December 15, 2025 • 33 mins
More Penguins discussion, your calls, and Matt Williamson on Steelers Dolphins.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
But the Penguins at the Big Store.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He blew a five to one lead on Saturday and
lost to San Jose in overtime. That's five to one
with like fourteen minutes left. You blew a three z
lead yesterday and lost to Utah in overtime. It was
three in IL at the end of two periods, and
you've lost now.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Five in a row, albeit four with loser points.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
He blew the lead with point one second left against
Anaheim and in the final two minutes of Dallas also,
So it just keeps happening. And now it's in their blood,
it's in their DNA. You can feel it coming. You
could feel it on Saturday, you could feel it on
Sunday that once the opposition got started, the Penguins did
(00:46):
not have the wherewithal to start them. At one point
I wondered aloud, well on Twitter if I would fire
the coach, Dan Muse, But I wouldn't. This is on
the players sit after the game. He was talking about
breaks and bounces. Maybe he talked differently to the team
behind closed doors. I hope so, because what somebody should
(01:08):
say is that what's going on as horseman nor and
utterly unacceptable because there's a lot of reasons, like the
Penguins never stop attacking, they never managed scoring situation, and
when they did deign to do that these last two games,
it was too late. The other team's push was on
(01:28):
and the Penguins could handle it. The defensive court was
supposed to be terrible for a while, it wasn't, and
now it is. The goaltending has been awful during this streak,
and then includes Morrischev. Yesterday the savior moving forward, Morischoff
made a lot of saves.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And the Penguin was good.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I played up till it was three and il, but
allowing four goals in the third period is unacceptable. In fact,
it was four goals in a little over seven minutes.
And it ain't the kid screwed it up. It's it's
the old slow veterans, and it's the star veterans who
should know better, who were staying out on the ice
too long and kind of lurking for empty that goal
(02:08):
sometimes instead of trying to protect the lead. But to
be honest, it doesn't matter why this is happening, it
just is. It's tough to say this because right now
the Penguins are just one point out of a wild
card spot and dig this. Wow, they have the fewest
losses in regulation in the Eastern Conference. But if the
(02:31):
Penguins can't pick it up in soon and get themselves
as safely as could be expected in sconsin a playoff
spot and soon, they need to look at trading Rustin
Raquel and Carlson and not indulging this fantasy that they
could make the playoffs and win series. Move forward, because
right now this team is proving it's not capable for
(02:55):
what they hope. Now, can they reverse what's going on quickly? Well,
Edmonton's in town on Tuesday. Maybe the Penguins will rise
to the occasion, or maybe Jari will shut them out
of McDavid will get nine points. That's tomorrow night at
PPG Paints Serena. Good tickets are still available and I
think you should go because Sid needs just two points
(03:18):
to tie Mariol of you for the Penguins all time
franchise lead. In fact, let's stick with that because boy,
like Jab and I were talking about, that is a
big deal. Hey, Mario was the best hockey player ever.
B Mario battled illness and injury, but Sid had the
concussion thing. See sid got to these numbers by being
(03:41):
the most consistent player in hockey history. D I never
thought I'd say anyone besides Gretzky and Orr are in
a class with Mario. But Sidney Crosby is Sidney Crosby
decidedly is Mario has been at the games lately. He'll
be there tomorrow night. I'm in case Sid breaks the record.
(04:02):
That's gonna be a cool moment. And it's cool because
the Penguins are a Champagne franchise. It's not like you're
the all time leading score for Saint Louis or the
Devils at Carolina. I don't even know who those jamokes
would be. So a way to go, Sid, and this
is a decidedly big deal.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
JB and I talked about the Penguins goaltending for a bit.
Morrishaff I mean, I think the kid is the future.
I think he is a star level goalie and he's
played mostly pretty good in his two stints up here
this year. He went back to Wilkes today because Skinner
got cleared by immigration to join the roster. So did
(04:44):
the defenseman that the Penguins got from Edmonton, Brett Kulak.
But his first stay here, morrishov let up a disappointing
overtime goal, and he did so again yesterday. I got
no problem with Stuart Skinner and Edmonton. They blame Stuart
Skinner for losing two State Stanley Cup finals, but at
(05:04):
Edmonton they forgot how to win a long time ago.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
The team and the fans they plumb forgot. Here's how
I see it.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Skinner played in the last two Stanley Cup finals, him
and Bobrowski from Florida. The rest of the league's goaltenders didn't.
Tristan Jari certainly didn't. Archer Schiloff certainly didn't. So I
believe in Stuart Skinner. Say his name and he appears.
(05:35):
Uh eight three to three four one two w xdx
the number to call for calls on the fifteens. It's
the let's see if I can remember, it's the sports
talk craze that's sweeping the nation. Audience participation, that's a
radio sensation, that's talks on the calls on the fifteens.
(05:57):
Call now at eight three three four one two wxdx.
We could just babble on, and I'm sure we will
about the Steelers game tonight. I think anybody who goes
as stupid in nine degree, whether we had some more
on call before who was getting ready to tailgate outside,
total idiot, probably gonna drink a bunch of cold beers
and pass out from hypothermia. I think the Steelers should
(06:21):
win this game tonight. It's far from a lock, but
I think if they get a lead and Miami has
to put the game into his hand, that'll be a
fade a compley. I talked earlier about the possibility to TJ.
Watt sues the Steelers over the try needling thing, the
(06:42):
punctured lung thing as administered by a team physician, and
ain't nobody talking about it here or nationally because the
Steelers are this sacred cole, but right now they are
just a crap organization, and this sacred cole should make
good hamburger for somebody besides me. Uh. Just the way
the official statement, the closest thing to one, came from
(07:05):
JJ Watt. It then challenged the Steelers. It just stated facts.
TJ's wife did kind of the same thing on Instagram,
and the Steelers I don't think they put out an
official statement aside from what being unavailable for tonight's game,
Tomlin said he didn't know what was going on, which
is just a bold faced pie. But I will say this,
(07:25):
over the years, Tomlin and the Steelers have proven to
be really good at lying. But the Steelers, they mismanage
a lot of decisions, make bad decisions. And here's the
one that's more football orient and one of the worst
decisions they've made is the myth of Mount Washington. They
got two legit tight ends who put up numbers in
(07:45):
their careers, John Euan Mouth, and they don't play him. Instead,
they played the big fats because he can block. Except
the running game still ain't no good. And the Steelers
quit on a constantly, and they used the jumbo package too,
and the running games still ain't no good, Still can't
run the ball, still don't try, still don't stick to it.
And yet they stick with Mount Washington because of a
(08:07):
viral moment. And that's all he's done this year. It
is just purely idiotic. All right, we got scooching Dawn
on hold for calls on the fifteen. We'll get to
them just around the corner. You can call now and
get in line, just like that go Go song. That's
when they get in line. I keep I keep singing.
