactly right, you know, 321 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: and he's you know, he's got three tds and eight interceptions, 322 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: so that that tells you something. Now, he's talented. You know, 323 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: he's a kid that can make some things happen. Uh. 324 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: He's a torque thrower. By that is, I mean he 325 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: really has to step into it when he's in the pocket. 326 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: He's got some pretty good zip on it. He's a 327 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: much better athlete than you think he is. He's a 328 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: guy that, uh, you know, there's no way that he's 329 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: a Jalen Hurts, but he's a guy that can move 330 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: the chains on third down. You know, their their running 331 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: game has not been Steeler like. Uh, you know, Naji 332 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 1: Harris is good. We'll talk about him, but he's at 333 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: three nine, I think. But they did. Now this is 334 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,479 Speaker 1: this is the craziness of this season, as you mentioned before, 335 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: and then they had two hundred and seventeen rushings two 336 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: hundred and seventeen yards rushing two weeks ago against a 337 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: good Saints defense. So you know, go figure that. It's 338 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: not like they can't do it. You know, they've got 339 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: a good couple outside receivers. Johnson, you know, I think 340 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: he's got like fifty five catches. I mean, he's you know, 341 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: he's the top guy. And a guy that's really coming on, 342 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: the guy that's making I'm gonna make them better is 343 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: picking as a kid out of Georgia. He's really finding 344 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: himself deep threat. And then I don't know if I'm 345 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: gonna say this this word correctly. I should have asked 346 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: you before Farmuthemuth is really the security blanket. You know, 347 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: he's the possession guy. The quarterback likes him on those 348 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: little options, so you know it isn't like they're totally 349 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: devoid of talent. They've just been so inconsistent and it's 350 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: really been a lot around the quarterback. The other thing 351 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 1: I might add is Danny Smith is there a special 352 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: teams coach. He's been there with Mike I think a decade, 353 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: very good special teams coach. And they have a returner 354 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: in Simms who every time he touches the ball he 355 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 1: scares me, I mean just scares me. He's also their 356 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:25,479 Speaker 1: gimmick guy on offense. So again that's that's another weapon 357 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: that we have to make sure we really covered kicks. 358 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: You know, if you look at my three big barometers, 359 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: not very good. You know, points giving up twenty sixth QBR. 360 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: You know, pick is at number twenty five at forty three. 361 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: But I think I do see a little bit of 362 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: improvement the last couple of weeks and then their turnover 363 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: ratio at zero. So you know, that's what we're looking at. 364 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: Not your father's Steelers, certainly, you know, maybe the most 365 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 1: subpar Steeler team that I've seen in a long time. 366 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: All right, well, let's talk about him on offense. Let's 367 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 1: roll out the blueprints for the Colts defense to win 368 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 1: this game and get the upper hand. And just like 369 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: the Colts, they have struggled to score. They are under 370 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: twenty points in five games on the season, only putting 371 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: up seventeen per game. The Steelers were the only team 372 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: in the NFL to draft a quarterback in the first 373 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: round last year in the spring, and that was Kenny Pickett, 374 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: twentieth overall out of Pittsburgh. He started the last six games. 375 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: He's got a record of two and four. He took 376 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: over back in week number four after the Steelers bench 377 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: Mitch Trubisky. His touchdown to interception ratio not good. It's 378 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: eight to three in that regard, or I should say 379 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 1: three to eight. Their lead back is na J. Harris. 380 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: He has over five hundred rushing yards and one hundred 381 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: and thirty receiving yards. He has the seventh most scrimmage 382 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: yards in the NFL among running backs. Since the start 383 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: of last season, They've got three pass catchers on the 384 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 1: outside with at least four hundred yards. Deonte Johnson, rookie 385 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: George Pickens out of Georgia, and then tight end Pat 386 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 1: Friar Muth from nearby Penn State. And Pickens with his 387 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: yards and catches those ranked eighth by a player in 388 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: their first ten games of the rookie season. Friarmuth is 389 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: one of four tight ends in the NFL this season 390 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: with at least three games of at least seventy five 391 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: receiving yards. So that's kind of the skinny on a 392 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: sluggish and kind of up and down Steelers offense. Rick, 393 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: what else stands out to you about the Steelers when 394 