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Speaker 1: Here we go, Here we.

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Speaker 2: Go, Here we go, Stealers, here we go it Steve Stains.

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Speaker 3: So here's the shadowy, here's the hole, here's the food

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Speaker 3: by Loop and that kick is.

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Speaker 4: No over my right, Lolop liston and you're Pittsburgh Steelers are.

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Speaker 1: I've seen North champions?

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Speaker 5: Here we go.

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Speaker 1: Indeed, what's going on? Steelers stay shooting.

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Speaker 6: Welcome inside Tequila Cowboy here on a Saturday night on

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Speaker 6: the North Shore. Oh, you had a terrible towelser waving.

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Speaker 6: This place is waiting Upivy got them out. We're ready

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Speaker 6: to go here as we get ready for Super wild

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Speaker 6: Card weekend. I'm what you'l are flanked by Tom Opferman

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Speaker 6: here for your Steelers playoff PEP rally party on the

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Speaker 6: North Shore Tequila Cowboy for the next two hours here

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Speaker 6: on site and of course on Steelers Nation Radio. This

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Speaker 6: place is ready to go. On a Saturday night, we

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Speaker 6: have got the Rams and the Panthers. Wild Card action

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Speaker 6: getting started in front of us as we get a

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Speaker 6: big slate of NFL football rolling this weekend. Tom, what's up, dude?

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Speaker 6: How we feel it?

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Speaker 1: Rams Panthers just a mere appetizer for the main event

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Speaker 1: coming Monday night here just down the street at Akroscher

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Speaker 1: Stadium and West I've been saying all week. Last home

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Speaker 1: game was twenty twenty technically, but the last time these

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Speaker 1: animals were able to affect anything themselves. You gotta go

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Speaker 1: all the way back to twenty seventeen against the Jags.

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Speaker 1: It has been almost a decade since Pittsburgh has been

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Speaker 1: able to influence playoff football. I can't wait.

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Speaker 6: And it really is crazy when you frame it like that,

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Speaker 6: because we know the Steelers, yes, have played a home

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Speaker 6: playoff game, as you referenced, since twenty seventeen, but it

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Speaker 6: was that COVID year against the Browns and there was

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Speaker 6: what seven thousand people in attendance, I think, not really

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Speaker 6: your traditional sixty eight thousand. Terrible too, waven black and

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Speaker 6: gold clad psychos. Yeah, you have to go all the

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Speaker 6: way back to that divisional round loss to the Jags.

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Speaker 1: That seems like forever ago. Tom.

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Speaker 6: I'm not sure what you were doing then, but I

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Speaker 6: was still living on the other side of the state,

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Speaker 6: working for it, working here, buddy, working for that other

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Speaker 6: football team on the other side of the state before

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Speaker 6: it's working.

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Speaker 1: On the Laius Steelers. To my hometown.

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Speaker 6: That's why you've been in OG since day one, And yeah,

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Speaker 6: I think that's Listen, there's a lot of different things

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Speaker 6: that factor into why this fan base feels much more

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Speaker 6: optimistic about Monday Night than we felt last year going

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Speaker 6: to Baltimore for the Wildcard Round the year before going

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Speaker 6: to Buffalo for the Wildcard Round. There's a lot of

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Speaker 6: different reasons, and we'll get into those here in this

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Speaker 6: segment and throughout these two hours. But I think at

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Speaker 6: the top of that list, Okay, it's probably Aaron Rodgers.

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Speaker 6: But then number two is the home field advantage, and

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Speaker 6: in particular a home field advantage against a team like

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Speaker 6: the Houston Texans who has not won a road playoff

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Speaker 6: game in their franchise history.

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Speaker 1: This edition.

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Speaker 6: I'm not counting the Houston Oilers right that are now

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Speaker 6: the Tennessee Titans.

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Speaker 1: We're talking Houston Texans Owen six. But we owned the

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Speaker 1: Oilers anyway too, so that doesn't.

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Speaker 6: Mean that is very true. Just ask girl Campbell owen

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Speaker 6: six away from home. They have never won a playoff

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Speaker 6: game that's not on a Saturday. And you backdrop that

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Speaker 6: with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have last won their last

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Speaker 6: twenty three games at home on Monday night. You're absolutely

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Speaker 6: right for a lot of different reasons. The vibes feel

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Speaker 6: completely different heading into Wildcard weekend here in the steel

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Speaker 6: City than they have the past couple go.

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Speaker 1: Rounds, no doubt, and what you just laid out there,

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Speaker 1: all of that is extremely encouraging. Let me throw another

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Speaker 1: one at you. And this is kind of funny to

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Speaker 1: me because as we were trying to figure out what

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Speaker 1: the playoff picture was going to look like. You know,

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Speaker 1: a few weeks ago, I was looking at teams, I

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Speaker 1: didn't want to see the Steelers face and I was like,

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Speaker 1: I don't really want to see the Houston Texans. That

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Speaker 1: team scares the hell out of me. They're on fire.

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Speaker 1: That's a great defense. But now we're here, Wes, and

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Speaker 1: I'm falling in love with the matchup more and more. Yes,

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Speaker 1: they play into each other. I think in this game

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Speaker 1: as far as the style of team, they want this

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Speaker 1: game to be low scoring. They want this game to

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Speaker 1: be a ball control offense. And forget about the Jacksonville

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Speaker 1: game in twenty seventeen and twenty twenty against the Browns.

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Speaker 1: The last three losses that you had, you were going

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Speaker 1: up against spaceship level offenses. MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes in

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Speaker 1: his prime on our rampage, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson last year.

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Speaker 1: He had an MVP caliber season last year. That is

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Speaker 1: not the case this time around. This offense is good.

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Speaker 1: I don't want to, you know, make too little of it,

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Speaker 1: but it's not that spaceship level. Holy crap, Hold onto

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Speaker 1: your butts and hope you get through these sixty minutes offense.

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Speaker 6: I completely agree with you on that you decisively were

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Speaker 6: at a quarterback disadvantage your last three wild goal games

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Speaker 6: that you've You've gone on the road in tough environments

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Speaker 6: on the road Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore, all tough. You know,

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Speaker 6: Steelers fans are well represented, but they're not taking over

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Speaker 6: those stadiums like they do some sometimes those are legit

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Speaker 6: NFL fan bases against buzzsaw quarterbacks. Yeah, it felt like, Hey,

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Speaker 6: any given Sunday, Monday, Saturday, right, anything can happen in football.

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Speaker 6: That's why we all love it so much. That's that's

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Speaker 6: why you play the games. Even with a game that's

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Speaker 6: going on in front of us, where the Carolina Panthers

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Speaker 6: are ten and a half point underdogs, they still got

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Speaker 6: a chance. They could still win this game without a doubt.

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Speaker 6: That's why we all love football. But yeah, man, you

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Speaker 6: are I think spot on in that it's a much

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Speaker 6: better matchup for how these Steelers want to play. While

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Speaker 6: I think CJ. Stroud has been very good interception for

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Speaker 6: the Rams, oh No, While I think CJ. Stroud has

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Speaker 6: been very good since about week thirteen fourteen when he

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Speaker 6: returned after missing a couple weeks from that concussion, he's

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Speaker 6: not Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and you get

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Speaker 6: him here on Monday night, where the atmosphere is going

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Speaker 6: to be crazy, could be a little bit cold. I

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Speaker 6: think we'd all like it if it was down in

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Speaker 6: the teams and the temperature for this game, but it'll be,

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Speaker 6: you know, below that forty degree mark where Dome teams

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Speaker 6: traditionally struggle. I think one in fourteen or one in

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Speaker 6: thirteen is the playoff mark for Dome teams going on

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Speaker 6: the road, and below forty degree whether a lot of

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Speaker 6: different indicators, a lot of different reasons to like this matchup,

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Speaker 6: But I think you're right. You look at that Houston

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Speaker 6: offense and yeah, CJ. Stroud is good without a doubt

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Speaker 6: one of the better young quarterbacks in the National Football League.

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Speaker 6: They've got some playmakers like Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz

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Speaker 6: and guys like that, But overall, this is not the

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Speaker 6: Chiefs offense, the Bills offense, the Ravens offense that you've

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Speaker 6: seen the last couple of years. And Tom feels like

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Speaker 6: the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is hitting their strides, rounding into

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Speaker 6: form at the perfect time.

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Speaker 1: And I like all the matchups specifically, you just laid

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Speaker 1: out a couple of them that the Steelers have a

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Speaker 1: good you know, I don't want to say advantage in,

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Speaker 1: but they can go toe to toe with some of

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Speaker 1: the playmakers that Houston boasts. Nico Collins versus Joey Porter

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Speaker 1: Junior obviously a huge one. Now, the safeties didn't have

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Speaker 1: a great performance against the Ravens, but let's see how

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Speaker 1: they do. And the inside backers against Dalton Schultz. Maybe

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Speaker 1: it's a big Peyton Wilson game. You know, be League

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Speaker 1: Harrison has kind of been usurping some of his snaps

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Speaker 1: lately because you're playing a lot of run heavy teams.

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Speaker 1: Maybe you see Peyton Wilson get out there to help

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Speaker 1: coverage on the tight ends. But let's stick with Stroud

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Speaker 1: here for a good little bit. So it quarterback matchups

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Speaker 1: obviously the biggest one, and I really at the beginning

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Speaker 1: of the week was trying to decide, Okay, who has

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Speaker 1: the advantage here? Is it Stroud in the Texans? Is

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Speaker 1: it Rogers and the Steelers. I keep coming back to

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Speaker 1: wanting Rogers in this specific game in a vacuum. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: moving forward, I think Houston is better set up at

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Speaker 1: the quarterback position, like you would swap them going forward

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Speaker 1: if I was running five ten years down the run eighth, though,

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Speaker 1: I'm trying to win a playoff game on Monday night,

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Speaker 1: and to do that, I want to go with Aaron Rodgers.

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Speaker 1: And when you look at Stroud, I think he really

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Speaker 1: is an underrated quarterback in the league. Great rookie season,

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Speaker 1: little bit of a fade in his second year, and

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Speaker 1: this year he's okay dealing with injury. But the fact

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Speaker 1: of the matter is he's been to the playoffs in

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Speaker 1: every single season of his three year NFL career so far,

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Speaker 1: and he's won two playoff games already. So this is

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Speaker 1: a very good and established NFL quarterback. But I think

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Speaker 1: you can make him feel some pressure. I think you

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Speaker 1: can especially get them from the inside this offensive line,

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Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, And that I think is going to come

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Speaker 1: down to the difference is Stroud versus Rogers. Two great defenses.

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Speaker 1: These quarterbacks are going up against. Which quarterback makes that

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Speaker 1: big play or two? And I like Rogers there.

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Speaker 6: I think you're spot on. This is why you brought

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Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers here, right, is for moments like we saw

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Speaker 6: Sunday night against Baltimore, Moments like that Detroit Lions crazy

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Speaker 6: back and forth game where he didn't blank the entire time,

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Speaker 6: even a moment like in Cleveland where he was able

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Speaker 6: to drive you down the field despite having nothing all

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Speaker 6: day and get you at least in a position to

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Speaker 6: have a chance to tie that game in a goal

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Speaker 6: to go situation. You're one hundred right. It is a

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Speaker 6: weird year for those seasons in or for quarterbacks. Part

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Speaker 6: of me in the postseason, tom Right, no Mahomes, no

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Speaker 6: Lamar Jackson. I know it's been a few years, but

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Speaker 6: still no Joe Burrow. Right, third straight year of no

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Speaker 6: Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. There is a weird kind of

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Speaker 6: changing of the guard that feels like it's happening in

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Speaker 6: the AFC right now in terms of the playoff quarterbacks.

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Speaker 6: But I think you could argue Aaron Rodgers as the

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Speaker 6: guy you would want for one game. Yeah, Josh Allen

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Speaker 6: is the superhero, without a doubt. If you lump in

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Speaker 6: the NFC to this man, Matthew Stafford's been playing at

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Speaker 6: an MVP level all year. If he doesn't win it,

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Speaker 6: he'll probably come second to Drake May. We could talk

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Speaker 6: about Drake May who's had the MVP season but has

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Speaker 6: never played a postseason game.

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Speaker 1: How do you value all those different things? Right?

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Speaker 6: But for one game, you could make a legitimate argument

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Speaker 6: that of the fourteen quarterbacks in the playoffs AFC and NFC,

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Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers is the one you would want to have. Yeah,

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Speaker 6: Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford without a doubt. But this is

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Speaker 6: why you brought Aaron Rodgers here, and I'm hoping on

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Speaker 6: Monday night we're gonna see that, you know, transpire.

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Speaker 1: Let's put it this way, obviously, if each if you

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Speaker 1: look at each quarterback in just the AFC and they

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Speaker 1: turned in their greatest possible performance right now, Rogers probably

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Speaker 1: wouldn't be number two, Alan would be number one. Lawrence

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Speaker 1: might be number two right now. May would be right

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Speaker 1: up there if Herbert's of course, But as far as

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Speaker 1: quarterbacks that aren't gonna you know, crap the bed. As

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Speaker 1: far as quarterbacks that aren't gonna be the reason why

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Speaker 1: the team blows up, why the offense isn't successful, Rogers

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Speaker 1: might be number two. He might be number one in

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Speaker 1: that aspect because Allen has a tendency to throw some interceptions.

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Speaker 1: Herbert obviously struggles in the playoffs. Lawrence threw a ton

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Speaker 1: of interceptions in a game. He'd beat Herbert in the

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Speaker 1: playoffs in the past. So all of those quarterbacks can

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Speaker 1: kind of blow up the game themselves, except for really Rogers,

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Speaker 1: Like I don't see that happening on Monday, where Rogers

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Speaker 1: has a three interception performance out of nowhere, and it's like,

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Speaker 1: there's there's nothing we can do about this because our

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Speaker 1: quarterback is holding us back.

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Speaker 6: It's it's I think probably the thing that he's done

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Speaker 6: best Tom is he's been the high tide that has

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Speaker 6: raised all ships around him, and he just minimizes air

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Speaker 6: like you would expect from a forty two year old,

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Speaker 6: you know, two plus decades in the league. Four time

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Speaker 6: MVP future Hall of Fame quarterback. He is never gonna

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Speaker 6: let them line up in the wrong formation, get procedural calls,

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Speaker 6: illegal shifts, things like we saw in Chicago when he

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Speaker 6: wasn't there. His turnover numbers this season have been minute,

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Speaker 6: and he just always at the line of scrimmage, is

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Speaker 6: able to diagnose what the defense is trying to do,

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Speaker 6: what he needs to get his guys lined up to do,

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Speaker 6: minimize air And yeah, you're right, the ceiling of the

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Speaker 6: crazy herculean arm throws and leg talent and all this

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Speaker 6: different stuff is not there like Josh Allen and some

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Speaker 6: of these other guys, or just like it was for

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Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers five years ago. But man, his floor I

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Speaker 6: think is about as high as it can be for

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Speaker 6: a quarterback. He what he does from the neck above

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Speaker 6: is just it's some of the best we've ever seen

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Speaker 6: processing at the line of scrimmage and NFL history right

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Speaker 6: there with guys like Tom Brady at the end of

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Speaker 6: their career, right there with guys like Peyton Manning at

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Speaker 6: their end of the end of their career. Yeah, you

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Speaker 6: obviously have to still have the arm talent and the

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Speaker 6: ability to be a quarterback in the National Football League

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Speaker 6: at forty two years old.

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Speaker 1: But man, the above the neck, above the shoulders.

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Speaker 6: Game brain stuff has been outstanding all year, particularly down

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Speaker 6: the stretch here, and I think we're gonna see that

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Speaker 6: even another level Monday Night, Tom because a real interesting

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Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers wrinkle for me on Monday Night. You know

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Speaker 6: how they've operated as an offense with him in large

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Speaker 6: part for this season, it's to minimize not air, but exposure.

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Speaker 6: That they've been looking to minimize exposure because obviously you

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Speaker 6: can't have your forty one just turned forty two a

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Speaker 6: couple weeks ago, quarterback taking a bunch of hits throughout

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Speaker 6: the regular season. He's not gonna last. And we all

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Speaker 6: saw what happened when Aaron Rodgers was out. This team

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Speaker 6: needed to keep him healthy for seventeen games. Hey, they

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Speaker 6: kept him healthy for sixteen. You know, pretty close, pretty good,

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Speaker 6: getting rid of the ball in two points won two

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Speaker 6: point three seconds, a lot of that quick first read

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Speaker 6: and out type stuff. I wonder if we see Aaron

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Speaker 6: Rodgers on Monday Night. Okay, now it's not October and

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Speaker 6: I'm not in this for a seventeen game haul anymore.

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Speaker 6: I'm in this for one game. This could be my

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Speaker 6: last game. Yeah, I haven't made a decision yet, but

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Speaker 6: this could be my last game. I'm willing to stand

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Speaker 6: in the pocket for point five point seven seconds longer

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Speaker 6: and look for DK Metcalf down the field or Calvin

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Speaker 6: Austin down the field on a go route. I'm willing

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Speaker 6: to stand in there for an extra second to try

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Speaker 6: and let a play develop, look to my second and

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Speaker 6: third reads more than I typically would, and dump this

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Speaker 6: thing off because hey, if I take an extra hit

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Speaker 6: or two in this game, that's all right. Because as

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Speaker 6: long as we win, fine, I'll be good. If we

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Speaker 6: don't win, who cares? There is no tomorrow. I wonder

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Speaker 6: what that looks like on Monday night, because rightfully so,

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Speaker 6: I'm not criticizing them for it, but they have looked

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Speaker 6: to minimize exposure to Aaron Rodgers and how many times

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Speaker 6: he can get hit, how many times he can get pressured.

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Speaker 6: Rightfully so, throughout the regular season, But do they cut

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Speaker 6: him a little bit loose on Monday Night in a

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Speaker 6: do or die winner, advanced loser, go home situation point?

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Speaker 1: Does that get you fired up to think about it?

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Speaker 1: Hero Ball? Right? Really cut him loose? Stuff? That movies

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Speaker 1: are made of. I don't think they should do it, though.

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Speaker 1: I think they should lean more into what was successful

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Speaker 1: all year long, and that's the quick passing game, and

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Speaker 1: that works a lot against this Houston defense. It might

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Speaker 1: be the only thing you can do against the Houston

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Speaker 1: defense now if he wants to do that, maybe once

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Speaker 1: or twice more than is a usual game plan. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I'm all in on that, but I just don't see

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Speaker 1: it all the time. I just don't see Rogers really,

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Speaker 1: you know, thinking that it's twenty eighteen all over again

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Speaker 1: and playing it that way with that kind of mentality.

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Speaker 1: I don't think it's a cowardice thing that he was

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Speaker 1: no rid of the ball quickly. I don't want to

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Speaker 1: get hit. There was an element too, I need to

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Speaker 1: stay healthy. I think that was part of it, and

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Speaker 1: they need him to stay absolutely. But I also think

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Speaker 1: that that's how he thinks the best way to go

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Speaker 1: forward is with this offense. That's the best this offense

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Speaker 1: can attack is with quick stuff. I read stuff pre snap.

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Speaker 1: You just said his superpower by far is what he

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Speaker 1: can do pre snap and reading the defense. He knows

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Speaker 1: where he's going with that ball before anybody else does.

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Speaker 1: Even as a clue. So I like the good that

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Speaker 1: comes with the quick passing game, and I need to

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Speaker 1: see that against Houston, And it just makes too much

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Speaker 1: sense to lean into that against these edge rushers. And

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Speaker 1: when you look at that specific matchup.

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Speaker 6: Well, that is of course the strength of the Houston

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Speaker 6: defense Hunter and Anderson off the edge. Anderson, who I

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Speaker 6: think will probably finish second, certainly top three or four

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Speaker 6: in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

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Speaker 1: He was first team. Oh my god, Steely, muse unbelievable.

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Speaker 1: Steely in the house. Everybody's losing their minds right now.

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Speaker 1: Everybody loves Stee. What's up, Steely, Stely, what's going on? Man? Steely?

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Speaker 1: Fistbuff Let's go, baby, Let's go. Steely.

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Speaker 6: Confidence is through the roof right now, right vibes, I've

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Speaker 6: never been higher.

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Speaker 1: Oh we're winning on Monday. There's no doubt about that.

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Speaker 1: That's right. That's right, Dubbs Steely ready.

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Speaker 6: To go, big Dubbs, shaking hands and kissing babies. I'm

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Speaker 6: sorry for interrupting you like that, Steely from Mayor. How

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Speaker 6: can you ignore that entrance?

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Speaker 1: Oh you can't. That's a presence.

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Speaker 6: So I got an entrance, like I heard the pop

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Speaker 6: in the background there. I mean, that's the type of

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Speaker 6: entrance that Aaron Rodgers will get if he walked in here.

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Speaker 1: Right, maybe he's in that costume. We don't know, but

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Speaker 1: you know.

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Speaker 6: You're you're absolutely right, And you know what, Tom, Let's

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Speaker 6: do this because I know we're kind of at that

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Speaker 6: point where we could go for another couple of minutes

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Speaker 6: if we wanted to, or we could take a break.

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Speaker 6: Let's take a break, come back on the other side,

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Speaker 6: talk a little bit more specifically about this Texans defense.

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Speaker 6: You just want to go meet Steely some matchups. I'm

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Speaker 6: trying to get a selfie. I mean, get a superstar

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Speaker 6: in here. You gotta go take a selfie. Right, No

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Speaker 6: one's gonna believe that I met Steely McBean today. I mean, geez, Louise.

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Speaker 6: So let's take our first break here. We'll continue talking

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Speaker 6: talking some matchups some Steelers Texans in the second hour

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Speaker 6: of this show. To count them, two Stiller's alumni are

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Speaker 6: gonna join us here at Tequila Cowboy, Charlie Batch and

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Speaker 6: Vince Williams on each side of the football. We'll be

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Speaker 6: able to talk some matchups and some playoff memories with

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Speaker 6: both of those guys here in the second hour of

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Speaker 6: the show. So plenty happening as we roll along at

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Speaker 6: Tequila Cowboy West Shuler, Tom Oppermanute. It's all part of

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Speaker 6: the Steelers Playoff Party presented by your neighborhood Ford Store

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Speaker 1: Steelers Fans, your team is a powerhouse. Are you ready

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Speaker 13: Hey, bro, weirdest thing is happening at the game. This

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Speaker 13: I think got some kind of a football profit talk

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Speaker 3: Me anything for bud Light, the official beer sponsor of

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Speaker 18: In Pittsburgh, toughness isn't just on the field, It's in

463
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Speaker 18: our DNA, the US steel We've been making American made

464
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Speaker 18: steel for nearly one hundred and twenty five years. Strong, resilient,

465
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Speaker 18: and built to perform under pressure from stadiums and skyscrapers.

466
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Speaker 18: In the cars and appliances you count on every day,

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Speaker 18: Steel Country. US steel is built for what's next, because

469
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Speaker 18: in Pittsburgh we know what he takes to win. US steel,

470
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Speaker 18: American made Pittsburgh crowd.

471
00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,680
Speaker 3: Rogers gets a snap four man rush coming Rogers back lofting.

472
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,959
Speaker 1: Left has a bit wide open touchdown.

473
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:25,640
Speaker 4: Pittsburgh Steelers fifty five second remating right.

474
00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:27,920
Speaker 1: Ah, the great Rob King.

475
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,920
Speaker 6: You hear him there on the call Calvin Austin's game

476
00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,399
Speaker 6: winning touchdown Sunday night against the Ravens. Rob King is

477
00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,200
Speaker 6: in the house here at Tequila Cowboy. That's where Tom

478
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,359
Speaker 6: and I are broadcasting your Steelers playoff party, presented by

479
00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,639
Speaker 6: your neighborhood Ford store here on location as we get

480
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,720
Speaker 6: charged up, fired up, ready for Super wild Card weekend.

481
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,800
Speaker 6: The Carolina Panthers scoring a touchdown. It's now fourteen to seven,

482
00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,479
Speaker 6: making it interesting. Hanging around, hang it.

483
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,840
Speaker 1: That is the theme of playoff footballs, hanging around, hanging around.

484
00:23:57,960 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 1: That's all you gotta do.

485
00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,560
Speaker 6: If you're the Panthers, just hang around. Make the Rams

486
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,600
Speaker 6: think about it a little too much. Fourteen to seven

487
00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:05,280
Speaker 6: in the second quarter.

488
00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,280
Speaker 1: Career Carolina, that game was getting out of hand fast.

489
00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,879
Speaker 6: Huge Rams got an interception and then scored to go

490
00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,679
Speaker 6: up fourteen to nothing. And you're right, that's kind of

491
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,160
Speaker 6: the proverbial, like, all right, boys, this one could get

492
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,720
Speaker 6: early late. But Carolina drives down the field and nice

493
00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,760
Speaker 6: drive by Bryce Young Tet McMillan with a couple of

494
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,160
Speaker 6: nice grabs. I think he'll win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Yes,

495
00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,560
Speaker 6: and the Panthers art right back in it.

496
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:26,680
Speaker 1: Tom.

497
00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,439
Speaker 6: The Steelers don't have Tet McMillan, but what they do

498
00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,200
Speaker 6: have running through the tunnel at the exact right time

499
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,919
Speaker 6: on Monday night is one d K Metcalf. You know,

500
00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,720
Speaker 6: they got a nice boost last week with TJ. Watt

501
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,919
Speaker 6: returning to the lineup at a time where they needed

502
00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,080
Speaker 6: a great player and emotional leader in a win or

503
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 6: go home spot like that against Baltimore. Now they get

504
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,200
Speaker 6: one on the other side of the football. DK Metcalf,

505
00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:55,439
Speaker 6: who tom not the largest sample size four games, but

506
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,480
Speaker 6: not one or two either a medium size an intermediate

507
00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,159
Speaker 6: size sample size. DK Metcalf has been outstanding in the

508
00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:05,760
Speaker 6: playoffs in his career, has averaged well over one hundred

509
00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,600
Speaker 6: yards per game, five touchdowns in four games. And again,

510
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,439
Speaker 6: as we kind of started to touch upon, this, Houston

511
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,000
Speaker 6: defense is predicated upon their two edge rushers, much like

512
00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:19,680
Speaker 6: we've seen Steelers defenses of the past. It's Hunter, it's Anderson.