(08:28):
I watched Spinal Tap two again last night, no yesterday,
before the Pengala game, Rob Reiner's last movie, and it's
really good. I keep singing this song, Bitch Skull, time
to give that whip a crack. I'm gonna have to
send you back to Bitch Skull. There are great heavy
(08:50):
metal songs in that movie, which makes the parody all
the more funny. Bitch School, What Oh five ninety X
love Spinal Tap, It's time for call was on the fifteen.
Let's go to Scoot Scoots rung with double M What man?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Would you agree that Roman Wilson taking a back seat
for two has been receivers in their thirties just shows
you how incompidently this organization is run.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Well, it's incompetent for one of two reasons.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Uh. One is that he's no good, But then they
drafted him in the third round just last year, just
like they drafted Caleb Johnson this year and they barely
use him, although that could change tonight if Jalen Warren
misses the game Dude illness, or they haven't properly developed
Roman Wilson, or they're letting Aaron Rodgers dictate that he
wants old guys out there, old, older, oldest, like this
(09:41):
fossil Adam Thielen.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
It's so infuriating.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
People think they're a well run organization.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
I just don't think they've been well.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Horribly run.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
The Steelers have been horribly run for years, ever since
tomlin usurped all the power from Colbert, and really Colbert
never had any It goes back to and Kyrie usurped
all the power from Tom Donaho the GM.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Then it's most like Gorbachev in the final years of
the Iron Curtain.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
You get that feeling, hey, except for the except for
the blemish on the head.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick, you're on
with double.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
M Hey, Mark, I actually take a different approach. I
do not think the Steelers have a well run organization.
But you put it out there about Aaron Rodgers, whether
it was a good choice. I do truly believe that
he was our absolute best option.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Okay, okay, to do what to do well?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Well?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Number One, you said the other day Aaron Rodgers taking over.
In fact, you just said it a couple of minutes ago.
Is that necessarily a bad thing? I believe he's okay.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
But you're not answering my question. What what was the
goal when he took over? I think what was the
goal when they signed? What was the goal when?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
No?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
No, you see, you're not listening to the question. What
was the goal when he took over? What was the
level of accomplishment hope.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
For I'm sorry, Yeah, you're right, trying to win a
playoff game?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You think it's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
I think he's their best option, That's what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
But if you want to set the bar that low,
I suppose an old bastard like him bringing in a
whole bunch of other old bastards like Theiland. I guess
that is your best option until it doesn't work.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Would you say that he is the best football IQ,
including all the staff on that team.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
If so, it's by default, and I'm not impressed. I'm
not impressed when you got the fat kid at tight end,
which seems to be his preference. I'm not impressed when
you have feeling an MVS out there, which is his preference.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
That brings up another point. You've been asking who would
be the offensive MVP. Would you say, if Friar Mooth
actually was able to play, he would most likely be
the MVP because he's been pretty clutch.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
You know what's funny, Friar Mooth went from being totally
overrated by this team to being put on the pay
No Mind list. It's quite a drop, but he got
the money.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Yes, but I think he would be the MVP if
he actually was able to play.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I think right now the offensive MVP, if it's not Rogers,
which again would be by default, it might be Ciamalo
And that says a lot about Camalo and his role
into making that offensive line at least pretty good. But
when you're left guards at MVP candidate Holy Moses.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Would you say that Aaron Rodgers lost any games for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Well, he was so bad in the LA game they
didn't have a chance.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
The thing that upsets me about the LA game is
if you notice whenever last week, those same passes are
exact on target. Do you think that was a Rogers
thing or was that a miscommunication with the receivers.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I just don't think Rogers is that good anymore, and
I think you're far overestimating him when you blame everything
he does wrong on somebody else, which, whether subconsciously or not,
is exactly what you've done.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
What do you think their record would be right now
with Mason Rudolph?
Speaker 3 (12:59):
I think we would have lost two or three more games.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
That's good, get a better draft pick. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Let's go to Don in Bethel Park, Gone, you're on
with double muy.
Speaker 5 (13:11):
What do you think the one driving factor is with
this Penguin ineptitude in both the shootouts and overtime, particularly
on overtime, because at first I thought, okay, it's the
face off, but if you watch, we win a good
bit of that initial face They just.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Have a terrible personnel for three on three. They don't
know how to play three on three, and they don't
finish three on three, which is odd because they're decent
finishers five on five or whatever. There are some who think,
and maybe it's true that this team start is fool's gold,
even as you know, good as it's been till now,
up until this really bad stretch of blowing leads, maybe
(13:49):
it's been fools gold because it's been carried by special teams.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
But I mean, does it really matter why?
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Well, it's so bad in the parent but the other
team as your Broni's that score the goals too.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Who are the guys for Utah?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
I mean you got car Cone?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I never heard of them, Yeah, but there they got
good players.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
It's just guys you've not heard of.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Yeah, I guess yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I mean, I mean, I don't know why they're bad
three on three. They didn't practice it much until recently
affect them. Still not one hundred percent sure they do.
I think they just might be practicing shootouts, like like
Gino's terrible three on three.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I've been told he just thinks it's stupid. You know.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It's just I don't know why they're not good three
on three. And ever since Shiro and Bilesma management coaching
have never thought it's important to try to a get
personnel to specialize in any of those things the shootout too,
or or to drill people until you figure it out.
I mean now starting to practice the shootout now a
little late for that. They're they're one in nine already
(14:50):
in games decided after sixty minutes.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Thank you for the call down.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Up next, we're gonna talk to our football guru, Matt
Williamson on one oh five to nine double m on
the X Steelers hosting Miami tonight in nine degree whether
don at Akashort joining me now to talk about it.
Our football guru, the former pro and college Scott Matt
Williamson man, how much is the absence of TJ Wathart.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
It seems like they got edge rusher relatively covered.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
I think it hurts a ton in this game, not
because of the pass rush, and frankly, I can make
the argument that he's their third best edge pass rusher
this year. I mean frankly, I think Herbig is number
one in terms of pass rush. Now, Tua is immobile
and he's going to be in the pocket. You know
exactly where to find him. He's much different than trying
(15:37):
to sack Lamar or al in the last two weeks.
But why I think it's so crucial this week is
TJ is still an elite an elite run defender, edge defender,
and that's exactly where this run game goes. They try
to go off tackle wide zone speed, speed, speed, an
offensive line that gets off the ball very very quickly.
(16:00):
They present a lot of angle problems, alignment problems. They're
the heaviest motion team in the league and they run
off motion really really well. So his head for the
game and ability to push the run to the inside
is going to be missed drastically to me and might
have to fall on Sawyer a little bit too. I
(16:22):
think he's capable, but I don't think he's one of
the best edge defenders in the league.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Like what right?
Speaker 2 (16:27):
But I was going to actually suggest that Matt Sawyer,
for the circumstance you're describing, is a better bet maybe
than her.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Big correct, I would say so, but I have to
give her a big credit. I mean, he's gotten so
much better as a run defender, you know, throughout the
course of the year or year after year. But Sawyer
is definitely a bigger body.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Now the Steelers have to put the game into his hands.
