1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to the drive. I'm Dale Lallie. He is the 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Matt Williamson and we are not actually in the same 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: I can't even see Matt. Usually I can see him 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: even if we're doing it via zoom, but today we're 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 1: doing a little different. I'm in Mobile, Alabama for the 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,639 Speaker 1: Senior Bowl, Matt is back in Pittsburgh, and lots to 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: talk about Matt, no doubt, starting starting off with we 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: got to talk about the two conference championship games yesterday, 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: and I saw a lot of tweets out there from 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: people there's no way the Steelers can compete with these 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: two teams. For these four teams. Are people forgetting that 12 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: the Steelers swept the Ravens this year? 13 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 2: No, I hear you. And a big thing I took 14 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: away from a Steeler perspective watching those two games is 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 2: more games, especially in big games and playoffs, must wins 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 2: are lost as opposed to. 17 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: What don't make the big mistake. It's funny. I was 18 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: just I went over to sign in today and I 19 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: ran into some other some other writers and and things 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: from their teams, including our friend Jeff Hobson for the Bengals, 21 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: who writes for Bengals does good stuff for them, And 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: we were talking about that very thing. And then I 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: ran into a guy who covers the Buffalo Bills as 24 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: well that I know, and we were talking about that. 25 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: And and just when you're playing Patrick Mahomes in particular, 26 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: you can't make the big mistake because he's not going to. Yeah, 27 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: and if you if you don't make the big mistake, 28 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: then you're going to be in the game. But when 29 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: you if you do, you're you're going to be in 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: trouble because he's going to capitalize. And the same thing 31 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: happened with the Lions. The Lions, Oh absolutely, and take point. 32 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: It's it's a it's a conference championship game. Take points 33 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: when you can get the keets. 34 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. And so Mahomes it, his greatness is obvious. I mean, 35 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: he jumps off the page with the superman stuff he 36 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 2: can do. But what reminds me about Brady and their 37 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: style of quarterbacking couldn't be any more different, is in 38 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: these big games, it feels like his heart rate never increases, 39 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 2: he never forces things. His game remains the same. Like 40 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: boy after that first drive when he was so sharp, 41 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: I mean, the Chiefs get the ball in the opening kickoff, 42 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 2: walk right down the field with great precision against a 43 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: very good defense. I think the whole stadium, the whole 44 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: coaching staff, the Ravens quarterback and players, all ten stuff. 45 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 2: They started grabbing the golf club to firm you know 46 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 2: what I mean, Like, boy, we got to start throwing 47 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: haymakers to keep up with this team. We can't just 48 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 2: you know, pound the body like we usually do, you know. 49 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: And the thing was Matt, Yeah, when you watched Mahomes, 50 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: it's funny. The Ravens came out and we're playing his 51 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: soft zones against Homes, and he was just you know, 52 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: take five yards here, four yards there, six yard there. 53 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: Uh and was just willing to take what they were 54 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: going to give him. And then in the second half 55 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: they changed it up a little bit and went to 56 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: you know more you know, press man to take those 57 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: throws away from They had more success. But then when 58 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: he needed the big plagues down the field to Marcus 59 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: Valdez scantling. Again, we talked about last week, who was 60 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,119 Speaker 1: Who's Arthur Molett matched up on him in man coverage 61 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 1: their fastest guy. That's a bad matchup. 62 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: And so yeah, Molett away from the lion of scrimmage. 63 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, and and so and Lamar I thought pressed 64 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: in that situation, and you can't do that against Mahomes. 65 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: As much as people want to trash Kenny Pickett, he's 66 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: not this, He's not that. The one thing that he 67 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: doesn't do is make the big mistake. 68 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: That was my thoughts of Jim. 69 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: It's a big part of the process, like if you 70 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: if you have a quarterback who's not going to make 71 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: that mistake. It's it's the exact opposite of what we 72 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: talked about was with Mitch Trubisky and some of these 73 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: other young quarterbacks or even the veteran quarterbacks where they're 74 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: they're reckless with the football. Kenny Pickett is not reckless 75 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: with the football. Mason Rudolph when he came in and 76 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: played this year, was not reckless with the football. Mason 77 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: made more plays, and maybe that's just more of his 78 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: maturity showing. But I think half the battle with a 79 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: quarterback is, particularly in games against those kind of players, 80 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: is don't make the big mistake. 81 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and back to Picket, And I guess Rudolph fits 82 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 2: this bill too, at least on the last viewing. But 83 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 2: we've seen more Picket over the last two years in Rudolph. 84 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 2: His numbers are rarely eye popping or but I don't 85 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: think he panics. I never feel like he's pressing. And 86 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 2: this goes back to Pick and people I know at 87 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 2: Picked and his mental makeup. And he doesn't make the 88 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: big mistake, which is a great start. I mean, he's 89 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: got more work to do, and you set all this already, 90 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 2: but to elaborate on it. And even Purdy did this 91 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 2: last week in the rain when he was terrible, but 92 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 2: the last drive when it matters most or fourth quarter, 93 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: Picket is better, you know. I mean, Okay, there's John Candy, 94 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 2: the famous you know Montana saying, you know, when the 95 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 2: chips are down the most, he's the coolest. And Brady 96 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: has that. Mahomes has that. I don't know if Alan 97 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 2: or Lamar have it. They don't have it to the 98 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: green what Mahomes does. Maybe no one does. I mean, 99 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: I don't even hold that against those guys so much 100 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 2: as I just am enamored with Mahomes and that whole 101 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 2: team is just been there, done. It doesn't get worked up. 102 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 2: And frankly, you know, I know we're gonna go down 103 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 2: this road too. Coach Campbell for the Lions. I think 104 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: he's trying to you know, he gets a little worked 105 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: up too, you know, he gets a little too emotional. 106 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 2: We got to be the biggest bully in the in town, 107 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 2: and the numbers tell me I have to go for 108 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: it here. But read the room, you know, right. 109 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: One thing that I would always say when when I'm 110 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: coaching is I don't have to be the smartest coach 111 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: in the game ever to I just have to be 112 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: smarter than the guy on the other sideline. Yeah, and 113 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: and by that I mean, don't make that kind of mistake. 