September 18, 2025 • 47 mins
Max and Rob chat with Gerry Dulac on the state of the team and the two assess the offensive line performance thus far and adjustments that need to be made.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
And we thank you very much for being with us
inside the locker room alongside Max Starks. I'm Rob King,
thank you very much for being with us. I was
sorry to miss yesterday's show on assignment as we say
in the business work Related issue, and missed the tribute
to Dale Lolly. We're gonna pay tribute to Dale a
little bit later on in the program. Max a sad
(00:49):
day for sure, and again we'll pay tribute to Dale
on at the end of the program today. But so
we do. We do have a show to get to
and coming up later today we have Jerry Dulac the
Cool Breeze blowing through the locker room coming up with
a little bit, and then the AFC preview presented by
(01:11):
up MC will come up a little bit as we
look forward to the weekend, including tonight's game, which will
be very intriguing with a pair of future opponents for
the Steelers playing. Uh, Max, where are you with your
with your preps for the New England Patriots and and
where are you getting to with just sort of big
picture views of the team and what kind of problems
(01:35):
they're going to present.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
So I'm uh, good morning, Rob, good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So yes, I'm sorry I want to get that out here.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Uh but I I am. I am at the point
where watching a lot. You know, I've been watching a
lot of the defense, mainly, uh for for the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
That's kind of been the.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yesterday, a little bit of today, finishing it up, breaking
down to Miami game currently you know offense, Uh well,
our offense or their offense versus our defense will start
later on this afternoon and into into tomorrow. So I am,
(02:24):
I'm at a good point. I mean, I realize what
type of four down team they are. They're four to
three base team and and we'll get into more intricate
stuff about them from from the film I watched. But yeah,
I've been studying the Patriots defense.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Uh, and That's probably where I'm.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
At for analysis right now for today's purposes.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
So I wanted to ask you that's interesting to me
because they list themselves as a three to four team, right,
and yet it did seem like so I've uh, I'll
tell you, ray Am, I'm through the preseason. That's I
wanted to this year early in the year. Maybe one
more week, actually, that'll probably be it. This will probably
be the last I'll watch a preseason football just to
(03:09):
get a feel for and again, you know, for those
listening for the first time or what have you to
the show, you know, we're looking at stuff differently, right,
I'm looking to memorize players and who's out there at
the same time, and and you know, I get into
the fourth quarter of games and there's nobody left that's
on the roster anymore. I might shut it down and
move on to the next game, because that's what I'm
(03:29):
looking for. But you do see trends coming along. And
I did notice that Max, that there were that there
were they listed as a three to four. So I
don't know they gotta haven't seen the game tape yet
and probably won't until Friday night. But I'm aware of
what's happened in the game. Is Landry playing with his
hand in the in the dirt? Is it chase on?
(03:50):
It does it does it change up according to you know,
formations and strengths and that sort of thing, or how
are they how are they working this? Who drops back
to join? You know Splaine and Ellis is that third linebacker?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Well, it's it's been it's been a mixture of both,
Like Landry and kylebon chas On have have dropped down,
They've got it looks a lot like a four to
two nickel as well.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
But they played a lot.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Of four down against the Miami Dolphins and you saw
some base three four personnel, but mainly it's been a
four down. Then when when you get to three, you'll
get chas On that will back off the ball and
create uh, that true four to three down look when
(04:38):
it is like two tights or a tight with a
full back in those situations.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So it does.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Mimic more four to three and four two nickel concepts.
And you know, this is what I've been trying to
figure out with it, Like, you know, is there a tendency?
I feel like during my during the Miami game, they
played a lot more Cover two and you know, trying
(05:07):
to figure out if and then against the Raiders it
was more like Cover three, and then it was more
of that kind of three down but still.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Over eagle.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Look, which over eagle means three technique to the to
the play side of it. And then you had as
you're reduction, and then of course you have linebackers shifted
over to the size. So we call it over eagle
when it's under eagle. Three technique is to the backside
of the play or the non tight inside and.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Three technique what do you? What do you?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Three technique is a defensive tackle that is over the
guard on the outside edge in those moments. So so yeah,
so you have a reduction because normally in a three
four both defensive end types play over the tackle and
what we call a four technique, so head up over
the tackles when.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There's a reduction for people. Ero technique is right over
the center, right, correct? Yes, one technique shades the center
between the center.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And the guard. Correct. I you know, it's funny.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I hear I hear more odd calls on the techniques
five technique. I don't hear as much talk. I don't
know as I've ever heard two technique. Do they call
it that? They do?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
So, so here's the easiest way to say it. When
you have head up techniques. Zero technique is head up
over the center. Two techniques are head up over the
guards right, four technique head up over the tackles. Six
technique head up over the tight ends right.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So funny you get to the engines when when fans
are talking about it or analysts you're talking about it,
I hear more.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Talk of the odd numbers.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Is that because there is more shading or is that
because I'm tone deaf to even numbers?
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Or why is that?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Well, no, because shade usually dictates that you want you're
trying to take a gap versus a position, and so
you'll see more of the odd numbers because people are
trying to get an edge right, you know, are a
three technique is common, especially a four to three, to
(07:22):
make sure that you're off the edges. You're trying to
get into the b gap between the garden tackle, So
why not shade the guy and the gap that he
has to protect. When you get to a five technique,
five technique is off of the tackle, that is off
the edge of the tackle, so you're trying to get
that outside edge, trying to get a jump on the
outside shoulder. You'll hear seven and nine which is inside
(07:47):
or outside technique of the tight end.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
But in a.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
Traditional true three four base three four personnel, it's a
zero and two and two four techniques.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And then you have your your.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Outside backers play the leverage of a six to a
nine technique and that's how it normally is. And then
the guards are both uncovered and you have two inside
backers that cover technically the guard area, and that's a
traditional three four. Now you get you know you're talking
about the cock nose. The one technique it is because
(08:25):
you know a twist or a stunts coming usually cross
dog and those and those type of things where you
will send the guard and one and one gap preferably
the opposite gap that he's coming through, and you'll slant
and then you'll have both linebackers twist and take the
A and B gaps to the opposite side of where
the nose went. So there's a lot of different concepts
(08:46):
inside of that. But the traditional just based up three
four connotation is is how I described it with the
even numbers. But you don't hear that that often. Usually
hear it more so with head up on the tight
end when a lot of becker's playing mad against him
at the line. That's what you usually get a more
of an even six technique on there.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
And and also to go back to what you were
talking about with Cover two and Cover three, and again
for for fans that are longtime fans of the game,
they're gonna understand this more than fans that are newer
to the game. But you know, when you when you
think about and I'm just going to try to put
this in as basic terms as possible, when you think
(09:27):
about cover two for a lot of fans, and then
cover three, So generally, if you see Cover three, that
should be a good look to pass against. If you
see Cover two, that should be a good look to
run against. And the reason for that for fans is
that if it's it sounds counterintuitive because if there's three back,
(09:48):
that would be harder to throw against, but it's not.
What happens is eight three guys are back covering the
entire back end of the field. Eight guys are closer
to the lot of scrimmage with a cover two. Two
guys are deep, yes, but also the corners playback deeper
to cover that intermediate area and help help sort of,
uh you know, uh, mitigate the threat to the sidelines
(10:10):
down the field, so then you'll only have seven guys
up around the line of scrimmage. Is that Is that
an app description, max, just as a basic starting point
with those two defenses for for fans that might not.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Be aware of Cover two versus Cover three. Yes, yeah,
I mean that's the base one. Cover two.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Just know that that Cover two means too deep, right right,
so you know that's the biggest way you operate. Both
your safeties are deep, they're not down to the line
of scrimmage. You're not playing a single high as we
call it. Single high would dictate obviously an odd number
coverage when you have those, because the safety is now
down and you assume he's got a man position, either
(10:50):
a tight end or running back or fullback or whoever
the more attached member of the specialists to the line
of scrimmage. Cover three, like you said, usually a single
high style coverage with the corners also playing at a
certain depth versus a man assignment, and usually you're switching
things off in a zone. Every once in a while
(11:10):
you do get man of silencer. Guys do jump stuff,
but technically supposed to create that three man fence and
each guy has an area of a third of the field.
