January 7, 2026 • 32 mins
Mark continues talking Steelers and Post Gazette, and is joined by Mike Decourcey for some Steelers talk
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Mark Madden Show. Get calls in for
calls on the fifteens A three three four one two wxdx,
or use the super secret looped up back door number
four one two three three three wxdx. And you can
follow me on Twitter of course at Mark Madden X.
We had a big meeting today with all the talent
(00:23):
here at iHeartMedia, and I pointed out that our entire
social media promotion consists of me saying follow me on
Twitter at Mark Maddinx.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Which I do every day.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Faithfully, by the way, uh, and you should follow uh.
Whatever happened to Harrison and chad O Chosenko reporting that
the blue haired guy in Detroit used the racial slur
and insulted DK Metcf's mama.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
When, uh, when that incident took place in Detroit? What
did they say?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
They said they either talked to DK or got a
text from DK, and that sure went quiet because they're gonna.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Get sued too by mister blue hair.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
And I bet we find out the DK Metcalf never
communicated with them at all.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Because you know, these guys, they think they're in my business.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
They don't know the first thing about my business, and
they don't know the rules of my business. Even if
they do, they wouldn't follow them because well, in Harrison's case,
like I said, that guy can never stop being a bully.
I can think of very few less likable people in
the history of Pittsburgh sports, great football player that he
definitely was.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, get your calls in because of.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Today's meeting, I am not nearly as prepared as I
might be, So get the calls in to help me out.
Got the course on today's ice on today, Bret Michaels
on today, I keep coming back to the Harbaughugh firing
and what's going to happen now with the Baltimorrons. The
citizens locally, they're like, I help Baltimore highs Stefanski. He's
(02:03):
just an offensive coordinator. Yeah, he won Coach of the
Year twice in Cleveland, not as a coordinator. Or they're like,
I hope Baltimore hires Kingsbury because he's just an offensive coordinator,
which is kind of true and has been proven. But
you know what they're saying in Baltimore. Here's what they're
saying in Baltimore. I hope the Steelers keep Tom Win forever.
(02:28):
That's what they're saying in Baltimore, the Steelers are not
serious people as long as Tom Win coaches. As the
record shows, Tomlin has the worst resume than Harbam. The
Steelers just never had a quarterback that could run Tom
Win out of tom never had that kind of power. Well,
Ben had that kind of power. He just didn't exercise it.
(02:49):
So that's on you, Ben. It's your fault.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Ben.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I get your calls in now. I enjoy taking calls.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I enjoy to convince myself, convince myself.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
That's the tough part. Convincing you is easy.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I think the Steelers will probably win Monday Night, just
because they're due and the rock fight factor. Demiko Ryans
being like Tomlin, I don't think the Houston offense is great.
I do think the Houston defense is great, But I
think it's gonna be a close game. And Tomlin has
a great record in one score games. Then again, Demiko
Ryans is a pretty good record of one score games.
(03:27):
The point is Ryan's will let the game turn into
what Tomlin wants it to be, just like Harbass so
often does. So I think that favors the Steelers. Maybe
I'm grasping at Straws. Actually, I know, definitely I'm grasping
at Straws because Houston's a better team it is at
Akroshore though, and you got the Priest with the Holy Water.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
If I had the Priest on, you know what song
I play.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Bound dump boum boun hold a Diver and then I
would introduce Bonnie Diver. You've been down too long in
the midnight. See what's the traffic like on seventy nine?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Look out? Okay, get your calls in now, Okay, what's this.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Awesome? Oh?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Brett Michaels. Pictures of Brett Michaels at the Steeler game.
Brett loves the Steelers. Can't wait to have him on
at four o'clock. If you don't have optimism for Monday night,
be listening at four pm because Brett Michaels will provide
call now eight three three four one two WXDX or
four one two three three three wsdx because we got calls.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
On the fifteens coming up right around the corner. It's
loving nothing, It's great. Pung baby the X at one
oh five nine. We got Mike the Course on at
the bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I think the big story for the Steelers is the
return of DK Metcalf from suspension for this playoff game
Monday Night against Houston, and Metcalf has had a great
playoff resume in terms of individual performance, which Seattleie played
in four playoff games. That's not a ton, but it's
(05:25):
not an insignificant sample either. And he averaged one hundred
and twelve point eight receiving yards per game, which is
a ton, and scored four.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Touchdowns, no five touchdowns. And I don't think he's gonna
put up.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Big numbers in this game Monday because I don't think
the Steelers offense can free him up to put up
big numbers. But what Metcalf's presence will do, it will
pull people from other tasks to cover him. He gonna
get doubled and it opens up the rest of the
(06:06):
offense that much more. Now, is it an advantage to
throw more to Thielan and Mvs and Scotty Miller? Oh yeah,
if they're more open, and they will be more open
than they would be if Metcalf weren't playing. I still
want to see Friarmouth and John who utilized more. But
(06:29):
I could want in one hand to defecate in the other.
And I know for sure in this case which one
gonna fill up first. But what do you think the
impact of Metcalf's return will be? Will it be more
tangible or more intangible? What do you see happening A
three three four one two wsdx. Also the Post Gazette thing,
(06:50):
The Post Gazette shutting down as of May, as announced
today by the Blocks, the Block family that owns it,
and they didn't even notify the workers before they made
the public announcement. It looks like and that's not surprising.
They're just billionaire scumbags, always have been pieces of crap.
And what happened with the Post Casette it's unnerving as
(07:12):
a media member for me, and it's sad, but it's
not unexpected. That strike, even though the union one, maybe
because the union one, it was always going to kill
the Post Gazette and it absolutely did. And while the
Blocks of the primary villains in this, the union is
secondary because it was stupid, not that the Blocks would
(07:36):
have done this anyway, But I think that strike, dragging
it out and winning it guaranteed this day would come.
I'll take your thoughts on that. A three three four
one two wxdx let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick,
you're on with Mark.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Hey, Mark, here's why I like the Steelers' chances of
winning against Houston.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
In fact, I think it's like their opposite. The Steelers
to me, aren't the old Steelers team where it's where
the Steelers, this is what we're doing, stop us. They
are a lot more unpredictable in my opinion, And I'm
really how you feel about that.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I don't think they're unpredictable at all. How are they unpredictable?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I don't think Rogers allows them to be predictable. I
think he's making a lot of the changes that makes
it unpredictable.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
YEA, throw the ball in the middle and barely throw
the ball down field, You're predictable. Now they have thrown
the ball a bit more in the middle and a
bit more downfield lately. And maybe Rogers was waiting for
the playoffs to cut loose in that regard. But I
think I'm absolutely accurate when I say they've been predictable
for the vast majority of this season. Predictable, vanilla, bland
(08:43):
and boring.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Do you well?
