October 30, 2025 • 28 mins
Mark plays some sound from Colin Cowherd about the Steelers and Rodgers. Paul Zeise joins the show for his weekly hit with Mark.
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Mark as Played
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I understand that you wear his jersey number ninety, and
when you're watching the game at home, that's all you're wearing,
no pants, astroglide with an easy reach. I get it
your fans, that's terrific. But tell me why he's doing okay,
because it's gonna not get better with him. It's gonna
get worse. It's not gonna get better with Cam. It's
(00:23):
gonna get worse. It's not gonna get better with Ramsey,
it's gonna get worse. It's not gonna get better with Sleigh.
It's gonna get worse.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
They're old.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Old guys do not rally late in the season and
pick up their play.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
They just get old.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And Cam against qwent Nelson on Sunday, Yikes, he gonna
get worn outs.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I repeat, yikes.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Eight three, three four one two w XDX number to
comp if you'd like to hear the impact of coaching
in football in a nutshell and bye. By the way,
I am being highly critical of the Steelers. They're head coach,
all their coaches, their players, their organization, the owner, the GM, everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm being highly critical. I'm being viciously critical.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know why, because they effing deserve it, and it's
the only place in time to come to get that,
because it's the only place in time to get the truth.
And even if some people are parroting it right now,
that's what they're doing because I was way ahead of
the curve on this because I'm not a fanboy, because
I'm smart.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
You're not that bright. They don't have guts, and that's
how it goes.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But if you'd like to hear the impact of coaching
in a nutshell in football, Shane Steiken took Danny Dimes
and made him an MVP candidate. Mike Tomlin took Aaron
Rodgers and made him a game manager.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
And that is all the people need to know.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I was the Steeler season was over, because it feels
like it is unless Kyle Duggar can somehow channel Troy Pulamalu.
That said I said in my opening remarks last hour.
He does bring the wood, he does hit people. That's good, okay,
But but Elliott does too, and it you know it helped,
but you've seen the defense that it never helped enough.
(02:15):
There is just no way the Steelers can fix that
defense again. If you think they can tell me how
eight three three four one two WXDX. But you won't
because you just get mad at me through your radios.
And he's fat and he doesn't know, and we're good
and we're gonna win. But I'm always right, and I'm
certainly right about this. There's no way the Steelers can
fix that defense, which means there's no way the Steelers
(02:37):
can stop the Colts offense, which means there's no way
the Steelers can win on Sunday. But again, I'm getting
nasty emails. So here's how the Steelers really I'm getting.
Like now, I'm like, you know, I mean, you fat
bleep is the nicest thing they say.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
One guy, I didn't I should? I should I say
this on the air.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
One guy a few a few months, I guess it
was maybe last year. He sent me he had a
picture of my mom's grave and he had like insulting
things about my mom's grave. And I wondered, boy did
this some bitch like go to the grave and take
a picture. Although if you go online, like there's a
thing called find the Grave, and I gotta been like,
(03:16):
I've like used that to see like John Bonham's grave,
the Zeppelin drummer. But anyway, I get these nasty emails,
so I'm going to wax optimistic. Here's how the Steelers
could win. Jonathan Taylor gets kidnapped before the game. I'm
not saying somebody should do that. I'm just saying, what
if Mike Tomlin gets kidnapped. I'm not saying somebody should.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I mean it. It never get away with it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
The field at Acquasher is unplayable and the game is hauleded,
which could happen. Maybe they make big Bend defensive coordinator. Okay,
I tried. This stuff just isn't funny, and I'm sorry,
but Sunday's game is gonna be a blood bath. There's
it's gonna be like on trails everywhere, like a twenty
(04:03):
point loss. But here's the weird part. The Cults are
only favored by three. And I'm not the guy who says, well,
Vegas knows more than we do.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
No.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
I know what Vegas knows, and it is a way
to get equal number of bets on each side, so
they reap the benefit of the vigorous the profit margin,
if you will. I just really want, like Tommy Radio predicted,
I really want the Ravens and Steelers to both be
six and six on December seventh, when they play, A
(04:35):
day that will live in infamine. And I want that
to happen so I can keep repeating the line at nauseum,
a day that will live in infamine. We should be
debating who the next Steelers coach is gonna be and
the other city the way the season's going for their
NFL team after not making the playoffs seven years in
a row. That's the debate on sports radio who the
(04:55):
next coach is gonna be? I believe it should either
be Derek Shelton or James Franklin. Uh Like we talked
about a moment ago. I heard Franklin might go to
Virginia Tech acc Franklin versus Nardoozi, let's get it on.
That would make me so happy. Some unconventional things are
happening in sports that have all the potential to make
(05:18):
me just so happy. One oh five ninety X and
now the super genius Mark Madden, Mark.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Afternoon, the Mark Madden, What do you want?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What do you want? Damn it? The X at one
O five nine he calls it.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
We've got a bit of time to hear from you.
At A three three four one two WXDX here's Colin
Coward on Fox wondering if Aaron Rodgers not realize that
the Jets and Steelers ain't that far apart.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
I think Aaron now realizes what we had said before
he went to Pittsburgh. The Jets and the Steelers, it's
the same issues defense. First, one's got better ownership, but
Pittsburgh's got issues too. They just have a better infrastructure
and ownership. But both the Jets Jets feel loose and outdated,
(06:13):
and so do the Steelers. So I think Aaron's doing
as much as a forty one year old quarterback can
with a defensive coach and a team that on fourth
and three either punts or case field goals.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They're not a current franchise. If the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Have a better infrastructured ownership than the Jets, it's by default.
I think that's true. But again it's by default. I
bet Aaron Rodgers feels a lot of things right now,
and one is that he won't be back in Pittsburgh
next year, going to be Minnesota or nowhere. It think
Minnesota should have got him this year because the gamble
(06:55):
with McCarthy and Wentz is just it didn't work. Should
have Gott Rogers or franchised Darnold. The Steelers are outdated, overrated, constipated, frustrated.
The defensive approach is overwhelming. It's just not the way
(07:18):
the league is anymore. Like Coward said, it's not current
and plus which the defense stinks. Emphasizing it is one thing.
