June 12, 2025 • 41 mins
Thursday on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, the Pacers take a 2-1 lead over the Thunder in the Finals. Steelers acknowledge a new gameplan with Rodgers in house. And NFL Insider Albert Breer talks about the biggest headlines from minicamp.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the best of two pros and a couple
Joe with Lamar arings and rating win and Jonas Knox
on Fox Furs Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, you know what, which will be a theme for
this show that we will point out. Look who decided
to show up and this time we're talking about the
NBA Finals. They were back last night? Are you sure
they were back last night? And a little bit of
a surprising result I think for some people going into
the game, Indiana was a five and a half point underdog.
(00:35):
But they get it done. And as we've seen the
stat thrown up before, anytime there's a series in the
NBA Finals, it's tied at one apiece, the team that
wins Game three wins the NBA Finals eighty percent of
the time. So the Indiana Pacers in a good spot following.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
That win last night. They played well. I think they
played like a team that does not believe whatever other
people believe. They're not buying into the hype, so to speak,
of what they feel these other guys are are bringing
to the table. And I you know, you got to
(01:13):
give them a lot of credit because, okay, see is
what what people think they are. I just think that
Indiana is better than what people give them, you know,
credit for, So there may they've made it more than
just a series. It's it's a competitive deal. Uh. If
(01:34):
if OKAC is to as you just mentioned the stat
if ok c uh is to to really have a
a real chance, they gotta get one in Indiana. They
gotta grab one in Indiana if they go back to
Oka C with a too two tie. And you know,
(01:54):
I'll say this, who wins the series? I don't know.
I'm I'm I went with okay See to win the series,
but I did go with Indiana to win the game
last night. But going into a game four situation where
it's it's uh, game five, excuse wait no, no two
(02:15):
to one right? Two one? Yeah, game four, it's just
I think it's very critical for for okay See, but
it's also very critical for the NBA as well. Right,
there's a lot riding on this in terms of relevance,
maybe interest, maybe, I mean, there are a lot of
things out there are are at stakecare if Indiana were
(02:38):
to win the next game, how many people do you
think are gonna watch the next one? So this could
potentially be maybe the last game that you get real
interest in If OKAC decides to lay.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
An egg in the next game, it would be whove
the NBA to have a back and forth series.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It certainly would because it provides a much better story
line to everything that's going on UH in a series.
Again where we've discussed it heading into the series, we
discussed it as a potential UH series where you don't
have the type of a brand power to really drive
the viewership of the series, the most important series of
(03:21):
the season for for the NBA. So but again, give
give Halliburton props. I'm always wanted to to give props
elsewhere when it's not Halliburton. So I'm gonna give him
his his props. Today. He showed up in a major,
major way, UH, and he was the MVP of that game,
(03:43):
and and so they needed that, and they'll need that
moving forward if they're if they're going to have a
chance to pull pull through in the series.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I mean, some would say he's the captain now made
him from being honest.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I mean, you know, he had a much he had
a much louder, a much bigger game than what he
usually has. But make no mistake about it, the captain
of the ship is still on the ship. You know,
Pascal is still he's still a part of of what's
going on. I mean, he he didn't have his regular
(04:17):
like you know, obviously big, big, big game, but he
didn't have a bad game. I mean, you know, he's
right there. I mean he was only one point off
of off of Halliburton. You know, Halliburton had twenty two,
Pascal had twenty one. You know, he had four assists
Pascal had I mean has got past Halliburton had eleven assists.
(04:38):
Where to me, that's where the separation took place was
it's just his ability to be able to make great
decisions and put other guys in positions to have an
impact on the game. I mean there were some some
really you know, there were some fine moments for them, Benedict,
(04:59):
you know, and he had a really good game. And
if he can continue to play that way, maybe he's
the unsung hero of the series. You know, Topping didn't
had a lot of points, but you know, he had
some explosive moments that you could say set the tone
for the Pacers and and at moments in time like
(05:22):
really you know, showed that maybe he was a little
bit more athletically inclined than guys on on the OKC team.
But I think you had a lot of unsung heroes,
and Indiana showed that they not only can play with
Oka see, but they can beat them. They can win
this series.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
You mentioned Tyres Halliburton. There's been some discussion about maybe
he's not being as aggressive as he needs to be,
and maybe he's got to do a little bit more.
He talked about the discussion surrounding his performance early in
the finals aft last night after the win.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
The commentary is always going to be what it is.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You know, most of the.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Time, the talking heads on them major platforms, I couldn't
care less, honestly, Like what do they really know about basketball?
The commentary is what it is. At this point, you know,
it doesn't matter. You know, we're here in the NBA Finals,
two wins away from an NBA championship. So you just
got to stay with it, put my head down and
keep working and as a group, we just got to
keep learning from our mistakes, see where we can get better
(06:19):
and take it a day at time.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
How about that? People, all these platforms, how you're talking
about huh?
Speaker 3 (06:26):
How about that? Clearly Caliburton isn't the only one that
feels that way. Sometimes your own colleagues feel that way.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yes, these people, uh so the Yeah, Like I was,
I was thinking about the situation involving just sort of
the overall look of this series and it and I
made mention of this before that it's kind of nice
that you don't have drama surrounding the finals. There's not
(06:59):
all this discussion afterwards. We're just really Actually, I think
a lot of people are getting to know these teams
who are maybe casuals or just tuning in. But also
I think they're starting to see that, well, this is
just really good basketball. Like the closing stretch the fourth
quarter last night, that was really good basketball.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
You saw it.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
You saw like Miles Turner did not have a good
game offensively, but he did up the wind puppet multiple
times and ended up making plays down the stretch. And
so you look at it, you go, these are really
good individual performances and good team performances from the Indiana standpoint.
But I look at it and I go, it's almost
as if this finals people don't really have a rooting interest.
(07:41):
And that's not a bad thing, because I don't know
anybody that looks at this and is pounding the table.
Gotta have an OKC win or pounding the table, Gotta
have an Indiana win like Lebron James butters the bread
for everybody. If Lebron's in the finals, you're gonna get
a polarizing reaction one way or the other. If the
Celtics are in your going to get a polarizing reaction.
(08:01):
The Lakers, the Knicks, Well, I said the Knicks, they'll
never be in the finals. But the point is there's
there's generally somebody that you can like surround your hot
take around, and this finals doesn't have that. It like, okay,
see more than likely comes out and wins Game four,
and the series gets stretched, and we go to six,
(08:24):
we go to seven games, and I think it's just
gonna be about the basketball. It's not going to be
about which talking head that Tyrese Haliburton is referring to
that says, you know, well, we've got to have this
because it's better for the league. I think the league
looks at it and goes either one that wins. It's like,
we're not going to be dependent on that for storylines
(08:44):
that are going to carry us through. We're just seeing
really good basketball, really underrated teams that are getting a
platform and a stage that they've never had before, maybe
ever in the history of their organizations other than a
couple of times, and that was years and years ago.
So I think there's a lot of people discussing the
Finals that aren't used to the fact that we don't
(09:05):
have a singular player or a singular storyline to focus on. Instead,
we just got a look at good basketball.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I mean, that's an interesting way of looking at it,
and that that could very well be what the situation
in the scenario is. I would I would tend to
offer the approach that Haliburton is taking is the right one.
You know, whether talking hits know enough about basketball or
know what they're talking about or not, it's of no consequence.
(09:37):
He's got to keep his head down, he's got to
stay focused because I do know for one hundred percent
none of those people he's referring to are going to
dictate a win or a loss for Indiana or for Oka.
