October 27, 2025 • 39 mins
Mark is joined by the ol 29er Phil Bourque for his weekly Pens chat ahead of Pens and Blues tonight. Brian Batko joins for more Steelers talk. ASK MARK ANYTHING!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Peng was with two games and two nights at home
against Saint Lewis tonight at Philadelphia tomorrow at six pm.
Come watch the game with me tomorrow at Archie's on
the South Side, joining me now of tak Hockey. He
is the two time Stanley Cup champion. The old two
niner Phil Bork Barty Saturday shootout lost to Columbus was
a mixed bag, wasn't it. I liked the fight back
from two goals don late, but the Penguins played probably
(00:28):
their sloppiest game this year.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well in double I'm good to be on with you again,
and I concur there was some thing like some old
habits kind of creeped into their game a little bit
defensively in their own zone. They weren't all that in
the bag of chips. But you're exactly right that if
if we're gonna have games like that where it doesn't
go well for them and they're able to squeeze a
point out of it and rally from a two goal
(00:53):
deficit in the third period.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I'm okay with that.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I'm okay, you know. I think I think the biggest
thing that we want earlier on here, and I'm a
fan too. We just want them to compete, just compete
their ass off and just lay it out there on
the ice, and how the chips fall, they fall. But
you know, it was interesting in their postgame comments, I
think collectively as a team, they were pretty disappointed in themselves.
(01:19):
They felt like it was a great opportunity to continue
to climb up the ladder and chase down the surprising
New Jersey Devils.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I hate to see Riquel out with the broken hand,
but I'm excited to see coyven them back up. And
I'm excited to see Kindle on the top power play
because I think he has great power play instincts if.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I could piggyback. I'm also excited to see Philip Hoalm
been playing the left wing with Sidney Crosby, so check,
check and double check. I agree, let's let's start with Kindle,
who missed the last game, for that kind of load
management that they're they're going through with him and Brunick.
I'm really excited because he's a right hand shot and
he can shoot it. He can absolutely rip it, so
I wonder how much he will be that bumper guy
(02:01):
and the Penguins rule will work that play a lot
of times they're working from the half wall to the
goal line out to the bumper guy and let him
rip away. I hope he's not intimidated. I don't think
he will be intimidated by anything in the National Hockey League,
whether it's who he's playing with, who he's playing against,
or the venue. I think he's got the smarts to
(02:23):
figure out it out real quick. As far as Cordinan,
this is what you want to see, right Mark. You
want to see a guy that goes down that didn't
perform up to the standards that they wanted him to.
Goes down there. It doesn't drag the lip along the ice,
just sets lighting it up on the scoreboard and gets
the call. So you know, he's at an all time
high in confidence right now, I would imagine as a professional,
(02:45):
and it will be interesting with him Kindall and Novak
and then work a lot of time, oh with Hollander.
Hollander going up to the penthouse with Sid. He's a
guy that I don't know how much he followed the
Swedish Elite League, but it's a good league. And if
you can average a point of game in that league,
that's pretty good and score twenty six goals like he
did last year. He was the forward of the year
(03:07):
in that league, so he can put up the offense.
So I'm really curious to see how he's gonna be
on what looks like could be a full time basis
playing with Sin and Rusty Bourki.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I'm not down when the goaltending.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I'm not crazy about it either, with Jari's performance in
Florida the best exception so far, and Shiveoff's going and
three in the shootout against Columbus made me insane.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I mean, stop one, for heck's sake.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We're on different pages here. Then, I'm a little giddy
with the way the goaltending has been I think overall,
I think if you take more of a thirty thousand
foot view, it's given you a chance to win pretty
much every single game. Would you like to shoot out
to be better? Of course, come on, you go and
three and all three go five hole. I get it.
(03:55):
But again, it's about to compete with those two. They've
both been competing. They they've been good early on. I
think that both goaltenders Jari and Sheet Lops have had
the ability because I think they're they're pretty confident right
now in their abilities as well as the team structure
that's in front of them. I think they have realized
(04:16):
there's still going to be some good chances against me,
and I'm gonna have to make all the faves I'm
supposed to make, and realistically, I'm probably gonna have to
make anywhere from three to six throughout a sixty minute game.
Three to six. Really tough stace. That's the reality of
this team until they really figure it out defensively.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Is there going to be a number one goalie at
some point or do you think mus will just maintain
the straight rotation, which I got no problem with.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Funny you read in my mind, I was thinking about
that this afternoon, you know. I was just sort of like,
at what point would justify a goaltender getting a back
to back start, you know, or maybe they have just
you know, written it in pen the first I don't know,
the first forty games, half of the first half of
the season. No matter what happened, if you get a
(05:06):
shoutout or you let aiden, we're just going to alternate
it back and forth and then we'll figure it out
from there. Maybe during the Olympic break, maybe go that's
far I think if you're a goaltender, Mark, I think
there's a comfort zone in that. But just knowing I'm
going to start every other game, so that's how I prepare,
and I know that I can just leave it out
in the ice because I'm not going to play the
(05:27):
next game. And I think there's a nice camaraderie between
she lost and Jari, because I think Jari fears she lost.
We talked about this in training camp that I don't
mean that in the mean way. I mean it in
a healthy way. I think we should all have that
in our lives, a little bit look over your shoulder
that somebody else might be taking your job. And so
I think there's that healthy back and forth between Jarry
(05:48):
and she Lost.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I think Carlson's played his most fundamental hockey since coming
to the Penguins this season, and after a rough start,
I thought the Tang's played the last two or three
games pretty well.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
What's your take on those two?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I hate this segment I'm doing with you. We can't
agree this much. This is bs Man. No. I like
fundamental hockey. I like that word, Mark, and you're right,
keep it simple however you want to phrase it. It's
effective hockey. The Eric Callison's playing, he has shown a
level of defensive responsibility, He has shown a level of
(06:27):
choices that are for the better of the team winning games.
And he hasn't a goal this year, But you know,
I don't care. I don't care because we've been doing
so many other things. Again, responsible, defensively, taking what it's given,
making that easy play, sometimes just a twenty foot out
of the path to get yourself out of trouble. Good,
(06:48):
let's go just risting pucks to the net. It's been
brilliant and it gets me jumping up and down in
the booth. As far as Tanger, yeah, I agree, a
little rocky at the start. But the one thing we
know about Tanger, if I know another Penguins defenseman for
as long as I've been in this organization that has
had as many ups and downs, but he's he's not
(07:08):
rattled by it. And that shows his mental toughness that
he understands, Hey, I'm going to make mistakes. Hey, people
are going to be critical of me, But you know what,
that's not going to stop me for what I do
my next shift, my next period, my next game. And
that is he competes, He competes hard. His heart's in
the right place. So be careful when Chris Latang has
a couple of bad games of bashing him, because the
(07:30):
next week you're probably going to be praising him. I
think people need to again widen the lens on Chrys
Latang and look at the complete body of work.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Saint Louis is in town.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
What are you making the Blues who were kind of
no name outside of Bennington.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
And Goal, I say they are as ripe as ripe
can be. There are two top forwards, Jake Nighbors leading
their team and goals. Robert Thomas, who led their team
in points last year. He's they're both out of the lineup.
The I don't know if you want to call it.
I get you call him backup. Col Bennington's number one,
but Hofer is in goal and Joe Hofer has struggled
(08:07):
this year. But with all that being said, you know
what a lot of people are thinking, Oh, Boorkie, this
is the trap game, because look at the Rangers came
in here right, they had some injured players and and
they stuck it too. They punched the Penguins right in
the nose. So if you let you fill up the
gas Ville in the National hockey but you will get
punched in the nose. But if a team that's reeling
(08:28):
right now, and they just had a really tough loss
to the Detroit Red Wings where they're up for nothing
and they lost five four, so they're going to try
to come in here and redeem themselves. But over the years,
the Penguins have had for whatever reason, success not only
overall against the Blues, especially on home ice against the Blues.
You got to take advantage of that because this is
your last home game before the next four on the road,
(08:49):
and you've got to keep banking these points and keep,
you know, keep the fans happy. It's been maybe not
a full house, but it's been a rocket house because
the style of play and that the young kids have brought.
So I think they just got to continue doing what
they're doing. But I really feel like the Saint Louis
Blues are right for the picking here tonight.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
See I think Philly Tamar's the trap game. Uh, second
game of two nights. You're on the road after playing
at home, and Mitchkoff has one goal in eight games.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
He's slumping badly. He's going to be the guy for them.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But I've seen them play a couple of games recently,
and I think he's due.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, that's a danger. You're you're right, You're exactly right.
But I've learned my lesson not to peak at that
next game. But for the sake of this conversation, you're
exactly right. That's a much better Philadelphia Flyer team now,
coach by Rick Hockett. They play with grit, they play
with skill, they play with speed. They've got a lot
of guys in the lineup that can hurt you. And
uh yeah, there'll be there'll be a well rested team
(09:48):
waiting for the Penguins tomorrow night in Philly.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Do we hate Tackett because he's the Flyers coach? I
mean we hate the Flyers.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Of course we do.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Is there a second thought about that?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
No, I agree, I'm on the same page we are.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We are crystal looking in the eye. We are crystal
clear on that. Okay. I don't even eat orange eminem
that's how much I hate the orange and black on
the other side of the state. Okay. And so when
when the puck drops, yeah, I think collectively the four
one two and the seven two four hate Rik talkic
for two and a half hours after that, you can
love Dicky.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
We got to talk about Sid and Gino before we
wrap up work the uh you know, boats off to
a great start stat wise, I mean, can they keep
it up at that age it?
