December 16, 2025 • 47 mins
Max and Rob celebrate and recap the win against the Dolphins. Alvaro Martin joins the show to add to the discussion.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one 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 (00:23):
Up, it's bringing pressure thrown over the middle. It is complete.
The DK Metcalf hurls aside one defender step Martin another.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Into the hand zone for the Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
What an effort by DK Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, that wasn't too long ago, at about nine or
ten hours ago, that happened.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Thanks for being with us in the locker room, presented
by our neighborhood Fords.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Tour the Students Pro Shop on Steve This Nation Radio
part of this Steelers Audio Network with Max Stark's Justin
Miller's at the Justin Miller's at the controls.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
In our iHeart Studio. I'm Rob King.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
We thank you for being with us and Max your
takeaways on this victory donut Monday from the Steelers victory
over the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Now, I know you can hear this, Rob, but I'm
literally enjoying a victory donut Monday on a Tuesday. Very nice,
just do and you know what, I had your old
fashioned Okay, I had a custard one here for you.
And I know you are enjoying the confines of your
(01:28):
home and it's family time. So I'm not gonna rub
it in. I'm only gonna mention it once. But these
donuts taste really good after a victory. I'm just I'm
not gonna lie to you right now.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
This stomach is rumbling, man, the stomach is rumbling. I'm
glad you're enjoying it, the customer. I'll have one an
honor for you, Thank you. Custard field is my favorite.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
So it's right here, right here, justin. Just do we
have do we have confirmation? Visual confirmation of a creamfield?
For I can confirm, yes, you're there. It is there,
it is. I just wanted to let you know I did.
I did by parts as a wingman on this show.
I did by part.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Did you have a did you get yourself a mape?
A maple bacon as well? Well?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Duncan does not have the maple bacon long John, So
I mean, I I but this glazed is uh is
giving me new life. I'm just gonna be honest, and
there is a cruler in there for later that I'm
going to have in second hour. So yeah, we're we're
doing our part here in the iHeart Studios, Uhessin and
I We're we're roughing it and we we we are,
we are, we are lamenting the fact that we do
(02:35):
not have the third member of this morning show, Uh,
mister Roberto King. So we will we will feast in
your honor, sir.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Eat Hardy, please eat Hardy.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yes, you know, generally speaking, Max, I thought this was
one of the most complete games, maybe the most complete
game is Steelers played, you know, when it ends the
way it did, which is, you know this year that's
kind of put their foot in the throat of the
Dolphins and then you know, listen, they helped them up
at the end and it made it help them make
it look, you know, like it wasn't respect. Yeah, it
(03:11):
kind of reminded me a little bit in reverse of
the Green Bay game, in which you forgot that it
was the first half was completely different from the second half.
But that score late in the first half and then
just just the way the Steelers you know, finished this
game when it needed to be finished and did what
they needed to do against the Dolphins team that was desperate.
(03:32):
I just I thought it was an excellent effort and
I want to pile it on top of the effort
that they put forth last week in Baltimore to take
first place in the AFC North. I would like to
think to Steelers right now, are maybe you know, playing
their best football and certainly have their foot in the
path of playing their best football the season.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
And this is something that you know every team wants,
right You want to kind of survive September, You want
to maintain October and kind of figure out in November
and then thrive in December. Yes, And I feel like
that's what the Steelers have done. The Steelers have been
on this kind of roller coaster of a ride and
(04:14):
you're hitting a crescendo at the right time. And December
footballs when that shows itself and you know a lot
of new pieces. We have to remember, you know, this
was a team that was put together like methodically throughout
the off season, and the turnover that we've seen over
(04:35):
the last three years at Omar Khan's been at the
GM position has been one of those things that's been staggering,
but people really don't notice it, right because you see
your known contributors, right, you see Cam Hayward still on
the roster, You see TJ. Watt still on the roster.
You see young draft picks aging, and you know, on
this team, and you don't really look at all of
(04:56):
the churning. It's like a duck on a lake, right.
You know, it seems still up top, he's just waddling along. Oh,
they're just they're just a pitter pattern. But then you
look below the surface and the duck is like paddling
his butt off underneath. And that's what this roster has
really been. It's been churning underneath, and we're seeing the
fruits of that churning labor. And you saw a lot
(05:18):
of unknown, newly discovered contributors this season and also in
the last couple of weeks for this team. I mean,
just think about the roster churn that's happened in season. Right.
You go and you know, Deshaun Elliott is missed for
the season. We didn't really get a lot of contribution
from him, right, you know, you release a wan Thornhill,
(05:41):
Darius Slay has to be released as well, but you
bring in a Kyle Dugger, you sign in as Sante Samuel,
and Brandon Eckle steps up into a primary role. James
Pierre comes from practice squad and been up and down
on this roster for many years, and he contributes. And
then you have the draft picks, and then Derek Harmon's out.
(06:04):
But yet you took this fifth round flyer on Ya
Black and now he's playing. Logan Lee was a rookie left.
There's so many different stories along the line of things
that have been churned up from a lot of this
change in turnover that's been happening behind the scenes and
now coming to the forefront. Heck, you sign MVS and
Adam Thielen in the last couple of weeks, and what
(06:26):
do they do? He leads he you know he's second
in the team and snap counts Adam Thielen, And then
you have MVS catching his first catch which happens to
be a touchdown, right And as soon as you sign
him up to the active roster consistently after you lose
Keyshawn Williams for the year. So there's just so many
great stories. Dylan Cook, the fourth left tackle right that's played,
(06:46):
and he comes in and has a masterclass on Bradley Chubb.
And we've been talking about this. We've been watching this
guy for the last couple of years. So there's just
so many good stories and it's all coming together at
the right time, at the crunch time of the season
when you're in a tight division race and you have
to the gotta have it games. Well, we had two
(07:07):
gotta have its in the last two weeks and we
got them.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yep, I totally agree, you know, So let's start there,
because there were some reasons entering camp and coming out
of camp that I felt like the Steelers were a
better team. You know, we talked about this a better
team than a year ago. We talked about this, you know,
sort of ad infinitum in August and September when publications
(07:30):
started coming out with power rankings, and you know, I was,
I know, I was mystified as to why people thought
the Steelers were going to be eight and nine or
maybe nine and eight.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I don't I didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I don't remember seeing a single publication that had the
Steelers going to the playoffs. They still haven't clinch to
birth right, so the story still have finished, and I
get it. You know, there's still three games to play,
So I'm not crowing here. What I'm trying to do
is point out why I was more bullish, and I
think you were more bullish on the Steelers than a
(08:04):
lot of the national publications and even some of the
local people that cover the team. You know you had
and again, just to underline the reasons I thought so,
Aaron Rodgers was reason number one.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
But an improved.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Roster which was buttressed by three draft choices who didn't
really play last year, including your number one draft pick
now Roman Wilson and Logan Lee. I thought they would
have a bigger impact. Lee looked like he was going
to earlier in the season that he came back. He's
come back to the last couple of games with injuries.
I thought Roman Wilson would have a bigger impact, but
(08:43):
you know, he played and played well in some games
for the Steelers. But then you know the addition of
guys like Kenny Gainwell and Brandon Ecoles and you know
Malie Harrison, you know guys that they you know Cole
Holcom coming back coming out of camp. I think we
both felt like going into the final cutdowns, like the
(09:04):
Steelers were gonna have some good players who weren't gonna
make the team. And you know what, Max that and
we said that on the air, that's been manifested because
remember James Pierre, who's been terrific for this Steers was
on the practice squad. He didn't make the fifty three.
Dylan Cook didn't make the fifty three. That's how deep
(09:25):
this team was. And here they are, you know, late
in the season in meaningful games. James Pierre obviously wasn't
in this one, but has been excellent for the Steelers.
Dylan Cooked that latest guy to step up late in
the season. Injuries are gonna happen, right there's going Attrition
is part of life in the NFL for a team,
(09:46):
and here the Steers are well positioned because of the
hard work of you know, Omar Khan and you know
his staff of guys putting together this deep roster. Obviously,
kudos to the players, clearly that to me, that's always
number one. But back behind that is this is this
(10:07):
wonderful depth the students have have put on this roster
and it is coming to fruition now.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Uh it indeed it is, and this is what we
talked about what you asked, Oh, the quality depth would
test was tested early, and you know, are they really
that deep? I mean, you know, everybody wanted to question
that aspect of it, and like you said, in these moments,
the depth was tested and the tech the depth has
(10:33):
answered and I think the depth wasn't finite as well,
because like you said, we still found ways to upgrade.
In the season. We went to the Land of Forgotten Toys,
right with a Sante Samuel, a guy that people were like, oh, yeah,
back surgery and we don't know. Well, the guy who
performed his surgery just happens to be on our staff,
doctor a Conquo, right right, And yeah, I was actually
(10:56):
having a good little conversation with him afterwards. And you know,
I came over to doctor Conquo, like I just whispered
as I said, I said, hey, man, man, whoever did
that surgery? Man, you need you need to get to
know that guy. And he just started busting out laughing
because he was the one that did the surgery and
also cleared him eventually. And guess who the first guy
was when he got to the sidelines outside of his
(11:16):
teammates that came over and high fived him Doctor Conquo
like that, that that that's a pretty cool story when
you know the road that he and you know he said,
he said, Max, you're not gonna believe this. He did
everything we asked. We told him it was not going
to be easy, it was going to be a tough road,
and he did everything. He was a pro in his
recovery and his rehab, and it just it just manifested
(11:40):
itself in hard work and and it was happy. He
was so happy to see him do that. And I
can understand that. I can feel that that pure joy
and just happiness, and I know that sense of relief
of a guy who's had to deal with some type
of spinal injury, and you question yourself every step of
the way. Can I do this? Am I good enough?
(12:01):
Should I be out here? Am I gonna hurt myself worse?