See I do know that for one hundred percent certain
Like I won't debate that one with anyone. But with
(09:58):
that being said, the talking heads that he's he's referring
to a lot of them do know about sports, you know,
and a lot of them know about games, and they
may not know it to the depth of a guy
that's playing the game or a coach or a GM
They may not know it to that degree, but they
(10:18):
don't have to. That's not their burden to carry to
to know it. More from the standpoint of what the
athlete knows it, it's what they see and what their
opinions are on what they see. And then now it's
a fans opportunity to do the same exact thing, because
(10:39):
you could say the same exact thing about fans. You know,
some of them know it because they play it. They're
they're enthusiasts of it. Some people are more passive and
just aren't you know, into it as deep in as
far as some real fanatical type of people that not
only watch it but play it or you know, play
(11:03):
it for leisure, still are playing actively, you know, could
be in college, whatever it may be. I just think
what it ultimately comes down to more so than you know,
talking about a team per se, like oh this team
can't do this, or oh Halliburton is overrated. I think
(11:25):
what's more important here, Jonas, is what you're talking about
is the opportunity to take in the sport. Are you
enjoying the show? Are you enjoying watching the production of
what takes place and the quality of play that takes place?
Are you doing that because you can? There has not
(11:48):
been a flooding of storylines in terms of big names.
They have been pushing Halliburton now that he's he's placed
himself in that scenario show dad. There's that he had
his little you know, his little banner with with his
son's you know, on his his likeness on there. Okay,
that's the storyline. Haliburton and his dad, great SGA is
(12:12):
a storyline. But again, as you mentioned, none of these
guys are are truly established megastars in terms of mainstream
America mainstream fans.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
It's like Middle America mom and pop basketball, like the like.
There's no big time, big market feel and splash all
that stuff. To your point, there's just you just got
to enjoy it, like you can't. You can't really sink
your teeth into well, what what does this mean for
so and so's future after the series is over? And
who's uh so? Is somebody getting looked at for another?
(12:44):
Get No, there's none of that you just get to
enjoy really good basketball and the two best teams in
the playoffs, and I for the NBA's sake, for everybody's,
for our sake, based on what we've seen, aren't you
hoping it goes seven games? Look, I'd love to see
a seven game series with these two the way they
match up.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Well, it's fled from the NBA. Aren't you trying to
take full advantage of what you're talking about? Like we
talk about the comparisons between the NBA and the NFL
a lot, and this is something leading up to and
maybe this is why the advantage in my estimation goes
towards football, because it's only one game and you're able
(13:25):
to get the build up of it. You're you're able
to really get to develop storylines and so you can
create what you wanted to look and feel like in
a lot of ways. If you're the NFL, you can
maneuver and plan it. It has just as much to
do with the city where the game is being played.
(13:47):
I mean, there's a lot that goes into it. If
I'm the NBA, how do I find a way to
galvanize what it is we have going on? Especially when
we have a matchup with It doesn't have you know,
it doesn't boast a Lebron James. It doesn't, you know,
give you a New York Knicks team or or Tatum,
(14:08):
you know in in in Boston or Brown. How do
you find a way to make the storyline so strong
and so real that you're you're viewing audience wants to
consume it. I had to do radio tonight and there
I was watching a show I think it's called The
(14:30):
Animal Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom or whatever's on Netflix. I
drink a Celsius to to watch the the entire basketball
game without falling asleep because I was getting tired and
I had to burst the energy. But I've been watching
that series Animal Kingdom, and the storyline is so wild.
(14:52):
It's almost like a spin off of Point Break. That's
what I feel like, you know, that's that's what took place.
Uh want to say, Regina King is that that's her name.
I believe she's she's a producer, she's I know she's
an actress. I just don't. I feel like I'm messing
up her name, but I'm gonna get it right. But anyways,
it's the storyline was so good it is Regina King. Uh,
(15:16):
the storyline is so good?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Yeah, she's pretty good. She's talented. She's not only a
talented actress actress, but she certainly is a talented producer too. Director.
Excuse me, you have to be able to do this
if you're the NBA. Make it so that people don't
want to leave. Like I was, like, I gotta go
to sleep, I gotta go to sleep, Gotta do the show.
Da da da this, that and the other. And it's like, man,
(15:42):
that's crazy. What just happened. Dude almost burnt his whole
house down. He put the weed butt, he put the
roach down, and he got caught up and now the
house is on fire. Dang, what's gonna happen next? And
I found myself just continuing and continuing to watch the show.
And that's what the end the NBA has to do.
The NFL is masterful there. They're surgical with creating a storyline,
(16:07):
storylines plural. Look at what they did with shador In
in the in the draft. They are surgical with finding
something that is going to be compelling enough for not
only your hardcore fans that know exactly what's going on,
but it also serves that fan that may not have
that hardcore approach. And that's where to me, if you're
(16:30):
asking me, what is one of my major takeaways from
seeing an Indiana Oklahoma City Final is where? Where is
the where is the I guess angles in which it's
going to keep the attention of the average sports fans.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Just it's just good basketball, and I don't think I
don't think that is that good enough. I don't know,
and probably not.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
It's for a lot of it's most likely it's not.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
But I don't think people are used to this version
of an NBA series matchup because normally it's easy. Well,
it's Lebron involved, it's somebody else involved that you can
find a storyline. It's a big market, this one. So
we just watch the games and enjoy really good, high
level basketball. Yeah, pretty much, Okay. I just I don't
(17:25):
think this series is meant for hot take culture. It's
just not meant for hot take culture, and I don't
and I don't think that people really know how to
react to it other than just to admire good basketball,
which is again brand.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
If you're making the brand more attractive through other ways
of hitting your your your viewing audience and extending expanding
beyond that. You got to find those storylines and you
got to really, really really drive them home. If you're
wanting the NBA brand to be as strong as it
(18:01):
is the NBA superstars that you have, you know it's
a superstar driven league, but when you have markets that
have stars, but they're not the type of superstars notably
known established, which these are the moments in time where
they do get established and you create a following and
(18:23):
more attention to it, there should still be a lot
more depth to what's taking place in terms of how
you're building your storyline, because that ultimately builds the storyline
of how you're looking at the NBA season next year
and seasons beyond, how you're looking at the draft, how
you're looking at the new prospects. It's so much that
(18:46):
goes into what the NFL has been able to create
and build, and a lot of that has to do
with the media coverage and the media attention. So, for
what it's worth, while Halliburton has the right approach to saying,
I don't care what people that don't know basketball are saying,
the NBA had better be figuring out storylines that make
(19:07):
it relevant to those very people, because those are the
one Those are the people that are going to touch
their followings, and the people who would listen to them
are going to actually, you know, pay attention to what's
being presented to them, and that could be the difference
maker in wanting to watch the series, wanting to watch
a game, wanting to watch a player versus the other.
(19:27):
Not one two, not my problem. We got football right
around the corner. They can figure that out. Well, you
guys got work to do.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. So.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I don't know if you heard the news. Aaron Rodgers
is the new quarterback in Pittsburgh for the Steelers. He's
the guy there, the offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. He spoke
to the media. He said, amongst other things, look, we
didn't bring Aaron Rodgers in here and signed dk Metcalf
for all that money to go run the wishbone. But
(20:09):
he did talk about evolving as an offense from one
year to the next here was Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
We've evolved every year, and you know you have to
so a lot of times out of necessity. It really,
you know, I had a lot of different quarterbacks with
a lot of different skill sets. In our job, especially
as a coach, is you know, to play to the
shrinks of your players. I mean, we have our foundation
things that don't change. But whether you lean into certain
schemes you have to hear you adapt again to the
personnel you've got. That's what we try to do and
(20:37):
then ultimately win games and set guys up for successful there.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
And so one of the things that's been pointed out
is that Rogers last year was with the Jets team
that didn't run the ball all that much. They relied
on the pass. A lot of that may have been
dictated by score. They could have been down in games
because they weren't good. Conversely, you had the Steelers who
ran the ball I think it was fourth most in
the entire NFL. They weren't all that efficient, you know,
(21:02):
as far as yards per carry and whatnot. But now
you've got Arthur Smith, who's got Aaron Rodgers there. Clearly
he's probably maybe gonna trust the passing offense a little
bit more than he did last year. But when I
hear Arthur Smith talk, I don't know if if you
get the same read I do. I just think he's
probably relieved not to have Russell Wilson there anymore.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
To be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I just I think that's for him. He's like, look,
I wanted to put Justin Fields back in. I was
overruled by Mike Tomlin. As long as it's not Russ,
I'll take my chances with Aaron Rodgers and DK metcalf
as opposed to last year.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
I'm gonna I'm gonna admit that this isn't my take
because I don't know it this way, but yeah, I
feel like it's relevant. And I'll give credit to Plexico
on this because he's played for them. He's been there.