114 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: Are you gonna make mistakes? 115 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: Yeah? 116 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: You know, sometimes you're going to be aggressive, maybe you 117 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: get a guy thrown out or or you know you're 118 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: you're doing bad, you know, coaching basketball, and you go 119 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: to a press and they hate that press up to 120 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: get out of it. In that instance particularly, you know, 121 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: everybody's talking about, well, you know, it was the right 122 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: call to make because if it didn't worked, they would 123 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: have won. 124 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 2: But it didn't work, and that's good. Good. 125 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: So okay, So they come out that the Lions are 126 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: up seventeen points at the half. They played a fantastic 127 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: first half of football. Yea, and can San Francisco comes 128 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: out and cuts it down, cuts it to a fourteen 129 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: point game. They get to stop in the red zone 130 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: that they needed. San Francisco kicks a field goal. It's 131 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: a fourteen point game. The Lions come right back and 132 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: move down the field in the field goal range. They 133 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: have an opportunity to make it a three score game again, 134 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: and instead of taking those points, they go for it 135 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: and they don't get it in the in San Francisco Stadium. 136 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: Now you've brought the crowd right back in it. If 137 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: you answer a spot their score with your score, you 138 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: take the crowd back out of the game, and you 139 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: make it a three four game again in the second half. 140 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 2: That's very much what I was going to say as well. 141 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 2: And we've talked about this with the Niners all year. 142 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: They're a great team, they're a tremendous team, but they're 143 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 2: not a drop back passing team. And if it's a 144 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: three score game, now you're forcing them to be a 145 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: drop back passing game. And frankly, they weren't blocking very 146 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: well outside of Trent Williams. I mean, they were getting 147 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 2: a lot of push. If you can get forced this 148 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: team to throw you have them where you watch them. 149 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 2: It doesn't mean the game's over, but you have them 150 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 2: where you want them. And again, if you I'm an 151 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 2: analytics guy, I love analytics. It's a wonderful tool. But 152 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: it's not a rule that rhymes I'm gonna use that more. 153 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: There you go. It's just a tool. It's not a rule. 154 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: There you go. 155 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 2: Exactly on the whiteboard. When you study this stuff and 156 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 2: this circumstance comes up, Okay, you should go for it. 157 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: But in that stadium, on the road, against that opponent, 158 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 2: the answer is no. For all the reasons you'd just 159 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: said and thought. I explained it this way on my 160 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 2: podcast that Okay, if you get it, the game is 161 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 2: probably over. But if you get it, it's like me 162 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 2: giving you a quarter, like twenty five cents. But if 163 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 2: you don't, it costs you a buck, you know, like 164 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: because you rewarded. 165 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: And sometimes the risk is too great. Yeah, into a stadium, 166 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: people talked about, well, you know, but it was the 167 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: right They had the right call. The receivers are up. 168 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: All that's part of that should be part of your 169 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: thought process play, but that doesn't mean you're going to 170 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 1: execute it properly. Execution is is one part of this. 171 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: I think, yeah, go ahead. 172 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: A big part of not losing games to me as 173 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: a head coach is inevitably, through the course of the game, 174 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: little fires are going to start, even if you have 175 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 2: a seventeen point lead, a fourteen point lead. Let's extinguish 176 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 2: those fires. And by not getting it on fourth down, 177 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 2: you're just sprinkling gasoline on the fire, you know, like 178 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: he didn't know Gibbs was going to fumble, or the 179 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: ball's going to bounce off a face mask, and I 180 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 2: was gonna make the perfect catch. And it reminded me 181 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 2: a little bit of the Patriots coming back in the 182 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: Super Bowl against the Falcons, Like many things had to happen. 183 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 2: I mean, you had to flip the coin, and heads 184 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 2: had to come up six or seven times in a row. 185 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: But you allowed the coin to be flipped. You know, 186 00:09:58,280 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: you could have taken the coin out of the. 187 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: Right right and then you have an opportunity late in 188 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: the game to kick a field goal to tie it, 189 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: and you pass on that one. 190 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. I just don't get it, I know, And I 191 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: think it's I need to be the biggest bully in town. 192 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 2: We're the physical team. I can't have my locker room 193 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: or fan base thinking I'm not aggressive. I'm the big 194 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 2: tough guy, and I have analytics to back me up, 195 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 2: you know, like, well, and this isn't Monday morning quarterbacking. 196 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 2: I mean I thought the same thing. 197 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: We talked about it last week, Right, we. 198 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 2: Could screenshot our text, you know, like, what are you doing? 199 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I you know, this is the reason Brandon 200 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: Staley got fired, one of the many reasons. But exactly, 201 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: you can't lose games this way. You can't do things 202 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: like that in big games, playoff games or with playoffs 203 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: on the line, and and make these cavalies want them. 204 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: It cost your team the game. 205 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, And just the other thing I thought was prevalent 206 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 2: in that particular game in the second half was I 207 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 2: thought Golf played really well. I mean, everyone's gonna blame Lamar. 208 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 2: No one's gonna blame Goff. You know, in Goff out 209 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 2: played Lamar. I know they didn't play each other, but 210 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 2: the big game or the big time weapons for the 211 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 2: Niners way outplayed Laporta, Gibbs, Montgomery, Saint Brown in the 212 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 2: second half. You know, Deebo, McCaffrey, ayuk Kittle, all those 213 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 2: guys stepped up their game and helped their quarterback where 214 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 2: the other team hurt their quarterback in the second half. 215 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, let's let's talk about Lamar real quick here 216 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: now too. He's doing four in the playoffs. 217 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. 