And then when you finally get that moment that validates
all of that hard work, all of that anxiety, all
of that mistrust. Man, is such a sense of relief.
As a guy who's gone through that, I can tell
you it is something that you don't understand the amount
(12:22):
of nervousness and your family and your spouse and your
kids and people wondering, man, you know, can you do it?
Can I do it? I don't know? Are you know?
People are telling me all this kind of stuff, But
you have this dogged determination in your mind that just
keeps you propelling forward. So you know, happy for that
and happy for the flyer they took on a Sante
Samuel because you know, that was a huge moment and
(12:44):
that was something that he'll never forget on that recovery trail.
And you know this entire team just played with guts.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Right.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You don't have TJ. Watt, you don't have Derek Harmon.
We heard the stats in the analytics. You know when
Derek Harmon's not in the lineup, you know this team
gives up one hundred more rushing yards per game. Uh eh,
Not last night against against arguably one of the best
rushing attacks in the last month of the season. You
know who's who better than the Miami Dolphins, Right, Davon
(13:16):
ah Chan. That offense has been churning out almost two
hundred yards rushing per game on the ground. Not last night.
Steelers are giving up two hundred yards rushing the last
two weeks. Right, Buffalo and Baltimore Oh my god, what
are the Dolphins gonna do to them? This is an
RTFF game. Run the bleeping football. They couldn't do it,
(13:39):
couldn't do it. And this was a complete game for
the Steelers, and it was. It was a fantastic watch.
The fans brave the elements and they got rewarded in
kind for that. Renegade came so early in that game,
it didn't even wait to the fourth grow like, no,
we gotta play this in the third we get, we get,
we gotta get it out there, we gotta get it
out there. They hit a fever pitch last night and
(14:01):
both of us were sitting there like, whoa okay, terrible
towels are twirling, very little teal in the audience, and
you saw a team that was in shambles on the
other side, they Harry had a razor thin like playoff
opportunity and hopes, but that hopes got crushed, got shattered
like a bull in the china shop. And that bull
(14:21):
in the china shop just happened to be Darnel Washington.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Yeah, and DK Metcalf, you know, yeah, I was talking
about this was on the DV Morning show, and you
know this Yud is wanting to play physical football, and
you know this is the kind of weather. Look it plays.
Physical football plays perfectly well in ninety five degrees in Miami.
It plays really well, and it's essential to winning games
when it's twelve degrees in Pittsburgh like it was last night.
(14:47):
And the additional element, you know, Okay, you have Spencer
Anderson in there, and you're pounding the ball at teams
and you're being physical, but the additional element of guys
like Darnel Washington and DK Metcalf, those guys get ahead
of steam going and you're you're a guy in the secondary.
This is not a you know, one hundred and seventy
pound receiver you're trying to bring down. I mean guys,
(15:11):
I said, you know on the broadcast last night, and
I mentioned it again on DV. I used earthworm as
a verb. You know, are not Washington earthworm people because
they were trying to get so low. He's got some
good flexibility by the way. He can bend all the
way down, attack these guys with his shoulder pad as
they try to get him around the ankles, and as
(15:32):
leaves them, you know, prone behind him like an earthworm
and keeps on going. You know, that's part of the
physical nature is those guys, you know, John news Smith
getting a run, you know late in the game, you know,
you know, the game's kind of over. I don't know
how eager are you to to run up and try
to plant one on a John U. Smith running full
speed down the right sideline. So you know, the physical
(15:54):
nature of what the Steelers are playing with I thought
was on display last night as well.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
And this was a moment to flex, and they flexed,
and I thought Arthur Smith, Mike Tomlin trusted them early
to set the tone with those fourth down conversion tries. Yes,
that could have easily been a punt, right, We would
have we would have punted that in September. We would
have punted that in October. But it was like something
about December, something about the weather elements, primetime football against
(16:23):
that team. It was like, no, go set a statement.
I want I'm tired of commas, I'm tired of periods
at the end of this sentence. Let's go put an
exclamation point on it.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
And we're going to talk about so many things in
this gaming. And Aaron Rodgers, you know, we talked about
the depth he was the other big reason I was
optimistic about this team thought he played another fine game
last night. We're going to talk things over with our
buddy Alvarro Martin. He's going to be joining us a
little bit later on. Bob Labriol will be with us
as well when we continue in the Locker Room, presented
by your neighborhood Ford Story in the Students Pro Shop
(16:54):
on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Boys off on COPA d Ramsey and lay.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Dalen Ramsey goes, oh, how good is that? How good
is that?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
The sack of Jalen Ramsey, as you clearly heard from
Alvarro Martin, who is busy traveling, but not too busy
to join us in the locker room. Alvro, thanks for
being with us and your thoughts on what you saw
from the Steelers victory last night Over the Dolphins on
Monday n Football.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
It was homecoming weekend in more waste than one. Not
only did we celebrate Marquees and Joey and Ben, and
of course when they get celebrated, their teammates show up.
So it was a great little reunion. But then first
player of the game, JOHNO Smith gets a touch, Jayden
Ramsey does his thing. I mean, it really was a
(18:23):
really fun weekend that way. I have to say though,
that Miami was a really good matchup for the Steers
without DJ Watt and so I think you need to
preface that I'm not saying it was a bad opponent
or a weak opponent. They played well for half, but
Miami was a great matchup because two, I get through
the ball so quickly that it almost negates the purpose
of the outside linebackers.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
But the Steers played really well.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
And I have to say, I don't know if you
guys noticed before the coin, during the coin test, actually
right after the coins too. Normally Cam Hayward shows up
and he's kind of business, he kind of lets to
set a tone with the opponent, show me at all.
But last night he was ornery. Cam Hayward was ornery.
(19:07):
He was just ready ready for this game, and he
really set the tone and they controlled devana A Shane
very well or at least as quod as you can
do it, giving his streak lately. And I think he
just set the tone for the game. I really believe
that he played really, really well, and he wasn't the
only one, but he just set a beautiful tone.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Ay, when they hit the sack.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
He starts speaking like he doesn't im it was just
a very good game. Well, I have to say in
the second half, very disappointed in Miami. I just I
just don't know I'm coming.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
On with it. Okay, so we're going to go back
a little little breaking up there.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Uh but but again, you know, the crowd and everybody
into it, and you know there there was Mac. I
just think there's so much to like about what we
saw from this studis last night, especially considering that you know,
we talked about this last week. It feels like every
week there is something for the opponent to play for.
(20:12):
You know, a lot of times you talk about, hey,
when do you play a team, Well, you know, when
do you get them?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Well, you get them when.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
They're you know, this guy's heard or that guy's heard
or they're out of the playoff picture, or they're resting
their players or whatever, you know, because they've already clinched
the spot, or it feels like the students. Every week
you've gotten a team that's got something to play for.
And you know, this was a Dolphins team that had
a lot to play for, and by early in the
fourth quarter, it looked like they didn't want to play anymore.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
No, they did. Yeah, and Alvarro was gonna That's what
I was going to ask you, Alvaro, I know you
were talking about the disappointment of of Miami in that
second half coming down. I mean, do you think it
was a case of they started feeling sorry for themselves
at a certain point because of that weather? And I mean,
we already know what the record was, right, you know,
(21:01):
like Tua can't find a win below you know, thirty degrees.
I mean, he got one in forty six degree weather,
but can't find it below thirty. And this Dolphins team
just historically has never performed well up north in those temperatures.
Do you think that that started to play a role
in that second half of the game.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
I'm a young boy from the Caribbean who has to
be exposed to minus weather. But I did ask Ryan Shayzier.
He grew up in Fort Lauerdale and then he went
to Ohio State and then he played in Pittsburgh. And
I said to him, that's gotta be a myth, right
because you may be adjustment, Like you didn't play. It
didn't get into your head at Ohio State. You were adjusted,
He goes. The problem comes when you change conditions. If
(21:42):
you're used to cold and you have to go to
a warm, humid, and hot, it's a problem. And the
same thing vice versa. And I said, but why, I mean,
maybe the center is from central Michigan. He goes, No,
what happens is you could be from central Michigan, but
you're not used to that, and it becomes a another
item to process, put on your checklist that normally, if
(22:05):
you played at home, you just won'n't care about it
again he said, He goes, it goes both ways. Remember
how Brady had trouble of winning in Miami, no matter
how lousy the Dolphins teams were. He said, it's a distraction.
That's the way he put it to me. It's just
another thing to put on your list of things to
kind of process during the game instead of just playing football.
And I thought that was an insightful answer by him.
(22:27):
But I do believe that the actual sort of letdown
was when what they run didn't work. It really it
just became obvious that that Asian was not going to
have a runaway game, and that's two thirds to their offense.
And then it became an issue obvious that the Cedars
were going to be forcing a third down and you're
(22:50):
going to have to pass, and that's exactly what they
don't want to do and they don't feel confident. Then
you get to pick early with Santa Samuel, by the way,
wonderful play. I mean, he hit it in tensions, he
just set him up and that was just a beautiful
play by Asante. And so everything they thought was going
to get him a win didn't work. But the game
(23:12):
was still, you know, three nothing until the very end
of the first half, Miami sort of on top. But
then Pittsford did what it rarely does. Gentlemen, run the ball.
It didn't matter how efficient you were or not, run
the damn ball against the sixth worth running defense in football.
And most importantly, forget about yards time of possession. It's
(23:34):
the first game that the Theaters offense had more plays
than the opponent all year and we weren't necessarily getting
clock at the end. It's the third time we've had
more runs than passing attempts, and the last two times
were Minnesota in Dublin and New England, both wins. Now,
you can say it in Minnesota we were clellan clock.
(23:55):
You cannot say that about New England. That was a
tight game all the way through, and yet they stuck
to it. It's something that was really nice to see.