I think. Is that easier said than.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Done, much easier said than done, but exactly the whole
key to the game in my opinion too. Two is
a certain kind of quarterback, and their offense has done
an extremely good job of working around his strengths and
his weaknesses. I mean, if you think Rogers gets the
ball out quick, I mean watch Tua and they're always
(17:14):
quick over the middle type after the catch, very precise.
But he has no second you know, second effort issues.
You know, he doesn't create if things don't go to
plan and he's throwing the ball to the other team
much more. He has very little physicality to his game,
(17:36):
and the receivers other than Waddle are pretty pedestrian, especially
with Tyreek out of the mix. But it's a really
well designed offense. They know exactly what he is. But
you're right, I mean, to me, then you know that's
a cut the chase. The biggest issue for the entire
game is how well Miami runs a ball.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Right, because, like we agree, if it gets to two,
they're in trouble. And you describe everything you know wrong
with to and I echo all of it.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
But what went wrong with him? He was supposed to
be much better than this.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
How much did the concussions figure in his demise as
a player.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
That's a hard thing to comment on because he's had
so many injuries, and he never was particularly physically overwhelming
to start with. I mean, he's not right, he was
never great to start with. Matt no, no, I mean,
but even like Tank for Tua back in the day,
it wasn't like because he was so physically gifted. I mean,
I never understood that to begin with. I also wanted
(18:31):
to throw something into your last question too. I mean
Tua's performances in cold weather, and I'm talking like forty
degrees and lower are really bad. I mean, this kid's
from Hawaii who went to Bama, who went to Miami.
I mean like I mean, he does not handle the football. Well,
that's going to be a lot harder, a lot heavier,
(18:52):
a lot harder to control. I mean, you want this
guy throwing outside the numbers holding the football. But I
never really understood what the hype was about to begin with. Honestly.
I mean, he's he's very limited in terms of arm strength, physicality,
ability to break tastles, extend, all those things are pretty
(19:12):
average at best.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Well, and you said something that a lot of people don't.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You actually brought up a legitimate reason why cold weather
makes the game tougher, Like the grip on the ball,
the way to the wall.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
It's not just his comfort tonight, right exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
I mean, it's controlling the football, and Rogers has done
it expertly over his career. I mean, we haven't seen
it in a while, but nobody bay right exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Now, you mentioned Miami's offensive game plan. What's your take
on Mike McDaniel. Is he a legit good coach and
analytics geek?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Maybe both.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Very different style. He doesn't exactly look the part. He
outwardly talks about his checkered past and some demons that
he's gotten over. I don't know if he's a great
head coach, but man, his team is playing really really
hard for him these last four or five weeks since
they fired the GM and traded some guys at the deadline.
(20:09):
So I think he is respected and liked. But as
an offensive mind, he's top two or three in the
league for me. I mean, like, if you just let
him design the offense, maybe that's you know what. He
hits his head on the ceiling as in terms of
his career, where he's just a all time great Josh McDaniels,
you know, offensive coordinator only guy because he is a
(20:33):
unique leader of men to say the least. But boy,
he designed things up extremely well.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
We're talking about Williamson, our football guru here on the
Mark Madden Show. Matt Blots was by the Steelers Pro
Shop shop Dots Steelers dot Com. Matt that Miami defense
has been pretty good lately, what's been the catalyst there.
They'd be getting a bunch of takeaways too. Maybe they
can match the Steelers tonight in that regard.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Yeah, and I'll be honest, that's the part of the
game that I've had the hardest time wrapping my head around.
I can't figure out if it's a below average defense,
it's just playing some bad teams. I mean, the last
couple of teams they played have been really rough, Like
the Jets are an embarrassment, and they had a quarterback
in last week that I had never heard of. They
did beat the Bills four weeks ago, though, they're definitely
(21:21):
taking the ball away. They run well, they're pretty good
up the middle, they're linebackers are good players. We know
Minka is a player. But their outside corners are really bad. Yeah, yeah,
but that might not.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Be a factor tonight. I was thinking about that. You're right,
the weakest part of their d might be the corners.
But look at the Steelers' receivers and how they're used
for that matter exactly exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
I mean, I would hope you can get they're gonna
play a lot of too high. They're gonna beg you
to run the football. They're not a super physical defense,
but I would still hope you can get Metcalf isolated
on any of their corners there. Their corners are amongst
the worst in the league. They do hard as a
unit and all that good stuff, But I can't bring
(22:04):
myself to say, man, that's a much improve Miami defense.
I meany trade away a couple of their best players,
and they played some pretty bad teams.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
How much influence does it feel like Rogers has on
the Steelers offense right now? Not just scheme but also personnel,
with guys like Fielan and mvs putting Wilson on the
bench and well, Wilson no helmet and Calvin Austin. I
know he's hurt, but his role is shrunk as well.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, I'm sure he has quite a bit of influence,
and I'm not sure so sure that that's a bad thing.
I mean, I'm not even sure you're implying it's a
bad thing. I think he's a really smart football mind
and realizes and he also plays such a certain way
that he really needs guys to be exactly where they're
supposed to be. And even though Felan can't run anymore,
(22:52):
I'm certain he'll do that. I would imagine he has
a lot of influence, and again I don't have a
problem with it. I do think him and Arthur Smith together.
I'm not saying that they're a bad combination. They're not.
It's just Arthur Smith wants to throw in the middle
of the field off play action and that's not what
(23:14):
Rogers does anymore. And it's kind of a weird marriage.
Back to when they signed Rogers.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
The deep balls came out at Baltimore more than any
game this season and almost out of nowhere to Matt.
Will that continue tonight against Miami. You mentioned their corners
they good, but you do have Menca arking back there.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Yeah, and Menca will play more slot than he will,
like beat middle in Miami because their slots are so bad.
I mean, which is kind of funny. Is you traded
for Ramsey to upgrade at slot and he ends up
at free safety. They trade for Menca to upgrade at
free safety and he ends up at slot. So both
are versatile, good players. A big key to their defensive
(23:54):
scheme is taking away the deep ball. I mean, they
do want to play a lot of two high safeties.
They realize basically all their defensive backs not name Minka
Fitzpatrick are pretty terrible. So we're gonna try to double
on the outside. We're gonna make you dink and dunk
down the field, which basically is what the Steelers do anyway.
So I wouldn't think this is a great deep ball,
(24:16):
drive the field, drive the ball down the field type
a night.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
How can the Steelers resuscitate their running game? And is
that even a big concern to them? And now Warren
might not play.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
That, I don't get either. So Number one, the thing
that I think we talk about every Monday is time
of possession and number of plays that the defense plays
versus the offense is now officially obscene. I mean, it's
unbelievably bad. And to me, step one to fix that
huge problem would be just to run the ball more.
(24:51):
And I'm not even convinced it's a bad running game.
I mean, I don't think it so quick, that's my point.
I mean, if I had I say, one thing that's
wrong with the running game is that they don't do
it enough. And you know, like the Packers game is
the best example I could give. They run the ball
really well all to the first half against a good defense,
(25:11):
Warren gets th recarries in the second half and you lose.
