November 21, 2025 • 30 mins
Mark takes a call, talks about Mason Rudolph and is joined by Tim Benz this hour to preview Steelers and Bears
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Rudolph has gotten fornicated up the Muddy Hallway NonStop. I
mean absolutely non stop here in Pittsburgh. So give give
Rudolph credit for perseverance or maybe make fun of him
for being stupid. It's a fine line between clever and stupid.
But he is making two point nine mil That's more
than me, not as much as Duck makes for being
a suitcase pimp let alone when a ring gets put
(00:23):
on it, uh in two point nine milk for getting
fornicated NonStop, I mean they don't make that in Vegas.
And the train kept a rolling. I'm Mark Madden. Welcome
to the Catalina Wine Mixer. Watch that again last night
on Cable eight three three four one two. WXDX is
(00:44):
the number to call, or you can follow me on
Twitter at Mark madden X. Sunday at Soldier Field in
Chicago is a battle of the nutty numbers. Talked about
that with Tom a little bit goo. Rogers is twenty
four and five against the Bears. I think twenty five
(01:05):
and five including playoffs. I think he beat him once
in the postseason, but the Steelers are one in twelve
at Chicago. You see Joe the numbers don't lie, and
they spelled disaster for somebody on Sunday at Soldier Field.
And by the way, Mason Rudolph undefeated against Chicago.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Zero and zero.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
That twenty five and five stuff, the one and twelve stuff,
It don't matter. Each game is a separate and distinct occurrence.
Rogers might torture the Bears, but he ain't that guy
no more. And the Steelers then aren't the Packers now.
So I mean, don't get you wrong, Rogers gonna get
(01:49):
out there, get that old feeling against the Bears uniforms,
and I think it can go good. But I'm still
picking the Bears. I mean, this game between the Steelers
and Bears, what's the story of this game? Like I said,
calls on the fifteens up next, and I will get
that going, just like I will make fetch a thing
(02:10):
the number to call eight three, three, four one two WXDX.
I'm picking the Bears, and I'm leaning toward it being
not not a rap at a convincing win. And the
Steelers go back to square one, tied for first downhill
slide December seventh Day that will live in infamy, or
maybe the Steelers win because big play Sleigh makes the
(02:33):
big play that number again eight three three four one
two wxdx uh. This is where it just gets really
funny Pirate talk. They almost got Naylor from Seattle. They're
in on Schwarber, who hit fifty six home runs last
year for Philadelphia. They're prepared to spend thirty or forty
(02:56):
million this coming off season. But yesterday they signed Jack
Sewinsky to a one year deal. That's the kind of
contract they're willing to sign. That's the kind of player
they feel they can keep. I mean, why in the
frig would you keep Jack Fan Sewinsky hit like one
four some such Like I said, they missed out on Naylor,
(03:20):
won't get Schober or any of the Japanese guys like
o or Okada or Great Muda or Hirohito. But at
least they kept Sewinsky one year, one point two five mil.
Because again, that's the kind of deal the Pirates are
willing to make. That's the kind of money they're willing
(03:40):
to pay. Like I've been saying, I believe the Pirates
are three bats away from greatness, and those bats are
Babe ruth Ty Cobb and Barry Bonds.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Penguin was at home versus Minnesota. Gino wants to play
two more years. Yeah, let's extend Gino and in the
process turned Kin in the Nick Benino who could be listening?
So sorry bones? Uh Sid looking for goal number thirteen?
That's a story. So many more stories with the Penguins
and the Steelers, Am I right? Like Rogers or Rudolph
(04:14):
who's gonna play slay? Or Pierre who's gonna play fading
back to the bushy middle?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Same as it ever was? Uh?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So Sid looking for goal number thirteen? Gino well over
a point per game. Carlson looks like Carlson Well Kindah
Graves continues his rebirth and I think appearing on the
show yesterday has to help him in that regard. And
the Metro Division stinks. It's a heck of a story.
Stories and finally, and that's why I love it. Finally
(04:47):
with the Penguins because they were stale as freak two,
just like the Steelers. Finally, with the Penguins, it's not
the same old story, but with the Steelers it's bam.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
New little aerosmith riff there. I could do a song
from that. Let me think.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Had a winning season. You set the Barlow in and
out the playoffs with nothing to show. It's the same
old Steelers.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Same old song and dance. My friend, that's not bad.
That's not bad.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Now get Perry and Whitford to play on it and
young Blood bring him in. If I had to say
one negative about the Penguins, aside from I mean, the
roster's still the roster, it was, Uh, they're gonna need
to play better five on five. Like I talked to
(05:45):
Rob Rossy the other day and he pointed out, you know,
Pierre talks about gold differential being a porn and it is.
And the Penguins are third in the league right now
and gold differential and that's incredible, But like Rob pointed out,
a lot of that's boosted by having the number one
power play in the league, that gold differential. So they
(06:06):
probably need to play a little bit better five on five.
That's what I'm seeing anyway, not that they've been terrible
five on five, but you can't count on the power
play to be number one all year unless it is.
I mean, somebody's power play is going to be number
one all year? Why not theirs? And Kendall's, Well, I
can't say that because they were right up there before
Kendall jumped on, and boy, you know it's gonna make
me mad. And I can feel it coming. I can
(06:26):
feel it done in my plums. When rare quel comes back,
Kindle's on the second power play. Mark my words, that
had be insane. But again, that's the one thing with Muse.
I think he's a great coach.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Do win really well.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
I think he's more enamored by this start as he
should be than he should be. This season is about development.
Make the playoffs, don't make the playoffs, win around, lose
the first round, win the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
You got to develop. That has to be the first priority.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
And Kindall, he's going to run this power play for
a long time and he's the best at doing it now,
so let them keep doing it, all right, calling out
for calls on the fifteens and I will make fetch
a thing. Uh what's the number? Eight three three four
to one two WSDX. I'm getting old, guys, I'm getting old.
