October 13, 2025 • 44 mins
Max and Rob celebrate the Steelers' victory against the Browns and share their initial reactions and takeaways from the game.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
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 (00:27):
And we thank you for being with us in the
locker room.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
As the four and one Pittsburgh Steelers vanquished the Cleveland
Browns in their first AFC North Division game, meaning the
Steelers first AFC North Division team once again, the last
team in the National Football League to play a divisional game.
Max Starks Cincinnati Pittsburgh to home back to Cincinnati later
(00:50):
this week. Flight delayed late arrival in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And how are you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
I'm amazing. I am so good right now.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
It is It is amazing how refreshed you can be
after not being refreshed at all.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Right, it's called it's called it's called You're on the air, right.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Exactly, it's called. It is called.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
It is called delirium. And game and game time playing
rule number seventy six.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
No excuses.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Play like a champion, that's right.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
So I am playing like a champion today, good man.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
So I am ecstatic to be on the airwaves after
a great win. We get twenty four hours of celebrated.
But it's funny because everybody's going to practice today because
they they're going to be leaving on Wednesday to head
to Cincinnati to play another game.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
This is the this is the thing you love about.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Oh, getting one of those mid season Thursday night football games.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It's an honor. It's a privilege to do it. No,
it's not.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
It is standard operating procedure now in twenty twenty five.
It was cool back in two thousand and six to
a Thursday game because I meant it was after Thanksgiving,
so that was nice.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Not anymore.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, what it'll be good is Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Friday evening will be good and just a quick peel
back at the curtain before we get Max to talk
about what happens in it by a week and then
we'll talk about the victory yesterday.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
So Max, Max Case shooting, Hey, everybody, how are you?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
It reminds me back the very first Steelers game I did,
filling him for Bill Hillgrove when he had back surgery
several years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
The Steelers were.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
In New York to play the Jets, and you know,
I'm excited. I'm like, hey, I don't know where my
career is going to go, but I get to call
Steelers game. That's that's really really cool. Well, I had
a horrendous came down with the horrendous case of the
flu at a one hundred and three temperature, you know
that kind of thing, the shivers, and I remember Wolf
pat me on the back and say, well, cowboy up,
(02:56):
you really don't have any choice. I'm like, thanks, Wolf.
So I was literally face down, My face was down
on the counter in front of me as Derek counting
in ten, nine, eight, And then when they got to one,
I popped my head up and I said, welcome to
met Life Stadium.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
You know, what do you gonna do?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Right?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, what do you gonna do?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Exactly? Its game? Time Gamer's gonna game. You know, you
just you gotta you gotta figure out where to bring
it from.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
I've had plenty of those, you know where I'm like,
I am dragging right now because you know, obviously I
have I have a little bit of a tenuous schedule
this time of year, and you know that sometimes it
was it was not exactly ideal. I mean I remember
a couple of times I rolled up to the stadium literally,
(03:42):
you know, I'm sorry, I rolled up to the stadium.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
What at nine am? Week one?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
First game? Hey me and you got something in common?
Jets game it met Life Stadium. After driving all night
through a rain storm, after getting late and Raleigh and
having to dry for Raleigh all the way up there,
save it, you don't You just like like you're you're
You're like, man, I am not feeling good.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I'm feeling tired. What's wrong with me? And then once
once that light hits red and it says on.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Air, yeah you're on air, and commercial commercials are a
mini hibernation.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
You can kind of suck back in and.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, it's like, it's like, do not talk to me
during this break. It's called a break for a reason.
I need to recharge my battery. Even if I only
get ten seconds of juice on the charger, you know,
it's something is better than nothing.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
And so yeah, no, I mean you just just just
deal with it.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
I mean, yeah, tonight, last night was this morning, I
should say, this morning was a little bit long, and
you know, hey, you know I get through it. My
kids are still on fall break, so that's gonna be fun.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It's good stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
So there's not a nap in sight because my kids
are going to be like dead dead dead dead dead debt.
And I'm like, okay, yes, what we need to do.
And my daughters have like a full itinerary of stuff
that they have to do because I will be, you know,
doing the dad stuff. Wife's headed to work right now,
and you know, they don't care. They don't care how
(05:15):
long your flight was. It's like, no dad's home. And
especially since I'm I'm only gonna.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Be here for a couple of days, I.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Turn around leave on Wednesday, and then uh and then
from from them. From there, I get to spend a
day in Dayton with my family because my uncle and
my and my cousins and my auntie are all still in.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
In that area.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
So I'm spend a day with them, and then then
I'm off to Casey, Las Vegas for Sunday's game.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So, uh so Waverley and Joey aren't going with you,
are they the Dayton? That's that's you on your own.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, that's only me because yeah, because because the girl,
I mean girls still have school now, they because they
know that Thanksgiving last year was when they got to
go to Dayton.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Very cool.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
So yeah, so we got to do things.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
That was our first That was our first away from
the house Thanksgiving with them, because normally we hosted our house.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
So this was the first time that we went. We
went road showing, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Oh man, so wait, are you hosting again this year?
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Uh? This year?
Speaker 5 (06:18):
I believe we are hosting because we I forgot who
we who we play after Thanksgiving? Oh you know why,
because I because I have a game. I'm gonna have
one of the rivalry games. So yeah, we're We're gonna
stay at home this year.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Oh man, Well, I can't wait for that Thanksgiving week
to talk about what happens in the Stark's household on
Thanksgiving hosting.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So that's gonna be a topics good time. So let
me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
So at the end of the game yesterday, it's kind
of a little bit about the game, but more about
the bye week. End of the game yesterday, Uh, students
enjoying a two touchdown lead, and the young players have
been have been really good. The backups have been really good.
Jamie Pierre made a couple of great plays. Yesterday we
saw Jack Sawyer in there, we saw you know, other
(07:07):
young players getting some snaps on defense, and we saw
and again we were a little worried that, hey, our
guys nicked up. But when you look over and you
see TJ. Watts on the bench, Alex Heismith's on the bench,
Darius Slay's on the bench, Jalen Ramsey's on the bench,
everybody's on the bench, then then you know that they're
(07:30):
probably just getting rested, right, So a little bit of
a luxury to give these guys a bit of a
rest because, like you said, this isn't your normal Monday, right,
So what happens now? So I thought that was good
at the end of the game. What happens now on
a Monday and then the next couple of days as
a team prepares for that very quick turnaround on Thursday,
(07:53):
because normally, so tell us first what a normal Monday
is like for a player, and then tell us what
this bye week Monday is like for a player.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
Oh, I mean this Monday, this late in the year. Oh,
it's victory Monday. Is just like it's victory donut. That's right,
you know which I'm gonna have to go find Yeah,
I'm gonna go to Randy's Donuts after this and I
will post a picture on social.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Please do, please do.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Yeah, got got to got to Uh yeah, I almost
had delirium was setting in for a second. But normally Monday,
yes victory, Monday is day off. You know you're not
going to practice. You're you know, you're you're gonna be
with films. You know, you could watch the film if
you want on your own, come in, get a workout in,
maybe get some rehab.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But it's not a mandatory day.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
But obviously today this is this is gonna be a
quick half corrections introduction to Cincinnati type of type of
type of day. So you're gonna get your install, you're
gonna you're gonna review the game tape. Uh well, actually
you're gonna review it very briefly, only only the correct
actions you're gonna see. Normally, you watch the entire game tape,
(09:04):
uh to get to get to get the game behind you.
But not today, the game's already behind you because we
we've only got really two days of practice to get
ready for Cincinnati and what they do. And so it's
gonna be watch corrections, gameplay and install introduction Cincinnati on
(09:24):
the field of Cincinnati, after practice, uh, post practice, film
and everything is Cincinnati. You're gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna
go to lighter shell tempo, walk through tempo because you
just had a very physical game yesterday. So you're trying
to you're trying to get the body as proactively prehabbed
(09:45):
as possible.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
There's a lot of peas and a short amount of
amount of time.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Well done, but that that that's zs.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Sorry, yeah, and and.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Guess what.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
But that as quickly as possible, there another one another
one in there. So this is a this is a
very efficient day. You have to be locked in for
a very finite amount of time because you're trying to
minimize the physical nature of it because of the exertion
(10:21):
level that you just gave less than twenty four hours ago.
So you have to be very precise and treatments. The
emphasis getting the body as limber and as you know, delactated,
uh so to speak and delactated by meaning lactic acid.
(10:45):
So I don't know what that is. Delacticated. My brain's
not working right now. That's okay, A couple I'm going Yeah,
So you have to get the lactic acid build up
out of the body you've got. You've got to stretch
those muscles, you've got to whatever's bumped, bruised, or bothering you.
You've got to make sure that you're kind of doing
(11:07):
your best to aggressively attack that just so you can
get your body at a state where you can move comfortably.