That's how you think of Cover three.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yeah, so in basic terms, like if you're a defense
looking at this from a defense's perspective, if you can
play Cover two and still stop the run, then you
are golden because it's a defense that slants more towards
stopping the pass, and it should be more difficult to
(11:45):
throw against. But that should make it conversely easier to
run against. But if a Cover two team can stop
the run in addition, then that really puts the offense
in a bit of a bind.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
It does, it does, and that's what you usually want
to get two. But obviously we know that doesn't necessarily,
you know, always translate as well, So you.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Know, I would love for that.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
That's usually in that zone and usually you know, for
a Cover two especially, it's a difficulty, right because your
linebackers are usually covering curl flat flares on the underneath
stuff and then yours two safeties are keeping everything in
front of them from the deep route, so you're running
what we call Poco's post corners deep overs. It's a
(12:36):
it's a communication thing that passes off in that in
that in that zone, you could go to man as well.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Now we're getting a little.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
More sophisticated where the corners still have man responsibilities and
it's up to the judgment of the safeties to then
create the additional coverage. If if one of the corners
is losing leverage, then that guy comes in and fills
that zone for or the defense cover three, like you said,
with the thirds, something that we got. You know that
(13:07):
that's something that's become a signature here and in a
good way or a bad way. We've gotten burned on
the cover three for two weeks straight. So the communication
has to pick up because that was on the on
the Horton touchdown, that was cover three. On the Garrett
Wilson touchdown, that was cover three as well, and the court,
(13:28):
you know, the safety made a decision, right, It's like
who scares me more? Hordon or Jackson Smith and Jigba.
Jackson Smith and Big was running the underneath route, Hordes
running the over route and the two deep crossers, and
safety picked Jackson Smith and Jigba and then of course
throwing it to Horden because of the leverage Jalen. Jalen
(13:48):
did not have leverage at that moment, so there was
nothing to really help him gain that leverage running an
over route. That's the toughest thing because your linebackers, because
of the blocking up front, ut they don't drop back
in the coverage because they're playing an area, so they're
scanning running back blocks up into the left well one
linebackers now covering the curl flat over there tightest days
(14:10):
of the line of scrimmage. Now he has to work
on tight end delay or add you know, he can
he can add on to the to the dog rush
if if they feel like the guy's just staying in
and not delaying on the route.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
So there's just so much. But that was a tougher
one to deal with. Uh.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
One that I love a lot is is quarters. You
know it's a Cover four defense, and you know that
one gives you quarters. That gives everybody quarter quarter quarter coverage.
It looks like Cover two, but they they come back
a little bit more. Obviously, have to watch for some
of the more sophisticated underneath stuff, so some of the
(14:48):
tight end screens and everything else. But you know, not
a lot of teams like to run quarters because they
love to have the aggression of it.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
But Cover two I.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Think of that, I think of that as being a
goal line defense. Is that Is that still the case
or has that evolved now away from the quarters? Simply so,
teams like to play zone. You know, you'll you'll, you'll
run your quarters as you get down close to the
goal line, team gets to the fourteen yard line, you
still want to play zone. It's obviously a shorter throw
(15:21):
for the quarterback. So you can't have just two guys
back here. You better have four guys back there. Again,
I'm trying to simplify the explanations to why you'd run that.
I always thought of that as more of a I
remember watching tape one day with with with tounch Chokin
when he came in and when he's doing the show
with Stan Savern, and he kept rewinding it saying, I'm
not sure what this is, and we were looking at
the tape and he goes, oh, it's quarters. They're playing
(15:43):
quarters down by the down. So I always think of
that as kind of a of a that end of
the field kind of defense. Did teams run that in
other areas of the of the field, Yeah, you run that,
you run that midfield. I mean a lot of guys
run it. Well, you don't have a great pass rush,
which you have really good linebackers, and you don't want
to commit to the you don't want to commit to
(16:04):
the blitz, so you run that because you could have
deep coverage if you're worried about two receivers, and then
you know, if they're running a lot of choice routes,
a lot of rub routes concepts, and your linebackers could
cover underneath so they can they can take if a
screen's happening, if a curl, if you know, if they're
running seam curls, or you know, outs or dig routes
(16:26):
or comebacks, you could run that. If you have the fast,
fast enough linebackers, you could run quarters and really present
some tight windows for the quarterback that might not be
the most accurate in the world, or it has slow
to decision making skills. You could run that and force
them into some bad decisions because with your with your
DB's kind of playing deeper, and if you don't have
(16:49):
a pass rush right, the route concepts are going to
get a lot longer because your offensive line is blocking
longer quarterbacks waiting for the later developer. He's looking for
the deeper throw, and now you can make that tougher
on him. It gives you an opportunity to break on.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
The ball, So there is an opportunity there for those.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Okay, man, so many more questions I want to ask
to follow up on defensive coverages and different things including
the play Max is talking about that victimize the Steelers,
I believe in both weeks.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
But we have lots to get to. Jerry Dula is
going to be joining us.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
More to get to when we continue Inside the Locker
Room with Kane Starks presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The
F one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot
Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Oh well, okay, we got a tax team.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
We got to tag yes, because you know he's got
du lac means of the lake in French. By the way,
if I learned that, yes, Jerry, Jerry duh is also
the French word for two. Jerry is so big he
is brought to us twice Jerry Doulac, who Breeze aka
do Lac presented by your neighborhood Forde Story. The F
(18:21):
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Max, that's not all.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yes, he is also brought to us by mcfattens of
North Shore. Wow.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Four dollars but light sixteen out of little of them
during all Steelers games.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Wow, hope you're thirsty. Go to that's big. That's big,
double sponsored. I he might be the only personality in
the country who is double sponsored.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
But that's Jerry Doulac. Yeah. I mean, when you don't
drink drive drink.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Drive wells your last name, when your last name is
the same as Sir Lancelot's, then you know, you know
you have some hierarchy uh in in in your background,
in your lineage. So you know, if that's the case,
(19:17):
then I'll run with it. Unfortunately, I've been unable to
trace any lineage back to Sir Lancelot.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I got Arthur on my on my side, don't I I.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Mean, I think so okay, all right, just ask you
that's King, I guess.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
And and to Rubbs and to Rubb's point. Yeah, Uh,
Notre Dame. It's a not for Dame Dulac, our Lady
of the Lake. Their diplomas say as much.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Right, And all you have to do is watch uh
watch Monty Python and get a full education on the
entire matter. Jerry, that's the whole Holy Grail, by the way,
So Jerry, that's right your thoughts here, you know, the
I know I always go through mental trude, Uh, you know,
a transition every week, Uh, you know, and I get
(20:10):
to the point around Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, no matter who
the Steelers are playing, they are you know, they look
like the New York Giants against Bugs Bunny, huge, massive
team that can't be beat. And then and then usually
by the time kickoff rolls around, I'm like, all right,
the Steelers have this, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
But but but there's.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Also transition mentally with the team, preparation wise, with the team.
It feels like, you know, you get into Thursday Friday
that I don't know if you feel this way, but
it feels like a transition from one game into the next,
and and the preparation. What's the sense that you get
for where the team is now Thursday? Because that was
that was a tough loss on Sunday. That was you know,
(20:51):
if you wanna, if you want to be worried about
some of the bugaboos that happened at the end of
last season that reared their head again in a victory
in New York in Week one, you would have been
stated with what you saw on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
You know, Rob, I get your point, because I've over
the years had kind of been that way. Monday, Tuesday,
I have one sense about them. Then comes the Wednesday,
maybe more Thursday, I start to change. But one thing,
there's two things I go by. I never make I
(21:25):
never make any kind of predictions or have concerns or
have optimism early in the season because it's a long year.
So after the Jets game, I didn't sit there and think, Wow,
they got an offense.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Look out.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
And after the Seahawks game, I don't sit there and think, Okay,
they don't have a defense. Oh So I just learned
to to kind of wait. But the other thing, the
other thing where I kind of try to get the
pulse is I read the locker room after the game.
And while there was disappointment when they lose, there's a
(22:05):
difference between disappointment and downright defeat lethargy, whatever the case
may be, where they're down, and that doesn't occur early
in the season. There are no debilitating defeats early in
the season. Oh, there's some you don't like, there's some
you kick yourself in the rear over, but early in
(22:28):
the season, I think, you know, they're professional athletes and
they've learned it's a long season, and we've seen them
bounce back from just horrible moments to start the season.
And I didn't, you know, I certainly didn't expect to
sense any of that in the locker room after Sunday,
and I didn't. And it's just way too early to
(22:50):
kind of gauge the locker room, at least what I've
learned over many, many years.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Jerry, and we kind of look at you know, obviously,
this is an early point in the season. Like you said,
it's tough to gauge the temperature of the locker room
and how they you know, how how they handle things right,
how does the focus step in? But have you had
(23:20):
a sense of kind of kind of this group of
guys when you've seen it, like, what what is what
is the what is one of those most commentarys.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
I know for a lot of guys, I know, for our.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Locker room, we kept it kind of loose at all
times back when I played, you know, at victory and defeat,
because you know, you know, it's it's a long season
and if you can't laugh at your at yourself, that
it's just gonna be a miserable existence, right, And even
with Cower and Mike Tomlin, you know, we had a
(23:53):
sense of you know, we knew who our leaders were
in each position group, but we still operated with a
with a little bit of a looser sense. I get
the sense this is a little bit more serious team
than than the ones that I was a part of.
There's not as many, I would say, characters. Is that
(24:13):
an accurate pution from what you've seen, you know so far?
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (24:17):
They are a little bit more, a little bit more
strict or more more serious than the years past.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Yeah, Max, I would say that arrow is pointing right
at the target. And the one thing to your point
about being loose, I have always said, uh, and still believe.
