September 4, 2025 • 43 mins
Max and Wes Uhler today, discuss the matchup against the Jets. Gerry Dulac calls in to share his thoughts on week 1 and the team.
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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 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):
All right, welcome inside the locker room. I am your host,
Max Stark said, you know, I guess for a Pirates
slash baseball reference Wes Euler's pinch hitting huh huh.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Out of the bullpen, out of the bullpen, like rip
the wild thing.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Vaughn here, Max, that's right, give me Vaughn, give me
Vaughn wild Thing.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
You make my heart sing. No.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Rob is busy today, so Wes. We'll be returning back
to the airwaves for the show to day. How are you,
west Man? What's what's been up? It's been like all
what's going on that I last saw you?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
That's right, and I'll see you again here soon and
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Man.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
No things are good.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I mean, Max, Before you know, before you and I
go to bed tonight, we'll have the first NFL game
of the season in.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
The books it's finally here.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
So I'm excited, man, happy to uh happy to be
doing this with you here and get to get to
chop it up with you for a couple hours, and
you know, again, just really looking forward to We got
an NFL game tonight, we got an NFL game tomorrow night.
Uh you know, full slate of college football Saturday, and
then first NFL Sunday.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
It's gonna be a good four days here.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
No, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We are zero sleeps away from the season kicking off officially,
and that will be of course Eagles, Cowboys right, a
little NFC East.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You know, road.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Rage happening right now, that's gonna happen tonight. That to
kick off the season. Obviously to the victor goes to spoil.
So it's funny when you when you were when you're
the last person to play at the end of the season,
you're the first person to play at the beginning of
the season. I don't don't ask me how that works.
Usually you say, well, no, you say that for like
a Monday night. But you know, they they want to
(02:12):
show off the crown jewel right at the beginning, and
who better to do it against than the Micah Parsons
lists h Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
After their documentary. No, that that's going to be great.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
That's what's crazy about tonight, Max is there was already
so many storylines going into this one, right because you've
got the defending Super Bowl champions, You've got you know,
one of the you know, after Steelers Ravens of course,
which we all know sits at the top of the
NFL rivalry pyramid. Uh, you've got what might be the
second best rivalry in the NFL in terms of Eagles
and Cowboys. A fun matchup to get things going. And
(02:47):
then yeah, obviously now the huge storyline of Michaeh Parsons
not being there for the Cowboys, and I just I
just wonder, Max, like, and you could obviously speak, you know,
much better to this than me is the one who
has actually been in the locker room and played in
the National Football League. But man, I got to imagine
when the Cowboys got on that plane yesterday, you know, Wednesday,
(03:08):
in Dallas or Fort Worth or Arlington or wherever they
fly out of Like, when they're getting on that plane
and they're looking around and they're like, man, our best
player isn't here, Like Michael Parsons isn't here, and yeah,
Kenny Clark is a nice player that we added in
the trade. But like our defense clearly got worse, and
we are not as good of a team, not as
(03:29):
loaded as we thought we were going to be coming
in here. Like I wonder what that if you're Dak Prescott,
if you're CD Lamb, you know, like I wonder what
that kind of you know, just state of mind is
like for the Cowboys preparing for this game and now
really that kind of reacity, you know, traveling to Philadelphia,
being in Philadelphia, that real reality of you know, wow,
our twenty six year old stud edge rusher is gone.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I mean you have to feel like, you know,
you're going into this with uh, with less than a
full chain or right, you know you're going into this
like you know, wait a second, where's my helmet? I
got all these other pads up? Where's where's my helmet?
Or why do I have shoulder pads on? You know
what I'm saying, Like it's missing from the uniform or
(04:14):
the team. A major piece of equipment is missing, a
major you know component is missing from you know, going
to battle like this and you know, maybe maybe there's
you know, in the back of the mind of Dak
and all them, it's a.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
It's probably.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
You know, hey, maybe maybe if I had taken like
four or five million less, maybe we could have kept him,
right I had all I was acting all crazy and stuff.
Maybe if it would have been five mill less, I might
have been able to But no, no, no longer he's
a Green Bay Packer. So just how the Packers have
I want to say, like ended their playoff hopes like
(04:56):
so many years ago, Like I mean, I mean, I
feel like the Packers have been like the square team
that has like disrupted their playoff runs for like six
straight years. You trade, you traded your best player to them, right,
you know what I'm saying. Like that's where, yeah, it
doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. And you know what,
go Philly cheese steaks.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I'm just saying, I mean, the Cowboys can't get right,
so you know they you know, I wish they would take.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Their title from them, you know what I'm saying, Like, like,
do you ever think.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
About good West?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like like are they really still America's team?
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Right? I Mean that's where I struggle with that.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, And I don't know, like maybe this is too
millennial of me, Max, But do we even have an
America's team anymore?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Like now everybody you can watch seven hundred games a
season on your phone. You can watch your team anytime anywhere,
live on replay, like the draw of Like, oh, the
Cowboys were always on national TV and they became America's team.
There's so any people that have no ties to Notre Dame,
(06:03):
Irish Indiana or Catholicism that love Notre Dame just because
they were on TV all the time. There's people, you
know this, Max, There's people that have never been to
Georgia or Atlanta that they just love the Braves because
of what Turner Sports did and pumping the Braves into
everybody's home.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
Does that really matter anymore?
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Now?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I think all those teams are like the most hated.
You know, the teams that kind of used to be
the most popular are now the most hated. Like everybody
hates the Cowboys, everybody hates the Yankees, everybody hates the
Celtics and the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
So I'm like, is it really and you know what
throwing the Dodgers in there, you know, might as well
for yeah, yeah, you know it's an LA thing. Yeah, No,
I don't know if there's really any true I feel
like it's just America's sports.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yes, that's exactly, this is America's sports because I mean,
you know, yeah, we have like the KBO and some
other baseball organizations, but I mean MLB is the prevailing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Baseball baseball team league provider in the world.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You have, you know, everybody from every other country plays
there for football purposes, right with. Nobody else comes close.
We're the only one that's professional. We've been doing it
for over one hundred years. Nothing close basketball even, right,
if international players want to play, they come to America.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
So you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So I feel like, you know, you have that holy trinity,
Like soccer is the only sport where we don't dominate. Yes, yes, right,
I would say that's probably the only sport we don't
dominate in.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And men's soccer too, because we dominate women's soccer.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, that's that's true. I forgot about that.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, So yeah, so really men's global side, like we're
not gonna We're not gonna beat out. You know, epl right,
you know, we're not being that La liga like, it's
not just gonna happen. So you know, when you think
about it, to actually have America's team singular, it's like,
(08:11):
you haven't done anything in thirty years.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Not even been close. Like yeah, that I mean, Max,
they they haven't. They haven't been back to an NFC
championship game since they you know, won that Super Bowl
thirty unfortunately against the Steelers in that ninety five ninety
six season. That's been thirty years since they've even been
back to an NFC championship game. That's cool. That's a
long time. I mean, that's a real draught. Like we
(08:38):
talk about, you know, like we get frustrated in Pittsburgh
eight years without a playoff win.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
It's too long. We have this high standard.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Uh, the Steelers, you know, since what ninety five ninety
six have probably played in what six or seven AFC
championship games and in those in those last in those
last thirty years, it is making super Bowls.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Yeah, yes, bend to three Super Bowls, a couple of
other AFC championship games, the two Super Bowl victories of course,
and that's like you know, I think it transitions a
little obviously, Dallas tonight you look ahead at the opponent
that you're facing on Sunday and the Jets.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
And again that's not to excuse some of the lack
of postseason success that the Steelers have had, but I
think it does also sometimes put it into perspective of like, hey,
it's nice that we have this high standard. It's nice
that our expectations that were very greedy in Steeler Nation,
but man, we do at the same time still got
it a lot better than most we do.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
We do, and that's the one thing, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And I don't want to sit there and kind of
use it as the crutch of the conversation, but I
think at the same time, like you said, I think
I think what you said was very important perspective.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Look around and.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Will you take that snapshot of thirty years, how many
have done it better? Only two I can think of, Right,
It's the Patriots and the Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
That's it. Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I mean we argue Baltimore, right, Baltimore as well. Baltimore
has been to two one to two in the last
thirty years.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Yeah, Philly's getting there.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
I mean they've been to what been a four and
one two in that time in that time span.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah, in that time span. So I mean you're in
the upper echelon. You're in the top. You know, you're
in the top what ten to fifteen percent of teams
that have done it, you know, you can we can
only think of a handful, and the Steelers are included
in a handful because we're not We're not all the
way down and we're not well the team we're playing
(10:36):
the Sunday. We're not the Jets, we're.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Not the Brown exactly right, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And even the Panthers have been to Super Bowls and
the NFC championship games right in that time stance.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
So it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
The Falcons have Saints. I mean, you know, I.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Mean even the Jets.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Even the Jets went to back to back AFC championship games.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Matt, I'll make it even worse, the Jacksonville Jaguars went
to the AFC championship game.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
In the last thirty years. Just just think about that.
