1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson 2 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: on your twenty four to seven home of the Black 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: and Gold r Steelers Nation Radio. 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Drive. I'm Dale Lolly, he is. 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 3: The Matt Williamson and I am here in mobile Alabama 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 3: match back in Pittsburgh, and we're pleased to be joined 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 3: in our opening segment here by the editor of Steelers 8 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 3: justin Steelers dot Com, Bob Labriola as well. 9 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 2: So we get a little three way action going here. 10 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 2: And fell's how you doing. 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 4: I'm swell Bob. 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 5: How are you? 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 4: We're all different places. 14 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 2: We're all different places. 15 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 3: The magic of modern radio here we're able to do this. 16 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 3: And Bob, you were yes to a reason why we 17 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 3: have you on here today. You were part of the 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 3: Art Rooney the second press conference and a lot of 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 3: interesting stuff. Excuse me to come out of that, you know, 20 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 3: I think when you when you look at everything that 21 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 3: he said, I mean, people, there just seems to be 22 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 3: an idea out there that the Dealers aren't taking steps 23 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 3: forward because they simply because they didn't in a playoff 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: this year. I saw positive steps made forward by this team. 25 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 3: I think they were a better team than they were 26 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: two years ago at this time, and it seems like 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 3: ar Rooney the second agreed. 28 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 5: Yeah. I mean, I think that over the course of 29 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 5: his media briefing, I'll estimated at about a half an hour. 30 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 5: You know, he was at different points in it. He was, 31 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 5: you know, uh, supportive, he was optimistic, he was candid, 32 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 5: but at no point we could he be described as satisfied. 33 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 5: And yes, and specifically with regard to the question he 34 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 5: was asked about, do you think you are closer at 35 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 5: this point in twenty twenty four. I'm going to make 36 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 5: sure I got my years right here, because it's still 37 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 5: January in twenty twenty four to contending then you were 38 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 5: in January twenty twenty three when he did this previously, 39 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 5: which was at the end of that at the end 40 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 5: of the twenty twenty two season, and you know, he said, yeah, 41 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 5: he does think that the Steelers are closer, and then 42 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 5: he gave some reasons why. You know, he cited the 43 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 5: solid rookie class, the draft choices. But you know, as 44 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 5: I said, there was no satisfaction. So even when he 45 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 5: was being optimistic about the twenty twenty three draft class 46 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,119 Speaker 5: in talking about it, he said, you know, we need 47 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 5: to do that again. We need to have another good 48 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 5: draft class. So you know, there is that. He went 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 5: on to say he thought there was a nice core 50 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 5: group of players and that they can compete, that the 51 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 5: team can compete with that group. But then again, you know, 52 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 5: he brought it back to as it was kind of 53 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 5: one of the themes of the session, and I'll read 54 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 5: the quote, I think the biggest thing we need is 55 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 5: quality play at the quarterback position. So I mean this 56 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 5: is you know, I think that it's really nothing earth 57 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 5: shattering or out of left field or but because I 58 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 5: think anybody who was watching paying attention to this team throughout, 59 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 5: you know, the twenty twenty three process understands that, you know, 60 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 5: the Steelers need to get this quarterback situation figured out. 61 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 5: And one of that Art Rooney the second did say 62 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 5: that that the the team, the organization still has you know, 63 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 5: some faith in can he Pickett. They do like a 64 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 5: lot of the intangible qualities that he brings to the position. 65 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 5: But he did say that they like Mason Rudolph because 66 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 5: he said, I and I'm paraphrasing what Mason Rudolph did 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 5: in his last you know, for those last four games. 68 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 5: So David Steeles a view of what the offense can 69 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 5: be when you get decent quarterback play, and so they 70 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 5: want to bring him back. There's going to be a competition, 71 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 5: and you know, we'll see how it works out. 72 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 4: Bob. Do you see that's something that will likely happen then? 73 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 4: I mean, rarely do coaches and owners in front office 74 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 4: people talk about impending free agents, you know, in front 75 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 4: of the media this time of year, unless there's a 76 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 4: pretty good chance that you know that's in the works. 77 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 5: At least you mean signing Mason Rudolph. 78 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, sorry, I should have been more saving. 79 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 5: Yes, well, I mean that's what you know. This this 80 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 5: that's the that's the aim. Yeah, but you know, Mason 81 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 5: Rudolph is going to be an unrestricted free agent, and 82 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 5: so when I've said this many times, the power kind 83 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 5: of shifts from the team to the player in that 84 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 5: situation because I think, you know, I don't know what's 85 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 5: in Mason Rudolph said, you know what what his agent's 86 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 5: plan might be for this, because you know, you look 87 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 5: at Mason Rudolph's age, He's coming off these four pretty 88 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 5: good games. This might be his last best chance to 89 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 5: hit it big on the open market. Now, there's no 90 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 5: guarantee that he will. Uh. And then so there's that factor. 91 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 5: Does he want to hit the open market or would 92 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 5: he be content coming back you know, to this without that, 93 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 5: or maybe he hits the open market and has happened 94 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 5: last year, he doesn't find anything that he really likes 95 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 5: and then he comes back that way. Another thing I think, 96 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 5: and this is just me, is I believe that Mason 97 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 5: Rudolph has to kind of decide what he sees for 98 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 5: himself as an NFL player moving forward. Is he a 99 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 5: guy does he see himself as a starting quarterback in 100 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 5: the NFL or does he see himself in a role, 101 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,239 Speaker 5: you know, as a backup maybe you know, a short 102 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 5: term filling kind of guy behind a starter, you know, 103 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 5: or a guy who can be turned to by the 104 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 5: coaching staff to kind of for a spark. You know, 105 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 5: there's a lot of different you know, in the NFL 106 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 5: at the quarterback position of mind opinion, you know, it's 107 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 