Having it fail miserably is another. The Steelers approach outdated.
I've said that, Coward said that, and now Rogers is
finding it out. As far as being similar to the Jets,
(07:43):
obviously the Jets are a much more desperate situation. But
the Jets are stuck at the bottom. The Steelers are
stuck in the mushy middle, and unless you're at the top,
stuck is just stuck. Let's go to Nick.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Nick, you're on with Mark, Hey, Mark, My question is
is it more of a fireball offense for the years
of not winning a playoff game or the fact that
they're spending the most money in the league on a
defense that's arguably the worst.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, but they're just not going to fire them.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
You understand that, right, Yeah, of course I understand that.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
No, No to me.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
To me, the final straw should be that the emphasizes
defense was is outdated. They've spent more money on defense
than any team ever and the defense blows. Yes, that
is just grotesque incompetence of management. And if you want
to blame the bean Connor, I guess you can go
ahead and do that, but we all know Tomlin has
final say with personnel.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Absolutely, thank you for the call.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, like I made pretty clear, it's probably not doing
me any favors with you, but who cares about you?
I hate talking about this Steeler game because nothing's gonna change.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
No deviation, no invention.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Only injuries ever changed the Steelers lineup and and tactically
tom Win doesn't change because he's either stubborn or incompetent
or both. Again, I keep saying, the contrast could not
be more evident. Mike Tomlin made Aaron Rodgers a game manager,
Shane Steiken made Danny Dimes an MVP candidate.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I'm not really a Steeler fan.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
I know most of you are, and to a rabid degree,
I don't understand how you're not more frustrated and more angry.
And how are you not booing the crap out of
this message? Acroshure. Oh wait, I forgot you sold your
tickets to Packer fans think about this. The Steelers got
Aaron Rodgers and all these old guys and kept their
own old guys and paid their own old guys too
(09:40):
much money, specifically to finally win a playoff game after
seven years. Not It's week nine and okay, they're four
and three, but you can see them disintegrating.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Their grand plan is failing.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Other shows talk about ways to fix it and get better,
but it just it feels like the Steelers are what
they are and because of their age, more likely to
get worse than better. We got Paul's Ice up next,
talking Steelers on one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
One O five nine, The X says, your shot at
eggs drim cash.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
You'll keep money like that a secret.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
Cho I'm rich, Rich Rich, Jimmy listen all day for
your chance and some extra cash.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
On one oh five nine The X, This is a
Tino Mobile. This is what's trending from Iheartsports Network, presented
by Livin Furniture and Mattress.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
It'll be week nine of the NFL season, kicking off
tonight when Lamar Jackson and the Ravens head to Miami
day take on Jordan Brooks and the Dolphins. Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers says the Actressur Stadium turf was slightly better
this past weekend after pitt played on it the day before.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Pittsburgh said, the host.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
Indy this week and the Penguins they'll try to get
back into the win column tonight. They're in Minnesota. Pittsburgh
coming off tuesday shootout loss to Philly. I'm Scott David
said Black Friday.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
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Speaker 1 (11:56):
And now it's a super genius, Mark mad I'm not sure.
Just big and it's soft and I use a bunch
of pillows and I.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Swore the exit one O five nine double im on
the X.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
It's time to talk Steelers with Paul Zeiss of the
Post Gazette. He doesn't call him for the PG Paul Well,
Tom Win change anything against India on Sunday? Offense, defense, scheme, personnel.
Will he change anything at all?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Well, The thing is, Mark, I feel like this is
one of those games, isn't it where he finds a
way to rally the troops. It just feels like that doesn't.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
No, no, no, no, it doesn't. It feels like a
public execution incoming. I know what you're saying, but I
thought the Green Bay game felt like this.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
This game doesn't.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah, I mean, I just feel like it's one. It's
funny when you look at the fact that he is
a guy who whenever everybody seems to be against them
and everybody seems to think that they're gonna get kills,
old and all that other stuff, it feels like to me,
he finds a way to you know, all of a
sudden rally the troops. Now that's being said, I'm gonna
(13:10):
tell you one thing. There's a different feel I think
to this year, and that is I think that maybe
this core group is good. It could be sort of
the end for this core group in terms of being
able to you know, rally and all the other stuff
that they've done.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And I think they know that, Paul I can I
can see defeat in their eyes when they talk, and
if if that's stretching, it's not by.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Much, right and then so so my point is, you know,
I've tried to convince myself that this will be one
of those games where Tomlin is able to rally the
troops by the same token. I just, uh, I don't
know that they have enough left in the tank. And
(13:56):
you know, this is obviously a really good offensive team,
and it's one of those things where I think that
maybe he'll try and change a few things on defense,
but it's probably not gonna work because you know, I've
called this defense the defensive misfit parts, and they've added
another misfit part, you know, the kid from say, the
(14:18):
safety from New England, right Duggart, which, yeah, they've got
like five or six guys now on his defense who
are just sort of cast saws from other teams. So
I mean, maybe they'll change some things that you know
they're trying and do maybe a little bit in how
they do coverage or something. But I can't imagine that
that's gonna make that much of a difference.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Well, Ben Roethlisberger suggested having Ramsey play the slot and
cover the tight end in this case Tyler Warren.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
That strikes me as a good idea. What say you?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Well, yeah, I mean I think the biggest problem with that, though,
is then I think, Mark, are you on the same
page with me? That beyond Ramsey, I don't know that
they have a good player at that position.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Yeah, but at least he would at least he would
take away somebody like like like, if you put him
on the other team's best receiver, he can't do that.
Let's give him a job that he can do and
roll the dice with the other task.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, I could get on board with that. I Like
I said, I just feel like he's still your best
option at corner, and he's probably your best option, you know,
and if you put them you know, basically on Tyler Warren.
You might take away a few of the things that
he does well, you know that he can still do well.
(15:34):
So I don't know, man, I I don't hate the idea,
but I don't know that they have enough guys in
the defensive backfield, especially at corner, that I would trust.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Him to do that.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
No, they for sure don't.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And this is a flawed option, But any port in
a storm, I just do something different for the sake
of it being different. And you could gamble with Porter
on on God, I'm freezing on their best receiver's name, Pittman.
