December 18, 2025 • 48 mins
Max and Rob discuss some key matchups and important notes on the upcoming game. Gerry Dulac joins the show to add his thoughts.
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Episode Transcript
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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 Ford 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):
All right, all right, all right, all right, welcome to
this Thursday edition of the Locker Room as we get
you ready for the Steelers and Lions and a great
weekend of football that begins tonight with the Rams taking
on the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Max Starks, how you doing today, my friend?
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm doing good, kidger Man. You know.
Speaker 5 (00:45):
Hey, we are barreling tours the weekend, getting ready for
another matchup. We're going to the Motor City and I'm
headed to Oklahoma City this evening. I got the college
football Playoff first round Oklahoma hosting Alabama EMMA tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
So you know, excited football, football, football.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It is great stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
There was times in my career where I would do
Friday night football and high school football, cover the Pit
game on Saturday, cover the Steelers game on Sunday. So
I got high school college football on one weekend occasional
West Virginia game maybe mixed in there. It is just
(01:28):
it's a great way to go through life, Max, Football, football, football.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Well, and I think the biggest thing you know, this
time of year it brings the holiday season. But we
know how important this time of year is for teams
right wherever your respective sport, you know, team support goes.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
And this is just exciting, right.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
And then also this is a time for family where
families are starting to come to get back together for
the holidays. Right, your daughter's back in country with you,
kinger Man, My girls are getting they got to school,
and you know families are are communing, right, they're yes, reconnecting.
And you know sports has a way of bringing people
(02:09):
together even further. So you know you have all of
these different close connections with sport and family around this
tremendous holiday and it just makes for a very special
time of year every year.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You know, I agree, Max, that is beautifully put. And yes,
whether football is forefront and everyone's leaning forward their elbows
on their knees watching the game, or whether you're lounging
on the couch and it's on the background and you're
looking at the tree or whether it's both, you know,
somebody over snoring in the corner, a couple other people
(02:46):
cheering for the game.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It has become an integral part, integral part of our holidays.
And it's beautifully put Max by you. So speaking of
beautifully put by Max, you're uh. And we heard from
Jim Wexley yesterday that he wrongly attributed uh, Steel City
Shove to me. A rare mistake from Jim. Of course
(03:08):
I said it on the air, but it's I said
it on the air because it is a Max Stark's invention.
So I was on a show this morning with with
Chris Damski Tom Offerman talking about whether and they did it.
They ran a little poll on Twitter. Should should it
be Pittsburgh Plunge or Steel City Shove for the for
(03:30):
the sneak where they you know, get behind Connor Heyward
and push him forward. And uh so you know there
was some debate about that, but you know, I shouldn't
say debate.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
It was brought up.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
But my feeling is my partner says Steel City Shove,
so it's Steel City shof.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Well, you know what, And I'm glad, I'm glad. I'm
glad that we kept it there, right, because yeah, you know,
the Pittsburgh Plunge just doesn't sound right. That sounds like
a water park ride.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Well it is.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It's the it's the old Kennywood you know.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Okay, so that's yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So that's why it was getting some attention, right, the
Pittsburgh Plunge, because of the old ride at Kenny Would.
I don't think it's there anymore, and it was.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It was.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I think it was the ride that you got on,
if I'm not mistaken it, because there was a couple
of water rides, but there was I think it was
the Pittsburgh Plunge where you got on and get your
picture taken, you know, and you looked at it and
if everybody had their hands up and screaming and nobody's
eyes were closed or nobody was cut off, you bought it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
You stuck out on your fridge for the year.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
That's with a magnet, right, That's that's the that's the
Pittsburgh Plunge. Thus the sort of support for that name.
But I also like Steel City Shove it. It's uh,
it's a little more aggressive, Max. I kind of like,
I kind of like it. It's a little more football
sound e to me.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Look at look man, you said steel City Shove, I
say steel City Shove. I say it remained Steel City shove.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, and that one.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
And like you said that, that one also basic feel
like they're the they're the aggressor.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
In this moment right right, exactly exactly exactly.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Yeah, plunge feels like you're trying to clog something up
or unclog something up.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
It sounds, it sounds.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
It sounds like, you know, after you've had a Christmas
meal versus you know, before you have you've had a
Christmas feel when you're sitting at the table for the
first time, right, Steel City Shove is like we just
got to the table and I see everything that I've
wanted for Christmas, and I've been waiting all day like
a good like a good like a good either spouse, dead,
(05:32):
family member, friend, whatever you want to call it. When
you sit at the table and all your manners are
still intact, That's what I feel. But you know what's
on the other side of it, and you're just waiting
for that ball, for that a moment to be snapped
to you so that you can just go to town.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
That's what I feel like. Steel City Shove is.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Pittsburgh plunge is like, oh man, you know, I ate
way too much. You know, I ate way too much
of like the filler stuff, right. You know, I'm saying
I had like seventeen devil deviled eggs, and I'm trying
to clear space to get ready for the actual dinner.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
That's what That's what excoose me.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, here's the other thing too, about the plunge. So
I am I am old enough to remember, and this
is this is why I grade toward Steel City Shove.
That and because my partner and friend, Max starksis Steel
City Shove, and that's that's always good enough for me
and always a great reason to carry the standard. But
(06:30):
a full back plunge, so that used to be an
actual play. It was a thirty one or thirty two.
You either went over left guard or right guard, and
you know, the three back was a full back. Because
I'm I'm old enough to remember when every backfield had
a full back, and a lot of backfields had one
full back and two running backs, you know, the two,
three and four backs, and the three was always a
(06:51):
full back. So a thirty one or thirty two plunge
was a full back between over the left guard or
right guard. But it was a running start. It just
felt you know. The shove is more descriptive. It's it's
not really a punch. Nobody's getting a running start and
plunging through a hole. They are lining up and and
being shoved forward. And so a lot of times being
(07:14):
spent on this, but I think I'm I'm securely in
the Steel City Shove camp. And by the way, Max,
we call the games.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
That is true at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Not to be petty, yeah, not to be.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Petty, but just for full journalistic integrity. Of course, we
are in charge.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
You know, when it comes right or wrong there we
are right or wrong.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
You know, the arbiter and the recorder here are here
to let you know that it will be called the
Steel City Shove.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
And the fact that we involved other people is great.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
But at the end of the day, we were judge,
jury executioner of said name.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So funny, yeah, we're going all fun I'm glad you
guys got I'm glad the guys got into it and
uh and and and made something of it. And it's
a lot of fun and So that's that Steel City
Shove just wanted you to know that that was a
topic of conversation this morning here in Pittsburgh. So, Max,
I I cannot wait to break down some of these
(08:18):
matchups for the Lions. So I'm I'm two games after
their bye, which involved a loss and a win, and
I got to tell you that, you know, there are
times where the Lions look like a machine, like how
are you like a like something right off the Detroit
assembly line? Like you got no chance of stopping us?
(08:38):
And there's other times in which they look very stoppable,
you know. There and that again, they are eight and six.
We are not talking about the Lions of last year
or the year before. You know they they they still
have not lost consecutive games since back to week I
think it was week seven and eight of twenty twenty two.
(09:01):
That's the last time they lost back to back games, Max,
They've been remarkably consistent, and even this year at eight
and six, it's win loss, win loss, win loss. I've
been alternating this is an opportunity to hang that second
consecutive loss on them. But as much as I don't
quite know, I don't want to. I feel like I'm
denigrating them by saying they're not a super team, because
(09:23):
if they come out of the tunnel and onto Ford
Field the right way, they are a super team. And
if they don't, they can be had, you know. So
I don't quite know how to describe them, much like
all season long, Max, it's been hard to describe pretty
much any team in the NFL, and.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
That's where the parody's been rob You know, you think
about just around this league, and the number one teams
are the Denver Broncos and the LA Rams, right, like,
that's your number one teams in each respective conference. And
what we've seen since then, right, we've seen the Seattle
Seahawks has had some prominence there the NFC West. They're
(10:03):
they're fighting for the top wild scuard spot and they'll
actually have a tilt against the Rams, so they're actually
trying to win their division. I mean, you look at
where the Colts were to where Jacksonville is and Houston
is now in that in that really heated AFC South
changing of the guard out west, right, the Kansas City
(10:27):
Chiefs aren't in this playoff picture, you know, And and
the Chargers are making a push, and you know, even
for us, right, you know, Baltimore's fighting for their playoff
lives and you know Cincinnai Bengals are nowhere near and
they've been statistically eliminated now, you know, for the better
part of a week. So this is where it's kind
(10:50):
of a lot different than in years past. And that's
why I think it's also imperative. Why for the Steelers,
if you are going to make the push, this is
the best time to make that push.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Absolutely, absolutely, Matt. I couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I mean, you know, this is what you're this is
what you're trying to do, right, You are trying and
we've talked about this, We've outlined this in the past.
You know, win games early, and we've said, I don't
care if it's three to two, I don't care if
it's five to three, I don't care what the score is.
Win the games and then begin to build an identity.
You know, maybe some players develop, you know, some roles
(11:26):
shift around, injuries happen, you know, there's there's certain things
you have to deal with along the journey. But what
you want to be doing is playing your best football
this season. Now, I think that's going to be put
to the test on Sunday. If you ask me right now,
are the Dealers playing their best football this season? I
would say yes. These last two games I think are
their best, most complete performances of the year. That's what
(11:49):
I think, not flawless. But again, when we want flawless
is you know, early February. That's when we want flawless.