(07:17):
Sometimes I forget the number. By the way, you know
we're gonna talk about next week. First off, we'll do
the cliches, stuff like favorite Thanksgiving foods. They got stuffing
tonight at the press room turkey and stuff. I can't
eat it. I awaken what eighty I can't do it,
I'll do Thursday. I'm taking a break for Thanksgiving, no question,
no question about that.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Uh and uh.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And we're gonna talk about famous Turkey Bowl stories, like
you know the football game every neighborhood plays either on
Thanksgiving in the morning or the day after Thanksgiving. We're
gonna start talking about my my hatred for big trucks
and guys who have big trucks.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I was done.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Should I say where it is because this guy will
figure out I'm talking about him.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, I will.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I was in the parking lot for first Watch here
in Bridgeville, and there was a guy with the biggest
truck I've ever seen, which is just annoying as freak,
and in the in the back of the truck like
the band of the truck. He had like the biggest
ATV I've ever seen. That guy a small penis b
(08:23):
when he plays like softball whatever sport wears number sixty nine,
No question about that. We got tim Ben's at the
bottom of the hour one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
A dump do go on t exit one nine.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
This new calls on the fifteens gimmick. It works some days,
not others it doesn't. We got Nick, We'll get them
in a second. But I'm gonna keep doing it because
I just think the whole idea is so fetch a
couple of things that gonna caught me by surprise. Scooble'm
gonna get traded. It looks like by Detroit after a
second straight side young that I'm not surprised by. Because
(09:03):
he's going into his third year arbitration. He's got a
lot of value in the trade. You can't hold onto
him long term most likely, But I'm shock Killy made
ten point one five mil last year and he agreed
to that to avoid arbitration. And then, like Tommy Radio
talked about in the pregame show, I knew the Bears
had a lot of interceptions, but didn't realize how spread
(09:25):
around they were. They lead the league in picks that
Bayard has four excuse me five, right, Edmonds have four each.
I mean they're the top three in the league. Rogers
has a rep for protecting the ball. Hit better, hit better.
Let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick, you're at
(09:47):
a Mark Madden show.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Hey, Mark, I would say that TK metcalf is not
having the stellar season. But I know yesterday you guys
were mentioning a lot of he's a bust. I definitely
don't think he's a bust for the Steelers this year.
I just think there's a lot of a lot of
factors that need to be considered with that.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
What are the factors? I mean, I think everybody succeeds
and fails on their own merits. I understand that he's
the only thing on the roster even resembling a number
one receiver, even resembling a number two receiver, and he
gets double covered. But he's dropped a lot of balls too.
You think there's a lot of factors that have probably
affected him negatively.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
But I think there's a lot of things he's done
that have let himself and the team down.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I do agree with you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
I would not consider it a bust though, because he's
done a lot of good things for the team also.
But he literally thinks to have a true number two,
for instance, they don't have a true number two. No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
You know you're avoiding the question that that defeats your arguments,
so please do answer it.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
What has he done this has been.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Good about what has he done?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
He's had, Yeah, he's had some phenomenal catch and hard
parts of the game.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
How many, because I can only remember one or two?
That's not enough for his money. He's making thirty mil.
Broad he's getting quarterback money. And if you can't name
instances specifically, then really, how significant were they?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Well, let me ask you this, then what what receiver
in the league switching with him would have the success
that we should have from him without a legit number two,
without a line.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
That allowed Aaron George Pickens were here right now, he'd
be doing better than DK Metcalf.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
That is hypothetical, especially since.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
He didn't do it last year. Pathetical.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Oh, George Pickens last year was doing better than DK
Metcalf this year, I know, know the numbers in front
of me, But he was until he until he went
goofy midway through the year.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Probably Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I can tell you that this year, when he does
have a team with a legit number two, he's doing
a lot better than me.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Let me let me tell you what I'm well.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
First off, George Pickens is the legit number two to
Cede Lamb in Dallas and let me tell you what
I get tired of, Nick. I get tired of people
making excuses for Steelers who fail by saying it's not
their fault.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
TJ.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Watts a bum this year. DK Metcalf's a bust and.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
We can point it, rhyme, reason, good, bad, indifferent about
why they're failing. But I don't care why they're failing
because they make too much money to fail. Here's my thing.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
I agree with you, but it's not about making an
excuse for Dk Metcalf. It's about putting Mike Tomlin on
check and not putting a team together to allow his
number one to success.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Well Rogers, Okay, okay, but but still DK needs to
be doing better, Brov.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
He needs to be doing better. He just does. And
I'd have fired tom one years ago if that's what
you mean.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
He's an average coach and incompetent roster assembly, and he
digs with people who know better except.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Omar Khan doesn't thank you for the call. Yeah, if
you want to tell me, it's it's you know, the No.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Number two I mean, lack of a number two receiver
isn't why DK Metcalf is dropping a lot of passes. Clang, clang, clang.
Let me gather up all these bricks and build a
shelter for the homeless so your mother and sister have
a place to live. Seriously, I want them out of
my house by tomorrow. Up next, we're gonna talk to
(13:20):
Tim Bens. That will also be so fetch one O
five ninety X.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Tonight's the Pens face off against the Wild. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your home of
the Pens one O five nine d X.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
HiT's Bundy diver and I just love good news. Case
when you got a young.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Trophy White owes money to I can't even quote the
big o'bowski right, goodbye d X.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
At one O five nine, it's not time to talk.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
To Steelers with Tim Benz from the Trib. Tim, what
have you heard about the quarterback situation? Did Roger practice today?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What do you know?
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Because I'm assuming Rogers is playing, but a few things
have been said that shead's a little doubt, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Think if Tomlin was one hundred percent sure, he would
have at least come off that way and maybe kind
of casually hinted and kept the door open just to
make Ben Johnson guess. But I think they're still figuring
it out themselves. I keep saying, Mark, this is one
of these situations where if it's fifty to fifty, it's
not that. If Aaron Rodgers is even like thirty seventy,
(14:34):
they're going to try to make him play, get him
to play. He wants to play. I think they are
happy with Mason Rudolph as a backup. But they got
Aaron Rodgers for games like this in November, when they're
in the in first place, when they're going to Chicago,
where they've never won except one time in nineteen ninety five,
(14:55):
and where he wins all the time. I think that
they are doing whatever they can to get him. And well,
maybe a lot of the populace might say, well, look,
if it is that close, just put Mason in. I
don't think they're of that mind.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
No.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I mean their track record with how they've used Mason,
what Tomlin thinks of him, that's that indicates no to
that mind. They benched him for duck, they let him
go after he got him into playoffs with three straight
wins that end twenty twenty three, I mean, has Mason
Rudolf ever really gotten a fair chance from the Steelers?
And I asked that knowing fair has nothing to do
(15:29):
with it.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
I was just about to say, I think it's what
your definition of fair is and if it has nothing
to do with it, and then I guess he did.