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Actually, I do disagree with you, obviously, but you know
you're a lot smarter.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Than I am.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
That's true, Yes, very true.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I think when you're talking about passing in the middle,
I don't think he has a lot of the time
to pass the middle.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
But he did well. Well, he better.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
That's gonna be something I talk about at length later
that he hed better be willing to take risks now
that the playoffs are here. And there's a sound bite
who's that from SoundBite from from uh Pete Prisco on
CBS saying that that's gonna have to happen. He's gonna
have to be willing to get hit to succeed in
the playoffs. And if he saved that till the playoffs
(09:23):
to take that risk, that's okay, that's common sense.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
He's forty two.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Like you.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
I also agree. I would love to see the tight
ends utilize more. But I am pleased with the fact
that we are utilizing the tight ends a lot more
than we have in the past. They're not look.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
At farms numbers, No, they're not. Goodbye, you lost me there.
I mean the tight end. Oppenheimer is supposed to revolutionize
the Steelers' offense with all these tight ends, and mostly
they used the fat kid to block until he got hurt.
Not exactly revolutiontionary. Let's go to Theodore Theodore.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
What's up, hey, bro? Quick question.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I'm gonna hang up for the answer now.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
We'll just let you hang up now. Thanks for the call.
Hate when people do that, and don't brow me unless
you know me. Laison line open eight three to three
four one two WXX. You know what's weird about right
now with the Steelers as we face this home playoff
game on the Monday night against Houston. Don't forget you
(10:30):
can watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company.
That's the Iron City and Icy Light Brewery just off
through twenty eight and Creighton Huge, big screen TV, huge
room to sit down, have an Icy Light and watch
gonna be great. That's Monday night for the Steelers and
Sunday night same place for the Penguins as well. But
(10:50):
here's the weird thing with the Penguins, I mean the Steelers.
You gotta worry about Chris Boswell. When's the last time
we had to worry about a kicker? Had to worry
about Chris Boswell? But he missed against Detroit, missed against Cleveland,
missed against Baltimore. He is not a sure thing. It's
like he's got the hips and yeah, that's definitely a worry.
(11:14):
Up next, I'm gonna talk to Mike the course. You
have the Sporting News here on one o five to nine.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
It's The Woody Show tomorrow morning from six till ten.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
WHOA, You'll got a day Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Maybe on one oh five nights is former.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Lier day in quarterback Brady Quinn. Here's what's trending from
the Iheartsports Network, presented by Austin.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
Reports in sports business journals say that NFL attendants dropped
nearly one percent this season. At the league's first loss
since the pandemic ash For the Steelers, they'll have an
extra day arrest before preparing the host protections on Monday night.
Pittsburgh hasn't won a postseason game since twenty sixteen, and
college basketball rolls on tonight with Ducaine visiting Saint Joseph's.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
The Duke's coming off a loss to BCU last time out.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
I'm Scott David said, wish you could save on home
insurance with all time.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
I'd love to get the balls.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Today was a very good point.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
The exit one oh five nine Steeler.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Is hosting euston Monday Night, used in a slight favorite,
joining me, no, how to discuss it Pittsburgh's own.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
He's from the Sporting News. He's Mike de Coursey.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Mike, here's an odd thing that we haven't talked about
in Pittsburgh for years. Should we be worried about Chris Boswell?
He's been so reliable, but he's missed the kick in
each of the last three weeks.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, one of them was blocked the extra point apparently.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yeah, but I thought he kicked it into a block.
I don't think it was going to be good either way,
but at any rate, Well.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I mean, if you look at it, it was going directly.
You know, it was flying directly.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
And then it took this hard twist to the right
and that caused it to miss. So I have to
think that it was that it was caused by the deflection.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
But yeah, I mean I think, well, I think that he.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Is so reliable and has been so reliable, and sometimes.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
You just expect it all work.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
I mean, let's not forget he also kicked the fifty
seven yarder in Well. I mean, it's not like it
was an indoor game or anything. It wasn't awful. It
wasn't awful weather conditions, but it's still cold and the
ball doesn't fly usually as far, and he did still
kick that. But yeah, I mean, I think that that
there there might be some concern about why he would
(13:22):
miss two kicks that were easily makeable for him. Plus
the you know, if he kicked it low and that
contributed to the block on that on that extra point,
All of that is a factor. And sure, I mean,
I don't I don't think that it can be dismissed
as an issue, but there are so many bigger ones
(13:43):
in trying to defeat a team with Houston's defense, and
that being the one thing that has been problematic on
that side of the ball when the Steelers have had
When when the oppositions had the ball, there are certain
things that have really bothered the steel but when the
Steelers have had the ball, there's been basically one thing
(14:04):
that's bothered the Steelers, and that is a significant pass rush.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Well, right, and Houston certainly has that, which we'll get
to in a second. But DK Metcalf's coming back from
a suspension and he has a pretty good playoff resume,
But I'm not sure this offense with the Steelers will
facilitate those kind of numbers Monday night.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
So will his.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Impact be tangible or will his presence more be a
trickle down getting other guys open, getting other things to
work in that offense.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
That's somewhat up to Houston how they decide to defend him.
If they decide to play him basic, maybe a little
hell from a safety just you know, basic, Do you
cover him the other guy covers Calvin Austin, et cetera,
third guy covers Feeling in the slaughter or whatever it
(14:52):
might be. Then I think that he can absolutely impact
the game. If Houston decides they don't want to be
beaten by DK, and they think they can deal with
the threat that Austin might present, or Feelin or Valdis
Scantling or whoever it might be. That the main objective
in the past game is to take away DK. That
(15:14):
they can probably do that, But a lot of that
as well comes down to again the how the pass
rush is protected uh and protected against. And it may
not matter at all if if DK is running great
routes and getting opened against single coverage or double teams,
if Aaron Rodgers doesn't have time to throw the football.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well, there you go. Let's let's address that directly. Houston
has a ferocious pass rush. How will the Steelers cope
with that? Because the O line's been good, but this
is certainly a heightened circumstance.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
Yeah, they haven't faced a lot of teams with two
ends as good as what Houston will bring to town.
That's that's the question that they have to deal with.
