December 16, 2025 • 45 mins
Rob King joins us for a virtual power hour to give a full recap of the Steelers 28-15 victory over the Dolphins.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Guaranteed human.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Steelers showing a little bit of pressure here. Now they're
going to bring four. Wilson comes late in the blitz
it here.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Comes Ramsey and gets on his sack back in the
thirty yard line, jailing Ramsey with his third sack of
the season too, holding onto the ball a little longer
than he should have.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
In a couple of instances last night, Steelers defense held
the Dolphins pretty much until it became a twenty eight
to three game, and then they kind of relaxed a
little bit and let it let it look a little
bit closer than it actually was last night. Joining us
right now, the author of that play call here on
the Steelers Audio Network, and it's time for a power
(00:49):
hour of Steeler Talk here on DVE. In this half
hour of the Power Hours, brought to you by your
neighborhood Ford Store, the F one fifty, the official truck
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm king joining us Kinger, Good morning, buddy,
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Good morning guys? How you doing?
Speaker 5 (01:03):
What a what a fun win for the Pittsburgh Steelers
last night.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It really was the fact that I didn't go to
bed full of stress and cortisol shooting through my veins.
Was it felt like such a gift, Like, what a
delightful way to enter into this, you know, the holiday
season here by not being stressed out for once on
a late night game. When the Steelers play in primetime,
it seems like it always goes down to the wire.
(01:30):
And Mike McDaniel, head coach of the Dolphins, said as
much at halftime. He said, I think this one's going
to go down to the bitter end. Unless that was
not the case. King are they kind of put their
feet on their throat there in the second half.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Yeah, I was trying to think back, you know, as
you were talking Randy about the most complete games the
Steelers have played, and you know, the one in Ireland
was really was a really complete game until the Vikings
somehow got back in it late. The Dolphins didn't get
back at this one late. The Steelers. You know, it
was kind of it was a really sluggish start to
the game. I don't know how it felt at home
(02:04):
watching it on TV if you're in the stands, but
you know, the Steelers with that late score at the
end of the first half and then the way they
came out in the second half, that's been something that's
been an issue for them and something that I hope
that they've they've fixed over the last couple of weeks,
which is these games in which you have to lead
at the half, and you come out in the second
half and you take your first possession and you put
(02:24):
up points. Last week, it was a field goal against Baltimore.
This week it was a touchdown. So loved that. Loved that,
and I just felt like, you know, at some point
this was no longer a game. I mean, they just
they they took it to him and it was fun
to watch.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, I mean to his numbers.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
We were talking about it earlier, it looked a lot
better than it actually was. Twenty two of twenty eight
for two hundred and fifty three yards, two touchdowns, and
a pick. He had one hundred and thirteen point two QBR.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
But yeah, he.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Wasn't good last night.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
And I don't know if it was the temperatures or
what you could blame it on, but the Steelers missing
some key components defensively, I'm surprised they didn't just stick
with the run all night and just try to develop
that against that beleaguer to Steelers defensive line. Well, beleaguer
is probably the wrong word, because they played pretty well,
(03:14):
but for one or two chunks that a Chan was
able to get.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I was surprised. You know, I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
You know I would have run it on first down, second, yes,
third down, fourth down four.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Which is what the Steelers finally did to start the
second half.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Kick. Oh, I'm saying about the Dolphins me too.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I'm saying but that used to be my complaint about
the Steelers, Like if you run it three straight times,
you have to punt.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
Okay, right, Well, I thought the Steelers had a good
balance last night, and I understand.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
You know, look, I think we've all wanted to see
more from the running game.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
When you look at what they accomplished last night, one
hundred and thirty five yards rushing, and some of that was,
you know, tougher sledding as the game.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Goes on, and the Dolphins kind of know they're gonna
run it. But they had a possession. I think it
was when they'd gone up.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I believe it was when they'd gone up twenty one
to three, and they it might have been the fourteen
to three drive.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
They came out in.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
No huddle, and I you know, look, they they showed
aggressiveness last night. They went for fourth down in their
own territory. It's their own twenty nine yard line. I
think it was, yes, uh, you know the uh so
we were trying to decide to Abby whether it was
Max likes Max like Steel City Shove. Wes Yuler was
was opting for Pittsburgh plunge. I kind of like them both.
(04:28):
You know, Max, Max is the guys who were calling
it the Steel City Shove, but.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Steel City Shove.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Sorry, Wes, Okay, all right, there we go.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
So so, you know, look they went for they went
forward and fourth down and got it in their own deep,
in their own territory, you know, at an important moment
of the game and as far as momentum and that
sort of thing. And then they came out in no
huddle and attacked. They didn't sit back on the lead.
You know, they did late in the game, but by
then it was academic. I just thought it was an
aggressive attacking game for the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
They ran for one hundred and thirty five yards.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
You know, Aaron Rodgers, I thought, once again completely in command,
I mean against the Ravens, he was zipping it all
over the place last night, just taking what was given
him and letting, you know, DK Metcalf and others make plays.
I just thought it was a pretty complete offensive performance.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Well, you know, Mike pointed this out earlier earlier in
the show that in the first quarter it might have
been like one of the first throws of the night.
He had feeling one on one with a chance for
a you know, a shot down field, and he consciously
dumps it off to gainwell there. And it was almost
as if they wanted to reduce the amount of risk
(05:40):
last night to ensure they kept time of possession and
had a more sort of rhythmic, methodical start to that game.
Because even when that SHOT's there a guy who's only
been there two weeks and it's eleven degrees out last night,
maybe you are better off to just take the.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Short thing there.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
There was one time late in the game where he
did have gainwell for a first down and he just
he wanted something bigger and on third and three, and
he ended up I think taking a sack on that one.
But by and large, I thought that that was the
Aaron Rodgers that we were counting on all year, the
guy who manages the game and sees things that other
quarterbacks don't, including a guy running off the field that's right,
(06:18):
you know, that would give you a too many men
on the field penalty, which I thought, you know, there's
just not a lot of guys who are going to
hurry up and do that and then tell the rest
they missed it exactly, you.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Know, exactly.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know, he brings those things that few,
if any other quarterbacks in NFL history can bring.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
The ability to.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Dissect I mean, he's top of the food chain when
it comes to that, and so that's something, you know,
the finding the guys running off the field, that's something,
you know, the processing speed, the ability to throw to
the right person, that's something we've seen. The arm strength
still there. Yeah, there's times where the times where the
mobility hasn't been as good. I didn't think it was
(06:59):
as good in in you know, against the Chargers, one
or two other games the Jets at the beginning of
the year. But you know, think about him running around
against Cincinnati, think about it. Even last night he ducked
out of some some pressure situation. So I just think
the last couple of weeks and for most of the season,
you know, he had he had a stretch of two
(07:20):
or three game for he wasn't at his best and
the offense wasn't at his best, but he by and
large is a big upgrade at the quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's been a while.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Since we've seen quarterback play of this quality, and it's
one of the reasons that I thought the students, you know,
I've been kind of harping on this all year long,
had an opportunity to be better than they were a
year ago because I think the roster is better and
I think the quarterback's better.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Well, how much of Aaron Rodgers looking better has to
do with Scanton and Fling being in there.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
I mean, I think they had what one catch each?
Thelan had one catch. Marquez valed thatz Scanton had one catch.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
You know. Theling brings you the ability.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
To plow well, you know, I mean, I'm sure that
those guys are there.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
They they bring you some comfort. I like the fact
that he went to Friarmuth.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
You know, I I you know, he said this before
I find the guys who were open, and I really,
I truly believe that's what he's doing. I mean, that's
you go through your progression to or in his case,
it's already done, probably before the ball snapped, and you
go to the guy who's open, and that was Darnell
Washington a few times last night that was that was Friarmuth,
by the way, I think I I think I made
earthworm into a verb last night.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
He earthwormed somebody like that.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Yeah, I mean, these guys come up and they are
trying to get so low and he just lowers his
head and just leaves him.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I think jump over a couple of those guys.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I mean, well he did that last time I got hurt.
Was that what he got hurt? I can't remember if
that's when he got hurt.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah he could. He'll he'll bring that in, I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
He's just so massive and they were able to get
the ball to him. Last night's uh three receptions for
twenty five yards. Credit to Arthur Smith too, for you know,
he said he got pass happy against Baltimore and just
establishing that run. And with Jalen Warren questionable to even
play last night before the game, he ends up playing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
He was sick those guys.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Our buddy Joe Barnicon studio with us here this morning.
The Dolphins came out and were absolutely lay in the wood.
I mean they were crushing the Steelers on defense to
the point where Jalen Warren usually bounces off and gets
a few more yards after contact, and last night he
was just going down like a rock.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Oh, I thought Joe was gonna expound.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
Well yeah, well, rub you could hear the pops. He
had to hear the booths. We get hear it on television.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, it's a hard hitting game.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
And you know you see this though, right, Like teams
come out and used to see this with Jerome Bettis right,
Tons used to talk about this all the time. You
come out and you're fired up, and you you know,
you want to be physical against Jerome, and if you're
the Dolphins, I'm sure you want to put the narrative
behind you that you don't do well in freezing cold
temperatures below freezing cold temperatures, and so you know, you
(10:11):
come out and you're you're hitting guys and then you know,
Tounsch used to describe it as guys finding convenient angles
to miss Jerome late in the game. Ah, jeez, you
know I bad angle their coach. Yeah, so, and I
think by the time this game was over. You saw
a lot of Dolphins getting up slowly, and and why
does that happen? Well, first of all, you match their
physicality or to exceed it. And then secondly, you control
(10:33):
the clock. You run more plays than the other team
for the first time all year, you win the time
of possession. They're out there for a long time. You're
moving forward, they're moving backward. I mean, as great a
player as Micka Fitzpatrick is, he was slow to get
up several times. And as much as he likes to
bring the hitting, he was slow getting up a few times.
The sit is just warmed down and it was good
(10:54):
to see, you know, thirty two rushes, twenty seven pass attempts.