In the third one of those four consecutive possessions where
they scored a touchdown I think early in the third quarter,
they had five runs and then a touchdown pass. And
again the runs weren't necessarily mind boggling or productive or
(24:18):
splash plays. They were just doing the having the effect
of keeping Pittsburgh's defense off the field, moving the chains,
tiring out Miami, which I think they were at the
end of the defense was and it was just wonderful.
I mean, I've been I thought they were going to
play that way against Buffalo, but they didn't, and Buffalo
having the second worst rushing defense in the NFL. But
(24:41):
that didn't happen, But it was really good to see
here the kind of the patients and the concentration and
again not the productivity. Remember there were four Pittsburgh shoves
what they call them Pittsburgh City shove. There were four
of them, and that brings your productivity in terms of
(25:03):
yards for carrydown. But I just thought this the play
selection in this game. I had no qualms with none,
even though again they weren't necessarily productive, and you still
scored twenty eight points, and you still had four consecutive drives,
last one in the in the first half and the
first three in the second half ending in a touchdown. No,
(25:23):
there were very few check with me plays. There were
a few both hands on the size of the helmet's
play by Rogers. I also think Miami again was the
kind of opponent that sort of made that happen. They
played too deep almost the entire time. That's inviting you
to run and so. But but Aaron didn't try to
change anything. Let's just let's just beat the steam. And
(25:47):
I thought that level of concentration to the and stick
to withness to the game plan was wonderful. And the
play calling was very good as.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Well, and I think also Alvarro that you know, there
was a couple of times where you saw Arthur Smith
kind of turn over the reins to Aaron. A lot
of that hurry up that we saw on the second half,
especially after that opening drive, right, I mean they went
four straight drives in a row where they scored from
the end of the second half. They got the double
(26:14):
score opportunity right, taking it down the field the first
drive of the of the third quarter when they got possession, right,
that was such an anemic thing for us throughout the
season and the last two weeks they put points on
the board, and this was the first touchdown they put
having that possession to start the half. I mean, unlike
you know, the Owen four streak we had before the
(26:35):
Baltimore game, where you know, we just we were the
worst team, like coming out of the gates, like with
halftime adjustments. It was just it was just pretty bad.
But I think those hurry up opportunities, right, you know,
Aaron getting the twelve twelfth man on the field that penalty,
like that's just quintessential Aaron Rodgers that we know him
to be, like the guy where he's like, I'm smarter
(26:57):
than you defensive coordinator. I know you're trying to sub
a guy out because you know your fat guy's tired,
but I'm I'm an catch him with his foot on
the ground, and they did exactly that. I thought also,
just hitting that one that was supposed to be a run,
that Pat Fryarmouth seam route that he hit him on,
that the twenty two yarder, that was one that I
felt was a pure Aaron Rodgers. I saw something in
(27:20):
the defense. They were playing off coverage in that cover
two shell, right, and I'm just gonna I'm just gonna
hit him in stride and see what happens. And Pat
Fryarmouth took it and ran with it, literally, and I
thought those were those moments where it was like, Okay,
this is why you give Aaron Rodgers an opportunity to
be kind of open in those moments, and like you said,
it doesn't have to be a check with me, because
(27:41):
he's making the decision on the field as he sees fit.
And so we did see kind of a balance of that,
and I think that's where the Steelers are at their
best when you can give Aaron Rodgers a little bit
of room to be himself, right, you know, you know,
we talked about the let Russ cook, will, let Aaron cook,
let him bake whatever it is, you know, let him
crock pot. I don't know, but that was something I
(28:02):
thought was just very nice to see the tempo because
normally you want to lean on the lead, right, you
want to waste time two o'clock, and they went hurry
up in that moment.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
Yes, but I think they've understood from the Buffalo game
that tempo was important for Aaron. The thing is that
the team is not used to that, and it's taken
some time to kind of gel. There were a couple
of moments, including places that did work out, where I thought, Ah,
they're finally getting it, and I thought to myself, Aaron
must be very happy that the gap between his vision
(28:35):
of what this offense, particularly the Steel's offense in twenty
twenty five, can be, and what it is is closing.
There was a play right I think it was a
broken play bootleg to the right, and there was a
throw that was incomplete almost to the front corner of
the right side of the end zone. I think it
was firemouth the target, but at least firemouth on a
(28:55):
scramble cut the right way. He just he made the
right decision, timely decision. It's just the pass was a
little too high and probably thrown out of bounds. Calvin
Austin on that great the Kailien Metcalf catch and run.
Calvin Austin went from all the way from the right
side as soon as he saw the Klan catch. Marquessh
(29:17):
just stands here and watch it. Calvin just runs and
finishes Menka Fitzpatrick. After he got shoved by the kind
he got up again. He was close to the Kailan. No, no, no, no,
I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen. That was
a tremendous play, probably Calvin's best play of the entire game.
And those are those are the kind of things that
are beginning the Geil that weren't happening before. And again
(29:40):
you talk about two shell and a and a sort
of a kind of a setup by Minca that throw
to Metcalf. Minka was baiting him. Minka was just saying, okay,
go ahead, sew it. I'm not even close. Try it,
try it, try it. Step into the water. It's kind
of warm. Go ahead, But the throw is unbelievable. And
then the after the catch was sort of legendary. Now,
(30:04):
so that's the beauty of this thing. You can still
run a whole bunch, you can still run more than
you pass, and you can still make great passing plays.
You can still score points, and you can still win games.
And you know, you wonder sometimes Aaron missed the entire preseason, right,
most of it, didn't really play in the preseason, missed
(30:24):
all the off season essentially, and you kind of knew
there was going to be some gelling. And then we've
had changes in personnel literally latest the last couple of
weeks that have actually impacted the team in a positive way.
So this is sort of you still gel You're still gelling.
Now you have, you know, injuries along the offensive line,
which will require another adjustment. But what you're seeing is
(30:47):
Aaron now being a little bit more comfortable with Arthur,
with the team. He barely made any adjustments last night
at the line, barely, And that tells you that everything
on the same page twelve on the field was a
play that you need every other one of the ten
players on your side to be ready for. That is
(31:08):
that is a call. That's a credit to Aaron, but
it's a credit to the offense because they kind of
figure it out, they sense it and then they go
right to the play. And I think you're talking about
how he feels comfortable. He feels comfortable getting a twelve
man on the field play. He loves out smarting and
outwitting the opponent. But he needs people to be ready
(31:30):
for that moment. And last night, a couple of times
you saw that, and I'm sure he's very very happy.
You saw his smile after the game. He was incredibly happy.
He was running by the way from the sideline to
the huddle. I know it was cold, and maybe that's
the reason why, but I had not seen him so
energetic late the season, by the way, but so energetic
(31:53):
since he's been with Pittsburgh. He was plugged in. And
again it was a game in which he threw less
than they ran. It didn't matter. He did his job.
Team one and the feeling is really great. The defense
played very well without DJ. It was just a great
solid wind. You can always say that Miami sort of
folded at the end, but I think they folded because
Pittsford put a lot of pressure on them on on
(32:16):
both sides.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Yeah, I think that's a great, a great way to
look at it. For sure.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
They forced the Dolphins to be thinking about that warm
bus and getting back and getting on a plane and
flying back to Miami, by the way, with their playoff
hopes on the line, and the Steelers just took it
to them. You know, I think at this stage of
the game, out bro, this is my last question for you.
I am looking for, and I think a lot of
us are looking for, you know, the improvement in areas
(32:41):
that have not been strengths.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It has been a.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Very, very strange statistical year for the Steelers. I was
talking to some guys from the Dolphins broadcast last night.
I said, if I just showed you one sheet of
paper and said here's some stats from the Steelers, you'd
think they were run beaten. And if I showed you
an other series of stats, same team and another sheet
of paper, you think how they possibly won a game.
(33:06):
And I think that the issues in the third quarter
the last couple of weeks, and that's been a problem.
Right We've talked about the four leads that they've had
at halftime and lost the game because they've they've come
out and faltered in the third quarter, in the fourth quarter,
well the last two weeks that's been improved. We still
have to see about the you know, the running defense.
(33:27):
Eight Chan only ran it a dozen times last night.
I'm not saying all the holes are filled, but if
they can fill a hole here, a hole there in
these last three games of the season obviously got to
you gotta, you know, win games to even get.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
To the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
But this could be a Steelers team that's peaking at
the right time. I think these last two games are
showing encouraging signs of closing some of those loopholes.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
The run fits. You always think of the defensive tackles
as the problem, and they've been at times, especially early
to the sea. But I think the biggest problems against the
on the RUSS rushing defense for Pittsburgh is that people
try to do too many things. They try to do
several players roles no, no, just do your role, stay
in your lane, have a great run fit, and I
(34:15):
think that's improved. Patrick Queen's improved in that way. Wilson's
done a little bit of improvement there as well. The
secondary has been tremendous, by the way, and just showing
up their uniforms so that the we're running back decides
the cut or now he goes, oh, I see a
flash of the wrong color. I'm going to keep sliding sideways.
They've they've been done tremendously in that area. In the
(34:36):
last few games. They played without Harmon and they limited
a lethal runner who can make a cut and go
straight to the end zone. So they were concentrated yesterday.
It showed and it took away Miami's main weapon. And
that is a tremendous sign. Of course, you need that
because you're going to meet mister gibbson mister Montgomery next
(34:57):
week in Detroit, and that's going to be a challenge.
But hopefully Eric maybe back, and others may be back,
and there's even talk that Deshaun Elliott may have a
chance to come back. And that's all good. But whoever
you have right now, whoever you've had on the field
right now, at their job yesterday, by and large, and
that was fun to watch. That was fun to watch,
(35:18):
the discipline, the adherence to the game plan, the execution.
They took care of business in a professional way beginning
to end, and they did not get worried when the
game was three to nothing with two minutes to go
in the first half. They were just they were absolutely concentrated.
