November 5, 2024 • 24 mins
Tom and Labs talk about a schedule change and the MVP race before getting into this week's batch of questions
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The Pittsburgh Steelers have returned from thereby. They are in
first place in the AFC North, and now they turn
their attention to the Washington Commanders in a big game
against the seven and two Commanders on Sunday, Labs, before
we get to the questions today, before we get to
the Commanders on Sunday, got some pretty good news for
you and I as far as that Steelers Ravens game
(00:30):
is concerned. We were talking off air how much we
were worried that would be flexed into Sunday Night football
because two weeks from now, Sunday Night Football was Colts
and Jets.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Ow.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Instead, they flexed Burrow and the Bengals versus Harbaugh and
Herbert and the Chargers into that Sunday night spot. We
have been spared, Labs. Steelers Ravens will kick off at
one o'clock at Agroscher Stadium.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean, I won't say that I didn't believe
it was gonna happen, but I was hoping that the
league's concept of fairness would kick in, because you know,
moving the Ravens game tonight on a Sunday and then
the Steelers have to travel to play the following Thursday.
That's not fair. It's just not you know. I mean,
(01:17):
you know, the Sunday game to a Thursday game. Everybody
has to do that. I get it. And that's part of,
you know, the misery of an NFL schedule. And if
you want to kind of big bucks at the networks
pay you know, you've got to swallow some of that stuff.
But to move a game from one o'clock tonight before
you have to go on the road for a Thursday
(01:41):
and it's against the Ravens, that's going to be a
Those are bar brawls anyway. I mean, you know what
kind of don't give me the player safety garbage if
you're going to do stuff like that. So you know,
I won't say that the network didn't want that, but
(02:02):
I think that somebody, let me say this. I'm hoping
that somebody in New York said, hey, no, no, we're
not We're not doing this. I mean this. You can't
you can't be moving a night, moving a game tonight
and then sending a team on the road, you know,
and it's Cleveland and even though that's close geographically, that's
(02:22):
still you know, it's still a trip, you know, and
the Steelers take buses because it's more efficient that way.
So you know, that's a two and a half hour trip.
That's like flying to I don't know, Minnesota two and
a half hours, Yeah, something like that. So yeah, I'm
just glad that that that that didn't happen. I think that,
(02:47):
you know, that that's more fair because you know, let's
let's not also not forget that. You know, later in
the year, you know, the Steelers have to play Saturday
in Baltimore. This is on the schedule, a Saturday in Baltimore,
and then the following Wednesday against Kansas City. You know.
(03:09):
So so anyway, I got to ask you a question,
though we haven't talked since Halloween, right, do you go
trick or treating?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Of course I went trick or treating. I have a
one year old, so well, I'm allowed to do it
now and I can look like I'm not a loser,
but it's really me that wants to go out there
and do it. Of course, I like Reese's Cups. I
mean that's classic. So going off the board of Twix,
I love that cookie, the nugae in the middle. It's delicious.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Okay, what about solid choices? Yeah, I mean I'm what
I'm I'm a traditionalist, you know. To me, candy has
has chocolate. I'm not a Skittles gummy yeah no, yeah right, no.
So you know recent are up there. I like Milky Ways,
(04:03):
I like Snickers. You know, twigs are good. Twigs are
good to you know, any of those. I'm kind of
a traditionalist I think in that respect. So, and you
didn't have to wear a costume either, huh.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
You could just great, old dad, that's my costume.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, perfect.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I can get used to this, and I will have
to get used to this for many, many, many years
to come.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Well, don't forget by the time he's like eleven or twelve,
he's looking one, any part of you going or treat with.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Him that that's not going to stop me. Though. You
gotta embarrass the kid. I mean, that's the that's the duty.
That's what I've been waiting for my whole life now
to return the favor.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Yep, yep. Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Before we get to the questions, we were talking about
that Ravens game. It is the halfway point of the season.
Steelers were lucky to have their buy right at the
midway point. Who would you think is the MVP right now?
Before we get into the questions, I've seen a a
lot of people, Yeah, of the league. I've seen a
lot of people say that it's Lamar Jackson. I think
Jayden Daniels is going to run away with Rookie of
the Year, but I've seen him get some thoughts for MVP.
(05:11):
I actually like the quarterback in Detroit though, Labs. I'm
partial to him, and he has had a run these
past six weeks, if some of the most efficient quarterback
play the league's ever seen.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Yeah, and you know, if that train keeps running, that
Motown train, he's gonna be pretty tough to beat out
in terms of the MVP thing.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I know the Chiefs are undefeated, Labs, But would
you push back at me if I said I think
the Lions are the better team right now?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
No, I mean the Lions don't get nearly the help
that the officials get. Chiefs. Don't get me started on that.
