November 7, 2025 • 33 mins
Mark talks more about the Penguins, the best team in town. tim Benz joins to preview Steelers Chargers
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Okay, I've got a couple of feelings about this Steelers game.
But by the way, I prefer to talk hockey, So
dial right now A three three four one two WSDX
and we'll talk hockey asap. Because the Penguins, they're the
best story in tom They might be the best team
in Ton. How great would it be if the Steelers
didn't win a playoff game this year and the Penguins
(00:25):
won a playoff series after the expectations for both. I
gotta be honest, I would stick that up your ass.
So let's hope for the best. But a couple of
feelings about the Steeler game. I feel like Rogers is
going to have his first really big game.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
As a Steeler.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Statistically, he's throwing touchdowns, he's winning games, he's their MVP
so far. But I feel like he's gonna have his
first three hundred yard game because that might be what
it takes his top figure so far, passing his two
forty nine yards in a game. It seems like it
should be more right. But I think he's gonna have
(01:02):
three hundred yards plus in the air. I'd like to
see him win a game but have zero takeaways or
minimal takeaways. You can't be married to that like they
pretty much are. What about Malie Harrison? He's a player, tough,
a run stuffered inside backer. So that's what I'd like
(01:23):
to see. What we need to see is DK Metcalf
gotta get going because if he doesn't soon, he might never.
He's definitely a major disappointment so far. Same goes for
John U. But John who I don't blame as much
because he's on the pay no mind list.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
DK.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I know he's not targeted as much as you'd like
and as much as we would have thought.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
But how do you target a guy win?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Clang, clang, clang.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
All those drops.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Let's gather up all these bricks and build a house
so your mother and sister have a place to live.
Clang is what do he else Goanna say? Clang or
clank in white man can't chump? I never figured that out.
This is the Mark Mann Show. Joined me to watch
the game at the beer house, the Sidelines beer House
(02:12):
and some weekly on Sunday night Steelers and Chargers Wings
beer giveaways.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
That'll be terrific.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Okay, So I want to see DK get going, and
like I said, some guys that they don't get going.
By halfway through the campaign, it becomes a lost season.
Would that surprise at disappointment DK not.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Me, It wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Ramsey needs to play good again at safety, and I've
a hidden agenda with that. I wanted to play so
good that the Steelers just have to keep him there,
Like Kindle on the first pier play with the Penguins.
I want Ramsey to be irreplaceable at safety so they
don't get the idea that they could have him cover
(02:54):
like Jamo. He won't be Elliott won't be back by then.
But like I don't want Ramsey covering the other teams
top receiver like Jamar Chase lit him up like a
downtown Christmas tree. I think Ramsey is best deployed at safety,
or best deployed as the slot corner covering a good
tight end. I think that's where his abilities still have capability.
(03:16):
But I think it's safety. He can play three or
four more years like Rod Woodson made that conversion. And
if you're gonna dream, dream big, maybe knock the quarterback
out the game, which the Steelers never do because Herbert
could be a problem. Does anybody know that I should
look that up and again, I'm too lazy. If Tom
(03:38):
should have looked this up, even though he didn't ask
him to, he'll probably be fired after the show, or
maybe mid show.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
When's the last time.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
The Steelers knocked the quarterback out of the game? Because
they hit guys quarterbacks all the time, sacks, QB hits,
all that stuff, when's the last time they knocked in
the game? You'd think what? Could You'd think Heyward? Could
you'd think Heismith?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, no, not him. He just is so inconsistent.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I mean, remember that one playoff game where we beat Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
We I shouldn't have said we, That's not we.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
The Steelers beat Cincinnati, went Chemo von Ohoff and knocked
Carson Palmer on by accident. He thought, well, he said,
and he showed remorse right there in the field. And
I started calling him and Chemo onon Greenhoff and it
was delightful. Why can't they knock a quarterback out of
a game? Like I said, they get enough Saxon quarterback hits.
I can't remember the last time it happened, So get
(04:34):
your calls. In eight three, three, four to one two WSDX,
we talked about the Penguins game a lot in the
first hour.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
They came back from being comeback on.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Three nol up three to three, tied, killed off two
penalties and the third rusty on the power play at
an empty net. Penguins win and they needed it too.
Last night was the first salad for the Penguins and
the regular season. They had that sellout for the Mark
Henry Ferry come back in that exhibition game, and a
lot of that sellout last night was Capital's fans. But wow,
(05:10):
nine four and two. That should draw better. The old
timey big name should draw better. The kid should draw better.
It's an exciting team even when it's blowing leads. But again,
I'm gonna get back to me being a grump about
Moroshof not starting last night, and I emphasize just because
they won and just because Chiloff's played pretty good, they
(05:33):
still should have started Morrishoff one. Absolutely a chance to
christen the star, a chance to create a moment, a
chance to maybe even if you're lucky reenact. Farie's debut
was a rookie at eighteen in two thousand and three.
Forty six saves, loses three nil, stops the penalty shot.
Everyone remembers it. It was the birth of Mark Henry
(05:54):
Ferry as what he was going to be in Pittsburgh
and turned out that's what he did. But but if
the fact that they're second bottom in the league in
attendance and Sunday's crowd when LA comes on a NFL
Sunday with the Steelers playing at night, that's gonna be
(06:15):
friends and family, and even some of the friends and
family might not show up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
That'll be the lowest crowd of the year. That'll be
the lowest crowd all year. I hope I'm wrong, but
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It tells you something when you still got sid Geno
on the tang out there, which the fans wanted. You
guys wanted write, oh Gino, can't get rid of Gino.
Keep Geno forever? And now, I mean even Bouchie said that,
let him play year by year. No, you got to
turn the page and have Kindles your number two center.
But I bet they keep him if he wants to.
And I bet Kyle Dubis will sit next to Gino
(06:46):
as that contract gets signed with clenched teeth. But but
you guys wanted them guys to stay, and you're not
gonna They're nine to four and two, and you're not
going Moreshaw. That's a new buzz, that's a new star.
It's a new kid in town. That's what people want.
(07:08):
They're comfortable with old, they'll pay to see new.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
The buzz.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Comes from new more than anything I said earlier in
the pregame show. There's a report that the new Steelers receiver,
Marquez Valdez Scantling, who Coach t said would be on
the practice squad. There's a report I think fit Apaula
from the Post Gazette that he might jump right on
the active roster and get helmet on Sunday at the
(07:37):
LA Chargers. That'd be the Aaron Rodgers effect they played
together at Green Bay. Valdaz Scantling was sitting next to
Rogers saying, this guy is the reason I'm here. He's
wanted me here for quite some time. He was practically
yanking it and cranking it to the median And why
was the media interviewing a practice squad receiver.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
By the way, but.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
If MVS does get a helmet, who goes inactive? And
Tom ventured and I agree or to probably be Roman
Wilson after that real bad turnover, which what to Tom
will call it?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Boneheaded uh against Indy. They just looked for any.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Excuse to hate Roman Wilson, and Wilson gave it to him,
even though I think he's been coming on uh pretty
strong lately. So anyway, we got a great sound bite
up next from Ryan O'Reilly, not the guy from oz Oh.
I screwed my own punchline for the freaking sound bite,
no wonder, there's never been a better time to not listen.
(08:39):
I'm stepping on my own jokes, but uh, but yeah,
Ryan O'Reilly from the Nasville Pretters was like the most
seriously self deprecating sound bite I've heard in years. I'm
not even gonna, you know, try to tease what he says.