He understands that he's played for Tomlins regime, even though
(21:59):
it's not the same offensive coordinator. He said they're going
to run. The biggest, the biggest determining factor of what's
going to happen with the Steelers is are they going
to play good enough defense and are they going to
establish the run enough and have enough success with the
(22:19):
run in order to be able to dictate and control
the tempo of the game and win the game. It's
a battle of attrition approach. I will venture to add
to that as a fan that I believe that was
Bill Coward's approach. That's why he had the backs that
(22:40):
he had then. I believe that was Chuck Knowles approach.
That's why he had the running backs that he had
back then. And I believe that that has continued to
be the calling card of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't
see that changing. I really don't. And you know, Arthur
can say, you know all he wants about you don't
bring in Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf to do that,
(23:03):
But there have been plenty of duos that you can
say that you can use that where you would say
that that could be your your logic. I mean, so,
you know, I don't buy that. I really don't. I
don't buy the idea that they're just going to go
past happy with having Aaron Rodgers there. But what will
(23:25):
be interesting to see is what can they establish, what
can they develop with having the type of skills set,
the type of wisdom and understanding that that Aaron Rodgers
brings to the position. As well as brings to the
understanding of what an offensive scheme can a successful one
can look like, what what defenses are trying to do.
(23:47):
How will that help the other players on the field
and on the unit. I think that there are a
lot of asset value connected to bringing in Aaron Rodgers,
but it's still wait and see approach if you ask me.
And the biggest wait and see is one, it can
Aaron Rodgers actually be the quarterback that he wants was
(24:11):
or a variation that leads to success for the Steelers?
And two, are the Pittsburgh Steelers actually willing to go
away from an identity that has dominated what the Pittsburgh
Steelers have been since basically the beginning of time, which
(24:32):
is they're a run first team. They're a run heavy team,
and that's what they work to do. They batter round,
they they grind it out, and they work to open
up their offense through their run. Can that change? I
think that's a question that if your band attention to
Pittsburgh and paying attention to what Aaron Rodgers is able
(24:55):
to do, you're we're going to see if there's going
to be some fleck in terms of the approach of
the way they they're playing offense.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
I mean, you'd think at this stage of his career
they'd want to try and have give as much opportunity
to run the football as possible to keep him up
right so where he's not having good Look, he got
banged up last year with the Jets because he was
throwing it so often. He got roughed up in the
game over and I think it was London where they
played early in the year. It's not like he got
(25:26):
through last year and he was just dealing with the
Achilles or whatnot. Remember there was the story about, you know,
he didn't want to miss any time. He was dead
set on wanting to play and start every game, and
so he was working through injuries and net injuries pop up.
That was one of the other storylines that was trickling
out of New York at the time. So last year
he dealt with other stuff outside of just coming back
(25:47):
from the Achilles. If you're Arthur Smith and your Mike
tom are like, let's take I mean, yeah, we've got
DK metcalf. I mean, that's a nice option to have
for him. But if you can establish the run, as
you mentioned, like we've whenever they've had success historically. It's
always been through that. Like, why would you drop him
back and have them throw fifty times a game if
(26:07):
you can be more well balanced and you can rely
on that defense that you talked about, which is still
capable of playing at a high level. And also in
that division, you really want to get in a shootout
with Joe Burrow, like you really want to get in
a shootout with Lamar Jackson, Like you really want to
go back and forth with you know, whatever team in
the AFC you have to deal with throughout the course
of the year. It makes all the sense in the world.
(26:29):
You'd want to run games that you keep your forty
plus year old quarterback healthy and you're not having to
go run and gun with other teams in the conference
that that are more well equipped to do. That makes
makes sense.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
You know, you have a running backs, back committee backfield,
and it's not your starter was an undrafted football player,
your second string player was a third round draft pick.
I mean it's you know, to me when you look
(27:02):
at what they have in the backfield, and I don't
want this to come across as any shade to you know,
the guys that they have and Warren Jalen Warren and
Caleb Johnson. Uh but I mean, I look at it. Uh,
I just look at it. And Trey Sermon is there
as well. I just I just look at it, like
(27:25):
I get it. Like Naji Harris could have been a
better back for them. You would have anticipated him being
a better back for the Steelers. It just didn't materialize
that way. But for the most part, you've always had
a guy that can get it done, whether it be
Le'Veon Bell, whether it was Jerome Bettis, you know, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Parker, Willie Parker, which.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
He was an obscure guy, I mean, and and had
some good, good moments. But you've always had a guy
that could fit what the Pittsburgh Steller have needed. It'll
be interesting to see if these guys can carry that
type of load because they're not marquee name guys. They're
not known guys at that position. And you've usually had
(28:12):
an obscure guy that goes along with a high profile
guy that's been in the back the backfield for the Steelers,
and that doesn't seem, at least today to be the
case for them now. So maybe that's an indication that
they are going to go to the air more than
what they have and be more pass dominant, more pass
havy than what they've ever been. But you still got
(28:35):
to have running backs. And if I'm the Pittsburgh Steelers
and that's been their DNA as to how they approach
what they're doing, I think you still got to have
backs that can can do what you see take like
you have a mirror image of a team in the
Pennsylvania teams. So when you look at where the Eagles
(28:57):
are right now, that's generally what you have. When you're
looking out of Pittsburgh Steelers team. You have a Saquon
Barkley type of back in the backfield, you have a good,
strong offensive front. You have a quarterback that can manage
the games, at the least manage the game. Then you
(29:19):
have a defense that can play defense. Strong up front,
linebackers that can run big, safeties that can bring big hits,
and play like light linebackers and corners that are fairly good.
That's generally the recipe you see. You see it play
out in Baltimore. They are mirror images of in likeness
of what they want to do. While Lamar Jackson is
(29:41):
a prolific passer, they still want to establish that run
and you have King Henry.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
You have receivers, you have your tight end. That's what
Pittsburgh does. They use their tight ends historically, you know,
from Bruner to Heath to now you know Friar move
you use your tight ends. So there is a to me,
there's a formula that has been developed in the in
(30:09):
the AFC North and even even Cincinnati, even Cleveland follow
that model. I mean, you think about Nick Chubb, you
think about mixings, you know, those type of running backs,
and then you see there are skilled receivers and if
you're able to get an elite quarterback of Joe Burrow,
a Lamar Jackson, they were hoping a Deshaun Watson in Cleveland,
(30:34):
they were hoping for a Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh, or
even at the time maybe a Mason Rudolph. You don't
you know, those didn't turn out to be elites, but
two of those those teams have elite quarterbacks and yet
and still running the football was a major part of
the success. And the formula of what it is that
(30:57):
they do makes all the sense.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
I mean, why send him out there to take some battering,
take some hits when you can roll out a running
attack and bring back the old Pittsburgh Steelers Little Bam Morris,
little Barry Foster back in the day, Tim Worley, damn right.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Yeah, Meryl Hodge, Merril Hodge, Yeah. Man.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
We welcome in the Man himself, a Thursday tradition here
on the show. He is Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter,
lead content strategist at the MMQB, Amazon NFL on Prime Insider,
and you can get him on X at Albert Brier
a B good morning, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So?