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I mean, we know about Sid's conditioning.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm not saying Geno's out of shape, but it's it's
a different level with Sid.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, as far as the conditioning, the first thing you
made me think of is the mental part. You know,
there's the physical part, the obvious part of a player
Geno thirty nine, Sid thirty eight, but the mental part.
As long as long as there's joy in their game
and there's fun in the game, then they'll never be
weighed down mentally. And when you wait mentally, you feel
(11:01):
physically fatigued, and they just look like they're out there
having fun. The Geno line is fun with Mantha and Brazio.
I think Gino's get joy in this game, and you know,
I think Sid getting there as far as that joy
in his game. And I think as long as you're winning,
as long as it doesn't have to be you, you
don't feel like it has to be you every single
(11:22):
night to get on the scoreboard and have an off
game and you still get a w I think that
brings them excitement, and I think the injection of the
youth and a faster team, a more structured team, lightens
a load for those guys. So as much as it's physical,
it's mental too. But the short answer is, yeah, eventually,
you're gonna have to have other guys in the third
(11:44):
and fourth line have big games, and so it's not
always sid in Gino. But in the meantime, knock on
wood that everybody stays healthy because it's fun to watch
these guys that are close to the forty and thirty
five perform the way they are night in the night.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Out paing was all the fame was great, wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I was excited in particular to see Scottie who's still
Sharper's attack at ninety two. And Ronnie, who you know,
I don't talk to as much as like Arty and EJ.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Yeah, And I mean Arity is one of those guys
that you wish he was living here in Pittsburgh. He's
one of those guys he just loved being around. And
you know that belly laughter that he has, it's it's contagious.
And you're right as far as Scotty and EJ. You
know both of them. You know EJ's gonna be ninety
in less than a month and Scotty's already there. So
just to see those guys in the building, you take
(12:35):
a mental snapshot because you don't know when you'll see
him in the building again with the hot white light
on them. And you're right, Ronnie is he's almost he's
almost like like royalty, right, he almost gives off that
that Mario air of differentness right that he's he's just
he looks good, he's dressed good, he's always fit, he's
never out of shape. The hair is always done just right.
(12:58):
And that's how he wasn't the player, right, he was
always just buttoned up, and nothing seemed to be like
lacking in his game or lacking in any other part
of his life. And uh yeah, well deserved all four
and a day. That was a special night. I haven't
had a real good chance to spend time in front
of the display down on the concourse, so maybe I'll
do that after the game here tonight, because I heard
(13:19):
it is really special.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
No, it's tremendous, porky, great stuff. Thank you for joining me,
and we'll see at the rink in just a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Double. I'm enjoyed our time together and this was good
hockey Doc.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
That's the old two nine er Phil Bourke brought to
ut by eighty four lumbered Dynasty partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We got Brian Beco at the bottom of the hour
to talk Steelers right now.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
I want your Steeler angst.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
We got open lines, which is such a clichde talk
Rado radio e thing to say. But eight three three
four one two w xdx. That's a three three four
one two w xdx. It's the Mark Mann Show on
one oh five nine.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
He is terrible the X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
We got back go at the bottom of the hour.
Right now, let's talk to Eric. Eric, you're on with Double.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
M Hey, super genius. I can't remember who you had
on HERBA sound, but you played last week. It was
one of the national media hosts who it was kind
of a sky that's falling, old darn. But could they
really go oh to nine in this stretch? I mean,
do you think that's a little extreme?
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
It was Pete Prisco. Pete Prisco said he could see
them losing eight or nine in a row.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I don't know, Bruv. I don't think so. But I
think they're gonna lose to Indianapolis in LA and that'll
make four losses in a row.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
And at that point, because they're obviously not showing a
lot of heart.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You heard Cam say that they don't have a lot
of fight in the team right now. Maybe it's snowballs
and they do lose eight or nine in a row.
I am not counting that out.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I'm not would they never win in Chicago. They got
Buffalo up until that Miami game in mid December. I
don't see a lot of promise here.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Let's go to Kevin. Kevin, you're on with double m Hey.
Speaker 7 (14:56):
That's noon super g Hey.
Speaker 8 (14:58):
I don't think the NFL did the Steelers any favor
by giving their bye in the fifth week. That means
they got to play thirteen games in a row. But
I think he's gonna come back and bite him. I
think they're they're gonna get tired.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I think the buye in the fifth week is among
the least of their problems, just like the bummy field.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Is among the least of their problems.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
They have an awful defense, terrible coaching, absurdly bad roster assembly.
You know, forget the freaking bye week, goodbye, Let's go
to Chuck. Chuck, you're on with Mark?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Mark, are you doing great?
Speaker 9 (15:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (15:37):
I mean I watched that game last night down here
in Florida, and it's just the same old story and
it kind of reminds me of the late eighties early
nineties when we.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
All knew Chuck Knoll. He didn't have the personnel. He
was done and Tomlin's done. And I think that most
people who say that, oh, any team would drop their
coach should pick him up.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
No, no, no, Well that that's true right right now.
If Tom Win got fired, he would get another job,
but he wouldn't get a good job with a good team,
and it wouldn't be as simple as it would have
been a couple of years ago. No question, he his
brand has been damaged for certain.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah, absolutely, I agree.
Speaker 10 (16:20):
I agree with that, and I and I just think
there's so many young coaches out there that are taking
these teams to another level when they get in there, and.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Hiper change. But you know that he's not going to
get fired.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
You know that.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
No, he will coach as long as he wants to
thanks for the call. I want to talk right now
about the bet Parks Online Casino in sportsbook gap. I
use it, I love it. It's terrific, whether your team
wins or not. There was always another way to win
with bet Parks, odds, bet slots and games all right
in the palm of your hand, the bet Parks Online Casino.
When sportsbook got you covered for the pro football season. Plus,
(16:56):
bet Wire is now live right inside the bet Park's app.
Betwire is the all new sports betting live feed with
game picks from all across the country. Scroll tailor pick
and get fired up with bette Wire, the live sports
betting content feed right inside the bet Parks app. New
users can get up to one thousand dollars cash back.
See betparks dot com for terms and conditions. You must
(17:19):
be twenty one and in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland.
You got a gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler.
You love to play, you play to win. You bet
bet Parks Gonna talk Steelers with Brian bachkoenex here on
one O five to nine.
Speaker 11 (17:34):
Tonight's the Penns square up against the Blues. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your home of
the penns one five.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
Nine d X hit Bunny Diver and I just love
good news.
Speaker 12 (17:50):
Okay, so this is a great story I just heard
about on a ninety degree day in Racine whisks.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
The young Trophy White owes money to I can't even
quote the big o'bowski righte.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Goodbye VX at one five nine Steelers.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
With a very disappointing loss last night, to say the least,
joining me now to talk about it from the Post Gazette,
he is Brian bad Koebrian, what went the most wrong
last night? Because there's certainly no shortage of topics in
that regard.
Speaker 12 (18:18):
I think probably the pass coverage and specifically the tight
end defense against Tucker Kraft from the Packers. I mean,
even in some of the games or the Steelers have
played relatively well, including on that side of the ball,
they've still gotten sliced and diced at times by the
tight end. And you know, at some point somebody needs
(18:40):
to look in the mirror and figure out what the
heck's going on there and how to come up with
some answers.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Because it's just been.
Speaker 12 (18:45):
Happening week in and week out, and that to me
turned the tide of the entire game last night.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Why is the pass coverage that bad?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Because the defensive backs were thought to be a strength
heading into the season, but Brian, to be honest, I
don't think any of them have played up to expectations.
Say maybe Brandon Echols is as a backupy type of guy.
And I think Deshaun Elliot's done okay, but if he's
your best safety, that ain't good.
Speaker 12 (19:11):
Yeah, I mean, I think Elliott was playing well for
the most part. Now I don't know if we're going
to see him for a while. That injury looked pretty gruesome.
Jalen Ramsey, I mean, I didn't think he was gonna
be prime Jalen Ramsey. So as far as my expectations,
I guess he's been okay, but Jamar Chase certainly torched.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
Him, so we can't forget that.
Speaker 12 (19:33):
And then yeah, Darius Lay, to me, he's probably been
the biggest disappointment, and Joey.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Porter Junior has not taken that next step forward to
answer your question.
Speaker 12 (19:41):
And like big Picture, I said this in my chat
earlier on the PG site It's like the new wave
of the questions we would ask a few years ago
about the offense. How much of it is Matt Canada's
scheme and how much of it is the players aren't
any good? And just like back then, I think the
answer has to be some of both. If it was
one thing, there wouldn't be this much of a full
(20:03):
scale failing breakdown.
Speaker 7 (20:05):
But I think it's both.