513
00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,920
Speaker 6: They're two of the best in the business, probably both

514
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,879
Speaker 6: top ten edge rushers in the National Football League for

515
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,040
Speaker 6: my money, the best edge rushing tandem, both all pros,

516
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,840
Speaker 6: probably number one with the Steelers number two. But man,

517
00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,480
Speaker 6: I think you've gotta find a way it kind of

518
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,560
Speaker 6: blending that conversation that we opened with about Aaron Rodgers

519
00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,840
Speaker 6: and and standing in the pocket from time to time

520
00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,520
Speaker 6: just a little bit longer. Man, If you can get

521
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,879
Speaker 6: DK Metcalf going with the quick hitting intermediate stuff early

522
00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,280
Speaker 6: and then playoff of that into the second half for

523
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,400
Speaker 6: some bigger shots, some more explosives. Yes, I think that's

524
00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,280
Speaker 6: a real recipe for this offense. And obviously, as we

525
00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,280
Speaker 6: know while establishing that run game.

526
00:25:57,200 --> 00:25:59,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you gotta take it. Kill Sean early, right,

527
00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,399
Speaker 1: you gotta maybe first play of the game, try to

528
00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,840
Speaker 1: go deep to DK Metcalf. Make them respectful, even if

529
00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,280
Speaker 1: it doesn't succeed, Yes, just let them know, Hey, this

530
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,560
Speaker 1: is back in our offense and that's been missing for

531
00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,000
Speaker 1: the previous two weeks of tape that you've probably been

532
00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,720
Speaker 1: watching prepping for this game. So just a reminder there,

533
00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,119
Speaker 1: and you know, in that game against Baltimore in Baltimore,

534
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:19,960
Speaker 1: go back to week fourteen, first play of the game,

535
00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,280
Speaker 1: that deep shot to DK Metcalf when it felt like

536
00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,879
Speaker 1: the Steelers were at rock bottom after that Buffalo lost

537
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,320
Speaker 1: before that game and really woke everything up right away.

538
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:31,040
Speaker 1: I really you don't need that now because you have

539
00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,040
Speaker 1: a lot of momentum now going into the playoffs, winning

540
00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,240
Speaker 1: a big game. You're not even close to rock bottom,

541
00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:39,000
Speaker 1: you're soaring. But I like that kind of let's take

542
00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:43,280
Speaker 1: a deep shot early to Dk and try to loosen

543
00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,600
Speaker 1: up that Texans defense, make them think about it a

544
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:50,199
Speaker 1: little bit, and I really just it feels obvious to

545
00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,560
Speaker 1: me that that's what you should try to do immediately

546
00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:54,399
Speaker 1: because Texans, I think, are gonna test them. I think

547
00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,400
Speaker 1: they're gonna come up, they're gonna press them, and they're

548
00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:57,959
Speaker 1: gonna say, hey, we got two of the best corners

549
00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,439
Speaker 1: in football. Just beat us one on one. Prove that

550
00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,080
Speaker 1: you can beat you can beat Man coverage.

551
00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,320
Speaker 6: They're gonna say, you haven't beat Man coverage without DK

552
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,560
Speaker 6: Metcalf And yeah, he's back, but we've got Derek Stingley

553
00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,679
Speaker 6: Junior to line up on him, right, one of the

554
00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,840
Speaker 6: best at all pro in his right, the All Pros

555
00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,880
Speaker 6: coming out earlier today, and Cam Hayward amongst that list.

556
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,399
Speaker 6: Maybe we'll talk about that at some point in this show.

557
00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:23,439
Speaker 6: But so was Derek Stingley Junior, the ultra talented. I

558
00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,480
Speaker 6: think you could argue him as the best cornerback in

559
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,600
Speaker 6: the National Football League. You can make a good faith argument

560
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:28,960
Speaker 6: that he.

561
00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,840
Speaker 1: Is, certainly this year right number one other guy, right.

562
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,679
Speaker 6: I mean Pat certain from Denver, a Christian Gonzales from

563
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,520
Speaker 6: New England is having a great year too. But he's

564
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,280
Speaker 6: in that conversation, he's in that clubhouse. He's he's certainly

565
00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,879
Speaker 6: part of that discussion. You're absolutely right. They know the

566
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,760
Speaker 6: Steelers want to throw short, throw out the line of

567
00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:49,280
Speaker 6: scrimmage out of Jalen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell out of

568
00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,439
Speaker 6: the backfield, back them up, get them on their heels

569
00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,840
Speaker 6: a little bit early on. I think you you know,

570
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,280
Speaker 6: pulling out that Baltimore example is a perfect one and

571
00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:00,240
Speaker 6: kind of just the tone that that set in the

572
00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,560
Speaker 6: type of way that it made the Ravens deploy their

573
00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,440
Speaker 6: defense early in that game and the rest of the time.

574
00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:08,240
Speaker 6: You got to get him into a two safety shell, right.

575
00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,040
Speaker 6: You cannot let them succeed in single high and stack

576
00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,760
Speaker 6: that box and limit your run game in early shots,

577
00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,040
Speaker 6: early explosives to DK Metcalf, maybe Calvin Austin too.

578
00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:19,800
Speaker 1: Back into the fold, I think is the way to

579
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,359
Speaker 1: accomplish that. That Bank said a lot easier said than

580
00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,560
Speaker 1: done because of those corners. You talked a ton about

581
00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,800
Speaker 1: Derek Stingley there, So let me talk now about Kamari

582
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,000
Speaker 1: Lassner and the guy that's on the other side, And

583
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,000
Speaker 1: I bet your co host on the Drive, Matt Williamson,

584
00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,640
Speaker 1: my co host on DVE starting things off at four

585
00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,639
Speaker 1: on Monday, getting you ready for kickoff of Steelers Texans.

586
00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,240
Speaker 1: He's been talking Kamari Lasser up all week long and saying, hey,

587
00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,560
Speaker 1: don't sleep on him. And I think there has been

588
00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:47,640
Speaker 1: a tendency for people when you first approach your analysis

589
00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,440
Speaker 1: for Texans Steelers, to say Stingley's the best corner in football. Arguably,

590
00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,520
Speaker 1: he's just gonna take DK Metcalf. He'll follow him wherever

591
00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,480
Speaker 1: he odds up. Again, I almost guarantee you they won't.

592
00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:01,160
Speaker 1: Houston doesn't do that against receivers the DK that are

593
00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,400
Speaker 1: better than DK Metcalf, They just right left it because

594
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,160
Speaker 1: they have faith in their second year man Lassiter, just

595
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:11,840
Speaker 1: like they do in Stingley junior. So whatever DK goes,

596
00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,640
Speaker 1: you're going to face a very stiff test that the

597
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,880
Speaker 1: Texans are going to be comfortable just having him go

598
00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:21,400
Speaker 1: one on one, you know, man up against him. So yeah,

599
00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,240
Speaker 1: it's great to say, let's hit the deep shot early,

600
00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,080
Speaker 1: let's loosen that defense up, but either one of those

601
00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:27,800
Speaker 1: guys can really strap him down.

602
00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:28,080
Speaker 5: Ah.

603
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,360
Speaker 1: But here's the thing, you can use that to your

604
00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:37,680
Speaker 1: advantage too, Wes Stingley is better than Lassiter. DK is

605
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,160
Speaker 1: by far the only threat that they have in that

606
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:44,200
Speaker 1: wide receiver room. Stingley probably should just follow DK and

607
00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,640
Speaker 1: take him completely out of the game. This is where

608
00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:48,479
Speaker 1: it falls on Arthur Smith, and it has to be

609
00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,520
Speaker 1: a big Arthur Smith game. Let's get creative with number four.

610
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,600
Speaker 1: Let's get why is he in the slot all of

611
00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,000
Speaker 1: a sudden? You know what I mean. He's done that

612
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,520
Speaker 1: at times when they've lined up against other elite corners.

613
00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,800
Speaker 1: Let's get creative with him. We have to work Kim open.

614
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,520
Speaker 1: Did it against Sauce? Did it against Christian Gonzales. Use

615
00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,040
Speaker 1: theling we've heard all year long since they've gotten here. Wes.

616
00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,440
Speaker 1: How great theland and mvs are creating space and they

617
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,320
Speaker 1: run the perfect routes. We'll do that now, use them

618
00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:16,280
Speaker 1: as decoys. Create the space for DK. Big big pressure

619
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,320
Speaker 1: on Arthur Smith to scheme DK open in this game.

620
00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,400
Speaker 1: I think that's a great point by you. It's something

621
00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:22,120
Speaker 1: he has done again.

622
00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,000
Speaker 6: I mean, did it in the first matchup against the

623
00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,920
Speaker 6: Browns and Denzel Ward two. A lot of these you know,

624
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,360
Speaker 6: upper echelon cornerbacks in the National Football League finding ways

625
00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,800
Speaker 6: to get DK away from them, so he could really

626
00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,920
Speaker 6: take advantage of the matchups. You're spot on in that

627
00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,320
Speaker 6: and that should be easier to do against this Houston

628
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,400
Speaker 6: defense than any other. Do you know why, Tom, They

629
00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,160
Speaker 6: really just show you what they're doing, right. They don't

630
00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:48,200
Speaker 6: disguise anything. They are any blitzing. They are one of

631
00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:52,320
Speaker 6: the most static defenses I've ever seen in my eleven

632
00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,600
Speaker 6: years now that I've been working in NFL media.

633
00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:56,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, if you will. They don't change the picture at all.

634
00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,400
Speaker 6: Like Steelers fans a lot of times in the past

635
00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:02,800
Speaker 6: have accused the Steelers defensive being two static Houston is

636
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,160
Speaker 6: they don't deviate from what they do almost at all.

637
00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,720
Speaker 6: I found this research for Matt and I this week

638
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,680
Speaker 6: on the Drive. There's a guy named Cody Alexander. Okay,

639
00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:16,440
Speaker 6: he is a football media guy. Now, he was a

640
00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,080
Speaker 6: defensive coach. He was on the defensive staff at Baylor

641
00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,520
Speaker 6: for a handful of years and then, you know, was

642
00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,120
Speaker 6: doing the coaching carousel thing and was like, you know what,

643
00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,160
Speaker 6: I'm tired of moving all the time and getting fired

644
00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,680
Speaker 6: every few years. I'm just gonna get into media, and

645
00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,520
Speaker 6: he is. Matt and I both we think he's one

646
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:37,120
Speaker 6: of the best analyzing NFL defensive media minds that you

647
00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,880
Speaker 6: can go to. He did this breakdown of all thirty

648
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:43,160
Speaker 6: two NFL defenses through all seventeen of their regular season

649
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,000
Speaker 6: games and how diverse they are with their scheme, with

650
00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:49,920
Speaker 6: their sub packages, with their substitutions, with everything they do

651
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,880
Speaker 6: on defense. He ranked all thirty two defenses in terms

652
00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:57,840
Speaker 6: of most divers schematically and least diverse schematically. Houston was

653
00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,880
Speaker 6: a one out of one hundred on his rankings least

654
00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,200
Speaker 6: diverse defense in the NFL. The Steelers were in eighty

655
00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:09,280
Speaker 6: six out of one hundred, sixth most diverse defense in

656
00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:09,800
Speaker 6: the NFL.

657
00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:11,680
Speaker 1: I was just saying it's something they've done so well

658
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:12,040
Speaker 1: this year.

659
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,240
Speaker 6: The way they wind up the Steelers have been much different,

660
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,280
Speaker 6: and I think Taroll Austin and Mike Tomlin that's something

661
00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:19,800
Speaker 6: they haven't gotten credit for. They have been too static

662
00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,840
Speaker 6: in the past when they've had the right personnel. Houston

663
00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,479
Speaker 6: has the right personnel now to play that way. But

664
00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,240
Speaker 6: that doesn't mean that they can't be taken advantage of.

665
00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:31,520
Speaker 1: People have been banging the drum, including us and Matt Williamson.

666
00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:35,600
Speaker 1: Less static, less static, less static on the Steelers defense.

667
00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,920
Speaker 1: They have obliged and then some this year, and I'm

668
00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,120
Speaker 1: glad you bring a stat that can actually put a

669
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:43,880
Speaker 1: number to that, and so yeah, they're in the top

670
00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:45,600
Speaker 1: ten as far as throwing different things.

671
00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:47,760
Speaker 6: He ranked them eighty six out of one hundred in

672
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,280
Speaker 6: terms of scheme diversity, the sixth highest.

673
00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:50,400
Speaker 5: In the league.

674
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:52,280
Speaker 1: And it's showing you know, you can see that with

675
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:54,920
Speaker 1: the eye test too, without that actual number to back

676
00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,560
Speaker 1: it up. But with the Houston thing, that's almost cockiness, right,

677
00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:00,880
Speaker 1: Like that's ego right there with it, though there's a

678
00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:04,600
Speaker 1: number one. That's why it's cockiness to me. It's not,

679
00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:06,880
Speaker 1: you know, ignorance on their part or it's not like

680
00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,480
Speaker 1: we don't know what we're doing. It's just like you

681
00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,520
Speaker 1: know what's coming, you ain't beating it anyway, good luck.

682
00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:15,600
Speaker 6: That's like those early twenty first century Steelers teams where

683
00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,360
Speaker 6: comes Jerome Best behind Alan Fanica, try and stop us,

684
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,320
Speaker 6: and you're not going and you're not going, yes, And

685
00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,200
Speaker 6: that's kind of how the nine times out of pen

686
00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:23,360
Speaker 6: we're gonna win that battle.

687
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:28,400
Speaker 1: So it's it's weird, like with Rogers his superpower pre

688
00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:32,400
Speaker 1: snap oh, when we played blind Brian Flores in Ireland. Changes.

689
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,040
Speaker 1: That's the opposite of the Houston Texans defense is the

690
00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,640
Speaker 1: Flora's vikings. The vikings were like second highest, second or third.

691
00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:42,120
Speaker 1: They changed the picture like crazy there and Rogers ate

692
00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:44,400
Speaker 1: it alive right because he was just ahead of the curve.

693
00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:46,160
Speaker 1: He knew what they were gonna do before they did.

694
00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:48,920
Speaker 1: It's so weird to see who has the advantage in

695
00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:50,719
Speaker 1: this with Like Rogers is gonna know what's coming obviously,

696
00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:52,840
Speaker 1: but everybody knows what's coming against this Houston defense. It's

697
00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,560
Speaker 1: it's literally just best on best with them. So does that,

698
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,600
Speaker 1: in a weird way, almost neutralize your quarterback superpower? Like

699
00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,880
Speaker 1: I all always figure out things you're going to disguise, Oops,

700
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:04,160
Speaker 1: you don't disguise anything.

701
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,920
Speaker 6: Maybe I think in the first half that could certainly

702
00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,600
Speaker 6: be the case, but I also expect by the second half.

703
00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,560
Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers goes, I know this guy's gonna be there.

704
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,160
Speaker 6: I know that guy's gonna be there on every single play.

705
00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,799
Speaker 6: Every time they do this. They then this follows post

706
00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:22,560
Speaker 6: snap and start to be able to Okay, when I

707
00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,000
Speaker 6: see this, I know to attack there. When I see X,

708
00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:26,960
Speaker 6: I know to attack. Why when I see B I

709
00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,279
Speaker 6: know to attack A. That's a great question, and I

710
00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,239
Speaker 6: think that's a real kind of X factor is how

711
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:37,040
Speaker 6: much is Aaron Rodgers able to manipulate that defensive coordinator

712
00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,640
Speaker 6: like he typically does and all those things. Maybe not

713
00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,520
Speaker 6: as much to start, but by the third and fourth quarter,

714
00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,000
Speaker 6: if you're playing static, yeah it can be. It can

715
00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,000
Speaker 6: be easier to maybe like win the chess or more

716
00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:52,200
Speaker 6: difficult part of me to win the chess match. But

717
00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:54,400
Speaker 6: at the same time, if you know the Rooks always

718
00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,560
Speaker 6: going there, the Bishop's always going there.

719
00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,239
Speaker 1: Here's where I can slide in. I think you can

720
00:34:58,239 --> 00:34:59,959
Speaker 1: still find a way to take advantage now. I also

721
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,040
Speaker 1: I wonder you know, it's the playoffs now, right, so

722
00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,720
Speaker 1: things can be a little bit different, and maybe Dimico

723
00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,880
Speaker 1: Ryans and that Texans defense throws a curveball at you

724
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,320
Speaker 1: now all of a sudden. Oh, and you're right. Usually

725
00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,239
Speaker 1: the rook goes there, the Bishop goes there. But now

726
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,719
Speaker 1: the bishop's acting like a queen and he hasn't done

727
00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,120
Speaker 1: that all year. Why is that showing up all of

728
00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,319
Speaker 1: a sudden. They're that good of a defense where they

729
00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:23,040
Speaker 1: could do that as well, Like, don't try to think that, Oh,

730
00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,680
Speaker 1: they're very vanilla as a defense because they don't have

731
00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,440
Speaker 1: the capacity to do a lot of crazy things. No, no, No,

732
00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,480
Speaker 1: they definitely can. They just prefer to do it this way.

733
00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:33,600
Speaker 1: So there's a little bit in the back of my

734
00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,600
Speaker 1: head of a worry there that's like, maybe, you know,

735
00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:39,279
Speaker 1: they do start showing some different things that you they

736
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,520
Speaker 1: do start disguising some things, and it's not as you know, hey,

737
00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,680
Speaker 1: here's what we're doing. Here's our eleven guys, you know

738
00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:46,400
Speaker 1: where they're all going. Good luck beating it.

739
00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:48,800
Speaker 6: You canna ask that question of Matt Williamson on the

740
00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:50,359
Speaker 6: pregame show Monday, I just might.

741
00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,160
Speaker 1: I'll be very interested to hear his reply. Tom.

742
00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,200
Speaker 6: Last thing about this Houston defense that we have to

743
00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:59,960
Speaker 6: discuss is, man, they have speed to birth. They've got

744
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,800
Speaker 6: track stars at linebacker. They've got track stars at linebacker,

745
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,120
Speaker 6: and too too and Al Shaer.

746
00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:08,840
Speaker 1: The guy I've been gassing up as such an underrated

747
00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,560
Speaker 1: player in this game. Is his ease. I'll shy here.

748
00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:15,719
Speaker 1: I feel like he's forgotten on that he's linebacker. Unbelievable

749
00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:17,719
Speaker 1: and he's a jerk. To be quite honest with you,

750
00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,080
Speaker 1: he's a very mean person. We would love him if

751
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,560
Speaker 1: he was. Oh, no question. Matt has said to me

752
00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:24,680
Speaker 1: this week already, quite frankly, a bit of a dirty

753
00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:26,920
Speaker 1: player in today's day and age in the NFL. And

754
00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,239
Speaker 1: he's got fines in personal foul penalties to back that

755
00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,600
Speaker 1: claim up and suspensions to back that claim up. But yeah,

756
00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:36,560
Speaker 1: he's he's a lunatic in the best way you could

757
00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,200
Speaker 1: say that about an inside linebacker. I want a little

758
00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,200
Speaker 1: bit of crazy with my linebackers, and he's got a

759
00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:40,720
Speaker 1: lot of crazy.

760
00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:42,920
Speaker 6: He's not quite Vontez perfect, but he's flirting with no.

761
00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:46,640
Speaker 6: But he's faster than perfect, oh my gosh. And he

762
00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,359
Speaker 6: is an X factor in this game. What he will

763
00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,680
Speaker 6: be able to do on gain Well and Warren in

764
00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:52,360
Speaker 6: the flat.

765
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:54,400
Speaker 1: That's huge for Houston.

766
00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:57,919
Speaker 6: And that is I think probably my biggest concern, which

767
00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:02,080
Speaker 6: to me, Tom, if I can say one thing about

768
00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:06,200
Speaker 6: the Steelers offense versus the Houston defense, okay, you and

769
00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,160
Speaker 6: I guess this relates to Houston's offense against the Steelers

770
00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:13,360
Speaker 6: defense too. If this is a twelve round prize fight, Okay,

771
00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,000
Speaker 6: at the end of the game, you better clearly be

772
00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:19,480
Speaker 6: the one who is in the ring with your arm

773
00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,160
Speaker 6: raised by the referee with the advantage in the ground game.

774
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:26,080
Speaker 6: Because Houston's offensive line is bad. Maybe we'll and when

775
00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:27,360
Speaker 6: we come back here on the other side, we'll do

776
00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:29,840
Speaker 6: a little more I would like Steelers scouting and we'll

777
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,440
Speaker 6: kind of spin the block and go Steelers defense against

778
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,360
Speaker 6: Houston offense. We did talk a little bit about st. J.

779
00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:36,560
Speaker 6: Stroud and Nico Collins, but not much else there.

780
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,040
Speaker 1: That's your matchup right there, your defense versus theirrow.

781
00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,840
Speaker 6: You you have to I think, pretty decisively, pretty clearly.

782
00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:43,560
Speaker 1: There's no doubt.

783
00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,640
Speaker 6: Yeah, it goes to decision in the twelfth round, but

784
00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:47,680
Speaker 6: we all know who's hand the referee is gonna raise

785
00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:49,360
Speaker 6: at the center of the ring when it comes to

786
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,319
Speaker 6: the run game, because that is the one area where

787
00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:55,520
Speaker 6: Houston's offense really struggles, and that is the one area

788
00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:58,920
Speaker 6: we know this Steelers offense has to I'm not saying

789
00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:01,400
Speaker 6: they have to, you know, be all stars and Jalen

790
00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:03,440
Speaker 6: Warren has to run for a buck twenty and Kenneth

791
00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:05,879
Speaker 6: Gainwell has to add fifty sixty yards, but you need

792
00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:09,280
Speaker 6: to clearly have the upper hand in that department because

793
00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:10,759
Speaker 6: I think it's the one area where you can get

794
00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,120
Speaker 6: after the Houston defense, and I think it's the clear

795
00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:16,319
Speaker 6: cut advantage for the Steelers defense against Houston's offensive line

796
00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:17,720
Speaker 6: and ground without question.

797
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,880
Speaker 1: That is your overwhelming advantage in this game. You have

798
00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,680
Speaker 1: a much better running game than the Houston Texans do

799
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,440
Speaker 1: as far as personnel is concerned too, Oh yeah, what

800
00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,960
Speaker 1: he Mark's a rookie, He's okay, He's all right. I'd

801
00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:32,160
Speaker 1: much rather him be a second fiddle, right, Joe Mixon

802
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,239
Speaker 1: ain't walking through that there. That's what they're missing. They're

803
00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,719
Speaker 1: missing that guy. Nick Chubb is washed up right now.

804
00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,560
Speaker 1: You don't really have to worry about him. You've worn

805
00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:42,880
Speaker 1: in Gainwell. Gainwall has voted your team MVP. Warren's impact

806
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,520
Speaker 1: is undeniable. He is known around NFL circles for being

807
00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:48,440
Speaker 1: an impactful kind of two way back, dual threat back.

808
00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:50,759
Speaker 1: Maybe the most underrated running back in fullball. He really

809
00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:52,279
Speaker 1: well might be. And this might be one of the

810
00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:54,720
Speaker 1: most underrated running back tandems that you have in football.

811
00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:59,040
Speaker 1: With Gainwell and Warren, it's an overwhelming advantage in that department.

812
00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:01,680
Speaker 1: And the big question is and when Charlie joins us

813
00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:03,080
Speaker 1: a little bit later. He was talking about this a

814
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:04,560
Speaker 1: little bit on Mark this week, so I'm gonna pick

815
00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:07,520
Speaker 1: his brain again about it. Love. The commitment has to

816
00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:08,960
Speaker 1: be there for the Steelers to run the ball, and

817
00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,960
Speaker 1: that's your worry because they just have not shown a

818
00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,839
Speaker 1: commitment all year long. And Houston commits.

819
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:15,799
Speaker 6: To running the football even if they're bad, even if

820
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,960
Speaker 6: they're only going three yards a clip, they are still

821
00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,080
Speaker 6: going to run to their ball because they want to

822
00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:22,480
Speaker 6: keep their defense rested. They don't mind punting the ball

823
00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:24,640
Speaker 6: and playing field position. It's part of their game. They

824
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,800
Speaker 6: don't blink, they cut their eyelids off in those moments.

825
00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,400
Speaker 6: And the Steelers better have that same level of commitment,

826
00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,400
Speaker 6: put a ring on it type commitment.

827
00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,399
Speaker 1: Mike Tomas gotta love this team. He really does give

828
00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:35,759
Speaker 1: them a little truth seer him. He's got to love

829
00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:37,759
Speaker 1: the way this Houston Texans team operates. I mean, it's

830
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:38,759
Speaker 1: there after his heart.

831
00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,359
Speaker 6: He's with him and Demika Ryan's you know, at six

832
00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,520
Speaker 6: thirty seven o'clock on Monday night, shake Hans center field

833
00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:45,520
Speaker 6: while the teams are warming up.

834
00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:47,360
Speaker 1: He's got to be like, Buddy, I'm so proud of

835
00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:50,520
Speaker 1: you building. You're building team in Miami, and you are

836
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,239
Speaker 1: building the team in this is This is football that's

837
00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:55,719
Speaker 1: gonna happen on this field tonight. My friend, Manna ain't

838
00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:58,120
Speaker 1: gonna be no forty points scored out here. This is

839
00:39:58,160 --> 00:39:59,879
Speaker 1: football first to twenty win.

840
00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:02,360
Speaker 6: If only we had like seventeen degree weather and a

841
00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,840
Speaker 6: bunch of snowstorms, it would be perfect. Let's spin the

842
00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:06,040
Speaker 6: block a little bit and we come back on the

843
00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:08,560
Speaker 6: other side. Talk more about how the Steelers defense can

844
00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:12,719
Speaker 6: suffocate that Houston run game and then get after Stroud

845
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:15,600
Speaker 6: off the back of that. We'll do that to close

846
00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,480
Speaker 6: down the first hour. Here live at Tequila Cowboy, Wes Shuoler,

847
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:21,279
Speaker 6: Tom Off from Miger Steelers Playoff Party presented by your

848
00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:24,520
Speaker 6: neighborhood Ford Store on Steelers Nation Radio, on the Steelers

849
00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:25,600
Speaker 6: Audio Network.

850
00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:30,160
Speaker 7: And Steelers Football happens here the Pittsburgh Steelers Audio Network.

851
00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:38,800
Speaker 19: Jackson back to pass Road pennants, beat it down and

852
00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:42,960
Speaker 19: picked off, picked off by TJ Want, patted down by

853
00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:46,920
Speaker 19: high Smith, and what somehow fun on in a flection pit.

854
00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:52,400
Speaker 1: This place is going what it is absolutely wild.

