1 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers 4 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 2: Audio Network. West Shooler and Matt Williamson with you here 5 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 2: for the next two hours on a Thursday, where we 6 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: will fully turn that page and start to focus Matt on, Hey, 7 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 2: it's a regular season game in October, right, Okay, there's 8 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: still half the season to go, a lot of different 9 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: things at play here, but I think about as big 10 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: of a game as you can get this time of year. 11 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: Two storied franchises that Aaron Rodgers storyline, and you know, 12 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: a Green Bay team that is trying to keep pace 13 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 2: with the Lions and stay at top of their division. 14 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: A Steelers team trying to stay at top of their 15 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 2: division and kind of wash out that bad taste of 16 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 2: their mouth from last Thursday in Cincinnati. This one is 17 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 2: going to do a massive number in ratings and it's 18 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: going to be I think, a real kind of crossroads. 19 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: What's the net You could almost write the narrative for 20 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 2: both teams going into this one. If they win or 21 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: they lose, you know what everyone's going to say. If 22 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: they win. What everyone's going to say if they lose. 23 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: Standalone games always mean more to just the whole. 24 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 2: Country is going to be watching. This is one of 25 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 2: those ones that when the schedule came out, everyone looked 26 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: at it and circled it and highlighted it. And this 27 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: is going to be a lot of fun. Mm hmm, 28 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: And it is. It is going to be a lot 29 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: of fun and again, about as big as you can 30 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: get for a regular season game in October. 31 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, and then they spruce it up with these jerseys, 32 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 3: these throwback jerseys. I saw them for the first time today. 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 3: I was down to the facility. They're pretty crazy. Every 34 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 3: eye in America is going to be on it, even 35 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 3: more than most Sunday night games. And they're not the 36 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 3: best two teams in the league, but they're about the 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 3: two best fan bases in the league. And they're two 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 3: pretty darn good teams that are storied and a lot 39 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 3: of trophies and so many Hall of famers, and one 40 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 3: of them's now working for this team as opposed to 41 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: that team. Obviously, the Rogers storyline is massive. Now it's 42 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 3: an NFC game, so the math doesn't kill the other team. 43 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 2: That bad doesn't affect your tie breakers or anything like that. 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,239 Speaker 3: But green Bay started the season first two games blowing 45 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 3: people's doors off, and now they're still good, but they're 46 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 3: squeaking by, you know, like where are they at as 47 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 3: a team. Steelers, on the other hand, are coming off 48 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 3: an embarrassing loss, at least on one side of the 49 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 3: ball was embarrassing. And I bet everyone there was walking 50 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 3: on the facility. I had that feeling. I didn't chat 51 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: with Cam Hayward or TJ. Watt knows exactly what they 52 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 3: put on tape for the world to see, and it's 53 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 3: not good enough at all. And I expect a long 54 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 3: week a lot of that to get corrected. 55 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 2: I do too. That is obviously what we're all waiting for. 56 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: Kind of first and foremost is it relates to again 57 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 2: another offense that is going to challenge you. It's not 58 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 2: the same type of challenge as Cincinnati. It's a younger quarterback, 59 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 2: not a veteran quarterback. You know, yeah, it's it's a 60 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 2: it's they don't have this superstar brand names like Jamar 61 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: Chase and T. Higgins, But this is still a Packers 62 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: offense that has a lot of different ways to give 63 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: it to you. It does talented young receivers, talented young 64 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 2: tight ends, talented running back up and coming quarterback as 65 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: you talked about yesterday, a one of I think the 66 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 2: more underrated offensive line unit as a unit in the 67 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: National Football League. 68 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 3: This is really offensive coach too. Really yeah, really. 69 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 2: One of the yes, he's he's he's not mentioned in 70 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 2: the same breath as the mcvay's and the Shanahans, but 71 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: maybe he should be. 72 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 3: I know, he doesn't get He's won a lot of 73 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 3: games since he went to Green Bay, and it wasn't 74 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 3: it used to be like, oh, he's riding Rogers coattails. 75 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: Anyone could do that. And he's gone through a lot 76 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 3: of different things, and. 77 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: Then Jordan Love came in. I continue to go to 78 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,839 Speaker 2: the playoffs and win double digit games. Very bright coach, 79 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 2: and all those different things. So let's kind of start there. 80 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: It's a big week for the Steelers defense, looking to 81 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: get right after that performance in Cincinnati against a talented 82 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 2: Packers offense. Yeah, Matt, I want some of the the 83 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 2: Matt stats numbers. I want to run past you here. 84 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 2: This one pretty glaring as it relates to the Steelers defense. 85 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: They are surrendering an average of thirty eight point three 86 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 2: yards per drive. 87 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 3: That is one of my favorites and well one of 88 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 3: my least favorites, depending on how you look at right 89 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 3: telling the season's going. 90 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: That's the worst in the National Football last thirty two 91 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: thirty two. 92 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 3: How many yards allowed per drive? 93 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: They're also they're also on the field for over seven 94 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 2: plays per drive seven point two plays per drive on average. 95 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: That's thirty first out of thirty two teams. Only the 96 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: Miami Dolphins are worse. Paint those pictures for us and 97 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: why those are both terrible signs, terrible indicators. 98 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 3: And I put some of that stuff on Twitter, and 99 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 3: I forget if someone smart wrote back and to be 100 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 3: like this, this defense is all splashed and get gashed, 101 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 3: you know, I'm like, it's pretty good. You know, like 102 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 3: when there's when they're causing splash, they're one of the 103 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 3: banging and it just so happens and this is not 104 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 3: an accident. Then the Steelers know this. They're the best 105 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 3: defense in the league in my opinion, that creating splash, 106 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: through pass rush, through four fumbles, you know, bat it 107 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 3: passes the line of scrimmage, all those things. And this 108 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 3: last week we didn't see any splash, you know, sacks, 109 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 3: you know, turnovers, that type of thing, and the gashing 110 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 3: was happening over and over and over. That's okay. It's 111 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 3: not a great way to live. 112 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 4: You know. 113 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 3: The splash is wonderful, and I think the splash will 114 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 3: be there way more often than not, don't get me wrong. 115 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 3: But you can't be on the field for that many 116 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 3: yards per drive and that many plays per drive. 