You know, uh, we don't want we don't need to
be flawed now. You need to be ascending now and
feeling good about yourselves and having somebody study your tape
and saying, you know what, you used to be able
(12:09):
to run the ball on these guys. You can't run
the ball on them anymore, you know, And and think
about what you know what issues that takes care of?
You know, you stop, you start stopping to run, and
all of a sudden you start getting more three and
ounce and all of a sudden that problem gets taken
care of, and on and on you go. So I
feel like these are their best two games of the season. Max,
I don't know whether you would agree or disagree with that.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Well, no, I mean I agree as well, right, you know,
it's it's how do you handle adversity? How do you
handle pressure, and how do you handle the opportunities that
are presented versus the opportunities that you wish were presented.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
You know, it's all of these kind of emotions that
lead towards you know, emotional intelligence, the ability to focus, right,
you know, to put those blos on and just go forward.
This time of year, and like you said, adversity happens.
It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when, right, Rob,
(13:11):
We and we outline this all the way back in
training camp. So now that we are here in December
in the area that we were talking about, Hey, you know,
towards the end, this is what it's gonna be. We
gotta have these situations and here's what can help us
get to those situations. And it's gonna take an open
(13:31):
minded approach. It's gonna take giving it. You're all being
all the way locked in right ten toes you know,
into this environment because the shoes are at the door,
so you got to go ten toes in.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
You know, it's in certain cultures and environments, right, But
I think that I.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Think that's where you know, this is the most exciting
time of year because it's never perfect and it's never ideal,
but it's what's required.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
It lets you know that.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
This team deserves to be here, right. This is like
the proving ground moment for you know, for the season,
and everybody has to be on that same page. Everybody
has to be locked in. You've got and then if
there is somebody that's kind of floating outside of the orbit,
(14:27):
you got to go last, so them back in or
go put your arm around them and bring them back
into the fold and keep them, you know, keep them
close to you because people can tend to go, you know,
to get to get out of sorts, out of whack,
trying to do more than they're asked to do. And
you know the other thing is, you know, holidays, it's
(14:49):
it's it's a mentally.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Challenging time for not only athletes but just people in general.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
So it's no different than sports would will kind of
mimic life in those type of moments.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
There's a lot to get to here for the Steelers
as they hopefully are reaching a crescendo, and they will
face a stiff test in Detroit for sure. Up next,
we're gonna be talking to Jerry Dulac. Presented by your
neighborhood Ford Store, The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When we continue in the
Locker Room, presented by O Neighborhood Ford Store and the
(15:22):
Students Pro Shop on Steers Nation Radio, part of the
Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingyon 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 5 (15:50):
One of these days, I'm gonna write some lyrics to this,
and I'm gonna I'm gonna have like this awesome little
intro rob because well, you have somebody like Jerry Doulac.
He just denotes a certain level of decorum. He has
a certain demand level that we have to live up to.
(16:11):
And you know, I think when you when I think
of Jerry Dolac, I think of the walnut grill. I
think of the four dollars bud Life that are twenty
two ounce drafts for all Steelers games.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
And I think of.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
The knowledge the man, the golfer, and of course the
Steelers insider.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
That is Jerry Doulak. How are we doing today? Do?
How are you doing on this lovely Thursday?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Well, Max, I am fine, my friend. And if you
are a Seinfeld fan, then maybe you should try to
adapt a little intro song similar to George Costanza's Answering
Machine if you remember that episode.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yeah, yes, we could also go a sharp dressed man
with Jerry Doulak too.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You know that.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Oh well, that's yes. I've always said that would that
would be my introz tops if I got a walk up,
walk up, so it would be a sharp dressed manning.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I liked that. We're simpotico here. I like that.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I don't know if Max mentioned that the Walnut Grill
does that four hour bud Light twenty two on drafts
for as Steelers games. I'm sure he did, uh but
uh do? I wanted to ask him, but that he
did mention it? Okay, well it's so again, do he did?
Speaker 6 (17:27):
He He worked it into that intro. It was you know,
very crack.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was seamless. It was seamless, and I'm a little
slow on the uptick as we all know. So Jerry, uh,
you tweeted out I believe it was you that I'm
ninety nine point nine percent sure, kind of like ivory.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Soap that you tweeted out that TJ. Watt is.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
It might not be gone as long as some people thought.
There was some I didn't know what to make of
Mike Tomlin's comments about t J Watt, whether there was
anything to re quote unquote read into there. But you
know the health of he and Nick Herbig are going
to be big items for this year. There's going against
a very very explosive Detroit team on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
You know, while I was enjoying some coffee five minutes
before I came on and joined my two great friends here,
I tweeted out that the Steelers have claimed assigned to
Jeremiah Moon off the Carolina practice squad and put them
on their active roster because of those two injuries on Sunday.
(18:28):
So that would probably tell you that TJ. Watt is
not going to play. So you know, Jeremiah Moon played
here in twenty twenty four late thirteen games, I believe
with the team. But yet, as for TJ Watt, what
I had said last week, rob to your question or
your point, is that his injury isn't as bad as
(18:52):
it sounds. And while I partially collapse lung doesn't sound good,
it's not that bad as bad as it sounds. And
I was told he will definitely be back before the
end of the season, and sooner rather than later. So
I don't know what sooner is, but it's not the
season finale in Baltimore. I don't think it's this week.
(19:14):
I don't know that for certain, but my guess is
because they signed jere Jeremiah Moon that will tell you
the TJ. Watt is not going to play this week,
but obviously you know it's gonna be. It'll be before
the end of the regular season, that's for sure.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Yeah, Jar And you know, just with like you said,
this time of year brings these type of situations. I'm
not gonna say it raiks exactly the situation, but it
brings similar situations, right. You know, Teams are dealing with injuries,
teams are dealing with being at less than full strength,
and how you manage that aspect of it is always
(19:55):
you know, key into your success into quote unquote the
end of the year, the drive to the postseason. However,
you know, people want to word it and I think,
you know, for the Steelers, this has kind of been
par for the course that you're going that it's not
a matter of if, but a matter.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Of when and who.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
And you know, I just look, I look at this
from a year ago and this time a year ago,
where the Steelers were the frenzy of games, the flurry
of games we had literally this time three hundred and
sixty five days ago, and how this team was looking
and can you just talk. I mean, this is a
(20:38):
completely different team than what we saw a year ago
at this exact moment, and just kind of your thoughts
about how far they've come, whether it's been the front office,
the coaching staff and dealing with it and just a
combination of getting to a very different place at this
point and learning from your mistakes a year ago.
Speaker 6 (21:01):
Yeah, Max, you know, they're in a different place, somewhat similar,
but different, and they've arrived here on a different path.
You know, they had their losing streak already. They you
know that three game in eleven days losing streak to
three of the best teams in the league was last
(21:21):
year and that just derailed everything they had accomplished before that.
But they had their five losses in seven games, and
now they've bounced back with two victories, first time. They've
been able to stack wins since early October, and yet
they've never lost control of first place in the division.
(21:43):
They're one of only two teams in the league who
have been in first place since the start of the season,
and the Eagles are the other one. And so through
their travails, they have stayed atop the division. Now that
could be an indictment or the rest of the division.
It could be an indictment if you will, the parody
International Football League. But the point is they've done what
(22:06):
they're supposed to do, which is remain in first place.
So and I think having won the last two games
in December is different than what we saw last year.
When they had that losing streak in December, they were
spiraling downward. And anybody who has watched the last two
games would not say they are spiraling downward. They are
(22:29):
ascending higher. And that to me is the biggest difference.
And you know, the quarterback play is a big reason
for that. The timely stops by the defense is a
big reason for that. What they did in Baltimore voting
(22:50):
them to two field goals when they were at the
Steeler ten three times in the fourth quarter, dominating the
Dolphins and containing their run games the other day. So
where they are. The record isn't as good right now
as it was last year, but I think we would
all agree it's a team that's on the rise, not
one that's on the descent. And so I think where
(23:15):
they are and what we've seen the past two weeks
makes everybody feel a little bit better based on what
they saw this time last year about their chances going forward.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Uh, you know, do I agree with you one hundred percent?
And I think we're all singing the same song here,
and this would be a big test because you want
to keep the momentum going against Detroit. The other thing
that I think is interesting when you talk about a
team's journey, you know this, Judents went out and they
got Darius Slay and they got Jalen Ramsey to pair
with Joey Porter in hopes of you know, being able
(23:50):
to limit teams like Cincinnati and teams like Detroit, teams
that have Minnesota, teams that have great won two punches
at wide receiver. Well, we look up now now at
this point of the season, Jalen Ramsey's playing safety. Joey
Porter is still there. I don't know the health of
James Pierre. I don't think we know where he's gonna
be yet. You have a Sante Samuel who has got
(24:11):
a reputation for being an excellent cover corner. You have
Brandon Echles, so things change along the journey. But I
do think that you know, there needs to be some
sort of or should be, in my opinion, some sort
of doff of the cap to this Steerer's Pro personnel department.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I mentioned this.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
I think on the show yesterday, we're gonna have the
draft here next year, right, Everyone's gonna show up in
the draft. We know how important it is, and hundreds
of thousands of people will be here to watch the
seven or eight young men or six young men or whatever.