218 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: JN Harbor now has two playoff wins since their Super 219 00:11:53,080 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: Bowl victory in twenty twelve. Two. Yeah, with guy who's 220 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: going to be a two time league MVP. 221 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 2: Right right, No, I mean there's blame to be dealt 222 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: out there. You know, like we talked a lot in 223 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:17,199 Speaker 2: this pre or this off season, everyone talked about Lamar's contract, 224 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 2: you know, like we remember all that drama. He's a 225 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 2: free agent, somebody can sign him, they can match, blah 226 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 2: blah blah blah. But our take on it was, that's 227 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,199 Speaker 2: not really the story here of the Lamar Ravens era. 228 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,079 Speaker 2: The story is they had that guy who had already 229 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 2: won an MVP and we didn't know he was about 230 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 2: to win a second on a rookie deal for five years, 231 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 2: and it took him this long to get him. Zay 232 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 2: Flowers and Bateman and all this stuff. You know, like 233 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 2: they mismanaged the beginning of his career greatly, and now 234 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 2: it gets a thousand times harder I mean, as we talked. 235 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: About, it gets much much more tricky, much more tricky. 236 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 2: And I bet you know, at least on paper that's 237 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: going to be you know, twenty twenty three will be 238 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 2: their best window, their widest window. That doesn't mean you 239 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 2: can't squeeze through a window otherwise it's and I think 240 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 2: that's true with the Bills as well. And if you 241 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: have and if you pay those guys, the Lamars and 242 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 2: Allen's and Mahomes a perfect example because he has overcome it, 243 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 2: can those guys they've proven they can be great players, 244 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 2: take their team far, pretty far with the benefit of 245 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 2: the von Millers and you know, expensive other pieces. But 246 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 2: can they do the step that Mahomes is doing. And 247 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 2: when you trade Tyreek Hill still win super Bowls? They 248 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: haven't proven they could do before that, you know, I mean, 249 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 2: this is the highest of bars, you know. I mean, 250 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 2: this is you know, Superman versus Green Lantern, you know, 251 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 2: I mean, this is the highest of us. 252 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, and I sent you a graphic. We'll 253 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: talk about that in the segment here that I sent 254 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: you here. Yeah, but I'm looking here at Baltimore's UH 255 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: salary cap for next year. What they have under uh 256 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: they are. They have five point six million dollars in capsules, 257 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: so they do have some space that's right around enough 258 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: to sign your rookie class, but that doesn't let you 259 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: do anything else. 260 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, and here, I'm sure there are some restructures and 261 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 2: cuts too, like everything does. 262 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: But here's here's what they got. Justin Matt at Bouquet, 263 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: he's queen. Yeah, oh I'm looking here at spots Track. 264 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: They have his calculated market value. It's twenty point three million, 265 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: and he probably gets more than. 266 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 2: That if there's teams bidding, which there will be. Yeah, 267 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 2: I mean magic. 268 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: Queen eighteen point five million, calculating he's going to go. 269 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 2: I think they knew that whenever they drafted the Sivens. Yeah, Simpsons, 270 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 2: the Clemson kid Beckham. 271 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: Okay, no big deal there that you lose back Jadevian Clowney. 272 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: Clowney ain't coming back on the on the the sta 273 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: Chiepo deal that they got him on this year. 274 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 2: No, he just put his best tape out there, right, 275 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 2: he just had nine and a half sacks. 276 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: You're not doing that, Geno Stone. That may sound Oh 277 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: they're gonna lose their third safety, but they're gonna lose 278 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: their third safety. 279 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 2: Yes, he plays a lot, and he was productive. He's 280 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: a perfect example. Someone will probably get overpaid in free agency, 281 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 2: which means either way, which means he's not gonna. 282 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: Be a raven. He's not going to be a raven. 283 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: And then listen to this group Dalvin Cook, Edwards K Dobbins, 284 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: all three running backs who were on the ross yesterday 285 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: except for Justice Hill. They're not going to go into 286 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: next season with Justice Hill as they're starting running back and. 287 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 2: They got the little guy Mitchell that's had a very 288 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 2: bad injury though, but running back might be their biggest 289 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 2: need on paper. I mean, just yeah, you can't trust Dobbins. 290 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: I mean, the grand scheme of things is the worst 291 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: need to have. 292 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 2: No, they'll find somebody there, but. 293 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: You'll find somebody there, but there's no guarantee that he's 294 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: going to be as good as what you got out 295 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: of those guys. 296 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 2: And they well, but and the right side of your 297 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 2: line is old, and the left tackle is. 298 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: By the way, Ronnie Stanley's a problem. And Ronnie Stanley's 299 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: cap hit next year twenty six point one million dollars, 300 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: so he's probably cut it, don't But that only if 301 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: they release him maybe a lot, right, it only saves 302 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: him like eight and a half million dollars. So you know, Marlon, 303 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: Marlon Humphrey is twenty two point nine million dollars against 304 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: the cap, and if you cut him, it actually counts more. 305 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: It's twenty seven point eight million dollars to cut him. 306 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: So Williams back, but you're not getting money's worth out 307 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 2: of him. 308 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: Marcus Williams is eighteen point seven million to move on 309 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: from him as twenty six is a dead cap hit 310 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: of twenty six point seven a million. They can't even 311 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: get out of these contracts. 312 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: Wow. Yeah, and they're they're not awful players, but they're 313 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 2: expensive players. And your quarterbacks, just like Allen is about 314 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 2: the skyrocket in terms of his cap hit and things 315 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 2: like that. And I love Lamar. I mean, I'll be 316 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 2: a Lamar apologist and for all off season if they're 317 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: gonna tell me, you know, he's not good enough, blah 318 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 2: blah blah. But he has to be so good to 319 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 2: overcome those things. To win super Bowls, Yeah, I mean 320 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 2: to win Super Bowls. I mean, can the Ravens still 321 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 2: win ten twelve games and be one of the best 322 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 2: teams in the league? Absolutely, and they're probably gonna lose 323 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 2: their defensive coordinator too. Well, there's only two spots. I mean, 324 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 2: I don't think they are now. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, 325 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 2: I'm not sure what's gonna happen, be going yeah, yeah. 326 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I just look at that. Here's the 327 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: other thing about their cap. They kick some of the 328 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,959 Speaker 1: money down the road on some of these guys. So Odell, Yeah, 329 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: Odell's not on the he's not on their roster next year, 330 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: but his cap hit is eleven million against their their 331 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four cap. 332 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: Kevin I even thought, yeah. 333 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, because they got him cheap, but he counts against 334 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: them for next year. Kevin Zeitler's not under contract with 335 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: them next year, but he counts four point two million 336 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: dollars against their cap. 337 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 2: And he's a quality guard, I mean, but he's old. Yeah. 338 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: Gus Edwards, Nelson Aguilar, and Rocky A. Sin are all 339 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 1: free agents together. They're they're another three point another five 340 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: million dollars because they did restructures with those guys. 341 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 2: So it sounds like they have a lot of dead money. 