Anderson is phenomenal, just a tremendous player. Twenty tackles for
loss is ridiculous. Twelve sacks to go with that. Hunter
fifteen sacks and fifteen TfL. So those guys get past
(16:11):
your line and they cause havoc. And they've been doing
it against very good opposition. They destroyed Buffalo and I
think it was a Thursday night game.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
They destroyed their offensive line in that game.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
I think Allen went down eight times or something like
that if I'm remembering correctly. It's a really difficult thing.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
The Steelers have.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Gotten really good tackle play over the last four or
five games. It's gone very well. They of course, you
did a lot of extra help to deal in Cleveland
with what they faced there. But I think that the
question here is can you sort of replicate what you
(16:54):
did against Detroit because obviously with Hutchinson, Detroit had a
phenomenal pass rusher as well, and they didn't have to
do as much of scheming as they did in Cleveland.
They were able to play it a little bit more
straight up. Some of that as Darnell Washington being around
to help. They don't have that now. You can use
(17:17):
friar Mouth to chip if you want, or you can
use one of the backs, or you can use John who,
but Washington was as good at that as anybody in
the league, and having that be unavailable as an option
certainly is a factor in this one.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, as far as the matchups go, Like you mentioned,
Washington's not there to help out, and I think sometimes
when they have the running back chip, they've they've done
that to excess, like they did against Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
The kind of the threat of Miles Garrett.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I do feel like Tan who can contain Anderson, I mean,
not shut him down, but contain them. I'm worried about
Cooking against Tyner. That could be a grotesque mismatch.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
Mike Well, but Cookson really good. I mean he hasn't
he hasn't let them down yet. And he's playing for
a lot because if he does this again against these guys,
he gets a significant offer from here, there or everywhere
if he does a good job in this game, even
(18:15):
if he.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Has a little help.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
I think the difference being that when they played against
Garrett and they used their backs to do a lot
of chipping, it did work, but it did negate a
lot of what is the best element of the Steelers packet.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
It kind of took Gainwell out of the game to
be succinct.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Yeah, I mean, and whether it's Gainwell or Warren, obviously,
gain Well's probably got the best hands on the team,
and he's really excels at accelerating after the catch on
those swing passes. You know, I am not a fan
of the sideline passes to wide outs with one block
and see what you can make may be my least
favorite play in all of football, But the swing pass
(18:57):
to one of the Steelers terrific backs after the defense
has retreated a little bit and coverage, et cetera. That's
been really successful for this team. The players usually relatively uncovered,
so you don't have to worry as much about the
pick six going the other way. He usually is able
to at least get a little bit of yardage, and
then on the occasions when they get a good angle
(19:18):
and not a lot of traffic, they've turned it often
into big plays. So you don't want to mess with
that too much. And obviously in Cleveland they basically threw
that page out of the playbook to have the backs
help out on Garrett.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Ryan's and Tomlin are both defensive minded head coaches, and
neither one minds the one score rock fight. Is that
kind of play in to Tomlin's hands, given that you
know they're the underdogs and he's an expert at that
kind of game.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
If they can keep it to that it does He's
got a phenomenal record. I think it was Brian Baco
that posted a chart today that show how many, I
think it was over the last five years, how many
games one score games that the Steelers have played in,
and their winning percentage is massively better than the second
(20:11):
place team in those games. It some you know, sometimes
you get a little lucky like Sunday night and the
opposition misses a kick, but you don't win as often
as they do in close games without some expertise in this.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I know.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I've argued at the very least the knack, which sounds
kind of intangible, but it does exist.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah, I mean I think that if you look at it,
you have the experience in this kind of game.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
When I cover college basketball, I often talk.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
About teams that win a ton of games by a
ton of points. To Duke last year had almost no
challenge in the ACC It was such a down year
for the league that they didn't face much of that.
So they get into the NCAA Tournament Vegas in nineteen
ninety one, when they lost maybe everybody by thirty. Then
they get into a tough game against Duke in the
semi finals and they don't really know how to do that.
(21:03):
They don't know how to navigate that sort of thing,
and the Steelers are experts at it. That's pretty much
every win they've gotten this year. I mean a year ago,
you could point to the Oakland game, or excuse me,
the Vegas game where they got over thirty and one easily.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
But I mean how many times this year?
Speaker 6 (21:21):
I guess the Cleveland one game where they were I
think the final.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Score was like twenty three to seven or twenty three
to nine.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
That's about as close as they had to a blowout
this season all year.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
We're talking to Mike the course of the Sporting News
brought to ust by South Hilds Kia. South Fields Kia
has the ride in a Price show Love Mike. Another
matchups that's kind of flying under the radar. I don't
think Houston has a slew of dynamic weapons offensively Joey
Porter Junior covering Nico Collins when Porter's had a real
good year, Mono Imano, that could be a key to
(21:54):
this game.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Yeah, I mean, if that remember up.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
It surprised me, honestly, especially in the situations they were
in that they didn't have Porter trail Flowers and how
many different times they got caught with a linebacker covering
Flowers or a safety covering Flowers. I was surprised that
he wasn't basically assigned go chase him, don't let him play.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
And because he has.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Been really good for a lot of this year, I
think it's time for Pittsburgh to acknowledge that they overreacted
a little bit about Joey relative.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
To his penalties and that sort of thing.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
And he's developed into a really fine NFL corner and
this is a big challenge for him. If it's presented
to him. If they just stick to sides and play
it that way, then he'll get Collins some of the
time and may not at others. And he just has
to do his job both in terms of shutting down
run plays, which he's gotten better at. He's not been
(22:52):
beaten as easily he was on the He was one
of the many that were beaten in the on the
first play of Sunday Nights game against Ravens where Henry
went for that huge game that was pulled back a
little bit because of the penalty.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
But for the most.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
Part, he's been much better when when the defense strings
it out and he's involved in having to make a
tackle on the run play, he's been much better there
as well.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Rogers was great against Baltimore, but Baltimore got very little pressure.
Rogers has avoided being hitt and I don't blame him,
he's forty two. But then Cleveland had a lot of
pressure and Cleveland won. That's why this game worries me
most of all. Rodgers hasn't dealt with pressure, hasn't won
to get hit. But it's been pointed out to me Mike.
Maybe in a playoff game he takes more risk.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
What do you think, Yeah, that's a great question. But
Cleveland was kind of a playoff game. You did, like,
you didn't know if you If you lost that game,
then it was Baltimore or go home. And so you
could look at that as kind of a playoff game.