Woofh God, that's right.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
That's that's not great. That's not great.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
And yeah, and now I mean again they like Max,
I think you could have you could have at least
made a good faith argument that they were a contender
in the NFC, you know, not a not a favorite.
I don't think they're you know, they're they're certainly not
Philly or maybe Detroit or you know, one of those
true upper echelons in the NFC. But they were probably
right in that next conversation, but not not without Michael
(11:40):
Parsons man.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Not less that.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I mean, I think they're gonna have They're gonna be
doing you know Cincinnati Bengals things where you know Dak
and Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens. They're gonna have to
score thirty five, thirty eight points a lot, and it
still might not be enough, still matter.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And they don't really have that good of a of
a rushing attack, so you don't even know if they
could even whole time of possession.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
That's the other thing.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Usually, if you have a bad defense, right, your offense
can't chew up time and kind of offset that by
limiting the exposure of your defense.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
They don't have that.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
It's all passing games, so it could go three and
out or it could go air it out, and you
know you're still not gonna be winning that argument. So
enough with that for the opening salvo here inside the show,
we're gonna step aside. We'll be back, and of course
we have the cool breeze. That's right this regular season time,
that breeze is gonna be rolling in. I'm sure it's
(12:32):
pretty breezy up there in Pittsburgh right now, Wesley. So
we are gonna have Jerry Julac joining us after this
commercial break. You're inside the locker room with King of
Starks Wesley Euler sitting in when we come back.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
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 Stoyteelers and by Steelers Pro Shot. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shot at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh that is you know what time it is, Wes.
Will you hear that sounder right there? It is? It
is nothing more than just.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
A beautifully cool breeze coming through your radio airwaves, And
of course that would be the one, the only Jerry
Doulach and Jerry is brought to you by Bud Light,
the proud sponsor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jerry Doulach.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
How are we doing.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
Today, Jerry, Well, match, I'm terrific. It's always good to
be with you again. I will take a small, small
moment here to remember our friend Wolf, who we think
about every day. And you know, for years, even before
you were doing the show, back when it was Wolf
and Punch in the locker room every Thursday morning, I
(13:57):
would spend time with them, and of course you and
Wolf the last couple of years, and uh, I think
about them all the time, and I just thought i'd
take a little moment on our first appearance of the
season to remember our dear friend.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Absolutely, absolutely, Jerry, you know it is it is a
wolf size hole that's left in all of our hearts.
You know what he means to us, and and obviously
you know the legacy that he's left here in Steelers
Nation is one that you know, it can't be replaced.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
You know, you can only hope to add on to
that legacy. And that's what we're gonna do here. Uh.
Wes is filling in for Rob today. Wes. Uh, you know,
I think, I think, I think, I think.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Of this weekend, and you know we're gonna have the
Wolf Tribute to open the season before we play the Jets,
which I think is gonna be something that's gonna be
really cool.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
But also, you know, we played in the preseason.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I was it was it was definitely a little tough
to get through the the intro after here hearing it, right,
But but we're.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Gonna press on. We're gonna press on, and.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
You know, like the Steelers are doing getting ready for
Week one, we are going to continue our preparation for
this game and and of course carrying that that that
that legacy with us, Jerry, I wanted to kind of
get your thoughts just as we as we get ready
for this game. Obviously, the news coming out a little
bit earlier that Elijah vera Tucker season ending UH injury.
(15:30):
He's having surgery on his torn triceps. You know, a
big blow for this uh, for this team, guy who's
just recently minted as the captain in the voting with
the team not available for them. When you look at
this and the preparation, what are your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Just about this?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
This Jets office has already has its own limitations, but
now really without as one of his best offensive linemen.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
Well, you know, uh, Max. When I look at this game,
I'm not so interested in the other team, what they have,
what they got, what they don't have, because what I
want to see is what this Stealer team has, and
we haven't seen a pretty good portion of it it
(16:18):
just in terms of personnel throughout the preseason, and we're
going to get it all tomorrow, excuse me, Sunday. So
I focus. I'm focused more on where this team is
and what we can expect. I really don't care who
they are playing. It's probably a nice little test that
(16:39):
they are going up against a five win team from
last year who presents some problems offensively or can. But
you know, all withhold judgment on Justin Fields, he did
a nice job with the stable, solid franchise and quality coaches.
And that's no knock against Aaron Glenn or their new coordinator.
(17:00):
But you know, Justin Fields has won fourteen games in
four years, so and they paid them forty million dollars.
So it's not like you know that this is a
team that's going to present a formidable task and so what.
But I'm regardless of who it is, I'm looking forward
to seeing how this Steeler team performs. Uh, you know
(17:25):
on Sunday and especially Aaron Rodgers, he K Metcalf, John
new Smith and you know, a heavy day from a
dose of Jalen Warren, I think you're gonna see a
lot of tennis. Dane. Well, that's what I'm gonna be
looking at.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I'm completely with you, Jerry, And you know, it feels
like a a real opportunity for the Steelers offense. I
think everybody knows they are. They are going to be
far from a finished product week one. There's there's gonna
have to be some rust that that's gonna be needed
to be knocked off. There's gonna have to be some
you know, some guys getting in sync between Aaron Rodgers,
(18:04):
DK Metcalf, you know, all the new weapons that that
Aaron Rodgers has to work with, that that talented trio
of tight ends. But it really does feel like establishing
the run for the Steelers, getting Jalen Warren going early
is going to be imperative against this Jets team to
really give them that time to gel as an offense.
(18:25):
I know it's it's hard to evaluate in training camp
the run game. It's it's hard in the preseason when
you're not seeing the entire first unit together. But are
you you know what what I guess I should maybe
phrase it this way, what level of confidence do you
have that they're going to be able to lean on
Jalen Warren and you know gain Well and Caleb Johnson
to a certain extent as well too. And you know
(18:48):
Aaron Rodgers can can throw the ball twenty sometimes instead
of thirty sometimes.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Do you do you think that's realistic?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
You know what? You know?
Speaker 7 (18:58):
Not that I confidence in what they might be able
to do, but I will tell you that I think
one of the biggest underestimated aspects of this Steeler team
is it's nice to say on paper, but where are
they going to get the production they that they had
(19:19):
with the tandem of Najee Harris and Jalen Warren. And so, yeah,
it's easy to say Kenneth Gaywell and Caleb Johnson and
maybe that will prove to be true. But when you
have a running back who had four straight one thousand
yard seasons and never missed the game, that's difficult to replace.
So the idea that the Steelers want to be a
(19:40):
run oriented team with different people except for Jalen Warren,
that's nice, and it may well prove to be true,
but until they do it, you know, I think that's
the one aspect of this team where I think going
into the season they are not better than where they
were last year. That's the one unit I think that
is lack uh in that regard from past from the
(20:03):
past season. So, you know, we'll see how it proved,
you know, how it bears out. But I I think,
you know, for a team that says they want to
run the ball, we'll have to We'll have to wait
and see what transpires with this with that offense.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
No, yeah, that that there's a lot of questions there,
and even I think, you know, defensively, there's still a
lot of questions. I know, I know we got kind
of a preview in the Carolina game. But if there's
one group that I feel really confident about, Jerry, it's
this secondary with the small sample size that we saw.
(20:43):
But what are your thoughts about this Steelers secondary? Obviously
a lot of new pieces, a lot of free agent signings,
a lot of movement this offseason to rebuild this secondary.
You know, you go and you get Brandon Echles, you
go and you get one thorn Hill, you go and
you get Darius and then you trade for Jalen Ramsey
right before the beginning of training camp. You know, how
(21:04):
do you how do you feel defensively? You know, this
matchup and what they're able to provide really looks like
going into this game.
Speaker 7 (21:13):
Well, Max, I agree with you there. That is what
I questioned, the one unit and the linebacker unit too,
that I think you have no concerns about now the
defensive line. Maybe you know, well Cam's going to play,
but without Derek Harmon, but you still have two young guys,
actually three young guys among that top five, top six.
(21:33):
But when you look at what they've done in the
secondary and they didn't stop after they made the moves
that they did, then they go make the trade for
Jalen Ramsey. And before that trade, Max, I thought this
Steeler team was kind of on par with where they
were last year. But that trade for Jalen Ramsey and
John who Smith to me put them over the top.