And now I'm not with this group because it's too early,
but I have always said that on Wednesday, I can't
tell if they've won fifty to nothing or lost fifty
(24:48):
to nothing. They're the same all the time because they
have to be. And and that goes back to your
group with I question. But I've noticed that over the
years all the time, and I still feel that way.
I think with this group that because there are so
many new players, I think they're still trying to figure
and understandably so, I think they're still trying to figure
(25:10):
out each other and and what their personal temperature is
after each game. I'll give you a small, small example.
I noticed in the season opener in New York that
when Aaron Rodgers, when they came out, you know, for
their introductions, and then went over to the sideline, Aaron
Rodgers stood by himself and nobody went over and talked
(25:34):
to him. Maybe that's the way he prefers it. Maybe
they just decided they were going to.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Leave him alone.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Maybe I'm red I was looking too much into it,
but I noticed that there was not a lot of engagement.
And that's not a knock against Aaron Rodgers at all.
It's just that I think that's all part of you know, Okay,
what is his routine? This guy's a four time league MVP.
Whatever he chooses to do or however he chooses to
be in those moments leading up to kick off, we'll
(26:01):
see how he is. And I think that's a small,
small example though, of what I'm talking about and what
you're asking about, Max, And so I think it's all
because of so many new players. They're still trying to
feel that aspect out. And I don't know if it's
a more serious locker room or it's a jovial locker
room only because there hasn't been enough time for all
(26:24):
these different players. And of course, you know, Max, in
your day, even though there was free agency, there has
not been a turnover on the roster like we've seen
the last two to three years, especially last year and
now most especially this year. You know, you didn't have
that kind of that amount of turnover. And I think
with all the different players, all the new players, they're
(26:47):
still trying to figure that out.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Got it? So Jerry.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Again, and I'm with you. Look, you know, just stack
wins early in the season. I don't care said this
on the air. I don't care if you win three
to two, it doesn't matter. At some point you have
to start figuring out what your identity is as a team,
and I think that comes, you know, about the mid
point of the season. We've seen a lot of teams
(27:14):
that peak in Week eight and they don't even make
the playoffs or they're they're floundering as they go into
the playoffs and they're an easy out. So that's kind
of and again that's not always the case generally speaking.
That's the way I look at it at a season.
Do you think there are some things I mean, I
clearly stopping the run.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
They want to stop the run. Are there other.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Things that the team is expecting to do better sooner
rather than later than they've done in the first two games.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Yeah, and Rob, I think that that's the central one
is stop the run, and you hear it all the time.
Make the other team one dimensional. All of a sudden,
that makes TJ. Watt more effective because if they can't
run and now they have to throw, then all of
a sudden, your your biggest weapon becomes more into play.
(28:07):
And so there's no doubt that's priority number one with them,
always has been and remains that way. And that's why
it's a little baffling that they haven't stopped the run,
you know, like they would like to now as you know, Rob,
I pointed this up to you yesterday when we were
chatting that despite the two Baltimore games, and I'm not
(28:28):
talking about the playoff game, the two regular season Baltimore games,
and despite the Eagles game, the Steelers ranked six in
the league last year against the runs. That's not too bad.
So you know, there is cause for hope that they
will get this fixed, and I'm sure they will, but
the fact that it's that it's continued is surprising to me.
(28:52):
And you know, you guys hear me say this all
the time, and I hate to wear it out, but
I always remember games failure, telling me, if we want
to stop the run, will stop the run. Now, it
might come at the expense of something else, but don't
stop the run. And yet this team hasn't done it,
and that they didn't do it in the playoff game,
it's still one of the great most baffling, surprising mysteries
(29:15):
to me that I have been around this team. After
Derrick Henry and the Ravens RAN's room in the regular
season and then the two weeks later to have them
go for two ninety nine, I would have never in
a million years, I'd have put my house up against
that one. Yep, that although that won't happen again, and
it not only happened again, it was worse. And so
(29:38):
that's what's kind of baffling to me about this. So
if you if so, if you are then focused, If
you are, which I have to assume they are, and
dedicated to stopping the run and you're not doing it,
then that tells me one of two things that your
schemes are bad or your talent isn't what you're thinking.
(30:01):
And so those those are what you have to look at.
If you were, if you were committed to stopping the
run and you're not doing it week after week after
week for the most part, then I think you have
to look at some other aspects of what's going on.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
Well, you know, looking on the other side of the ball,
committed to running the football. I think the funny thing
is that both of these axioms kind of apply to
both sides of the ball, right right, right, So you know,
do we apply that same type of axiom or same
type of mentality to the run game itself because they
(30:40):
are committed to running the football. I mean, you don't
bring a forty plus year old, you know, quarterback in
and expect to pass thirty, you know, thirty five to
forty five times a game. You know, you expect to
have a balanced run game or something that supports him
as well. So is that also kind of a similar
thing that that you see as well that you know
(31:02):
they have to figure that out.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
As far as about about their about the run.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Game, Yeah, I think it's more bothersome about the run
defense Max, But yeah, I think I think the same
kind of applies. And yet you look at what they
have upfront, I have to think, Look, you don't get
two number ones and number two and a fourth round
pick who I think is is pretty good, and you
(31:27):
combine them with a veteran like Isaac Sayamalo, I mean,
I think they have the players upfront, and then it
becomes Okay, how are you?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (31:37):
What is your technique? How are you executing? You know,
my biggest concern heading into the season was for a
run oriented team, if that's however we want to phrase.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
What they are.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Where are they going to get the production that they
got for four years with nause Hairs and then for
the last two years the combo of nine and Jalen Warren,
which was about sixteen hundred yards rushing a year, and
knowing that Najie Harris was there every game, I don't
know where they're.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Going to get that.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
And as we can see, they're not going to get
that from Caleb Johnson anytime soon. That doesn't mean he's
not any good. It just means that where they are
with him on his timetable, it's a long way away
before he starts becoming a factor. And Kenneth Gainwell is
not that kind of guy who's going to give you
fifteen carries and get forty five fifty yards per game.
(32:35):
I think he's I think he's a nice pickup. I
think he's a nice piece for their offense, but he's
not going to be a high production guy. And then
it comes on Jalen Wore. Is he that guy? Is
he going to get you one hundred yard rushing performances?
Is he going to get you three, four or five
a year? Well, that's what we're going to find out.
And so I don't know if it's the players themselves,
(32:58):
are you know the backs they have, or is it
just kind of you know, where you know, how's how's
the play up front? But regardless of what that problem
is and Max, you can analyze that front play a
whole lot better than me. I just don't know where
the production is going to come from the running game
to match what it at least has been the last
(33:20):
two years. And let's face it, they're not the scourge
of the league running the ball, but they certainly are
in terms of how many times they want to run
the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
So, Jerry, Uh, I wanted to ask you one more question,
but I think we have to let you go.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
I know, Tick, what's the We'll go make it a
quick one problem.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I was just gonna say, uh, you know what you
talked about Caleb Johnson. It made me think, you know
about new right tackle Broderick Jones, is a new left tackle?
You have new pieces on the defense?
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Are is? My expectation is this is going to be
very good team. Mute.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
I were talking about this yesterday. Are we putting too
much on what's going to happen? Because you know, we
expect these young guys to get better, but they're not
there yet. And I'm not trying to make excuses. There's
there's been injury issues, maybe communication things. Maybe this is
a team who's our expectations should be considerably.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Higher in week eight than they are in week two.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
This isn't Milton Williams coming in from New England who
instantly is going to make an impact. This is young
guys who need to feel their way and get better
over the course of a season.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
I agree with you, Rob, and I think, yeah, I
think as you get into the season, then will evaluate. Okay,
you know, are are they better than what we thought?
Are they not as good as what we thought? Look,
I'm with you. I thought after the Jalen Ramsey trade
and the John new Smith trade the packing steel, I
thought after that trade. Until then, I didn't think they
were a better team.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Than last year.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
I thought they were the same. But that trade convinced
me that, okay, they're a better football team. So if
they were ten and seven in my mind, that that
tells me they're fully capable of being eleven and six.
And I'm certainly not going to change my mind at
any point now. I mean, last year, at one point
they were ten and three. It looked like they might
be twelve and five, you know, going into December, but
(35:15):
they ended up ten and seven, which is where I
kind of thought they were. And so I'm not going
to back off what I think about this team. I
think they're better than last year. Now we'll see what
that entails, and we'll see how these quote problem areas
work themselves out. But way too early in the season.
You know we're aware of them, but it's not time
to panic over them.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Jerry do Lac the cool breeze blowing through the locker
room and blowing on to his next assignment. Jerry, thanks
for the time, man. Always appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
Well, you know, boys, I always enjoyed chatting with you,
and I will see you as always at the Bawyard
on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
You got it, Jerry Doulach joining us, presented by your
neighborhood Forges or the F one fifties, the official truck
of the Pittsburgh's Tea.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
There's Max and and mcfans of the North Shore four
dollars bud Light sixteen ounce aluminum during all Steeler.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Games, boys, guests, so nice. You gotta say it twice,
Jerry du Lac.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
We have a lot to get to and Jerry's giving
us a little meat on the bone which we can
talk about. Will also continue our preps with New England.