And that's what Monday's about, and so that's what the
emphasis is going to be. I'm sure there's guys. You know,
guys got to the facility earlier than I woke up
this morning, so to make sure that they were taking
advantage of that, because there is no celebration of a
(11:29):
victory because you were onto Cincinnati quickly and you can
take stock of it.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
You can be happy about what you did, but all
that happy is.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
For not because you have to turn around and do
the same exact thing four days later. And it's imperative.
This is the next game. It is also the most
important game because it's the next division game. And yes,
you've got one, but as we always say, once it's
an accident twice as a habit, right, So you need
to go and kind of reaffirm yourself with an opportunity
(12:01):
to go up against the Cincinnati Bengalo squad that's reeling
from a loss and make them continually feel that pressure.
And you want to build on your wins now as
a group and continue.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
To move forward.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
You know, people are already talking about how you're not
You're not that good of a team, right, we see
the power rankings every week, doesn't matter what our record is,
and we only have one loss, you don't play anybody good. Well,
if that's the case, we beat everybody that we're supposed
to beat that. If that, if that's what the belief
system is, I'm not saying that, but I'm saying, Cincinnati,
never take them for granted.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Never, never try.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And assume that a wounded animal pinned in a corner
will not do everything in its power to survive.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Just never do that, agreed.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
So Max is So today would be Thursday in a
normal week, so you would have gotten a lot of treatment.
Maybe it'd still be getting more treatment depending upon the game.
I'm guessing that for a lot of guys, some guys
you know, bounce up at it bed on a Monday
and feel good.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
For for probably most players.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Maybe if it's just bumps and bruises and not an injury.
You know, we've talked about this in the past. What
maybe Tuesday you're starting to feel better, Wednesday you're starting
to limber. Thursday you're starting to kind of get into it.
What's ahead? That's an ish Tuesday ish?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So I mean, like, you know, listen, you got to
get up Thursday and play. How do how do you
manage making sure you are ready? Is this week?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And I know there's some physical preparation, there's some hitting
that goes on and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Does it just sort of take play? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I was gonna say, does the game just take the
place of that on Thursday? Thursday might be the first
day or I don't know, if the team does much
hitting on Wednesday, that Thursday might be the one day
in this this new rage of football in which a
little hitting takes part and then you kind of ramp
it back down and get ready. Saturday is a walk
through day with with no physical No. Uh, physical nature
(14:00):
of physicality is not at work of what I really like,
by the way, I'm trying to avoid using that here
in the locker room. But physical uh, you know, you
kind of ramp you know, you peek quickly, maybe on
a Thursday, maybe Friday. Then you kind of taper down
and get ready for the game. So there will be
no hitting this week. This will be about getting lined
(14:20):
up out there and making sure mentally you're you're doing
the right thing and physically you're getting your rest and
your rehab and your work. If you need time in
the tub, you need to be stretched out or whatever.
Is that what this week is about more than in
a normal week.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Yes, it is that. That is a key emphasis.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
That is all we are focused on is how can
I get prehabed as much as possible? Like, That's that's
what the emphasis is. That's the goal this week is
how do I just understand what my new normal is?
And that is the slow regression of your body saying
(15:03):
I don't like you anymore. That that's essentially what that's
essentially what you're doing. You're like, okay, I get it,
you don't like me, But guess what, We've got work
to do and I need you to follow directions. That
that's what you are literally coaching your body to just
to just do and to get your body in a
place where it just reacts. It does not it does
(15:26):
not take the it takes the emotion out of it
and understands that that this is this is what autopilot
looks like. This is what we have to operate in.
And you are not as bad as you think you are.
You are fine, You will be okay. But you're trying
to lie to your body essentially right now. You are
(15:47):
trying to treat trick yourself into thinking, no, everything's fine, guys. No,
we didn't go up against the number one defense yesterday. No,
we just did business as usual. That's what you're trying
to tell yourself.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Good stuff.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
So that's a little thumbnail sketch of what happens here
in to buy a week. We have such a short
week to get ready for the game on Thursday that
we are going to have to turn our attention quickly
to the game yesterday and then by tomorrow, man, we're
prep on the Cincinnati Bengals. So a lot to get to.
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(16:20):
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dot Steelers dot com. Back with More in the Locker
Room presented by our neighborhood Forward Store and the Steelers
Pro Shop on Steers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Apart of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
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 com.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Play action pass rolling to his right, looking downfield.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Looking throws back across his body head talk in the
end zone.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
What a grab by Conter Hayward.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Magnificent throw by Rogers and Hayward with his first touchdown
of the season and this year the drive of the game.
Presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F one fifty
is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mactre selecting
that one because you know at that point it was
still a slug fest, and this didn't certainly put the
(17:50):
game out of reach. Look, Cleveland bounced back with a
drive I think was their very next possession. In fact,
I know it was their very next possession. They marched
down and kicked a fifty three yard field goal. Was
Andre Schmid who drilled it through to make it sixteen
to six. But you know, it's kind of a the
Steelers drives are stalling a little bit, and Cleveland's defense
certainly has something to do with that. You get three
Boswell field goals forty four yard or fifty yard or
(18:12):
forty eight yarder, but it's still a nine to three game,
and it just felt important to me for the Steelers
to get that touchdown on that drive.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Rogers, I thought made a great throw.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
He talked after the game about Connor Hayward being a
smart player, and you know, usually when your quarterback's rolling out,
you kind of trying to move to him, and Hayward
in the back of the end zone, knew that the
thing to do was to move away from Rogers, and
he did that. Moved Rogers was rolling right, he moved
to the left in the back of the end zone
and capped off that drive with a touchdown, which you know,
(18:46):
again I thought was an important moment for the Steelers
in the game.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
No, it was.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
It was a very pivotal moment because you felt like
a comeback was brewing for the for the Cleveland Browns,
and you know, after watching them a week ago, gritty
team that was that was used to taking the lead.
They had confidence because you had a young guy and
Dylan Gabriel and listened.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
It wasn't because of Dylan that they lost that game.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
He did everything in his power to give them an
opportunity to be successful.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
I mean, guys just had a lot.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Of drops and you know, the pressure got to him
and so he started hearing the footsteps.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I mean, when you sack a guy six times.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And hit him sixteen more times, sixteen quarterback hits and six.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Sass and you left him out to dry by throwing
the ball fifty two times, right right, you know what
I'm saying. Like with Quinn Sewn Juckckins in the backfield,
but the Steelers defense did a great job of just
stalling Quinn Shawn Jukins like he never really got going in.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
The entire contest. Jerome Ford had.
Speaker 5 (19:58):
A couple of plays, but nothing really significant. So it
was a very one dimensional game for the Browns. And well,
you don't have that true number one receiver that's a stud.
This is kind of what you have to get, you know.
We saw Larva Dan, we saw Thrash, we saw Isaiah Bond,
(20:19):
and then there was Jerry you know what I'm saying,
like you know, and then and then David and Joko
gets knocked out of the game as well, and Harold
fannin junior had some key drops in that game. So
you saw a lot of the inconsistency in the youth
of this team really taking shape in the contest. As
you know, in our defense did did everything to stay
(20:44):
present to make sure they minimize the big plays for them. Yes,
they had some long drives, but long drives that end
up in field goals usually end up and losses. It
when you can't convert those into end zone trips, especially
the one they're on the four and the Steelers defense
turned them away.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
And Hawaiian Lawrence Taylor.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Did that with with Nick Herbig, that's what we've decided
he's going to be because he just came up with
key play and He's done that every game so far
this season. It's been so fantastic to watch the maturation
of Nick Herbig because it's so unconventional and he can
rush both sides and that's a rare trait and still
(21:22):
be effective.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
You know, it's just it's nice.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
It was nice to see the full compliment of guys
out there yesterday of what this defense truly is. When
you put all eleven you know, penciled in starters from
training camp in and they all play together, it's a
heck of a thing. Joey had Joey had a nice
day yesterday coming back. He also drew drew some nice
penalties for US and they weren't thrown against him. There
(21:50):
was a couple of plays, you know, we could argue
the semantics the referees. You know, for the team that's
least penalized in the league to get ten except at penalties,
that's that's just crazy. Some of the stuff they called,
some of the stuff I agree with, right, some of
it was warranted, but some of it was a little egregious.
And a couple of those, you know, the no calls
like the one on dk Metcalf against Denzel Ward, like
(22:12):
Denzel Ward like grabbed him and slung him, and there
was like, nope, that's not a penalty, Like what are
you kidding me? Like he had him wrapped around and
he did a spin move and threw him and DK
didn't react. He could have out and every rights he
would have been within his rights to go back and
attack a guy like that for doing that, because that's
(22:34):
not a legal play.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
But you know, once again, the Steelers overcame that.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
And they had the maturity and you didn't see any
you know, real personal files outside of like a roughing
the passer. Obviously, that's one the two off sides by
TJ that's uncharacteristic and a pre alignment type of penalty
off side. It wasn't like he jumped, but his you know,
his hand placement was about three inches off and on
(23:02):
the line of scrimmage. I mean, those are those are
some easily correctible type of penalties, the effort ones. I'm
never I'm never gonna I'm never going to scold a
guy for effort penalties. That Jabil Prepper's penalty I felt
was very TICKI tech and you know what else can
he do in that moment when you're parallel with the guy.