That convinced me that they are a better team than
(21:56):
they were last year. Now we'll see how that plays out.
Does that mean they're eleven and six or better? Well,
that's what I think They're going to be. Eleven and
six but we'll see. But I don't think there's any
question that Jalen Ramsey trade was the cherry on top
of everything they've done, especially in the secondary. And when
you get two players like that for the price of
(22:16):
Minka Fitzpatrick in a draft choice, you know, to me,
that was a home run, and it was just another
sign of their commitment or slash desperation to get this
thing over the top and to let's get back on
track and let's win a playoff game and see where
(22:36):
they can go from them.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
Jerry, you mentioned Cam Hayward there. I mean, we know
none of these guys are in one hundred football shape
in Week one. They've all got some ramping up to do.
But Cam has done less work than anybody. He's a
little bit longer in the tooth than anybody, and obviously
you need him much more in December and January than
you need him in September. This Sunday MetLife Stadium, what
(23:01):
does that role, what does that usage look like for
Cam Hayward Sunday afternoon?
Speaker 7 (23:06):
Yeah, I don't have any concerns with Cam's conditioning. You know, yeah,
there's no game conditioning, but there's no game conditioning for
a lot of players, but of course he's thirty six.
I think the biggest question or the concerns that I
have is when I see guys don't fully participate in
training camp and the preseason, especially as they get older.
(23:28):
You see it time and again they have injuries early
in the season, and that is always my concern when
I see guys pretty much skipped training camp and the preseason.
Though I know he was around and so that was
at least part of the battle. That was good, But
that is my biggest concern. But you're right, they don't
need Cam in September. They want them later. You know,
(23:50):
they want them later in November December, and they've been
very cognizant of that each of the last however, many
number of years of trying to keep him fresh for
that time year, even though that's very difficult to do. That,
of course, is the big key with getting too young
defensive linemen. You know Carl Dunbar likes to have a
rotational system. Well that's fine, but when your rotational system
(24:13):
takes a big drop after your first three guys, your
rotational system isn't very good. Well, that's what they were
trying to improve upon, where they feel maybe they have
five linemen that they can rotate, maybe even six, and
not have that big drop off in years past. So
I think that was the big key for that. I
personally don't think they should be done with that. I
(24:35):
think they should go into next year's draft. We all
know about the quarterback. I get that, but they shouldn't
think they should say I don't think they should settle
for the defensive line being finished. I think they still
need to get one more big time piece there. And
now all of a sudden you've got a really dominant front.
I think why a Black offers the possibility of being
(24:56):
that guy as well? Think you know, I think the
biggest thing with Cam, and I don't even think it's
going to be his mental state. Fellas, Cam's a pro
and when he goes out on the field, he's going
to play. But everybody knows what's going on here. It's
kind of an antenuous situation for Cam. You know, he
(25:17):
wants a new deal that's not going to be forthcoming,
and you know he's he's unfortunately the vast majority of
the public has been against him, which is sad, but uh,
you know, sometimes that happens in these contract situations, especially
with what you know, you know, how Cam signed the
deal last year. We all know that now he wants
(25:39):
a new one, and I get I get where Cam's
coming from, but unfortunately he's painting himself into a bad
kind of situation. And uh, he'll be out there playing.
I have no doubts about that. He has actually has
no recourse really, and once he gets on the field,
Cam will be fun.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
I mean Cam is a try tested, a true veteran,
and you know, I think, you know, leadership when when
adversity happens. I think he tends to rise to the
occasion like he always does. And you're right, I don't
see an issue there. I mean, yes, things are always messy,
you know, and you know there's those moments, but at
the end of the day, he's a true teammate and
he will strap it on and be ready to rock
(26:22):
and roll. Jerry, you know, I know you have to
run very soon, but I do want to, you know,
make sure we get these you know, one more for
me and one more from Wes. You know, as I
kind of look at you know what this game means
like for the start of the season, and we've we've
already outlined. You know, what's been done to really bolster
(26:45):
this team. And obviously there's that, There's there's the looming
headline Aaron Rodgers returns to New York.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
That's that.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's that's going to dominate a lot of the broadcasts,
you know, and just thinking about that. But you know,
in your history of talking to guys who have gone
and played against their former teams and that type of thing,
you know, what type of you know, mental state have
you ever ascertained from guys about going into this and
(27:14):
playing against that former team that you were just recently with.
And for him, I mean, you know, season opener a
year ago, he's the starting quarterback for the Jets, and
then Jessin Fields is starting quarterback for the Steelers for
our season opener and kind.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Of this whole red Rover type of situation. How unique
is this.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
To have two opposing quarterbacks starting against their former teams
in the very next year. Have you seen that, you
know over time or is this a first time really
experiencing this type of head to head to start a year.
Speaker 7 (27:49):
Max. Not only have I never seen it, nobody in
the history of the National Football League has ever seen
it where the opposing quarterbacks are facing the team that
they played for the previous season, and they're going against
each other in Week one. It's never happened in a
one hundred and five year history of the National Football League.
(28:09):
It's the first time, and so that's going to be
somewhat of a momentous occasion, even though nobody really knows
it until me, you and Wes as I just told
you and whoever and whoever's listening. That's how's unique this
situation is. But there's no question. So much attention is
(28:30):
focused on Aaron Rodgers and it's going to be a
big game for him, not necessarily personally, but from the attention.
However he performs is going, you know, is going to
be garnered. And by that, I mean if he starts,
he comes out and he throws three touchdowns and looks
like the old Aaron Rodgers, everybody's going to say super
(28:50):
Bowl Aryal, we excited, this is great. And if it
comes out and throws a couple in the dirt and
looks like he did in those four plays against Tampa
Bay and a joint practice, and I know that that
was a small, small, small, small sample, but you know,
if the ball gets picked. Now, everybody's going to say,
why did they do that? As Aaron Rodgers done at
age forty one, It's one game. We can't judge them
(29:12):
either way. Nonetheless, the national media and the local fan
base will be watching every move Aaron Rodgers makes and
they'll be determined the rest of the seventeen game season
based on those sixty minutes Sunday in MetLife stadiums fairly
or unfairly.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
No doubt about that, No doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Jerry, before we let you go, how do you think
those sixty minutes on Sunday at MetLife Stadium play out
who's victorious?
Speaker 7 (29:40):
Well, Wes, I you know, I like this Steeler team.
Do I think they're a super Bowl team? No? Do
I think they're better than last year's team. As I
said earlier, Yeah, I do, and I think that last
trade put them over the top. So I would expect
them to go in there, and you know, they've been
pretty good in season openers in the last couple of years,
going into Cincinnati, going into Atlanta, you know, on the road,
(30:04):
I expect them to do the same. I don't know
how many points they're going to put up. I don't
look for any big offensive explosion because they're not going
to come out and just start winging it. But I
like them and the score I picked in the paper
I think, which will be online today, I'll tell you
now was Steelers twenty six thirteen. So I expect them
(30:25):
to handle the business. Again, if you're talking about a
Jets team with new coaches, some new personnel, they won
five games last year. They have a quarterback, so let's
face it, it's not like they brought in Patrick Mahomes
or Joe Burrow and we'll see, you know, it's going
to be a big game for Justin fields for those
Jet fans too. But that's what I think will happen.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Well, there it is. I mean, I think I think
we're both kind of I think we're all in the
same boat, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
I think we feel like business will be handled. Might
not be as pretty as clean because this is the
first time the full consortiums playing together, but nonetheless, this
is going to be a good week one test for
the Steelers, and hopefully, you know, it kind of gives
us a better glimpse and we can get a better
assertation about what this team is.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
So we appreciate the time Jerry.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Of course, not only this sturs but every Thursday for
hopping inside the locker room with us. And of course
Jerry Dolc is brought to you. Bye Bud Light, and
remember Bud Light the official sponsor of not only the
Pittsburgh Steelers, but also Jerry Dulac as well.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
Jerry, have a great day. We'll see you at the
Ballyard Bud.
Speaker 7 (31:32):
Thanks, boys, I can't wait, thanks too.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
All right, all right, we're gonna step aside real fast.