That Monday night game was that? I mean, you know,
but anyway, you know, here's and there's a you know,
we've talked on this pod cast. You know previously a
(06:02):
long time ago about voters for the Hall of Fame
get tired of voting for Steelers, and voter fatigue, I
believe is a real thing in all of these kinds
of elections. So I think that there there could be
a faction of the AP voters who vote for the
m v P who look at it and say, I'm
(06:25):
not I'm not voting for Lamar again because to me,
the Lamar Jackson story is not going to be told
until after the playoffs, and the m VP thing is
a regular season award, So you know, there could be
some Lamar Jackson fatigue in that until he wins a championship.
(06:47):
You know, people are tired of, I would think voting
for him for m v P for you know, beating
the snot out of the Broncos. You know, yay, it's
like that college team and Happy Valley. You know, they're
great against Bowling Green, but you know, win when it counts.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So he's also lost to the Raiders at home in
the Browns labs. I mean, that's a that's not positive
marks on an MVP resume.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
No, it's not. No, it's not. So that's why I'm
saying that Lamar Jackson story won't be told really until
the playoffs. You can't really have a referendum, so to speak,
on his career as a quarterback until you are able
to see how he does in the postseason, because up
to this point, his postseasons have not been great. And
(07:42):
if you want to be a you know, you talk
about three time MVP guys who have won MVP that
many times, they all have rings, I would imagine. Yep. Okay,
So that's and the Lions this Jared got what's you
completing like eighty percent or some ridiculed I mean, over.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
The past six games, labs, he has an eighty two
point seven percent completion percentage. It's the highest in a
six game span ever.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah, I mean mean he's not a check down Charlie.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
No, No, he throws it down to am On Russ
Brown a lot.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah. So yeah, the Lions, I mean, they're they're a
very compelling story right now. And you know that win
in Green Bay that was you know, that was their
first game outdoors this year. How about that?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Oh they dominated? I mean it wasn't. I mean, it
was twenty four to fourteen, but it was the score
was the whole game.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Being from Detroit, being in the NFC North, you go
eight games in domes in a row.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Interesting to me, Well, it didn't affect them clearly going outside.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
No not.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
How about this stat Labs, this is my favorite Lion stat.
Over that six game span that we've been referencing, they
have scored twenty six off touchdowns. Jared Goff has twenty
four incompletions. They've gotten in the end zone more than
the balls hit the ground.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yes, yes, let's.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Get to this week's patch of questions. Our first one
quarterback related, of course, comes from Gene Rawson from Morgantown,
West Virginia. I'll forgive you from being from Morgantown, Gene,
Why is Russell Wilson not running? There were a lot
of openings where he should have run the ball.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh God. Russell Wilson was given a chance to be
the starting quarterback because of his ability to read the
defens's coverages and distribute the ball to open receivers, to
get everybody involved, all the weapons. You know, he's soon
(09:50):
to be thirty six years old. I don't want him running.
You want to run the ball, turn around and hand
it to nausey Harris or Jalen Warren guy's block. You know,
Russell Wilson's job is to, you know, as I said,
(10:10):
pre snap, read quick decisions, see it, throw it, get
it down the field, distribute it to the receivers. That's
his job. The reason that Mike Toman made the move
was because you know, Justin Fields was a one reed,
tucket and run kind of guy. You can't win that
(10:32):
way in the NFL. You can't.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Vince Scottie from Columbia, South Carolina, Garrett Wilson made a
great catch in the Thursday night game between the Jets
and the Texans. I know the rule is you need
to get two feet down inbounds for it to be
a catch. When I look at the replay, it appears
Wilson did have a foot and a shin down inbounds. However,
it was the same leg. Don't you need two different
(10:57):
feet legs, feet or eggs down for it to be
a catch.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, got a lot of these. I was going to
say a thousand, but that's even a little bit of
an exaggeration. I got a lot of these.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Okay, Now I'm just gonna explain the rule. Do not
confuse me explaining the rule with me agreeing with what
the rule is. Okay, but this is but this is
the rule. If a receiver in possession of the ball
gets a body part down in bounds knee, shin, elbow,
(11:40):
that's as good as two feet and that's it touchdown. Okay,
it doesn't matter well, of course if he stepped out
of bounds first, but please, you know, let's let's keep
this you know, realistic. But that's that's that's that's the rule.