Speaker 12 (20:06):
I think it's the x's and o's, the guys who
were calling the shots, and even when guys are in
position to make plays, the ones who were actually between
the lines buying large they aren't getting it done enough either.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Do they miss Fitzpatrick in safety? He hadn't been excelling
for the last two years, but he was a center
fielder who kind of gave them, you know, a last
resort behind everybody else.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Yeah, yeah, maybe a little bit.
Speaker 12 (20:29):
And I think we all kind of knew that was
the opportunity cost of making that deal for Ramsey and
Johnny Smith, Right, Yeah, you're getting better on paper at corner.
You're getting a guy who's a little bit more willing,
I think, to do the chess piece deal and be
a versatile coverage guy. Regardless of whether you want to
call him a corner, a slot, a safety in Ramsey,
(20:51):
but you were weakening yourself on the back end, you know.
I know it's it's kind of funny to say this
because everybody was complaining about Mika Fitzpatrick for much of
last season, and rightfully so. But you know, I think
you are kind of now seeing that there isn't a
complete one to one replacement there, whether it's Wan Thornhill
or Chuck Clark.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
I certainly don't think Minka was.
Speaker 12 (21:12):
The player that he was in twenty nineteen and twenty
twenty when they first got him, But I think he's
a step above those guys I just mentioned.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Well, when I look at that trade now, John who's
not got nearly the role in production I had hoped
when they got him, and Jalen Ramsey I think is
being asked to do too much. I'm not as critical
to him as I am some others because I just
don't think he's that one on one cover guy anymore.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I think he's probably just a slot corner period.
Speaker 12 (21:39):
Yeah, And I get the sense that the Steelers kind
of feel the same way as you, Mark, because you know,
going back to training camp first snap where I'll even go.
The day before training camp report day, we're asking Mike Tomlin,
where are we going to see Ramsey? And he was
being coy about it. You know you're going to see
him everywhere. Just come here tomorrow and you'll find out. Well,
pretty much from the beginning, we saw him as an
(22:01):
inside corner, and when they were in their nickel defense,
which you know everybody calls the three to four the
base defense, it's not the base defense anymore.
Speaker 7 (22:08):
They played nickel more than.
Speaker 12 (22:10):
Anything else, just like most NFL teams to match up
with new age offenses. So when they're in that look,
it's almost always been Ramsey inside and Slay and Porter
have been the outside guys.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Now last night it.
Speaker 12 (22:22):
Looks like they don't really want to mess around with
Ramsey too much at safety anymore. So he was supplanting
Darius Lay when they were in the thirty four. But yeah,
I don't know entirely what's going on there. I thought
from the beginning when they acquired him that it was
going to be a little bit of an awkward where
does everybody fit? Where does Ramsey go? Does he travel
with number one receivers? Can he still do that? Do
(22:44):
you trust him to do that? Do you want him
to do that? Clearly they haven't found the right recipe
for how to use all these guys, and that's assuming
that they're even still capable of doing what the Steelers
would ask them to do.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Anyway, what's your take on what I've been very critical
him Ip telling me that it's the double teams, it's
the chips, it's that the quarterback gets sort of the
ball too fast. But I would put forth it all
those things happened prior to trying to gate lot and
weren't nearly as successful as now.
Speaker 12 (23:14):
That's pretty much exactly what I was going to say.
That's where I land right now on TJ. Watt is that, yes,
you watch the games and there are definitely still times
where two and even three dudes are coming at him
to try to take him out of the play. But
it's not like he just became TJ. Watt Destroyer of
Worlds Defensive Player of the Year. I mean he's been
this for what four or five seasons now, so he's
(23:37):
faced this kind of attention before, and the production has
never dropped off to this extent.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
And it's not just these last couple of games. It's
not just the season.
Speaker 12 (23:47):
It goes back to the slide at the end of
last year two where he was getting so frustrated and
kind of vowing to do things differently this offseason. Well,
last on that you basically point blank after the game
last night, we talked so much about you moving around
more and how that can help. At what point do
you revisit that or will you revisit that? And he
(24:08):
just said, we've got to find ways to produce for sure.
So maybe they'll get back in the lab on that
this week. But it's it's been it's been pretty tough
going for him. Four sacks through seven games is not
what anybody was paying for.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
There.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Is there any way to fix that defense? What would
you do to Jane's things?
Speaker 12 (24:34):
Well, personnel wise, I don't know how many more bodies
you have to throw in there that you would actually
feel encouraged. Yes, I guess you could shuffle some deck
chairs on the Titanic per se and put Echos in
their oversleigh full time and give Jabrill Peppers a chance
as kind of a box safety.
Speaker 7 (24:53):
And then maybe you're going.
Speaker 12 (24:55):
One Thornhill and you're playing more single high and doing
it that way.
Speaker 7 (25:00):
And kind of trying to tee off on teams.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
But I don't know.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
I mean, if the bill of.
Speaker 12 (25:06):
Goods they were sold is exactly that, then there aren't
a ton of answers in the toolbox. And I mean,
I guess Mike Tomlin Tarall Austin have to get more creative,
whether that is TJ. Watt's alignment or whether that's three
outside linebacker package with him, HeiG Smith and her Big
which has been kind of noticeably quiet the last couple games.
(25:28):
More dime defense which they still continue to avoid, but
then you're really opening yourself up to not being able
to stop the run. So it's just it's tough to
stop the bleeding right now. It's like playing whack a
mole with this defense. You know, one problem pops up,
you do something to fix it, it pops up somewhere else,
and at the end of the day, it comes down
to just being better than the guy across from you,
(25:48):
whether that's someone in the trenches or someone lined up
outside across from a wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
We're talking to Brian bat Coo with the Post gazete
here on the X. I think the offense has been
generally okay. Is our colleague Jerry do Lack tweeted not
too long ago, there's nothing wrong with the Steelers offense
that a better.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Defense couldn't fix.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
But by way of nitpicking, the two things that I
don't like, I don't think Dk Metcalf has been as advertised.
I think he's had a lot of drops and not
produced enough big plays. And I think they too often
settle for field goals, which Tomlin even referenced after the
game last night.
Speaker 12 (26:21):
Yeah, and I mean, ultimately it's kind of his own
doing that they have to settle for those field goals sometimes.
I mean, one, it's the philosophy that you set from
the top in terms of what you want to accomplish offensively.
And two, there are times where you know you can
try to get out of character a little bit, at
least for him and go for it a fourth down,
short yardage, and we know he's generally averse to that.
(26:42):
So yeah, I don't want to nitpick too much with
the offense. I think you did see second half last night,
you know, when the pockets collapsing and the pass rushes
starting to snowball, and that to me is just where
as well as Aaron Rodgers has played.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
To me, it's still such a cheat code to a
quarterback who.
Speaker 12 (27:00):
Can spin out of pressure, evaded defender and pick up ten, twelve,
fifteen yards with his legs. Now, I know that can't
be the only club in your bag. You need to
be able to dice teams up from the pocket too
when the situation culled for that. And that's why there's
only to be a handful of quarterbacks who can really
win the Super Bowl for a team at this stage
of the game. But yeah, I mean the protection, you know,
(27:24):
it broke down at times. Aaron Rodgers seemed like he
was a little bit overwhelmed once the ball got rolling
and DK metcalf. I thought he should have come down
with that one in the end zone. I know it
was a tough play to make, but I mean, you're
getting paid handsomely to out muscle a guy who's like
six foot point eight five. You know, it didn't end
up costing them too much. But yeah, they've they've got
(27:46):
to get more out of him, and they've got to
figure out different ways to keep opposing defenses off balance.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What's going to happen against Dandy because they are a
juggernaut offensively on a roll. I could see them putting
up forty points at Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Are they are?
Speaker 12 (28:01):
I mean, I could just easily see Daniel Jones turning
back into a pumpkin. But I can't argue with the results.
It looks like they're this year's Vikings and Sam Darnold
who kept it going all the way into the postseason.
And they've got to me even a better running game
with Jonathan Taylor and the way he is just gashing
defenses right now on the ground. I mean, I don't
know how much stock he put into running all over
(28:24):
the Tennessee Titans at this stage for that franchise. But yes,
the Colts have you know, they've taken care of business
this year. They've resurrected Daniel Jones. I've seen the Steelers
get up off the mat in the past where you
don't expect it.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
Like I always go back to that twenty twenty two season.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
Where I think they'd lost four in a row. The
Phills just absolutely stomped them in Buffalo, and then what
do they do. They come home to Pittsburgh and beat
late stage Tom Brady in the Bucks with a bunch
of nobody's in the secondary who are all out of
football now. But I don't think I'm going to predict
that this week. I feel like the Colts have been
two good They've had Mike Tomlin's number in the past,
(29:03):
and this defense is leaking oil and losing more juice
by the day.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
I could see them losing at LA Chargers too, and
if that happens, if they lose the next two, which
would be four in a row, and I'm probably looking
too far ahead, Brian, but could this season just utterly
collapse at that point? It's tough to imagine that they
would let that happen, given the AFC North where nine
and eight probably could win the division.
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Yeah, and it's never really happened.
Speaker 12 (29:32):
You know, that same season they found a way to
even get to they didn't make the playoffs, but we
all know they got above losing record mark. You know,
they got to the old five hundred or better threshold.