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: they've got the ball with the rookie signal caller back there, No, 395 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 1: that's right. As far as the actual players, you know it. 396 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: You know, it's actually a very representative group. I mean, 397 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: you know, Harris is a very very good back. I mean, 398 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: and he does the yeoman work in there. Not big purr, 399 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: but he's got yards over the years. We know how 400 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: talented he is. He can really hit those own plays. Now. 401 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: You also, he's a good edge guy. You know, comes 402 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: back from Alabama. He's a guy that can bounce the edge. 403 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 1: The other kid that goes in and plays and kind 404 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: of speeds up the game is war and he's their 405 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: third down back. They picked for him. The other day 406 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: caught a wheel touchdown coming out of the backfield against 407 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 1: the Saints, and the two of them just ran possessed 408 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: against the Saints and then they've disappeared. Also, um, you 409 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: know expects some wildcat. They like Naji and the wildcat 410 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,199 Speaker 1: back in there again. I like the two wideouts. I 411 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,360 Speaker 1: know Pickens is young, but he's a guy that can 412 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: get on top of you. He's a fifty fifty guy. 413 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: I would say that he's a guy that may become 414 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: in a J. Brown someday. That's who he reminds me of. 415 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: And you know, his number is pretty good. It's thirteen 416 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: seven per catch, so you know he's productive when he 417 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: gets it. Of course, Johnson's the go to guy, Matt 418 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: and what they do is they try to utilize him. 419 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: They put him at the X at the split end 420 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: and try to isolate him on the weak side one 421 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: on one. But then when they get in like possession downs, 422 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: they'll go to spread, but he'll be in the slot 423 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: and pick Hims will be in the other slot, you know, 424 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: with friar Muth there at number three, and then what 425 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 1: they end up doing is creating a triangle with those 426 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: three top receivers and they'll do a lot of slot 427 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: issues there to Johnson. I think their offensive line is okay. 428 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 1: I don't think it's a great stealer line. They really 429 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: had trouble against the Bengals their left tackle more he 430 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: got beat like a drum. I think Dotson is a 431 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: beatable guy at left guard. The right tackle. I think 432 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: he plays oh, I would say he plays with lazy feet. 433 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 1: I think you can get him lighting it down. I 434 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: think you can make a lot of money if you 435 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: get ahead of him from that standpoint. Again, the quarterback 436 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: now is deceptively athletic. I mean he's a guy that 437 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: can move. He runs bootlegs. His boots are always to 438 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: our left. I've not been able to pick up one 439 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: to our rights, so that tells our left end. He's 440 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: got to be very aware on the bootleg. They're a 441 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: right handed bootleg team. But he's a deceptive athlete that 442 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 1: throws well on the run. I think like most rookies, 443 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: he struggles into pocket not because he doesn't have talent, 444 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: but because he has trouble processing it. Yet he doesn't. 445 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: He gets unsure of himself. That's where the interceptions come. 446 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: You know, he has interceptions in DNA. Even though he 447 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: was drafted in the first round, A lot of people 448 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: thought that was manufactured. He has turnovers in his DNA, 449 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: both fumbles and you know, an interceptions, So you've got 450 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: to make that happen. And then the other thing you 451 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: always got to be alerted for with the Steeler team. 452 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 1: And this goes all the way back to all the 453 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 1: way back to cow Or and Mike has kept it. 454 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: It's kind of a Steeler tradition is they aren't really 455 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: a big gimmick team, even when they're tough physically in 456 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: their role. And they have always been a gimmick team. 457 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:05,719 Speaker 1: So you always have to plaster receivers, be really sound 458 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: in your cupping of the ball. You know you'll see 459 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 1: halfback passes or reverses. And right now, Sims eighty two, 460 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 1: who I was talking about as a return guy, if 461 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: he's around that box, he's there for a reason. He's 462 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: going to run something. And I always say, who can 463 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 1: forget the Randol double pass in the Super Bowl. And 464 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: I'm a big student of history when it comes to teams, 465 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: for the most part, if you study their history, most 466 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: of that stuff will come back. So I would say 467 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 1: number one, the number one thing must is we must 468 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: dominate that line of scrimmage on first down, particularly on 469 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: those zone runs, and we have to turn that line 470 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: of scrimmage and we have to really stuff Harris. Now 471 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: when you stuff him though our defensive ends, which I 472 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,399 Speaker 1: thought did a pretty good job last week, you have 473 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: to play discipline because he is a bounced runner. He'll 474 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: take that play up into the like the four hole, 475 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 1: and man, if you overclose it, he's out of there. 