September 22, 2025 • 48 mins
King and Uhler continue to discuss yesterday's result for the black and gold, share travel tips for Ireland as Max Starks is already across the pond, and review the results of week three across the conference.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This he is in the locker room with King and
Starks on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Ah, Where's Max Starks? I did Max?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I should?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I should have had Max Stars record that it's time
for the power Max in Killarney. He's tooting a horn
right now in kill Arney.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Max, Come on.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You know, if I stopped and thought about it for
two seconds, I would probably never butcher the name of
the Optimist Prime.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I think I did I get it right that time?
You got it right?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Yeah, I'm gonna purposely get it wrong for Max.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I was.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I put no effort into learning it's Optimist Prime, even
though I did actually watch those movies when they came
out with the kids. What do they called the things
that turn into something else? Transformers? So anyway, let us
transform this show back into football and your thoughts Wes
(01:18):
on the defense and I'll I'll give you mine, which
were I thought that they played for the most part great?
And about as well as you can expect a defense
to play and that whatever issues, not whatever issues, but
most of the issues that occurred with the team was
(01:38):
because they were out there too much hot weather. And
the second second consecutive week I felt exactly the same, actually,
frankly third consecutive week I felt the same about about
what the offense needs to do, and I thought they
did it in Week one against the Jets. And they're
playing against a team that is so you know, not
(02:00):
all time and possessions are built the same. The Jets
are a team they're going to grind it out, they're
going to take their time, they're going to run the football,
and they're probably going to win time and possession in
games that they that they don't win or that they
maybe even lose by ten points because that's the style
of football that they want to play. Seattle isn't necessarily
(02:22):
that kind of team, and New England isn't necessarily that
kind of team, not a team that's built entirely to
grind it out and win time of possession. So I
thought last week the students had too many three and outs,
and they you know a lot of it is timing.
When does that three and out come when it comes
after a five or six minute drive or a seven
(02:42):
minute drive. And let's face it, teams are going to
do that in the NFL. The other guys have talent too.
You're going to give up long drives. It's a team,
it's a sport that is, you know, it's been legislated
in such a way that they want drives, they want offense,
they want scoring. So that's going to happen, right, So
(03:03):
when do you have that three and out? You know,
if they have a three and out and then you
have a three and out and then they have a
three and out, okay, but if they go on a
long drive, man, you cannot go three and out because
now the defense goes out there, they're gased, it's hot,
it's September, and now another long drive comes. Then you
go three out and get and now there's another long drive.
(03:24):
And that's I thought that's what happened last year in Philadelphia.
I thought that was the biggest factor in losing that game.
People look at that game and say, wow, you know,
thirty four to seventeen or whatever the final was. I
thirty one seventeen, I think it was whatever it was,
you know, they just couldn't overcome. Later in the game,
after Naji fumbled when they were driving in to try
(03:45):
to tie it. I think they're you know, right around
the twenty two yard line or thereabouts inside the thirty
of the Eagles and driving they pitch it to Nagy,
who's always so sure handed. He winds up fumbling the
football and now New England gets the ball back. Well,
you know, it's like a boxing match, man. Your defense
has taken so many body blows that you needed to
(04:07):
give him a rest. You needed to give him, you know,
a tie game and another three or four minutes on
the sideline and that extra pep you get with tying
it up instead of reaching for your helmets again and
strapping up your chin strap and jogging out there when
you haven't a chance to catch your breath. That I
think was the biggest problem with the defense the last
two weeks. The biggest problem with the defense is the
(04:29):
offense not giving them breaks.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I certainly think it's a big problem. And I told
you like an hour ago when we started the show.
One of the more perplexing Steelers wins I can remember,
at least in recent history, because I think there's a
ton to like about what the defense did. Obviously, five sacks,
five takeaways. I think there is still you know, playing
(04:54):
to be concerned about by the defense. But how much
of that is because king or they play twenty two
more snaps than the offense. The Steelers ran forty nine
offensive plays, the Patriots ran seventy one. That is a
massive golf indifference there that you use the boxing analogy,
(05:17):
that's like one boxer is being asked to go twelve rounds,
the other boxers being asked to go eighteen rounds. I mean,
that is twenty two plays in the National Football League
is a world of difference. I do think the conversation
starts there, But I also don't think that that is
a complete kind of coverall or excuse however you want to,
(05:40):
you know, label it for some of the deficiencies that
are still there with the defense. And I think that
you can kind of toe that line and point out
the positives, point out the negatives, point out the factors
around it as well, too, Like having to defense seventy
one total plays to the you know, the Patriots defense
(06:01):
which just had to be on the field for forty nine.
There is a lot of I think grain of salts
in this conversation about the Steelers defense, because that has
to change. They cannot be on the field for twenty
two more plays than their opposition and expect to sustain
that throughout the course of the regular season. It's just
not going to happen.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Also, can I stop you there? I want some clarification.
Are we asking? Are we talking about multiple kinds of
salt or multiple grains grain of salts? I wasn't sure
what we were. Sorry, I'm going with multiple kind of salts,
the rock salt, the mortons, you know, the fine salt. Okay,
(06:46):
cranine of salts.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I'm sorry, Go ahead, please proceed. That has to change.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
But so does five point two yards per play allowed
by the Steelers defense. That can't continue. So does and
some of this, all this stuff is chicken or the egg?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Is is it because the defense is so gassed? Is
this part of the reason why they're so gassed? The
Patriots kinger six of thirteen on third down efficiency. That's
nearly fifty percent. That's way too high. Four of five
on fourth down efficiency, that's way too high. Now, you
got the last one, you got the most important one.
(07:23):
But the Patriots were four for four on fourth down
conversions before that. So listen, what matters most for a
defense is what you do. You know, outside of the
twenty yard lines, kind of in the shadows of the
end zone, right in the red zone. That's where games
are won and lost. Can you force turnovers there like
the Steelers did. Can you limit touchdowns and force field goals?
(07:47):
Hold teams to field goals in that area of the stadium.
So a lot of those key indicators are check check
plus for the Steelers defense. But you can't be given up.
I don't care how many plays on the field. Part
of it is on you. When they're going six for
thirteen on third down efficiency, four for five on fourth
down efficiency, five point two average yards per play, some
(08:12):
of that is. Some of that is certainly, you cannot
just blame that on the inord inordinate amount of time
that the defense was on the field thirty three minutes
and twenty seconds. Again, like I said, twenty two plays
that the Steelers defense had to play more than the
Patriots defense. Those things are all real. Those things cannot happen.
Your offense has to protect you, has to insulate you,
(08:35):
has to play better. Complimentary football, but a lot of
that possession down efficiency. The Steelers defense, you know, can't
pass the buck on that one. That's something that they
themselves have got to get moving in the right direction
this week.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I agree with you, I do.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I I was trying to point my finger to blame
at what I think is the biggest issue and has
been the biggest issue in the last couple of weeks.
But I do agree that you know, there were times
much like you know, you go back to the game
last week against or last year against the Ravens, Right,
you punted away to him, you pin him back early,
they have a third and two and they pick up
(09:14):
a first down, Right, they faked the justice ol Lamar
Jackson keeps it, he runs, he picks up a first down.
