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Speaker 1: Welcome to a special edition Up the Drive. I am

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Speaker 1: Dale Lollie.

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Speaker 2: He is Matt Williams, and we are live from Steelers

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Speaker 2: ot AS here at the up mc rooney Sports Complex

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Speaker 2: where the Steelers are Now, what is this?

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Speaker 1: OTA number eight? Hard to believe.

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Speaker 2: We've got one more left of these and we got

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Speaker 2: mini camp next week and well then the Steelers are

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Speaker 2: off until training camp. But Matt, we're joined by a

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Speaker 2: special guest, now, Mike Persuda of the Steelers Radio Network

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Speaker 2: in the DV Morning Show.

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Speaker 1: And Mike, what are you seeing out here?

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Speaker 3: Well, first things first, if you guys hear every day

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Speaker 3: and you are sure because you're relentless that way, Yes,

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Speaker 3: is it really a special edition?

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Speaker 1: I was wondering that myself.

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Speaker 3: Well, l you talked yesterday about consistency being the key

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Speaker 3: to greatness. Yes, I think it's just another edition right

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Speaker 3: of the Great Drive.

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Speaker 1: I'll buy that. I'll buy that.

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Speaker 3: And I'm counting ot A number nine because the go

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Speaker 3: kart stuff was a team activity.

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Speaker 2: Okay, but we weren't allowed to see it.

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Speaker 4: So no, nor would we have wanted to.

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Speaker 1: We wanted to breaking that one down. So I just

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Speaker 1: he really drives the cart. Well, well, Mike, since we

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Speaker 1: have the triple take crew here together, how how far

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Speaker 1: along are you on your guards and center draft prospects

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Speaker 1: for next year? Are you on top of that yet?

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Speaker 3: I have not thought about any of that stuff. I

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Speaker 3: will tell you this though I've ordered my tickets. I

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Speaker 3: will be in attendance UH in early September and Charlotte

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Speaker 3: North Carolina for this for the Duke's Mayo Bowl Classic

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Speaker 3: between U n C and South Carolina, and I will

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Speaker 3: be watching that quarterback.

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Speaker 1: Okay, very cool, there, he goes, You're you're further along

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Speaker 1: than I am?

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Speaker 2: Then does that count as a scouting trip? If you're

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Speaker 2: drinking back and write the irs, you're doing some serious

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Speaker 2: work down there.

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Speaker 3: No, I got my stuff some on lists down there,

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Speaker 3: and I went a couple of years ago to the

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Speaker 3: Georgia Clemson game. Okay, blast, and then last year I

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Speaker 3: got a nephew and club this season bluck eye, but

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Speaker 3: I still talk to him.

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Speaker 4: We went to a hot steak Notre Dame. So I

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Speaker 4: started a.

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Speaker 3: Family tradition of it's a good one a big time

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Speaker 3: college game on Labor Day weekend.

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Speaker 1: Nice right up?

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Speaker 3: Llers are so kind to play that last preseason game

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Speaker 3: on a Thursday.

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Speaker 4: And it kind of.

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Speaker 2: So basically it's your it's the pursuit of family and

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Speaker 2: extended family takes Mike to a game and gets him

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Speaker 2: drunk pretty much.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, and you do some scouting just in case listen,

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Speaker 1: kind of like your Frozen four trip, right, and you

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Speaker 1: get very much traditions going, very much like the Frozen

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Speaker 1: four trip. Excellent stuff.

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Speaker 2: So, Mike, we've seen the Steelers this offseason and they've

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Speaker 2: continued this in recent weeks, add to this roster and

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Speaker 2: not just adding dudes, but adding veteran depth. I've kicked

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Speaker 2: this around in my head and I don't know, I

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Speaker 2: can't think of any situations in least recent memory where

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Speaker 2: they've had a team that's as deep as this one.

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Speaker 1: Do you do you agree with that? I mean, you've

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Speaker 1: over this is long better than I have.

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Speaker 3: I mean, potentially we got to see some hitting, but

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Speaker 3: everything we see and talk about now gets an asterisk.

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Speaker 4: I hope people appreciate that, right.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, for early June, absolutely, I'm with you.

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Speaker 4: It's funny.

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Speaker 3: The comings and goings are such that I was out

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Speaker 3: here last week and I saw number twenty five running

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Speaker 3: around and I checked my roster and there was no

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Speaker 3: number twenty five. So I made a mental note that, hey,

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Speaker 3: when you get out of the locker room and find

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Speaker 3: out who that guy is, and I forgot to do that,

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Speaker 3: and lo and behold, there's a different.

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Speaker 4: Twenty five this week.

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Speaker 1: There you go.

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Speaker 2: I guess that did it need to But you know,

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Speaker 2: no stone unturned once said keep turning.

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Speaker 1: I always warned people that even I mean all thirty

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Speaker 1: two teams right now, it's the optimistic period. I mean,

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Speaker 1: everyone of those draft picks is going to hit. Everyone's

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Speaker 1: that come back from injuries and be fine, you know,

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Speaker 1: all those things. But I have a hard time criticizing

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Speaker 1: this offseason for this team. I mean, the draft kind

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Speaker 1: of fell better than expected. I understand the free agency plan.

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Speaker 1: I mean I'm pretty impressed with where they are from

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Speaker 1: now again in June, from where they were when the

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Speaker 1: season ended.

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Speaker 3: I would give it two I don't want to say complaints,

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Speaker 3: but maybe two little asterisks attached to that. I thought

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Speaker 3: the draft was great, but the information I was getting

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Speaker 3: on Darnell Washington, the reason he went where he went

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Speaker 3: and not in the first round.

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Speaker 4: Or the neighborhood of the first round.

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Speaker 3: People around the league are afraid he's going to be

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Speaker 3: a one contract guy because they don't they're not sure

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Speaker 3: his knees are going to hold. Yeah, okay, well sure

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Speaker 3: get this team to a super Bowl and that's okay,

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Speaker 3: help get this team to a super Bowl. And I

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Speaker 3: was a little surprised they didn't draft a wide receiver. Really,

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Speaker 3: that's just such a position where you can I think

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Speaker 3: it's like Corey, you can never have enough. And you know,

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Speaker 3: Allen Robinson's got a chance to pay off, Calvin Austin's

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Speaker 3: got a chance to pay off. What if they don't

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Speaker 3: or what if there are injuries not here?

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Speaker 1: And I guess Trice is along those lines too, But

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Speaker 1: he's a seventh round or he's not a third.

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Speaker 3: You know, that's funny you bring him up because I

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Speaker 3: watched a lot of ten big ten, right, that's a

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Speaker 3: lot of big ten ball. I don't know if i'

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Speaker 3: yeah really to you guys, favorite team.

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Speaker 4: Pure objective analysis.

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Speaker 3: I knew of him, and then I kind of forgot

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Speaker 3: about him going into the draft because we spent so

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Speaker 3: much time on our shows talking about the top end corners,

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Speaker 3: because the Steelers were so quarter focused, at least as

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Speaker 3: we perceived it. And as it turned out to be.

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Speaker 3: And I'm trying to figure out why this kid went

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Speaker 3: to seventh round. I love the Mike Tomlin Avatar reference.

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Speaker 3: You know, he calls him, he calls Trice and Joey

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Speaker 3: Porter Junior is avatar corner. You know, they're really tall,

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Speaker 3: they're really lean, they got you know, it's hard to

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Speaker 3: throw over an avatar deep absolutely, and then they fly

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Speaker 3: those things around with the wings, So what are you

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Speaker 3: gonna do with that?

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Speaker 4: Yeah?

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Speaker 3: Right, So, I mean, you know, even that guy, I

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Speaker 3: don't think he's an afterthought pick on the seventh round.

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Speaker 3: Initially I wanted a quarterback there, but then I didn't

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Speaker 3: know Rudolph was coming back at that point, so I'm

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Speaker 3: okay with that.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think they planned on taking two corners,

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Speaker 1: just like we have to take this guy.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, yeah, I mean the values, you just

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Speaker 2: got to take it sometimes, and that's just the way

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Speaker 2: it goes.

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Speaker 3: I was disappointed to talk to him the other day

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Speaker 3: and I wanted to see if he ever covered Marvin

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Speaker 3: Harrison Junior. And he said he was hurt when they

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Speaker 3: played Ohio State two years ago and they didn't.

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Speaker 4: Play this past year. Okay, And that would have been

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Speaker 4: a fun.

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Speaker 3: Tape to go back and uh yeah, and then I

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Speaker 3: hear what he had to say about doing.

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Speaker 1: It, But he did, he didn't.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, he covered all those other great big ten receivers.

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Speaker 4: There's Harrison and then there's everybody.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, did you ask him what he did against your

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Speaker 2: your guy from We had a tough day against him

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Speaker 2: the last two years, so he probably did pretty well,

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Speaker 2: I would think so. I remember watching that game. Actually

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Speaker 2: now I think about.

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Speaker 3: It well as I recall was more we couldn't stop them, Yeah,

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Speaker 3: particularly two years ago. It was one of those shootout games.

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Speaker 3: We had just beaten Michigan, so of course we went

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Speaker 3: lost to Purdue because that's how we roll.

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Speaker 2: I mean, that's a classic letdown.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'm okay with that. Actually, yeah, we're gonna

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Speaker 3: beat Michigan out here. Who we lose to the next week?

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Speaker 4: Well, yeah, tough game, Yeah, I was did hear we

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Speaker 4: beat Michigan.

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Speaker 1: I'm still happy, Mike.