You know, like, it makes no sense to me whatsoever.
I mean, if you isolate all the parts, the ball carriers,
the blocking, the scheme, none are at the top of
the league, but none at the bottom of the league either.
I mean, if you just stick with it and help
(25:31):
your defense a little bit. I don't understand why they won't,
why they refuse to.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Well, that's my point, Matt, because you know, I know
you say rogers is influence in the offense makes sense,
But this running game being minimized, that's his influence too,
And I don't like it at all. And it also,
like you said, it conflicts with Smith's vision because what's
the point of Washington playing that much if you're not
going to run the ball?
Speaker 1 (25:53):
What's the point of the jumbo package.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Exactly? And you know, along those lines, why dedicate a
passing game to your tight end room if you never
throw the mittle field. I mean, like there's some counterintuitive
planning here. Now. What I can't figure out is the
run past percentage. If we all have a problem with
(26:18):
it because there is more pass heavy than we like.
Is that Arthur Smith thing. History shows it's not that
guy wants to run the ball every time. Is it
a Tomlin thing? I bet not. I think he wants
to play a conservative style. Rogers on the other hand,
is you know, the Jets were a bad team last year,
(26:40):
but they also had the fewest carries in the league.
I mean, he's known for checking out of runs at
the line of scrimmage. Now, some of it is a
case by case basis where it's definitely the right thing
to do if you better receivers, if you're throwing the
Jordan Nelson at Devonte Adams and these guys that can
win one on one. Because I do think he comes
(27:01):
the line a lot, sees advantageous looks, and then Austin
or Wilson doesn't get open, and you know they take
away Metcalf with a double. So who's to say? But
I bet it's not Smith that is holding back the
percentage of runs.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
No, I appreciate, I feel very certain about that, and
not Tomlin either. Really, now, how does this game stack
up in terms of importance to both teams? We know
Miami's mathematically eliminated if they lose, but I feel like
the Steelers really need this game too, Baltimore beat Cincinnati.
If you lose your throwing yourself back in the hole.
It just it seems like a big game, kind of
(27:40):
on a sly basis.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
I agree. I mean, it's means more to Miami because
it truly is do or die for them, of course,
but I do think they're doing a good job in
Miami of keeping their jobs and maybe even getting to
another year. So they're trending the right way after being
one of the worst teams in the league. So they
have some momentum and a positive man or probably win
or lose. I just heard today that the Ravens are
(28:06):
back to being the Vegas favorites in the AFC North. Again,
that's a little alarming. I mean, I guess that's not
a ring endorsement. And you can look at games like
the Browns game, which is gonna be really important, But
what if it's a blizzard and nobody can do anything
in Miles Garrettt's three sacks and you lose nine to six.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yikes, Matt, there's always tremendous insight and enjoy. You're not
going tonight, are you don't go? You're not going to
be out in the cold.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
No, I'm actually in two studios away from you, getting
ready to do the pregame show with Tom.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Well, you should have come over. Would have been nice
to have company.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
I heard it was a little tight where you're sitting
right now, so I just walked in.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Matt, great stuff, Enjoy the game. We'll talk next week.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
I'll see at the coffee maker in a couple of minutes.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
You actually will.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
That's Matt Williamson, brought to us by Shop dot Steelers
dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
In just a moment.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Uh, you know, Miles Garrett's really close to breaking Watts record.
We'll talk about that in the moment. Single sacks in
a single season. And there's a report from somebody who
says the Steelers are told to take a penalty every
time Garrett might get a sack when they play each other.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
That's weird. We'll get to that in a moment here
on one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Wow, this is the first season since nineteen ninety eight
without Manning, Brady or Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
This segment brought to was by the Steelers Pro Shop.
Get it direct from the team at Shop dot Steelers
dot com. Uh. Here's Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports saying
very specifically why the Steelers offense sucks.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
They had a play out there where it was it
was Adam Deeelen Scars guard, Bench Kronik, a jumbo offensive lineman,
and then Darnell Washington as well. So they have two
block first receivers, a six offensive lineman Darnel Washington, who's
essentially another offensive lineman. It's like this offense has zero
threat of launching the ball. They're just gonna live and
(30:09):
die five yard gains throwing or rushing. This is a
check down, Charlie. Offense is dk Metcalf, go balls and checkdowns.
So we'll see how this goes against the Dolphins defense.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Wow, talk about some hard truth check down, Charlie. Skaronic
thalan the fat kid of the jumbo package. If I'm
on defense, I have eleven men in the box or
I'm like really confused, like what are these guys gonna do?
I don't think they can do anything. Is there something
I'm missing? But the answer is no, there isn't because
(30:43):
Karonic's not gonna run a go route. That is is prehistoric.
And what's nuttier is it appears to be what Rogers wants. Uh,
here's a weird story from Kevin Kugler during the Bears
Bronze telecast on Fox that the Steelers are told to
do anything possible to make sure Miles Garrett doesn't get
(31:06):
a sack when the Steelers play Cleveland. He told us
that the Steelers guys told him they are not allowed
to get to him at a sack.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
He said, they told me if I'm anywhere close, they're
instructed to take the penalty.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
He said. It's been this way for a couple of
years now.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
By the way, he doesn't have a sack against the
Steelers in his.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Open game this year, but it did have four to
two last year.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I get it. Garrett's good player. He don't want him
to do damage. But if that's designed to keep Garrett
sacks down for Watt's sake, wow, because that would be petty,
Tom petty. If it's designed to keep Garrett from breaking
the quarterback in half, well that makes sense. By the way,
Garrett got two sacks yesterday and needs one sack to
(31:55):
tie TJ. Watts single season record two secks to break
it with three games to go. Hey, DJ, I'm afraid
I've got some bad news.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Besides the punctured lot. Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Here's Billy Garret X of this parish and now the
Minnesota wild gm. Uh, here's the exact scenario of him
concluding that big deal with Vancouver for the mega defenseman
quinn us.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Wherehere are you when you get the call from Jim like, hey,
let's do this.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Or.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
About the anist truth. I was making meatballs for our
Christmas Eve dinner and Jim called, so I had to
take my gloves, my latex gloves off, so I was
rolling meatballs and uh, he told me we have a deal,
and uh, there us a fist pump invault.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I'm more curious about the meatballs. I may.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
I bet Billy makes good meatballs. Wow, you got Dallas,
Colorado and Minnesota in the same division and people are
saying they should recede using the whole conference one versus eight,
which you can't do now.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
You can't decide that now.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
And you hear that crap all the time every time
one division gets cluttered with as much talent as that
division with Dallas, Colorado and Minnesota. But as a fan,
I want to see those series, those games like in sixteen,
seventeen and eighteen when the Penguins played Washington every year
in the second round. It was really the Stanley Cup
(33:34):
Final being played in the second round. The Penguins won
the Cup in sixteen and seventeen. The Caps won in eighteen,
and those were great series and I'm really glad we
saw them. We act like gray seeding would be upset proof.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
It's not. You might never get to see the great series.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Up next, Dealers Talk with Alan Saunders. It's Smart Man
Show one oh five to nine.