There is one area on this new England team that
has really set off some alarm bells in my head,
which we will get to when we continue Inside the
Locker Room with King and Stark's presented by your neighborhood
Ford Store.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
This is in the Locker Room with kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The
F one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot
Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
And thanks for being with us inside the locker room
and our thanks to Jerry Dulac for dropping by. And
that is something that I the last topic I asked
Jerry about Max is something that you know, you and
I have kicked around a little bit and I've been
thinking about it more and more. And you know, I've
had conversations with athletes in the past, including one who
(37:20):
got a little snippy with me, you know about it.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Was a hockey player back.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
In the day when I was covering the Saint Louis Blues,
and I said, yeah, you know it's taken you. I
thought you guys would be have kind of kicked it
into gearby now, and he was like, hey, listen, man,
these things sometimes they take time. You know, have a
little patience, and I think there's something to be said
for that.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Of course, in a hockey game you have, you know,
eighty plus games and the playoffs and all that other stuff.
The NBA you've got eighty plus games. Baseball you got
over one hundred and sixty games to get it together.
Football you only get seventeen, and so each loss is precious,
and I think it underscores the urgency to get it
together quickly. And I don't want to make excuses for
(38:06):
the team, but you know, it's also a bad look
when you're giving up a lot of yardage, when our
last memory is you getting sort of run out of
the building in Baltimore because you were giving up all
that rushing yardage. But I do think, you know, as
Aaron Rodgers kind of said after the last game, hang on, man,
(38:27):
just you know, settle down. It's a long season. We're
going to get better. I do think that the expectation
is to get better. And I do want to ask
you in one specific area on the offensive line, the again,
you know, I'm not asking for excuses, I'm asking for
(38:47):
an explanation. Off because you do this in your career,
move from right tackle to left tackle, as Broderick Jones
has done, perform as a rookie, as Troyano has done,
how that might affect other blockers? Uh, the tight ends
around you, How that might affect scheme. Hey, so and
(39:11):
so is going against his tackle. He's not really ready yet.
We got to bring an extra running we got to
leave an extra running back in and you can't put
him out in the pattern because we have to block
for There's a lot that goes into it. So why
don't you give us kind of an overview of you know,
maybe you know, starting with moving from right tackle to
left tackle, and starting with you know, for Troy Foutanu
(39:33):
that and we're talking Roger Jones there, just the the
difficulties of being a first year starter in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Yeah, so all right, we got we got, we got
some multifaceted time. Then we'll see if I could do
this before or break.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
How far by the way you got that I'm getting
over Yeah, yeah, thanks that. It's that gift that keeps
on giving. I felt it coming on on Sunday when
I was doing the game.
Speaker 4 (40:02):
So I hope and I felt it Tuesday, so we
shall see.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
This is the Yeah, this is a.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
Fun one to go into a game weekend and a
trip for a week overseas.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
But by the way, are you do you have a
do you have a college game? No? Thank goodness.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
I was actually supposed to have the Michigan State USC game,
but they slated that game for an eight pm Pacific
start time, so that is eleven pm Eastern, So there
was no way to make it from LA to Boston,
even if you even if you had a condor or
some type of hyper speed jet that would be to
(40:38):
Boston at time to call our game in Foxboro.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
So we have college this weekend.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
If we have the same thing, you'll be feeling much
better on Sunday. I so you'll be two days behind me.
I expect to be close to one hundred percent by tomorrow. Okay,
Well that and you'll be good to go to Ireland,
which is kind of nice. So anyway, sorry, go ahead.
I could hear your voice, so please proceed about offensive
line switching positions and being a first time starter at
(41:08):
a tackle position, like, let's face it, man, that is
a that's there's a reason that tackles get paid a
boatload of money because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Yeah, it is a tough position. It's not for the
faint of heart.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
And you know, I look at kind of you know,
their starts, and we'll start with Broderick.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
You know, for Broderick, you know, you come.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
In this league and you know you're a left tackle
in college and you've been very good at it. But
he he didn't have the requisite experience that you would
think most tackles usually come in with right I mean,
he had sixteen career games under his belt, handful of
(41:55):
starts I would say about twelve. I think believe twelve
of those were starts, but he never had to finish
through the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
And so.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
You look at that right there, says okay, there's already
a learning curve behind things. Get to this league and
now you switch positions. Now you go to the right
side of the line, and you have to learn it.
You're you know, you're fighting to figure it out. You
(42:24):
get thrown in cheocks, the corps four gets injured, and
you're now a right tackle. So you have to relearn
everything that you've known as a left tackle, and of
course he was doing some swing work during training camp
and during the regular season up until Cheeks's injury, right,
so it's not like he's brand new to this, but
(42:44):
it is new wer because he doesn't have the thousands
of reps at left tackle that he brings over to
the right side.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
So you try and train, you train, you train, you train.
Speaker 4 (42:57):
You now get yourself over the last handful of years
and you are a right tackle. You've figured it out,
You've now switched your mindset, and now you're making the
transition back to the other side. Year three, you make
the transition, and now you have to go back to
what you know. And yes, it is like riding a bicycle,
(43:18):
but physiologically a bicycle is easier to ride because you're
using unilateral movements. Right, you're using your left and your
right side and they just alternate consistently to pedal that bike.
When you switch from the right side to the left
side back, you have to rewire your entire body right,
(43:42):
what's right is now wrong, what's up? What is now down?
It's a different world biomechanically, so the feedback that your
body usually gives you from doing things is backwards. So
I talked about this last week about how Roger would
drop that post leg to with his right As a
(44:04):
left tackle, your post leg is your right leg, So
that means that leg has to stay high right because
it creates the angle, creates a fence.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
You need that.
Speaker 4 (44:13):
Quote unquote kind of right angle on the left side
to be able to create that wall for the guard
and the center. You want to create that quote unquote
curved picket fence. Well, you've been a right tackle for
so long, you've been doing everything. Guess what you get
(44:34):
to that moment and you're trying to fight a guy,
you get inside pressure. Well, right tackle, that's cool to
drop the right leg. That's what you're technically already doing.
Your body, your hips already shifted to naturally do that.
When you're a left tackle, you drop the inside leg
or the right leg, that is a direct path to
the quarterback. That's the area you're actually trying to present right.
(44:56):
If you're doing a daisy chain, you know, holy hands
with each of your off If it's alignment, the left
guard and the left tackle would be holding in what
the tackle would consider his inside half or his right half.
So that's the biggest thing that project's gonna be fighting,
is not dropping that right leg when he's when he's
been in a right leg back position for the last
(45:19):
two years. So that's the biggest thing. And I saw
a good adjustment from week one to week two with
that where he fought to get parallel. You start with
a stagger as you receive inside pressure. You want to
fight to get to parallel because obviously you're not gonna
be able to drive your knee into into the stomach
(45:41):
of the guy the entire time. I mean, there are
casies where you do it short quick pass game. Guy
takes an initial step inside, you can kind of what
we call high leg into it. He he is working
towards that, but getting to parallel still is a big
victory for more for most people. So I saw that
transition from week one to week two, but it's still
(46:02):
a tough one. Run game is the next the coordinator
footwork that you're gonna have on the left side run game.
You can't get split split a beat to the inside
similar concept except for us not from a passing when
where you get depth to kind of figure it out,
you're right on the ball, you're right at the line
of scrimmas you're right now, and so that's where it's
going to take a transition. So I said, you know,
(46:25):
give me five games or six weeks, so to speak,
then I can tell you really what it is.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
But that's what he's fighting.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
And then Troy five games by the way, real quick,
and I want to I want to talk about Troy
as a first year starter. But everything you're talking about,
Troy played more left tackle in college, correct, so he's
making Is he facing some of those now? Last year
he played all right tackle in camp and an OTAs
(46:52):
he's played all right tackle in camp this year. Does
he still need and again we'll talk about the rookie
suff after the break, but again as a guy moving
from left to right, similar challenges, And then does he
also need.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
Five or six week years?
Speaker 2 (47:08):
You a little further along because of that time he
had last year and this year in camp.
Speaker 4 (47:14):
Do you really want to answer this with at three
bits to the top of the hour or we save
this for the other side.
Speaker 3 (47:19):
No, we're gonna save it for the other side.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
We're gonna save that discussion about Troy Fouletano because it's
a critical discussion. It is a critical discussion for what
the Steelers need to do to protect Aaron Rodgers and
run the football, and we could talk about the interior
line play as well. Also again haven't quite gotten to
the to the the element for the Patriots. That's that's us.
(47:43):
Got my hair standing up in the back of my neck.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
I don't like it.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
We'll get to that whom we continue inside the locker room.