You know, I think, honestly I felt not when.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
They benched him for Duck. That was just not stupid.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
That was kind of being blinded by the moment, And
that was I think the ultimate example of we've got
to do whatever it is humanly possible to try to
keep this season streak alive, of never having a low
campaign and.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Pays when when when Duck just ruined things, he was awful.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Yeah, but well, Duck was part of them being in
the playoff chase, and then he fell apart against Buffalo, right,
you know, that was that was the big game that
turned everything when he threw the four interceptions. But you know,
I don't think Mason was good enough at any point
for them to feel comfortable turning over the keys after Roethlisberger.
(16:26):
But you know, maybe they were victims of their own
hype train there where they got a quarterback in the
third round there was some reason to do it based
on Roethlisberger's age and flirting with retirement, and then they
talked themselves into this whole first round grade thing, pumped
him up into something he wasn't and then when he
got in there and it looked like he had a
steeper learning curve than expected, well they did what their
(16:48):
fan base often does, which is they never give a
chance for anybody to get better. You know, he's not
the only guy that's going through that this week. Mark.
I mean another guy who's of a relative age who's
kind of been on that path with them, as James Pierre.
You know, they let him go, he's come back, he's
obviously better, and they apparently still feel more inclined to
(17:09):
go with Darius Slave, who's been here for ten minutes
and is clearly on the down side of his career,
when they may have actually found something with a talented
athletic player that at a very difficult position might just
be a late bloomer. I'd rather be proven wrong there
than them trying to prove themselves right with Sleigh. I
think it's a very similar comp on a bit of
(17:31):
a micro scale, because it's cornerback as opposed to quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
No, but it's a very legitimate comparison.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And I can't believe they're going to go with slave,
but it looks like they are but sticking with Rogers.
He's been antsying the pocket the last couple of weeks, Tim,
and now he's got a broken left wrist.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
That's not going to make him hang in there longer,
is it?
Speaker 5 (17:51):
No, not at all, And it is also something that
I think has to be brought him. The equation when
you're talking about this, like I said, if it's fifty
to fifty or thirty seventy type of scenario, I mean,
if it's thirty seventy and he wants to get rid
of the ball, he is going to get rid of
the ball. And if he can't, you are welcoming turnovers
(18:11):
against a defense that is very prone at getting them.
You know, you're talking about stripsack. You're talking about him
trying to get rid of the ball too quickly or
maybe when he's not set, just because he doesn't want
to get hit. And this is the best takeaway team
in the NFL right now that he's going up against.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
No.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
By the way, it's also a team that almost never
gives the ball back. And one thing that worries me
about this matchup is where the Steelers defense thrives. It's
not the weak points for the offense. The Bears don't
turn it over, the quarterback can move, they don't give
up sacks, and they have a good overall run game,
(18:54):
like not depending on a running back, but a run
game approach. That worries me, even though the Steelers might
been a little bit better there in some cases over
recent weeks.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Tim and add on that, I think the Steelers on
defense can be manhandled. I think the Bears have the
personnel on their own line to do just that.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Their old line has gotten a lot better. You know,
I was talking with somebody today who covers the Bears
from WGN for our podcast, and you know, we went
through a lot of different angles of the team and
one thing you just kept coming back to is how
much better the old line was. Now quickly it got
better in a year, which kind of made me long
and fallen for what I kind of hope the Steelers
(19:33):
offensive line would be this year, where they had that
coalescing of all the young guys coming together at once.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
And yeah, it ain't really happened, has it.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
No, it's it's not been the same arc as what
has happened with the Bears.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
The Bears offense is way better than the Steelers offense
number two, running attack, number four overall, maybe that decides that, Tim.
I think the defenses both lack, but they both could takeaways.
But the Bear's offense they don't give the ball back,
and I just think they're more physical, and I just
think they're more likely to score points.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Yeah, that last part is the concerning part to me,
as is the health of the quarterback. Of course. You know,
one thing I really do hope the Steelers do more
often is used that three outside linebacker look. I thought
that was an important component to they win.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Tailor made for what the Bears are gonna try.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
You know, just to try to get in Caleb Williams face,
to try to make him rush throws. I think a
big part of that, two big parts of it. You
can rush her big from the inside. He's adept at
getting there, and I get it. You don't want to
overplay the hand because then it's not a surprise anymore.
But it's also just more effective than a lot of
what they do. And they're kind of what amounts to
(20:48):
base defensive rush package. And the other thing that's helped
it is even with high Smith out, I think they
feel like they can trust Sawyer a little bit more
and he's gotten better in recent weeks.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
To Tim Benz of the trip he's brought to us
by Calucy Chervallet serving the Pittsburgh area for one hundred
and seven years, Tim, do you mind the Caleb Williams
You discussed him briefly a.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Bit ago, and who is Caleb?
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Like?
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I think he's kind of like Lamar, but not really
and I don't mean that as an insult. I think
there's a little bit of similarity, not as much power, right,
And when it.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Comes to the running of the football, especially before Lamar
was injured this year, maybe a little bit younger, a
few could run it off of designs like him, and
I think maybe Williams can if you wanted to. But
I think he also wants to be a higher precision,
more pocket oriented passer. You know, Lamar grew into that.
(21:44):
I think Williams saw himself more as that when he
went to USC and when he came out of USC,
you know. So he's a really good athlete. I think
he's got the right coach now, you know, in a
weird way, Mark, You know, this is kind of going
back a little bit with two years now. Uh, you
know when the when the Bears allegedly picked up the
phone and called about the tradeability of Mike Tomlin. Are
(22:06):
Rooney basically said thanks, but no thanks. It's fortunate for
them that they got an offensive minded coach for a
quarterback like that.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I think Ben Johnson's been the single biggest difference maker there.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Yeah, well that in the schedule. You know this, if
the Bears beat the Steelers, it will be their biggest
pelt on the wall, no question, as in that big
a pelt precisely. You know, it's kind of funny. I
was looking at the standings, like, you know, obviously everybody
knows this is a for a for an NFC opponent.
This is a really big game for the Steelers just
(22:39):
because of their circumstances of where they are on their
schedule with Detroit and Buffalo in two games against the
Ravens still looming. But it's also a really big game
for the Bears because if you look at the NFC
right now, they're the third seed. They're leading their division.