That was beautiful. And then to see a game where
you run more, you rest the defense, and you still
(35:41):
score and Aaron still makes tremendous plays and calls. That
is just just Terry on the on the Sunday. To me,
that was a beautiful game. And I gotta tell you
the faces of the Dolphins fans last night, Oh boy,
there were some of the flight I just came in
from Pittsburgh to New York and there were some Boy,
they were not they were not happy. They were not happy.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
By the way, I'm glad you pointed out. And this
is what one of the many.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Things we love about Alvarro pointing out that block by Austin, who,
by the way, was also the guy hustling downfield in
Dublin to help DK Metcalf get into the end zone
in that eighty yard er.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
So uh, very.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
The Kaalin owes them money. Let's just put it out.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Oh. Alvaro Martin, the great play by play announcer for
the Steelers NBA, one of the greats in the broadcasting industry.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Alvro, thank you very much, my friend. Appreciate the time.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Always get to see you last night and to talk
to you this morning anytime, guys, thank you.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Okay, fantastic, Looking forward to the game against Detroit quick week,
we have to turn around to turn our attention to that.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
In the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
We're going to bask a little bit in the glow
of a wonderful win for the Steelers last night, and
want to remind you that you can gear up with
the latest game day necessities at the official Steelers Pro shops.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Get the latest.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Sideline apparel of jerseys, terrible towels, authentic memorabilia and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the official Students Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium,
Grove City Premium Outlets or Tanger Outlets, or gear up
online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Get it direct from the team.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
It's a Studers Pro shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Back with more following the Steers victory on Monday Night
Football twenty three straight Max.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
How about that? Is that unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Crazy three straight home wins on Monday Night Football. We
will continue with more in the Locker Room, presented by
our neighborhood Forward Store and the Steers Pro Shop on
Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
And ski 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 to direct from
the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot
Steelers dot.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Com, and a reminder that, uh, it's a Tuesday, but
it's it's also a Monday in the locker room, following
some logic set down by touching Wolf long ago, Tuesday
being a Monday. Victory, donut Monday even though it's a Tuesday,
(38:24):
Mike tom Win, We'll talk on Tuesday even though it's Tuesday.
And I think, yeah, I think you're following on that.
And we're gonna take your phone calls today on a
Monday that's a Tuesday, or a Tuesday that's a Monday.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Four one.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Six will be taking your calls next hour after we
get together with Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
You know, one of the things Max you alluded to
in which.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I believe uh was, was welcome to fans I'm sure
and fun to watch. Was the Steelers aggressiveness going for
it from their own twenty nine yard line I think
was twenty nine yard a fourth down, they went with
the steel City shove and they picked up a first down.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
I mean that was I think about that.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
If they don't get that and Miami comes back and
scores a touchdown there and they get a little momentum
going and now maybe they're up ten to nothing, they
kick a field goal later, I mean, shoot, that could
have been a big moment in the game. And then
the other one was when they got the I think
it was the fourteen to three lead, and they went
no huddle and hurry up, let's go, let's change the temple,
(39:31):
let's get the pace going. Those two things added up
to a Steelers approach or were you know, maybe manifestations
of a Steelers approach that was aggressive in that game
against Miami and was fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
No, it was indeed something fun to watch. And and
I think this was something that you know, Alvarro kind
of hit on as far as you know, having airon
finally see the team do what he is envisioned, and
I think that was something that was very astute to
(40:07):
point out, but I think also in the same thing,
this is the maturation of a season. You know, we
talked about, well, what is the Steelers' identity and trying
to figure out what that identity was going to be,
and I think, you know, sometimes it takes times when
you have a lot of moving pieces. We talked about
the injuries on the offensive line and defensive line and
secondary we had, we had. We also had some moments
(40:29):
where we just weren't seeing this team really kick in
to gear because there was a lot of moving parts
that we didn't anticipate coming into fruition and having to
make an adjustment. And I think in you know, even
with the pieces we brought in during the season, you know,
alv Ro talked about, you know, the receiving corps changing
(40:51):
its face and identity this late. But I think also,
you know, the cal Duggart figuring out the secondary and
figuring out what the right rotation was. You know, at
the beginning of the season, we're like, oh, no, you know,
it should be Jalen Ramsey in the slot, right, He's
our nickel corner. Darius Slay is our corner on the
opposite side of Joey Porter Jr. We get here in
(41:15):
the week fifteen about and it's like, no, we actually
needed a Sante Samuel and Brandon Echols is our nickel
and Jalen Ramsey You're the safety that we thought you
could be, you know, to figure out. And Kyle Duggar
who and Jabille Preppers were on the Patriots. They were
on the Patriots roster and we went and red rovered
(41:39):
them on over And I think that's something that looking
back on, and I'm sure the Patriots probably wish they
had those guys considering how they play against Bufalo the
second time around. You took him for granted, But it's
that type of adjustment and pivot that I don't know
if I would have seen that years ago with Kevin
(42:01):
Colbert at the helm and no knock against Kevin, but
Kevin was very rooted in. You know, you grow this
talent organically through the draft. We don't make movement or
big or big time free agent acquisitions really in the
off season or even in season, like the in season
trades and signings, you know, these are more like, oh,
(42:23):
we need some street free agents to bolster the practice squad.
But Omar Khan Andy Widel, Sheldon White and company, that
front office group said no, we're gonna, We're gonna go
churn the bottom of this river. We're going, We're going.
We're like, we're you know, it's like those people are
treasure hunters, right, you know in gold Rush and all
(42:44):
these different like we're gonna go to the Arctic and
we're just gonna we're gonna throw this hose into the
bottom bearing sea gold.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Right.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
You know, I watched a lot of Discovery channels, so
just just bear with me, and you're gonna slush it
up and see can we find some gold here? And
you've done literally dug up, dugger and you found and
you found Marquez Valdez Scantling, who, by the way, fifteenth
touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers now in his career, so
(43:11):
he kind of knows how to catch a ball from
Aaron and Adam Thielen. Right, he was supposed to be
dead and gone after he went to Carolina and and
things didn't work out with him and Bryce Young and
you're talking about number two snap count total in the formation.
Didn't have a big statistical game, but guess what he
got to catch Eight different guys got to catch in
(43:32):
this game. He was one of them, and he was
a guy willing to put his face in the fan
on the back side on some of those fold blocks
in the run game that shored up the backside run
through that we'd had issues with earlier in the year.
So I just I look at that and it's just
an overall organizational effort. This is an organizational win last night,
(43:53):
you know, not just for the offense, the defense, and
the special teams who all played and all had key
plays in that game. I mean, we could talk about
each phase doing something to contribute to that victory, but organizationally,
personnel wise, you saw unsung heroes making heroic feats in
(44:15):
the absence of your normal Superman. And I thought that
was something that was very glaring last night that I
don't want to gloss over. You know, if we're handing
out flowers, throw out the whole bouquet to everybody, right,
you know, don't just hand out individuals. I thought everybody
did their job, and that was front office all the
way to players on the field.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
By the way, one other guy I do want to
mention who I thought was terrific last night, and that
was Cam Hayward. I just thought he played a great game.
You know, I agree with everything you're saying, and there
are a lot of kudos to pass out in this game.
You know, Patrick Queen led you in tackles. You know,
Jalen Ramsey was right behind him and had a sack.
(44:57):
You know, a lot to like you talk about, you know,
depth guys and guys you know, putting your hand into pile.
Assez told me, well, it was one of those guys
with a sack. But I thought Cam Hayward, you know,
a couple tackles for losses. Yeah, he came up with
a sack, his first sack since October sixteenth at Cincinnati.
I just thought he stood up in a big way
(45:18):
and had a huge impact.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
On this game.
Speaker 4 (45:20):
No, he leaders that lead from the front, right, and
you talk about front runners and leaders who lead from
the front, and Cam Hayward was a leader who led
from the front. He showed guys the way and he
towed the line.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (45:36):
I had a game on Saturday, the Celebration Bowl, and
Chinnis Barry is the head coach of South Carolina State,
and I was we were talking with coach Barry before
the game and he said something and I felt like
this is just emblematic of what Cam Hayward did. And
he said, when things are uncertain all around, because he
had a lot of guys, a mass exodus of players
(45:58):
and had to bring in thirty seven new guys to
his team. Seventeen of his twenty two starters this season
were brand new that he had to bring in and
make it to the celebration. But was the HBCU National
Championship game and he made it back for a return
trip and they didn't win last year. That's why everybody
left and guys went to like Stanford and all these
power for programs. And he said the biggest thing he
(46:21):
told guys to do was the leaders that were there
hold the rope. Htr was their motto. And for Cam Hayward,
he held the rope last night. And that's when TJ.
Watt couldn't jump in to hold the rope. Derek Harmon,
the other leaders are guys that we were depending on
to hold that rope just weren't available. Cam Hayward stepped up,
(46:44):
grabbed the rope and held the rope and everybody followed him.
And that was what it was to tow that line
and make sure that there was a do not pass, go,
do not collect two hundred dollars, go straight to jail.
The dolphins. I was like, I don't know if you
guys knew this. It was eighteen degrees outside, but we
had some hot grease on our sideline and we had
a fish fry last night and Cam Hayward was the chef.
(47:10):
He was a guy dropping the basket in the hot grease.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (47:17):
I told you, I'm going to give you one. I'm sugarnacky.
You know it's going to be analogies all day. Be prepared.
When you leave me in a room with donuts and
you're not here to share, that's what happens.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
There's might drop moments. There's donut drop moments. But if
you drop the donut dropping in the box, you can
go back and eat it again. There's I'm not going
to touch that. When that was beautiful. Bob Labriol is
going to be joining us next after that, we're going
to be taking your phone calls at four one, two, one, three,
one six when we resume in the locker Room. Presented
by our neighborhood Ford Store and Steears Pro Shop on
(47:48):
Steelers Nation Radio 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 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 (00:23):
Up, it's bringing pressure thrown over the middle. It is complete.