How everybody draft picks you have that are gonna be
selected on your team, and it's an important part of
the process. But so is going out and signing players
(24:52):
that can come in and ascend. You know, James Pierre
and Dylan Cook, for example, started on the practice squad,
and the Echoles didn't start in the practice squad, but
wasn't expected to play this big.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Of a role.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
This sort of pursuit of players to fill the quote
unquote bottom part of your roster, but who have the ability,
Kenny Gainwell to step up as needed has been a
big reason I think that the Steelers have continued to
progress and other teams haven't been able to overcome injuries
and have begun to falter down the stretch.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Well, Rob, I think you make you make a great point,
and you know real quickly when you mentioned Dylan Cook
and Max obviously can speak to it better than me.
The way he performed the other day was beyond eye
opening in his first NFL start. And James Pierre is
(25:47):
a guy you know. I've called James Pierre the Mason
Rudolph of the defense. They keep him around, they keep
him around, they never give him the starting job, but
whenever he gets in there, he plays well. And you know,
to pick up. But Sante Samuel, I don't want to
call it a brilliant move, but it was a smart move,
and it was a keen move because they knew his
health progress, having performed the surgery doctor a con Quo
(26:12):
doing his final fusion surgery and knowing his recovery process,
and when is he going to be able to play,
and that he is able to play, that was a
you know, again, you don't want to call it smart,
but maybe it was fortuitous. But whatever it was, it
was a good move on their part. And you know,
to Max's earlier point, yeah, you're going to have injuries,
(26:34):
and it's your ability to be able to adapt to them.
That's why any team that starts bemoaning injuries, it's like
I just ignored its elevator music to me, because yeah,
I know, some teams get hit harder than others. And
when you lose your stars, like a star quarterback, like
Dallas losing Micah Parsons, Yeah, those ones hurt. But teams
(26:56):
that bemoan injuries, that's all part of it, and you
have to be prepared for. And Mike Tomlan always sings
that song. You know, when you start complaining about injuries,
you're giving your team an excuse to lose. And Mike
Tomlin never does that. Bill Kawer never did that, and
so I think that's part of the whole process. And
(27:18):
you know, you always hear Mike Tomlin say next man up. Well, look,
we all know the next man up might not be
as good as the guy he is stepping in for.
But that's the mentality that he takes and I think
that's what bodes well for them. And I'm not going
to sit here and tell you he's the only coach
in the National Football League who espouses that. I don't
(27:38):
know how many others do, but that's part of what
Mike Tomlin always does and that's why I think he
keeps those guys prepared, you know, when when there are injuries.
I want to make one other point, Rob about this
this game this week. I don't think this game is
important from a standpoint of whether they win or lose,
(28:00):
because you know, if you pardon me, say, they can
lose their next two games, the Ravens can win their
next two games, and so long as the Steelers beat
the Ravens in the season finale, they're still the division champ. Now,
I know you don't want it to come to that,
but my point is, I think what this game, it's
going to be a telling game if they can go
(28:22):
into Ford Field against the Lions team that has to
be desperate. They're on the verge of missing the playoffs.
This was my team to go to the super Bowl.
In the preseason they're eight and six. If they can
go into Ford Field after what we have seen the
past two weeks and go in and beat the Lions,
who need a victory to stay alive, that will tell
(28:44):
me that, all of a sudden, this is a different
football team, and this is a football team to be
reckoned with. I'm not going to call them the Houston Texans,
who is now that team that quote nobody wants to
play in the postseason, But I think it's going to
tell you that this is a team that is more
than just a division champ. This is a team that
might be able to go win a playoff game. And
(29:06):
that's what I think that I think that's what we're
going to find out on Sunday. If they can go
in there and win, all of a sudden, you know
it's going the narrative will change just a little bit
on what people think of the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
And and Jered, I mean, you know, that's that's what
I feel like. You know, you kind of talked about
it from the historical sense and leading it up to now,
and you know, it's the evolution of this game, right,
you know, evolution of coaching, evolution of the players, evolution
of where we're at. Right, things are cyclical, but yet
things are different, right, It's still always progressing forward in time.
(29:45):
And I think you know, when you just look at
Mike Tomlin's tenure, right, I mean, you know, it has
been one that has had that baseline of consistency. You know,
it's kind of the drum march to his legacy here.
But you know, people really don't talk about that brilliance
behind of how to manage people, right, how to manage
(30:10):
forty six men on any given game day, and the
emotions that's behind it, the ebbs and flows that he
always talks about and being able to handle that with grace,
with tenacity, but understanding the temperature of each of those players.
(30:32):
I think it's something that kind of gets overlooked at times,
and people have gotten sedentary with thinking that this guy
doesn't have a losing season, you know, and it becomes
kind of a joke to a lot of people. But
I could tell you there's like five or six fan
bases that wish they had at least half of that
consistency at one point in their history to be that
(30:56):
type of team. And so just also so you know,
just just to add on to that, about Mike don
because I know, you know, everybody was born on him
two weeks ago, right and you could that story was
just ridiculous that that's happening in a pro stadium. But
you know, this is just kind of what we've come
(31:17):
to expect when you have a certain expectation for your
sports teams and being in here in the city of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 6 (31:27):
You know, Max, I would be willing to bet it's
more than five or six fan bases that would love
to have that quote a record, that standard, if you will,
that that Mike Tommlin has set. But when you look
and what he gets applauded for, and rightfully so, is
doing more with rosters that aren't overly talented or as
(31:52):
we've seen the last five years, having to deal with
a revolving door at quarterback. And so you know, this
isn't a Leveon vel Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown team. This
isn't the killer beat, and so the last number of years,
I think that's been the case. The idea when I
(32:13):
read of when I hear about all the Steelers' talent,
and they have some talent, but I don't think I
don't think they have a Pro Bowl roster of talent
like the Philadelphia Eagles have. But to your point, Max,
I think that's Mike Cammin's greatest strength, taken what he
has and being able to mold it every year for
(32:34):
nineteen years into a non losing team. And of course
the classic example was the Duck Hodges Mason Rudolph years
being able to do what he did with that roster.
And so that's where he gets the pats on the back,
and deservedly so. And you know the only thing that's
at issue here in Pittsburgh with all the wailing and
(32:56):
gnashing of teeth going back to two weeks ago, which
is a reflective of what people have watched for eight years.
It's not about whether Mike Tomlin is a good coach
or a great coach. That's established he is he is.
There's no arguing that point. The the contention or the
disgruntlement of the Steeler fan base is what they have
(33:17):
seen the last eight years, a playoff team for the
last five years, playoffs and then they go in and
they're won and done, and they don't. They haven't won
a playoff game in eight years or zero and five
their last five times, and that's to see that happen
repeatedly is what has you know, upset this fan base.
(33:38):
But you can't deny, you know, they complain about being
in the playoffs for the last five years because they've
been eliminated the first time first the round. But they're
still in the postseason for the last five and it
looks like it's going to be five of the next
five of the last six. It's not to be sneezed
at so but it's just that they had, you know,
for a team that has the history that they have
(33:59):
and the Super Bowl trophies, to not advance any further
in the playoffs has been frustrating and upsetting to the
fan base. But to me, it has no reflection on
whether Mike Tomlin is a great coach or not, because
that has been established.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Jerry do Lac, thank you, my friend. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I will see you shortly on this south side.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
Rob, I'll look forward to it, and Max is always
I'll see at the Ballyard.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Yes, indeed, deary, and thank you so much. And Jerry's
brought to us by the Walnut Grill. Remember you can
go get those four dollars twenty two hours drafts, all
Steelers games, stop down by there and enjoy a cold
one as you cheer on the Black and Gold. They'll
be in a little bit later this afternoon, so you
can libate a little bit sooner and more often they're
at the Walnut Grills. We have a four to twenty
(34:54):
five kick in Detroit. And you know just I mean,
Jerry was right, Rob, you know, when you look at
just kind of where the team is in the historical
aspect of it. Yes, we haven't won the playoff game
since twenty sixty. I get it, I get it. But
getting the Willie Wanka Golden ticket is the first step
(35:15):
in either being upset about that that trend or being
excited about what can be this year versus years past.
So it's, uh, you know, it's one that we try
and you know, do the best to cover as much
of it as we can before we get to the games.
But you just hope that hey, keep enough guys healthy
(35:37):
that you can still make the push.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
That's that's really what it comes down to. It is.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
And I wanted to point out one other thing too
that Jerry Dulac is also presented by a neighborhood forster,
the f one fill of the Pittsburgh ste it oh
I know it. Gear up with the latest game the
necessities hit the official Steelers Pro shops. Get the latest
side that apparel, Jersey's Terrible Tows, authentic Memory, and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
(36:04):
one of the official Students Pro shops located at Acrotuur Stadium,
Grove City Premium Outlets or Tanger Outlet's or gear up
online at shop dot Steelers dot com. Get it direct
from the team at Stealers Pro Shop at Shop dot
Steelers dot com. Jerry had a really interesting comment that
I want to follow up with with Max, and we
will do that when we continue In the Locker Room
(36:25):
presented by o Neighborhood Forwards Store and the Steelers Pro
Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
This is in the Locker Room with King and 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.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
Com and thanks for being with us in the locker
room and actually just had Jerry du lac on and
Jerry made a really interesting comment.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I've kind of been thinking along these lines.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
I didn't really want to be the guy who said
it out loud, and Jerry did say it out loud.