5: it's different than any other position in terms of the 108 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 5: depth charge you know, starter back up at quarterback. That's 109 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 5: an actual role. I mean, that is more of a 110 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 5: I don't know, defined job description, I think than the 111 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 5: guy behind t J. Watt and left outside linebacker as 112 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 5: an example. So you know, guys, guys who have fashioned 113 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 5: themselves very nice careers as backup quarterbacks in the NFL. 114 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 5: And so again, I don't know what's in Mason Rudolph's 115 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 5: head in terms of how he used himself, what he 116 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 5: wants for himself. Maybe he wants to start over, Maybe 117 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 5: he doesn't want to start over. So I do think 118 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 5: that the you know, you mentioned that teams usually don't 119 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 5: talk openly about free agency unless they have a sense of, 120 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 5: you know, something might happen. I think maybe in this case, 121 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 5: they just want Mason Rudolph to know that he is 122 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 5: wanted here. Mmm. And yeah, I think that's a big 123 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 5: part of it. 124 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 3: Boy. I think you have to you want him to 125 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: feel like like he's loved, you know, he want Hey, 126 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: we we'd love to have you back here, right, you know. 127 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 5: So that yeah, we'll have to see how it works out. Again, 128 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 5: I mean, there's no there's no predicting free agency. I've 129 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 5: learned that from being in this business for such a 130 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 5: long time. Uh. And you know it only takes one 131 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 5: team to change the perception. 132 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 4: Uh. 133 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 5: So you know, again, I don't I don't know what 134 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 5: might be out there for him. You know, my personal 135 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 5: opinion is I don't know that Mason Rudolf is going 136 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 5: to get an offer on the open market that would 137 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 5: pay him the kind of money befitting the status of 138 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 5: a guy who is a you know, a step away 139 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 5: from being a starting quarterback, because I think if if 140 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 5: that was the perception of him, he might have had 141 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 5: more options available to him last year at this time. 142 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 5: But again, that's just my opinion. I could be totally wrong. 143 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 4: Bob. 144 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 3: What did you make of the part of our statement 145 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: where he said that we saw what the offense or 146 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 3: we saw what our playmakers could look like when we 147 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 3: got competent or how are you how are are phrased 148 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 3: at quarterback play? When Rudolph was in there, I mean 149 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 3: that was kind of a hey, we need we need 150 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 3: Kenny to be better. 151 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, and there were throughout the session. I mean, 152 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 5: you know, ur Rooney did mention that it was a 153 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 5: big year for Katy Pickett and you know he needs 154 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 5: to take the next step. One of the things that 155 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 5: he did say was that he believes that one of 156 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 5: what they you know, if you want to break down 157 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 5: picket uh in terms of his overall game. You can 158 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 5: divide it into the intangibles and then the on field, 159 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 5: you know, reading the defense, getting the ball out of 160 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 5: your hand, those kind of physical things. And what one 161 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 5: of the things that our Rooney said was and in 162 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 5: his opinion, you can you can work and develop the 163 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 5: reading the defense, getting the ball out of your hand quickly, 164 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 5: you know, making decisions, uh when you come out of 165 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 5: the huddle to go to the line of scrimmage and 166 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 5: looking over the defense, you know, having a good idea 167 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 5: of what that uh, that defense wants to do and 168 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 5: maybe in your head at least you have some inkling 169 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 5: of you know, what you need to do to contract that. 170 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 5: That's something that he believes that you can coach and 171 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 5: develop in a player as opposed to intangibles, which you 172 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 5: either have them or you don't. And that's one of 173 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 5: the things that that's one of the ways that Art 174 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 5: really explained it. So based on that, you know, the 175 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 5: new coordinator and the news around here is that it's 176 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 5: going to be Arthur Smith. His job, one of his 177 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 5: priorities is to figure out can he Pickett what he 178 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 5: needs to develop him and teach him, coach him. And the 179 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 5: things that I was just explaining, you know, recognizing the coverage, 180 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 5: getting the ball out of your hand, who's open against 181 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 5: this coverage based on the play that you was called 182 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 5: those kinds of things, and you know it's it's going 183 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 5: to be a big off season slash, you know, early 184 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 5: part of twenty twenty four for Kenny Pickett. Because while 185 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 5: I firmly believe that the Steelers are not entering this 186 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 5: whole process with the notion that the picket was going 187 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,559 Speaker 5: to fail, but they do want to see some improvements 188 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 5: and some development, you know, before they're gonna, I don't know, 189 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 5: make it long term commitment. 190 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 4: So Labs quarterback aside, just the tone of the press conference, 191 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:39,479 Speaker 4: did you sense a lot more optimism than questions pessimism? 192 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 5: Well, I mean there were some things you know that 193 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 5: again he liked. He talked about liking the running game. 194 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 5: He really likes the one two punch at running back 195 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 5: that the Steelers have. Nargis Jaleen Warren. You know, you 196 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 5: like the development of the offensive line, but mentioned you 197 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 5: know that needs to continue and may be even improved. Uh. 198 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 5: The defense he was happy with or happy as that 199 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 5: might be a strong word, but he recognized the problems 200 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 5: of the mitigating factors with the defense, had to deal 201 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 5: with all of the injuries that inside linebacker and safety, 202 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 5: so you know, and how the coaches kind of you know, 203 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 5: had to mix and match in a lot of instances 204 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 5: with with that kind of thing. So you know, while 205 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 5: you're while he was talking about all of that, though, 206 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 5: he continue to come back to, you know, there's a 207 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 5: sense of urgency. I'm tired of losing playoff games, you 208 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,839 Speaker 5: know that kind of thing. Yeah, you know, it wasn't 209 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:48,679 Speaker 5: really you know, he didn't delineate. Yes, this is good. 210 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 5: I know this is bad as much as there are 211 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 