But if they should lose at home to Pittsburgh, who
has exactly as many wins in chicag I go against
(23:00):
the Bears, as there have been ally troop victories in
Europe since nineteen thirty six. If they lose to that team,
mark they could be out of the playoff bracket just
like that, from third to eight. Depending on what happens
with the Lions and with the Packers, who are both
playing poor teams this week, they could drop to third
in their own division and eighth in the conference. So
(23:20):
this is a huge game for them, just like it
is for Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
To be fair ten, there's only been one war in
Europe during that time.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Well to bear, the Steelers haven't gone to Chicago too
often either.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
It involved America anyway. But but yeah, no, no, you're
right about all that, But the Steelers aren't far from that.
Like with Houston beating Buffalo last night, that sucks both
teams more into the wildcard race. And if the Steelers
fall behind the Ravens, which could happen you know, on
December seventh today, that will live in infamy.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
If not before I mean the Steelers, I mean they
could be in deep do do real quick.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
They absolutely could. Now. I was even saying this on
our Friday Football showed Mike de Courci, who you have
on all the time, we were bringing up the wild
card picture, and like even for Kansas City, it's starting
to get late early, you know this whole thing. Oh
that the Chiefs will be fine, The Chiefs will be fined,
they probably will, They'll probably get in, but it's they're
five and five now, and the clock is starting to tick.
(24:21):
They've got three what look like automatic wins, and their
four toughest games are all at home, so the math
probably works out for them. But if the math works
out for them and the Steelers have lost to the
Charges already, and maybe the Broncos win the division, and gosh,
what if the Patriots really do win the East and
(24:41):
the Steelers will probably loose the Bills. You see where
I'm going with this, mark, Like, then it becomes division
or bust, and they're probably gonna at least split with
the Ravens. It very well may come down to division
or bust, fourth seed hosting Kansas City or Buffalo or
you go home and the Ravens get to do that instead,
just like we've been prognosticating for how many weeks now,
(25:03):
I mean, it's going right down that path. Now.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
If the Steelers lose this game in Baltimore beats the Jets,
you know, they're tied for first, and it seems like
the Steelers are back to square one, and more significantly,
to my mind, it seems like any one of the
last seven seasons.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Why why can't the Steelers run the ball?
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Fourth from bottom in the league For Washington attack Warrens
banged up the on line eighth Great, maybe I answered
my own question, but I also know they never really
commit to it like I thought they would.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
Yeah. The weird thing about it is their two best
running games and it's felt like, and maybe this isn't
exactly the case statistically, but you know they've substituted the
short pass for the run frequently when Gainwell has been
the guy.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
I mean, that was definitely the game last week, and he.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Was really effective running the wall. I have reinforced my
theory that the best way to go about using their
running backs is to have each Gainwell and Warren be
their own third down guy stop with the maniacal Warren
in for two, Gainwell in for one hit resett.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Tim, Tim, let me let me interrupt. I think the
offensive coaching. I think Arthur Smith is this close to
incompetent the stuff you're talking about. And the tight ends
were supposed to be the salvation of the team, used
in clever ways, and two of them have pretty much
been been legislated.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Out of the attack.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
And DK Metcats is stiff because they got no number
two receiver, can't develop anybody. I think Smith has done
poor enough to be fired.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
And what really stood out about that was when Mason
got in there. Okay, I gotta use this with the
Giant asteris that's the Bengals defense, I get it, But
the Bear's defense is no real prize either. I know
they're gonna want to avoid the middle of the field
because they've got good defenders in the middle of the
field that intercept the ball. Bear does that, that their
(27:00):
linebackers do that, although the linebackers really banged up. That's
gonna be interesting to watch to see how those guys
player don't play, but they can't avoid the middle of
the field. And did you notice how like when Mason
came in there, there was space like you know, they
were running guys off and there were running patterns across
the middle, whether they're drags or hitches or whatever, slants
or whatever it might be off the line of scrimmage.
(27:22):
That works. And Mason said, and Tomlin reiterated it that
during that long lull, it was a longer drive than
it looked in the clock. There was some reviews and
injuries and things like that that allowed Smith and Rudolph
to go over the plays that Rudolph wanted. Well, maybe
they should want Rogers to have those plays to clear
(27:44):
some things out and use the middle of the field
a little bit more often, even if they on paper
might be scared off of doing that because of what
Chicago does. This week, Tim Matt.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Williamson brought up a good point about DK Metcalf and
his disappointing season to date. He might be the Steelers'
best receips, but he's not a real number one wide
out like Jefferson.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Or that kind.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
And I think that's why Seattle was willing to part
with him, also knowing what they had in Jackson, Smith
and Jigga. That was, you know, certainly a complimentary part
to their decision. But you know, Dk asked for a
trade and they could have said no, they didn't have
to do this, but they decided to do this because
I think they felt, like, you know, they could through
(28:27):
the many other avenues that people some other teams usually
used to get receivers, the drafts, the trade would have you,
they backfilled. And I think the things that DK lacks,
like the weirdest thing is the combat catch thing, because
you would figure with his ability to separate, you wouldn't
be in as many combat catch situations, and you would
(28:47):
figure that with his size, he'd win more of those battles.
But he just doesn't have the nuance when he gets
entight type coverage to use his body and the way
you would think that he could. And that is frustrating
because as I heard you going to break, he doesn't
have the world's greatest hands. I mean I was told
that by people in Seattle when he came here. He's
(29:09):
gonna do a lot of stuff that dazzles. You are
going to be completely wowed by the physical capabilities, but
you're also going to be surprised at how many he
drops and they're easy passes. Then it'll come up with
some doozies and he's been on script and they don't
have the complimentary second receiver to offset that like the
Seahawks had, would locket like the Seahawks had for his
(29:32):
first year in a jiggo, who do you liked?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Tim?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It's tough to really. I mean, I think Chicago's gonna win.
I'd feel better if I knew if Rogers was for
sure playing what percent he'll be how willing then be
to go to Rootolph in case of emergency?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
But what do you think.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
I've got the Bears winning this twenty nine, twenty seven.
I think the Steelers really get in Dutch after that,
and then it comes down to your day that will
live in to me. I could be wrong on this,
but I think it might. It might come down to
its just not working out with Rogers, them figuring that out,
Rudolph coming off the bench and making fetch happen.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
Tim, I will make fetch happen. Good stuff, Enjoy the game.
We'll talk next week.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
You got it, Mark, that's Tim Benz, I'm Mark Madden.