Speaker 7 (29:44):
So my stance on this for the last.
Speaker 12 (29:48):
Two, three, four years, now this season included was I'm
not going to predict them to have the bottom fallout
and have Mike tomlins first losing season until I see
it with my own two eyes. But I'm also not
I'm gonna say the Steelers are gonna get over the
hump and win a playoff game. Until I see it,
I'm just gonna stay in between the booies of what
they've been for this really since the end of Ben
(30:11):
and now into the justin fields Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers
Triumvirate era of you know, nine and eight, ten and seven. Man,
if everything breaks right, maybe you can win eleven games,
but it sure doesn't look like that's gonna be feasible
with this year's schedule.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Was Jordan Love good last night or did the Steelers
just give him too many easy completions?
Speaker 12 (30:37):
I definitely think he was good, but I wouldn't say
he was as good as the stat line indicates, which
I think is sort of what you're.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Getting at there.
Speaker 12 (30:46):
Definitely there were some easy completions, guys running wide open,
much like we saw around this time last year at
the Cowboys game at home, where there was a lot
of that going on, you know. Then there were some
looky ones almost where he just kind of tossed it
up and his guys on the receiving end were better
than the guys the Steelers had in place to try
(31:07):
and stop it, or at least better than them on
those plays. But what I will give Love even a
little bit more credit for is it's not like he
really had the run game propping him up. I mean
the Steelers, for all they were blowing smoke about that
last week after the Bengals lost, they did do a
much better job against Josh Shacobs in that Packers ground game.
(31:27):
But as we saw by the end, Love didn't need it,
Tucker Craft didn't need it. They just cut right through
that Steelers secondary. And I'll be curious to see how
they can hold up against Daniel Jones, who I don't
think he's as good as Jordan Love, but the guys
he's throwing to might be even better.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Here's a weird scenario that tom My producer came up
with earlier. Brian, the Steelers and Ravens play on December seventh.
He thinks that both teams will be six and six
at that point.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
In the game will determine who wins the division.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Man, so Tom's counting out the Bengals.
Speaker 12 (32:03):
And Joe Flacco. I guess after what happened to them yesterday.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Yea, My whole thing was actually, Brian, if the Bengals
had beaten the Jets yesterday. I'm not said I would
have made them the favorites, but I would have thought
of it as a three way dance in the division
down to the end.
Speaker 12 (32:18):
I'm still not really sure what to make of this
division those three teams. Obviously, the Browns we can forget
about them until twenty twenty six, and then we'll forget
about them until twenty twenty seven, and so on and
so forth.
Speaker 13 (32:29):
But yeah, I.
Speaker 12 (32:30):
Really don't know what to make of the Steelers, Ravens,
and Bengals. Steelers are obviously the healthiest of the three,
which on one hand is encouraging, but on the other
hand makes it even more ridiculous the way they've played
defensively these last couple of weeks. So yeah, I could
see it going a lot of different ways. This little mar.
Speaker 7 (32:47):
Thing is is weird.
Speaker 12 (32:49):
I'm used to the Bengals being the bad vibes factory
of the division, and now the Ravens kind of are
stinking it up with what's going on with his injury.
But hey, maybe they got Tyler Huntley back in their
full speed ahead, whether Lamar is healthy or not.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
So I can see it.
Speaker 12 (33:06):
I can see Tom's kind of out there outside the
box scenario taking shape. And that's why we keep Shirtless
Tom around. He's always coming up with those weird situations.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
Well he's no longer shirtless Tom.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
I've imviewed him with dignity as it or Brian, but
but nonetheless that is from his sworded past up. But
there's so much weird about the division. We brought this
up earlier too. The defense that Cleveland has with Garrett
is the best defense in the division by far, and
they have no chance.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
To win the division.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
In fact, Matt Williamson said that Cleveland's defense, out of
the eight units in the AFC North offensive defense on
each team, that the Cleveland defense is the best.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
I would agree with that.
Speaker 12 (33:52):
I mean, shoot, Miles Garrett five sacks yesterday, more than TJ.
Speaker 7 (33:56):
Watt has all season.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
That's that's a third.
Speaker 12 (34:00):
And you know the Browns can't get out of their
own way offensively, but I guess I would say it
makes them a thorn in the side to see again
this season when the Steelers do go up to Cleveland.
I think the Dylan Gabriel experiment, it's to me such
a black cloud hanging over Kevin Stefanski, who I thought
was a pretty sharp guy and a savvy football coach.
(34:24):
I just have no idea what they're doing there with him,
But maybe Shador will start that game in Cleveland.
Speaker 7 (34:31):
Sign me up for that.
Speaker 12 (34:32):
I'm all for the dysfunction taking center stage. And just
imagine if Shador Sanders first start is against the Steelers.
That would be uh, that could be high comedy, or
that could be you know, a high, high degree of
humiliation for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
Brian, great stuff. Thank you so much for taking the time.
Speaker 7 (34:51):
No problem, see you guys.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
That's Brian Bacho from the Post Gazette. Now it's time
to ask Mark Anything. Dial eight three three four one
two w XDA. That's eight three three four one two
ninety nine thirty nine and ask Mark anything. Or you
can do what the cool kids do and leave a
talkback via the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app. Ask
(35:12):
Mark Anything right now, uh eight three three four one
thirty nine.
Speaker 14 (35:18):
Time now to send in your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Speaker 12 (35:22):
Use to talk back Mike on your free iHeartRadio app
and record your question for the super genius What.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
The Spirits Summer news?
Speaker 5 (35:34):
So join us for the Exsters Halloween CRUs.
Speaker 14 (35:40):
On Thursday, October thirtieth, the Ku says Sale at APM
with live Heasy from the Klinto.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
It's playing all your nineties favorites.
Speaker 14 (35:47):
Ten dollars and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold
goes to the Mariola mu Foundation.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
John York Crew for this twenty one o.
Speaker 14 (35:55):
Old door event and dressing your Halloween's best to score prizes.
All nice wa tickets around seal.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
Now at Gateway Clipper dot com. The exits Holloway Rows.
Speaker 14 (36:07):
On the Gateway Clipper sponsored by Disaster Restoration Services.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
We'll see you on October.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Go con Chinnar from South Park Mitsubishue. The exclusive sales
event is now to the end of the month. Ready
for a stress rebuying experience. All new twenty twenty five
Outlanders where its third rows said, I don't know what
I said. I don't know what you said?
Speaker 5 (36:26):
Double M Yeah the exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
I'm not an ass mark anything.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
Brought to list by People's Natural Gas Safe, Reliable Natural
Gas Energy, People's Hypengas dot Com.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Let's go to Dick, Dick, You're on double M.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
For a few years now.
Speaker 9 (36:48):
The Steelers know that they get to the thirty five
even forty, they've got three points in the bag. My
question is, do you think Chris Boswell being so incredibly
accurate has actually hurt the Steelers over the years.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
I actually posited that earlier in the program. I think
he's so good that they know three is a sure thing.
I think if they had a mediocre kicker, that'd be
more likely to go for more touchdowns. Whether that would
result in more points and more wins, I do not know,
but I think he might be onto something.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
They gotta cut him.
Speaker 4 (37:24):
Thank you for the call. Very good. Let's go to
a talkback, mister Madden. Who do you think has had
a better career as of now?
Speaker 13 (37:31):
Jason Bonham or Wolfgang van Halen?
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (37:36):
Well.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
I mean Wolfgang van Halen has put out more original material,
even if it sucks and all sounds the same.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
I prefer Jason Bonham as a musician.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I'd rather see Jason bonhams LEDs up on tribute band
than see Wolfgang van Halen's mammoth, which is named after
his girth.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
I think let's go to a talkback, hey Mark, with
how bad the Rangers are? How many years do you
think Mike Sullivan will last?
Speaker 14 (37:58):
There?
Speaker 4 (37:58):
Before they fire him.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
I can't believe we're already speculating on Mike Sullivan being fired.
I don't think that he's gonna do good there, how
long he coaches there, I don't know. It's a toxic
situation with toxic players, and the people in New York
think that the players have already not tuned him out.
(38:23):
That's too strong, but aren't buying in like they should.
It is probably a fair way to put it. Let's
go to a.
Speaker 13 (38:28):
Talkback, Mark, do you truly believe coach t is calling
the shots on the defense? And do you still believe
he's a top five coach in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
I don't think he was ever a top five coach
in the NFL. And I do know for sure he
has final say on defense. He has final say on everything,
final sayn on personnel. All of the Steelers' problems can
and should be directly traced to Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 13 (39:00):
Hey, just a question. Do you think Rogers last the
entire season? Injury or otherwise? I'll hang up and listen.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
I find myself wondering if the Steelers, like do lose
four in a row. You don't go to four and five,
and let's say they go to four and six or
five and seven, it doesn't get better. It wouldn't surprise
me if he got quote unquote hurt, although that's probably
an unfair thing to say. Base that he's played well
so far and down and everything right. I think whether
(39:30):
he bails or not will determine whether he wants to
play next year.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
But why would he want to play here? What Rogers
should hope is.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
That he's played well enough and that Minnesota has learned
from their mistake of not getting him and not retaining
Darnald and trusting JJ McCarthy despite having a great team.