5: things that uh, he thinks that you know, there are 212 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 5: foundational pieces already in place. Really likes the draft class 213 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 5: and the addition of those guys. But again he said, 214 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 5: we need another draft class like that. There's things he 215 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 5: likes about Picket, he likes the running game. He thought 216 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 5: that again, the defensive coaches did a nice job, you know, 217 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 5: putting a lot of things together. But you know, then 218 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 5: he would bring it back to, you know, we need 219 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 5: you know, there's a sense of urgency. You know, I'm 220 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 5: looking for the quote here, Yeah, here it is. Yeah, 221 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 5: I think there's an urgency. Everybody myself, Mike, guys who 222 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 5: have been on the team for what for quite a while, 223 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 5: t J Cam, everybody. We've had enough of this. It's 224 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 5: time to get some wins. It's time to take these 225 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 5: next steps. So yeah, I think there's some urgency here. 226 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 5: For sure, there's a result there and a determination there. 227 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 5: Getting a little impatient. We need see the kind of 228 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 5: improvement we all want to see. Mike believes that as 229 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 5: firmly as anybody else in the building. So you know 230 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 5: that to me kind of was that the overriding scene 231 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 5: of everything that he said, because you can't get, in 232 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 5: my opinion, you can't get hung up on that he 233 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 5: likes the Running Game or you know, any of those 234 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 5: other things, because that all has to contribute and lead 235 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 5: you to, you know, winning more games, winning games in 236 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 5: the playoffs, getting closer to being a contender, you know, 237 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 5: all that kind of stuff. Because if it doesn't, then 238 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 5: you know that that really doesn't. I don't know, it's 239 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 5: just it's it's not that it's not as significant if 240 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 5: it's not contributing to the kind of progress towards contending 241 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 5: that he's looking for. 242 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: Bobby mentioned the the news of the Arthur Smith. I 243 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 3: mean it's been reported in multiple places that he's going 244 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 3: to be the next offense coordinator, and Art was asked 245 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 3: about that several times in terms of what you know, 246 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 3: who was in charge of that process, and it seemed 247 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: to be some people. How could you know, how could 248 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 3: you let Mike Tomlin be in charge of that? He's 249 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 3: the head coach, like he's going to work with these people. 250 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 3: But but is it interesting that that it is a 251 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 3: higher that another guy who had been a head coach 252 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 3: in the NFL. And I'm looking here at Arthur Smith's background. 253 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 3: His first job in the NFL was as a defensive 254 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 3: quality assistant with the Washington with the Washington team, Uh, 255 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 3: then he was a defensive end turn at all missed 256 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 3: and he was defensive quality control coach for two years 257 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 3: for the Titans before becoming the offensive line tight ends 258 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 3: coach and then the assistant tight ends coach, and then 259 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 3: the tight ends coach and the coordinator. And you start 260 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 3: to look at the guys that he's worked for, Joe Gibb, 261 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 3: Mike Malarkey, Mike Mikeable, Quiz and Hunt. These are named familiar. 262 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 3: It should be some names that are familiar to Steeler fans. 263 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, and you know, you know you mentioned Mike Munchat 264 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 5: he was a fired head coach. I don't think there 265 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 5: would be any complaining at all if you bring back 266 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 5: Mike Munchack, So, you know, I think that there is 267 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 5: you can't get hung up on the fact that the 268 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 5: guy was a fired head coach. You know, you know 269 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 5: who else was a firehead coach, Dick Lebau when he 270 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 5: was brought back the second time. So you know, there's 271 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 5: there's a lot of things that you know, some guys 272 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 5: just aren't head coaches. You know, they can be good coordinators. Maybe, 273 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 5: you know, instead of the Steel was making the mistake 274 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 5: to hire Arthur Smith as a coordinator after he was 275 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 5: fired as a head coach. You know, maybe so Arger 276 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 5: Blank's mistake to hire him to be a head coach 277 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 5: when he was really only a coordinator. You know, we'll 278 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 5: see how this all works out. But you know, I 279 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 5: don't think that there's anything wrong with adding a guy 280 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 5: to a staff who was, you know, once a head coach, 281 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 5: Brian Floyds. There's another one. Nobody complained about that, So 282 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 5: you know, if there's interest in upgrading the staff overall, 283 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 5: I think that you know, adding people who had head 284 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 5: coaching jobs as an example, and bringing them in as assistants, 285 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 5: and especially in the case of the Gualue, bringing him 286 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 5: in as at the same level of assistant that helps 287 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,199 Speaker 5: him get the head coaching job. So that indicates to 288 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 5: me that the guy must have known what he was 289 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,360 Speaker 5: doing as a coordinator, otherwise he wouldn't have been interviewed 290 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 5: and hired as a head coach in the first place. So, 291 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 5: you know, I don't know how Arthur Smith is going 292 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 5: to work out. I don't want to predict, but I 293 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 5: think that any rush to judgment of whether it's a 294 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 5: good hire or not based on the fact of what 295 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 5: he did in Atlanta as the head coach is maybe 296 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 5: missing the point. So, but I do believe that now, 297 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 5: you know, we'll have to see how the rest of 298 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 5: the offensive staff is assembled. You know, who's going to 299 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 5: be the quarterback coach? Uh? Does Arthur Smith see him 300 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 5: himself as that guy? Is that something that he wants 301 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 5: to be hands on with all of these things? I 302 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 5: don't know, but getting the most out of Kenny Pickett 303 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 5: has to be job one for the offensive staff. And 304 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 5: as if this is in fact true about Arthur Smith, 305 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 5: he would be the head guy on the offensive staff 306 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 5: in twenty twenty four. 307 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 4: So overall, I mean, I think it's really hard to 308 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 4: always comment on any kind of coaching hire, let alone 309 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 4: an assistant coach. Higher and Dale and I have the 310 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 4: rest of these two hours to talk about this, so 311 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 4: I'm going to kind of keep my thoughts till then. 312 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 4: But oh, in all, it sounds like you're excited about it, 313 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 4: happy with it all in all, you. 314 