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Speaker 2: Obviously, So much of this season for the Steelers, I mean,

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Speaker 2: despite the roster looking like it's pretty deep, everywhere, everything

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Speaker 2: depends on Kenny Pickett, it does. I mean, I just

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Speaker 2: you can't get past that and I.

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Speaker 3: Think, you know, to expand on that, everything depends on

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Speaker 3: the offense trying to score.

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Speaker 4: Let me put it, let me put it in simple terms.

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Speaker 4: Uh this you know.

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Speaker 2: I don't think they were trying not to score lest well,

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Speaker 2: I think they were to score until you score.

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Speaker 3: I think they were trying not to turn the ball

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Speaker 3: over more than they were trying to score. Yeah, and

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Speaker 3: I think they were conservative toward that end to a fault.

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Speaker 3: And I think they gotta open it up. They got

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Speaker 3: to put the pedal down. They got to throw the

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Speaker 3: damn thing with a purpose this year, and I think

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Speaker 3: they will. Everything we've heard since the season ended has

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Speaker 3: led me to believe that that will be the case.

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Speaker 3: And everything we saw from Kenny Pickett last year leads

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Speaker 3: us to believe that he's more trustable this year and

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Speaker 3: he could be taking over. Kid, do your thing. They

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Speaker 3: went out and got more weapons. I think they're gonna

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Speaker 3: be good offense. I talked with Connor Hayward a week

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Speaker 3: or so ago, and.

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Speaker 4: Perett, you go to school. He went to Michigan State University.

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Speaker 3: That's the school in case you're wondering, that's the school

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Speaker 3: to be paid a couple of years ago.

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Speaker 4: Into Peach Bowl.

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Speaker 1: Okay, so all these wei references we're talking about spartans.

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Speaker 1: Just for any new listeners out there, Okay, okay, they.

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Speaker 3: Want to be top three yards game, top three points

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Speaker 3: per game, top three yak. You know, it's kind of

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Speaker 3: stuff that gets thrown around in the spring. I don't

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Speaker 3: know if that stuff is attainable, but I don't expect

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Speaker 3: them to be twenty fourth, twenty eighth, twenty seventh in

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Speaker 3: the various statistical categories. Remember Dale when Bill Kauer was here,

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Speaker 3: and they threw to get the lead and then.

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Speaker 1: Ran, throw to run and throw early to run, late,

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Speaker 1: throw to.

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Speaker 3: Score, run to win. Yeah, works for me. I think

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Speaker 3: they have the team to do that. I think they

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Speaker 3: do too.

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Speaker 2: I think you've got a team that that looks like

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Speaker 2: it could be very physical on both sides of the

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Speaker 2: ball in the trenches. And I know there are some

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Speaker 2: people out there that don't think that that plays in

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Speaker 2: today's NFL.

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Speaker 4: Was to score THEFC Championship game less.

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Speaker 2: Correct the leading The team that averaged the most points

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Speaker 2: in the game last year was the Kansas City Chiefs

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Speaker 2: at twenty eight and change. They had more games where

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Speaker 2: they were under thirty points last year than they were

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Speaker 2: over So as a leader, that's the best offense.

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Speaker 3: And I think you're playing in Kansas City in Lake January,

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Speaker 3: you're playing in Cincinnati, you're playing in Pittsburgh. Yeah, you're

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Speaker 3: playing in Buffalo. It's gonna be twenty three twenty so

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Speaker 3: not gonna be fifty one.

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Speaker 4: To forty eighth.

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Speaker 1: Correct.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, that's the big thing. You know, the difference to

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Speaker 2: me between September and October.

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Speaker 3: Maybe you need to have that in your DNA where

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Speaker 3: if you have to, you can get in the track meet, right,

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Speaker 3: But you don't want that to be the signature.

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Speaker 2: You don't want that to be the expectation. You don't

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Speaker 2: want that to be manned to. I think the Bills

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Speaker 2: are learning that.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, bring them out.

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Speaker 4: You want to be able to win those physical, tough,

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Speaker 4: bad weather games.

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Speaker 1: Run the ball that matters most, not the September one.

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Speaker 2: Keep pat mahomes, stay and on the sideline while you

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Speaker 2: grind clock and do those kind of things. Because you know,

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Speaker 2: if if you look at the a f C versus

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Speaker 2: the NFC, the NFC has got all the domes and

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Speaker 2: all that that stuff.

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Speaker 1: The a f C is still a lot of you know,

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Speaker 1: even West Coast teams. You're like Denver in the snow right.

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Speaker 2: Right, You're just not getting You're not getting away from that.

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Speaker 4: In the a f C. No, I agree, and I

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Speaker 4: think they're approaching it the right way. It's not they're

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Speaker 4: not opposed to improving the passing game.

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Speaker 3: In fact, they very much want to do that, but

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Speaker 3: they don't want to do it and ignore the running game.

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Speaker 3: And I thought there is resurgence too strong a word

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Speaker 3: for the second half of last season.

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Speaker 1: That's true.

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Speaker 3: Whatever that was, that was deeply rooted in their ability

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Speaker 3: to run the ball.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I always explain it this way, like, I think

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Speaker 1: the first half of the season it was a disaster,

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Speaker 1: and maybe predictably so, right, I mean, hey, I mean

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Speaker 1: we all watched it. You know, it wasn't pretty at all.

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Speaker 1: Rookie quarterback remember.

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Speaker 4: That Philly game?

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Speaker 1: Oh man, awful. But I think post By, when you

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Speaker 1: tell the Kenny Pickett story when it's all or this

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Speaker 1: version of the Steelers when it's all done, that was

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Speaker 1: when the foundation of the house was poured. You know,

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Speaker 1: the second half of the season. Now there's this concrete

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Speaker 1: base to build on and.

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Speaker 3: Without a contractor and actually do some work that might

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Speaker 3: be the story of the year.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: The first was first was learning and this isn't working

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Speaker 1: against tough teams. And the second half of the season

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Speaker 1: was Okay, we've got something to build on that that

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Speaker 1: can't be it enough, but that's a good start.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, physically, you saw that. Yeah.

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Speaker 3: The bookends I like to use are the Miami game

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Speaker 3: where Pickett was given two chances to win it late

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Speaker 3: and he threw two picks.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: And then against the Raiders and the Ravens, he was

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Speaker 3: given chances to win the game at the end and

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Speaker 3: he won both games. And I don't know, maybe I'm

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Speaker 3: getting a little too romantic about it, but I've been

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Speaker 3: covering the Steelers a long time. I have unbelievable appreciation

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Speaker 3: for that Steelers Ravens thing. And I'm so happy I've

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Speaker 3: gotten to see as many of those games as I have.

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Speaker 3: And if you're going to be the Steelers quarterback, I'm sorry,

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Speaker 3: you got to be a lot of things.

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Speaker 2: To be able to go into Baltimore and win, thank you.

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Speaker 2: That's gotta be on the list. Yeah, and you gotta

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Speaker 2: do it.

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Speaker 3: Their defense after they got Roquan Smith, don't tell me

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Speaker 3: about soft and schedule and all that they were statistically

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Speaker 3: as good as anybody after they got roll and playing

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Speaker 3: in weather in Baltimore late in the year with circumstances,

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Speaker 3: and he got it done. And don't forget the field

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Speaker 3: goal drive that preceded the touchdown dry they needed two.

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Speaker 4: Scores in the fourth quarter.

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Speaker 3: That was a long field goal drive, and then they

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Speaker 3: didn't score, and then they got it back and they

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Speaker 3: scored again.

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Speaker 2: Against that team, and that with you know, you know

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Speaker 2: what that is. It's a knockdown, drag out fight every time.

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Speaker 3: Maybe I'll simplifying it. That's that showed me. Kenny Picketts,

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Speaker 3: the guy.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think you're getting too romantic about it.

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Speaker 1: I mean I think that steps as a rookie quarterback

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Speaker 1: figure out the rest.

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Speaker 4: He knows how to go to Baltimore and win.

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Speaker 2: The interesting thing about it, Mike is is I went

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Speaker 2: back and I looked this up as actually in my

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Speaker 2: five for Friday last week or the week before, did

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Speaker 2: you come.

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Speaker 4: Up with five? Because it's a literate Friday.

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Speaker 1: I always five for Friday.

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Speaker 4: Like if you did that on Thursdays, would it be

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Speaker 4: uh ten for Thursday.

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Speaker 2: Or I guess yeah, you could have snuck away with that.

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Speaker 2: That's why I do it on Friday because it's five. Five,

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Speaker 2: could have done four. I could have done for for Friday.

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Speaker 2: You could take an easy way done free for Friday,

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Speaker 2: fifty for Friday. So anyways, I looked it up. So

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Speaker 2: last year everybody's talking about the.

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Speaker 3: The reason I'm bringing that up is we used to

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Speaker 3: have a think of a paper I used to work

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Speaker 3: for and I had to do three keys to the

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Speaker 3: game Yes, And I used to say, well, what if

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Speaker 3: there's two, what if there's seven?

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Speaker 1: Right right?

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Speaker 4: Well, why does it have to be three? They said,

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Speaker 4: it just does.

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Speaker 1: That's see, you pick a number and you go with it.

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Speaker 4: This is how the media sausage is made.

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Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, so the schedule, the Steelers schedule this year,

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Speaker 2: everybody talked about the Steelers taking advantage of a soft

338
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Speaker 2: schedule down the stretch. Last year, the team's finished with

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Speaker 2: a winning percentage. I'm going to say four to sixty two.

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Speaker 2: The teams that they played in the second half of

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Speaker 2: the season. The teams that they play this season finished

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Speaker 2: last year with a four to seventy winning percentage. Overall,

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Speaker 2: you're not playing at Buffalo, you're not playing at Philadelphia,

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Speaker 2: at Cincinnati, you know all those games that they played

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Speaker 2: early in the season that that you know they stumbled on.