(23:23):
Throw your hands up and just use your bodies. You
kind of run past him. He didn't shove the guy,
He didn't push him in the back, but the angle
of contact would have been a behind the back, but
a legal blind side block.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Is was egregious.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Fifteen yard penalty, Yeah, you know, fifteen yard.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Pillary I wiped off that wiped away a forty five
yard return. Yeah, I tole that, so it was really
a sixty yard penalty.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
I kept asking you during the commercial because I couldn't
get a good look at it on the replay. And again,
as I've told people before on this show and in
person and other shows, I don't see the game the
same way when I'm calling it as I do when
I'm a fan, and the way I don't have the
luxury of looking around the field and wondering, hey, uh,
you know what, what what's that corner doing? Is he
(24:08):
creeping up on metcalf? You try, you try to see
as much as you can, or whatever the case is.
The I wasn't able to get a really good look
at a replay to see whether he leaned into him,
because if he didn't lean into him, he's entitled the
run down the field.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I didn't it was a it was a hip check,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Then it was it's a bit of a penalty then,
But it's not just.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Five yards five yards variety penalty is it is not
a ten yard variety like they were trying to make
it out to be.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Well, they called it a personal foul, right, that was
the problem.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, that's and if it's a ten yard block in
the back, even that would be dubious. But okay, So anyway,
and Mike Tomlin talked about that. He said, hey, this
is an officiating crew that caused a lot of penalties.
And they added about fifteen minutes of the game time too,
by the way, and so long, not only they're out
there chatting, the flag would come down and then they'd
(25:03):
all get together and and you know, what'd you have? No,
they didn't say what you have for breakfast this morning,
but it seemed like it. You know, they're out there
chit chatting along and then they then they've come up
with a call.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Unhurried. Seemed to be the pace for the game.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
So it was a long game, unbothered, unbothered, and.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Mike Tomlin was not happy with the penalties after the game.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
So there are a couple that I think we disagreed with,
you know, certainly the one where Jerry Judy flung the
I think was it. I can't remember who's in coverage
on him, whether it was Joey Porter Junior or I could.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Look it up here I will in a minute.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
But Judy took him and flung him to the ground,
and they called defensive pass interference.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Uh that was That was.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Kind of different regardless. Yeah, the students win the game.
And I wanted to ask you sort of an overarching
question about the Steelers defense, because you know in in
game one and Max your witness to this. I came
into the booth, I said, I wasn't I didn't think.
I didn't love the matchup, right, the Jets. You had
some guys banged up on defense, no harmon. They were
(26:03):
going to try to run the ball at you. It
was a deficiency at the end of last year stopping
the run. I just didn't think it was a good
matchup and it wasn't. You know, you play Seattle, right,
and Seattle, I think is proving that they're a heck
of a lot better than a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Thought also though.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
You know you see thirty one points, okay, well seven
of them came on a gift on a kickoff, and
you know you lost a touchdown in that game on
an inn, you know, mix up in the end zone
and the ball winds winds up getting picked off when
you're on the doorstep to at least kick a field
goal there, and which would have I think tied the
(26:40):
game at that point. Regardless, you can look at it
this way and then say, look, look at the way
the defense has been getting better over the last few weeks,
just a little bit better, a little bit better, a
little bit better, some things starting to fall in place,
all the personnels coming back, and here we are. That's
one side of the story. That's the side of the
story I'm looking at. And then the other side of
(27:01):
the story is people saying, well, who have you beaten?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Who have you played?
Speaker 3 (27:05):
And I understand that, right, I understand that that's not
without merit to question. You know where the victories have
come for the Steelers. They haven't beaten any Juggernauts. They
haven't played Detroit yet, they haven't played Green Bay yet,
they haven't played Baltimore yet. And they're gonna probably get
Baltimore and Baltimore's healthy. So I understand that argument, but
(27:27):
I see a defense to me that is progressing and
beginning to do the kind of things that we probably
prematurely expected from the jump from the Steelers defense.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
No, we definitely did, and I thought, you know, the
squad reacted in kind. But once again, you can only
play the schedule you're given right. You don't get to
go pick the matchups and curate when they happen. The
NFL has a big release party on that first Monday
in May when they are second weekend in May, where
(28:00):
they where they released the entire schedule, and it's quote
unquote arbitrary, even though I feel like ours gets hand
picked at times, because you know, how are we once
again the last team in the NFL to have a
division matchup like it happens every year. A year ago
it happened week eleven, right, we condensed six division games
(28:21):
on top of the top two teams in the NFL
in the last eight weeks of the season. We had
Kansas City and Philadelphia. Also in a nine day, you know,
eleven day schedule. We had three of those games. We
played Philly Baltimore and Kansas City in eleven days, and
two of those teams went to the Super Bowl, right
(28:42):
and the rest was your division. All six division games
crammed into that end. So don't tell me it's arbitrary,
because nobody else had a schedule like that that was
even similar. I mean even for Baltimore, Philly and Kansas City,
they had some layups in there. In those three games,
we had the three toughest teams in the NFL in
that span. This year, we finally get it in Week six.
(29:04):
But the fact that the Chargers have already played half
of their division games by the time we played our
first one should just go to tell you how crazy
this schedule is. The Chargers went three straight divisional games
to start the season, so when you kind of look
at it, yeah, it's not ideal, but you deal the
hand that you're given, and you know our schedule, we
(29:27):
beat all but one, and the team that we that
that we didn't beat, I believe is probably going to
be a team that's gonna be fighting not only for
a playoff spot, but fighting for the division again. Sam
Darnold is now locked into another division races second year
in a row, Like he was a year ago when
he was a starting quarterback for Minnesota. So you know,
it's just one of those one of those draws this
(29:49):
year that it just happens to fall this way. But
the fact that the Steelers are still winning and they
have such a cushion on this division, and I'm not
I'm not saying that it's dead giveaway, but it gives
you a nice time to really make sure that you're
gaining as much as possible because the back half of
the schedule is going to be a lot tougher and
you're going to see some quality teams. But as long
(30:13):
as you handle what you can control, you control your
own destiny. And that's what the Steelers have done thus far.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
And I'm gonna have one thing to clean up from
the Seattle game that I'll tell you about that. So
it's a fourteen fourteen game, third and goal in the
four and interception. So instead of you, hey, if that's
an incomplete pass, you kick a field goal. You you
take the lead, right, You're up seventeen to fourteen late
in the third quarter, right, and then they have to
come back and beat you, and then you lose seven
(30:39):
points on the on the kickoff gaff that has been
talked about repeatedly, which we don't have to go over
again other than to say that's a gift of seven points.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
So and you know, so you can.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Talk about, well, hey, you needed, you know, all those
turnovers against New England to win it. Well, you know,
maybe you don't turn the ball over there against Seattle,
maybe you win that game. So I think a lot
of that stuff balances out. And I also think that
Steelers defense getting a lot of sacks and turning the
ball over, that's going to be a calling card. Right,
That's going to be something that they are going to
be expecting week in and week out. We have said
(31:12):
this before, and I'm paraphrasing a little bit, but Aaron Rodgers,
you know, so I don't know, I'm just not quoting exactly.
I'm not paraphrasing. I'm not quoting exactly. He said, you
want to be playing your best football in December, right.
You and I have talked about this ad infinitum. Just
win this time of year. Again, I've said it, I
(31:34):
don't care if you win three to two. Now, you
would like to be trending in the right direction so
that when you get to December. Some of these pieces
have fallen in place over the course of the season,
and that's why you're playing your best football. You can't
just say, hey, we're ten and one. We've won every
game three to two. We've scored ten more points than
our opponent. Right, Actually, I guess that would be eight
(31:58):
more points in your opponent since you lost one. So
we're gonna flip the switch now and everything's gonna be
magically better. I am seeing a team that the first
thing you gotta do is just win. Okay, so they've
played five games that won four of them, right, Macxually
you just say, you can't control who's on the schedule,
so you're winning games, and I do see pieces falling
(32:18):
into place.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
That's what I'm witnessing.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
I'm not witnessing a team that hasn't played anybody, and
that's why they're four and one. I'm witnessing a team
that's improving, and that's why they're four and one.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
I am too. You're you're seeing a lot of you know.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
Tough play, concerted play. Teams are communicating with each other
and they are absolutely playing in sync.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
And that's what you need.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
You need a team that's playing in sync with each other.
And that's what I think kind of gets overlooked is
that we're playing complimentary football.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
And that's what you need this time of year.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
Right, defense stands up, gets the offensive ball back.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
The offense has to put points together.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
They have to get drives in position to put points
on the board. And then the second half, when they
adjust and they see what the team is doing, you
capitalize on the second half adjustments and you go on,
you play, and what they do. Three field goals in
the first half. Guess what, two touchdowns in the second half.