476 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: And occasionally they'll pull a guard and run a predetermined 477 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: bounce to get to the outside. So holding the edge 478 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: on Naji and Worn is really really important. Make sure 479 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,719 Speaker 1: we set the edge on our left on the boots, 480 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: particularly on first down. They will almost all come on 481 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: first down and they almost always come to his right. 482 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 1: You gotta win first down and may and put this 483 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: quarterback and disadvantage. This is what you want. You want 484 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: the quarterback and you want their left tackle in disadvantage 485 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 1: number two, you gotta take Johnson away. Johnson has the 486 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 1: fifty one catches. He's the high volume guy, go to guy, 487 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: and he's gonna move around again. Sometimes he'll be isolated 488 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 1: at X sometimes he'll be in the slot, but he 489 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 1: is the go to guy. And then right behind him, 490 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: the guy that I think is emerging is Pickens, And 491 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: I would say you wanted to pick as much like 492 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: a J. Brown, which we did a good job. He 493 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: caught some underneath stuff early, but he never got loose 494 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: last week on Gilmore. But you want to defend him deep. 495 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: You know he's got thirty three catches and they're coming lately. 496 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: But again it's thirteen seven and he competes for the 497 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: deep ball. He has length and he can go get it. 498 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: So stay on top of them and take away the fade. 499 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: Make sure you play the fade now. I think your 500 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: linebackers in safeties have to crowd Friarmouth that he's number 501 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: forty four the tight end, particularly in third down, they 502 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: get in two by two across the board and they 503 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: run those little options to firemouth back there because they 504 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: know you'll push the coverage to other people in the 505 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 1: quarterback likes that because they're easy throws. The other thing, 506 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,439 Speaker 1: they do a lot of matt and this is just 507 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: something that we have to be ready for fundamentally, particularly 508 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: in man demand coverage. You really they run a lot 509 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 1: of bunches in a lot of stacks, and they run 510 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: a lot of rub routes and one guy under and 511 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: one high lows what I call high lows and then 512 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: they'll rub and run crossing patterns and they'll always have 513 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: a high with it. So you got to do a 514 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 1: real good job. Don't get distorted in those bunches. You 515 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: have to define how you're going to do it and 516 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: take it okay. Number three again, expect reverses in gimmicks. 517 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 1: It's hard for this team to maintain long drives without creating, 518 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: and they almost have to create something, and that's where 519 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: Tomlin is yearning the gimmicks again. The two things that 520 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: are important there because you never know when they're coming, 521 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: is discipline on the edge. Don't fly crazy. If eighty 522 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 1: two is around the box, be alerted on that that 523 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: one guy should alert the other side that something could becoming. 524 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: He's a terrific space athlete. He'll be involved in that. 525 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: The other guy they try to get some things for 526 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: is Warren. Number thirty comes in at running back again. 527 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: They ran a pick for him out of the backfield 528 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: and hit him for a wheel route on a touchdown. 529 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: So again, nothing easy. They'll have a tough time sustaining 530 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: long drives. Don't give him anything easy, and plaster your 531 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: receivers because of the potential flea flickers and the quarterbacks 532 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: ability to extend. So don't think you have him at 533 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: the interval. You know you got him covered. Now they 534 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: start moving plaster and plaster and plaster him all the 535 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: way because this kid will move and extend and you 536 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: may get some kind of razzle dazzle play. But at 537 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: the end, number four, you got to ruin the quarterbacks 538 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: day mix and match coverages with him. He is a rookie. 539 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: Confuse him, close his right handed bootleg, our left edge 540 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: on the boots, and close off his scramble lanes. Make 541 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: him sit back in there and throw into dirty pockets. 