You could have Porter on Pittman, so that that's just
what I would do. But I feel when you look
(16:08):
at this defense, Paul, like what should get the most teeth?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
He makes the most.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
He's mostly been invisible, he won't vary what he does,
lines up in the same place, same rush every time,
and he's held in how many times.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I understand that these guys got to get the bag,
But I'm wondering if that's all they wanted. I'm wondering, Paul,
if that's all they wanted was to.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Get the bag, and whatever happens after isn't really of consequence.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
The most eye opening thing that someone said, and I
actually think I heard it on your show, is like
Baco is on your show or somebody. They basically said,
Miles Garrett had more sacks last week than what has
his entire year. Right, I didn't realized that.
Speaker 7 (16:49):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Realize that until I looked it up. I was like,
there's no way. I mean, the thing about what is
he's become the ultimate player where if he doesn't make
his high impact, big time play, what is he doing
out there? I mean, you know, I don't know that
he was ever like a great and run support kind
of guy, but he would at least show up and
make some tackles and you know, make some plays and
(17:11):
all that other stuff. Now, I mean, honestly, you know
the game where it was at the Bengals game where
he had a sack late actually him and Cam Heywood
had a sack lay. I mean, until that point in
the game, I'm not sure we even knew he was playing.
That's the problem I have with a lot. And here's
what I'll tell you, Mark what Payward, Hi Smith? Those
(17:32):
are your three highs paid guys. Those are your three
guys that are supposed to be your stars. I don't
know that any any of those three have had more
than maybe a stretch of maybe a game or two
where they have had an impact. So, you know, when
you've got as many flawed areas as they do in
terms of personnel, uh, you can cover a lot of
(17:52):
things and make up for a lot of things if
your stars play like stars, you know, or you know,
like the New England game that I don't know, that
defense played well, but they made big, big plays and
created turnovers and that was a big part of why
they were able to win the game. But you need
to start to have those high impact plays and these
guys just aren't doing that.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
We're talking to Paul's ice in the Post Cazette here
on the Mark Madden Show. As we mentioned Paul, the
Steelers got Dugger the safety from New England. Next week,
they're probably gonna get that wide out Valdez Scantling, who
used to play with Rogers in Green Bay. But isn't
that just stuff to talk about and invent optimism?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Does it?
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Does it really help anything at all?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Like you said, there are so many guys on this
team that other teams didn't want, and you look at Dugger.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
He had a big ticket the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
You're picking up a lot of his salary when he
plays for Pittsburgh. It's like that line from Moneyball. That's
what the Patriots think of Kyle Dugger. They're paying him
to play.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
For somebody else, right exactly. I think that's the biggest thing.
It's like, you got you got a number of guy like, like,
you know, guy like what's the name Valdez Scantling or
whatever Hisa is. I mean, there's a reason why he's
still out there, you know. And the thing about it
is those are guys, Honestly, if you have a rash
(19:08):
of injuries, there's a roster of free agent guys who
you can turn to and say, well, he's an NFL guy,
he's playing in the NFL, he got experience. He'll help
us get through two or three weeks, you know, and
you know, until we can get healthy. Those are the
kind of guys they're signing and bringing in. That's the problem.
They're not bringing in guys that are making them better.
They're bringing in guys that really you just sort of
(19:29):
try to plug a few hold with.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, and my worry is they bring in, for example,
Valdez scantling, and he jumps ahead of Roman Wilson, who's
just starting to get going a little bit. I mean,
it's just like there is so much coaching in general,
managing malpractice with his team, and in any other city,
everybody's jobs would be on the line for the rest
of the year, and they're just not here, and that
(19:52):
makes it even more discouraging if I'm a fan.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Well again, you know, I found it funny a couple
of days ago, Mark, when the when the uh uh
what I call the teflon Tomlin apologists were out in
full force to try and explain how the defense was
Tarah Austin's fault and not Tomlin's fault. I think, finally, Mark,
(20:15):
it's starting to change a little bit and people are
starting to take a look and say, you know what,
you can't be the guy in charge for twenty years
and and and and any time something goes wrong, it's
not your fault. You remember back in the day we
had Pitt uh bit had not your not my fault,
Walt Harris. Do you remember that the nickname who was
(20:37):
given to him, not my fault Walt. Now it's like,
you know, if the defense is terrible, it's not Tomin's fault.
If the offense is terrible, it's not tominswallt If the
personnel's bad, it's not Tomin's fault. But hey, Tomlin's the
greatest because he has a winning season every year. I mean,
you can't have it both ways. At the bottom line
is I think Mark people are starting to turn a
(20:58):
little bit towards uh seeing it for what it is.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, I think the national media is for sure, and
that will be more glorious than D Day when that
kicks in one hundred percent. Paul, here's another way to
look at this with the Steelers. Who is playing well?
Who should be blamed a little less?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Anyway?
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Well, I mean, I can't believe I'm gonna say this,
but I think the offensive line has actually gotten better
each week.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
It doesn't suck.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Yeah, it's I mean at the beginning of the year
it sucked. You know. Now it's just sort of average.
If it can continue to get better, I think they'll
be okay. I mean, we haven't really ripped on Broderick
Jones much in the last two or three weeks, and
think he's gotten a little bit better each week. You know,
Derek Harmon just sort of does his job, and I
think that's good enough for now as a rookie. I
think he's you know, had a bigger impact in his
(21:47):
first couple of weeks and now he's sort of settled in.
I think he's doing fine the rest of the defense.
I probably can't come up with another name that I think, Wow,
that guy's playing well. You know, I know, Nick Herbig
is exciting, you know if people get excited of these,
you know, he rushes the quarterback, but he's sort of
a one trick pony, and they have clearly fallen out
of favor with him because his numbers is stapski.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I don't know how you fall out of favor with
that guy when Alex Highsmith is stealing money and sucks
so bad.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Well, the claim is, you know, I mean, I don't
watch All twenty two, so I'm not an expert on film.