That's an improvement. That's called second half adjustments. And they
(33:27):
still only allowed two other field goals defensively in that span.
So when you win each half of a game, that's
what leads to a total team victory. No issues on
special teams outside of outside of the field slipping. For
Chris Boswell, that's the only unique gaff. And let's say
the field wasn't great. When you looked at it, that
(33:50):
spot in the field was looked like chewed up. It
was chewed up old grass that didn't really have any footing,
and a lot of games have been played on that field.
So you know when you're coming up or you're looking
at this. I mean, you know, Pitt just played on
there yesterday or the day before, right, and they beat
they beat FSU on that field. So now you turn
(34:13):
it around, you make it a Steelers field, and and
it's it's not great. It was not a great field.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Condition.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
Guys were slipping throughout the game. That's also why you're
cautious towards the end. And while you sit a lot
of starters and the backups played well. They defended the turf,
they defended the honor of the starting unit of the defense,
and that that's where we got to see some fantastic plays,
back to back plays by James Pierre.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Remember that. So I think this is just what a
team does.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
You figure out a way to win, and then once
you know the victories in hand, you try and minimize
the damage and the wear and tear on guys that
you know you need to turn around and play less
of four days later. So you know, I'm proud of
the way they played. It was an awesome game. They
built on what they did in Minnesota. They got healthier
(35:04):
during the bye week and got guys back into the fold,
and they made it look good.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
And welcome back Kayshawn Williams.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
I mean, outside of that little thing, I mean to
come back in your first part return to a forty
five yard return, A lot of good things were happening
in that moment. Like I said, I mean it got
wiped away and it became a sixty yard penalty even
though it go only go down a fifteen yards. But
that's the hidden yards in the game. To lose sixty
yards of field position because of.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
An errant an errant.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Play and a physical physical nature of a game. You know,
everything's going at full speed and you're trying to make
a decision the last second. You know, you wish it
wasn't of that variety. But this team overcame that, and
I think that's the other thing they're not. They didn't
get bothered or hindered by the setbacks. You know, TJ.
Watts lined up off size and that takes away a
(35:55):
fumble recovery and a turnover this team is used to
having over the last couple of weeks, but still got two.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
Turnovers on downs. You missed. You missed a handful and
a half of of would be interceptions.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
Oh my gosh, I mean so frustrating, but you know,
they were to get near guys in that department and listen,
when it came up big. They came up with sacks,
They came up with other game changing plays. It might
not have been necessarily, you know, a change of possession,
sudden change of possession, but they still had a change
of possession play with the offense on the field. So
(36:30):
you know, there's just so many good things in this game.
And I know we'll only get to day to really
digest it, you know, and and we'll have to move
on to Cincinnati. But you know, I was watching the
game film on the way back home last night and
watching the offense, and yeah, there's a lot of stuff
to clean up, but there's a lot of stuff to
really like.
Speaker 4 (36:48):
I mean, Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
Was in his bag yesterday and Arthur Smith was absolutely
insane with some of the play calling. And we'll get
to that a little bit later, but it was it
was an awesome team victory for sure.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Steelers win by the final score of twenty three to nine.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
They are four and one. A little bit later on,
we're gonna go around the AFC. Baltimore also losing, the
Bengals also losing so the Steelers find themselves in very
good position, which of course they want to solidify with
a win Thursday night in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
We'll get to that. We'll go around the AFC.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
We're going to talk about the Steelers Star Wide receiver. Hmmm,
a conundrum which we will get to when we continue.
In the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
and the Steelers Pro Shop here on Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers nin Radio presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Very much for being with us in the locker room
alongside Max Starks and Justin Miller at the controls. I'm
Rob King, Max, So you know, just to have a
couple of minutes here taking a look back at the
Steelers victory yesterday and interesting to see Keishawn Williams just
would just squeeze in special teams. Chris Boswell missed a
(38:27):
field goal. But before you pull over to the side
of the road and wonder if the sky is falling,
it's because he slipped on the turf. So he has
two missed field goals this year. One was blocked and
one was he slipped in the turf. Yesterday, Weightman doing
his usual solid job of punning and Keyshawn Williams in
the return. Should Calvin Austin not be able to go
(38:47):
on Thursday, you know, he looked, he looked plenty elusive,
you know, rookie return guy, and that was impressive. You know,
he had the one return call back, but that was
a really nice So let's just give a little thought
to special teams. Coverg units were solid again. I just
think another good performance, solid performance by the Steelers' special teams.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
No, you're right, the only staff fu is is field.
The turf monster got Bozzi.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
But other than that, I mean, still hit a fifty
yard or four US early in that game to really
start the scoring and keep the opening drive streak alive
for the Steelers. You know, this is four out of
five games they've gone down the field and scored and
put points on the board. You know, two touchdowns, two
field goals this season and something that had had a
(39:38):
twenty two game drought for the Steelers before the before
starting this season. So you know when you talk about
just the positives, no explosive returns, nothing got beyond the
thirty four yard line. I want to say, I think
those are furthest they got. I don't think they ever
got to the thirty five, which would have been the
same as kicking it into the back of the end zone.
(40:00):
So coverage was tight, Coverage was good. Sad, you know,
you lose a Miles killer brew during that during one
of those kickoffs, and we still don't know really what
his status is, but he did get carted off the
field after going to evaluation, so you know, prayers with
him has nothing major, But I mean it was it
(40:20):
was a solid day the punt coverage units. They had
one decent return I think the entire day, but Corla's
weight man, you know, and he had and he had
one that kind of came off the toe awkward or
the wind kind of pushed it, and that was the
only one that you really had that was bad. And
and you also saw Corey b Yorkeiz for the Browns
(40:41):
also have a similar thing and something about that side
of the field when the ball got to a certain height.
We also noticed that Aaron Rodgers deep shot that just
came woefully short about two yards.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
DK had to.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
Slow down try and get underneath it with the guy
when he had the guy beat. So there was some
weather things going on in the stadium yesterday that kind
of prevented that. But for the most part, the special
teams was was rock solid and did the job that
we we know and that we expect them to do.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
Yep, And that was good to see. And again that's uh,
you know, that's part of it. And a lot of teams,
you know, I've talked about this with Matt Williamson in
the past. A lot of teams kind of pay lip
service to special teams.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Third, you can't forget that third facet of the game.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
But the Steelers under Mike Tomlin and with Danny Smith
as a special teams coach, they they they back up
their words by dedicating practice time to that area of
the team.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
They do.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
And Danny's I love Danny Smith. He is such a charism.
He's the perfect special teams coach. You know, He's that
quintessential guy that you think of like you have to
have that kind of quirky, off kilter, high energy guy
for special teams. Doesn't matter what team you play on,
whether it's high school, college or the professional level, the
(41:58):
special teams coach is always a little bit a little bit,
a little bit, little bit, you know, wound a little
bit tight. You know, he's he's the master of the
most benign obvious thing that you need to worry about.
He worries about and loses sleepover. He is a master
of that craft. And Danny Smith just has a certain vigor.
(42:20):
I mean, I was sitting on the bench yesterday talking
to Edmond Nelson pregame and co Smith said, Hey, just
got to come by and pay respects to my guys. Now,
mind you, he is the most Southern sounding Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
You've ever met him.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
He's got a Southern drawl and he went to Central.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
I don't even know how he developed Southern drawl out
of Pittsburgh ease. But you know what, God bless him,
love him for it, and h you know, he just
he just he has an infectious, just personality that you
just love to be with us.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
He's so encouraging.
Speaker 5 (42:52):
Even after the Jabrill Peppers penalty came over to him, Hey,
that's all right. Hey, that's football. That's football, man. Hey,
you can't think about that. You can't think about that,
Like he just asks that kind of that kind of
just just wonky but fun personality a such. He's such
a student of the game. And I think that's the
(43:13):
other thing that made He doesn't rest on his laurels.
He doesn't say, oh, we did it good last week,
We're gonna be good this week because we did it
last week. No, He's like, no, here's how you stay
on top. And I think that's the other cool thing
about him. So really happy about how that unit's been playing.
They lose their captain for right now, that won't be
out there, and we'll we'll obviously probably hear from Mike
(43:35):
Tomlin right after this broadcast, because remember the Mike Twland
press conference is coming today because of the short week,
instead of tomorrow on Tuesday, which is the normal day
for most head coaches do press conferences, So we'll be
interested to hear the injury front and kind of that
report going into this game for Thursday.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Yep, Stevens win twenty three to nine. Plenty more to
get to. We're gonna spend the rest of this show,
really diving into this the things we liked about the
Steelers victory over the Cleveland Browns. Coming up tomorrow, we
will turn our attention to the Cincinnati Bengals. Short week
and a short week to get you prepared for the
game in the locker Room and.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
We will continue in the Locker Room presented
Speaker 3 (44:13):
By your neighborhood Forward Store and the Steelers Pro Shop
on Steelers 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 (00:27):
And we thank you for being with us in the
locker room.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
As the four and one Pittsburgh Steelers vanquished the Cleveland
Browns in their first AFC North Division game, meaning the
Steelers first AFC North Division team once again, the last
team in the National Football League to play a divisional game.