The King and Starts presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
And we thank you very much for being with us
inside the locker room alongside Max Starks. I'm Rob King,
thank you very much for being with us. I was
sorry to miss yesterday's show on assignment as we say
in the business work Related issue, and missed the tribute
to Dale Lolly. We're gonna pay tribute to Dale a
little bit later on in the program. Max a sad
(00:49):
day for sure, and again we'll pay tribute to Dale
on at the end of the program today. But so
we do. We do have a show to get to
and coming up later today we have Jerry Dulac the
Cool Breeze blowing through the locker room coming up with
a little bit, and then the AFC preview presented by
(01:11):
up MC will come up a little bit as we
look forward to the weekend, including tonight's game, which will
be very intriguing with a pair of future opponents for
the Steelers playing. Uh, Max, where are you with your
with your preps for the New England Patriots and and
where are you getting to with just sort of big
picture views of the team and what kind of problems
(01:35):
they're going to present.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
So I'm uh, good morning, Rob, good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So yes, I'm sorry I want to get that out here.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Uh but I I am. I am at the point
where watching a lot. You know, I've been watching a
lot of the defense, mainly, uh for for the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
That's kind of been the.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yesterday, a little bit of today, finishing it up, breaking
down to Miami game currently you know offense, Uh well,
our offense or their offense versus our defense will start
later on this afternoon and into into tomorrow. So I am,
(02:24):
I'm at a good point. I mean, I realize what
type of four down team they are. They're four to
three base team and and we'll get into more intricate
stuff about them from from the film I watched. But yeah,
I've been studying the Patriots defense.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Uh, and That's probably where I'm.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
At for analysis right now for today's purposes.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
So I wanted to ask you that's interesting to me
because they list themselves as a three to four team, right,
and yet it did seem like so I've uh, I'll
tell you, ray Am, I'm through the preseason. That's I
wanted to this year early in the year. Maybe one
more week, actually, that'll probably be it. This will probably
be the last I'll watch a preseason football just to
(03:09):
get a feel for and again, you know, for those
listening for the first time or what have you to
the show, you know, we're looking at stuff differently, right,
I'm looking to memorize players and who's out there at
the same time, and and you know, I get into
the fourth quarter of games and there's nobody left that's
on the roster anymore. I might shut it down and
move on to the next game, because that's what I'm
(03:29):
looking for. But you do see trends coming along. And
I did notice that Max, that there were that there
were they listed as a three to four. So I
don't know they gotta haven't seen the game tape yet
and probably won't until Friday night. But I'm aware of
what's happened in the game. Is Landry playing with his
hand in the in the dirt? Is it chase on?
(03:50):
It does it does it change up according to you know,
formations and strengths and that sort of thing, or how
are they how are they working this? Who drops back
to join? You know Splaine and Ellis is that third linebacker?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Well, it's it's been it's been a mixture of both,
Like Landry and kylebon chas On have have dropped down,
They've got it looks a lot like a four to
two nickel as well.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
But they played a lot.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Of four down against the Miami Dolphins and you saw
some base three four personnel, but mainly it's been a
four down. Then when when you get to three, you'll
get chas On that will back off the ball and
create uh, that true four to three down look when
(04:38):
it is like two tights or a tight with a
full back in those situations.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So it does.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Mimic more four to three and four two nickel concepts.
And you know, this is what I've been trying to
figure out with it, Like, you know, is there a tendency?
I feel like during my during the Miami game, they
played a lot more Cover two and you know, trying
(05:07):
to figure out if and then against the Raiders it
was more like Cover three, and then it was more
of that kind of three down but still.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Over eagle.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Look, which over eagle means three technique to the to
the play side of it. And then you had as
you're reduction, and then of course you have linebackers shifted
over to the size. So we call it over eagle
when it's under eagle. Three technique is to the backside
of the play or the non tight inside and.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Three technique what do you? What do you?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Three technique is a defensive tackle that is over the
guard on the outside edge in those moments. So so yeah,
so you have a reduction because normally in a three
four both defensive end types play over the tackle and
what we call a four technique, so head up over
the tackles when.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There's a reduction for people. Ero technique is right over
the center, right, correct? Yes, one technique shades the center
between the center.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And the guard. Correct. I you know, it's funny.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I hear I hear more odd calls on the techniques
five technique. I don't hear as much talk. I don't
know as I've ever heard two technique. Do they call
it that? They do?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
So, so here's the easiest way to say it. When
you have head up techniques. Zero technique is head up
over the center. Two techniques are head up over the
guards right, four technique head up over the tackles. Six
technique head up over the tight ends right.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So funny you get to the engines when when fans
are talking about it or analysts you're talking about it,
I hear more.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Talk of the odd numbers.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Is that because there is more shading or is that
because I'm tone deaf to even numbers?
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Or why is that?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Well, no, because shade usually dictates that you want you're
trying to take a gap versus a position, and so
you'll see more of the odd numbers because people are
trying to get an edge right, you know, are a
three technique is common, especially a four to three, to
(07:22):
make sure that you're off the edges. You're trying to
get into the b gap between the garden tackle, So
why not shade the guy and the gap that he
has to protect. When you get to a five technique,
five technique is off of the tackle, that is off
the edge of the tackle, so you're trying to get
that outside edge, trying to get a jump on the
outside shoulder. You'll hear seven and nine which is inside
(07:47):
or outside technique of the tight end.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
But in a.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
Traditional true three four base three four personnel, it's a
zero and two and two four techniques.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And then you have your your.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Outside backers play the leverage of a six to a
nine technique and that's how it normally is. And then
the guards are both uncovered and you have two inside
backers that cover technically the guard area, and that's a
traditional three four. Now you get you know you're talking
about the cock nose. The one technique it is because
(08:25):
you know a twist or a stunts coming usually cross
dog and those and those type of things where you
will send the guard and one and one gap preferably
the opposite gap that he's coming through, and you'll slant
and then you'll have both linebackers twist and take the
A and B gaps to the opposite side of where
the nose went. So there's a lot of different concepts
(08:46):
inside of that. But the traditional just based up three
four connotation is is how I described it with the
even numbers. But you don't hear that that often. Usually
hear it more so with head up on the tight
end when a lot of becker's playing mad against him
at the line. That's what you usually get a more
of an even six technique on there.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
And and also to go back to what you were
talking about with Cover two and Cover three, and again
for for fans that are longtime fans of the game,
they're gonna understand this more than fans that are newer
to the game. But you know, when you when you
think about and I'm just going to try to put
this in as basic terms as possible, when you think
(09:27):
about cover two for a lot of fans, and then
cover three, So generally, if you see Cover three, that
should be a good look to pass against. If you
see Cover two, that should be a good look to
run against. And the reason for that for fans is
that if it's it sounds counterintuitive because if there's three back,
(09:48):
that would be harder to throw against, but it's not.
What happens is eight three guys are back covering the
entire back end of the field. Eight guys are closer
to the lot of scrimmage with a cover two. Two
guys are deep, yes, but also the corners playback deeper
to cover that intermediate area and help help sort of,
uh you know, uh, mitigate the threat to the sidelines
(10:10):
down the field, so then you'll only have seven guys
up around the line of scrimmage. Is that Is that
an app description, max, just as a basic starting point
with those two defenses for for fans that might not.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Be aware of Cover two versus Cover three. Yes, yeah,
I mean that's the base one. Cover two.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Just know that that Cover two means too deep, right right,
so you know that's the biggest way you operate. Both
your safeties are deep, they're not down to the line
of scrimmage. You're not playing a single high as we
call it. Single high would dictate obviously an odd number
coverage when you have those, because the safety is now
down and you assume he's got a man position, either
(10:50):
a tight end or running back or fullback or whoever
the more attached member of the specialists to the line
of scrimmage. Cover three, like you said, usually a single
high style coverage with the corners also playing at a
certain depth versus a man assignment, and usually you're switching
things off in a zone. Every once in a while
(11:10):
you do get man of silencer. Guys do jump stuff,
but technically supposed to create that three man fence and
each guy has an area of a third of the field.
That's how you think of Cover three.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yeah, so in basic terms, like if you're a defense
looking at this from a defense's perspective, if you can
play Cover two and still stop the run, then you
are golden because it's a defense that slants more towards
stopping the pass, and it should be more difficult to
(11:45):
throw against. But that should make it conversely easier to
run against. But if a Cover two team can stop
the run in addition, then that really puts the offense
in a bit of a bind.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
It does, it does, and that's what you usually want
to get two. But obviously we know that doesn't necessarily,
you know, always translate as well, So you.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Know, I would love for that.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
That's usually in that zone and usually you know, for
a Cover two especially, it's a difficulty, right because your
linebackers are usually covering curl flat flares on the underneath
stuff and then yours two safeties are keeping everything in
front of them from the deep route, so you're running
what we call Poco's post corners deep overs. It's a
(12:36):
it's a communication thing that passes off in that in
that in that zone, you could go to man as well.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Now we're getting a little.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
More sophisticated where the corners still have man responsibilities and
it's up to the judgment of the safeties to then
create the additional coverage. If if one of the corners
is losing leverage, then that guy comes in and fills
that zone for or the defense cover three, like you said,
with the thirds, something that we got. You know that
(13:07):
that's something that's become a signature here and in a
good way or a bad way. We've gotten burned on
the cover three for two weeks straight. So the communication
has to pick up because that was on the on
the Horton touchdown, that was cover three. On the Garrett
Wilson touchdown, that was cover three as well, and the court,
(13:28):
you know, the safety made a decision, right, It's like
who scares me more? Hordon or Jackson Smith and Jigba.