You know the fact that this game is not necessary
for the Steelers to win the AFC North, that the
most important game is the end of the year against
the Ravens. Actually it's still possible you could lose this game,
(37:27):
the Ravens lose, then you win next week at Cleveland,
and the Ravens lose at green Bay. I remember, the
Ravens are taking on New England desperate for a win
on Sunday Night football, and then they're on the road
at green Bay, another team that's going to be desperate
for a win, another elite team. So it's possible that,
you know, you could lose this game and either you know,
(37:50):
clinch at the end of the year, even have it
wrapped up before the Ravens game, those are possible things.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
You're a loss here and you're not out of it.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
You're not out of it because you can still beat
the Ravens no matter what happens, as Jerry points out,
And so you know the point that, you know, the
the most important thing or not maybe I don't. I
don't want to say the most important thing, but that
it would be acceptable to play a strong game even
if you don't win the game. I understand that thinking.
(38:21):
You don't want to go in with that thinking, obviously,
But when you think about the elite teams the Steelers
have played, they've beaten some of them, and they've been
right in there with all of them. The only team that
really that really wasn't a good game was a Chargers game.
The other teams, you you know, you let it the
half against top quality opponents. So what's your notion that
(38:42):
it would be And again this is a you know,
we're not We're just kind of talking about your feeling
about what the team can do in the playoffs. If
they can go to Detroit and show that they can
hang with the Lions team that's explosive at home, that
should give you the confidence that you can win in
the plays. Uh, you know, with everything else in your resume,
(39:03):
I think I've got that line of thinking correct. What
is your thought about that line of thinking?
Speaker 4 (39:10):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (39:10):
You know, I mean I don't think there's anything wrong
with it. I think I think you know, you have
to have a certain level of balance, right, I mean
balance is key. Balances, Balances, you know, important this time
of year and with with the notion that things are
going to be imbalanced, right because you're you're going to
(39:33):
have to deal with what the challenges are, because the
schedule is the schedule. And every year, as much as
you like to predict what things are going to be
at the beginning of the year, they're never what they
seem by the end of the year. So you know,
you kind of accept where things are where where, where
you where when when you presently meet each of those teams.
(39:55):
You know there's no perfect solution on how you arrive
and how and how they present in those situations, but
you have to be able to take advantage of them
and you have to deal with them as they are.
And I think you know, flexibility is key, and and
having a sound a sound approach and consistent philosophy is
(40:17):
kind of what you really need and to stick to
that throughout all of it in the face of whatever
it looks like, whether good, bad or indifferent.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
So playing well, playing a good game, and it is interesting,
you know, like we talked about, you know, hey, give
me three to two win. I don't care how ugly
it is, and I don't care who you're beating early
in this season.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
You know, you want to win games.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
But I think there is part of me that understands
the notion that maybe just playing a good football game
showing that, Okay, there's another hole that we've cleaned up.
Another thing that's that we've improved upon. Okay, we lost
(41:05):
a close game to Detroit, but that's that at their
place where they're very good, it's the best offense in
the league.
Speaker 3 (41:11):
We can still build on that.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Did you ever feel like that as a player, like, Okay,
we didn't win the game, but there is it's a top.
Speaker 3 (41:21):
Opponent, and we showed we can.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
We showed ourselves something even in defeat.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Yeah, I mean you can. You can.
Speaker 5 (41:32):
You can resolve yourself to the moral victory, right and
you can you could say, man, you know, that team
was just outmatched in that moment. I think of I
think of an eight season Tennessee was that team. You know,
Tennessee was a team that was really good and defensively listened.
(41:53):
They kicked our butt, you know, in December, they they
figured something out. You know, defensively, they were running this
like four to two wide defense, and I mean they
were just killing people with it, right. You know, the
sack numbers were high, third down percentage defense was really high,
(42:14):
and you know, they were a team that was like, man,
you know, we got to see them, we got to
come back, or we got to deal with this again.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
I don't know, and.
Speaker 5 (42:25):
And you're like, but you know, we we we tried
our best and we're still a good team, but I
don't know. And they ended up getting the one seed
in the playoffs, right, and we ended up taking the
two seed in that game. And I think that's that's
kind of a similar situation, except for the good thing
is Detroit in the NFC is not in the AFC,
so if you see them again, it would only be
(42:47):
the Super Bowl. But I think it's a very similar
situation in that right where you're like, Okay, we now
know what we need to do in retool and we
still learned something new about our just late in the
journey to help us moving forward. And I mean, yeah,
you can take that, but in the moment, you're not
thinking about that leading into the game. That's more where
(43:10):
we're of a reflective thought after it's all said.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Absolutely right, absolutely, you're hey, let's be close.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
We're number two, number two.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
You're not You're not cheering that going into the stadium,
you know what I'm saying. Right, So, but but but
you are correct that you can't glean something from it.
But like I said, that's more of an afterthought and
reflective thought after the dust settles.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
Agreed, Uh, agreed.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
And so by the way, the Steelers, you know, Jerry
alluded to this, and they have just made the official
roster move. They have signed Jeremiah Moon to the active
roster from the Carolina practice squad. Remember, Jeremiah Mouon is
a guy who's got some familiarity with the system. He's
been around the team for a couple of years. Prior
to that, he's had been with the Ravens. And they
(44:02):
have waived Broderick Martin Rhoades, who just I think saw
fleeting time at the defensive line position for the Steelers,
and so you know they'll go assuming they'll go with
Logan Lee or you know, he would be the sixth
guy now on that defensive line and Jeremiah Moon, you know,
this signing to the active roster makes you wonder about
(44:24):
the availability of either guy for the Steelers when I
when I when I say either guy, what I mean
is t J.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Watt or Nick Herbig.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Either way, though, you want, you know, one, at least
one additional outside linebacker going into this game against the Lions.
And so that is the move that has been made
by the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (44:45):
Yeah, I mean, this is something that we know, we
were anticipating something was going to have to happen after that,
after the report on Tuesday from Mike Tomlin talking about
you know that injury hamstring.
Speaker 4 (44:58):
I believe it was for Nick Herbig.
Speaker 5 (44:59):
Yeah, and not knowing really you know, we didn't we
didn't even note it really during the broadcast, right, because
there was nothing that really came up, like he didn't
go to the blue tint.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
He didn't really present.
Speaker 5 (45:14):
And you know, when you're in the game, you know
you're calling who's in there, You're not thinking about, well,
this guy hasn't been in in a while. I mean,
unless it was something like they limped off the field.
I didn't see that that much.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
Right, nor did I.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
Plus it's plausible at that time of the game that
you're just saying, look, we're we're going to rest some
of our veterans, and you can't rest at all because
you don't have, you know, a limitless roster. But hey,
let's give this guy a blow. Let's let somebody else
get in there and get some wrapped. So you're right,
that's you know, whatever happened to Nick Herby was not
something that I remember seeing in the game.
Speaker 4 (45:45):
Yeah, so it was a surprise.
Speaker 5 (45:46):
So you hear that and you expected something corresponding, right,
and you know, it just so happens that a guy
like Jeremiah Moon, who yeah, we've talked about him. He's
played for US, and he's played a lot of quality
snaps a year ago for US, and you know, you're
happy that you can find that guy to be able
to bring him in this late and you don't have
(46:09):
to coach him up as much, so he's a little
bit more game ready or ready to go, you know
what I'm saying. You know, RTG, you know, are ready
to go. You know, you know, RTDs are like those
drinks you get, like the insurers and those protein shacks
and stuff that you get like the gas station or something.
Speaker 4 (46:26):
RTD ready to drink.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
Okay, he's more like RTD.
Speaker 5 (46:30):
You know, he's the RTD type of player where you
could drop him in. He understands what the philosophy is,
he knows what the system is, he knows what the
play calls are, he's familiar with the terminology, and he
can more or less plug him play with you.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
In those moments.
Speaker 5 (46:46):
I mean, obviously lead dogs are gonna be Jack Sawyer
and Alice high Smith in that situation, but you do
need a rotation of guys, and you do need and
Marvin Leeal was up last week. He's another guy that's
gonna that's gonna be there round out kind of that
four outside linebackers group. So you need to just need
some depth to get you through some of these games
(47:07):
until those guys can come back to us.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
Which leads me to another question. But it's a question
that is going to have to wait. Look at that tease,
how about that? Uh So we're gonna we're gonna get
to that when we continue. We're also going to have
our AFC preview. Man, and I gotta tell you, I
can't wait till tonight's game, rams Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
Can't wait. A phenomenal game.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
You know, maybe what's that, Oh, two top teams in
the NFCU have emerged at this point, and uh, you know,
so much to play for, right, I mean, you know
you're talking about you're talking about the top two teams
in the NFL in the same division.
Speaker 3 (47:56):
Yeah, and it's going to be a wild card.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
Just think about that, right, And we saw that last
year with the NFC North. You know it was it
was Minnesota and Detroit battling. And now all of a sudden,
one of those teams got to be a wildcard. You know,
one of these teams is going to be a wildcard,
the Rams or the Seahawks. The Rams are already clinched
to birth a huge game here tonight between the Rams
and the Seahawks. But we have our AFC preview coming
(48:20):
up as well, some big games in the AFC, and
of course much more on this game ponent against the Lions.