And he didn't still respond well to being pressured. And
(23:58):
remember he didn't he didn't get sacked a ton in
that game, and Garrett was what was fairly well contained.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
He didn't get sacked by Garrett at all.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
I can't remember if the Browns got any in that game,
but he was not successful in that game. And again
it went to the pressure, similar to the results out
in LA against the Chargers. When he's been relatively pressured,
he has not responded great. And that's the biggest concern
(24:28):
for this game is do the Steelers contain at least
to an extent. I mean, look, guys get sacked and
still win games even relatively immobile.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Well, right, right, But when a guy's forty two, he
might get sacked and not get up well, I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
That's always possible.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
It happened in the Buffalo game. He got blindsided. The
risk thing happened, and all that I mean, that's certainly possible,
but that could happen in any game. But the point
I'm trying to make is you can get sacked and
still win. You just don't want to constantly be under pressure,
always thinking, look, if I don't get rid of this ball,
we're losing this series and then we you know, then
we gotta go turn it over the defense and all that.
(25:08):
You don't want that to be the constant thought you
want him to have. Even if on occasion, which happened
Sunday night, I think he went down twice.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
On occasion, you might go down, but for.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
The most part, he had relatively clean pockets, was able
to throw the football the way he wanted. Yet all
the time in the world on the Austin touchdown, that's
that's the way you want it to be. You're going
against the great defense. In terms of the pass rush.
You want him to be relatively clean. Not he never
gets hit and he never goes down, but you want
(25:40):
him to be relatively unpressured. That that's the assignment for
the O line. It's not never let anybody it near him.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
I feel like TJ.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Watt gotta have a huge game, and I've been a
big critic of his I wouldn't have given him that deal,
but he did get the deal, Mike. And he's never
won a playoff game, and I know he just got
back from the lung problem, but he's gotta come through.
He's gotta have a TJ. Watt type of game, and
there ain't been many of those this year.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
The nice thing about this game from that standpoint is
that although CJ. Stroud could certainly run past somebody if
you weren't paying any attention, but he doesn't do it
a ton. He only had two hundred and nine yards
this year. We're not talking about Lamar Jackson. It's not
really what he does. They're not gonna do design runs
for him like Buffalo does with Josh Allen. He's gonna
(26:28):
scramble away if he needs to, and he's mobile enough that.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
He can create more time for himself.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
But they don't have to worry about whether or not
he's gonna go out and rush for one hundred yards.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
So that helps.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
And if you remember, there was a play early in
the game first half, when has happened often in the
playoff game against Baltimore last year, the Ravens ran what
would probably be described as an option play, and TJ
came crashing down and took out Henry and Lamar went
(27:02):
around right side for a bunch of yards. I don't
remember exactly how many, but it was enough. And that
happened so much a year ago. I don't think you're
going to see that at all in this playoff game.
They're not going to run that kind of play with him.
His job will be to set the edge on the
run and to rush the passer when it's an obvious
passing down and that I think that will help him
(27:24):
to perform, especially in these circumstances at a higher level.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Now, you mentioned CJ. Strad, the third year quarterback for Houston.
He's won a playoff game in each of his first
two game years. His numbers haven't been overwhelming, but I
think he's pretty good and I think he's a timely
type of quarterback.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
What say you, Oh, I've always liked him.
Speaker 6 (27:44):
I mean I followed him a lot when he was
in Ohio State. I liked him as a prospect. I
think he's had a really nice start to his NFL career.
He's not super prolific in terms of scoring passes that
sort of thing. Only had nine team touchdowns this year,
obviously not a ton, especially for a team that won
as many games as they did. But he doesn't make
(28:06):
a lot of mistakes either. He only had eight interceptions.
This is a guy who really understands the game.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
He takes. He takes what the defense gives him really well.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
If you remember when the Steelers played them a couple
of years ago, he took everything the Steelers had. Every
time the Steelers made a decision one way, he took
the other and beat them with it.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
So they have to be really sharp.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
But I think that the primary element of that will
be making sure that they get pressure on him and
keep him in the pocket and make sure that he
doesn't that his decisions are more out of sort of
the same thing we were just talking about with Rogers,
more out of I've got to do this or we
lose this series than okay, what's the best of my
(28:52):
many options.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Finally, Mike, if the Steelers lose, should that be a
referendum for major change, like a new coach, new quarter back,
any of the above, Well.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
I think you're probably a relative to new quarterbacks. Some
of that is Aaron Rodgers situation. What he wants to do. Obviously,
you need a new quarterback, but we expect that to
come in the draft if if, if.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Such a player is available.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Well, right, but he would not start as a rookie
because the Steelers just out, don't that point?
Speaker 6 (29:23):
Yes, and and and honestly, I'm not a believer in that.
I don't believe that it's been good for those who
have thrown out there immediately.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
We had been here and yet it worked out great.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
But we also had Brad here and it took him
five six years to get to be serviceable will where
he eventually became great.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yeah, and and and then Pickett. No, Pickett didn't start
as early in his career.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Uh, and he was a little older as well, But
it didn't work out. I don't think that was gonna
work out no matter how they handled it, Mark, I mean.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
That you know that. That's how I felt about the
draft pick in the first place. But if you get
the right player, I think it's always better to let
him come around.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
And if Aaron Rodgers, after having made these playoffs, wanted
to go again, if he felt like he did, and
you got that pick in the draft, I would be
amenable to that.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
I think that he is.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
He has shown himself to be really invested in this
team and his teammates. Two things that we did, I
shouldn't say we I did not expect on the day
they signed him, and I wrote that, and and I
owned that I was wrong.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
He did everything I said he wouldn't do. And so
if he wanted to.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Go again, I again, especially if he were offered the
opportunity to mentor a younger quarterback a first round pick,
I think that that.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Would not be a bad decision at all.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Who do you got, Mike, Who's gonna win?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Well, if you follow.
Speaker 6 (30:48):
The Friday Football Show with Tim Benz and I, I
have picked the Steelers to win, excuse me, to lose,
I think the last five or six weeks in a row,
and so I'm picking them to lose now every week
because I've been wrong I think five out four out
of the last five weeks or five out whatever it is.
(31:09):
So I'm picking them to lose this one as well
and looking forward to being wrong again.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Mike is always a pleasure of great stuff. We'll talk
again next week.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
I was a lightmark. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
That's Mike the course, Liverpool fan, Pittsburgh guy, Sporting News
does a podcast with Tim Bens every Friday, the Friday
Football Show, so be sure to check that out. We
got Bret Michael's a Poison at the top of the hour.
Brett's gonna be in town for the game on Monday,
and just the moment, we're gonna hear Nick Wright talking
(31:41):
about Aaron Rodgers and how he thinks he's gonna do
things just a little different, maybe a little more bravely
in Monday night's playoff game one oh five nine.