855
00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:56,040
Speaker 6: How many time capsule moments happened in that game Sunday

856
00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:59,880
Speaker 6: night against Baltimore. Hoping for some more Monday night against Houston.

857
00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,600
Speaker 6: West Huler and Tom Opperman with you here at Tequila Cowboy.

858
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:05,160
Speaker 6: It is your Steelers Playoff Party, presented by your neighborhood

859
00:41:05,239 --> 00:41:05,880
Speaker 6: Ford store.

860
00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:07,080
Speaker 1: Tom.

861
00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,080
Speaker 6: That's that was time, no matter what happens the rest

862
00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:11,799
Speaker 6: of the way. I know a lot of people are

863
00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:13,520
Speaker 6: saying for this year to be different and for all that,

864
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:15,120
Speaker 6: you have to win a playoff game, and.

865
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:16,840
Speaker 1: I agree with that. I think I'm one of those people.

866
00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:20,640
Speaker 6: Yes, But Sunday night, that game against Baltimore, ten years

867
00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:22,520
Speaker 6: from now, fifteen years from now, twenty years from now,

868
00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,200
Speaker 6: when the Steelers and Ravens play on CBS, they'll show

869
00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,560
Speaker 6: a sixty second, a forty second highlight package of remember

870
00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:31,839
Speaker 6: in twenty twenty five when they played for the twenty

871
00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:34,120
Speaker 6: twenty six, when they played for the division in Week eighteen,

872
00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:38,120
Speaker 6: that's time, capsule stuff forever. That just happened across the

873
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:39,239
Speaker 6: street here six days ago.

874
00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:41,840
Speaker 1: You hate to be hyperbolic. Who am I kidding? I

875
00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:45,080
Speaker 1: love being hyperbolic. I'm addicted to it. We do radio

876
00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:48,040
Speaker 1: for a living. For gods, it's the best. But that

877
00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:52,560
Speaker 1: really was one of the better, maybe best regular season

878
00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:57,359
Speaker 1: games you've seen at Akroscher Stadium. One of the best

879
00:41:57,400 --> 00:42:00,520
Speaker 1: regular season crowds we've had, no question. That place was

880
00:42:00,640 --> 00:42:04,560
Speaker 1: insane against the Ravens and in it early, So those

881
00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,520
Speaker 1: were down to nothing in that game, crowd was still

882
00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:11,759
Speaker 1: at eleven. It was, in every sense of the word,

883
00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:16,120
Speaker 1: an instant classic in a rivalry that produces them all

884
00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:19,040
Speaker 1: the time. It seems like, I mean, I was thinking

885
00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:21,120
Speaker 1: off the top of my head this week, what's another

886
00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:23,759
Speaker 1: moment that I can quickly think of? Right as far

887
00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:27,439
Speaker 1: as a regular season, unbelievable, storybook kind of game.

888
00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:29,879
Speaker 6: Antonio brownt the goal line on Christmas. Who they play

889
00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:33,040
Speaker 6: in that game, Baltimore ra Exactly. Man, it's always against

890
00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:35,440
Speaker 6: these guys. So if Charlie Batch winning that game as

891
00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:37,239
Speaker 6: a backup at him and Ben crying on the side,

892
00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:38,080
Speaker 6: time Ravens.

893
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:41,680
Speaker 1: So it's just the rivalry always just kind of burs

894
00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:45,319
Speaker 1: those moments, and it really arguably may have birthed its

895
00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,960
Speaker 1: greatest regular season. The greatest moment in that stadium's history is,

896
00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:50,839
Speaker 1: of course Troy's pick six come out.

897
00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,680
Speaker 6: Now, that is number one, and that will always be

898
00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:56,239
Speaker 6: number one. That's what Labs told Matt and I this week.

899
00:42:56,320 --> 00:42:59,000
Speaker 6: Bob Labriola, of course Steelers historian, but he said he

900
00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,279
Speaker 6: thinks Sunday Night might be number two, which is saying

901
00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:04,279
Speaker 6: a lot if last is the same franchise is exactly right.

902
00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:07,600
Speaker 6: He's not hyperbolic. He's not hyperbolic, and you.

903
00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:10,080
Speaker 1: Know him, he would try to fight that tooth and

904
00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:12,160
Speaker 1: nail to be like something in twenty twenty five was

905
00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:12,840
Speaker 1: the best moment.

906
00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:16,680
Speaker 6: No, Actually, when Johnny Unitis did this with the Baltimore Colts,

907
00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:18,680
Speaker 6: and that was the best moment in the history.

908
00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:22,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, it was unbelievable. And I gotta think Tom playing.

909
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:25,680
Speaker 6: You know, the Steelers played a very similar game to

910
00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:29,120
Speaker 6: that a couple weeks earlier in Detroit, crazy back and forth.

911
00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,680
Speaker 6: You're in the lead, you're behind, you're behind, you're in

912
00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:33,640
Speaker 6: the lead, looks like you've won, it looks like you've lost.

913
00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:36,080
Speaker 6: It comes down to the very end. And I think

914
00:43:36,160 --> 00:43:38,799
Speaker 6: playing two games like that down the stretch against Hey,

915
00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:41,040
Speaker 6: neither of them made the playoffs in Detroit or Baltimore,

916
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:42,880
Speaker 6: but I think we'd all agree they're the best teams

917
00:43:42,920 --> 00:43:46,560
Speaker 6: in each conference outside looking in, and they both play

918
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:49,800
Speaker 6: a style that teams have to play in the playoffs

919
00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:51,880
Speaker 6: in January and February to win games.

920
00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:53,960
Speaker 1: I think that's a real nice primer.

921
00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:55,759
Speaker 6: That's one thing that we haven't really talked about much,

922
00:43:55,960 --> 00:43:57,759
Speaker 6: the way that Detroit game played out, and finding a

923
00:43:57,760 --> 00:43:59,719
Speaker 6: way to win that, the way the Ravens game played out,

924
00:43:59,719 --> 00:44:02,359
Speaker 6: final way to win that. Guess what spoiler alert. If

925
00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:03,680
Speaker 6: you want to go on a run in the postseason,

926
00:44:03,719 --> 00:44:05,200
Speaker 6: you're gonna have to win more.

927
00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:07,439
Speaker 1: Games like that. No, I think that's a really good point.

928
00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:10,279
Speaker 1: I hadn't even thought of that. You're right like they have.

929
00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:12,200
Speaker 1: Of course, you look at the Ravens game and you're like, oh,

930
00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:14,560
Speaker 1: that was playoff football. Was a de facto playoff game.

931
00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:18,160
Speaker 1: But yeah, they're playing against competition that is so desperate

932
00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:23,080
Speaker 1: in recent weeks, and they're delivering against really quality opponents.

933
00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:25,320
Speaker 1: If you drop the Lions in this field as the

934
00:44:25,360 --> 00:44:27,760
Speaker 1: seventh seed, I would pick them to beat the Bears

935
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,360
Speaker 1: more than I would pick the Packers tonight to go

936
00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:31,080
Speaker 1: in and beat the best. I think totals are a

937
00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:33,399
Speaker 1: better football tea totally. If you drop the Ravens into

938
00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:35,560
Speaker 1: this field as the seventh seed, I would take them

939
00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:38,040
Speaker 1: probably going into Foxborough a second time. Well, they were

940
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:39,480
Speaker 1: in Mt. Bank the last time they saw them, but

941
00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:42,279
Speaker 1: go into Foxborough this time taking on the Patriots. I'd

942
00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:44,480
Speaker 1: I'd lean more towards the Ravens than I am the

943
00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:48,480
Speaker 1: Chargers right now. So you played playoff caliber teams, teams

944
00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:51,080
Speaker 1: that were desperate. If the Lions lost that game to

945
00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,440
Speaker 1: the Steelers, their backs were way against the wall, and

946
00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,160
Speaker 1: then that did happen, and then their backs were incredibly

947
00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:58,600
Speaker 1: against the wall and they lose on Christmas and it's over.

948
00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:05,279
Speaker 1: So the level of competition ratcheted up, and unlike last year,

949
00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:07,880
Speaker 1: you met that level of competition, not just in a

950
00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:09,000
Speaker 1: good game to.

951
00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:11,880
Speaker 6: Beat them, no doubt, And that is one of the

952
00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:14,800
Speaker 6: many reasons that this year feels much different than the

953
00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:15,439
Speaker 6: last few.

954
00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:16,840
Speaker 1: That's what I was just saying. I was talking to

955
00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:19,200
Speaker 1: some people over here. Place is packed. It's awesome right now.

956
00:45:19,239 --> 00:45:20,920
Speaker 1: Oh it's great. They're saying, this is how it's supposed

957
00:45:20,920 --> 00:45:23,239
Speaker 1: to feel right Saturday night on the North Shore. Baby,

958
00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:25,320
Speaker 1: past couple of years, you get yourself fired up for

959
00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:27,799
Speaker 1: those playoff games, but you really had to work for it. Right,

960
00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:30,440
Speaker 1: this is natural, This is coming to you now. The

961
00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:33,600
Speaker 1: vibes are where they're supposed to be organically. That's what

962
00:45:33,719 --> 00:45:36,279
Speaker 1: you want. You feel good about winning this football game.

963
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:39,319
Speaker 6: The past few years, Tom, it felt like you were

964
00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:41,840
Speaker 6: truly like the wing and a prayer, like, hey, anything

965
00:45:41,920 --> 00:45:44,680
Speaker 6: can happen, but we would need you know, we would

966
00:45:44,719 --> 00:45:46,800
Speaker 6: need a dozen different things to go our way and

967
00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:49,600
Speaker 6: force a bunch of turnovers. And you know, to win

968
00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,040
Speaker 6: those type of games, you needed your opposition to have

969
00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:55,319
Speaker 6: an off day to feel like you had a chance

970
00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:57,480
Speaker 6: to win these last couple of wild card weeks that

971
00:45:57,520 --> 00:45:59,480
Speaker 6: the Steelers have been a part of. But that's certainly

972
00:45:59,560 --> 00:46:03,520
Speaker 6: not the case Monday night, and man, you're right, like

973
00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:06,120
Speaker 6: this this place down here, this is I don't know

974
00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:08,280
Speaker 6: if you saw the video that the Steelers put out today,

975
00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:09,919
Speaker 6: but it was a you know, it was a hype

976
00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:11,279
Speaker 6: video of sorts, and it.

977
00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:14,960
Speaker 1: Was basically like playoff football in Pittsburgh.

978
00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:16,960
Speaker 6: Is something that has passed down from generation to generations,

979
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:19,759
Speaker 6: and it you know, it's got the seventies highlights, in

980
00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:23,279
Speaker 6: the nineties highlights, in the twenty first century highlights from

981
00:46:23,640 --> 00:46:25,600
Speaker 6: you know, Me and Joe and Bradshaw all the way

982
00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:28,360
Speaker 6: up to you know to Ben Roethlisberger and company.

983
00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:32,000
Speaker 1: The b roll shots of people's porches with Steelers paraphernalia

984
00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:35,319
Speaker 1: and like water droplet's dripping off of the right dude,

985
00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:38,600
Speaker 1: Steelers domes out in the grass and you know, kids

986
00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:42,000
Speaker 1: playing backyard football in the snow, the glory shots going

987
00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:45,160
Speaker 1: deep on the concrete jungle of the streets, right right

988
00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:46,480
Speaker 1: in front of mom's house.

989
00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:49,239
Speaker 6: With their with their Stellar's jersey on, you know, their

990
00:46:49,280 --> 00:46:52,240
Speaker 6: favorite player, their number forty three jersey or their seven

991
00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:54,640
Speaker 6: jersey or their ninety jersey.

992
00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:56,160
Speaker 1: Winning so many Super Bowls out there.

993
00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:59,480
Speaker 6: It's it's just it's it's it is feeling like that

994
00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:01,720
Speaker 6: much more this year than it has the past handful

995
00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:05,279
Speaker 6: of years. And as we've laid out a lot of

996
00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:08,680
Speaker 6: reasons why, Certainly Aaron Rodgers, certainly the way they've played

997
00:47:08,719 --> 00:47:12,120
Speaker 6: down the stretch, Certainly the factor of the home playoff game.

998
00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:15,120
Speaker 6: But I think another part of that is this Steelers

999
00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:18,080
Speaker 6: defense rounding into form at the right time. Tom And

1000
00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:20,719
Speaker 6: There's been a lot of contributors that deserve credit in

1001
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:22,880
Speaker 6: that regard, but I think the best player on the

1002
00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:25,880
Speaker 6: field Sunday night and that win against the Ravens the

1003
00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:28,400
Speaker 6: best player for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. I know

1004
00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:31,239
Speaker 6: Kenneth Gainwell won Team MVP, and I'm not saying that

1005
00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,640
Speaker 6: he didn't deserve it, but man, it's been Cam Hayward.

1006
00:47:34,719 --> 00:47:38,520
Speaker 6: He's been the MVP. He's been the MOP most outstanding player,

1007
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:42,080
Speaker 6: gets the second team All Pro honor today, which kind

1008
00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:46,080
Speaker 6: of honks both off. But he at least he gets recognized,

1009
00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:48,799
Speaker 6: but I wish it was first team. But I think

1010
00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:52,080
Speaker 6: he's got a real opportunity. He's hitting his stride. The

1011
00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:54,799
Speaker 6: Steelers offense is starting to possess the ball more, which

1012
00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,040
Speaker 6: is keeping the defense on the sideline longer, which is

1013
00:47:57,160 --> 00:48:00,560
Speaker 6: keeping those guys fresher and man, they have really shown it.

1014
00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:03,000
Speaker 6: They've been at their best down the stretch in these games.

1015
00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:06,040
Speaker 6: Cam Hayward a huge part of that, getting honored today

1016
00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:08,080
Speaker 6: and Tom. I think he's got a real chance to

1017
00:48:08,600 --> 00:48:11,520
Speaker 6: feast against this Houston Texans offensive line.

1018
00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:15,399
Speaker 1: No doubt he crushed the interior of that Ravens offensive line.

1019
00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:18,759
Speaker 1: The Houston Texans have a terrible offensive line. That's not

1020
00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:21,640
Speaker 1: going too far saying that it's real bad. He can

1021
00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:26,279
Speaker 1: completely dominate the interior there, blow that pocket up, not

1022
00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:29,640
Speaker 1: give CJ. Stroud a spot to move up. I can't

1023
00:48:29,640 --> 00:48:32,360
Speaker 1: say enough about Cam, I really can't. The season that

1024
00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:35,160
Speaker 1: he put together should not have happened. You should not

1025
00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:39,480
Speaker 1: be playing this well at age thirty six. It really is,

1026
00:48:41,040 --> 00:48:43,680
Speaker 1: and it's not just you know, oh, when he's out

1027
00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:47,560
Speaker 1: there Situationally, Cam Hayward's dominant or Oh, Cam Hayward is

1028
00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:49,880
Speaker 1: still just as good, but that's probably because he's got

1029
00:48:49,880 --> 00:48:52,000
Speaker 1: a lot of people taking stuff off of his plate now,

1030
00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:54,920
Speaker 1: lessening the load. The load is as heavy as it's

1031
00:48:54,960 --> 00:48:58,560
Speaker 1: ever played more snaps than any interior to and that's

1032
00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:00,879
Speaker 1: why it really bothers me not to say that Zach

1033
00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:03,439
Speaker 1: Allen's a bad player. Sure, Jeffrey Simmons and Zach Allen

1034
00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:05,400
Speaker 1: were your first team All pros as far as defensive

1035
00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:08,279
Speaker 1: tackles are concerned. It really bothers me that Zach Allen

1036
00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:10,520
Speaker 1: got that. I think Simmons deserves it on Tennessee. I mean,

1037
00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:12,880
Speaker 1: you're on Tennessee and you still had the season that

1038
00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:14,680
Speaker 1: he had. I mean, you're the only one people are

1039
00:49:14,719 --> 00:49:17,399
Speaker 1: paying he's on that defense. Simmons is great, He's well

1040
00:49:17,480 --> 00:49:19,480
Speaker 1: deserved a first team and Zach Allen's deserved of being

1041
00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:21,839
Speaker 1: an All Pro too. But you look at thirty six

1042
00:49:21,960 --> 00:49:24,759
Speaker 1: year old Cam Hayward probably having a better season than

1043
00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:28,880
Speaker 1: Allen anyway and playing more snaps than him, It truly

1044
00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:32,560
Speaker 1: is remarkable. I'd say that Broncos defense as a whole

1045
00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:34,520
Speaker 1: is a little bit better than the Steelers defense as well.

1046
00:49:34,560 --> 00:49:36,560
Speaker 1: There's more guys pulling on that rope. Not to say

1047
00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:39,200
Speaker 1: there's not with Pittsburgh, but I'm trying to argue for

1048
00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:42,839
Speaker 1: Cam Hayward here, and that's part of my argument. It's

1049
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:46,520
Speaker 1: truly just incredible to see him still playing at such

1050
00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:48,160
Speaker 1: a high level. The found of youth has to be

1051
00:49:48,320 --> 00:49:50,279
Speaker 1: in the city with him and Sid it is. I mean,

1052
00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:52,960
Speaker 1: it's unbelievable right now going on with these guys, it

1053
00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:58,400
Speaker 1: is absolutely ridiculous. And you know, especially in physical contact sports,

1054
00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:01,360
Speaker 1: to be doing at their age, it's one thing if

1055
00:50:01,360 --> 00:50:03,960
Speaker 1: you're Aaron Rodgers and your quarterback, but to play in

1056
00:50:04,040 --> 00:50:07,440
Speaker 1: the trenches like Cam Hayward does, it's ridiculous. It's it's

1057
00:50:07,520 --> 00:50:10,640
Speaker 1: ridiculous leading leading his position group in snaps in the

1058
00:50:10,760 --> 00:50:13,320
Speaker 1: NFL at thirty six years old. You know, Jeffrey Simmons,

1059
00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:15,080
Speaker 1: you feel like he's been in the league for a

1060
00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:16,960
Speaker 1: long time, right and he has been.

1061
00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:17,319
Speaker 5: He's been.

1062
00:50:17,400 --> 00:50:20,439
Speaker 1: This is his seventh year. He's an established pro. He's

1063
00:50:20,520 --> 00:50:22,759
Speaker 1: been an All Pro on the second team a couple

1064
00:50:22,760 --> 00:50:24,200
Speaker 1: of times before this week, his first time as the

1065
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,080
Speaker 1: first team All Pro this year. But like you see

1066
00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:28,839
Speaker 1: Jeffrey Simmons, like man, he's pretty old for a defensive tackle,

1067
00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:30,160
Speaker 1: like he's been around a lot. It's pretty cool that

1068
00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:32,960
Speaker 1: he's still doing that as he's approaching thirty. He's eight

1069
00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:36,160
Speaker 1: years younger than Cam Hayward. Wild.

1070
00:50:36,560 --> 00:50:41,360
Speaker 6: It's absolutely wild Tom in this era of you know,

1071
00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:44,759
Speaker 6: true defensive lineman. I'm not talking to edge rushers. I'm

1072
00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:48,759
Speaker 6: talking true defensive lineman. It's I mean, it's Aaron Donald one.

1073
00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:51,520
Speaker 6: I know that's music to your ears. It's JJ Watt

1074
00:50:51,600 --> 00:50:54,040
Speaker 6: to not hurt to say that, No, truth doesn't hurt

1075
00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:56,520
Speaker 6: to say I don't hide from the truth. The truth

1076
00:50:56,600 --> 00:50:58,520
Speaker 6: hides from me. I don't even know what that means.

1077
00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:03,040
Speaker 6: Aaron Donald wanted really upen. Aaron Donald won wattson JJ

1078
00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:07,439
Speaker 6: Watt two, Cam Hayward three, and I like, I think

1079
00:51:07,840 --> 00:51:10,880
Speaker 6: this A first team All Pro would have absolutely solidified it.

1080
00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:12,680
Speaker 6: But he even had it even with the second team

1081
00:51:12,719 --> 00:51:14,520
Speaker 6: All Pro. I think he's a I think that's a

1082
00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:15,920
Speaker 6: gold jacket resume man.

1083
00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,200
Speaker 1: I think so too. I mean, just the longevity now

1084
00:51:18,560 --> 00:51:20,520
Speaker 1: is starting to come into his favorite now too. Like

1085
00:51:20,600 --> 00:51:23,200
Speaker 1: that is just an argument. When all the beat writers

1086
00:51:23,280 --> 00:51:25,120
Speaker 1: are sitting around that table, you know what I mean,

1087
00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:26,799
Speaker 1: and they're having to make their pitch for their guy

1088
00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:28,040
Speaker 1: and why he should be in the Hall of Fame.

1089
00:51:28,040 --> 00:51:29,759
Speaker 1: And I'm gonna convince this Jets guy, and I'm gonna

1090
00:51:29,760 --> 00:51:31,920
Speaker 1: convince this Raiders guy. I'm gonna convince this Broncos guy

1091
00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:34,200
Speaker 1: to vote for me. Just be like he's thirty six,

1092
00:51:34,320 --> 00:51:36,359
Speaker 1: thirty seven, thirty eight, because I bet he's still gonna

1093
00:51:36,360 --> 00:51:38,200
Speaker 1: do this in the next couple of years. And he's

1094
00:51:38,280 --> 00:51:40,640
Speaker 1: still kicking ass, he's still getting All Pro nods. I

1095
00:51:40,680 --> 00:51:44,080
Speaker 1: mean that has to matter. We need to tell his

1096
00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:46,560
Speaker 1: story when we talk about the greatness of this league,

1097
00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:49,400
Speaker 1: because no one arguably has aged as gracefully as he

1098
00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:50,240
Speaker 1: has at that position.

1099
00:51:50,760 --> 00:51:53,200
Speaker 6: Absolutely, And like those two guys that I just mentioned

1100
00:51:53,239 --> 00:51:55,719
Speaker 6: who had higher ceilings than Aaron Donald and JJ Watt,

1101
00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:57,719
Speaker 6: and they won multiple Defensive Player of the Years to

1102
00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:00,560
Speaker 6: prove it, they weren't doing with Cam was doing a

1103
00:52:00,600 --> 00:52:03,800
Speaker 6: thirty five, thirty six years old. Donald was retired and

1104
00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:07,560
Speaker 6: and JJ was a role guy in Arizona, not Cam

1105
00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:11,560
Speaker 6: Hayward all Pro most snaps registered at his position in

1106
00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:14,640
Speaker 6: the league. I know we all kind of go back

1107
00:52:14,680 --> 00:52:16,440
Speaker 6: and forth on how much stock we put into Pro

1108
00:52:16,520 --> 00:52:18,680
Speaker 6: Football Focus, right, but I think it's a useful tool

1109
00:52:18,719 --> 00:52:20,480
Speaker 6: it's not the gospel, but it's a useful tool. They

1110
00:52:20,520 --> 00:52:22,799
Speaker 6: have the favor of the Steelers. Yes, it is exactly right.

1111
00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:24,920
Speaker 6: When I think they're full of it. I like to

1112
00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:27,120
Speaker 6: make fun of them to them when when they back

1113
00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:29,600
Speaker 6: up what we're saying, they're great. They have Cam Hayward

1114
00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:32,320
Speaker 6: is their highest ranked interior defensive lineman in the NFL

1115
00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:35,040
Speaker 6: for this season. Yep, a lot of roses rightfully going

1116
00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:37,319
Speaker 6: that guy's way. And yeah, we wish he should have been.

1117
00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:39,560
Speaker 6: We wish he was and he should have been first

1118
00:52:39,560 --> 00:52:41,600
Speaker 6: team All Pro, but a second team All Pro still

1119
00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:43,759
Speaker 6: a nice recognition for the year he had.

1120
00:52:44,040 --> 00:52:45,560
Speaker 1: Let's come back for our number two.

1121
00:52:45,840 --> 00:52:48,120
Speaker 6: More thoughts on this matchup will also be joined by

1122
00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:51,200
Speaker 6: Charlie Batch and Vince Williams as we rock and we

1123
00:52:51,400 --> 00:52:54,839
Speaker 6: Roll here at Tequila Cowboy West Shuler, Tom Opperman. It's

1124
00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:56,960
Speaker 6: all part of the Steelers Playoff Party presented by your

1125
00:52:56,960 --> 00:52:59,960
Speaker 6: neighborhood Ford Store on Steelers Nation Radio, on the Steeler

1126
00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:00,760
Speaker 6: Audio Network.

1127
00:53:01,200 --> 00:53:05,560
Speaker 7: Steelers Football Happens here the Pittsburgh Steelers Audio Network.

1128
00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:09,120
Speaker 1: Here's the snap, here's the hole, here's the foot by loop,

1129
00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:12,200
Speaker 1: and that kick is hide right.

1130
00:53:14,160 --> 00:53:21,080
Speaker 4: Blue liston and you're Pittsburgh Steelers are he sid North champions.

1131
00:53:21,960 --> 00:53:29,719
Speaker 2: Here we gok saperfle Here we go the Steelers back

1132
00:53:29,920 --> 00:53:30,480
Speaker 2: enough goal.

1133
00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:35,320
Speaker 1: Here we go the Pittsburgh's hard and so. Here we

1134
00:53:35,560 --> 00:53:38,640
Speaker 1: go as the best fans.

1135
00:53:38,719 --> 00:53:42,680
Speaker 6: They're at Tequila Cowboy for the Steelers playoff party presented

1136
00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:46,359
Speaker 6: by gighborhood Ford Store having some fun.

1137
00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:46,560
Speaker 1: Here.

1138
00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:49,600
Speaker 6: Here we go, little Red Corvette Room, our number two.

1139
00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:54,839
Speaker 6: There we go, d Jailers. Here we go, DJ Tom.

1140
00:53:55,000 --> 00:53:57,800
Speaker 6: Pittsburgh's going to the Superball.

1141
00:53:58,160 --> 00:53:58,759
Speaker 1: Here we go.

1142
00:53:59,239 --> 00:54:01,560
Speaker 6: Oh, We're fire it up, We're ready to go. Texans

1143
00:54:01,680 --> 00:54:04,960
Speaker 6: A layup right, I mean it's I mean, come on, Houston,

1144
00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:06,960
Speaker 6: we have a problem. As anybody made that joke yet,

1145
00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:08,919
Speaker 6: I'm sure I'm the first. I'm sure I'm the first

1146
00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:12,120
Speaker 6: one to say, all right, can I can I tell

1147
00:54:12,120 --> 00:54:12,879
Speaker 6: you a funny joke.