There were multiple times in that drive where you could
have stopped them and didn't. So it's not all. It's
never all just one thing. I do think that, So
I'm just looking at the What to me is the
largest issue for the defense is that the offense needs
(09:34):
to do a better job of hanging onto the ball
and not going not having what was essentially five consecutive
three and outs, now it was actually three and out
three in an interception three and out, three and out
and then three and out but bailed out, but by
what I kind of thought was a generous pass interference
call for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
And then what did you do with that fresh set
of downs? Three and out?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
So you know, you you need to have both. And
to me, the offense sputtering for long.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Periods of time.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It is it puts way too much pressure on a defense,
especially in today's day and age. You know, the defense
that defends the least is usually the one that defends
the best. I when you think about how, you know,
I always go back to those too early two thousands
teams because I think the Steelers are trying to move
(10:28):
in that direction. You know, they talk about getting tough
football players and winning at the line of scrimmage and
wanting to be that kind of a team. And when
you go back to those days, what did you see?
You know, maybe the time of possession is close, and
then suddenly the dam breaks and here comes the Steelers
offense going on a long drive. And now you've got
(10:48):
to lead, and now what is the other team going
to do? Well, they've got to throw the football and
guess what your defense is? Fresh and what do they
have speed? And they have speed on the edge, and
they have speed on the outside, and so you know
in the secondary, and so now all of a sudden,
all of your advantages are brought to bear. The Steelers
want to be able to bring their advantages to bear.
(11:09):
And if you have a tie game and a team
can do whatever they want offensively and you don't make
them one dimensional, that hurts what you're trying to do defensively.
So that that's why I bring up that point, is
because I think they have to play complimentary football now
for the most part.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So are there things to clear up? Absolutely? I do.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I would like to think that some of it is
schematics based on injured personnel. I could be wrong about that,
and we'll see when in the personnel conversation. Yeah, when
they get out there, we'll find out. Yesterday they held
in New England's running backs to twenty two carries and
seventy four yards. But Drake may got them, you know,
(11:52):
Sam Darnold got him the week before. I don't think
they're going to run into that issue this week. I
do think that if you get some healthy bodies back,
and in particular for me, if you can get Joey
Porter Junior back if you get Joey, And that's to
say nothing against high Smith, who's game I love, and
Deshaun Elliott whose game I love. Deshaun Elliott's game, I
(12:14):
think he's a huge not having him in there as
a huge factor. But the rest of the secondary has
had a chance to communicate some of those issues should
be tightened up. But this game coming up and we
can talk more about this tomorrow. This is the type
of game to me as to why you've built your
defense the way you've built your defense, get it, you know,
(12:35):
stop the run on early downs, force him to pass,
and now you have a quarterback whose mobility is not
going to kill you. Yes, they've got great receivers, but
guess what, You've got your three headed monster at cornerback
who you can bring up and press those guys. You
can play man defense because you're not really overly worried
(12:55):
about Jared Goff finding a little crease in the pocket
and zipping out and running for forty yards because your
defenders have their back turn because they're playing man, You're
not really gonna worry about that. And so this is
the kind of thing where I hope that some of
the discrepancies or some of the deficiencies we've seen, you know,
scrambling quarterbacks short easy throws, and it seems like, you know,
(13:21):
there have been short easy throws the last two weeks.
Sam Darnold goes back and there's a guy open over
the middle of the field. Drake May goes back and
and you know, we knew that we're going to see
this tight ends and running backs, and these guys are
open and they're picking up kind of an easy six
to eight yards on first down. I hope that we're
going to see some of that stuff tightened up because
(13:43):
your personnel is back and you can play the kind
of style you're designed to play.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
There is no doubt. And I'm glad you brought that
into the conversation as well too. I mean this, we
just saw Derek Harmon for the first time, your first
overall and I thought Man for his first performance in
the National Football League coming off an injury as well too.
You gotta be encouraged by what you saw in the
thirty four or thirty seven snaps, however many it was
(14:11):
for him, I think more than we all set. Thirty
five I believe is a number thirty five. All right,
splitting the difference right between what I thought there. You know,
Deshaun Elliott coming back as your clearcut best safety and
most experienced safety and someone who played in this system
last year is going to be a huge deal. Joey
Porter Junior coming back as your only cornerback other than Pierre,
(14:33):
but in terms of Ramsey and Slay and Eccles, your
only cornerback who played in this system last year is
going to be a big deal. They have had certainly
some attrition on that defense early on in the season
and even going back to training camp. That's another important
part of this, and I think Kinger that's something to
be encouraged about as well too. If the offense can
(14:55):
pick it up a little bit, I'm not even saying
become a top ten offense in the league, but if
the offense can just continue to get better, if the
defense gets healthier, that is where you start to, I
think envision both sides of the ball really being able
to play complimentary football. It is a tougher task for
the defense when they've been on the field as much
(15:16):
as they have, when they've been shorthanded like they have.
I mean Jabrill Peppers. Kinger played over fifty percent of
the snaps for that defense. He just joined the team
like a week ago, you know, Chuck Clark playing I
believe the most snaps of any safety, if I'm remembering
from the quick glance that I look at the snap
counts this morning, he enjoyed until into training camp. I'm
(15:37):
glad you brought that up, because while there are certainly
issues that the defense needs to iron out, they do
need some of those grains of salt with how much
they've been on the field, how they've been shorthanded. I understand,
you know, over the three games, a lot of the
issues that have popped up with the defense have been
maybe trends, if you will, and they've been some things
(15:59):
that this defense struggled with last year. That's fair to
point out. But I think it's also fair at the
same time to give them a little time. They need
to get some reinforcements and they need to get a
little more insulation from this Steelers offense. And if they
do that, man, it feels like they're starting to figure
out their their defensive line rotations. A Hello, Cam Hayward.
(16:21):
Nice to see a partner, and and so there is
plenty to be encouraged by there. I think we just
have to, you know, start seeing it come together here
as we get to the end of September and roll
into October.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Well, I'm glad you mentioned Cam because there were a
few guys who I just thought had absolute monster games
on defense. First of all, great to see Harmon and
I mistakenly identified him as Cam Hayward on his first
tackle ted because and I'll tell you why, because you
(16:53):
know there were there are certain guys who you just
kind of know what impact who they are without being
able to see him clearly. I thought, for example, Ryan
Chazier was one of those guys. Here comes a play
and there looks like a hole and all of a
sudden there's a flash and the running backs down and
you're like, well, that had to be Shazier. I don't
even need to see the number has to be right.
(17:16):
Nobody else moves that fast. When I saw a giant
guy moving quickly and swallowing up a running back as
he's trying to get going, I just Cam Hayward popped
into my mind. And when he got up and I
saw the two nines, I was like, whoa man? Because
we didn't see a lot of Harmond, you know, so
I thought he was. I thought he was super impressive
(17:39):
and great for him.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Way to go. Cam Hayward was just phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Initially we had him for a sack and a half,
which would have been ninety in his career, and Missy,
of course, being Missy, was ready to go with a
ninety sack statistic that I'm still waiting to kind of
hear and I'm sure Missy's got more more than that
to it. But you know, in ninety so that get
gets taken away. But he was in on it. He
was a constant force a sack, batting away that ball,
(18:09):
batting it and allowing Echoes to come up with the interception.
