November 20, 2024 • 23 mins
Labs and Tom talk about the Steelers win over the Ravens, and then get into this weeks questions.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola Labs.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
A lot of people, including myself hands up, thought this
was going to be a bit different Steelers Ravens affair,
high scoring, a lot of offense. That's why I'm an idiot,
and that's why a lot of people are idiots. Because
a classic Steelers Ravens game broke out at Akroscher Stadium
on Sunday and it went the way that a Steelers
Ravens game has gone eight of the last nine times
(00:32):
in favor of the good guys.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, and I was one of those too. I mean,
I didn't know that it was going to be thirty
nine thirty eight, like it was that one year when
Ben was doing his thing. But I also didn't think
it was going to be thirteen to ten, and I
was wrong. It was eighteen sixteen. But yeah, I mean,
(00:56):
I don't know what it is. These teams, they just
seemed to find that level. Not that it's always you know,
you know, under twenty points each team, but it's always close.
It's always one of those games where anytime you have
an opportunity to kick a field goal, don't mess it
(01:19):
up and take the points because you know all of
those every every point is going to matter in these
kinds of games because they're always so close, and you know,
eight and one in the last nine. I I I
(01:43):
enjoy a lot of the Ravens misery. I'm sorry, you know,
I have to I have to admit that I do.
And you know, I can't really decide what made me
laugh more justin Tucker won about the turf, the same
turf that the other guy went six for six with
(02:05):
three fifty or more or longer field goals.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, bad turf. Flabs Pitt Panthers and times and Tigers
chewed that thing to bits the day before.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
And then or Harbaugh rightfully so, in my opinion, getting
just scorched for not having Derrick Henry on the field
for that two point conversion, which right, thank you for
not doing that.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
But because I figure, lads, it's automatic with those two
lamar in twenty two, I mean, how do you stop it? Well,
I guess Harbaugh knows how keeping one of that one
of the pieces of that battery on the sideline, right.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And that that that should be a lesson. Uh, don't
put yourself in that situation again, because I don't think
I don't think that he's stupid enough to do that twice.
But yeah, and then you know, I would I would
be curious if you would have done a poll of
(03:08):
Steelers fans before this season started, the day before the opener,
who would you rather have coaching your team, Mike Tomlin
or John Harbaugh. And you know, when you mentioned the
word idiot to describe yourself and what you thought of
the game, I would imagine that the outcome of that
vote would have identified many idiots as well.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Well, let's get to today's batch of questions. I'm going
to use my power as co host though, and ask
a question. I'm going to jump in front of the
line because I heard something recently from a former Cleveland
Brown and Notre Dame quarterback, so I double hate this guy, Labs.
My question is a simple one. Is Mike Tomlin on
the trading block? Because Brady Quinn seems to think he's
(03:52):
going to be in Cleveland, Brown, Orange and Brown next year?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, let me say this. I mean, Brady
Quinn might be worse as a hot take specialist than
he was as an NFL quarterback. And that's saying a lot.
You know, let's what what what could the Browns give,
(04:18):
you know in that trade?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I have no idea, honestly.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I mean throwing the rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Something like that, and the Calves give us those teams
we could use an upgrade of the baseball team here.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Well, uh but yeah, I mean I just that's that's
absurd to me. Ah And again he's just trying. I
believe Brady Quinn is just trying to draw attention to
himself because I I just if if Art Rooney the
second wasn't convinced that, you know, Mike Tomlin was the
(04:57):
guy for him, he wouldn't have sign him to that
three year contract extension. When was it in the summer
or whenever it was? So, I think that that speaks,
you know, they say put your money where your mouth is.
That speaks volumes about what the Steelers think of Mike Tomlin.
(05:20):
And uh yeah, I mean what what show was that?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
It was some Fox Sports radio show, like a national show.
I think Carrington is on it as a co Brady Quinn,
I think was on it as a guest. As far
as that's.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Well, when you're combining a notre dame quarterback and an
overrated Penn State linebacker. I mean, how could how could
it not be a top rated show through the roof? Yeah? No,
I let me let me do do it this way.