I was Jerry dol Like. We'll be back with more
here inside the locker room at these commercial breaks.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
This is in the locker room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Neighborhood Forward Store.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
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Dog Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Alrighty back inside the locker room here, and you know,
just go off of a great segment with Jerry Dulac
Wes and you know, just I think he's absolutely right,
Like it does not matter who the opponent is.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
It's a nameless great face right now.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And really what it is is about how good can
the Steelers be and what does this team look like
at full strength or I should say at least ninety
nine percent strength.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
See what I did?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
There No Derek Harmon obviously available, but I mean even still,
just the amount of talent that I think we've kind
of come to appreciate it. And we watch should unfold
in training camp, right, you know, from day one.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Just look at all the new names, all the new numbers, and.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
How will this group come together? And we saw some
great competition in camp, We saw some great competition in
the preseason. And now it's okay, now that the clock
has started, right, the clock is now ticking. You got
eighteen opportunities or seventeen opportunities, I take that back, eighteen
(33:30):
over eighteen weeks. Yeah, once again, you know, math is
still a little fuzzy this.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
Early in the morning.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
It's all right, it's all right, we're getting into it.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah, we're getting into it. But you know, what is
this team going to be? I think that's the prevailing question.
I think a lot of the league doesn't know as well,
because I mean we've seen you know, people you know,
try and predict what their records going to be, you know,
by the end of the year.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
I mean, we had everything. This is mcdonalin's first losing
season to all the way up.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
The should have win eleven to twelve games, right, even
Jerry feels confident about eleven and six, you know, for
the record, you know, But but it starts in Earnest
on Sunday before we can really we can speculate all
we want, but now it's time to really kind of
put up or shut up for this team. And I'm
just really excited. I mean, what what what what's outside
(34:20):
of like the Aaron Rodgers. You know, I said that
to Jerry, and I think that's a prevailing headline that
everybody's gonna run with this week, right, has been Aaron.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
Rodgers returns to New York. Oh my gosh, play are
the Jets.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
But really it's what does this team look like against
the Jets with Aaron Rodgers, not just Aaron Rodgers in
a silo, you know, DK metcalf, John news Smith, right,
Roman Wilson, Kenneth Gainwell, like Caleb Johnson, all these new
pieces on the offense that are going to go to
(34:53):
aid what Aaron Rodgers is trying to do. You know,
how do you how do you how do you see
it from your perspective? You know, with this game coming up,
what do you see offensively as being one of the
really gonna be key factors or things that you're looking
forward to seeing.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, a whole bunch obviously, But let me like I'll
start with, you know, kind of one of the things
that I asked Jerry there, Max, and it's it's about
this run game. Because there's certainly plenty of unknown around
the Steelers passing offense as well too. We didn't see
Aaron Rodgers in preseason, we didn't see DK Metcalf in preseason.
What's it looked like with the wide receivers behind DK?
(35:31):
What's the usage and the target numbers and all those
things of the three talented and capable tight ends that
we know that the that Aaron Rodgers is going to
be targeting plenty as well too. But to me, Max,
it really starts with the run game. It really starts
with that offensive line. I'm confident that that offensive line
is going to be able to pass protect. But can
(35:52):
they can they move people? Can they push bodies in
the run game. I'm confident that Jalen Warren is a
is a really good NFL running back, but can he
be that being the guy for seventeen games? You know,
twenty touches a game, eighteen touches a game for seventeen games.
(36:12):
To me, if the Steelers run game, which last year
four point one yards per carry, that was like in
the late twenties in the league max, if they can
get that up to four point three four point four,
that puts them more.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
In the twelve to sixteen range.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
And I think that would be massive for Aaron Rodgers,
DK Metcalf, all those tight ends the Steelers defense as
well too, as you'd suddenly be asking them to play
less snaps and you'd be controlling the clock in elongating
drives a little bit longer. You know that all those things,
it's an ecosystem. They all work in tandem together. But
(36:49):
to me, and I know, obviously it's just week one,
it's not a finished product. They are allowed to and
they will get better and improve, but I really hope
that we are able to start see them establish that
run game, which just feels like all these Aaron Rodgers,
DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, TJ. Watt Cam Heyward, all these
(37:10):
very very important things and all these superstars. But man,
if they if that run game has a failure to launch,
that's gonna hinder everything else they're trying to do. That's
what I'm really gonna be, you know, out of the
gates looking at.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
I appreciate you thinking like a lineman. West.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
I appreciate that because I'm going to give you an
additional layer here.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
It's way easier to go forward than it is backwards
in football.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I don't know if you knew that, And especially for
guys that are you know, and in the hefty hefty
you know Cinsac Club as an offensive.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Lineman is uh.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
You know, we want you want to run the football,
you want to go impose your will, you want to go.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
And flick damage on the opponent.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
And you'd rather be proactive than reactive in those type
of situations. So I'm right there with you. I think,
you know, what is this run game?
Speaker 4 (38:08):
What is it? And what have we learned? You know,
I think of it even more so.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Ken you know, Kem brogerck Jones assumed the mantle of
left tackle. Can Troy Batano be the right tackle? You know,
we know what that interior is we saw it a
year ago. We haven't seen the edges, So how well
secured are these edges going to be, and how it
determines how clean that pocket's going to be for Aaron Rodgers,
(38:36):
how good the outside zone stretch game is going to
be in the run game, you know, when you're talking
about hitting a guy at the point and that backside
cutoff is going to be key for the cutback lane
for the running backs. Like so many things happen with
that offensive line that we still kind of have questions
(38:57):
about because everything was so base during the preseason and
you know, the challenges of that. It didn't really get
going in the preseason.
Speaker 4 (39:06):
And then get it. I listen, Jalen did not play.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
You know, majority of that had a couple of had
a couple of snaps in the Carolina game. It was
mainly you know, it was mad and Ken Gamewell didn't
really play. It was mainly the Caleb Johnson rookie showcase
to get him going.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Yeah, you know, and.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
Then you know, we saw what you know, and then
later in the game we saw what Lou Nichols was.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
That's what I was excited about.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Lou Nichols Trey Surman, you know, looking at these different guys,
but really it's going to come down to what does
that trio look like in the backfield?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Well, how does it dicern stuff.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I thought Jerry made a very good point that it's
not easy to replace a guy who never missed a
game and all he did was was average one thousand
yard seasons.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
For you, that's no doubt, that's one.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
That's one that's one of the little things you kind
of look back on and you're like, man, Okay, we
can worry about it. George Pickens DK metcalf Boom for boom,
Buck for Buck, no drop off there. And I think,
you know, with Roman Wilson and what he kind of
shield in the preseason, you have to feel elevated about
him being a number, you know, in that number two
three slot with Calvin Austin, but that backfield is still
(40:08):
relatively big. Is a big yeah, And I can't you know.
Speaker 5 (40:13):
I'm hoping for it and listen Max for you know.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
For here's probably I think the best way to state
this that I've been kind of using throughout the off
season when we talk Naji Harris, Like Naji Harris is
you know, is not a Lamborghini, Like, he's not a
luxury sports car that a lot of fans want at
that position. But you know what, though, there's also a
lot to be said, He's like the Honda or the
(40:39):
Toyota that you know, you can put a quarter million
miles on and it's still gonna turn on every time
and get you from point A to point b. Right
like that that Lamborghini is nice and and and and
might have a higher ceiling, but you know that the
floor of that Honda or that Toyota, that thing is
is is never gonna be in the in the shop,
(40:59):
and it's all we gonna get you from point A
to point b. That was Najee Harris. He was going
to be available every game. He was gonna get you
a thousand yards every season. And yes, the the lack
of the explosion and the and the home run hitting
and and some of those things are all valid reasons
why he's no longer a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
But you don't just replace the car.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
That you know turned on every time and got you
from point A to point B and all you had
to worry about was getting the oil changed every few months.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
And that thing was going to run.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
That is a real like the the ultimate ceiling of
that running back room right now, I think is higher
than it used to be. But there's still a lot
of questions about what the floor is right now. And
you obviously didn't have those questions with naj Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
No, I think that's what's going to be, you know,
the prevailing theme until you really cast that doubt bubble away,
it's always going to loom over that group until they
could show you, you know that there is the high
high explosion rate there is, you know, like what we
saw in the preseason. You know, you could pop off
(42:04):
at thirty seven yard or you know a couple of
times a game you could you could pop off that,
you know, a good twenty yard run, you know, every
every quarter of a game. Like those things are what
you're gonna be looking for to see if they can
accomplish that. And I think that's that's where I think
a lot of people probably are there right in the
(42:24):
same boat with you and I. But it all hinges
on the offensive line. Right offensive line, You're only You're
only as good as your offensive line and how long
they can hold up or how big of a hole
they can provide so I'm really gonna be ecstatic and
excited to see kind of where that kind of shakes
out for them. But you know, we're gonna step aside
(42:47):
and take another break. I want to focus in now
on the defense side of the ball. We come back
in an hour number two here, so we'll we'll bring
that to you when we come back here inside the
locker room King of Starks with the Euler bomb of
course in there here on S and R
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward 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 (00:26):
All right, welcome inside the locker room. I am your host,
Max Stark said, you know, I guess for a Pirates
slash baseball reference Wes Euler's pinch hitting huh huh.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Out of the bullpen, out of the bullpen, like rip
the wild thing.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Vaughn here, Max, that's right, give me Vaughn, give me
Vaughn wild Thing.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
You make my heart sing. No.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Rob is busy today, so Wes. We'll be returning back
to the airwaves for the show to day. How are you,
west Man? What's what's been up? It's been like all
what's going on that I last saw you?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
That's right, and I'll see you again here soon and
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Man.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
No things are good.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I mean, Max, Before you know, before you and I
go to bed tonight, we'll have the first NFL game
of the season in.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
The books it's finally here.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
So I'm excited, man, happy to uh happy to be
doing this with you here and get to get to
chop it up with you for a couple hours, and
you know, again, just really looking forward to We got
an NFL game tonight, we got an NFL game tomorrow night.