Gigantic play. You know. He came in and is basically
a stat line was too batted passes. That was really
his stat line through two games. I thought he was
awesome and looked like the all pro that he is.
You know, Nick Herbig, as we mentioned, I thought was fantastic.
Harmon was very solid a quality I thought was very solid.
(18:33):
A TJ Watt just a dominating TJ Watt type of
effort and you know, big moments for TJ.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Come rising to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I thought he and Cam Hayward in particular, to take
nothing away from Herbik, who I thought was fantastic and
the others I mentioned, But those two guys I just
thought Watt and Hayward were. They were there dominant all
pro sells.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And that's what you need, you know, when you are
when you're dealing with injuries and just you know, beginning
of the season, trying to figure out who you are,
what you do well, where you struggle all those things.
Rob you need your A plus players to be A
plus players, like I think, not to go you know,
to a total like wormhole here. But when when teams
(19:19):
are dealing with injuries, I think a lot of times, media, fans,
everybody likes to talk about how you know, the back
the replacements need to back up or need to step
up part of me, right, So, Okay, Deshaun Elliott's out,
you need one Thornhill and Chuck Clark to step up. Okay,
Alex high Smith is out, you need you need Nick
Herbig and Jack Sawyer to step up. And those things
(19:40):
are certainly true to an extent, But what you really
need when you're dealing with injuries is your A plus
players to be on their A game. That's what overcomes
the absences of Harmon and Porter Junior and Deshaun Elliott
and all these injuries you've had. Yes, Brandon Eckle's playing
the way he has is great. Yeah, all those you know,
(20:01):
getting Jabrill Peppers in the performance that he was able
to put in a week after joining the team is great.
But what really gets you over the hump, what really
makes up for the loss of those guys, is your
A players performing at a A level. When when Evgeni
Malkin goes down with an injury, Kinger, you don't need
the fourth line center to suddenly become great. You need
(20:22):
Sidney Crosby to do Sidney Crosby things for sixty minutes, right.
That's what you really need when you're shorthanded, when you're injured,
is you. Yeah, you need those replacements to do their
part without a doubt, But you need your best players
to be at their best to make up for some
of that stuff, because that's truly where you can And
I thought for Cam Hayward TJ. Watt to certainly, but
(20:45):
I think especially for Cam who's taken some gruff over
the first two games on the back of that hold
in contract situation, whatever you want to call it. It
was very nice to see Cam Hayward back to doing
Cam Hayward things. That's a big part of the reason
why the defense went from you know, giving up thirty
plus the first two weeks to holding the Patriots to
(21:06):
just fourteen points.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah, and again I like to point this out to fans,
you know, as to why those expectations are there, and
the players welcome that. The great players welcome back because
when you think about it, by definition, that's that's how
your team is built. So if you you know, let's
say you have a you say, you know what, let's
(21:29):
just go that I believe in a six man rotation,
and you know, I don't want to spend a lot
of money on your defensive line. And so you know,
we've got we've got twenty five million dollars allocated to
our defensive line, and so we're going to have six
four million dollar players right now, you're the Steelers and
you've got twenty five million allocated your defensive line. I'm
(21:49):
not saying that they do, but well, one of those
guys is taking up seventeen million. So what is that
going to mean for the guys backing them up, Well,
you're you're not going to be able to have that.
You know, sometimes a team will lose a defensive tackle
and they'll roll on. Well, why because it's one four
million dollar player replacing another, right, you know, I'm not
(22:10):
saying follow the way. I kind of am saying follow
the money. Follow the money. That tells you where the
team is investing their money and what their expectations are
for those players, and frankly what those players expectations are
for themselves too. So sometimes you just you know, you,
like you said, it is really nice when Daniel laqually
comes in and has proven to be really solid for them, Eccles,
(22:33):
same thing those are. You know, it takes that too,
you know, you know, as sid is replacing malk and
it's nice when the fourth liner chips in with the goal.
It is to take a little bit of the pressure off.
But ultimately the pressure resides with the big players because
they're they're being tasked with that kind of performance. They're
welcoming that because of the remuneration that they're getting from
(22:57):
the team. And it was just great to see those guys.
I just thought all that stuff aside, and it's not
an aside because you are waiting for guys to get healthy.
But those guys just it was dominant and it was
wonderful to see him. And the Steelers won twenty one
to fourteen. They are two and one. That is the
important thing. But we still have much more to come,
(23:18):
including a look around the AFC leading up to a
big play a big game tonight between the Ravens man
they've had nothing but big games so far and the Lions.
When we continue inside the Locker Room with King and Starks,
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
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 (23:59):
And it is time I'm for our AFC recap presented
by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Want to remind you that our good
buddy Wes Euler is here filling in for Max Starks,
who is the welcoming brigade, the one man welcoming brigade
in Ireland for us? And if you're going to have
(24:19):
a one man welcoming brigade in Ireland for the entirety
of Steelers Nation standing at the airport in Dublin, arms outstretch,
ready to gather in Steelers Nation as they arrive in
the Emerald asle you could not pick a better man,
a better representative, a better human being then Maximilian Starks,
the fourth.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
You know, King or I. As much as I would
like to disagree with you and say it should be
you and I, I got a feeling that the locals
there in Ireland will be a little bit more excited
to see a six foot fifty seven multiple times Super
Bowl champ like Max Starks than you and I. No,
it's awesome, like we've kind of been pumping out there.
(25:03):
The content will be rolling all week Steelers social media,
Steelers dot Com, Steelers Ireland social media accounts as well
to make sure you're following them on all your different
social media platforms for all the best stuff from this week.
But yeah, really really cool stuff that Max is having
the opportunity to do right now and then just hey,
(25:23):
we'll be on the way. King a really really cool
stuff that we're all going to get to do in
the back half of.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
The week as well. Have you been to Ireland?
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I have not, my friend, I have been to Italy
and to Spain in Europe, but I have never been
to the UK or to Ireland.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay, so a couple quick travel tips. We want travel
tips or should we leave that up to Max?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I would love I would love travel.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, so just a couple of I'll just throw a
couple of things out there. Double One very charming city.
The west coast of Ireland is I think just incredible,
absolutely beautiful. You know when you see movies and stuff,
they're frequently cast in the western part of Ireland. You
can get from Dublin to Galway, which has a great
music scene in if you rent a car, in about
(26:07):
two and a half hours. There are buses that you
can take. I've never taken a bus tour, but to
see you know, the cliffs of More and that western part.