You have to hear it to believe it. Uh And
and I do want calls hibout it anything, but I
(09:00):
want hockey calls. I mean, even you Steeler fans, you
know this is all headed one way to Pellukaville when
the dust clears after at the latest the first week
of the playoffs. Right, you know that you have to
know that you're not stupid. Then again, maybe you are.
Don't you agree that the Penguins are by far the
best story in town? And even if they're not, They're
my team and I'm gonna talk about them, pure and simple. Okay,
(09:22):
So get those calls in, even if you want to
tell me to go screw you know, I wonder if
we should take calls earlier, like let people call in
while Tom and I are co hosting, because the first
time I can take I take calls ever is at
the three fifteen segment. Maybe I should take calls early
and get you people involved. And then I do it
and realize I shouldn't one oh five ninety X.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
It's the Wood Show, Genius, Mark Madden, you're kidding me.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That's ridiculous, Jo, and I want.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
To skip right to my original thought and just say
this is stupid.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
You're stupid. Thanks for calling TX at one nine.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
You know, you know you gotta love the radio industry
in particular.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
iHeart who have been very good to be not complaining,
but there have been some ironies along the way. Like
I once got suspended briefly for talking about guns on
the air, and then within a month I was doing
an ad for company that sells guns, and that's good,
more money for me.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And it was.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Relatively early in my tenure here. In iHeart where they
told me I couldn't have the porn girls on anymore.
Remember that we'd have the porn girls on, the girls
who did Triple X video who were coming through ton
to strip. Whether it was a cheerleaders or it was
called blush then now I think it's called ricks. So
we would have those girls on and they were great guests,
and they would be almost naked in the studio, which
(10:44):
was terrific as well, some literally naked. Terry Wigel never
wore clothes in the studio. The minute she got in.
She would strip naked, do the whole show naked. Jenna
Jamison doing the podcast here for iHeart she stripped as
well all the time. And there was a time Jenna
Jamison was the best looking woman on the planet and
(11:07):
still looks pretty good all these years later. And I
love Jenna. What a great person she is. Terry passed away,
which is sad. But anyway, so Jenna's doing a podcast.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Now.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
You just heard the ad on iHeart about the adult
film industry.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Like I said all that, I'm not mad, it's just ironic.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I think I never have been able to totally accurately
define irony. Right now, I want to play the most
brutal self criticism I've ever heard. It's Ryan O'Reilly of
the Nashville Predators after they lost three to one at
home to Philadelphia last night.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Yeah, there's a chance to take folks for a game.
We didn't let them come back in and I push
back and it didn't happen. I know for myself, number
one center and turned the pucker whereverywhere? And can't I
guess six what pass to say my life? So I said,
I'm not gonna have much successive. You know, I'm playing
pathetic like that, So it's stupid.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
I don't know the answer. If I had won.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
Good year in my career and I don't have an.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Answers, Wow, I've had one good year in my career.
Can't make a six foot pass to say my life?
Yikes and double yikes.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I mean Ryan o'reiley won the playoff MVP in twenty
nineteen when Saint Louis won the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I guess that was the one good year in his career.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
He has three hundred and nine career goals, plus he
was great on OZ, that HBO prison drama.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But when you lose to the Flyers, especially in your barn.
It is depressing.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You can call the show right now eight three three
four one two WSDX.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Let's go to Nick Nick your own with double.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
M hey Mark. Unfortunately, I would put myself in a
stupid Stealer fan category because I honestly do not view
this team as the same kind of Steeler team as
in the past.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Why not.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I think it's mostly because of the Aaron Rodgers effect.
I mean, we have a quarterback now that can manage
the clock a lot better in the game. He utilizes
a tight end where in many years past we have
not utilized a tight end. It seems like Steelers are.
The Steelers are making changes and adjustments whereas in the
past they haven't before. So I do see them as
(13:29):
a much different team. Not saying that they're going to
win the first round of the playoffs, but if we
lose the first round of the playoffs in the past,
I equate it to Tomin being out coached. If we
lost the first round of the playoffs this year, I
think it would be more of the fact that we
just deserve to lose.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Well.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I think both of those things go hand in hand,
and if you're rolling on Tomin being not coached. If
they do make the playoffs, I think you're making a mistake.
I will give you though, that Rogers puts a whole
new spin on it. As far as the coaching adjustments
that we saw against Indiana was I think they were
done out of necessity because of injury. And I think
that once those guys are healthy, they'll go right back
(14:07):
to doing the same old crap, don't you.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I do.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I do have one more question, because when you were
talking about TV on olhoffin.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Right, do you think do you think.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Cincinnati Bengals beat us that year? Because I I do
think they would have beat us. That was like the
biggest gift ever, even though it's kind of morbid.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I at Carson Palmer not got hurt. I think they
would have had a much better chance. Put it this way,
if I'm not mistake in Cincinnati was favored in that game, correct, Yes, Yeah,
I think they would have had a better They would
have had a better chance to win the game. But
I thought that was a decent Pittsburgh team, and and
you had.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Been Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Oh my god, now that you mentioned, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Know what, I think they would have beat I think
they still beat Cincinnati if Palmer, Yeah, that was boy,
my memory's fading. Don't ever get old, nick I. I
was and putting two and two together and coming up
with four. But yeah, that put it this way, it's
safe to say that play affected the game dramatically and
lessen Cincinnati's chances dramatically.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Especially since it was the very first play of the
game that just took the wind out of their sales completely.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
No question, thank you for the call. All Right, up
NeXT's gonna talk more Steelers with Tim Bens. And I'd
like somebody to look up because I'm not gonna do it.
Uh When the last time the Steelers knocked the quarterback
out of a game is with a hit? Because I
don't remember. I don't remember the last time that happened.
Maybe it was when when Chemo knock Carson Palmer out
(15:39):
of that playoff game back in the Super Bowl year.
And by the way, just to be perfectly honest, if
I forget stuff like I just did, I'm old and
it's starting to happen. Someday I'll be drooling on this
show and talking gibberish. Maybe I'm doing that now and
don't realize Tim Ben's up next.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
One oh five to nine.
Speaker 7 (15:58):
Tomorrow afternoon, the Pens take on the titles. Game time
is twelve thirty. Our coverage starts at eleven thirty. Listen
to every game and the best Penns coverage on your
home of the Pittsburgh Penguins one oh five nine VX.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
This is Doug Gottlieb. Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports
Network presented by Mercedes Benz.