542 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: Rush him. I think he'll panic. I think you can 543 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: force him into panic, and I think he can force 544 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: him to turn the ball over. As I said, it's 545 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 1: three touchdowns and eight picks, and I think we got 546 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 1: to make him confirm that stat. And you know, as 547 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: I said before, turnovers are in his DNA. Even though 548 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 1: he was successful in college, there was a lot of turnovers. 549 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: All right, let's turn the page focus on the Steelers 550 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: on defense. That's Rick Venturi. I'm Matt Taylor. This is 551 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: Inside Football before the Colts take on the Pittsburgh Steelers 552 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 1: and their stats on that side of the ball. Pretty pedestrian, 553 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: despite the fact they've got some big time playmakers on 554 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: that unit. They're twenty six and points allowed, including thirty 555 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 1: seven against the Bengals last week. They stopped the run 556 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: pretty well, but they're horrible against the pass, as you said, 557 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: dead last giving up two hundred and seventy two passing 558 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: yards per game. They've allowed twenty two passing touchdowns on 559 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: the season, that's most in the NFL. They've given up 560 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: forty three passing plays over twenty which is the second 561 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: most allowed in the NFL this season, and they're giving 562 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: up those plays despite having big names in their secondary 563 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: like Cameron Sutton and Levi Wallace and Minca Fitzpatrick. Pretty 564 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 1: good up front. They're not gonna wow you with their 565 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: sack numbers, but they've got Cameron Heyward, t J. Watt 566 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: is back, Devin Bush, former Jaguar Miles Jack and then 567 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: Alex Highsmith. T J. Watt is back. As I said, 568 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: he missed seven games with a peck and just an 569 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: absolute stud the reigning NFL defensive Player of the Year. 570 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: We know about Fitzpatrick. The last time the Colts played 571 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 1: the Steelers, he had a pick six in two thy 572 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: nineteen really kind of changed the game in that contest. 573 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: His twenty three combined takeaway since two nineteen are the 574 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: fourth most in the NFL in that time. So, Rick, 575 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: let me ask you before you get into your musts. 576 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 1: Why are the Steelers so disappointing on paper on defense 577 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: compared to all of that talent they've got on the field. Well, 578 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: that is the hundred and eight million dollar question. You know, 579 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,239 Speaker 1: they got a defense that they pay one hundred and 580 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: eight billion dollars to nine points give it up. Yeah, 581 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 1: and that's the surprise of the league. And I'm a 582 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: little shocked by it. Although their past defense has just 583 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: been shredded and they don't boots. You know, at one time, 584 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: you know, obviously the Pittsburgh defense was known as Bootsburgh. 585 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: It really was because they brought it every single down, 586 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: and they're not doing that as much. I'm not sure why. 587 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: You know, the Lebau principles and I'm bringing a name 588 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: out of the past. This is all the way back 589 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: to the Chuck Nol days. Le Beau was the guy 590 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: who installed their under four three defense. It's actually a 591 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: three to four, but it's played like a four to three, 592 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: and it's old school it's more under Normally we're looking 593 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: at over in double seek every single week. That is 594 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 1: the NFL trademark defense. They're a throwback in that they're 595 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,959 Speaker 1: an under meeting that they pushed the defense to the 596 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: weak side and they keep a defensive end on your tackle. 597 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: Now most the time he lines up on the tackles 598 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: inside eye, so it is close to a double sink 599 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: and they play that a lot. And their base coverage 600 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: is Cover eight And this is what what cover eight is. 601 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 1: Cover eight means it's quarters to the field. In other words, 602 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 1: the strong corner has the outside quarter, the strong safety 603 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: has the inside quarter, and then they roll up week. 604 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: So it's combination quarters strong and kind of a Cover 605 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: two look week and very hard match coverage underneath. And 606 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: that's kind of their basic coverage. Now, if you get 607 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: into slot, they will check at the three. I know 608 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: this defense. So while we were in the division way 609 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: back when with him in Cleveland, and a lot of 610 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: the principles are still there. If anything, Mike has watered 611 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: their defense down. He's simplified it over the years. And 612 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: I don't know if that's been good, because they used 613 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: to just be a headache every down and don't. I 614 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: don't see that as much. You know, when you look 615 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: at their personnel, and I think I think we should 616 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: overlook their overall sack numbers because you know, what is 617 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:11,839 Speaker 1: just coming back. He's just getting to feel I mean, 618 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 1: as you said, defensive player. This guy has seventy three 619 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 1: and a half sacks. He's got twenty two forced fumbles. 