342 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: Anyway, you can get a lot of dead money, a 343 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: lot a lot of dead money. 344 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not saying this was their only year, but 345 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 2: it was definitely their best chance. 346 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 1: This was They're not going to be as good next year. 347 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: Now that being said, Guys like Kyle Hamilton could continue 348 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: to progress and you know, things of that nature. 349 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 2: But maybe oh Way steps up or something like that, 350 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 2: or you know, Linderbaum becomes a star, you know likely. 351 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 2: I mean they have some good young players, yeah, but yeah. 352 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: Not enough to set I mean, honestly, if they lose 353 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: Matt at Bouquet, they don't have a replacement. 354 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 2: No, that's that's gonna be a tough one to replace. 355 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 2: I mean that would be okay. You can get a 356 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 2: running back in the third round, but you can't get 357 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 2: a difference maker defensive tackle in year one, even in 358 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 2: round wick picking thirtieth. 359 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, which is which is where they're gonna be at now. Anyways, 360 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna get to a break. He is Matt Williamson. 361 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: I'm Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on 362 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: Steelers Nation Radio. And I mentioned that graphic that I 363 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: sent Matt. We'll talk about that. We'll come back right 364 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 1: after this on the drive. 365 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 2: Welcome back to the Drive. 366 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: I'm Dale Lawy. He is the Matt Williamson and Matt 367 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: I sent this a little graphic to you here over 368 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: the weekend. I've seen this before, but our f and 369 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: the friend of the show, Dave Danishek, tweeted this one 370 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: out earlier this weekend, and it's the quarterback super Bowl window. 371 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: This since the year two thousand and I thought it 372 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: was relevant to bring it up again because it breaks 373 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: it down years one through twenty one for quarterbacks each season, 374 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: basically in the salary cap era. Of course, the salary 375 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: cap era actually kicked off in nineteen ninety three, but 376 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: we've kind of started that, you know, you see how 377 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: this works a little bit more here. Since two thousand, 378 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: team kind of figured out how to do some things, 379 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: and so looking at quarterbacks who have made the Super 380 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: Bowl in their first season, well there isn't one. There's 381 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: been no rookie quarterbacks team zero second season quarterbacks. There 382 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: are now eight with the addition this year party that 383 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: would be Perdy Burrow, Wentz, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Ben Roethlisberger, 384 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: Tom Brady, and Kurt Warner. 385 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 2: Hurt. 386 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and Warner's kind of an outlier there because while 387 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: it was his second year in the league, or he 388 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: was just a two year veteran. He'd actually been around 389 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 1: longer than that. 390 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, he's just such a weird career anyway. Yeah, 391 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 2: I mean it kind of was his rookie year when 392 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 2: they went, but he had been around along longer than 393 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 2: that too. 394 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, he'd been on their practice squad, he'd been to 395 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: training camps, that kind of stuff, and so it was, 396 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 1: you know, it's like fourth year actually in the NFL, 397 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: or four years removed from being in college. Yeah. Second 398 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: season in the NFL. H third season, there been four 399 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: super Bowl appearances from that group. That's Mahomes, that's Wilson, 400 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: that's Jake Dell Home and Jalen Hurts. People forget Jake 401 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: Dell Home took a team to the super Bowl. 402 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I mean the Panther team. They were pretty good. 403 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 3: Fourth season, six super Bowl appearances. Mahomes, Jared Goff, Eli Manning, 404 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 3: Rex Grossman, Tom Brady, and Kurt Warner. 405 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 1: Gross. 406 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 2: Uh. 407 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:24,120 Speaker 1: Fifth season, four super Bowl appearances. That's Cam Newton, Joe Flacco, 408 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady. 409 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 2: Okay, that's sixth season. 410 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's been five Mahomes. Jimmy Garoppolo, who seems like 411 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: an outlier at this point, does he not? 412 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 2: I mean he's more grossman. 413 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, you start looking at what he's done since Aaron Rodgers, 414 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: Donovan McNabb, Carrie Collins. That's six season group. I mean Garoppolo, McNabb, McNabb, 415 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: the best of that. 416 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 2: And Carry Collins. Yeah, my god, Wow. 417 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: The seventh season. We now have three because this is 418 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: my home. Seventh season, Ben Roethlisberger. Matt Hasselbeck. That seems like. 419 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 2: An outlier, Yeah, abstuely does. 420 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 1: Then eighth season there have been two, Eli Manning three. 421 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: Ninth season, but there have been four. It's getting starting 422 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: to get slim. Ninth season, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, 423 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 1: Brad Johnson. 424 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 2: Oh okay, great defense. 425 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, tenth season. There's never been a quarterback ten years 426 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: in since the two thousand, since the year two thousands. 427 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: Who's taking his team to the super Bowl? Eleventh season, Warner, that's. 428 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 4: It Cardinals, it was thirteen car Yeah, twelve season two, 429 00:23:54,880 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 4: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, thirteenth season one, Matthew Stafford just 430 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 4: a couple of years ago. 431 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 1: Fourteen season none, fifteenth season two, Tom Brady. 432 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 2: Rich Gannon that's crazy. 433 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: Rich Gannon would be. I mean, I know he won 434 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: an MVP Award. Yeah, he was really good that year. 435 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: But that year sixteen season, Manning was the only one 436 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 1: to do it. Is eventeen season Brady, eighteen season Brady 437 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: and Manning nineteen is Brady, twentieth none and twenty first Brady. 438 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: When people talk about are this, you know, can can 439 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: whatever quarterback you want to put in a Steelers uniform, 440 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: doesn't matter whether it's Kenny Pickett, whether it's Mason Rudolph. 441 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,880 Speaker 1: Can't compete with these with these guys, blah blah blah 442 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: blah blah. Can't go to can't go to a super 443 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: Bowl with these kind of players. I mean we just 444 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 1: named between Jays five. 445 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 2: Or six guys there. Yeah, Grossman's the worst of all 446 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 2: of them. Yeah, there's some. There's some guys who Brad 447 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 2: Johnson that stands out. 448 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, who have been career backups for the most part, 449 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: who took their teams to Super Bowl. No, there were 450 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: good defenses involved with that, oh of course. But there's 451 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: also catching lightning in a bottle with it with a 452 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: player in a certain year. 453 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 2: Without a doubt. I mean, the Steeler groups not as 454 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 2: good as Eli but Eli's best work was catching lightning 455 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 2: in a bottle. Flaco's best work was catching lightning in 456 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 2: a bottle. It wasn't twenty three games of excellence for 457 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: those guys when they won super Bowls. You know, they 458 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 2: got Eli Manning. 