(12:01):
But with feet, you have to have two feet down
and they have to be different feet. Okay, that's the rule. Now,
just a little history background. The knee shin elbow thing,
that part of the corollary to the rule was precipitated
(12:21):
by Chuck Nole. He was the champion of the whole
one knee equals two feet concept. So that's the difference
between the you know, Pickens thing and the Garrett Wilson thing.
Garrett Wilson got a shin down in bounds and that's
what differentiated the play from the Pickens play against the
(12:42):
Giants got the same foot down twice in the end zone.
But the ruling, based on the rule is that's not
a legal catch.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Keith Miller from Canton, North Carolina. The Steelers have not
scored a touchdown on the opening drive this year, did
they last year? And isn't it a valid criterion to
evaluate both offensive and defensive coordinators on their ability to
prepare for the beginning of a game.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Okay, what happens on the opening possession of the game,
either on offense or defense, is only significant if it's
part of a trend that carries throughout the game, you know,
four quarters, sixty minutes, you know, and if it's a runoff,
one off, you know. Okay, the offense scores a touchdown
(13:31):
on the opening possession and then doesn't score any more points.
So how do you evaluate the coordinator for that? Is
that a good job because they scored in the opening
possession or not a good job because they only scored
once in the whole game. Flip it over for the defense,
same thing. Defense allows a touchdown on the opening possession,
(13:54):
no more points, So you're going to rip the coordinator
because the other team down the field on the opening
possession and scored or at the end of the game
the other team only had seven points. So I mean,
I understand this. You know this. This seems to me
to be a media created, analytics created kind of garbage statistic.
(14:22):
You know, again, as I said the first what happens
in the first seven to eight minutes of a game
doesn't determine the outcome, right, There's two way too much
football left to be played after that, So I don't
know if they scored any on the first drive last year.
It doesn't matter. Last year's offense stunk. This year's offense
(14:46):
is better. That's that's the way I see it.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Eric Huttinger from Dayton, Ohio, I know a player shouldn't
lose his job due to injury after watching tape his
play is Mason McCormick, our starting right guard going forward.
He has been impressive and his motor is NonStop.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah, I mean, the Steelers used the fourth round pick
on Mason McCormick in the in the twenty twenty four
draft because they were beginning to prepare themselves for James
Daniels becoming an unrestricted free agent next March. But that
process got accelerated when Daniels injured in achilles and he
(15:31):
went on IR. He's out for the year. So okay,
now you know you planned on using McCormick to replace
Daniels in twenty twenty five, But now you have to
do it in twenty twenty four because Daniels is not available.
So I don't know that Mason McCormick got the starting
(15:56):
job because of an injury. He got it earlier because
of an injury. But that was the plan from the.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Beginning, and he has been tremendous. Labs. I mean, I
remember a couple of years ago the Steelers said they
want to get nastier on the offensive line. They want
some mean dudes. McCormick fits that role. Frasier, who I
hope comes back, fits see Themalu fits. They all fit now.
They're just nasty, tough, especially in the run game offensive linemen.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yes, they are.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Raphael Bosch from You Got Me on this one, Carl Schrew, Germany,
apologies to the people of Carl Schrew. If that is
how you pronounce it. If the Steelers isn't, sorry.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, if it isn't how you pronounce it.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Yes, if the Steelers were to make it to a
Super Bowl with the AFC as the home team, would
they be allowed to play renegade during the game. Now
there's the important question, Thank you, Rafael.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Okay, there are there's a designated home and road team
in every Super Bowl, and they usually flip it by conference.
But the only significance of that is like the designated
home team gets to pick the color jersey they want
(17:12):
to wear. The designated home team might get to pick
the sideline that they're on. The designated home team might get,
you know, a locker room, depending on the facility, if
there's one locker room that's better or closer or you
know whatever, that kind of stuff. But everything else, everything
(17:37):
else is controlled by the NFL. So what happens on
the scoreboard, the music during the game, the halftime, who
performs at halftime, the actual details of the halftime performance,
(17:58):
the length of the halftime, all of that is controlled
by the NFL. So a team would not be permitted
to choose any of the in game music. And I
would doubt that the league would allow Renegade because that's
a Steeler's song and the other team, you know, would
(18:21):
complain so in the interest of fairness, unless both teams
had them, and then again that would be up to
the NFL. But no, I could not see that happening.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Eric Feldman from Lake Worth Beach, Florida. As a lifelong
Steelers fan, I'm fifty seven. I cannot remember the special
teams unit being so successful. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith
really has his units fired up and playing well. How
long has he been with the Steelers? Who do we
email to advocate for a raise for him?