620 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:20,280 Speaker 1: I mean on our rights, on our on our right side, 621 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: he is, you know, he's he's the best player in 622 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 1: the league, and hopefully you know, he's kind of easing 623 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 1: his way back. He had the big injury, missed a 624 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: lot of ball. And then Highsmith on their on their right, 625 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, he's got nine sacks, and then Hayward is 626 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 1: he got forty four tackles in four sacks. He's one 627 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: of the best three techniques. So you know, I think potentially, 628 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: if you're not careful, if you get behind an account, 629 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,239 Speaker 1: this is a team that could give you a lot, 630 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,919 Speaker 1: a lot of problems, particularly Hayward on Fries and high 631 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: Smith over there on uh you know, on Ryman. I 632 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:55,879 Speaker 1: mean that that bothers me a little bit, but they 633 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 1: have struggled and they're linebackers, you know, Jack and White 634 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: and spo. I mean they're not bad. You already talked 635 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: to you know, a great deal about the free safety. 636 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, Fitzpatrick is also a game changer. 637 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 1: Edmond's not bad at strong safety. And where they've really struggled. 638 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 1: Here's where they've really struggled. And it kind of bears 639 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: out statistics. And this is going to be in my 640 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,439 Speaker 1: must is they've really struggled at corner. They started out 641 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: with Witherspoon, he got toasted so bad by A. J. Brown. 642 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:30,320 Speaker 1: They went to Eli Wallace. He's had exactly the same issues. 643 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 1: Sutton has played a little bit better, but not great. 644 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: Sutton plays the right side. Uh you know, Wallace will 645 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: play their left side, and then mala is there is 646 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,720 Speaker 1: there nickelback. Edmonds will come down when they go dime. 647 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:49,439 Speaker 1: But it is really that's where they've struggled. Again, as 648 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,759 Speaker 1: I said, this is a under team rather than an 649 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: over team. They will get double sync. And as you know, 650 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: copycat league, man, copycat league, they're you know, teams are 651 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 1: going to do what hurt us. They will do a 652 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: lot of five man rush what we call fire zones. 653 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: They'll bring the safeties up and go. They'll bring the 654 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 1: nickel off the edge one of those inside linebackers inside, 655 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,839 Speaker 1: they will bring it quite a bit. Now, there are 656 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,279 Speaker 1: some things over the years that you want to do 657 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 1: against them. They're so rigid in their system, you can 658 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: make them predictable. One of the things you want to 659 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: do is get in slot formation. Their slot formation and 660 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: their double calls will force them into a cover three 661 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 1: and if they're in man to man coverage, they'll bring 662 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 1: their corners over and you know exactly what you're getting. 663 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,479 Speaker 1: I've also liked a lot of when we go into 664 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: our twelve personnel is get in a balanced ace formation, 665 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,439 Speaker 1: balanced ace with our two tight ends, and they roll 666 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 1: up weak, but they roll up wide, so you can 667 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 1: bang that three technique off tackle. We always used to 668 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,399 Speaker 1: do that Cleveland, just bang it right back up in there. 669 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,919 Speaker 1: Then I've also you know, like four open in other words, 670 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 1: you give them four open with a running back back there, 671 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: and you know, see if you can make wat walk 672 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: or Highsmith walk with their coverages on first down, because remember, 673 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:20,680 Speaker 1: those two guys are in there to rush the passers. 674 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: Those they're outside linebackers, but they're there to rush the passer. 675 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: Anytime you can force them out of the box, you 676 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: eliminate a rusher, and number two, you've got a guy 677 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,080 Speaker 1: that's really not great in coverage. That's the worst part 678 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 1: of his game. And then we used to have a 679 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:39,359 Speaker 1: lot of success. I know Belichick over the years has 680 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,839 Speaker 1: had a lot of success with spreads because again, same 681 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:47,400 Speaker 1: kind of idea. Particularly on first down, they're very rigid. 682 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:49,759 Speaker 1: They don't go to nickel, even if you put three 683 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 1: wides in there. They'll play their base on first down. 684 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 1: So if you get in spreads, you can make them 685 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:58,880 Speaker 1: walk and reduce their coverages. Now, the only thing I 686 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:01,480 Speaker 1: would say is when we go spread, we need to 687 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 1: keep the running back close to the back to the 688 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 1: box and the tight end close to the box so 689 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: that we can chip and help those help those tackles. 