I've I've learned this week. I'm not allowed to speak
on anything because I don't watch the All twenty two film,
but I'm told that basically he doesn't he doesn't you know,
set the edge and he's not able to help in
(22:37):
the run game enough, and so they need him, you know,
they need That's why they use high Smith, because he's
better in that role. But I think that's a lot
of just nonsense. But of course I don't watch the
All twenty two Paul.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
If I ever do watch the All twenty twos, I
want you to hit me the end with a hammer
and throw me.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Down to mind shaft.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
We're ignoring the obvious guy who's been good. I have
no complains whatsoever about Aaron Rodgers, not on the field,
not off the field, not playing, not talking. He's been
a leader. He's done everything he could do.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
You're correct, Uh, he's been very good.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
You know all the narratives about what he was gonna
you know, I'm gonna bring all kinds of grief and
you know he's gonna divide the locker room and all
the other nonsense. I mean, guys said and done everything
the right way. Since he's been here, it's pretty clear.
You know, he wants to be here, wants to win.
You know, I think DK that cap has played Okay,
I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
He's been He's been disappointing. He hasn't been a game breaker,
and there's been a few drops. But I'm not sure,
how much of his underachieving is totally on him?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Right? I mean, if you look at him, he's been
their best probably their best player on offense in many ways.
But you also look at the fact that he's a
thirty million dollar guy and you're like, well, they should
get more from him, out of him. I mean, last
couple of weeks, it seems like prior Meth has played Okay,
you know, here's the one guy that baffles me. Why
(24:01):
the hell did they bring John new Smith here? Right?
I mean, it seems like they have no plan for him,
no reason at all, rhyme or reason for how they
use him. It makes absolutely no sense the way that
they use him or don't use him. I don't understand
why they brought him here if he's just gonna be
sort of a guy that every so often that seems
(24:21):
like they throw a six yard past you.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Here's the big story coming up Sunday, and I've I've
gone out of my way actually to watch a couple
of their games recently. Indianapolis is an offensive juggernaut. I
watched them on TV. If I were the other team,
if I played defense against him, I just wouldn't know
what to do.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
They come at you from everywhere.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, well, of course, I mean they they do. And
I think one of the things that people said when
they hired you know, Saint Stichen was that that's gonna
be his m O. That you know, he's a guy
that's very forward thinking. And but but the other part
of it is, and you know, I was reading a
little bit they just kind of getting ready for you know,
writing some preview stuff and whatnot. But the other thing is,
(25:05):
I mean, they they really believe that the best unit
they have on the entire field is their offensive line.
That this is the best offensive line they've had since
probably the days of Peyton Nanny.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
So right now the cornerstone guy with Nelson too, I mean,
that line has everything.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Right, They and and and they and they. You know,
they obviously have the running back. They obviously have a quarterback, which,
by the way, the last time I think I watched
h Danny Dimes play at Akroshuer Stadium, I think it
was still called Heinsfield at the time. He was destroying
paton Ardozy's defense. He was and and by the way,
(25:42):
one of the eleven on that defense was my Subtileza.
But anyway, they although he actually played pretty well that day,
Believe it or not, but Danny Dimes is through through
balls all over the play.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Great story, Danny Dimes.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I mean, he went from he went from Polukaville in
New York, which supposedly a decent offensive line, and dabbled
down there, and now he's in Indianapolis and he's a
legitimate MVP candidate.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Well, I might speak volumes about saying psyching actually yep, right,
I mean, and his offense and his ability to work
with quarterbacks and whatnot. I mean that's just sort of
you know, probably the story there. But you know what
I tell you when I but the story when I mean,
when I saw him play at Duke against Pitt that day,
I thought, this dude is going to be the man.
(26:31):
I mean, this dude's got every throw. He's pretty applet
you know, reasonably athletic. He can move, he's got you know,
the deep balls, he's got you know, the intermediates, he's
he's accurate, he's on time, he's got a quick release.
I'm like, this guy's got a shout to be a star.
So I don't know why it didn't work in New York,
but really, in some ways doesn't surprise me that, you know,
the right quarterback, coach and the right situation, you know,
(26:54):
he was able to bring that out of him.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Paul, Uh, Well, the Steelers win Sunday? Will they win
the division? Will they make the playoffs? That's a three parter.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Three parter. Will they win Sunday? I'm gonna go out
on the limit and say, yes, lose to the Chargers.
Lose to the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
How about win the division?
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I don't think so. I think Baltimore might run the table. Honestly,
Lamar Jackson back, looks like they fixed some things on
the defense. They got the Steelers twice. I think Baltimore
is gonna win the division and then uh, I think
the Steelers will be a team that makes the wild card.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I don't know if two teams are gonna make the
playoffs from that division.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Yeah, I would. I think that could be tough. And
I'm looking around the rest of you know, the divisions,
the ANFC East, I guess New England and Buffalo, you
know have a shot to make it. You know, the
AFC South, I'm not sure he was even good in
that in that division, and the AFC West I guess
you're right. There are two teams, you know, but Denver
is a steaky team that seems to be hanging around,
and so do the Chargers, and obviously the teams are
(27:58):
gonna make it. So I'm I'm wow, that is really
a difficult one. I think that you're right. If they
don't win the division, no, they're not gonna make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Well, here's my thing. I think they're gonna either make
it or miss it. And I mean by that I
mean the division in the playoffs by one game. I
think they'll be in it till the last game of
the season, which is what they, you know, always strive
to do. But you know they're gonna be one game in,
one game out, because that is the steelerway, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Well, I think the thing about it is next year
if they get if they do what you're saying and
they don't make the playoffs, next year, they'll raise the banner.
You know, they already have. They never had a winning
losing season banner. They can they can have the we're
in it till the end of the season every year.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Banner.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
That's right, because that seems to be that seems to
be what we celebrate nowadays.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
To be fair, that is what's best for business. Paul,
great stuff. Will do it again next week.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
All right, thanks brother, we'll see it man.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
That's Paul zeiss Uh. We have Joshhey at the top
of the hour talking Penguins hockey
I understand that you wear his jersey number ninety, and
when you're watching the game at home, that's all you're wearing,
no pants, astroglide with an easy reach. I get it
your fans, that's terrific. But tell me why he's doing okay,
because it's gonna not get better with him. It's gonna
get worse. It's not gonna get better with Cam. It's
(00:23):
gonna get worse. It's not gonna get better with Ramsey,
it's gonna get worse. It's not gonna get better with Sleigh.