You know, the balance there offensively for the team. Like
I said at the beginning, this is the most complete
game the Steelers played for most of the game. You know, again,
a couple of garbage touchdowns, but you know, this is
a good, complete win against a team that had won.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Four in a row.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, and I thought it was a nice moment last
night when the Steelers, you know, his former teammates were
out on the field making sure he was okay. When
when Mika was hurt late in the game, but boy
he got postered by DK on that touchdown.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
He just flung aside like a rag doll.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
That was the play that we thought we'd be seeing
a lot more from DK this year, you know, making
things happen. I think that defense at that point was
pretty well beat up and absolutely freezing in the second half.
But a huge second effort from DK metcalf to get
that touchdown because you know, first and goal is not
a sure thing with this Steeler team.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Well, I mean, they've been pretty good in the red zone,
but I will say that the Steelers offense, I will
say this, I'd like see him get their more offen
and obviously we all would, but you know, DK, you know,
he and Darnell they just cannot be fun to tackle.
And you get guys like you know, Gainwell and Joe
and Warren run really really hard and they are looking
(12:15):
to hit guys, and you know, I remember, you know,
we've talked about this a little bit by the Steelers
front office, really trying to get the Steelers back to
their roots, back to being a physical football team, and
you know that was on display last night. A team
that you know, again, no Derek Harmon, no TJ. Watt defensively.
I thought Cam Heyward played a great game last night
(12:38):
for the Steelers. But you know they this is what
they want to be, A physical, hard hitting team, a
team you know, at the end of the game, you
felt that you played. Oh boy, man, we played the
Pittsburgh Steelers and that's you know, that's how they were,
you know, two decades ago with Jerome Bettis and with
that defense. You know, they were a team that in
(12:58):
December up there it was cold. Man, do you really
want to play that team? I thought we saw some
manifestations of that last night. You know, they a physical,
hard hitting football team that takes it to the other team.
And that's that works. Whether it's ninety five degrees in
Miami or whether it's eleven degrees in Pittsburgh, that kind
(13:18):
of play is always going to work.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
I thought Metcalf had the official steel City shove sho.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Oh yeah to make it right to the ground.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Your call was Rob, oh, thanks, thank you.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
It was I mean, guys were tumbling and you know,
and again when you talk about the physical element, you know,
you know DK Metcalf and and Darnall Washington. There are
others too, but those two guys in particular, you know
John new Smith, you know, these guys are no joke
when they get ahead, his team going, you know, I
mean trying to tackle these guys. In addition to the
running backs, you know, the students are physical in the
(13:51):
passing game as well. And that's that's kind of fun
to see.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Back to your earlier point, I guess I'm just traumatized
by all the short third and shorts that we've been
on them unable to get this year in the red zone.
The Steelers are actually tied for third when it comes
to touchdown success with the Rams and the Washington Commanders.
Aaron Rodgers was feeling himself last night after the game.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
He was in a good mood.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
He was talking to ESPN deportees after the game, King
here listen to this, and I.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Do love I love being here in the city. I
loved the organization. It's been a lot of fun for
me to be able to play for Mike Tomlin. There's
a lot of good guys on this team, Guys that
care about.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
It, guys that feel like they've got a lot to prove.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
But my one question is, what the hell's my tequila?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, apparently he's got a deal for some tequila from
the deport's ace reporter there.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
He gives me Spanish too.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Rogers went on, he was speaking Spanish with him last night.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
But yeah, he's I don't know. I don't know if
you guys remember him being on Jeopardy, not just the host,
but he was on Jeopardy. I think he I can't
remember who he competed against, like an astronaut or something,
and he just demolished everybody in Jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know, certainly he is. He is a bright guy,
and you.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Know, and that's why he processes so well at the
line of scrimmage. But yeah, fun to you know, it's
all fun when you're winning. And right now, look, man,
it's December and the Steelers are playing. I think they're
playing their best foot. I think these are the best
two back to back games they've had all year.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Agreed, let's go through some of the people who we
saw last night, who you don't normally see in the
first Sante Samuel.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, yeah, nice to see him get a start.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
And look, this guy was a really he's a really
good player. He had the neck injury, the surgery. You know,
teams didn't sign him. He was listed as a top
twenty five free agent in the offseason. Definitely a starting
caliber corner and you know, the Steelers were hoping Slave
was going to be that guy. He didn't turn out
to be that guy. You know, they've had some injuries
(16:00):
there as well. You know, he is a he's a
guy that can really cover. I think he was talking
to somebody about you know, uh, he's not the biggest guy,
but being more physical than he's been giving credit for,
but having to kind of protect that with his neck,
you know, as a guy who can cover. You know,
if if, if you can sign a guy like that,
you know, these are these are guys that you have
(16:21):
to go out.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
And get in the first round of the draft usually.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
So if he's a guy that lights it here, plays well, contributes,
the team goes on a run and they can re
sign him, that is a really good pick up, especially
when you have guys like Eccles, you know, Pierre was
out of this game.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Eccles and Pierre stepping up as well. Joey Porter Jr.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
On the other side, I really like a Sante Samuel
and it was nice to see him come up with a.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Big play last night and Joey Porter Junior having a
heck of a year too. Dylan Brooks left tackle last night.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yeah Cook is there?
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You know he's there, Court, I said, Dylan Cook.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Yeah, well, he's their fourth string left tackle. Think about that.
You know, we were watching him up in camp the
last couple of years. Felt like he was a guy
that was close to being ready to play. Now I
say that, I'm talking to others who say that, you know,
Max has been you know, he liked Dylan Cook what
he's seen in camp the last couple of years and
you know, getting his first real taste of NFL action
(17:16):
and stood up really well. And again this is why,
you know, when we came when the Steers came out
of camp, we were talking about how deep the Steelers
team was, the amount of depth they had. And you're
seeing that with guys like Eccles and you know, Malik
Harrison contributing and you know, now you signed a Sante Samuel,
(17:37):
but you know these guys I did I just say Eccles.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
I can't remember. It's early in the morning.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
You know, these guys that have the depth, guys that
have that have stepped to the four like Dylan Cook
and literally your fourth offensive tackle and to come in
and do a job. I don't remember Bradley Chubb doing
anything last night. That's a two time All Pro who's
been playing well for the Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Gain Well has been outstanding this year. I think that
he has been so much more than most Steeler fans expected,
that's for sure. Even though coach Tomlin always says that no, no,
this is what.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I knew we were getting.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
You know, hey, the Eagles running game has suffered quite
a bit actually since he's been gone. You know, you
could kind of look at it that way, but last
night having to lean on him, I mean, there's just
I don't think anybody that Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin
trust more than Kenneth Gainwell right now.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Yeah, I agreed, And we saw this in Minnesota when
Jalen couldn't go, and last night extremely efficient thirteen carries
for eighty yards, he had seven receptions, led the team
in that category. And it's almost as if they're interchangeable,
you know. I mean a lot of times you'll have backs, Okay,
this is a third down back, and when everybody's healthy,
(18:48):
game will comes out and plays on third down. But
Jalen Mormon was a third down back last year, and
you know we've seen when game has gotten the opportunity
that the students offense hasn't missed a beat.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
He's been horrific.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
And again, you talk about quality depth, and it comes
in different ways. Sometimes it's a guy who wasn't playing,
like Dylan Cook who's on the practice squad. Sometimes it's
a guy who you expect to run say six, seven
times a game. Now he's got to run it, you know,
thirteen times, or as he did in Ireland, more than that,
and he can step up and fill that role. That's again,
(19:22):
that's quality depth. He's a quality player. You know, those
guys all get along in that running back room. There's
no jealousy there, which is nice too. You don't hear
any complaining. They support each other and gain well. You
know a couple of times this year has went called
upon its stepped up and taken the big role.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
He makes big plays.
Speaker 7 (19:45):
Yes, when you need a third down, when he's made
some catches where it seems like most guys would drop
that ball, Oh and he'll.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Make a catch it you just need he's clutch.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Yeah, Rogers has thrown him a few go get hims
and he I mean pulling him off of his shoelaces
and then picking up and getting the first down. He's
been just tough as nails and as reliable as anybody
on this offense.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And I think one other guy and I don't know
if you're gonna get to him, but you know, Connor Hayward. Yes,
what a nice game for him, right, four carries, three
first downs, a touchdown, and then just when you're thinking,
oh no, man, that when that on side kick gets
by that first row, you're like healing, and there he is.
You know, he's just like I think, he's a security
(20:28):
blanket in so many ways. You know, if you had injuries,
he could go in and play running back for you.
We know he can catch. You know, maybe they've got
better guys at some of those positions. But to have
a guy, you know, like a Connor Hayward, like Scotty Miller,
I think is a guy like that, Oh man, we
got to Okay, I'm gonna go be the gunner. Okay,
I'm gonna hold for kicks, I'm gonna return punts. You know,
(20:49):
guys that can help you in a number of different ways,
even if they're not called upon to do it all
the time. I would imagine those are a really comfortable
guys for a coaching staff to have.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
The kickers continue to have a ridiculous year, and it's
even bled over to the on side kicks. Do you
see how they're doing those now side to side?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I mean that those are hard as hell to pick
off the.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Carpet, yep. Yeah. And I think it was the Saints.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
You know, I watch as you guys know, I watched
the opponents games more to get a feel for just
a general feel for rather playing and obviously to be
able to identify them when they're out in the field,
so it's more second nature. I think it was the
Saints who recovered an on side kick against the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
So it is, you know, it's.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
Gone from something that was you know, you could use
it as a weapon Bill Cower, right, you know, come
out and eat the surprise onside kick and all these
other things, and you can't do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
You have to announce it.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
But I do think that it's it's, you know, a
play that seemed to become academic because the surprise element
was taken out of it. But now you're right, ran
all of a sudden, the kickers are found different ways
to try to give their team an opportunity to recover those.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Of those kicks.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Well, they showed the draft clock quite a bit last
night during the television broadcast. But this just in from
ESPN's Dave Wilson. If the Steelers were hoping and landing
the next Manning, they're gonna have to wait another year,
as Arch Manning has declared he's going back to Texas for.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
The twenty twenty six campaign.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm not sure how much of a surprise that is
or not, but or if they would have even gone
in that direction. But I kind of think Aaron Rodgers
is gonna come back and play another year right now.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Well, we'll see, we'll see, you know.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
I mean, I think that's that's Aaron's gonna have a
lot to say about that, And I don't know what
he's gonna say about that, and probably the playoff run
and what they do that might have something to say
about that as well. I will tell you this, I
mean again, with a couple of exceptions, I just think
he's looked outstanding.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I didn't think he'd stay healthy this long.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Well, the offensive line's done a good job.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
And the other thing is is he just he for
the most part, knows how to get rid of the football,
you know, knows how to avoid those hits.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
More with Rob King of Power Hour of Steeler Talk
here on your radio Home of the Black and Gold DV.