But the Penguins at the Big Store.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He blew a five to one lead on Saturday and
lost to San Jose in overtime. That's five to one
with like fourteen minutes left. You blew a three z
lead yesterday and lost to Utah in overtime. It was
three in IL at the end of two periods, and
you've lost now.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Five in a row, albeit four with loser points.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
He blew the lead with point one second left against
Anaheim and in the final two minutes of Dallas also,
So it just keeps happening. And now it's in their blood,
it's in their DNA. You can feel it coming. You
could feel it on Saturday, you could feel it on
Sunday that once the opposition got started, the Penguins did
(00:46):
not have the wherewithal to start them. At one point
I wondered aloud, well on Twitter if I would fire
the coach, Dan Muse, But I wouldn't. This is on
the players sit after the game. He was talking about
breaks and bounces. Maybe he talked differently to the team
behind closed doors. I hope so, because what somebody should
(01:08):
say is that what's going on as horseman nor and
utterly unacceptable because there's a lot of reasons, like the
Penguins never stop attacking, they never managed scoring situation, and
when they did deign to do that these last two games,
it was too late. The other team's push was on
(01:28):
and the Penguins could handle it. The defensive court was
supposed to be terrible for a while, it wasn't, and
now it is. The goaltending has been awful during this streak,
and then includes Morrischev. Yesterday the savior moving forward, Morischoff
made a lot of saves.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And the Penguin was good.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I played up till it was three and il, but
allowing four goals in the third period is unacceptable. In fact,
it was four goals in a little over seven minutes.
And it ain't the kid screwed it up. It's it's
the old slow veterans, and it's the star veterans who
should know better, who were staying out on the ice
too long and kind of lurking for empty that goal
(02:08):
sometimes instead of trying to protect the lead. But to
be honest, it doesn't matter why this is happening, it
just is. It's tough to say this because right now
the Penguins are just one point out of a wild
card spot and dig this. Wow, they have the fewest
losses in regulation in the Eastern Conference. But if the
(02:31):
Penguins can't pick it up in soon and get themselves
as safely as could be expected in sconsin a playoff
spot and soon, they need to look at trading Rustin
Raquel and Carlson and not indulging this fantasy that they
could make the playoffs and win series. Move forward, because
right now this team is proving it's not capable for
(02:55):
what they hope. Now, can they reverse what's going on quickly? Well,
Edmonton's in town on Tuesday. Maybe the Penguins will rise
to the occasion, or maybe Jari will shut them out
of McDavid will get nine points. That's tomorrow night at
PPG Paints Serena. Good tickets are still available and I
think you should go because Sid needs just two points
(03:18):
to tie Mariol of you for the Penguins all time
franchise lead. In fact, let's stick with that because boy,
like Jab and I were talking about, that is a
big deal. Hey, Mario was the best hockey player ever.
B Mario battled illness and injury, but Sid had the
concussion thing. See sid got to these numbers by being
(03:41):
the most consistent player in hockey history. D I never
thought I'd say anyone besides Gretzky and Orr are in
a class with Mario. But Sidney Crosby is Sidney Crosby
decidedly is Mario has been at the games lately. He'll
be there tomorrow night. I'm in case Sid breaks the record.
(04:02):
That's gonna be a cool moment. And it's cool because
the Penguins are a Champagne franchise. It's not like you're
the all time leading score for Saint Louis or the
Devils at Carolina. I don't even know who those jamokes
would be. So a way to go, Sid, and this
is a decidedly big deal.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
JB and I talked about the Penguins goaltending for a bit.
Morrishaff I mean, I think the kid is the future.
I think he is a star level goalie and he's
played mostly pretty good in his two stints up here
this year. He went back to Wilkes today because Skinner
got cleared by immigration to join the roster. So did
(04:44):
the defenseman that the Penguins got from Edmonton, Brett Kulak.
But his first stay here, morrishov let up a disappointing
overtime goal, and he did so again yesterday. I got
no problem with Stuart Skinner and Edmonton. They blame Stuart
Skinner for losing two State Stanley Cup finals, but at
(05:04):
Edmonton they forgot how to win a long time ago.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
The team and the fans they plumb forgot. Here's how
I see it.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Skinner played in the last two Stanley Cup finals, him
and Bobrowski from Florida. The rest of the league's goaltenders didn't.
Tristan Jari certainly didn't. Archer Schiloff certainly didn't. So I
believe in Stuart Skinner. Say his name and he appears.
(05:35):
Uh eight three to three four one two w xdx
the number to call for calls on the fifteens. It's
the let's see if I can remember, it's the sports
talk craze that's sweeping the nation. Audience participation, that's a
radio sensation, that's talks on the calls on the fifteens.
(05:57):
Call now at eight three three four one two wxdx.
We could just babble on, and I'm sure we will
about the Steelers game tonight. I think anybody who goes
as stupid in nine degree, whether we had some more
on call before who was getting ready to tailgate outside,
total idiot, probably gonna drink a bunch of cold beers
and pass out from hypothermia. I think the Steelers should
(06:21):
win this game tonight. It's far from a lock, but
I think if they get a lead and Miami has
to put the game into his hand, that'll be a
fade a compley. I talked earlier about the possibility to TJ.
Watt sues the Steelers over the try needling thing, the
(06:42):
punctured lung thing as administered by a team physician, and
ain't nobody talking about it here or nationally because the
Steelers are this sacred cole, but right now they are
just a crap organization, and this sacred cole should make
good hamburger for somebody besides me. Uh. Just the way
the official statement, the closest thing to one, came from
(07:05):
JJ Watt. It then challenged the Steelers. It just stated facts.
TJ's wife did kind of the same thing on Instagram,
and the Steelers I don't think they put out an
official statement aside from what being unavailable for tonight's game,
Tomlin said he didn't know what was going on, which
is just a bold faced pie. But I will say this,
(07:25):
over the years, Tomlin and the Steelers have proven to
be really good at lying. But the Steelers, they mismanage
a lot of decisions, make bad decisions. And here's the
one that's more football orient and one of the worst
decisions they've made is the myth of Mount Washington. They
got two legit tight ends who put up numbers in
(07:45):
their careers, John Euan Mouth, and they don't play him. Instead,
they played the big fats because he can block. Except
the running game still ain't no good. And the Steelers
quit on a constantly, and they used the jumbo package too,
and the running games still ain't no good, Still can't
run the ball, still don't try, still don't stick to it.
And yet they stick with Mount Washington because of a
(08:07):
viral moment. And that's all he's done this year. It
is just purely idiotic. All right, we got scooching Dawn
on hold for calls on the fifteen. We'll get to
them just around the corner. You can call now and
get in line, just like that go Go song. That's
when they get in line. I keep I keep singing.
(08:28):
I watched Spinal Tap two again last night, no yesterday,
before the Pengala game, Rob Reiner's last movie, and it's
really good. I keep singing this song, Bitch Skull, time
to give that whip a crack. I'm gonna have to
send you back to Bitch Skull. There are great heavy
(08:50):
metal songs in that movie, which makes the parody all
the more funny. Bitch School, What Oh five ninety X
love Spinal Tap, It's time for call was on the fifteen.