Let me steal Mike Tomlin's line about when he was
(05:57):
asked about the college job a few years ago.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Remember that, yep with LSU.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah with LSU, never say never, but never.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
All right, our first question today comes from Jim Wynarski
from Nottingham, New Hampshire, and fair warning everybody, this question
is going to sound a little bit weird, but Labs
will explain once he gives his answer to everyone who
doubted Russell Wilson, I have one stat for you, four
touchdowns and zero field goals. Win is the last time
the Steelers didn't attempt a field goal?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Well, this was from the game against the Washington Commanders,
which was one of Russell Wilson's signature Well, he hasn't
started that many games with the Steelers, so this is
but one of his signature performances in a Steelers uniform.
And the Steelers were three for four in the red
(06:51):
zone touchdown efficiency, two for two in goal to go
touchdown efficiency in that game. In Landover, Maryland against the
Washington Commanders. But one of the reasons that I selected
this question was to illustrate that the NFL is a
(07:11):
week to week league. It is, and things can change,
and they do change week to week. And no more
example of that to me than the Steelers were oh
for four in the red zone against the Ravens and
oh for one and goal to go touchdown efficiency against
the Ravens. So Russell Wilson can do some good things.
(07:37):
He has done them. I think he will continue to
do them. But I also believe that that's not a
finished issue. It's never a finished issue in the league.
I don't think just because you're good at something one
week doesn't mean you're going to be good at it
the next week. And so, you know, I would imagine
that there's a lot of disgruntled people about the Steelers
(08:00):
red zone performance against the Ravens. And you know, one
of those people is the guy we were just talking
about getting traded to the Browns. That's not going to
happen because in his news conference, you know, one of
the maybe the lowest point was that interception that Russell
Wilson threw in the back of the end zone right
(08:22):
in an attempted pass to Darnel Washington, and the question
was posed to Mike Tomlin and his news conference on Monday.
You know, is Washington's inexperience, I guess is a word
I'll use as a receiver part of the issue with
that play, And Mike Tomlin definitively said he shouldn't have
(08:46):
thrown the ball.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So that's like you said when we started this podcast
talking about the game. You can't just give up field
goals in a game against the Ravens like that. They're
too valuable. Jack Foster from Round Up Montana keeps the
Russell Wilson question train rolling. What is the status of
Russell Wilson's contract compensation from Denver next year? I heard
I had heard he still is owed thirty nine million
(09:11):
from them. If so, would he play for us again
for the league veteran minimum?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Jack, you either misheard or what you did here was
just incorrect. The Denver Broncos have no financial obligation Russell
Wilson beyond this season, so then and Russell Wilson also
can become an unrestricted free agent in March twenty twenty five.
So I don't believe there's going to be any more
(09:38):
veteran minimum on Russell Wilson's contract in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, I don't think Sierra would like that very much.
Sam McCall from Bethesda, Maryland. The Steelers versus the Ravens
is one of the best rivalries in the NFL since
the Ravens relocated to Baltimore in nineteen ninety six. What
is the overall record in terms of wins and losses?
What was the Steelers' biggest margin of victory and their
biggest margin of defeat? And lastly, what is Mike tomlins record?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Okay, these numbers are all updated based on Sunday's win
at ak. For sure, the Steelers lead the all time
series thirty six to twenty five, and that includes postseason games.
The largest margin of victory for Pittsburgh was thirty seven
and nothing. That was in nineteen ninety seven. Their largest
(10:29):
margin of defeat was thirty five seven that was in
twenty eleven. Mike Tomlin's record against the Ravens is twenty
two and sixteen. That also includes postseason games, and as
we have already mentioned in this podcast, the Steelers are
eight and one in their last nine against the Ravens.
I actually had someone, you know, because we did this,
(10:52):
we did a podcast every day during training camp. Yeah right,
so you know, was sitting up in the press box
and we had just finished the podcast one day and
the practice was starting, you know, because it was the
morning practice. So I'm sitting there and some Saint Vincent
(11:12):
College donors or alumni or whatever, you know, We're in
the section of the press box right next to me,
and I overheard those guys and they were talking too loud.
You know, if they didn't want me to hear or
jump in, they should have kept it down a little bit,
because especially when they're so totally wrong. They they said,
(11:38):
one of the guys said, you know, the Steelers just
can't beat the Ravens. I was like, what, I threw
some I threw some numbers at him, and then they
started they may they may quieted down a little bit
for you the rest of the conversation. I guess they
(11:58):
figured this smart ass sitting to the left of us.