690 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:13,000 Speaker 1: To be honest with you, because you've got again, you 691 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 1: got the player of the year on the left and 692 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: you got a nine sack guy on our left. So 693 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 1: those are really important and they're pretty balanced. It's it's 694 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 1: either eight or it's three, or it's one on first down. 695 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 1: Then on third down they like a lot of two 696 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 1: and two man and one lurk. Really old school. I'd 697 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:34,000 Speaker 1: say number one must we've got to spread their front. 698 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: That's what those formation variances I talked about matter and 699 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: pound them to the weak side. You're always better running 700 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 1: weak against them. If they're going to bring stuff, it's 701 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: usually off your strong side. I like balanced eighth. I 702 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:50,959 Speaker 1: like to trade the tight end over there and work 703 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: the three technique. If they if you get them in 704 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 1: nickel and they do play nickel, that's they suffer. On 705 00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: the running game. You can't pound the bubble. And again, somehow, 706 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:04,919 Speaker 1: some way, if they jump in at double sync, you're 707 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 1: gonna have to run power and you're gonna have to 708 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,239 Speaker 1: run some gaps or else. We're going to be looking 709 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: at second ten all day long. But the best thing 710 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:16,839 Speaker 1: to do is spread their front. Number two, we've got 711 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 1: to block the edges here. Okay, we can't isolate either 712 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 1: tackle on what or on Highsmith. Okay, again, I'm not 713 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,360 Speaker 1: going to get into the numbers. They're very, very good, 714 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:31,839 Speaker 1: but both of those guys can ruin your game. They 715 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 1: can absolutely ruin your game. So you have to do 716 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,359 Speaker 1: a really good job. The other thing, because we've had 717 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 1: a lot of trouble with it, I think expect a 718 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 1: blitz barage. They got nothing to lose at three and 719 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 1: seven they put they have. They've done a lot of 720 00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 1: five man rush, but not a ton of real blitzes. 721 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:56,560 Speaker 1: I would expect a blitz barage to tell you the truth. 722 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:00,920 Speaker 1: Number three, we want to attack the or left corner. 723 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 1: It's going to start out with Wallace. If he struggles, 724 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:07,600 Speaker 1: they may go back to Witherspoon. But that's where you 725 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:10,320 Speaker 1: got to attack it. And what you want to do 726 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,960 Speaker 1: is you want to be in a formation. Listen to 727 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 1: me on this. You want to be information right from 728 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 1: a cult standpoint, you want the formation to be right 729 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: because understand that on first down that cover eight rolls 730 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: week and it's quarters to the strong side. So if 731 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,960 Speaker 1: you want to isolate those guys, you want to isolate 732 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,040 Speaker 1: them on first down. If you wait till third down, 733 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 1: they'll help them. But on first down you're going to 734 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:42,200 Speaker 1: be able to get Pierce or Pittman or Paris over 735 00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:44,799 Speaker 1: there at the Z, not at the X. You don't 736 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,279 Speaker 1: want to go to the X. You want them at 737 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: the Z. And you want to work like hell, and 738 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 1: I mean work, take your shots. Let's let's go try 739 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: to score points here. Let's get after him. But you 740 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:56,680 Speaker 1: can't wait till second and long you can't wait till 741 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:59,440 Speaker 1: third down. Because Mike's old school is as soon as 742 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 1: you get set and long, it's two, it's two. Man, 743 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: it's a much different proposition. On first down it's eight, 744 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,520 Speaker 1: it's three, or it's one. So if you think about it, 745 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:13,800 Speaker 1: just simplify it for a second. That strong side corner 746 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:16,359 Speaker 1: is naked and that's where they've been. You know, they're 747 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 1: not thirty two by accident, you know. And I just think, 748 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,439 Speaker 1: you know in the end, and when we do this, 749 00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: we're good, and when we don't, we're a mess. We 750 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:29,719 Speaker 1: did it for six minutes or eight minutes Sunday, and 751 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: then for fifty four minutes we didn't do it. And 752 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: that's it. Come in first down, just open and stretch 753 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 1: their defensive system. You have to have a run pass mix. 754 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:41,919 Speaker 1: You're not going to beat them one dimensional. You've got 755 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:44,839 Speaker 1: to stretch them and get them out of there, keep 756 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: them out of advantage situations where whack Hayward and Highsmith 