Jackson Smith and Big was running the underneath route, Hordes
running the over route and the two deep crossers, and
safety picked Jackson Smith and Jigba and then of course
throwing it to Horden because of the leverage Jalen. Jalen
(13:48):
did not have leverage at that moment, so there was
nothing to really help him gain that leverage running an
over route. That's the toughest thing because your linebackers, because
of the blocking up front, ut they don't drop back
in the coverage because they're playing an area, so they're
scanning running back blocks up into the left well one
linebackers now covering the curl flat over there tightest days
(14:10):
of the line of scrimmage. Now he has to work
on tight end delay or add you know, he can
he can add on to the to the dog rush
if if they feel like the guy's just staying in
and not delaying on the route.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
So there's just so much. But that was a tougher
one to deal with. Uh.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
One that I love a lot is is quarters. You
know it's a Cover four defense, and you know that
one gives you quarters. That gives everybody quarter quarter quarter coverage.
It looks like Cover two, but they they come back
a little bit more. Obviously, have to watch for some
of the more sophisticated underneath stuff, so some of the
(14:48):
tight end screens and everything else. But you know, not
a lot of teams like to run quarters because they
love to have the aggression of it.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
But Cover two I.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Think of that, I think of that as being a
goal line defense. Is that Is that still the case
or has that evolved now away from the quarters? Simply so,
teams like to play zone. You know, you'll you'll, you'll
run your quarters as you get down close to the
goal line, team gets to the fourteen yard line, you
still want to play zone. It's obviously a shorter throw
(15:21):
for the quarterback. So you can't have just two guys
back here. You better have four guys back there. Again,
I'm trying to simplify the explanations to why you'd run that.
I always thought of that as more of a I
remember watching tape one day with with with tounch Chokin
when he came in and when he's doing the show
with Stan Savern, and he kept rewinding it saying, I'm
not sure what this is, and we were looking at
the tape and he goes, oh, it's quarters. They're playing
(15:43):
quarters down by the down. So I always think of
that as kind of a of a that end of
the field kind of defense. Did teams run that in
other areas of the of the field, Yeah, you run that,
you run that midfield. I mean a lot of guys
run it. Well, you don't have a great pass rush,
which you have really good linebackers, and you don't want
to commit to the you don't want to commit to
(16:04):
the blitz, so you run that because you could have
deep coverage if you're worried about two receivers, and then
you know, if they're running a lot of choice routes,
a lot of rub routes concepts, and your linebackers could
cover underneath so they can they can take if a
screen's happening, if a curl, if you know, if they're
running seam curls, or you know, outs or dig routes
(16:26):
or comebacks, you could run that. If you have the fast,
fast enough linebackers, you could run quarters and really present
some tight windows for the quarterback that might not be
the most accurate in the world, or it has slow
to decision making skills. You could run that and force
them into some bad decisions because with your with your
DB's kind of playing deeper, and if you don't have
(16:49):
a pass rush right, the route concepts are going to
get a lot longer because your offensive line is blocking
longer quarterbacks waiting for the later developer. He's looking for
the deeper throw, and now you can make that tougher
on him. It gives you an opportunity to break on.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
The ball, So there is an opportunity there for those.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Okay, man, so many more questions I want to ask
to follow up on defensive coverages and different things including
the play Max is talking about that victimize the Steelers,
I believe in both weeks.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
But we have lots to get to. Jerry Dula is
going to be joining us.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
More to get to when we continue Inside the Locker
Room with Kane Starks presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The
F one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot
Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Oh well, okay, we got a tax team.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
We got to tag yes, because you know he's got
du lac means of the lake in French. By the way,
if I learned that, yes, Jerry, Jerry duh is also
the French word for two. Jerry is so big he
is brought to us twice Jerry Doulac, who Breeze aka
do Lac presented by your neighborhood Forde Story. The F
(18:21):
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Max, that's not all.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yes, he is also brought to us by mcfattens of
North Shore. Wow.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Four dollars but light sixteen out of little of them
during all Steelers games.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Wow, hope you're thirsty. Go to that's big. That's big,
double sponsored. I he might be the only personality in
the country who is double sponsored.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
But that's Jerry Doulac. Yeah. I mean, when you don't
drink drive drink.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Drive wells your last name, when your last name is
the same as Sir Lancelot's, then you know, you know
you have some hierarchy uh in in in your background,
in your lineage. So you know, if that's the case,
(19:17):
then I'll run with it. Unfortunately, I've been unable to
trace any lineage back to Sir Lancelot.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I got Arthur on my on my side, don't I I.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Mean, I think so okay, all right, just ask you
that's King, I guess.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
And and to Rubbs and to Rubb's point. Yeah, Uh,
Notre Dame. It's a not for Dame Dulac, our Lady
of the Lake. Their diplomas say as much.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Right, And all you have to do is watch uh
watch Monty Python and get a full education on the
entire matter. Jerry, that's the whole Holy Grail, by the way,
So Jerry, that's right your thoughts here, you know, the
I know I always go through mental trude, Uh, you know,
a transition every week, Uh, you know, and I get
(20:10):
to the point around Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, no matter who
the Steelers are playing, they are you know, they look
like the New York Giants against Bugs Bunny, huge, massive
team that can't be beat. And then and then usually
by the time kickoff rolls around, I'm like, all right,
the Steelers have this, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
But but but there's.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Also transition mentally with the team, preparation wise, with the team.
It feels like, you know, you get into Thursday Friday
that I don't know if you feel this way, but
it feels like a transition from one game into the next,
and and the preparation. What's the sense that you get
for where the team is now Thursday? Because that was
that was a tough loss on Sunday. That was you know,
(20:51):
if you wanna, if you want to be worried about
some of the bugaboos that happened at the end of
last season that reared their head again in a victory
in New York in Week one, you would have been
stated with what you saw on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
You know, Rob, I get your point, because I've over
the years had kind of been that way. Monday, Tuesday,
I have one sense about them. Then comes the Wednesday,
maybe more Thursday, I start to change. But one thing,
there's two things I go by. I never make I
(21:25):
never make any kind of predictions or have concerns or
have optimism early in the season because it's a long year.
So after the Jets game, I didn't sit there and think, Wow,
they got an offense.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Look out.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
And after the Seahawks game, I don't sit there and think, Okay,
they don't have a defense. Oh So I just learned
to to kind of wait. But the other thing, the
other thing where I kind of try to get the
pulse is I read the locker room after the game.
And while there was disappointment when they lose, there's a
(22:05):
difference between disappointment and downright defeat lethargy, whatever the case
may be, where they're down, and that doesn't occur early
in the season. There are no debilitating defeats early in
the season. Oh, there's some you don't like, there's some
you kick yourself in the rear over, but early in
(22:28):
the season, I think, you know, they're professional athletes and
they've learned it's a long season, and we've seen them
bounce back from just horrible moments to start the season.
And I didn't, you know, I certainly didn't expect to
sense any of that in the locker room after Sunday,
and I didn't. And it's just way too early to
(22:50):
kind of gauge the locker room, at least what I've
learned over many, many years.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Jerry, and we kind of look at you know, obviously,
this is an early point in the season. Like you said,
it's tough to gauge the temperature of the locker room
and how they you know, how how they handle things right,
how does the focus step in? But have you had
(23:20):
a sense of kind of kind of this group of
guys when you've seen it, like, what what is what
is the what is one of those most commentarys.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
I know for a lot of guys, I know, for our.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Locker room, we kept it kind of loose at all
times back when I played, you know, at victory and defeat,
because you know, you know, it's it's a long season
and if you can't laugh at your at yourself, that
it's just gonna be a miserable existence, right, And even
with Cower and Mike Tomlin, you know, we had a
(23:53):
sense of you know, we knew who our leaders were
in each position group, but we still operated with a
with a little bit of a looser sense. I get
the sense this is a little bit more serious team
than than the ones that I was a part of.
There's not as many, I would say, characters. Is that
(24:13):
an accurate pution from what you've seen, you know so far?
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (24:17):
They are a little bit more, a little bit more
strict or more more serious than the years past.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Yeah, Max, I would say that arrow is pointing right
at the target. And the one thing to your point
about being loose, I have always said, uh, and still believe.