Speaker 8 (16:19):
X Steelers white out. Antonio Brown is behind bars on
attempted murder charges. He's the kids of shooting at a
man at a boxing match back in May. College basketball
rolls on tonight. It'll be pit hosting Longwood looking for
a second straight win. While Dude came, they entertained Sacred
Heart and seven foot nine who became the tallest player
in college basketball history when he took the floor for
(16:40):
Florida on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I'm Scott David said, looking for an exception, Mark Madden.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Mark shut last.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
You say that like you think I would remotely give
a dump? Do go on t X at one oh
five nine.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Steelers with kind of a weird game to call as
they head to the LA Chargers for that Sun Night
conflict joining me now to talk about it from the
trib It's Tim Benz. Tim, I don't know why, but
this visit to LA, I'm not sure it feels like
the wind though maybe because of all of LA's injuries
on the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Agreed, you know, I don't think a lot of people
who looked at this three game stretch is a little
mini season to end the first half of the.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Twenty twenty four twenty five campaign thought.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
That they go two and one, lose to Green Bay
and then winning the two AFC games, especially with the.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
Way that the Colts were playing.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
So just looking at it from that perspective, this feels
like it probably won't be in but the Xes and
O suggest it will be.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I'm like you, My eyes are drawn initially to how.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Can Los Angeles get around all their injuries up front
along the offensive line against a Steelers pass rush that
looks like it has reawakened. Then again, we were saying
the same stuff about the Cincinnati offensive line and Joe
Placo got sacked twice and forty nine pass drop.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Back, Well, yeah him?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
And what if LA runs the ball like they can
and preferred to and have been doing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Agreed, but I also think that and I didn't see
if Becton practiced or not what his status is at guard,
but all it was certainly a big part.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Of the run game too.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
I think the injuries along the offensive line will also
dent what they do running the ball more than any
of their running backs being out had previously.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Like you go from a rookie to Nagee to this
Doll the third string running back.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
That to me is nowhere near as a dip as
losing three ges along the offensive line, to say nothing
of Slater at the start of the year in training camp.
So I think the offensive line injuries dent what they
can do running the ball as well.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
And then if you can get after.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Herberts and you know, Tom went over some of the
sack numbers in interception Totals view of the first hour
of the show, those are real. I mean, like he
does a lot of really good things, but he is
a sack prone and he can be interception throne as well.
When the Steelers are right, those things happen.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
It also feels to me like a breakout game for Rogers,
a lot of yards passing. I was shocked to realize
he's not yet had a three hundred yard game passing
for the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
He seems kind of due because I think he's played good.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I agree with some of that, like I agree with
your analysis that he's been a real plus player for
them a quarterback, and I don't necessarily equate having to.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Have three of yard game to show in your worth.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
No no question.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
I mean you look at his touchdown passes, and part
of you also says, and this is contradictory that he's
not played quite as well as his touchdown total either.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
And to be honest to Mark, I mean, like you
have a game like the Colts where you know they
had some short fields. You know that they've had some
fluky drives and big situations, there's a short field to
win it against the Jets after the turnover on the kickoff.
I think that had a couple of those against Minnesota
as well.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
You know, I think that honestly, I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Want to see Rogers numbers, attempts, yards per pass kind
of be in that neighborhood again, because it would suggest
to me, I think the cleanest map to beating the
Chargers is replicating what you did last week as much
as possible, which is get the big turnover margin. The
Chargers are prone to losing that battle. Get the sack margin.
(20:24):
The Chargers are prone to losing that battle. Replicate what
you did last week as much as possible. The difference
is I just think that Herbert is more equipped to
handle that than Danny Dimes is.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
And you know, if I'm Indy, I'm daring.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
If that was a reality check for the rest of
the league and if things might come back to the
middle a little bit for Indy because the Steelers reminded
everybody of who they're dealing with the quarterback there for Indy,
just because Shane Stiking coached him up a bit for
the first half of the season.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
You know, you've got to do better for the Steelers,
And I mean much better. Is dk Metcalf. He's very
subtly a big, big disappointment. His numbers are just crap.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
And then you got the The drops are a big
part of it, because you wonder how many of those
drops got them behind the chains. You know, I haven't
gone back exactly analyzed how the drops helped kill drives,
but they certainly didn't hurt, but they certainly.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Didn't help them. You know, get through to the.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
End zone of the red zone, and they've had some
drives that have stalled in the high red zone where
I feel like that's probably where DK really should be
able to help them more than what he has. And
I agree with you that I was hoping for a
little bit more of an impact, But then again, the
whole passing game itself that there are no stars on
this offense right now. I mean, Rogers has been good
(21:38):
and the results collectively are pretty good, but like, do
you look at anybody across the board on the offense
right now and say, yep, that's a Pro Bowl.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
I don't think you do.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Can they win a game without splash plays, especially a
lot of them on defense or let's say minimal tim
because look at the Green Bay that game, no sacks,
no takeaways and the Steelers lose.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Are they that dependent? How dependent?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Yes? They are.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
That's how they live, That's how they thrive. Otherwise they fail.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
They don't force a lot of punts.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well that's a slope.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Yeah, it is because turnovers are fickle. I mean the
Browns game is the perfect example of that. They probably
it was because it was Dylan Gabriel and because it
was Cleveland where they could get away with not getting
the ball back.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
But you know, those drives all should have ended for Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
A lot earlier than what they did because the Steelers
are dropping interceptions. The ball was getting tipped a third
time before it got caught, weird, the ball was bouncing
on the ground funny. And there's weird things that happen
in that game, or that.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
One should have been a five turnover game, but it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now you play a good team like green Bay and
then you get the opposite results. You lose to green
Bay because of that, or you have a proficient quarterback
still mentally at least arm talent wise and Flacco and
you lose as a result. They need sacks, they need shurtovers.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
They don't get them. They're cooked.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
You don't else they need to do, Tim, And maybe
I can test your memory, because I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
The callers can't remember. Tom could remember. When's the last
time they knocked the quarterback out of the game.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Well, Herbert last year. I don't know if they've done
it since. Off the top of my head, I don't
think I can think of some other games they knocked
a quarterback out and it didn't help them, Like when
they went into the Baltimore game without Lamar and they
knocked out Huntley.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
And that Brown came in and beat him anyway, and.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
They knocked out Richardson and Flacco came in and beat
him with Indy.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
There you go, there's another example.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, So, okay, so the key is to not knock
the quarterback out.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Of the game, right right, Yeah, So there's a couple
of examples that they did knock out Herbert.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
That game was kind of in the bag at that point.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I really shouldn't say that because we scoring game anyway,
but he was so hampered, they weren't moving.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
He probably should have gone out earlier than that.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
And I don't even know if it was a direct
hit that knocked him out so much as he was
entering the game hobbled as it was, and then they
ended up taking him out. But to your point, I
remember the order of the schedule correctly. The Indie game
was a week or two after that anyway, So I
guess the more.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Recent example is Flocko coming in for Richardson.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
We're talking to Tim Ben's brought to us by Calucy
Chevrolet serving the Pittsburgh area for one hundred and seven years. Uh, Tim,
can Ramsey and Doug a get it done at safety again?
I'm hoping Ramsey is so good at safety that they
don't want to move him back to cornerback.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I think his future and what's best for the Steelers
is at safety.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, safety who can drop down and play the slot
if you need him to. Like you know, it's kind
of ironic because I think this is a game with
some of the passing options that Herbert has where Ramsey
in coverage wouldn't be a Floyd and it can almost
be an asset. Like I could see maybe he can
do it from the safety position, like you can have
(25:06):
him from safety be primarily responsible for Gadsden.
Speaker 5 (25:11):
Keenan Allen's not a burner anymore.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
His size could help neutralize Kean Allen if you put
him on him sometimes. So like I would like to
have this game be freed up where it's an everywhere
game for Ramsey because I think the choices of who
he would cover from a quote unquote corner.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
Position would kind of default to his strengths.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Anyway, what you said in the three o'clock hour is accurate,
and it's something I warned everybody about when we first
learned that he was coming to Pittsburgh, and right away
you heard, Okay, well, this is the guy that's gonna
take Chase, so Porter can just worry about Higgins or
vice versa. This is the guy who's gonna take Jefferson,
so Porter can just worry about Addison. Remember we heard
that when he first came on board. See, the problem
(25:51):
with that is what Ramsey did. Of all the skills
that it takes to be an NFL defensive back, Ramsey
still has a lot of them that he just doesn't
have in his bag of tricks is turning and running
with a good guy that can really burn. He just
can't run with a great wide receiver anymore. And I
think that's been evident in some of the games we've seen.