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Okay, Danny Smith. I was hired by the Steelers in
twenty thirteen. You know, before that he worked. He had
a seventeen year career in college, and then when he
got to the NFL, he worked for the Eagles, the Lions,
the Bills, and the Redskins before they were cut the Commanders.
(19:21):
But you know, it's interesting. The Steelers special team's history
is checkered, to be kind, and I'll just give you
a few examples. Chuck Noll was the last NFL head
coach to hire an assistant specifically for special teams. The
(19:42):
Steelers never had a long snapper on the roster. The
first long snapper on the roster was in nineteen ninety
two Kendall Gammon. That was Bill Cower's first year. Coward
drafted a long snapper. He was a special teams coach
when he first broke into the League, Noel did not
(20:03):
believe in using a roster spot on a long snapper.
In nineteen seventy two, the Steelers lost the AFC Championship
game against undefeated Miami because of a fake punt. The
only points scored by the Vikings in Super Bowl nine
blocked the punt. Super Bowl ten, Jirell missed the field goals,
(20:24):
Lambert threw Cliff Harris on the ground. The Cowboys had
a fifty three yard return of the opening kickoff on
a reverse, and then at the end of the game
the punt team was so shaky the Steelers had a
fourth and nine at the Dallas forty one yard line
one minute twenty eight seconds left in a four point lead.
(20:48):
Rather than try even try a punt, Noel ran the
ball into the middle of the line turned it over
to his defense. In nineteen eighty eight, is still know
the Steelers had six punts blocked in that season. Okay, Then,
as I mentioned, Bill Cower got hired in nineteen ninety two.
(21:10):
Nineteen ninety three, the Steelers loss to the Browns in
Cleveland twenty eight twenty three only because Eric Metcalf returned
to punt ninety one yards for a touchdowns touchdown in
the first half. He returned another one seventy five yards
for a touchdown in the fourth quarter when the Steelers
stubbornly kept kicking the ball to him. In the nineteen
(21:31):
ninety three wild Card round, the Steelers lost to the
Chiefs in overtime, largely because they had a punt block
just before the two minute warning in the fourth quarter.
In the two thousand and one AFC Championship Game, the
Steelers lost to New England twenty four to seventeen in
nins Field. In that game, the Patriots returned to punt
(21:53):
for a touchdown in the first half, and then they
blocked a field goal returned that for a touchdown in
the second half. So you know, the Steelers are remembered
and famous throughout their history for their defense, running the
football on offense, but they do not have a lot
of rich history when it comes to special teams.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Rob Hay from Lebanon, Ohio. Is there any Danny Smith
gear available for purchase? My wife loves him.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
The only thing I can tell you, Rob is buyer
a bucket, a bubble gum Danny Smith's brand double bubble.
Did you know he was offered a commercial by them.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
He turned it down. Yes, come on, Danny, but that
is so Danny to turn it down. I can't hate him.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, he's well, I mean, you know, he grew up
in the point three section of Pittsburgh. I mean he's
a yinser. He has that southern accent because of he
coached at Georgia Tech for a long time.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Been around it. Yeah, you go down in the South
for like a year and you're going to pick that up,
let alone the seventeen So he was.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
He's yeah, he's he's an answer. Could you see him
doing a commercial?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I could not, but I think it would also be
the greatest commercial on TV. Mark Lewis from Amity, Oregon
has our final question, any chance we will see the
Bumblebee jerseys this year?
Speaker 1 (23:26):
I guess, you know, you don't really know what you'll
like until it's gone, because when the bumble when remember
when the Bumblebee jerseys were the Steelers throwback? How much
moaning and complaining was it about them? Fans hated them?
Oh yeah, but I still see them in the stands.
(23:47):
But anyway, no teams are allowed to choose one style
of throwback jersey uniform to where each season, the Steelers
used the nineteen seventy four block number jerseys with the
gray face masks, so that was their throwback. That's all
they get one pretty year.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I wouldn't trade that for the Bumblebees uniform for any
amount of money either. The gray face mask seventy four
block number throwback, that's the one that they should have
gone with. One o'clock is the kickoff between the Steelers
and Commanders. That's right, the Steelers are playing at one o'clock.
That can happen. I know it seems like an impossible week.