117 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 118 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 3: I mean it's I keep going back the time and 119 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 3: possession as the what you go to the doctor for. 120 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 3: You know, man, our time possession is really bad. Doc, 121 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 3: what is it? It's getting the point now where it's 122 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 3: pretty clear that's the defense. I mean it used to be. 123 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 3: It's a group things. Steelers don't run the ball very well. 124 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 3: Two May three and outs. 125 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, like after the Patriots game, right right, easy to 126 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 2: point to the offense went six straight drives either three 127 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 2: and out or the Roberts plane interception. 128 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's easy. 129 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: Just a couple games into the season, boom, it's right 130 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: in front of you here on the table. There's what's 131 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: ailing you. But you're right. I think as this thing 132 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 2: has evolved and we've gotten more and more data points, it's. 133 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 3: It's a defense on the field and it's self inflicted. 134 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: Absolutely, particularly on the back of these last few games, Matt, 135 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 2: where the Steelers have been running the football much more effectively. Right, 136 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 2: that's the thing that elongates the drives for the offense, 137 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: keeps your defense on the sideline, keeps that time of 138 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: possession typically in your favor, and that just hasn't been 139 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: the case. And so you're right as you're the doctor 140 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: and you're kind of you know what the symptoms are, 141 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 2: but you're trying to diagnose the issue. 142 00:06:58,320 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 5: Right. 143 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: It's I think it's becoming harder and harder to ignore 144 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: that it is. Listen, I'm not saying the offense is 145 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: completely perfect in. 146 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 3: This course, I mean none are, but you know that it's. 147 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: A that it's an issue that has primarily at the 148 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: feet of the defense. 149 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, and most recently it's because they're not stopping the 150 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: run well enough. And the short passing game. It's a 151 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 3: lot of I mean, the Bengal game is so fresh 152 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 3: on your mind, but there were a lot of first 153 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: reads where it was just Flackos's first guy open boom 154 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: two exactly exactly. I mean, off coverage, Chase, give him 155 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 3: the ball, his average depth target was really short for 156 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 3: a great wide receiver, but it didn't matter. I mean 157 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 3: he's still getting six. He's you know, adding to those 158 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 3: yards per drive and eating the clock's ticking. And this 159 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 3: team you're playing isn't a great time of possession team, 160 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 3: which surprises me a little because the d's really good. 161 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 3: Their run defense is the best in the league, and 162 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 3: they run the ball a lot. They're a high percentage 163 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 3: run team. But they're also big game hunters. They like 164 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 3: to go and love always will be I mean, to 165 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 3: go down the field. I mean, if you've he'll probably 166 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 3: take and no, we'll take some shots. But I think 167 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 3: it all starts, and I feel like I'm just like 168 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 3: regurgitating Tomlin right now. But you got to start with 169 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: Josh Jacobs. Yeah, I mean that's where it starts. I mean, 170 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 3: if he is gashing you for you know, he going 171 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 3: the half and he's got eighty five yards and he's 172 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 3: averaging six seven yards of carry, put eleven in the box. Yeah, 173 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 3: I mean, like you just can't accept that fate. 174 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 2: You spend a lot of time around the team, similar 175 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: to myself in OTA's mini camp training camp settings teaching periods. Yeah, yeah, 176 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: those periods are different than the practices that they're doing 177 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 2: for a week. You've laid this out a million times. 178 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 2: There was so much less time during the week than 179 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 2: people think because you're preparing for Josh Jacobs and Jordan 180 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: Love and how do we stop these guys. 181 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 3: And it's not like super quick to interrupt. Like I 182 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 3: was down there today, practice was starting. You walk out. 183 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 3: This isn't a trade secret or anything. There's somebody that 184 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 3: has a Tucker Craft jersey on. There's something and it 185 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 3: has a Jacob's jersey on, you know, like when he 186 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 3: goes there scout team right right right. Yeah, we pay 187 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 3: attention to those dudes. That doesn't happen in camp or 188 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 3: mini camp nor. 189 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 2: You get more of the teachable moments in OTA's mini 190 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: camp training camp. One thing, Matt, I'm sure you've heard 191 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 2: it I've heard it at least a dozen times now 192 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: in my you know, eight years around the team, defensive 193 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: line coach Carl Dunbar, you know, talking to his guys 194 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: something along the lines of you have to earn the 195 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 2: right to rush the passer, and that starts with stopping 196 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: the run. Yeah, it's great that we have all these 197 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 2: guys that can get sacks and get after the quarterback. 198 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 2: We know the skill set of Watt and high Smith 199 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: and her Big and Cam and a guy like Keanu 200 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 2: Benten who's had a handful of sacks over the last 201 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: few weeks. 202 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 3: Yep. Yeah, but you have to. 203 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 2: Earn the right to get them into second and eight, 204 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:46,959 Speaker 2: to get them into third and seven, to get them 205 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: into predictable passing situations. You have to earn the right 206 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: to rush the quarterback. And that begins with stopping the run. 207 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: And that man, that was a huge issue last week. 208 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 2: You cannot let that carry over into Sunday night. 209 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:02,599 Speaker 3: So I know a lot of our listeners and a 210 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 3: lot of fans were, I mean, you weren't in a 211 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 3: good mood anyways, folks. But after that game, but when 212 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 3: Tomlin was asked and I don't remember exactly forbade him 213 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 3: the quotes, but you know what's the biggest problem, He's 214 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 3: like stopping the run. And there's a lot of our 215 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 3: listeners and fans that were like, oh, you see Jamar 216 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 3: Chase catching eight thousand balls? Coach Like, I think he does, guys, 217 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 3: I think he's on it. I think his defensive back coaches, 218 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,599 Speaker 3: defensive coordinators are aware that the best receiver in the 219 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 3: league is catching eight thousand balls. But if it wasn't 220 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 3: for the Chase Brown stuff, the game you probably win. 221 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 3: You know, you sort of conceded the Chase in Higgins 222 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 3: stuff to. 223 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: Some degree, right in a war like that, But you 224 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 2: only give up seventy five yards rushing. 225 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, if he's averaging what he was two six whatever, 226 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: he was averaging seven in every other game. But to 227 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 3: that point, if you play the run sounder, you tackle better. 228 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 3: And they weren't even like getting blown off the ball 229 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 3: like in the Jets game. It looked like the first 230 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: game of the season where everyone was tired and Cam 231 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 3: hadn't practiced and you're like, they're getting pushed backwards. 