757 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,759 Speaker 1: can hunt. That's what you gotta do. And again we 758 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,239 Speaker 1: did that early in the game. You know, we got 759 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:57,799 Speaker 1: to be more adaptable than we were last week. I 760 00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:01,919 Speaker 1: thought Philadelphia coaching staff really really after the first eight 761 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,040 Speaker 1: minutes they did the adjusting and we did it, and 762 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,799 Speaker 1: so that's really critical. You've got to be able. The 763 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:12,560 Speaker 1: NFL is just all about constant and adaptations in a game, 764 00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:14,560 Speaker 1: and we got to do that. But win first down, 765 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: all right, Rick, to close out the Colts have to 766 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: flush out that disappointment of last week in this game. 767 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,200 Speaker 1: They've got the extra day like we talked about to 768 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:24,560 Speaker 1: do it. But at the end of the day, the 769 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:29,240 Speaker 1: Steelers going into this game incredibly beatable, having a difficult season. 770 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:31,759 Speaker 1: The Colts are trying to beat them as a franchise 771 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:34,360 Speaker 1: for the first time since two thousand and eight. And 772 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 1: this is not the Steelers team or the franchise of old. 773 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,320 Speaker 1: So with six games to play, where are you telling 774 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:44,920 Speaker 1: this team or how are you telling this team to 775 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: draw inspiration? Because it's not a sexy matchup, but it 776 00:42:48,239 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 1: is a primetime game and all eyes are going to 777 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,239 Speaker 1: be on the Colts and you don't want to look 778 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:55,239 Speaker 1: bad on national television when you're trying to breathe some 779 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:58,359 Speaker 1: life going into your season. Here down the final month 780 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:01,080 Speaker 1: and a half of this two thousand and twenty two campaign, 781 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:04,879 Speaker 1: well said, I mean in the end to me, first 782 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 1: of all, you have to spit out Sunday, and I 783 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:10,279 Speaker 1: think we'll do that. I think the total focus now 784 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:13,799 Speaker 1: and it's only one thing. It's the two twenty two 785 00:43:14,040 --> 00:43:16,839 Speaker 1: beat a bull Steelers. As I said before and I'm 786 00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:19,359 Speaker 1: gonna say it again to you, this is not your 787 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: father's Steelers. Do not be in awe of those uniforms. 788 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:27,279 Speaker 1: There's no Bradshaw, Franco Swan, Stalwarth. They're not going to 789 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:31,320 Speaker 1: score any points this week. Joe Green, Greenwood, Ham, Lambert 790 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,880 Speaker 1: and Blunt. They're not going to be there to stop you. 791 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 1: The only team that can stop you this week is you. 792 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:39,919 Speaker 1: The only team that can beat the Colts this week 793 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:44,040 Speaker 1: is the Colts if they don't play their A game again. 794 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:47,719 Speaker 1: This is a great opportunity, not a good opportunity. This 795 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:51,720 Speaker 1: is a great opportunity. You dream of playing that prime 796 00:43:51,760 --> 00:43:56,480 Speaker 1: time which is Monday Night, that every person who's ever 797 00:43:56,640 --> 00:44:01,440 Speaker 1: meant anything to you, your family, that high school, everybody 798 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:04,960 Speaker 1: in this country that matters to you is watching you 799 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:09,520 Speaker 1: and is your co pilot this week. Okay, more importantly 800 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:13,560 Speaker 1: to me, this was always my goal. Is every one 801 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:17,440 Speaker 1: of your peers is watching you. Everybody's played on Sunday, 802 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:21,520 Speaker 1: They're watching coaches and players they're going to be watching. 803 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:27,399 Speaker 1: You can create your legacy on Monday Night football. This 804 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:31,080 Speaker 1: is a perfect setting, in my opinion, for the Horseshoes 805 00:44:31,160 --> 00:44:35,120 Speaker 1: to crawl back out of the hole and get back 806 00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:39,960 Speaker 1: in contention. I know this for history, World championships have 807 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 1: been won by teams that were seven and seven by Christmas, 808 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:48,600 Speaker 1: and to me, that's our goal. So this is the 809 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:51,600 Speaker 1: first step. We've got to get this one. This is 810 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:55,200 Speaker 1: a must and we win it by bringing our a 811 00:44:55,400 --> 00:44:59,359 Speaker 1: game and bringing a clean a game, no doubt about that. 812 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:03,200 Speaker 1: That's Rick Surrey and that's this week's Inside Football before 813 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:07,560 Speaker 1: the Colts take on the Steelers. Rick as always fantastically done. 814 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:09,680 Speaker 1: I got to ask, what are your Thanksgiving plans? What 815 00:45:09,719 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 1: are you God coming up tomorrow? As we take this 816 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:15,960 Speaker 1: on Wednesday, going into the holiday. Well that's pretty interesting 817 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 1: because I've got a break in the weather, so I 818 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:22,920 Speaker 1: actually I haven't winter arrived at the job yet, so 819 00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:26,600 Speaker 1: you know, I'll be watching on Little Football. We're having 820 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,359 Speaker 1: a family dinner at six missus Sherry's got them all 821 00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:34,160 Speaker 1: coming over right, um and uh, we're having dinner at six, 822 00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:37,080 Speaker 1: so the afternoon is going to be mine. I want 823 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:40,400 Speaker 1: to take it. I already started on Dallas. I really 824 