And now I'm not with this group because it's too early,
but I have always said that on Wednesday, I can't
tell if they've won fifty to nothing or lost fifty
(24:48):
to nothing. They're the same all the time because they
have to be. And and that goes back to your
group with I question. But I've noticed that over the
years all the time, and I still feel that way.
I think with this group that because there are so
many new players, I think they're still trying to figure
and understandably so, I think they're still trying to figure
(25:10):
out each other and and what their personal temperature is
after each game. I'll give you a small, small example.
I noticed in the season opener in New York that
when Aaron Rodgers, when they came out, you know, for
their introductions, and then went over to the sideline, Aaron
Rodgers stood by himself and nobody went over and talked
(25:34):
to him. Maybe that's the way he prefers it. Maybe
they just decided they were going to.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Leave him alone.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Maybe I'm red I was looking too much into it,
but I noticed that there was not a lot of engagement.
And that's not a knock against Aaron Rodgers at all.
It's just that I think that's all part of you know, Okay,
what is his routine? This guy's a four time league MVP.
Whatever he chooses to do or however he chooses to
be in those moments leading up to kick off, we'll
(26:01):
see how he is. And I think that's a small,
small example though, of what I'm talking about and what
you're asking about, Max, And so I think it's all
because of so many new players. They're still trying to
feel that aspect out. And I don't know if it's
a more serious locker room or it's a jovial locker
room only because there hasn't been enough time for all
(26:24):
these different players. And of course, you know, Max, in
your day, even though there was free agency, there has
not been a turnover on the roster like we've seen
the last two to three years, especially last year and
now most especially this year. You know, you didn't have
that kind of that amount of turnover. And I think
with all the different players, all the new players, they're
(26:47):
still trying to figure that out.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Got it? So Jerry.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Again, and I'm with you. Look, you know, just stack
wins early in the season. I don't care said this
on the air. I don't care if you win three
to two, it doesn't matter. At some point you have
to start figuring out what your identity is as a team,
and I think that comes, you know, about the mid
point of the season. We've seen a lot of teams
(27:14):
that peak in Week eight and they don't even make
the playoffs or they're they're floundering as they go into
the playoffs and they're an easy out. So that's kind
of and again that's not always the case generally speaking.
That's the way I look at it at a season.
Do you think there are some things I mean, I
clearly stopping the run.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
They want to stop the run. Are there other.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Things that the team is expecting to do better sooner
rather than later than they've done in the first two games.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Yeah, and Rob, I think that that's the central one
is stop the run, and you hear it all the time.
Make the other team one dimensional. All of a sudden,
that makes TJ. Watt more effective because if they can't
run and now they have to throw, then all of
a sudden, your your biggest weapon becomes more into play.
(28:07):
And so there's no doubt that's priority number one with them,
always has been and remains that way. And that's why
it's a little baffling that they haven't stopped the run,
you know, like they would like to now as you know, Rob,
I pointed this up to you yesterday when we were
chatting that despite the two Baltimore games, and I'm not
(28:28):
talking about the playoff game, the two regular season Baltimore games,
and despite the Eagles game, the Steelers ranked six in
the league last year against the runs. That's not too bad.
So you know, there is cause for hope that they
will get this fixed, and I'm sure they will, but
the fact that it's that it's continued is surprising to me.
(28:52):
And you know, you guys hear me say this all
the time, and I hate to wear it out, but
I always remember games failure, telling me, if we want
to stop the run, will stop the run. Now, it
might come at the expense of something else, but don't
stop the run. And yet this team hasn't done it,
and that they didn't do it in the playoff game,
it's still one of the great most baffling, surprising mysteries
(29:15):
to me that I have been around this team. After
Derrick Henry and the Ravens RAN's room in the regular
season and then the two weeks later to have them
go for two ninety nine, I would have never in
a million years, I'd have put my house up against
that one. Yep, that although that won't happen again, and
it not only happened again, it was worse. And so
(29:38):
that's what's kind of baffling to me about this. So
if you if so, if you are then focused, If
you are, which I have to assume they are, and
dedicated to stopping the run and you're not doing it,
then that tells me one of two things that your
schemes are bad or your talent isn't what you're thinking.
(30:01):
And so those those are what you have to look at.
If you were, if you were committed to stopping the
run and you're not doing it week after week after
week for the most part, then I think you have
to look at some other aspects of what's going on.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
Well, you know, looking on the other side of the ball,
committed to running the football. I think the funny thing
is that both of these axioms kind of apply to
both sides of the ball, right right, right, So you know,
do we apply that same type of axiom or same
type of mentality to the run game itself because they
(30:40):
are committed to running the football. I mean, you don't
bring a forty plus year old, you know, quarterback in
and expect to pass thirty, you know, thirty five to
forty five times a game. You know, you expect to
have a balanced run game or something that supports him
as well. So is that also kind of a similar
thing that that you see as well that you know
(31:02):
they have to figure that out.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
As far as about about their about the run.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Game, Yeah, I think it's more bothersome about the run
defense Max, But yeah, I think I think the same
kind of applies. And yet you look at what they
have upfront, I have to think, Look, you don't get
two number ones and number two and a fourth round
pick who I think is is pretty good, and you
(31:27):
combine them with a veteran like Isaac Sayamalo, I mean,
I think they have the players upfront, and then it
becomes Okay, how are you?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (31:37):
What is your technique? How are you executing? You know,
my biggest concern heading into the season was for a
run oriented team, if that's however we want to phrase.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
What they are.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Where are they going to get the production that they
got for four years with nause Hairs and then for
the last two years the combo of nine and Jalen Warren,
which was about sixteen hundred yards rushing a year, and
knowing that Najie Harris was there every game, I don't
know where they're.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Going to get that.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
And as we can see, they're not going to get
that from Caleb Johnson anytime soon. That doesn't mean he's
not any good. It just means that where they are
with him on his timetable, it's a long way away
before he starts becoming a factor. And Kenneth Gainwell is
not that kind of guy who's going to give you
fifteen carries and get forty five fifty yards per game.
(32:35):
I think he's I think he's a nice pickup. I
think he's a nice piece for their offense, but he's
not going to be a high production guy. And then
it comes on Jalen Wore. Is he that guy? Is
he going to get you one hundred yard rushing performances?
Is he going to get you three, four or five
a year? Well, that's what we're going to find out.
And so I don't know if it's the players themselves,
(32:58):
are you know the backs they have, or is it
just kind of you know, where you know, how's how's
the play up front? But regardless of what that problem
is and Max, you can analyze that front play a
whole lot better than me. I just don't know where
the production is going to come from the running game
to match what it at least has been the last
(33:20):
two years. And let's face it, they're not the scourge
of the league running the ball, but they certainly are
in terms of how many times they want to run
the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
So, Jerry, Uh, I wanted to ask you one more question,
but I think we have to let you go.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
I know, Tick, what's the We'll go make it a
quick one problem.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I was just gonna say, uh, you know what you
talked about Caleb Johnson. It made me think, you know
about new right tackle Broderick Jones, is a new left tackle?
You have new pieces on the defense?
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Are is? My expectation is this is going to be
very good team. Mute.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
I were talking about this yesterday. Are we putting too
much on what's going to happen? Because you know, we
expect these young guys to get better, but they're not
there yet. And I'm not trying to make excuses. There's
there's been injury issues, maybe communication things. Maybe this is
a team who's our expectations should be considerably.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Higher in week eight than they are in week two.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
This isn't Milton Williams coming in from New England who
instantly is going to make an impact. This is young
guys who need to feel their way and get better
over the course of a season.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
I agree with you, Rob, and I think, yeah, I
think as you get into the season, then will evaluate. Okay,
you know, are are they better than what we thought?
Are they not as good as what we thought? Look,
I'm with you. I thought after the Jalen Ramsey trade
and the John new Smith trade the packing steel, I
thought after that trade. Until then, I didn't think they
were a better team.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Than last year.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
I thought they were the same. But that trade convinced
me that, okay, they're a better football team. So if
they were ten and seven in my mind, that that
tells me they're fully capable of being eleven and six.
And I'm certainly not going to change my mind at
any point now. I mean, last year, at one point
they were ten and three. It looked like they might
be twelve and five, you know, going into December, but
(35:15):
they ended up ten and seven, which is where I
kind of thought they were. And so I'm not going
to back off what I think about this team. I
think they're better than last year. Now we'll see what
that entails, and we'll see how these quote problem areas
work themselves out. But way too early in the season.
You know we're aware of them, but it's not time
to panic over them.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Jerry do Lac the cool breeze blowing through the locker
room and blowing on to his next assignment. Jerry, thanks
for the time, man. Always appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
Well, you know, boys, I always enjoyed chatting with you,
and I will see you as always at the Bawyard
on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
You got it, Jerry Doulach joining us, presented by your
neighborhood Forges or the F one fifties, the official truck
of the Pittsburgh's Tea.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
There's Max and and mcfans of the North Shore four
dollars bud Light sixteen ounce aluminum during all Steeler.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Games, boys, guests, so nice. You gotta say it twice,
Jerry du Lac.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
We have a lot to get to and Jerry's giving
us a little meat on the bone which we can
talk about. Will also continue our preps with New England.