1148
00:54:13,200 --> 00:54:16,920
Speaker 1: I saw the great Oakmont Bakery. Okay, Legendary Ports Bakery.

1149
00:54:17,520 --> 00:54:20,480
Speaker 6: They posted a picture on their social media of they're

1150
00:54:20,520 --> 00:54:24,440
Speaker 6: doing Steelers playoff cookies. Okay, and they have the Steelers

1151
00:54:24,640 --> 00:54:28,040
Speaker 6: logo the hypo cycloids. Of course, with Houston, we have

1152
00:54:28,120 --> 00:54:32,000
Speaker 6: a problem written and where the Steelers is usually written yes, nice,

1153
00:54:32,120 --> 00:54:34,520
Speaker 6: and so many of the comments on their social media

1154
00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:37,200
Speaker 6: page were like only in Pittsburgh, and I was like, guys,

1155
00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:40,359
Speaker 6: I love you, but I'm sure everywhere the Texans play

1156
00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:43,080
Speaker 6: they get a Houston we have a problem joke. Okay,

1157
00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:45,239
Speaker 6: that we are not the first people to think of that,

1158
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,400
Speaker 6: I promise you. But here tonight we are. We're running

1159
00:54:47,400 --> 00:54:47,560
Speaker 6: with it.

1160
00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:51,120
Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely, but no, West, you might be wrong about that. Actually,

1161
00:54:51,200 --> 00:54:53,879
Speaker 1: we might have invented that joke here. I think we Actually,

1162
00:54:53,880 --> 00:54:56,400
Speaker 1: you're right, Sorry, I could take credit for that. I

1163
00:54:56,520 --> 00:54:58,879
Speaker 1: just want an Oakmont Bakery cookie. Now that does sound

1164
00:54:58,920 --> 00:54:59,359
Speaker 1: pretty good.

1165
00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:02,479
Speaker 6: We are though, at Tequila Cowboy Steelers playoff party presented

1166
00:55:02,480 --> 00:55:03,520
Speaker 6: by your neighborhood Fords Store.

1167
00:55:03,520 --> 00:55:06,000
Speaker 1: Atmosphere is great. We got Rob King Charlie Batch in

1168
00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:08,600
Speaker 1: the other room firing people up. We got the game

1169
00:55:08,719 --> 00:55:11,520
Speaker 1: on TV right now, Panthers and Rams. It's a great game.

1170
00:55:12,160 --> 00:55:14,239
Speaker 1: Penguins game on TV as well. So get down to

1171
00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:16,320
Speaker 1: Tequila Cowboy. We're gonna be here all night, move in

1172
00:55:16,840 --> 00:55:18,919
Speaker 1: all weekend. Hecky, why are you leaving the North Shore

1173
00:55:19,160 --> 00:55:21,719
Speaker 1: game here till Monday? Games right there? Yes, about forty

1174
00:55:21,719 --> 00:55:23,719
Speaker 1: eight hours from now. Pooka Nakoua, by the way, just

1175
00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:26,200
Speaker 1: dropped maybe one of the most wide open balls you'll

1176
00:55:26,239 --> 00:55:28,640
Speaker 1: ever see. And he's maybe the best receiver in football.

1177
00:55:28,800 --> 00:55:32,760
Speaker 6: He might win Offensive Player, right baby. Hey, the Carolina Panthers,

1178
00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:34,040
Speaker 6: you know what they're doing, tom They're.

1179
00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:36,640
Speaker 1: Hanging around, hanging around.

1180
00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:41,120
Speaker 6: Of course, we do have another game tonight, Packers and Bears,

1181
00:55:41,160 --> 00:55:43,919
Speaker 6: and what is the second best rivalry in the National

1182
00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:47,320
Speaker 6: Football League, of course, behind Steve and Ravens. Pretty historic,

1183
00:55:47,920 --> 00:55:50,360
Speaker 6: but only the third time they have met for a

1184
00:55:50,600 --> 00:55:52,800
Speaker 6: third game in a regulars or in a in a

1185
00:55:52,880 --> 00:55:55,200
Speaker 6: season between those two franchises, which is pretty crazy to

1186
00:55:55,239 --> 00:55:57,200
Speaker 6: think about. But that one's gonna be a lot of

1187
00:55:57,239 --> 00:56:01,360
Speaker 6: fun tonight. Full slate of games tomorrow, separate games tomorrow,

1188
00:56:01,800 --> 00:56:04,920
Speaker 6: and then of course the last game of Super Wildcard Weekend.

1189
00:56:05,200 --> 00:56:07,080
Speaker 6: Much like the Steelers hosted the last game of the

1190
00:56:07,160 --> 00:56:09,880
Speaker 6: NFL regular season, tom they'll host the last game of

1191
00:56:09,920 --> 00:56:12,760
Speaker 6: Super wild Card Weekend and with the best of course

1192
00:56:12,880 --> 00:56:17,759
Speaker 6: eight fifteen against those Houston Texans at Akroscher Stadium right

1193
00:56:18,040 --> 00:56:19,960
Speaker 6: down the street, just a couple of blocks from where

1194
00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:22,320
Speaker 6: we sit right here now at Tequila Cowboy on this

1195
00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:24,800
Speaker 6: Saturday night on the North Shore. Where else would you

1196
00:56:24,920 --> 00:56:27,160
Speaker 6: rather be? Although I continue to think this tom like,

1197
00:56:27,960 --> 00:56:29,600
Speaker 6: I'm kind of sweating here a little bit. I'm a

1198
00:56:29,640 --> 00:56:31,640
Speaker 6: little warm like. I don't mean sweating nervous, I mean

1199
00:56:31,800 --> 00:56:34,960
Speaker 6: literally weather temperature wise. Can we get the can we

1200
00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:37,440
Speaker 6: get the weather to drop a few dozen degrees here

1201
00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:38,520
Speaker 6: in western Pennsylvania.

1202
00:56:38,719 --> 00:56:38,959
Speaker 1: Listen.

1203
00:56:39,040 --> 00:56:40,920
Speaker 6: I never thought I would complain about the weather being

1204
00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:43,279
Speaker 6: too warm in January in Pittsburgh. But when you got

1205
00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:45,520
Speaker 6: a team from Texas coming to town for a playoff game,

1206
00:56:45,840 --> 00:56:48,279
Speaker 6: give me, give me digits. You know, temperatures in the

1207
00:56:48,360 --> 00:56:49,719
Speaker 6: teens and snowflakes fall.

1208
00:56:49,920 --> 00:56:51,520
Speaker 1: I agree with you, even if it wasn't a team

1209
00:56:51,560 --> 00:56:54,839
Speaker 1: from Houston coming into town, a warm weather climate team.

1210
00:56:55,280 --> 00:56:57,080
Speaker 1: It just needs to have that field. It's the only

1211
00:56:57,280 --> 00:56:59,640
Speaker 1: ingredient I think that's missing right now for the perfect

1212
00:56:59,719 --> 00:57:02,680
Speaker 1: kind feel here is those temps aren't frigid. You're not

1213
00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:06,640
Speaker 1: really seeing your breath outside. It's raining instead of snowing. Now,

1214
00:57:06,680 --> 00:57:10,000
Speaker 1: the encouraging thing is it feels like right around kickoff

1215
00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:12,760
Speaker 1: on Monday gonna be around like twenty three twenty two degrees,

1216
00:57:13,120 --> 00:57:16,280
Speaker 1: So it's gonna be pretty brisk on Monday night. That's

1217
00:57:16,360 --> 00:57:18,520
Speaker 1: not terrible, but it's chilly. Do you buy into that?

1218
00:57:18,800 --> 00:57:21,160
Speaker 1: In this matchup. Let's get all serious now, les, is

1219
00:57:21,240 --> 00:57:23,800
Speaker 1: that something that you think really does favor the Steelers

1220
00:57:23,840 --> 00:57:25,840
Speaker 1: here that Houston comes into the court. They don't strike

1221
00:57:25,920 --> 00:57:28,280
Speaker 1: me like a Miami like where they're just so soft

1222
00:57:28,320 --> 00:57:30,200
Speaker 1: that they can't play outside. Oh yeah, that day's made

1223
00:57:30,200 --> 00:57:32,400
Speaker 1: of tougher. So they don't have a roster of Lamborghini's

1224
00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:35,400
Speaker 1: and ferraris like the Dolphins do. They've got some dump trucks,

1225
00:57:35,440 --> 00:57:37,000
Speaker 1: they've got some for f one to fifties. They've got

1226
00:57:37,040 --> 00:57:39,200
Speaker 1: a cold weather team, to be honest with you, except

1227
00:57:39,240 --> 00:57:40,800
Speaker 1: for the running the ball part. That's the only thing

1228
00:57:40,840 --> 00:57:41,320
Speaker 1: missing there.

1229
00:57:41,560 --> 00:57:43,440
Speaker 6: I think, you know what, This might sound like a

1230
00:57:43,480 --> 00:57:46,480
Speaker 6: cop out, but I think those things matter until they don't. Okay,

1231
00:57:46,680 --> 00:57:49,160
Speaker 6: much like the Steelers winning twenty three straight games at

1232
00:57:49,200 --> 00:57:52,200
Speaker 6: home on Monday nights, matters until it doesn't. As long

1233
00:57:52,280 --> 00:57:54,720
Speaker 6: as it is something that clearly works in your favor

1234
00:57:55,120 --> 00:57:57,640
Speaker 6: or doesn't work in your favor the vast majority of

1235
00:57:57,720 --> 00:57:59,320
Speaker 6: the time, I think it's a real factor.

1236
00:58:00,080 --> 00:58:00,520
Speaker 1: Texans.

1237
00:58:00,680 --> 00:58:05,320
Speaker 6: Yeah, Houston, Texas weather very nice, very warm. This will

1238
00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:08,160
Speaker 6: be I think, like by far the coldest game, and

1239
00:58:08,200 --> 00:58:09,880
Speaker 6: they play in a warm weather Division two for the

1240
00:58:09,920 --> 00:58:12,120
Speaker 6: most part, and the teams in their division, like the Colts,

1241
00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:15,760
Speaker 6: that aren't warm weather playing a dome, this will be

1242
00:58:16,080 --> 00:58:18,360
Speaker 6: the coldest game they've played all season, and I think

1243
00:58:18,400 --> 00:58:22,640
Speaker 6: that matters. You're right, it's not a Miami Dolphins type.

1244
00:58:22,720 --> 00:58:24,600
Speaker 6: You look at them and wow, they are built to

1245
00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:27,400
Speaker 6: play on a fast track, and the cold and some

1246
00:58:27,520 --> 00:58:30,439
Speaker 6: elements could really slow them down. But at the same time,

1247
00:58:30,800 --> 00:58:33,440
Speaker 6: those teams from the South when they travel north, those

1248
00:58:33,560 --> 00:58:35,840
Speaker 6: dome teams, when they have to play outdoor games in

1249
00:58:35,920 --> 00:58:38,160
Speaker 6: cold weather, the records are what they are, the winning

1250
00:58:38,160 --> 00:58:40,640
Speaker 6: percentages are what they are, and they're very low, and

1251
00:58:40,720 --> 00:58:43,240
Speaker 6: it's that way for a reason. So I absolutely think

1252
00:58:43,240 --> 00:58:45,080
Speaker 6: it's a factor. But I think you're right to point

1253
00:58:45,080 --> 00:58:47,320
Speaker 6: out they are not a team with a bunch of

1254
00:58:47,360 --> 00:58:49,479
Speaker 6: sports cars everywhere. They have a couple of sports cars,

1255
00:58:49,720 --> 00:58:52,320
Speaker 6: but they've got some F one fifties and and some

1256
00:58:52,600 --> 00:58:56,000
Speaker 6: SUVs and some dump trucks as well. It's a nice

1257
00:58:56,080 --> 00:58:56,960
Speaker 6: balance that you want.

1258
00:58:57,080 --> 00:59:00,520
Speaker 1: Certainly, December seventh, they went to Kansas City and it

1259
00:59:00,640 --> 00:59:03,560
Speaker 1: was pretty cold out in Kansas City that night. Kansas

1260
00:59:03,600 --> 00:59:05,360
Speaker 1: City was six and six heading into that game, so

1261
00:59:05,440 --> 00:59:07,280
Speaker 1: they were still alive like they were in that week

1262
00:59:07,320 --> 00:59:10,240
Speaker 1: and win out mode and still make the playoffs, maybe

1263
00:59:10,280 --> 00:59:12,120
Speaker 1: even still win the AFC West. So they got the

1264
00:59:12,560 --> 00:59:14,920
Speaker 1: Chiefs team that was trying then Mahomes was still healthy,

1265
00:59:15,520 --> 00:59:19,160
Speaker 1: and they just slobberknockered them. They held him to ten points,

1266
00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:21,120
Speaker 1: they won twenty to ten. They shot out to attend

1267
00:59:21,120 --> 00:59:24,440
Speaker 1: to nothing lead and then they just beat their butts.

1268
00:59:24,480 --> 00:59:26,240
Speaker 1: The Chiefs did work their way back into tie in

1269
00:59:26,280 --> 00:59:28,320
Speaker 1: the game. Then Houston had a good fourth quarter to

1270
00:59:28,400 --> 00:59:31,760
Speaker 1: close it out. But that's a recent samples as a

1271
00:59:31,840 --> 00:59:35,040
Speaker 1: recent example of them playing in the cold weather environment

1272
00:59:35,560 --> 00:59:37,640
Speaker 1: and kind of being the team that set the tone

1273
00:59:37,680 --> 00:59:40,680
Speaker 1: there as opposed to the Chiefs. They're a tough football team,

1274
00:59:40,760 --> 00:59:43,320
Speaker 1: is one of the hardest hitting no defenses in the NFL,

1275
00:59:43,680 --> 00:59:46,120
Speaker 1: and they get an extra day's rest and I love

1276
00:59:46,240 --> 00:59:48,240
Speaker 1: that for the Steelers with their old team, and you know,

1277
00:59:48,320 --> 00:59:50,640
Speaker 1: Wat can reset himself a little bit more in Rogers.

1278
00:59:51,160 --> 00:59:55,120
Speaker 1: That helps this young, high flying, hard hitting Texans defense too,

1279
00:59:55,640 --> 00:59:56,040
Speaker 1: no doubt.

1280
00:59:56,080 --> 00:59:57,920
Speaker 6: And they are made in the image of Deamico Ryance.

1281
00:59:58,120 --> 01:00:01,000
Speaker 6: You know, he is a defensive guy, a wild boy himself.

1282
01:00:01,040 --> 01:00:03,720
Speaker 6: And they they've got some tenacity, they've got some attitude.

1283
01:00:04,280 --> 01:00:06,520
Speaker 6: You are absolutely right to point that out and you know,

1284
01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:08,120
Speaker 6: it's a good place to be because what do we

1285
01:00:08,160 --> 01:00:12,400
Speaker 6: always say, what travels, tom defense travels and run game travels,

1286
01:00:12,880 --> 01:00:15,320
Speaker 6: and Houston maybe the best in the NFL in one

1287
01:00:15,360 --> 01:00:17,560
Speaker 6: of those departments. Their defense, for my money, I think

1288
01:00:17,760 --> 01:00:20,040
Speaker 6: is the best in the National Football League. The one

1289
01:00:20,080 --> 01:00:22,080
Speaker 6: thing they don't have, though, is that run game. And

1290
01:00:22,200 --> 01:00:25,600
Speaker 6: to kind of finish that conversation that we've bounced around

1291
01:00:25,640 --> 01:00:28,360
Speaker 6: a little bit with so far here tonight, that to

1292
01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:30,600
Speaker 6: me has to be a decisive advantage for the Steelers.

1293
01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:33,760
Speaker 6: They have to run the ball on offense without a doubt.

1294
01:00:34,040 --> 01:00:36,640
Speaker 6: What they really need to do is they need to

1295
01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,640
Speaker 6: limit they need to suffocate that Houston Texans run game because,

1296
01:00:39,800 --> 01:00:42,480
Speaker 6: as we mentioned, the Texans will stay committed to it.

1297
01:00:43,080 --> 01:00:45,080
Speaker 6: If you go out and you suffocate their run game

1298
01:00:45,160 --> 01:00:47,600
Speaker 6: in the first quarter, they are not just going to

1299
01:00:48,240 --> 01:00:50,560
Speaker 6: abandon it. They'll stick with it. And that will play

1300
01:00:50,640 --> 01:00:53,600
Speaker 6: into your hands. And that's something that we will continue

1301
01:00:53,600 --> 01:00:55,920
Speaker 6: to talk about as we roll along here. Joining us

1302
01:00:56,000 --> 01:00:58,400
Speaker 6: now coming up to the table. We'll get them a headset,

1303
01:00:58,480 --> 01:01:00,600
Speaker 6: We'll get them some can you can you that old

1304
01:01:00,640 --> 01:01:02,720
Speaker 6: thing down here so we can get we can get

1305
01:01:02,760 --> 01:01:04,800
Speaker 6: the great Charlie Batch a little bit of room here

1306
01:01:04,880 --> 01:01:08,200
Speaker 6: as he joins us now on Steelers Nation Radio. Charlie

1307
01:01:08,240 --> 01:01:11,800
Speaker 6: Batch of course, former Steelers quarterback Kurt's good. Charlie hairs there,

1308
01:01:12,120 --> 01:01:14,720
Speaker 6: current postcame thumbs up, He's all business, He's ready to go.

1309
01:01:14,840 --> 01:01:17,480
Speaker 6: Current postgame host of course, with Mike Persuda on the

1310
01:01:17,520 --> 01:01:20,000
Speaker 6: Steelers Audio Network on your flagship WDVE.

1311
01:01:20,520 --> 01:01:23,000
Speaker 1: Hey, Stealer fans, let's make some noise for Charlie Batch.

1312
01:01:23,360 --> 01:01:27,560
Speaker 1: Come on now, Hey, what's going on everyone? Charlie? What's up?

1313
01:01:27,600 --> 01:01:27,720
Speaker 16: Man?

1314
01:01:27,760 --> 01:01:28,680
Speaker 1: You fired up? You're ready to go?

1315
01:01:28,800 --> 01:01:30,960
Speaker 5: I'm fired up? Man. This gets you exciting.

1316
01:01:31,000 --> 01:01:33,000
Speaker 20: And I think for me, I love when the game

1317
01:01:33,120 --> 01:01:36,120
Speaker 20: is home because the city transforms and everybody's coming in

1318
01:01:36,320 --> 01:01:37,760
Speaker 20: and you can just see the interaction.

1319
01:01:37,920 --> 01:01:39,920
Speaker 5: It is what makes this time of year electric.

1320
01:01:40,400 --> 01:01:43,520
Speaker 1: Charlie. The atmosphere Sunday night against the Ravens was unbelievable

1321
01:01:43,560 --> 01:01:45,480
Speaker 1: in that do or die game. The crowd was into

1322
01:01:45,520 --> 01:01:48,280
Speaker 1: it from start to finish. You're feeling those vibes in

1323
01:01:48,440 --> 01:01:51,240
Speaker 1: this place tonight. It's gonna carry over into the stadium

1324
01:01:51,280 --> 01:01:53,200
Speaker 1: on Monday. And something that I've been pointing out all week,

1325
01:01:53,680 --> 01:01:56,640
Speaker 1: it's been since twenty seventeen. These fans have been able

1326
01:01:56,680 --> 01:01:59,520
Speaker 1: to influence a playoff game twenty twenty COVID year he

1327
01:01:59,560 --> 01:02:01,240
Speaker 1: had the home game, but no one was in the crowd.

1328
01:02:01,600 --> 01:02:03,760
Speaker 1: That's a huge advantage here in Pittsburgh is those fans

1329
01:02:03,800 --> 01:02:04,920
Speaker 1: behind you. I don't have to tell you that.

1330
01:02:05,200 --> 01:02:05,920
Speaker 5: No, not at all.

1331
01:02:05,960 --> 01:02:07,680
Speaker 20: And I think this is something that you know when

1332
01:02:07,680 --> 01:02:10,440
Speaker 20: you give the fans a reason to be involved. I

1333
01:02:10,480 --> 01:02:13,240
Speaker 20: think these are the things because they're impact in the game.

1334
01:02:13,320 --> 01:02:14,080
Speaker 1: And that's what you know.

1335
01:02:14,120 --> 01:02:16,160
Speaker 20: When you dominate first and second down and you get

1336
01:02:16,200 --> 01:02:18,080
Speaker 20: them in that third and long, they want to feel

1337
01:02:18,080 --> 01:02:19,320
Speaker 20: like they're impact in the game.

1338
01:02:19,360 --> 01:02:21,960
Speaker 5: And if they can get loud, make it difficult for

1339
01:02:22,080 --> 01:02:23,840
Speaker 5: those tackles to hear to snap count.

1340
01:02:24,160 --> 01:02:26,320
Speaker 20: Now they get off a split second slower. Guess what

1341
01:02:26,440 --> 01:02:28,920
Speaker 20: the advantage now to our pass rushers. That's where you

1342
01:02:28,960 --> 01:02:33,000
Speaker 20: see TJ, Alex Nick, Herbert, Jack Sawyer, those guys starting

1343
01:02:33,040 --> 01:02:33,360
Speaker 20: to get.

1344
01:02:33,280 --> 01:02:35,080
Speaker 5: After them and they have to do that in this

1345
01:02:35,240 --> 01:02:36,280
Speaker 5: game on Monday.

1346
01:02:36,560 --> 01:02:39,280
Speaker 6: Charlie, A lot of reasons for optimism amongst Steeler Nation.

1347
01:02:39,520 --> 01:02:42,160
Speaker 6: Feels a little bit different than these last couple of years.

1348
01:02:42,480 --> 01:02:44,520
Speaker 6: For a lot of reasons. You're at home as opposed

1349
01:02:44,560 --> 01:02:46,760
Speaker 6: to going to Baltimore or Buffalo or Kansas City on

1350
01:02:46,840 --> 01:02:49,960
Speaker 6: the road. You are not facing Mahomes or Allen or

1351
01:02:50,080 --> 01:02:51,360
Speaker 6: Lamar as talented as C. J.

1352
01:02:51,480 --> 01:02:51,960
Speaker 1: Stroud is.

1353
01:02:52,400 --> 01:02:54,400
Speaker 6: But I think the first reason number one on that

1354
01:02:54,520 --> 01:02:57,040
Speaker 6: list for Steelers fans is got to be the future

1355
01:02:57,040 --> 01:02:59,720
Speaker 6: Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This is what they

1356
01:02:59,800 --> 01:03:03,440
Speaker 6: brought him in for. He's got to be that tide,

1357
01:03:03,520 --> 01:03:05,560
Speaker 6: that high tide that raises all ships on Monday night.

1358
01:03:05,720 --> 01:03:07,560
Speaker 5: Yeah, and he has to. And that's the experience.

1359
01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:09,920
Speaker 20: And that's why you, like, like you mentioned, that's why

1360
01:03:10,000 --> 01:03:13,320
Speaker 20: you bring him here in this particular manner. And ultimately

1361
01:03:13,560 --> 01:03:15,600
Speaker 20: he and like he spoke about a few weeks ago,

1362
01:03:15,920 --> 01:03:17,400
Speaker 20: the reason why I came here because I want to

1363
01:03:17,400 --> 01:03:21,400
Speaker 20: play meaningful games in December. That means January games matter.

1364
01:03:21,520 --> 01:03:25,200
Speaker 20: And here we are in this particular realm. And I think, ultimately,

1365
01:03:25,720 --> 01:03:28,800
Speaker 20: what you're seeing right now, this guy's playing phenomenal. He

1366
01:03:28,960 --> 01:03:31,080
Speaker 20: is making throws out there that people are just like.

1367
01:03:31,600 --> 01:03:33,640
Speaker 20: He can still make that throw And the one that

1368
01:03:33,760 --> 01:03:35,240
Speaker 20: stood out for me, and you didn't see it in

1369
01:03:35,280 --> 01:03:37,200
Speaker 20: a lot of highlights, it was that one.

1370
01:03:37,240 --> 01:03:38,040
Speaker 5: To Adam Thielen.

1371
01:03:38,560 --> 01:03:41,120
Speaker 20: He looked left, realizing he had man the man in

1372
01:03:41,200 --> 01:03:44,720
Speaker 20: the slot and he delivered a dime long handoff. Yes,

1373
01:03:44,920 --> 01:03:47,920
Speaker 20: it could not have been delivered any better than what

1374
01:03:48,120 --> 01:03:50,240
Speaker 20: he did. And I was just like, literally when he

1375
01:03:50,280 --> 01:03:52,680
Speaker 20: made that catch, I was just like, Wow, that is

1376
01:03:52,760 --> 01:03:56,800
Speaker 20: what you want to see in Aaron throwing and making

1377
01:03:56,880 --> 01:03:59,840
Speaker 20: defensive pay on in tight coverage when they think they've

1378
01:04:00,280 --> 01:04:02,840
Speaker 20: just to adore their side. And man, it's just great

1379
01:04:02,880 --> 01:04:03,800
Speaker 20: to have him here on his team.

1380
01:04:03,880 --> 01:04:05,680
Speaker 1: Oh, it absolutely is, and it gives you a lot

1381
01:04:05,720 --> 01:04:08,040
Speaker 1: of confidence going into this game. But Charlie, what do

1382
01:04:08,120 --> 01:04:09,960
Speaker 1: you think are how important do you think a strong

1383
01:04:10,080 --> 01:04:12,440
Speaker 1: running game is to establish so that Rogers can then

1384
01:04:12,480 --> 01:04:14,560
Speaker 1: start hitting some more of that play action and work

1385
01:04:14,560 --> 01:04:15,840
Speaker 1: a little bit of the middle of the field against

1386
01:04:15,840 --> 01:04:17,840
Speaker 1: these Houston Texans defense, a great Houston defense.

1387
01:04:17,920 --> 01:04:19,720
Speaker 20: Yeah, I'm always a big fan of trying to get

1388
01:04:19,760 --> 01:04:22,040
Speaker 20: that running game going and getting a play action game going.

1389
01:04:22,320 --> 01:04:25,080
Speaker 20: But again, the Texans defense is tough. But again, you

1390
01:04:25,280 --> 01:04:27,640
Speaker 20: have to now at least attempt to run the football

1391
01:04:27,680 --> 01:04:30,560
Speaker 20: to keep that defense honest and getting to those third

1392
01:04:30,560 --> 01:04:33,160
Speaker 20: and medium, third and short situations that you're getting. But

1393
01:04:33,240 --> 01:04:35,520
Speaker 20: I think ultimately that running game is gonna have to happen.