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Speaker 2: Not in the Cincinnati game, but Eagles very well could

347
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Speaker 2: have at Miami. You're not playing that schedule this year.

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Speaker 2: You're playing basically the second half schedule of what you

349
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Speaker 2: did last year. So why can't you go out there

350
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Speaker 2: and do what you did last year and pound the

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Speaker 2: rock and beat these teams?

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Speaker 3: Reasonable theory, I mean, now, the one thing you have

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Speaker 3: to keep in mind is I think it's between forty

354
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Speaker 3: and fifty to fifty five percent of that playoff party

355
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Speaker 3: turns over every year.

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Speaker 4: Right.

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Speaker 3: You don't know at this point who those teams are

358
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Speaker 3: going to be, but the Steelers were one of the not.

359
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Speaker 2: Quality it didn't make it, so they might be. It

360
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Speaker 2: could be one of those teams again, will think they are. Yeah,

361
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Speaker 2: there are always surprises. I'll throw one more cherry on

362
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Speaker 2: top of that Sunday deal. If you have to play

363
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Speaker 2: San Francisco, would you rather do it week one or

364
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Speaker 2: Week eleven?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, we talked about that a lot. Yeah, earlier the

366
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Speaker 1: better and you get him first week.

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Speaker 4: The quarterback situation is unsettled, the matter who plays.

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Speaker 1: I mean, even if it's party, would he have taken

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Speaker 1: any preseason snaps.

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Speaker 3: Right, we saw that the guy coming off the injury

371
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Speaker 3: and all that. So yeah, it's up pretty well and

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Speaker 3: I think they are well peopled and well positioned. I'm

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Speaker 3: again I want to see what happens at Saint Vincent,

374
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Speaker 3: But I don't know why you would not be really

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Speaker 3: optimistic on this team at this time of the year.

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Speaker 3: Here on what is it, Jude seventh?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean everything that they've done, they've added to

378
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Speaker 2: this roster. They won nine games last year when they'll

379
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Speaker 2: you know, that wasn't the expectation, certainly not after that

380
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Speaker 2: that start, and they've made this team better. Like I

381
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Speaker 2: just don't I don't understand how they're They're getting to me.

382
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Speaker 2: They're getting a little slept on. I understand that, you know,

383
00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,040
Speaker 2: the Jets went out and got Aaron Rodgers and these

384
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Speaker 2: teams did that and that team, but this team again

385
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Speaker 2: won nine games last year and got better.

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Speaker 1: I'm the same way. And you mentioned the schedule. I

387
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Speaker 1: think the schedules really favorable to put a put wins together.

388
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Speaker 1: The thing that worries me is nothing to do with

389
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Speaker 1: this organization. It's stuff that's outside their control. It's a

390
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Speaker 1: division in the conference. It's nasty. It is.

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Speaker 3: But I don't have any numbers off the top of

392
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Speaker 3: my head to back this up. But I only count

393
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Speaker 3: on the North part of the schedule being three and three.

394
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Speaker 2: Is the whole division was three and three last year,

395
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Speaker 2: and I know everybody in the AFC North last year

396
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Speaker 2: went three and three.

397
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Speaker 1: What happened again?

398
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Speaker 4: We were talking about the Ravens thing a little while ago.

399
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Speaker 4: It's similar. The rivalries of Cincinnati and Cleveland are.

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Speaker 1: They'll probably split pretty Yeah, so if somebody's struggling, they

401
00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,040
Speaker 1: go into the other team's house and win.

402
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,240
Speaker 3: We've seen that a million times in this division, so

403
00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,200
Speaker 3: that's true. We're in a tough division. They're gonna go

404
00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:29,720
Speaker 3: one and five or zero and six in those games.

405
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:30,240
Speaker 3: Didn't happen.

406
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Speaker 4: I'm just not seeing that.

407
00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,960
Speaker 1: It just doesn't happen unless you're Cleveland. Yeah, you know, and.

408
00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:39,040
Speaker 3: I expect them to be better the Browns. Cincinnati is

409
00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,560
Speaker 3: what it is. Baltimore is a traditional organizational type team

410
00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,680
Speaker 3: that figures it out at least to a minimum standard.

411
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Speaker 3: So let's assume everybody goes three and three again, and

412
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Speaker 3: then it's gonna be one or lost the game.

413
00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:52,680
Speaker 4: Yeah.

414
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Speaker 2: The interesting The other interesting thing about that schedule, Mike,

415
00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,640
Speaker 2: is last year, the reason that they didn't get in,

416
00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,960
Speaker 2: the reason that they were the number eight team in

417
00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,440
Speaker 2: the AFC, is because they lost to Miami. Then their

418
00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,840
Speaker 2: conference record was awful. You look at who they playing

419
00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,480
Speaker 2: the conference this year. None of those teams, like you're

420
00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,600
Speaker 2: playing Houston, you're playing Tennessee, you're playing Indianapolis. You're not

421
00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:17,159
Speaker 2: playing Miami, the Jets, the Chargers, and those other teams

422
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Speaker 2: that you think you're gonna be in the mix with,

423
00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,760
Speaker 2: so you don't have to worry about had to head

424
00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,119
Speaker 2: tie breakers, but you also get all those those chances

425
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Speaker 2: to stack victories against what should be the dregs of

426
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Speaker 2: the AFC.

427
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Speaker 3: Yeah, and just having it figured out quicker. This year,

428
00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,840
Speaker 3: you see they hit the ground runner. Like the Miami

429
00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,840
Speaker 3: game was real winnable. I mentioned Pickett's problems at the

430
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Speaker 3: end of that game. They also dropped what.

431
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Speaker 4: Fourign or seventh.

432
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Speaker 2: The England game was winnable, The Jets game was really winnable.

433
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Speaker 3: Those early season games they found ways to lose. I

434
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Speaker 3: don't think they're gonna do that this year.

435
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Speaker 1: No, I don't think so either. I don't think so.

436
00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,359
Speaker 3: I do think I thought last year the Jets were

437
00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,000
Speaker 3: really starting to put together a roster, and I think

438
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Speaker 3: Aaron Rodgers still has juice.

439
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:55,800
Speaker 4: I don't know how that's gonna work out.

440
00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,280
Speaker 3: But if i'm them and I haven't won the Super

441
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Speaker 3: Bowl since name, if I'm rolling those TIFs, you know,

442
00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:01,480
Speaker 3: oh yeah.

443
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Speaker 2: Then they do stuff like they canceled their mini camp

444
00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,119
Speaker 2: this week, did they? Yeah, this can't We're just not

445
00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:08,600
Speaker 2: gonna do it. Well, we kidding me.

446
00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:10,640
Speaker 1: I think it's worth the rolling the dice for them too,

447
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,080
Speaker 1: But it could also be a disaster, you know, but

448
00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:13,560
Speaker 1: it's worth it.

449
00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:14,920
Speaker 4: But I could see that working out.

450
00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:16,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, their defense is good.

451
00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,960
Speaker 4: Other teams that you know, boy, you're not expecting.

452
00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,840
Speaker 2: It's a it's a Tom Brady to Tampa type situation where,

453
00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,919
Speaker 2: oh yeah, the quarterback situation was so bad last year.

454
00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,880
Speaker 2: The quarterback situation in Tampa before Brady got there.

455
00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:28,720
Speaker 1: Was so bad.

456
00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, if you just get average quarterback play out of it,

457
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:33,000
Speaker 2: you shouldn't be a much better team.

458
00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:34,919
Speaker 3: So those are There are X number of teams like

459
00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,080
Speaker 3: that out there that you know, in November, we're having

460
00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,600
Speaker 3: a different conversation, Oh what are these guys doing at

461
00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:40,240
Speaker 3: ten and four?

462
00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,560
Speaker 4: Or whatever they are. R Yeah, you know eight three,

463
00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:45,320
Speaker 4: it's it's gonna be fun to see it play out.

464
00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:49,639
Speaker 3: But I I Pittsburgh has done everything I think it

465
00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,960
Speaker 3: could have been expected to do to try to take

466
00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:53,679
Speaker 3: that next step.

467
00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,080
Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean if this radio setup was at the

468
00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,919
Speaker 1: New York with the Jets, Miami Jacksonville and we were

469
00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,200
Speaker 1: working closely those teams, I bet it would be pretty

470
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,760
Speaker 1: optimistic too. Yeah, you know, watching Trevor Lawrence every day

471
00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:07,879
Speaker 1: and Aaron Rodgers and like, this team could be pretty good. Baltimore. Oh, absolutely,

472
00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,600
Speaker 1: the right expectations every year, whether every year, whether it's

473
00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:14,800
Speaker 1: or Yeah, there's a lot of good teams out there.

474
00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:16,880
Speaker 2: I can remember going up there that when they first

475
00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,960
Speaker 2: came back into the league and we sit down in

476
00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,960
Speaker 2: the press box, it's their first game back in the league,

477
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,000
Speaker 2: and they had their pr people put out a sheet

478
00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:30,439
Speaker 2: listing everybody's prediction, their all their local media's predictions for

479
00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,360
Speaker 2: that first season. You saw nine and seven, you saw

480
00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,200
Speaker 2: ten and six, And I'm like, are these people out

481
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:35,960
Speaker 2: of their minds?

482
00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:36,640
Speaker 4: Right?

483
00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,520
Speaker 3: Like, well, I will say this for their local media

484
00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:41,560
Speaker 3: getting the team back for the first time.

485
00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:42,880
Speaker 1: We're very exciting. I get it.