So anyway, but yeah, it's you know, the games are
are bitterly contested and always close and whatever you want
to say. But eight and one of the last nine,
imagine if it was the other way.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Oh my gosh, the city would just be on fire.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
But instead we're doing backflips.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Israel pickle. It's from ashkell in Israel. Why is make
a Fitzpatrick part of the victory formation?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
It's, you know, so you don't have a miracle in
the meadowlands kind of thing if you remember, you know,
for the younger listeners, that was when Joe Pisarcik of
the New York Giants with a lead and the Eagles
out of timeouts. Instead of just taking a knee, they
tried to run a play. There was a fumble on
the handoff to attempted handoff to Larry Zonka. Herman Edwards
(12:59):
scooped up the ball, they scored a touchdown and the
Eagles beat the Giants. Minca, Fitzpatrick is there and he
is deep. It's almost it almost looks like he's in
the punter. That's how far behind, you know, the line
of scrimmage is. And the reason for that is if
there would be any issue with ball security and a
(13:20):
member of the defensive team would end up with the football,
Minca's job is to find that guy fast and get
him on the ground. And I think of all of
the people available to the Steelers on game day, Mica
Fitzpatrick would be the best person to have in that situation.
(13:44):
You don't want to have to rely on Ben making
a great play on Nick Harper like he did in
that two thousand and five playoff game against the Colts
in Indianapolis on Jerome Betts's fumble. You'd rather have a
guy that you no, you know, that's his job to
(14:04):
get the people with the football on the ground. And
that's why I meank of Fitzpatrick as part of a
victory formation.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Christopher Gibson from Mental app in New Jersey. If a
two point conversion attempt ends with a sack, does the
sacking player get credit for it?
Speaker 1 (14:21):
No, there's no statistics awarded as a part of any
two point conversion attempt except for the points that are
scored if it's successful, and the player who scores the
points gets credit for them. So if it's a pass like,
there's no passing attempt, there's no passing yardage, there's no
(14:44):
rushing yardage. If it's a run play, if it's unsuccessful,
you know, no fumble recoveries. If there's a fumble, no interceptions,
no sex, none of that, no stats except the points,
and it goes to the individual who scores.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Eliza James from Greenbelt, Maryland. I often wondered why TJ.
Watt and Alex Higsmith don't switch sides during the game,
and then to my surprise, it actually happened during a game.
I think it gives them a competitive advantage by creating
a lot of confusion for the opponent's offense. Do you
know if that's a defensive coordinator call or player call.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, no, players can't just, you know, unilaterally make that
kind of decision because the entire defense, you know, is
predicated on working as an eleven man unit, and so
you can't have guys going rogue switching positions. It has
to be something that's planned for. It has to be
(15:42):
something that everyone else on the field is aware that
is happening to all the other players. So you know,
now with Alex high Smith, he's probably not going to
play tomorrow against well, very unlikely to play tomorrow against
the Browns. I think you might even have been ruled out.
(16:05):
I think we'll see Alex Heismith next December one in Cincinnati.
But until then, you know, any of that kind of
movement has to be planned for in preparation and then
called by the defensive coordinator, so everybody knows where everybody is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Avery Ben Dove from Scranton, Pennsylvania. This may be my
nervous side talking, but do we ever win normal games?
I feel like our games are always hanging on by
a thread. Even in games that we play well in,
it seems like our games always come down to a
play in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
You know. That's that's what the NFL wants, not just
for Steelers games, but for all games. I mean, you
don't want people turning off the TV before the end
because you're looking for ratings for your broadcasts, and then
ratings bring revenue, and revenue is split between you know,
(17:11):
ownership and the players, and that drives a salary cap.