I know, because what has it been a month? We've
(24:30):
been in at least the four thirty year later window,
but they returned to the one pm time slot. Washington
Commanders Pittsburgh Steelers coverage starts at eleven or at nine
am locally, and then at eleven AM, the Steelers Audio
Network picks up Labs Jerry Dulac and Mike Pursuit to
take you right up to kickoff four Labs. I'm Tom,
thanks has always for giving us a listen, and we'll
(24:51):
talk to you next week on ass that answered
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The Pittsburgh Steelers have returned from thereby. They are in
first place in the AFC North, and now they turn
their attention to the Washington Commanders in a big game
against the seven and two Commanders on Sunday, Labs, before
we get to the questions today, before we get to
the Commanders on Sunday, got some pretty good news for
you and I as far as that Steelers Ravens game
(00:30):
is concerned. We were talking off air how much we
were worried that would be flexed into Sunday Night football
because two weeks from now, Sunday Night Football was Colts
and Jets.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Ow.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Instead, they flexed Burrow and the Bengals versus Harbaugh and
Herbert and the Chargers into that Sunday night spot. We
have been spared, Labs. Steelers Ravens will kick off at
one o'clock at Agroscher Stadium.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean, I won't say that I didn't believe
it was gonna happen, but I was hoping that the
league's concept of fairness would kick in, because you know,
moving the Ravens game tonight on a Sunday and then
the Steelers have to travel to play the following Thursday.
That's not fair. It's just not you know. I mean,
(01:17):
you know, the Sunday game to a Thursday game. Everybody
has to do that. I get it. And that's part of,
you know, the misery of an NFL schedule. And if
you want to kind of big bucks at the networks
pay you know, you've got to swallow some of that stuff.
But to move a game from one o'clock tonight before
you have to go on the road for a Thursday
(01:41):
and it's against the Ravens, that's going to be a
Those are bar brawls anyway. I mean, you know what
kind of don't give me the player safety garbage if
you're going to do stuff like that. So you know,
I won't say that the network didn't want that, but
(02:02):
I think that somebody, let me say this. I'm hoping
that somebody in New York said, hey, no, no, we're
not We're not doing this. I mean this. You can't
you can't be moving a night, moving a game tonight
and then sending a team on the road, you know,
and it's Cleveland and even though that's close geographically, that's
(02:22):
still you know, it's still a trip, you know, and
the Steelers take buses because it's more efficient that way.
So you know, that's a two and a half hour trip.
That's like flying to I don't know, Minnesota two and
a half hours, Yeah, something like that. So yeah, I'm
just glad that that that that didn't happen. I think that,
(02:47):
you know, that that's more fair because you know, let's
let's not also not forget that. You know, later in
the year, you know, the Steelers have to play Saturday
in Baltimore. This is on the schedule, a Saturday in Baltimore,
and then the following Wednesday against Kansas City. You know.
(03:09):
So so anyway, I got to ask you a question,
though we haven't talked since Halloween, right, do you go
trick or treating?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Of course I went trick or treating. I have a
one year old, so well, I'm allowed to do it
now and I can look like I'm not a loser,
but it's really me that wants to go out there
and do it. Of course, I like Reese's Cups. I
mean that's classic. So going off the board of Twix,
I love that cookie, the nugae in the middle. It's delicious.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Okay, what about solid choices? Yeah, I mean I'm what
I'm I'm a traditionalist, you know. To me, candy has
has chocolate. I'm not a Skittles gummy yeah no, yeah right, no.
So you know recent are up there. I like Milky Ways,
(04:03):
I like Snickers. You know, twigs are good. Twigs are
good to you know, any of those. I'm kind of
a traditionalist I think in that respect. So, and you
didn't have to wear a costume either, huh.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
You could just great, old dad, that's my costume.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, perfect.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I can get used to this, and I will have
to get used to this for many, many, many years
to come.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Well, don't forget by the time he's like eleven or twelve,
he's looking one, any part of you going or treat with.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Him that that's not going to stop me. Though. You
gotta embarrass the kid. I mean, that's the that's the duty.
That's what I've been waiting for my whole life now
to return the favor.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Yep, yep. Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Before we get to the questions, we were talking about
that Ravens game. It is the halfway point of the season.
Steelers were lucky to have their buy right at the
midway point. Who would you think is the MVP right now?
Before we get into the questions, I've seen a a
lot of people, Yeah, of the league. I've seen a
lot of people say that it's Lamar Jackson. I think
Jayden Daniels is going to run away with Rookie of
the Year, but I've seen him get some thoughts for MVP.
(05:11):
I actually like the quarterback in Detroit though, Labs. I'm
partial to him, and he has had a run these
past six weeks, if some of the most efficient quarterback
play the league's ever seen.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Yeah, and you know, if that train keeps running, that
Motown train, he's gonna be pretty tough to beat out
in terms of the MVP thing.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I know the Chiefs are undefeated, Labs, But would
you push back at me if I said I think
the Lions are the better team right now?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
No, I mean the Lions don't get nearly the help
that the officials get. Chiefs. Don't get me started on that.