459 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: They won, they won the Super Bowl the one year 460 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: they were nine to seven. 461 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's good. 462 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: Point barely got into the Eli Manning. How about this 463 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 1: Eli Manning. I don't believe ever won a playoff game 464 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: in a year in which he didn't go to the 465 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, win the Super Bowl. 466 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 2: I think that's one hundred centro eight. 467 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 1: Career playoff wins and they all came in two seasons. 468 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 2: Yep. He got really hot in two straight years with 469 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 2: great defenses, and it was credit great. I mean that's 470 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,679 Speaker 2: hard to do as well. But it's not sustained excellence 471 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 2: with him either. There's a lot to unpacked here. I mean, 472 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: first of all, most quarterbacks don't play more than ten 473 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:14,880 Speaker 2: twelve years, you know, so obviously it's going to get thinner, 474 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 2: and Brady's a freak and that screw some things up. 475 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: Or if they are playing at that point in their careers, they're. 476 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 2: Not what they used to be, right, Like Peyton Manning 477 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 2: at the end here. I mean in year eighteen, he 478 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 2: could hardly complete a pass. I mean, like he was 479 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 2: a driving the ball. That was post neck surgery. You know, 480 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 2: he was good from the neck up. Great for the 481 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 2: neck up obviously, but he was a different type of player. 482 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 2: But I remember when Dave put this out, I retweeted 483 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,880 Speaker 2: it too, after you showed me that. I think how 484 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 2: he structured the tweet was here's the evidence. But pretty 485 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 2: soon and he's talked about Lamar, you know, the after 486 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 2: year six it's pretty sparse, you know, and that obviously 487 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 2: correlates with the salary cap era. 488 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: Like I bet it's a pretty it's really a pretty 489 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: elite group other than a couple of liars. 490 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean there's a couple that kind of managed 491 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,199 Speaker 2: the Brad Johnson route with great defenses that were up 492 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: in age. I think Gannon's like a geno Smith, you know, 493 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 2: who was kind of had that late season, you know, resurgence. 494 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: But I bet the comparison, you know. 495 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 2: Like I bet this isn't true for Staubach and Stabler 496 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 2: and Bradshaw in Montana because the salary captadn't kick in 497 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 2: for your fifth sixth year and you can't and you 498 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 2: start losing things, you know what I mean, Like eighth 499 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 2: year of Montana or Bradshaw was maybe better than your one, 500 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 2: you know. 501 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 1: I mean they would have been making the equivalent of 502 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: forty million dollars a year. 503 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,440 Speaker 2: Had been that way, and you'd be losing stuff right right, 504 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 2: and you'd be losing guys right exactly exactly. So the 505 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:04,120 Speaker 2: fact that it's you know, not the Super Bowl were 506 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 2: the salary cap era is very prepu. I think it 507 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 2: is a huge reflection here and again I keep bringing 508 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 2: up Lamar and Allen because they're the same draft class. 509 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 2: They're both awesome, and then the MVP candidacy, but they 510 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 2: didn't get it done, and it only gets harder. 511 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean you could throw Herbert into that 512 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: group at this point. 513 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: I was gonna mention Herbert and Burrow, you know, just 514 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 2: but I. 515 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: Still gotten one though. 516 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, he's at least gotten there, you know. But 517 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 2: it's not gonna be long. I mean, I just think 518 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 2: they're at least a year or two younger than the others. 519 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 2: But no, I hear him saying, you know, but now they're. 520 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: Now they're getting paid, and it gets it gets more difficult. 521 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: You made like the first the first couple of seasons, 522 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: when those guys are getting paid, you the gms can 523 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: structure things. Yeah, yeah, so you could, you could still 524 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: have some pieces around on them. 525 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 2: But when those salaries, yeah, they're signing low those deals 526 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: with a massive signing bonus, so they have small contracts 527 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 2: that first year or two. 528 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: But then you and you also have the opportunity, as 529 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: the Steelers have done. Now with all that we talked 530 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: about this last week, with all their contracts, everybody's under 531 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: contract for this year will pick it's still cheap. 532 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. 533 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: Next in twenty twenty five, that changes a little bit 534 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: because they're going to make a decision on picket at 535 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: the same time they also have to make some decisions 536 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: on some other guys. 537 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and they. 538 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: Leave themselves more more. You know, the Steelers going into 539 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, assuming that they don't do a bunch 540 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:42,719 Speaker 1: of new contracts offseason, are going to be among the 541 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: top teams in terms of salary cap space. 542 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're gonna view are signed. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, 543 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 2: And I think we'd both agree that Lamar and Allen 544 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 2: are better players than Hurts and Dak. But like the Cowboys, 545 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 2: and Eagles all of a sudden are going Dak's past 546 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 2: his sixth year. Hurts is banging on it too, you know. 547 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 2: I mean he's that Borough class and you signed those 548 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 2: guys to big deals, you know, so is it going 549 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 2: to pay off? Right? 550 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: Because you know this this this is twenty now twenty 551 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: four years of history here, it's a trend. 552 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 2: Then. You know, funny is if if he took Brady 553 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 2: just off this page, Yeah, it would look crazy, and 554 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: I guess other people would have went if you did 555 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 2: take him off. But still true. 556 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, but those guys they wouldn't be they wouldn't have 557 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 1: been presumably, you know, only one of those years that 558 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: Brady beat Roethlisberger in championship game. So who those guys 559 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: have been? 560 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 2: You know? 561 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: I mean that that's all. 562 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 2: So let's look at this one other way too, Like 563 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 2: so if we just look at this chart of ten 564 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 2: seasons or more, Yeah, Peyton Manning's on there three times, 565 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 2: Brady's on there a bunch, but then there's just a 566 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 2: random outlier here and there you know, there's a war 567 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 2: who had gotten there, Yeah, Stafford who had never gone 568 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 2: Stafford with his second team, and the other one was 569 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 2: somebody goof Agannet right, who was? He came in with 570 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 2: the Vikings and was all over the place. I mean, 571 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 2: they were I don't want to say their journeyman, because 572 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 2: Warner and Stafford are hall of famers slash borderline hall 573 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 2: of famers. But it wasn't like Stafford, the first round 574 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 2: pick with the Lions, grinding and grinded and eventually got 575 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 2: his team to the Super Bowl in the year ten 576 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 2: with Detroit. He got traded to a good team, you know, right, yeah, 577 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 2: you know, so besides. 