So that no the NFL wants that the NFL they
will send out they call it it's an email series
of stuff. It's called news news you can use, and
(17:33):
they send it to media that cover, you know, the
NFL on a regular basis, and one score games are
regularly highlighted, and the NFL trumpets that how close all
of the games are all of the time. So that's
that's what they like. And I can tell you this,
(17:55):
since Mike Tollman became a coach in two thousand and seven,
no team has played in more one score games than
the Steelers. And since Mike Tolman became the coach in
two thousand and seven, no team has won more one
score games than the Steelers. So I would suggest, you know,
buckle it up, get yourself a nice beverage and snacks
(18:17):
and popcorn. You know what they always say, eat the
movie popcorn for the suspenseful ending and enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Carlos Rora from Lake Forest, California, what do you know
of Hard Knocks? Have they been filming all season?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
They have not filming begins. I would imagine the end
of this week, you know, after the Browns game, maybe
with some setups and stuff, because I'm sure that the
Steelers will, the players will and coaches will have some
time off after a Thursday game since they don't have
(18:54):
another game until the following Sunday. But that's start the
filming will start then. In the series Hard Knocks AFC
North or whatever they're calling it, premieres on December third.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And our final question today comes from Eric Samini from Tampa, Florida.
Let's say an offense commits a penalty on third and short,
and on the play the offense doesn't gain enough for
the first down, the opposing coach declines the penalty to
make it fourth and short. If the coach of the
team that was on offense surprisingly decides to go for
it on this fourth down, can the opposing coach change
(19:33):
his decision to accept the penalty.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Okay, this is the procedure. Okay. Let's say Tom's team
commits the penalty on fourth or excuse me, on third
and short against my team, and I don't gain enough
yards for the line to gain Who knows, because I
(20:02):
pulled the Matt Canada play and threw the ball behind
the line of scrimmage to the sideline. But anyway, not
to be critical, right, no, no.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
No, I'd be on offense. I threw the Matt Canada play. Okay,
I was, and I held on it. Yeah, okay, I
was short of the sticks and I got penalized for holding.
So now I'm facing a fourth and an inch.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
But okay, okay, So the referee comes to me and says, okay,
the penalties on Tom's team. Uh, for holding. Well, no,
that would be automatic first time.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Because I'm I'm on offense, so back me up.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Okay, okay, all right, the penalties on Tom's team for holding,
but they're short of this the line of game. Uh,
you can take it the ten yards back and then
it'll be third and eleven, or you can decline the
penalty and it's fourth and one. What do you want
to do? So then I decide. Okay, So after I decide,
(21:12):
until the referee and he announces it, that's it. There's
no more I want to change my mind. I mean
that the penalty was explained, the situation was explained, the
ramifications of accepting or declining were explained. Once you make
(21:33):
your decision, then if you want to go, go for it.
I can't change my mind. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
That's why you see a lot of coaches take those
penalties on fourth and inch situations because yes, they know
the other coach is just going to sneak it right up.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
There, yes, or send the offense out and draw you
off side. So if you have a dumb rookie in
the middle of your.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Defense, labs. He got the Ravens on that again on Sunday.
It was early in the game, but he got him
to jump on hard count. Again. I think it was
Van Neut, a veteran. It's such a weapon when you
have a quarterback that can cadence like that.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
You mean, like a legitimately NFL caliber quarterback.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yes, that's another way of putting.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, it's nice. Nice, it sure is.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
And we'll get to see that NFL quarterback just tomorrow
night because it is a game day eve as we're
recording this podcast on Wednesday, Labs, I love a Thursday
night football game. I'm not gonna lie. For selfish reasons,
we get a weekend off.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Yes, oh I'm I'm I'm you know it would be
okay with me if you know you had more. I mean, again,
for selfish reasons. I understand. You know it's brutal on players' bodies,
and you know it's there's a lot of things bad
about them. But for people in our business, it's great because,
(22:53):
like you said, it's like a mini.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
By MENI bye, yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
We can watch college football, watch the NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
The Harbor Balls on Monday. It's great.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's the Harbor Balls on Monday.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Yep, Chargers, right, But who do you root against them?
Speaker 1 (23:09):
That one. Ty.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
No, No, you want somebody to lose. Someone needs Do
you need some Harball blood?
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Well yeah, I mean the Ravens. All you root against
the race?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
That's obvious. Yeah, I guess that's obvious. Those Chargers are
sneaking up in the picture too. But yeah, you got
to get the division in order. You're in the driver's
seating the division. So yeah, go Jim Harbaugh.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Well that's felt umly saying to keep the division in order.
Take care of business in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, Thursday Labs will be on the air at six fifteen.
We kick off eight point fifteen Steelers versus Browns in
Cleveland for Thursday Night Football Labs, and I'll be back
again next week talking about what happened in the game
and answering your questions. Get them into Labs now if
you want them red on a future edition of Asked
and Answered.