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 5: Know, I mean, it's again, I'm not really anything. I'm 315 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 5: willing to give this guy a chance, is what I am. 316 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 5: I mean, I'm not going to judge this fifteen minutes 317 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 5: after it's announced. I mean, you know there's people already 318 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 5: writing things. He didn't do this in Atlanta. He didn't 319 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 5: do that in Atlanta, you know. I mean, come on, 320 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 5: as I said, I want I answered the question on 321 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 5: asking and answer to the guy was, you know, how 322 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 5: could they interview a guy from Carolina they stunk last year? Well, 323 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 5: you know, Bill Kawer interviewed a guy from Cincinnati after 324 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 5: he got hired in January nineteen ninety two. They were 325 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 5: three and thirteen. They ranked last in defense in like 326 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 5: three or four categories. They were getting their butts kicked 327 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 5: giving up points all over the place. As I said 328 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 5: that guy's name was Dick Lebou. I mean, everybody have 329 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 5: a problem with that. So you know, there's a process 330 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 5: involved in this kind of thing, I believe, and part 331 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 5: of it, you know, Mike Camlins said this in a 332 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 5: season ending news conference that you know he wants he 333 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 5: can learn from this process. You know, I don't you 334 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 5: know when when Bill Hour hired Lebau. I'll bet during 335 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 5: at some point during the interview process, maybe Lebau showed 336 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 5: him those airplane cocktail mappings where he started to had 337 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 5: done the initial drawing for. 338 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: The zone blitz, yeah, and the shroud of Turin now. 339 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. 340 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 5: But I mean, you know, maybe there's some you know, 341 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 5: ideas that Arthur Smith has or had or things that 342 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 5: you know, I don't know that he plans. Again, I 343 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 5: don't know. I'm just I'm I'm spitballing here. But I 344 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 5: don't know how that what happened in the interview. But 345 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 5: you know, maybe there were some things there that you know, 346 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 5: lit the lamp a little bit. So you know, again, 347 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 5: I don't I'm not I'm not endorsing this, I'm not 348 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 5: panning it. I just think that there are ways to 349 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 5: look at this where he could end up being a 350 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 5: positive thing, and then time's gonna tell, and that's the 351 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 5: way I'm cheasing to look at it right now. 352 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 3: Well, we appreciate your time, Labs as always, and I'll 353 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 3: catch up to you and we'll get back into Pittsburgh. 354 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 2: But we got to let you go now. He is 355 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 2: Matt Williamson. I'm Dale Lolly. 356 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 3: This is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be 357 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 3: back with more right after this. 358 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 359 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and 360 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 361 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 3: Welcome back. I am Dale Lolly. He is the Matt Williamson. 362 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 3: I'm down here in Mobile, Alabama for the Senior Bowl. 363 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 3: Matt back in Pittsburgh, and we were going to talk 364 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 3: a lot about the Senior Bowl. 365 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 2: Today, and we still will a little later in the show. 366 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 3: But there's been some other stuff that's happening here as 367 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 3: we take to the air, and that being the news 368 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 3: breaking that well, multiple reports out there that the Steelers 369 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 3: have hired or are going to hire Arthur Smith as 370 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 3: their next offensive coordinator. And you look at Arthur Smith's time, 371 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 3: he spent two years as the offensive coordinator for the 372 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 3: Tennessee Titans, that being in twenty nineteen and twenty twenty, 373 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 3: And as Bob Labriola just said in the previous segment, 374 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 3: you had to do some pretty good things in that 375 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 3: time to get a head coaching job. They don't just say, hey, 376 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 3: let's pick an let's pick a coordinator off at one 377 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 3: of these teams and make them our head coach. 378 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 2: So if you look at Arthur. 379 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 3: Smith's in terms of points per game, they were eighth 380 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 3: in twenty nineteen and twelfth in twenty twenty, and you 381 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 3: might look at that and say, oh, that's not so great, 382 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 3: but you look at it. In twenty nineteen they were 383 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 3: twelfth in total yards they being Tennessee Titans. In twenty 384 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 3: twenty they were second and fourth, and points per game. 385 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 4: Wow, I didn't realize it was that high. So people 386 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 4: forget quickly, and I understand the NFL stands for not 387 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 4: for long, and things changed quickly. But it was just 388 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 4: three years ago that he was the hot young coordinator 389 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,719 Speaker 4: you know, that everybody's clamoring for. And it's not like 390 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 4: he's some seventy year old Curmudget everyone makes this sound 391 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 4: like like the book's written on this guy, you know, like, yeah, he's. 392 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 2: Still he's forty one years old. 393 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 4: He's forty one years old. If it was thirty nine, 394 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 4: people think he's young, you know, But like three years ago, 395 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 4: he was a thirty eight year old hot coordinator from 396 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 4: a very successful team that did some innovative stuff that 397 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 4: everyone was super excited about. So he still is that offensively, 398 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 4: and his labs mentioned, I think he's a coordinator, not 399 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 4: a head coach, and you're not hiring him to be 400 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 4: a head coach. We can talk about his scheme and 401 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 4: stuff to no end, and I'm sure we will from 402 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 4: now in until opening date next year, but don't think 403 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 4: all of a sudden that he's he just hired Tom 404 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 4: Landry or some old dude that has no innovation to 405 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 4: his game. I mean, that's what I keep here. And 406 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 4: it's like, boy, he. 407 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,640 Speaker 2: Looked older than he is because of that mustache. 408 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 4: Wow. And he's had some stressful years in Atlanta. 409 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, but again that if you look at it in 410 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 3: both years that he was the offensive coordinator for the 411 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 3: Tennessee Titans, that would be twenty nineteen and twenty twenty, 412 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,239 Speaker 3: they were third in rushing offense in twenty nineteen. They 413 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 3: were second in rushing offense in twenty twenty, and they 414 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 3: didn't have a running a true running quarterback at that point. 