This first half hour brought you by Ford, your neighborhood
Ford Store, the F one fifty, the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last forty eight years Ford
f Series I've been America's go two trucks for moving
mountains and Alsosburgh Steelers. Here on DV ear buddy Joe
(23:29):
Bartnick also hanging out in studio. This half hour of
Power Hour Steeler Talk brought to you by Clearview Federal
Credit Union, supporting their community every step of the way
through touchdowns for hope. Clearview will donate five hundred dollars
to the Light of Life Rescue Mission for every Black
and Gold touchdown scored this season.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
So two g's from last night.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Visit clearviewfu dot org slash touchdown to learn more.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Mike Sports. This I brought to you by bridgevilt Plants.
Aaron Rodgers was in command again last night in the
Steelers twenty eight fifteen victory over the Dolphins. That's two
in a row for the Steelers and the arrow seems
to be pointing up. But what really seemed to get
Rogers's attention was how well Kenneth Gainwell played. Again.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Yeah, I mean it's truly every game. I think the
run that he had thirty eight yards, I believe on
just as simple inside his own week, just his vision.
It's just fun to watch, you know. I can't tell
you exactly what I call him every week because there's
some expletives in there. But I love playing with him,
(24:33):
I really do. I mean, he is as smart as
they come. He is super smart, and I still cannot
believe what we got him for. I told him a
long time ago my goal was to get him paid
because I've been a fan of his since he was
in Philly and thought that every time he win the game,
something good happens. And just to be able to play
with him and the type of guy that he is. Man,
(24:55):
I can't say enough good things about Kenny. Every single game,
it seems like he comes up with impactful plays and
makes guys miss and catches the ball.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
I mean I was telling.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
I think it was Marquez on the sideline. I just
like one of the most impressive things is to watch
us SEC on Friday practice run just do Pat and Godrill,
which is just an over the shoulder drill. He's as
fluid as anybody on the team catching the football. And
again for a guy that's making damn near vet minimum,
he's been a tremendous asset to our team this year.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Well, King Or, we were just singing his praises, and
I think that Aaron Rodgers is going to succeed in
his quest to get Kenneth Gainwell paid.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Good for him, man, I love that.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
You know, we all meet an Aaron Rodgers at our corner, right,
I mean, how good is that? If you're Kenneth Gainwell
and game has been that good? He you know, when
called upon, he's been excellent. And even in the role
he's filled, he's been excellent.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah, fourth game over one hundred yards from scrimmage for
Gamewell last night he had eighty rushing in forty six receiving.
In those receiving yards seven catches on seven targets. His
cap hit is just under one point eight million per year.
His base salary's one million, one hundred and seventy thousand.
(26:09):
He also got a six hundred and twenty thousand dollars
signing bonus and an eighty eight hundred and twenty dollars
workout bonus.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
How about Aaron Rodgers knowing how much he makes too?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Yeah, unbelievable. You think Kenneth gave one might kill for him?
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Now that's what he's gonna say.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
That's such a good way to motivate.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
And the leadership, Oh god, he loves me, he wants
me to have money. But I mean I mentioned those
one hundred yards from scrimmage games for gain, Well three
of them have come in the last five. So he's
getting better, not worse. And that thirty eight yard run
than he had he went through safety Ashton Davis. We
went through him. And that's how big runs happen. You
(26:49):
need the receivers to help block and get getting the
way downfield. But I can remember these to have a
play for bettis called boss and it was back on
strong safety. That's what they called it. Boss. We're blocking
everybody else. You got the strong safety. You got to
make him miss, right, And that's that's not uncommon in
a running play. And Kenneth Gangwell, boy, I just I
(27:12):
still can't believe he runs between the tackles. I thought
he was going to be a special teamer and a
fringe contributor on the perimeter. Maybe one guy will line
up in a receiver position on third down and helped
fill the void there.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
He's been outstanding. But I don't want to sell Jalen
Warren short because I think Jalen Warren has been also
tough as nails, and I think that him even playing
in that game as sick as he was last night
was quite an accomplishment. The only difference I saw on
him was the second effort that you usually see from him.
Didn't look like he quite had the energy that he
normally does.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
There.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
He was taking and absorbing some pretty big hits.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
And going down where usually you can count on him
to spin off those every once in a while and
run through those. He makes guys miss a lot, and
he runs over guys a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
And Miami was playing physical defense. They really were. Didn't
lose interest immediately. Eventually, yes, but not immediately.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Twenty one nothing or twenty one three made it kind
of like, if we stop him here, and when they
got that taunting penalty, it was over.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Yeah, and then they just piled on from there. Cam
Heyward happy with the defense, but not ready after the
run had been stuffed to issue any defensive declarations.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
We'll see.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
You know, we got a lot of work to do,
and we got a lot in front of us, and
I loved the challenges there in front of us, and
I think our group does too.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Some snap count nuggets for you. Dk Metcalf led the
wide receiver parade at seventy nine percent of the snaps.
Adam Thielen second again at fifty eight. He only had
one target in one catch. Marquez Valdez Scantling third among
wide receivers in terms of how often he was deployed
fifty two percent of the offensive snaps. He had the
(29:03):
nineteen yard touchdown grab. Those guys are assimilating quickly, and
the more they play, the more they're gonna do, no question,
and feeling's the guys. He's not physical, but he doesn't
turn down his blocking assignment, particularly if he's in the slot.
He'll he'll find his guy getting the way and help.
(29:24):
He sticks his hand in that pile. And you saw
that Scantlet still knows how to catch touchdowns from Aaron
Rodgers Uh. Pat Fryarmouth Uh. Forty two percent of the
snaps last night, he had forty five receiving yards. In
his four previous games, he had forty seven. They got
to find a way to activate this guy more often, huh,
(29:45):
because he's a good player and they're wasting it. And
I get that. Yeah, I throw it to who's open
and all that. Sometimes sometimes you got to dial one
up for number eighty eight because he's not going to
let you down.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
He's been pretty professional and he's handled it all too
very because you can see somebody being super pissed off
about getting paid and you know, being told basically you're
our guy, and then essentially being removed from the offense.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
He's like, you know, he has backup player stats. Wouldn't
you be madder though if you didn't get paid yet?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
At least he got the money.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Also on the bench yeah check. Oh well I got
to go to the bank now. But I don't know.
I mean, he's a competitor, he doesn't have that kind
of he cares they're they're wasting it. It's if you're
look at him for ways that they can still be better.
That would be one to get him involved more often
on the defensive side. Alex Highsmith, with no TJ. Watt,
(30:46):
played eighty eight percent of the defensive snaps, most he
had played since the opener against the Jets, when he
played eighty nine percent. Also Jack Sawyer a season high
fifty six percent and Bradon Eckels thirty four percent. The
nickel corner. They were in base a lot last night.
Even though they didn't have Watt and didn't have Harmon
(31:07):
and base base defense, the three down lineman did its job.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Speaking of competitive do you think Warren played because he
didn't want to be wally pipped.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
I don't think he's worried about that so much, mostly
because I don't think they'll be able to keep gain
well next year.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
I think that he is going to get paid.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
But I think he's actually a tough dude, and when
you talk to Jalen Warren, he's impossible.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
To not root for.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
He's just a He's a good guy, and I think
that he handled last season great and a lot of
people wanted the offense to run through him last year,
and seeing it happen to the degree that it has
this year, I think he proved a lot of people
wrong who thought, oh no, he's just a complimentary back.
He is operating best as that, no doubt. But when
(31:55):
they have needed to lean on him and he's been
available for that, I don't think they've suffered.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Mike, you disagree. I'm not disappointed in him, but I'm
not sure still that he's.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
A number one.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
They don't use him enough. Well, is that because of
his size and they feel like you can't use them more?
Or are they missing the boat? I don't I don't
know what the answer to that question is. I'm adamant
they got to start getting the ball to friar Mouth regularly.
That guy can make place for you.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
He's averaging four point two yards to carry jar the Syere.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
That sounds high.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Look, chat Chibt doesn't lie, Mike. It's simply never wrong.
So I don't know how you can make that assertation.
There's no slop. Still not sure that he's the number
one back. When we come back from last night's postgame
show that Mike pursued us, it's alongside Charlie Batchfoor, We'll
(32:59):
give you the call of the night that Rob King
is here for us to enjoy. His reaction to as well,
apparently there were some people who were still not happy
last night, and that's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Rob.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
We've noted the postgame show is for people to say, yeah,
we won this one.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Bye, it's a big but when we come back.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Rob King and our buddy Joe Bartneck here as well,
and it's a power hour of Steeler Talk. This half
hour brought to you by Clearview Federal Credit Union on DVE.
Speaker 9 (33:30):
It's Max Starks for my friends at Clearview Federal Credit Union.
Clearview is here to help you reach your financial goals
and support Park Cheer.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Radio Home at the Pittsburgh Steelers one on two point
five dB power or Steeler Talk with Rob King, Voice
of the Steelers on the Steelers Audio Network. Time for
the call of the postgame show. We always like to
have Mike highlight one of the calls from the postgame
show to hear what Steeler Nation was thinking postgame, because
I really think it gives you some good insight into
what a vast portion of Steeler fans have on their
(34:03):
mind after a game like last night's Monday Night football victory,
the twenty third straight.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
On Monday night at home for almost incomprehensible streak. It's
Chuck Bull lost the last one. That's hilarious. Did did
he lose his last one? Is it all Coward and Tom?