If you have time and you're going out early and
you have a chance to see a dingle or a
carry I think the Ring of Dingle is fantastic because
it's smaller than the Ring of Carry Ring of Kerry
(26:28):
is is jaw dropping. But that western part of Ireland,
I think is incredibly beautiful if you're if you are
a person who I was trying to convince Max of
this because Max and I both have a love of
ancient history and you know, like we were talking, he
said he would love to go see the Pyramids one day,
(26:50):
and I'm totally down with that. I still think walking
into the Coliseum I'm bringing in my inner nerd now
was one of the greatest travel moments my life. To
walk into the Coliseum was spectacular. But there's a place
north of Dublin called New Grange and it's more like
(27:11):
kind of a really cool curiosity than it would be. Like,
I'm sure if you look at the Pyramids, you're like,
whoa man, that is impressive, you know, you know, the
Colisseum looks like a you know, a football stadium, impressive.
New Grange isn't isn't quite that, but it's ancient. Nobody
quite knows why it's there. There's some handwriting in front
on a big stone. Nobody knows what it says. I mean,
(27:33):
it's a pretty cool place. So if you're looking to
get outside of the city limits, don't want to go
all the way to western Ireland, I'm going to throw
out those suggestions. But believe me, if you just stay
in Dublin and walk around the city and you know,
the pubs there, the whole pub scene, whether you want
to pint or don't want to pint, extremely charming. I
(27:55):
think there's some of the most inviting buildings I've ever
been to in my life. Just to lunch in a
pub in Dublin anyway, there, that's it, OK, real quick, Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Was just gonna say, just real quick, I have a
feeling that all this four or five day trip to
Ireland for me is going to do is going to
make me want to just go back there on a
longer vacation where I'm not working at the same time.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, we went on our last trip, we went west.
We went to Galway. So the first trip we flew
in and out of Shannon and we did the Ring
of Dingle and the Ring of Kerry, and this last
trip we did a little bit of Cork. We went
up north north of Galway, we went to the Aarin
Islands that was pretty cool. You want to talk about remote,
(28:40):
that is remote. And you know the other thing too
is if you go out there like it struck me,
you know, if you go to Doolan where Doolan was
where the sort of the rebirth of Irish music happened,
I don't know, thirty forty years ago, whenever it was.
So you go into the pubs now and you see
the you see the people playing instruments you've never heard
of or seen. You know, there's always a fiddle in
(29:02):
there and a couple of guitars and uh, it's all
acoustic and it's and it's incredible. But we went from
Galway north and did the air and Islands and there's
a there's a fjord in Ireland and we're like driving along,
I'm like, what is this.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
It's like you're in Norway all of a sudden.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
I had no idea it was there. I've never been
to Norway, but uh, just incredible, rugged, beautiful country in
that northwest part. You know, the inner part is like
rolling hills, you know, so a little more like you know,
like Liganeer or something or a place like that, you know,
you know, not too far from Pittsburg you know, you
(29:42):
get out West Virginia, you go out, you see those
rolling hills, very beautiful, lot of sheep running around. But
the whole the whole country is charming and the and
the thing that you know, you always have to be careful,
like in any city, you know, make sure you don't
get pickpocket or whatever. You know, all those travel tips here,
but the people are just so unbelievably friendly, incredible that
(30:05):
anger makes it.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I think when we return home on Monday, it might
be the first time in my life that I'll be
able to relate to Michael Phelps. And here's what I
mean by that. Of course, greatest swimmer of all time
won like eight hundred and thirty seven gold medals. Michael Phelps.
I remember, I remember watching an interview with him. I
can't remember if it was like ESPN or if it
was one of the CBS or ABC late shows, whatever,
(30:31):
but they had an interview with Michael Phelps. You know,
this was ten years ago or whatever when he retired,
and they said to him, like, what's the first thing
you want to do? And he said, I want to
go back to all the cities where I participated in
the Olympics, Like I want to go back to Athens.
I want to go back to Beijing. I want to
go back to London. And I think there was one
more in there for Phelps as well too. But he
(30:52):
basically said, because I didn't get to enjoy any of it,
Like all these cities looked amazing, but I was so
locked in. All that mattered to me were my race
in the Olympics. I didn't care about sight seeing or
taking any of it in. He's like, I want to
go back to those places and be able to just
not be working, to be able to really enjoy it.
And like I said, I have a feeling I'm you know,
next Monday, about seven days from now, when we when
(31:15):
we land back here, I'm going to think, Wow, what
a whirlwind I got to go back so I can
really experience all of that.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I would highly recommend it, highly recommend it. So where
did I got lost? You were going around the AFC, right,
and so see, Yeah, Thursday night, the Bills defeats Dolphins
thirty one to twenty one. Bills look really good again.
Of course, the Dolphins gave him a really good game.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But man, oh man, you have to wonder how much
longer that's going to go on in Miami. Now, all
and three in.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
The season, I think there's a real chance that the
wheels could come off there. I mean, you know, they
they're just a team that they put in I think
about as good of a performance as they could have
hoped for Kinger and they still lost to their division
rival by double digits. It's just an organization right now
(32:06):
that they've got a couple, They've got a couple of
nice Ferraris and Lamborghini's on offense, there's no denying that.
But other than that, it's a lot of broken down jealoppies,
you know what I mean, It's a lot of it's
a lot of hoopy vehicles all over that roster, and
I just think, yeah, they're zero to three. I don't
think they have the leadership from the top of the
organization down to the coaching staff to kind of stay
(32:30):
together and stay locked in. I could see that one unraveling,
and I could see that being the first organization in
the NFL to, you know, to make a coaching change
this year.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Yeah, and again, sometimes I'm reminded that we here in Pittsburgh.
You know, what is it twenty one consecutive seasons without
a losing season.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Twenty two.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I think, well, okay, I thought it was twenty one,
and we're gonna get twenty two this year.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
I could be wrong, though.
Speaker 4 (32:54):
You might be right, because four, I guess right, would
have been the line of demarcation there.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
So it is Uh, it's remarkable. And even the Bills
just go back to what did they have? Twenty consecutive
losing seasons and they still haven't won it. You know,
this could be their year, This could be the year.
But they've been saying that for a couple of years.
But I understand too, there's a different contender status for
a lot of these teams. So I don't want to
(33:19):
get too overboard with, you know, with what's with what's
going on. But you know, the Bills are I think
one of the clear Super Bowl contenders. A game that
I rightly predicted, not only the outcome but the exact score.
The Browns defeated the Packers thirteen to ten. I mean,
who saw that coming?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Seriously, come on, good lord, thirteen.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
I mean the Packers look like they might be you know,
you talk about early season teams, they look like they're
putting a stake in the ground. As the team to
beat maybe in the entire NFL, and they go in
and they just get they get just strangled by the
Browns thirteen to ten.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Incredible.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Anything can happen in this league, Kinger, I mean even
the listen, Matt Williamson and I do power rankings on
the Drive every single Wednesday, and I had Green Bay
as my number one team.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
I don't think that's wrong.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
And right right, And you know Cleveland was like twenty
nine or thirty something like that, towards the very bottom
of the barrel, maybe just like Carolina and New Orleans
or Miami, maybe the only teams that they weren't behind.
This is the National Football League, though, Man, Like, this
is not this is not Ohio State playing Kent State.