(26:11):
You look back to the Seattle game. It's not just
the game against Chase, and you know, I think that
one stands out as well, where it was a problem
for him trying to cover Injigbu and some of the
other guys that they had down the field. So yeah,
I think that for now, safety is a.
Speaker 5 (26:27):
Nice home for him.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
This week, in particular, I'd like to see him turn
loose so he could be a different guy to cover
some of the bigger weapons that the Chargers have, but
for this game, yeah, just stick.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Him at safety. You can have him drop down from
safety and cover a.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Guy like an Alanora Gadst and then go from there
with your kind of permutation of covering their passing tree.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
We're talking to Tim Benz on the X. Tim, how
bad do the Steelers need this game? Because before the season,
we all kind of wrote this one down as a loss,
at least I did, and they got to keep Cleveland
at arms length the minute.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
I feel like the minute that gets to a one.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Game gap, it's going to be a no game gap,
and then Baltimore jumps ahead.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
I think two games and maybe three.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
If Baltimore loses that Minnesota, that would feel so much
safer obviously.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Right, And I'm sort of trying to walk through it
myself because you know, when I looked at it and
I said, all right, if they go one and two
in these three games, that's not the end of the world.
They're playing good teams, they're playing playoff worthy teams. But
if Baltimore heats up, you know, like you're talking about
that that two game cushion feels really important until they
win the first game against Baltimore, right, because then you
(27:35):
get the first win in your pocket against Baltimore, you know,
you got to go to another tiebreaker beyond head to head,
and you still feel good about yourself sitting on a
one game advantage.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
So yeah, Baltimore wins their game.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
The Steelers lose the Chargers, you're looking back at it and saying, oh, oh,
that's that's kind of a tough loss. But I don't know, maybe,
and I admit I've kind of been caught up in
this this week where this isn't college basketball, right, so
you don't look at the schedule and say, well, that's
a quad one, that's a quad one win.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
That's a quad one win. Like they've had some good wins.
They're a college football team.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
They'd be in great shape because they beat the Patriots,
they beat the Colts. You know what if they beat
the Chargers this week, well, it's still only two games.
The first time they duck one, or if they lose
to even two other good teams down the road.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
In Detroit and Buffalo, the Ravens catch him. The Ravens
catch him.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Even if the Ravens just beat up on Tuss the
rest of the way, and they've got all their tough
losses behind them, So you're right, it's a potential swing game.
And it's also a potential swing game because if the
Ravens do catch him, and now you're looking at a
wild card situation, this is a team you might.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
See for the six or seven seeds.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Tim how good is Dustin Herbert? Really? Where do you
rank him? Top five? Top ten? Where top ten?
Speaker 5 (28:45):
I don't think he's top five.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
I think he's got top ten talent, but it all
hasn't come together in cole lest enough, especially in clutch
games in the playoffs. I think that he's got all
the arm talent in the world. He's under as a runner,
he's the best running quarterback in football so far this year.
Some of that is I just don't think that Chargers
have put enough around him in terms of both coaching
(29:10):
and weaponry that you saw from homes and before this
year with Allen and Buffalo, so you know, even Lamar
to a degree, with the way they run things in Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Anyway, he's top he's certainly.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Top ten talent, maybe top five talent, but I'd say
top ten to twelve in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
You know, it's not fair, and I'm at the head
of the list of those being not fair. We bitch
when the offensive line sucks. But it's quietly become pretty good,
hasn't it.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Oh, it's gotten better the last few weeks.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, I think especially with those losses that they had
against the Bengals and the Packers and playing through against
the Colts. You know, if you wanted to break down
and do analysis of where things went right, where things
went wrong, maybe even going back to Ireland against the
Vikings and then against the Cleveland, it's you go through
a lot of things before you get to the offensive
(30:03):
line being a point of true concern. Now that is
largely manifested in how they've pass.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Blocked better for Rogers. I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
They've won dynamically more in the run game against opponents,
And if they have, and that they had been running well,
then that's Arthur Smith. That's on Arthur Smith for getting
away from giving the ball to Jim Warren because they
should be running a little bit more. And I think
you guys highlighted the most obvious part of that, which
was coming out of halftime against Green Bay with the
lead and they go pass past pass and then punts
(30:32):
like that. I think where we get a little bit hypocritical,
Mark isn't so much just talking about the offensive line.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
It's when we talk about should they be conservative or
should they open it up?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Like I one who says that, yeah, they probably should
take more chances, and they.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Probably do have to.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Let Rogers show up his arm talent and sit in
the pocket and hit a few more deep shots to DK,
take a few more shots to DKY.
Speaker 5 (30:54):
But I also still gripe about what they did after.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Halftime against the Packers, So like that's that's maybe maybe
where get a little hypocritical, and our analysis of them,
they just haven't found that sweet spot yet of run
pass balance.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
To the degree where they could exploit a six.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Turnover game and put thirty eight on the board, like
Rogers was calling Corna's postgame again, Well, Tim.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Tim, the thing is too they abandon the runway too quick.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
And I understand they haven't had the success with it
consistently like they want. But this team, with the way
it's a line with you know, all the tight ends
in the big package, it just shouldn't ever abandon the run,
not least when it's ahead or within one score, and with.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Its lack of weapons aside form Metcalf, you know, like,
it's not like you have to go to the pass
because you have.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
To keep everybody happy. It's not that kind of offense.
It's not Dallas where maybe you want to give the
ball to Javonte.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Williams more but you feel obligated to not because they've
got Pickens and CD and Jake Ferguson, you know, interpid
Like you know, it's it's not that kind of offense
right now. See, I think I'm underscoring what you're saying,
but yes, when you don't have as many mouths to feed,
then just keep it basic and give everybody a snack
and let Jalen Warren and the other running bats get
(32:10):
more work. And maybe we're getting back to Caleb Johnson
getting a little bit more playing time here in the
second half of the season.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
I certainly hope.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
So they seem a little bit less enamored with Kenneth
Gainwell all of a sudden, tim moo.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
Do you like, because this is a really tough game
to call.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Yeah, I've had trouble with it.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I've ping ponged back and forth. I'm a little gun
shy in these games where we think that there's injuries
along the opposing offensive line and the Steelers are gonna eat.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
I still think that's an overwhelming matchup that should be
in the favor of the Steelers. So I'm gonna rest
on it.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
But I am gun shy thinking back to the Bengal game,
thinking back to that game against the Colts where they
had a bunch of injuries, thinking back to that game
where everybody's favorite offensive lineman Kendrick Green was out there
for Houston and they couldn't manage but more than a
sack or two of CJ.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Stroud. But I'll still go with the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
That said go with the Steelers twenty six, twenty two,
but I'm real hesitant about it.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Tim, great stuff. Enjoy the game, all right, Thanks Mark,
that's Tim Bens. Don't forget.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
You can watch the game with me at sidelines. Beer,
Hauss and Swickly kickoff at eight twenty pm Sunday. We
got Charlie Batch at the top of the hour, and
we got a SoundBite from Brian Russ, who got the
game winner last night for the Penguins. That's up next
to one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
One O five nine d X says your shot at
tags drim.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Cash keeping money like that a secret.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Luccho dinner row.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I'm rich, Rich Rich Jimmy.