Or there's Chuck Color came in ninety two? Maybe? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:30):
All right, So this is from the post game, which
is once again helmed by our own Mike Pursuda and
Charlie Batch here on the Steelers Audio Network. And uh,
I'm guessing this was.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
What one am something like that about twenty to one. Okay,
how come it's not playing there? Oh? I know what
a second? There you go a manual in Carnegie. Any guy,
Hey we got somebody. Thanks, thanks for hanging there.
Speaker 10 (35:01):
There's there's still a post. And I was at the
ball game.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
So yeah, shut up, you're here.
Speaker 10 (35:09):
Oh yeah, it was worth it. It was It was cold,
but I ain't gonna lie. I was bundling up and
you know, on my way through the game, on my
way to the stadium, I decided to lower the windows
down so I couldn't kind of like get accustomed to
the weather. Because I knew it was going to be cold.
I lowered my windows down, turn off the heat in
a cold car. I was crazy, but it was worth
(35:31):
It was a great win, and I just want to
do this. I haven't done this in a while, but
stand an ovation to the sellers.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
I gotta ask you. Have you ever driven somewhere with
your with your car windows down and tried to make
yourself cold, to be prepared to be cold? Because anything
I've ever heard before.
Speaker 10 (35:57):
Honestly, at eight ten degrees outside you you know, hey,
you gotta.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
Go on, give give.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Give.
Speaker 9 (36:06):
The people who were not at the stadium here today
thinking about coming into a game, how should you prepare?
I'm sorry, dress for the weather like that. I mean,
a couple of heat pads. You have a heatd best
what did you have on?
Speaker 10 (36:20):
Yeah, wore three layers, uh, ski masks, gloves and everything.
A couple alcoholic reverences and yeah, just and being locked
into the game was deciding, you know, I mean, this
was not the Bills game where you know we were
like really doubt of ourselves. This is where you know,
it just felt very festivous.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
This this was a great atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
You feel like you earned the victory a little bit
you because you showed up in the cold. You do
you walk out of there think if you did your part?
Speaker 10 (36:51):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Y'all appreciate the cold. Man.
Speaker 9 (36:55):
I'm gonna try drive home to night with the it's time.
But you have a lot of people wondering or maybe
didn't show up the day because it was cold. But
the people who were here, they were into the game
and it was just a beautiful thing to watch.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Yeah, I would agree with Charlie on that one and
king her. It was cold, and sitting at home you
might have lost sight of that throughout the game, just
how cold it was. I don't think to a lost
sight of that. But a good showing from the Steelers
fans last night, and hey, Renegade got off without being booed,
how about it?
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Now?
Speaker 1 (37:25):
About that?
Speaker 5 (37:26):
Yeah, it was good, I mean good stuff, and Steelers
fans showed up as we expected to do. I know,
my son was at the game, bundled up and blankets
and everything, and he and his buddies were all cheering
and yelling and.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Out there with his girlfriend Natalie. They were very cold.
She was a trooper. They were all troopers, and they
got into it.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Man.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
The towns were waving and they got up at the
right time.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
I mean, it felt like a communal effort out there
in some ways.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I was very curious how that crowd was going to respond.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Well, I think that that first half was not the
most exciting half of football now, and they were in
danger of losing the home field advantage or at least
what it could have been had they not come out
the way they did in the second half.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
But I think well the touchdown at the end of
the second quarter helped too. Yeah, at least everybody went
the halftime they were winning, great point. Yeah, I think
that that could have turned ugly.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Again, Oh if it would have been if the first
half or the second half mirror the first half. I
don't know how happy people would have been to hear
renegade or anything at that point. But I think offensively,
just seeing them get into the rhythm that they were
able to and whether or not that that was the
eighty five Bears defense that they were going against last night, Kinger,
(38:42):
you know, the confidence that that fan was talking about,
I think the team is definitely feeling it. Look, the
Dolphins had some confidence coming off a four game winning
streak and then got stomped on in the freezing cold
in Pittsburgh last night, And I think after these two games,
it's a little different for the Steelers, the confidence that
they're gleaning from beating the Ravens and then the Dolphins
(39:06):
to kind of stop their you know, comeback bid to relevance.
And some of it has to do with the personnel.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
And I do think that mvs.
Speaker 4 (39:15):
And Peland have a little bit of an effect on
the offensive side of the ball. And seeing that you
lose two of your best defensive players and you can
still basically shut down an AFC offense has got to
give them a little vote of confidence going into this
stretch of three games that will determine the postseason.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Yeah, their defense would be giving up the Dolphins thirteen
point three points per game during your winning streak, So
they were doing a lot of things right. So I
don't I don't want to pooh pooh the victory because
it's a Dolphins team that was playing well. Yeah, no, no, no,
I And you know they were desperate. They had to
win that game to stay alive in the playoffs. They
had to win it, and the Steelers took it to them.
(39:55):
And I agree with you, Randy, I think this is
this two game stretch might be the best two game
stretch they played this season. I think that you know
there were things that needed to be short up, coming
out after halftime and playing better football that appears over
the last couple of weeks to have been short up.
You know, Aaron Rodgers is playing top level football. They
(40:18):
showed last night that they're capable of doing a good
job against the run.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Now let's get Derek Harmon and TJ.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
Watt back out there as soon as possible and do
an even better job against the run.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
They'll be challenged this week against the Lions.
Speaker 5 (40:30):
You know, this would be an interesting test against Detroit,
But it feels like, you know, maybe the Steelers have
positioned themselves and are hopefully playing their best football at
a time of the season in which you want to
be playing your best football. You would rather be the
Steelers right now than say, Tampa Bay, a team that
was number one in all the power rankings and early
(40:51):
on in the season, and look at we got a
Super Bowl contender here. Now they're seven and seven in
fighting just to make the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Thanks to Ron King for Power Hour of Steelers Talk
here on your radio Home of the Black Gold d V.
Also thanks to Tim Ben's and Jean's Territor and our
buddy Joe Bartnick for hanging out with us live in
studio this morning.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
Joey B.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
Where are you heading for the holidays? You can be
around you.
Speaker 7 (41:12):
I'm gonna be head into Philadelphia. My sister is living
out there. She's a she's like an in cel oh,
I mean she she's the biggest she's the biggest Steeler
fan I know. And so she can't even go to
the post office when the Steelers lose.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
You mean, she's like in cel is involuntarily celibate. She's
like a like a cell ple use that word around
me completely wrong, Like she's a sleeper cell sep.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Yeah, yeah, like hackstah.
Speaker 7 (41:47):
I'm sorry, yeah, no, but other people use the word yeah,
using it incorrectly, incorrectly. And then I am going to
be doing some shows in New York that I'm doing
New Year's Eve it Snappers and for my Florida and
then the fall that weekend, I will be at Snappers
in the harp Pun Springs.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Okay, good deal.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
I was gonna say, Insel Porky's got some Christmas ideas
for your brother in law. Yeah, and you're gonna be
doing a PuckOff podcast, right you guys.
Speaker 7 (42:22):
And two for talking two for talking me and Josh.
We just did an emergency one. We do it every week.
We didn emergency one. We did window for the Jari trade.
Now we needed one this weekend, but we just we
just shot it last yesterday. And two for talking is
going on? And what's your solution? How do you stop this?
How do they stop blowing third period.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
Leads that that seem insurmount deep playing?
Speaker 7 (42:45):
Don't sit back? And then six on five attack the puck?
How can we be good? How can we have a
top five penalty kill? And six on five we all
stand around? That's some pucks go off, shins, people get
in the way, attack the puck.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
All right, Joe Bartneck there, Uh, that's it for us tomorrow,
edit it tonight.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Correct.
Speaker 7 (43:03):
They are playing tonight, so I don't think they're gonna
have a three goal lead against Jesus and Leo, so
we won't have to worry about it.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
Joy probably wins you shoot out tonight. Is that? Oh?
Speaker 7 (43:14):
Well, this is my game. I will take the loser
point of all the games. I'll be happy with a
loser point for this one.
Speaker 10 (43:20):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Tomorrow on the show, Meryl Hodge, Mark Madden, and Moore
Michelle's coming up next with the Electric Lunch at noon.
Steelers are eight and six. Thanks Ken Heer, We'll see you.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Have a great day, everybody. I'm finished. You stay classy, Pittsburgh.
Don't touch your face.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
I got him type pets magday Baby.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
But now you guys call me Ronald?
Speaker 4 (43:37):
Would you not eat my pants?
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Ronald?
Speaker 4 (43:42):
Oh way?
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Google it.
Speaker 11 (43:49):
It's time for the Steelers Daily Report on DVE, brought
to you by Kelly Ante Pizza and Draft Holes, three
time world pizza champions, and Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Here's Tom Opperman.
Speaker 12 (44:02):
It was a dominant win for the Steelers on Monday
Night football against the Dolphins, triumphing twenty eight to fifteen
over Miami, and the game wasn't even as close as
that score. Let's on Miami opened the scoring twenty four
minutes into the game, but then Pittsburgh ripped off twenty
eight straight points en route to victory. Aaron Rodgers led
the way for Pittsburgh with another strong performance, his second
in a row. He completed twenty three of his twenty
(44:24):
seven passes for two touchdowns and two hundred and twenty
four yards through the air.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Rodgers had a.
Speaker 12 (44:29):
Healthy compliment of running the football as well on offense,
rushing thirty two times for one hundred and thirty five
yards as a team and finding the end zone via
the ground twice. Defensively, the Steelers completely shut down a
put in Miami rushing attack that was averaging one hundred
and ninety two yards over their previous four games. Miami
only managed to rush for sixty three yards on sixteen
(44:50):
carries against the Steelers defense, and the Dolphin offense managed
only two third down conversions the entire game. The win
improved the Steelers to eight and six on the season
and maintains their one game lead over Baltimore in the
AFC North. The Steelers now face a short week, as
they had to Detroit this coming Sunday, shooting for three
straight wins.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I'm Tom Aferman with the Steelers Report. Great googly mooglie
this one.