It's gonna get worse.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
They're old.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Old guys do not rally late in the season and
pick up their play.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
They just get old.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And Cam against qwent Nelson on Sunday, Yikes, he gonna
get worn outs.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I repeat, yikes.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Eight three, three four one two w XDX number to
comp if you'd like to hear the impact of coaching
in football in a nutshell and bye. By the way,
I am being highly critical of the Steelers. They're head coach,
all their coaches, their players, their organization, the owner, the GM, everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm being highly critical. I'm being viciously critical.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know why, because they effing deserve it, and it's
the only place in time to come to get that,
because it's the only place in time to get the truth.
And even if some people are parroting it right now,
that's what they're doing because I was way ahead of
the curve on this because I'm not a fanboy, because
I'm smart.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
You're not that bright. They don't have guts, and that's
how it goes.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But if you'd like to hear the impact of coaching
in a nutshell in football, Shane Steiken took Danny Dimes
and made him an MVP candidate. Mike Tomlin took Aaron
Rodgers and made him a game manager.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
And that is all the people need to know.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I was the Steeler season was over, because it feels
like it is unless Kyle Duggar can somehow channel Troy Pulamalu.
That said I said in my opening remarks last hour.
He does bring the wood, he does hit people. That's good, okay,
But but Elliott does too, and it you know it helped,
but you've seen the defense that it never helped enough.
(02:15):
There is just no way the Steelers can fix that
defense again. If you think they can tell me how
eight three three four one two WXDX. But you won't
because you just get mad at me through your radios.
And he's fat and he doesn't know, and we're good
and we're gonna win. But I'm always right, and I'm
certainly right about this. There's no way the Steelers can
fix that defense, which means there's no way the Steelers
(02:37):
can stop the Colts offense, which means there's no way
the Steelers can win on Sunday. But again, I'm getting
nasty emails. So here's how the Steelers really I'm getting.
Like now, I'm like, you know, I mean, you fat
bleep is the nicest thing they say.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
One guy, I didn't I should? I should I say
this on the air.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
One guy a few a few months, I guess it
was maybe last year. He sent me he had a
picture of my mom's grave and he had like insulting
things about my mom's grave. And I wondered, boy did
this some bitch like go to the grave and take
a picture. Although if you go online, like there's a
thing called find the Grave, and I gotta been like,
(03:16):
I've like used that to see like John Bonham's grave,
the Zeppelin drummer. But anyway, I get these nasty emails,
so I'm going to wax optimistic. Here's how the Steelers
could win. Jonathan Taylor gets kidnapped before the game. I'm
not saying somebody should do that. I'm just saying, what
if Mike Tomlin gets kidnapped. I'm not saying somebody should.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I mean it. It never get away with it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
The field at Acquasher is unplayable and the game is hauleded,
which could happen. Maybe they make big Bend defensive coordinator. Okay,
I tried. This stuff just isn't funny, and I'm sorry,
but Sunday's game is gonna be a blood bath. There's
it's gonna be like on trails everywhere, like a twenty
(04:03):
point loss. But here's the weird part. The Cults are
only favored by three. And I'm not the guy who says, well,
Vegas knows more than we do.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
No.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
I know what Vegas knows, and it is a way
to get equal number of bets on each side, so
they reap the benefit of the vigorous the profit margin,
if you will. I just really want, like Tommy Radio predicted,
I really want the Ravens and Steelers to both be
six and six on December seventh, when they play, A
(04:35):
day that will live in infamine. And I want that
to happen so I can keep repeating the line at nauseum,
a day that will live in infamine. We should be
debating who the next Steelers coach is gonna be and
the other city the way the season's going for their
NFL team after not making the playoffs seven years in
a row. That's the debate on sports radio who the
(04:55):
next coach is gonna be? I believe it should either
be Derek Shelton or James Franklin. Uh Like we talked
about a moment ago. I heard Franklin might go to
Virginia Tech acc Franklin versus Nardoozi, let's get it on.
That would make me so happy. Some unconventional things are
happening in sports that have all the potential to make
(05:18):
me just so happy. One oh five ninety X and
now the super genius Mark Madden, Mark.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Afternoon, the Mark Madden, What do you want?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What do you want? Damn it? The X at one
O five nine he calls it.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
We've got a bit of time to hear from you.
At A three three four one two WXDX here's Colin
Coward on Fox wondering if Aaron Rodgers not realize that
the Jets and Steelers ain't that far apart.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
I think Aaron now realizes what we had said before
he went to Pittsburgh. The Jets and the Steelers, it's
the same issues defense. First, one's got better ownership, but
Pittsburgh's got issues too. They just have a better infrastructure
and ownership. But both the Jets Jets feel loose and outdated,
(06:13):
and so do the Steelers. So I think Aaron's doing
as much as a forty one year old quarterback can
with a defensive coach and a team that on fourth
and three either punts or case field goals.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They're not a current franchise. If the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Have a better infrastructured ownership than the Jets, it's by default.
I think that's true. But again it's by default. I
bet Aaron Rodgers feels a lot of things right now,
and one is that he won't be back in Pittsburgh
next year, going to be Minnesota or nowhere. It think
Minnesota should have got him this year because the gamble
(06:55):
with McCarthy and Wentz is just it didn't work. Should
have Gott Rogers or franchised Darnold. The Steelers are outdated, overrated, constipated, frustrated.
The defensive approach is overwhelming. It's just not the way
(07:18):
the league is anymore. Like Coward said, it's not current
and plus which the defense stinks. Emphasizing it is one thing.
Having it fail miserably is another. The Steelers approach outdated.