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola Labs.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
A lot of people, including myself hands up, thought this
was going to be a bit different Steelers Ravens affair,
high scoring, a lot of offense. That's why I'm an idiot,
and that's why a lot of people are idiots. Because
a classic Steelers Ravens game broke out at Akroscher Stadium
on Sunday and it went the way that a Steelers
Ravens game has gone eight of the last nine times
(00:32):
in favor of the good guys.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, and I was one of those too. I mean,
I didn't know that it was going to be thirty
nine thirty eight, like it was that one year when
Ben was doing his thing. But I also didn't think
it was going to be thirteen to ten, and I
was wrong. It was eighteen sixteen. But yeah, I mean,
(00:56):
I don't know what it is. These teams, they just
seemed to find that level. Not that it's always you know,
you know, under twenty points each team, but it's always close.
It's always one of those games where anytime you have
an opportunity to kick a field goal, don't mess it
(01:19):
up and take the points because you know all of
those every every point is going to matter in these
kinds of games because they're always so close, and you know,
eight and one in the last nine. I I I
(01:43):
enjoy a lot of the Ravens misery. I'm sorry, you know,
I have to I have to admit that I do.
And you know, I can't really decide what made me
laugh more justin Tucker won about the turf, the same
turf that the other guy went six for six with
(02:05):
three fifty or more or longer field goals.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, bad turf. Flabs Pitt Panthers and times and Tigers
chewed that thing to bits the day before.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
And then or Harbaugh rightfully so, in my opinion, getting
just scorched for not having Derrick Henry on the field
for that two point conversion, which right, thank you for
not doing that.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
But because I figure, lads, it's automatic with those two
lamar in twenty two, I mean, how do you stop it? Well,
I guess Harbaugh knows how keeping one of that one
of the pieces of that battery on the sideline, right.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And that that that should be a lesson. Uh, don't
put yourself in that situation again, because I don't think
I don't think that he's stupid enough to do that twice.
But yeah, and then you know, I would I would
be curious if you would have done a poll of
(03:08):
Steelers fans before this season started, the day before the opener,
who would you rather have coaching your team, Mike Tomlin
or John Harbaugh. And you know, when you mentioned the
word idiot to describe yourself and what you thought of
the game, I would imagine that the outcome of that
vote would have identified many idiots as well.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Well, let's get to today's batch of questions. I'm going
to use my power as co host though, and ask
a question. I'm going to jump in front of the
line because I heard something recently from a former Cleveland
Brown and Notre Dame quarterback, so I double hate this guy, Labs.
My question is a simple one. Is Mike Tomlin on
the trading block? Because Brady Quinn seems to think he's
(03:52):
going to be in Cleveland, Brown, Orange and Brown next year?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, let me say this. I mean, Brady
Quinn might be worse as a hot take specialist than
he was as an NFL quarterback. And that's saying a lot.
You know, let's what what what could the Browns give,
(04:18):
you know in that trade?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I have no idea, honestly.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I mean throwing the rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Something like that, and the Calves give us those teams
we could use an upgrade of the baseball team here.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Well, uh but yeah, I mean I just that's that's
absurd to me. Ah And again he's just trying. I
believe Brady Quinn is just trying to draw attention to
himself because I I just if if Art Rooney the
second wasn't convinced that, you know, Mike Tomlin was the
(04:57):
guy for him, he wouldn't have sign him to that
three year contract extension. When was it in the summer
or whenever it was? So, I think that that speaks,
you know, they say put your money where your mouth is.
That speaks volumes about what the Steelers think of Mike Tomlin.
(05:20):
And uh yeah, I mean what what show was that?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
It was some Fox Sports radio show, like a national show.
I think Carrington is on it as a co Brady Quinn,
I think was on it as a guest. As far
as that's.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Well, when you're combining a notre dame quarterback and an
overrated Penn State linebacker. I mean, how could how could
it not be a top rated show through the roof? Yeah? No,
I let me let me do do it this way.