Speaker 2 (31:45):
One to ask you with the no shows at camp,
whether it be TJ. Watt, Trey Hendrickson, Terry McLaurin, which
of these are you most concerned? Is not going to
result in a deal with his current team And.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
It's probably all well, But like the Trey Hendricksons thing,
I think it's probably the most tenuous spot because it's
lasted three off seasons now. They did the band aid
deal two years ago last year and make any progress,
and now you know, the markets changed that position where
you know, like I think you have some pretty decent
(32:23):
comps and Max Crosby and and danil Hunter getting deals
later in their careers better in the mid thirties, you know,
And so the Bengals getting there. What does the structure
look like? Is it more like the Chamar Chase structure?
Is it more like the Tea Higgins structure? The thing
is like complicated in a lot of different ways. And
(32:45):
you know, on on on one side, you've got a
team that you know obviously has this reputation that on
the other side, you've got a player who probably isn't
going to be looking to give a team any discount.
So I think that one's probably the most tenuous and
the least predictable right now.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
What about Micah, Like it just seems like it's kind
of a low impact, low key type of deal. I
think everybody knows there's a big deal that's imminent. But
how big is it? Ab Like, should people be bracing
and for the largest contract, like bigger than a moles Garrett?
(33:25):
Does it fall short of that?
Speaker 6 (33:27):
Like?
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Where where do you see this? You know, shaping up
and landing?
Speaker 6 (33:31):
So I mean, I think it should probably land north
of miles Garrett. You know, I think at this point
you're probably talking about like an average per years that
starts with the four and not a Briand part of
that the result them waiting as long as they did,
you know, like the markets changed and and that's the
risk of waiting, of course, I dude, I don't know
(33:53):
why the Cowboys keep doing this both far like, but
you know, they went down the throad with Ceedee Lamb.
They went down the road with I mean, they just
wait and wait and wait in the last possible minute,
and that they wind up having made an attacks and
so you know, I I as as weird as that
negotiation and the whole thing between Mike and the Cowboys
(34:16):
to spin at time over the last year. I just
I don't see Jerry Watt in a way or taking
a hard letty. I just think that this is I mean,
to me, at least like at some point they're going
to get something done. And whether that's now or on
September fifth, you know, I think it should matter more
(34:40):
than it does to the Cowboys. But we saw their
willingness to go that deep into it with Ceedee Lamb.
And Dak Prescott last year. They've got a history of
this sort of thing, of course, and you know, uh,
you sort of wish that they could have been more
aggressive with something like this, like, because I do think
they're easier answers are the ones they pursued.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
But where we are Alberberer joining us here on Fox
Sports Radio on the subject of the Cowboys. Why do
they operate like this? Why are they always waiting so
long until the last minute to get a deal done,
knowing that it's going to cost them more from people
you've talked to? Why did they operate under these conditions?
Speaker 3 (35:23):
You know?
Speaker 6 (35:23):
I think I think I think would you say, what
was that last part?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I lost?
Speaker 6 (35:27):
You?
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Just why do they operate underneath the under these conditions
and and and do business this way?
Speaker 6 (35:33):
Yeah? I mean, I think it's like, if you want
the skeptical view, the skeptical view is that owners like
to keep their money and their investments for as long
as possible, and so that's why maybe some teams would
rather do a deal with you in August than in March,
you know, and that the longer they can wait to
(35:56):
have that might come out of their pocket, the better.
But if I'm not being skeptical dot it, which you know,
you always have to have some skepticism with this stuff.
I would just say, like, you know, when you're saying
things early in the process, like well, we got to
find a way to fit everybody, and you know, really
(36:18):
like it's sort of self serving, and then you make
the player away like it puts you in a really
tough position, and you know, I again, like I don't
know if there's the Cowboys drawing hard lines with guys
early on. I think there's some cases that we would
rather wait the extra year so we have some certainty.
(36:39):
I just like I think that there are certain ones
that are obvious, you know what I mean. Like I
think with see Lamb, it was obvious like that he
was trending towards a blockbuster deal and like that it
was smart for them to get done a year early,
and they didn't do it and it cost them a
lot of money. I think when the quarterback generally that
(37:00):
answer no question that you have the answer to. This
is another one. Now again, like I don't know, things
have always been perfect with Mike uh and certain people
in that building. But he's a great, great player, and
like I do think it's incumbent on you to make
that decision early, as early as you can so you
can get the guy under contract for a little bit
(37:23):
less and bust of them with the with an extra
previous year, which knocks down the average and makes it
easier to manage. That's what the Eagles have done. It's
one way the Eagles have been able to build the
roster they've been able to build, and for one raiser
out of the Cowboy, she has been unwilling to build
that way.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Speaking about easy answers, Abe, your your REP sets should
be pretty easy to structure. Doesn't sound like that in Cleveland.
And I'm curious to Joe Flacco coming out and saying
he doesn't know why or what his REP counts are
going to be or why they're so low, but he
(38:03):
trusts the FANSKI. My question to that would be, what
does that represent for Flacco? Does that mean he's got
one foot out the door there? They may be thinking
about not going with him. I know it would be
easy to say he's the he's the veteran. They brought
him back because they know they can win with him.
That's the easy answer, AB, But I mean, what isn't
(38:26):
easy about this is you have four quarterbacks and you
really have to figure out what.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
You're going to do.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
And I'll add this based upon all of the attension
and all of the highlights and the fan fair surrounding
Shador Sanders, I think he complicates it even more because
your most popular player at the position is a fifth
round draft pick rookie.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
It's sort of interesting too, because I think it's you know,
I mean, I have they made some sort of quiet
promise to Joe. I don't know, if you're Joe, your
fighting for the job you do on those reps. Now,
I did talk to him a couple of weeks ago,
and you know, he said to me, like, I'm comfortable
with the fact that they know who I am, they
know what I can do, and like that might mean
(39:12):
that I get a little less work right now. And
if he's so comfortable with that, it does make me wonder,
like has they given him some sort of a shirt
At the very least, I would say it almost feels like,
I guess he's got like a first round by into
the quarter in the quarterback co petishes.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
You know what I mean, he's the one seed.
Speaker 6 (39:35):
Yeah, like he's got the first round by and now
those guys are competing for summer reps and he'll be
there when they get to the second round of training camp.
That sort of feel that way, though, doesn't it, Like
I I don't know, I mean, like I think, you know,
like they do know what they have. He has played
in the offense. It is a little different. But like,
(39:55):
you know, if he's so willing to step aside and
let these guys yeah the word, well, then I do
think to some degree, like he's got to feel comfortable
with where he's at in the competition. And you know,
it'll be really fascinating to see what Kevin is saying
(40:16):
on day one up training camp because of where this
thing has gone. And you know, I think the fact
that it's probably in the levarc and speaks is better
than me. But I think it's probably impractical to have
four quarterbacks in a completely open competition, all on level
ground at the beginning at the end of July, it's
just too much to do. There are too few refs.
(40:38):
There's you know, like ten other guys in the huddle
up to get ready for the season. And I do
think it's not Kevin like has sort of hinted at
that it's not flat out said it like where you know,
he's say like like everyone's being evaluated right now, and
sometimes coaches won't say that in the spring, like that
the competition is already underway. But it does feel like
(40:59):
the competition it's already underway, and like I said, maybe
Joe does have that first.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Round by He is Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter, lead
content strategist at the MMQB. You can get him on
x at Albert Breer, also Amazon, NFL on Prime Insider
as well too.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Abe.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
We always appreciate it. Thanks so much, enjoying the weekend.
We'll do it again next Thursday.