Max Starks Cincinnati Pittsburgh to home back to Cincinnati later
(00:50):
this week. Flight delayed late arrival in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And how are you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
I'm amazing. I am so good right now.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
It is It is amazing how refreshed you can be
after not being refreshed at all.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Right, it's called it's called it's called You're on the air, right.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Exactly, it's called. It is called.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
It is called delirium. And game and game time playing
rule number seventy six.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
No excuses.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Play like a champion, that's right.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
So I am playing like a champion today, good man.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
So I am ecstatic to be on the airwaves after
a great win. We get twenty four hours of celebrated.
But it's funny because everybody's going to practice today because
they they're going to be leaving on Wednesday to head
to Cincinnati to play another game.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
This is the this is the thing you love about.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Oh, getting one of those mid season Thursday night football games.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It's an honor. It's a privilege to do it. No,
it's not.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
It is standard operating procedure now in twenty twenty five.
It was cool back in two thousand and six to
a Thursday game because I meant it was after Thanksgiving,
so that was nice.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Not anymore.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, what it'll be good is Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Friday evening will be good and just a quick peel
back at the curtain before we get Max to talk
about what happens in it by a week and then
we'll talk about the victory yesterday.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
So Max, Max Case shooting, Hey, everybody, how are you?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
It reminds me back the very first Steelers game I did,
filling him for Bill Hillgrove when he had back surgery
several years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
The Steelers were.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
In New York to play the Jets, and you know,
I'm excited. I'm like, hey, I don't know where my
career is going to go, but I get to call
Steelers game. That's that's really really cool. Well, I had
a horrendous came down with the horrendous case of the
flu at a one hundred and three temperature, you know
that kind of thing, the shivers, and I remember Wolf
pat me on the back and say, well, cowboy up,
(02:56):
you really don't have any choice. I'm like, thanks, Wolf.
So I was literally face down, My face was down
on the counter in front of me as Derek counting
in ten, nine, eight, And then when they got to one,
I popped my head up and I said, welcome to
met Life Stadium.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
You know, what do you gonna do?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Right?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, what do you gonna do?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Exactly? Its game? Time Gamer's gonna game. You know, you
just you gotta you gotta figure out where to bring
it from.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
I've had plenty of those, you know where I'm like,
I am dragging right now because you know, obviously I
have I have a little bit of a tenuous schedule
this time of year, and you know that sometimes it
was it was not exactly ideal. I mean I remember
a couple of times I rolled up to the stadium literally,
(03:42):
you know, I'm sorry, I rolled up to the stadium.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
What at nine am? Week one?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
First game? Hey me and you got something in common?
Jets game it met Life Stadium. After driving all night
through a rain storm, after getting late and Raleigh and
having to dry for Raleigh all the way up there,
save it, you don't You just like like you're you're
You're like, man, I am not feeling good.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I'm feeling tired. What's wrong with me? And then once
once that light hits red and it says on.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Air, yeah you're on air, and commercial commercials are a
mini hibernation.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
You can kind of suck back in and.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, it's like, it's like, do not talk to me
during this break. It's called a break for a reason.
I need to recharge my battery. Even if I only
get ten seconds of juice on the charger, you know,
it's something is better than nothing.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
And so yeah, no, I mean you just just just
deal with it.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
I mean, yeah, tonight, last night was this morning, I
should say, this morning was a little bit long, and
you know, hey, you know I get through it. My
kids are still on fall break, so that's gonna be fun.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It's good stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
So there's not a nap in sight because my kids
are going to be like dead dead dead dead dead debt.
And I'm like, okay, yes, what we need to do.
And my daughters have like a full itinerary of stuff
that they have to do because I will be, you know,
doing the dad stuff. Wife's headed to work right now,
and you know, they don't care. They don't care how
(05:15):
long your flight was. It's like, no dad's home. And
especially since I'm I'm only gonna.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Be here for a couple of days, I.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Turn around leave on Wednesday, and then uh and then
from from them. From there, I get to spend a
day in Dayton with my family because my uncle and
my and my cousins and my auntie are all still in.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
In that area.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
So I'm spend a day with them, and then then
I'm off to Casey, Las Vegas for Sunday's game.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So, uh so Waverley and Joey aren't going with you,
are they the Dayton? That's that's you on your own.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, that's only me because yeah, because because the girl,
I mean girls still have school now, they because they
know that Thanksgiving last year was when they got to
go to Dayton.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Very cool.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
So yeah, so we got to do things.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
That was our first That was our first away from
the house Thanksgiving with them, because normally we hosted our house.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
So this was the first time that we went. We
went road showing, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Oh man, so wait, are you hosting again this year?
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Uh? This year?
Speaker 5 (06:18):
I believe we are hosting because we I forgot who
we who we play after Thanksgiving? Oh you know why,
because I because I have a game. I'm gonna have
one of the rivalry games. So yeah, we're We're gonna
stay at home this year.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Oh man, Well, I can't wait for that Thanksgiving week
to talk about what happens in the Stark's household on
Thanksgiving hosting.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So that's gonna be a topics good time. So let
me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
So at the end of the game yesterday, it's kind
of a little bit about the game, but more about
the bye week. End of the game yesterday, Uh, students
enjoying a two touchdown lead, and the young players have
been have been really good. The backups have been really good.
Jamie Pierre made a couple of great plays. Yesterday we
saw Jack Sawyer in there, we saw you know, other
(07:07):
young players getting some snaps on defense, and we saw
and again we were a little worried that, hey, our
guys nicked up. But when you look over and you
see TJ. Watts on the bench, Alex Heismith's on the bench,
Darius Slay's on the bench, Jalen Ramsey's on the bench,
everybody's on the bench, then then you know that they're
(07:30):
probably just getting rested, right, So a little bit of
a luxury to give these guys a bit of a
rest because, like you said, this isn't your normal Monday, right,
So what happens now? So I thought that was good
at the end of the game. What happens now on
a Monday and then the next couple of days as
a team prepares for that very quick turnaround on Thursday,
(07:53):
because normally, so tell us first what a normal Monday
is like for a player, and then tell us what
this bye week Monday is like for a player.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
Oh, I mean this Monday, this late in the year. Oh,
it's victory Monday. Is just like it's victory donut. That's right,
you know which I'm gonna have to go find Yeah,
I'm gonna go to Randy's Donuts after this and I
will post a picture on social.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Please do, please do.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Yeah, got got to got to Uh yeah, I almost
had delirium was setting in for a second. But normally Monday,
yes victory, Monday is day off. You know you're not
going to practice. You're you know, you're you're gonna be
with films. You know, you could watch the film if
you want on your own, come in, get a workout in,
maybe get some rehab.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But it's not a mandatory day.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
But obviously today this is this is gonna be a
quick half corrections introduction to Cincinnati type of type of
type of day. So you're gonna get your install, you're
gonna you're gonna review the game tape. Uh well, actually
you're gonna review it very briefly, only only the correct
actions you're gonna see. Normally, you watch the entire game tape,
(09:04):
uh to get to get to get the game behind you.
But not today, the game's already behind you because we
we've only got really two days of practice to get
ready for Cincinnati and what they do. And so it's
gonna be watch corrections, gameplay and install introduction Cincinnati on
(09:24):
the field of Cincinnati, after practice, uh, post practice, film
and everything is Cincinnati. You're gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna
go to lighter shell tempo, walk through tempo because you
just had a very physical game yesterday. So you're trying
to you're trying to get the body as proactively prehabbed
(09:45):
as possible.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
There's a lot of peas and a short amount of
amount of time.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Well done, but that that that's zs.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Sorry, yeah, and and.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Guess what.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
But that as quickly as possible, there another one another
one in there. So this is a this is a
very efficient day. You have to be locked in for
a very finite amount of time because you're trying to
minimize the physical nature of it because of the exertion
(10:21):
level that you just gave less than twenty four hours ago.
So you have to be very precise and treatments. The
emphasis getting the body as limber and as you know, delactated,
uh so to speak and delactated by meaning lactic acid.
(10:45):
So I don't know what that is. Delacticated. My brain's
not working right now. That's okay, A couple I'm going Yeah,
So you have to get the lactic acid build up
out of the body you've got. You've got to stretch
those muscles, you've got to whatever's bumped, bruised, or bothering you.
You've got to make sure that you're kind of doing
(11:07):
your best to aggressively attack that just so you can
get your body at a state where you can move comfortably.