232 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,319 Speaker 2: This was looked a little bit like that against Seattle too. 233 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 3: Yes, early in the season, that happens across the league, 234 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 3: but last last week it was there's no one aligned 235 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 3: in the B gap, or you just flat out missed 236 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 3: the tackle, or you're not rallying too the football with 237 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,839 Speaker 3: the same energy. And you can say that's a short week, 238 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 3: or you could say, well they've been on the field 239 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: too much already this year. Maybe, I mean, I'm sure 240 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 3: that contributed, but it doesn't make it okay. You know, 241 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 3: by any stretch, and this game you have a ten 242 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 3: weeks or ten day break where your opponent doesn't you know, 243 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 3: I mean it starts with stopping the run, and you're right, 244 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 3: I mean yeah, you kind of have to earn your 245 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 3: your ability to pen your ears back and go after 246 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 3: the quarterback. Now here's a wrinkle though, which the Packers 247 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 3: are good. By the way, a lot of these mats 248 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 3: that stuff are not going to really favor the Steelers. 249 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 3: Bay is really good. So not only is Green Bay 250 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 3: the best team in the league on third down? 251 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 5: Was it? 252 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 2: That was the next step that I had to get to. 253 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 3: I don't have the numbers, but in third and long 254 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,199 Speaker 3: seven or more, they're not only the best team in 255 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 3: the league on third and long, but they're light years 256 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 3: better than average. I mean, it's insane. So even if 257 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 3: you do keep them, it's third and oh we go 258 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 3: them on third and eight three times in a row. 259 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 3: They've been converting like almost fifty percent of the time, 260 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 3: which is nuts. 261 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: I want to dig into that more, the specific numbers 262 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 2: there at how impressive it is and how the Steelers 263 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 2: better be ready for it and ready to counter that. 264 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 3: But I'm like, oh, you got them where you want them, 265 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 3: you know, right. 266 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: I don't want to short change it either, So let's 267 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 2: go to break here. We'll pick up there on the 268 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 2: other side when we return West Shuler Matt Williamson just 269 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,599 Speaker 2: getting started. We'll continue into Matt's stats. We'll talk to 270 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 2: Bob Labriola in this hour plenty to get to you 271 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 2: on a Thursday. It is the Drive on Steelers Nation 272 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 2: Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. 273 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,079 Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven 274 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 275 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: All right, Matt, it uh. It's impressive, as you kind 276 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: of mentioned there before we went to break. Green Bay 277 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: Packers converting forty nine point three percent of their third 278 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: down attempts. That's the best in the National Football League. 279 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,079 Speaker 2: But get this, they are also converting a league high 280 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 2: forty eight point three So only one percent right less. 281 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 3: Doesn't matter what the down in distance is. 282 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 2: Out of one hundred tries, only one time less on 283 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 2: their third and long that's seven or more yards right conversions. 284 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: The league average in those situations third and seven or 285 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 2: longer is less than twenty four percent. Yeah, they're doing 286 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 2: it at over forty eight percent. That's nearly twice as 287 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 2: good as everbody else in the National Football League. That's crazy. 288 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 3: That's crazy. And the good news is, I bet when 289 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 3: we're at Christmas, they're not at thirty forty nine percent. 290 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 3: You know, it's not one out of two on third. 291 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 2: Stealers aren't gonna be the only team going forward. They're 292 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: looking for ways to stop this and slow this down. 293 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's almost unsustainable, you know. I mean, like 294 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 3: I doubt any team in history and third and long 295 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 3: is like at fifty percent. I mean, that sounds nuts 296 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 3: to me. But still they are doing it. And we're 297 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 3: almost at Halloween. I mean, this isn't one game against 298 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 3: a terrible defense. I don't have a great reason why now. 299 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 3: I think part of it's because Love's aggressive and he's 300 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 3: pushed the ball down the field. 301 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 2: Like you said, big game hunter, big game hunter. 302 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 3: He has some improv skills. But if you notice his numbers, 303 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 3: and I didn't put it in there because I don't 304 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 3: like the quote pressures because I don't one hundred percent 305 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 3: trust him. But when he's in a clean pocket, he's 306 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 3: one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Accuracy, whatever 307 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 3: you know, whatever of advanced numbers you want, or even 308 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 3: the basic numbers. But under pressure, everyone's worse. I mean, 309 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 3: every quarterback under pressure compared to clean pocket is gonna 310 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 3: is gonna be worse. I mean, there's been a weird 311 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 3: year or two where like Mahomes is actually better, but 312 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 3: that's freaky. But his gap is wider than most. It's 313 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 3: much wider than most, as is Aaron Rodgers, by the way, 314 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 3: but Rogers is the least pressured quarterback in the league. 315 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 3: People be like, big, oh, that's crazy part because it 316 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 3: ball comes out so fast. I recognize it so well, 317 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 3: you know, But steal protection hasn't been as bad as 318 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: people think. 319 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 2: But no, it's been. It's been much improved, particularly since Dublin. 320 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, and even this past game, the ball did not 321 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 3: come out at a record speed, you know. So he's 322 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 3: the least pressure quarterback in the league. 323 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 2: And Roger Jones been the only one who's been getting 324 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 2: hands on him lately. 325 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 3: It's a good point. So I you would think, man, 326 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 3: you're gonna get more pressure on these third and longs, 327 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 3: and I assume teams are. I mean, I could do 328 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 3: some filtering of whatever and figure it out, and that 329 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 3: would and he hasn't been as good under pressure, but 330 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 3: apparently it hasn't mattered. 331 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's it's a great point. Yeah, and it's a 332 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: scary point heading into heading into this game where you 333 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: just struggled to get pressure on a quarterback. Big part 334 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 2: of that was obviously how quick Joe Flacco was getting 335 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 2: rid of the thing, but that that cannot continue for 336 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 2: the Steelers defense on Sunday night, or you're never in 337 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 2: a field, you will never. 338 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 3: Get You have some good plays and then you get 339 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 3: to the third and eight and you're like, Okay, we're in 340 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 3: good shape, we're gonna bring the house and boom. 341 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 2: Yeah totally and you know that. So that is I 342 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 2: think one of the things if you're kind of, you know, 343 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 2: writing down notes of key things to watch for the 344 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 2: Steelers defense, those third down conversion rates, particularly third and 345 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 2: long sounds like it's towards the top of the list. Matt. 346 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 2: This scares me as well too. 347 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 3: Say one thing too, Like when I look at a 348 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 3: box score for the first time or whatever, and and 349 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 3: I get the third downs, I'm interested in the conversion rate, sure, 350 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: but I'm as interested or more interested in the denominator. 