415 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 3: Ryan tanny Hill would run a little bit. But if 416 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 3: you remember, they got tanny Hill and he was kind 417 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 3: of the afterthought. They had Marcus Mariota as their starting 418 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 3: quarterback and they switched over to tanny Hill, who they 419 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 3: I think it was like a different draft pick that 420 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 3: they traded him for with the Miami Dolphins where he 421 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 3: had flamed out. Tanny Hill comes back under Arthur smithstoteligit 422 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 3: he's coming that Player of the year. 423 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:12,919 Speaker 4: Yes, I mean I I was looking it up, but 424 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 4: I'm almost certain it's a five. But Tannehill was an 425 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 4: early pick. I mean, he was a first round pick, 426 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 4: not the end of the first round, and was considered 427 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 4: a bust in Miami and they were shipping him out 428 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 4: for peanuts. Just had to get him out of here. 429 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 4: You know, his cap hit wasn't worth the player, so 430 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 4: Tannehill or Tennessee took him on with all intentions of 431 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 4: Mariota being the guy. And if you look at EPA 432 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 4: wins losses, I mean that era with Tannehill was basically 433 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 4: only behind Mahomes and one or two others. I mean, 434 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 4: they got great efficiency out of the quarterback position, and 435 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 4: Tannehill played well. I mean he wasn't a superstar, but 436 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 4: he played well. They resurrected his career there. Now, Derrick 437 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 4: Henry was a focal point that offense, which is fine. 438 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 4: I mean I'm sure the running game here will be 439 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 4: the focal point. It was a focal point in Atlanta. 440 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 4: And I also want people to know too, I mean 441 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 4: this is you know, like when he took over the 442 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 4: Atlanta job, they were in really difficult cap situation. This 443 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 4: was like end of the Matt Ryan Tony Gonzalez era. 444 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, they were way over the cap, way over 445 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 4: the cap. They had a couple of years of eating 446 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 4: their vegetables, you know, doing their homework before they were 447 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 4: allowed to be aggressive at all in free agency things 448 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 4: of that nature, just as past offseasons. The first time 449 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 4: they were even you know, in a situation to get 450 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 4: players in free agency, I mean they were just going 451 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 4: to take their lumps. I mean that's what he was 452 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 4: hired to do right off the bat. 453 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, and if you look at his you know, the 454 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 3: five years as a whole for you know, him being 455 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 3: either an offensive coordinator or a head coach. Here's where 456 00:28:55,320 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 3: his teams have finished in rushing offense. Third, second, thirty first. 457 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 3: That was his first year in Atlanta. Yeah, then they 458 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 3: jumped to third and this year, this past season, they 459 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 3: were ninth. Yeah, like we you know again we just 460 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 3: hat Bob on and he was talking about what what 461 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 3: Art Rooney the second had to say the Steelers And 462 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 3: one of the things that he was that you know, 463 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 3: he feels really good about the running game. Well, I 464 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 3: think they want to take advantage of that running game. 465 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 4: Oh absolutely, And I think that's the foundation of who 466 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 4: he is. So there's there's some drastic changes likely coming. Well, 467 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 4: there's some drastic changes in how they go about things 468 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 4: in that they were phenomenal, phenomenal using play action with Tannehill, 469 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 4: Henry A. J. Brown, I mean so much after the 470 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 4: catch opportunities for their receivers, namely Brown when he was 471 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 4: coming into the league. There are going, I mean, the 472 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 4: Steelers about the bottom the league since we've been doing 473 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 4: the show basically in play action rate, I don't don't 474 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 4: be the case next year, No, no, it'll be top 475 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 4: five I mean, there's no question about it. So you know, 476 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 4: I did a little homework. I'm sure he did. Two. 477 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 4: The big knock on Smith is anyone that owned Jon 478 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,960 Speaker 4: Robinson in Fantasy thinks this guy's an idiot and doesn't 479 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 4: know how to use his guys and all that stuff. 480 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 4: And hey, there was some frustrating player usage in Atlanta, 481 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 4: especially this past year when he draft pitched his high 482 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 4: as he did when you draft London as high as 483 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 4: he did, and especially Bijon. But I went and looked 484 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 4: at it. I mean, this past year Bijon played seven 485 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 4: hundred and seventy snaps compared to three point fifty eight 486 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 4: for Algier. And that includes that goofy game where he 487 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 4: was on the field for like three games or three plays, 488 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 4: but he had a migraine. You know, he dressed, but 489 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 4: he only walked out in the field two or three times. 490 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 4: And I think people will like hearing this. There's a 491 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 4: lot of snaps of those two on the field together, 492 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 4: you know, I mean something I think you'll see with 493 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 4: Warren and Nause that wasn't common here. Also, they were 494 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 4: at the bottom of the league in eleven personnel. Now 495 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 4: you can say Pitts is a more receiver than tight end. 496 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 4: But they employed a fullback, you know, their fullback what 497 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 4: was his name? Digging him up right now, Kevin Keith 498 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 4: Smith played one hundred and eighty four snaps for them, 499 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 4: So I would think that they'll be in the market 500 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 4: to pick up another fullback. They played a lot of 501 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 4: Tony with the two running backs together. They were very, 502 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 4: very high in twelve as well as thirteen personnel. So 503 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 4: like I just pulled up their rags. I mean, their 504 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 4: fourth in the use of twenty personnel, two backs, no 505 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 4: tight ends, third in the use of thirteen personnel, one back, 506 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 4: three tight ends, first in the league in twelve personnel, 507 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 4: thirty second in eleven personnel, first in the league in 508 00:31:56,520 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 4: twenty two personnel, two backs, two tight ends, and fifth 509 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 4: in the league in twenty one personnel. So you're not 510 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 4: going to be out there in one back, one tight end, 511 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 4: three receivers a very high percentage of this time like 512 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 4: the Steelers were. They were six most that way. 513 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 2: So yeah, you're gonna haven't been for out quite a 514 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: while now. 515 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 4: Quite a while now, even under different coordinators. So he 516 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 4: uses personnel in a variety of ways as well as 517 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 4: creative ways. He uses more motion than we're used to, 518 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 4: way more play action, and they run the ball. Well. 519 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I do think you know, Steeler fans, I 520 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 3: believe are going to like what they see offensively, so. 521 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 4: A lot different too. 522 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 2: It's gonna look a lot different. It's gonna look. 523 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 3: I mean, it's gonna be based the entire offense is 524 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 3: going to be based around the running game and scheming 525 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 3: guys open in the passing game. 526 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 2: And in terms of the player actually stuff. 