Uh you know, full slate of college football Saturday, and
then first NFL Sunday.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
It's gonna be a good four days here.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
No, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We are zero sleeps away from the season kicking off officially,
and that will be of course Eagles, Cowboys right, a
little NFC East.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You know, road.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Rage happening right now, that's gonna happen tonight. That to
kick off the season. Obviously to the victor goes to spoil.
So it's funny when you when you were when you're
the last person to play at the end of the season,
you're the first person to play at the beginning of
the season. I don't don't ask me how that works.
Usually you say, well, no, you say that for like
a Monday night. But you know, they they want to
(02:12):
show off the crown jewel right at the beginning, and
who better to do it against than the Micah Parsons
lists h Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
After their documentary. No, that that's going to be great.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
That's what's crazy about tonight, Max is there was already
so many storylines going into this one, right because you've
got the defending Super Bowl champions, You've got you know,
one of the you know, after Steelers Ravens of course,
which we all know sits at the top of the
NFL rivalry pyramid. Uh, you've got what might be the
second best rivalry in the NFL in terms of Eagles
and Cowboys. A fun matchup to get things going. And
(02:47):
then yeah, obviously now the huge storyline of Michaeh Parsons
not being there for the Cowboys, and I just I
just wonder, Max, like, and you could obviously speak, you know,
much better to this than me is the one who
has actually been in the locker room and played in
the National Football League. But man, I got to imagine
when the Cowboys got on that plane yesterday, you know, Wednesday,
(03:08):
in Dallas or Fort Worth or Arlington or wherever they
fly out of Like, when they're getting on that plane
and they're looking around and they're like, man, our best
player isn't here, Like Michael Parsons isn't here, and yeah,
Kenny Clark is a nice player that we added in
the trade. But like our defense clearly got worse, and
we are not as good of a team, not as
(03:29):
loaded as we thought we were going to be coming
in here. Like I wonder what that if you're Dak Prescott,
if you're CD Lamb, you know, like I wonder what
that kind of you know, just state of mind is
like for the Cowboys preparing for this game and now
really that kind of reacity, you know, traveling to Philadelphia,
being in Philadelphia, that real reality of you know, wow,
our twenty six year old stud edge rusher is gone.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I mean you have to feel like, you know,
you're going into this with uh, with less than a
full chain or right, you know you're going into this
like you know, wait a second, where's my helmet? I
got all these other pads up? Where's where's my helmet?
Or why do I have shoulder pads on? You know
what I'm saying, Like it's missing from the uniform or
(04:14):
the team. A major piece of equipment is missing, a
major you know component is missing from you know, going
to battle like this and you know, maybe maybe there's
you know, in the back of the mind of Dak
and all them, it's a.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
It's probably.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
You know, hey, maybe maybe if I had taken like
four or five million less, maybe we could have kept him,
right I had all I was acting all crazy and stuff.
Maybe if it would have been five mill less, I might
have been able to But no, no, no longer he's
a Green Bay Packer. So just how the Packers have
I want to say, like ended their playoff hopes like
(04:56):
so many years ago, Like I mean, I mean, I
feel like the Packers have been like the square team
that has like disrupted their playoff runs for like six
straight years. You trade, you traded your best player to them, right,
you know what I'm saying. Like that's where, yeah, it
doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. And you know what,
go Philly cheese steaks.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I'm just saying, I mean, the Cowboys can't get right,
so you know they you know, I wish they would take.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Their title from them, you know what I'm saying, Like, like,
do you ever think.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
About good West?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like like are they really still America's team?
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Right? I Mean that's where I struggle with that.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, And I don't know, like maybe this is too
millennial of me, Max, But do we even have an
America's team anymore?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Like now everybody you can watch seven hundred games a
season on your phone. You can watch your team anytime anywhere,
live on replay, like the draw of Like, oh, the
Cowboys were always on national TV and they became America's team.
There's so any people that have no ties to Notre Dame,
(06:03):
Irish Indiana or Catholicism that love Notre Dame just because
they were on TV all the time. There's people, you
know this, Max, There's people that have never been to
Georgia or Atlanta that they just love the Braves because
of what Turner Sports did and pumping the Braves into
everybody's home.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
Does that really matter anymore?
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Now?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I think all those teams are like the most hated.
You know, the teams that kind of used to be
the most popular are now the most hated. Like everybody
hates the Cowboys, everybody hates the Yankees, everybody hates the
Celtics and the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
So I'm like, is it really and you know what
throwing the Dodgers in there, you know, might as well
for yeah, yeah, you know it's an LA thing. Yeah, No,
I don't know if there's really any true I feel
like it's just America's sports.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yes, that's exactly, this is America's sports because I mean,
you know, yeah, we have like the KBO and some
other baseball organizations, but I mean MLB is the prevailing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Baseball baseball team league provider in the world.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You have, you know, everybody from every other country plays
there for football purposes, right with. Nobody else comes close.
We're the only one that's professional. We've been doing it
for over one hundred years. Nothing close basketball even, right,
if international players want to play, they come to America.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
So you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So I feel like, you know, you have that holy trinity,
Like soccer is the only sport where we don't dominate. Yes, yes, right,
I would say that's probably the only sport we don't
dominate in.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And men's soccer too, because we dominate women's soccer.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, that's that's true. I forgot about that.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, So yeah, so really men's global side, like we're
not gonna We're not gonna beat out. You know, epl right,
you know, we're not being that La liga like, it's
not just gonna happen. So you know, when you think
about it, to actually have America's team singular, it's like,
(08:11):
you haven't done anything in thirty years.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Not even been close. Like yeah, that I mean, Max,
they they haven't. They haven't been back to an NFC
championship game since they you know, won that Super Bowl
thirty unfortunately against the Steelers in that ninety five ninety
six season. That's been thirty years since they've even been
back to an NFC championship game. That's cool. That's a
long time. I mean, that's a real draught. Like we
(08:38):
talk about, you know, like we get frustrated in Pittsburgh
eight years without a playoff win.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
It's too long. We have this high standard.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Uh, the Steelers, you know, since what ninety five ninety
six have probably played in what six or seven AFC
championship games and in those in those last in those
last thirty years, it is making super Bowls.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Yeah, yes, bend to three Super Bowls, a couple of
other AFC championship games, the two Super Bowl victories of course,
and that's like you know, I think it transitions a
little obviously, Dallas tonight you look ahead at the opponent
that you're facing on Sunday and the Jets.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
And again that's not to excuse some of the lack
of postseason success that the Steelers have had, but I
think it does also sometimes put it into perspective of like, hey,
it's nice that we have this high standard. It's nice
that our expectations that were very greedy in Steeler Nation,
but man, we do at the same time still got
it a lot better than most we do.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
We do, and that's the one thing, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And I don't want to sit there and kind of
use it as the crutch of the conversation, but I
think at the same time, like you said, I think
I think what you said was very important perspective.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Look around and.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Will you take that snapshot of thirty years, how many
have done it better? Only two I can think of, Right,
It's the Patriots and the Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
That's it. Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I mean we argue Baltimore, right, Baltimore as well. Baltimore
has been to two one to two in the last
thirty years.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Yeah, Philly's getting there.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
I mean they've been to what been a four and
one two in that time in that time span.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah, in that time span. So I mean you're in
the upper echelon. You're in the top. You know, you're
in the top what ten to fifteen percent of teams
that have done it, you know, you can we can
only think of a handful, and the Steelers are included
in a handful because we're not We're not all the
way down and we're not well the team we're playing
(10:36):
the Sunday. We're not the Jets, we're.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Not the Brown exactly right, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And even the Panthers have been to Super Bowls and
the NFC championship games right in that time stance.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
So it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
The Falcons have Saints. I mean, you know, I.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Mean even the Jets.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Even the Jets went to back to back AFC championship games.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Matt, I'll make it even worse, the Jacksonville Jaguars went
to the AFC championship game.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
In the last thirty years. Just just think about that.