You know, this is not Penn State beating up on
(34:35):
Villan Nova. These These are millionaires and professionals and and
talented guys everywhere. And I think there was a lot
of examples of that this past week where just some
of these games, I mean, who saw Carolina. I know
this is AFC, but who in the NFC saw Carolina
beating Atlanta thirty to nothing?
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Demolish that one demolished them?
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Who saw Chicago so handling Dallas easily. There's just in
this league, it truly defines any given Sunday. And I
tell you what, through three weeks now, I think it's
safe to say that that Browns defense is legit and
they're going to keep that team, which has a lot
of issues, certainly, but they are well coached and they
have a very good defense. I think they're gonna be
(35:20):
able to hang around with a lot of teams that
you know, are better than them on paper and more
talented than them. And yesterday was a perfect example of.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
That, and a reminder that two and one and two
and zero in the conference isn't too bad of a
place to be right now, unless you're the three and
zero Colts. They just hammered the Titans forty one to twenty.
They continue to be the surprise story in the NFL.
I don't think there's any question they are the number
one who saw this coming, nobody type of team in
(35:51):
the NFL. The Vikings just waxed the Bengals forty eight
to ten. You know a couple things about that. The
Bengals defense is really bad for sure, and a couple
of turnovers for touchdowns by the Vikings, But you wonder,
you know, in a team's evolution. So the Vikings move
on from Sam Donald. They go to JJ McCarthy, who showed,
(36:12):
you know, a lot of gumption in that opening win
over Chicago, but then they just got handled last week.
And now you bring in a veteran more Sam Donald
than JJ McCarthy in golf, and he steers you to
an easy victory over the Bengals, easy victory forty eight
to ten, and the Bengals are now two and one.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah, and I don't like the momentum that Minnesota has
with a redheaded quarterback heading into uh that just seems
like a recipe for disaster. But I think this is
gonna be kind of the you know, the way that
it is for Cincinnati. I know, Joe Burrow is out
for a long period of time. Like if they're unable
(36:55):
to score some points, they're gonna have some difficulty. Obviously,
as you mentioned, multiple non offensive scores for Minnesota in
that game. But even still, if you can slow Jamar
Chase and t Higgins, which obviously becomes a much easier
task without Joe Burrow, one of the best quarterbacks in
the league, you know, it could be a long long
(37:17):
year for Cincinnati. I know they were a popular pick
to kind of sneak into the playoffs by a lot
of national football analysts. Man, the the value of that
unicorn quarterback we all know is immense. But I think,
particularly when you are so built upon being an offense
it's gonna throw the football and score a lot of points,
(37:38):
you lose the key cog in that, and it's just
it's just a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Did a pretty good job with Jake Browning a couple
of years ago. We should point out when when Burrow
is hurt. So you know, I'm not going to write
him off yet any earlier than I'm going to start,
you know, planning a ticker tape parade for the Colts.
The students beat the Patriots here two and one. Patriots
dropped to one and two the Jets and the Bucket ears,
and the Bucks hang on twenty nine to twenty seven
(38:03):
to beat the Jets just a two point victory in
that one. So again the Jets looked completely overmatched a
week ago.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
They're ow and three.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
But again I think that they kind of like Cleveland,
are going to always have an opportunity to do something.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
And you better buckle up.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
I feel the same way about the Raiders, even though
they got handled by the Commanders forty one to twenty four.
You better you better play a good, solid football game
against those teams. You can't come in and expect that
to be a pushover. Who had the Texans being what
they're owing three now?
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Right?
Speaker 2 (38:34):
Texans are owing three three? The Jaguars beat him. There's
no the Jaguars were. They were one of my teams
that I thought had an opportunity to be surprising. New
coach and Liam Cohen, a lot of offensive weapons, you know,
the full faith in Trevor Lawrence. If Trevor Lawrence is
going to be a guy, this is the time and
if he is a guy that elevates those offensive weapons
(38:56):
you have on that team. They only scored seventeen, but
you know, the Jaguards improve and the Texans shop to
zero and three. Who saw that one coming? The Chargers
over the Broncos twenty three to twenty. How about that one, man.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
I know a lot of people talked about how good
the AFC West could be or was going to be
coming into this season. Everyone, even despite Kansas City's two
losses to start the season, I think people still know
that the Chiefs aren't going anywhere, But the Chargers the
Broncos were both popular picks. Denver, you know, made the
playoffs last year with rookie Bow Knicks and now entering
(39:31):
year three of Sean Payton. The Chargers, though, Man Kinger,
I think they're kind of the opposite of the Texans.
Like I think a lot of people thought they could
make the playoffs and have a good year, But I
don't know if anybody saw this coming. They're three to
zero in the division, already have wins banked against Kansas
City and Denver. The Raiders as well too, but obviously
for playoff purposes and seeding purposes and tiebreaker purposes. You've
(39:55):
already got wins over Kansas City and Denver and Kinger
don't look now, but Justin Herbert looks like he might
be moving into that. We talk about the unicorn quarterbacks
in the NFL all the time, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen,
Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow bad news. All four of those
guys are in the AFC. Worst news. I think Justin
(40:18):
Herbert could be elevating himself into that conversation. He has
been unbelievable through three games. He made a play. If
you go back and watch one of the touchdown passes
that he threw yesterday, he splits two Broncos defensive linemen
to avoid a sack, rolling to his left on his
off side, and just drops a perfect twenty twenty five
(40:40):
yard touchdown pass right into the back of the end
zone over a defensive backs head. It's the best play
I've seen a quarterback make all year, and that is
You know, they've got a good roster, they're well coached
under Harbaugh.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
They're good.
Speaker 4 (40:54):
Even with the loss of Rashawn Slater, they're still very
good in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
You know, hey, it's only September, but man, the Chargers
are playing scary good football right now.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
And the Broncos, my goodness. You talk about two backbreakers.
You know, they think they win last week, and then
it's a penalty on a sort of an illegal pass
rush on a field goal fifteen yards gives them another
opportunity against the Patriots. They get that field goal, they'll
win the game at the buzzer, and then they give
up ten ten fourth quarter points, including dick Er the
(41:33):
kicker coming up with one at the buzzer. Oh, man,
that is the Broncos have got to be kicking themselves
that there are two plays away from being three to zero.
But you still got to make those plays. Let's see
other games to get to. Well, there's the big one
a Chiefs defeating the Giants twenty two to nine. That
(41:54):
seemed relatively predictable. Not the most impressive win, but a
win nonetheless. And then tonight and Ravens. Cannot wait for
this matchup? Can't wait?
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Each seems one and one man is a big game
for both these teams. At one and one.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
Big game for both these teams. Man, Baltimore has had
a few of those already this season, so has Detroit.
Like they had to go to lambeau Field to open
up the season, now they have to go to Baltimore.