Let me steal Mike Tomlin's line about when he was
(05:57):
asked about the college job a few years ago.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Remember that, yep with LSU.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah with LSU, never say never, but never.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
All right, our first question today comes from Jim Wynarski
from Nottingham, New Hampshire, and fair warning everybody, this question
is going to sound a little bit weird, but Labs
will explain once he gives his answer to everyone who
doubted Russell Wilson, I have one stat for you, four
touchdowns and zero field goals. Win is the last time
the Steelers didn't attempt a field goal?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Well, this was from the game against the Washington Commanders,
which was one of Russell Wilson's signature Well, he hasn't
started that many games with the Steelers, so this is
but one of his signature performances in a Steelers uniform.
And the Steelers were three for four in the red
(06:51):
zone touchdown efficiency, two for two in goal to go
touchdown efficiency in that game. In Landover, Maryland against the
Washington Commanders. But one of the reasons that I selected
this question was to illustrate that the NFL is a
(07:11):
week to week league. It is, and things can change,
and they do change week to week. And no more
example of that to me than the Steelers were oh
for four in the red zone against the Ravens and
oh for one and goal to go touchdown efficiency against
the Ravens. So Russell Wilson can do some good things.
(07:37):
He has done them. I think he will continue to
do them. But I also believe that that's not a
finished issue. It's never a finished issue in the league.
I don't think just because you're good at something one
week doesn't mean you're going to be good at it
the next week. And so, you know, I would imagine
that there's a lot of disgruntled people about the Steelers
(08:00):
red zone performance against the Ravens. And you know, one
of those people is the guy we were just talking
about getting traded to the Browns. That's not going to
happen because in his news conference, you know, one of
the maybe the lowest point was that interception that Russell
Wilson threw in the back of the end zone right
(08:22):
in an attempted pass to Darnel Washington, and the question
was posed to Mike Tomlin and his news conference on Monday.
You know, is Washington's inexperience, I guess is a word
I'll use as a receiver part of the issue with
that play, And Mike Tomlin definitively said he shouldn't have
(08:46):
thrown the ball.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So that's like you said when we started this podcast
talking about the game. You can't just give up field
goals in a game against the Ravens like that. They're
too valuable. Jack Foster from Round Up Montana keeps the
Russell Wilson question train rolling. What is the status of
Russell Wilson's contract compensation from Denver next year? I heard
I had heard he still is owed thirty nine million
(09:11):
from them. If so, would he play for us again
for the league veteran minimum?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Jack, you either misheard or what you did here was
just incorrect. The Denver Broncos have no financial obligation Russell
Wilson beyond this season, so then and Russell Wilson also
can become an unrestricted free agent in March twenty twenty five.
So I don't believe there's going to be any more
(09:38):
veteran minimum on Russell Wilson's contract in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, I don't think Sierra would like that very much.
Sam McCall from Bethesda, Maryland. The Steelers versus the Ravens
is one of the best rivalries in the NFL since
the Ravens relocated to Baltimore in nineteen ninety six. What
is the overall record in terms of wins and losses?
What was the Steelers' biggest margin of victory and their
biggest margin of defeat? And lastly, what is Mike tomlins record?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Okay, these numbers are all updated based on Sunday's win
at ak. For sure, the Steelers lead the all time
series thirty six to twenty five, and that includes postseason games.
The largest margin of victory for Pittsburgh was thirty seven
and nothing. That was in nineteen ninety seven. Their largest
(10:29):
margin of defeat was thirty five seven that was in
twenty eleven. Mike Tomlin's record against the Ravens is twenty
two and sixteen. That also includes postseason games, and as
we have already mentioned in this podcast, the Steelers are
eight and one in their last nine against the Ravens.
I actually had someone, you know, because we did this,
(10:52):
we did a podcast every day during training camp. Yeah right,
so you know, was sitting up in the press box
and we had just finished the podcast one day and
the practice was starting, you know, because it was the
morning practice. So I'm sitting there and some Saint Vincent
(11:12):
College donors or alumni or whatever, you know, We're in
the section of the press box right next to me,
and I overheard those guys and they were talking too loud.
You know, if they didn't want me to hear or
jump in, they should have kept it down a little bit,
because especially when they're so totally wrong. They they said,
(11:38):
one of the guys said, you know, the Steelers just
can't beat the Ravens. I was like, what, I threw
some I threw some numbers at him, and then they
started they may they may quieted down a little bit
for you the rest of the conversation. I guess they
(11:58):
figured this smart ass sitting to the left of us.