486
00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,159
Speaker 4: I wasn't gonna be the guy to see fourteen. You know,

487
00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:47,600
Speaker 4: if I was working right.

488
00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:52,600
Speaker 1: Oh kay, sure, I'd be lucky. They win three games, nobody's.

489
00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,919
Speaker 3: Gonna come out, you Dale, if you predict a winning record,

490
00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,720
Speaker 3: that's true. And then they win one game, nobody's gonna say, oh,

491
00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:59,240
Speaker 3: you thought we were going to be good.

492
00:19:59,160 --> 00:19:59,800
Speaker 1: You're a jerk.

493
00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:01,320
Speaker 4: They only do that.

494
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,040
Speaker 2: Would you say? They're gonna stink? And they play well?

495
00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:06,920
Speaker 2: Right now, I get it. You gotta play the game

496
00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:07,320
Speaker 2: a little bit.

497
00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,760
Speaker 4: Yeah, a little bit more media sausage being made here.

498
00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, there you go. It's a good track. Absolutely, we're

499
00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:13,440
Speaker 1: gonna take a break.

500
00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:15,080
Speaker 2: Our guest has been Mike Persudo of the d V

501
00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,160
Speaker 2: Morning Show and the Steelers Radio Network. We appreciate Mike

502
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,480
Speaker 2: coming in to sit down and give us some information

503
00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,439
Speaker 2: here on. We haven't talked to him like since the

504
00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,960
Speaker 2: triple takes step. Yeah, I ended there so, but he

505
00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:27,240
Speaker 2: is Matt Williams.

506
00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,040
Speaker 4: And times a tight end out of Purdue. I really like.

507
00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,679
Speaker 2: We are live from the tight end of Georgia.

508
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,960
Speaker 1: I've heard I've heard draft from so far. Quarterback at

509
00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,000
Speaker 1: USC the guy.

510
00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,360
Speaker 4: Here was the second best tight end in Georgia last year.

511
00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, I believe you might like the quarterback at the NC.

512
00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:46,439
Speaker 1: I think you enjoy your He might.

513
00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,000
Speaker 2: Be there, he might be Okay, we're gonna take a break.

514
00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,040
Speaker 2: You're listening to our ongoing Steelers coverage here live from

515
00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,520
Speaker 2: Steelers o t As on ESPN nine seventy and Steelers

516
00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,200
Speaker 2: Nation Radio. We'll be back with more right after this.

517
00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:05,399
Speaker 1: Welcome back.

518
00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:06,639
Speaker 2: I am Dale Lowen.

519
00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,760
Speaker 1: He is Matt Williamson, and this is the Drive. I'm

520
00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:11,720
Speaker 1: not going to say special edition, like, yeah, it's not

521
00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:12,600
Speaker 1: so special anymore.

522
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,360
Speaker 2: I don't think well's special when we actually get always special,

523
00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:18,000
Speaker 2: which we've done.

524
00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:19,879
Speaker 1: All this week and so well, we're not going to

525
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,760
Speaker 1: call that anyway. So looking here at.

526
00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,880
Speaker 2: Pro Football Focus, mattic Oh, and they have their edge rankings.

527
00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:28,639
Speaker 1: Oh have they. I've been kind of on the edge

528
00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:29,399
Speaker 1: of my seat for that one.

529
00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,040
Speaker 2: They've done the top thirty two. Okay, I went thirty

530
00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:33,240
Speaker 2: two deep on their edge rush.

531
00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:33,439
Speaker 4: Oh.

532
00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:34,720
Speaker 1: It's a good group in the league right now, it

533
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:35,199
Speaker 1: really is.

534
00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,159
Speaker 2: And this kind of gives you a little idea of

535
00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,720
Speaker 2: how good it is because number thirty two on the

536
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,480
Speaker 2: Pro Football Focus edge rushers list is Alex Highsmith.

537
00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:45,960
Speaker 1: Okay, I was actually sitting here going I wonder if

538
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:47,760
Speaker 1: he'll make it. I think he would be in my

539
00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:49,560
Speaker 1: top thirty two. I mean that's a hard thing to

540
00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,880
Speaker 1: just project off the top of my head. I think

541
00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,880
Speaker 1: he's very worthy. The way you said that, I thought

542
00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,000
Speaker 1: maybe you even thought maybe he should be higher, And

543
00:21:58,040 --> 00:21:59,760
Speaker 1: I think there's probably an argument for that. So I'm

544
00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:01,960
Speaker 1: did who the five ahead of our r and those

545
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,680
Speaker 1: type of things too. But he's legit. I mean, I'm

546
00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,240
Speaker 1: very sold on him. Yeah, and of.

547
00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,200
Speaker 2: Course, you know, the Steelers talking contract with him this offseason.

548
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:11,160
Speaker 2: We'll see where that goes.

549
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,359
Speaker 1: But if we always talk about Batman and Robin. Yeah,

550
00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,199
Speaker 1: and Robin's a superhero too, by the way, Yeah, you

551
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,640
Speaker 1: know what I mean. He might not be the Hall

552
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,560
Speaker 1: of Fame superhero, He's not Superman, but Robin's all right,

553
00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,680
Speaker 1: And I think high Smith's better than just a Robin

554
00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:26,439
Speaker 1: at this point, you know.

555
00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,160
Speaker 2: Well, especially so they have they have these guys broken

556
00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,920
Speaker 2: down into tiers. This high Smith is in tier five.

557
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,160
Speaker 2: Parent tells you about how many.

558
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,480
Speaker 1: The leagues insane right now with these guys that Dressers are.

559
00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,160
Speaker 1: Thirty one is Cameron Jordan. Wow. We talked about him

560
00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,520
Speaker 1: yesterday on best players over thirty years of age, and

561
00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,240
Speaker 1: neither one of us thought he was a Hall of Famer,

562
00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:50,920
Speaker 1: but I didn't think he was far off the Kalayis Campbell,

563
00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,800
Speaker 1: Cam Hayward tier and going might already be over a

564
00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,720
Speaker 1: hundred sacks. There's a lot of Cameron Jordan Jerseys in

565
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,760
Speaker 1: New Orleans. He's going to be in the Ring of Honor,

566
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,760
Speaker 1: and he's still playing extremely well. He's a really good player.

567
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,920
Speaker 1: He'll get a push for the who oh yeah, yeah,

568
00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:06,399
Speaker 1: he'll be on the list. I mean, he's not a

569
00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,600
Speaker 1: traditional bend the edge Von Miller guy, you know. I mean,

570
00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:11,399
Speaker 1: but I think you would have to lump him with

571
00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:11,919
Speaker 1: the edges.

572
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,280
Speaker 2: Number thirty is Brandon Graham, another guy that we talked.

573
00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,480
Speaker 1: To him similar similar, I mean, he's a Ring of

574
00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,000
Speaker 1: Honor eagle type, you know, one of their better all

575
00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:24,000
Speaker 1: time edge guys. That is, less is asked of him

576
00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,800
Speaker 1: than Highsmith though, yeah, great, and Graham's career. High was

577
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:27,960
Speaker 1: twent his twelve sacs.

578
00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,359
Speaker 2: Which he had last year, and Heismith had more and

579
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:31,200
Speaker 2: high Smith had more.

580
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,640
Speaker 1: He's younger, and he's also not playing with four other

581
00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,199
Speaker 1: great edge rushers, especially when DJ was out, you know,

582
00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,160
Speaker 1: so yeah, I thought Moore was asked of Heismith. Twenty

583
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,080
Speaker 1: nine is Gregory Rousseau, Okay, I mean I would not

584
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,399
Speaker 1: have he would be last guy. I couldn't put him

585
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,640
Speaker 1: ahead of Highsmith. No, I mean everyone we brought up

586
00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,159
Speaker 1: he would be thirty two. Yeah, but he's ascending. I

587
00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,680
Speaker 1: mean he's doing some good things. They need more consistency

588
00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:53,160
Speaker 1: from him.

589
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:55,920
Speaker 2: Twenty eight Josh Schwet with the Eagles.

590
00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:59,879
Speaker 1: Now another one that's a very good player. But you

591
00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:02,240
Speaker 1: know he plays fifty percent of snaps. Yeah, I mean

592
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:03,280
Speaker 1: that helps a lot.

593
00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,600
Speaker 2: With those guys ahead of a guy that plays nine

594
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:06,959
Speaker 2: hundred or one thousand snaps.

595
00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean they're impressive snaps. Yeah, they's seventy

596
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,760
Speaker 1: sacks last year in Philly. I me, yeah, he also

597
00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,840
Speaker 1: played at the lead a lot. Yeah, I mean high

598
00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,840
Speaker 1: Smith belongs in this neighborhood. But I'm not sure Sweat

599
00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,919
Speaker 1: and uh, who's want me to talk to Russeau Rousseau

600
00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,040
Speaker 1: or quite to that level? Yeah.

601
00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,960
Speaker 2: And in twenty seven is Sam Hubbard with the Bengals.

602
00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,040
Speaker 1: I respect his game. I mean he plays a lot

603
00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,320
Speaker 1: of snaps, he does the dirty work. I just don't

604
00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,520
Speaker 1: think he's dynamic as any of these guys we mentioned.

605
00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,040
Speaker 1: Oh I don't see. I mean these are they're going.

606
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,679
Speaker 2: Off of their great yeahs and stuff, and that's you know,

607
00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:41,600
Speaker 2: we could argue that all day long.

608
00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,160
Speaker 1: Sure, sure he's a good player, he's a starter, but yeah.

609
00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,680
Speaker 2: Tier four twenty six is Chase Young.

610
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:50,520
Speaker 1: I don't know where i'd rank him.