And that's what Monday's about, and so that's what the
emphasis is going to be. I'm sure there's guys. You know,
guys got to the facility earlier than I woke up
this morning, so to make sure that they were taking
advantage of that, because there is no celebration of a
(11:29):
victory because you were onto Cincinnati quickly and you can
take stock of it.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
You can be happy about what you did, but all
that happy is.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
For not because you have to turn around and do
the same exact thing four days later. And it's imperative.
This is the next game. It is also the most
important game because it's the next division game. And yes,
you've got one, but as we always say, once it's
an accident twice as a habit, right, So you need
to go and kind of reaffirm yourself with an opportunity
(12:01):
to go up against the Cincinnati Bengalo squad that's reeling
from a loss and make them continually feel that pressure.
And you want to build on your wins now as
a group and continue.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
To move forward.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
You know, people are already talking about how you're not
You're not that good of a team, right, we see
the power rankings every week, doesn't matter what our record is,
and we only have one loss, you don't play anybody good. Well,
if that's the case, we beat everybody that we're supposed
to beat that. If that, if that's what the belief
system is, I'm not saying that, but I'm saying, Cincinnati,
never take them for granted.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Never, never try.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And assume that a wounded animal pinned in a corner
will not do everything in its power to survive.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Just never do that, agreed.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
So Max is So today would be Thursday in a
normal week, so you would have gotten a lot of treatment.
Maybe it'd still be getting more treatment depending upon the game.
I'm guessing that for a lot of guys, some guys
you know, bounce up at it bed on a Monday
and feel good.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
For for probably most players.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Maybe if it's just bumps and bruises and not an injury.
You know, we've talked about this in the past. What
maybe Tuesday you're starting to feel better, Wednesday you're starting
to limber. Thursday you're starting to kind of get into it.
What's ahead? That's an ish Tuesday ish?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So I mean, like, you know, listen, you got to
get up Thursday and play. How do how do you
manage making sure you are ready? Is this week?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And I know there's some physical preparation, there's some hitting
that goes on and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Does it just sort of take play? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I was gonna say, does the game just take the
place of that on Thursday? Thursday might be the first
day or I don't know, if the team does much
hitting on Wednesday, that Thursday might be the one day
in this this new rage of football in which a
little hitting takes part and then you kind of ramp
it back down and get ready. Saturday is a walk
through day with with no physical No. Uh, physical nature
(14:00):
of physicality is not at work of what I really like,
by the way, I'm trying to avoid using that here
in the locker room. But physical uh, you know, you
kind of ramp you know, you peek quickly, maybe on
a Thursday, maybe Friday. Then you kind of taper down
and get ready for the game. So there will be
no hitting this week. This will be about getting lined
(14:20):
up out there and making sure mentally you're you're doing
the right thing and physically you're getting your rest and
your rehab and your work. If you need time in
the tub, you need to be stretched out or whatever.
Is that what this week is about more than in
a normal week.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Yes, it is that. That is a key emphasis.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
That is all we are focused on is how can
I get prehabed as much as possible? Like, That's that's
what the emphasis is. That's the goal this week is
how do I just understand what my new normal is?
And that is the slow regression of your body saying
(15:03):
I don't like you anymore. That that's essentially what that's
essentially what you're doing. You're like, okay, I get it,
you don't like me, But guess what, We've got work
to do and I need you to follow directions. That
that's what you are literally coaching your body to just
to just do and to get your body in a
place where it just reacts. It does not it does
(15:26):
not take the it takes the emotion out of it
and understands that that this is this is what autopilot
looks like. This is what we have to operate in.
And you are not as bad as you think you are.
You are fine, You will be okay. But you're trying
to lie to your body essentially right now. You are
(15:47):
trying to treat trick yourself into thinking, no, everything's fine, guys. No,
we didn't go up against the number one defense yesterday. No,
we just did business as usual. That's what you're trying
to tell yourself.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Good stuff.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
So that's a little thumbnail sketch of what happens here
in to buy a week. We have such a short
week to get ready for the game on Thursday that
we are going to have to turn our attention quickly
to the game yesterday and then by tomorrow, man, we're
prep on the Cincinnati Bengals. So a lot to get to.
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(16:20):
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(16:43):
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Speaker 2 (16:51):
Apart of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
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Speaker 2 (17:17):
Play action pass rolling to his right, looking downfield.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Looking throws back across his body head talk in the
end zone.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
What a grab by Conter Hayward.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Magnificent throw by Rogers and Hayward with his first touchdown
of the season and this year the drive of the game.
Presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F one fifty
is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mactre selecting
that one because you know at that point it was
still a slug fest, and this didn't certainly put the
(17:50):
game out of reach. Look, Cleveland bounced back with a
drive I think was their very next possession. In fact,
I know it was their very next possession. They marched
down and kicked a fifty three yard field goal. Was
Andre Schmid who drilled it through to make it sixteen
to six. But you know, it's kind of a the
Steelers drives are stalling a little bit, and Cleveland's defense
certainly has something to do with that. You get three
Boswell field goals forty four yard or fifty yard or
(18:12):
forty eight yarder, but it's still a nine to three game,
and it just felt important to me for the Steelers
to get that touchdown on that drive.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Rogers, I thought made a great throw.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
He talked after the game about Connor Hayward being a
smart player, and you know, usually when your quarterback's rolling out,
you kind of trying to move to him, and Hayward
in the back of the end zone, knew that the
thing to do was to move away from Rogers, and
he did that. Moved Rogers was rolling right, he moved
to the left in the back of the end zone
and capped off that drive with a touchdown, which you know,
(18:46):
again I thought was an important moment for the Steelers
in the game.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
No, it was.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
It was a very pivotal moment because you felt like
a comeback was brewing for the for the Cleveland Browns,
and you know, after watching them a week ago, gritty
team that was that was used to taking the lead.
They had confidence because you had a young guy and
Dylan Gabriel and listened.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
It wasn't because of Dylan that they lost that game.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
He did everything in his power to give them an
opportunity to be successful.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
I mean, guys just had a lot.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Of drops and you know, the pressure got to him
and so he started hearing the footsteps.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I mean, when you sack a guy six times.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And hit him sixteen more times, sixteen quarterback hits and six.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Sass and you left him out to dry by throwing
the ball fifty two times, right right, you know what
I'm saying. Like with Quinn Sewn Juckckins in the backfield,
but the Steelers defense did a great job of just
stalling Quinn Shawn Jukins like he never really got going in.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
The entire contest. Jerome Ford had.
Speaker 5 (19:58):
A couple of plays, but nothing really significant. So it
was a very one dimensional game for the Browns. And well,
you don't have that true number one receiver that's a stud.
This is kind of what you have to get, you know.
We saw Larva Dan, we saw Thrash, we saw Isaiah Bond,
(20:19):
and then there was Jerry you know what I'm saying,
like you know, and then and then David and Joko
gets knocked out of the game as well, and Harold
fannin junior had some key drops in that game. So
you saw a lot of the inconsistency in the youth
of this team really taking shape in the contest. As
you know, in our defense did did everything to stay
(20:44):
present to make sure they minimize the big plays for them. Yes,
they had some long drives, but long drives that end
up in field goals usually end up and losses. It
when you can't convert those into end zone trips, especially
the one they're on the four and the Steelers defense
turned them away.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
And Hawaiian Lawrence Taylor.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Did that with with Nick Herbig, that's what we've decided
he's going to be because he just came up with
key play and He's done that every game so far
this season. It's been so fantastic to watch the maturation
of Nick Herbig because it's so unconventional and he can
rush both sides and that's a rare trait and still
(21:22):
be effective.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
You know, it's just it's nice.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
It was nice to see the full compliment of guys
out there yesterday of what this defense truly is. When
you put all eleven you know, penciled in starters from
training camp in and they all play together, it's a
heck of a thing. Joey had Joey had a nice
day yesterday coming back. He also drew drew some nice
penalties for US and they weren't thrown against him. There
(21:50):
was a couple of plays, you know, we could argue
the semantics the referees. You know, for the team that's
least penalized in the league to get ten except at penalties,
that's that's just crazy. Some of the stuff they called,
some of the stuff I agree with, right, some of
it was warranted, but some of it was a little egregious.
And a couple of those, you know, the no calls
like the one on dk Metcalf against Denzel Ward, like
(22:12):
Denzel Ward like grabbed him and slung him, and there
was like, nope, that's not a penalty, Like what are
you kidding me? Like he had him wrapped around and
he did a spin move and threw him and DK
didn't react. He could have out and every rights he
would have been within his rights to go back and
attack a guy like that for doing that, because that's
(22:34):
not a legal play.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
But you know, once again, the Steelers overcame that.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
And they had the maturity and you didn't see any
you know, real personal files outside of like a roughing
the passer. Obviously, that's one the two off sides by
TJ that's uncharacteristic and a pre alignment type of penalty
off side. It wasn't like he jumped, but his you know,
his hand placement was about three inches off and on
(23:02):
the line of scrimmage. I mean, those are those are
some easily correctible type of penalties, the effort ones. I'm
never I'm never gonna I'm never going to scold a
guy for effort penalties. That Jabil Prepper's penalty I felt
was very TICKI tech and you know what else can
he do in that moment when you're parallel with the guy.