351 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 3: How many times did you make them snap the ball 352 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 3: on third down. Offense coordinats don't want snap them on 353 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 3: third down. I mean, it just don't. It's a little 354 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 3: less true now because so many people go forward on fourth. 355 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 3: You know, it used to be that we have three 356 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 3: downs to get it first down. Now teams, you know, 357 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 3: like the Eagles will call a run on third and 358 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 3: seven because they know they're going forward on fourth, you 359 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 3: know so, But still making teams snap the ball over 360 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 3: and over on third down is good defense. But not 361 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 3: against these guys. 362 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 2: But you know what I mean, absolutely, Yeah, if you 363 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 2: could force a team into twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen third downs. 364 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 3: Right, good chance you won the game. 365 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: Yes, but it's these guys, it might not be as 366 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 2: a direct show as you expect. Here's a big part 367 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 2: of that too, Matt. Kind of final stat I wanted 368 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 2: to run past you. Before we get to our buddy 369 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 2: Bob Labriola in just a few minutes. We spend a 370 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 2: lot of time talking about the kind of whole holy 371 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: trinity of indicators to who wins a game. Yeah, yeah, turnover, differential, sack, differential, 372 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 2: explosive play differential. That is the holy trinity of whoever 373 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 2: has the most success in those departments puts themselves in. 374 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 2: It's like it's playing poker odds or blackjack adds. It 375 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 2: doesn't necessarily mean you win every time, but you've got. 376 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 3: A much likely but you don't hit on twenty. 377 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: Exactly right, exactly right, exactly right. The Packers offense first 378 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 2: in the league and explosive. 379 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 3: Play rate again, they pushed them all down the field. 380 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 3: And even though Jacobs doesn't have a lot of yards 381 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 3: per care, that's the crazy part about can rip off 382 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 3: and runs and hurt you. 383 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 2: Yes, the Steelers defense ranks thirtieth and explosive play rates 384 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 2: surrendered that to me. Yeah, at least Cincinnati had to 385 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 2: kind of paper cut you to death at times down 386 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 2: the field. 387 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 3: Absolutely, they they didn't kill you with explosives. 388 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 2: Right, You cannot you absolutely cannot allow this to be 389 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 2: three play drives, four play d have six play drives 390 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: against the Packers, and they've done a very good job 391 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: of that so far this season. 392 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 3: I mean, none of this sounds good because boy, they 393 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 3: have a ton of explosives. You allow a ton of explosives. 394 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 3: We started the show with man, you allow a lot 395 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 3: of plays per drive, You allowed a lot of yardage 396 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 3: per drive. Well, if you're picking your poison. Neither's good. No, 397 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 3: you just got to play better. Yeah, I mean, well, 398 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 3: how do you fix it, Matt? Well, you get off 399 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 3: your blocks, you tackle better, you make big plays. 400 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: You sound like Dave, sound like Dave wants that right 401 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 2: there when he was remember do you remember that halftime 402 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 2: where he said we got to run fast? He was 403 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 2: asked at a halftime interview, what do you got to do? 404 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:43,400 Speaker 2: He said, we got to run faster. 405 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 3: Better. 406 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 2: You got to run faster, you gotta tackle better. We 407 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 2: just we just got to be better. What do you 408 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 2: have to do? We have to run. We have to 409 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 2: run faster out here is what we have. 410 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,360 Speaker 3: Foot stuff. You have to do better than you were 411 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 3: in before. 412 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 2: You know, And and that to the defense. 413 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: Can it's not like, boy, there's no good players. 414 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, and here, but here's the one. Here's the one 415 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 2: thing too. If you're getting after Jordan Love and you're 416 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 2: and you're you're getting four or five sacks, and you're 417 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 2: winning that sack margin by plus three plus four, now 418 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: we're dogging. If you're winning the turnover margin by plus two. 419 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 3: Let's stop you real quick, because this is nuts about 420 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 3: the packers. There's no turnovers and Packer games. Packers have 421 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 3: turned the ball over three times all year and a 422 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 3: four three pump three turnovers all year. It's like it's 423 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 3: like they make a deal with the opponent, like. 424 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 2: We won't turn it over, you don't turn it over. 425 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 3: Or just not either one of us turn it over today. 426 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 3: I'm like, Okay, well, I ain't gonna cut in this game. 427 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 3: If there's no turnovers, that's not gonna be good for 428 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 3: the Steelers. 429 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 2: Because you're absolutely right, Because where I was going with 430 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 2: that was, Hey, if they outclash you in the explosive 431 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 2: play department, but you're plus two in the turnover margin, 432 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 2: you're plus three or four in the sack margin, you 433 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 2: can make. 434 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 3: Up for them. You can be in to get decent shape, right. Yeah, 435 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 3: But if your Steeler offense is actually pretty explosive too, 436 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 3: which is rare to say over. 437 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 2: The year exactly, and it's it feels like it's gotten 438 00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 2: doesn't feel like the numbers back it up, it's gotten 439 00:20:59,200 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 2: more explosive. 440 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 3: We by week, we both through the air and on 441 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 3: the ground. 442 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 2: So you can make up for giving up some explosive 443 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,959 Speaker 2: plays if you're too not too far behind with your 444 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 2: own offense and you're leading in the sack department, you're 445 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 2: leading in the turnover department. But if turnovers and sacks 446 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: are a stalemate or god forbid, you lose in that 447 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 2: department once again. Yeah, that's where you're really asking for trouble. 448 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 3: That's the thing is like, when you talk about strategy, 449 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 3: you know Love's going to be anxious to push the 450 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,640 Speaker 3: ball down the field. They trust their protection, They got 451 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 3: good downfield weapons. So do you play at the opposite 452 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 3: of how you did the Bengals, because frankly that didn't work, 453 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 3: and say, okay, we might play more single high or 454 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 3: blitz more or trust our secondary. And I'm sure people 455 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 3: are like, why would you trust the secondary after what 456 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 3: happened on Thursday? Well, trust something, yeah, right, right right? 457 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 3: And we want Love to pat the ball for two 458 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 3: point nine and we know he's going to drive it 459 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:56,360 Speaker 3: down the field and Golden might get behind you twice, 460 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 3: but you also might hit him eight times, you know, 461 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 3: and tips one. 462 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 2: Hands on a ball at the line of scrimmage, something 463 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 2: they've done very well this season, and right fluttering into 464 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 2: t Higgins hands. This time it flutters into Cole holcombs. 