All we continue in the Locker Room, presented by o
Neighborhood Ford Store and the Steerers Pro Shop on Steps
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford 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):
All right, all right, all right, all right, welcome to
this Thursday edition of the Locker Room as we get
you ready for the Steelers and Lions and a great
weekend of football that begins tonight with the Rams taking
on the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Max Starks, how you doing today, my friend?
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm doing good, kidger Man. You know.
Speaker 5 (00:45):
Hey, we are barreling tours the weekend, getting ready for
another matchup. We're going to the Motor City and I'm
headed to Oklahoma City this evening. I got the college
football Playoff first round Oklahoma hosting Alabama EMMA tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
So you know, excited football, football, football.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It is great stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
There was times in my career where I would do
Friday night football and high school football, cover the Pit
game on Saturday, cover the Steelers game on Sunday. So
I got high school college football on one weekend occasional
West Virginia game maybe mixed in there. It is just
(01:28):
it's a great way to go through life, Max, Football, football, football.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Well, and I think the biggest thing you know, this
time of year it brings the holiday season. But we
know how important this time of year is for teams
right wherever your respective sport, you know, team support goes.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
And this is just exciting, right.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
And then also this is a time for family where
families are starting to come to get back together for
the holidays. Right, your daughter's back in country with you,
kinger Man, My girls are getting they got to school,
and you know families are are communing, right, they're yes, reconnecting.
And you know sports has a way of bringing people
(02:09):
together even further. So you know you have all of
these different close connections with sport and family around this
tremendous holiday and it just makes for a very special
time of year every year.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You know, I agree, Max, that is beautifully put. And yes,
whether football is forefront and everyone's leaning forward their elbows
on their knees watching the game, or whether you're lounging
on the couch and it's on the background and you're
looking at the tree or whether it's both, you know,
somebody over snoring in the corner, a couple other people
(02:46):
cheering for the game.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It has become an integral part, integral part of our holidays.
And it's beautifully put Max by you. So speaking of
beautifully put by Max, you're uh. And we heard from
Jim Wexley yesterday that he wrongly attributed uh, Steel City
Shove to me. A rare mistake from Jim. Of course
(03:08):
I said it on the air, but it's I said
it on the air because it is a Max Stark's invention.
So I was on a show this morning with with
Chris Damski Tom Offerman talking about whether and they did it.
They ran a little poll on Twitter. Should should it
be Pittsburgh Plunge or Steel City Shove for the for
(03:30):
the sneak where they you know, get behind Connor Heyward
and push him forward. And uh so you know there
was some debate about that, but you know, I shouldn't
say debate.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
It was brought up.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
But my feeling is my partner says Steel City Shove,
so it's Steel City shof.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Well, you know what, And I'm glad, I'm glad. I'm
glad that we kept it there, right, because yeah, you know,
the Pittsburgh Plunge just doesn't sound right. That sounds like
a water park ride.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Well it is.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It's the it's the old Kennywood you know.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Okay, so that's yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So that's why it was getting some attention, right, the
Pittsburgh Plunge, because of the old ride at Kenny Would.
I don't think it's there anymore, and it was.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It was.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I think it was the ride that you got on,
if I'm not mistaken it, because there was a couple
of water rides, but there was I think it was
the Pittsburgh Plunge where you got on and get your
picture taken, you know, and you looked at it and
if everybody had their hands up and screaming and nobody's
eyes were closed or nobody was cut off, you bought it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
You stuck out on your fridge for the year.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
That's with a magnet, right, That's that's the that's the
Pittsburgh Plunge. Thus the sort of support for that name.
But I also like Steel City Shove it. It's uh,
it's a little more aggressive, Max. I kind of like,
I kind of like it. It's a little more football
sound e to me.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Look at look man, you said steel City Shove, I
say steel City Shove. I say it remained Steel City shove.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, and that one.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
And like you said that, that one also basic feel
like they're the they're the aggressor.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
In this moment right right, exactly exactly exactly.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Yeah, plunge feels like you're trying to clog something up
or unclog something up.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
It sounds, it sounds.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
It sounds like, you know, after you've had a Christmas
meal versus you know, before you have you've had a
Christmas feel when you're sitting at the table for the
first time, right, Steel City Shove is like we just
got to the table and I see everything that I've
wanted for Christmas, and I've been waiting all day like
a good like a good like a good either spouse, dead,
(05:32):
family member, friend, whatever you want to call it. When
you sit at the table and all your manners are
still intact, That's what I feel. But you know what's
on the other side of it, and you're just waiting
for that ball, for that a moment to be snapped
to you so that you can just go to town.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
That's what I feel like. Steel City Shove is.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Pittsburgh plunge is like, oh man, you know, I ate
way too much. You know, I ate way too much
of like the filler stuff, right. You know, I'm saying
I had like seventeen devil deviled eggs, and I'm trying
to clear space to get ready for the actual dinner.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
That's what That's what excoose me.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, here's the other thing too, about the plunge. So
I am I am old enough to remember, and this
is this is why I grade toward Steel City Shove.
That and because my partner and friend, Max starksis Steel
City Shove, and that's that's always good enough for me
and always a great reason to carry the standard. But
(06:30):
a full back plunge, so that used to be an
actual play. It was a thirty one or thirty two.
You either went over left guard or right guard, and
you know, the three back was a full back. Because
I'm I'm old enough to remember when every backfield had
a full back, and a lot of backfields had one
full back and two running backs, you know, the two,
three and four backs, and the three was always a
(06:51):
full back. So a thirty one or thirty two plunge
was a full back between over the left guard or
right guard. But it was a running start. It just
felt you know. The shove is more descriptive. It's it's
not really a punch. Nobody's getting a running start and
plunging through a hole. They are lining up and and
being shoved forward. And so a lot of times being
(07:14):
spent on this, but I think I'm I'm securely in
the Steel City Shove camp. And by the way, Max,
we call the games.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
That is true at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Not to be petty, yeah, not to be.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Petty, but just for full journalistic integrity. Of course, we
are in charge.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
You know, when it comes right or wrong there we
are right or wrong.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
You know, the arbiter and the recorder here are here
to let you know that it will be called the
Steel City Shove.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
And the fact that we involved other people is great.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
But at the end of the day, we were judge,
jury executioner of said name.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So funny, yeah, we're going all fun I'm glad you
guys got I'm glad the guys got into it and
uh and and and made something of it. And it's
a lot of fun and So that's that Steel City
Shove just wanted you to know that that was a
topic of conversation this morning here in Pittsburgh. So, Max,
I I cannot wait to break down some of these
(08:18):
matchups for the Lions. So I'm I'm two games after
their bye, which involved a loss and a win, and
I got to tell you that, you know, there are
times where the Lions look like a machine, like how
are you like a like something right off the Detroit
assembly line? Like you got no chance of stopping us?
(08:38):
And there's other times in which they look very stoppable,
you know. There and that again, they are eight and six.
We are not talking about the Lions of last year
or the year before. You know they they they still
have not lost consecutive games since back to week I
think it was week seven and eight of twenty twenty two.
(09:01):
That's the last time they lost back to back games, Max,
They've been remarkably consistent, and even this year at eight
and six, it's win loss, win loss, win loss. I've
been alternating this is an opportunity to hang that second
consecutive loss on them. But as much as I don't
quite know, I don't want to. I feel like I'm
denigrating them by saying they're not a super team, because
(09:23):
if they come out of the tunnel and onto Ford
Field the right way, they are a super team. And
if they don't, they can be had, you know. So
I don't quite know how to describe them, much like
all season long, Max, it's been hard to describe pretty
much any team in the NFL, and.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
That's where the parody's been rob You know, you think
about just around this league, and the number one teams
are the Denver Broncos and the LA Rams, right, like,
that's your number one teams in each respective conference. And
what we've seen since then, right, we've seen the Seattle
Seahawks has had some prominence there the NFC West. They're
(10:03):
they're fighting for the top wild scuard spot and they'll
actually have a tilt against the Rams, so they're actually
trying to win their division. I mean, you look at
where the Colts were to where Jacksonville is and Houston
is now in that in that really heated AFC South
changing of the guard out west, right, the Kansas City
(10:27):
Chiefs aren't in this playoff picture, you know, And and
the Chargers are making a push, and you know, even
for us, right, you know, Baltimore's fighting for their playoff
lives and you know Cincinnai Bengals are nowhere near and
they've been statistically eliminated now, you know, for the better
part of a week. So this is where it's kind
(10:50):
of a lot different than in years past. And that's
why I think it's also imperative. Why for the Steelers,
if you are going to make the push, this is
the best time to make that push.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Absolutely, absolutely, Matt. I couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I mean, you know, this is what you're this is
what you're trying to do, right, You are trying and
we've talked about this, We've outlined this in the past.
You know, win games early, and we've said, I don't
care if it's three to two, I don't care if
it's five to three, I don't care what the score is.
Win the games and then begin to build an identity.
You know, maybe some players develop, you know, some roles
(11:26):
shift around, injuries happen, you know, there's there's certain things
you have to deal with along the journey. But what
you want to be doing is playing your best football
this season. Now, I think that's going to be put
to the test on Sunday. If you ask me right now,
are the Dealers playing their best football this season? I
would say yes. These last two games I think are
their best, most complete performances of the year. That's what
(11:49):
I think, not flawless. But again, when we want flawless
is you know, early February. That's when we want flawless.