Guaranteed human.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Steelers showing a little bit of pressure here. Now they're
going to bring four. Wilson comes late in the blitz
it here.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Comes Ramsey and gets on his sack back in the
thirty yard line, jailing Ramsey with his third sack of
the season too, holding onto the ball a little longer
than he should have.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
In a couple of instances last night, Steelers defense held
the Dolphins pretty much until it became a twenty eight
to three game, and then they kind of relaxed a
little bit and let it let it look a little
bit closer than it actually was last night. Joining us
right now, the author of that play call here on
the Steelers Audio Network, and it's time for a power
(00:49):
hour of Steeler Talk here on DVE. In this half
hour of the Power Hours, brought to you by your
neighborhood Ford Store, the F one fifty, the official truck
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm king joining us Kinger, Good morning, buddy,
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Good morning guys? How you doing?
Speaker 5 (01:03):
What a what a fun win for the Pittsburgh Steelers
last night.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It really was the fact that I didn't go to
bed full of stress and cortisol shooting through my veins.
Was it felt like such a gift, Like, what a
delightful way to enter into this, you know, the holiday
season here by not being stressed out for once on
a late night game. When the Steelers play in primetime,
it seems like it always goes down to the wire.
(01:30):
And Mike McDaniel, head coach of the Dolphins, said as
much at halftime. He said, I think this one's going
to go down to the bitter end. Unless that was
not the case. King are they kind of put their
feet on their throat there in the second half.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Yeah, I was trying to think back, you know, as
you were talking Randy about the most complete games the
Steelers have played, and you know, the one in Ireland
was really was a really complete game until the Vikings
somehow got back in it late. The Dolphins didn't get
back at this one late. The Steelers. You know, it
was kind of it was a really sluggish start to
the game. I don't know how it felt at home
(02:04):
watching it on TV if you're in the stands, but
you know, the Steelers with that late score at the
end of the first half and then the way they
came out in the second half, that's been something that's
been an issue for them and something that I hope
that they've they've fixed over the last couple of weeks,
which is these games in which you have to lead
at the half, and you come out in the second
half and you take your first possession and you put
(02:24):
up points. Last week, it was a field goal against Baltimore.
This week it was a touchdown. So loved that. Loved that,
and I just felt like, you know, at some point
this was no longer a game. I mean, they just
they they took it to him and it was fun
to watch.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, I mean to his numbers.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
We were talking about it earlier, it looked a lot
better than it actually was. Twenty two of twenty eight
for two hundred and fifty three yards, two touchdowns, and
a pick. He had one hundred and thirteen point two QBR.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
But yeah, he.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Wasn't good last night.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
And I don't know if it was the temperatures or
what you could blame it on, but the Steelers missing
some key components defensively, I'm surprised they didn't just stick
with the run all night and just try to develop
that against that beleaguer to Steelers defensive line. Well, beleaguer
is probably the wrong word, because they played pretty well,
(03:14):
but for one or two chunks that a Chan was
able to get.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I was surprised. You know, I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
You know I would have run it on first down, second, yes,
third down, fourth down four.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Which is what the Steelers finally did to start the
second half.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Kick. Oh, I'm saying about the Dolphins me too.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I'm saying but that used to be my complaint about
the Steelers, Like if you run it three straight times,
you have to punt.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
Okay, right, Well, I thought the Steelers had a good
balance last night, and I understand.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
You know, look, I think we've all wanted to see
more from the running game.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
When you look at what they accomplished last night, one
hundred and thirty five yards rushing, and some of that was,
you know, tougher sledding as the game.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Goes on, and the Dolphins kind of know they're gonna
run it. But they had a possession. I think it
was when they'd gone up.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I believe it was when they'd gone up twenty one
to three, and they it might have been the fourteen
to three drive.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
They came out in.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
No huddle, and I you know, look, they they showed
aggressiveness last night. They went for fourth down in their
own territory. It's their own twenty nine yard line. I
think it was, yes, uh, you know the uh so
we were trying to decide to Abby whether it was
Max likes Max like Steel City Shove. Wes Yuler was
was opting for Pittsburgh plunge. I kind of like them both.
(04:28):
You know, Max, Max is the guys who were calling
it the Steel City Shove, but.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Steel City Shove.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Sorry, Wes, Okay, all right, there we go.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
So so, you know, look they went for they went
forward and fourth down and got it in their own deep,
in their own territory, you know, at an important moment
of the game and as far as momentum and that
sort of thing. And then they came out in no
huddle and attacked. They didn't sit back on the lead.
You know, they did late in the game, but by
then it was academic. I just thought it was an
aggressive attacking game for the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
They ran for one hundred and thirty five yards.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
You know, Aaron Rodgers, I thought, once again completely in command,
I mean against the Ravens, he was zipping it all
over the place last night, just taking what was given
him and letting, you know, DK Metcalf and others make plays.
I just thought it was a pretty complete offensive performance.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Well, you know, Mike pointed this out earlier earlier in
the show that in the first quarter it might have
been like one of the first throws of the night.
He had feeling one on one with a chance for
a you know, a shot down field, and he consciously
dumps it off to gainwell there. And it was almost
as if they wanted to reduce the amount of risk
(05:40):
last night to ensure they kept time of possession and
had a more sort of rhythmic, methodical start to that game.
Because even when that SHOT's there a guy who's only
been there two weeks and it's eleven degrees out last night,
maybe you are better off to just take the.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Short thing there.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
There was one time late in the game where he
did have gainwell for a first down and he just
he wanted something bigger and on third and three, and
he ended up I think taking a sack on that one.
But by and large, I thought that that was the
Aaron Rodgers that we were counting on all year, the
guy who manages the game and sees things that other
quarterbacks don't, including a guy running off the field that's right,
(06:18):
you know, that would give you a too many men
on the field penalty, which I thought, you know, there's
just not a lot of guys who are going to
hurry up and do that and then tell the rest
they missed it exactly, you.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Know, exactly.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know, he brings those things that few,
if any other quarterbacks in NFL history can bring.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
The ability to.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Dissect I mean, he's top of the food chain when
it comes to that, and so that's something, you know,
the finding the guys running off the field, that's something,
you know, the processing speed, the ability to throw to
the right person, that's something we've seen. The arm strength
still there. Yeah, there's times where the times where the
mobility hasn't been as good. I didn't think it was
(06:59):
as good in in you know, against the Chargers, one
or two other games the Jets at the beginning of
the year. But you know, think about him running around
against Cincinnati, think about it. Even last night he ducked
out of some some pressure situation. So I just think
the last couple of weeks and for most of the season,
you know, he had he had a stretch of two
(07:20):
or three game for he wasn't at his best and
the offense wasn't at his best, but he by and
large is a big upgrade at the quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's been a while.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Since we've seen quarterback play of this quality, and it's
one of the reasons that I thought the students, you know,
I've been kind of harping on this all year long,
had an opportunity to be better than they were a
year ago because I think the roster is better and
I think the quarterback's better.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Well, how much of Aaron Rodgers looking better has to
do with Scanton and Fling being in there.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
I mean, I think they had what one catch each?
Thelan had one catch. Marquez valed thatz Scanton had one catch.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
You know. Theling brings you the ability.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
To plow well, you know, I mean, I'm sure that
those guys are there.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
They they bring you some comfort. I like the fact
that he went to Friarmuth.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
You know, I I you know, he said this before
I find the guys who were open, and I really,
I truly believe that's what he's doing. I mean, that's
you go through your progression to or in his case,
it's already done, probably before the ball snapped, and you
go to the guy who's open, and that was Darnell
Washington a few times last night that was that was Friarmuth,
by the way, I think I I think I made
earthworm into a verb last night.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
He earthwormed somebody like that.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Yeah, I mean, these guys come up and they are
trying to get so low and he just lowers his
head and just leaves him.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I think jump over a couple of those guys.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I mean, well he did that last time I got hurt.
Was that what he got hurt? I can't remember if
that's when he got hurt.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah he could. He'll he'll bring that in, I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
He's just so massive and they were able to get
the ball to him. Last night's uh three receptions for
twenty five yards. Credit to Arthur Smith too, for you know,
he said he got pass happy against Baltimore and just
establishing that run. And with Jalen Warren questionable to even
play last night before the game, he ends up playing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
He was sick those guys.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Our buddy Joe Barnicon studio with us here this morning.
The Dolphins came out and were absolutely lay in the wood.
I mean they were crushing the Steelers on defense to
the point where Jalen Warren usually bounces off and gets
a few more yards after contact, and last night he
was just going down like a rock.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Oh, I thought Joe was gonna expound.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
Well yeah, well, rub you could hear the pops. He
had to hear the booths. We get hear it on television.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, it's a hard hitting game.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
And you know you see this though, right, Like teams
come out and used to see this with Jerome Bettis right,
Tons used to talk about this all the time. You
come out and you're fired up, and you you know,
you want to be physical against Jerome, and if you're
the Dolphins, I'm sure you want to put the narrative
behind you that you don't do well in freezing cold
temperatures below freezing cold temperatures, and so you know, you
(10:11):
come out and you're you're hitting guys and then you know,
Tounsch used to describe it as guys finding convenient angles
to miss Jerome late in the game. Ah, jeez, you
know I bad angle their coach. Yeah, so, and I
think by the time this game was over. You saw
a lot of Dolphins getting up slowly, and and why
does that happen? Well, first of all, you match their
physicality or to exceed it. And then secondly, you control
(10:33):
the clock. You run more plays than the other team
for the first time all year, you win the time
of possession. They're out there for a long time. You're
moving forward, they're moving backward. I mean, as great a
player as Micka Fitzpatrick is, he was slow to get
up several times. And as much as he likes to
bring the hitting, he was slow getting up a few times.
The sit is just warmed down and it was good
(10:54):
to see, you know, thirty two rushes, twenty seven pass attempts.