We got Charlie Batch talking even more Steelers at the
top of the hour. I will make fetch happen one
oh five nine. The X.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Listen to the X everywhere you go anywhere, everywhere. Tell
your smart device Alexa play one oh five point nine
the x on iHeartRadio at Kenny Ross Mazda in North Huntingdon,
Rudolph has gotten fornicated up the Muddy Hallway NonStop. I
mean absolutely non stop here in Pittsburgh. So give give
Rudolph credit for perseverance or maybe make fun of him
for being stupid. It's a fine line between clever and stupid.
But he is making two point nine mil That's more
than me, not as much as Duck makes for being
a suitcase pimp let alone when a ring gets put
(00:23):
on it, uh in two point nine milk for getting
fornicated NonStop, I mean they don't make that in Vegas.
And the train kept a rolling. I'm Mark Madden. Welcome
to the Catalina Wine Mixer. Watch that again last night
on Cable eight three three four one two. WXDX is
(00:44):
the number to call, or you can follow me on
Twitter at Mark madden X. Sunday at Soldier Field in
Chicago is a battle of the nutty numbers. Talked about
that with Tom a little bit goo. Rogers is twenty
four and five against the Bears. I think twenty five
(01:05):
and five including playoffs. I think he beat him once
in the postseason, but the Steelers are one in twelve
at Chicago. You see Joe the numbers don't lie, and
they spelled disaster for somebody on Sunday at Soldier Field.
And by the way, Mason Rudolph undefeated against Chicago.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Zero and zero.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
That twenty five and five stuff, the one and twelve stuff,
It don't matter. Each game is a separate and distinct occurrence.
Rogers might torture the Bears, but he ain't that guy
no more. And the Steelers then aren't the Packers now.
So I mean, don't get you wrong, Rogers gonna get
(01:49):
out there, get that old feeling against the Bears uniforms,
and I think it can go good. But I'm still
picking the Bears. I mean, this game between the Steelers
and Bears, what's the story of this game? Like I said,
calls on the fifteens up next, and I will get
that going, just like I will make fetch a thing
(02:10):
the number to call eight three, three, four one two WXDX.
I'm picking the Bears, and I'm leaning toward it being
not not a rap at a convincing win. And the
Steelers go back to square one, tied for first downhill
slide December seventh Day that will live in infamy, or
maybe the Steelers win because big play Sleigh makes the
(02:33):
big play that number again eight three three four one
two wxdx uh. This is where it just gets really
funny Pirate talk. They almost got Naylor from Seattle. They're
in on Schwarber, who hit fifty six home runs last
year for Philadelphia. They're prepared to spend thirty or forty
(02:56):
million this coming off season. But yesterday they signed Jack
Sewinsky to a one year deal. That's the kind of
contract they're willing to sign. That's the kind of player
they feel they can keep. I mean, why in the
frig would you keep Jack Fan Sewinsky hit like one
four some such Like I said, they missed out on Naylor,
(03:20):
won't get Schober or any of the Japanese guys like
o or Okada or Great Muda or Hirohito. But at
least they kept Sewinsky one year, one point two five mil.
Because again, that's the kind of deal the Pirates are
willing to make. That's the kind of money they're willing
(03:40):
to pay. Like I've been saying, I believe the Pirates
are three bats away from greatness, and those bats are
Babe ruth Ty Cobb and Barry Bonds.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Penguin was at home versus Minnesota. Gino wants to play
two more years. Yeah, let's extend Gino and in the
process turned Kin in the Nick Benino who could be listening?
So sorry bones? Uh Sid looking for goal number thirteen?
That's a story. So many more stories with the Penguins
and the Steelers, Am I right? Like Rogers or Rudolph
(04:14):
who's gonna play slay? Or Pierre who's gonna play fading
back to the bushy middle?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Same as it ever was? Uh?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So Sid looking for goal number thirteen? Gino well over
a point per game. Carlson looks like Carlson Well Kindah
Graves continues his rebirth and I think appearing on the
show yesterday has to help him in that regard. And
the Metro Division stinks. It's a heck of a story.
Stories and finally, and that's why I love it. Finally
(04:47):
with the Penguins because they were stale as freak two,
just like the Steelers. Finally, with the Penguins, it's not
the same old story, but with the Steelers it's bam.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
New little aerosmith riff there. I could do a song
from that. Let me think.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Had a winning season. You set the Barlow in and
out the playoffs with nothing to show. It's the same
old Steelers.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Same old song and dance. My friend, that's not bad.
That's not bad.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Now get Perry and Whitford to play on it and
young Blood bring him in. If I had to say
one negative about the Penguins, aside from I mean, the
roster's still the roster, it was, Uh, they're gonna need
to play better five on five. Like I talked to
(05:45):
Rob Rossy the other day and he pointed out, you know,
Pierre talks about gold differential being a porn and it is.
And the Penguins are third in the league right now
and gold differential and that's incredible, But like Rob pointed out,
a lot of that's boosted by having the number one
power play in the league, that gold differential. So they
(06:06):
probably need to play a little bit better five on five.
That's what I'm seeing anyway, not that they've been terrible
five on five, but you can't count on the power
play to be number one all year unless it is.
I mean, somebody's power play is going to be number
one all year? Why not theirs? And Kendall's, Well, I
can't say that because they were right up there before
Kendall jumped on, and boy, you know it's gonna make
me mad. And I can feel it coming. I can
(06:26):
feel it done in my plums. When rare quel comes back,
Kindle's on the second power play. Mark my words, that
had be insane. But again, that's the one thing with Muse.
I think he's a great coach.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Do win really well.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
I think he's more enamored by this start as he
should be than he should be. This season is about development.
Make the playoffs, don't make the playoffs, win around, lose
the first round, win the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
You got to develop. That has to be the first priority.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
And Kindall, he's going to run this power play for
a long time and he's the best at doing it now,
so let them keep doing it, all right, calling out
for calls on the fifteens and I will make fetch
a thing. Uh what's the number? Eight three three four
to one two WSDX. I'm getting old, guys, I'm getting old.