I've said that, Coward said that, and now Rogers is
finding it out. As far as being similar to the Jets,
(07:43):
obviously the Jets are a much more desperate situation. But
the Jets are stuck at the bottom. The Steelers are
stuck in the mushy middle, and unless you're at the top,
stuck is just stuck. Let's go to Nick.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Nick, you're on with Mark, Hey, Mark, My question is
is it more of a fireball offense for the years
of not winning a playoff game or the fact that
they're spending the most money in the league on a
defense that's arguably the worst.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, but they're just not going to fire them.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
You understand that, right, Yeah, of course I understand that.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
No, No to me.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
To me, the final straw should be that the emphasizes
defense was is outdated. They've spent more money on defense
than any team ever and the defense blows. Yes, that
is just grotesque incompetence of management. And if you want
to blame the bean Connor, I guess you can go
ahead and do that, but we all know Tomlin has
final say with personnel.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Absolutely, thank you for the call.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, like I made pretty clear, it's probably not doing
me any favors with you, but who cares about you?
I hate talking about this Steeler game because nothing's gonna change.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
No deviation, no invention.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Only injuries ever changed the Steelers lineup and and tactically
tom Win doesn't change because he's either stubborn or incompetent
or both. Again, I keep saying, the contrast could not
be more evident. Mike Tomlin made Aaron Rodgers a game manager,
Shane Steiken made Danny Dimes an MVP candidate.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I'm not really a Steeler fan.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
I know most of you are, and to a rabid degree,
I don't understand how you're not more frustrated and more angry.
And how are you not booing the crap out of
this message? Acroshure. Oh wait, I forgot you sold your
tickets to Packer fans think about this. The Steelers got
Aaron Rodgers and all these old guys and kept their
own old guys and paid their own old guys too
(09:40):
much money, specifically to finally win a playoff game after
seven years. Not It's week nine and okay, they're four
and three, but you can see them disintegrating.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Their grand plan is failing.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Other shows talk about ways to fix it and get better,
but it just it feels like the Steelers are what
they are and because of their age, more likely to
get worse than better. We got Paul's Ice up next,
talking Steelers on one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
One O five nine, The X says, your shot at
eggs drim cash.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
You'll keep money like that a secret.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
Cho I'm rich, Rich Rich, Jimmy listen all day for
your chance and some extra cash.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
On one oh five nine The X, This is a
Tino Mobile. This is what's trending from Iheartsports Network, presented
by Livin Furniture and Mattress.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
It'll be week nine of the NFL season, kicking off
tonight when Lamar Jackson and the Ravens head to Miami
day take on Jordan Brooks and the Dolphins. Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers says the Actressur Stadium turf was slightly better
this past weekend after pitt played on it the day before.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Pittsburgh said, the host.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
Indy this week and the Penguins they'll try to get
back into the win column tonight. They're in Minnesota. Pittsburgh
coming off tuesday shootout loss to Philly. I'm Scott David
said Black Friday.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
And when it comes to music, change is all around us.
Songs are we written, classics are remixed, Bands and artists
come and go. Even our dastes and music changes. Here
at Infinity, we know there's still good in keeping some
things the same. That's why we want to do our
(11:21):
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(11:44):
new residential customers only, Taxes and piece extra and subject
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Speaker 1 (11:56):
And now it's a super genius, Mark mad I'm not sure.
Just big and it's soft and I use a bunch
of pillows and I.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Swore the exit one O five nine double im on
the X.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
It's time to talk Steelers with Paul Zeiss of the
Post Gazette. He doesn't call him for the PG Paul Well,
Tom Win change anything against India on Sunday? Offense, defense, scheme, personnel.
Will he change anything at all?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Well, The thing is, Mark, I feel like this is
one of those games, isn't it where he finds a
way to rally the troops. It just feels like that doesn't.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
No, no, no, no, it doesn't. It feels like a
public execution incoming. I know what you're saying, but I
thought the Green Bay game felt like this.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
This game doesn't.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah, I mean, I just feel like it's one. It's
funny when you look at the fact that he is
a guy who whenever everybody seems to be against them
and everybody seems to think that they're gonna get kills,
old and all that other stuff, it feels like to me,
he finds a way to you know, all of a
sudden rally the troops. Now that's being said, I'm gonna
(13:10):
tell you one thing. There's a different feel I think
to this year, and that is I think that maybe
this core group is good. It could be sort of
the end for this core group in terms of being
able to you know, rally and all the other stuff
that they've done.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And I think they know that, Paul I can I
can see defeat in their eyes when they talk, and
if if that's stretching, it's not by.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Much, right and then so so my point is, you know,
I've tried to convince myself that this will be one
of those games where Tomlin is able to rally the
troops by the same token. I just, uh, I don't
know that they have enough left in the tank. And
(13:56):
you know, this is obviously a really good offensive team,
and it's one of those things where I think that
maybe he'll try and change a few things on defense,
but it's probably not gonna work because you know, I've
called this defense the defensive misfit parts, and they've added
another misfit part, you know, the kid from say, the
(14:18):
safety from New England, right Duggart, which, yeah, they've got
like five or six guys now on his defense who
are just sort of cast saws from other teams. So
I mean, maybe they'll change some things that you know
they're trying and do maybe a little bit in how
they do coverage or something. But I can't imagine that
that's gonna make that much of a difference.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Well, Ben Roethlisberger suggested having Ramsey play the slot and
cover the tight end in this case Tyler Warren.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
That strikes me as a good idea. What say you?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Well, yeah, I mean I think the biggest problem with that, though,
is then I think, Mark, are you on the same
page with me? That beyond Ramsey, I don't know that
they have a good player at that position.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Yeah, but at least he would at least he would
take away somebody like like like, if you put him
on the other team's best receiver, he can't do that.
Let's give him a job that he can do and
roll the dice with the other task.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, I could get on board with that. I Like
I said, I just feel like he's still your best
option at corner, and he's probably your best option, you know,
and if you put them you know, basically on Tyler Warren.
You might take away a few of the things that
he does well, you know that he can still do well.