Speaker 6 (41:20):
All right, thanks guys, I'm great with you.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
There. He is Albert Breer with us here on Fox
Sports Radio
This is the best of two pros and a couple
Joe with Lamar arings and rating win and Jonas Knox
on Fox Furs Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, you know what, which will be a theme for
this show that we will point out. Look who decided
to show up and this time we're talking about the
NBA Finals. They were back last night? Are you sure
they were back last night? And a little bit of
a surprising result I think for some people going into
the game, Indiana was a five and a half point underdog.
(00:35):
But they get it done. And as we've seen the
stat thrown up before, anytime there's a series in the
NBA Finals, it's tied at one apiece, the team that
wins Game three wins the NBA Finals eighty percent of
the time. So the Indiana Pacers in a good spot following.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
That win last night. They played well. I think they
played like a team that does not believe whatever other
people believe. They're not buying into the hype, so to speak,
of what they feel these other guys are are bringing
to the table. And I you know, you got to
(01:13):
give them a lot of credit because, okay, see is
what what people think they are. I just think that
Indiana is better than what people give them, you know,
credit for, So there may they've made it more than
just a series. It's it's a competitive deal. Uh. If
(01:34):
if OKAC is to as you just mentioned the stat
if ok c uh is to to really have a
a real chance, they gotta get one in Indiana. They
gotta grab one in Indiana if they go back to
Oka C with a too two tie. And you know,
(01:54):
I'll say this, who wins the series? I don't know.
I'm I'm I went with okay See to win the series,
but I did go with Indiana to win the game
last night. But going into a game four situation where
it's it's uh, game five, excuse wait no, no two
(02:15):
to one right? Two one? Yeah, game four, it's just
I think it's very critical for for okay See, but
it's also very critical for the NBA as well. Right,
there's a lot riding on this in terms of relevance,
maybe interest, maybe, I mean, there are a lot of
things out there are are at stakecare if Indiana were
(02:38):
to win the next game, how many people do you
think are gonna watch the next one? So this could
potentially be maybe the last game that you get real
interest in If OKAC decides to lay.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
An egg in the next game, it would be whove
the NBA to have a back and forth series.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It certainly would because it provides a much better story
line to everything that's going on UH in a series.
Again where we've discussed it heading into the series, we
discussed it as a potential UH series where you don't
have the type of a brand power to really drive
the viewership of the series, the most important series of
(03:21):
the season for for the NBA. So but again, give
give Halliburton props. I'm always wanted to to give props
elsewhere when it's not Halliburton. So I'm gonna give him
his his props. Today. He showed up in a major,
major way, UH, and he was the MVP of that game,
(03:43):
and and so they needed that, and they'll need that
moving forward if they're if they're going to have a
chance to pull pull through in the series.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I mean, some would say he's the captain now made
him from being honest.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I mean, you know, he had a much he had
a much louder, a much bigger game than what he
usually has. But make no mistake about it, the captain
of the ship is still on the ship. You know,
Pascal is still he's still a part of of what's
going on. I mean, he he didn't have his regular
(04:17):
like you know, obviously big, big, big game, but he
didn't have a bad game. I mean, you know, he's
right there. I mean he was only one point off
of off of Halliburton. You know, Halliburton had twenty two,
Pascal had twenty one. You know, he had four assists
Pascal had I mean has got past Halliburton had eleven assists.
(04:38):
Where to me, that's where the separation took place was
it's just his ability to be able to make great
decisions and put other guys in positions to have an
impact on the game. I mean there were some some
really you know, there were some fine moments for them, Benedict,
(04:59):
you know, and he had a really good game. And
if he can continue to play that way, maybe he's
the unsung hero of the series. You know, Topping didn't
had a lot of points, but you know, he had
some explosive moments that you could say set the tone
for the Pacers and and at moments in time like
(05:22):
really you know, showed that maybe he was a little
bit more athletically inclined than guys on on the OKC team.
But I think you had a lot of unsung heroes,
and Indiana showed that they not only can play with
Oka see, but they can beat them. They can win
this series.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
You mentioned Tyres Halliburton. There's been some discussion about maybe
he's not being as aggressive as he needs to be,
and maybe he's got to do a little bit more.
He talked about the discussion surrounding his performance early in
the finals aft last night after the win.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
The commentary is always going to be what it is.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You know, most of the.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Time, the talking heads on them major platforms, I couldn't
care less, honestly, Like what do they really know about basketball?
The commentary is what it is. At this point, you know,
it doesn't matter. You know, we're here in the NBA Finals,
two wins away from an NBA championship. So you just
got to stay with it, put my head down and
keep working and as a group, we just got to
keep learning from our mistakes, see where we can get better
(06:19):
and take it a day at time.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
How about that? People, all these platforms, how you're talking
about huh?
Speaker 3 (06:26):
How about that? Clearly Caliburton isn't the only one that
feels that way. Sometimes your own colleagues feel that way.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yes, these people, uh so the Yeah, Like I was,
I was thinking about the situation involving just sort of
the overall look of this series and it and I
made mention of this before that it's kind of nice
that you don't have drama surrounding the finals. There's not
(06:59):
all this discussion afterwards. We're just really Actually, I think
a lot of people are getting to know these teams
who are maybe casuals or just tuning in. But also
I think they're starting to see that, well, this is
just really good basketball. Like the closing stretch the fourth
quarter last night, that was really good basketball.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
You saw it.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
You saw like Miles Turner did not have a good
game offensively, but he did up the wind puppet multiple
times and ended up making plays down the stretch. And
so you look at it, you go, these are really
good individual performances and good team performances from the Indiana standpoint.
But I look at it and I go, it's almost
as if this finals people don't really have a rooting interest.
(07:41):
And that's not a bad thing, because I don't know
anybody that looks at this and is pounding the table.
Gotta have an OKC win or pounding the table, Gotta
have an Indiana win like Lebron James butters the bread
for everybody. If Lebron's in the finals, you're gonna get
a polarizing reaction one way or the other. If the
Celtics are in your going to get a polarizing reaction.
(08:01):
The Lakers, the Knicks, Well, I said the Knicks, they'll
never be in the finals. But the point is there's
there's generally somebody that you can like surround your hot
take around, and this finals doesn't have that. It like, okay,
see more than likely comes out and wins Game four,
and the series gets stretched, and we go to six,
(08:24):
we go to seven games, and I think it's just
gonna be about the basketball. It's not going to be
about which talking head that Tyrese Haliburton is referring to
that says, you know, well, we've got to have this
because it's better for the league. I think the league
looks at it and goes either one that wins. It's like,
we're not going to be dependent on that for storylines
(08:44):
that are going to carry us through. We're just seeing
really good basketball, really underrated teams that are getting a
platform and a stage that they've never had before, maybe
ever in the history of their organizations other than a
couple of times, and that was years and years ago.
So I think there's a lot of people discussing the
Finals that aren't used to the fact that we don't
(09:05):
have a singular player or a singular storyline to focus on. Instead,
we just got a look at good basketball.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I mean, that's an interesting way of looking at it,
and that that could very well be what the situation
in the scenario is. I would I would tend to
offer the approach that Haliburton is taking is the right one.
You know, whether talking hits know enough about basketball or
know what they're talking about or not, it's of no consequence.
(09:37):
He's got to keep his head down, he's got to
stay focused because I do know for one hundred percent
none of those people he's referring to are going to
dictate a win or a loss for Indiana or for Oka.