465 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 3: Are Yeah, those explosive number of stuff might get worse. 466 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 3: You know, they might get be best in the league 467 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 3: by a wider margin. You might be last in the 468 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 3: league when's all said and done. 469 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 2: But man, getting you a couple more sacks and maybe 470 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 2: an extra turnover. But if you're stop you'll make with. 471 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 3: The If you're stopping the run and you're not getting paper, yeah, 472 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 3: the death. I think I'd rather live that way right now. 473 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 2: I think I would, especially when you consider again like this, 474 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 2: at least it's aggressive, the strengths of this Steelers defense 475 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 2: and what yeah, and when they are at their best, 476 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 2: unleash the hounds. They've surrendered a lot of yards at times. 477 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, but they're getting sacks, they're getting turnovers. 478 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 2: That makes up for it. 479 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 3: And I know people were like, this defense is the 480 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 3: most expensive in the league. They shouldn't have that kind 481 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 3: of yard is allowed. Agreed, don't get me wrong. But 482 00:22:55,560 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 3: even like Belichick his great defenses, they allowed. I mean, 483 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 3: yardage doesn't equal points. You lose. You lose the game 484 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 3: by having less points in your right right, or I 485 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 3: make a big play, or I set you up for 486 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 3: this blitz package or okay, you not allow them to 487 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 3: sleep and allow them to run. But you know what 488 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 3: I'm saying, like yard you don't lose the game or 489 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 3: lose your job because of yardage, you know. 490 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 5: What I mean. 491 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 3: The job is to win the game and have more points. 492 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 3: It's not always yards. One hundred yards doesn't turn into 493 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 3: five points. 494 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: They give a ton of yards against the Patriots. They 495 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: started fourteen points. Okay, fine, you force turnovers. You did 496 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: the bend, but don't break thing in the red zone, 497 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 2: key moments, weighty downs, possession downs was was well tilted 498 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 2: in your favor. That's where this defense is at their best. 499 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 2: And I'll drive people crazy and I get that, and 500 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 2: that's the truth. 501 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,360 Speaker 3: It's it's And the problem though, is that your time 502 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 3: of possession starts to be a problem, and then one 503 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 3: more injury pops up because you're on the field five 504 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 3: minutes longer, and then two more injuries pop up, and 505 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 3: then you can't get off the field, and then you're 506 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 3: not getting splashed, and then it's week twelve and you're shot. 507 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:06,919 Speaker 4: You know. 508 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 3: I mean there is a nutrition aspect of that too. 509 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely, It's all a fun part of the ecosystem. 510 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, that we perfect way of doing that. 511 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 2: We love dorking out nerding about here, nerding out about here, 512 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 2: say that five times fast. Nerding out about here on 513 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 2: the Drive just about every single day. One of our 514 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 2: favorite guests here on the program. We missed him last week, 515 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 2: of course, because he's a Thursday guest and we did 516 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 2: not have a Thursday show due to that game in Cincinnati. 517 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 2: It's the great Bob Labriola, Steelers historian. We will catch 518 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 2: up with Labs and we return on the other side, 519 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 2: get all his thoughts ahead of Sunday night football against 520 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 2: the Packers. We'll do that more when we return. Wes Shuler, 521 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 2: Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on 522 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes. 523 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of 524 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio. 525 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 2: Back on the Drive here on a Thursday, and to 526 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: the phone lines we go, and gentlemen. I got a 527 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 2: tweet from a guy named Joe last week who said, 528 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 2: is there any chance that we can continue one of 529 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 2: Dale's favorite traditions? And that was when introducing Bob Labriola. 530 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,439 Speaker 2: You gotta say the Dean of Doom, the lord of 531 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 2: living in his fears, thanks for the consideration and keep 532 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 2: up the great work, guys. I would love to honor 533 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,239 Speaker 2: our brother Dale whenever we have Labs on. So he 534 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 2: is the Dean of doom. He is the lord of 535 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 2: living in his fears. The Great Bob Labriola, Steelers Historian, 536 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 2: Labs thank you for taking the time as always and 537 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 2: as the Steelers historian, I gotta ask you the kind 538 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 2: of sports dork in me, Labs. Every game gets you 539 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 2: fired up. That's why we love football. There's only seventeen 540 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 2: and they're all important. But when you have two cornerstone franchises, 541 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,679 Speaker 2: as Aaron Rodgers would say, you know two of the 542 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 2: best fan bases, two of the most I think respected organizations, 543 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 2: not just in football but in all of American sports, 544 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,199 Speaker 2: like the Steelers and the Packers, this one get your 545 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 2: juices going a little bit extra. 546 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:23,959 Speaker 4: Well. I'll tell you what. 547 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 5: All of those things you said are true about the 548 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:31,719 Speaker 5: two franchises, and you know what makes it special. In 549 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 5: my mind though, is where both teams are right now, 550 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 5: where both teams. 551 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 4: Might have the promise to go, what this. 552 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 5: Game means to each of these teams. So I mean, 553 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 5: it's all of those things you know Sunday night, except 554 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 5: for keeping me way up beyond my bedtime, you know, 555 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 5: an old man like I am. Yeah, it's it's gonna 556 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 5: be fun a home game. I think it'll be very 557 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 5: well attended. Weather it's supposed to be, you know, nice, 558 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 5: certainly not a factor in keeping anyone away. And I 559 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 5: saw some I don't know online somewhere and some social 560 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 5: media thing was pointing out that the resale on the 561 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 5: tickets is almost Super Bowl wows. Well, yeah, I mean, 562 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 5: you know, it's a chance. You know that Aaron Rodgers 563 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 5: may say, you know, he's it's it's not a revenge game. 564 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 5: But I mean, I don't think the ticket buying public 565 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 5: like looks at it that way. I think they, you know, 566 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 5: they see whether it's true or not. But I think 567 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 5: it adds juice to the whole thing, all of like 568 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 5: what Wes was saying, plus what it means to the team, 569 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 5: uh in terms of this season, and also you know 570 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 5: the Rogers Packers thing. You know, it's a lot of 571 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 5: has a lot of the elements that uh, you know 572 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 5: makes her a pretty juicy matchup. So yeah, it uh, 573 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 5: it should be fun on Sunday night. 