Speaker 8 (33:36):
Listen all day for your chance and some extra cash
on one oh five nine d X
Okay, I've got a couple of feelings about this Steelers game.
But by the way, I prefer to talk hockey, So
dial right now A three three four one two WSDX
and we'll talk hockey asap. Because the Penguins, they're the
best story in tom They might be the best team
in Ton. How great would it be if the Steelers
didn't win a playoff game this year and the Penguins
(00:25):
won a playoff series after the expectations for both. I
gotta be honest, I would stick that up your ass.
So let's hope for the best. But a couple of
feelings about the Steeler game. I feel like Rogers is
going to have his first really big game.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
As a Steeler.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Statistically, he's throwing touchdowns, he's winning games, he's their MVP
so far. But I feel like he's gonna have his
first three hundred yard game because that might be what
it takes his top figure so far, passing his two
forty nine yards in a game. It seems like it
should be more right. But I think he's gonna have
(01:02):
three hundred yards plus in the air. I'd like to
see him win a game but have zero takeaways or
minimal takeaways. You can't be married to that like they
pretty much are. What about Malie Harrison? He's a player, tough,
a run stuffered inside backer. So that's what I'd like
(01:23):
to see. What we need to see is DK Metcalf
gotta get going because if he doesn't soon, he might never.
He's definitely a major disappointment so far. Same goes for
John U. But John who I don't blame as much
because he's on the pay no mind list.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
DK.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I know he's not targeted as much as you'd like
and as much as we would have thought.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
But how do you target a guy win?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Clang, clang, clang.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
All those drops.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Let's gather up all these bricks and build a house
so your mother and sister have a place to live.
Clang is what do he else Goanna say? Clang or
clank in white man can't chump? I never figured that out.
This is the Mark Mann Show. Joined me to watch
the game at the beer house, the Sidelines beer House
(02:12):
and some weekly on Sunday night Steelers and Chargers Wings
beer giveaways.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
That'll be terrific.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Okay, So I want to see DK get going, and
like I said, some guys that they don't get going.
By halfway through the campaign, it becomes a lost season.
Would that surprise at disappointment DK not.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Me, It wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Ramsey needs to play good again at safety, and I've
a hidden agenda with that. I wanted to play so
good that the Steelers just have to keep him there,
Like Kindle on the first pier play with the Penguins.
I want Ramsey to be irreplaceable at safety so they
don't get the idea that they could have him cover
(02:54):
like Jamo. He won't be Elliott won't be back by then.
But like I don't want Ramsey covering the other teams
top receiver like Jamar Chase lit him up like a
downtown Christmas tree. I think Ramsey is best deployed at safety,
or best deployed as the slot corner covering a good
tight end. I think that's where his abilities still have capability.
(03:16):
But I think it's safety. He can play three or
four more years like Rod Woodson made that conversion. And
if you're gonna dream, dream big, maybe knock the quarterback
out the game, which the Steelers never do because Herbert
could be a problem. Does anybody know that I should
look that up and again, I'm too lazy. If Tom
(03:38):
should have looked this up, even though he didn't ask
him to, he'll probably be fired after the show, or
maybe mid show.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
When's the last time.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
The Steelers knocked the quarterback out of the game? Because
they hit guys quarterbacks all the time, sacks, QB hits,
all that stuff, when's the last time they knocked in
the game? You'd think what? Could You'd think Heyward? Could
you'd think Heismith?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, no, not him. He just is so inconsistent.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I mean, remember that one playoff game where we beat Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
We I shouldn't have said we, That's not we.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
The Steelers beat Cincinnati, went Chemo von Ohoff and knocked
Carson Palmer on by accident. He thought, well, he said,
and he showed remorse right there in the field. And
I started calling him and Chemo onon Greenhoff and it
was delightful. Why can't they knock a quarterback out of
a game? Like I said, they get enough Saxon quarterback hits.
I can't remember the last time it happened, So get
(04:34):
your calls. In eight three, three, four to one two WSDX,
we talked about the Penguins game a lot in the
first hour.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
They came back from being comeback on.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Three nol up three to three, tied, killed off two
penalties and the third rusty on the power play at
an empty net. Penguins win and they needed it too.
Last night was the first salad for the Penguins and
the regular season. They had that sellout for the Mark
Henry Ferry come back in that exhibition game, and a
lot of that sellout last night was Capital's fans. But wow,
(05:10):
nine four and two. That should draw better. The old
timey big name should draw better. The kid should draw better.
It's an exciting team even when it's blowing leads. But again,
I'm gonna get back to me being a grump about
Moroshof not starting last night, and I emphasize just because
they won and just because Chiloff's played pretty good, they
(05:33):
still should have started Morrishoff one. Absolutely a chance to
christen the star, a chance to create a moment, a
chance to maybe even if you're lucky reenact. Farie's debut
was a rookie at eighteen in two thousand and three.
Forty six saves, loses three nil, stops the penalty shot.
Everyone remembers it. It was the birth of Mark Henry
(05:54):
Ferry as what he was going to be in Pittsburgh
and turned out that's what he did. But but if
the fact that they're second bottom in the league in
attendance and Sunday's crowd when LA comes on a NFL
Sunday with the Steelers playing at night, that's gonna be
(06:15):
friends and family, and even some of the friends and
family might not show up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
That'll be the lowest crowd of the year. That'll be
the lowest crowd all year. I hope I'm wrong, but
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It tells you something when you still got sid Geno
on the tang out there, which the fans wanted. You
guys wanted write, oh Gino, can't get rid of Gino.
Keep Geno forever? And now, I mean even Bouchie said that,
let him play year by year. No, you got to
turn the page and have Kindles your number two center.
But I bet they keep him if he wants to.
And I bet Kyle Dubis will sit next to Gino
(06:46):
as that contract gets signed with clenched teeth. But but
you guys wanted them guys to stay, and you're not
gonna They're nine to four and two, and you're not
going Moreshaw. That's a new buzz, that's a new star.
It's a new kid in town. That's what people want.
(07:08):
They're comfortable with old, they'll pay to see new.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
The buzz.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Comes from new more than anything I said earlier in
the pregame show. There's a report that the new Steelers receiver,
Marquez Valdez Scantling, who Coach t said would be on
the practice squad. There's a report I think fit Apaula
from the Post Gazette that he might jump right on
the active roster and get helmet on Sunday at the
(07:37):
LA Chargers. That'd be the Aaron Rodgers effect they played
together at Green Bay. Valdaz Scantling was sitting next to
Rogers saying, this guy is the reason I'm here. He's
wanted me here for quite some time. He was practically
yanking it and cranking it to the median And why
was the media interviewing a practice squad receiver.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
By the way, but.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
If MVS does get a helmet, who goes inactive? And
Tom ventured and I agree or to probably be Roman
Wilson after that real bad turnover, which what to Tom
will call it?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Boneheaded uh against Indy. They just looked for any.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Excuse to hate Roman Wilson, and Wilson gave it to him,
even though I think he's been coming on uh pretty
strong lately. So anyway, we got a great sound bite
up next from Ryan O'Reilly, not the guy from oz Oh.
I screwed my own punchline for the freaking sound bite,
no wonder, there's never been a better time to not listen.
(08:39):
I'm stepping on my own jokes, but uh, but yeah,
Ryan O'Reilly from the Nasville Pretters was like the most
seriously self deprecating sound bite I've heard in years. I'm
not even gonna, you know, try to tease what he says.