Maybe Rogers lines up in Minnesota next year. That would
not surprise me at all.
Peng was with two games and two nights at home
against Saint Lewis tonight at Philadelphia tomorrow at six pm.
Come watch the game with me tomorrow at Archie's on
the South Side, joining me now of tak Hockey. He
is the two time Stanley Cup champion. The old two
niner Phil Bork Barty Saturday shootout lost to Columbus was
a mixed bag, wasn't it. I liked the fight back
from two goals don late, but the Penguins played probably
(00:28):
their sloppiest game this year.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well in double I'm good to be on with you again,
and I concur there was some thing like some old
habits kind of creeped into their game a little bit
defensively in their own zone. They weren't all that in
the bag of chips. But you're exactly right that if
if we're gonna have games like that where it doesn't
go well for them and they're able to squeeze a
point out of it and rally from a two goal
(00:53):
deficit in the third period.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I'm okay with that.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I'm okay, you know. I think I think the biggest
thing that we want earlier on here, and I'm a
fan too. We just want them to compete, just compete
their ass off and just lay it out there on
the ice, and how the chips fall, they fall. But
you know, it was interesting in their postgame comments, I
think collectively as a team, they were pretty disappointed in themselves.
(01:19):
They felt like it was a great opportunity to continue
to climb up the ladder and chase down the surprising
New Jersey Devils.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I hate to see Riquel out with the broken hand,
but I'm excited to see coyven them back up. And
I'm excited to see Kindle on the top power play
because I think he has great power play instincts if.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I could piggyback. I'm also excited to see Philip Hoalm
been playing the left wing with Sidney Crosby, so check,
check and double check. I agree, let's let's start with Kindle,
who missed the last game, for that kind of load
management that they're they're going through with him and Brunick.
I'm really excited because he's a right hand shot and
he can shoot it. He can absolutely rip it, so
I wonder how much he will be that bumper guy
(02:01):
and the Penguins rule will work that play a lot
of times they're working from the half wall to the
goal line out to the bumper guy and let him
rip away. I hope he's not intimidated. I don't think
he will be intimidated by anything in the National Hockey League,
whether it's who he's playing with, who he's playing against,
or the venue. I think he's got the smarts to
(02:23):
figure out it out real quick. As far as Cordinan,
this is what you want to see, right Mark. You
want to see a guy that goes down that didn't
perform up to the standards that they wanted him to.
Goes down there. It doesn't drag the lip along the ice,
just sets lighting it up on the scoreboard and gets
the call. So you know, he's at an all time
high in confidence right now, I would imagine as a professional,
(02:45):
and it will be interesting with him Kindall and Novak
and then work a lot of time, oh with Hollander.
Hollander going up to the penthouse with Sid. He's a
guy that I don't know how much he followed the
Swedish Elite League, but it's a good league. And if
you can average a point of game in that league,
that's pretty good and score twenty six goals like he
did last year. He was the forward of the year
(03:07):
in that league, so he can put up the offense.
So I'm really curious to see how he's gonna be
on what looks like could be a full time basis
playing with Sin and Rusty Bourki.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I'm not down when the goaltending.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I'm not crazy about it either, with Jari's performance in
Florida the best exception so far, and Shiveoff's going and
three in the shootout against Columbus made me insane.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I mean, stop one, for heck's sake.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We're on different pages here. Then, I'm a little giddy
with the way the goaltending has been I think overall,
I think if you take more of a thirty thousand
foot view, it's given you a chance to win pretty
much every single game. Would you like to shoot out
to be better? Of course, come on, you go and
three and all three go five hole. I get it.
(03:55):
But again, it's about to compete with those two. They've
both been competing. They they've been good early on. I
think that both goaltenders Jari and Sheet Lops have had
the ability because I think they're they're pretty confident right
now in their abilities as well as the team structure
that's in front of them. I think they have realized
(04:16):
there's still going to be some good chances against me,
and I'm gonna have to make all the faves I'm
supposed to make, and realistically, I'm probably gonna have to
make anywhere from three to six throughout a sixty minute game.
Three to six. Really tough stace. That's the reality of
this team until they really figure it out defensively.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Is there going to be a number one goalie at
some point or do you think mus will just maintain
the straight rotation, which I got no problem with.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Funny you read in my mind, I was thinking about
that this afternoon, you know. I was just sort of like,
at what point would justify a goaltender getting a back
to back start, you know, or maybe they have just
you know, written it in pen the first I don't know,
the first forty games, half of the first half of
the season. No matter what happened, if you get a
(05:06):
shoutout or you let aiden, we're just going to alternate
it back and forth and then we'll figure it out
from there. Maybe during the Olympic break, maybe go that's
far I think if you're a goaltender, Mark, I think
there's a comfort zone in that. But just knowing I'm
going to start every other game, so that's how I prepare,
and I know that I can just leave it out
in the ice because I'm not going to play the
(05:27):
next game. And I think there's a nice camaraderie between
she lost and Jari, because I think Jari fears she lost.
We talked about this in training camp that I don't
mean that in the mean way. I mean it in
a healthy way. I think we should all have that
in our lives, a little bit look over your shoulder
that somebody else might be taking your job. And so
I think there's that healthy back and forth between Jarry
(05:48):
and she Lost.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I think Carlson's played his most fundamental hockey since coming
to the Penguins this season, and after a rough start,
I thought the Tang's played the last two or three
games pretty well.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
What's your take on those two?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I hate this segment I'm doing with you. We can't
agree this much. This is bs Man. No. I like
fundamental hockey. I like that word, Mark, and you're right,
keep it simple however you want to phrase it. It's
effective hockey. The Eric Callison's playing, he has shown a
level of defensive responsibility, He has shown a level of
(06:27):
choices that are for the better of the team winning games.
And he hasn't a goal this year, But you know,
I don't care. I don't care because we've been doing
so many other things. Again, responsible, defensively, taking what it's given,
making that easy play, sometimes just a twenty foot out
of the path to get yourself out of trouble. Good,
(06:48):
let's go just risting pucks to the net. It's been
brilliant and it gets me jumping up and down in
the booth. As far as Tanger, yeah, I agree, a
little rocky at the start. But the one thing we
know about Tanger, if I know another Penguins defenseman for
as long as I've been in this organization that has
had as many ups and downs, but he's he's not
(07:08):
rattled by it. And that shows his mental toughness that
he understands, Hey, I'm going to make mistakes. Hey, people
are going to be critical of me, But you know what,
that's not going to stop me for what I do
my next shift, my next period, my next game. And
that is he competes, He competes hard. His heart's in
the right place. So be careful when Chris Latang has
a couple of bad games of bashing him, because the
(07:30):
next week you're probably going to be praising him. I
think people need to again widen the lens on Chrys
Latang and look at the complete body of work.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Saint Louis is in town.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
What are you making the Blues who were kind of
no name outside of Bennington.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
And Goal, I say they are as ripe as ripe
can be. There are two top forwards, Jake Nighbors leading
their team and goals. Robert Thomas, who led their team
in points last year. He's they're both out of the lineup.
The I don't know if you want to call it.
I get you call him backup. Col Bennington's number one,
but Hofer is in goal and Joe Hofer has struggled
(08:07):
this year. But with all that being said, you know
what a lot of people are thinking, Oh, Boorkie, this
is the trap game, because look at the Rangers came
in here right, they had some injured players and and
they stuck it too. They punched the Penguins right in
the nose. So if you let you fill up the
gas Ville in the National hockey but you will get
punched in the nose. But if a team that's reeling
(08:28):
right now, and they just had a really tough loss
to the Detroit Red Wings where they're up for nothing
and they lost five four, so they're going to try
to come in here and redeem themselves. But over the years,
the Penguins have had for whatever reason, success not only
overall against the Blues, especially on home ice against the Blues.
You got to take advantage of that because this is
your last home game before the next four on the road,
(08:49):
and you've got to keep banking these points and keep,
you know, keep the fans happy. It's been maybe not
a full house, but it's been a rocket house because
the style of play and that the young kids have brought.
So I think they just got to continue doing what
they're doing. But I really feel like the Saint Louis
Blues are right for the picking here tonight.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
See I think Philly Tamar's the trap game. Uh, second
game of two nights. You're on the road after playing
at home, and Mitchkoff has one goal in eight games.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
He's slumping badly. He's going to be the guy for them.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But I've seen them play a couple of games recently,
and I think he's due.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, that's a danger. You're you're right, You're exactly right.
But I've learned my lesson not to peak at that
next game. But for the sake of this conversation, you're
exactly right. That's a much better Philadelphia Flyer team now,
coach by Rick Hockett. They play with grit, they play
with skill, they play with speed. They've got a lot
of guys in the lineup that can hurt you. And
uh yeah, there'll be there'll be a well rested team
(09:48):
waiting for the Penguins tomorrow night in Philly.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Do we hate Tackett because he's the Flyers coach? I
mean we hate the Flyers.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Of course we do.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Is there a second thought about that?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
No, I agree, I'm on the same page we are.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We are crystal looking in the eye. We are crystal
clear on that. Okay. I don't even eat orange eminem
that's how much I hate the orange and black on
the other side of the state. Okay. And so when
when the puck drops, yeah, I think collectively the four
one two and the seven two four hate Rik talkic
for two and a half hours after that, you can
love Dicky.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
We got to talk about Sid and Gino before we
wrap up work the uh you know, boats off to
a great start stat wise, I mean, can they keep
it up at that age it?