574 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 3: I'm certainly exciting about the matchup. Like everybody else, I 575 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 3: want to look forward, but I think we got to 576 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 3: go look backwards first. I mean, Labs, we've seen a 577 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 3: lot of Steeler games in history, or the last five 578 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 3: years in particular, where the defense carries the action and 579 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 3: the offense just hobbles along, and you know, such a 580 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 3: one sided performance. But it's so rare to see it 581 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 3: the other way. 582 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, you know, I've said this on every 583 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 5: hit that I've done this week, So I'll give it 584 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 5: to you guys too. As somebody once told me, you 585 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 5: don't need new information, you just need a different audience. 586 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 3: I've mastered that myself. 587 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 5: Used to be as recently as last year. You know, 588 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 5: you're crying for twenty points from the offense to hope 589 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 5: you have a chance to win. Now it's your scoring 590 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 5: thirty one and you're losing. So that's, you know, quite 591 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 5: the flip there, And yeah it's something different. But if 592 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 5: you want to, I know, you give me the you know, 593 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 5: Dean of Doom thing. But I don't know, maybe you know, 594 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 5: we just got to start looking at the Steelers team different. 595 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 5: You know, we were so I think initiated or whatever 596 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 5: used to or taught that God you got to hope 597 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 5: for twenty four points. You know, God, on Sunday you 598 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 5: stop by the Basilica and light a candle. Please let 599 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 5: the Steelers score a touchdown in the first quarter. I mean, 600 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 5: and now that's not even not even worth talking about. 601 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 5: I mean, it just happens. 602 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 3: Touchdowns in a season, right, yeah, right. 603 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 5: Four touchdown passes in a game. I remember, you'd go 604 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 5: hoping for twelve from your starting quarter back over seventeen weeks, right, 605 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 5: So you know it's a little bit different. But I mean, 606 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 5: you could win in the NFL that way, but you 607 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 5: can't win in the NFL. I don't care how good 608 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 5: your offense is if you can't stop to run any 609 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 5: better than that, and you can't stop that team's run 610 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 5: any better than that, because it's not like, you know, 611 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 5: that was the you know, Derrick Henry and the Ravens 612 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 5: or anything. 613 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 3: I mean, I'll reuse some of Mike Pursuda's room. He 614 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 3: remember some of his stuff. He's been saying this week, 615 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 3: was you made Chase Brown look like Jim Brown? 616 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 4: Yeah? 617 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 5: You know, I mean, you know, the Bengals came here's 618 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 5: another pursuita. 619 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 4: The Bengals came in with the number. 620 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 5: Thirty two ranked rushing offense in the NFL. You know 621 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 5: why it wasn't thirty third because there's only thirty two teams. 622 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 5: I mean, they were like Chase Brown two point seven 623 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 5: yards of care coming into the into the into that 624 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 5: Thursday night game. So you know, I don't know what 625 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 5: that what that was about. I'm not savvy enough to 626 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,479 Speaker 5: tell you if it was just technique breakdowns or guys 627 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 5: not trying to do too much, or you know, scheme problems. 628 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 5: I don't know what it was. But you cannot allow 629 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 5: that to happen because your defense is built upon this 630 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,400 Speaker 5: is the way I see it anyway. Your defense is 631 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 5: built upon the principles of pressure on the quarterback to 632 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 5: either create plays like sacks or force mistakes by the 633 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 5: offense that create takeaways. But if you're not stomping the run, 634 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 5: you can't get any pressure. Because the third downs, the 635 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 5: situations are such that getting the ball out quick as easy, 636 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,719 Speaker 5: you know, and and Flacco is good at that, you're 637 00:31:57,760 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 5: not going to. 638 00:31:58,200 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 4: Get to him. 639 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 5: I just don't think you enough time to get to 640 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 5: him on third and two or third and four, really 641 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 5: third and less than five, So now you can't get 642 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 5: to him. So you think you're gonna run and chase 643 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 5: with those guys. I mean, that's that's ridiculous. That's that 644 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 5: doesn't that's training camp drills. That's seven on seven in 645 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 5: training camp. No pressure on the pass or okay, try 646 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 5: and cover t Higgins all over the field. You have 647 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 5: good luck with that. I mean, we watched that at 648 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 5: Saint Vincent College that it doesn't work. 649 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 4: They're just too good. That's the way the game is. 650 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 5: So got to stop the run and then keep Aaron 651 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 5: Rodgers healthy. And I think that, you know this this 652 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 5: season could turn around. I don't you know looking ahead? 653 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 5: You know, the Packers are I think they were grossly 654 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 5: overrated after they won their opener and everybody was putting 655 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 5: them in the super Bowl. I mean they lost in 656 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:00,719 Speaker 5: the Browns right them? 657 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 2: I think the Cowboys there you go. 658 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 5: Okay, so you know, the Packers are a good team. 659 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 5: They deserve your respect, but they're not unbeatable. They're not 660 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 5: the sixty two Packers. To give you a little history, 661 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 5: the Colts really might be the best team on the 662 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 5: Steelers immediate future schedule. I mean, anybody afraid of the 663 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 5: Chargers anymore, you know. I mean, so you got to 664 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 5: play well, certainly, you got to play well, but those 665 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 5: teams are you can win those games. 666 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 4: Uh, And so you know, then you start to. 667 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 5: Get into Thanksgiving with numbers in terms of your wins 668 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 5: and losses that are keeping you very relevant in terms 669 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 5: of your you're placing in the pecking order in the conference. 670 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 5: And then you hope that you know, you're really starting 671 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 5: to tone in or hone your some of the phases 672 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 5: of your game and getting better. 673 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 3: And then we're definitely seeing that on offense in the 674 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: run game. Yes, yeah, I agree. 675 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 5: So, uh, you know, there's a lot, there's there's enough 676 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 5: positives there. I mean, but it just it to me, 677 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 5: It just it just was looked so bad allowing the 678 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:25,240 Speaker 5: Bengals to run the ball like that because I thought, 679 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 5: you know, Flaco could be a problem. He's that kind 680 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:33,280 Speaker 5: of guy. He's he has a nice arm, he's veteran 681 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 5: enough that he can be on time, inaccurate, and he's 682 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 5: got he's got some eligibles. You know, those two guys 683 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,759 Speaker 5: are that's the best to him in the NFL. If 684 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 5: you ask me Higgins and Chase and you agree that. 685 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I do. And we just did. Why does your 686 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,280 Speaker 3: rank yesterday? We had Chase number one. 687 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 4: Yeah. 688 00:34:55,920 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 5: I mean, so you know, if you're not able to 689 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 5: cut the head off the snake, and that being the 690 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:09,280 Speaker 5: quarterback in the Bengals pass offense, good luck, good luck. 691 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 5: I challenge any any team secondary coverage, go ahead, deal 692 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 5: with that. I mean, I just I think that that's 693 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 5: a that's a losing proposition of the majority of the time. 694 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,359 Speaker 3: That's a big thing. I said. The day after the game, 695 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 3: LABS was like, was their past defense good enough? Of 696 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 3: course not. Were they overmatch against Chase and Higgins? Yes, 697 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 3: did Flacco carve him up, Yes, But sometimes Michael Jordan 698 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,799 Speaker 3: scores fifty And that's just the way it is. The 699 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 3: sin to me, The sin to me was the run defense. 