A lot of early tests for both of these teams
and what could be you know, I don't know if
Detroit's Super Bowl window is as wide open as it
was the last couple of years, but it certainly hasn't
closed completely. And then Baltimore, I mean, we know their
(42:33):
expectations are through the roof this season. It's like Super
bowl or bust almost for that organization and that fan
base really good. One tonight in Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Heavily overdue for breaks. Let's take that now. He is
west Yuler. I'm Rob King. You're listening inside the locker
room with King and Starks, presented by you neighborhood for Store.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Here on the steel there's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
The ski is in the locker room with King and
Starks on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one point fifty is the.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
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 (43:19):
And we thank you for being with us inside the
locker room. Max Starks over in Ireland. Wes Euler filling
in as always, doing a phenomenal job. We'll hear Wes
later on today on the Drive with Matt Williamson, and
I think Wes because it's a short week, we're kind
of wrapping up this game and tomorrow is our only
(43:39):
day or the only other day we're going to be
doing this particular program, and so with that in mind,
we're going to be turning our attention to the Vikings tomorrow,
so you know, just kind of some final thoughts from
you to me, it is a step in the right direction.
The the special teams, as we mentioned, continue to be good,
(44:02):
and I thought the kickoff return coverage group took a
step forward. I think we saw elements of the running
game that we really have not seen yet on that
opening drive, opening couple of possessions that went away, then
the offense rebounded late with a touchdown drive. So I
think that there are some puzzle pieces laying on the
table that still need to be fitted together, because in
(44:24):
between those two first sequences in the last one were
far too many. Three and out's not giving your defense
a break. And then I thought the defense to me,
clearly played their best game of the season. You know,
five sacks and five turnovers. Look, some of those were
right place, right time. You could argue very easily that
(44:46):
the Studers could be three and zero, You could argue
very easily that the Steelers could be oh and three,
but they're two and one. And I think that we're
seeing some of the building blocks in place that I
would like to think by week eight, week nine, we're
gonna say, ah, yeah, Remember, we saw the team maybe
defensively turning the corner in that win over New England.
(45:07):
Maybe we saw some elements the running game begin to
take its first tentative steps toward where it needs to be.
So that's kind of my take on this game. And
then the number one take is you're two and one,
and you know, if you're two and one, you're a
lot happier than you are in Houston right now, who's
zero and three? In other places where teams aren't living
(45:28):
up to their expectations at this point of the season.
Speaker 4 (45:32):
Absolutely like there there is plenty to be encouraged by
at this point, there are obviously concerns as well too.
That's the again, unless you're in Annapolis or the Chargers
or the Eagles, right, I mean, that's life for everybody
in September in the National Football League. You are two
and one, you have I think, you know, it's an
(45:53):
interesting I don't want to say it's a tough schedule
in September, but you're also in the I mean, you
get one home game in the first five weeks of
the season. I know next week counts as a home game,
but it's the furthest game. You're going to play away
from Akroscher Stadium all year, you get one home game
at Akroschure. In the first five weeks of the season,
you have had You've been dealt an unfortunate injury hand
(46:16):
early on in the year on the defensive side of
the football. But you are two and one. You've found
ways to navigate it, and I think Kinger like you
have started to see your best players round into form,
which is encouraging. And I think it's very clear too.
You know, like some of these teams across the NFL
that are zero to three or one and two or
maybe even two and one still kind of trying to
(46:39):
figure out who they are. I think it's so cut
and dry for the Steelers right now where they're playing
well and where they need to improve. I don't think
there's any question marks about who they are, what they
do well, and where they've been struggling. I think it's
all right in front of them now. They just got
to address it. Continue to get better. Every week that
(47:00):
you get better, you know, health fortune here in the
month of October and beyond, and there is you know,
a lot to hang your hat on. At this point.
You have plenty to clean up as well too, but
a lot to grow and and continue to develop at
the same time as well.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
Well. That puts a wrap on a very short week
for us inside the locker room in show number one,
because in show number two, we're going to look forward
to this Minnesota Vikings team that just demolished the Bengals
yesterday and has been up and down, but they're two
and one as well, heading into a huge game in
Croke Park for both teams.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
Again.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
Our buddy Max Starks is over in Ireland, will join us,
rejoin us in the broadcast on Sunday Croke Park and
of course other events coming up later in the week
on radio that you'll hear Max Starks on Wes Uler
capably as always more than capably filling in.
Speaker 3 (47:55):
I look forward to talking to you a little bit
later on today, my friend.
Speaker 4 (47:59):
Looking forward to a partner. Yes, you will join us
on the drive and I will speak to you tomorrow.
I mean, you're gonna be sick of me by the
time we get on this plane.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
Never never, never, never never. And he even slipped in
a couple of Morgantown references. Did the initial WVU Wesley v. Eilder,
Wes thank you very much, my friend appreciated our thanks
to Justin Miller as well, and of course, as always,
thanks to you for listening inside the locker Room with
King and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford
Speaker 3 (48:26):
Store here on this Steeler's Audio Network
This he is in the locker room with King and
Starks on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Ah, Where's Max Starks? I did Max?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I should?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I should have had Max Stars record that it's time
for the power Max in Killarney. He's tooting a horn
right now in kill Arney.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Max, Come on.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You know, if I stopped and thought about it for
two seconds, I would probably never butcher the name of
the Optimist Prime.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I think I did I get it right that time?
You got it right?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Yeah, I'm gonna purposely get it wrong for Max.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I was.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I put no effort into learning it's Optimist Prime, even
though I did actually watch those movies when they came
out with the kids. What do they called the things
that turn into something else? Transformers? So anyway, let us
transform this show back into football and your thoughts Wes
(01:18):
on the defense and I'll I'll give you mine, which
were I thought that they played for the most part great?
And about as well as you can expect a defense
to play and that whatever issues, not whatever issues, but
most of the issues that occurred with the team was
(01:38):
because they were out there too much hot weather. And
the second second consecutive week I felt exactly the same, actually,
frankly third consecutive week I felt the same about about
what the offense needs to do, and I thought they
did it in Week one against the Jets. And they're
playing against a team that is so you know, not
(02:00):
all time and possessions are built the same. The Jets
are a team they're going to grind it out, they're
going to take their time, they're going to run the football,
and they're probably going to win time and possession in
games that they that they don't win or that they
maybe even lose by ten points because that's the style
of football that they want to play. Seattle isn't necessarily
(02:22):
that kind of team, and New England isn't necessarily that
kind of team, not a team that's built entirely to
grind it out and win time of possession. So I
thought last week the students had too many three and outs,
and they you know a lot of it is timing.
When does that three and out come when it comes
after a five or six minute drive or a seven
(02:42):
minute drive. And let's face it, teams are going to
do that in the NFL. The other guys have talent too.
You're going to give up long drives. It's a team,
it's a sport that is, you know, it's been legislated
in such a way that they want drives, they want offense,
they want scoring. So that's going to happen, right, So
(03:03):
when do you have that three and out? You know,
if they have a three and out and then you
have a three and out and then they have a
three and out, okay, but if they go on a
long drive, man, you cannot go three and out because
now the defense goes out there, they're gased, it's hot,
it's September, and now another long drive comes. Then you
go three out and get and now there's another long drive.
(03:24):
And that's I thought that's what happened last year in Philadelphia.
I thought that was the biggest factor in losing that game.