611
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,080
Speaker 2: I don't know where you're putting me to do with

612
00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:54,720
Speaker 2: that guy, Like, if you're doing this two years ago,

613
00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,159
Speaker 2: he's probably in Tier two.

614
00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,760
Speaker 1: Right, and people are talking about he's the one most

615
00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:00,640
Speaker 1: likely to jump to Tier one and all that. Yeah,

616
00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,199
Speaker 1: and then they don't pick up his fifthyear option. I mean

617
00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:03,600
Speaker 1: that's why they're out on the guy. I mean, so

618
00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:06,720
Speaker 1: injuries obviously, but he wasn't playing great before that. I

619
00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:08,200
Speaker 1: don't know where you put him, but I guess that's

620
00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:08,640
Speaker 1: about right.

621
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,560
Speaker 2: Twenty five is Randy Gregory.

622
00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,320
Speaker 1: Uh yeah, a little bit hard to trust, but a

623
00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,679
Speaker 1: really good football player and disruptive. Yeah that's a good

624
00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:18,199
Speaker 1: way to put it.

625
00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:18,480
Speaker 4: Yeah.

626
00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:18,960
Speaker 1: Yeah.

627
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,360
Speaker 2: Twenty four is Deniko Autry.

628
00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,360
Speaker 1: Doesn't get any respect, No, I mean I bet there's

629
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,240
Speaker 1: people out there go and he played for what's he

630
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,879
Speaker 1: up to? Consistent? He's really easy to count on, but

631
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:36,679
Speaker 1: not super dynamic. Twenty three is josh Ucha. Hmmm, I

632
00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,520
Speaker 1: can't put him that. I would have him in the

633
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,200
Speaker 1: high Smith neighborhood. Yeah, more so than tier above. I know,

634
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:46,159
Speaker 1: on a I of a hustle sack guy. Yeah, I

635
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,399
Speaker 1: do know, on a per snap basis, his production's really high.

636
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,000
Speaker 1: But he's another one that's a rotational player. I mean

637
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,960
Speaker 1: he's he couldn't do what high Smith does, staff after sistently.

638
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,280
Speaker 2: I mean I think you chase like two thirty five. Yeah,

639
00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,440
Speaker 2: he's not a heavy guy. Twenty two is Aiden Hutchinson.

640
00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,280
Speaker 1: Okay, I mean he get a good rookie year. I

641
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,560
Speaker 1: think people are little too excited about him, so I

642
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,480
Speaker 1: think he's a Tier four. I'm glad he's not in

643
00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:13,280
Speaker 1: the top three tiers. Good player.

644
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,120
Speaker 2: Twenty one is John Franklin Myers with the.

645
00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,119
Speaker 1: Jets, another guy nobody talks about. I mean, he's a

646
00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,840
Speaker 1: very valuable member. So I'm a real nerd, and I

647
00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:28,360
Speaker 1: went to Pro Football Reference and I looked at pressures, sacks,

648
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:33,000
Speaker 1: blitz rate, and the Jets were really the most impressive

649
00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,679
Speaker 1: pass rushing team in terms of not having the blitz

650
00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,840
Speaker 1: to create havoc yeah, and he's one of many that

651
00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:41,800
Speaker 1: are part of that. You know, he's a quality member

652
00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,040
Speaker 1: of a good pass rush that brings four time and

653
00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,240
Speaker 1: time again. Twenty is Shaq Barrett with the bucks. I

654
00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,040
Speaker 1: would say declining, definitely declining.

655
00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,240
Speaker 2: Yeah, he probably might be able to say that about

656
00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:57,040
Speaker 2: this next guy as well. Nineteen is DeMarcus Lawrence. Probably

657
00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:58,160
Speaker 2: probably on the downward.

658
00:26:58,240 --> 00:26:59,560
Speaker 1: He's becoming Robin quickly.

659
00:26:59,600 --> 00:26:59,760
Speaker 4: Yeah.

660
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:01,480
Speaker 1: I mean, of course, Michael Parsons name is going to

661
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,680
Speaker 1: come up here high on the list going into Tier three.

662
00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,040
Speaker 1: I bet this is when it gets to be. This

663
00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:09,240
Speaker 1: is pretty loaded. Yeah.

664
00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,080
Speaker 2: There's some more guys on here though that are on

665
00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:14,000
Speaker 2: the really the down side, at least as I see it.

666
00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:15,159
Speaker 2: Matthew Jude on it.

667
00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:17,880
Speaker 1: Eighteen. I'm a fan.

668
00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,280
Speaker 2: I like his game. Yeah, there are people that talk

669
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:25,760
Speaker 2: about him like he's in the That's not the case

670
00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:26,080
Speaker 2: at all.

671
00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,159
Speaker 1: There definitely are people out there that are way too

672
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,000
Speaker 1: high on him because I don't think you know it

673
00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,399
Speaker 1: said the word dynamic before. It's not a word I

674
00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,080
Speaker 1: would use to describe him. But boy, he does all

675
00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:38,560
Speaker 1: the dirty work for Belichick and inside stunts the free

676
00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,680
Speaker 1: people up and plays the run and physical good.

677
00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:48,440
Speaker 2: Player take on your team in a heartbeat. He's not elite, No, no, no, seventeen. Well,

678
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,440
Speaker 2: this is interesting that they put this guy here, Zadarius Smith,

679
00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:53,959
Speaker 2: who's now with the Browns.

680
00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:55,399
Speaker 1: Again.

681
00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:57,600
Speaker 2: I'll bring it up as I did in their last

682
00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:59,760
Speaker 2: ten games last year for the Vikings. I think he

683
00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:04,680
Speaker 2: had three sacksfense. He just disaster and he's thirty. I

684
00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,399
Speaker 2: think he's Yeah.

685
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,040
Speaker 1: I mean, people weren't banging down the door to ad

686
00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:10,360
Speaker 1: him on their team. I mean a crust.

687
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:11,800
Speaker 2: The Brown's a seventh round draft pick.

688
00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,159
Speaker 1: Everyone knew he was available for months. I mean, remember

689
00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,280
Speaker 1: he was like holding out and demanding a trade and

690
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,080
Speaker 1: all that, and then it finally happened and didn't cost

691
00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,400
Speaker 1: much and obviously his contract and injury history.

692
00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,280
Speaker 2: But then the Browns redid the contract be cheaper for them?

693
00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:25,960
Speaker 2: Like anybody could have done that.

694
00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,639
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he's hard to play against, Like you know,

695
00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,119
Speaker 1: if you line up against the Browns are better with him.

696
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,040
Speaker 1: But he could be a cap casualty in a or

697
00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:34,080
Speaker 1: two or something like that too.

698
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,920
Speaker 2: You know, Uh, sixteen is Montes sweat with the Commanders.

699
00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,040
Speaker 1: No one talks about him. I mean he's like the

700
00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,720
Speaker 1: fourth of the first supposed to. Yeah, right, right, right,

701
00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,920
Speaker 1: And he's had a better two years than Chase Young has.

702
00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,720
Speaker 1: I mean he was another great tester, freaky athlete that

703
00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,160
Speaker 1: we see coming in the league like crazy number. Fifteen

704
00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,600
Speaker 1: Josh Allen with the Jacks. Yeah, he's coming on pretty

705
00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,400
Speaker 1: well too. I mean, little more finesse than you would like,

706
00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:03,720
Speaker 1: but a lot of ability. I mean he was a

707
00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,160
Speaker 1: top six or seven pick too, and he's starting to

708
00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:09,360
Speaker 1: hit his stride. People were talking about Walker, but Allen's

709
00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:10,680
Speaker 1: the much better player right now.

710
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,520
Speaker 2: Fourteen is Jalen Phillips with the Dolphins.

711
00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:16,120
Speaker 1: He's one of my favorites. I think he'll be ten

712
00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,640
Speaker 1: or eight next year, a little more size than some

713
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:22,040
Speaker 1: of these guys. Loved them coming out of school. He's

714
00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:22,640
Speaker 1: been really good for.

715
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,960
Speaker 2: The Thirteen is Khalil Mack.

716
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:25,520
Speaker 4: I can't.

717
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,760
Speaker 1: I don't know what to do with that, right again,

718
00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,880
Speaker 1: another declining player. Yeah, not nearly as disruptive as he

719
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,760
Speaker 1: used to be. I think they knew that, saying, hey,

720
00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:36,880
Speaker 1: we'll team him with Bosa and that's a really good

721
00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,080
Speaker 1: tag team. But then Bosa misses all that time and

722
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,920
Speaker 1: Khalil Mack shows that he's not quite Batman anymore. Either

723
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,840
Speaker 1: Hall of Famer. I think he's got a strong case,

724
00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:50,200
Speaker 1: but close another good year probably needs to add a

725
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:52,520
Speaker 1: little bit more. Ten more sacks or twenty more sacks

726
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:52,920
Speaker 1: or you know.

727
00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,000
Speaker 2: Twelve is Brian Burns with the Panthers.

728
00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm a big fan. I mean some of these teams,

729
00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,800
Speaker 1: and I think the Steelers absolute we qualify. How often

730
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:03,520
Speaker 1: do you get to play with the lead, you know,

731
00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,400
Speaker 1: and really pad your stats and rush the pass.

732
00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:08,680
Speaker 2: I mean that's what was so impressive about what TJ

733
00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,400
Speaker 2: wanted a couple of years ago. It is like he

734
00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,360
Speaker 2: had all those sacks and that they're playing a bunch

735
00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 2: of one score games.