You have to hear it to believe it. Uh And
and I do want calls hibout it anything, but I
(09:00):
want hockey calls. I mean, even you Steeler fans, you
know this is all headed one way to Pellukaville when
the dust clears after at the latest the first week
of the playoffs. Right, you know that you have to
know that you're not stupid. Then again, maybe you are.
Don't you agree that the Penguins are by far the
best story in town? And even if they're not, They're
my team and I'm gonna talk about them, pure and simple. Okay,
(09:22):
So get those calls in, even if you want to
tell me to go screw you know, I wonder if
we should take calls earlier, like let people call in
while Tom and I are co hosting, because the first
time I can take I take calls ever is at
the three fifteen segment. Maybe I should take calls early
and get you people involved. And then I do it
and realize I shouldn't one oh five ninety X.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
It's the Wood Show, Genius, Mark Madden, you're kidding me.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That's ridiculous, Jo, and I want.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
To skip right to my original thought and just say
this is stupid.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
You're stupid. Thanks for calling TX at one nine.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
You know, you know you gotta love the radio industry
in particular.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
iHeart who have been very good to be not complaining,
but there have been some ironies along the way. Like
I once got suspended briefly for talking about guns on
the air, and then within a month I was doing
an ad for company that sells guns, and that's good,
more money for me.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And it was.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Relatively early in my tenure here. In iHeart where they
told me I couldn't have the porn girls on anymore.
Remember that we'd have the porn girls on, the girls
who did Triple X video who were coming through ton
to strip. Whether it was a cheerleaders or it was
called blush then now I think it's called ricks. So
we would have those girls on and they were great guests,
and they would be almost naked in the studio, which
(10:44):
was terrific as well, some literally naked. Terry Wigel never
wore clothes in the studio. The minute she got in.
She would strip naked, do the whole show naked. Jenna
Jamison doing the podcast here for iHeart she stripped as
well all the time. And there was a time Jenna
Jamison was the best looking woman on the planet and
(11:07):
still looks pretty good all these years later. And I
love Jenna. What a great person she is. Terry passed away,
which is sad. But anyway, so Jenna's doing a podcast.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Now.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
You just heard the ad on iHeart about the adult
film industry.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Like I said all that, I'm not mad, it's just ironic.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I think I never have been able to totally accurately
define irony. Right now, I want to play the most
brutal self criticism I've ever heard. It's Ryan O'Reilly of
the Nashville Predators after they lost three to one at
home to Philadelphia last night.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Yeah, there's a chance to take folks for a game.
We didn't let them come back in and I push
back and it didn't happen. I know for myself, number
one center and turned the pucker whereverywhere? And can't I
guess six what pass to say my life? So I said,
I'm not gonna have much successive. You know, I'm playing
pathetic like that, So it's stupid.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
I don't know the answer. If I had won.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
Good year in my career and I don't have an.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Answers, Wow, I've had one good year in my career.
Can't make a six foot pass to say my life?
Yikes and double yikes.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I mean Ryan o'reiley won the playoff MVP in twenty
nineteen when Saint Louis won the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I guess that was the one good year in his career.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
He has three hundred and nine career goals, plus he
was great on OZ, that HBO prison drama.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But when you lose to the Flyers, especially in your barn.
It is depressing.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You can call the show right now eight three three
four one two WSDX.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Let's go to Nick Nick your own with double.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
M hey Mark. Unfortunately, I would put myself in a
stupid Stealer fan category because I honestly do not view
this team as the same kind of Steeler team as
in the past.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Why not.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I think it's mostly because of the Aaron Rodgers effect.
I mean, we have a quarterback now that can manage
the clock a lot better in the game. He utilizes
a tight end where in many years past we have
not utilized a tight end. It seems like Steelers are.
The Steelers are making changes and adjustments whereas in the
past they haven't before. So I do see them as
(13:29):
a much different team. Not saying that they're going to
win the first round of the playoffs, but if we
lose the first round of the playoffs in the past,
I equate it to Tomin being out coached. If we
lost the first round of the playoffs this year, I
think it would be more of the fact that we
just deserve to lose.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Well.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I think both of those things go hand in hand,
and if you're rolling on Tomin being not coached. If
they do make the playoffs, I think you're making a mistake.
I will give you though, that Rogers puts a whole
new spin on it. As far as the coaching adjustments
that we saw against Indiana was I think they were
done out of necessity because of injury. And I think
that once those guys are healthy, they'll go right back
(14:07):
to doing the same old crap, don't you.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I do.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
I do have one more question, because when you were
talking about TV on olhoffin.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Right, do you think do you think.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Cincinnati Bengals beat us that year? Because I I do
think they would have beat us. That was like the
biggest gift ever, even though it's kind of morbid.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I at Carson Palmer not got hurt. I think they
would have had a much better chance. Put it this way,
if I'm not mistake in Cincinnati was favored in that game, correct, Yes, Yeah,
I think they would have had a better They would
have had a better chance to win the game. But
I thought that was a decent Pittsburgh team, and and
you had.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Been Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Oh my god, now that you mentioned, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Know what, I think they would have beat I think
they still beat Cincinnati if Palmer, Yeah, that was boy,
my memory's fading. Don't ever get old, nick I. I
was and putting two and two together and coming up
with four. But yeah, that put it this way, it's
safe to say that play affected the game dramatically and
lessen Cincinnati's chances dramatically.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Especially since it was the very first play of the
game that just took the wind out of their sales completely.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
No question, thank you for the call. All Right, up
NeXT's gonna talk more Steelers with Tim Bens. And I'd
like somebody to look up because I'm not gonna do it.
Uh When the last time the Steelers knocked the quarterback
out of a game is with a hit? Because I
don't remember. I don't remember the last time that happened.
Maybe it was when when Chemo knock Carson Palmer out
(15:39):
of that playoff game back in the Super Bowl year.
And by the way, just to be perfectly honest, if
I forget stuff like I just did, I'm old and
it's starting to happen. Someday I'll be drooling on this
show and talking gibberish. Maybe I'm doing that now and
don't realize Tim Ben's up next.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
One oh five to nine.
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Tomorrow afternoon, the Pens take on the titles. Game time
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Speaker 2 (16:13):
This is Doug Gottlieb. Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports
Network presented by Mercedes Benz.
Speaker 8 (16:19):
X Steelers white out. Antonio Brown is behind bars on
attempted murder charges. He's the kids of shooting at a
man at a boxing match back in May. College basketball
rolls on tonight. It'll be pit hosting Longwood looking for
a second straight win. While Dude came, they entertained Sacred
Heart and seven foot nine who became the tallest player
in college basketball history when he took the floor for
(16:40):
Florida on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I'm Scott David said, looking for an exception, Mark Madden.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Mark shut last.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
You say that like you think I would remotely give
a dump? Do go on t X at one oh
five nine.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Steelers with kind of a weird game to call as
they head to the LA Chargers for that Sun Night
conflict joining me now to talk about it from the
trib It's Tim Benz. Tim, I don't know why, but
this visit to LA, I'm not sure it feels like
the wind though maybe because of all of LA's injuries
on the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Agreed, you know, I don't think a lot of people
who looked at this three game stretch is a little
mini season to end the first half of the.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Twenty twenty four twenty five campaign thought.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
That they go two and one, lose to Green Bay
and then winning the two AFC games, especially with the.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
Way that the Colts were playing.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
So just looking at it from that perspective, this feels
like it probably won't be in but the Xes and
O suggest it will be.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I'm like you, My eyes are drawn initially to how.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Can Los Angeles get around all their injuries up front
along the offensive line against a Steelers pass rush that
looks like it has reawakened. Then again, we were saying
the same stuff about the Cincinnati offensive line and Joe
Placo got sacked twice and forty nine pass drop.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Back, Well, yeah him?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
And what if LA runs the ball like they can
and preferred to and have been doing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Agreed, but I also think that and I didn't see
if Becton practiced or not what his status is at guard,
but all it was certainly a big part.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Of the run game too.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
I think the injuries along the offensive line will also
dent what they do running the ball more than any
of their running backs being out had previously.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Like you go from a rookie to Nagee to this
Doll the third string running back.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
That to me is nowhere near as a dip as
losing three ges along the offensive line, to say nothing
of Slater at the start of the year in training camp.