So anyway, but yeah, it's you know, the games are
are bitterly contested and always close and whatever you want
to say. But eight and one of the last nine,
imagine if it was the other way.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Oh my gosh, the city would just be on fire.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
But instead we're doing backflips.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Israel pickle. It's from ashkell in Israel. Why is make
a Fitzpatrick part of the victory formation?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
It's, you know, so you don't have a miracle in
the meadowlands kind of thing if you remember, you know,
for the younger listeners, that was when Joe Pisarcik of
the New York Giants with a lead and the Eagles
out of timeouts. Instead of just taking a knee, they
tried to run a play. There was a fumble on
the handoff to attempted handoff to Larry Zonka. Herman Edwards
(12:59):
scooped up the ball, they scored a touchdown and the
Eagles beat the Giants. Minca, Fitzpatrick is there and he
is deep. It's almost it almost looks like he's in
the punter. That's how far behind, you know, the line
of scrimmage is. And the reason for that is if
there would be any issue with ball security and a
(13:20):
member of the defensive team would end up with the football,
Minca's job is to find that guy fast and get
him on the ground. And I think of all of
the people available to the Steelers on game day, Mica
Fitzpatrick would be the best person to have in that situation.
(13:44):
You don't want to have to rely on Ben making
a great play on Nick Harper like he did in
that two thousand and five playoff game against the Colts
in Indianapolis on Jerome Betts's fumble. You'd rather have a
guy that you no, you know, that's his job to
(14:04):
get the people with the football on the ground. And
that's why I meank of Fitzpatrick as part of a
victory formation.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Christopher Gibson from Mental app in New Jersey. If a
two point conversion attempt ends with a sack, does the
sacking player get credit for it?
Speaker 1 (14:21):
No, there's no statistics awarded as a part of any
two point conversion attempt except for the points that are
scored if it's successful, and the player who scores the
points gets credit for them. So if it's a pass like,
there's no passing attempt, there's no passing yardage, there's no
(14:44):
rushing yardage. If it's a run play, if it's unsuccessful,
you know, no fumble recoveries. If there's a fumble, no interceptions,
no sex, none of that, no stats except the points,
and it goes to the individual who scores.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Eliza James from Greenbelt, Maryland. I often wondered why TJ.
Watt and Alex Higsmith don't switch sides during the game,
and then to my surprise, it actually happened during a game.
I think it gives them a competitive advantage by creating
a lot of confusion for the opponent's offense. Do you
know if that's a defensive coordinator call or player call.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, no, players can't just, you know, unilaterally make that
kind of decision because the entire defense, you know, is
predicated on working as an eleven man unit, and so
you can't have guys going rogue switching positions. It has
to be something that's planned for. It has to be
(15:42):
something that everyone else on the field is aware that
is happening to all the other players. So you know,
now with Alex high Smith, he's probably not going to
play tomorrow against well, very unlikely to play tomorrow against
the Browns. I think you might even have been ruled out.
(16:05):
I think we'll see Alex Heismith next December one in Cincinnati.
But until then, you know, any of that kind of
movement has to be planned for in preparation and then
called by the defensive coordinator, so everybody knows where everybody is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Avery Ben Dove from Scranton, Pennsylvania. This may be my
nervous side talking, but do we ever win normal games?
I feel like our games are always hanging on by
a thread. Even in games that we play well in,
it seems like our games always come down to a
play in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
You know. That's that's what the NFL wants, not just
for Steelers games, but for all games. I mean, you
don't want people turning off the TV before the end
because you're looking for ratings for your broadcasts, and then
ratings bring revenue, and revenue is split between you know,
(17:11):
ownership and the players, and that drives a salary cap.
So that no the NFL wants that the NFL they
will send out they call it it's an email series
of stuff. It's called news news you can use, and
(17:33):
they send it to media that cover, you know, the
NFL on a regular basis, and one score games are
regularly highlighted, and the NFL trumpets that how close all
of the games are all of the time. So that's
that's what they like. And I can tell you this,
(17:55):
since Mike Tollman became a coach in two thousand and seven,
no team has played in more one score games than
the Steelers. And since Mike Tolman became the coach in
two thousand and seven, no team has won more one
score games than the Steelers. So I would suggest, you know,
buckle it up, get yourself a nice beverage and snacks
(18:17):
and popcorn. You know what they always say, eat the
movie popcorn for the suspenseful ending and enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Carlos Rora from Lake Forest, California, what do you know
of Hard Knocks? Have they been filming all season?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
They have not filming begins. I would imagine the end
of this week, you know, after the Browns game, maybe
with some setups and stuff, because I'm sure that the
Steelers will, the players will and coaches will have some
time off after a Thursday game since they don't have
(18:54):
another game until the following Sunday. But that's start the
filming will start then. In the series Hard Knocks AFC
North or whatever they're calling it, premieres on December third.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And our final question today comes from Eric Samini from Tampa, Florida.