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I mean, we know about Sid's conditioning.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm not saying Geno's out of shape, but it's it's
a different level with Sid.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, as far as the conditioning, the first thing you
made me think of is the mental part. You know,
there's the physical part, the obvious part of a player
Geno thirty nine, Sid thirty eight, but the mental part.
As long as long as there's joy in their game
and there's fun in the game, then they'll never be
weighed down mentally. And when you wait mentally, you feel
(11:01):
physically fatigued, and they just look like they're out there
having fun. The Geno line is fun with Mantha and Brazio.
I think Gino's get joy in this game, and you know,
I think Sid getting there as far as that joy
in his game. And I think as long as you're winning,
as long as it doesn't have to be you, you
don't feel like it has to be you every single
(11:22):
night to get on the scoreboard and have an off
game and you still get a w I think that
brings them excitement, and I think the injection of the
youth and a faster team, a more structured team, lightens
a load for those guys. So as much as it's physical,
it's mental too. But the short answer is, yeah, eventually,
you're gonna have to have other guys in the third
(11:44):
and fourth line have big games, and so it's not
always sid in Gino. But in the meantime, knock on
wood that everybody stays healthy because it's fun to watch
these guys that are close to the forty and thirty
five perform the way they are night in the night.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Out paing was all the fame was great, wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I was excited in particular to see Scottie who's still
Sharper's attack at ninety two. And Ronnie, who you know,
I don't talk to as much as like Arty and EJ.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Yeah, And I mean Arity is one of those guys
that you wish he was living here in Pittsburgh. He's
one of those guys he just loved being around. And
you know that belly laughter that he has, it's it's contagious.
And you're right as far as Scotty and EJ. You
know both of them. You know EJ's gonna be ninety
in less than a month and Scotty's already there. So
just to see those guys in the building, you take
(12:35):
a mental snapshot because you don't know when you'll see
him in the building again with the hot white light
on them. And you're right, Ronnie is he's almost he's
almost like like royalty, right, he almost gives off that
that Mario air of differentness right that he's he's just
he looks good, he's dressed good, he's always fit, he's
never out of shape. The hair is always done just right.
(12:58):
And that's how he wasn't the player, right, he was
always just buttoned up, and nothing seemed to be like
lacking in his game or lacking in any other part
of his life. And uh yeah, well deserved all four
and a day. That was a special night. I haven't
had a real good chance to spend time in front
of the display down on the concourse, so maybe I'll
do that after the game here tonight, because I heard
(13:19):
it is really special.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
No, it's tremendous, porky, great stuff. Thank you for joining me,
and we'll see at the rink in just a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Double. I'm enjoyed our time together and this was good
hockey Doc.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
That's the old two nine er Phil Bourke brought to
ut by eighty four lumbered Dynasty partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We got Brian Beco at the bottom of the hour
to talk Steelers right now.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
I want your Steeler angst.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
We got open lines, which is such a clichde talk
Rado radio e thing to say. But eight three three
four one two w xdx. That's a three three four
one two w xdx. It's the Mark Mann Show on
one oh five nine.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
He is terrible the X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
We got back go at the bottom of the hour.
Right now, let's talk to Eric. Eric, you're on with Double.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
M Hey, super genius. I can't remember who you had
on HERBA sound, but you played last week. It was
one of the national media hosts who it was kind
of a sky that's falling, old darn. But could they
really go oh to nine in this stretch? I mean,
do you think that's a little extreme?
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
It was Pete Prisco. Pete Prisco said he could see
them losing eight or nine in a row.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I don't know, Bruv. I don't think so. But I
think they're gonna lose to Indianapolis in LA and that'll
make four losses in a row.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
And at that point, because they're obviously not showing a
lot of heart.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You heard Cam say that they don't have a lot
of fight in the team right now. Maybe it's snowballs
and they do lose eight or nine in a row.
I am not counting that out.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I'm not would they never win in Chicago. They got
Buffalo up until that Miami game in mid December. I
don't see a lot of promise here.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Let's go to Kevin. Kevin, you're on with double m Hey.
Speaker 7 (14:56):
That's noon super g Hey.
Speaker 8 (14:58):
I don't think the NFL did the Steelers any favor
by giving their bye in the fifth week. That means
they got to play thirteen games in a row. But
I think he's gonna come back and bite him. I
think they're they're gonna get tired.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I think the buye in the fifth week is among
the least of their problems, just like the bummy field.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Is among the least of their problems.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
They have an awful defense, terrible coaching, absurdly bad roster assembly.
You know, forget the freaking bye week, goodbye, Let's go
to Chuck. Chuck, you're on with Mark?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Mark, are you doing great?
Speaker 9 (15:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (15:37):
I mean I watched that game last night down here
in Florida, and it's just the same old story and
it kind of reminds me of the late eighties early
nineties when we.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
All knew Chuck Knoll. He didn't have the personnel. He
was done and Tomlin's done. And I think that most
people who say that, oh, any team would drop their
coach should pick him up.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
No, no, no, Well that that's true right right now.
If Tom Win got fired, he would get another job,
but he wouldn't get a good job with a good team,
and it wouldn't be as simple as it would have
been a couple of years ago. No question, he his
brand has been damaged for certain.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah, absolutely, I agree.
Speaker 10 (16:20):
I agree with that, and I and I just think
there's so many young coaches out there that are taking
these teams to another level when they get in there, and.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Hiper change. But you know that he's not going to
get fired.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
You know that.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
No, he will coach as long as he wants to
thanks for the call. I want to talk right now
about the bet Parks Online Casino in sportsbook gap. I
use it, I love it. It's terrific, whether your team
wins or not. There was always another way to win
with bet Parks, odds, bet slots and games all right
in the palm of your hand, the bet Parks Online Casino.
When sportsbook got you covered for the pro football season. Plus,
(16:56):
bet Wire is now live right inside the bet Park's app.
Betwire is the all new sports betting live feed with
game picks from all across the country. Scroll tailor pick
and get fired up with bette Wire, the live sports
betting content feed right inside the bet Parks app. New
users can get up to one thousand dollars cash back.
See betparks dot com for terms and conditions. You must
(17:19):
be twenty one and in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland.
You got a gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler.
You love to play, you play to win. You bet
bet Parks Gonna talk Steelers with Brian bachkoenex here on
one O five to nine.
Speaker 11 (17:34):
Tonight's the Penns square up against the Blues. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game
and the best coverage right here on your home of
the penns one five.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
Nine d X hit Bunny Diver and I just love
good news.
Speaker 12 (17:50):
Okay, so this is a great story I just heard
about on a ninety degree day in Racine whisks.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
The young Trophy White owes money to I can't even
quote the big o'bowski righte.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Goodbye VX at one five nine Steelers.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
With a very disappointing loss last night, to say the least,
joining me now to talk about it from the Post Gazette,
he is Brian bad Koebrian, what went the most wrong
last night? Because there's certainly no shortage of topics in
that regard.
Speaker 12 (18:18):
I think probably the pass coverage and specifically the tight
end defense against Tucker Kraft from the Packers. I mean,
even in some of the games or the Steelers have
played relatively well, including on that side of the ball,
they've still gotten sliced and diced at times by the
tight end. And you know, at some point somebody needs
(18:40):
to look in the mirror and figure out what the
heck's going on there and how to come up with
some answers.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Because it's just been.
Speaker 12 (18:45):
Happening week in and week out, and that to me
turned the tide of the entire game last night.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Why is the pass coverage that bad?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Because the defensive backs were thought to be a strength
heading into the season, but Brian, to be honest, I
don't think any of them have played up to expectations.
Say maybe Brandon Echols is as a backupy type of guy.
And I think Deshaun Elliot's done okay, but if he's
your best safety, that ain't good.
Speaker 12 (19:11):
Yeah, I mean, I think Elliott was playing well for
the most part. Now I don't know if we're going
to see him for a while. That injury looked pretty gruesome.
Jalen Ramsey, I mean, I didn't think he was gonna
be prime Jalen Ramsey. So as far as my expectations,
I guess he's been okay, but Jamar Chase certainly torched.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
Him, so we can't forget that.
Speaker 12 (19:33):
And then yeah, Darius Lay, to me, he's probably been
the biggest disappointment, and Joey.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Porter Junior has not taken that next step forward to
answer your question.
Speaker 12 (19:41):
And like big Picture, I said this in my chat
earlier on the PG site It's like the new wave
of the questions we would ask a few years ago
about the offense. How much of it is Matt Canada's
scheme and how much of it is the players aren't
any good? And just like back then, I think the
answer has to be some of both. If it was
one thing, there wouldn't be this much of a full
(20:03):
scale failing breakdown.
Speaker 7 (20:05):
But I think it's both.
Speaker 12 (20:06):
I think it's the x's and o's, the guys who
were calling the shots, and even when guys are in
position to make plays, the ones who were actually between
the lines buying large they aren't getting it done enough either.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Do they miss Fitzpatrick in safety? He hadn't been excelling
for the last two years, but he was a center
fielder who kind of gave them, you know, a last
resort behind everybody else.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Yeah, yeah, maybe a little bit.