See I do know that for one hundred percent certain
Like I won't debate that one with anyone. But with
(09:58):
that being said, the talking heads that he's he's referring
to a lot of them do know about sports, you know,
and a lot of them know about games, and they
may not know it to the depth of a guy
that's playing the game or a coach or a GM
They may not know it to that degree, but they
(10:18):
don't have to. That's not their burden to carry to
to know it. More from the standpoint of what the
athlete knows it, it's what they see and what their
opinions are on what they see. And then now it's
a fans opportunity to do the same exact thing, because
(10:39):
you could say the same exact thing about fans. You know,
some of them know it because they play it. They're
they're enthusiasts of it. Some people are more passive and
just aren't you know, into it as deep in as
far as some real fanatical type of people that not
only watch it but play it or you know, play
(11:03):
it for leisure, still are playing actively, you know, could
be in college, whatever it may be. I just think
what it ultimately comes down to more so than you know,
talking about a team per se, like oh this team
can't do this, or oh Halliburton is overrated. I think
(11:25):
what's more important here, Jonas, is what you're talking about
is the opportunity to take in the sport. Are you
enjoying the show? Are you enjoying watching the production of
what takes place and the quality of play that takes place?
Are you doing that because you can? There has not
(11:48):
been a flooding of storylines in terms of big names.
They have been pushing Halliburton now that he's he's placed
himself in that scenario show dad. There's that he had
his little you know, his little banner with with his
son's you know, on his his likeness on there. Okay,
that's the storyline. Haliburton and his dad, great SGA is
(12:12):
a storyline. But again, as you mentioned, none of these
guys are are truly established megastars in terms of mainstream
America mainstream fans.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
It's like Middle America mom and pop basketball, like the like.
There's no big time, big market feel and splash all
that stuff. To your point, there's just you just got
to enjoy it, like you can't. You can't really sink
your teeth into well, what what does this mean for
so and so's future after the series is over? And
who's uh so? Is somebody getting looked at for another?
(12:44):
Get No, there's none of that you just get to
enjoy really good basketball and the two best teams in
the playoffs, and I for the NBA's sake, for everybody's,
for our sake, based on what we've seen, aren't you
hoping it goes seven games? Look, I'd love to see
a seven game series with these two the way they
match up.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Well, it's fled from the NBA. Aren't you trying to
take full advantage of what you're talking about? Like we
talk about the comparisons between the NBA and the NFL
a lot, and this is something leading up to and
maybe this is why the advantage in my estimation goes
towards football, because it's only one game and you're able
(13:25):
to get the build up of it. You're you're able
to really get to develop storylines and so you can
create what you wanted to look and feel like in
a lot of ways. If you're the NFL, you can
maneuver and plan it. It has just as much to
do with the city where the game is being played.
(13:47):
I mean, there's a lot that goes into it. If
I'm the NBA, how do I find a way to
galvanize what it is we have going on? Especially when
we have a matchup with It doesn't have you know,
it doesn't boast a Lebron James. It doesn't, you know,
give you a New York Knicks team or or Tatum,
(14:08):
you know in in in Boston or Brown. How do
you find a way to make the storyline so strong
and so real that you're you're viewing audience wants to
consume it. I had to do radio tonight and there
I was watching a show I think it's called The
(14:30):
Animal Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom or whatever's on Netflix. I
drink a Celsius to to watch the the entire basketball
game without falling asleep because I was getting tired and
I had to burst the energy. But I've been watching
that series Animal Kingdom, and the storyline is so wild.
(14:52):
It's almost like a spin off of Point Break. That's
what I feel like, you know, that's that's what took place.
Uh want to say, Regina King is that that's her name.
I believe she's she's a producer, she's I know she's
an actress. I just don't. I feel like I'm messing
up her name, but I'm gonna get it right. But anyways,
it's the storyline was so good it is Regina King. Uh,
(15:16):
the storyline is so good?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Yeah, she's pretty good. She's talented. She's not only a
talented actress actress, but she certainly is a talented producer too. Director.
Excuse me, you have to be able to do this
if you're the NBA. Make it so that people don't
want to leave. Like I was, like, I gotta go
to sleep, I gotta go to sleep, Gotta do the show.
Da da da this, that and the other. And it's like, man,
(15:42):
that's crazy. What just happened. Dude almost burnt his whole
house down. He put the weed butt, he put the
roach down, and he got caught up and now the
house is on fire. Dang, what's gonna happen next? And
I found myself just continuing and continuing to watch the show.
And that's what the end the NBA has to do.
The NFL is masterful there. They're surgical with creating a storyline,
(16:07):
storylines plural. Look at what they did with shador In
in the in the draft. They are surgical with finding
something that is going to be compelling enough for not
only your hardcore fans that know exactly what's going on,
but it also serves that fan that may not have
that hardcore approach. And that's where to me, if you're
(16:30):
asking me, what is one of my major takeaways from
seeing an Indiana Oklahoma City Final is where? Where is
the where is the I guess angles in which it's
going to keep the attention of the average sports fans.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Just it's just good basketball, and I don't think I
don't think that is that good enough. I don't know,
and probably not.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
It's for a lot of it's most likely it's not.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
But I don't think people are used to this version
of an NBA series matchup because normally it's easy. Well,
it's Lebron involved, it's somebody else involved that you can
find a storyline. It's a big market, this one. So
we just watch the games and enjoy really good, high
level basketball. Yeah, pretty much, Okay. I just I don't
(17:25):
think this series is meant for hot take culture. It's
just not meant for hot take culture, and I don't
and I don't think that people really know how to
react to it other than just to admire good basketball,
which is again brand.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
If you're making the brand more attractive through other ways
of hitting your your your viewing audience and extending expanding
beyond that. You got to find those storylines and you
got to really, really really drive them home. If you're
wanting the NBA brand to be as strong as it
(18:01):
is the NBA superstars that you have, you know it's
a superstar driven league, but when you have markets that
have stars, but they're not the type of superstars notably
known established, which these are the moments in time where
they do get established and you create a following and
(18:23):
more attention to it, there should still be a lot
more depth to what's taking place in terms of how
you're building your storyline, because that ultimately builds the storyline
of how you're looking at the NBA season next year
and seasons beyond, how you're looking at the draft, how
you're looking at the new prospects. It's so much that
(18:46):
goes into what the NFL has been able to create
and build, and a lot of that has to do
with the media coverage and the media attention. So, for
what it's worth, while Halliburton has the right approach to saying,
I don't care what people that don't know basketball are saying,
the NBA had better be figuring out storylines that make
(19:07):
it relevant to those very people, because those are the
one Those are the people that are going to touch
their followings, and the people who would listen to them
are going to actually, you know, pay attention to what's
being presented to them, and that could be the difference
maker in wanting to watch the series, wanting to watch
a game, wanting to watch a player versus the other.
(19:27):
Not one two, not my problem. We got football right
around the corner. They can figure that out. Well, you
guys got work to do.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. So.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I don't know if you heard the news. Aaron Rodgers
is the new quarterback in Pittsburgh for the Steelers. He's
the guy there, the offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. He spoke
to the media. He said, amongst other things, look, we
didn't bring Aaron Rodgers in here and signed dk Metcalf
for all that money to go run the wishbone. But
(20:09):
he did talk about evolving as an offense from one
year to the next here was Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
We've evolved every year, and you know you have to
so a lot of times out of necessity. It really,
you know, I had a lot of different quarterbacks with
a lot of different skill sets. In our job, especially
as a coach, is you know, to play to the
shrinks of your players. I mean, we have our foundation
things that don't change. But whether you lean into certain
schemes you have to hear you adapt again to the
personnel you've got. That's what we try to do and
(20:37):
then ultimately win games and set guys up for successful there.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
And so one of the things that's been pointed out
is that Rogers last year was with the Jets team
that didn't run the ball all that much. They relied
on the pass. A lot of that may have been
dictated by score. They could have been down in games
because they weren't good. Conversely, you had the Steelers who
ran the ball I think it was fourth most in
the entire NFL. They weren't all that efficient, you know,
(21:02):
as far as yards per carry and whatnot. But now
you've got Arthur Smith, who's got Aaron Rodgers there. Clearly
he's probably maybe gonna trust the passing offense a little
bit more than he did last year. But when I
hear Arthur Smith talk, I don't know if if you
get the same read I do. I just think he's
probably relieved not to have Russell Wilson there anymore.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
To be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I just I think that's for him. He's like, look,
I wanted to put Justin Fields back in. I was
overruled by Mike Tomlin. As long as it's not Russ,
I'll take my chances with Aaron Rodgers and DK metcalf
as opposed to last year.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
I'm gonna I'm gonna admit that this isn't my take
because I don't know it this way, but yeah, I
feel like it's relevant. And I'll give credit to Plexico
on this because he's played for them. He's been there.