That Monday night game was that? I mean, you know,
but anyway, you know, here's and there's a you know,
we've talked on this pod cast. You know previously a
(06:02):
long time ago about voters for the Hall of Fame
get tired of voting for Steelers, and voter fatigue, I
believe is a real thing in all of these kinds
of elections. So I think that there there could be
a faction of the AP voters who vote for the
m v P who look at it and say, I'm
(06:25):
not I'm not voting for Lamar again because to me,
the Lamar Jackson story is not going to be told
until after the playoffs, and the m VP thing is
a regular season award, So you know, there could be
some Lamar Jackson fatigue in that until he wins a championship.
(06:47):
You know, people are tired of, I would think voting
for him for m v P for you know, beating
the snot out of the Broncos. You know, yay, it's
like that college team and Happy Valley. You know, they're
great against Bowling Green, but you know, win when it counts.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So he's also lost to the Raiders at home in
the Browns labs. I mean, that's a that's not positive
marks on an MVP resume.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
No, it's not. No, it's not. So that's why I'm
saying that Lamar Jackson story won't be told really until
the playoffs. You can't really have a referendum, so to speak,
on his career as a quarterback until you are able
to see how he does in the postseason, because up
to this point, his postseasons have not been great. And
(07:42):
if you want to be a you know, you talk
about three time MVP guys who have won MVP that
many times, they all have rings, I would imagine. Yep. Okay,
So that's and the Lions this Jared got what's you
completing like eighty percent or some ridiculed I mean, over.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
The past six games, labs, he has an eighty two
point seven percent completion percentage. It's the highest in a
six game span ever.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah, I mean mean he's not a check down Charlie.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
No, No, he throws it down to am On Russ
Brown a lot.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah. So yeah, the Lions, I mean, they're they're a
very compelling story right now. And you know that win
in Green Bay that was you know, that was their
first game outdoors this year. How about that?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Oh they dominated? I mean it wasn't. I mean, it
was twenty four to fourteen, but it was the score
was the whole game.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Being from Detroit, being in the NFC North, you go
eight games in domes in a row.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Interesting to me, Well, it didn't affect them clearly going outside.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
No not.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
How about this stat Labs, this is my favorite Lion stat.
Over that six game span that we've been referencing, they
have scored twenty six off touchdowns. Jared Goff has twenty
four incompletions. They've gotten in the end zone more than
the balls hit the ground.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yes, yes, let's.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Get to this week's patch of questions. Our first one
quarterback related, of course, comes from Gene Rawson from Morgantown,
West Virginia. I'll forgive you from being from Morgantown, Gene,
Why is Russell Wilson not running? There were a lot
of openings where he should have run the ball.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh God. Russell Wilson was given a chance to be
the starting quarterback because of his ability to read the
defens's coverages and distribute the ball to open receivers, to
get everybody involved, all the weapons. You know, he's soon
(09:50):
to be thirty six years old. I don't want him running.
You want to run the ball, turn around and hand
it to nausey Harris or Jalen Warren guy's block. You know,
Russell Wilson's job is to, you know, as I said,
(10:10):
pre snap, read quick decisions, see it, throw it, get
it down the field, distribute it to the receivers. That's
his job. The reason that Mike Toman made the move
was because you know, Justin Fields was a one reed,
tucket and run kind of guy. You can't win that
(10:32):
way in the NFL. You can't.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Vince Scottie from Columbia, South Carolina, Garrett Wilson made a
great catch in the Thursday night game between the Jets
and the Texans. I know the rule is you need
to get two feet down inbounds for it to be
a catch. When I look at the replay, it appears
Wilson did have a foot and a shin down inbounds. However,
it was the same leg. Don't you need two different
(10:57):
feet legs, feet or eggs down for it to be
a catch.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, got a lot of these. I was going to
say a thousand, but that's even a little bit of
an exaggeration. I got a lot of these.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Okay, Now I'm just gonna explain the rule. Do not
confuse me explaining the rule with me agreeing with what
the rule is. Okay, but this is but this is
the rule. If a receiver in possession of the ball
gets a body part down in bounds knee, shin, elbow,
(11:40):
that's as good as two feet and that's it touchdown. Okay,
it doesn't matter well, of course if he stepped out
of bounds first, but please, you know, let's let's keep
this you know, realistic. But that's that's that's that's the rule.