The DK Metcalf hurls aside one defender step Martin another.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Into the hand zone for the Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
What an effort by DK Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, that wasn't too long ago, at about nine or
ten hours ago, that happened.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Thanks for being with us in the locker room, presented
by our neighborhood Fords.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Tour the Students Pro Shop on Steve This Nation Radio
part of this Steelers Audio Network with Max Stark's Justin
Miller's at the Justin Miller's at the controls.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
In our iHeart Studio. I'm Rob King.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
We thank you for being with us and Max your
takeaways on this victory donut Monday from the Steelers victory
over the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Now, I know you can hear this, Rob, but I'm
literally enjoying a victory donut Monday on a Tuesday. Very nice,
just do and you know what, I had your old
fashioned Okay, I had a custard one here for you.
And I know you are enjoying the confines of your
(01:28):
home and it's family time. So I'm not gonna rub
it in. I'm only gonna mention it once. But these
donuts taste really good after a victory. I'm just I'm
not gonna lie to you right now.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
This stomach is rumbling, man, the stomach is rumbling. I'm
glad you're enjoying it, the customer. I'll have one an
honor for you, Thank you. Custard field is my favorite.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
So it's right here, right here, justin. Just do we
have do we have confirmation? Visual confirmation of a creamfield?
For I can confirm, yes, you're there. It is there,
it is. I just wanted to let you know I did.
I did by parts as a wingman on this show.
I did by part.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Did you have a did you get yourself a mape?
A maple bacon as well? Well?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Duncan does not have the maple bacon long John, So
I mean, I I but this glazed is uh is
giving me new life. I'm just gonna be honest, and
there is a cruler in there for later that I'm
going to have in second hour. So yeah, we're we're
doing our part here in the iHeart Studios, Uhessin and
I We're we're roughing it and we we we are,
we are, we are lamenting the fact that we do
(02:35):
not have the third member of this morning show, Uh,
mister Roberto King. So we will we will feast in
your honor, sir.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Eat Hardy, please eat Hardy.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yes, you know, generally speaking, Max, I thought this was
one of the most complete games, maybe the most complete
game is Steelers played, you know, when it ends the
way it did, which is, you know this year that's
kind of put their foot in the throat of the
Dolphins and then you know, listen, they helped them up
at the end and it made it help them make
it look, you know, like it wasn't respect. Yeah, it
(03:11):
kind of reminded me a little bit in reverse of
the Green Bay game, in which you forgot that it
was the first half was completely different from the second half.
But that score late in the first half and then
just just the way the Steelers you know, finished this
game when it needed to be finished and did what
they needed to do against the Dolphins team that was desperate.
(03:32):
I just I thought it was an excellent effort and
I want to pile it on top of the effort
that they put forth last week in Baltimore to take
first place in the AFC North. I would like to
think to Steelers right now, are maybe you know, playing
their best football and certainly have their foot in the
path of playing their best football the season.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
And this is something that you know every team wants,
right You want to kind of survive September, You want
to maintain October and kind of figure out in November
and then thrive in December. Yes, And I feel like
that's what the Steelers have done. The Steelers have been
on this kind of roller coaster of a ride and
(04:14):
you're hitting a crescendo at the right time. And December
footballs when that shows itself and you know a lot
of new pieces. We have to remember, you know, this
was a team that was put together like methodically throughout
the off season, and the turnover that we've seen over
(04:35):
the last three years at Omar Khan's been at the
GM position has been one of those things that's been staggering,
but people really don't notice it, right because you see
your known contributors, right, you see Cam Hayward still on
the roster, You see TJ. Watt still on the roster.
You see young draft picks aging, and you know, on
this team, and you don't really look at all of
(04:56):
the churning. It's like a duck on a lake, right.
You know, it seems still up top, he's just waddling along. Oh,
they're just they're just a pitter pattern. But then you
look below the surface and the duck is like paddling
his butt off underneath. And that's what this roster has
really been. It's been churning underneath, and we're seeing the
fruits of that churning labor. And you saw a lot
(05:18):
of unknown, newly discovered contributors this season and also in
the last couple of weeks for this team. I mean,
just think about the roster churn that's happened in season. Right.
You go and you know, Deshaun Elliott is missed for
the season. We didn't really get a lot of contribution
from him, right, you know, you release a wan Thornhill,
(05:41):
Darius Slay has to be released as well, but you
bring in a Kyle Dugger, you sign in as Sante Samuel,
and Brandon Eckle steps up into a primary role. James
Pierre comes from practice squad and been up and down
on this roster for many years, and he contributes. And
then you have the draft picks, and then Derek Harmon's out.
(06:04):
But yet you took this fifth round flyer on Ya
Black and now he's playing. Logan Lee was a rookie left.
There's so many different stories along the line of things
that have been churned up from a lot of this
change in turnover that's been happening behind the scenes and
now coming to the forefront. Heck, you sign MVS and
Adam Thielen in the last couple of weeks, and what
(06:26):
do they do? He leads he you know he's second
in the team and snap counts Adam Thielen, And then
you have MVS catching his first catch which happens to
be a touchdown, right And as soon as you sign
him up to the active roster consistently after you lose
Keyshawn Williams for the year. So there's just so many
great stories. Dylan Cook, the fourth left tackle right that's played,
(06:46):
and he comes in and has a masterclass on Bradley Chubb.
And we've been talking about this. We've been watching this
guy for the last couple of years. So there's just
so many good stories and it's all coming together at
the right time, at the crunch time of the season
when you're in a tight division race and you have
to the gotta have it games. Well, we had two
(07:07):
gotta have its in the last two weeks and we
got them.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yep, I totally agree, you know, So let's start there,
because there were some reasons entering camp and coming out
of camp that I felt like the Steelers were a
better team. You know, we talked about this a better
team than a year ago. We talked about this, you know,
sort of ad infinitum in August and September when publications
(07:30):
started coming out with power rankings, and you know, I was,
I know, I was mystified as to why people thought
the Steelers were going to be eight and nine or
maybe nine and eight.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I don't I didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I don't remember seeing a single publication that had the
Steelers going to the playoffs. They still haven't clinch to
birth right, so the story still have finished, and I
get it. You know, there's still three games to play,
So I'm not crowing here. What I'm trying to do
is point out why I was more bullish, and I
think you were more bullish on the Steelers than a
(08:04):
lot of the national publications and even some of the
local people that cover the team. You know you had
and again, just to underline the reasons I thought so,
Aaron Rodgers was reason number one.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
But an improved.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Roster which was buttressed by three draft choices who didn't
really play last year, including your number one draft pick
now Roman Wilson and Logan Lee. I thought they would
have a bigger impact. Lee looked like he was going
to earlier in the season that he came back. He's
come back to the last couple of games with injuries.
I thought Roman Wilson would have a bigger impact, but
(08:43):
you know, he played and played well in some games
for the Steelers. But then you know the addition of
guys like Kenny Gainwell and Brandon Ecoles and you know
Malie Harrison, you know guys that they you know Cole
Holcom coming back coming out of camp. I think we
both felt like going into the final cutdowns, like the
(09:04):
Steelers were gonna have some good players who weren't gonna
make the team. And you know what, Max that and
we said that on the air, that's been manifested because
remember James Pierre, who's been terrific for this Steers was
on the practice squad. He didn't make the fifty three.
Dylan Cook didn't make the fifty three. That's how deep
(09:25):
this team was. And here they are, you know, late
in the season in meaningful games. James Pierre obviously wasn't
in this one, but has been excellent for the Steelers.
Dylan Cooked that latest guy to step up late in
the season. Injuries are gonna happen, right there's going Attrition
is part of life in the NFL for a team,
(09:46):
and here the Steers are well positioned because of the
hard work of you know, Omar Khan and you know
his staff of guys putting together this deep roster. Obviously,
kudos to the players, clearly that to me, that's always
number one. But back behind that is this is this
(10:07):
wonderful depth the students have have put on this roster
and it is coming to fruition now.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Uh it indeed it is, and this is what we
talked about what you asked, Oh, the quality depth would
test was tested early, and you know, are they really
that deep? I mean, you know, everybody wanted to question
that aspect of it, and like you said, in these moments,
the depth was tested and the tech the depth has
(10:33):
answered and I think the depth wasn't finite as well,
because like you said, we still found ways to upgrade.
In the season. We went to the Land of Forgotten Toys,
right with a Sante Samuel, a guy that people were like, oh, yeah,
back surgery and we don't know. Well, the guy who
performed his surgery just happens to be on our staff,
doctor a Conquo, right right, And yeah, I was actually
(10:56):
having a good little conversation with him afterwards. And you know,
I came over to doctor Conquo, like I just whispered
as I said, I said, hey, man, man, whoever did
that surgery? Man, you need you need to get to
know that guy. And he just started busting out laughing
because he was the one that did the surgery and
also cleared him eventually. And guess who the first guy
was when he got to the sidelines outside of his
(11:16):
teammates that came over and high fived him Doctor Conquo
like that, that that that's a pretty cool story when
you know the road that he and you know he said,
he said, Max, you're not gonna believe this. He did
everything we asked. We told him it was not going
to be easy, it was going to be a tough road,
and he did everything. He was a pro in his
recovery and his rehab, and it just it just manifested
(11:40):
itself in hard work and and it was happy. He
was so happy to see him do that. And I
can understand that. I can feel that that pure joy
and just happiness, and I know that sense of relief
of a guy who's had to deal with some type
of spinal injury, and you question yourself every step of
the way. Can I do this? Am I good enough?
(12:01):
Should I be out here? Am I gonna hurt myself worse?
And then when you finally get that moment that validates
all of that hard work, all of that anxiety, all
of that mistrust. Man, is such a sense of relief.