Speaker 8 (31:52):
Tomorrow nights, the Pens take on the Devils. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your Home with
the Pens on L five nine d X
This is the Mark Madden Show. Get calls in for
calls on the fifteens A three three four one two wxdx,
or use the super secret looped up back door number
four one two three three three wxdx. And you can
follow me on Twitter of course at Mark Madden X.
We had a big meeting today with all the talent
(00:23):
here at iHeartMedia, and I pointed out that our entire
social media promotion consists of me saying follow me on
Twitter at Mark Maddinx.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Which I do every day.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Faithfully, by the way, uh, and you should follow uh.
Whatever happened to Harrison and chad O Chosenko reporting that
the blue haired guy in Detroit used the racial slur
and insulted DK Metcf's mama.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
When, uh, when that incident took place in Detroit? What
did they say?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
They said they either talked to DK or got a
text from DK, and that sure went quiet because they're gonna.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Get sued too by mister blue hair.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
And I bet we find out the DK Metcalf never
communicated with them at all.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Because you know, these guys, they think they're in my business.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
They don't know the first thing about my business, and
they don't know the rules of my business. Even if
they do, they wouldn't follow them because well, in Harrison's case,
like I said, that guy can never stop being a bully.
I can think of very few less likable people in
the history of Pittsburgh sports, great football player that he
definitely was.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, get your calls in because of.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Today's meeting, I am not nearly as prepared as I
might be, So get the calls in to help me out.
Got the course on today's ice on today, Bret Michaels
on today, I keep coming back to the Harbaughugh firing
and what's going to happen now with the Baltimorrons. The
citizens locally, they're like, I help Baltimore highs Stefanski. He's
(02:03):
just an offensive coordinator. Yeah, he won Coach of the
Year twice in Cleveland, not as a coordinator. Or they're like,
I hope Baltimore hires Kingsbury because he's just an offensive coordinator,
which is kind of true and has been proven. But
you know what they're saying in Baltimore. Here's what they're
saying in Baltimore. I hope the Steelers keep Tom Win forever.
(02:28):
That's what they're saying in Baltimore, the Steelers are not
serious people as long as Tom Win coaches. As the
record shows, Tomlin has the worst resume than Harbam. The
Steelers just never had a quarterback that could run Tom
Win out of tom never had that kind of power. Well,
Ben had that kind of power. He just didn't exercise it.
(02:49):
So that's on you, Ben. It's your fault.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Ben.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I get your calls in now. I enjoy taking calls.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I enjoy to convince myself, convince myself.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
That's the tough part. Convincing you is easy.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I think the Steelers will probably win Monday Night, just
because they're due and the rock fight factor. Demiko Ryans
being like Tomlin, I don't think the Houston offense is great.
I do think the Houston defense is great, But I
think it's gonna be a close game. And Tomlin has
a great record in one score games. Then again, Demiko
Ryans is a pretty good record of one score games.
(03:27):
The point is Ryan's will let the game turn into
what Tomlin wants it to be, just like Harbass so
often does. So I think that favors the Steelers. Maybe
I'm grasping at Straws. Actually, I know, definitely I'm grasping
at Straws because Houston's a better team it is at
Akroshore though, and you got the Priest with the Holy Water.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
If I had the Priest on, you know what song
I play.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Bound dump boum boun hold a Diver and then I
would introduce Bonnie Diver. You've been down too long in
the midnight. See what's the traffic like on seventy nine?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Look out? Okay, get your calls in now, Okay, what's this.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Awesome? Oh?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Brett Michaels. Pictures of Brett Michaels at the Steeler game.
Brett loves the Steelers. Can't wait to have him on
at four o'clock. If you don't have optimism for Monday night,
be listening at four pm because Brett Michaels will provide
call now eight three three four one two WXDX or
four one two three three three wsdx because we got calls.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
On the fifteens coming up right around the corner. It's
loving nothing, It's great. Pung baby the X at one
oh five nine. We got Mike the Course on at
the bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I think the big story for the Steelers is the
return of DK Metcalf from suspension for this playoff game
Monday Night against Houston, and Metcalf has had a great
playoff resume in terms of individual performance, which Seattleie played
in four playoff games. That's not a ton, but it's
(05:25):
not an insignificant sample either. And he averaged one hundred
and twelve point eight receiving yards per game, which is
a ton, and scored four.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Touchdowns, no five touchdowns. And I don't think he's gonna
put up.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Big numbers in this game Monday because I don't think
the Steelers offense can free him up to put up
big numbers. But what Metcalf's presence will do, it will
pull people from other tasks to cover him. He gonna
get doubled and it opens up the rest of the
(06:06):
offense that much more. Now, is it an advantage to
throw more to Thielan and Mvs and Scotty Miller? Oh yeah,
if they're more open, and they will be more open
than they would be if Metcalf weren't playing. I still
want to see Friarmouth and John who utilized more. But
(06:29):
I could want in one hand to defecate in the other.
And I know for sure in this case which one
gonna fill up first. But what do you think the
impact of Metcalf's return will be? Will it be more
tangible or more intangible? What do you see happening A
three three four one two wsdx. Also the Post Gazette thing,
(06:50):
The Post Gazette shutting down as of May, as announced
today by the Blocks, the Block family that owns it,
and they didn't even notify the workers before they made
the public announcement. It looks like and that's not surprising.
They're just billionaire scumbags, always have been pieces of crap.
And what happened with the Post Casette it's unnerving as
(07:12):
a media member for me, and it's sad, but it's
not unexpected. That strike, even though the union one, maybe
because the union one, it was always going to kill
the Post Gazette and it absolutely did. And while the
Blocks of the primary villains in this, the union is
secondary because it was stupid, not that the Blocks would
(07:36):
have done this anyway, But I think that strike, dragging
it out and winning it guaranteed this day would come.
I'll take your thoughts on that. A three three four
one two wxdx let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick,
you're on with Mark.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Hey, Mark, here's why I like the Steelers' chances of
winning against Houston.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
In fact, I think it's like their opposite. The Steelers
to me, aren't the old Steelers team where it's where
the Steelers, this is what we're doing, stop us. They
are a lot more unpredictable in my opinion, And I'm
really how you feel about that.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I don't think they're unpredictable at all. How are they unpredictable?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I don't think Rogers allows them to be predictable. I
think he's making a lot of the changes that makes
it unpredictable.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
YEA, throw the ball in the middle and barely throw
the ball down field, You're predictable. Now they have thrown
the ball a bit more in the middle and a
bit more downfield lately. And maybe Rogers was waiting for
the playoffs to cut loose in that regard. But I
think I'm absolutely accurate when I say they've been predictable
for the vast majority of this season. Predictable, vanilla, bland
(08:43):
and boring.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Do you well?