(12:01):
But with feet, you have to have two feet down
and they have to be different feet. Okay, that's the rule. Now,
just a little history background. The knee shin elbow thing,
that part of the corollary to the rule was precipitated
(12:21):
by Chuck Nole. He was the champion of the whole
one knee equals two feet concept. So that's the difference
between the you know, Pickens thing and the Garrett Wilson thing.
Garrett Wilson got a shin down in bounds and that's
what differentiated the play from the Pickens play against the
(12:42):
Giants got the same foot down twice in the end zone.
But the ruling, based on the rule is that's not
a legal catch.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Keith Miller from Canton, North Carolina. The Steelers have not
scored a touchdown on the opening drive this year, did
they last year? And isn't it a valid criterion to
evaluate both offensive and defensive coordinators on their ability to
prepare for the beginning of a game.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Okay, what happens on the opening possession of the game,
either on offense or defense, is only significant if it's
part of a trend that carries throughout the game, you know,
four quarters, sixty minutes, you know, and if it's a runoff,
one off, you know. Okay, the offense scores a touchdown
(13:31):
on the opening possession and then doesn't score any more points.
So how do you evaluate the coordinator for that? Is
that a good job because they scored in the opening
possession or not a good job because they only scored
once in the whole game. Flip it over for the defense,
same thing. Defense allows a touchdown on the opening possession,
(13:54):
no more points, So you're going to rip the coordinator
because the other team down the field on the opening
possession and scored or at the end of the game
the other team only had seven points. So I mean,
I understand this. You know this. This seems to me
to be a media created, analytics created kind of garbage statistic.
(14:22):
You know, again, as I said the first what happens
in the first seven to eight minutes of a game
doesn't determine the outcome, right, There's two way too much
football left to be played after that, So I don't
know if they scored any on the first drive last year.
It doesn't matter. Last year's offense stunk. This year's offense
(14:46):
is better. That's that's the way I see it.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Eric Huttinger from Dayton, Ohio, I know a player shouldn't
lose his job due to injury after watching tape his
play is Mason McCormick, our starting right guard going forward.
He has been impressive and his motor is NonStop.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah, I mean, the Steelers used the fourth round pick
on Mason McCormick in the in the twenty twenty four
draft because they were beginning to prepare themselves for James
Daniels becoming an unrestricted free agent next March. But that
process got accelerated when Daniels injured in achilles and he
(15:31):
went on IR. He's out for the year. So okay,
now you know you planned on using McCormick to replace
Daniels in twenty twenty five, But now you have to
do it in twenty twenty four because Daniels is not available.
So I don't know that Mason McCormick got the starting
(15:56):
job because of an injury. He got it earlier because
of an injury. But that was the plan from the.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Beginning, and he has been tremendous. Labs. I mean, I
remember a couple of years ago the Steelers said they
want to get nastier on the offensive line. They want
some mean dudes. McCormick fits that role. Frasier, who I
hope comes back, fits see Themalu fits. They all fit now.
They're just nasty, tough, especially in the run game offensive linemen.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yes, they are.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Raphael Bosch from You Got Me on this one, Carl Schrew, Germany,
apologies to the people of Carl Schrew. If that is
how you pronounce it. If the Steelers isn't, sorry.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, if it isn't how you pronounce it.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Yes, if the Steelers were to make it to a
Super Bowl with the AFC as the home team, would
they be allowed to play renegade during the game. Now
there's the important question, Thank you, Rafael.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Okay, there are there's a designated home and road team
in every Super Bowl, and they usually flip it by conference.
But the only significance of that is like the designated
home team gets to pick the color jersey they want
(17:12):
to wear. The designated home team might get to pick
the sideline that they're on. The designated home team might get,
you know, a locker room, depending on the facility, if
there's one locker room that's better or closer or you
know whatever, that kind of stuff. But everything else, everything
(17:37):
else is controlled by the NFL. So what happens on
the scoreboard, the music during the game, the halftime, who
performs at halftime, the actual details of the halftime performance,
(17:58):
the length of the halftime, all of that is controlled
by the NFL. So a team would not be permitted
to choose any of the in game music. And I
would doubt that the league would allow Renegade because that's
a Steeler's song and the other team, you know, would
(18:21):
complain so in the interest of fairness, unless both teams
had them, and then again that would be up to
the NFL. But no, I could not see that happening.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Eric Feldman from Lake Worth Beach, Florida. As a lifelong
Steelers fan, I'm fifty seven. I cannot remember the special
teams unit being so successful. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith
really has his units fired up and playing well. How
long has he been with the Steelers? Who do we
email to advocate for a raise for him?