As a guy who's gone through that, I can tell
you it is something that you don't understand the amount
(12:22):
of nervousness and your family and your spouse and your
kids and people wondering, man, you know, can you do it?
Can I do it? I don't know? Are you know?
People are telling me all this kind of stuff, But
you have this dogged determination in your mind that just
keeps you propelling forward. So you know, happy for that
and happy for the flyer they took on a Sante
Samuel because you know, that was a huge moment and
(12:44):
that was something that he'll never forget on that recovery trail.
And you know this entire team just played with guts.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Right.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You don't have TJ. Watt, you don't have Derek Harmon.
We heard the stats in the analytics. You know when
Derek Harmon's not in the lineup, you know this team
gives up one hundred more rushing yards per game. Uh eh,
Not last night against against arguably one of the best
rushing attacks in the last month of the season. You
know who's who better than the Miami Dolphins, Right, Davon
(13:16):
ah Chan. That offense has been churning out almost two
hundred yards rushing per game on the ground. Not last night.
Steelers are giving up two hundred yards rushing the last
two weeks. Right, Buffalo and Baltimore Oh my god, what
are the Dolphins gonna do to them? This is an
RTFF game. Run the bleeping football. They couldn't do it,
(13:39):
couldn't do it. And this was a complete game for
the Steelers, and it was. It was a fantastic watch.
The fans brave the elements and they got rewarded in
kind for that. Renegade came so early in that game,
it didn't even wait to the fourth grow like, no,
we gotta play this in the third we get, we get,
we gotta get it out there, we gotta get it
out there. They hit a fever pitch last night and
(14:01):
both of us were sitting there like, whoa okay, terrible
towels are twirling, very little teal in the audience, and
you saw a team that was in shambles on the
other side, they Harry had a razor thin like playoff
opportunity and hopes, but that hopes got crushed, got shattered
like a bull in the china shop. And that bull
(14:21):
in the china shop just happened to be Darnel Washington.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Yeah, and DK Metcalf, you know, yeah, I was talking
about this was on the DV Morning show, and you
know this Yud is wanting to play physical football, and
you know this is the kind of weather. Look it plays.
Physical football plays perfectly well in ninety five degrees in Miami.
It plays really well, and it's essential to winning games
when it's twelve degrees in Pittsburgh like it was last night.
(14:47):
And the additional element, you know, Okay, you have Spencer
Anderson in there, and you're pounding the ball at teams
and you're being physical, but the additional element of guys
like Darnel Washington and DK Metcalf, those guys get ahead
of steam going and you're you're a guy in the secondary.
This is not a you know, one hundred and seventy
pound receiver you're trying to bring down. I mean guys,
(15:11):
I said, you know on the broadcast last night, and
I mentioned it again on DV. I used earthworm as
a verb. You know, are not Washington earthworm people because
they were trying to get so low. He's got some
good flexibility by the way. He can bend all the
way down, attack these guys with his shoulder pad as
they try to get him around the ankles, and as
(15:32):
leaves them, you know, prone behind him like an earthworm
and keeps on going. You know, that's part of the
physical nature is those guys, you know, John news Smith
getting a run, you know late in the game, you know,
you know, the game's kind of over. I don't know
how eager are you to to run up and try
to plant one on a John U. Smith running full
speed down the right sideline. So you know, the physical
(15:54):
nature of what the Steelers are playing with I thought
was on display last night as well.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
And this was a moment to flex, and they flexed,
and I thought Arthur Smith, Mike Tomlin trusted them early
to set the tone with those fourth down conversion tries. Yes,
that could have easily been a punt, right, We would
have we would have punted that in September. We would
have punted that in October. But it was like something
about December, something about the weather elements, primetime football against
(16:23):
that team. It was like, no, go set a statement.
I want I'm tired of commas, I'm tired of periods
at the end of this sentence. Let's go put an
exclamation point on it.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
And we're going to talk about so many things in
this gaming. And Aaron Rodgers, you know, we talked about
the depth he was the other big reason I was
optimistic about this team thought he played another fine game
last night. We're going to talk things over with our
buddy Alvarro Martin. He's going to be joining us a
little bit later on. Bob Labriol will be with us
as well when we continue in the Locker Room, presented
by your neighborhood Ford Story in the Students Pro Shop
(16:54):
on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Boys off on COPA d Ramsey and lay.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Dalen Ramsey goes, oh, how good is that? How good
is that?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
The sack of Jalen Ramsey, as you clearly heard from
Alvarro Martin, who is busy traveling, but not too busy
to join us in the locker room. Alvro, thanks for
being with us and your thoughts on what you saw
from the Steelers victory last night Over the Dolphins on
Monday n Football.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
It was homecoming weekend in more waste than one. Not
only did we celebrate Marquees and Joey and Ben, and
of course when they get celebrated, their teammates show up.
So it was a great little reunion. But then first
player of the game, JOHNO Smith gets a touch, Jayden
Ramsey does his thing. I mean, it really was a
(18:23):
really fun weekend that way. I have to say though,
that Miami was a really good matchup for the Steers
without DJ Watt and so I think you need to
preface that I'm not saying it was a bad opponent
or a weak opponent. They played well for half, but
Miami was a great matchup because two, I get through
the ball so quickly that it almost negates the purpose
of the outside linebackers.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
But the Steers played really well.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
And I have to say, I don't know if you
guys noticed before the coin, during the coin test, actually
right after the coins too. Normally Cam Hayward shows up
and he's kind of business, he kind of lets to
set a tone with the opponent, show me at all.
But last night he was ornery. Cam Hayward was ornery.
(19:07):
He was just ready ready for this game, and he
really set the tone and they controlled devana A Shane
very well or at least as quod as you can
do it, giving his streak lately. And I think he
just set the tone for the game. I really believe
that he played really, really well, and he wasn't the
only one, but he just set a beautiful tone.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Ay, when they hit the sack.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
He starts speaking like he doesn't im it was just
a very good game. Well, I have to say in
the second half, very disappointed in Miami. I just I
just don't know I'm coming.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
On with it. Okay, so we're going to go back
a little little breaking up there.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Uh but but again, you know, the crowd and everybody
into it, and you know there there was Mac. I
just think there's so much to like about what we
saw from this studis last night, especially considering that you know,
we talked about this last week. It feels like every
week there is something for the opponent to play for.
(20:12):
You know, a lot of times you talk about, hey,
when do you play a team, Well, you know, when
do you get them?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Well, you get them when.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
They're you know, this guy's heard or that guy's heard
or they're out of the playoff picture, or they're resting
their players or whatever, you know, because they've already clinched
the spot, or it feels like the students. Every week
you've gotten a team that's got something to play for.
And you know, this was a Dolphins team that had
a lot to play for, and by early in the
fourth quarter, it looked like they didn't want to play anymore.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
No, they did. Yeah, and Alvarro was gonna That's what
I was going to ask you, Alvaro, I know you
were talking about the disappointment of of Miami in that
second half coming down. I mean, do you think it
was a case of they started feeling sorry for themselves
at a certain point because of that weather? And I mean,
we already know what the record was, right, you know,
(21:01):
like Tua can't find a win below you know, thirty degrees.
I mean, he got one in forty six degree weather,
but can't find it below thirty. And this Dolphins team
just historically has never performed well up north in those temperatures.
Do you think that that started to play a role
in that second half of the game.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
I'm a young boy from the Caribbean who has to
be exposed to minus weather. But I did ask Ryan Shayzier.
He grew up in Fort Lauerdale and then he went
to Ohio State and then he played in Pittsburgh. And
I said to him, that's gotta be a myth, right
because you may be adjustment, Like you didn't play. It
didn't get into your head at Ohio State. You were adjusted,
He goes. The problem comes when you change conditions. If
(21:42):
you're used to cold and you have to go to
a warm, humid, and hot, it's a problem. And the
same thing vice versa. And I said, but why, I mean,
maybe the center is from central Michigan. He goes, No,
what happens is you could be from central Michigan, but
you're not used to that, and it becomes a another
item to process, put on your checklist that normally, if
(22:05):
you played at home, you just won'n't care about it
again he said, He goes, it goes both ways. Remember
how Brady had trouble of winning in Miami, no matter
how lousy the Dolphins teams were. He said, it's a distraction.
That's the way he put it to me. It's just
another thing to put on your list of things to
kind of process during the game instead of just playing football.
And I thought that was an insightful answer by him.
(22:27):
But I do believe that the actual sort of letdown
was when what they run didn't work. It really it
just became obvious that that Asian was not going to
have a runaway game, and that's two thirds to their offense.
And then it became an issue obvious that the Cedars
were going to be forcing a third down and you're
(22:50):
going to have to pass, and that's exactly what they
don't want to do and they don't feel confident. Then
you get to pick early with Santa Samuel, by the way,
wonderful play. I mean, he hit it in tensions, he
just set him up and that was just a beautiful
play by Asante. And so everything they thought was going
to get him a win didn't work. But the game
(23:12):
was still, you know, three nothing until the very end
of the first half, Miami sort of on top. But
then Pittsford did what it rarely does. Gentlemen, run the ball.
It didn't matter how efficient you were or not, run
the damn ball against the sixth worth running defense in football.
And most importantly, forget about yards time of possession. It's
(23:34):
the first game that the Theaters offense had more plays
than the opponent all year and we weren't necessarily getting
clock at the end. It's the third time we've had
more runs than passing attempts, and the last two times
were Minnesota in Dublin and New England, both wins. Now,
you can say it in Minnesota we were clellan clock.
(23:55):
You cannot say that about New England. That was a
tight game all the way through, and yet they stuck
to it. It's something that was really nice to see.