1394
01:04:35,600 --> 01:04:38,160
Speaker 20: I think Jalen Warren ken Gain, Well, those guys are

1395
01:04:38,200 --> 01:04:41,360
Speaker 20: gonna have to at least have thirty touches between both

1396
01:04:41,400 --> 01:04:44,320
Speaker 20: of those guys run past it doesn't matter, but at

1397
01:04:44,400 --> 01:04:47,360
Speaker 20: least establishing that running game. And I how you what's

1398
01:04:47,440 --> 01:04:50,600
Speaker 20: been an underrated, underrated that offensive line for the Steelers,

1399
01:04:50,840 --> 01:04:55,120
Speaker 20: No doubt, man, they have been getting better every single week,

1400
01:04:55,440 --> 01:04:58,120
Speaker 20: weekend and week out. And a person that really impressing

1401
01:04:58,200 --> 01:04:59,760
Speaker 20: and really raised a lot of eyes so we didn't

1402
01:04:59,760 --> 01:05:01,280
Speaker 20: know much him, Dylan Cook.

1403
01:05:01,480 --> 01:05:02,120
Speaker 1: Unbelievable.

1404
01:05:02,880 --> 01:05:05,920
Speaker 5: Wow. He has been playing phenomenal.

1405
01:05:05,560 --> 01:05:08,720
Speaker 1: Against amazing competition. Yes, man went up against Miles Garrett

1406
01:05:08,760 --> 01:05:11,320
Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago. He just broke the sack

1407
01:05:11,440 --> 01:05:13,320
Speaker 1: record and he was shut out against the Steelers for

1408
01:05:13,360 --> 01:05:16,160
Speaker 1: both games this year. Unbelievable stuff from Cook and Charlie.

1409
01:05:16,200 --> 01:05:18,400
Speaker 1: I think that's an overwhelming advantage in this game because

1410
01:05:18,400 --> 01:05:21,600
Speaker 1: the Houston offensive line can struggle, whereas the Steelers offensive

1411
01:05:21,600 --> 01:05:23,400
Speaker 1: line I think can be the driving force in this

1412
01:05:23,440 --> 01:05:24,000
Speaker 1: football game.

1413
01:05:24,000 --> 01:05:25,560
Speaker 5: And that's where you want to get the running game going.

1414
01:05:25,600 --> 01:05:27,280
Speaker 20: Because if you're able to get that going, guess what,

1415
01:05:27,440 --> 01:05:30,000
Speaker 20: that time of possession is gonna fall right behind it.

1416
01:05:30,360 --> 01:05:33,000
Speaker 20: And ultimately, now if they get behind I meaning the

1417
01:05:33,080 --> 01:05:36,360
Speaker 20: Texans on time of possession. Sometimes as a young quarterback,

1418
01:05:37,160 --> 01:05:39,720
Speaker 20: you start pressing and you're trying to make those bigger

1419
01:05:39,760 --> 01:05:42,240
Speaker 20: plays down the field to keep get your defense and

1420
01:05:42,280 --> 01:05:44,040
Speaker 20: give it, give him a rest and keep them on

1421
01:05:44,120 --> 01:05:46,520
Speaker 20: the sideline. And those are the things that literally you

1422
01:05:46,560 --> 01:05:48,480
Speaker 20: could take advantage of as his game unfolds.

1423
01:05:48,680 --> 01:05:51,160
Speaker 6: A couple more minutes here with our buddy Charlie Batch,

1424
01:05:51,240 --> 01:05:54,200
Speaker 6: Steeler's legend, need to ask you about the return of

1425
01:05:54,280 --> 01:05:58,880
Speaker 6: DK Metcalf. That's gotta be an emotional boost. We obviously

1426
01:05:59,000 --> 01:06:01,320
Speaker 6: know he is the number one target, he's the number

1427
01:06:01,360 --> 01:06:04,520
Speaker 6: one playmaker on that offense. Getting him back. He talked

1428
01:06:04,560 --> 01:06:06,200
Speaker 6: about how he feels like he's got a little more juice,

1429
01:06:06,200 --> 01:06:08,360
Speaker 6: little more energy in his legs after a couple weeks

1430
01:06:08,440 --> 01:06:11,760
Speaker 6: off against this Houston defense. You need some game breakers,

1431
01:06:11,840 --> 01:06:14,400
Speaker 6: you need some playmakers, and man, they're getting DK back

1432
01:06:14,400 --> 01:06:15,040
Speaker 6: at the perfect time.

1433
01:06:15,160 --> 01:06:15,640
Speaker 5: Yes they are.

1434
01:06:15,720 --> 01:06:17,000
Speaker 20: And you know he wants to go out and make

1435
01:06:17,000 --> 01:06:18,840
Speaker 20: a play. He hasn't played in a couple of weeks,

1436
01:06:19,120 --> 01:06:21,360
Speaker 20: and ultimately Aaron is gonna get him involved in the game.

1437
01:06:21,440 --> 01:06:22,840
Speaker 5: So I think early on in the first.

1438
01:06:22,720 --> 01:06:25,640
Speaker 20: Couple of possessions, you're gonna see how the Texans are

1439
01:06:25,720 --> 01:06:27,960
Speaker 20: ultimately gonna pay to play DK Are they gonna use

1440
01:06:28,000 --> 01:06:30,640
Speaker 20: Stingley and I'll say, now one on one on the outside,

1441
01:06:31,080 --> 01:06:33,600
Speaker 20: or are you gonna rotate him, put a corner with

1442
01:06:33,680 --> 01:06:36,640
Speaker 20: a safety over top, and now put Stingley on maybe

1443
01:06:36,680 --> 01:06:39,080
Speaker 20: a Calvin Austin or somebody on the other side. So again,

1444
01:06:39,440 --> 01:06:41,880
Speaker 20: we're gonna learn that. But that's why it's important in

1445
01:06:41,960 --> 01:06:44,280
Speaker 20: the first fifteen to twenty plays to get as many

1446
01:06:44,320 --> 01:06:47,240
Speaker 20: substitution patterns as you can to see if you can

1447
01:06:47,280 --> 01:06:49,160
Speaker 20: get a beat on that Texan defense on how they're

1448
01:06:49,160 --> 01:06:49,600
Speaker 20: gonna play.

1449
01:06:49,600 --> 01:06:53,520
Speaker 1: You talking about playmakers, Houston's got great ones at Ed Rusher,

1450
01:06:53,760 --> 01:06:56,160
Speaker 1: first team All Pro, Will Anderson, second team All Pro,

1451
01:06:56,280 --> 01:07:00,240
Speaker 1: Danielle Hunter, Charlie. From your quarterback perspective, what's Roger got

1452
01:07:00,360 --> 01:07:02,960
Speaker 1: to do knowing that that clock's gotta be like two

1453
01:07:03,000 --> 01:07:05,120
Speaker 1: to two point three seconds all game long.

1454
01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:07,960
Speaker 20: Yeah, for him, it's gonna come down to using this

1455
01:07:08,000 --> 01:07:10,960
Speaker 20: snap count as a weapon. Yes, An, it's big at home.

1456
01:07:11,240 --> 01:07:14,160
Speaker 20: Quick count, snap quick count, horror count. That's what you

1457
01:07:14,280 --> 01:07:17,400
Speaker 20: want to keep that defensive line of the Texans off

1458
01:07:17,480 --> 01:07:20,080
Speaker 20: balanced there. But again it's more it's important too to

1459
01:07:20,200 --> 01:07:22,200
Speaker 20: make sure that you don't get into a third long

1460
01:07:22,320 --> 01:07:26,200
Speaker 20: situation whereas obvious pass passing down. So that's gonna be

1461
01:07:26,280 --> 01:07:28,160
Speaker 20: something I'm gonna pay attention to because Aaron is one

1462
01:07:28,200 --> 01:07:29,680
Speaker 20: of the best at that hard count.

1463
01:07:30,320 --> 01:07:31,720
Speaker 1: Charlie, last one I've got for you.

1464
01:07:32,000 --> 01:07:33,840
Speaker 6: We'd be remiss if we didn't ask you about Cam

1465
01:07:33,920 --> 01:07:36,440
Speaker 6: Hayward named a second team All Pro today. Should have

1466
01:07:36,480 --> 01:07:38,560
Speaker 6: been first team, but we'll take it. Second team All

1467
01:07:38,640 --> 01:07:42,480
Speaker 6: Pro after an amazing season, thirty six years old, still.

1468
01:07:42,320 --> 01:07:42,960
Speaker 1: Doing his thing.

1469
01:07:43,760 --> 01:07:46,000
Speaker 6: I've been saying for a while that Cam Hayward's aging

1470
01:07:46,080 --> 01:07:48,360
Speaker 6: like a fine wine, but I think fine wine ages

1471
01:07:48,440 --> 01:07:49,280
Speaker 6: like Cam Hayward.

1472
01:07:50,120 --> 01:07:51,840
Speaker 1: It's unbelievable what he's done.

1473
01:07:51,880 --> 01:07:53,240
Speaker 6: I thought he was the best player on the field

1474
01:07:53,280 --> 01:07:56,160
Speaker 6: Sunday night against Baltimore, and I wouldn't be surprised if

1475
01:07:56,200 --> 01:07:57,360
Speaker 6: he did the same thing again on Monday.

1476
01:07:57,400 --> 01:07:59,520
Speaker 20: Now I agree with you there, and congratulations to Cam,

1477
01:07:59,600 --> 01:08:02,160
Speaker 20: because in second team All Pro a lot of people

1478
01:08:02,200 --> 01:08:03,720
Speaker 20: then expect it. But I'm like you, he should have

1479
01:08:03,760 --> 01:08:06,960
Speaker 20: been first but obviously didn't happen. But this guy here,

1480
01:08:07,040 --> 01:08:09,040
Speaker 20: he looks like you know, he's drinking out of that

1481
01:08:09,120 --> 01:08:12,160
Speaker 20: fountain of youth and keeping his body together. And coach

1482
01:08:12,200 --> 01:08:15,120
Speaker 20: Tomlin has done a really good job of making sure

1483
01:08:15,400 --> 01:08:17,479
Speaker 20: that he kept him fresh throughout the course of the

1484
01:08:17,560 --> 01:08:21,160
Speaker 20: week and needing him gearing up or ramping up to

1485
01:08:21,360 --> 01:08:24,080
Speaker 20: game day. And ultimately it is paying off because you're

1486
01:08:24,439 --> 01:08:26,960
Speaker 20: seeing the type of season that he is having up

1487
01:08:27,040 --> 01:08:29,240
Speaker 20: until this point. Anytime that he is one on one,

1488
01:08:29,280 --> 01:08:33,000
Speaker 20: he is dominating that matchup. And I will be shocked

1489
01:08:33,360 --> 01:08:35,240
Speaker 20: if they continue to line him up and not give

1490
01:08:35,439 --> 01:08:38,400
Speaker 20: help to that guard center when Cam Hayward is over

1491
01:08:38,479 --> 01:08:38,920
Speaker 20: top of him.

1492
01:08:39,520 --> 01:08:44,759
Speaker 6: Ladies and gentlemen, Steelers Legend, Charlie, beat up, Charlie.

1493
01:08:44,800 --> 01:08:46,200
Speaker 1: Thanks for stopping by and taking the time.

1494
01:08:46,280 --> 01:08:47,240
Speaker 5: Appreciate you, Thank you.

1495
01:08:47,560 --> 01:08:49,240
Speaker 6: We're gonna take a break. We will roll on here

1496
01:08:49,280 --> 01:08:51,880
Speaker 6: from Tequila Cowboy. When we return West Scheeler Tom off

1497
01:08:51,880 --> 01:08:54,000
Speaker 6: for a minutes. The Steelers Playoff Party presented by your

1498
01:08:54,000 --> 01:08:57,320
Speaker 6: neighborhood Ford Store on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers

1499
01:08:57,360 --> 01:08:58,120
Speaker 6: Audio Network.

1500
01:08:58,640 --> 01:09:02,080
Speaker 7: You're a home for the Steeler. He's the Pittsburgh Steelers

1501
01:09:02,200 --> 01:09:03,160
Speaker 7: Audio Network.

1502
01:19:48,840 --> 01:19:51,519
Speaker 3: Rogers gets a snap four man rush coming Rogers back

1503
01:19:51,640 --> 01:19:52,360
Speaker 3: Lofting look.

1504
01:19:52,320 --> 01:19:53,559
Speaker 1: Hut a man wide open.

1505
01:19:55,000 --> 01:19:59,920
Speaker 4: Touchdown Whitsburgh's Dealers with fifty five seconds a meating.

1506
01:20:02,120 --> 01:20:03,160
Speaker 1: Back at Tequila Cowboy.

1507
01:20:03,240 --> 01:20:06,519
Speaker 6: It's the Steelers playoff party presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.

1508
01:20:06,640 --> 01:20:08,560
Speaker 6: Was Shuler Tom of from in with you here for

1509
01:20:08,680 --> 01:20:11,080
Speaker 6: about another half an hour. As we are coming down

1510
01:20:11,080 --> 01:20:15,040
Speaker 6: the home stretch and getting ready for Steelers Texans Monday

1511
01:20:15,240 --> 01:20:19,000
Speaker 6: Night football. The Carolina Panthers hanging around. Seventeen to fourteen.

1512
01:20:19,160 --> 01:20:22,880
Speaker 6: Rams lead, but Carolina has the ball, and they're about

1513
01:20:22,880 --> 01:20:24,679
Speaker 6: to be more than hanging around. They might take the leader.

1514
01:20:24,720 --> 01:20:25,559
Speaker 6: They might take the lead.

1515
01:20:25,600 --> 01:20:27,839
Speaker 1: Here they're looking the part. They're looking the spoiler.

1516
01:20:27,960 --> 01:20:28,120
Speaker 6: Here.

1517
01:20:28,400 --> 01:20:30,240
Speaker 1: They've turned the ball over a couple times and are

1518
01:20:30,280 --> 01:20:33,799
Speaker 1: still only down three points. In this game. The Rams

1519
01:20:33,880 --> 01:20:37,760
Speaker 1: went for it. They were up fourteen to seven. They

1520
01:20:37,800 --> 01:20:39,920
Speaker 1: were going for a kill shot. Oh no, it was

1521
01:20:39,920 --> 01:20:42,439
Speaker 1: seventeen seven. They were going for a kill shot, go

1522
01:20:42,680 --> 01:20:45,360
Speaker 1: for it on fourth down. Unsuccessful in Panthers' territory. The

1523
01:20:45,439 --> 01:20:48,040
Speaker 1: momentum has turned since then, It certainly has. That's why

1524
01:20:48,080 --> 01:20:50,519
Speaker 1: you know everybody's so oh aggressive, aggressive, aggressive, And actually

1525
01:20:50,560 --> 01:20:52,400
Speaker 1: this kind of leads us into a Steelers topic. Okay,

1526
01:20:52,800 --> 01:20:56,000
Speaker 1: look at you so good, good at this radio stuff. Everybody,

1527
01:20:56,120 --> 01:20:57,600
Speaker 1: it's the new end thing, right, you got to go

1528
01:20:57,680 --> 01:20:59,040
Speaker 1: for it on fourth down. You got to use all

1529
01:20:59,120 --> 01:21:03,519
Speaker 1: four downy, you should go. That's the double edged sword there.

1530
01:21:03,640 --> 01:21:06,000
Speaker 1: Though right there, the momentum just goes right back to

1531
01:21:06,120 --> 01:21:08,519
Speaker 1: Carolina there. Maybe you kick that field goal, you just

1532
01:21:08,600 --> 01:21:12,080
Speaker 1: keep stacking three more points. They start feeling more deflated.

1533
01:21:12,400 --> 01:21:15,000
Speaker 1: And where this leads to the Steelers is that has

1534
01:21:15,080 --> 01:21:17,559
Speaker 1: been maybe the most drastic change I've seen in Mike

1535
01:21:17,600 --> 01:21:20,360
Speaker 1: Tomlins philosophy this year. And it wasn't even all year long.

1536
01:21:20,439 --> 01:21:22,880
Speaker 1: It was like, after the Bills game, they decided we're

1537
01:21:22,880 --> 01:21:24,840
Speaker 1: gonna be a go for it team on fourth down

1538
01:21:24,920 --> 01:21:27,639
Speaker 1: and they have not wavered from that point. And honestly,

1539
01:21:28,439 --> 01:21:30,280
Speaker 1: I like it. But now it's kind of like, be

1540
01:21:30,360 --> 01:21:32,160
Speaker 1: careful what you wish for for me, because there's times

1541
01:21:32,200 --> 01:21:33,479
Speaker 1: where I'm like tapping on the mat. I'm like, just

1542
01:21:33,560 --> 01:21:35,000
Speaker 1: kick a field goal now, I'm sorry, you proved it.

1543
01:21:35,120 --> 01:21:37,600
Speaker 1: Just you proved it to go for it. I know

1544
01:21:37,720 --> 01:21:40,439
Speaker 1: you can be aggressive, but they are aggressive now on

1545
01:21:40,600 --> 01:21:44,040
Speaker 1: fourth down. And overall, I really like that change in philosophy.

1546
01:21:44,080 --> 01:21:45,640
Speaker 1: I think Rogers has a lot to do with that too,

1547
01:21:45,960 --> 01:21:46,840
Speaker 1: absolutely does.

1548
01:21:47,160 --> 01:21:49,680
Speaker 6: And you know, I think the form of this to

1549
01:21:49,760 --> 01:21:51,559
Speaker 6: talk about, you know, to piggyback off something we talk

1550
01:21:51,640 --> 01:21:54,000
Speaker 6: with Charlie Batch. I think the form of the offensive

1551
01:21:54,040 --> 01:21:55,439
Speaker 6: line has played into that too.

1552
01:21:56,080 --> 01:21:56,320
Speaker 1: Tom.

1553
01:21:56,400 --> 01:21:57,800
Speaker 6: It was clear at the beginning of the season they

1554
01:21:57,800 --> 01:22:00,000
Speaker 6: didn't trust the offensive line, yea, and I understand it.

1555
01:22:00,280 --> 01:22:03,280
Speaker 6: They had so many Troy FALTONU for all intenses purposes.

1556
01:22:03,320 --> 01:22:05,519
Speaker 6: As a rookie PROGERC Jones is playing the left side

1557
01:22:05,560 --> 01:22:08,080
Speaker 6: for the first time. McCormick and Fraser are entering their

1558
01:22:08,120 --> 01:22:10,640
Speaker 6: second season. They've played less than twenty games in their

1559
01:22:10,760 --> 01:22:14,880
Speaker 6: NFL careers, but man, has that offensive line really started

1560
01:22:14,880 --> 01:22:17,240
Speaker 6: to come together and improve throughout the season, and especially

1561
01:22:17,320 --> 01:22:19,280
Speaker 6: you know, since about Thanksgiving, they've been one of the

1562
01:22:19,320 --> 01:22:23,639
Speaker 6: better units in the National Football League. Brandon Thorne, who's

1563
01:22:23,680 --> 01:22:27,559
Speaker 6: a former NFL offensive lineman who does NFL offensive line

1564
01:22:27,640 --> 01:22:30,320
Speaker 6: specific media. He's like one of the best guys to

1565
01:22:30,400 --> 01:22:33,720
Speaker 6: go to if you want offensive line analysis. He had

1566
01:22:33,760 --> 01:22:36,120
Speaker 6: the Steelers as the fourth best offensive line of the

1567
01:22:36,200 --> 01:22:38,920
Speaker 6: fourteen teams in the playoffs, and I think that's fair.

1568
01:22:39,040 --> 01:22:39,640
Speaker 1: I agree with that.

1569
01:22:39,800 --> 01:22:42,120
Speaker 6: He's a national guy with no ties to the Steelers.

1570
01:22:42,160 --> 01:22:43,840
Speaker 6: He's not a you know, a Black and Gold Homer

1571
01:22:43,920 --> 01:22:44,519
Speaker 6: or anything like that.

1572
01:22:44,880 --> 01:22:46,320
Speaker 1: I test tells you that, So.

1573
01:22:46,479 --> 01:22:49,799
Speaker 6: I think when you combine the necessity, because let's be honest,

1574
01:22:50,360 --> 01:22:53,559
Speaker 6: the Steelers did need to get there's a middle ground there.

1575
01:22:53,840 --> 01:22:55,960
Speaker 6: You don't just be aggressive twenty four to seven. You

1576
01:22:56,000 --> 01:22:58,680
Speaker 6: don't just be conservative twenty four to seven. All right,

1577
01:22:58,720 --> 01:23:00,880
Speaker 6: it's not a political election. You're not just you're not

1578
01:23:01,040 --> 01:23:03,720
Speaker 6: just going liberal or conservative here, no matter what, there

1579
01:23:03,800 --> 01:23:06,519
Speaker 6: is a middle ground, okay, And I think the Steelers

1580
01:23:06,560 --> 01:23:08,760
Speaker 6: have found that middle ground the right times, the right

1581
01:23:08,840 --> 01:23:10,920
Speaker 6: balance with the offensive line. I think some of the

1582
01:23:11,040 --> 01:23:13,200
Speaker 6: creativity stuff that they've been able to do off the

1583
01:23:13,240 --> 01:23:16,120
Speaker 6: push push, the Pittsburgh Plunge, the steel City shove, the

1584
01:23:16,200 --> 01:23:18,400
Speaker 6: Hayward heave, whatever we want to call it, they might

1585
01:23:18,439 --> 01:23:19,080
Speaker 6: be the most.

1586
01:23:18,920 --> 01:23:21,439
Speaker 1: Creative team out of the push push formation. The Eagles

1587
01:23:21,479 --> 01:23:24,439
Speaker 1: started doing creative things after they saw Arthur Smith and

1588
01:23:24,479 --> 01:23:26,160
Speaker 1: the offense do thing, which is awesome.

1589
01:23:26,200 --> 01:23:28,960
Speaker 6: From a Steelers standpoint, it's necessary because they're not as

1590
01:23:29,080 --> 01:23:31,479
Speaker 6: good at it, just straight up as true as the

1591
01:23:31,560 --> 01:23:35,640
Speaker 6: Eagles and the Buffalo Bills are. And there even are

1592
01:23:35,680 --> 01:23:37,479
Speaker 6: still some elements of it to drive me crazy, like

1593
01:23:37,520 --> 01:23:39,639
Speaker 6: I don't understand why Aaron Rodgers has to stand back

1594
01:23:39,680 --> 01:23:41,920
Speaker 6: there and point forward. I'll tell you why split him

1595
01:23:41,920 --> 01:23:43,920
Speaker 6: out wide as a wide receiver. Put somebody else in

1596
01:23:43,960 --> 01:23:46,439
Speaker 6: there who can block. They're gonna snap it straight to him.

1597
01:23:46,880 --> 01:23:48,320
Speaker 1: I don't know about to snap straight to him, but

1598
01:23:48,320 --> 01:23:51,559
Speaker 1: they're getting that ball to Aaron Rodgers somehow, some way,

1599
01:23:51,920 --> 01:23:54,719
Speaker 1: and DK Metcalf is going to be streaking. Pat Fryarmuth

1600
01:23:54,800 --> 01:23:56,639
Speaker 1: is going to be streaking down the middle of the field.

1601
01:23:56,760 --> 01:23:59,360
Speaker 1: I know that's there. That has to be there. What

1602
01:23:59,479 --> 01:24:01,439
Speaker 1: a game to break that out too. I'm thinking maybe

1603
01:24:01,479 --> 01:24:04,439
Speaker 1: it's Hayward takes the snap little action to Gainwell, like

1604
01:24:04,520 --> 01:24:07,000
Speaker 1: he does that sweep and then Gainwell does another lateral

1605
01:24:07,080 --> 01:24:09,120
Speaker 1: back to Rogers and it's on, baby, It's go time.

1606
01:24:09,400 --> 01:24:12,800
Speaker 6: Is that the Antoine Randall l trick play that the

1607
01:24:12,840 --> 01:24:15,600
Speaker 6: Steelers introduced in two thousand and five and route the

1608
01:24:15,640 --> 01:24:17,760
Speaker 6: Super Bowl forty postseason rink?

1609
01:24:18,400 --> 01:24:20,200
Speaker 1: I feel it in my bones. I think we're getting

1610
01:24:20,240 --> 01:24:22,920
Speaker 1: that wrinkle in this game. You have a feeling. Do

1611
01:24:23,000 --> 01:24:24,479
Speaker 1: you think it's to him? No, it's.

1612
01:24:26,080 --> 01:24:29,720
Speaker 6: It's because he's not If you put him on the

1613
01:24:29,800 --> 01:24:32,960
Speaker 6: field in those situations that it becomes blatantly obvious, you

1614
01:24:33,040 --> 01:24:34,439
Speaker 6: gotta get it. You gotta hit it with a big

1615
01:24:34,520 --> 01:24:36,960
Speaker 6: man that can at least faux block there for a

1616
01:24:37,080 --> 01:24:38,439
Speaker 6: second and draw in the defenders.

1617
01:24:38,560 --> 01:24:41,519
Speaker 1: It would be perfect for it. Actually, never mind, I

1618
01:24:41,560 --> 01:24:43,680
Speaker 1: take this backtrack. I was gonna say that, but I

1619
01:24:43,760 --> 01:24:45,400
Speaker 1: retracked it. You knew where I was going. But he's

1620
01:24:45,400 --> 01:24:46,760
Speaker 1: in the back. He would have been the push. They

1621
01:24:46,760 --> 01:24:47,519
Speaker 1: wouldn't have been able to do.

1622
01:24:47,560 --> 01:24:50,599
Speaker 6: Although I love Cam hay I love quite literally, Hey Philly,

1623
01:24:50,680 --> 01:24:53,040
Speaker 6: we quite literally have the brotherly shove now, oh no,

1624
01:24:53,520 --> 01:24:55,120
Speaker 6: And I know it didn't.

1625
01:24:55,120 --> 01:24:57,800
Speaker 1: Quote unquote work the first time they ran it with

1626
01:24:57,880 --> 01:25:01,519
Speaker 1: Tam Hayward. It was like one and a half that

1627
01:25:02,520 --> 01:25:04,479
Speaker 1: he didn't shove me, tackled out the yard, right.