Let's go to Scoot Scoots rung with double M What man?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Would you agree that Roman Wilson taking a back seat
for two has been receivers in their thirties just shows
you how incompidently this organization is run.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Well, it's incompetent for one of two reasons.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Uh. One is that he's no good, But then they
drafted him in the third round just last year, just
like they drafted Caleb Johnson this year and they barely
use him, although that could change tonight if Jalen Warren
misses the game Dude illness, or they haven't properly developed
Roman Wilson, or they're letting Aaron Rodgers dictate that he
wants old guys out there, old, older, oldest, like this
(09:41):
fossil Adam Thielen.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
It's so infuriating.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
People think they're a well run organization.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
I just don't think they've been well.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Horribly run.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
The Steelers have been horribly run for years, ever since
tomlin usurped all the power from Colbert, and really Colbert
never had any It goes back to and Kyrie usurped
all the power from Tom Donaho the GM.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Then it's most like Gorbachev in the final years of
the Iron Curtain.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
You get that feeling, hey, except for the except for
the blemish on the head.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick, you're on
with double.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
M Hey, Mark, I actually take a different approach. I
do not think the Steelers have a well run organization.
But you put it out there about Aaron Rodgers, whether
it was a good choice. I do truly believe that
he was our absolute best option.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Okay, okay, to do what to do well?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Well?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Number One, you said the other day Aaron Rodgers taking over.
In fact, you just said it a couple of minutes ago.
Is that necessarily a bad thing? I believe he's okay.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
But you're not answering my question. What what was the
goal when he took over? I think what was the
goal when they signed? What was the goal when?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
No?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
No, you see, you're not listening to the question. What
was the goal when he took over? What was the
level of accomplishment hope.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
For I'm sorry, Yeah, you're right, trying to win a
playoff game?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You think it's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
I think he's their best option, That's what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
But if you want to set the bar that low,
I suppose an old bastard like him bringing in a
whole bunch of other old bastards like Theiland. I guess
that is your best option until it doesn't work.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Would you say that he is the best football IQ,
including all the staff on that team.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
If so, it's by default, and I'm not impressed. I'm
not impressed when you got the fat kid at tight end,
which seems to be his preference. I'm not impressed when
you have feeling an MVS out there, which is his preference.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
That brings up another point. You've been asking who would
be the offensive MVP. Would you say, if Friar Mooth
actually was able to play, he would most likely be
the MVP because he's been pretty clutch.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
You know what's funny, Friar Mooth went from being totally
overrated by this team to being put on the pay
No Mind list. It's quite a drop, but he got
the money.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Yes, but I think he would be the MVP if
he actually was able to play.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I think right now the offensive MVP, if it's not Rogers,
which again would be by default, it might be Ciamalo
And that says a lot about Camalo and his role
into making that offensive line at least pretty good. But
when you're left guards at MVP candidate Holy Moses.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Would you say that Aaron Rodgers lost any games for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Well, he was so bad in the LA game they
didn't have a chance.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
The thing that upsets me about the LA game is
if you notice whenever last week, those same passes are
exact on target. Do you think that was a Rogers
thing or was that a miscommunication with the receivers.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I just don't think Rogers is that good anymore, and
I think you're far overestimating him when you blame everything
he does wrong on somebody else, which, whether subconsciously or not,
is exactly what you've done.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
What do you think their record would be right now
with Mason Rudolph?
Speaker 3 (12:59):
I think we would have lost two or three more games.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
That's good, get a better draft pick. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Let's go to Don in Bethel Park, Gone, you're on
with double muy.
Speaker 5 (13:11):
What do you think the one driving factor is with
this Penguin ineptitude in both the shootouts and overtime, particularly
on overtime, because at first I thought, okay, it's the
face off, but if you watch, we win a good
bit of that initial face They just.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Have a terrible personnel for three on three. They don't
know how to play three on three, and they don't
finish three on three, which is odd because they're decent
finishers five on five or whatever. There are some who think,
and maybe it's true that this team start is fool's gold,
even as you know, good as it's been till now,
up until this really bad stretch of blowing leads, maybe
(13:49):
it's been fools gold because it's been carried by special teams.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
But I mean, does it really matter why?
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Well, it's so bad in the parent but the other
team as your Broni's that score the goals too.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Who are the guys for Utah?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
I mean you got car Cone?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I never heard of them, Yeah, but there they got
good players.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
It's just guys you've not heard of.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Yeah, I guess yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I mean, I mean, I don't know why they're bad
three on three. They didn't practice it much until recently
affect them. Still not one hundred percent sure they do.
I think they just might be practicing shootouts, like like
Gino's terrible three on three.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I've been told he just thinks it's stupid. You know.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It's just I don't know why they're not good three
on three. And ever since Shiro and Bilesma management coaching
have never thought it's important to try to a get
personnel to specialize in any of those things the shootout too,
or or to drill people until you figure it out.
I mean now starting to practice the shootout now a
little late for that. They're they're one in nine already
(14:50):
in games decided after sixty minutes.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Thank you for the call down.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Up next, we're gonna talk to our football guru, Matt
Williamson on one oh five to nine double m on
the X Steelers hosting Miami tonight in nine degree whether
don at Akashort joining me now to talk about it.
Our football guru, the former pro and college Scott Matt
Williamson man, how much is the absence of TJ Wathart.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
It seems like they got edge rusher relatively covered.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
I think it hurts a ton in this game, not
because of the pass rush, and frankly, I can make
the argument that he's their third best edge pass rusher
this year. I mean frankly, I think Herbig is number
one in terms of pass rush. Now, Tua is immobile
and he's going to be in the pocket. You know
exactly where to find him. He's much different than trying
(15:37):
to sack Lamar or al in the last two weeks.
But why I think it's so crucial this week is
TJ is still an elite an elite run defender, edge defender,
and that's exactly where this run game goes. They try
to go off tackle wide zone speed, speed, speed, an
offensive line that gets off the ball very very quickly.
(16:00):
They present a lot of angle problems, alignment problems. They're
the heaviest motion team in the league and they run
off motion really really well. So his head for the
game and ability to push the run to the inside
is going to be missed drastically to me and might
have to fall on Sawyer a little bit too. I
(16:22):
think he's capable, but I don't think he's one of
the best edge defenders in the league.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Like what right?
Speaker 2 (16:27):
But I was going to actually suggest that Matt Sawyer,
for the circumstance you're describing, is a better bet maybe
than her.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Big correct, I would say so, but I have to
give her a big credit. I mean, he's gotten so
much better as a run defender, you know, throughout the
course of the year or year after year. But Sawyer
is definitely a bigger body.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Now the Steelers have to put the game into his hands.