So I think the offensive line injuries dent what they
can do running the ball as well.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
And then if you can get after.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Herberts and you know, Tom went over some of the
sack numbers in interception Totals view of the first hour
of the show, those are real. I mean, like he
does a lot of really good things, but he is
a sack prone and he can be interception throne as well.
When the Steelers are right, those things happen.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
It also feels to me like a breakout game for Rogers,
a lot of yards passing. I was shocked to realize
he's not yet had a three hundred yard game passing
for the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
He seems kind of due because I think he's played good.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I agree with some of that, like I agree with
your analysis that he's been a real plus player for
them a quarterback, and I don't necessarily equate having to.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Have three of yard game to show in your worth.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
No no question.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
I mean you look at his touchdown passes, and part
of you also says, and this is contradictory that he's
not played quite as well as his touchdown total either.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
And to be honest to Mark, I mean, like you
have a game like the Colts where you know they
had some short fields. You know that they've had some
fluky drives and big situations, there's a short field to
win it against the Jets after the turnover on the kickoff.
I think that had a couple of those against Minnesota
as well.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
You know, I think that honestly, I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Want to see Rogers numbers, attempts, yards per pass kind
of be in that neighborhood again, because it would suggest
to me, I think the cleanest map to beating the
Chargers is replicating what you did last week as much
as possible, which is get the big turnover margin. The
Chargers are prone to losing that battle. Get the sack margin.
(20:24):
The Chargers are prone to losing that battle. Replicate what
you did last week as much as possible. The difference
is I just think that Herbert is more equipped to
handle that than Danny Dimes is.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
And you know, if I'm Indy, I'm daring.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
If that was a reality check for the rest of
the league and if things might come back to the
middle a little bit for Indy because the Steelers reminded
everybody of who they're dealing with the quarterback there for Indy,
just because Shane Stiking coached him up a bit for
the first half of the season.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
You know, you've got to do better for the Steelers,
And I mean much better. Is dk Metcalf. He's very
subtly a big, big disappointment. His numbers are just crap.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
And then you got the The drops are a big
part of it, because you wonder how many of those
drops got them behind the chains. You know, I haven't
gone back exactly analyzed how the drops helped kill drives,
but they certainly didn't hurt, but they certainly.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Didn't help them. You know, get through to the.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
End zone of the red zone, and they've had some
drives that have stalled in the high red zone where
I feel like that's probably where DK really should be
able to help them more than what he has. And
I agree with you that I was hoping for a
little bit more of an impact, But then again, the
whole passing game itself that there are no stars on
this offense right now. I mean, Rogers has been good
(21:38):
and the results collectively are pretty good, but like, do
you look at anybody across the board on the offense
right now and say, yep, that's a Pro Bowl.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
I don't think you do.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Can they win a game without splash plays, especially a
lot of them on defense or let's say minimal tim
because look at the Green Bay that game, no sacks,
no takeaways and the Steelers lose.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Are they that dependent? How dependent?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Yes? They are.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
That's how they live, That's how they thrive. Otherwise they fail.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
They don't force a lot of punts.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well that's a slope.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Yeah, it is because turnovers are fickle. I mean the
Browns game is the perfect example of that. They probably
it was because it was Dylan Gabriel and because it
was Cleveland where they could get away with not getting
the ball back.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
But you know, those drives all should have ended for Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
A lot earlier than what they did because the Steelers
are dropping interceptions. The ball was getting tipped a third
time before it got caught, weird, the ball was bouncing
on the ground funny. And there's weird things that happen
in that game, or that.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
One should have been a five turnover game, but it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now you play a good team like green Bay and
then you get the opposite results. You lose to green
Bay because of that, or you have a proficient quarterback
still mentally at least arm talent wise and Flacco and
you lose as a result. They need sacks, they need shurtovers.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
They don't get them. They're cooked.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
You don't else they need to do, Tim, And maybe
I can test your memory, because I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
The callers can't remember. Tom could remember. When's the last
time they knocked the quarterback out of the game.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Well, Herbert last year. I don't know if they've done
it since. Off the top of my head, I don't
think I can think of some other games they knocked
a quarterback out and it didn't help them, Like when
they went into the Baltimore game without Lamar and they
knocked out Huntley.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
And that Brown came in and beat him anyway, and.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
They knocked out Richardson and Flacco came in and beat
him with Indy.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
There you go, there's another example.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, So, okay, so the key is to not knock
the quarterback out.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Of the game, right right, Yeah, So there's a couple
of examples that they did knock out Herbert.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
That game was kind of in the bag at that point.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I really shouldn't say that because we scoring game anyway,
but he was so hampered, they weren't moving.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
He probably should have gone out earlier than that.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
And I don't even know if it was a direct
hit that knocked him out so much as he was
entering the game hobbled as it was, and then they
ended up taking him out. But to your point, I
remember the order of the schedule correctly. The Indie game
was a week or two after that anyway, So I
guess the more.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Recent example is Flocko coming in for Richardson.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
We're talking to Tim Ben's brought to us by Calucy
Chevrolet serving the Pittsburgh area for one hundred and seven years. Uh, Tim,
can Ramsey and Doug a get it done at safety again?
I'm hoping Ramsey is so good at safety that they
don't want to move him back to cornerback.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I think his future and what's best for the Steelers
is at safety.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, safety who can drop down and play the slot
if you need him to. Like you know, it's kind
of ironic because I think this is a game with
some of the passing options that Herbert has where Ramsey
in coverage wouldn't be a Floyd and it can almost
be an asset. Like I could see maybe he can
do it from the safety position, like you can have
(25:06):
him from safety be primarily responsible for Gadsden.
Speaker 5 (25:11):
Keenan Allen's not a burner anymore.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
His size could help neutralize Kean Allen if you put
him on him sometimes. So like I would like to
have this game be freed up where it's an everywhere
game for Ramsey because I think the choices of who
he would cover from a quote unquote corner.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
Position would kind of default to his strengths.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Anyway, what you said in the three o'clock hour is accurate,
and it's something I warned everybody about when we first
learned that he was coming to Pittsburgh, and right away
you heard, Okay, well, this is the guy that's gonna
take Chase, so Porter can just worry about Higgins or
vice versa. This is the guy who's gonna take Jefferson,
so Porter can just worry about Addison. Remember we heard
that when he first came on board. See, the problem
(25:51):
with that is what Ramsey did. Of all the skills
that it takes to be an NFL defensive back, Ramsey
still has a lot of them that he just doesn't
have in his bag of tricks is turning and running
with a good guy that can really burn. He just
can't run with a great wide receiver anymore. And I
think that's been evident in some of the games we've seen.