700 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 4: Yeah. 701 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:51,040 Speaker 5: And you know, I remember, you know, just reminiscing with 702 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 5: Dick Hoke one time, you know, a long time Steelers 703 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 5: assistant coach, and we were just talking about this was 704 00:35:57,239 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 5: a training camp, shooting the breeze and talking about coverage 705 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 5: and stuff like that, and he said, you know, in 706 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 5: the seventies one Mississippi, two Mississippi. 707 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 4: The quarterback was on his back. 708 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 5: You know, there were there weren't coverage, blown coverages all 709 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 5: over the place. You never saw him, you know, I 710 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 5: mean they didn't matter. It was something that on the film, 711 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 5: you know, Chuck would point out and complain about, yell about, 712 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 5: but it didn't They had no It had no significance, 713 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 5: had no impact because the quarterback was on the ground 714 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 5: or running for his life. So you got to be 715 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:39,439 Speaker 5: able to do that, and in my opinion, you got 716 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 5: to be able to stop the run so that you 717 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 5: can create decision that the situations we have an opportunity. 718 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 4: To do that. 719 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 2: I think that's very well said by Bob Labriola, our 720 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 2: guest here on the Drive It Labs. We spent some 721 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,279 Speaker 2: time Matt and I, you know, on Friday, in the 722 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 2: immediate aftermath of that game in Cincinnati, and then earlier 723 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 2: this week too, kind of doing the glass half full, 724 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 2: glass half empty thing, and yeah, glass half empty, more 725 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 2: so with the defense. But the other side of that is, 726 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 2: as you kind of alluded to, I have I think 727 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:13,760 Speaker 2: you have to be encouraged by all elements of this offense, 728 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 2: certainly the quarterback Aaron Rodgers is I think we've all 729 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 2: discussed throughout the season. 730 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 3: I think the glass was forty nine percent full, right right? 731 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like Labs, I use the analogy of like a 732 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 2: presidential election. All you got, all you gotta do is 733 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,960 Speaker 2: win fifty one percent and you get the Nana nanabooboo. 734 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,040 Speaker 2: You're a loser to forty nine percent, right, Like it 735 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 2: was kind of it was kind of the same thing. 736 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 2: Whereas if the Steelers, you know, if the defense makes 737 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 2: a play after that Pat Fryarmouth touchdown, Yeah, we're all 738 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 2: talking about the defense, but we're saying, how about that offense. 739 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:45,360 Speaker 2: I mean, right, they can score thirty three points. They 740 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:46,960 Speaker 2: can get you out of a jam. 741 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 3: Maybe if Turner doesn't rip it away from Metcalf and right, 742 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 3: not absolutely. 743 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,040 Speaker 2: Right, absolutely right, and labs, I think we all expected 744 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,319 Speaker 2: that from, you know, from Aaron Rodgers, and we've seen 745 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 2: that from Aaron Rodgers. But I don't know how you 746 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:01,360 Speaker 2: can't be encouraged. It feels like real progress over the 747 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 2: last few games, in particular from the run game, from 748 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,920 Speaker 2: the offensive line, and I mean just that performance. We 749 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 2: would have been singing Jalen Warren's praises like crazy over 750 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,840 Speaker 2: the last couple of days. If the Steelers find a 751 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 2: way to win that game. 752 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, and you know a lot of times, the way 753 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 5: I look at it is, if you really want to 754 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:26,280 Speaker 5: kind of try and engage a unit how it's doing. 755 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 5: I always go to the weakest link and see how 756 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 5: that unit is doing. And you mentioned the offensive line, 757 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:36,800 Speaker 5: and I would say that that was the weakest link 758 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 5: in terms of what you were hoping would continue to 759 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:47,040 Speaker 5: develop and learn to play, you know, as a as 760 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:52,320 Speaker 5: a unit. You know, there's a lot of certainly football 761 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 5: is the ultimate team sport, but there's a lot of 762 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:59,240 Speaker 5: close combat teamwork that goes on within an offensive line. 763 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:03,319 Speaker 5: You know, double team blocks, twists, you know, passing off 764 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,480 Speaker 5: this and that, or you know, holding the block so 765 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 5: that I'm your buddy next to you can get to it, 766 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 5: and then you go out to the next level to 767 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:13,360 Speaker 5: get the next block, you know, to make the running 768 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:16,480 Speaker 5: game more effective, you know, those kinds of things. And 769 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 5: I think we're seeing a lot of progress from the 770 00:39:18,239 --> 00:39:21,920 Speaker 5: offensive line in a lot of a lot of areas. 771 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 5: I think that the the two young tackles are getting better. 772 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:32,919 Speaker 5: I really, you know, and those guys you invested number 773 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,720 Speaker 5: one picks, you know, two of your previous three number 774 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 5: one picks, first round picks were on those guys. I mean, uh, 775 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 5: when when this on the day they put the ball 776 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:46,799 Speaker 5: on the tee for the opener against the Jets. You know, 777 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:50,280 Speaker 5: I think that there was you know, some legitimate concern 778 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:55,400 Speaker 5: about uh, those two guys playing up to their draft 779 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 5: status this season. And I think they're getting there, if 780 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 5: they're not there already, So that to me is a 781 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:09,560 Speaker 5: big plus. And uh, you know, hopefully that continues it 782 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,319 Speaker 5: because you know, to use a Mike taumonism, there's more 783 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 5: meat on that bone. Hopefully that continues to happen. Maybe 784 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,720 Speaker 5: the running game, you know, maybe the Steelers running game 785 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 5: goes into a game against a particular opponent and does 786 00:40:26,719 --> 00:40:29,279 Speaker 5: to that opponent what the Bengals running game did to 787 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:32,600 Speaker 5: the Steelers last Thursday night. And that would be nice 788 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:37,120 Speaker 5: because then, you know, you think that Joe Flacco carved 789 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:41,480 Speaker 5: up the other team Aaron Rodgers, you know, he won't 790 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 5: even use nova game, he won't use a sedatives. So yeah, 791 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:51,840 Speaker 5: there's there's a lot to like I think about. I 792 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:54,720 Speaker 5: won't say a lot of things, but certainly some things. 793 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:58,359 Speaker 5: And uh, you know, I don't want to give up 794 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 5: my living in my Fears title either. You know, the 795 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:06,040 Speaker 5: Steelers can certainly lose any of these next you know, 796 00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:08,920 Speaker 5: four or five games, but they can also win them 797 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:14,320 Speaker 5: all too, So you know, it's it's keeping it interesting. 798 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 5: It is, and I don't know, it's fun to watch. 799 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 5: I wish more people had fun watching it than watched 800 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,280 Speaker 5: it decide what they wanted to complain about. 