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Actually, I do disagree with you, obviously, but you know
you're a lot smarter.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Than I am.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
That's true, Yes, very true.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I think when you're talking about passing in the middle,
I don't think he has a lot of the time
to pass the middle.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
But he did well. Well, he better.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
That's gonna be something I talk about at length later
that he hed better be willing to take risks now
that the playoffs are here. And there's a sound bite
who's that from SoundBite from from uh Pete Prisco on
CBS saying that that's gonna have to happen. He's gonna
have to be willing to get hit to succeed in
the playoffs. And if he saved that till the playoffs
(09:23):
to take that risk, that's okay, that's common sense.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
He's forty two.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Like you.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
I also agree. I would love to see the tight
ends utilize more. But I am pleased with the fact
that we are utilizing the tight ends a lot more
than we have in the past. They're not look.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
At farms numbers, No, they're not. Goodbye, you lost me there.
I mean the tight end. Oppenheimer is supposed to revolutionize
the Steelers' offense with all these tight ends, and mostly
they used the fat kid to block until he got hurt.
Not exactly revolutiontionary. Let's go to Theodore Theodore.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
What's up, hey, bro? Quick question.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I'm gonna hang up for the answer now.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
We'll just let you hang up now. Thanks for the call.
Hate when people do that, and don't brow me unless
you know me. Laison line open eight three to three
four one two WXX. You know what's weird about right
now with the Steelers as we face this home playoff
game on the Monday night against Houston. Don't forget you
(10:30):
can watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company.
That's the Iron City and Icy Light Brewery just off
through twenty eight and Creighton Huge, big screen TV, huge
room to sit down, have an Icy Light and watch
gonna be great. That's Monday night for the Steelers and
Sunday night same place for the Penguins as well. But
(10:50):
here's the weird thing with the Penguins, I mean the Steelers.
You gotta worry about Chris Boswell. When's the last time
we had to worry about a kicker? Had to worry
about Chris Boswell? But he missed against Detroit, missed against Cleveland,
missed against Baltimore. He is not a sure thing. It's
like he's got the hips and yeah, that's definitely a worry.
(11:14):
Up next, I'm gonna talk to Mike the course. You
have the Sporting News here on one o five to nine.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
It's The Woody Show tomorrow morning from six till ten.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
WHOA, You'll got a day Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Maybe on one oh five nights is former.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Lier day in quarterback Brady Quinn. Here's what's trending from
the Iheartsports Network, presented by Austin.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
Reports in sports business journals say that NFL attendants dropped
nearly one percent this season. At the league's first loss
since the pandemic ash For the Steelers, they'll have an
extra day arrest before preparing the host protections on Monday night.
Pittsburgh hasn't won a postseason game since twenty sixteen, and
college basketball rolls on tonight with Ducaine visiting Saint Joseph's.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
The Duke's coming off a loss to BCU last time out.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
I'm Scott David said, wish you could save on home
insurance with all time.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
I'd love to get the balls.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Today was a very good point.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
The exit one oh five nine Steeler.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Is hosting euston Monday Night, used in a slight favorite,
joining me, no, how to discuss it Pittsburgh's own.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
He's from the Sporting News. He's Mike de Coursey.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Mike, here's an odd thing that we haven't talked about
in Pittsburgh for years. Should we be worried about Chris Boswell?
He's been so reliable, but he's missed the kick in
each of the last three weeks.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, one of them was blocked the extra point apparently.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yeah, but I thought he kicked it into a block.
I don't think it was going to be good either way,
but at any rate, Well.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I mean, if you look at it, it was going directly.
You know, it was flying directly.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
And then it took this hard twist to the right
and that caused it to miss. So I have to
think that it was that it was caused by the deflection.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
But yeah, I mean I think, well, I think that he.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Is so reliable and has been so reliable, and sometimes.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
You just expect it all work.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
I mean, let's not forget he also kicked the fifty
seven yarder in Well. I mean, it's not like it
was an indoor game or anything. It wasn't awful. It
wasn't awful weather conditions, but it's still cold and the
ball doesn't fly usually as far, and he did still
kick that. But yeah, I mean, I think that that
there there might be some concern about why he would
(13:22):
miss two kicks that were easily makeable for him. Plus
the you know, if he kicked it low and that
contributed to the block on that on that extra point,
All of that is a factor. And sure, I mean,
I don't I don't think that it can be dismissed
as an issue, but there are so many bigger ones
(13:43):
in trying to defeat a team with Houston's defense, and
that being the one thing that has been problematic on
that side of the ball when the Steelers have had
When when the oppositions had the ball, there are certain
things that have really bothered the steel but when the
Steelers have had the ball, there's been basically one thing
(14:04):
that's bothered the Steelers, and that is a significant pass rush.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Well, right, and Houston certainly has that, which we'll get
to in a second. But DK Metcalf's coming back from
a suspension and he has a pretty good playoff resume,
But I'm not sure this offense with the Steelers will
facilitate those kind of numbers Monday night.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
So will his.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Impact be tangible or will his presence more be a
trickle down getting other guys open, getting other things to
work in that offense.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
That's somewhat up to Houston how they decide to defend him.
If they decide to play him basic, maybe a little
hell from a safety just you know, basic, Do you
cover him the other guy covers Calvin Austin, et cetera,
third guy covers Feeling in the slaughter or whatever it
(14:52):
might be. Then I think that he can absolutely impact
the game. If Houston decides they don't want to be
beaten by DK, and they think they can deal with
the threat that Austin might present, or Feelin or Valdis
Scantling or whoever it might be. That the main objective
in the past game is to take away DK. That
(15:14):
they can probably do that, But a lot of that
as well comes down to again the how the pass
rush is protected uh and protected against. And it may
not matter at all if if DK is running great
routes and getting opened against single coverage or double teams,
if Aaron Rodgers doesn't have time to throw the football.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well, there you go. Let's let's address that directly. Houston
has a ferocious pass rush. How will the Steelers cope
with that? Because the O line's been good, but this
is certainly a heightened circumstance.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
Yeah, they haven't faced a lot of teams with two
ends as good as what Houston will bring to town.
That's that's the question that they have to deal with.