(07:17):
Sometimes I forget the number. By the way, you know
we're gonna talk about next week. First off, we'll do
the cliches, stuff like favorite Thanksgiving foods. They got stuffing
tonight at the press room turkey and stuff. I can't
eat it. I awaken what eighty I can't do it,
I'll do Thursday. I'm taking a break for Thanksgiving, no question,
no question about that.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Uh and uh.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And we're gonna talk about famous Turkey Bowl stories, like
you know the football game every neighborhood plays either on
Thanksgiving in the morning or the day after Thanksgiving. We're
gonna start talking about my my hatred for big trucks
and guys who have big trucks.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I was done.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Should I say where it is because this guy will
figure out I'm talking about him.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, I will.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I was in the parking lot for first Watch here
in Bridgeville, and there was a guy with the biggest
truck I've ever seen, which is just annoying as freak,
and in the in the back of the truck like
the band of the truck. He had like the biggest
ATV I've ever seen. That guy a small penis b
(08:23):
when he plays like softball whatever sport wears number sixty nine,
No question about that. We got tim Ben's at the
bottom of the hour one O five to nine.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
A dump do go on t exit one nine.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
This new calls on the fifteens gimmick. It works some days,
not others it doesn't. We got Nick, We'll get them
in a second. But I'm gonna keep doing it because
I just think the whole idea is so fetch a
couple of things that gonna caught me by surprise. Scooble'm
gonna get traded. It looks like by Detroit after a
second straight side young that I'm not surprised by. Because
(09:03):
he's going into his third year arbitration. He's got a
lot of value in the trade. You can't hold onto
him long term most likely, But I'm shock Killy made
ten point one five mil last year and he agreed
to that to avoid arbitration. And then, like Tommy Radio
talked about in the pregame show, I knew the Bears
had a lot of interceptions, but didn't realize how spread
(09:25):
around they were. They lead the league in picks that
Bayard has four excuse me five, right, Edmonds have four each.
I mean they're the top three in the league. Rogers
has a rep for protecting the ball. Hit better, hit better.
Let's go to Nick in the truck. Nick, you're at
(09:47):
a Mark Madden show.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Hey, Mark, I would say that TK metcalf is not
having the stellar season. But I know yesterday you guys
were mentioning a lot of he's a bust. I definitely
don't think he's a bust for the Steelers this year.
I just think there's a lot of a lot of
factors that need to be considered with that.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
What are the factors? I mean, I think everybody succeeds
and fails on their own merits. I understand that he's
the only thing on the roster even resembling a number
one receiver, even resembling a number two receiver, and he
gets double covered. But he's dropped a lot of balls too.
You think there's a lot of factors that have probably
affected him negatively.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
But I think there's a lot of things he's done
that have let himself and the team down.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I do agree with you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
I would not consider it a bust though, because he's
done a lot of good things for the team also.
But he literally thinks to have a true number two,
for instance, they don't have a true number two. No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
You know you're avoiding the question that that defeats your arguments,
so please do answer it.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
What has he done this has been.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Good about what has he done?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
He's had, Yeah, he's had some phenomenal catch and hard
parts of the game.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
How many, because I can only remember one or two?
That's not enough for his money. He's making thirty mil.
Broad he's getting quarterback money. And if you can't name
instances specifically, then really, how significant were they?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Well, let me ask you this, then what what receiver
in the league switching with him would have the success
that we should have from him without a legit number two,
without a line.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
That allowed Aaron George Pickens were here right now, he'd
be doing better than DK Metcalf.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
That is hypothetical, especially since.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
He didn't do it last year. Pathetical.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Oh, George Pickens last year was doing better than DK
Metcalf this year, I know, know the numbers in front
of me, But he was until he until he went
goofy midway through the year.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Probably Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I can tell you that this year, when he does
have a team with a legit number two, he's doing
a lot better than me.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Let me let me tell you what I'm well.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
First off, George Pickens is the legit number two to
Cede Lamb in Dallas and let me tell you what
I get tired of, Nick. I get tired of people
making excuses for Steelers who fail by saying it's not
their fault.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
TJ.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Watts a bum this year. DK Metcalf's a bust and.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
We can point it, rhyme, reason, good, bad, indifferent about
why they're failing. But I don't care why they're failing
because they make too much money to fail. Here's my thing.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
I agree with you, but it's not about making an
excuse for Dk Metcalf. It's about putting Mike Tomlin on
check and not putting a team together to allow his
number one to success.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Well Rogers, Okay, okay, but but still DK needs to
be doing better, Brov.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
He needs to be doing better. He just does. And
I'd have fired tom one years ago if that's what
you mean.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
He's an average coach and incompetent roster assembly, and he
digs with people who know better except.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Omar Khan doesn't thank you for the call. Yeah, if
you want to tell me, it's it's you know, the No.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Number two I mean, lack of a number two receiver
isn't why DK Metcalf is dropping a lot of passes. Clang, clang, clang.
Let me gather up all these bricks and build a
shelter for the homeless so your mother and sister have
a place to live. Seriously, I want them out of
my house by tomorrow. Up next, we're gonna talk to
(13:20):
Tim Bens. That will also be so fetch one O
five ninety X.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Tonight's the Pens face off against the Wild. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your home of
the Pens one O five nine d X.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
HiT's Bundy diver and I just love good news. Case
when you got a young.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Trophy White owes money to I can't even quote the
big o'bowski right, goodbye d X.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
At one O five nine, it's not time to talk.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
To Steelers with Tim Benz from the Trib. Tim, what
have you heard about the quarterback situation? Did Roger practice today?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What do you know?
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Because I'm assuming Rogers is playing, but a few things
have been said that shead's a little doubt, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Think if Tomlin was one hundred percent sure, he would
have at least come off that way and maybe kind
of casually hinted and kept the door open just to
make Ben Johnson guess. But I think they're still figuring
it out themselves. I keep saying, Mark, this is one
of these situations where if it's fifty to fifty, it's
not that. If Aaron Rodgers is even like thirty seventy,
(14:34):
they're going to try to make him play, get him
to play. He wants to play. I think they are
happy with Mason Rudolph as a backup. But they got
Aaron Rodgers for games like this in November, when they're
in the in first place, when they're going to Chicago,
where they've never won except one time in nineteen ninety five,
(14:55):
and where he wins all the time. I think that
they are doing whatever they can to get him. And well,
maybe a lot of the populace might say, well, look,
if it is that close, just put Mason in. I
don't think they're of that mind.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
No.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I mean their track record with how they've used Mason,
what Tomlin thinks of him, that's that indicates no to
that mind. They benched him for duck, they let him
go after he got him into playoffs with three straight
wins that end twenty twenty three, I mean, has Mason
Rudolf ever really gotten a fair chance from the Steelers?
And I asked that knowing fair has nothing to do
(15:29):
with it.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
I was just about to say, I think it's what
your definition of fair is and if it has nothing
to do with it, and then I guess he did.