Speaker 12 (20:29):
And I think we all kind of knew that was
the opportunity cost of making that deal for Ramsey and
Johnny Smith, Right, Yeah, you're getting better on paper at corner.
You're getting a guy who's a little bit more willing,
I think, to do the chess piece deal and be
a versatile coverage guy. Regardless of whether you want to
call him a corner, a slot, a safety in Ramsey,
(20:51):
but you were weakening yourself on the back end, you know.
I know it's it's kind of funny to say this
because everybody was complaining about Mika Fitzpatrick for much of
last season, and rightfully so. But you know, I think
you are kind of now seeing that there isn't a
complete one to one replacement there, whether it's Wan Thornhill
or Chuck Clark.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
I certainly don't think Minka was.
Speaker 12 (21:12):
The player that he was in twenty nineteen and twenty
twenty when they first got him, But I think he's
a step above those guys I just mentioned.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Well, when I look at that trade now, John who's
not got nearly the role in production I had hoped
when they got him, and Jalen Ramsey I think is
being asked to do too much. I'm not as critical
to him as I am some others because I just
don't think he's that one on one cover guy anymore.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
I think he's probably just a slot corner period.
Speaker 12 (21:39):
Yeah, And I get the sense that the Steelers kind
of feel the same way as you, Mark, because you know,
going back to training camp first snap where I'll even go.
The day before training camp report day, we're asking Mike Tomlin,
where are we going to see Ramsey? And he was
being coy about it. You know you're going to see
him everywhere. Just come here tomorrow and you'll find out. Well,
pretty much from the beginning, we saw him as an
(22:01):
inside corner, and when they were in their nickel defense,
which you know everybody calls the three to four the
base defense, it's not the base defense anymore.
Speaker 7 (22:08):
They played nickel more than.
Speaker 12 (22:10):
Anything else, just like most NFL teams to match up
with new age offenses. So when they're in that look,
it's almost always been Ramsey inside and Slay and Porter
have been the outside guys.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Now last night it.
Speaker 12 (22:22):
Looks like they don't really want to mess around with
Ramsey too much at safety anymore. So he was supplanting
Darius Lay when they were in the thirty four. But yeah,
I don't know entirely what's going on there. I thought
from the beginning when they acquired him that it was
going to be a little bit of an awkward where
does everybody fit? Where does Ramsey go? Does he travel
with number one receivers? Can he still do that? Do
(22:44):
you trust him to do that? Do you want him
to do that? Clearly they haven't found the right recipe
for how to use all these guys, and that's assuming
that they're even still capable of doing what the Steelers
would ask them to do.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Anyway, what's your take on what I've been very critical
him Ip telling me that it's the double teams, it's
the chips, it's that the quarterback gets sort of the
ball too fast. But I would put forth it all
those things happened prior to trying to gate lot and
weren't nearly as successful as now.
Speaker 12 (23:14):
That's pretty much exactly what I was going to say.
That's where I land right now on TJ. Watt is that, yes,
you watch the games and there are definitely still times
where two and even three dudes are coming at him
to try to take him out of the play. But
it's not like he just became TJ. Watt Destroyer of
Worlds Defensive Player of the Year. I mean he's been
this for what four or five seasons now, so he's
(23:37):
faced this kind of attention before, and the production has
never dropped off to this extent.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
And it's not just these last couple of games. It's
not just the season.
Speaker 12 (23:47):
It goes back to the slide at the end of
last year two where he was getting so frustrated and
kind of vowing to do things differently this offseason. Well,
last on that you basically point blank after the game
last night, we talked so much about you moving around
more and how that can help. At what point do
you revisit that or will you revisit that? And he
(24:08):
just said, we've got to find ways to produce for sure.
So maybe they'll get back in the lab on that
this week. But it's it's been it's been pretty tough
going for him. Four sacks through seven games is not
what anybody was paying for.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
There.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Is there any way to fix that defense? What would
you do to Jane's things?
Speaker 12 (24:34):
Well, personnel wise, I don't know how many more bodies
you have to throw in there that you would actually
feel encouraged. Yes, I guess you could shuffle some deck
chairs on the Titanic per se and put Echos in
their oversleigh full time and give Jabrill Peppers a chance
as kind of a box safety.
Speaker 7 (24:53):
And then maybe you're going.
Speaker 12 (24:55):
One Thornhill and you're playing more single high and doing
it that way.
Speaker 7 (25:00):
And kind of trying to tee off on teams.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
But I don't know.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
I mean, if the bill of.
Speaker 12 (25:06):
Goods they were sold is exactly that, then there aren't
a ton of answers in the toolbox. And I mean,
I guess Mike Tomlin Tarall Austin have to get more creative,
whether that is TJ. Watt's alignment or whether that's three
outside linebacker package with him, HeiG Smith and her Big
which has been kind of noticeably quiet the last couple games.
(25:28):
More dime defense which they still continue to avoid, but
then you're really opening yourself up to not being able
to stop the run. So it's just it's tough to
stop the bleeding right now. It's like playing whack a
mole with this defense. You know, one problem pops up,
you do something to fix it, it pops up somewhere else,
and at the end of the day, it comes down
to just being better than the guy across from you,
(25:48):
whether that's someone in the trenches or someone lined up
outside across from a wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
We're talking to Brian bat Coo with the Post gazete
here on the X. I think the offense has been
generally okay. Is our colleague Jerry do Lack tweeted not
too long ago, there's nothing wrong with the Steelers offense
that a better.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Defense couldn't fix.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
But by way of nitpicking, the two things that I
don't like, I don't think Dk Metcalf has been as advertised.
I think he's had a lot of drops and not
produced enough big plays. And I think they too often
settle for field goals, which Tomlin even referenced after the
game last night.
Speaker 12 (26:21):
Yeah, and I mean, ultimately it's kind of his own
doing that they have to settle for those field goals sometimes.
I mean, one, it's the philosophy that you set from
the top in terms of what you want to accomplish offensively.
And two, there are times where you know you can
try to get out of character a little bit, at
least for him and go for it a fourth down,
short yardage, and we know he's generally averse to that.
(26:42):
So yeah, I don't want to nitpick too much with
the offense. I think you did see second half last night,
you know, when the pockets collapsing and the pass rushes
starting to snowball, and that to me is just where
as well as Aaron Rodgers has played.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
To me, it's still such a cheat code to a
quarterback who.
Speaker 12 (27:00):
Can spin out of pressure, evaded defender and pick up ten, twelve,
fifteen yards with his legs. Now, I know that can't
be the only club in your bag. You need to
be able to dice teams up from the pocket too
when the situation culled for that. And that's why there's
only to be a handful of quarterbacks who can really
win the Super Bowl for a team at this stage
of the game. But yeah, I mean the protection, you know,
(27:24):
it broke down at times. Aaron Rodgers seemed like he
was a little bit overwhelmed once the ball got rolling
and DK metcalf. I thought he should have come down
with that one in the end zone. I know it
was a tough play to make, but I mean, you're
getting paid handsomely to out muscle a guy who's like
six foot point eight five. You know, it didn't end
up costing them too much. But yeah, they've they've got
(27:46):
to get more out of him, and they've got to
figure out different ways to keep opposing defenses off balance.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What's going to happen against Dandy because they are a
juggernaut offensively on a roll. I could see them putting
up forty points at Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Are they are?
Speaker 12 (28:01):
I mean, I could just easily see Daniel Jones turning
back into a pumpkin. But I can't argue with the results.
It looks like they're this year's Vikings and Sam Darnold
who kept it going all the way into the postseason.
And they've got to me even a better running game
with Jonathan Taylor and the way he is just gashing
defenses right now on the ground. I mean, I don't
know how much stock he put into running all over
(28:24):
the Tennessee Titans at this stage for that franchise. But yes,
the Colts have you know, they've taken care of business
this year. They've resurrected Daniel Jones. I've seen the Steelers
get up off the mat in the past where you
don't expect it.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
Like I always go back to that twenty twenty two season.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
Where I think they'd lost four in a row. The
Phills just absolutely stomped them in Buffalo, and then what
do they do. They come home to Pittsburgh and beat
late stage Tom Brady in the Bucks with a bunch
of nobody's in the secondary who are all out of
football now. But I don't think I'm going to predict
that this week. I feel like the Colts have been
two good They've had Mike Tomlin's number in the past,
(29:03):
and this defense is leaking oil and losing more juice
by the day.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
I could see them losing at LA Chargers too, and
if that happens, if they lose the next two, which
would be four in a row, and I'm probably looking
too far ahead, Brian, but could this season just utterly
collapse at that point? It's tough to imagine that they
would let that happen, given the AFC North where nine
and eight probably could win the division.
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Yeah, and it's never really happened.
Speaker 12 (29:32):
You know, that same season they found a way to
even get to they didn't make the playoffs, but we
all know they got above losing record mark. You know,
they got to the old five hundred or better threshold.
Speaker 7 (29:44):
So my stance on this for the last.