578 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: The deal that included Jared Goff, who also led said 579 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: team to the super Bowl, which kind of shows you 580 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: that was a good football team. 581 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 2: And if maybe a couple of bounces ago different yesterday, 582 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 2: he'd be on this list, you know, right now? 583 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: Right yeah, So, I mean, I mean that's a good 584 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: point by as well by you. I mean, in both 585 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: of those games, a bounce here or there, mm hmm, 586 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: they were both one score games. 587 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. 588 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: You know, if if if Zay Flowers doesn't fumble going 589 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: into the end zone, maybe Baltimore was a football game. 590 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 2: Or if he gets in then fumbles. You know, if 591 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 2: it's two feet difference, I mean, it's game inches. 592 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: Two inches difference. 593 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly exactly. It was super close and didn't have it. 594 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 1: It goes back to what we talked about last week, 595 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: that how difficult it is to win those kind of games, 596 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: especially when you're facing one of these quarterbacks who do 597 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: it a bunch. There's a you know, there's is Tom 598 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: Brady the most physically talented quarterback to ever play the game, 599 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 1: absolutely not. 600 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 2: Not even close. 601 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: But he he needed all the plays that he didn't 602 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: to make in those big games. Same thing with Yeah, 603 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 1: I mean you could you could go find a bunch 604 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: of those same you know, Peyton Manning won that eighteenth season. 605 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: He was a shadow of himself, but he beat the Steelers, 606 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: had them beat out there in Denver that year and 607 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 1: Manning all we needed was drive and he and he 608 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: made that one drive. 609 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 2: And he makes the play. I mean, just like Ben 610 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 2: at the end of the Super Bowl hitting Santonio. And 611 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 2: you know it's when timing has a ton to do 612 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 2: with it. And the game of inches. Stuff is not 613 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 2: a cliche. I mean it's very very true. And usually 614 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 2: the calmer coaching staff quarterbacks prevail, and we saw that 615 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 2: this past weekend. 616 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, So I just thought that that was interesting 617 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 1: and now we've added two more names to that chart. 618 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: And uh again, both of those guys under ten years 619 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: in the league. And you you know, you start to 620 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: wonder about you know, there there's there's some people out 621 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: there the field you should you know, change out your 622 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: quarterback every five years or six years or whatever it is. 623 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 2: There's shootings. I would have sorry, two things I would 624 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 2: add the last segment that we didn't that unfortunately will 625 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 2: be lost because they lost. I thought Golf played a 626 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 2: very good game, you know, start to finish by no means, 627 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 2: was he ever the problem? And hey, the Ravens D 628 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:24,799 Speaker 2: was awesome in this game. You know they allowed what 629 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 2: three points in the second half and how many total 630 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 2: to the Chiefs Like Ravens D did their job. And 631 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 2: that's a tough one to swallow if you're on that 632 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:34,919 Speaker 2: side of the ball. 633 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, but it's you know, it just goes to 634 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: show you. I mean, yeah, you need the defense, but 635 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:43,840 Speaker 1: you also need the quarterback to play well. He can't 636 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: make and he can't make the mistakes. Uh. Steelers president 637 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 1: Art Rooney spoke to the media today. A LEA had 638 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: to miss that, but I do have the transcript of 639 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 1: what was said. I thought we'd talk about some of 640 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 1: these points here. Where will we come back? He is 641 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:03,399 Speaker 1: Williams Dale Lallie. You're listening to the Driver on Steelers Radio. 642 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: We'll talk about what Art had to say right after this. 643 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:13,880 Speaker 1: Welcome back. I'm Dale Lalli. He is the Matt Williamson 644 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: and Matt. As I mentioned before the break, Steelers President 645 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: Art Rooney the Second had his meet, his season wrap 646 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,720 Speaker 1: up meeting with the media today, and while I couldn't 647 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: be there, I did get a transcript sent to me 648 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 1: of what he had to say. Bob Labriola covered that 649 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: today for Steelers dot Com, so you can check out 650 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:37,719 Speaker 1: Steelers dot com to see what Art had to say. 651 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 1: But some of the highlights from this. He said that 652 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: the Steelers still feel good about Kenny Pickett in his 653 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 1: future and this is the quote here. He needs to 654 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: work hard to take the next step. We talked about 655 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: that one thing. One of the things we like about 656 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: Kenny in terms of his career was how hard he worked, 657 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 1: and he took a step every year year. We're looking 658 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 1: for that to happen here. But then he also said 659 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 1: Mason Rudolph came in and showed I think that that 660 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 1: we're capable of what we're capable of when we do 661 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,800 Speaker 1: get quality quarterback or quality play at the quarterback position. 662 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: I appreciate what Mason did. We're interested in bringing him back. 663 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 2: Here. Yeah, yeah, that you. 664 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:25,399 Speaker 1: Know, they felt that they got quality quarterback play out 665 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: of Mason Rudolph and and what they were capable of 666 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: when they did when they did get quality quarterback play. Again, 667 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 1: you look at that. Can't stress this enough. When the 668 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: schedule came out, that three game stretch, those final three 669 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 1: games were three that everybody looked at and said, well, hey, 670 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: they better had that. They hey better be in the 671 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: barn because those three games are going to be really difficult. Now, 672 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 1: the Bengals didn't have Joe Burrow. 673 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 2: Of course, of course, but you still. 