801 00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 3: That's an amazing point and makes me crazy too. But 802 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 3: I'm confident that the defense is better than we saw 803 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:39,719 Speaker 3: against the Bengals though. I mean, and that's not saying much. 804 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 3: That was as bad a performance as any defense in 805 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 3: the league is going to play. But I still think 806 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:47,840 Speaker 3: this has a lot of possibilities to be an above 807 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,600 Speaker 3: average defense at the minimum. And as proud as they 808 00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 3: are and as accomplished as a lot of those players are, 809 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 3: I would be shocked at this week is not a 810 00:41:57,560 --> 00:41:58,360 Speaker 3: lot cleaner. 811 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, and especially with I think you know some of 812 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:07,959 Speaker 5: the fundamentals because yeah, you know, I I think it's 813 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,000 Speaker 5: not the whole key to run defense, but a big 814 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:14,960 Speaker 5: part of run defense is you know, just being in 815 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:19,360 Speaker 5: the right place at the right time, you know, as 816 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:22,160 Speaker 5: Dick Lebo always used to say, uh, see what you 817 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 5: need to see and be where you need to be. 818 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:26,560 Speaker 5: I mean, that's a lot of it is is only 819 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 5: that because you know, the the Bengals offensive line was 820 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:33,040 Speaker 5: you know, it's not the seven Blocks of Granted, I 821 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:36,040 Speaker 5: mean there was no Anthony Munoz in that group either. 822 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:39,360 Speaker 5: So when you're letting a team like that run the 823 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:45,440 Speaker 5: ball like that with that caliber of affront, you know, 824 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 5: again that's you said pride. The flip of that pride 825 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:50,920 Speaker 5: is embarrassing. 826 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:51,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 827 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:55,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, so I would say that that there should be 828 00:42:56,440 --> 00:43:02,440 Speaker 5: some people on that defense players, you know, seasoned, proven 829 00:43:03,719 --> 00:43:12,560 Speaker 5: NFL pros, guys who could be maybe are on track for. 830 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,239 Speaker 4: A gold jacket. 831 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:18,360 Speaker 5: I mean, look at that, you know, I mean I 832 00:43:18,520 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 5: I can't even imagine what that video looked like. Professionals 833 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:30,360 Speaker 5: who knew what they were watching, because it you know, 834 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,120 Speaker 5: it was it was frightening to me just watching it 835 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:38,759 Speaker 5: on team you know, uh a prisoner of Amazon Primes. 836 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:42,600 Speaker 4: Uh camera angle, No, seriously, I mean, you know, you 837 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:43,839 Speaker 4: don't get to see. 838 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:51,120 Speaker 5: A lot of the What what you see is fairly focused. 839 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:54,359 Speaker 5: I think, you know, you don't get a wide view 840 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:58,360 Speaker 5: of things, which I think is a way that football 841 00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 5: needs to be watched and judged, maybe critique or understood. 842 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:06,960 Speaker 5: Uh so you know, really what's going on because there's 843 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:09,239 Speaker 5: twenty two guys out there, every snap. 844 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,120 Speaker 3: Of the ball can't see the coverages, it's hard to 845 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:12,080 Speaker 3: figure out what's going right. 846 00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:16,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh and one last thing. You know, 847 00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:18,239 Speaker 4: you mentioned that DJ Turner interception. 848 00:44:18,719 --> 00:44:22,120 Speaker 5: Maybe if DK metcalf had held onto that, or maybe 849 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:24,440 Speaker 5: if the officials had called it the way they called 850 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:26,239 Speaker 5: that James Pierre interception. 851 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:30,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a good point. 852 00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:32,880 Speaker 5: It give it to me the same way two times, 853 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:40,080 Speaker 5: and then I'll believe in NFL officials not being completely 854 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:42,400 Speaker 5: inconsistent and arbitrary. Uh. 855 00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 4: But how is one of those? 856 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:50,919 Speaker 5: Uh? And again again there are enough knits to pick 857 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,280 Speaker 5: within the rule book and in the way it's written, 858 00:44:53,719 --> 00:44:58,040 Speaker 5: and the super slow motion and the I don't know 859 00:44:58,200 --> 00:45:02,040 Speaker 5: sometimes how that the image is that creates that I 860 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:07,719 Speaker 5: don't necessarily believe are the way it happens. You know, 861 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:13,360 Speaker 5: I've always believed that replay should be watched in real time. 862 00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:18,840 Speaker 5: Then tell me was he over the line again? Was 863 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:21,760 Speaker 5: it a touchdown? Did he have control of the ball 864 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 5: because you can slow it down with technology today one frame? 865 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:33,279 Speaker 5: And did the ball move in the receiver's hands. Well, 866 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 5: I'll tell you what, man, You could pretty much say 867 00:45:35,880 --> 00:45:40,920 Speaker 5: yes to that every character ever thrown ever, and or 868 00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 5: you can also say so that's the arbitrary nature of it. 869 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:47,080 Speaker 4: Okay, So when. 870 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:47,200 Speaker 5: Is it. 871 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:50,920 Speaker 3: The glove who cares? 872 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:51,680 Speaker 4: Right? 873 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:56,439 Speaker 5: You know, does Zach Frasier hold on Jalen Warren's touchdown run? 874 00:45:57,920 --> 00:45:58,280 Speaker 4: Okay? 875 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:03,319 Speaker 5: I personally I think that happens every play, stuff like that. 876 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:06,040 Speaker 4: When do you call it? And when do you don't? 877 00:46:07,719 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 5: You know, that's a heck of a thing to take 878 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:12,319 Speaker 5: a touchdown off the board because that was a kind 879 00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:13,640 Speaker 5: of a backside hold. 880 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:13,960 Speaker 4: Wasn't it. 881 00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:16,840 Speaker 1: Yes, Yes, he was through that, you know. 882 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:19,560 Speaker 5: I mean that had no that had no impact on 883 00:46:19,640 --> 00:46:22,759 Speaker 5: that play. I didn't think. You know, I'm watching it 884 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:27,000 Speaker 5: from black and gold colored goggles though, But you know, 885 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:31,520 Speaker 5: things like that, I I you know, I live in 886 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:32,920 Speaker 5: my fears with that kind of stuff. 887 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:37,480 Speaker 4: Rants over, fellaws, that's. 888 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:39,920 Speaker 2: A perfect mic drop to get you up out of here, Labs. 889 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:42,319 Speaker 2: He is the Dean of doom. He is the lord 890 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 2: of living in his fears, and he's a regular here 891 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:48,000 Speaker 2: on the Drive. Labs. Thank you so much for your 892 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:49,520 Speaker 2: time as always, and we'll see you on Sunday. 893 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:52,600 Speaker 5: Okay, fellows, take care there he goes. 894 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:58,120 Speaker 2: Great stuff from Bob Labriola as always, mislabs. Yeah, Yeah, 895 00:46:58,160 --> 00:47:00,120 Speaker 2: it was absolutely good to get him back in here. 896 00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 2: You know, little crimudgeny, little optimistic, throwing some darts at 897 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:05,759 Speaker 2: the referees. That's exactly what we like from Bob. 898 00:47:05,840 --> 00:47:08,640 Speaker 3: That's the bomb, labriolic, more cheerful than I expected, that 899 00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:12,280 Speaker 3: hopeful and all that. After how that last game wents. 900 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:13,560 Speaker 2: That's because he was just excited to talk to us. 901 00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:15,880 Speaker 2: Maybe maybe a couple of weeks off. One hour in 902 00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:19,120 Speaker 2: the books, another hour to go. We have got Matt 903 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:23,319 Speaker 2: across the timeline the latest Thursday injury report from both 904 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 2: the Steelers and the Packers. We will get into that 905 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:29,000 Speaker 2: in hour number two when we return on the other side. 906 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 2: Plenty more to come here on the drive. Wes Sheeler 907 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:34,480 Speaker 2: Matt Williamson at Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio 908 00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:34,920 Speaker 2: Network