527 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, very very quarterback friendly and not kicking people while 528 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 4: they're gone. The last offense was not nearly as quarterback friendly. 529 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 4: And you can also look at the Falcons the past 530 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 4: two years. I am almost certain if you combine the 531 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 4: twenty twenty two and the twenty twenty three season, they 532 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 4: were the least accurate team in the league, and not 533 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 4: because of scheme, just because of bad bad passing. Frankly 534 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 4: bad quarterbacking. Yeah yeah, yeah, I'm just inaccurate quarterbacks. Yeah. 535 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 3: Now, I mentioned in the previous segment who he has 536 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 3: worked for. I mean he'd began his career working for 537 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 3: Joe Gibbs. 538 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, I didn't realize that. 539 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 3: And then moved on was an assistant under Mike Malarkey 540 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 3: was an assistant under Mike Munchak, was an assistant under 541 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 3: Mike Vrabel, was an assistant under Ken Wisenhe and then 542 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 3: it was a defensive quality sistant under Jim Zorn. So 543 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 3: these are guys that Steeler fans will know multiple Three 544 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 3: of those guys are former Steeler assistant coaches Malarkey, Munchek, 545 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 3: and wizzen Hunt. And they're three assistant coaches, Steeler assistant 546 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 3: coaches who are very well thought of. Yeah, I said, 547 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,719 Speaker 3: given among fans like, these are guys that you know, 548 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 3: Steeler fans would would kill to have any one of 549 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 3: those guys back on the current coaching staff. 550 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 4: Oh, I'm sure. And oh, by the way, Rabel and 551 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 4: Gibbs aren't too shabby either, you know, Gibbs. 552 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 2: Not bad at all. 553 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 3: But I do find it interesting that and Bob mentioned, 554 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 3: you know, will he be the guy that work with quarterbacks? 555 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,799 Speaker 3: Nowhere in his background has he ever worked with quarterbacks 556 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 3: in terms of being an assistant quarterback coach of any type. 557 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 4: Yeah, and that leads me to some other things, you know, 558 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 4: Like I one of my first thought was maybe they 559 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 4: will hire a young, up and coming quarterback coach, you know, 560 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 4: I mean something along that, Yeah, that could be next 561 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:10,919 Speaker 4: is I mean, he is considered more of a run 562 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 4: than pass guy. A lot of he is good at 563 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 4: devising stuff for after the catch, you know, production, but 564 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 4: he's not considered a mastermind passing game coordinator. Maybe there's 565 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,399 Speaker 4: still a hire to come that's more that Forte, you. 566 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 3: Know, Yeah, I just I think it's interesting that he 567 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 3: began his career largely on the defensive side of the 568 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 3: ball and then shifted over to the offensive side in 569 00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 3: twenty twelve. He went for getting when he was twenty 570 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,799 Speaker 3: he was twenty nine working for the Titans, was a 571 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 3: defensive quality control coach, and then in twenty twelve went 572 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,479 Speaker 3: over and became the offensive quality control coach. 573 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,320 Speaker 4: I hadn't realized that he was an offensive lineman in college, 574 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 4: so I mean his background was, you know, playing on 575 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 4: the offensive side of the ball, but also a lot 576 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,040 Speaker 4: of offensive line background. Munchack and you know, there's a 577 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 4: lot of stuff overlapping here. So rahee. Morris was just 578 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 4: hired in Atlanta, and one of the things people were 579 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:10,280 Speaker 4: raving about, which I totally agree with Morris, is since 580 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 4: he was a head coach, he's had prominent roles on 581 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 4: offense and defense. You know, like great coaches will tell you, 582 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 4: if you're a defensive coordinator, the best thing you can 583 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 4: do is study the rules of pass protection, because that's 584 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 4: how you beat it, you know what I mean. So 585 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 4: like being able to think think from both sides has value. 586 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:35,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so as well. 587 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 3: And you know, I mean largely the only real position 588 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:41,799 Speaker 3: coach that he has been he was one year as 589 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:45,719 Speaker 3: an offensive line slash tight ends coach, and every year 590 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:47,319 Speaker 3: after that was a tight ends coach. 591 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 2: Well, you look at those other guys that. 592 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 3: He's worked for, and these are the guys the Steelers 593 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 3: fans will say, these guys were great offensive coordinators for 594 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 3: the Steelers. 595 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 2: Two of them are Munchhack I'm sorry, Malarkey and Wi 596 00:36:58,920 --> 00:36:59,399 Speaker 2: wasn't Hunt. 597 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:00,919 Speaker 5: What were they? 598 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:03,800 Speaker 2: They were tight ends and they were tight end coaches. 599 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I just wonder. 600 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 3: If we talk about this all the time. With the 601 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 3: tight end position, you have to know the running game, 602 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:12,919 Speaker 3: but you also have to know the passing game. 603 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 5: Yeah. 604 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, you're right. It's one of the big reasons rookie 605 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 4: comes in the league. And you know, I can struggle 606 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 4: at times. There's a lot to go on at that position. 607 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:24,719 Speaker 4: It's a cerebral position. You know, guys like Gonzalez and 608 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 4: Heath Miller can last forever when they once they get 609 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 4: the tricks of the trade down, you know. And where 610 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 4: do you think they'd learned the tricks of the trade from. 611 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, playing that position. 612 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 3: So I just think it's interesting that that he would 613 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 3: have that background, you know, to come from that kind 614 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:42,240 Speaker 3: of background. 