You know, the balance there offensively for the team. Like
I said at the beginning, this is the most complete
game the Steelers played for most of the game. You know, again,
a couple of garbage touchdowns, but you know, this is
a good, complete win against a team that had won.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Four in a row.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, and I thought it was a nice moment last
night when the Steelers, you know, his former teammates were
out on the field making sure he was okay. When
when Mika was hurt late in the game, but boy
he got postered by DK on that touchdown.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
He just flung aside like a rag doll.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
That was the play that we thought we'd be seeing
a lot more from DK this year, you know, making
things happen. I think that defense at that point was
pretty well beat up and absolutely freezing in the second half.
But a huge second effort from DK metcalf to get
that touchdown because you know, first and goal is not
a sure thing with this Steeler team.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Well, I mean, they've been pretty good in the red zone,
but I will say that the Steelers offense, I will
say this, I'd like see him get their more offen
and obviously we all would, but you know, DK, you know,
he and Darnell they just cannot be fun to tackle.
And you get guys like you know, Gainwell and Joe
and Warren run really really hard and they are looking
(12:15):
to hit guys, and you know, I remember, you know,
we've talked about this a little bit by the Steelers
front office, really trying to get the Steelers back to
their roots, back to being a physical football team, and
you know that was on display last night. A team
that you know, again, no Derek Harmon, no TJ. Watt defensively.
I thought Cam Heyward played a great game last night
(12:38):
for the Steelers. But you know they this is what
they want to be, A physical, hard hitting team, a
team you know, at the end of the game, you
felt that you played. Oh boy, man, we played the
Pittsburgh Steelers and that's you know, that's how they were,
you know, two decades ago with Jerome Bettis and with
that defense. You know, they were a team that in
(12:58):
December up there it was cold. Man, do you really
want to play that team? I thought we saw some
manifestations of that last night. You know, they a physical,
hard hitting football team that takes it to the other team.
And that's that works. Whether it's ninety five degrees in
Miami or whether it's eleven degrees in Pittsburgh, that kind
(13:18):
of play is always going to work.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
I thought Metcalf had the official steel City shove sho.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Oh yeah to make it right to the ground.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Your call was Rob, oh, thanks, thank you.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
It was I mean, guys were tumbling and you know,
and again when you talk about the physical element, you know,
you know DK Metcalf and and Darnall Washington. There are
others too, but those two guys in particular, you know
John new Smith, you know, these guys are no joke
when they get ahead, his team going, you know, I
mean trying to tackle these guys. In addition to the
running backs, you know, the students are physical in the
(13:51):
passing game as well. And that's that's kind of fun
to see.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Back to your earlier point, I guess I'm just traumatized
by all the short third and shorts that we've been
on them unable to get this year in the red zone.
The Steelers are actually tied for third when it comes
to touchdown success with the Rams and the Washington Commanders.
Aaron Rodgers was feeling himself last night after the game.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
He was in a good mood.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
He was talking to ESPN deportees after the game, King
here listen to this, and I.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Do love I love being here in the city. I
loved the organization. It's been a lot of fun for
me to be able to play for Mike Tomlin. There's
a lot of good guys on this team, Guys that
care about.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
It, guys that feel like they've got a lot to prove.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
But my one question is, what the hell's my tequila?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, apparently he's got a deal for some tequila from
the deport's ace reporter there.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
He gives me Spanish too.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Rogers went on, he was speaking Spanish with him last night.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
But yeah, he's I don't know. I don't know if
you guys remember him being on Jeopardy, not just the host,
but he was on Jeopardy. I think he I can't
remember who he competed against, like an astronaut or something,
and he just demolished everybody in Jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know, certainly he is. He is a bright guy,
and you.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Know, and that's why he processes so well at the
line of scrimmage. But yeah, fun to you know, it's
all fun when you're winning. And right now, look, man,
it's December and the Steelers are playing. I think they're
playing their best foot. I think these are the best
two back to back games they've had all year.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Agreed, let's go through some of the people who we
saw last night, who you don't normally see in the
first Sante Samuel.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, yeah, nice to see him get a start.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
And look, this guy was a really he's a really
good player. He had the neck injury, the surgery. You know,
teams didn't sign him. He was listed as a top
twenty five free agent in the offseason. Definitely a starting
caliber corner and you know, the Steelers were hoping Slave
was going to be that guy. He didn't turn out
to be that guy. You know, they've had some injuries
(16:00):
there as well. You know, he is a he's a
guy that can really cover. I think he was talking
to somebody about you know, uh, he's not the biggest guy,
but being more physical than he's been giving credit for,
but having to kind of protect that with his neck,
you know, as a guy who can cover. You know,
if if, if you can sign a guy like that,
you know, these are these are guys that you have
(16:21):
to go out.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
And get in the first round of the draft usually.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
So if he's a guy that lights it here, plays well, contributes,
the team goes on a run and they can re
sign him, that is a really good pick up, especially
when you have guys like Eccles, you know, Pierre was
out of this game.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Eccles and Pierre stepping up as well. Joey Porter Jr.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
On the other side, I really like a Sante Samuel
and it was nice to see him come up with a.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Big play last night and Joey Porter Junior having a
heck of a year too. Dylan Brooks left tackle last night.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yeah Cook is there?
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You know he's there, Court, I said, Dylan Cook.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Yeah, well, he's their fourth string left tackle. Think about that.
You know, we were watching him up in camp the
last couple of years. Felt like he was a guy
that was close to being ready to play. Now I
say that, I'm talking to others who say that, you know,
Max has been you know, he liked Dylan Cook what
he's seen in camp the last couple of years and
you know, getting his first real taste of NFL action
(17:16):
and stood up really well. And again this is why,
you know, when we came when the Steers came out
of camp, we were talking about how deep the Steelers
team was, the amount of depth they had. And you're
seeing that with guys like Eccles and you know, Malik
Harrison contributing and you know, now you signed a Sante Samuel,
(17:37):
but you know these guys I did I just say Eccles.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
I can't remember. It's early in the morning.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
You know, these guys that have the depth, guys that
have that have stepped to the four like Dylan Cook
and literally your fourth offensive tackle and to come in
and do a job. I don't remember Bradley Chubb doing
anything last night. That's a two time All Pro who's
been playing well for the Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Gain Well has been outstanding this year. I think that
he has been so much more than most Steeler fans expected,
that's for sure. Even though coach Tomlin always says that no, no,
this is what.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I knew we were getting.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
You know, hey, the Eagles running game has suffered quite
a bit actually since he's been gone. You know, you
could kind of look at it that way, but last
night having to lean on him, I mean, there's just
I don't think anybody that Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin
trust more than Kenneth Gainwell right now.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Yeah, I agreed, And we saw this in Minnesota when
Jalen couldn't go, and last night extremely efficient thirteen carries
for eighty yards, he had seven receptions, led the team
in that category. And it's almost as if they're interchangeable,
you know. I mean a lot of times you'll have backs, Okay,
this is a third down back, and when everybody's healthy,
(18:48):
game will comes out and plays on third down. But
Jalen Mormon was a third down back last year, and
you know we've seen when game has gotten the opportunity
that the students offense hasn't missed a beat.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
He's been horrific.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
And again, you talk about quality depth, and it comes
in different ways. Sometimes it's a guy who wasn't playing,
like Dylan Cook who's on the practice squad. Sometimes it's
a guy who you expect to run say six, seven
times a game. Now he's got to run it, you know,
thirteen times, or as he did in Ireland, more than that,
and he can step up and fill that role. That's again,
(19:22):
that's quality depth. He's a quality player. You know, those
guys all get along in that running back room. There's
no jealousy there, which is nice too. You don't hear
any complaining. They support each other and gain well. You
know a couple of times this year has went called
upon its stepped up and taken the big role.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
He makes big plays.
Speaker 7 (19:45):
Yes, when you need a third down, when he's made
some catches where it seems like most guys would drop
that ball, Oh and he'll.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Make a catch it you just need he's clutch.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Yeah, Rogers has thrown him a few go get hims
and he I mean pulling him off of his shoelaces
and then picking up and getting the first down. He's
been just tough as nails and as reliable as anybody
on this offense.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And I think one other guy and I don't know
if you're gonna get to him, but you know, Connor Hayward. Yes,
what a nice game for him, right, four carries, three
first downs, a touchdown, and then just when you're thinking,
oh no, man, that when that on side kick gets
by that first row, you're like healing, and there he is.
You know, he's just like I think, he's a security
(20:28):
blanket in so many ways. You know, if you had injuries,
he could go in and play running back for you.
We know he can catch. You know, maybe they've got
better guys at some of those positions. But to have
a guy, you know, like a Connor Hayward, like Scotty Miller,
I think is a guy like that, Oh man, we
got to Okay, I'm gonna go be the gunner. Okay,
I'm gonna hold for kicks, I'm gonna return punts. You know,
(20:49):
guys that can help you in a number of different ways,
even if they're not called upon to do it all
the time. I would imagine those are a really comfortable
guys for a coaching staff to have.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
The kickers continue to have a ridiculous year, and it's
even bled over to the on side kicks. Do you
see how they're doing those now side to side?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I mean that those are hard as hell to pick
off the.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Carpet, yep. Yeah. And I think it was the Saints.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
You know, I watch as you guys know, I watched
the opponents games more to get a feel for just
a general feel for rather playing and obviously to be
able to identify them when they're out in the field,
so it's more second nature. I think it was the
Saints who recovered an on side kick against the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
So it is, you know, it's.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
Gone from something that was you know, you could use
it as a weapon Bill Cower, right, you know, come
out and eat the surprise onside kick and all these
other things, and you can't do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
You have to announce it.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
But I do think that it's it's, you know, a
play that seemed to become academic because the surprise element
was taken out of it. But now you're right, ran
all of a sudden, the kickers are found different ways
to try to give their team an opportunity to recover those.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Of those kicks.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Well, they showed the draft clock quite a bit last
night during the television broadcast. But this just in from
ESPN's Dave Wilson. If the Steelers were hoping and landing
the next Manning, they're gonna have to wait another year,
as Arch Manning has declared he's going back to Texas for.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
The twenty twenty six campaign.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm not sure how much of a surprise that is
or not, but or if they would have even gone
in that direction. But I kind of think Aaron Rodgers
is gonna come back and play another year right now.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Well, we'll see, we'll see, you know.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
I mean, I think that's that's Aaron's gonna have a
lot to say about that, And I don't know what
he's gonna say about that, and probably the playoff run
and what they do that might have something to say
about that as well. I will tell you this, I
mean again, with a couple of exceptions, I just think
he's looked outstanding.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I didn't think he'd stay healthy this long.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Well, the offensive line's done a good job.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
And the other thing is is he just he for
the most part, knows how to get rid of the football,
you know, knows how to avoid those hits.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
More with Rob King of Power Hour of Steeler Talk
here on your radio Home of the Black and Gold DV.