674 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:51,719 Speaker 1: Had to go to Seattle and you had to go 675 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: to Baltimore. And I don't care who was playing for 676 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: the Ravens and who wasn't playing for. 677 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,320 Speaker 2: The Raves, it does matter. I mean they Lamar didn't play, 678 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:00,359 Speaker 2: but I mean it still wasn't That's fine. It wasn't 679 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 2: like a shell himself, but you're. 680 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: Still show yeah yeah, and you be a quality Seahawks team. Yeah, 681 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: and basically kept them kept them from making the. 682 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 2: Playoffs, and we spelled this out no matter who the 683 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 2: opponent is, I mean Rudolph's numbers or even more importantly, 684 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 2: what the offense did statistically with quote quality quarterback play 685 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,959 Speaker 2: was really really high level. I mean it wasn't far 686 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 2: off the parties and allens of the world in terms 687 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 2: of stats, you know, and efficiency in those things. You know. 688 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 2: So I have a problem. I wasn't fighting you on 689 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 2: Lamar not playing or Borough or whatever, because many people 690 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 2: have come up to me like, yeah, you know, Steels 691 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 2: won ten games, but look at the quarterbacks they played. 692 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:51,560 Speaker 2: I'm like, who played every healthy quarterback from opening day? 693 00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 2: All year? I mean like half the league played two, three, 694 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 2: four quarterbacks. You can't tell me that the Niners, the Ravens, 695 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:03,440 Speaker 2: any good team you face all only played the number ones. 696 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 2: You know, like anyone who played in the Jets didn't 697 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 2: get Rogers, you know, right, I mean. 698 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:09,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, other than the Bills in the opener, and the 699 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: Bills only got him for four plays. I still lost 700 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:12,320 Speaker 1: that game. 701 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like, so don't tell me like we got Zach Wilson, 702 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,799 Speaker 2: you know, like so did every fifth you know, every 703 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 2: other team to play the Jets and That's just one 704 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,920 Speaker 2: example the Browns. I mean, nobody got Watson or you know. 705 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:28,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you know it, it balances out you play 706 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:32,880 Speaker 1: who you play, That's what I'm saying. Yeah. He also 707 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:37,719 Speaker 1: said that that he said it talked about the offensive 708 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,240 Speaker 1: coordinator hiring and said they're gonna have some changes obviously 709 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: on the offensive side of things. He said, on the 710 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 1: defensive side, I don't want to make excuses, but we 711 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 1: got hit hard with a rash of injuries that at 712 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,399 Speaker 1: times was difficult to overcome. All things considered, I thought 713 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:55,560 Speaker 1: our coaches did a good job of plugging in guys 714 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: who needed a program to figure out who they were 715 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: on Sunday. Sometimes a little crazy on that side sometimes, 716 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: he said, But the bottom line is we have a 717 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: solid core group of players on the defensive side that 718 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:08,040 Speaker 1: we can build on and win with. 719 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 2: I think that's well said as well, and I agree 720 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 2: with it. You know that cluster injuries are really really 721 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 2: hard to deal with, and you know, short last year 722 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:20,720 Speaker 2: they you know, twenty twenty two, there was a long 723 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,240 Speaker 2: stretch that they didn't have their best player on defense 724 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 2: what or you know, maybe the best defensive player in 725 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 2: the league, and that was really hard to overcome too. 726 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 2: But the fact that you're getting the Rows and Walkers 727 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 2: of the world ready and they didn't embarrass themselves with 728 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 2: hardly any notice, I think speaks really well to the 729 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 2: coaching staff. 730 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. He also has asked several questions about Mike Tomlin, 731 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:53,840 Speaker 1: including you know, he said he was asked if he 732 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 1: has seen a change in Mike Tomlin in his resolve 733 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: and he said, not sure, I'd say a change. Certainly, 734 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 1: there's a resolve there, a determination there. I think I 735 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: said before, all of us have been around this for 736 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 1: a little while and are anxious to take the next step. 737 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,480 Speaker 1: I'm getting a little or getting a little impatient. We 738 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:12,439 Speaker 1: need to see the kind of improvement we all want 739 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:17,080 Speaker 1: to see, including Mike believe firmly believes that as firmly 740 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:20,880 Speaker 1: as anyone else in the building. And he was asked about, 741 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 1: you know, not making the playoffs, you know, in the 742 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: past seven season. He said, look, that's that's not you know, 743 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:33,040 Speaker 1: that's not something that we're you know, we want to happen. Yeah, 744 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 1: we want to make the playoffs. We want to see 745 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 1: progression here. And he was asked, you know, given the 746 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 1: playoff drought, why is Tomlin the right guy to lead 747 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:46,520 Speaker 1: your organization, and he said, quote, I think players still 748 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:48,640 Speaker 1: respond to Mike. That's number one. He still has the 749 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 1: key characteristics that we saw when we hired him. He 750 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:54,400 Speaker 1: can keep the attention of a group of twenty year 751 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 1: olds for a whole season, keep them in the fight 752 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:59,719 Speaker 1: the whole way. Still feel good about Mike, Obviously, if 753 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:02,680 Speaker 1: I did, we'd make the change. If I didn't think 754 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:05,440 Speaker 1: if I think, here's what I was sorry. If I 755 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: think Mike wasn't able to lead us to a championship, 756 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:10,439 Speaker 1: he wouldn't be here. That's why he's here. 757 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 2: That's right. But I wasn't at the press conference, and 758 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,360 Speaker 2: nor were you. And we're reading a tough piece of paper. 759 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:21,920 Speaker 2: But I think I, by no means am I saying 760 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 2: he's not happy with Tomlin. That's not what I mean 761 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,319 Speaker 2: at all. But I do think there's a the way 762 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:29,840 Speaker 2: that he phrases his words, which he does so well, 763 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 2: is but we're not These results aren't good enough, you know, 764 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:35,600 Speaker 2: and we know how this business is. You know. I'm 765 00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:37,640 Speaker 2: not saying Tomlin's seed is hot. I'm not trying to 766 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,480 Speaker 2: break news here or anything like that. But I think 767 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 2: it's pretty clear by the way that was phrased that, Hey, 768 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:47,280 Speaker 2: I still think he can get us a super Bowl. 769 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 2: I still think he has the respect and admiration of 770 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 2: his team. But I'm also very aware of the results 771 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:59,279 Speaker 2: lately too, and that's not going to cut it, you know. 772 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:03,239 Speaker 1: Right right, But he still thinks that Tomlin is a 773 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 1: guy who can lead this team to a super Bowl. 774 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: And I think when you look at the results in 775 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:09,560 Speaker 1: those final three games, there were a lot of people 776 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:11,879 Speaker 1: out there they're gonna lose all three. You know, they're 777 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: gonna have six game losing streak the end of season. 