(15:34):
So I don't know, man, I I don't hate the idea,
but I don't know that they have enough guys in
the defensive backfield, especially at corner, that I would trust.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Him to do that.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
No, they for sure don't.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And this is a flawed option, But any port in
a storm, I just do something different for the sake
of it being different. And you could gamble with Porter
on on God, I'm freezing on their best receiver's name, Pittman.
You could have Porter on Pittman, so that that's just
what I would do. But I feel when you look
(16:08):
at this defense, Paul, like what should get the most teeth?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
He makes the most.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
He's mostly been invisible, he won't vary what he does,
lines up in the same place, same rush every time,
and he's held in how many times.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I understand that these guys got to get the bag,
But I'm wondering if that's all they wanted. I'm wondering, Paul,
if that's all they wanted was to.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Get the bag, and whatever happens after isn't really of consequence.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
The most eye opening thing that someone said, and I
actually think I heard it on your show, is like
Baco is on your show or somebody. They basically said,
Miles Garrett had more sacks last week than what has
his entire year. Right, I didn't realized that.
Speaker 7 (16:49):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Realize that until I looked it up. I was like,
there's no way. I mean, the thing about what is
he's become the ultimate player where if he doesn't make
his high impact, big time play, what is he doing
out there? I mean, you know, I don't know that
he was ever like a great and run support kind
of guy, but he would at least show up and
make some tackles and you know, make some plays and
(17:11):
all that other stuff. Now, I mean, honestly, you know
the game where it was at the Bengals game where
he had a sack late actually him and Cam Heywood
had a sack lay. I mean, until that point in
the game, I'm not sure we even knew he was playing.
That's the problem I have with a lot. And here's
what I'll tell you, Mark what Payward, Hi Smith? Those
(17:32):
are your three highs paid guys. Those are your three
guys that are supposed to be your stars. I don't
know that any any of those three have had more
than maybe a stretch of maybe a game or two
where they have had an impact. So, you know, when
you've got as many flawed areas as they do in
terms of personnel, uh, you can cover a lot of
(17:52):
things and make up for a lot of things if
your stars play like stars, you know, or you know,
like the New England game that I don't know, that
defense played well, but they made big, big plays and
created turnovers and that was a big part of why
they were able to win the game. But you need
to start to have those high impact plays and these
guys just aren't doing that.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
We're talking to Paul's ice in the Post Cazette here
on the Mark Madden Show. As we mentioned Paul, the
Steelers got Dugger the safety from New England. Next week,
they're probably gonna get that wide out Valdez Scantling, who
used to play with Rogers in Green Bay. But isn't
that just stuff to talk about and invent optimism?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Does it?
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Does it really help anything at all?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Like you said, there are so many guys on this
team that other teams didn't want, and you look at Dugger.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
He had a big ticket the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
You're picking up a lot of his salary when he
plays for Pittsburgh. It's like that line from Moneyball. That's
what the Patriots think of Kyle Dugger. They're paying him
to play.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
For somebody else, right exactly. I think that's the biggest thing.
It's like, you got you got a number of guy like, like,
you know, guy like what's the name Valdez Scantling or
whatever Hisa is. I mean, there's a reason why he's
still out there, you know. And the thing about it
is those are guys, Honestly, if you have a rash
(19:08):
of injuries, there's a roster of free agent guys who
you can turn to and say, well, he's an NFL guy,
he's playing in the NFL, he got experience. He'll help
us get through two or three weeks, you know, and
you know, until we can get healthy. Those are the
kind of guys they're signing and bringing in. That's the problem.
They're not bringing in guys that are making them better.
They're bringing in guys that really you just sort of
(19:29):
try to plug a few hold with.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, and my worry is they bring in, for example,
Valdez scantling, and he jumps ahead of Roman Wilson, who's
just starting to get going a little bit. I mean,
it's just like there is so much coaching in general,
managing malpractice with his team, and in any other city,
everybody's jobs would be on the line for the rest
of the year, and they're just not here, and that
(19:52):
makes it even more discouraging if I'm a fan.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Well again, you know, I found it funny a couple
of days ago, Mark, when the when the uh uh
what I call the teflon Tomlin apologists were out in
full force to try and explain how the defense was
Tarah Austin's fault and not Tomlin's fault. I think, finally, Mark,
(20:15):
it's starting to change a little bit and people are
starting to take a look and say, you know what,
you can't be the guy in charge for twenty years
and and and and any time something goes wrong, it's
not your fault. You remember back in the day we
had Pitt uh bit had not your not my fault,
Walt Harris. Do you remember that the nickname who was
(20:37):
given to him, not my fault Walt. Now it's like,
you know, if the defense is terrible, it's not Tomin's fault.
If the offense is terrible, it's not tominswallt If the
personnel's bad, it's not Tomin's fault. But hey, Tomlin's the
greatest because he has a winning season every year. I mean,
you can't have it both ways. At the bottom line
is I think Mark people are starting to turn a
(20:58):
little bit towards uh seeing it for what it is.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, I think the national media is for sure, and
that will be more glorious than D Day when that
kicks in one hundred percent. Paul, here's another way to
look at this with the Steelers. Who is playing well?
Who should be blamed a little less?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Anyway?
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Well, I mean, I can't believe I'm gonna say this,
but I think the offensive line has actually gotten better
each week.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
It doesn't suck.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Yeah, it's I mean at the beginning of the year
it sucked. You know. Now it's just sort of average.
If it can continue to get better, I think they'll
be okay. I mean, we haven't really ripped on Broderick
Jones much in the last two or three weeks, and
think he's gotten a little bit better each week. You know,
Derek Harmon just sort of does his job, and I
think that's good enough for now as a rookie. I
think he's you know, had a bigger impact in his
(21:47):
first couple of weeks and now he's sort of settled in.
I think he's doing fine the rest of the defense.
I probably can't come up with another name that I think, Wow,
that guy's playing well. You know, I know, Nick Herbig
is exciting, you know if people get excited of these,
you know, he rushes the quarterback, but he's sort of
a one trick pony, and they have clearly fallen out
of favor with him because his numbers is stapski.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I don't know how you fall out of favor with
that guy when Alex Highsmith is stealing money and sucks
so bad.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Well, the claim is, you know, I mean, I don't
watch All twenty two, so I'm not an expert on film.