This first half hour brought you by Ford, your neighborhood
Ford Store, the F one fifty, the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last forty eight years Ford
f Series I've been America's go two trucks for moving
mountains and Alsosburgh Steelers. Here on DV ear buddy Joe
(23:29):
Bartnick also hanging out in studio. This half hour of
Power Hour Steeler Talk brought to you by Clearview Federal
Credit Union, supporting their community every step of the way
through touchdowns for hope. Clearview will donate five hundred dollars
to the Light of Life Rescue Mission for every Black
and Gold touchdown scored this season.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
So two g's from last night.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Visit clearviewfu dot org slash touchdown to learn more.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Mike Sports. This I brought to you by bridgevilt Plants.
Aaron Rodgers was in command again last night in the
Steelers twenty eight fifteen victory over the Dolphins. That's two
in a row for the Steelers and the arrow seems
to be pointing up. But what really seemed to get
Rogers's attention was how well Kenneth Gainwell played. Again.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Yeah, I mean it's truly every game. I think the
run that he had thirty eight yards, I believe on
just as simple inside his own week, just his vision.
It's just fun to watch, you know. I can't tell
you exactly what I call him every week because there's
some expletives in there. But I love playing with him,
(24:33):
I really do. I mean, he is as smart as
they come. He is super smart, and I still cannot
believe what we got him for. I told him a
long time ago my goal was to get him paid
because I've been a fan of his since he was
in Philly and thought that every time he win the game,
something good happens. And just to be able to play
with him and the type of guy that he is. Man,
(24:55):
I can't say enough good things about Kenny. Every single game,
it seems like he comes up with impactful plays and
makes guys miss and catches the ball.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
I mean I was telling.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
I think it was Marquez on the sideline. I just
like one of the most impressive things is to watch
us SEC on Friday practice run just do Pat and Godrill,
which is just an over the shoulder drill. He's as
fluid as anybody on the team catching the football. And
again for a guy that's making damn near vet minimum,
he's been a tremendous asset to our team this year.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Well, King Or, we were just singing his praises, and
I think that Aaron Rodgers is going to succeed in
his quest to get Kenneth Gainwell paid.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Good for him, man, I love that.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
You know, we all meet an Aaron Rodgers at our corner, right,
I mean, how good is that? If you're Kenneth Gainwell
and game has been that good? He you know, when
called upon, he's been excellent. And even in the role
he's filled, he's been excellent.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah, fourth game over one hundred yards from scrimmage for
Gamewell last night he had eighty rushing in forty six receiving.
In those receiving yards seven catches on seven targets. His
cap hit is just under one point eight million per year.
His base salary's one million, one hundred and seventy thousand.
(26:09):
He also got a six hundred and twenty thousand dollars
signing bonus and an eighty eight hundred and twenty dollars
workout bonus.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
How about Aaron Rodgers knowing how much he makes too?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Yeah, unbelievable. You think Kenneth gave one might kill for him?
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Now that's what he's gonna say.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
That's such a good way to motivate.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
And the leadership, Oh god, he loves me, he wants
me to have money. But I mean I mentioned those
one hundred yards from scrimmage games for gain, Well three
of them have come in the last five. So he's
getting better, not worse. And that thirty eight yard run
than he had he went through safety Ashton Davis. We
went through him. And that's how big runs happen. You
(26:49):
need the receivers to help block and get getting the
way downfield. But I can remember these to have a
play for bettis called boss and it was back on
strong safety. That's what they called it. Boss. We're blocking
everybody else. You got the strong safety. You got to
make him miss, right, And that's that's not uncommon in
a running play. And Kenneth Gangwell, boy, I just I
(27:12):
still can't believe he runs between the tackles. I thought
he was going to be a special teamer and a
fringe contributor on the perimeter. Maybe one guy will line
up in a receiver position on third down and helped
fill the void there.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
He's been outstanding. But I don't want to sell Jalen
Warren short because I think Jalen Warren has been also
tough as nails, and I think that him even playing
in that game as sick as he was last night
was quite an accomplishment. The only difference I saw on
him was the second effort that you usually see from him.
Didn't look like he quite had the energy that he
normally does.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
There.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
He was taking and absorbing some pretty big hits.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
And going down where usually you can count on him
to spin off those every once in a while and
run through those. He makes guys miss a lot, and
he runs over guys a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
And Miami was playing physical defense. They really were. Didn't
lose interest immediately. Eventually, yes, but not immediately.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Twenty one nothing or twenty one three made it kind
of like, if we stop him here, and when they
got that taunting penalty, it was over.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Yeah, and then they just piled on from there. Cam
Heyward happy with the defense, but not ready after the
run had been stuffed to issue any defensive declarations.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
We'll see.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
You know, we got a lot of work to do,
and we got a lot in front of us, and
I loved the challenges there in front of us, and
I think our group does too.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Some snap count nuggets for you. Dk Metcalf led the
wide receiver parade at seventy nine percent of the snaps.
Adam Thielen second again at fifty eight. He only had
one target in one catch. Marquez Valdez Scantling third among
wide receivers in terms of how often he was deployed
fifty two percent of the offensive snaps. He had the
(29:03):
nineteen yard touchdown grab. Those guys are assimilating quickly, and
the more they play, the more they're gonna do, no question,
and feeling's the guys. He's not physical, but he doesn't
turn down his blocking assignment, particularly if he's in the slot.
He'll he'll find his guy getting the way and help.
(29:24):
He sticks his hand in that pile. And you saw
that Scantlet still knows how to catch touchdowns from Aaron
Rodgers Uh. Pat Fryarmouth Uh. Forty two percent of the
snaps last night, he had forty five receiving yards. In
his four previous games, he had forty seven. They got
to find a way to activate this guy more often, huh,
(29:45):
because he's a good player and they're wasting it. And
I get that. Yeah, I throw it to who's open
and all that. Sometimes sometimes you got to dial one
up for number eighty eight because he's not going to
let you down.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
He's been pretty professional and he's handled it all too
very because you can see somebody being super pissed off
about getting paid and you know, being told basically you're
our guy, and then essentially being removed from the offense.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
He's like, you know, he has backup player stats. Wouldn't
you be madder though if you didn't get paid yet?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
At least he got the money.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Also on the bench yeah check. Oh well I got
to go to the bank now. But I don't know.
I mean, he's a competitor, he doesn't have that kind
of he cares they're they're wasting it. It's if you're
look at him for ways that they can still be better.
That would be one to get him involved more often
on the defensive side. Alex Highsmith, with no TJ. Watt,
(30:46):
played eighty eight percent of the defensive snaps, most he
had played since the opener against the Jets, when he
played eighty nine percent. Also Jack Sawyer a season high
fifty six percent and Bradon Eckels thirty four percent. The
nickel corner. They were in base a lot last night.
Even though they didn't have Watt and didn't have Harmon
(31:07):
and base base defense, the three down lineman did its job.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Speaking of competitive do you think Warren played because he
didn't want to be wally pipped.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
I don't think he's worried about that so much, mostly
because I don't think they'll be able to keep gain
well next year.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
I think that he is going to get paid.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
But I think he's actually a tough dude, and when
you talk to Jalen Warren, he's impossible.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
To not root for.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
He's just a He's a good guy, and I think
that he handled last season great and a lot of
people wanted the offense to run through him last year,
and seeing it happen to the degree that it has
this year, I think he proved a lot of people
wrong who thought, oh no, he's just a complimentary back.
He is operating best as that, no doubt. But when
(31:55):
they have needed to lean on him and he's been
available for that, I don't think they've suffered.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Mike, you disagree. I'm not disappointed in him, but I'm
not sure still that he's.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
A number one.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
They don't use him enough. Well, is that because of
his size and they feel like you can't use them more?
Or are they missing the boat? I don't I don't
know what the answer to that question is. I'm adamant
they got to start getting the ball to friar Mouth regularly.
That guy can make place for you.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
He's averaging four point two yards to carry jar the Syere.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
That sounds high.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Look, chat Chibt doesn't lie, Mike. It's simply never wrong.
So I don't know how you can make that assertation.
There's no slop. Still not sure that he's the number
one back. When we come back from last night's postgame
show that Mike pursued us, it's alongside Charlie Batchfoor, We'll
(32:59):
give you the call of the night that Rob King
is here for us to enjoy. His reaction to as well,
apparently there were some people who were still not happy
last night, and that's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Rob.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
We've noted the postgame show is for people to say, yeah,
we won this one.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Bye, it's a big but when we come back.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Rob King and our buddy Joe Bartneck here as well,
and it's a power hour of Steeler Talk. This half
hour brought to you by Clearview Federal Credit Union on DVE.
Speaker 9 (33:30):
It's Max Starks for my friends at Clearview Federal Credit Union.
Clearview is here to help you reach your financial goals
and support Park Cheer.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Radio Home at the Pittsburgh Steelers one on two point
five dB power or Steeler Talk with Rob King, Voice
of the Steelers on the Steelers Audio Network. Time for
the call of the postgame show. We always like to
have Mike highlight one of the calls from the postgame
show to hear what Steeler Nation was thinking postgame, because
I really think it gives you some good insight into
what a vast portion of Steeler fans have on their
(34:03):
mind after a game like last night's Monday Night football victory,
the twenty third straight.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
On Monday night at home for almost incomprehensible streak. It's
Chuck Bull lost the last one. That's hilarious. Did did
he lose his last one? Is it all Coward and Tom?