615 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:43,200 Speaker 4: Uh. 616 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 3: You know, some people they wanted, they wanted one of 617 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 3: the young and not that again, not that he's old, 618 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 3: but they wanted one of the the guys who come 619 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 3: from the one of those West Coast type offenses. In 620 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 3: by West Coast, I mean San Francisco or Los Angeles. Yeah, yeah, 621 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 3: I mean this is this is another way to do it. 622 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:10,879 Speaker 3: And the fact that he worked for Joe Gibbs kind 623 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 3: of in that kind of where the Shanahan stuff came from. 624 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 4: But I don't know, to be honest with you, I mean, 625 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 4: some of these trees get so far down the road. 626 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 2: They do get it, they do get a little bit. 627 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 2: But you know, I do think that there's there's something 628 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 2: that you. 629 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 4: Know, I think that's more Walsh related. To be honest 630 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,279 Speaker 4: with you, is it okay? Yes, I mean, you know, 631 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:33,400 Speaker 4: tracking the history into the eighties and seventies, But I 632 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:36,359 Speaker 4: don't know what gibbs His offensive philosophies were, but they 633 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 4: always had a big back like a Riggins. They invested 634 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:42,960 Speaker 4: in offensive linemen, which the Titans did to the Falcons 635 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,800 Speaker 4: did too. Like, it wouldn't shock me if he lobbies 636 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:49,800 Speaker 4: for what the centers you're watching or tackle you're watching 637 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 4: right now, you know things like that that. 638 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 2: The Hall I get a crush on the center now, 639 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 2: by the. 640 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 4: Way, I know which one it is. I have a 641 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:57,160 Speaker 4: feeling I. 642 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 2: Was watching get a center crush. 643 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 4: They're good Senior Bowl stuff to talk about. But I 644 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 4: like the Smith hiring and it kind of shocked me. 645 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 4: I guess it didn't shock me, But most reactions I 646 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 4: got from Twitter friends, you know, responses were that's not 647 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 4: real exciting. I think you're just not doing enough homework, 648 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 4: to be honest with you. You're just looking at the 649 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:19,800 Speaker 4: Falcons stuff. 650 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 3: And I think that's a large part of They're just 651 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 3: looking what happened with the Falcons and they don't remember 652 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 3: what his offenses were with the Titans. 653 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, and really his his offense last year with the 654 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,360 Speaker 4: Falcons was pretty darn good. You mentioned them being third 655 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,040 Speaker 4: and run running game. They ran the ball a lot. 656 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,360 Speaker 4: They just don't have He's never had a quarterback that 657 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:39,959 Speaker 4: completely complete passes there. 658 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think that's a big part of it. 659 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:45,520 Speaker 3: I mean they were twenty second last year in terms 660 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:46,480 Speaker 3: of passing yards. 661 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 2: You know, that's not I don't know that. 662 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 3: And I what we don't know in terms of what 663 00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 3: with with with him and Atlanta is how much control 664 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:01,840 Speaker 3: he had over personnel. 665 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 4: Yeah. I have no clue. 666 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 2: Was he the scheff and somebody else brought him the materials? 667 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:10,719 Speaker 2: Is that here you go? Or was he you know, 668 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:12,839 Speaker 2: did he have some a lot more say? 669 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 3: And who they went out and drafted. I don't know that, 670 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 3: and I will not until I get the chance to 671 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:20,879 Speaker 3: talk to him. But I just know that when he 672 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:24,320 Speaker 3: was a coordinator in Tennessee was pretty damn effective. 673 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I know the team that he took over 674 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 4: in Atlanta was horrific and got it on purpose, on 675 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,279 Speaker 4: purpose that was Yeah, we took we took a run 676 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,279 Speaker 4: with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones and now we're paying 677 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:38,960 Speaker 4: the price for it and had nothing And then last 678 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:41,439 Speaker 4: year was pretty good and his past year was so 679 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,440 Speaker 4: so but really inaccurate quarterbacks. 680 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:47,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, let's get through a break. Matt, he is the 681 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 3: Matt Williamson. I'm Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive 682 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 3: here on Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be back with more 683 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:58,440 Speaker 3: after this. 684 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:02,720 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with and Matt Williamson on your twenty 685 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers 686 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 1: Nation Radio. 687 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,920 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the Drive. I am Dale LOLLI he 688 00:41:16,120 --> 00:41:19,680 Speaker 3: is the Matt Williamson and Matt. One of the things 689 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 3: that people bring up in terms of trying to pan 690 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 3: the Arthur Smith hiring is and I've already seen this 691 00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 3: on social media. Why would the Steelers want to run 692 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,919 Speaker 3: football more in twenty twenty four? 693 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 2: The NFL is a passing league and you have to 694 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:39,640 Speaker 2: be able to throw the football. 695 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:43,719 Speaker 4: Why they're going to run at more? But here's the thing. 696 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 3: Who were the final the final four team standing in 697 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:53,520 Speaker 3: the in the NFL playoffs? They were Kansas City, Baltimore, Detroit, 698 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 3: and San Francisco. Do you know where those teams ranked 699 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:01,200 Speaker 3: in terms of running the football in twenty twenty three? 700 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,120 Speaker 4: I have a much better idea, probably than our listeners, 701 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 4: because I actually wrote an article along these lines of 702 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 4: it went live yesterday of what can the Steelers learn 703 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:14,040 Speaker 4: from the final four teams offensively? And a lot of 704 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:18,680 Speaker 4: it was use of tight ends more twelve more twenty one, 705 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:22,759 Speaker 4: and I took note of the rushing as well, So 706 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 4: maybe I'm not the best. 707 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 3: Person to ask. So Number one was Baltimore. They were 708 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,920 Speaker 3: the number one running team in the league. Number two 709 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:33,640 Speaker 3: was Chicago. That's not all that surprising because they have 710 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:37,960 Speaker 3: a running quarterback. No, they was San Francisco, you know, yeah, 711 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 3: Number three San Francisco. Number four is Arizona, again running quarterback. 712 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:48,440 Speaker 3: Number five is Detroit. Three of the top five teams 713 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:52,360 Speaker 3: running the football were among the final four teams in 714 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 3: the league playing last week. And even if you look 715 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:59,440 Speaker 3: at Kansas City, Kansas City, they don't run a ton 716 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:02,080 Speaker 3: because they got well, they got Patrick Mahomes. But they 717 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:04,080 Speaker 3: still average one hundred and five yards rushing per game. 718 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 3: It's not like they're at the bottom. 719 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:09,239 Speaker 4: And their run percentage I think has gone up every 720 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:10,880 Speaker 4: year since they traded Tyreek. 721 00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:12,439 Speaker 2: They've also run. 722 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:15,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, they've also if you look at what they did 723 00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:20,680 Speaker 3: in the playoffs this year, it's much more thirteen personnel 724 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 3: here down the stretch and running the football. They didn't 725 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:27,360 Speaker 3: play some high flying game against the Ribbons. 