736
00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:15,440
Speaker 1: Yeah. The article I wrote this week was sort of

737
00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:19,000
Speaker 1: around that and that spreadsheet I created about how it

738
00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,360
Speaker 1: was down this year. But another point though, is they

739
00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,920
Speaker 1: led league what five years in a row in sacks. Yeah,

740
00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,920
Speaker 1: they weren't playing I mean one was a Duck Hodges year,

741
00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:27,880
Speaker 1: you know, I mean it was Ben at the end,

742
00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:29,880
Speaker 1: it was you know, I mean, these were not the

743
00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,920
Speaker 1: Eagles last year where you're winning by forty in the

744
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,760
Speaker 1: second half and just in your ears back eleven. But

745
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,040
Speaker 1: that's Burns's problem to you. They don't they don't play

746
00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:37,840
Speaker 1: a lot of leads either.

747
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,280
Speaker 2: Eleven is Danielle Hunter.

748
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's really different. Like I was listening to a

749
00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,120
Speaker 1: podcast that had some really nerdy pass rush stuff on

750
00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,400
Speaker 1: there that if you teach your kids to be a

751
00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,240
Speaker 1: pass rusher, don't ever watched any Hunter tape because he

752
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:56,720
Speaker 1: this is totally unorthodox and just an ultra athletic freak

753
00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,160
Speaker 1: that just does whatever he wants and makes it work.

754
00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:04,680
Speaker 2: Is Von Miller still yes, Yeah, yeah. Respect nine is

755
00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:05,640
Speaker 2: Trey Hendrickson.

756
00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,360
Speaker 1: I did Miller over Hendrickson. I would too. I know

757
00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,560
Speaker 1: he's been really I'll be honest. The Bengals signed him

758
00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,800
Speaker 1: two years ago. I'm like they're gonna regret that, you know,

759
00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:15,640
Speaker 1: I would have kept loss In that was the same

760
00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,880
Speaker 1: year and Hendrickson's bigger. But he got better. I mean

761
00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,000
Speaker 1: he got better with Cincy than he was with New Orleans.

762
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,440
Speaker 1: It has been a really good signing for him. Part

763
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,960
Speaker 1: of it, I forget again they're playing with more leads

764
00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,800
Speaker 1: though they are they are, Yeah, and he's a really

765
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,240
Speaker 1: good player for someone that I listened to says he

766
00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,320
Speaker 1: looks like a long snapper, and he kind of does,

767
00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:35,400
Speaker 1: you know, like he doesn't stand out like the super

768
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,480
Speaker 1: long arms, lean waist. He just kind of looks like

769
00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,160
Speaker 1: a dude, you know, just walking around. And maybe I

770
00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,440
Speaker 1: hold that against him because a production is strong, But

771
00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,000
Speaker 1: him versus Von Miller, to me, he's not really close.

772
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,080
Speaker 2: Eight is Rashawn Gary with the Packers.

773
00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:50,760
Speaker 1: He was a little bit out of sight, out of mind. Yeah,

774
00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,440
Speaker 1: but he came on like Gangbusters. I mean, after doing

775
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:59,640
Speaker 1: nothing at Michigan, really unproductive, and then this past two

776
00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:01,960
Speaker 1: years ago he really stepped up and then he was great,

777
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:03,200
Speaker 1: and then he got hurt for the rest of the year,

778
00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,800
Speaker 1: so he was a big loss for them. Super talented.

779
00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:10,880
Speaker 2: Seven is Hassan Reddick with the Eagles. Yes, another part

780
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,280
Speaker 2: time player, right, and.

781
00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:14,680
Speaker 1: He's really just a fastball. I mean he's like two

782
00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:17,320
Speaker 1: hundred and thirty five pounds too. Yeah, you'd love to

783
00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,239
Speaker 1: have him. I mean, like the Chiefs would kill them.

784
00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:21,640
Speaker 2: They shouldn't just call they shouldn't call these edge rankings.

785
00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:23,240
Speaker 2: They should just call these pass rush reus.

786
00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:24,800
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I don't think they're giving a lot of

787
00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,520
Speaker 1: credence to stopping the run and playing first and ten

788
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,520
Speaker 1: against Derrick Henry. I love, I love Reddick, and he's

789
00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:34,760
Speaker 1: finally being used, right, But he's little. Yeah, you know. Yeah,

790
00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,040
Speaker 1: he's like a designated past.

791
00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,960
Speaker 2: If he were with the Steelers and the Steelers didn't

792
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,880
Speaker 2: have high Smith, he would not be able to do

793
00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:47,000
Speaker 2: high Smith's job. It'd be a rotation, rotated. It'd be

794
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:48,200
Speaker 2: very valuable. You'd love to have.

795
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,440
Speaker 1: Him, and he's worth the money he's making because what

796
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,240
Speaker 1: he does is hard to find. But he's in the

797
00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:58,880
Speaker 1: perfect situation. Tier one. Somebody are in there. Six guys, okay,

798
00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:00,880
Speaker 1: number sure we know the name.

799
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, which as Joey Bosa.

800
00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,160
Speaker 1: I'm glad he's last, because I was about to say,

801
00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,600
Speaker 1: I'm not sure I can put him in Tier one.

802
00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,360
Speaker 1: The consistency this isn't there as much. It really isn't.

803
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:11,640
Speaker 1: And I don't know that he's as hard to play

804
00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,160
Speaker 1: against as the next five guys. You're gonna mention. Five

805
00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,400
Speaker 1: is Max Crosby. He belongs y. I'm very sold. The

806
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,719
Speaker 1: thing about Crosby. I bet he's played more snaps than

807
00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:23,920
Speaker 1: anyone on this list the last two or three years.

808
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,680
Speaker 1: I mean, he like never leaves the field, and there's

809
00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:30,040
Speaker 1: some stereotype involved, but go look at his combine numbers.

810
00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:32,080
Speaker 1: They're off the charts, much like Watts.

811
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:32,160
Speaker 3: You know.

812
00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,440
Speaker 1: I mean, like people don't think of them as great athletes.

813
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,720
Speaker 1: He's a phenomenal athlete. And they don't play with many

814
00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,160
Speaker 1: leagues either, and but you know that's why they drafted

815
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:41,920
Speaker 1: at the end in the first round. He gets doubled

816
00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,360
Speaker 1: every step. Yeah, I mean he's the only good defensive

817
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:49,920
Speaker 1: player they have. Four is TJA probably what, Yeah, the

818
00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,320
Speaker 1: top three are really really good. So I mean, if

819
00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,120
Speaker 1: anyone's out there, like, how can wa not be in

820
00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:58,640
Speaker 1: the top one or two. The competition's so tough at

821
00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:01,280
Speaker 1: those top four to me that if you have a

822
00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,920
Speaker 1: slightly down year, you get dinged. You know, if Nick

823
00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,240
Speaker 1: Bosa would have had a slightly down year, he'd have

824
00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,600
Speaker 1: been four, you know, because it not even TJ's fault,

825
00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:13,160
Speaker 1: you know, just injuries. Three is Nick Bosa, Okay, we'll

826
00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:14,799
Speaker 1: see him in week one. He's phenomenal.

827
00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,560
Speaker 2: Two is Micah Parsons. One is Miles Garrett.

828
00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:22,040
Speaker 1: I would have Parsons one, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know Pro.

829
00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:26,200
Speaker 2: Football Focus loves Miles Garrett. You're in and year TJ

830
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:30,080
Speaker 2: Wantt coming off of his Defensive Player of the Year award,

831
00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,680
Speaker 2: he was the better player that I think he was behind.

832
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,719
Speaker 2: I think he was he's been. He's been the more

833
00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:38,879
Speaker 2: productive player year in and year out until last year.

834
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,080
Speaker 1: We even, I forget, so they played, it came in

835
00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:44,000
Speaker 1: the same draft. One was one and one was late

836
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:45,160
Speaker 1: in the first round.

837
00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,279
Speaker 2: And what far like, what has fifteen to twenty more

838
00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,520
Speaker 2: sacks than Garrett has? And what didn't play as much

839
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:52,200
Speaker 2: as rookie year?

840
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:54,760
Speaker 1: Yeah exactly, And I forget which one of us actually

841
00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:56,560
Speaker 1: broke this down. So I remember we did a segment

842
00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,000
Speaker 1: on it and got a lot of tweets back. I

843
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:03,200
Speaker 1: mean we broke it down. Productivity per snap Garrett first watt, Yeah,

844
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,080
Speaker 1: I mean that was and TJ blows him away for

845
00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:09,200
Speaker 1: his career, and Garrett's highly productive. I'm not saying Garrett's

846
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:10,919
Speaker 1: a bad player, No, I think he's on a Hall

847
00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,160
Speaker 1: of Fame pace. He's a tremendous player. But if you

848
00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:17,120
Speaker 1: look at efficiency per snap, TJ beats him pretty bad.

849
00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,080
Speaker 2: And you know this stuff of well, you know, Miles

850
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:21,680
Speaker 2: Garrettet's doubled more TJ.

851
00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:24,640
Speaker 1: Luckett stumbled a lot. I don't think that's that's true.

852
00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,279
Speaker 1: I'm not sure anyone gets doubled more. Yeah, I mean

853
00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:30,279
Speaker 1: they both get doubled a ton for that reason. Though,

854
00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,000
Speaker 1: I am considering picking Garrett as my defensive Player of

855
00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:34,879
Speaker 1: the Year because I think he's got a lot more

856
00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:38,759
Speaker 1: around him finally, and he's phenomenal. I mean, I know

857
00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,959
Speaker 1: people around here don't like him and they're gonna compare

858
00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,080
Speaker 1: him to TJ and they remember the Rudolph incident and

859
00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:45,600
Speaker 1: he's a Brown. I mean, he can't give him any respect.