Woofh God, that's right.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
That's that's not great. That's not great.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
And yeah, and now I mean again they like Max,
I think you could have you could have at least
made a good faith argument that they were a contender
in the NFC, you know, not a not a favorite.
I don't think they're you know, they're they're certainly not
Philly or maybe Detroit or you know, one of those
true upper echelons in the NFC. But they were probably
right in that next conversation, but not not without Michael
(11:40):
Parsons man.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Not less that.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I mean, I think they're gonna have They're gonna be
doing you know Cincinnati Bengals things where you know Dak
and Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens. They're gonna have to
score thirty five, thirty eight points a lot, and it
still might not be enough, still matter.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And they don't really have that good of a of
a rushing attack, so you don't even know if they
could even whole time of possession.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
That's the other thing.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Usually, if you have a bad defense, right, your offense
can't chew up time and kind of offset that by
limiting the exposure of your defense.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
They don't have that.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
It's all passing games, so it could go three and
out or it could go air it out, and you
know you're still not gonna be winning that argument. So
enough with that for the opening salvo here inside the show,
we're gonna step aside. We'll be back, and of course
we have the cool breeze. That's right this regular season time,
that breeze is gonna be rolling in. I'm sure it's
(12:32):
pretty breezy up there in Pittsburgh right now, Wesley. So
we are gonna have Jerry Julac joining us after this
commercial break. You're inside the locker room with King of
Starks Wesley Euler sitting in when we come back.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
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 Stoyteelers and by Steelers Pro Shot. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shot at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh that is you know what time it is, Wes.
Will you hear that sounder right there? It is? It
is nothing more than just.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
A beautifully cool breeze coming through your radio airwaves, And
of course that would be the one, the only Jerry
Doulach and Jerry is brought to you by Bud Light,
the proud sponsor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jerry Doulach.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
How are we doing.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
Today, Jerry, Well, match, I'm terrific. It's always good to
be with you again. I will take a small, small
moment here to remember our friend Wolf, who we think
about every day. And you know, for years, even before
you were doing the show, back when it was Wolf
and Punch in the locker room every Thursday morning, I
(13:57):
would spend time with them, and of course you and
Wolf the last couple of years, and uh, I think
about them all the time, and I just thought i'd
take a little moment on our first appearance of the
season to remember our dear friend.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Absolutely, absolutely, Jerry, you know it is it is a
wolf size hole that's left in all of our hearts.
You know what he means to us, and and obviously
you know the legacy that he's left here in Steelers
Nation is one that you know, it can't be replaced.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
You know, you can only hope to add on to
that legacy. And that's what we're gonna do here. Uh.
Wes is filling in for Rob today. Wes. Uh, you know,
I think, I think, I think, I think.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Of this weekend, and you know we're gonna have the
Wolf Tribute to open the season before we play the Jets,
which I think is gonna be something that's gonna be
really cool.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
But also, you know, we played in the preseason.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I was it was it was definitely a little tough
to get through the the intro after here hearing it, right,
But but we're.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Gonna press on. We're gonna press on, and.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
You know, like the Steelers are doing getting ready for
Week one, we are going to continue our preparation for
this game and and of course carrying that that that
that legacy with us, Jerry, I wanted to kind of
get your thoughts just as we as we get ready
for this game. Obviously, the news coming out a little
bit earlier that Elijah vera Tucker season ending UH injury.
(15:30):
He's having surgery on his torn triceps. You know, a
big blow for this uh, for this team, guy who's
just recently minted as the captain in the voting with
the team not available for them. When you look at
this and the preparation, what are your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Just about this?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
This Jets office has already has its own limitations, but
now really without as one of his best offensive linemen.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
Well, you know, uh, Max. When I look at this game,
I'm not so interested in the other team, what they have,
what they got, what they don't have, because what I
want to see is what this Stealer team has, and
we haven't seen a pretty good portion of it it
(16:18):
just in terms of personnel throughout the preseason, and we're
going to get it all tomorrow, excuse me, Sunday. So
I focus. I'm focused more on where this team is
and what we can expect. I really don't care who
they are playing. It's probably a nice little test that
(16:39):
they are going up against a five win team from
last year who presents some problems offensively or can. But
you know, all withhold judgment on Justin Fields, he did
a nice job with the stable, solid franchise and quality coaches.
And that's no knock against Aaron Glenn or their new coordinator.
(17:00):
But you know, Justin Fields has won fourteen games in
four years, so and they paid them forty million dollars.
So it's not like you know that this is a
team that's going to present a formidable task and so what.
But I'm regardless of who it is, I'm looking forward
to seeing how this Steeler team performs. Uh, you know
(17:25):
on Sunday and especially Aaron Rodgers, he K Metcalf, John
new Smith and you know, a heavy day from a
dose of Jalen Warren, I think you're gonna see a
lot of tennis. Dane. Well, that's what I'm gonna be
looking at.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I'm completely with you, Jerry, And you know, it feels
like a a real opportunity for the Steelers offense. I
think everybody knows they are. They are going to be
far from a finished product week one. There's there's gonna
have to be some rust that that's gonna be needed
to be knocked off. There's gonna have to be some
you know, some guys getting in sync between Aaron Rodgers,
(18:04):
DK Metcalf, you know, all the new weapons that that
Aaron Rodgers has to work with, that that talented trio
of tight ends. But it really does feel like establishing
the run for the Steelers, getting Jalen Warren going early
is going to be imperative against this Jets team to
really give them that time to gel as an offense.
(18:25):
I know it's it's hard to evaluate in training camp
the run game. It's it's hard in the preseason when
you're not seeing the entire first unit together. But are
you you know what what I guess I should maybe
phrase it this way, what level of confidence do you
have that they're going to be able to lean on
Jalen Warren and you know gain Well and Caleb Johnson
to a certain extent as well too. And you know
(18:48):
Aaron Rodgers can can throw the ball twenty sometimes instead
of thirty sometimes.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Do you do you think that's realistic?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
You know what? You know?
Speaker 7 (18:58):
Not that I confidence in what they might be able
to do, but I will tell you that I think
one of the biggest underestimated aspects of this Steeler team
is it's nice to say on paper, but where are
they going to get the production they that they had
(19:19):
with the tandem of Najee Harris and Jalen Warren. And so, yeah,
it's easy to say Kenneth Gaywell and Caleb Johnson and
maybe that will prove to be true. But when you
have a running back who had four straight one thousand
yard seasons and never missed the game, that's difficult to replace.
So the idea that the Steelers want to be a
(19:40):
run oriented team with different people except for Jalen Warren,
that's nice, and it may well prove to be true,
but until they do it, you know, I think that's
the one aspect of this team where I think going
into the season they are not better than where they
were last year. That's the one unit I think that
is lack uh in that regard from past from the
(20:03):
past season. So, you know, we'll see how it proved,
you know, how it bears out. But I I think,
you know, for a team that says they want to
run the ball, we'll have to We'll have to wait
and see what transpires with this with that offense.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
No, yeah, that that there's a lot of questions there,
and even I think, you know, defensively, there's still a
lot of questions. I know, I know we got kind
of a preview in the Carolina game. But if there's
one group that I feel really confident about, Jerry, it's
this secondary with the small sample size that we saw.
(20:43):
But what are your thoughts about this Steelers secondary? Obviously
a lot of new pieces, a lot of free agent signings,
a lot of movement this offseason to rebuild this secondary.
You know, you go and you get Brandon Echles, you
go and you get one thorn Hill, you go and
you get Darius and then you trade for Jalen Ramsey
right before the beginning of training camp. You know, how
(21:04):
do you how do you feel defensively? You know, this
matchup and what they're able to provide really looks like
going into this game.
Speaker 7 (21:13):
Well, Max, I agree with you there. That is what
I questioned, the one unit and the linebacker unit too,
that I think you have no concerns about now the
defensive line. Maybe you know, well Cam's going to play,
but without Derek Harmon, but you still have two young guys,
actually three young guys among that top five, top six.
(21:33):
But when you look at what they've done in the
secondary and they didn't stop after they made the moves
that they did, then they go make the trade for
Jalen Ramsey. And before that trade, Max, I thought this
Steeler team was kind of on par with where they
were last year. But that trade for Jalen Ramsey and
John who Smith to me put them over the top.