1628
01:25:04,560 --> 01:25:06,000
Speaker 6: I think it was a little too long for them

1629
01:25:06,040 --> 01:25:07,640
Speaker 6: to call it the touch pups was that was the

1630
01:25:07,720 --> 01:25:10,000
Speaker 6: problem on the first one. But it's a great point

1631
01:25:10,040 --> 01:25:13,080
Speaker 6: by you, and that is listen, we I think we

1632
01:25:13,200 --> 01:25:16,400
Speaker 6: all that's another one of those like you gotta have

1633
01:25:16,520 --> 01:25:19,000
Speaker 6: reason for optimism that Monday Night is going to be

1634
01:25:19,160 --> 01:25:23,000
Speaker 6: different because the Steelers they've been less and less static

1635
01:25:23,080 --> 01:25:24,920
Speaker 6: in every regard than they have been in the past

1636
01:25:25,000 --> 01:25:28,080
Speaker 6: on offense, on defense, in terms of being aggressive on

1637
01:25:28,200 --> 01:25:30,600
Speaker 6: fourth downs, in terms of doing things like like a

1638
01:25:30,680 --> 01:25:33,400
Speaker 6: toush push, like a brotherly shove, like a Pittsburgh plunge

1639
01:25:34,640 --> 01:25:38,040
Speaker 6: it it has. It has been very encouraging to see

1640
01:25:38,120 --> 01:25:40,760
Speaker 6: they they've gotten more creative this year. They trust that

1641
01:25:40,840 --> 01:25:43,960
Speaker 6: offensive line, they trust Aaron Rodgers, and I think part

1642
01:25:44,000 --> 01:25:45,479
Speaker 6: of it too, they still have that trust for their

1643
01:25:45,520 --> 01:25:47,240
Speaker 6: defense of you know what, if we put our defense

1644
01:25:47,280 --> 01:25:49,400
Speaker 6: on a short field once or twice, they'll bail us out.

1645
01:25:49,439 --> 01:25:51,000
Speaker 1: They'll force a punt, they'll force a field goal.

1646
01:25:51,080 --> 01:25:53,320
Speaker 6: It won't It won't sink us like maybe it would

1647
01:25:53,320 --> 01:25:55,639
Speaker 6: have in the past, where you knew if your defense

1648
01:25:55,680 --> 01:25:57,240
Speaker 6: gave up twenty points, you were screwed.

1649
01:25:57,920 --> 01:25:59,360
Speaker 1: I want to stick with the offensive line for a

1650
01:25:59,400 --> 01:26:03,799
Speaker 1: little bit longer if I could, because Dylan Cook is phenomenal.

1651
01:26:03,920 --> 01:26:06,880
Speaker 1: There's no question about that. Right. He has been a

1652
01:26:07,040 --> 01:26:09,479
Speaker 1: revelation to this team. Who would have thought that he

1653
01:26:09,479 --> 01:26:11,599
Speaker 1: would have been as good as he is a fourth stringer,

1654
01:26:11,600 --> 01:26:13,680
Speaker 1: as a practice squad guy, having to come in and

1655
01:26:13,760 --> 01:26:17,360
Speaker 1: play left tackle. But I think because of that, because

1656
01:26:17,400 --> 01:26:19,720
Speaker 1: so many people look at Cook and say, wow, who

1657
01:26:19,800 --> 01:26:22,280
Speaker 1: saw this coming, they forget to give the flowers to

1658
01:26:22,400 --> 01:26:25,960
Speaker 1: Fatanu on the other side totally and no offense to Cook.

1659
01:26:26,040 --> 01:26:27,800
Speaker 1: I think Cook has earned himself some nice money in

1660
01:26:27,840 --> 01:26:29,679
Speaker 1: this league. I think he's earned himself a nice future

1661
01:26:29,760 --> 01:26:32,439
Speaker 1: in this league. Fatanu looks like he's gonna be an

1662
01:26:32,439 --> 01:26:34,200
Speaker 1: anchor that we all thought he would be when they

1663
01:26:34,280 --> 01:26:37,040
Speaker 1: drafted him in the first round. He I think in

1664
01:26:37,160 --> 01:26:40,200
Speaker 1: this game has to take one on one matchups, whether

1665
01:26:40,280 --> 01:26:42,760
Speaker 1: that's Anderson, whether that's Hunter, and a lot of the

1666
01:26:42,840 --> 01:26:50,639
Speaker 1: help has to go to Island. And I go back

1667
01:26:50,680 --> 01:26:53,320
Speaker 1: to the game against the Lions, they go up against

1668
01:26:53,400 --> 01:26:57,919
Speaker 1: Aiden Hutchinson, great pass rusher. I think hutch and Anderson

1669
01:26:58,040 --> 01:27:01,040
Speaker 1: really have next as far as the edge dude edge

1670
01:27:01,080 --> 01:27:04,360
Speaker 1: rushers Michael Parsons. But yeah, sure Mike is a little

1671
01:27:04,400 --> 01:27:05,680
Speaker 1: he's a little bit ahead of them.

1672
01:27:05,800 --> 01:27:06,000
Speaker 14: Yeah.

1673
01:27:07,320 --> 01:27:09,599
Speaker 1: Aiden Hutchinson a second team All Pro this year, Will

1674
01:27:09,680 --> 01:27:11,800
Speaker 1: Anderson a first team All Pro this year. Hutchinson had

1675
01:27:11,800 --> 01:27:15,519
Speaker 1: two sacks against the Steelers when they played the Lions.

1676
01:27:15,600 --> 01:27:16,920
Speaker 1: Don't know off the top of my head if that

1677
01:27:17,000 --> 01:27:20,160
Speaker 1: was on Fetana directly, but for the most part, I

1678
01:27:20,200 --> 01:27:22,520
Speaker 1: thought they did a great job. And I thought, more specifically,

1679
01:27:22,600 --> 01:27:25,479
Speaker 1: he did a great job on Aiden Hutchinson. So I've

1680
01:27:25,680 --> 01:27:29,840
Speaker 1: seen him be able to absorb a superstar pass rusher

1681
01:27:30,000 --> 01:27:32,800
Speaker 1: like that. Yeah, So I'm ready to see it again.

1682
01:27:32,880 --> 01:27:35,960
Speaker 1: And I have a lot of faith in Troy Fatanho

1683
01:27:36,000 --> 01:27:36,800
Speaker 1: heading into this game.

1684
01:27:37,640 --> 01:27:39,840
Speaker 6: I think we might be the way we talk about

1685
01:27:39,880 --> 01:27:42,439
Speaker 6: Pennay Soul and Lane Johnson and those guys. Now, I

1686
01:27:42,520 --> 01:27:44,960
Speaker 6: think we could be talking about Troy Foutanhu like that.

1687
01:27:45,160 --> 01:27:48,439
Speaker 6: Sooner rather than later. I'll reference Brandon Thorn again. Okay,

1688
01:27:48,600 --> 01:27:51,519
Speaker 6: he's the offensive line mastermind. I've got my guys, Tom,

1689
01:27:51,640 --> 01:27:54,280
Speaker 6: you know, I got Cody Alexander. When I want national

1690
01:27:54,479 --> 01:27:58,519
Speaker 6: neutral defensive analysis, Brandon Thorn for offensive line. Brandon Thorn

1691
01:27:58,640 --> 01:28:01,759
Speaker 6: does his own All Pro list for for the Trenches

1692
01:28:01,840 --> 01:28:03,519
Speaker 6: every year, and he goes three deep.

1693
01:28:03,720 --> 01:28:04,040
Speaker 1: Okay.

1694
01:28:04,960 --> 01:28:07,080
Speaker 6: And he had on his that came out just a

1695
01:28:07,120 --> 01:28:10,639
Speaker 6: few days ago. He had for his third team offensive

1696
01:28:10,680 --> 01:28:13,800
Speaker 6: line in the NFL, he had Zach Fraser is the center.

1697
01:28:14,160 --> 01:28:16,000
Speaker 6: He had Troy Falton, who is the right tax. Yeah,

1698
01:28:16,080 --> 01:28:18,360
Speaker 6: and he talked about it's tough sledding for these guys

1699
01:28:18,479 --> 01:28:22,400
Speaker 6: because because uh, you know, you got Creed Humphrey in

1700
01:28:22,439 --> 01:28:24,160
Speaker 6: front of you, if you're Zach Frasier and you have

1701
01:28:24,360 --> 01:28:26,759
Speaker 6: of course, now his name's escaping me. The Miami Dolphins

1702
01:28:26,800 --> 01:28:29,720
Speaker 6: center Brewer, yes, Aaron Brewer in front of him. And

1703
01:28:29,800 --> 01:28:32,040
Speaker 6: he's like, if you're Faltanu. He's like, Penay Soul and

1704
01:28:32,120 --> 01:28:34,000
Speaker 6: Lane Johnson are so established.

1705
01:28:33,560 --> 01:28:34,080
Speaker 1: And so good.

1706
01:28:34,360 --> 01:28:36,680
Speaker 6: He's like, but he's likely next. He was like in

1707
01:28:36,760 --> 01:28:39,600
Speaker 6: his podcast, he was like, Steelers fans be excited. He's like,

1708
01:28:39,640 --> 01:28:41,680
Speaker 6: because you've got you've got the two guys that are

1709
01:28:41,760 --> 01:28:42,240
Speaker 6: up next.

1710
01:28:42,320 --> 01:28:42,880
Speaker 1: You know what I mean.

1711
01:28:43,000 --> 01:28:45,680
Speaker 6: You've got I go third team for my list here

1712
01:28:45,760 --> 01:28:47,920
Speaker 6: for these purposes, and I've got those two as my

1713
01:28:48,000 --> 01:28:50,760
Speaker 6: third team guys. And they're both twenty four years old

1714
01:28:50,800 --> 01:28:52,160
Speaker 6: and going to be around for a long time.

1715
01:28:52,320 --> 01:28:52,400
Speaker 10: Now.

1716
01:28:52,439 --> 01:28:56,400
Speaker 1: If Atana has been unbelievable, and you know what I'll

1717
01:28:56,439 --> 01:28:59,479
Speaker 1: do it, I'll say I said about Aaron Donald, Yeah,

1718
01:28:59,520 --> 01:29:02,880
Speaker 1: you know going, Fraser's been great, especially in run block,

1719
01:29:03,479 --> 01:29:07,479
Speaker 1: and mccuarmick's been great. McCormick right side, the right side

1720
01:29:07,520 --> 01:29:10,320
Speaker 1: of that offensive line is set in stone for a

1721
01:29:10,400 --> 01:29:12,439
Speaker 1: while to come, I think, and I'm excited about it,

1722
01:29:13,240 --> 01:29:16,479
Speaker 1: and the left side has promise. I mean, I still

1723
01:29:16,479 --> 01:29:18,639
Speaker 1: don't want to pull the plug on Broderick Jones. Now,

1724
01:29:19,080 --> 01:29:21,479
Speaker 1: this is a big contract thing that we're gonna have

1725
01:29:21,520 --> 01:29:23,280
Speaker 1: to talk about all off season long on our shows.

1726
01:29:23,560 --> 01:29:26,240
Speaker 1: What they still got him for another regards? Yeah, but

1727
01:29:26,600 --> 01:29:28,479
Speaker 1: I still have a little bit of hope in him.

1728
01:29:28,520 --> 01:29:31,400
Speaker 1: Dylan Cook is encouraging. You can always go out and

1729
01:29:31,439 --> 01:29:32,960
Speaker 1: free agency, you can get in the draft again and

1730
01:29:33,040 --> 01:29:35,479
Speaker 1: go there. Spencer Anderson looks like he's ready to slide in.

1731
01:29:35,560 --> 01:29:37,160
Speaker 1: That's where I was going almost like, at least you

1732
01:29:37,240 --> 01:29:39,519
Speaker 1: look like you have an air apparent at your guard spot.

1733
01:29:40,120 --> 01:29:43,360
Speaker 1: So really the only question truly right now is your

1734
01:29:43,439 --> 01:29:46,320
Speaker 1: left tackle, and you might have the answer to that anyway.

1735
01:29:47,400 --> 01:29:50,479
Speaker 6: I think it's the best place I know. It's the

1736
01:29:50,520 --> 01:29:52,840
Speaker 6: best place the Steelers offensive line has been in since

1737
01:29:52,880 --> 01:29:55,960
Speaker 6: they had Pouncy and de Castro and Villanueva and Ramon

1738
01:29:56,080 --> 01:29:58,160
Speaker 6: Foster and Marcus Gilbert and all those guys playing in

1739
01:29:58,160 --> 01:30:00,240
Speaker 6: a Pro Bowl level. And they're ascending right now. They're

1740
01:30:00,280 --> 01:30:03,880
Speaker 6: all young sending together at the same time. Uh, I

1741
01:30:03,960 --> 01:30:06,559
Speaker 6: gotta be honest with you, Okay, confession time, safe space.

1742
01:30:06,680 --> 01:30:09,320
Speaker 6: Wherein's the trust tree right now? Yes, there was a

1743
01:30:09,400 --> 01:30:11,400
Speaker 6: stretch earlier this year that I was worried about Mason

1744
01:30:11,479 --> 01:30:16,240
Speaker 6: McCormick that like the early portion of the season Seattle,

1745
01:30:16,520 --> 01:30:20,760
Speaker 6: New England, Minnesota, some of those tough interiors, to say,

1746
01:30:20,920 --> 01:30:23,120
Speaker 6: some of the and and and and tough defensive lines.

1747
01:30:23,200 --> 01:30:25,320
Speaker 6: No doubt Seattle's is maybe the best in the league.

1748
01:30:25,320 --> 01:30:29,040
Speaker 6: For Patriots, they got, you know, Milton Williams's absolute monster,

1749
01:30:29,560 --> 01:30:31,960
Speaker 6: the Vikings and everything that they do with that defensive front,

1750
01:30:32,000 --> 01:30:33,920
Speaker 6: and the way that Flores has those guys coached done.

1751
01:30:33,960 --> 01:30:37,960
Speaker 1: I'm confusing, yes, and again it was reasonable.

1752
01:30:37,760 --> 01:30:40,120
Speaker 6: As ours our, as our dearly departed brother dal Lawley

1753
01:30:40,160 --> 01:30:41,639
Speaker 6: would say all the time. You know, guys are allowed

1754
01:30:41,680 --> 01:30:44,719
Speaker 6: to get better. Like Mason McCormick came into this season

1755
01:30:44,840 --> 01:30:48,080
Speaker 6: with eleven starts in his NFL career, twelve starts in

1756
01:30:48,120 --> 01:30:50,519
Speaker 6: his NFL career. But there was a time, I'll put

1757
01:30:50,560 --> 01:30:52,639
Speaker 6: my hand up, I'll confess I was a little worried

1758
01:30:52,960 --> 01:30:55,840
Speaker 6: about him and that potentially being a a bit of

1759
01:30:55,920 --> 01:30:58,120
Speaker 6: a albatross, a bit of a hole for the Steelers

1760
01:30:58,160 --> 01:30:58,800
Speaker 6: offensive line.

1761
01:30:59,000 --> 01:31:02,320
Speaker 1: He has come complete one eighty. He has been outstanding

1762
01:31:02,400 --> 01:31:05,680
Speaker 1: since about Halloween. Yeah, it's fair to admit that you

1763
01:31:05,760 --> 01:31:09,479
Speaker 1: were worried because North Dakota State boy, not the biggest school,

1764
01:31:09,800 --> 01:31:12,000
Speaker 1: you know, was kind of thrown into it last year,

1765
01:31:12,360 --> 01:31:14,360
Speaker 1: was not supposed to be the right guard. James Daniels

1766
01:31:14,400 --> 01:31:16,080
Speaker 1: gets hurt and then they have to throw him into

1767
01:31:16,120 --> 01:31:19,680
Speaker 1: the fire and he swims pretty well, and then he

1768
01:31:20,160 --> 01:31:23,160
Speaker 1: gets to come back and be the starter. Nailed on

1769
01:31:23,360 --> 01:31:26,680
Speaker 1: in training camp. I'm very pleased with the way that

1770
01:31:26,760 --> 01:31:29,439
Speaker 1: he's developed this year. And I won't lie to you.

1771
01:31:29,680 --> 01:31:31,840
Speaker 1: If we're looking at you know, from Fraser to the

1772
01:31:31,920 --> 01:31:34,519
Speaker 1: right and we're drafting, he's my last draft pick. You know,

1773
01:31:34,600 --> 01:31:36,560
Speaker 1: he is the quote unquote weakest link there on the

1774
01:31:36,640 --> 01:31:39,479
Speaker 1: right side of the offensive line. Right that's it. If

1775
01:31:39,720 --> 01:31:42,519
Speaker 1: Fraser's the third team All Pro and Fatan who's the

1776
01:31:42,560 --> 01:31:45,800
Speaker 1: third team All Pro. In some people's eyes, you might

1777
01:31:45,920 --> 01:31:48,600
Speaker 1: be one of the greatest rike guards in football, and

1778
01:31:48,720 --> 01:31:50,639
Speaker 1: you're still gonna be the weakest link on that right side.

1779
01:31:50,720 --> 01:31:53,839
Speaker 1: So that's encouraging to me as far as his development

1780
01:31:53,960 --> 01:31:56,679
Speaker 1: is concerned for a player that is, you know, lesser

1781
01:31:56,760 --> 01:31:58,439
Speaker 1: as far as the skill set is concerned. In the

1782
01:31:58,439 --> 01:32:01,720
Speaker 1: pedigree from college, you got two studs that are bookending you.

1783
01:32:02,080 --> 01:32:03,439
Speaker 1: And I'm not saying he needs the help, but the

1784
01:32:03,479 --> 01:32:04,120
Speaker 1: help's nice to have.

1785
01:32:04,520 --> 01:32:08,800
Speaker 6: Oh absolutely, it absolutely is. It's a it's a nice nest.

1786
01:32:09,200 --> 01:32:12,280
Speaker 6: That's the biggest thing. And I know this is projecting.

1787
01:32:12,360 --> 01:32:14,640
Speaker 6: This is another conversation for the off season, much like

1788
01:32:14,680 --> 01:32:18,160
Speaker 6: the Roger Jones one, but man don't you feel much

1789
01:32:18,200 --> 01:32:20,679
Speaker 6: better about going out and getting your when the Steelers

1790
01:32:21,080 --> 01:32:23,920
Speaker 6: they will have to whether it's in April, a few

1791
01:32:23,960 --> 01:32:25,960
Speaker 6: months from now, right here where we're at on the

1792
01:32:26,000 --> 01:32:28,160
Speaker 6: north shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when the draft will be

1793
01:32:28,200 --> 01:32:30,360
Speaker 6: held at the end of April, or it's next year

1794
01:32:30,680 --> 01:32:33,000
Speaker 6: in twenty twenty seven, in April, when the draft is

1795
01:32:33,120 --> 01:32:35,519
Speaker 6: in Las Vegas. So I forget where it is in

1796
01:32:35,520 --> 01:32:36,559
Speaker 6: twenty twenty seven, it doesn't matter.

1797
01:32:36,720 --> 01:32:38,880
Speaker 1: Sounds good to me Vegas. One of these one of these.

1798
01:32:38,840 --> 01:32:40,680
Speaker 6: Next two drafts, the Steelers are going to have to

1799
01:32:40,800 --> 01:32:42,360
Speaker 6: step up to the plate and take a swing on

1800
01:32:42,439 --> 01:32:45,240
Speaker 6: their next franchise quarterback. Once again, they're not gonna be

1801
01:32:45,280 --> 01:32:48,400
Speaker 6: able to do, you know, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields

1802
01:32:48,439 --> 01:32:51,160
Speaker 6: and Aaron Rodgers every single year. Eventually they are going

1803
01:32:51,240 --> 01:32:53,720
Speaker 6: to have to take a swing at drafting a guy.

1804
01:32:54,120 --> 01:32:55,840
Speaker 6: Don't you feel much better about the nest that that

1805
01:32:55,880 --> 01:32:56,880
Speaker 6: guy's landing in now?

1806
01:32:57,160 --> 01:32:57,639
Speaker 1: Absolutely?

1807
01:32:57,720 --> 01:33:00,599
Speaker 6: With this offensive line, with this run, with the guy

1808
01:33:00,680 --> 01:33:03,000
Speaker 6: like dk Metcalf who's still only twenty eight and gonna

1809
01:33:03,000 --> 01:33:04,479
Speaker 6: be playing at a high level for a few years.

1810
01:33:04,680 --> 01:33:07,120
Speaker 6: With a guy like Darnell Washington, who's gonna be around

1811
01:33:07,160 --> 01:33:11,639
Speaker 6: and continue to ascend, like when when the Steelers drafted

1812
01:33:11,720 --> 01:33:13,800
Speaker 6: Kenny Pickett and brought in Mitch Trubisky and hopes that

1813
01:33:13,920 --> 01:33:16,160
Speaker 6: one of them could be the long term franchise answer.

1814
01:33:16,439 --> 01:33:18,200
Speaker 6: Even a little bit last year with Justin Fields too,

1815
01:33:18,200 --> 01:33:20,599
Speaker 6: because he was still only twenty five years old. They

1816
01:33:20,640 --> 01:33:22,760
Speaker 6: didn't have that offensive line, they didn't have that nest

1817
01:33:22,880 --> 01:33:23,479
Speaker 6: built up.

1818
01:33:23,720 --> 01:33:24,800
Speaker 1: Like they do right now.

1819
01:33:25,200 --> 01:33:28,040
Speaker 6: It's a great place to drop your next twenty one,

1820
01:33:28,160 --> 01:33:30,200
Speaker 6: twenty two to twenty three year old quarterback that you're

1821
01:33:30,200 --> 01:33:32,439
Speaker 6: gonna try and develop into a franchise guy. I know

1822
01:33:32,520 --> 01:33:34,800
Speaker 6: that's more of an offseason conversation, but that's got me

1823
01:33:34,880 --> 01:33:35,879
Speaker 6: really excited about.

1824
01:33:35,640 --> 01:33:38,559
Speaker 1: This absolutely, and the nest isn't completed yet. I mean

1825
01:33:38,600 --> 01:33:41,439
Speaker 1: it's going in the right direction. You need another receiver though,

1826
01:33:41,479 --> 01:33:45,799
Speaker 1: that totally, that is a huge You need another stud

1827
01:33:45,880 --> 01:33:48,479
Speaker 1: wide receiver. You're gonna have maybe a number one, but

1828
01:33:48,600 --> 01:33:50,640
Speaker 1: I think that wide receiver might be coming in the

1829
01:33:50,760 --> 01:33:53,120
Speaker 1: draft this year. And you know, I hate to go

1830
01:33:53,280 --> 01:33:55,599
Speaker 1: to big picture here as we have this huge game

1831
01:33:55,760 --> 01:33:57,880
Speaker 1: looming right now on Monday. But because of the man

1832
01:33:57,960 --> 01:33:59,880
Speaker 1: that got us to this game on Monday, Aaron Rob

1833
01:34:01,120 --> 01:34:03,840
Speaker 1: you want him back next year, you feel comfortable doing

1834
01:34:03,880 --> 01:34:06,120
Speaker 1: that if he wants to come back and Wes, I

1835
01:34:06,160 --> 01:34:08,599
Speaker 1: could just see it really kind of falling into place

1836
01:34:08,680 --> 01:34:11,840
Speaker 1: perfectly for the Steelers. Where you draft a guy, maybe

1837
01:34:11,960 --> 01:34:13,760
Speaker 1: not in the first round, maybe someone slips into the

1838
01:34:13,800 --> 01:34:16,640
Speaker 1: second round here in Pittsburgh. This year, he hangs out

1839
01:34:16,680 --> 01:34:18,880
Speaker 1: behind Rogers for another season. You go on another nice

1840
01:34:18,880 --> 01:34:22,639
Speaker 1: playoff run, another nice division contention run with Rogers. Maybe

1841
01:34:22,640 --> 01:34:24,400
Speaker 1: the first round pick was a nice wide receiver to

1842
01:34:24,439 --> 01:34:27,120
Speaker 1: help coach Watt Rodgers back into the fold and help

1843
01:34:27,400 --> 01:34:30,400
Speaker 1: build that nest up even more. I mean, boy, it's

1844
01:34:30,479 --> 01:34:34,360
Speaker 1: crazy how I missed kick can really just that butterfly effect,

1845
01:34:34,520 --> 01:34:37,320
Speaker 1: unbelieve has changed so much. But it really has. As

1846
01:34:37,360 --> 01:34:39,720
Speaker 1: far as this game obviously coming up Monday, and then

1847
01:34:39,760 --> 01:34:41,840
Speaker 1: the outlook moving forward at that position.

1848
01:34:42,120 --> 01:34:44,439
Speaker 6: It's a game of inches, Tom, Yes, and that's why

1849
01:34:44,520 --> 01:34:46,920
Speaker 6: we love it so much. Let's take our last break

1850
01:34:47,000 --> 01:34:48,519
Speaker 6: here and we come back on the other side. We'll

1851
01:34:48,520 --> 01:34:50,840
Speaker 6: close things down. We'll catch up with Vince Williams. We'll

1852
01:34:50,840 --> 01:34:53,879
Speaker 6: give excited for that. You want to talk about playoff football.

1853
01:34:54,000 --> 01:34:56,960
Speaker 6: Some dude that lays the wood. That's Bence Williams right there.

1854
01:34:57,040 --> 01:35:00,280
Speaker 6: Bence Williams. You don't get the nickname Bence without without

1855
01:35:00,320 --> 01:35:03,160
Speaker 6: putting some people in the time. We'll wrap this thing

1856
01:35:03,240 --> 01:35:04,920
Speaker 6: up when we return on the other side. West Shouler,

1857
01:35:05,160 --> 01:35:07,759
Speaker 6: Tom Opferman Live on the North Shore at Tequila Cowboy.

1858
01:35:08,040 --> 01:35:10,760
Speaker 6: It's the Steelers Playoff Party, presented by your neighborhood Ford

1859
01:35:10,800 --> 01:35:14,080
Speaker 6: Store on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.

1860
01:35:14,560 --> 01:35:19,439
Speaker 7: Steelers Football happens here the Pittsburgh Steelers Audio Network.

1861
01:35:30,560 --> 01:35:33,800
Speaker 6: Back in Tequila Cowboy. Here on Steelers Nation Radio on

1862
01:35:33,840 --> 01:35:37,000
Speaker 6: the Steelers Audio Network. It is our Playoff Party, presented

1863
01:35:37,040 --> 01:35:39,679
Speaker 6: by your neighborhood Ford Store. West Shuoler and Tom Opferman

1864
01:35:40,000 --> 01:35:43,720
Speaker 6: with you here for one more segment as we continue

1865
01:35:43,800 --> 01:35:44,920
Speaker 6: to just take it all in.