(23:23):
Throw your hands up and just use your bodies. You
kind of run past him. He didn't shove the guy,
He didn't push him in the back, but the angle
of contact would have been a behind the back, but
a legal blind side block.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Is was egregious.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Fifteen yard penalty, Yeah, you know, fifteen yard.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Pillary I wiped off that wiped away a forty five
yard return. Yeah, I tole that, so it was really
a sixty yard penalty.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
I kept asking you during the commercial because I couldn't
get a good look at it on the replay. And again,
as I've told people before on this show and in
person and other shows, I don't see the game the
same way when I'm calling it as I do when
I'm a fan, and the way I don't have the
luxury of looking around the field and wondering, hey, uh,
you know what, what what's that corner doing? Is he
(24:08):
creeping up on metcalf? You try, you try to see
as much as you can, or whatever the case is.
The I wasn't able to get a really good look
at a replay to see whether he leaned into him,
because if he didn't lean into him, he's entitled the
run down the field.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I didn't it was a it was a hip check,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Then it was it's a bit of a penalty then,
But it's not just.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Five yards five yards variety penalty is it is not
a ten yard variety like they were trying to make
it out to be.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Well, they called it a personal foul, right, that was
the problem.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, that's and if it's a ten yard block in
the back, even that would be dubious. But okay, So anyway,
and Mike Tomlin talked about that. He said, hey, this
is an officiating crew that caused a lot of penalties.
And they added about fifteen minutes of the game time too,
by the way, and so long, not only they're out
there chatting, the flag would come down and then they'd
(25:03):
all get together and and you know, what'd you have? No,
they didn't say what you have for breakfast this morning,
but it seemed like it. You know, they're out there
chit chatting along and then they then they've come up
with a call.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Unhurried. Seemed to be the pace for the game.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
So it was a long game, unbothered, unbothered, and.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Mike Tomlin was not happy with the penalties after the game.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
So there are a couple that I think we disagreed with,
you know, certainly the one where Jerry Judy flung the
I think was it. I can't remember who's in coverage
on him, whether it was Joey Porter Junior or I could.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Look it up here I will in a minute.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
But Judy took him and flung him to the ground,
and they called defensive pass interference.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Uh that was That was.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Kind of different regardless. Yeah, the students win the game.
And I wanted to ask you sort of an overarching
question about the Steelers defense, because you know in in
game one and Max your witness to this. I came
into the booth, I said, I wasn't I didn't think.
I didn't love the matchup, right, the Jets. You had
some guys banged up on defense, no harmon. They were
(26:03):
going to try to run the ball at you. It
was a deficiency at the end of last year stopping
the run. I just didn't think it was a good
matchup and it wasn't. You know, you play Seattle, right,
and Seattle, I think is proving that they're a heck
of a lot better than a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Thought also though.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
You know you see thirty one points, okay, well seven
of them came on a gift on a kickoff, and
you know you lost a touchdown in that game on
an inn, you know, mix up in the end zone
and the ball winds winds up getting picked off when
you're on the doorstep to at least kick a field
goal there, and which would have I think tied the
(26:40):
game at that point. Regardless, you can look at it
this way and then say, look, look at the way
the defense has been getting better over the last few weeks,
just a little bit better, a little bit better, a
little bit better, some things starting to fall in place,
all the personnels coming back, and here we are. That's
one side of the story. That's the side of the
story I'm looking at. And then the other side of
(27:01):
the story is people saying, well, who have you beaten?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Who have you played?
Speaker 3 (27:05):
And I understand that, right, I understand that that's not
without merit to question. You know where the victories have
come for the Steelers. They haven't beaten any Juggernauts. They
haven't played Detroit yet, they haven't played Green Bay yet,
they haven't played Baltimore yet. And they're gonna probably get
Baltimore and Baltimore's healthy. So I understand that argument, but
(27:27):
I see a defense to me that is progressing and
beginning to do the kind of things that we probably
prematurely expected from the jump from the Steelers defense.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
No, we definitely did, and I thought, you know, the
squad reacted in kind. But once again, you can only
play the schedule you're given right. You don't get to
go pick the matchups and curate when they happen. The
NFL has a big release party on that first Monday
in May when they are second weekend in May, where
(28:00):
they where they released the entire schedule, and it's quote
unquote arbitrary, even though I feel like ours gets hand
picked at times, because you know, how are we once
again the last team in the NFL to have a
division matchup like it happens every year. A year ago
it happened week eleven, right, we condensed six division games
(28:21):
on top of the top two teams in the NFL
in the last eight weeks of the season. We had
Kansas City and Philadelphia. Also in a nine day, you know,
eleven day schedule. We had three of those games. We
played Philly Baltimore and Kansas City in eleven days, and
two of those teams went to the Super Bowl, right
(28:42):
and the rest was your division. All six division games
crammed into that end. So don't tell me it's arbitrary,
because nobody else had a schedule like that that was
even similar. I mean even for Baltimore, Philly and Kansas City,
they had some layups in there. In those three games,
we had the three toughest teams in the NFL in
that span. This year, we finally get it in Week six.
(29:04):
But the fact that the Chargers have already played half
of their division games by the time we played our
first one should just go to tell you how crazy
this schedule is. The Chargers went three straight divisional games
to start the season, so when you kind of look
at it, yeah, it's not ideal, but you deal the
hand that you're given, and you know our schedule, we
(29:27):
beat all but one, and the team that we that
that we didn't beat, I believe is probably going to
be a team that's gonna be fighting not only for
a playoff spot, but fighting for the division again. Sam
Darnold is now locked into another division races second year
in a row, Like he was a year ago when
he was a starting quarterback for Minnesota. So you know,
it's just one of those one of those draws this
(29:49):
year that it just happens to fall this way. But
the fact that the Steelers are still winning and they
have such a cushion on this division, and I'm not
I'm not saying that it's dead giveaway, but it gives
you a nice time to really make sure that you're
gaining as much as possible because the back half of
the schedule is going to be a lot tougher and
you're going to see some quality teams. But as long
(30:13):
as you handle what you can control, you control your
own destiny. And that's what the Steelers have done thus far.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
And I'm gonna have one thing to clean up from
the Seattle game that I'll tell you about that. So
it's a fourteen fourteen game, third and goal in the
four and interception. So instead of you, hey, if that's
an incomplete pass, you kick a field goal. You you
take the lead, right, You're up seventeen to fourteen late
in the third quarter, right, and then they have to
come back and beat you, and then you lose seven
(30:39):
points on the on the kickoff gaff that has been
talked about repeatedly, which we don't have to go over
again other than to say that's a gift of seven points.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
So and you know, so you can.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Talk about, well, hey, you needed, you know, all those
turnovers against New England to win it. Well, you know,
maybe you don't turn the ball over there against Seattle,
maybe you win that game. So I think a lot
of that stuff balances out. And I also think that
Steelers defense getting a lot of sacks and turning the
ball over, that's going to be a calling card. Right,
That's going to be something that they are going to
be expecting week in and week out. We have said
(31:12):
this before, and I'm paraphrasing a little bit, but Aaron Rodgers,
you know, so I don't know, I'm just not quoting exactly.
I'm not paraphrasing. I'm not quoting exactly. He said, you
want to be playing your best football in December, right.
You and I have talked about this ad infinitum. Just
win this time of year. Again, I've said it, I
(31:34):
don't care if you win three to two. Now, you
would like to be trending in the right direction so
that when you get to December. Some of these pieces
have fallen in place over the course of the season,
and that's why you're playing your best football. You can't
just say, hey, we're ten and one. We've won every
game three to two. We've scored ten more points than
our opponent. Right, Actually, I guess that would be eight
(31:58):
more points in your opponent since you lost one. So
we're gonna flip the switch now and everything's gonna be
magically better. I am seeing a team that the first
thing you gotta do is just win. Okay, so they've
played five games that won four of them, right, Macxually
you just say, you can't control who's on the schedule,
so you're winning games, and I do see pieces falling
(32:18):
into place.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
That's what I'm witnessing.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
I'm not witnessing a team that hasn't played anybody, and
that's why they're four and one. I'm witnessing a team
that's improving, and that's why they're four and one.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
I am too. You're you're seeing a lot of you know.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
Tough play, concerted play. Teams are communicating with each other
and they are absolutely playing in sync.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
And that's what you need.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
You need a team that's playing in sync with each other.
And that's what I think kind of gets overlooked is
that we're playing complimentary football.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
And that's what you need this time of year.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
Right, defense stands up, gets the offensive ball back.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
The offense has to put points together.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
They have to get drives in position to put points
on the board. And then the second half, when they
adjust and they see what the team is doing, you
capitalize on the second half adjustments and you go on,
you play, and what they do. Three field goals in
the first half. Guess what, two touchdowns in the second half.