Speaker 12 (29:48):
Two, three, four years, now this season included was I'm
not going to predict them to have the bottom fallout
and have Mike tomlins first losing season until I see
it with my own two eyes. But I'm also not
I'm gonna say the Steelers are gonna get over the
hump and win a playoff game. Until I see it,
I'm just gonna stay in between the booies of what
they've been for this really since the end of Ben
(30:11):
and now into the justin fields Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers
Triumvirate era of you know, nine and eight, ten and seven. Man,
if everything breaks right, maybe you can win eleven games,
but it sure doesn't look like that's gonna be feasible
with this year's schedule.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Was Jordan Love good last night or did the Steelers
just give him too many easy completions?
Speaker 12 (30:37):
I definitely think he was good, but I wouldn't say
he was as good as the stat line indicates, which
I think is sort of what you're.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Getting at there.
Speaker 12 (30:46):
Definitely there were some easy completions, guys running wide open,
much like we saw around this time last year at
the Cowboys game at home, where there was a lot
of that going on, you know. Then there were some
looky ones almost where he just kind of tossed it
up and his guys on the receiving end were better
than the guys the Steelers had in place to try
(31:07):
and stop it, or at least better than them on
those plays. But what I will give Love even a
little bit more credit for is it's not like he
really had the run game propping him up. I mean
the Steelers, for all they were blowing smoke about that
last week after the Bengals lost, they did do a
much better job against Josh Shacobs in that Packers ground game.
(31:27):
But as we saw by the end, Love didn't need it,
Tucker Craft didn't need it. They just cut right through
that Steelers secondary. And I'll be curious to see how
they can hold up against Daniel Jones, who I don't
think he's as good as Jordan Love, but the guys
he's throwing to might be even better.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Here's a weird scenario that tom My producer came up
with earlier. Brian, the Steelers and Ravens play on December seventh.
He thinks that both teams will be six and six
at that point.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
In the game will determine who wins the division.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Man, so Tom's counting out the Bengals.
Speaker 12 (32:03):
And Joe Flacco. I guess after what happened to them yesterday.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Yea, My whole thing was actually, Brian, if the Bengals
had beaten the Jets yesterday. I'm not said I would
have made them the favorites, but I would have thought
of it as a three way dance in the division
down to the end.
Speaker 12 (32:18):
I'm still not really sure what to make of this
division those three teams. Obviously, the Browns we can forget
about them until twenty twenty six, and then we'll forget
about them until twenty twenty seven, and so on and
so forth.
Speaker 13 (32:29):
But yeah, I.
Speaker 12 (32:30):
Really don't know what to make of the Steelers, Ravens,
and Bengals. Steelers are obviously the healthiest of the three,
which on one hand is encouraging, but on the other
hand makes it even more ridiculous the way they've played
defensively these last couple of weeks. So yeah, I could
see it going a lot of different ways. This little mar.
Speaker 7 (32:47):
Thing is is weird.
Speaker 12 (32:49):
I'm used to the Bengals being the bad vibes factory
of the division, and now the Ravens kind of are
stinking it up with what's going on with his injury.
But hey, maybe they got Tyler Huntley back in their
full speed ahead, whether Lamar is healthy or not.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
So I can see it.
Speaker 12 (33:06):
I can see Tom's kind of out there outside the
box scenario taking shape. And that's why we keep Shirtless
Tom around. He's always coming up with those weird situations.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
Well he's no longer shirtless Tom.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
I've imviewed him with dignity as it or Brian, but
but nonetheless that is from his sworded past up. But
there's so much weird about the division. We brought this
up earlier too. The defense that Cleveland has with Garrett
is the best defense in the division by far, and
they have no chance.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
To win the division.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
In fact, Matt Williamson said that Cleveland's defense, out of
the eight units in the AFC North offensive defense on
each team, that the Cleveland defense is the best.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
I would agree with that.
Speaker 12 (33:52):
I mean, shoot, Miles Garrett five sacks yesterday, more than TJ.
Speaker 7 (33:56):
Watt has all season.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
That's that's a third.
Speaker 12 (34:00):
And you know the Browns can't get out of their
own way offensively, but I guess I would say it
makes them a thorn in the side to see again
this season when the Steelers do go up to Cleveland.
I think the Dylan Gabriel experiment, it's to me such
a black cloud hanging over Kevin Stefanski, who I thought
was a pretty sharp guy and a savvy football coach.
(34:24):
I just have no idea what they're doing there with him,
But maybe Shador will start that game in Cleveland.
Speaker 7 (34:31):
Sign me up for that.
Speaker 12 (34:32):
I'm all for the dysfunction taking center stage. And just
imagine if Shador Sanders first start is against the Steelers.
That would be uh, that could be high comedy, or
that could be you know, a high, high degree of
humiliation for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
Brian, great stuff. Thank you so much for taking the time.
Speaker 7 (34:51):
No problem, see you guys.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
That's Brian Bacho from the Post Gazette. Now it's time
to ask Mark Anything. Dial eight three three four one
two w XDA. That's eight three three four one two
ninety nine thirty nine and ask Mark anything. Or you
can do what the cool kids do and leave a
talkback via the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app. Ask
(35:12):
Mark Anything right now, uh eight three three four one
thirty nine.
Speaker 14 (35:18):
Time now to send in your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Speaker 12 (35:22):
Use to talk back Mike on your free iHeartRadio app
and record your question for the super genius What.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
The Spirits Summer news?
Speaker 5 (35:34):
So join us for the Exsters Halloween CRUs.
Speaker 14 (35:40):
On Thursday, October thirtieth, the Ku says Sale at APM
with live Heasy from the Klinto.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
It's playing all your nineties favorites.
Speaker 14 (35:47):
Ten dollars and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold
goes to the Mariola mu Foundation.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
John York Crew for this twenty one o.
Speaker 14 (35:55):
Old door event and dressing your Halloween's best to score prizes.
All nice wa tickets around seal.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
Now at Gateway Clipper dot com. The exits Holloway Rows.
Speaker 14 (36:07):
On the Gateway Clipper sponsored by Disaster Restoration Services.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
We'll see you on October.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Go con Chinnar from South Park Mitsubishue. The exclusive sales
event is now to the end of the month. Ready
for a stress rebuying experience. All new twenty twenty five
Outlanders where its third rows said, I don't know what
I said. I don't know what you said?
Speaker 5 (36:26):
Double M Yeah the exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
I'm not an ass mark anything.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
Brought to list by People's Natural Gas Safe, Reliable Natural
Gas Energy, People's Hypengas dot Com.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Let's go to Dick, Dick, You're on double M.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
For a few years now.
Speaker 9 (36:48):
The Steelers know that they get to the thirty five
even forty, they've got three points in the bag. My
question is, do you think Chris Boswell being so incredibly
accurate has actually hurt the Steelers over the years.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
I actually posited that earlier in the program. I think
he's so good that they know three is a sure thing.
I think if they had a mediocre kicker, that'd be
more likely to go for more touchdowns. Whether that would
result in more points and more wins, I do not know,
but I think he might be onto something.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
They gotta cut him.
Speaker 4 (37:24):
Thank you for the call. Very good. Let's go to
a talkback, mister Madden. Who do you think has had
a better career as of now?
Speaker 13 (37:31):
Jason Bonham or Wolfgang van Halen?
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (37:36):
Well.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
I mean Wolfgang van Halen has put out more original material,
even if it sucks and all sounds the same.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
I prefer Jason Bonham as a musician.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I'd rather see Jason bonhams LEDs up on tribute band
than see Wolfgang van Halen's mammoth, which is named after
his girth.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
I think let's go to a talkback, hey Mark, with
how bad the Rangers are? How many years do you
think Mike Sullivan will last?
Speaker 14 (37:58):
There?
Speaker 4 (37:58):
Before they fire him.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
I can't believe we're already speculating on Mike Sullivan being fired.
I don't think that he's gonna do good there, how
long he coaches there, I don't know. It's a toxic
situation with toxic players, and the people in New York
think that the players have already not tuned him out.
(38:23):
That's too strong, but aren't buying in like they should.
It is probably a fair way to put it. Let's
go to a.
Speaker 13 (38:28):
Talkback, Mark, do you truly believe coach t is calling
the shots on the defense? And do you still believe
he's a top five coach in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
I don't think he was ever a top five coach
in the NFL. And I do know for sure he
has final say on defense. He has final say on everything,
final sayn on personnel. All of the Steelers' problems can
and should be directly traced to Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 13 (39:00):
Hey, just a question. Do you think Rogers last the
entire season? Injury or otherwise? I'll hang up and listen.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
I find myself wondering if the Steelers, like do lose
four in a row. You don't go to four and five,
and let's say they go to four and six or
five and seven, it doesn't get better. It wouldn't surprise
me if he got quote unquote hurt, although that's probably
an unfair thing to say. Base that he's played well
so far and down and everything right. I think whether
(39:30):
he bails or not will determine whether he wants to
play next year.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
But why would he want to play here? What Rogers
should hope is.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
That he's played well enough and that Minnesota has learned
from their mistake of not getting him and not retaining
Darnald and trusting JJ McCarthy despite having a great team.
Maybe Rogers lines up in Minnesota next year. That would
not surprise me at all.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.