Or there's Chuck Color came in ninety two? Maybe? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:30):
All right, So this is from the post game, which
is once again helmed by our own Mike Pursuda and
Charlie Batch here on the Steelers Audio Network. And uh,
I'm guessing this was.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
What one am something like that about twenty to one. Okay,
how come it's not playing there? Oh? I know what
a second? There you go a manual in Carnegie. Any guy,
Hey we got somebody. Thanks, thanks for hanging there.
Speaker 10 (35:01):
There's there's still a post. And I was at the
ball game.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
So yeah, shut up, you're here.
Speaker 10 (35:09):
Oh yeah, it was worth it. It was It was cold,
but I ain't gonna lie. I was bundling up and
you know, on my way through the game, on my
way to the stadium, I decided to lower the windows
down so I couldn't kind of like get accustomed to
the weather. Because I knew it was going to be cold.
I lowered my windows down, turn off the heat in
a cold car. I was crazy, but it was worth
(35:31):
It was a great win, and I just want to
do this. I haven't done this in a while, but
stand an ovation to the sellers.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
I gotta ask you. Have you ever driven somewhere with
your with your car windows down and tried to make
yourself cold, to be prepared to be cold? Because anything
I've ever heard before.
Speaker 10 (35:57):
Honestly, at eight ten degrees outside you you know, hey,
you gotta.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
Go on, give give.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Give.
Speaker 9 (36:06):
The people who were not at the stadium here today
thinking about coming into a game, how should you prepare?
I'm sorry, dress for the weather like that. I mean,
a couple of heat pads. You have a heatd best
what did you have on?
Speaker 10 (36:20):
Yeah, wore three layers, uh, ski masks, gloves and everything.
A couple alcoholic reverences and yeah, just and being locked
into the game was deciding, you know, I mean, this
was not the Bills game where you know we were
like really doubt of ourselves. This is where you know,
it just felt very festivous.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
This this was a great atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
You feel like you earned the victory a little bit
you because you showed up in the cold. You do
you walk out of there think if you did your part?
Speaker 10 (36:51):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Y'all appreciate the cold. Man.
Speaker 9 (36:55):
I'm gonna try drive home to night with the it's time.
But you have a lot of people wondering or maybe
didn't show up the day because it was cold. But
the people who were here, they were into the game
and it was just a beautiful thing to watch.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Yeah, I would agree with Charlie on that one and
king her. It was cold, and sitting at home you
might have lost sight of that throughout the game, just
how cold it was. I don't think to a lost
sight of that. But a good showing from the Steelers
fans last night, and hey, Renegade got off without being booed,
how about it?
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Now?
Speaker 1 (37:25):
About that?
Speaker 5 (37:26):
Yeah, it was good, I mean good stuff, and Steelers
fans showed up as we expected to do. I know,
my son was at the game, bundled up and blankets
and everything, and he and his buddies were all cheering
and yelling and.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Out there with his girlfriend Natalie. They were very cold.
She was a trooper. They were all troopers, and they
got into it.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Man.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
The towns were waving and they got up at the
right time.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
I mean, it felt like a communal effort out there
in some ways.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I was very curious how that crowd was going to respond.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Well, I think that that first half was not the
most exciting half of football now, and they were in
danger of losing the home field advantage or at least
what it could have been had they not come out
the way they did in the second half.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
But I think well the touchdown at the end of
the second quarter helped too. Yeah, at least everybody went
the halftime they were winning, great point. Yeah, I think
that that could have turned ugly.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Again, Oh if it would have been if the first
half or the second half mirror the first half. I
don't know how happy people would have been to hear
renegade or anything at that point. But I think offensively,
just seeing them get into the rhythm that they were
able to and whether or not that that was the
eighty five Bears defense that they were going against last night, Kinger,
(38:42):
you know, the confidence that that fan was talking about,
I think the team is definitely feeling it. Look, the
Dolphins had some confidence coming off a four game winning
streak and then got stomped on in the freezing cold
in Pittsburgh last night, And I think after these two games,
it's a little different for the Steelers, the confidence that
they're gleaning from beating the Ravens and then the Dolphins
(39:06):
to kind of stop their you know, comeback bid to relevance.
And some of it has to do with the personnel.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
And I do think that mvs.
Speaker 4 (39:15):
And Peland have a little bit of an effect on
the offensive side of the ball. And seeing that you
lose two of your best defensive players and you can
still basically shut down an AFC offense has got to
give them a little vote of confidence going into this
stretch of three games that will determine the postseason.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Yeah, their defense would be giving up the Dolphins thirteen
point three points per game during your winning streak, So
they were doing a lot of things right. So I
don't I don't want to pooh pooh the victory because
it's a Dolphins team that was playing well. Yeah, no, no, no,
I And you know they were desperate. They had to
win that game to stay alive in the playoffs. They
had to win it, and the Steelers took it to them.
(39:55):
And I agree with you, Randy, I think this is
this two game stretch might be the best two game
stretch they played this season. I think that you know
there were things that needed to be short up, coming
out after halftime and playing better football that appears over
the last couple of weeks to have been short up.
You know, Aaron Rodgers is playing top level football. They
(40:18):
showed last night that they're capable of doing a good
job against the run.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Now let's get Derek Harmon and TJ.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
Watt back out there as soon as possible and do
an even better job against the run.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
They'll be challenged this week against the Lions.
Speaker 5 (40:30):
You know, this would be an interesting test against Detroit,
But it feels like, you know, maybe the Steelers have
positioned themselves and are hopefully playing their best football at
a time of the season in which you want to
be playing your best football. You would rather be the
Steelers right now than say, Tampa Bay, a team that
was number one in all the power rankings and early
(40:51):
on in the season, and look at we got a
Super Bowl contender here. Now they're seven and seven in
fighting just to make the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Thanks to Ron King for Power Hour of Steelers Talk
here on your radio Home of the Black Gold d V.
Also thanks to Tim Ben's and Jean's Territor and our
buddy Joe Bartnick for hanging out with us live in
studio this morning.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
Joey B.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
Where are you heading for the holidays? You can be
around you.
Speaker 7 (41:12):
I'm gonna be head into Philadelphia. My sister is living
out there. She's a she's like an in cel oh,
I mean she she's the biggest she's the biggest Steeler
fan I know. And so she can't even go to
the post office when the Steelers lose.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
You mean, she's like in cel is involuntarily celibate. She's
like a like a cell ple use that word around
me completely wrong, Like she's a sleeper cell sep.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Yeah, yeah, like hackstah.
Speaker 7 (41:47):
I'm sorry, yeah, no, but other people use the word yeah,
using it incorrectly, incorrectly. And then I am going to
be doing some shows in New York that I'm doing
New Year's Eve it Snappers and for my Florida and
then the fall that weekend, I will be at Snappers
in the harp Pun Springs.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Okay, good deal.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
I was gonna say, Insel Porky's got some Christmas ideas
for your brother in law. Yeah, and you're gonna be
doing a PuckOff podcast, right you guys.
Speaker 7 (42:22):
And two for talking two for talking me and Josh.
We just did an emergency one. We do it every week.
We didn emergency one. We did window for the Jari trade.
Now we needed one this weekend, but we just we
just shot it last yesterday. And two for talking is
going on? And what's your solution? How do you stop this?
How do they stop blowing third period.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
Leads that that seem insurmount deep playing?
Speaker 7 (42:45):
Don't sit back? And then six on five attack the puck?
How can we be good? How can we have a
top five penalty kill? And six on five we all
stand around? That's some pucks go off, shins, people get
in the way, attack the puck.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
All right, Joe Bartneck there, Uh, that's it for us tomorrow,
edit it tonight.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Correct.
Speaker 7 (43:03):
They are playing tonight, so I don't think they're gonna
have a three goal lead against Jesus and Leo, so
we won't have to worry about it.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
Joy probably wins you shoot out tonight. Is that? Oh?
Speaker 7 (43:14):
Well, this is my game. I will take the loser
point of all the games. I'll be happy with a
loser point for this one.
Speaker 10 (43:20):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Tomorrow on the show, Meryl Hodge, Mark Madden, and Moore
Michelle's coming up next with the Electric Lunch at noon.
Steelers are eight and six. Thanks Ken Heer, We'll see you.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Have a great day, everybody. I'm finished. You stay classy, Pittsburgh.
Don't touch your face.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
I got him type pets magday Baby.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
But now you guys call me Ronald?
Speaker 4 (43:37):
Would you not eat my pants?
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Ronald?
Speaker 4 (43:42):
Oh way?
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Google it.
Speaker 11 (43:49):
It's time for the Steelers Daily Report on DVE, brought
to you by Kelly Ante Pizza and Draft Holes, three
time world pizza champions, and Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Here's Tom Opperman.
Speaker 12 (44:02):
It was a dominant win for the Steelers on Monday
Night football against the Dolphins, triumphing twenty eight to fifteen
over Miami, and the game wasn't even as close as
that score. Let's on Miami opened the scoring twenty four
minutes into the game, but then Pittsburgh ripped off twenty
eight straight points en route to victory. Aaron Rodgers led
the way for Pittsburgh with another strong performance, his second
in a row. He completed twenty three of his twenty
(44:24):
seven passes for two touchdowns and two hundred and twenty
four yards through the air.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Rodgers had a.
Speaker 12 (44:29):
Healthy compliment of running the football as well on offense,
rushing thirty two times for one hundred and thirty five
yards as a team and finding the end zone via
the ground twice. Defensively, the Steelers completely shut down a
put in Miami rushing attack that was averaging one hundred
and ninety two yards over their previous four games. Miami
only managed to rush for sixty three yards on sixteen
(44:50):
carries against the Steelers defense, and the Dolphin offense managed
only two third down conversions the entire game. The win
improved the Steelers to eight and six on the season
and maintains their one game lead over Baltimore in the
AFC North. The Steelers now face a short week, as
they had to Detroit this coming Sunday, shooting for three
straight wins.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I'm Tom Aferman with the Steelers Report. Great googly mooglie
this one.
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