You know, uh, we don't want we don't need to
be flawed now. You need to be ascending now and
feeling good about yourselves and having somebody study your tape
and saying, you know what, you used to be able
(12:09):
to run the ball on these guys. You can't run
the ball on them anymore, you know, And and think
about what you know what issues that takes care of?
You know, you stop, you start stopping to run, and
all of a sudden you start getting more three and
ounce and all of a sudden that problem gets taken
care of, and on and on you go. So I
feel like these are their best two games of the season. Max,
I don't know whether you would agree or disagree with that.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Well, no, I mean I agree as well, right, you know,
it's it's how do you handle adversity? How do you
handle pressure, and how do you handle the opportunities that
are presented versus the opportunities that you wish were presented.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
You know, it's all of these kind of emotions that
lead towards you know, emotional intelligence, the ability to focus, right,
you know, to put those blos on and just go forward.
This time of year, and like you said, adversity happens.
It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when, right, Rob,
(13:11):
We and we outline this all the way back in
training camp. So now that we are here in December
in the area that we were talking about, Hey, you know,
towards the end, this is what it's gonna be. We
gotta have these situations and here's what can help us
get to those situations. And it's gonna take an open
(13:31):
minded approach. It's gonna take giving it. You're all being
all the way locked in right ten toes you know,
into this environment because the shoes are at the door,
so you got to go ten toes in.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
You know, it's in certain cultures and environments, right, But
I think that I.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Think that's where you know, this is the most exciting
time of year because it's never perfect and it's never ideal,
but it's what's required.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
It lets you know that.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
This team deserves to be here, right. This is like
the proving ground moment for you know, for the season,
and everybody has to be on that same page. Everybody
has to be locked in. You've got and then if
there is somebody that's kind of floating outside of the orbit,
(14:27):
you got to go last, so them back in or
go put your arm around them and bring them back
into the fold and keep them, you know, keep them
close to you because people can tend to go, you know,
to get to get out of sorts, out of whack,
trying to do more than they're asked to do. And
you know the other thing is, you know, holidays, it's
(14:49):
it's it's a mentally.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Challenging time for not only athletes but just people in general.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
So it's no different than sports would will kind of
mimic life in those type of moments.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
There's a lot to get to here for the Steelers
as they hopefully are reaching a crescendo, and they will
face a stiff test in Detroit for sure. Up next,
we're gonna be talking to Jerry Dulac. Presented by your
neighborhood Ford Store, The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When we continue in the
Locker Room, presented by O Neighborhood Ford Store and the
(15:22):
Students Pro Shop on Steers Nation Radio, part of the
Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingyon 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 5 (15:50):
One of these days, I'm gonna write some lyrics to this,
and I'm gonna I'm gonna have like this awesome little
intro rob because well, you have somebody like Jerry Doulac.
He just denotes a certain level of decorum. He has
a certain demand level that we have to live up to.
(16:11):
And you know, I think when you when I think
of Jerry Dolac, I think of the walnut grill. I
think of the four dollars bud Life that are twenty
two ounce drafts for all Steelers games.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
And I think of.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
The knowledge the man, the golfer, and of course the
Steelers insider.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
That is Jerry Doulak. How are we doing today? Do?
How are you doing on this lovely Thursday?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Well, Max, I am fine, my friend. And if you
are a Seinfeld fan, then maybe you should try to
adapt a little intro song similar to George Costanza's Answering
Machine if you remember that episode.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yeah, yes, we could also go a sharp dressed man
with Jerry Doulak too.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You know that.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Oh well, that's yes. I've always said that would that
would be my introz tops if I got a walk up,
walk up, so it would be a sharp dressed manning.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I liked that. We're simpotico here. I like that.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I don't know if Max mentioned that the Walnut Grill
does that four hour bud Light twenty two on drafts
for as Steelers games. I'm sure he did, uh but
uh do? I wanted to ask him, but that he
did mention it? Okay, well it's so again, do he did?
Speaker 6 (17:27):
He He worked it into that intro. It was you know,
very crack.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was seamless. It was seamless, and I'm a little
slow on the uptick as we all know. So Jerry, uh,
you tweeted out I believe it was you that I'm
ninety nine point nine percent sure, kind of like ivory.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Soap that you tweeted out that TJ. Watt is.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
It might not be gone as long as some people thought.
There was some I didn't know what to make of
Mike Tomlin's comments about t J Watt, whether there was
anything to re quote unquote read into there. But you
know the health of he and Nick Herbig are going
to be big items for this year. There's going against
a very very explosive Detroit team on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
You know, while I was enjoying some coffee five minutes
before I came on and joined my two great friends here,
I tweeted out that the Steelers have claimed assigned to
Jeremiah Moon off the Carolina practice squad and put them
on their active roster because of those two injuries on Sunday.
(18:28):
So that would probably tell you that TJ. Watt is
not going to play. So you know, Jeremiah Moon played
here in twenty twenty four late thirteen games, I believe
with the team. But yet, as for TJ Watt, what
I had said last week, rob to your question or
your point, is that his injury isn't as bad as
(18:52):
it sounds. And while I partially collapse lung doesn't sound good,
it's not that bad as bad as it sounds. And
I was told he will definitely be back before the
end of the season, and sooner rather than later. So
I don't know what sooner is, but it's not the
season finale in Baltimore. I don't think it's this week.
(19:14):
I don't know that for certain, but my guess is
because they signed jere Jeremiah Moon that will tell you
the TJ. Watt is not going to play this week,
but obviously you know it's gonna be. It'll be before
the end of the regular season, that's for sure.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Yeah, Jar And you know, just with like you said,
this time of year brings these type of situations. I'm
not gonna say it raiks exactly the situation, but it
brings similar situations, right. You know, Teams are dealing with injuries,
teams are dealing with being at less than full strength,
and how you manage that aspect of it is always
(19:55):
you know, key into your success into quote unquote the
end of the year, the drive to the postseason. However,
you know, people want to word it and I think,
you know, for the Steelers, this has kind of been
par for the course that you're going that it's not
a matter of if, but a matter.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Of when and who.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
And you know, I just look, I look at this
from a year ago and this time a year ago,
where the Steelers were the frenzy of games, the flurry
of games we had literally this time three hundred and
sixty five days ago, and how this team was looking
and can you just talk. I mean, this is a
(20:38):
completely different team than what we saw a year ago
at this exact moment, and just kind of your thoughts
about how far they've come, whether it's been the front office,
the coaching staff and dealing with it and just a
combination of getting to a very different place at this
point and learning from your mistakes a year ago.
Speaker 6 (21:01):
Yeah, Max, you know, they're in a different place, somewhat similar,
but different, and they've arrived here on a different path.
You know, they had their losing streak already. They you
know that three game in eleven days losing streak to
three of the best teams in the league was last
(21:21):
year and that just derailed everything they had accomplished before that.
But they had their five losses in seven games, and
now they've bounced back with two victories, first time. They've
been able to stack wins since early October, and yet
they've never lost control of first place in the division.
(21:43):
They're one of only two teams in the league who
have been in first place since the start of the season,
and the Eagles are the other one. And so through
their travails, they have stayed atop the division. Now that
could be an indictment or the rest of the division.
It could be an indictment if you will, the parody
International Football League. But the point is they've done what
(22:06):
they're supposed to do, which is remain in first place.
So and I think having won the last two games
in December is different than what we saw last year.
When they had that losing streak in December, they were
spiraling downward. And anybody who has watched the last two
games would not say they are spiraling downward. They are
(22:29):
ascending higher. And that to me is the biggest difference.
And you know, the quarterback play is a big reason
for that. The timely stops by the defense is a
big reason for that. What they did in Baltimore voting
(22:50):
them to two field goals when they were at the
Steeler ten three times in the fourth quarter, dominating the
Dolphins and containing their run games the other day. So
where they are. The record isn't as good right now
as it was last year, but I think we would
all agree it's a team that's on the rise, not
one that's on the descent. And so I think where
(23:15):
they are and what we've seen the past two weeks
makes everybody feel a little bit better based on what
they saw this time last year about their chances going forward.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Uh, you know, do I agree with you one hundred percent?
And I think we're all singing the same song here,
and this would be a big test because you want
to keep the momentum going against Detroit. The other thing
that I think is interesting when you talk about a
team's journey, you know this, Judents went out and they
got Darius Slay and they got Jalen Ramsey to pair
with Joey Porter in hopes of you know, being able
(23:50):
to limit teams like Cincinnati and teams like Detroit, teams
that have Minnesota, teams that have great won two punches
at wide receiver. Well, we look up now now at
this point of the season, Jalen Ramsey's playing safety. Joey
Porter is still there. I don't know the health of
James Pierre. I don't think we know where he's gonna
be yet. You have a Sante Samuel who has got
(24:11):
a reputation for being an excellent cover corner. You have
Brandon Echles, so things change along the journey. But I
do think that you know, there needs to be some
sort of or should be, in my opinion, some sort
of doff of the cap to this Steerer's Pro personnel department.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I mentioned this.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
I think on the show yesterday, we're gonna have the
draft here next year, right, Everyone's gonna show up in
the draft. We know how important it is, and hundreds
of thousands of people will be here to watch the
seven or eight young men or six young men or whatever.