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:42,480 Speaker 1: want to get a good look at Dallas again tomorrow 825 00:45:42,520 --> 00:45:44,759 Speaker 1: because they won't play again until we see them. Yeah, 826 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:47,399 Speaker 1: that's right, you know, that's a that's a good day. 827 00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:50,839 Speaker 1: And I've always loved Thanksgiving, always looked at Thanksgiving like 828 00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:55,200 Speaker 1: you know, this is the stretch. Now, this is obviously 829 00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:59,120 Speaker 1: my mind is in a fella are It's It's not 830 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 1: like it's a thing thankful day. It's just this starts 831 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:04,759 Speaker 1: to stretch. You know. It's a line of demarcation in 832 00:46:05,280 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 1: the season, right for you. Yeah, that's the home. Somebody 833 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:10,360 Speaker 1: used to ask me when I was coaching, you know, 834 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:12,560 Speaker 1: what are you doing for Thanksgiving? I used to say, 835 00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:14,320 Speaker 1: I'm working on the red zone. What the hell you 836 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:19,040 Speaker 1: think I'm doing? It's Thursday. It's blitz pick up, you know, 837 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:21,279 Speaker 1: that's what it is. You got to bear with me 838 00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:25,720 Speaker 1: sometimes because in my twenty seven years in the NFL, 839 00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:29,880 Speaker 1: and I don't say this arrogantly, but my specialty on 840 00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:33,279 Speaker 1: every staff became red zone defense. It just, you know, 841 00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:35,440 Speaker 1: I don't know what just started. I started, and the 842 00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:37,759 Speaker 1: kind of developed a little bit of a reputation and 843 00:46:37,880 --> 00:46:41,880 Speaker 1: it carries through in a small world. And so my 844 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:46,800 Speaker 1: life really for twenty seven years revolved around that final 845 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:50,160 Speaker 1: twenty yards. So I just believe in it. And you know, 846 00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 1: teams that do well and you know what, I you 847 00:46:53,160 --> 00:46:55,520 Speaker 1: know more than anything else. And I think this applies 848 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:58,480 Speaker 1: to our failures offensively in the red zone. You got 849 00:46:58,600 --> 00:47:00,320 Speaker 1: to be known for something in the red zone. You 850 00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:02,560 Speaker 1: can't get cute in the red zone. You have to 851 00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:05,759 Speaker 1: you have to have your best off tackle run. You 852 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:08,839 Speaker 1: have to have a fade stop game on the outside, 853 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:12,880 Speaker 1: one receiver that can run an option inside. And then 854 00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: if you have the mobile quarterback like Philadelphia and even Pittsburgh, 855 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:19,520 Speaker 1: then the fourth dimension is the running quarterback. But those 856 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:21,960 Speaker 1: are the things you can mask them. But all this 857 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:24,600 Speaker 1: cuteness just kills you. I mean a reverse path. I mean, 858 00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:27,120 Speaker 1: you've got to be able when you're on that seven 859 00:47:27,239 --> 00:47:31,880 Speaker 1: yard line. Those windows are so freaking tight. You've got 860 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:35,560 Speaker 1: to be able to execute with your best play. And 861 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:38,560 Speaker 1: so anyway, so much for that rant. It was a 862 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:41,600 Speaker 1: fantastic rant, and it's it's so true. I mean, it's 863 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:44,759 Speaker 1: it's so indicative of where this Colts team is on 864 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:46,920 Speaker 1: the season. Here. I want to know, though, are you 865 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 1: making the salad. Are you making your patent insal I 866 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:53,800 Speaker 1: am the your agamn good point. I'm the salad and 867 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:57,280 Speaker 1: Sunday maker. I can do the salads. I do the opener, 868 00:47:57,680 --> 00:48:01,000 Speaker 1: and I do the closer. I do Sunday's at the end, 869 00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:04,879 Speaker 1: and everything else is miss Sharon. So now, God, she's 870 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: got the ball game. Well what you were we were 871 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:10,160 Speaker 1: broadcasting remotely, and you did bring in that salad last 872 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:12,680 Speaker 1: year for one of those games on the remote broadcast, 873 00:48:12,760 --> 00:48:15,439 Speaker 1: and that was a damn good salad. That was really good. 874 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:18,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to give Propstacy. You gotta make that again. 875 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:22,759 Speaker 1: You're too kind. Well, Rick, enjoy the day. If you're 876 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:24,720 Speaker 1: going to be out in the chopper on the cycle, 877 00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:27,759 Speaker 1: be safe, have a great time with family, and we 878 00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:29,840 Speaker 1: will indeed talk to you later this week for Monday 879 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:32,040 Speaker 1: night football against the Steelers. Can't wait for it. Man, 880 00:48:32,480 --> 00:48:34,239 Speaker 1: all right, Matt, you and your family have a great 881 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:37,400 Speaker 1: day tomorrow. I appreciate that. We'll do again. That's Rick Ventury. 882 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:41,640 Speaker 1: That's it for Insight Football Week number twelve. As always, 883 00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:43,800 Speaker 1: for the latest on the Colts, check us out Colts 884 00:48:43,840 --> 00:48:46,160 Speaker 1: dot com, the Colts Mobile app, and be sure to 885 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:49,040 Speaker 1: subscribe to everything on the Colts Audio Network. We've got 886 00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,919 Speaker 1: plenty more coming your way all week long going into 887 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:54,640 Speaker 1: this Monday Night or first home Monday Night game for 888 00:48:54,719 --> 00:48:58,120 Speaker 1: the Colts since twenty fifteen. Again for Rick Ventury. I'm 889 00:48:58,160 --> 00:49:00,640 Speaker 1: Matt Taylor and we will talk to you next week 890 00:49:00,760 --> 00:49:03,960 Speaker 1: on another installment of Insight Football, getting you ready for 891 00:49:04,080 --> 00:49:07,399 Speaker 1: Colts and Cowboys. You're on the Colts Audio Network. So long,