I think. Is that easier said than.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Done, much easier said than done, but exactly the whole
key to the game in my opinion too. Two is
a certain kind of quarterback, and their offense has done
an extremely good job of working around his strengths and
his weaknesses. I mean, if you think Rogers gets the
ball out quick, I mean watch Tua and they're always
(17:14):
quick over the middle type after the catch, very precise.
But he has no second you know, second effort issues.
You know, he doesn't create if things don't go to
plan and he's throwing the ball to the other team
much more. He has very little physicality to his game,
(17:36):
and the receivers other than Waddle are pretty pedestrian, especially
with Tyreek out of the mix. But it's a really
well designed offense. They know exactly what he is. But
you're right, I mean, to me, then you know that's
a cut the chase. The biggest issue for the entire
game is how well Miami runs a ball.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Right, because, like we agree, if it gets to two,
they're in trouble. And you describe everything you know wrong
with to and I echo all of it.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
But what went wrong with him? He was supposed to
be much better than this.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
How much did the concussions figure in his demise as
a player.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
That's a hard thing to comment on because he's had
so many injuries, and he never was particularly physically overwhelming
to start with. I mean, he's not right, he was
never great to start with. Matt no, no, I mean,
but even like Tank for Tua back in the day,
it wasn't like because he was so physically gifted. I mean,
I never understood that to begin with. I also wanted
(18:31):
to throw something into your last question too. I mean
Tua's performances in cold weather, and I'm talking like forty
degrees and lower are really bad. I mean, this kid's
from Hawaii who went to Bama, who went to Miami.
I mean like I mean, he does not handle the football. Well,
that's going to be a lot harder, a lot heavier,
(18:52):
a lot harder to control. I mean, you want this
guy throwing outside the numbers holding the football. But I
never really understood what the hype was about to begin with. Honestly.
I mean, he's he's very limited in terms of arm strength, physicality,
ability to break tastles, extend, all those things are pretty
(19:12):
average at best.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Well, and you said something that a lot of people don't.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You actually brought up a legitimate reason why cold weather
makes the game tougher, Like the grip on the ball,
the way to the wall.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
It's not just his comfort tonight, right exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
I mean, it's controlling the football, and Rogers has done
it expertly over his career. I mean, we haven't seen
it in a while, but nobody bay right exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Now, you mentioned Miami's offensive game plan. What's your take
on Mike McDaniel. Is he a legit good coach and
analytics geek?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Maybe both.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Very different style. He doesn't exactly look the part. He
outwardly talks about his checkered past and some demons that
he's gotten over. I don't know if he's a great
head coach, but man, his team is playing really really
hard for him these last four or five weeks since
they fired the GM and traded some guys at the deadline.
(20:09):
So I think he is respected and liked. But as
an offensive mind, he's top two or three in the
league for me. I mean, like, if you just let
him design the offense, maybe that's you know what. He
hits his head on the ceiling as in terms of
his career, where he's just a all time great Josh McDaniels,
you know, offensive coordinator only guy because he is a
(20:33):
unique leader of men to say the least. But boy,
he designed things up extremely well.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
We're talking about Williamson, our football guru here on the
Mark Madden Show. Matt Blots was by the Steelers Pro
Shop shop Dots Steelers dot Com. Matt that Miami defense
has been pretty good lately, what's been the catalyst there.
They'd be getting a bunch of takeaways too. Maybe they
can match the Steelers tonight in that regard.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Yeah, and I'll be honest, that's the part of the
game that I've had the hardest time wrapping my head around.
I can't figure out if it's a below average defense,
it's just playing some bad teams. I mean, the last
couple of teams they played have been really rough, Like
the Jets are an embarrassment, and they had a quarterback
in last week that I had never heard of. They
did beat the Bills four weeks ago, though, they're definitely
(21:21):
taking the ball away. They run well, they're pretty good
up the middle, they're linebackers are good players. We know
Minka is a player. But their outside corners are really bad. Yeah, yeah,
but that might not.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Be a factor tonight. I was thinking about that. You're right,
the weakest part of their d might be the corners.
But look at the Steelers' receivers and how they're used
for that matter exactly exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
I mean, I would hope you can get they're gonna
play a lot of too high. They're gonna beg you
to run the football. They're not a super physical defense,
but I would still hope you can get Metcalf isolated
on any of their corners there. Their corners are amongst
the worst in the league. They do hard as a
unit and all that good stuff, But I can't bring
(22:04):
myself to say, man, that's a much improve Miami defense.
I meany trade away a couple of their best players,
and they played some pretty bad teams.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
How much influence does it feel like Rogers has on
the Steelers offense right now? Not just scheme but also personnel,
with guys like Fielan and mvs putting Wilson on the
bench and well, Wilson no helmet and Calvin Austin. I
know he's hurt, but his role is shrunk as well.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, I'm sure he has quite a bit of influence,
and I'm not sure so sure that that's a bad thing.
I mean, I'm not even sure you're implying it's a
bad thing. I think he's a really smart football mind
and realizes and he also plays such a certain way
that he really needs guys to be exactly where they're
supposed to be. And even though Felan can't run anymore,
(22:52):
I'm certain he'll do that. I would imagine he has
a lot of influence, and again I don't have a
problem with it. I do think him and Arthur Smith together.
I'm not saying that they're a bad combination. They're not.
It's just Arthur Smith wants to throw in the middle
of the field off play action and that's not what
(23:14):
Rogers does anymore. And it's kind of a weird marriage.
Back to when they signed Rogers.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
The deep balls came out at Baltimore more than any
game this season and almost out of nowhere to Matt.
Will that continue tonight against Miami. You mentioned their corners
they good, but you do have Menca arking back there.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Yeah, and Menca will play more slot than he will,
like beat middle in Miami because their slots are so bad.
I mean, which is kind of funny. Is you traded
for Ramsey to upgrade at slot and he ends up
at free safety. They trade for Menca to upgrade at
free safety and he ends up at slot. So both
are versatile, good players. A big key to their defensive
(23:54):
scheme is taking away the deep ball. I mean, they
do want to play a lot of two high safeties.
They realize basically all their defensive backs not name Minka
Fitzpatrick are pretty terrible. So we're gonna try to double
on the outside. We're gonna make you dink and dunk
down the field, which basically is what the Steelers do anyway.
So I wouldn't think this is a great deep ball,
(24:16):
drive the field, drive the ball down the field type
a night.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
How can the Steelers resuscitate their running game? And is
that even a big concern to them? And now Warren
might not play.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
That, I don't get either. So Number one, the thing
that I think we talk about every Monday is time
of possession and number of plays that the defense plays
versus the offense is now officially obscene. I mean, it's
unbelievably bad. And to me, step one to fix that
huge problem would be just to run the ball more.
(24:51):
And I'm not even convinced it's a bad running game.
I mean, I don't think it so quick, that's my point.
I mean, if I had I say, one thing that's
wrong with the running game is that they don't do
it enough. And you know, like the Packers game is
the best example I could give. They run the ball
really well all to the first half against a good defense,
(25:11):
Warren gets th recarries in the second half and you lose.
You know, like, it makes no sense to me whatsoever.