How everybody draft picks you have that are gonna be
selected on your team, and it's an important part of
the process. But so is going out and signing players
(24:52):
that can come in and ascend. You know, James Pierre
and Dylan Cook, for example, started on the practice squad,
and the Echoles didn't start in the practice squad, but
wasn't expected to play this big.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Of a role.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
This sort of pursuit of players to fill the quote
unquote bottom part of your roster, but who have the ability,
Kenny Gainwell to step up as needed has been a
big reason I think that the Steelers have continued to
progress and other teams haven't been able to overcome injuries
and have begun to falter down the stretch.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Well, Rob, I think you make you make a great point,
and you know real quickly when you mentioned Dylan Cook
and Max obviously can speak to it better than me.
The way he performed the other day was beyond eye
opening in his first NFL start. And James Pierre is
(25:47):
a guy you know. I've called James Pierre the Mason
Rudolph of the defense. They keep him around, they keep
him around, they never give him the starting job, but
whenever he gets in there, he plays well. And you know,
to pick up. But Sante Samuel, I don't want to
call it a brilliant move, but it was a smart move,
and it was a keen move because they knew his
health progress, having performed the surgery doctor a con Quo
(26:12):
doing his final fusion surgery and knowing his recovery process,
and when is he going to be able to play,
and that he is able to play, that was a
you know, again, you don't want to call it smart,
but maybe it was fortuitous. But whatever it was, it
was a good move on their part. And you know,
to Max's earlier point, yeah, you're going to have injuries,
(26:34):
and it's your ability to be able to adapt to them.
That's why any team that starts bemoaning injuries, it's like
I just ignored its elevator music to me, because yeah,
I know, some teams get hit harder than others. And
when you lose your stars, like a star quarterback, like
Dallas losing Micah Parsons, Yeah, those ones hurt. But teams
(26:56):
that bemoan injuries, that's all part of it, and you
have to be prepared for. And Mike Tomlan always sings
that song. You know, when you start complaining about injuries,
you're giving your team an excuse to lose. And Mike
Tomlin never does that. Bill Kawer never did that, and
so I think that's part of the whole process. And
(27:18):
you know, you always hear Mike Tomlin say next man up. Well, look,
we all know the next man up might not be
as good as the guy he is stepping in for.
But that's the mentality that he takes and I think
that's what bodes well for them. And I'm not going
to sit here and tell you he's the only coach
in the National Football League who espouses that. I don't
(27:38):
know how many others do, but that's part of what
Mike Tomlin always does and that's why I think he
keeps those guys prepared, you know, when when there are injuries.
I want to make one other point, Rob about this
this game this week. I don't think this game is
important from a standpoint of whether they win or lose,
(28:00):
because you know, if you pardon me, say, they can
lose their next two games, the Ravens can win their
next two games, and so long as the Steelers beat
the Ravens in the season finale, they're still the division champ. Now,
I know you don't want it to come to that,
but my point is, I think what this game, it's
going to be a telling game if they can go
(28:22):
into Ford Field against the Lions team that has to
be desperate. They're on the verge of missing the playoffs.
This was my team to go to the super Bowl.
In the preseason they're eight and six. If they can
go into Ford Field after what we have seen the
past two weeks and go in and beat the Lions,
who need a victory to stay alive, that will tell
(28:44):
me that, all of a sudden, this is a different
football team, and this is a football team to be
reckoned with. I'm not going to call them the Houston Texans,
who is now that team that quote nobody wants to
play in the postseason, But I think it's going to
tell you that this is a team that is more
than just a division champ. This is a team that
might be able to go win a playoff game. And
(29:06):
that's what I think that I think that's what we're
going to find out on Sunday. If they can go
in there and win, all of a sudden, you know
it's going the narrative will change just a little bit
on what people think of the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
And and Jered, I mean, you know, that's that's what
I feel like. You know, you kind of talked about
it from the historical sense and leading it up to now,
and you know, it's the evolution of this game, right,
you know, evolution of coaching, evolution of the players, evolution
of where we're at. Right, things are cyclical, but yet
things are different, right, It's still always progressing forward in time.
(29:45):
And I think you know, when you just look at
Mike Tomlin's tenure, right, I mean, you know, it has
been one that has had that baseline of consistency. You know,
it's kind of the drum march to his legacy here.
But you know, people really don't talk about that brilliance
behind of how to manage people, right, how to manage
(30:10):
forty six men on any given game day, and the
emotions that's behind it, the ebbs and flows that he
always talks about and being able to handle that with grace,
with tenacity, but understanding the temperature of each of those players.
(30:32):
I think it's something that kind of gets overlooked at times,
and people have gotten sedentary with thinking that this guy
doesn't have a losing season, you know, and it becomes
kind of a joke to a lot of people. But
I could tell you there's like five or six fan
bases that wish they had at least half of that
consistency at one point in their history to be that
(30:56):
type of team. And so just also so you know,
just just to add on to that, about Mike don
because I know, you know, everybody was born on him
two weeks ago, right and you could that story was
just ridiculous that that's happening in a pro stadium. But
you know, this is just kind of what we've come
(31:17):
to expect when you have a certain expectation for your
sports teams and being in here in the city of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 6 (31:27):
You know, Max, I would be willing to bet it's
more than five or six fan bases that would love
to have that quote a record, that standard, if you will,
that that Mike Tommlin has set. But when you look
and what he gets applauded for, and rightfully so, is
doing more with rosters that aren't overly talented or as
(31:52):
we've seen the last five years, having to deal with
a revolving door at quarterback. And so you know, this
isn't a Leveon vel Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown team. This
isn't the killer beat, and so the last number of years,
I think that's been the case. The idea when I
(32:13):
read of when I hear about all the Steelers' talent,
and they have some talent, but I don't think I
don't think they have a Pro Bowl roster of talent
like the Philadelphia Eagles have. But to your point, Max,
I think that's Mike Cammin's greatest strength, taken what he
has and being able to mold it every year for
(32:34):
nineteen years into a non losing team. And of course
the classic example was the Duck Hodges Mason Rudolph years
being able to do what he did with that roster.
And so that's where he gets the pats on the back,
and deservedly so. And you know the only thing that's
at issue here in Pittsburgh with all the wailing and
(32:56):
gnashing of teeth going back to two weeks ago, which
is a reflective of what people have watched for eight years.
It's not about whether Mike Tomlin is a good coach
or a great coach. That's established he is he is.
There's no arguing that point. The the contention or the
disgruntlement of the Steeler fan base is what they have
(33:17):
seen the last eight years, a playoff team for the
last five years, playoffs and then they go in and
they're won and done, and they don't. They haven't won
a playoff game in eight years or zero and five
their last five times, and that's to see that happen
repeatedly is what has you know, upset this fan base.
(33:38):
But you can't deny, you know, they complain about being
in the playoffs for the last five years because they've
been eliminated the first time first the round. But they're
still in the postseason for the last five and it
looks like it's going to be five of the next
five of the last six. It's not to be sneezed
at so but it's just that they had, you know,
for a team that has the history that they have
(33:59):
and the Super Bowl trophies, to not advance any further
in the playoffs has been frustrating and upsetting to the
fan base. But to me, it has no reflection on
whether Mike Tomlin is a great coach or not, because
that has been established.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Jerry do Lac, thank you, my friend. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I will see you shortly on this south side.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
Rob, I'll look forward to it, and Max is always
I'll see at the Ballyard.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Yes, indeed, deary, and thank you so much. And Jerry's
brought to us by the Walnut Grill. Remember you can
go get those four dollars twenty two hours drafts, all
Steelers games, stop down by there and enjoy a cold
one as you cheer on the Black and Gold. They'll
be in a little bit later this afternoon, so you
can libate a little bit sooner and more often they're
at the Walnut Grills. We have a four to twenty
(34:54):
five kick in Detroit. And you know just I mean,
Jerry was right, Rob, you know, when you look at
just kind of where the team is in the historical
aspect of it. Yes, we haven't won the playoff game
since twenty sixty. I get it, I get it. But
getting the Willie Wanka Golden ticket is the first step
(35:15):
in either being upset about that that trend or being
excited about what can be this year versus years past.
So it's, uh, you know, it's one that we try
and you know, do the best to cover as much
of it as we can before we get to the games.
But you just hope that hey, keep enough guys healthy
(35:37):
that you can still make the push.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
That's that's really what it comes down to. It is.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
And I wanted to point out one other thing too
that Jerry Dulac is also presented by a neighborhood forster,
the f one fill of the Pittsburgh ste it oh
I know it. Gear up with the latest game the
necessities hit the official Steelers Pro shops. Get the latest
side that apparel, Jersey's Terrible Tows, authentic Memory, and custom
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(36:04):
one of the official Students Pro shops located at Acrotuur Stadium,
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online at shop dot Steelers dot com. Get it direct
from the team at Stealers Pro Shop at Shop dot
Steelers dot com. Jerry had a really interesting comment that
I want to follow up with with Max, and we
will do that when we continue In the Locker Room
(36:25):
presented by o Neighborhood Forwards Store and the Steelers Pro
Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
This is in the Locker Room with King and 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.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
Com and thanks for being with us in the locker
room and actually just had Jerry du lac on and
Jerry made a really interesting comment.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I've kind of been thinking along these lines.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
I didn't really want to be the guy who said
it out loud, and Jerry did say it out loud.