Let's say an offense commits a penalty on third and short,
and on the play the offense doesn't gain enough for
the first down, the opposing coach declines the penalty to
make it fourth and short. If the coach of the
team that was on offense surprisingly decides to go for
it on this fourth down, can the opposing coach change
(19:33):
his decision to accept the penalty.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Okay, this is the procedure. Okay. Let's say Tom's team
commits the penalty on fourth or excuse me, on third
and short against my team, and I don't gain enough
yards for the line to gain Who knows, because I
(20:02):
pulled the Matt Canada play and threw the ball behind
the line of scrimmage to the sideline. But anyway, not
to be critical, right, no, no.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
No, I'd be on offense. I threw the Matt Canada play. Okay,
I was, and I held on it. Yeah, okay, I
was short of the sticks and I got penalized for holding.
So now I'm facing a fourth and an inch.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
But okay, okay, So the referee comes to me and says, okay,
the penalties on Tom's team. Uh, for holding. Well, no,
that would be automatic first time.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Because I'm I'm on offense, so back me up.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Okay, okay, all right, the penalties on Tom's team for holding,
but they're short of this the line of game. Uh,
you can take it the ten yards back and then
it'll be third and eleven, or you can decline the
penalty and it's fourth and one. What do you want
to do? So then I decide. Okay, So after I decide,
(21:12):
until the referee and he announces it, that's it. There's
no more I want to change my mind. I mean
that the penalty was explained, the situation was explained, the
ramifications of accepting or declining were explained. Once you make
(21:33):
your decision, then if you want to go, go for it.
I can't change my mind. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
That's why you see a lot of coaches take those
penalties on fourth and inch situations because yes, they know
the other coach is just going to sneak it right up.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
There, yes, or send the offense out and draw you
off side. So if you have a dumb rookie in
the middle of your.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Defense, labs. He got the Ravens on that again on Sunday.
It was early in the game, but he got him
to jump on hard count. Again. I think it was
Van Neut, a veteran. It's such a weapon when you
have a quarterback that can cadence like that.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
You mean, like a legitimately NFL caliber quarterback.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yes, that's another way of putting.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, it's nice. Nice, it sure is.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
And we'll get to see that NFL quarterback just tomorrow
night because it is a game day eve as we're
recording this podcast on Wednesday, Labs, I love a Thursday
night football game. I'm not gonna lie. For selfish reasons,
we get a weekend off.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Yes, oh I'm I'm I'm you know it would be
okay with me if you know you had more. I mean, again,
for selfish reasons. I understand. You know it's brutal on players' bodies,
and you know it's there's a lot of things bad
about them. But for people in our business, it's great because,
(22:53):
like you said, it's like a mini.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
By MENI bye, yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
We can watch college football, watch the NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
The Harbor Balls on Monday. It's great.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's the Harbor Balls on Monday.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Yep, Chargers, right, But who do you root against them?
Speaker 1 (23:09):
That one. Ty.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
No, No, you want somebody to lose. Someone needs Do
you need some Harball blood?
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Well yeah, I mean the Ravens. All you root against
the race?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
That's obvious. Yeah, I guess that's obvious. Those Chargers are
sneaking up in the picture too. But yeah, you got
to get the division in order. You're in the driver's
seating the division. So yeah, go Jim Harbaugh.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Well that's felt umly saying to keep the division in order.
Take care of business in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, Thursday Labs will be on the air at six fifteen.
We kick off eight point fifteen Steelers versus Browns in
Cleveland for Thursday Night Football Labs, and I'll be back
again next week talking about what happened in the game
and answering your questions. Get them into Labs now if
you want them red on a future edition of Asked
and Answered.
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