He understands that he's played for Tomlins regime, even though
(21:59):
it's not the same offensive coordinator. He said they're going
to run. The biggest, the biggest determining factor of what's
going to happen with the Steelers is are they going
to play good enough defense and are they going to
establish the run enough and have enough success with the
(22:19):
run in order to be able to dictate and control
the tempo of the game and win the game. It's
a battle of attrition approach. I will venture to add
to that as a fan that I believe that was
Bill Coward's approach. That's why he had the backs that
(22:40):
he had then. I believe that was Chuck Knowles approach.
That's why he had the running backs that he had
back then. And I believe that that has continued to
be the calling card of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't
see that changing. I really don't. And you know, Arthur
can say, you know all he wants about you don't
bring in Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf to do that,
(23:03):
But there have been plenty of duos that you can
say that you can use that where you would say
that that could be your your logic. I mean, so,
you know, I don't buy that. I really don't. I
don't buy the idea that they're just going to go
past happy with having Aaron Rodgers there. But what will
(23:25):
be interesting to see is what can they establish, what
can they develop with having the type of skills set,
the type of wisdom and understanding that that Aaron Rodgers
brings to the position. As well as brings to the
understanding of what an offensive scheme can a successful one
can look like, what what defenses are trying to do.
(23:47):
How will that help the other players on the field
and on the unit. I think that there are a
lot of asset value connected to bringing in Aaron Rodgers,
but it's still wait and see approach if you ask me.
And the biggest wait and see is one, it can
Aaron Rodgers actually be the quarterback that he wants was
(24:11):
or a variation that leads to success for the Steelers?
And two, are the Pittsburgh Steelers actually willing to go
away from an identity that has dominated what the Pittsburgh
Steelers have been since basically the beginning of time, which
(24:32):
is they're a run first team. They're a run heavy team,
and that's what they work to do. They batter round,
they they grind it out, and they work to open
up their offense through their run. Can that change? I
think that's a question that if your band attention to
Pittsburgh and paying attention to what Aaron Rodgers is able
(24:55):
to do, you're we're going to see if there's going
to be some fleck in terms of the approach of
the way they they're playing offense.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
I mean, you'd think at this stage of his career
they'd want to try and have give as much opportunity
to run the football as possible to keep him up
right so where he's not having good Look, he got
banged up last year with the Jets because he was
throwing it so often. He got roughed up in the
game over and I think it was London where they
played early in the year. It's not like he got
(25:26):
through last year and he was just dealing with the
Achilles or whatnot. Remember there was the story about, you know,
he didn't want to miss any time. He was dead
set on wanting to play and start every game, and
so he was working through injuries and net injuries pop up.
That was one of the other storylines that was trickling
out of New York at the time. So last year
he dealt with other stuff outside of just coming back
(25:47):
from the Achilles. If you're Arthur Smith and your Mike
tom are like, let's take I mean, yeah, we've got
DK metcalf. I mean, that's a nice option to have
for him. But if you can establish the run, as
you mentioned, like we've whenever they've had success historically. It's
always been through that. Like, why would you drop him
back and have them throw fifty times a game if
(26:07):
you can be more well balanced and you can rely
on that defense that you talked about, which is still
capable of playing at a high level. And also in
that division, you really want to get in a shootout
with Joe Burrow, like you really want to get in
a shootout with Lamar Jackson, Like you really want to
go back and forth with you know, whatever team in
the AFC you have to deal with throughout the course
of the year. It makes all the sense in the world.
(26:29):
You'd want to run games that you keep your forty
plus year old quarterback healthy and you're not having to
go run and gun with other teams in the conference
that that are more well equipped to do. That makes
makes sense.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
You know, you have a running backs, back committee backfield,
and it's not your starter was an undrafted football player,
your second string player was a third round draft pick.
I mean it's you know, to me when you look
(27:02):
at what they have in the backfield, and I don't
want this to come across as any shade to you know,
the guys that they have and Warren Jalen Warren and
Caleb Johnson. Uh but I mean, I look at it. Uh,
I just look at it. And Trey Sermon is there
as well. I just I just look at it, like
(27:25):
I get it. Like Naji Harris could have been a
better back for them. You would have anticipated him being
a better back for the Steelers. It just didn't materialize
that way. But for the most part, you've always had
a guy that can get it done, whether it be
Le'Veon Bell, whether it was Jerome Bettis, you know, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Parker, Willie Parker, which.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
He was an obscure guy, I mean, and and had
some good, good moments. But you've always had a guy
that could fit what the Pittsburgh Steller have needed. It'll
be interesting to see if these guys can carry that
type of load because they're not marquee name guys. They're
not known guys at that position. And you've usually had
(28:12):
an obscure guy that goes along with a high profile
guy that's been in the back the backfield for the Steelers,
and that doesn't seem, at least today to be the
case for them now. So maybe that's an indication that
they are going to go to the air more than
what they have and be more pass dominant, more pass
havy than what they've ever been. But you still got
(28:35):
to have running backs. And if I'm the Pittsburgh Steelers
and that's been their DNA as to how they approach
what they're doing, I think you still got to have
backs that can can do what you see take like
you have a mirror image of a team in the
Pennsylvania teams. So when you look at where the Eagles
(28:57):
are right now, that's generally what you have. When you're
looking out of Pittsburgh Steelers team. You have a Saquon
Barkley type of back in the backfield, you have a good,
strong offensive front. You have a quarterback that can manage
the games, at the least manage the game. Then you
(29:19):
have a defense that can play defense. Strong up front,
linebackers that can run big, safeties that can bring big hits,
and play like light linebackers and corners that are fairly good.
That's generally the recipe you see. You see it play
out in Baltimore. They are mirror images of in likeness
of what they want to do. While Lamar Jackson is
(29:41):
a prolific passer, they still want to establish that run
and you have King Henry.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
You have receivers, you have your tight end. That's what
Pittsburgh does. They use their tight ends historically, you know,
from Bruner to Heath to now you know Friar move
you use your tight ends. So there is a to me,
there's a formula that has been developed in the in
(30:09):
the AFC North and even even Cincinnati, even Cleveland follow
that model. I mean, you think about Nick Chubb, you
think about mixings, you know, those type of running backs,
and then you see there are skilled receivers and if
you're able to get an elite quarterback of Joe Burrow,
a Lamar Jackson, they were hoping a Deshaun Watson in Cleveland,
(30:34):
they were hoping for a Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh, or
even at the time maybe a Mason Rudolph. You don't
you know, those didn't turn out to be elites, but
two of those those teams have elite quarterbacks and yet
and still running the football was a major part of
the success. And the formula of what it is that
(30:57):
they do makes all the sense.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
I mean, why send him out there to take some battering,
take some hits when you can roll out a running
attack and bring back the old Pittsburgh Steelers Little Bam Morris,
little Barry Foster back in the day, Tim Worley, damn right.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Yeah, Meryl Hodge, Merril Hodge, Yeah. Man.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
We welcome in the Man himself, a Thursday tradition here
on the show. He is Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter,
lead content strategist at the MMQB, Amazon NFL on Prime Insider,
and you can get him on X at Albert Brier
a B good morning, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So?