In the third one of those four consecutive possessions where
they scored a touchdown I think early in the third quarter,
they had five runs and then a touchdown pass. And
again the runs weren't necessarily mind boggling or productive or
(24:18):
splash plays. They were just doing the having the effect
of keeping Pittsburgh's defense off the field, moving the chains,
tiring out Miami, which I think they were at the
end of the defense was and it was just wonderful.
I mean, I've been I thought they were going to
play that way against Buffalo, but they didn't, and Buffalo
having the second worst rushing defense in the NFL. But
(24:41):
that didn't happen, But it was really good to see
here the kind of the patients and the concentration and
again not the productivity. Remember there were four Pittsburgh shoves
what they call them Pittsburgh City shove. There were four
of them, and that brings your productivity in terms of
(25:03):
yards for carrydown. But I just thought this the play
selection in this game. I had no qualms with none,
even though again they weren't necessarily productive, and you still
scored twenty eight points, and you still had four consecutive drives,
last one in the in the first half and the
first three in the second half ending in a touchdown. No,
(25:23):
there were very few check with me plays. There were
a few both hands on the size of the helmet's
play by Rogers. I also think Miami again was the
kind of opponent that sort of made that happen. They
played too deep almost the entire time. That's inviting you
to run and so. But but Aaron didn't try to
change anything. Let's just let's just beat the steam. And
(25:47):
I thought that level of concentration to the and stick
to withness to the game plan was wonderful. And the
play calling was very good as.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Well, and I think also Alvarro that you know, there
was a couple of times where you saw Arthur Smith
kind of turn over the reins to Aaron. A lot
of that hurry up that we saw on the second half,
especially after that opening drive, right, I mean they went
four straight drives in a row where they scored from
the end of the second half. They got the double
(26:14):
score opportunity right, taking it down the field the first
drive of the of the third quarter when they got possession, right,
that was such an anemic thing for us throughout the
season and the last two weeks they put points on
the board, and this was the first touchdown they put
having that possession to start the half. I mean, unlike
you know, the Owen four streak we had before the
(26:35):
Baltimore game, where you know, we just we were the
worst team, like coming out of the gates, like with
halftime adjustments. It was just it was just pretty bad.
But I think those hurry up opportunities, right, you know,
Aaron getting the twelve twelfth man on the field that penalty,
like that's just quintessential Aaron Rodgers that we know him
to be, like the guy where he's like, I'm smarter
(26:57):
than you defensive coordinator. I know you're trying to sub
a guy out because you know your fat guy's tired,
but I'm I'm an catch him with his foot on
the ground, and they did exactly that. I thought also,
just hitting that one that was supposed to be a run,
that Pat Fryarmouth seam route that he hit him on,
that the twenty two yarder, that was one that I
felt was a pure Aaron Rodgers. I saw something in
(27:20):
the defense. They were playing off coverage in that cover
two shell, right, and I'm just gonna I'm just gonna
hit him in stride and see what happens. And Pat
Fryarmouth took it and ran with it, literally, and I
thought those were those moments where it was like, Okay,
this is why you give Aaron Rodgers an opportunity to
be kind of open in those moments, and like you said,
it doesn't have to be a check with me, because
(27:41):
he's making the decision on the field as he sees fit.
And so we did see kind of a balance of that,
and I think that's where the Steelers are at their
best when you can give Aaron Rodgers a little bit
of room to be himself, right, you know, you know,
we talked about the let Russ cook, will, let Aaron cook,
let him bake whatever it is, you know, let him
crock pot. I don't know, but that was something I
(28:02):
thought was just very nice to see the tempo because
normally you want to lean on the lead, right, you
want to waste time two o'clock, and they went hurry
up in that moment.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
Yes, but I think they've understood from the Buffalo game
that tempo was important for Aaron. The thing is that
the team is not used to that, and it's taken
some time to kind of gel. There were a couple
of moments, including places that did work out, where I thought, Ah,
they're finally getting it, and I thought to myself, Aaron
must be very happy that the gap between his vision
(28:35):
of what this offense, particularly the Steel's offense in twenty
twenty five, can be, and what it is is closing.
There was a play right I think it was a
broken play bootleg to the right, and there was a
throw that was incomplete almost to the front corner of
the right side of the end zone. I think it
was firemouth the target, but at least firemouth on a
(28:55):
scramble cut the right way. He just he made the
right decision, timely decision. It's just the pass was a
little too high and probably thrown out of bounds. Calvin
Austin on that great the Kailien Metcalf catch and run.
Calvin Austin went from all the way from the right
side as soon as he saw the Klan catch. Marquessh
(29:17):
just stands here and watch it. Calvin just runs and
finishes Menka Fitzpatrick. After he got shoved by the kind
he got up again. He was close to the Kailan. No, no, no, no,
I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen. That was
a tremendous play, probably Calvin's best play of the entire game.
And those are those are the kind of things that
are beginning the Geil that weren't happening before. And again
(29:40):
you talk about two shell and a and a sort
of a kind of a setup by Minca that throw
to Metcalf. Minka was baiting him. Minka was just saying, okay,
go ahead, sew it. I'm not even close. Try it,
try it, try it. Step into the water. It's kind
of warm. Go ahead, But the throw is unbelievable. And
then the after the catch was sort of legendary. Now,
(30:04):
so that's the beauty of this thing. You can still
run a whole bunch, you can still run more than
you pass, and you can still make great passing plays.
You can still score points, and you can still win games.
And you know, you wonder sometimes Aaron missed the entire preseason, right,
most of it, didn't really play in the preseason, missed
(30:24):
all the off season essentially, and you kind of knew
there was going to be some gelling. And then we've
had changes in personnel literally latest the last couple of
weeks that have actually impacted the team in a positive way.
So this is sort of you still gel You're still gelling.
Now you have, you know, injuries along the offensive line,
which will require another adjustment. But what you're seeing is
(30:47):
Aaron now being a little bit more comfortable with Arthur,
with the team. He barely made any adjustments last night
at the line, barely, And that tells you that everything
on the same page twelve on the field was a
play that you need every other one of the ten
players on your side to be ready for. That is
(31:08):
that is a call. That's a credit to Aaron, but
it's a credit to the offense because they kind of
figure it out, they sense it and then they go
right to the play. And I think you're talking about
how he feels comfortable. He feels comfortable getting a twelve
man on the field play. He loves out smarting and
outwitting the opponent. But he needs people to be ready
(31:30):
for that moment. And last night, a couple of times
you saw that, and I'm sure he's very very happy.
You saw his smile after the game. He was incredibly happy.
He was running by the way from the sideline to
the huddle. I know it was cold, and maybe that's
the reason why, but I had not seen him so
energetic late the season, by the way, but so energetic
(31:53):
since he's been with Pittsburgh. He was plugged in. And
again it was a game in which he threw less
than they ran. It didn't matter. He did his job.
Team one and the feeling is really great. The defense
played very well without DJ. It was just a great
solid wind. You can always say that Miami sort of
folded at the end, but I think they folded because
Pittsford put a lot of pressure on them on on
(32:16):
both sides.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Yeah, I think that's a great, a great way to
look at it. For sure.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
They forced the Dolphins to be thinking about that warm
bus and getting back and getting on a plane and
flying back to Miami, by the way, with their playoff
hopes on the line, and the Steelers just took it
to them. You know, I think at this stage of
the game, out bro, this is my last question for you.
I am looking for, and I think a lot of
us are looking for, you know, the improvement in areas
(32:41):
that have not been strengths.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It has been a.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Very, very strange statistical year for the Steelers. I was
talking to some guys from the Dolphins broadcast last night.
I said, if I just showed you one sheet of
paper and said here's some stats from the Steelers, you'd
think they were run beaten. And if I showed you
an other series of stats, same team and another sheet
of paper, you think how they possibly won a game.
(33:06):
And I think that the issues in the third quarter
the last couple of weeks, and that's been a problem.
Right We've talked about the four leads that they've had
at halftime and lost the game because they've they've come
out and faltered in the third quarter, in the fourth quarter,
well the last two weeks that's been improved. We still
have to see about the you know, the running defense.
(33:27):
Eight Chan only ran it a dozen times last night.
I'm not saying all the holes are filled, but if
they can fill a hole here, a hole there in
these last three games of the season obviously got to
you gotta, you know, win games to even get.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
To the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
But this could be a Steelers team that's peaking at
the right time. I think these last two games are
showing encouraging signs of closing some of those loopholes.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
The run fits. You always think of the defensive tackles
as the problem, and they've been at times, especially early
to the sea. But I think the biggest problems against the
on the RUSS rushing defense for Pittsburgh is that people
try to do too many things. They try to do
several players roles no, no, just do your role, stay
in your lane, have a great run fit, and I
(34:15):
think that's improved. Patrick Queen's improved in that way. Wilson's
done a little bit of improvement there as well. The
secondary has been tremendous, by the way, and just showing
up their uniforms so that the we're running back decides
the cut or now he goes, oh, I see a
flash of the wrong color. I'm going to keep sliding sideways.
They've they've been done tremendously in that area. In the
(34:36):
last few games. They played without Harmon and they limited
a lethal runner who can make a cut and go
straight to the end zone. So they were concentrated yesterday.
It showed and it took away Miami's main weapon. And
that is a tremendous sign. Of course, you need that
because you're going to meet mister gibbson mister Montgomery next
(34:57):
week in Detroit, and that's going to be a challenge.
But hopefully Eric maybe back, and others may be back,
and there's even talk that Deshaun Elliott may have a
chance to come back. And that's all good. But whoever
you have right now, whoever you've had on the field
right now, at their job yesterday, by and large, and
that was fun to watch. That was fun to watch,
(35:18):
the discipline, the adherence to the game plan, the execution.
They took care of business in a professional way beginning
to end, and they did not get worried when the
game was three to nothing with two minutes to go
in the first half. They were just they were absolutely concentrated.