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Okay, Danny Smith. I was hired by the Steelers in
twenty thirteen. You know, before that he worked. He had
a seventeen year career in college, and then when he
got to the NFL, he worked for the Eagles, the Lions,
the Bills, and the Redskins before they were cut the Commanders.
(19:21):
But you know, it's interesting. The Steelers special team's history
is checkered, to be kind, and I'll just give you
a few examples. Chuck Noll was the last NFL head
coach to hire an assistant specifically for special teams. The
(19:42):
Steelers never had a long snapper on the roster. The
first long snapper on the roster was in nineteen ninety
two Kendall Gammon. That was Bill Cower's first year. Coward
drafted a long snapper. He was a special teams coach
when he first broke into the League, Noel did not
(20:03):
believe in using a roster spot on a long snapper.
In nineteen seventy two, the Steelers lost the AFC Championship
game against undefeated Miami because of a fake punt. The
only points scored by the Vikings in Super Bowl nine
blocked the punt. Super Bowl ten, Jirell missed the field goals,
(20:24):
Lambert threw Cliff Harris on the ground. The Cowboys had
a fifty three yard return of the opening kickoff on
a reverse, and then at the end of the game
the punt team was so shaky the Steelers had a
fourth and nine at the Dallas forty one yard line
one minute twenty eight seconds left in a four point lead.
(20:48):
Rather than try even try a punt, Noel ran the
ball into the middle of the line turned it over
to his defense. In nineteen eighty eight, is still know
the Steelers had six punts blocked in that season. Okay, Then,
as I mentioned, Bill Cower got hired in nineteen ninety two.
(21:10):
Nineteen ninety three, the Steelers loss to the Browns in
Cleveland twenty eight twenty three only because Eric Metcalf returned
to punt ninety one yards for a touchdowns touchdown in
the first half. He returned another one seventy five yards
for a touchdown in the fourth quarter when the Steelers
stubbornly kept kicking the ball to him. In the nineteen
(21:31):
ninety three wild Card round, the Steelers lost to the
Chiefs in overtime, largely because they had a punt block
just before the two minute warning in the fourth quarter.
In the two thousand and one AFC Championship Game, the
Steelers lost to New England twenty four to seventeen in
nins Field. In that game, the Patriots returned to punt
(21:53):
for a touchdown in the first half, and then they
blocked a field goal returned that for a touchdown in
the second half. So you know, the Steelers are remembered
and famous throughout their history for their defense, running the
football on offense, but they do not have a lot
of rich history when it comes to special teams.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Rob Hay from Lebanon, Ohio. Is there any Danny Smith
gear available for purchase? My wife loves him.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
The only thing I can tell you, Rob is buyer
a bucket, a bubble gum Danny Smith's brand double bubble.
Did you know he was offered a commercial by them.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
He turned it down. Yes, come on, Danny, but that
is so Danny to turn it down. I can't hate him.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, he's well, I mean, you know, he grew up
in the point three section of Pittsburgh. I mean he's
a yinser. He has that southern accent because of he
coached at Georgia Tech for a long time.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Been around it. Yeah, you go down in the South
for like a year and you're going to pick that up,
let alone the seventeen So he was.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
He's yeah, he's he's an answer. Could you see him
doing a commercial?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I could not, but I think it would also be
the greatest commercial on TV. Mark Lewis from Amity, Oregon
has our final question, any chance we will see the
Bumblebee jerseys this year?
Speaker 1 (23:26):
I guess, you know, you don't really know what you'll
like until it's gone, because when the bumble when remember
when the Bumblebee jerseys were the Steelers throwback? How much
moaning and complaining was it about them? Fans hated them?
Oh yeah, but I still see them in the stands.
(23:47):
But anyway, no teams are allowed to choose one style
of throwback jersey uniform to where each season, the Steelers
used the nineteen seventy four block number jerseys with the
gray face masks, so that was their throwback. That's all
they get one pretty year.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I wouldn't trade that for the Bumblebees uniform for any
amount of money either. The gray face mask seventy four
block number throwback, that's the one that they should have
gone with. One o'clock is the kickoff between the Steelers
and Commanders. That's right, the Steelers are playing at one o'clock.
That can happen. I know it seems like an impossible week.
I know, because what has it been a month? We've
(24:30):
been in at least the four thirty year later window,
but they returned to the one pm time slot. Washington
Commanders Pittsburgh Steelers coverage starts at eleven or at nine
am locally, and then at eleven AM, the Steelers Audio
Network picks up Labs Jerry Dulac and Mike Pursuit to
take you right up to kickoff four Labs. I'm Tom,
thanks has always for giving us a listen, and we'll
(24:51):
talk to you next week on ass that answered
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