You know the fact that this game is not necessary
for the Steelers to win the AFC North, that the
most important game is the end of the year against
the Ravens. Actually it's still possible you could lose this game,
(37:27):
the Ravens lose, then you win next week at Cleveland,
and the Ravens lose at green Bay. I remember, the
Ravens are taking on New England desperate for a win
on Sunday Night football, and then they're on the road
at green Bay, another team that's going to be desperate
for a win, another elite team. So it's possible that,
you know, you could lose this game and either you know,
(37:50):
clinch at the end of the year, even have it
wrapped up before the Ravens game, those are possible things.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
You're a loss here and you're not out of it.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
You're not out of it because you can still beat
the Ravens no matter what happens, as Jerry points out,
And so you know the point that, you know, the
the most important thing or not maybe I don't. I
don't want to say the most important thing, but that
it would be acceptable to play a strong game even
if you don't win the game. I understand that thinking.
(38:21):
You don't want to go in with that thinking, obviously,
But when you think about the elite teams the Steelers
have played, they've beaten some of them, and they've been
right in there with all of them. The only team that
really that really wasn't a good game was a Chargers game.
The other teams, you you know, you let it the
half against top quality opponents. So what's your notion that
(38:42):
it would be And again this is a you know,
we're not We're just kind of talking about your feeling
about what the team can do in the playoffs. If
they can go to Detroit and show that they can
hang with the Lions team that's explosive at home, that
should give you the confidence that you can win in
the plays. Uh, you know, with everything else in your resume,
(39:03):
I think I've got that line of thinking correct. What
is your thought about that line of thinking?
Speaker 4 (39:10):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (39:10):
You know, I mean I don't think there's anything wrong
with it. I think I think you know, you have
to have a certain level of balance, right, I mean
balance is key. Balances, Balances, you know, important this time
of year and with with the notion that things are
going to be imbalanced, right because you're you're going to
(39:33):
have to deal with what the challenges are, because the
schedule is the schedule. And every year, as much as
you like to predict what things are going to be
at the beginning of the year, they're never what they
seem by the end of the year. So you know,
you kind of accept where things are where where, where
you where when when you presently meet each of those teams.
(39:55):
You know there's no perfect solution on how you arrive
and how and how they present in those situations, but
you have to be able to take advantage of them
and you have to deal with them as they are.
And I think you know, flexibility is key, and and
having a sound a sound approach and consistent philosophy is
(40:17):
kind of what you really need and to stick to
that throughout all of it in the face of whatever
it looks like, whether good, bad or indifferent.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
So playing well, playing a good game, and it is interesting,
you know, like we talked about, you know, hey, give
me three to two win. I don't care how ugly
it is, and I don't care who you're beating early
in this season.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
You know, you want to win games.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
But I think there is part of me that understands
the notion that maybe just playing a good football game
showing that, Okay, there's another hole that we've cleaned up.
Another thing that's that we've improved upon. Okay, we lost
(41:05):
a close game to Detroit, but that's that at their
place where they're very good, it's the best offense in
the league.
Speaker 3 (41:11):
We can still build on that.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Did you ever feel like that as a player, like, Okay,
we didn't win the game, but there is it's a top.
Speaker 3 (41:21):
Opponent, and we showed we can.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
We showed ourselves something even in defeat.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Yeah, I mean you can. You can.
Speaker 5 (41:32):
You can resolve yourself to the moral victory, right and
you can you could say, man, you know, that team
was just outmatched in that moment. I think of I
think of an eight season Tennessee was that team. You know,
Tennessee was a team that was really good and defensively listened.
(41:53):
They kicked our butt, you know, in December, they they
figured something out. You know, defensively, they were running this
like four to two wide defense, and I mean they
were just killing people with it, right. You know, the
sack numbers were high, third down percentage defense was really high,
(42:14):
and you know, they were a team that was like, man,
you know, we got to see them, we got to
come back, or we got to deal with this again.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
I don't know, and.
Speaker 5 (42:25):
And you're like, but you know, we we we tried
our best and we're still a good team, but I
don't know. And they ended up getting the one seed
in the playoffs, right, and we ended up taking the
two seed in that game. And I think that's that's
kind of a similar situation, except for the good thing
is Detroit in the NFC is not in the AFC,
so if you see them again, it would only be
(42:47):
the Super Bowl. But I think it's a very similar
situation in that right where you're like, Okay, we now
know what we need to do in retool and we
still learned something new about our just late in the
journey to help us moving forward. And I mean, yeah,
you can take that, but in the moment, you're not
thinking about that leading into the game. That's more where
(43:10):
we're of a reflective thought after it's all said.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Absolutely right, absolutely, you're hey, let's be close.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
We're number two, number two.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
You're not You're not cheering that going into the stadium,
you know what I'm saying. Right, So, but but but
you are correct that you can't glean something from it.
But like I said, that's more of an afterthought and
reflective thought after the dust settles.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
Agreed, Uh, agreed.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
And so by the way, the Steelers, you know, Jerry
alluded to this, and they have just made the official
roster move. They have signed Jeremiah Moon to the active
roster from the Carolina practice squad. Remember, Jeremiah Mouon is
a guy who's got some familiarity with the system. He's
been around the team for a couple of years. Prior
to that, he's had been with the Ravens. And they
(44:02):
have waived Broderick Martin Rhoades, who just I think saw
fleeting time at the defensive line position for the Steelers,
and so you know they'll go assuming they'll go with
Logan Lee or you know, he would be the sixth
guy now on that defensive line and Jeremiah Moon, you know,
this signing to the active roster makes you wonder about
(44:24):
the availability of either guy for the Steelers when I
when I when I say either guy, what I mean
is t J.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Watt or Nick Herbig.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Either way, though, you want, you know, one, at least
one additional outside linebacker going into this game against the Lions.
And so that is the move that has been made
by the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (44:45):
Yeah, I mean, this is something that we know, we
were anticipating something was going to have to happen after that,
after the report on Tuesday from Mike Tomlin talking about
you know that injury hamstring.
Speaker 4 (44:58):
I believe it was for Nick Herbig.
Speaker 5 (44:59):
Yeah, and not knowing really you know, we didn't we
didn't even note it really during the broadcast, right, because
there was nothing that really came up, like he didn't
go to the blue tint.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
He didn't really present.
Speaker 5 (45:14):
And you know, when you're in the game, you know
you're calling who's in there, You're not thinking about, well,
this guy hasn't been in in a while. I mean,
unless it was something like they limped off the field.
I didn't see that that much.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
Right, nor did I.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
Plus it's plausible at that time of the game that
you're just saying, look, we're we're going to rest some
of our veterans, and you can't rest at all because
you don't have, you know, a limitless roster. But hey,
let's give this guy a blow. Let's let somebody else
get in there and get some wrapped. So you're right,
that's you know, whatever happened to Nick Herby was not
something that I remember seeing in the game.
Speaker 4 (45:45):
Yeah, so it was a surprise.
Speaker 5 (45:46):
So you hear that and you expected something corresponding, right,
and you know, it just so happens that a guy
like Jeremiah Moon, who yeah, we've talked about him. He's
played for US, and he's played a lot of quality
snaps a year ago for US, and you know, you're
happy that you can find that guy to be able
to bring him in this late and you don't have
(46:09):
to coach him up as much, so he's a little
bit more game ready or ready to go, you know
what I'm saying. You know, RTG, you know, are ready
to go. You know, you know, RTDs are like those
drinks you get, like the insurers and those protein shacks
and stuff that you get like the gas station or something.
Speaker 4 (46:26):
RTD ready to drink.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
Okay, he's more like RTD.
Speaker 5 (46:30):
You know, he's the RTD type of player where you
could drop him in. He understands what the philosophy is,
he knows what the system is, he knows what the
play calls are, he's familiar with the terminology, and he
can more or less plug him play with you.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
In those moments.
Speaker 5 (46:46):
I mean, obviously lead dogs are gonna be Jack Sawyer
and Alice high Smith in that situation, but you do
need a rotation of guys, and you do need and
Marvin Leeal was up last week. He's another guy that's
gonna that's gonna be there round out kind of that
four outside linebackers group. So you need to just need
some depth to get you through some of these games
(47:07):
until those guys can come back to us.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
Which leads me to another question. But it's a question
that is going to have to wait. Look at that tease,
how about that? Uh So we're gonna we're gonna get
to that when we continue. We're also going to have
our AFC preview. Man, and I gotta tell you, I
can't wait till tonight's game, rams Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
Can't wait. A phenomenal game.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
You know, maybe what's that, Oh, two top teams in
the NFCU have emerged at this point, and uh, you know,
so much to play for, right, I mean, you know
you're talking about you're talking about the top two teams
in the NFL in the same division.
Speaker 3 (47:56):
Yeah, and it's going to be a wild card.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
Just think about that, right, And we saw that last
year with the NFC North. You know it was it
was Minnesota and Detroit battling. And now all of a sudden,
one of those teams got to be a wildcard. You know,
one of these teams is going to be a wildcard,
the Rams or the Seahawks. The Rams are already clinched
to birth a huge game here tonight between the Rams
and the Seahawks. But we have our AFC preview coming
(48:20):
up as well, some big games in the AFC, and
of course much more on this game ponent against the Lions.
All we continue in the Locker Room, presented by o
Neighborhood Ford Store and the Steerers Pro Shop on Steps
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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