I've I've learned this week. I'm not allowed to speak
on anything because I don't watch the All twenty two film,
but I'm told that basically he doesn't he doesn't you know,
set the edge and he's not able to help in
(22:37):
the run game enough, and so they need him, you know,
they need That's why they use high Smith, because he's
better in that role. But I think that's a lot
of just nonsense. But of course I don't watch the
All twenty two Paul.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
If I ever do watch the All twenty twos, I
want you to hit me the end with a hammer
and throw me.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Down to mind shaft.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
We're ignoring the obvious guy who's been good. I have
no complains whatsoever about Aaron Rodgers, not on the field,
not off the field, not playing, not talking. He's been
a leader. He's done everything he could do.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
You're correct, Uh, he's been very good.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
You know all the narratives about what he was gonna
you know, I'm gonna bring all kinds of grief and
you know he's gonna divide the locker room and all
the other nonsense. I mean, guys said and done everything
the right way. Since he's been here, it's pretty clear.
You know, he wants to be here, wants to win.
You know, I think DK that cap has played Okay,
I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
He's been He's been disappointing. He hasn't been a game breaker,
and there's been a few drops. But I'm not sure,
how much of his underachieving is totally on him?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Right? I mean, if you look at him, he's been
their best probably their best player on offense in many ways.
But you also look at the fact that he's a
thirty million dollar guy and you're like, well, they should
get more from him, out of him. I mean, last
couple of weeks, it seems like prior Meth has played Okay,
you know, here's the one guy that baffles me. Why
(24:01):
the hell did they bring John new Smith here? Right?
I mean, it seems like they have no plan for him,
no reason at all, rhyme or reason for how they
use him. It makes absolutely no sense the way that
they use him or don't use him. I don't understand
why they brought him here if he's just gonna be
sort of a guy that every so often that seems
(24:21):
like they throw a six yard past you.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Here's the big story coming up Sunday, and I've I've
gone out of my way actually to watch a couple
of their games recently. Indianapolis is an offensive juggernaut. I
watched them on TV. If I were the other team,
if I played defense against him, I just wouldn't know
what to do.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
They come at you from everywhere.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, well, of course, I mean they they do. And
I think one of the things that people said when
they hired you know, Saint Stichen was that that's gonna
be his m O. That you know, he's a guy
that's very forward thinking. And but but the other part
of it is, and you know, I was reading a
little bit they just kind of getting ready for you know,
writing some preview stuff and whatnot. But the other thing is,
(25:05):
I mean, they they really believe that the best unit
they have on the entire field is their offensive line.
That this is the best offensive line they've had since
probably the days of Peyton Nanny.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
So right now the cornerstone guy with Nelson too, I mean,
that line has everything.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Right, They and and and they and they. You know,
they obviously have the running back. They obviously have a quarterback, which,
by the way, the last time I think I watched
h Danny Dimes play at Akroshuer Stadium, I think it
was still called Heinsfield at the time. He was destroying
paton Ardozy's defense. He was and and by the way,
(25:42):
one of the eleven on that defense was my Subtileza.
But anyway, they although he actually played pretty well that day,
Believe it or not, but Danny Dimes is through through
balls all over the play.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Great story, Danny Dimes.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I mean, he went from he went from Polukaville in
New York, which supposedly a decent offensive line, and dabbled
down there, and now he's in Indianapolis and he's a
legitimate MVP candidate.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Well, I might speak volumes about saying psyching actually yep, right,
I mean, and his offense and his ability to work
with quarterbacks and whatnot. I mean that's just sort of
you know, probably the story there. But you know what
I tell you when I but the story when I mean,
when I saw him play at Duke against Pitt that day,
I thought, this dude is going to be the man.
(26:31):
I mean, this dude's got every throw. He's pretty applet
you know, reasonably athletic. He can move, he's got you know,
the deep balls, he's got you know, the intermediates, he's
he's accurate, he's on time, he's got a quick release.
I'm like, this guy's got a shout to be a star.
So I don't know why it didn't work in New York,
but really, in some ways doesn't surprise me that, you know,
the right quarterback, coach and the right situation, you know,
(26:54):
he was able to bring that out of him.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Paul, Uh, Well, the Steelers win Sunday? Will they win
the division? Will they make the playoffs? That's a three parter.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Three parter. Will they win Sunday? I'm gonna go out
on the limit and say, yes, lose to the Chargers.
Lose to the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
How about win the division?
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I don't think so. I think Baltimore might run the table. Honestly,
Lamar Jackson back, looks like they fixed some things on
the defense. They got the Steelers twice. I think Baltimore
is gonna win the division and then uh, I think
the Steelers will be a team that makes the wild card.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I don't know if two teams are gonna make the
playoffs from that division.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Yeah, I would. I think that could be tough. And
I'm looking around the rest of you know, the divisions,
the ANFC East, I guess New England and Buffalo, you
know have a shot to make it. You know, the
AFC South, I'm not sure he was even good in
that in that division, and the AFC West I guess
you're right. There are two teams, you know, but Denver
is a steaky team that seems to be hanging around,
and so do the Chargers, and obviously the teams are
(27:58):
gonna make it. So I'm I'm wow, that is really
a difficult one. I think that you're right. If they
don't win the division, no, they're not gonna make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Well, here's my thing. I think they're gonna either make
it or miss it. And I mean by that I
mean the division in the playoffs by one game. I
think they'll be in it till the last game of
the season, which is what they, you know, always strive
to do. But you know they're gonna be one game in,
one game out, because that is the steelerway, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Well, I think the thing about it is next year
if they get if they do what you're saying and
they don't make the playoffs, next year, they'll raise the banner.
You know, they already have. They never had a winning
losing season banner. They can they can have the we're
in it till the end of the season every year.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Banner.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
That's right, because that seems to be that seems to
be what we celebrate nowadays.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
To be fair, that is what's best for business. Paul,
great stuff. Will do it again next week.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
All right, thanks brother, we'll see it man.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
That's Paul zeiss Uh. We have Joshhey at the top
of the hour talking Penguins hockey
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