1866
01:35:45,040 --> 01:35:46,440
Speaker 1: Here a great scene.

1867
01:35:46,600 --> 01:35:48,479
Speaker 6: All kinds of Steelers fans out on the North Shore

1868
01:35:48,520 --> 01:35:51,640
Speaker 6: at Tequila Cowboy as we are getting fired up and

1869
01:35:51,760 --> 01:35:54,439
Speaker 6: ready to go for Monday Night. And Tom, the Carolina

1870
01:35:54,479 --> 01:35:57,920
Speaker 6: Panthers have tied the La Rams seventeen seventeen in the.

1871
01:35:57,960 --> 01:35:59,720
Speaker 1: Final minutes of the third quarter. This one could be

1872
01:35:59,760 --> 01:36:03,240
Speaker 1: coming down there stretch here and Carolina is hitting hard

1873
01:36:03,479 --> 01:36:05,680
Speaker 1: right now. Forget that eight and nine record. They have

1874
01:36:05,800 --> 01:36:08,840
Speaker 1: been there, done that wells everybody was talking this up

1875
01:36:08,880 --> 01:36:11,120
Speaker 1: as that layup game in the first round because Carolina

1876
01:36:11,160 --> 01:36:12,640
Speaker 1: was eight and nine they lost last week to get in.

1877
01:36:12,720 --> 01:36:15,320
Speaker 1: And I was like yelling from the top of a mountain.

1878
01:36:16,000 --> 01:36:20,600
Speaker 1: That's mountain, the Rams just lost to Carolina in Carolina,

1879
01:36:20,720 --> 01:36:23,439
Speaker 1: like five weeks ago, when the Rams were playing pretty

1880
01:36:23,479 --> 01:36:26,439
Speaker 1: good football and they had Devon Dee Adams healthy. But

1881
01:36:26,560 --> 01:36:28,000
Speaker 1: no one wanted to listen to me. But here we

1882
01:36:28,080 --> 01:36:30,400
Speaker 1: are is the Panthers just forced potentially a big turnover

1883
01:36:30,479 --> 01:36:32,639
Speaker 1: note but a big stop, and they're tied going into

1884
01:36:32,640 --> 01:36:34,679
Speaker 1: the fourth quarter with the Rams. Tom was right again.

1885
01:36:34,720 --> 01:36:36,519
Speaker 6: I mean, of course, well, the Rams aren't field goal

1886
01:36:36,600 --> 01:36:38,479
Speaker 6: range here, so they could re block it, they could

1887
01:36:38,479 --> 01:36:39,439
Speaker 6: recapture the block it.

1888
01:36:39,600 --> 01:36:41,479
Speaker 1: But you're right, I didn't like to spread on this one.

1889
01:36:41,560 --> 01:36:43,720
Speaker 1: Ten and a half. I snatched that up big time

1890
01:36:43,760 --> 01:36:45,200
Speaker 1: for the Panthers. It's the playoff game.

1891
01:36:45,280 --> 01:36:48,040
Speaker 6: That's way that's way, way, way too much for a

1892
01:36:48,120 --> 01:36:51,360
Speaker 6: home game. And you know what, Oddly enough, there's a

1893
01:36:51,479 --> 01:36:54,720
Speaker 6: lot of home underdogs in the postseason. I know, and

1894
01:36:54,760 --> 01:36:57,760
Speaker 6: I want to gobble them all up. The Bears are

1895
01:36:57,800 --> 01:37:00,719
Speaker 6: two point underdogs at home time getting that one against

1896
01:37:00,720 --> 01:37:04,040
Speaker 6: the Packers and the of course in this one, home

1897
01:37:04,120 --> 01:37:05,040
Speaker 6: underdogs Packers.

1898
01:37:05,720 --> 01:37:07,800
Speaker 1: I took that one, and then the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh,

1899
01:37:09,560 --> 01:37:11,400
Speaker 1: I feel like cookie monster when it comes to that one.

1900
01:37:11,400 --> 01:37:13,519
Speaker 1: I can't get enough of Pittsburgh Steelers plus three in

1901
01:37:13,560 --> 01:37:16,920
Speaker 1: this one. They say, hungry dogs run faster, but home

1902
01:37:17,000 --> 01:37:19,439
Speaker 1: dogs hit harder. Love a home dog in the playoffs.

1903
01:37:19,479 --> 01:37:21,439
Speaker 1: A little sprinkle on the money line too with the home.

1904
01:37:21,360 --> 01:37:24,519
Speaker 6: Dog, I said, I said, home dogs, all right, Tom,

1905
01:37:24,560 --> 01:37:26,840
Speaker 6: before we get to Vince Williams here in just a

1906
01:37:26,960 --> 01:37:27,920
Speaker 6: few minutes.

1907
01:37:28,200 --> 01:37:31,760
Speaker 1: And close this thing. Don what a closer? Well, it's

1908
01:37:31,760 --> 01:37:32,439
Speaker 1: a great closer.

1909
01:37:32,560 --> 01:37:36,960
Speaker 6: I mean Mario de Rivera, Tom, I just wanted your

1910
01:37:37,040 --> 01:37:40,599
Speaker 6: quick thought prediction on on these other games. Packers Bears tonight.

1911
01:37:40,640 --> 01:37:41,040
Speaker 1: Who you got?

1912
01:37:41,080 --> 01:37:44,040
Speaker 6: By the way, we got a bit of a scenario here,

1913
01:37:44,040 --> 01:37:46,800
Speaker 6: a tequila cowboy. We got Bears fans on one side,

1914
01:37:47,120 --> 01:37:49,479
Speaker 6: we got Cowboys jersey on the other side. We could

1915
01:37:49,479 --> 01:37:54,040
Speaker 6: have a little bit of a fisticuff in the NFC

1916
01:37:54,200 --> 01:37:54,599
Speaker 6: North here.

1917
01:37:55,160 --> 01:37:57,160
Speaker 1: I love it. This is the place to be if

1918
01:37:57,160 --> 01:37:58,840
Speaker 1: you're gonna come out in a bout to watch some

1919
01:37:58,880 --> 01:38:05,600
Speaker 1: playoff footballers. Cowboy the best. I love the tension. I

1920
01:38:05,680 --> 01:38:08,320
Speaker 1: believe the Packers fan is wearing a Rodgers package jersey

1921
01:38:08,400 --> 01:38:11,920
Speaker 1: as well, So that's smart. Less you endear yourself to

1922
01:38:12,000 --> 01:38:13,920
Speaker 1: the locals here as a Packer, like, hey, we share

1923
01:38:14,000 --> 01:38:17,680
Speaker 1: this right, like these our guys, all these people got

1924
01:38:17,720 --> 01:38:21,160
Speaker 1: my back exactly. But in the game tonight, I just

1925
01:38:21,280 --> 01:38:24,800
Speaker 1: told you I'm kind of leaning on snatching gobbling up

1926
01:38:24,800 --> 01:38:28,120
Speaker 1: the Bears in those points. Everything screams the Bears should

1927
01:38:28,160 --> 01:38:29,840
Speaker 1: role in this game. They're a much better team than

1928
01:38:29,840 --> 01:38:31,400
Speaker 1: the Packers. They're playing a lot better than the Packers.

1929
01:38:31,439 --> 01:38:33,519
Speaker 1: But don't you you buy into the mystique, right like

1930
01:38:33,600 --> 01:38:36,000
Speaker 1: the bad juju of that helmet coming into Soldier field.

1931
01:38:36,080 --> 01:38:38,800
Speaker 1: Packers are so bang so bad, so banged up so bad.

1932
01:38:38,960 --> 01:38:40,880
Speaker 6: They of all the teams in the playoffs right now,

1933
01:38:40,920 --> 01:38:43,720
Speaker 6: they probably have the most injury concerns and injury absences

1934
01:38:43,760 --> 01:38:46,400
Speaker 6: of the team's still standing. Maybe San Francisco would be

1935
01:38:46,439 --> 01:38:48,920
Speaker 6: another one because San Francisco's defense is decimated, but they've

1936
01:38:48,920 --> 01:38:51,120
Speaker 6: been playing well with their injuries down the stretch, whereas

1937
01:38:51,120 --> 01:38:53,240
Speaker 6: the Packers have just been coughing and wheezing.

1938
01:38:53,240 --> 01:38:56,200
Speaker 1: They would play, they have, they know Tucker Craft parsons.

1939
01:38:56,320 --> 01:38:58,559
Speaker 1: They have the same amount of wins as the Lions

1940
01:38:58,600 --> 01:39:00,479
Speaker 1: and the Vikings who missed the playoff. They all had

1941
01:39:00,560 --> 01:39:02,360
Speaker 1: nine wins. They just had that tie fall in their

1942
01:39:02,360 --> 01:39:04,680
Speaker 1: favor against the Cowboys. I think the Bears are a

1943
01:39:04,720 --> 01:39:06,639
Speaker 1: better team. I think the Bears are a healthier team,

1944
01:39:07,000 --> 01:39:10,679
Speaker 1: much better team. I'm taking Chicago. I'm surprised that they're underdogs.

1945
01:39:10,880 --> 01:39:12,120
Speaker 1: It's because of that helmet thing.

1946
01:39:12,240 --> 01:39:16,040
Speaker 6: I understand it, but I'm surprised. Tomorrow in Jacksonville, the

1947
01:39:16,200 --> 01:39:19,040
Speaker 6: Jags favored by one point, basically a pick them against

1948
01:39:19,040 --> 01:39:19,400
Speaker 6: the Bills.

1949
01:39:19,479 --> 01:39:22,479
Speaker 1: You see, everything tells me I should gobble up the

1950
01:39:22,560 --> 01:39:25,120
Speaker 1: Jags in that one. Like everything's kind of pointing towards them.

1951
01:39:25,160 --> 01:39:28,200
Speaker 1: They're playing great football right now. For Josh Allen, that's it.

1952
01:39:28,600 --> 01:39:30,840
Speaker 1: I don't think Superman loses in round one. I think

1953
01:39:30,920 --> 01:39:33,240
Speaker 1: Dalton kin K literally said that quote on Good Morning

1954
01:39:33,280 --> 01:39:35,760
Speaker 1: Football earlier this week. Superman's gonna put his cape on

1955
01:39:36,360 --> 01:39:40,280
Speaker 1: for Sunday in Jacksonville. I can't see him losing in

1956
01:39:40,400 --> 01:39:42,760
Speaker 1: the first round. I kind of see him going on

1957
01:39:42,840 --> 01:39:45,720
Speaker 1: a Superman run to the super Bowl right now. So

1958
01:39:45,840 --> 01:39:48,360
Speaker 1: I'll take the Bills, but this is a tricky spot

1959
01:39:48,400 --> 01:39:50,680
Speaker 1: for them. It's gonna come down to the wire. But

1960
01:39:50,800 --> 01:39:52,600
Speaker 1: he's gonna meet the moment, and he's gonna come up

1961
01:39:52,640 --> 01:39:53,960
Speaker 1: with a big win to start their run.

1962
01:39:54,360 --> 01:39:55,800
Speaker 6: I think it might. The weird part of me thinks

1963
01:39:55,840 --> 01:39:58,960
Speaker 6: it might be Buffalo's year. But I said that yesterday

1964
01:39:59,000 --> 01:40:01,040
Speaker 6: about Oregon and then they and lost to Indiana by

1965
01:40:01,080 --> 01:40:01,920
Speaker 6: five hundred points.

1966
01:40:01,960 --> 01:40:03,320
Speaker 1: So don't listen. I don't see how you can think

1967
01:40:03,360 --> 01:40:05,599
Speaker 1: it was anybody but Indian. Don't listen. There a machine.

1968
01:40:05,720 --> 01:40:08,479
Speaker 6: Don't listen to me. Biggest spread of tomorrow tom is

1969
01:40:08,560 --> 01:40:12,000
Speaker 6: in Philadelphia. Across the commonwealth here in Pennsylvania, Eagles Niners.

1970
01:40:12,040 --> 01:40:13,760
Speaker 6: We've seen this match up a bunch of times lately

1971
01:40:13,840 --> 01:40:17,360
Speaker 6: and it's almost always gone Philly's way. They're six point

1972
01:40:17,400 --> 01:40:18,680
Speaker 6: favorites over the Niners at home.

1973
01:40:19,200 --> 01:40:22,280
Speaker 1: You know, that's a back spread that has been climbing,

1974
01:40:22,360 --> 01:40:23,560
Speaker 1: like I think it opened at like three and a

1975
01:40:23,600 --> 01:40:25,599
Speaker 1: half four, and then it was five, then it was six.

1976
01:40:25,640 --> 01:40:26,920
Speaker 1: I think I saw I get up to seven at

1977
01:40:26,960 --> 01:40:28,720
Speaker 1: one point. Now it's kind of settling into that six

1978
01:40:28,800 --> 01:40:31,840
Speaker 1: and a half six range. I will definitely take the points.

1979
01:40:31,880 --> 01:40:33,800
Speaker 1: I would definitely take the San Francisco forty nine ers.

1980
01:40:33,920 --> 01:40:37,200
Speaker 1: First spread is concerned, but my Super Bowl prediction is

1981
01:40:37,240 --> 01:40:39,320
Speaker 1: Bill's Eagles. I think that's what's gonna play out.

1982
01:40:39,520 --> 01:40:39,720
Speaker 12: Yeah.

1983
01:40:39,880 --> 01:40:42,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the Eagles defense is just so good.

1984
01:40:42,680 --> 01:40:44,599
Speaker 1: But you look at the NFC and all those offenses

1985
01:40:44,640 --> 01:40:46,800
Speaker 1: and all those quarterbacks, and everybody's excited for them, that

1986
01:40:46,920 --> 01:40:48,640
Speaker 1: the best defense in that side of the bracket's just

1987
01:40:48,680 --> 01:40:51,840
Speaker 1: gonna wreck everything for everybody, and it hurts. I think

1988
01:40:51,880 --> 01:40:54,479
Speaker 1: he's a big time player as far as moments is concerned.

1989
01:40:54,640 --> 01:40:57,280
Speaker 1: I think he's gonna hit good passing games out of nowhere.

1990
01:40:57,840 --> 01:40:59,800
Speaker 1: And I think they're gonna rediscover Saquon a little bit

1991
01:40:59,800 --> 01:41:02,960
Speaker 1: more as the playoffs start. I I they better. They

1992
01:41:03,000 --> 01:41:04,679
Speaker 1: might be just one of those teams now West the Eagles,

1993
01:41:04,720 --> 01:41:08,080
Speaker 1: which we know just survive right the regular season and

1994
01:41:08,120 --> 01:41:09,400
Speaker 1: now it's the real season for us.

1995
01:41:09,680 --> 01:41:11,960
Speaker 6: Of all the teams in the postseason picture, they're the

1996
01:41:12,040 --> 01:41:15,599
Speaker 6: one that I give the most credit. Like, if you're

1997
01:41:15,600 --> 01:41:17,559
Speaker 6: gonna say I trust one of these teams to flip

1998
01:41:17,600 --> 01:41:19,600
Speaker 6: a switch, it's obviously the Eagles, who have been to

1999
01:41:19,640 --> 01:41:21,760
Speaker 6: two of the last three Super Bowls, and of course

2000
01:41:21,840 --> 01:41:26,840
Speaker 6: are the reigning champions. Finally, tom Sunday Night in Foxboro, Boo,

2001
01:41:27,800 --> 01:41:30,559
Speaker 6: the New England Patriots host the Chargers New England three

2002
01:41:30,560 --> 01:41:33,280
Speaker 6: and a half point favorites. This one's a little surprising

2003
01:41:33,320 --> 01:41:35,479
Speaker 6: to me that that number is not closer to five

2004
01:41:35,600 --> 01:41:38,840
Speaker 6: or six. Agreed, I want to pick the Chargers in

2005
01:41:38,880 --> 01:41:39,200
Speaker 6: this game.

2006
01:41:39,280 --> 01:41:42,080
Speaker 1: They're just so banged up. That offensive line just isn't

2007
01:41:42,080 --> 01:41:43,840
Speaker 1: gonna be able to block anybody. I don't think I

2008
01:41:43,920 --> 01:41:47,120
Speaker 1: give Herbert a ton of credit. Yeah, he's been able

2009
01:41:47,320 --> 01:41:49,960
Speaker 1: to gut through it. I will say this, though, there

2010
01:41:50,040 --> 01:41:52,760
Speaker 1: is a lot of assuming being done in New England that, like,

2011
01:41:53,240 --> 01:41:55,799
Speaker 1: I think they're feeling those vibes from the old regime

2012
01:41:55,920 --> 01:41:58,960
Speaker 1: still where it's like walk to the AFC Championship Game.

2013
01:41:59,080 --> 01:42:02,400
Speaker 1: It's a given. It's our birthright every year. And maybe

2014
01:42:02,479 --> 01:42:04,880
Speaker 1: that is the case. Now maybe Rabel and Drake may

2015
01:42:04,920 --> 01:42:09,120
Speaker 1: are gonna have that similar It's possible. We gotta see

2016
01:42:09,160 --> 01:42:12,800
Speaker 1: it happen first, So don't just assume New England that,

2017
01:42:12,920 --> 01:42:15,599
Speaker 1: like you're gonna cake walk through the Chargers and then

2018
01:42:15,720 --> 01:42:18,720
Speaker 1: waltz your way into the AFC Championship Game. This could

2019
01:42:18,760 --> 01:42:22,000
Speaker 1: be a lot trickier than you think. Ben Roethlisberger phenomenal

2020
01:42:22,080 --> 01:42:24,439
Speaker 1: rookie season. Now this is Drake may second year, but

2021
01:42:25,000 --> 01:42:26,920
Speaker 1: Ben's first trip to the playoffs was his rookie year.

2022
01:42:26,960 --> 01:42:29,720
Speaker 1: Drake May's first trip to the playoffs this year. Phenomenal

2023
01:42:29,800 --> 01:42:32,120
Speaker 1: rookie season from Ben. He gets to the playoffs and

2024
01:42:32,560 --> 01:42:34,840
Speaker 1: it wasn't too big for him, but he felt that

2025
01:42:35,000 --> 01:42:37,240
Speaker 1: stage and he wasn't as impressive as he was in

2026
01:42:37,360 --> 01:42:41,320
Speaker 1: the regular season. That's an absolute possibility for Drake May

2027
01:42:41,400 --> 01:42:43,200
Speaker 1: when he runs out of that tunnel one Sunday night.

2028
01:42:45,080 --> 01:42:46,639
Speaker 1: Would you rather who would you rather.

2029
01:42:48,400 --> 01:42:54,320
Speaker 6: Two highly capable, highly talented, highly touted quarterbacks. Would you

2030
01:42:54,560 --> 01:42:56,920
Speaker 6: put your faith more in Kayleb Williams or Drake May

2031
01:42:57,120 --> 01:42:57,679
Speaker 6: this weekend?

2032
01:42:58,439 --> 01:43:01,600
Speaker 1: I'm a Kayleb Williams guy. He just seems to be like,

2033
01:43:02,439 --> 01:43:05,120
Speaker 1: if there's a quarterback that could ascend to being kind

2034
01:43:05,160 --> 01:43:08,639
Speaker 1: of mahomesy ish right now in the NFL, it's Caleb Williams.

2035
01:43:08,720 --> 01:43:10,519
Speaker 1: In my book, he can just do things that are

2036
01:43:10,600 --> 01:43:16,000
Speaker 1: just so incredible that accuracy needs to get better completion percentage'es,

2037
01:43:16,160 --> 01:43:17,599
Speaker 1: but it needs to be a little bit more efficient.

2038
01:43:18,240 --> 01:43:20,920
Speaker 1: But I love the way he's developing now in year two,

2039
01:43:21,080 --> 01:43:25,240
Speaker 1: and I think he is There's a chance that he

2040
01:43:25,400 --> 01:43:27,599
Speaker 1: and Ben Johnson in this first year do something crazy

2041
01:43:27,640 --> 01:43:28,479
Speaker 1: and just rip through the.

2042
01:43:28,600 --> 01:43:31,639
Speaker 6: NFC, which would be unbelievable and they have the offensive

2043
01:43:31,680 --> 01:43:34,200
Speaker 6: line to do that. I think part of the reason

2044
01:43:34,320 --> 01:43:38,400
Speaker 6: why the Ravens fired John Harbaugh is because they looked

2045
01:43:38,400 --> 01:43:40,680
Speaker 6: around at the at the playoff picture and all these

2046
01:43:40,760 --> 01:43:42,719
Speaker 6: first year coaches that are having a ton of success

2047
01:43:42,880 --> 01:43:45,479
Speaker 6: with their team. They're looking at Ben Johnson and what

2048
01:43:45,560 --> 01:43:47,720
Speaker 6: he's done for Caleb Williams and the Bears. They're looking

2049
01:43:47,760 --> 01:43:50,360
Speaker 6: at Liam Cohen what he's done for Trevor Lawrence and

2050
01:43:50,439 --> 01:43:52,080
Speaker 6: the Jags, and they're going, we can go hire that

2051
01:43:52,120 --> 01:43:54,439
Speaker 6: next guy and he'll take Lamar to another level, and

2052
01:43:54,479 --> 01:43:56,120
Speaker 6: we'll be right back in the postseason, right back where

2053
01:43:56,160 --> 01:43:58,280
Speaker 6: we belong next year. I just don't know if that

2054
01:43:58,360 --> 01:44:01,439
Speaker 6: guy exists in this year's coach and crop, that young

2055
01:44:01,720 --> 01:44:05,120
Speaker 6: ascending offensive genius like you had Ben Johnson and Liam

2056
01:44:05,200 --> 01:44:06,400
Speaker 6: Cohen last year.

2057
01:44:06,800 --> 01:44:09,639
Speaker 1: Last year's cycle was way superior to this year's cycles.

2058
01:44:10,120 --> 01:44:12,920
Speaker 1: The coaching moves are concerned, but there is one that

2059
01:44:13,080 --> 01:44:15,280
Speaker 1: came available that kind of fits that bill. As far

2060
01:44:15,320 --> 01:44:17,759
Speaker 1: as the up and coming offensive forward mind thinking genius,

2061
01:44:17,880 --> 01:44:21,000
Speaker 1: Mike McDaniel is still that. Yeah, a good call. I

2062
01:44:21,120 --> 01:44:22,680
Speaker 1: don't know if he is a head coach or not,

2063
01:44:23,000 --> 01:44:26,439
Speaker 1: or maybe just the best offensive to be a head coach,

2064
01:44:26,479 --> 01:44:28,400
Speaker 1: But I think he wants another try at it, and

2065
01:44:28,560 --> 01:44:30,200
Speaker 1: I think he wants another try at least getting that

2066
01:44:30,280 --> 01:44:33,200
Speaker 1: paycheck that comes with being a head coach. But let

2067
01:44:33,280 --> 01:44:34,840
Speaker 1: me put it this way, he'll be in the league forever,

2068
01:44:35,120 --> 01:44:38,160
Speaker 1: and teams there's about five or six teams that shouldn't

2069
01:44:38,160 --> 01:44:40,920
Speaker 1: fire their offensive coordinator for Mike McDaniel, if he wants

2070
01:44:40,920 --> 01:44:43,160
Speaker 1: to go that route to become the coordinator. Sure, sure,

2071
01:44:43,600 --> 01:44:44,280
Speaker 1: I'm with you on that.

2072
01:44:44,439 --> 01:44:46,479
Speaker 6: It'll be interesting to see what happens with the Browns

2073
01:44:46,520 --> 01:44:48,480
Speaker 6: and their vacancy with Stefanski.

2074
01:44:48,920 --> 01:44:51,200
Speaker 1: Harbaugh as well. We got two and apparently he was

2075
01:44:51,200 --> 01:44:53,400
Speaker 1: interviewing with the Browns too. Amazing would that be?

2076
01:44:53,600 --> 01:44:55,559
Speaker 6: How great would it be if the Browns hired Harball

2077
01:44:55,680 --> 01:44:58,559
Speaker 6: and the Ravens hired Stefanski. They just did wife swap

2078
01:44:59,000 --> 01:45:03,120
Speaker 6: with their head coaches and division Baltimore gets Stefanski, Harbaugh

2079
01:45:03,200 --> 01:45:05,600
Speaker 6: goes to Cleveland, and those guys get to get to

2080
01:45:05,720 --> 01:45:08,280
Speaker 6: match up against each other twice a year. That would

2081
01:45:08,320 --> 01:45:12,479
Speaker 6: be just absolute cinema if you ask me. But good

2082
01:45:12,560 --> 01:45:15,840
Speaker 6: slate of games tomorrow. Tom We've still got Green Bay

2083
01:45:16,000 --> 01:45:19,800
Speaker 6: and Chicago on tap for tonight. The Rams did take

2084
01:45:19,960 --> 01:45:21,920
Speaker 6: a lead they kick the field goals, So they are

2085
01:45:22,000 --> 01:45:24,960
Speaker 6: back in the lead twenty to seventeen, third quarter, just

2086
01:45:25,040 --> 01:45:25,880
Speaker 6: about to wrap up.

2087
01:45:25,880 --> 01:45:29,640
Speaker 1: In that one. Yep. And you know, the Panthers I

2088
01:45:29,760 --> 01:45:31,600
Speaker 1: think have done a lot on offense. It gives you

2089
01:45:31,680 --> 01:45:33,360
Speaker 1: faith that you know they can come back down in

2090
01:45:33,400 --> 01:45:35,880
Speaker 1: the field and answer this this this game is gonna

2091
01:45:35,880 --> 01:45:39,320
Speaker 1: come down to the stretch here, and this always happens.

2092
01:45:39,360 --> 01:45:41,640
Speaker 1: I feel like, I feel like everybody always just goes Oh,

2093
01:45:41,840 --> 01:45:44,360
Speaker 1: the eight and nine team host of the playoff game,

2094
01:45:44,400 --> 01:45:46,400
Speaker 1: They're just gonna get rolled. This is stupid. We got

2095
01:45:46,520 --> 01:45:49,080
Speaker 1: to reseed, we gotta just do you know, no divisions.

2096
01:45:49,439 --> 01:45:51,479
Speaker 1: And then that eight nine team always puts up a

2097
01:45:51,520 --> 01:45:55,080
Speaker 1: great fight or shoot, sometimes that eight and nine team

2098
01:45:55,160 --> 01:45:57,599
Speaker 1: just straight up goes out and wins this football game.