Anderson is phenomenal, just a tremendous player. Twenty tackles for
loss is ridiculous. Twelve sacks to go with that. Hunter
fifteen sacks and fifteen TfL. So those guys get past
(16:11):
your line and they cause havoc. And they've been doing
it against very good opposition. They destroyed Buffalo and I
think it was a Thursday night game.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
They destroyed their offensive line in that game.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
I think Allen went down eight times or something like
that if I'm remembering correctly. It's a really difficult thing.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
The Steelers have.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Gotten really good tackle play over the last four or
five games. It's gone very well. They of course, you
did a lot of extra help to deal in Cleveland
with what they faced there. But I think that the
question here is can you sort of replicate what you
(16:54):
did against Detroit because obviously with Hutchinson, Detroit had a
phenomenal pass rusher as well, and they didn't have to
do as much of scheming as they did in Cleveland.
They were able to play it a little bit more
straight up. Some of that as Darnell Washington being around
to help. They don't have that now. You can use
(17:17):
friar Mouth to chip if you want, or you can
use one of the backs, or you can use John who,
but Washington was as good at that as anybody in
the league, and having that be unavailable as an option
certainly is a factor in this one.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, as far as the matchups go, Like you mentioned,
Washington's not there to help out, and I think sometimes
when they have the running back chip, they've they've done
that to excess, like they did against Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
The kind of the threat of Miles Garrett.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I do feel like Tan who can contain Anderson, I mean,
not shut him down, but contain them. I'm worried about
Cooking against Tyner. That could be a grotesque mismatch.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
Mike Well, but Cookson really good. I mean he hasn't
he hasn't let them down yet. And he's playing for
a lot because if he does this again against these guys,
he gets a significant offer from here, there or everywhere
if he does a good job in this game, even
(18:15):
if he.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Has a little help.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
I think the difference being that when they played against
Garrett and they used their backs to do a lot
of chipping, it did work, but it did negate a
lot of what is the best element of the Steelers packet.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
It kind of took Gainwell out of the game to
be succinct.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Yeah, I mean, and whether it's Gainwell or Warren, obviously,
gain Well's probably got the best hands on the team,
and he's really excels at accelerating after the catch on
those swing passes. You know, I am not a fan
of the sideline passes to wide outs with one block
and see what you can make may be my least
favorite play in all of football, But the swing pass
(18:57):
to one of the Steelers terrific backs after the defense
has retreated a little bit and coverage, et cetera. That's
been really successful for this team. The players usually relatively uncovered,
so you don't have to worry as much about the
pick six going the other way. He usually is able
to at least get a little bit of yardage, and
then on the occasions when they get a good angle
(19:18):
and not a lot of traffic, they've turned it often
into big plays. So you don't want to mess with
that too much. And obviously in Cleveland they basically threw
that page out of the playbook to have the backs
help out on Garrett.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Ryan's and Tomlin are both defensive minded head coaches, and
neither one minds the one score rock fight. Is that
kind of play in to Tomlin's hands, given that you
know they're the underdogs and he's an expert at that
kind of game.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
If they can keep it to that it does He's
got a phenomenal record. I think it was Brian Baco
that posted a chart today that show how many, I
think it was over the last five years, how many
games one score games that the Steelers have played in,
and their winning percentage is massively better than the second
(20:11):
place team in those games. It some you know, sometimes
you get a little lucky like Sunday night and the
opposition misses a kick, but you don't win as often
as they do in close games without some expertise in this.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I know.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I've argued at the very least the knack, which sounds
kind of intangible, but it does exist.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah, I mean I think that if you look at it,
you have the experience in this kind of game.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
When I cover college basketball, I often talk.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
About teams that win a ton of games by a
ton of points. To Duke last year had almost no
challenge in the ACC It was such a down year
for the league that they didn't face much of that.
So they get into the NCAA Tournament Vegas in nineteen
ninety one, when they lost maybe everybody by thirty. Then
they get into a tough game against Duke in the
semi finals and they don't really know how to do that.
(21:03):
They don't know how to navigate that sort of thing,
and the Steelers are experts at it. That's pretty much
every win they've gotten this year. I mean a year ago,
you could point to the Oakland game, or excuse me,
the Vegas game where they got over thirty and one easily.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
But I mean how many times this year?
Speaker 6 (21:21):
I guess the Cleveland one game where they were I
think the final.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Score was like twenty three to seven or twenty three
to nine.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
That's about as close as they had to a blowout
this season all year.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
We're talking to Mike the course of the Sporting News
brought to ust by South Hilds Kia. South Fields Kia
has the ride in a Price show Love Mike. Another
matchups that's kind of flying under the radar. I don't
think Houston has a slew of dynamic weapons offensively Joey
Porter Junior covering Nico Collins when Porter's had a real
good year, Mono Imano, that could be a key to
(21:54):
this game.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Yeah, I mean, if that remember up.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
It surprised me, honestly, especially in the situations they were
in that they didn't have Porter trail Flowers and how
many different times they got caught with a linebacker covering
Flowers or a safety covering Flowers. I was surprised that
he wasn't basically assigned go chase him, don't let him play.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
And because he has.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Been really good for a lot of this year, I
think it's time for Pittsburgh to acknowledge that they overreacted
a little bit about Joey relative.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
To his penalties and that sort of thing.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
And he's developed into a really fine NFL corner and
this is a big challenge for him. If it's presented
to him. If they just stick to sides and play
it that way, then he'll get Collins some of the
time and may not at others. And he just has
to do his job both in terms of shutting down
run plays, which he's gotten better at. He's not been
(22:52):
beaten as easily he was on the He was one
of the many that were beaten in the on the
first play of Sunday Nights game against Ravens where Henry
went for that huge game that was pulled back a
little bit because of the penalty.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
But for the most.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
Part, he's been much better when when the defense strings
it out and he's involved in having to make a
tackle on the run play, he's been much better there
as well.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Rogers was great against Baltimore, but Baltimore got very little pressure.
Rogers has avoided being hitt and I don't blame him,
he's forty two. But then Cleveland had a lot of
pressure and Cleveland won. That's why this game worries me
most of all. Rodgers hasn't dealt with pressure, hasn't won
to get hit. But it's been pointed out to me Mike.
Maybe in a playoff game he takes more risk.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
What do you think, Yeah, that's a great question. But
Cleveland was kind of a playoff game. You did, like,
you didn't know if you If you lost that game,
then it was Baltimore or go home. And so you
could look at that as kind of a playoff game.