860
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,359
Speaker 1: But it's hard to get past the lying thing. I'm

861
00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:53,040
Speaker 1: not saying I want him to be best friends. Lying

862
00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,000
Speaker 1: liars lie. That's what they do. If you're drawing up

863
00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,360
Speaker 1: a defensive end in the lab, he looks exactly like that. Oh,

864
00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:00,640
Speaker 1: there's no doubt he's for really special, or he looks

865
00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:02,640
Speaker 1: like one of the Bosas or yeah, yeah, that's what

866
00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,000
Speaker 1: they look like. Garrett's two seventy or something. Though, I mean,

867
00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,440
Speaker 1: he's a freak to look at the big shoulders and

868
00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:11,160
Speaker 1: you know, bulging, you know. But no, it's being fourth

869
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,680
Speaker 1: on that list is an honor.

870
00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,600
Speaker 2: I mean it's a pretty impressive list and it shows you.

871
00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,280
Speaker 2: I mean, there aren't many teams that have two guys

872
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:19,879
Speaker 2: on this list.

873
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,839
Speaker 1: No, I'm trying to think who does well.

874
00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,240
Speaker 2: They now have the Browns with their two guys.

875
00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:30,480
Speaker 1: You got the who's the other Brown? The Zadarias Smith? Oh,

876
00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:31,359
Speaker 1: I forgot, he's a round.

877
00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:33,560
Speaker 2: I don't know that he's he's Bengals have too higher

878
00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:35,960
Speaker 2: that he should be. Yeah, the Bengals have two, Eagles

879
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,440
Speaker 2: have three. The Eagles have three, but they're all part time.

880
00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,840
Speaker 1: Players, right, Commanders have two. The Chargers had two, Bill's

881
00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:46,040
Speaker 1: had two. Brousseau and von Miller. Oh, yeah, you're right,

882
00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,640
Speaker 1: but they hard to count on. Yeah, so they are

883
00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:50,200
Speaker 1: yeah interesting.

884
00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:52,239
Speaker 2: You know, and those are the good pass rushes in

885
00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:55,080
Speaker 2: the league. Not surprisingly, No, that makes sense, you know,

886
00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,800
Speaker 2: but you know, breaking on here with one? You know again,

887
00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:03,000
Speaker 2: Max and the Crosby is basically the entire Raiders defense.

888
00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,960
Speaker 1: Oh, I know, I mean that guy and what if

889
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:06,839
Speaker 1: he was a Chief, I mean, he might have six

890
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:07,440
Speaker 1: more sacks.

891
00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:09,200
Speaker 2: He might be number one on the list. He might

892
00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:10,799
Speaker 2: be number one that list because he'd have, you know,

893
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:11,960
Speaker 2: a twenty sax season.

894
00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,440
Speaker 1: The one thing about Parsons and I think people know

895
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,440
Speaker 1: me well enough that, hey, who's in your mind you

896
00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:18,319
Speaker 1: of I'm not going to say Jim Brown, I'm not

897
00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,680
Speaker 1: going to say Jerry Rice. But in the Lawrence Taylor

898
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:26,759
Speaker 1: like manner, Micah Parsons is there as tenacious. I mean,

899
00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:30,920
Speaker 1: I'm just talking about every snap he plays so hard

900
00:37:31,239 --> 00:37:34,239
Speaker 1: and I give him all the credit in the world.

901
00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,239
Speaker 1: I didn't see that guy coming out of Penn State.

902
00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:38,680
Speaker 1: I mean, he loves the game and is nasty that

903
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,640
Speaker 1: he's my one, Okay, I mean, I'm not saying he's

904
00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:43,880
Speaker 1: Laurence Taylor. I'm just saying that the ferociousness that he

905
00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:46,959
Speaker 1: plays with every stat Taylor, he's the best player. Yeah,

906
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,200
Speaker 1: I mean, he's just he's number one. Yeah, other worldly human.

907
00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:54,000
Speaker 1: They brought him in from Mars or someone. Yeah. Yeah.

908
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:55,719
Speaker 1: And what's crazy about him is he took the league

909
00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:57,719
Speaker 1: by storm. I was like, oh, he's a linebacker. He's

910
00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:00,960
Speaker 1: not a linebacker. We're gonna block him with Clinton Didier

911
00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:02,880
Speaker 1: and some tight ends in the league, or you know,

912
00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:04,319
Speaker 1: we'll put a back on him. And then the whole

913
00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,080
Speaker 1: league realize we can't do that. Yeah, I can't do that.

914
00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,040
Speaker 2: He's gonna get You're gonna kill your quarterback, right Yeah, anyways,

915
00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,319
Speaker 2: let's take another break. He is Matt Williamson. I am

916
00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 2: Dale Lollie. That was the Pro Football Focus Edge Rusher rankings,

917
00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:17,200
Speaker 2: A really good group and that's you know.

918
00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,960
Speaker 1: Those guys get paid, oh yeah, big time. And they're

919
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:20,440
Speaker 1: just freaks.

920
00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:25,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, just freaks of nature, forces of nature. But so

921
00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,480
Speaker 2: is this break that we have to take. So we

922
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:30,239
Speaker 2: are live from the Steelers OTA Sessions here where the

923
00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,000
Speaker 2: Steelers are going through OTA session number eight. I'm not

924
00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:39,000
Speaker 2: counting that team activity on field stuff count football. Yeah, absolutely,

925
00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:40,000
Speaker 2: he is Matt Williamson.

926
00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:42,560
Speaker 1: I'm d that activity. I'll probably not.

927
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:44,480
Speaker 2: Well, maybe when they were riding the go carts, okay,

928
00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:46,080
Speaker 2: maybe I don't know if they.

929
00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:46,480
Speaker 1: Make them do that.

930
00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,160
Speaker 2: But we'll be back with more on ESPN nine seventy

931
00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:51,200
Speaker 2: and Steelers Nation Radio.

932
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,840
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Drive. I am Dale Lollie.

933
00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,840
Speaker 2: He is Matt Williamson, and we are live at Steelers

934
00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:04,400
Speaker 2: OTA Sessions here at the upmc rooiney Sports Complex and

935
00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,319
Speaker 2: Matt Day, I just wanted to go over some of

936
00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:10,120
Speaker 2: the news here around the leg real quickiation.

937
00:39:10,239 --> 00:39:11,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel out of touch. I don't know what's

938
00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:12,319
Speaker 1: been going on last day.

939
00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:15,759
Speaker 2: As you and Mike alluded to earlier, it looks like

940
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:20,240
Speaker 2: Brock Purty on schedule to be ready for the opener.

941
00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:22,440
Speaker 2: But what that means I don't know.

942
00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,439
Speaker 1: So I host a podcast with the locked on forty

943
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,040
Speaker 1: nine Ers host, and we talk a lot of Steelers

944
00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,319
Speaker 1: in forty nine Ers. It's a national show, and he

945
00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:33,160
Speaker 1: very very much believes that they look at Purdy as

946
00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:36,759
Speaker 1: the one that this is their favorites. I think we

947
00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:38,399
Speaker 1: fight about this all the time. I'm like, I think

948
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:40,200
Speaker 1: he might be third on my list of the guys

949
00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:43,440
Speaker 1: you have, But they love him. Shanahan loves them. If

950
00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:46,520
Speaker 1: he can go, He's convinced he will be the starter.

951
00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,280
Speaker 1: No matter what that being said, He's a very limited

952
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:54,000
Speaker 1: arm talent guy to begin with, coming off a surgery.

953
00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:56,680
Speaker 1: And with all respect to Joe Burrow, I mean Joe

954
00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:59,760
Speaker 1: Burrow and that entire offense except for their left guard.

955
00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:02,640
Speaker 1: In the preseason played this euro snaps before the Steelers

956
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,120
Speaker 1: came before they played the Steelers in Week one. This

957
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,080
Speaker 1: could be the same type of situation, you know, like,

958
00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:10,440
Speaker 1: if you're not gonna play party, are you playing? Trent Williams?

959
00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:13,160
Speaker 1: Are you playing? I about to say the same thing.

960
00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:17,600
Speaker 1: I bet McCaffrey, I bet Williams. Maybe Ayuk and Deebo

961
00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,960
Speaker 1: certainly kill They may not play a snap in Week one.

962
00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,280
Speaker 1: Not the T J. Watson going to play a bazillion

963
00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:26,600
Speaker 1: but your quarterback needs to play with kind of starting

964
00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:28,040
Speaker 1: O line too, And that's it.

965
00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:31,799
Speaker 2: There's a difference between having defensive guys sit out right

966
00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,560
Speaker 2: and having offensive guys because offense especially it's so timing

967
00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:36,520
Speaker 2: base right, right.

968
00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 1: O' linman need to play together, And why would you

969
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,759
Speaker 1: play Trent Williams. He's the best guy in the league

970
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,359
Speaker 1: and years old, right right? So even if Perty where

971
00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:46,160
Speaker 1: is going this is? It might remind me of Burrow.

972
00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,840
Speaker 1: Is Okay, they announced Perty as a starter. He's one

973
00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,399
Speaker 1: hundred percent we love him, But when he played any

974
00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:55,000
Speaker 1: preseason snap walks into town here doubt it and he

975
00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:57,400
Speaker 1: ain't Joe Burrow, right, you know? And it didn't go

976
00:40:57,440 --> 00:40:59,359
Speaker 1: well with all for Burrow either. Her sack what six

977
00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:01,480
Speaker 1: gumes in that game? I mean, I could see a

978
00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:05,400
Speaker 1: similar situation. I don't know. I have great, great, great

979
00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:09,120
Speaker 1: respect for Shanahan as a play caller, as an offensive designer,

980
00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:13,040
Speaker 1: but I think there is some hubris there that I

981
00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,200
Speaker 1: can make this guy. I just want my joystick out

982
00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:17,160
Speaker 1: there on the field. Let me control the game and

983
00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:19,680
Speaker 1: just do what I say. And party's that guy. You know,

984
00:41:19,719 --> 00:41:22,000
Speaker 1: he's pink by numbers, dude, without a doubt.