Speaker 2 (31:45):
One to ask you with the no shows at camp,
whether it be TJ. Watt, Trey Hendrickson, Terry McLaurin, which
of these are you most concerned? Is not going to
result in a deal with his current team And.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
It's probably all well, But like the Trey Hendricksons thing,
I think it's probably the most tenuous spot because it's
lasted three off seasons now. They did the band aid
deal two years ago last year and make any progress,
and now you know, the markets changed that position where
you know, like I think you have some pretty decent
(32:23):
comps and Max Crosby and and danil Hunter getting deals
later in their careers better in the mid thirties, you know,
And so the Bengals getting there. What does the structure
look like? Is it more like the Chamar Chase structure?
Is it more like the Tea Higgins structure? The thing
is like complicated in a lot of different ways. And
(32:45):
you know, on on on one side, you've got a
team that you know obviously has this reputation that on
the other side, you've got a player who probably isn't
going to be looking to give a team any discount.
So I think that one's probably the most tenuous and
the least predictable right now.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
What about Micah, Like it just seems like it's kind
of a low impact, low key type of deal. I
think everybody knows there's a big deal that's imminent. But
how big is it? Ab Like, should people be bracing
and for the largest contract, like bigger than a moles Garrett?
(33:25):
Does it fall short of that?
Speaker 6 (33:27):
Like?
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Where where do you see this? You know, shaping up
and landing?
Speaker 6 (33:31):
So I mean, I think it should probably land north
of miles Garrett. You know, I think at this point
you're probably talking about like an average per years that
starts with the four and not a Briand part of
that the result them waiting as long as they did,
you know, like the markets changed and and that's the
risk of waiting, of course, I dude, I don't know
(33:53):
why the Cowboys keep doing this both far like, but
you know, they went down the throad with Ceedee Lamb.
They went down the road with I mean, they just
wait and wait and wait in the last possible minute,
and that they wind up having made an attacks and
so you know, I I as as weird as that
negotiation and the whole thing between Mike and the Cowboys
(34:16):
to spin at time over the last year. I just
I don't see Jerry Watt in a way or taking
a hard letty. I just think that this is I mean,
to me, at least like at some point they're going
to get something done. And whether that's now or on
September fifth, you know, I think it should matter more
(34:40):
than it does to the Cowboys. But we saw their
willingness to go that deep into it with Ceedee Lamb.
And Dak Prescott last year. They've got a history of
this sort of thing, of course, and you know, uh,
you sort of wish that they could have been more
aggressive with something like this, like, because I do think
they're easier answers are the ones they pursued.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
But where we are Alberberer joining us here on Fox
Sports Radio on the subject of the Cowboys. Why do
they operate like this? Why are they always waiting so
long until the last minute to get a deal done,
knowing that it's going to cost them more from people
you've talked to? Why did they operate under these conditions?
Speaker 3 (35:23):
You know?
Speaker 6 (35:23):
I think I think I think would you say, what
was that last part?
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I lost?
Speaker 6 (35:27):
You?
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Just why do they operate underneath the under these conditions
and and and do business this way?
Speaker 6 (35:33):
Yeah? I mean, I think it's like, if you want
the skeptical view, the skeptical view is that owners like
to keep their money and their investments for as long
as possible, and so that's why maybe some teams would
rather do a deal with you in August than in March,
you know, and that the longer they can wait to
(35:56):
have that might come out of their pocket, the better.
But if I'm not being skeptical dot it, which you know,
you always have to have some skepticism with this stuff.
I would just say, like, you know, when you're saying
things early in the process, like well, we got to
find a way to fit everybody, and you know, really
(36:18):
like it's sort of self serving, and then you make
the player away like it puts you in a really
tough position, and you know, I again, like I don't
know if there's the Cowboys drawing hard lines with guys
early on. I think there's some cases that we would
rather wait the extra year so we have some certainty.
(36:39):
I just like I think that there are certain ones
that are obvious, you know what I mean. Like I
think with see Lamb, it was obvious like that he
was trending towards a blockbuster deal and like that it
was smart for them to get done a year early,
and they didn't do it and it cost them a
lot of money. I think when the quarterback generally that
(37:00):
answer no question that you have the answer to. This
is another one. Now again, like I don't know, things
have always been perfect with Mike uh and certain people
in that building. But he's a great, great player, and
like I do think it's incumbent on you to make
that decision early, as early as you can so you
can get the guy under contract for a little bit
(37:23):
less and bust of them with the with an extra
previous year, which knocks down the average and makes it
easier to manage. That's what the Eagles have done. It's
one way the Eagles have been able to build the
roster they've been able to build, and for one raiser
out of the Cowboy, she has been unwilling to build
that way.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Speaking about easy answers, Abe, your your REP sets should
be pretty easy to structure. Doesn't sound like that in Cleveland.
And I'm curious to Joe Flacco coming out and saying
he doesn't know why or what his REP counts are
going to be or why they're so low, but he
(38:03):
trusts the FANSKI. My question to that would be, what
does that represent for Flacco? Does that mean he's got
one foot out the door there? They may be thinking
about not going with him. I know it would be
easy to say he's the he's the veteran. They brought
him back because they know they can win with him.
That's the easy answer, AB, But I mean, what isn't
(38:26):
easy about this is you have four quarterbacks and you
really have to figure out what.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
You're going to do.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
And I'll add this based upon all of the attension
and all of the highlights and the fan fair surrounding
Shador Sanders, I think he complicates it even more because
your most popular player at the position is a fifth
round draft pick rookie.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
It's sort of interesting too, because I think it's you know,
I mean, I have they made some sort of quiet
promise to Joe. I don't know, if you're Joe, your
fighting for the job you do on those reps. Now,
I did talk to him a couple of weeks ago,
and you know, he said to me, like, I'm comfortable
with the fact that they know who I am, they
know what I can do, and like that might mean
(39:12):
that I get a little less work right now. And
if he's so comfortable with that, it does make me wonder,
like has they given him some sort of a shirt
At the very least, I would say it almost feels like,
I guess he's got like a first round by into
the quarter in the quarterback co petishes.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
You know what I mean, he's the one seed.
Speaker 6 (39:35):
Yeah, like he's got the first round by and now
those guys are competing for summer reps and he'll be
there when they get to the second round of training camp.
That sort of feel that way, though, doesn't it, Like
I I don't know, I mean, like I think, you know,
like they do know what they have. He has played
in the offense. It is a little different. But like,
(39:55):
you know, if he's so willing to step aside and
let these guys yeah the word, well, then I do
think to some degree, like he's got to feel comfortable
with where he's at in the competition. And you know,
it'll be really fascinating to see what Kevin is saying
(40:16):
on day one up training camp because of where this
thing has gone. And you know, I think the fact
that it's probably in the levarc and speaks is better
than me. But I think it's probably impractical to have
four quarterbacks in a completely open competition, all on level
ground at the beginning at the end of July, it's
just too much to do. There are too few refs.
(40:38):
There's you know, like ten other guys in the huddle
up to get ready for the season. And I do
think it's not Kevin like has sort of hinted at
that it's not flat out said it like where you know,
he's say like like everyone's being evaluated right now, and
sometimes coaches won't say that in the spring, like that
the competition is already underway. But it does feel like
(40:59):
the competition it's already underway, and like I said, maybe
Joe does have that first.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Round by He is Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter, lead
content strategist at the MMQB. You can get him on
x at Albert Breer, also Amazon, NFL on Prime Insider
as well too.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Abe.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
We always appreciate it. Thanks so much, enjoying the weekend.
We'll do it again next Thursday.
Speaker 6 (41:20):
All right, thanks guys, I'm great with you.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
There. He is Albert Breer with us here on Fox
Sports Radio
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.