People look at that game and say, wow, you know,
thirty four to seventeen or whatever the final was. I
thirty one seventeen, I think it was whatever it was,
you know, they just couldn't overcome. Later in the game,
after Naji fumbled when they were driving in to try
(03:45):
to tie it. I think they're you know, right around
the twenty two yard line or thereabouts inside the thirty
of the Eagles and driving they pitch it to Nagy,
who's always so sure handed. He winds up fumbling the
football and now New England gets the ball back. Well,
you know, it's like a boxing match, man. Your defense
has taken so many body blows that you needed to
(04:07):
give him a rest. You needed to give him, you know,
a tie game and another three or four minutes on
the sideline and that extra pep you get with tying
it up instead of reaching for your helmets again and
strapping up your chin strap and jogging out there when
you haven't a chance to catch your breath. That I
think was the biggest problem with the defense the last
two weeks. The biggest problem with the defense is the
(04:29):
offense not giving them breaks.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I certainly think it's a big problem. And I told
you like an hour ago when we started the show.
One of the more perplexing Steelers wins I can remember,
at least in recent history, because I think there's a
ton to like about what the defense did. Obviously, five sacks,
five takeaways. I think there is still you know, playing
(04:54):
to be concerned about by the defense. But how much
of that is because king or they play twenty two
more snaps than the offense. The Steelers ran forty nine
offensive plays, the Patriots ran seventy one. That is a
massive golf indifference there that you use the boxing analogy,
(05:17):
that's like one boxer is being asked to go twelve rounds,
the other boxers being asked to go eighteen rounds. I mean,
that is twenty two plays in the National Football League
is a world of difference. I do think the conversation
starts there, But I also don't think that that is
a complete kind of coverall or excuse however you want to,
(05:40):
you know, label it for some of the deficiencies that
are still there with the defense. And I think that
you can kind of toe that line and point out
the positives, point out the negatives, point out the factors
around it as well, too, Like having to defense seventy
one total plays to the you know, the Patriots defense
(06:01):
which just had to be on the field for forty nine.
There is a lot of I think grain of salts
in this conversation about the Steelers defense, because that has
to change. They cannot be on the field for twenty
two more plays than their opposition and expect to sustain
that throughout the course of the regular season. It's just
not going to happen.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Also, can I stop you there? I want some clarification.
Are we asking? Are we talking about multiple kinds of
salt or multiple grains grain of salts? I wasn't sure
what we were. Sorry, I'm going with multiple kind of salts,
the rock salt, the mortons, you know, the fine salt. Okay,
(06:46):
cranine of salts.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I'm sorry, Go ahead, please proceed. That has to change.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
But so does five point two yards per play allowed
by the Steelers defense. That can't continue. So does and
some of this, all this stuff is chicken or the egg?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Is is it because the defense is so gassed? Is
this part of the reason why they're so gassed? The
Patriots kinger six of thirteen on third down efficiency. That's
nearly fifty percent. That's way too high. Four of five
on fourth down efficiency, that's way too high. Now, you
got the last one, you got the most important one.
(07:23):
But the Patriots were four for four on fourth down
conversions before that. So listen, what matters most for a
defense is what you do. You know, outside of the
twenty yard lines, kind of in the shadows of the
end zone, right in the red zone. That's where games
are won and lost. Can you force turnovers there like
the Steelers did. Can you limit touchdowns and force field goals?
(07:47):
Hold teams to field goals in that area of the stadium.
So a lot of those key indicators are check check
plus for the Steelers defense. But you can't be given up.
I don't care how many plays on the field. Part
of it is on you. When they're going six for
thirteen on third down efficiency, four for five on fourth
down efficiency, five point two average yards per play, some
(08:12):
of that is. Some of that is certainly, you cannot
just blame that on the inord inordinate amount of time
that the defense was on the field thirty three minutes
and twenty seconds. Again, like I said, twenty two plays
that the Steelers defense had to play more than the
Patriots defense. Those things are all real. Those things cannot happen.
Your offense has to protect you, has to insulate you,
(08:35):
has to play better. Complimentary football, but a lot of
that possession down efficiency. The Steelers defense, you know, can't
pass the buck on that one. That's something that they
themselves have got to get moving in the right direction
this week.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I agree with you, I do.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I I was trying to point my finger to blame
at what I think is the biggest issue and has
been the biggest issue in the last couple of weeks.
But I do agree that you know, there were times
much like you know, you go back to the game
last week against or last year against the Ravens, Right,
you punted away to him, you pin him back early,
they have a third and two and they pick up
(09:14):
a first down, Right, they faked the justice ol Lamar
Jackson keeps it, he runs, he picks up a first down.
There were multiple times in that drive where you could
have stopped them and didn't. So it's not all. It's
never all just one thing. I do think that, So
I'm just looking at the What to me is the
largest issue for the defense is that the offense needs
(09:34):
to do a better job of hanging onto the ball
and not going not having what was essentially five consecutive
three and outs, now it was actually three and out
three in an interception three and out, three and out
and then three and out but bailed out, but by
what I kind of thought was a generous pass interference
call for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
And then what did you do with that fresh set
of downs? Three and out?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
So you know, you you need to have both. And
to me, the offense sputtering for long.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Periods of time.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It is it puts way too much pressure on a defense,
especially in today's day and age. You know, the defense
that defends the least is usually the one that defends
the best. I when you think about how, you know,
I always go back to those too early two thousands
teams because I think the Steelers are trying to move
(10:28):
in that direction. You know, they talk about getting tough
football players and winning at the line of scrimmage and
wanting to be that kind of a team. And when
you go back to those days, what did you see?
You know, maybe the time of possession is close, and
then suddenly the dam breaks and here comes the Steelers
offense going on a long drive. And now you've got
(10:48):
to lead, and now what is the other team going
to do? Well, they've got to throw the football and
guess what your defense is? Fresh and what do they
have speed? And they have speed on the edge, and
they have speed on the outside, and so you know
in the secondary, and so now all of a sudden,
all of your advantages are brought to bear. The Steelers
want to be able to bring their advantages to bear.
(11:09):
And if you have a tie game and a team
can do whatever they want offensively and you don't make
them one dimensional, that hurts what you're trying to do defensively.
So that that's why I bring up that point, is
because I think they have to play complimentary football now
for the most part.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So are there things to clear up? Absolutely? I do.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I would like to think that some of it is
schematics based on injured personnel. I could be wrong about that,
and we'll see when in the personnel conversation. Yeah, when
they get out there, we'll find out. Yesterday they held
in New England's running backs to twenty two carries and
seventy four yards. But Drake may got them, you know,
(11:52):
Sam Darnold got him the week before. I don't think
they're going to run into that issue this week. I
do think that if you get some healthy bodies back,
and in particular for me, if you can get Joey
Porter Junior back if you get Joey, And that's to
say nothing against high Smith, who's game I love, and
Deshaun Elliott whose game I love. Deshaun Elliott's game, I
(12:14):
think he's a huge not having him in there as
a huge factor. But the rest of the secondary has
had a chance to communicate some of those issues should
be tightened up. But this game coming up and we
can talk more about this tomorrow. This is the type
of game to me as to why you've built your
defense the way you've built your defense, get it, you know,
(12:35):
stop the run on early downs, force him to pass,
and now you have a quarterback whose mobility is not
going to kill you. Yes, they've got great receivers, but
guess what, You've got your three headed monster at cornerback
who you can bring up and press those guys. You
can play man defense because you're not really overly worried
(12:55):
about Jared Goff finding a little crease in the pocket
and zipping out and running for forty yards because your
defenders have their back turn because they're playing man, You're
not really gonna worry about that. And so this is
the kind of thing where I hope that some of
the discrepancies or some of the deficiencies we've seen, you know,
scrambling quarterbacks short easy throws, and it seems like, you know,
(13:21):
there have been short easy throws the last two weeks.