That's an improvement. That's called second half adjustments. And they
(33:27):
still only allowed two other field goals defensively in that span.
So when you win each half of a game, that's
what leads to a total team victory. No issues on
special teams outside of outside of the field slipping. For
Chris Boswell, that's the only unique gaff. And let's say
the field wasn't great. When you looked at it, that
(33:50):
spot in the field was looked like chewed up. It
was chewed up old grass that didn't really have any footing,
and a lot of games have been played on that field.
So you know when you're coming up or you're looking
at this. I mean, you know, Pitt just played on
there yesterday or the day before, right, and they beat
they beat FSU on that field. So now you turn
(34:13):
it around, you make it a Steelers field, and and
it's it's not great. It was not a great field.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Condition.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
Guys were slipping throughout the game. That's also why you're
cautious towards the end. And while you sit a lot
of starters and the backups played well. They defended the turf,
they defended the honor of the starting unit of the defense,
and that that's where we got to see some fantastic plays,
back to back plays by James Pierre.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Remember that. So I think this is just what a
team does.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
You figure out a way to win, and then once
you know the victories in hand, you try and minimize
the damage and the wear and tear on guys that
you know you need to turn around and play less
of four days later. So you know, I'm proud of
the way they played. It was an awesome game. They
built on what they did in Minnesota. They got healthier
(35:04):
during the bye week and got guys back into the fold,
and they made it look good.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
And welcome back Kayshawn Williams.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
I mean, outside of that little thing, I mean to
come back in your first part return to a forty
five yard return, A lot of good things were happening
in that moment. Like I said, I mean it got
wiped away and it became a sixty yard penalty even
though it go only go down a fifteen yards. But
that's the hidden yards in the game. To lose sixty
yards of field position because of.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
An errant an errant.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Play and a physical physical nature of a game. You know,
everything's going at full speed and you're trying to make
a decision the last second. You know, you wish it
wasn't of that variety. But this team overcame that, and
I think that's the other thing they're not. They didn't
get bothered or hindered by the setbacks. You know, TJ.
Watts lined up off size and that takes away a
(35:55):
fumble recovery and a turnover this team is used to
having over the last couple of weeks, but still got two.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
Turnovers on downs. You missed. You missed a handful and
a half of of would be interceptions.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
Oh my gosh, I mean so frustrating, but you know,
they were to get near guys in that department and listen,
when it came up big. They came up with sacks,
They came up with other game changing plays. It might
not have been necessarily, you know, a change of possession,
sudden change of possession, but they still had a change
of possession play with the offense on the field. So
(36:30):
you know, there's just so many good things in this game.
And I know we'll only get to day to really
digest it, you know, and and we'll have to move
on to Cincinnati. But you know, I was watching the
game film on the way back home last night and
watching the offense, and yeah, there's a lot of stuff
to clean up, but there's a lot of stuff to
really like.
Speaker 4 (36:48):
I mean, Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
Was in his bag yesterday and Arthur Smith was absolutely
insane with some of the play calling. And we'll get
to that a little bit later, but it was it
was an awesome team victory for sure.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Steelers win by the final score of twenty three to nine.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
They are four and one. A little bit later on,
we're gonna go around the AFC. Baltimore also losing, the
Bengals also losing so the Steelers find themselves in very
good position, which of course they want to solidify with
a win Thursday night in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
We'll get to that. We'll go around the AFC.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
We're going to talk about the Steelers Star Wide receiver. Hmmm,
a conundrum which we will get to when we continue.
In the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
and the Steelers Pro Shop here on Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers nin Radio presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Very much for being with us in the locker room
alongside Max Starks and Justin Miller at the controls. I'm
Rob King, Max, So you know, just to have a
couple of minutes here taking a look back at the
Steelers victory yesterday and interesting to see Keishawn Williams just
would just squeeze in special teams. Chris Boswell missed a
(38:27):
field goal. But before you pull over to the side
of the road and wonder if the sky is falling,
it's because he slipped on the turf. So he has
two missed field goals this year. One was blocked and
one was he slipped in the turf. Yesterday, Weightman doing
his usual solid job of punning and Keyshawn Williams in
the return. Should Calvin Austin not be able to go
(38:47):
on Thursday, you know, he looked, he looked plenty elusive,
you know, rookie return guy, and that was impressive. You know,
he had the one return call back, but that was
a really nice So let's just give a little thought
to special teams. Coverg units were solid again. I just
think another good performance, solid performance by the Steelers' special teams.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
No, you're right, the only staff fu is is field.
The turf monster got Bozzi.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
But other than that, I mean, still hit a fifty
yard or four US early in that game to really
start the scoring and keep the opening drive streak alive
for the Steelers. You know, this is four out of
five games they've gone down the field and scored and
put points on the board. You know, two touchdowns, two
field goals this season and something that had had a
(39:38):
twenty two game drought for the Steelers before the before
starting this season. So you know when you talk about
just the positives, no explosive returns, nothing got beyond the
thirty four yard line. I want to say, I think
those are furthest they got. I don't think they ever
got to the thirty five, which would have been the
same as kicking it into the back of the end zone.
(40:00):
So coverage was tight, Coverage was good. Sad, you know,
you lose a Miles killer brew during that during one
of those kickoffs, and we still don't know really what
his status is, but he did get carted off the
field after going to evaluation, so you know, prayers with
him has nothing major, But I mean it was it
(40:20):
was a solid day the punt coverage units. They had
one decent return I think the entire day, but Corla's
weight man, you know, and he had and he had
one that kind of came off the toe awkward or
the wind kind of pushed it, and that was the
only one that you really had that was bad. And
and you also saw Corey b Yorkeiz for the Browns
(40:41):
also have a similar thing and something about that side
of the field when the ball got to a certain height.
We also noticed that Aaron Rodgers deep shot that just
came woefully short about two yards.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
DK had to.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
Slow down try and get underneath it with the guy
when he had the guy beat. So there was some
weather things going on in the stadium yesterday that kind
of prevented that. But for the most part, the special
teams was was rock solid and did the job that
we we know and that we expect them to do.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
Yep, And that was good to see. And again that's uh,
you know, that's part of it. And a lot of teams,
you know, I've talked about this with Matt Williamson in
the past. A lot of teams kind of pay lip
service to special teams.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Third, you can't forget that third facet of the game.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
But the Steelers under Mike Tomlin and with Danny Smith
as a special teams coach, they they they back up
their words by dedicating practice time to that area of
the team.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
They do.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
And Danny's I love Danny Smith. He is such a charism.
He's the perfect special teams coach. You know, He's that
quintessential guy that you think of like you have to
have that kind of quirky, off kilter, high energy guy
for special teams. Doesn't matter what team you play on,
whether it's high school, college or the professional level, the
(41:58):
special teams coach is always a little bit a little bit,
a little bit, little bit, you know, wound a little
bit tight. You know, he's he's the master of the
most benign obvious thing that you need to worry about.
He worries about and loses sleepover. He is a master
of that craft. And Danny Smith just has a certain vigor.
(42:20):
I mean, I was sitting on the bench yesterday talking
to Edmond Nelson pregame and co Smith said, Hey, just
got to come by and pay respects to my guys. Now,
mind you, he is the most Southern sounding Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
You've ever met him.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
He's got a Southern drawl and he went to Central.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
I don't even know how he developed Southern drawl out
of Pittsburgh ease. But you know what, God bless him,
love him for it, and h you know, he just
he just he has an infectious, just personality that you
just love to be with us.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
He's so encouraging.
Speaker 5 (42:52):
Even after the Jabrill Peppers penalty came over to him, Hey,
that's all right. Hey, that's football. That's football, man. Hey,
you can't think about that. You can't think about that,
Like he just asks that kind of that kind of
just just wonky but fun personality a such. He's such
a student of the game. And I think that's the
(43:13):
other thing that made He doesn't rest on his laurels.
He doesn't say, oh, we did it good last week,
We're gonna be good this week because we did it
last week. No, He's like, no, here's how you stay
on top. And I think that's the other cool thing
about him. So really happy about how that unit's been playing.
They lose their captain for right now, that won't be
out there, and we'll we'll obviously probably hear from Mike
(43:35):
Tomlin right after this broadcast, because remember the Mike Twland
press conference is coming today because of the short week,
instead of tomorrow on Tuesday, which is the normal day
for most head coaches do press conferences, So we'll be
interested to hear the injury front and kind of that
report going into this game for Thursday.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Yep, Stevens win twenty three to nine. Plenty more to
get to. We're gonna spend the rest of this show,
really diving into this the things we liked about the
Steelers victory over the Cleveland Browns. Coming up tomorrow, we
will turn our attention to the Cincinnati Bengals. Short week
and a short week to get you prepared for the
game in the locker Room and.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
We will continue in the Locker Room presented
Speaker 3 (44:13):
By your neighborhood Forward Store and the Steelers Pro Shop
on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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