That convinced me that they are a better team than
(21:56):
they were last year. Now we'll see how that plays out.
Does that mean they're eleven and six or better? Well,
that's what I think They're going to be. Eleven and
six but we'll see. But I don't think there's any
question that Jalen Ramsey trade was the cherry on top
of everything they've done, especially in the secondary. And when
you get two players like that for the price of
(22:16):
Minka Fitzpatrick in a draft choice, you know, to me,
that was a home run, and it was just another
sign of their commitment or slash desperation to get this
thing over the top and to let's get back on
track and let's win a playoff game and see where
(22:36):
they can go from them.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
Jerry, you mentioned Cam Hayward there. I mean, we know
none of these guys are in one hundred football shape
in Week one. They've all got some ramping up to do.
But Cam has done less work than anybody. He's a
little bit longer in the tooth than anybody, and obviously
you need him much more in December and January than
you need him in September. This Sunday MetLife Stadium, what
(23:01):
does that role, what does that usage look like for
Cam Hayward Sunday afternoon?
Speaker 7 (23:06):
Yeah, I don't have any concerns with Cam's conditioning. You know, yeah,
there's no game conditioning, but there's no game conditioning for
a lot of players, but of course he's thirty six.
I think the biggest question or the concerns that I
have is when I see guys don't fully participate in
training camp and the preseason, especially as they get older.
(23:28):
You see it time and again they have injuries early
in the season, and that is always my concern when
I see guys pretty much skipped training camp and the preseason.
Though I know he was around and so that was
at least part of the battle. That was good, But
that is my biggest concern. But you're right, they don't
need Cam in September. They want them later. You know,
(23:50):
they want them later in November December, and they've been
very cognizant of that each of the last however, many
number of years of trying to keep him fresh for
that time year, even though that's very difficult to do. That,
of course, is the big key with getting too young
defensive linemen. You know Carl Dunbar likes to have a
rotational system. Well that's fine, but when your rotational system
(24:13):
takes a big drop after your first three guys, your
rotational system isn't very good. Well, that's what they were
trying to improve upon, where they feel maybe they have
five linemen that they can rotate, maybe even six, and
not have that big drop off in years past. So
I think that was the big key for that. I
personally don't think they should be done with that. I
(24:35):
think they should go into next year's draft. We all
know about the quarterback. I get that, but they shouldn't
think they should say I don't think they should settle
for the defensive line being finished. I think they still
need to get one more big time piece there. And
now all of a sudden you've got a really dominant front.
I think why a Black offers the possibility of being
(24:56):
that guy as well? Think you know, I think the
biggest thing with Cam, and I don't even think it's
going to be his mental state. Fellas, Cam's a pro
and when he goes out on the field, he's going
to play. But everybody knows what's going on here. It's
kind of an antenuous situation for Cam. You know, he
(25:17):
wants a new deal that's not going to be forthcoming,
and you know he's he's unfortunately the vast majority of
the public has been against him, which is sad, but uh,
you know, sometimes that happens in these contract situations, especially
with what you know, you know, how Cam signed the
deal last year. We all know that now he wants
(25:39):
a new one, and I get I get where Cam's
coming from, but unfortunately he's painting himself into a bad
kind of situation. And uh, he'll be out there playing.
I have no doubts about that. He has actually has
no recourse really, and once he gets on the field,
Cam will be fun.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
I mean Cam is a try tested, a true veteran,
and you know, I think, you know, leadership when when
adversity happens. I think he tends to rise to the
occasion like he always does. And you're right, I don't
see an issue there. I mean, yes, things are always messy,
you know, and you know there's those moments, but at
the end of the day, he's a true teammate and
he will strap it on and be ready to rock
(26:22):
and roll. Jerry, you know, I know you have to
run very soon, but I do want to, you know,
make sure we get these you know, one more for
me and one more from Wes. You know, as I
kind of look at you know what this game means
like for the start of the season, and we've we've
already outlined. You know, what's been done to really bolster
(26:45):
this team. And obviously there's that, There's there's the looming
headline Aaron Rodgers returns to New York.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
That's that.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's that's going to dominate a lot of the broadcasts,
you know, and just thinking about that. But you know,
in your history of talking to guys who have gone
and played against their former teams and that type of thing,
you know, what type of you know, mental state have
you ever ascertained from guys about going into this and
(27:14):
playing against that former team that you were just recently with.
And for him, I mean, you know, season opener a
year ago, he's the starting quarterback for the Jets, and
then Jessin Fields is starting quarterback for the Steelers for
our season opener and kind.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Of this whole red Rover type of situation. How unique
is this.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
To have two opposing quarterbacks starting against their former teams
in the very next year. Have you seen that, you
know over time or is this a first time really
experiencing this type of head to head to start a year.
Speaker 7 (27:49):
Max. Not only have I never seen it, nobody in
the history of the National Football League has ever seen
it where the opposing quarterbacks are facing the team that
they played for the previous season, and they're going against
each other in Week one. It's never happened in a
one hundred and five year history of the National Football League.
(28:09):
It's the first time, and so that's going to be
somewhat of a momentous occasion, even though nobody really knows
it until me, you and Wes as I just told
you and whoever and whoever's listening. That's how's unique this
situation is. But there's no question. So much attention is
(28:30):
focused on Aaron Rodgers and it's going to be a
big game for him, not necessarily personally, but from the attention.
However he performs is going, you know, is going to
be garnered. And by that, I mean if he starts,
he comes out and he throws three touchdowns and looks
like the old Aaron Rodgers, everybody's going to say super
(28:50):
Bowl Aryal, we excited, this is great. And if it
comes out and throws a couple in the dirt and
looks like he did in those four plays against Tampa
Bay and a joint practice, and I know that that
was a small, small, small, small sample, but you know,
if the ball gets picked. Now, everybody's going to say,
why did they do that? As Aaron Rodgers done at
age forty one, It's one game. We can't judge them
(29:12):
either way. Nonetheless, the national media and the local fan
base will be watching every move Aaron Rodgers makes and
they'll be determined the rest of the seventeen game season
based on those sixty minutes Sunday in MetLife stadiums fairly
or unfairly.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
No doubt about that, No doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Jerry, before we let you go, how do you think
those sixty minutes on Sunday at MetLife Stadium play out
who's victorious?
Speaker 7 (29:40):
Well, Wes, I you know, I like this Steeler team.
Do I think they're a super Bowl team? No? Do
I think they're better than last year's team. As I
said earlier, Yeah, I do, and I think that last
trade put them over the top. So I would expect
them to go in there, and you know, they've been
pretty good in season openers in the last couple of years,
going into Cincinnati, going into Atlanta, you know, on the road,
(30:04):
I expect them to do the same. I don't know
how many points they're going to put up. I don't
look for any big offensive explosion because they're not going
to come out and just start winging it. But I
like them and the score I picked in the paper
I think, which will be online today, I'll tell you
now was Steelers twenty six thirteen. So I expect them
(30:25):
to handle the business. Again, if you're talking about a
Jets team with new coaches, some new personnel, they won
five games last year. They have a quarterback, so let's
face it, it's not like they brought in Patrick Mahomes
or Joe Burrow and we'll see, you know, it's going
to be a big game for Justin fields for those
Jet fans too. But that's what I think will happen.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Well, there it is. I mean, I think I think
we're both kind of I think we're all in the
same boat, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
I think we feel like business will be handled. Might
not be as pretty as clean because this is the
first time the full consortiums playing together, but nonetheless, this
is going to be a good week one test for
the Steelers, and hopefully, you know, it kind of gives
us a better glimpse and we can get a better
assertation about what this team is.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
So we appreciate the time Jerry.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Of course, not only this sturs but every Thursday for
hopping inside the locker room with us. And of course
Jerry Dolc is brought to you. Bye Bud Light, and
remember Bud Light the official sponsor of not only the
Pittsburgh Steelers, but also Jerry Dulac as well.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
Jerry, have a great day. We'll see you at the
Ballyard Bud.
Speaker 7 (31:32):
Thanks, boys, I can't wait, thanks too.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
All right, all right, we're gonna step aside real fast.