985
00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:26,400
Speaker 2: There's also news on another quarterback that the Steelers are

986
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:30,560
Speaker 2: gonna face early. There's a report out there that Jimmy

987
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:33,080
Speaker 2: Garoppolo is expected to be ready for training camp.

988
00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,399
Speaker 1: Okay, with the Raiders, it doesn't even move the needle

989
00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,560
Speaker 1: for me that much. I mean, obviously he's a zillion

990
00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:44,080
Speaker 1: times better than Hoyer and McConnell the draft pick. But

991
00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:48,320
Speaker 1: I don't think Garoppolo is a very good player. I mean, frankly,

992
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:51,319
Speaker 1: I mean, if he was still a Niner and it

993
00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:54,000
Speaker 1: was Garoppolo or Party, I'd be like, Yeah, either one's fine,

994
00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,439
Speaker 1: you know. I mean, I don't think either one's great.

995
00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:58,439
Speaker 1: Garoppolo's better than Party, I mean, I think so too,

996
00:41:58,520 --> 00:42:00,919
Speaker 1: But I mean in the Raider system now, with one

997
00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:04,759
Speaker 1: good lineman blocking for him, and I don't I think

998
00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,080
Speaker 1: the Steelers have a quarterback advantage in that game when

999
00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:08,439
Speaker 1: it's all when that game rolls around.

1000
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:14,520
Speaker 2: Yeah, there were some thoughts that TJ. Watt might be

1001
00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:15,960
Speaker 2: on the cover of Madden this year.

1002
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:18,359
Speaker 1: It's it's Josh Allen, Josh Allen.

1003
00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:21,279
Speaker 2: Okay, interesting if the Madden curse is still a lot,

1004
00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:22,360
Speaker 2: I says that still exists.

1005
00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:23,880
Speaker 1: That was my next question. I don't I know you're

1006
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:26,399
Speaker 1: not a gamer. I mean I'm not either it did

1007
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,440
Speaker 1: five or six years ago or whatever. Yeah, I mean, Alan,

1008
00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:30,920
Speaker 1: I guess as good a pick as any. I mean,

1009
00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:32,319
Speaker 1: he's a superstar, he is.

1010
00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:35,760
Speaker 2: But you know, if I'm the Bills, I'm like, oh no,

1011
00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:39,799
Speaker 2: because more guys. I mean, even if it's not hasn't been.

1012
00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:42,719
Speaker 2: You know, the streak isn't current, it's there was a.

1013
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:45,000
Speaker 1: Thing yet when people talk about it, I'm sure he's

1014
00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:46,000
Speaker 1: getting asked about it as we.

1015
00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:49,520
Speaker 2: I mean, and the thing is for the NFL, you know,

1016
00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:52,400
Speaker 2: to have to get on the cover of Madden, you

1017
00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:54,680
Speaker 2: have to be a star, right, and you had to

1018
00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:56,640
Speaker 2: be a star of the previous season, probably even the

1019
00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:57,800
Speaker 2: previous two seasons.

1020
00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,000
Speaker 1: It's interesting to me. TJ has even brought up.

1021
00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:03,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, and but to do that, you have

1022
00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,440
Speaker 2: to play a lot of games, or play the majority

1023
00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:07,480
Speaker 2: of the games. And if you play the majority of

1024
00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:10,120
Speaker 2: the games a year in and year out in the NFL,

1025
00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:12,759
Speaker 2: your odds increase each year that you're going to get hurt.

1026
00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:15,440
Speaker 1: Oh sure, I mean, it's just that's huge're saying. I mean,

1027
00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:17,799
Speaker 1: the curse. There's actually some logic, but there's something. I mean,

1028
00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,719
Speaker 1: you got to play a chances are fourth one one

1029
00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:21,400
Speaker 1: won't be or what.

1030
00:43:21,760 --> 00:43:23,520
Speaker 2: It's a young man's game, there's no doubt about. I

1031
00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:25,640
Speaker 2: mean went over that that list of the top thirty

1032
00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:29,880
Speaker 2: players over thirty yesterday and every one of those guys

1033
00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:31,359
Speaker 2: has something in their backgrounds.

1034
00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:32,480
Speaker 1: Very rare that you get.

1035
00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:32,799
Speaker 4: You get.

1036
00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:34,680
Speaker 1: You get to thirty in this league and haven't missed

1037
00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:37,160
Speaker 1: some time. Yeah right, I mean even Aaron Donald last

1038
00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:40,839
Speaker 1: year missed a chunk. And frankly Allen I think he

1039
00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:43,520
Speaker 1: played through stuff. He should know. I remember that elbow injury.

1040
00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:45,200
Speaker 1: People thought it might have shut him down for the year,

1041
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,000
Speaker 1: and he played the rest of the year not quite

1042
00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:48,600
Speaker 1: as well. I mean, I give him all the credit

1043
00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:51,879
Speaker 1: in the world, but it's just it's a brutal game,

1044
00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:52,759
Speaker 1: it really is.

1045
00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:56,160
Speaker 2: John Harbaugh said he expects Gus Edwards to be fully

1046
00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,600
Speaker 2: ready at training camp. He's not doing anything.

1047
00:43:58,760 --> 00:44:01,080
Speaker 1: I kind of forgot he was back back. Situation is

1048
00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:03,960
Speaker 1: I think it's make or break time for Dobbins. Yeah,

1049
00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:06,239
Speaker 1: I expect him to have a good year. But I'm

1050
00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:08,840
Speaker 1: the little shock they don't have another guy. Yeah.

1051
00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:11,920
Speaker 2: I mean, as much as you want to run the football, right,

1052
00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:14,360
Speaker 2: they can say that you're going to completely revamp the offense.

1053
00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:17,000
Speaker 1: Gonna run the ball, that's what they do. Like I

1054
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,759
Speaker 1: would much rather have Warren than Gus Edwards. Yeah, I mean,

1055
00:44:19,800 --> 00:44:20,879
Speaker 1: it's an all around back.

1056
00:44:21,239 --> 00:44:23,800
Speaker 2: Because the thing is, you know, people look at the

1057
00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,560
Speaker 2: Ravens running backs and well that you know these guys are.

1058
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:28,279
Speaker 2: They all go in there and the average five yards

1059
00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:31,200
Speaker 2: of carry. They average five yards of carry because of lamar.

1060
00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:32,800
Speaker 1: Oh and say the Bears ones are going to do

1061
00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:33,239
Speaker 1: as well.

1062
00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:36,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean because you're so good, your your edges

1063
00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:39,040
Speaker 2: are crashing with the idea that we got to keep

1064
00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:40,040
Speaker 2: that guy in the pocket.

1065
00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:41,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, so you're going to give up runs to the

1066
00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:44,560
Speaker 1: to the running backs. Dobbins was so odd to me

1067
00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:47,279
Speaker 1: last year, and we won't hide it. We loved them

1068
00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:49,400
Speaker 1: coming out of a bio state. I mean, but his

1069
00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:52,279
Speaker 1: injury was massive, and even I think it was a

1070
00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:54,440
Speaker 1: Steeler game. He broke off a somewhat long run and

1071
00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:56,520
Speaker 1: then had a like limp to the he's got a

1072
00:44:56,560 --> 00:45:00,120
Speaker 1: real hitch in his giddy up. And even though he

1073
00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:03,680
Speaker 1: was highly productive when he came back, he didn't run naturally.

1074
00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:05,880
Speaker 1: He looked like he was dragging one leg behind him

1075
00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:08,600
Speaker 1: almost and hopefully for him. He's better now, but that

1076
00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:10,360
Speaker 1: was a really gruesome injury. Yeah.

1077
00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:13,000
Speaker 2: My thinking is, though, if Lamar doesn't run quite as

1078
00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:16,040
Speaker 2: much this year, you know, let's say they scale his

1079
00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:17,080
Speaker 2: running back twenty.

1080
00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:19,799
Speaker 1: Five percent, Yeah, are you going to crash quite the

1081
00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:21,080
Speaker 1: same way? Probably not.

1082
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:23,960
Speaker 2: I'd sell out on the on stopping Lamar from running

1083
00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:25,160
Speaker 2: the ball as you normally would have.

1084
00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:27,040
Speaker 1: This is more of a fantasy nugget. But that's why

1085
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:30,200
Speaker 1: I'm so intrigued with Jonathan Taylor this year, because imagine

1086
00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:34,960
Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor with in the Herbert or Dobbin's role, you know,

1087
00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:36,919
Speaker 1: and with those quarterbacks. I mean, he's so much better

1088
00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:40,399
Speaker 1: than those guys. Yeah, he's a brute. Absolutely. But well,

1089
00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:41,719
Speaker 1: it's the top of the hour. We're going to take

1090
00:45:41,719 --> 00:45:42,040
Speaker 1: a break.

1091
00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:44,040
Speaker 2: He is Matt Williamson and I am Dale Lallie. You're

1092
00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:47,799
Speaker 2: listening to the Drive here from O Steeler OTAs at

1093
00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:51,640
Speaker 2: the upmc rooney Sports Complex on ESPN nine to seventy

1094
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Speaker 2: and Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be back with our number

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Speaker 2: two right after this