That was beautiful. And then to see a game where
you run more, you rest the defense, and you still
(35:41):
score and Aaron still makes tremendous plays and calls. That
is just just Terry on the on the Sunday. To me,
that was a beautiful game. And I gotta tell you
the faces of the Dolphins fans last night, Oh boy,
there were some of the flight I just came in
from Pittsburgh to New York and there were some Boy,
they were not they were not happy. They were not happy.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
By the way, I'm glad you pointed out. And this
is what one of the many.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Things we love about Alvarro pointing out that block by Austin, who,
by the way, was also the guy hustling downfield in
Dublin to help DK Metcalf get into the end zone
in that eighty yard er.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
So uh, very.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
The Kaalin owes them money. Let's just put it out.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Oh. Alvaro Martin, the great play by play announcer for
the Steelers NBA, one of the greats in the broadcasting industry.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Alvro, thank you very much, my friend. Appreciate the time.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Always get to see you last night and to talk
to you this morning anytime, guys, thank you.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Okay, fantastic, Looking forward to the game against Detroit quick week,
we have to turn around to turn our attention to that.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
In the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
We're going to bask a little bit in the glow
of a wonderful win for the Steelers last night, and
want to remind you that you can gear up with
the latest game day necessities at the official Steelers Pro shops.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Get the latest.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Sideline apparel of jerseys, terrible towels, authentic memorabilia and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the official Students Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium,
Grove City Premium Outlets or Tanger Outlets, or gear up
online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Get it direct from the team.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
It's a Studers Pro shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Back with more following the Steers victory on Monday Night
Football twenty three straight Max.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
How about that? Is that unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Crazy three straight home wins on Monday Night Football. We
will continue with more in the Locker Room, presented by
our neighborhood Forward Store and the Steers Pro Shop on
Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
And ski 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 to direct from
the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot
Steelers dot.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Com, and a reminder that, uh, it's a Tuesday, but
it's it's also a Monday in the locker room, following
some logic set down by touching Wolf long ago, Tuesday
being a Monday. Victory, donut Monday even though it's a Tuesday,
(38:24):
Mike tom Win, We'll talk on Tuesday even though it's Tuesday.
And I think, yeah, I think you're following on that.
And we're gonna take your phone calls today on a
Monday that's a Tuesday, or a Tuesday that's a Monday.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Four one.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Six will be taking your calls next hour after we
get together with Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
You know, one of the things Max you alluded to
in which.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I believe uh was, was welcome to fans I'm sure
and fun to watch. Was the Steelers aggressiveness going for
it from their own twenty nine yard line I think
was twenty nine yard a fourth down, they went with
the steel City shove and they picked up a first down.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
I mean that was I think about that.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
If they don't get that and Miami comes back and
scores a touchdown there and they get a little momentum
going and now maybe they're up ten to nothing, they
kick a field goal later, I mean, shoot, that could
have been a big moment in the game. And then
the other one was when they got the I think
it was the fourteen to three lead, and they went
no huddle and hurry up, let's go, let's change the temple,
(39:31):
let's get the pace going. Those two things added up
to a Steelers approach or were you know, maybe manifestations
of a Steelers approach that was aggressive in that game
against Miami and was fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
No, it was indeed something fun to watch. And and
I think this was something that you know, Alvarro kind
of hit on as far as you know, having airon
finally see the team do what he is envisioned, and
I think that was something that was very astute to
(40:07):
point out, but I think also in the same thing,
this is the maturation of a season. You know, we
talked about, well, what is the Steelers' identity and trying
to figure out what that identity was going to be,
and I think, you know, sometimes it takes times when
you have a lot of moving pieces. We talked about
the injuries on the offensive line and defensive line and
secondary we had, we had. We also had some moments
(40:29):
where we just weren't seeing this team really kick in
to gear because there was a lot of moving parts
that we didn't anticipate coming into fruition and having to
make an adjustment. And I think in you know, even
with the pieces we brought in during the season, you know,
alv Ro talked about, you know, the receiving corps changing
(40:51):
its face and identity this late. But I think also,
you know, the cal Duggart figuring out the secondary and
figuring out what the right rotation was. You know, at
the beginning of the season, we're like, oh, no, you know,
it should be Jalen Ramsey in the slot, right, He's
our nickel corner. Darius Slay is our corner on the
opposite side of Joey Porter Jr. We get here in
(41:15):
the week fifteen about and it's like, no, we actually
needed a Sante Samuel and Brandon Echols is our nickel
and Jalen Ramsey You're the safety that we thought you
could be, you know, to figure out. And Kyle Duggar
who and Jabille Preppers were on the Patriots. They were
on the Patriots roster and we went and red rovered
(41:39):
them on over And I think that's something that looking
back on, and I'm sure the Patriots probably wish they
had those guys considering how they play against Bufalo the
second time around. You took him for granted, But it's
that type of adjustment and pivot that I don't know
if I would have seen that years ago with Kevin
(42:01):
Colbert at the helm and no knock against Kevin, but
Kevin was very rooted in. You know, you grow this
talent organically through the draft. We don't make movement or
big or big time free agent acquisitions really in the
off season or even in season, like the in season
trades and signings, you know, these are more like, oh,
(42:23):
we need some street free agents to bolster the practice squad.
But Omar Khan Andy Widel, Sheldon White and company, that
front office group said no, we're gonna, We're gonna go
churn the bottom of this river. We're going, We're going.
We're like, we're you know, it's like those people are
treasure hunters, right, you know in gold Rush and all
(42:44):
these different like we're gonna go to the Arctic and
we're just gonna we're gonna throw this hose into the
bottom bearing sea gold.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Right.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
You know, I watched a lot of Discovery channels, so
just just bear with me, and you're gonna slush it
up and see can we find some gold here? And
you've done literally dug up, dugger and you found and
you found Marquez Valdez Scantling, who, by the way, fifteenth
touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers now in his career, so
(43:11):
he kind of knows how to catch a ball from
Aaron and Adam Thielen. Right, he was supposed to be
dead and gone after he went to Carolina and and
things didn't work out with him and Bryce Young and
you're talking about number two snap count total in the formation.
Didn't have a big statistical game, but guess what he
got to catch Eight different guys got to catch in
(43:32):
this game. He was one of them, and he was
a guy willing to put his face in the fan
on the back side on some of those fold blocks
in the run game that shored up the backside run
through that we'd had issues with earlier in the year.
So I just I look at that and it's just
an overall organizational effort. This is an organizational win last night,
(43:53):
you know, not just for the offense, the defense, and
the special teams who all played and all had key
plays in that game. I mean, we could talk about
each phase doing something to contribute to that victory, but organizationally,
personnel wise, you saw unsung heroes making heroic feats in
(44:15):
the absence of your normal Superman. And I thought that
was something that was very glaring last night that I
don't want to gloss over. You know, if we're handing
out flowers, throw out the whole bouquet to everybody, right,
you know, don't just hand out individuals. I thought everybody
did their job, and that was front office all the
way to players on the field.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
By the way, one other guy I do want to
mention who I thought was terrific last night, and that
was Cam Hayward. I just thought he played a great game.
You know, I agree with everything you're saying, and there
are a lot of kudos to pass out in this game.
You know, Patrick Queen led you in tackles. You know,
Jalen Ramsey was right behind him and had a sack.
(44:57):
You know, a lot to like you talk about, you know,
depth guys and guys you know, putting your hand into pile.
Assez told me, well, it was one of those guys
with a sack. But I thought Cam Hayward, you know,
a couple tackles for losses. Yeah, he came up with
a sack, his first sack since October sixteenth at Cincinnati.
I just thought he stood up in a big way
(45:18):
and had a huge impact.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
On this game.
Speaker 4 (45:20):
No, he leaders that lead from the front, right, and
you talk about front runners and leaders who lead from
the front, and Cam Hayward was a leader who led
from the front. He showed guys the way and he
towed the line.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (45:36):
I had a game on Saturday, the Celebration Bowl, and
Chinnis Barry is the head coach of South Carolina State,
and I was we were talking with coach Barry before
the game and he said something and I felt like
this is just emblematic of what Cam Hayward did. And
he said, when things are uncertain all around, because he
had a lot of guys, a mass exodus of players
(45:58):
and had to bring in thirty seven new guys to
his team. Seventeen of his twenty two starters this season
were brand new that he had to bring in and
make it to the celebration. But was the HBCU National
Championship game and he made it back for a return
trip and they didn't win last year. That's why everybody
left and guys went to like Stanford and all these
power for programs. And he said the biggest thing he
(46:21):
told guys to do was the leaders that were there
hold the rope. Htr was their motto. And for Cam Hayward,
he held the rope last night. And that's when TJ.
Watt couldn't jump in to hold the rope. Derek Harmon,
the other leaders are guys that we were depending on
to hold that rope just weren't available. Cam Hayward stepped up,
(46:44):
grabbed the rope and held the rope and everybody followed him.
And that was what it was to tow that line
and make sure that there was a do not pass, go,
do not collect two hundred dollars, go straight to jail.
The dolphins. I was like, I don't know if you
guys knew this. It was eighteen degrees outside, but we
had some hot grease on our sideline and we had
a fish fry last night and Cam Hayward was the chef.
(47:10):
He was a guy dropping the basket in the hot grease.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (47:17):
I told you, I'm going to give you one. I'm sugarnacky.
You know it's going to be analogies all day. Be prepared.
When you leave me in a room with donuts and
you're not here to share, that's what happens.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
There's might drop moments. There's donut drop moments. But if
you drop the donut dropping in the box, you can
go back and eat it again. There's I'm not going
to touch that. When that was beautiful. Bob Labriol is
going to be joining us next after that, we're going
to be taking your phone calls at four one, two, one, three,
one six when we resume in the locker Room. Presented
by our neighborhood Ford Store and Steears Pro Shop on
(47:48):
Steelers Nation Radio part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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