2099
01:45:57,960 --> 01:46:00,120
Speaker 1: Beast quake. They were an eight and nine team the

2100
01:46:00,160 --> 01:46:02,439
Speaker 1: Seattle Seahawks that year when they beat Drew Brees in

2101
01:46:02,520 --> 01:46:05,200
Speaker 1: the New Orleans Saints. So, uh, I don't want to

2102
01:46:05,240 --> 01:46:10,160
Speaker 1: say I'm surprised by what's happening here in Carolina, but

2103
01:46:11,600 --> 01:46:13,839
Speaker 1: I did think the Rams were Super Bowl contenders.

2104
01:46:13,960 --> 01:46:14,400
Speaker 5: I still do.

2105
01:46:14,760 --> 01:46:16,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think they'll still win this game. Yeah, I

2106
01:46:16,720 --> 01:46:19,800
Speaker 1: think so. It's Safford's just gonna clutch up I think,

2107
01:46:19,840 --> 01:46:20,920
Speaker 1: and make sure he gets it done.

2108
01:46:21,560 --> 01:46:24,200
Speaker 6: The the playoff blowout, even when it is one that

2109
01:46:24,400 --> 01:46:26,880
Speaker 6: is a is lopside of a matchup on paper, is

2110
01:46:26,920 --> 01:46:29,360
Speaker 6: this one is still rare?

2111
01:46:29,560 --> 01:46:30,080
Speaker 1: Is still rare?

2112
01:46:30,120 --> 01:46:31,560
Speaker 6: And I tell you what if you're if you're a

2113
01:46:31,600 --> 01:46:34,000
Speaker 6: Panthers fan, they're another one that seems like they It's

2114
01:46:34,040 --> 01:46:35,960
Speaker 6: another example that I should throw in there for Baltimore.

2115
01:46:35,960 --> 01:46:37,920
Speaker 6: I know they only won eight nine, but first year

2116
01:46:37,960 --> 01:46:40,960
Speaker 6: head coach quarterbacks looking better, go to the play you know,

2117
01:46:41,000 --> 01:46:43,640
Speaker 6: win your division, go to the postseason. It has been

2118
01:46:43,640 --> 01:46:45,320
Speaker 6: an interesting year for that, a lot of first year

2119
01:46:45,400 --> 01:46:50,000
Speaker 6: coaches having success in the National Football League now uh

2120
01:46:50,200 --> 01:46:51,800
Speaker 6: this season and we're going to see a lot of

2121
01:46:51,880 --> 01:46:53,040
Speaker 6: those play out tonight.

2122
01:46:53,200 --> 01:46:55,000
Speaker 1: Would you go with Coach of the year in that vein?

2123
01:46:55,160 --> 01:46:55,320
Speaker 11: Oh?

2124
01:46:55,320 --> 01:46:56,960
Speaker 1: Who would you give that? I think that's that is

2125
01:46:57,040 --> 01:47:00,479
Speaker 1: one of the more always a tough competition debates. I

2126
01:47:00,560 --> 01:47:02,280
Speaker 1: think is is on the coach side of things. The

2127
01:47:02,400 --> 01:47:05,120
Speaker 1: MVP is of two horse race. It's May and Stafford.

2128
01:47:05,840 --> 01:47:08,000
Speaker 1: Defense Player of the Year is locked up. That's gonna

2129
01:47:08,000 --> 01:47:13,320
Speaker 1: be Garrett obviously, is Opoy in jigma or I think

2130
01:47:13,320 --> 01:47:14,880
Speaker 1: it's one of those horse race.

2131
01:47:16,600 --> 01:47:21,080
Speaker 6: Probably wo is kind of the the sex of your

2132
01:47:21,120 --> 01:47:23,320
Speaker 6: household name amongst you know, amongst NFL.

2133
01:47:23,120 --> 01:47:25,599
Speaker 1: Media, Tetra McMillan is gonna be offensive Rookie of the year,

2134
01:47:25,680 --> 01:47:28,000
Speaker 1: correct defensive Rookie of the year. That's an interest. Car

2135
01:47:28,240 --> 01:47:31,160
Speaker 1: Swessinger probably Sweateringer. In Cleveland, they're gonna have the defensive

2136
01:47:31,240 --> 01:47:33,000
Speaker 1: it's the year and the defensive Rookie of the Year

2137
01:47:33,040 --> 01:47:33,599
Speaker 1: in Cleveland.

2138
01:47:33,800 --> 01:47:38,280
Speaker 6: It's it's an underwhelming UH rookie class on both sides

2139
01:47:38,320 --> 01:47:39,320
Speaker 6: for offensive and defense.

2140
01:47:39,600 --> 01:47:42,200
Speaker 1: I'd say coaches the big like, we've got a wide

2141
01:47:42,320 --> 01:47:44,120
Speaker 1: field of people that could win it. Like there are

2142
01:47:44,240 --> 01:47:46,479
Speaker 1: seven horses potentially in this race. Because you've got the

2143
01:47:46,840 --> 01:47:50,840
Speaker 1: new guys, right, You've got the Cohen's and Rabel's not

2144
01:47:50,880 --> 01:47:52,920
Speaker 1: a new guy, but new in New England. You got

2145
01:47:52,960 --> 01:47:57,040
Speaker 1: Ben Johnson, you got some of this fresh blood that

2146
01:47:57,280 --> 01:48:00,439
Speaker 1: is there now, and then you got kind of the

2147
01:48:00,479 --> 01:48:05,000
Speaker 1: old stalwarts that have overachieved based on injuries. Kyle Shanahan

2148
01:48:05,200 --> 01:48:07,240
Speaker 1: is the one that comes to mind. You know who,

2149
01:48:07,560 --> 01:48:10,680
Speaker 1: I forgot him and everybody forgets him. Mike McDaniel and

2150
01:48:11,680 --> 01:48:13,640
Speaker 1: h Or mc macdonald'll excuse me, and see I get

2151
01:48:13,720 --> 01:48:16,120
Speaker 1: McDaniel McDonald makes up so many they're too close, too

2152
01:48:16,160 --> 01:48:20,400
Speaker 1: close McDonald Don Daniels Seattle maybe should be the coach

2153
01:48:20,439 --> 01:48:22,439
Speaker 1: of these maybe, I mean, I don't think he's gonna

2154
01:48:22,479 --> 01:48:24,040
Speaker 1: win it, though, I think it's gonna go to either

2155
01:48:24,120 --> 01:48:27,879
Speaker 1: Johnson or Verybell. I think it should go to Ben Johnson.

2156
01:48:28,280 --> 01:48:28,920
Speaker 1: I would like that.

2157
01:48:29,200 --> 01:48:32,360
Speaker 6: I Vrabel Hey certainly would be a deserving candidate with

2158
01:48:32,400 --> 01:48:34,439
Speaker 6: what they've done. But the Bears were such a mess

2159
01:48:34,600 --> 01:48:36,720
Speaker 6: for so long. I realized the Patriots were a mess

2160
01:48:36,760 --> 01:48:39,000
Speaker 6: for the last two or three years, but the Bears

2161
01:48:39,040 --> 01:48:42,080
Speaker 6: were such a mess for so long. Tom Everyone was

2162
01:48:42,120 --> 01:48:44,600
Speaker 6: calling Caleb Williams a bust after his rookie season, like

2163
01:48:44,640 --> 01:48:46,280
Speaker 6: you can't win with this guy. He's got so many

2164
01:48:46,360 --> 01:48:48,840
Speaker 6: bad habits. He takes away too many sacks, he's way

2165
01:48:48,840 --> 01:48:51,760
Speaker 6: too careless with the ball. And to now where if

2166
01:48:51,800 --> 01:48:54,400
Speaker 6: you and I were to play the game of list

2167
01:48:54,479 --> 01:48:56,439
Speaker 6: all the quarterbacks that you would like to start building

2168
01:48:56,520 --> 01:48:59,280
Speaker 6: your your your franchise around right now, he would be

2169
01:48:59,360 --> 01:49:02,400
Speaker 6: firmly in that conversation. In just one year in a

2170
01:49:02,640 --> 01:49:05,720
Speaker 6: really good division, you know, not that Hey, I know

2171
01:49:06,160 --> 01:49:08,360
Speaker 6: Vrabel's in a division with with the Buffalo Bill is

2172
01:49:08,360 --> 01:49:10,720
Speaker 6: a good division too, But I would say both are

2173
01:49:10,760 --> 01:49:13,000
Speaker 6: deserving candidates, But I give the slight edge to Ben

2174
01:49:13,120 --> 01:49:16,479
Speaker 6: Johnson because I think he's just it's been a little

2175
01:49:16,520 --> 01:49:18,599
Speaker 6: bit more of a monumental task to get that thing

2176
01:49:18,680 --> 01:49:20,640
Speaker 6: turned around, a little bit better of a division, a

2177
01:49:20,640 --> 01:49:21,599
Speaker 6: little bit better of a schedule.

2178
01:49:22,240 --> 01:49:25,599
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I agree with you there. The division

2179
01:49:25,680 --> 01:49:29,439
Speaker 1: aspect of things too is just a huge, I think

2180
01:49:29,479 --> 01:49:32,080
Speaker 1: thing that swayed into my decision to go with Ben

2181
01:49:32,160 --> 01:49:35,080
Speaker 1: Johnson there because that North was supposed to be one

2182
01:49:35,120 --> 01:49:37,360
Speaker 1: of the best divisions in all of football in the NFC,

2183
01:49:37,479 --> 01:49:40,280
Speaker 1: and he won it, going from worse to first, which

2184
01:49:40,520 --> 01:49:43,439
Speaker 1: I think is just truly fantastic. What a guest we

2185
01:49:43,520 --> 01:49:45,920
Speaker 1: have here though, Coming on now this disclosed things out,

2186
01:49:46,080 --> 01:49:47,439
Speaker 1: This is gonna be a lot of fun here.

2187
01:49:47,560 --> 01:49:52,080
Speaker 6: To close things down, we are joined by Steelers legends,

2188
01:49:52,080 --> 01:49:54,919
Speaker 6: Steelers alumni, former linebacker Vince Williams.

2189
01:49:55,200 --> 01:50:01,160
Speaker 1: Hey, everybody makes some noise for Vince Williams. Yeah, what's

2190
01:50:01,240 --> 01:50:03,320
Speaker 1: going on? What's going on? Bench? Thanks for being here, man,

2191
01:50:03,800 --> 01:50:06,759
Speaker 1: oh man, thank you guys for having me. Well. Crazy

2192
01:50:06,840 --> 01:50:09,280
Speaker 1: atmosphere here in Tequila, Cowboy, Yeah, you gotta be having

2193
01:50:09,320 --> 01:50:11,840
Speaker 1: a blast out here tonight. Charged up Monday night time.

2194
01:50:13,600 --> 01:50:15,120
Speaker 1: Let's let's talk some defense with you.

2195
01:50:15,240 --> 01:50:18,120
Speaker 6: It feels like this Steelers defense rounding into form at

2196
01:50:18,120 --> 01:50:20,400
Speaker 6: the right time, getting TJ Watt back last week.

2197
01:50:20,640 --> 01:50:22,360
Speaker 1: Cam Hayward at an all pro level.

2198
01:50:22,640 --> 01:50:26,240
Speaker 6: It feels like they've figured out the secondary after turning

2199
01:50:26,320 --> 01:50:29,040
Speaker 6: over a lot of pieces this year. P Q flying

2200
01:50:29,120 --> 01:50:31,439
Speaker 6: around all over the field. How you feel about this

2201
01:50:31,439 --> 01:50:32,160
Speaker 6: Steelers defense?

2202
01:50:32,240 --> 01:50:34,720
Speaker 21: Oh, Man, I think it's gonna be a great defensive matchup. Man,

2203
01:50:34,760 --> 01:50:35,599
Speaker 21: I can't wait to see.

2204
01:50:35,800 --> 01:50:37,840
Speaker 14: I think the Steelers defense is peaking at the right time.

2205
01:50:37,880 --> 01:50:39,680
Speaker 21: You got TJ coming back. He's not a little bit

2206
01:50:39,680 --> 01:50:42,000
Speaker 21: of rusted off coming off with that lung injury. He's

2207
01:50:42,040 --> 01:50:42,479
Speaker 21: ready to go.

2208
01:50:43,200 --> 01:50:45,360
Speaker 14: Cam Hayward, Man, good lord, Can we talk about the game?

2209
01:50:45,400 --> 01:50:47,120
Speaker 1: That guy had? Best player on the field.

2210
01:50:47,120 --> 01:50:48,720
Speaker 21: Fore he gots to go ahead and tell everybody the

2211
01:50:48,760 --> 01:50:50,800
Speaker 21: secret to the I think he discovered the found the

2212
01:50:50,800 --> 01:50:51,200
Speaker 21: youth guys.

2213
01:50:51,720 --> 01:50:54,840
Speaker 1: Everybody's saying that it's so obvious. Vince, you know what.

2214
01:50:54,920 --> 01:50:57,000
Speaker 1: I love what he does all the time. He got

2215
01:50:57,080 --> 01:50:59,760
Speaker 1: that like old man game almost He pushes off with

2216
01:50:59,880 --> 01:51:02,320
Speaker 1: one one hand on a guard and then he uses

2217
01:51:02,360 --> 01:51:04,519
Speaker 1: his other hand to just grab the quarterback and swallow him.

2218
01:51:04,520 --> 01:51:05,840
Speaker 1: I mean, how hard is that to do?

2219
01:51:06,160 --> 01:51:08,599
Speaker 21: I mean, boys, in his defense, he's been an old

2220
01:51:08,640 --> 01:51:11,000
Speaker 21: man since he's been twelve. So I mean, guys, if

2221
01:51:11,000 --> 01:51:12,639
Speaker 21: you think about it, I mean, I'll never forget. Mike

2222
01:51:12,720 --> 01:51:14,760
Speaker 21: Toma used to put a picture up every year of

2223
01:51:14,880 --> 01:51:17,120
Speaker 21: cam heawerd standing and it was him and his AAU

2224
01:51:17,280 --> 01:51:18,920
Speaker 21: coach and you didn't know who was the coach and

2225
01:51:18,920 --> 01:51:19,439
Speaker 21: who was the player.

2226
01:51:19,520 --> 01:51:20,560
Speaker 14: Guys, I'm telling you.

2227
01:51:20,720 --> 01:51:22,519
Speaker 6: You look at his freshman year picture of Ohio State.

2228
01:51:22,600 --> 01:51:25,360
Speaker 6: It looks could have been taken last week. Craig right,

2229
01:51:25,400 --> 01:51:27,479
Speaker 6: those picture that it must be something maybe hits at

2230
01:51:27,479 --> 01:51:29,599
Speaker 6: Ohio State. Maybe it's something in the water there at Columbus.

2231
01:51:29,640 --> 01:51:32,080
Speaker 14: He's like Morgan Freeman in football words.

2232
01:51:32,640 --> 01:51:34,360
Speaker 1: That's exactly right, exactly right.

2233
01:51:35,640 --> 01:51:38,640
Speaker 6: Talk to us about the Houston Texans defense, number one

2234
01:51:38,680 --> 01:51:41,400
Speaker 6: scoring defense in the NFL this year, very talented.

2235
01:51:41,479 --> 01:51:42,679
Speaker 1: What type of challenge do they present?

2236
01:51:43,040 --> 01:51:44,560
Speaker 14: Oh man, they play a lot of too high, a

2237
01:51:44,600 --> 01:51:47,400
Speaker 14: lot of quarters. They mix it up. They're extremely fast,

2238
01:51:47,560 --> 01:51:48,519
Speaker 14: and you know, Demiko Ryan.

2239
01:51:48,800 --> 01:51:51,120
Speaker 21: Anytime you have a head coach that played defense or

2240
01:51:51,479 --> 01:51:53,599
Speaker 21: head coach that's a defensive minded guy, you know that's

2241
01:51:53,640 --> 01:51:55,479
Speaker 21: where he's gonna spend the most of his time. That's

2242
01:51:55,479 --> 01:51:57,120
Speaker 21: where he's gonna spend the most of his films, said

2243
01:51:57,120 --> 01:51:58,640
Speaker 21: he And you can definitely tell where you look at

2244
01:51:58,640 --> 01:52:00,920
Speaker 21: the Texas because their defense is flying all over the place,

2245
01:52:01,200 --> 01:52:04,240
Speaker 21: extremely athletic. But I think the Aaron Rodgers experience in

2246
01:52:04,320 --> 01:52:06,400
Speaker 21: this game is gonna pay dividends down the road.

2247
01:52:06,920 --> 01:52:09,400
Speaker 1: Vince one Texan on offense that I'm worried about in

2248
01:52:09,439 --> 01:52:11,960
Speaker 1: their passing game as Dalton Schultz and Nico Collins is

2249
01:52:12,000 --> 01:52:14,160
Speaker 1: their leading receiver. But Schultz is a really good tight

2250
01:52:14,320 --> 01:52:16,639
Speaker 1: end as an inside back of yourself, like talk about

2251
01:52:16,760 --> 01:52:19,559
Speaker 1: the challenges facing such a threat in the passing game

2252
01:52:19,760 --> 01:52:20,799
Speaker 1: at that tight end position.

2253
01:52:21,080 --> 01:52:22,880
Speaker 14: Scholtz is athletic guy. But if you can go to defense,

2254
01:52:22,880 --> 01:52:23,800
Speaker 14: that's what we're actually made to do.

2255
01:52:23,880 --> 01:52:24,000
Speaker 5: Man.

2256
01:52:24,040 --> 01:52:26,559
Speaker 21: You get guys like Wilson and PQ. Those guys are

2257
01:52:26,640 --> 01:52:29,240
Speaker 21: hyper athletic guys, super fast. They're gonna be able to

2258
01:52:29,280 --> 01:52:30,519
Speaker 21: be very sticky in coverage.

2259
01:52:30,720 --> 01:52:32,840
Speaker 14: I have no problem. I have no I don't think

2260
01:52:32,880 --> 01:52:34,280
Speaker 14: they're gonna have a problem to shutting them down.

2261
01:52:34,360 --> 01:52:34,559
Speaker 1: Good.

2262
01:52:35,400 --> 01:52:37,519
Speaker 6: You played with some some you know, you had some

2263
01:52:37,600 --> 01:52:39,800
Speaker 6: outstanding vets in the locker room when you were a

2264
01:52:39,840 --> 01:52:42,639
Speaker 6: Pittsburgh Steeler. How much of a benefit you mentioned Aaron

2265
01:52:42,680 --> 01:52:45,120
Speaker 6: Rodgers there a moment ago. You've got him on offense,

2266
01:52:45,240 --> 01:52:48,839
Speaker 6: Been there, done that, super Bowl champion, Jalen Ramsey on defense,

2267
01:52:48,960 --> 01:52:51,400
Speaker 6: Been there, done that, super Bowl champion. When you're heading

2268
01:52:51,400 --> 01:52:53,639
Speaker 6: into the playoffs like this, when you're you know, looking

2269
01:52:53,680 --> 01:52:55,680
Speaker 6: to kind of kicking that door for the first time

2270
01:52:55,720 --> 01:52:57,800
Speaker 6: in too long and and win a playoff game and

2271
01:52:57,840 --> 01:53:00,320
Speaker 6: get back where you belong as the Steelers, how nice

2272
01:53:00,360 --> 01:53:01,600
Speaker 6: is it to have those guys as part of the

2273
01:53:01,640 --> 01:53:02,320
Speaker 6: equation to stop.

2274
01:53:02,320 --> 01:53:03,960
Speaker 21: I think it's going to be very important, man, to

2275
01:53:04,000 --> 01:53:06,559
Speaker 21: have those guys that's been there, done that. They're gonna

2276
01:53:06,560 --> 01:53:08,840
Speaker 21: have an even killed demeanor. A lot of these guys

2277
01:53:08,880 --> 01:53:11,040
Speaker 21: are gonna be playing their first playoff game. I tell

2278
01:53:11,040 --> 01:53:13,120
Speaker 21: people all the time, there's three seasons in the NFL.

2279
01:53:13,200 --> 01:53:16,400
Speaker 21: There's the preseason, there's a regular season, and there's a postseason.

2280
01:53:16,560 --> 01:53:18,080
Speaker 21: A lot of these younger dudes that are coming in

2281
01:53:18,120 --> 01:53:19,680
Speaker 21: there for the first time, they're gonna see hidiness, I

2282
01:53:19,720 --> 01:53:23,160
Speaker 21: mean not hides for Acxtreer Stadium in a completely different life.

2283
01:53:23,560 --> 01:53:25,680
Speaker 21: Those fans are gonna be out of their minds. It's

2284
01:53:25,720 --> 01:53:29,160
Speaker 21: gonna be loud, everything's gonna be magnified. You're playing on Monday,

2285
01:53:29,360 --> 01:53:31,479
Speaker 21: You're the only show in town, You're the only game

2286
01:53:31,560 --> 01:53:35,360
Speaker 21: on TV. Having these veteran guys that's been there, done

2287
01:53:35,439 --> 01:53:37,680
Speaker 21: it proved that they could operate under this type of

2288
01:53:37,720 --> 01:53:40,680
Speaker 21: pressure is gonna be so amazing to have for those

2289
01:53:40,760 --> 01:53:42,840
Speaker 21: younger dudes to stepping into a stadium like this on

2290
01:53:42,960 --> 01:53:43,479
Speaker 21: their first time.

2291
01:53:43,720 --> 01:53:46,479
Speaker 1: Vince, let's stick with that atmosphere because it has been

2292
01:53:46,520 --> 01:53:49,360
Speaker 1: since twenty seventeen the Steelers have played a playoff game

2293
01:53:49,360 --> 01:53:51,120
Speaker 1: in front of a home crowd. Twenty twenty was the

2294
01:53:51,200 --> 01:53:53,639
Speaker 1: COVID year when the Browns came in here and unfortunately

2295
01:53:53,760 --> 01:53:55,800
Speaker 1: beat the Steelers. You were on the field in twenty

2296
01:53:55,880 --> 01:53:58,080
Speaker 1: seventeen against the Jacks. Game didn't go the way we

2297
01:53:58,160 --> 01:54:00,320
Speaker 1: wanted it to. But just talk about out what you

2298
01:54:00,400 --> 01:54:03,439
Speaker 1: were just saying, like the overwhelming, like cauldron of noise

2299
01:54:03,840 --> 01:54:06,880
Speaker 1: that is Akroscher Stadium and how intimidating that is for

2300
01:54:06,920 --> 01:54:08,200
Speaker 1: an opponent in a playoff game.

2301
01:54:08,840 --> 01:54:10,800
Speaker 21: You know, sad to say, but it's amazing, But you

2302
01:54:10,920 --> 01:54:13,800
Speaker 21: can't replicate that in practice. That's something that you're not

2303
01:54:13,960 --> 01:54:16,320
Speaker 21: gonna be familiar with until you've actually been in there

2304
01:54:16,680 --> 01:54:18,800
Speaker 21: and you've heard it for yourself and you've experienced it

2305
01:54:18,840 --> 01:54:19,320
Speaker 21: for yourself.

2306
01:54:19,520 --> 01:54:21,000
Speaker 14: So I know it's gonna be shell shocking for a

2307
01:54:21,080 --> 01:54:22,000
Speaker 14: lot of these younger dudes.

2308
01:54:22,160 --> 01:54:23,920
Speaker 21: But I know that we have the type of veteran

2309
01:54:24,040 --> 01:54:26,960
Speaker 21: leadership that we need to have to be able to

2310
01:54:27,000 --> 01:54:29,439
Speaker 21: quell the storm, be able to get through it. You know,

2311
01:54:29,520 --> 01:54:32,000
Speaker 21: after the first couple of series, everything will calm down

2312
01:54:32,360 --> 01:54:34,080
Speaker 21: and then we'll be able to just play good football.

2313
01:54:34,440 --> 01:54:36,880
Speaker 21: Hopefully it's gonna be worse for the Houston Texas. Oh,

2314
01:54:36,960 --> 01:54:38,800
Speaker 21: you know, they have to come into that type of

2315
01:54:38,880 --> 01:54:39,560
Speaker 21: environment and.

2316
01:54:39,680 --> 01:54:41,840
Speaker 1: It gets you know when they go that silent count Vince,

2317
01:54:41,920 --> 01:54:44,400
Speaker 1: you know that and those dogs on the outside, TJ. Watt,

2318
01:54:44,480 --> 01:54:46,200
Speaker 1: Nick Herbik, when they can just start looking at that

2319
01:54:46,280 --> 01:54:47,040
Speaker 1: ball and time in it.

2320
01:54:47,240 --> 01:54:48,760
Speaker 14: Huge advantage, huge advantage.

2321
01:54:49,200 --> 01:54:52,680
Speaker 6: We're looking forward to it. Vince Williams, Steeler's former linebacker

2322
01:54:52,720 --> 01:54:53,160
Speaker 6: and legend.

2323
01:54:53,200 --> 01:54:53,840
Speaker 1: Thanks for taking the.

2324
01:54:53,840 --> 01:54:55,840
Speaker 14: Time, No problem, man, Thank you for having me. I

2325
01:54:55,920 --> 01:54:56,440
Speaker 14: appreciate you.

2326
01:54:56,960 --> 01:55:00,400
Speaker 6: There he goes Steelers treat Vince Williams with us here

2327
01:55:00,480 --> 01:55:01,400
Speaker 6: as we close things down.

2328
01:55:01,440 --> 01:55:02,840
Speaker 1: That's a good way to put a put a bow

2329
01:55:02,880 --> 01:55:04,440
Speaker 1: and rap this thing up. Kidding me, it couldn't have

2330
01:55:04,480 --> 01:55:06,200
Speaker 1: ended any better than Vince joining us right now.

2331
01:55:06,440 --> 01:55:08,879
Speaker 6: Big thanks to Brandon for setting us up with our guests,

2332
01:55:09,200 --> 01:55:12,120
Speaker 6: Brian for producing back at the Ranch, and everybody here

2333
01:55:12,120 --> 01:55:15,280
Speaker 6: at Tequila Cowboy for having us. For Tom Oferman, I'm

2334
01:55:15,320 --> 01:55:18,040
Speaker 6: west Shuler. Thanks for listening to the Steelers Playoff Party

2335
01:55:18,080 --> 01:55:21,000
Speaker 6: presented by your neighborhood Ford Store on your twenty four

2336
01:55:21,000 --> 01:55:23,120
Speaker 6: to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation

2337
01:55:23,320 --> 01:55:25,280
Speaker 6: Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

2338
01:55:25,720 --> 01:55:30,160
Speaker 7: Steelers football happens here the Pittsburgh Steelers Audio Network