There is one area on this new England team that
has really set off some alarm bells in my head,
which we will get to when we continue Inside the
Locker Room with King and Stark's presented by your neighborhood
Ford Store.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
This is in the Locker Room with kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The
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Speaker 2 (36:58):
And thanks for being with us inside the locker room
and our thanks to Jerry Dulac for dropping by. And
that is something that I the last topic I asked
Jerry about Max is something that you know, you and
I have kicked around a little bit and I've been
thinking about it more and more. And you know, I've
had conversations with athletes in the past, including one who
(37:20):
got a little snippy with me, you know about it.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Was a hockey player back.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
In the day when I was covering the Saint Louis Blues,
and I said, yeah, you know it's taken you. I
thought you guys would be have kind of kicked it
into gearby now, and he was like, hey, listen, man,
these things sometimes they take time. You know, have a
little patience, and I think there's something to be said
for that.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Of course, in a hockey game you have, you know,
eighty plus games and the playoffs and all that other stuff.
The NBA you've got eighty plus games. Baseball you got
over one hundred and sixty games to get it together.
Football you only get seventeen, and so each loss is precious,
and I think it underscores the urgency to get it
together quickly. And I don't want to make excuses for
(38:06):
the team, but you know, it's also a bad look
when you're giving up a lot of yardage, when our
last memory is you getting sort of run out of
the building in Baltimore because you were giving up all
that rushing yardage. But I do think, you know, as
Aaron Rodgers kind of said after the last game, hang on, man,
(38:27):
just you know, settle down. It's a long season. We're
going to get better. I do think that the expectation
is to get better. And I do want to ask
you in one specific area on the offensive line, the again,
you know, I'm not asking for excuses, I'm asking for
(38:47):
an explanation. Off because you do this in your career,
move from right tackle to left tackle, as Broderick Jones
has done, perform as a rookie, as Troyano has done,
how that might affect other blockers? Uh, the tight ends
around you, How that might affect scheme. Hey, so and
(39:11):
so is going against his tackle. He's not really ready yet.
We got to bring an extra running we got to
leave an extra running back in and you can't put
him out in the pattern because we have to block
for There's a lot that goes into it. So why
don't you give us kind of an overview of you know,
maybe you know, starting with moving from right tackle to
left tackle, and starting with you know, for Troy Foutanu
(39:33):
that and we're talking Roger Jones there, just the the
difficulties of being a first year starter in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Yeah, so all right, we got we got, we got
some multifaceted time. Then we'll see if I could do
this before or break.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
How far by the way you got that I'm getting
over Yeah, yeah, thanks that. It's that gift that keeps
on giving. I felt it coming on on Sunday when
I was doing the game.
Speaker 4 (40:02):
So I hope and I felt it Tuesday, so we
shall see.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
This is the Yeah, this is a.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
Fun one to go into a game weekend and a
trip for a week overseas.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
But by the way, are you do you have a
do you have a college game? No? Thank goodness.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
I was actually supposed to have the Michigan State USC game,
but they slated that game for an eight pm Pacific
start time, so that is eleven pm Eastern, So there
was no way to make it from LA to Boston,
even if you even if you had a condor or
some type of hyper speed jet that would be to
(40:38):
Boston at time to call our game in Foxboro.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
So we have college this weekend.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
If we have the same thing, you'll be feeling much
better on Sunday. I so you'll be two days behind me.
I expect to be close to one hundred percent by tomorrow. Okay,
Well that and you'll be good to go to Ireland,
which is kind of nice. So anyway, sorry, go ahead.
I could hear your voice, so please proceed about offensive
line switching positions and being a first time starter at
(41:08):
a tackle position, like, let's face it, man, that is
a that's there's a reason that tackles get paid a
boatload of money because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Yeah, it is a tough position. It's not for the
faint of heart.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
And you know, I look at kind of you know,
their starts, and we'll start with Broderick.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
You know, for Broderick, you know, you come.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
In this league and you know you're a left tackle
in college and you've been very good at it. But
he he didn't have the requisite experience that you would
think most tackles usually come in with right I mean,
he had sixteen career games under his belt, handful of
(41:55):
starts I would say about twelve. I think believe twelve
of those were starts, but he never had to finish
through the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
And so.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
You look at that right there, says okay, there's already
a learning curve behind things. Get to this league and
now you switch positions. Now you go to the right
side of the line, and you have to learn it.
You're you know, you're fighting to figure it out. You
(42:24):
get thrown in cheocks, the corps four gets injured, and
you're now a right tackle. So you have to relearn
everything that you've known as a left tackle, and of
course he was doing some swing work during training camp
and during the regular season up until Cheeks's injury, right,
so it's not like he's brand new to this, but
(42:44):
it is new wer because he doesn't have the thousands
of reps at left tackle that he brings over to
the right side.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
So you try and train, you train, you train, you train.
Speaker 4 (42:57):
You now get yourself over the last handful of years
and you are a right tackle. You've figured it out,
You've now switched your mindset, and now you're making the
transition back to the other side. Year three, you make
the transition, and now you have to go back to
what you know. And yes, it is like riding a bicycle,
(43:18):
but physiologically a bicycle is easier to ride because you're
using unilateral movements. Right, you're using your left and your
right side and they just alternate consistently to pedal that bike.
When you switch from the right side to the left
side back, you have to rewire your entire body right,
(43:42):
what's right is now wrong, what's up? What is now down?
It's a different world biomechanically, so the feedback that your
body usually gives you from doing things is backwards. So
I talked about this last week about how Roger would
drop that post leg to with his right As a
(44:04):
left tackle, your post leg is your right leg, So
that means that leg has to stay high right because
it creates the angle, creates a fence.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
You need that.
Speaker 4 (44:13):
Quote unquote kind of right angle on the left side
to be able to create that wall for the guard
and the center. You want to create that quote unquote
curved picket fence. Well, you've been a right tackle for
so long, you've been doing everything. Guess what you get
(44:34):
to that moment and you're trying to fight a guy,
you get inside pressure. Well, right tackle, that's cool to
drop the right leg. That's what you're technically already doing.
Your body, your hips already shifted to naturally do that.
When you're a left tackle, you drop the inside leg
or the right leg, that is a direct path to
the quarterback. That's the area you're actually trying to present right.
(44:56):
If you're doing a daisy chain, you know, holy hands
with each of your off If it's alignment, the left
guard and the left tackle would be holding in what
the tackle would consider his inside half or his right half.
So that's the biggest thing that project's gonna be fighting,
is not dropping that right leg when he's when he's
been in a right leg back position for the last
(45:19):
two years. So that's the biggest thing. And I saw
a good adjustment from week one to week two with
that where he fought to get parallel. You start with
a stagger as you receive inside pressure. You want to
fight to get to parallel because obviously you're not gonna
be able to drive your knee into into the stomach
(45:41):
of the guy the entire time. I mean, there are
casies where you do it short quick pass game. Guy
takes an initial step inside, you can kind of what
we call high leg into it. He he is working
towards that, but getting to parallel still is a big
victory for more for most people. So I saw that
transition from week one to week two, but it's still
(46:02):
a tough one. Run game is the next the coordinator
footwork that you're gonna have on the left side run game.
You can't get split split a beat to the inside
similar concept except for us not from a passing when
where you get depth to kind of figure it out,
you're right on the ball, you're right at the line
of scrimmas you're right now, and so that's where it's
going to take a transition. So I said, you know,
(46:25):
give me five games or six weeks, so to speak,
then I can tell you really what it is.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
But that's what he's fighting.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
And then Troy five games by the way, real quick,
and I want to I want to talk about Troy
as a first year starter. But everything you're talking about,
Troy played more left tackle in college, correct, so he's
making Is he facing some of those now? Last year
he played all right tackle in camp and an OTAs
(46:52):
he's played all right tackle in camp this year. Does
he still need and again we'll talk about the rookie
suff after the break, but again as a guy moving
from left to right, similar challenges, And then does he
also need.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
Five or six week years?
Speaker 2 (47:08):
You a little further along because of that time he
had last year and this year in camp.
Speaker 4 (47:14):
Do you really want to answer this with at three
bits to the top of the hour or we save
this for the other side.
Speaker 3 (47:19):
No, we're gonna save it for the other side.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
We're gonna save that discussion about Troy Fouletano because it's
a critical discussion. It is a critical discussion for what
the Steelers need to do to protect Aaron Rodgers and
run the football, and we could talk about the interior
line play as well. Also again haven't quite gotten to
the to the the element for the Patriots. That's that's us.
(47:43):
Got my hair standing up in the back of my neck.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
I don't like it.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
We'll get to that whom we continue inside the locker room.
The King and Starts presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
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