778 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:16,839 Speaker 1: And I think if that had been the case, maybe 779 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:18,799 Speaker 1: you're having a different conversation right now. 780 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:20,280 Speaker 2: But they didn't. 781 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:24,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, but they didn't because they stayed focused, they stayed 782 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:28,000 Speaker 1: in the fight. And I'll be honest with you, I 783 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:31,520 Speaker 1: think Tomlin does some of his best work in those 784 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:32,600 Speaker 1: kind of situations. 785 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's one of his best strengths, to 786 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 2: be honest with you, everything. 787 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,680 Speaker 1: When you're down to your sixth inside linebacker and you 788 00:42:40,719 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 1: know things are getting a little crazy, he finds ways 789 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: to win those games that quite frankly, I don't know 790 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: if a lot of coaches can. 791 00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:51,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, after an ugly three game losing streak when the 792 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:54,080 Speaker 2: whole world is turning on you and you've got to 793 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 2: galvanize your team. And no, I think he does that 794 00:42:57,120 --> 00:42:59,080 Speaker 2: as well as anyone I can remember, you know, to 795 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:01,600 Speaker 2: be very honest with you, you know, we opened the show, 796 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 2: you know, talking about not losing games. I think Tomlin's 797 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:08,640 Speaker 2: great at that. I think his communication with his team 798 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:13,680 Speaker 2: is very very strong as well. And I meant to 799 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,160 Speaker 2: I forget where I heard this. I think it was 800 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 2: Robert Mays from The Athletic who does a tour of 801 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:24,520 Speaker 2: camp and really gets behind the scenes with people and 802 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:27,279 Speaker 2: knows a lot of people in the organizations. And he 803 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 2: said recently on his podcast, if it was a Robert, 804 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,280 Speaker 2: I apologize, I'll dig it up. But he was talking 805 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:35,400 Speaker 2: to some coaches randomly around the league, not in Latrobe, 806 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:37,360 Speaker 2: not in Pittsburgh, like when he was in Chicago, in 807 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:40,959 Speaker 2: la and blah blah blah blah, and Tomlin's name consistently 808 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:46,040 Speaker 2: came up, as he might know more football than anybody 809 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:48,400 Speaker 2: in the league that besides Belichick. You mean, like what 810 00:43:48,520 --> 00:43:51,120 Speaker 2: the gunner should do on this, what the third guy 811 00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:54,160 Speaker 2: on the kickoff return team should do? You know, like 812 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:58,799 Speaker 2: the real football stuff, kind of like Chuck Nole to 813 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:00,880 Speaker 2: be honest with you, you know, like, yeah, Wolf or 814 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 2: any of those guys will tell you Noel could coach 815 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:05,759 Speaker 2: any position group probably better than our position coach. You know. 816 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 2: Like that stuff's really impressive, you know. 817 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:12,759 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, And I mean you see him do it 818 00:44:13,239 --> 00:44:15,799 Speaker 1: on a regular basis. That's why, you know when when 819 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 1: when people come out, well he's a cheerleader coach. You 820 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:22,280 Speaker 1: haven't seen practice, you have no idea. 821 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:28,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, he's he's up, Bear Bryant, up on the stand, 822 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:31,120 Speaker 2: you know, watching from above and taking notes or whatever. 823 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:31,839 Speaker 2: He's not. 824 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:36,400 Speaker 1: Getting everybody together and you know, having raw ross speeches 825 00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:38,240 Speaker 1: and that. No, it's not it's not what's happening. 826 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:41,640 Speaker 2: No, I mean he's not just clapping on the sidelines. No, 827 00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:44,480 Speaker 2: I mean he's digging in there and coaching dudes up. 828 00:44:46,760 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 1: Now. He was asked specifically. He said the question was 829 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:52,680 Speaker 1: a number of guys that have connections or ties to 830 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 1: Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan that coaching tree. What is 831 00:44:56,640 --> 00:45:00,440 Speaker 1: desirable about having people with that type of experience, And 832 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:03,080 Speaker 1: he says it's a successful system, no two ways about it. 833 00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:05,680 Speaker 1: Those guys have had a lot of success. The approach 834 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:08,759 Speaker 1: to offensive football has been pretty impressive. I'm not going 835 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: to say we're only going to talk to people that 836 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:13,680 Speaker 1: come off of that tree, but it's certainly worth talking 837 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:14,360 Speaker 1: to those guys. 838 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:19,680 Speaker 2: So we don't have any more real news on offensive coordinators. 839 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:23,160 Speaker 1: Well, since since we last had our dear last show, 840 00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:26,880 Speaker 1: Arthur Smith, the fore coach at the Falcons and former 841 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:30,759 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, has interviewed for the job. 842 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:33,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and we can talk about that or next segment 843 00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:35,560 Speaker 2: or whatever. I think he's a would be a pretty 844 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:37,880 Speaker 2: strong hire. I know people aren't super excited about it 845 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:41,000 Speaker 2: because he didn't use Bijon enough for their fantasy team, 846 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:45,200 Speaker 2: but that's not what we're doing here. But my favorite 847 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:49,320 Speaker 2: thing about the coaching search thus far are the avenues 848 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:53,000 Speaker 2: they went down, not even necessarily the names, but the 849 00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:56,960 Speaker 2: teams that they're exploring and prodding. And you know, it's 850 00:45:57,000 --> 00:45:59,440 Speaker 2: not just oh, he was a Steeler, we're going to 851 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:02,160 Speaker 2: bring him back. We know them. I mean, it's uncovering 852 00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:06,319 Speaker 2: new avenues and realize. I mean, if it seems to 853 00:46:06,360 --> 00:46:08,680 Speaker 2: me that they've kind of realized the error in their 854 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,880 Speaker 2: ways in the last couple of years that there's a 855 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 2: better way to play offense now and we need to 856 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:16,640 Speaker 2: get back to that, you know. 857 00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:20,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, talk to some different people and 858 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:25,520 Speaker 1: they'll give you again more insight into your personnel. I 859 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,560 Speaker 1: don't think the personality regardless of who the new offensive 860 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:31,880 Speaker 1: coordinator will be, and it probably won't, it won't happen 861 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:36,520 Speaker 1: this week because everybody's down here. It's seniorable. But whoever 862 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:42,600 Speaker 1: that person may be, the Steelers have a certain mentality 863 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 1: and and it bears out by what they have on 864 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:48,239 Speaker 1: their roster of how they want to play football. And 865 00:46:48,280 --> 00:46:50,720 Speaker 1: it's going to be up to whoever that new offensive 866 00:46:50,719 --> 00:46:55,440 Speaker 1: coordinator might be to meld what they do to the personnel, 867 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:57,919 Speaker 1: not the other way around. 868 00:46:58,239 --> 00:47:01,399 Speaker 2: Not the other way around. Right right, We're gonna put 869 00:47:01,480 --> 00:47:05,120 Speaker 2: Bill Walsh's system in and now we need to go 870 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:08,879 Speaker 2: get Montana and Rice and blah blah blah, you know, right, 871 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:10,520 Speaker 2: which is the best way to do it? I mean 872 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:13,759 Speaker 2: it needs to be a combination of my ideas from 873 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:18,360 Speaker 2: my rams or Texans or whatever, meshed with nausey pickets, 874 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:21,960 Speaker 2: maybe another quarterback who knows Pickens, Friarmouth, et cetera. 875 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:25,479 Speaker 1: You know, yeah, right, Uh, let's get to another break. 876 00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:27,080 Speaker 1: That's going to do it for hour number one of 877 00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:29,960 Speaker 1: the drive. We'll be back with our number two. He 878 00:47:30,120 --> 00:47:33,799 Speaker 1: is Matt Williamson. I'm Dale Lolly live in Mobile, Alabama. 879 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,000 Speaker 1: We'll be back with the second hour of the drive 880 00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:36,799 Speaker 1: right after this