(26:11):
You look back to the Seattle game. It's not just
the game against Chase, and you know, I think that
one stands out as well, where it was a problem
for him trying to cover Injigbu and some of the
other guys that they had down the field. So yeah,
I think that for now, safety is a.
Speaker 5 (26:27):
Nice home for him.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
This week, in particular, I'd like to see him turn
loose so he could be a different guy to cover
some of the bigger weapons that the Chargers have, but
for this game, yeah, just stick.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Him at safety. You can have him drop down from
safety and cover a.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Guy like an Alanora Gadst and then go from there
with your kind of permutation of covering their passing tree.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
We're talking to Tim Benz on the X. Tim, how
bad do the Steelers need this game? Because before the season,
we all kind of wrote this one down as a loss,
at least I did, and they got to keep Cleveland
at arms length the minute.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
I feel like the minute that gets to a one.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Game gap, it's going to be a no game gap,
and then Baltimore jumps ahead.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
I think two games and maybe three.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
If Baltimore loses that Minnesota, that would feel so much
safer obviously.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Right, And I'm sort of trying to walk through it
myself because you know, when I looked at it and
I said, all right, if they go one and two
in these three games, that's not the end of the world.
They're playing good teams, they're playing playoff worthy teams. But
if Baltimore heats up, you know, like you're talking about
that that two game cushion feels really important until they
win the first game against Baltimore, right, because then you
(27:35):
get the first win in your pocket against Baltimore, you know,
you got to go to another tiebreaker beyond head to head,
and you still feel good about yourself sitting on a
one game advantage.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
So yeah, Baltimore wins their game.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
The Steelers lose the Chargers, you're looking back at it and saying, oh, oh,
that's that's kind of a tough loss. But I don't know, maybe,
and I admit I've kind of been caught up in
this this week where this isn't college basketball, right, so
you don't look at the schedule and say, well, that's
a quad one, that's a quad one win.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
That's a quad one win. Like they've had some good wins.
They're a college football team.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
They'd be in great shape because they beat the Patriots,
they beat the Colts. You know what if they beat
the Chargers this week, well, it's still only two games.
The first time they duck one, or if they lose
to even two other good teams down the road.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
In Detroit and Buffalo, the Ravens catch him. The Ravens
catch him.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Even if the Ravens just beat up on Tuss the
rest of the way, and they've got all their tough
losses behind them, So you're right, it's a potential swing game.
And it's also a potential swing game because if the
Ravens do catch him, and now you're looking at a
wild card situation, this is a team you might.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
See for the six or seven seeds.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Tim how good is Dustin Herbert? Really? Where do you
rank him? Top five? Top ten? Where top ten?
Speaker 5 (28:45):
I don't think he's top five.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
I think he's got top ten talent, but it all
hasn't come together in cole lest enough, especially in clutch
games in the playoffs. I think that he's got all
the arm talent in the world. He's under as a runner,
he's the best running quarterback in football so far this year.
Some of that is I just don't think that Chargers
have put enough around him in terms of both coaching
(29:10):
and weaponry that you saw from homes and before this
year with Allen and Buffalo, so you know, even Lamar
to a degree, with the way they run things in Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Anyway, he's top he's certainly.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Top ten talent, maybe top five talent, but I'd say
top ten to twelve in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
You know, it's not fair, and I'm at the head
of the list of those being not fair. We bitch
when the offensive line sucks. But it's quietly become pretty good,
hasn't it.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Oh, it's gotten better the last few weeks.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, I think especially with those losses that they had
against the Bengals and the Packers and playing through against
the Colts. You know, if you wanted to break down
and do analysis of where things went right, where things
went wrong, maybe even going back to Ireland against the
Vikings and then against the Cleveland, it's you go through
a lot of things before you get to the offensive
(30:03):
line being a point of true concern. Now that is
largely manifested in how they've pass.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Blocked better for Rogers. I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
They've won dynamically more in the run game against opponents,
And if they have, and that they had been running well,
then that's Arthur Smith. That's on Arthur Smith for getting
away from giving the ball to Jim Warren because they
should be running a little bit more. And I think
you guys highlighted the most obvious part of that, which
was coming out of halftime against Green Bay with the
lead and they go pass past pass and then punts
(30:32):
like that. I think where we get a little bit hypocritical,
Mark isn't so much just talking about the offensive line.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
It's when we talk about should they be conservative or
should they open it up?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Like I one who says that, yeah, they probably should
take more chances, and they.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Probably do have to.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Let Rogers show up his arm talent and sit in
the pocket and hit a few more deep shots to DK,
take a few more shots to DKY.
Speaker 5 (30:54):
But I also still gripe about what they did after.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Halftime against the Packers, So like that's that's maybe maybe
where get a little hypocritical, and our analysis of them,
they just haven't found that sweet spot yet of run
pass balance.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
To the degree where they could exploit a six.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Turnover game and put thirty eight on the board, like
Rogers was calling Corna's postgame again, Well, Tim.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Tim, the thing is too they abandon the runway too quick.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
And I understand they haven't had the success with it
consistently like they want. But this team, with the way
it's a line with you know, all the tight ends
in the big package, it just shouldn't ever abandon the run,
not least when it's ahead or within one score, and with.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Its lack of weapons aside form Metcalf, you know, like,
it's not like you have to go to the pass
because you have.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
To keep everybody happy. It's not that kind of offense.
It's not Dallas where maybe you want to give the
ball to Javonte.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Williams more but you feel obligated to not because they've
got Pickens and CD and Jake Ferguson, you know, interpid
Like you know, it's it's not that kind of offense
right now. See, I think I'm underscoring what you're saying,
but yes, when you don't have as many mouths to feed,
then just keep it basic and give everybody a snack
and let Jalen Warren and the other running bats get
(32:10):
more work. And maybe we're getting back to Caleb Johnson
getting a little bit more playing time here in the
second half of the season.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
I certainly hope.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
So they seem a little bit less enamored with Kenneth
Gainwell all of a sudden, tim moo.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
Do you like, because this is a really tough game
to call.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Yeah, I've had trouble with it.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I've ping ponged back and forth. I'm a little gun
shy in these games where we think that there's injuries
along the opposing offensive line and the Steelers are gonna eat.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
I still think that's an overwhelming matchup that should be
in the favor of the Steelers. So I'm gonna rest
on it.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
But I am gun shy thinking back to the Bengal game,
thinking back to that game against the Colts where they
had a bunch of injuries, thinking back to that game
where everybody's favorite offensive lineman Kendrick Green was out there
for Houston and they couldn't manage but more than a
sack or two of CJ.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Stroud. But I'll still go with the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
That said go with the Steelers twenty six, twenty two,
but I'm real hesitant about it.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Tim, great stuff. Enjoy the game, all right, Thanks Mark,
that's Tim Bens. Don't forget.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
You can watch the game with me at sidelines. Beer,
Hauss and Swickly kickoff at eight twenty pm Sunday. We
got Charlie Batch at the top of the hour, and
we got a SoundBite from Brian Russ, who got the
game winner last night for the Penguins. That's up next
to one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
One O five nine d X says your shot at
tags drim.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Cash keeping money like that a secret.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Luccho dinner row.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I'm rich, Rich Rich Jimmy.
Speaker 8 (33:36):
Listen all day for your chance and some extra cash
on one oh five nine d X
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