You know, I think, honestly I felt not when.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
They benched him for Duck. That was just not stupid.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
That was kind of being blinded by the moment, And
that was I think the ultimate example of we've got
to do whatever it is humanly possible to try to
keep this season streak alive, of never having a low
campaign and.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Pays when when when Duck just ruined things, he was awful.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Yeah, but well, Duck was part of them being in
the playoff chase, and then he fell apart against Buffalo, right,
you know, that was that was the big game that
turned everything when he threw the four interceptions. But you know,
I don't think Mason was good enough at any point
for them to feel comfortable turning over the keys after Roethlisberger.
(16:26):
But you know, maybe they were victims of their own
hype train there where they got a quarterback in the
third round there was some reason to do it based
on Roethlisberger's age and flirting with retirement, and then they
talked themselves into this whole first round grade thing, pumped
him up into something he wasn't and then when he
got in there and it looked like he had a
steeper learning curve than expected, well they did what their
(16:48):
fan base often does, which is they never give a
chance for anybody to get better. You know, he's not
the only guy that's going through that this week. Mark.
I mean another guy who's of a relative age who's
kind of been on that path with them, as James Pierre.
You know, they let him go, he's come back, he's
obviously better, and they apparently still feel more inclined to
(17:09):
go with Darius Slave, who's been here for ten minutes
and is clearly on the down side of his career,
when they may have actually found something with a talented
athletic player that at a very difficult position might just
be a late bloomer. I'd rather be proven wrong there
than them trying to prove themselves right with Sleigh. I
think it's a very similar comp on a bit of
(17:31):
a micro scale, because it's cornerback as opposed to quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
No, but it's a very legitimate comparison.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And I can't believe they're going to go with slave,
but it looks like they are but sticking with Rogers.
He's been antsying the pocket the last couple of weeks, Tim,
and now he's got a broken left wrist.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
That's not going to make him hang in there longer,
is it?
Speaker 5 (17:51):
No, not at all, And it is also something that
I think has to be brought him. The equation when
you're talking about this, like I said, if it's fifty
to fifty or thirty seventy type of scenario, I mean,
if it's thirty seventy and he wants to get rid
of the ball, he is going to get rid of
the ball. And if he can't, you are welcoming turnovers
(18:11):
against a defense that is very prone at getting them.
You know, you're talking about stripsack. You're talking about him
trying to get rid of the ball too quickly or
maybe when he's not set, just because he doesn't want
to get hit. And this is the best takeaway team
in the NFL right now that he's going up against.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
No.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
By the way, it's also a team that almost never
gives the ball back. And one thing that worries me
about this matchup is where the Steelers defense thrives. It's
not the weak points for the offense. The Bears don't
turn it over, the quarterback can move, they don't give
up sacks, and they have a good overall run game,
(18:54):
like not depending on a running back, but a run
game approach. That worries me, even though the Steelers might
been a little bit better there in some cases over
recent weeks.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Tim and add on that, I think the Steelers on
defense can be manhandled. I think the Bears have the
personnel on their own line to do just that.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Their old line has gotten a lot better. You know,
I was talking with somebody today who covers the Bears
from WGN for our podcast, and you know, we went
through a lot of different angles of the team and
one thing you just kept coming back to is how
much better the old line was. Now quickly it got
better in a year, which kind of made me long
and fallen for what I kind of hope the Steelers
(19:33):
offensive line would be this year, where they had that
coalescing of all the young guys coming together at once.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
And yeah, it ain't really happened, has it.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
No, it's it's not been the same arc as what
has happened with the Bears.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
The Bears offense is way better than the Steelers offense
number two, running attack, number four overall, maybe that decides that, Tim.
I think the defenses both lack, but they both could takeaways.
But the Bear's offense they don't give the ball back,
and I just think they're more physical, and I just
think they're more likely to score points.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Yeah, that last part is the concerning part to me,
as is the health of the quarterback. Of course. You know,
one thing I really do hope the Steelers do more
often is used that three outside linebacker look. I thought
that was an important component to they win.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Tailor made for what the Bears are gonna try.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
You know, just to try to get in Caleb Williams face,
to try to make him rush throws. I think a
big part of that, two big parts of it. You
can rush her big from the inside. He's adept at
getting there, and I get it. You don't want to
overplay the hand because then it's not a surprise anymore.
But it's also just more effective than a lot of
what they do. And they're kind of what amounts to
(20:48):
base defensive rush package. And the other thing that's helped
it is even with high Smith out, I think they
feel like they can trust Sawyer a little bit more
and he's gotten better in recent weeks.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
To Tim Benz of the trip he's brought to us
by Calucy Chervallet serving the Pittsburgh area for one hundred
and seven years, Tim, do you mind the Caleb Williams
You discussed him briefly a.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Bit ago, and who is Caleb?
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Like?
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I think he's kind of like Lamar, but not really
and I don't mean that as an insult. I think
there's a little bit of similarity, not as much power, right,
And when it.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Comes to the running of the football, especially before Lamar
was injured this year, maybe a little bit younger, a
few could run it off of designs like him, and
I think maybe Williams can if you wanted to. But
I think he also wants to be a higher precision,
more pocket oriented passer. You know, Lamar grew into that.
(21:44):
I think Williams saw himself more as that when he
went to USC and when he came out of USC,
you know. So he's a really good athlete. I think
he's got the right coach now, you know, in a
weird way, Mark, You know, this is kind of going
back a little bit with two years now. Uh, you
know when the when the Bears allegedly picked up the
phone and called about the tradeability of Mike Tomlin. Are
(22:06):
Rooney basically said thanks, but no thanks. It's fortunate for
them that they got an offensive minded coach for a
quarterback like that.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I think Ben Johnson's been the single biggest difference maker there.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Yeah, well that in the schedule. You know this, if
the Bears beat the Steelers, it will be their biggest
pelt on the wall, no question, as in that big
a pelt precisely. You know, it's kind of funny. I
was looking at the standings, like, you know, obviously everybody
knows this is a for a for an NFC opponent.
This is a really big game for the Steelers just
(22:39):
because of their circumstances of where they are on their
schedule with Detroit and Buffalo in two games against the
Ravens still looming. But it's also a really big game
for the Bears because if you look at the NFC
right now, they're the third seed. They're leading their division.