726 00:43:27,400 --> 00:43:27,759 Speaker 5: It was a. 727 00:43:27,719 --> 00:43:28,759 Speaker 2: Seventeen to ten game. 728 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,160 Speaker 4: So I'm pulling it up. I mean because you know, 729 00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:40,680 Speaker 4: like I mentioned that the Falcons were thirty second in 730 00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 4: their use of eleven personnel. Well, the Ravens were twenty eighth, 731 00:43:45,239 --> 00:43:51,080 Speaker 4: you know, the the Chiefs were middle of the pack. 732 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:54,240 Speaker 4: They're fourteenth, you know, I mean they're they were fifth 733 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:56,920 Speaker 4: in the in terms of thirteen personnel. I mean, like 734 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:00,360 Speaker 4: the Steelers and Lions, as everyone probably knows, were the 735 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:03,440 Speaker 4: two teams that both had two backs with a thousand 736 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:06,360 Speaker 4: yards from scrimmage, and they used those guys together a 737 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,879 Speaker 4: lot more than the Steelers did. Like I think, all 738 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,759 Speaker 4: this stuff will be coming. And in the Lions there 739 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:14,279 Speaker 4: were twentieth in their usage of eleven you know, like 740 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:18,120 Speaker 4: these were bottom of the league in terms of eleven personnel. 741 00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:22,239 Speaker 4: The Niners were thirty first. And you know, so Atlanta's 742 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:26,400 Speaker 4: structured a little bit more like this sounds goofy, but 743 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:31,480 Speaker 4: Atlanta's offense was structured more like the final four teams collectively. 744 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,320 Speaker 4: Then the Steelers would be the outlier of those six. 745 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:39,319 Speaker 3: To be honest with you, here's the other Yeah, if 746 00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:44,160 Speaker 3: you look at Kansas City's playoff rushing. They've run the 747 00:44:44,200 --> 00:44:48,480 Speaker 3: ball ninety times and they're averaging one hundred and twenty 748 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:51,880 Speaker 3: seven point three yards rushing per game. So while it 749 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:54,000 Speaker 3: was only one hundred and five yards rushing per game 750 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:57,200 Speaker 3: in the regular season, once they got to the playoffs, 751 00:44:58,000 --> 00:44:59,680 Speaker 3: they're averaging thirty carries per game. 752 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:03,000 Speaker 4: So they're trying to grind the clock out on you 753 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:05,560 Speaker 4: yea one hundred percent. And they really did it against 754 00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:07,799 Speaker 4: the Ravens. You know, so you know about Chiefs, right, yeah, 755 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:11,319 Speaker 4: they they really did it against the Ravens. Now, when 756 00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:13,279 Speaker 4: you're winning, it's easier to run the ball at the 757 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:15,640 Speaker 4: end of games, so there is some of that for 758 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:17,920 Speaker 4: the Ravens the Niners. You know, you have a big 759 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:21,120 Speaker 4: lead and you close teams out, but these teams used 760 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:25,239 Speaker 4: it to get the big lead too. And right, you know, 761 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:29,280 Speaker 4: you mentioned last year the Falcons were third and finished 762 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:33,080 Speaker 4: the season third in rushing, and they weren't a great team. 763 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 4: I think they've been seven and ten every year he 764 00:45:35,239 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 4: was there, but they outkicked their coverage in terms of 765 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 4: roster talent. Because I talked about this all the time 766 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:49,160 Speaker 4: last year, voluminous running, you know, they they narrowed the 767 00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:52,040 Speaker 4: playing field when they had very few cards in their 768 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:56,000 Speaker 4: hand by running the football and running it well even 769 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 4: when the whole world knew it was coming and they 770 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,200 Speaker 4: didn't have the threat of the pass that the roy 771 00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:02,920 Speaker 4: or San Francisco or Kansas City had. 772 00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, they just shortened the game and did it well. Yeah, 773 00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:11,040 Speaker 3: you make that you make that great quarterback stand on 774 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:13,919 Speaker 3: the other sideline, even if even if you're playing against Yeah, 775 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:18,320 Speaker 3: you're outgunned to quarterback if you were the Atlanta Falcons. 776 00:46:18,320 --> 00:46:19,799 Speaker 4: Yes, and everyone know that coming in. 777 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:20,359 Speaker 5: Yep. 778 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:23,200 Speaker 3: So you use your running game to keep that quarterback 779 00:46:23,239 --> 00:46:24,400 Speaker 3: standing on the sidelines. 780 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:28,279 Speaker 4: Yes, and and potrole to blow the game. And yeah, 781 00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:30,560 Speaker 4: they were protecting a defense too. I mean, like their 782 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:33,120 Speaker 4: defense was really bad up until this year. They invested 783 00:46:33,160 --> 00:46:37,759 Speaker 4: heavily on defense Kalaias Campbell and the free safety from 784 00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:41,200 Speaker 4: the Bengals and went out and got stuff finally. And 785 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:43,680 Speaker 4: they've also had the worst pass rush in the league 786 00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 4: for like three years in a row. They had sixteen 787 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:51,800 Speaker 4: sacks two years ago. You're like they just sixteen season sixteen. 788 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:55,560 Speaker 4: I mean, tjut out. There were several players, i mean, 789 00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:57,320 Speaker 4: DJ had mor sacks than the Falcons. 790 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:02,040 Speaker 3: How about this little stat on Arthur Smith matt in 791 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:08,440 Speaker 3: twy in twenty nineteen and twenty twenty. The red zone 792 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:13,080 Speaker 3: touchdown percentage for the Titans in those two seasons seventy 793 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,120 Speaker 3: five point six and twenty nineteen and seventy five point 794 00:47:16,239 --> 00:47:19,440 Speaker 3: zero in twenty twenty. Those are the fourth and fifth 795 00:47:19,480 --> 00:47:22,920 Speaker 3: best single season marks in the NFL since two thousand. 796 00:47:23,680 --> 00:47:25,400 Speaker 4: Wow, I mean having. 797 00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:27,640 Speaker 3: Sometimes you look at that and say, oh, that's that's 798 00:47:27,719 --> 00:47:28,440 Speaker 3: kind of fluky. 799 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:29,200 Speaker 2: That can be kind of. 800 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 3: Fluky, but when you do it in back to back years, 801 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:33,400 Speaker 3: it's not fluky. 802 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 4: Henry certainly helps, there's no question, But they put Henry 803 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:43,160 Speaker 4: in a position for Henry to be Henry. I might 804 00:47:43,239 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 4: saying Harris can be as good a player as Derrick Henry, 805 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:48,360 Speaker 4: but he'll be used exactly the same. 806 00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 5: You know. 807 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:52,120 Speaker 4: I mean yeah, I mean when it's down, I don't 808 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:54,439 Speaker 4: think they're gonna goof around at the goal line. They're 809 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:57,000 Speaker 4: gonna give the ball to their big back and he's 810 00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:59,959 Speaker 4: gonna blow people off the ball behind a big line, 811 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:02,319 Speaker 4: a physical line, that's what That's the type of line 812 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:07,160 Speaker 4: that he built in Atlanta with Lindstrom. They drafted McGarry 813 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:10,920 Speaker 4: in the first round, Matthews, you know, there's and a 814 00:48:10,920 --> 00:48:12,400 Speaker 4: lot of that's already in place here. 815 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:16,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, right, So, I mean they've got that going for him, 816 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:17,360 Speaker 3: which is nice. 817 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:18,360 Speaker 5: But we're gonna get to. 818 00:48:18,360 --> 00:48:21,160 Speaker 3: Another break that's gonna do it for our number one 819 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:23,360 Speaker 3: of the drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. 820 00:48:23,640 --> 00:48:25,600 Speaker 2: Matt and I will be back with our number two 821 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:26,960 Speaker 2: right after this