I mean, if you isolate all the parts, the ball carriers,
the blocking, the scheme, none are at the top of
the league, but none at the bottom of the league either.
I mean, if you just stick with it and help
(25:31):
your defense a little bit. I don't understand why they won't,
why they refuse to.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Well, that's my point, Matt, because you know, I know
you say rogers is influence in the offense makes sense,
But this running game being minimized, that's his influence too,
And I don't like it at all. And it also,
like you said, it conflicts with Smith's vision because what's
the point of Washington playing that much if you're not
going to run the ball?
Speaker 1 (25:53):
What's the point of the jumbo package.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Exactly? And you know, along those lines, why dedicate a
passing game to your tight end room if you never
throw the mittle field. I mean, like there's some counterintuitive
planning here. Now. What I can't figure out is the
run past percentage. If we all have a problem with
(26:18):
it because there is more pass heavy than we like.
Is that Arthur Smith thing. History shows it's not that
guy wants to run the ball every time. Is it
a Tomlin thing? I bet not. I think he wants
to play a conservative style. Rogers on the other hand,
is you know, the Jets were a bad team last year,
(26:40):
but they also had the fewest carries in the league.
I mean, he's known for checking out of runs at
the line of scrimmage. Now, some of it is a
case by case basis where it's definitely the right thing
to do if you better receivers, if you're throwing the
Jordan Nelson at Devonte Adams and these guys that can
win one on one. Because I do think he comes
(27:01):
the line a lot, sees advantageous looks, and then Austin
or Wilson doesn't get open, and you know they take
away Metcalf with a double. So who's to say? But
I bet it's not Smith that is holding back the
percentage of runs.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
No, I appreciate, I feel very certain about that, and
not Tomlin either. Really, now, how does this game stack
up in terms of importance to both teams? We know
Miami's mathematically eliminated if they lose, but I feel like
the Steelers really need this game too, Baltimore beat Cincinnati.
If you lose your throwing yourself back in the hole.
It just it seems like a big game, kind of
(27:40):
on a sly basis.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
I agree. I mean, it's means more to Miami because
it truly is do or die for them, of course,
but I do think they're doing a good job in
Miami of keeping their jobs and maybe even getting to
another year. So they're trending the right way after being
one of the worst teams in the league. So they
have some momentum and a positive man or probably win
or lose. I just heard today that the Ravens are
(28:06):
back to being the Vegas favorites in the AFC North. Again,
that's a little alarming. I mean, I guess that's not
a ring endorsement. And you can look at games like
the Browns game, which is gonna be really important, But
what if it's a blizzard and nobody can do anything
in Miles Garrettt's three sacks and you lose nine to six.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yikes, Matt, there's always tremendous insight and enjoy. You're not
going tonight, are you don't go? You're not going to
be out in the cold.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
No, I'm actually in two studios away from you, getting
ready to do the pregame show with Tom.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Well, you should have come over. Would have been nice
to have company.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
I heard it was a little tight where you're sitting
right now, so I just walked in.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Matt, great stuff, Enjoy the game. We'll talk next week.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
I'll see at the coffee maker in a couple of minutes.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
You actually will.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
That's Matt Williamson, brought to us by Shop dot Steelers
dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
In just a moment.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Uh, you know, Miles Garrett's really close to breaking Watts record.
We'll talk about that in the moment. Single sacks in
a single season. And there's a report from somebody who
says the Steelers are told to take a penalty every
time Garrett might get a sack when they play each other.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
That's weird. We'll get to that in a moment here
on one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Wow, this is the first season since nineteen ninety eight
without Manning, Brady or Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
This segment brought to was by the Steelers Pro Shop.
Get it direct from the team at Shop dot Steelers
dot com. Uh. Here's Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports saying
very specifically why the Steelers offense sucks.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
They had a play out there where it was it
was Adam Deeelen Scars guard, Bench Kronik, a jumbo offensive lineman,
and then Darnell Washington as well. So they have two
block first receivers, a six offensive lineman Darnel Washington, who's
essentially another offensive lineman. It's like this offense has zero
threat of launching the ball. They're just gonna live and
(30:09):
die five yard gains throwing or rushing. This is a
check down, Charlie. Offense is dk Metcalf, go balls and checkdowns.
So we'll see how this goes against the Dolphins defense.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Wow, talk about some hard truth check down, Charlie. Skaronic
thalan the fat kid of the jumbo package. If I'm
on defense, I have eleven men in the box or
I'm like really confused, like what are these guys gonna do?
I don't think they can do anything. Is there something
I'm missing? But the answer is no, there isn't because
(30:43):
Karonic's not gonna run a go route. That is is prehistoric.
And what's nuttier is it appears to be what Rogers wants. Uh,
here's a weird story from Kevin Kugler during the Bears
Bronze telecast on Fox that the Steelers are told to
do anything possible to make sure Miles Garrett doesn't get
(31:06):
a sack when the Steelers play Cleveland. He told us
that the Steelers guys told him they are not allowed
to get to him at a sack.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
He said, they told me if I'm anywhere close, they're
instructed to take the penalty.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
He said. It's been this way for a couple of
years now.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
By the way, he doesn't have a sack against the
Steelers in his.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Open game this year, but it did have four to
two last year.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I get it. Garrett's good player. He don't want him
to do damage. But if that's designed to keep Garrett
sacks down for Watt's sake, wow, because that would be petty,
Tom petty. If it's designed to keep Garrett from breaking
the quarterback in half, well that makes sense. By the way,
Garrett got two sacks yesterday and needs one sack to
(31:55):
tie TJ. Watts single season record two secks to break
it with three games to go. Hey, DJ, I'm afraid
I've got some bad news.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Besides the punctured lot. Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Here's Billy Garret X of this parish and now the
Minnesota wild gm. Uh, here's the exact scenario of him
concluding that big deal with Vancouver for the mega defenseman
quinn us.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Wherehere are you when you get the call from Jim like, hey,
let's do this.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Or.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
About the anist truth. I was making meatballs for our
Christmas Eve dinner and Jim called, so I had to
take my gloves, my latex gloves off, so I was
rolling meatballs and uh, he told me we have a deal,
and uh, there us a fist pump invault.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I'm more curious about the meatballs. I may.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
I bet Billy makes good meatballs. Wow, you got Dallas,
Colorado and Minnesota in the same division and people are
saying they should recede using the whole conference one versus eight,
which you can't do now.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
You can't decide that now.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
And you hear that crap all the time every time
one division gets cluttered with as much talent as that
division with Dallas, Colorado and Minnesota. But as a fan,
I want to see those series, those games like in sixteen,
seventeen and eighteen when the Penguins played Washington every year
in the second round. It was really the Stanley Cup
(33:34):
Final being played in the second round. The Penguins won
the Cup in sixteen and seventeen. The Caps won in eighteen,
and those were great series and I'm really glad we
saw them. We act like gray seeding would be upset proof.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
It's not. You might never get to see the great series.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Up next, Dealers Talk with Alan Saunders. It's Smart Man
Show one oh five to nine.
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