And he didn't still respond well to being pressured. And
(23:58):
remember he didn't he didn't get sacked a ton in
that game, and Garrett was what was fairly well contained.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
He didn't get sacked by Garrett at all.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
I can't remember if the Browns got any in that game,
but he was not successful in that game. And again
it went to the pressure, similar to the results out
in LA against the Chargers. When he's been relatively pressured,
he has not responded great. And that's the biggest concern
(24:28):
for this game is do the Steelers contain at least
to an extent. I mean, look, guys get sacked and
still win games even relatively immobile.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Well, right, right, But when a guy's forty two, he
might get sacked and not get up well, I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
That's always possible.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
It happened in the Buffalo game. He got blindsided. The
risk thing happened, and all that I mean, that's certainly possible,
but that could happen in any game. But the point
I'm trying to make is you can get sacked and
still win. You just don't want to constantly be under pressure,
always thinking, look, if I don't get rid of this ball,
we're losing this series and then we you know, then
we gotta go turn it over the defense and all that.
(25:08):
You don't want that to be the constant thought you
want him to have. Even if on occasion, which happened
Sunday night, I think he went down twice.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
On occasion, you might go down, but for.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
The most part, he had relatively clean pockets, was able
to throw the football the way he wanted. Yet all
the time in the world on the Austin touchdown, that's
that's the way you want it to be. You're going
against the great defense. In terms of the pass rush.
You want him to be relatively clean. Not he never
gets hit and he never goes down, but you want
(25:40):
him to be relatively unpressured. That that's the assignment for
the O line. It's not never let anybody it near him.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
I feel like TJ.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Watt gotta have a huge game, and I've been a
big critic of his I wouldn't have given him that deal,
but he did get the deal, Mike. And he's never
won a playoff game, and I know he just got
back from the lung problem, but he's gotta come through.
He's gotta have a TJ. Watt type of game, and
there ain't been many of those this year.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
The nice thing about this game from that standpoint is
that although CJ. Stroud could certainly run past somebody if
you weren't paying any attention, but he doesn't do it
a ton. He only had two hundred and nine yards
this year. We're not talking about Lamar Jackson. It's not
really what he does. They're not gonna do design runs
for him like Buffalo does with Josh Allen. He's gonna
(26:28):
scramble away if he needs to, and he's mobile enough that.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
He can create more time for himself.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
But they don't have to worry about whether or not
he's gonna go out and rush for one hundred yards.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
So that helps.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
And if you remember, there was a play early in
the game first half, when has happened often in the
playoff game against Baltimore last year, the Ravens ran what
would probably be described as an option play, and TJ
came crashing down and took out Henry and Lamar went
(27:02):
around right side for a bunch of yards. I don't
remember exactly how many, but it was enough. And that
happened so much a year ago. I don't think you're
going to see that at all in this playoff game.
They're not going to run that kind of play with him.
His job will be to set the edge on the
run and to rush the passer when it's an obvious
passing down and that I think that will help him
(27:24):
to perform, especially in these circumstances at a higher level.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Now, you mentioned CJ. Strad, the third year quarterback for Houston.
He's won a playoff game in each of his first
two game years. His numbers haven't been overwhelming, but I
think he's pretty good and I think he's a timely
type of quarterback.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
What say you, Oh, I've always liked him.
Speaker 6 (27:44):
I mean I followed him a lot when he was
in Ohio State. I liked him as a prospect. I
think he's had a really nice start to his NFL career.
He's not super prolific in terms of scoring passes that
sort of thing. Only had nine team touchdowns this year,
obviously not a ton, especially for a team that won
as many games as they did. But he doesn't make
(28:06):
a lot of mistakes either. He only had eight interceptions.
This is a guy who really understands the game.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
He takes. He takes what the defense gives him really well.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
If you remember when the Steelers played them a couple
of years ago, he took everything the Steelers had. Every
time the Steelers made a decision one way, he took
the other and beat them with it.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
So they have to be really sharp.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
But I think that the primary element of that will
be making sure that they get pressure on him and
keep him in the pocket and make sure that he
doesn't that his decisions are more out of sort of
the same thing we were just talking about with Rogers,
more out of I've got to do this or we
lose this series than okay, what's the best of my
(28:52):
many options.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Finally, Mike, if the Steelers lose, should that be a
referendum for major change, like a new coach, new quarter back,
any of the above, Well.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
I think you're probably a relative to new quarterbacks. Some
of that is Aaron Rodgers situation. What he wants to do. Obviously,
you need a new quarterback, but we expect that to
come in the draft if if, if.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Such a player is available.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Well, right, but he would not start as a rookie
because the Steelers just out, don't that point?
Speaker 6 (29:23):
Yes, and and and honestly, I'm not a believer in that.
I don't believe that it's been good for those who
have thrown out there immediately.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
We had been here and yet it worked out great.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
But we also had Brad here and it took him
five six years to get to be serviceable will where
he eventually became great.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yeah, and and and then Pickett. No, Pickett didn't start
as early in his career.
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Uh, and he was a little older as well, But
it didn't work out. I don't think that was gonna
work out no matter how they handled it, Mark, I mean.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
That you know that. That's how I felt about the
draft pick in the first place. But if you get
the right player, I think it's always better to let
him come around.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
And if Aaron Rodgers, after having made these playoffs, wanted
to go again, if he felt like he did, and
you got that pick in the draft, I would be
amenable to that.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
I think that he is.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
He has shown himself to be really invested in this
team and his teammates. Two things that we did, I
shouldn't say we I did not expect on the day
they signed him, and I wrote that, and and I
owned that I was wrong.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
He did everything I said he wouldn't do. And so
if he wanted to.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Go again, I again, especially if he were offered the
opportunity to mentor a younger quarterback a first round pick,
I think that that.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Would not be a bad decision at all.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Who do you got, Mike, Who's gonna win?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Well, if you follow.
Speaker 6 (30:48):
The Friday Football Show with Tim Benz and I, I
have picked the Steelers to win, excuse me, to lose,
I think the last five or six weeks in a row,
and so I'm picking them to lose now every week
because I've been wrong I think five out four out
of the last five weeks or five out whatever it is.
(31:09):
So I'm picking them to lose this one as well
and looking forward to being wrong again.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Mike is always a pleasure of great stuff. We'll talk
again next week.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
I was a lightmark. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
That's Mike the course, Liverpool fan, Pittsburgh guy, Sporting News
does a podcast with Tim Bens every Friday, the Friday
Football Show, so be sure to check that out. We
got Bret Michael's a Poison at the top of the hour.
Brett's gonna be in town for the game on Monday,
and just the moment, we're gonna hear Nick Wright talking
(31:41):
about Aaron Rodgers and how he thinks he's gonna do
things just a little different, maybe a little more bravely
in Monday night's playoff game one oh five nine.
Speaker 8 (31:52):
Tomorrow nights, the Pens take on the Devils. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your Home with
the Pens on L five nine d X
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