I was Jerry dol Like. We'll be back with more
here inside the locker room at these commercial breaks.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
This is in the locker room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Neighborhood Forward Store.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
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Dog Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Alrighty back inside the locker room here, and you know,
just go off of a great segment with Jerry Dulac
Wes and you know, just I think he's absolutely right,
Like it does not matter who the opponent is.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
It's a nameless great face right now.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And really what it is is about how good can
the Steelers be and what does this team look like
at full strength or I should say at least ninety
nine percent strength.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
See what I did?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
There No Derek Harmon obviously available, but I mean even still,
just the amount of talent that I think we've kind
of come to appreciate it. And we watch should unfold
in training camp, right, you know, from day one.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Just look at all the new names, all the new numbers, and.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
How will this group come together? And we saw some
great competition in camp, We saw some great competition in
the preseason. And now it's okay, now that the clock
has started, right, the clock is now ticking. You got
eighteen opportunities or seventeen opportunities, I take that back, eighteen
(33:30):
over eighteen weeks. Yeah, once again, you know, math is
still a little fuzzy this.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
Early in the morning.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
It's all right, it's all right, we're getting into it.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah, we're getting into it. But you know, what is
this team going to be? I think that's the prevailing question.
I think a lot of the league doesn't know as well,
because I mean we've seen you know, people you know,
try and predict what their records going to be, you know,
by the end of the year.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
I mean, we had everything. This is mcdonalin's first losing
season to all the way up.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
The should have win eleven to twelve games, right, even
Jerry feels confident about eleven and six, you know, for
the record, you know, But but it starts in Earnest
on Sunday before we can really we can speculate all
we want, but now it's time to really kind of
put up or shut up for this team. And I'm
just really excited. I mean, what what what what's outside
(34:20):
of like the Aaron Rodgers. You know, I said that
to Jerry, and I think that's a prevailing headline that
everybody's gonna run with this week, right, has been Aaron.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
Rodgers returns to New York. Oh my gosh, play are
the Jets.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
But really it's what does this team look like against
the Jets with Aaron Rodgers, not just Aaron Rodgers in
a silo, you know, DK metcalf, John news Smith, right,
Roman Wilson, Kenneth Gainwell, like Caleb Johnson, all these new
pieces on the offense that are going to go to
(34:53):
aid what Aaron Rodgers is trying to do. You know,
how do you how do you how do you see
it from your perspective? You know, with this game coming up,
what do you see offensively as being one of the
really gonna be key factors or things that you're looking
forward to seeing.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, a whole bunch obviously, But let me like I'll
start with, you know, kind of one of the things
that I asked Jerry there, Max, and it's it's about
this run game. Because there's certainly plenty of unknown around
the Steelers passing offense as well too. We didn't see
Aaron Rodgers in preseason, we didn't see DK Metcalf in preseason.
What's it looked like with the wide receivers behind DK?
(35:31):
What's the usage and the target numbers and all those
things of the three talented and capable tight ends that
we know that the that Aaron Rodgers is going to
be targeting plenty as well too. But to me, Max,
it really starts with the run game. It really starts
with that offensive line. I'm confident that that offensive line
is going to be able to pass protect. But can
(35:52):
they can they move people? Can they push bodies in
the run game. I'm confident that Jalen Warren is a
is a really good NFL running back, but can he
be that being the guy for seventeen games? You know,
twenty touches a game, eighteen touches a game for seventeen games.
(36:12):
To me, if the Steelers run game, which last year
four point one yards per carry, that was like in
the late twenties in the league max, if they can
get that up to four point three four point four,
that puts them more.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
In the twelve to sixteen range.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
And I think that would be massive for Aaron Rodgers,
DK Metcalf, all those tight ends the Steelers defense as
well too, as you'd suddenly be asking them to play
less snaps and you'd be controlling the clock in elongating
drives a little bit longer. You know that all those things,
it's an ecosystem. They all work in tandem together. But
(36:49):
to me, and I know, obviously it's just week one,
it's not a finished product. They are allowed to and
they will get better and improve, but I really hope
that we are able to start see them establish that
run game, which just feels like all these Aaron Rodgers,
DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, TJ. Watt Cam Heyward, all these
(37:10):
very very important things and all these superstars. But man,
if they if that run game has a failure to launch,
that's gonna hinder everything else they're trying to do. That's
what I'm really gonna be, you know, out of the
gates looking at.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
I appreciate you thinking like a lineman. West.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
I appreciate that because I'm going to give you an
additional layer here.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
It's way easier to go forward than it is backwards
in football.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I don't know if you knew that, And especially for
guys that are you know, and in the hefty hefty
you know Cinsac Club as an offensive.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Lineman is uh.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
You know, we want you want to run the football,
you want to go impose your will, you want to go.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
And flick damage on the opponent.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
And you'd rather be proactive than reactive in those type
of situations. So I'm right there with you. I think,
you know, what is this run game?
Speaker 4 (38:08):
What is it? And what have we learned? You know,
I think of it even more so.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Ken you know, Kem brogerck Jones assumed the mantle of
left tackle. Can Troy Batano be the right tackle? You know,
we know what that interior is we saw it a
year ago. We haven't seen the edges, So how well
secured are these edges going to be, and how it
determines how clean that pocket's going to be for Aaron Rodgers,
(38:36):
how good the outside zone stretch game is going to
be in the run game, you know, when you're talking
about hitting a guy at the point and that backside
cutoff is going to be key for the cutback lane
for the running backs. Like so many things happen with
that offensive line that we still kind of have questions
(38:57):
about because everything was so base during the preseason and
you know, the challenges of that. It didn't really get
going in the preseason.
Speaker 4 (39:06):
And then get it. I listen, Jalen did not play.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
You know, majority of that had a couple of had
a couple of snaps in the Carolina game. It was
mainly you know, it was mad and Ken Gamewell didn't
really play. It was mainly the Caleb Johnson rookie showcase
to get him going.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Yeah, you know, and.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
Then you know, we saw what you know, and then
later in the game we saw what Lou Nichols was.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
That's what I was excited about.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Lou Nichols Trey Surman, you know, looking at these different guys,
but really it's going to come down to what does
that trio look like in the backfield?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Well, how does it dicern stuff.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I thought Jerry made a very good point that it's
not easy to replace a guy who never missed a
game and all he did was was average one thousand
yard seasons.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
For you, that's no doubt, that's one.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
That's one that's one of the little things you kind
of look back on and you're like, man, Okay, we
can worry about it. George Pickens DK metcalf Boom for boom,
Buck for Buck, no drop off there. And I think,
you know, with Roman Wilson and what he kind of
shield in the preseason, you have to feel elevated about
him being a number, you know, in that number two
three slot with Calvin Austin, but that backfield is still
(40:08):
relatively big. Is a big yeah, And I can't you know.
Speaker 5 (40:13):
I'm hoping for it and listen Max for you know.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
For here's probably I think the best way to state
this that I've been kind of using throughout the off
season when we talk Naji Harris, Like Naji Harris is
you know, is not a Lamborghini, Like, he's not a
luxury sports car that a lot of fans want at
that position. But you know what, though, there's also a
lot to be said, He's like the Honda or the
(40:39):
Toyota that you know, you can put a quarter million
miles on and it's still gonna turn on every time
and get you from point A to point b. Right
like that that Lamborghini is nice and and and and
might have a higher ceiling, but you know that the
floor of that Honda or that Toyota, that thing is
is is never gonna be in the in the shop,
(40:59):
and it's all we gonna get you from point A
to point b. That was Najee Harris. He was going
to be available every game. He was gonna get you
a thousand yards every season. And yes, the the lack
of the explosion and the and the home run hitting
and and some of those things are all valid reasons
why he's no longer a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
But you don't just replace the car.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
That you know turned on every time and got you
from point A to point B and all you had
to worry about was getting the oil changed every few months.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
And that thing was going to run.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
That is a real like the the ultimate ceiling of
that running back room right now, I think is higher
than it used to be. But there's still a lot
of questions about what the floor is right now. And
you obviously didn't have those questions with naj Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
No, I think that's what's going to be, you know,
the prevailing theme until you really cast that doubt bubble away,
it's always going to loom over that group until they
could show you, you know that there is the high
high explosion rate there is, you know, like what we
saw in the preseason. You know, you could pop off
(42:04):
at thirty seven yard or you know a couple of
times a game you could you could pop off that,
you know, a good twenty yard run, you know, every
every quarter of a game. Like those things are what
you're gonna be looking for to see if they can
accomplish that. And I think that's that's where I think
a lot of people probably are there right in the
(42:24):
same boat with you and I. But it all hinges
on the offensive line. Right offensive line, You're only You're
only as good as your offensive line and how long
they can hold up or how big of a hole
they can provide so I'm really gonna be ecstatic and
excited to see kind of where that kind of shakes
out for them. But you know, we're gonna step aside
(42:47):
and take another break. I want to focus in now
on the defense side of the ball. We come back
in an hour number two here, so we'll we'll bring
that to you when we come back here inside the
locker room King of Starks with the Euler bomb of
course in there here on S and R
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