But if they should lose at home to Pittsburgh, who
has exactly as many wins in chicag I go against
(23:00):
the Bears, as there have been ally troop victories in
Europe since nineteen thirty six. If they lose to that team,
mark they could be out of the playoff bracket just
like that, from third to eight. Depending on what happens
with the Lions and with the Packers, who are both
playing poor teams this week, they could drop to third
in their own division and eighth in the conference. So
(23:20):
this is a huge game for them, just like it
is for Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
To be fair ten, there's only been one war in
Europe during that time.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Well to bear, the Steelers haven't gone to Chicago too
often either.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
It involved America anyway. But but yeah, no, no, you're
right about all that, But the Steelers aren't far from that.
Like with Houston beating Buffalo last night, that sucks both
teams more into the wildcard race. And if the Steelers
fall behind the Ravens, which could happen you know, on
December seventh today, that will live in infamy.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
If not before I mean the Steelers, I mean they
could be in deep do do real quick.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
They absolutely could. Now. I was even saying this on
our Friday Football showed Mike de Courci, who you have
on all the time, we were bringing up the wild
card picture, and like even for Kansas City, it's starting
to get late early, you know this whole thing. Oh
that the Chiefs will be fine, The Chiefs will be fined,
they probably will, They'll probably get in, but it's they're
five and five now, and the clock is starting to tick.
(24:21):
They've got three what look like automatic wins, and their
four toughest games are all at home, so the math
probably works out for them. But if the math works
out for them and the Steelers have lost to the
Charges already, and maybe the Broncos win the division, and gosh,
what if the Patriots really do win the East and
(24:41):
the Steelers will probably loose the Bills. You see where
I'm going with this, mark, Like, then it becomes division
or bust, and they're probably gonna at least split with
the Ravens. It very well may come down to division
or bust, fourth seed hosting Kansas City or Buffalo or
you go home and the Ravens get to do that instead,
just like we've been prognosticating for how many weeks now,
(25:03):
I mean, it's going right down that path. Now.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
If the Steelers lose this game in Baltimore beats the Jets,
you know, they're tied for first, and it seems like
the Steelers are back to square one, and more significantly,
to my mind, it seems like any one of the
last seven seasons.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Why why can't the Steelers run the ball?
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Fourth from bottom in the league For Washington attack Warrens
banged up the on line eighth Great, maybe I answered
my own question, but I also know they never really
commit to it like I thought they would.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
Yeah. The weird thing about it is their two best
running games and it's felt like, and maybe this isn't
exactly the case statistically, but you know they've substituted the
short pass for the run frequently when Gainwell has been
the guy.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
I mean, that was definitely the game last week, and he.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Was really effective running the wall. I have reinforced my
theory that the best way to go about using their
running backs is to have each Gainwell and Warren be
their own third down guy stop with the maniacal Warren
in for two, Gainwell in for one hit resett.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Tim, Tim, let me let me interrupt. I think the
offensive coaching. I think Arthur Smith is this close to
incompetent the stuff you're talking about. And the tight ends
were supposed to be the salvation of the team, used
in clever ways, and two of them have pretty much
been been legislated.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Out of the attack.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
And DK Metcats is stiff because they got no number
two receiver, can't develop anybody. I think Smith has done
poor enough to be fired.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
And what really stood out about that was when Mason
got in there. Okay, I gotta use this with the
Giant asteris that's the Bengals defense, I get it, But
the Bear's defense is no real prize either. I know
they're gonna want to avoid the middle of the field
because they've got good defenders in the middle of the
field that intercept the ball. Bear does that, that their
(27:00):
linebackers do that, although the linebackers really banged up. That's
gonna be interesting to watch to see how those guys
player don't play, but they can't avoid the middle of
the field. And did you notice how like when Mason
came in there, there was space like you know, they
were running guys off and there were running patterns across
the middle, whether they're drags or hitches or whatever, slants
or whatever it might be off the line of scrimmage.
(27:22):
That works. And Mason said, and Tomlin reiterated it that
during that long lull, it was a longer drive than
it looked in the clock. There was some reviews and
injuries and things like that that allowed Smith and Rudolph
to go over the plays that Rudolph wanted. Well, maybe
they should want Rogers to have those plays to clear
(27:44):
some things out and use the middle of the field
a little bit more often, even if they on paper
might be scared off of doing that because of what
Chicago does. This week, Tim Matt.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Williamson brought up a good point about DK Metcalf and
his disappointing season to date. He might be the Steelers'
best receips, but he's not a real number one wide
out like Jefferson.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Or that kind.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
And I think that's why Seattle was willing to part
with him, also knowing what they had in Jackson, Smith
and Jigga. That was, you know, certainly a complimentary part
to their decision. But you know, Dk asked for a
trade and they could have said no, they didn't have
to do this, but they decided to do this because
I think they felt, like, you know, they could through
(28:27):
the many other avenues that people some other teams usually
used to get receivers, the drafts, the trade would have you,
they backfilled. And I think the things that DK lacks,
like the weirdest thing is the combat catch thing, because
you would figure with his ability to separate, you wouldn't
be in as many combat catch situations, and you would
(28:47):
figure that with his size, he'd win more of those battles.
But he just doesn't have the nuance when he gets
entight type coverage to use his body and the way
you would think that he could. And that is frustrating
because as I heard you going to break, he doesn't
have the world's greatest hands. I mean I was told
that by people in Seattle when he came here. He's
(29:09):
gonna do a lot of stuff that dazzles. You are
going to be completely wowed by the physical capabilities, but
you're also going to be surprised at how many he
drops and they're easy passes. Then it'll come up with
some doozies and he's been on script and they don't
have the complimentary second receiver to offset that like the
Seahawks had, would locket like the Seahawks had for his
(29:32):
first year in a jiggo, who do you liked?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Tim?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It's tough to really. I mean, I think Chicago's gonna win.
I'd feel better if I knew if Rogers was for
sure playing what percent he'll be how willing then be
to go to Rootolph in case of emergency?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
But what do you think.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
I've got the Bears winning this twenty nine, twenty seven.
I think the Steelers really get in Dutch after that,
and then it comes down to your day that will
live in to me. I could be wrong on this,
but I think it might. It might come down to
its just not working out with Rogers, them figuring that out,
Rudolph coming off the bench and making fetch happen.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
Tim, I will make fetch happen. Good stuff, Enjoy the game.
We'll talk next week.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
You got it, Mark, that's Tim Benz, I'm Mark Madden.
We got Charlie Batch talking even more Steelers at the
top of the hour. I will make fetch happen one
oh five nine. The X.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Listen to the X everywhere you go anywhere, everywhere. Tell
your smart device Alexa play one oh five point nine
the x on iHeartRadio at Kenny Ross Mazda in North Huntingdon,
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