Sam Darnold goes back and there's a guy open over
the middle of the field. Drake May goes back and
and you know, we knew that we're going to see
this tight ends and running backs, and these guys are
open and they're picking up kind of an easy six
to eight yards on first down. I hope that we're
going to see some of that stuff tightened up because
(13:43):
your personnel is back and you can play the kind
of style you're designed to play.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
There is no doubt. And I'm glad you brought that
into the conversation as well too. I mean this, we
just saw Derek Harmon for the first time, your first
overall and I thought Man for his first performance in
the National Football League coming off an injury as well too.
You gotta be encouraged by what you saw in the
thirty four or thirty seven snaps, however many it was
(14:11):
for him, I think more than we all set. Thirty
five I believe is a number thirty five. All right,
splitting the difference right between what I thought there. You know,
Deshaun Elliott coming back as your clearcut best safety and
most experienced safety and someone who played in this system
last year is going to be a huge deal. Joey
Porter Junior coming back as your only cornerback other than Pierre,
(14:33):
but in terms of Ramsey and Slay and Eccles, your
only cornerback who played in this system last year is
going to be a big deal. They have had certainly
some attrition on that defense early on in the season
and even going back to training camp. That's another important
part of this, and I think Kinger that's something to
be encouraged about as well too. If the offense can
(14:55):
pick it up a little bit, I'm not even saying
become a top ten offense in the league, but if
the offense can just continue to get better, if the
defense gets healthier, that is where you start to, I
think envision both sides of the ball really being able
to play complimentary football. It is a tougher task for
the defense when they've been on the field as much
(15:16):
as they have, when they've been shorthanded like they have.
I mean Jabrill Peppers. Kinger played over fifty percent of
the snaps for that defense. He just joined the team
like a week ago, you know, Chuck Clark playing I
believe the most snaps of any safety, if I'm remembering
from the quick glance that I look at the snap
counts this morning, he enjoyed until into training camp. I'm
(15:37):
glad you brought that up, because while there are certainly
issues that the defense needs to iron out, they do
need some of those grains of salt with how much
they've been on the field, how they've been shorthanded. I understand,
you know, over the three games, a lot of the
issues that have popped up with the defense have been
maybe trends, if you will, and they've been some things
(15:59):
that this defense struggled with last year. That's fair to
point out. But I think it's also fair at the
same time to give them a little time. They need
to get some reinforcements and they need to get a
little more insulation from this Steelers offense. And if they
do that, man, it feels like they're starting to figure
out their their defensive line rotations. A Hello, Cam Hayward.
(16:21):
Nice to see a partner, and and so there is
plenty to be encouraged by there. I think we just
have to, you know, start seeing it come together here
as we get to the end of September and roll
into October.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Well, I'm glad you mentioned Cam because there were a
few guys who I just thought had absolute monster games
on defense. First of all, great to see Harmon and
I mistakenly identified him as Cam Hayward on his first
tackle ted because and I'll tell you why, because you
(16:53):
know there were there are certain guys who you just
kind of know what impact who they are without being
able to see him clearly. I thought, for example, Ryan
Chazier was one of those guys. Here comes a play
and there looks like a hole and all of a
sudden there's a flash and the running backs down and
you're like, well, that had to be Shazier. I don't
even need to see the number has to be right.
(17:16):
Nobody else moves that fast. When I saw a giant
guy moving quickly and swallowing up a running back as
he's trying to get going, I just Cam Hayward popped
into my mind. And when he got up and I
saw the two nines, I was like, whoa man? Because
we didn't see a lot of Harmond, you know, so
I thought he was. I thought he was super impressive
(17:39):
and great for him.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Way to go. Cam Hayward was just phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Initially we had him for a sack and a half,
which would have been ninety in his career, and Missy,
of course, being Missy, was ready to go with a
ninety sack statistic that I'm still waiting to kind of
hear and I'm sure Missy's got more more than that
to it. But you know, in ninety so that get
gets taken away. But he was in on it. He
was a constant force a sack, batting away that ball,
(18:09):
batting it and allowing Echoes to come up with the interception.
Gigantic play. You know. He came in and is basically
a stat line was too batted passes. That was really
his stat line through two games. I thought he was
awesome and looked like the all pro that he is.
You know, Nick Herbig, as we mentioned, I thought was fantastic.
Harmon was very solid a quality I thought was very solid.
(18:33):
A TJ Watt just a dominating TJ Watt type of
effort and you know, big moments for TJ.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Come rising to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I thought he and Cam Hayward in particular, to take
nothing away from Herbik, who I thought was fantastic and
the others I mentioned, But those two guys I just
thought Watt and Hayward were. They were there dominant all
pro sells.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And that's what you need, you know, when you are
when you're dealing with injuries and just you know, beginning
of the season, trying to figure out who you are,
what you do well, where you struggle all those things.
Rob you need your A plus players to be A
plus players, like I think, not to go you know,
to a total like wormhole here. But when when teams
(19:19):
are dealing with injuries, I think a lot of times, media, fans,
everybody likes to talk about how you know, the back
the replacements need to back up or need to step
up part of me, right, So, Okay, Deshaun Elliott's out,
you need one Thornhill and Chuck Clark to step up. Okay,
Alex high Smith is out, you need you need Nick
Herbig and Jack Sawyer to step up. And those things
(19:40):
are certainly true to an extent, But what you really
need when you're dealing with injuries is your A plus
players to be on their A game. That's what overcomes
the absences of Harmon and Porter Junior and Deshaun Elliott
and all these injuries you've had. Yes, Brandon Eckle's playing
the way he has is great. Yeah, all those you know,
(20:01):
getting Jabrill Peppers in the performance that he was able
to put in a week after joining the team is great.
But what really gets you over the hump, what really
makes up for the loss of those guys, is your
A players performing at a A level. When when Evgeni
Malkin goes down with an injury, Kinger, you don't need
the fourth line center to suddenly become great. You need
(20:22):
Sidney Crosby to do Sidney Crosby things for sixty minutes, right.
That's what you really need when you're shorthanded, when you're injured,
is you. Yeah, you need those replacements to do their
part without a doubt, But you need your best players
to be at their best to make up for some
of that stuff, because that's truly where you can And
I thought for Cam Hayward TJ. Watt to certainly, but
(20:45):
I think especially for Cam who's taken some gruff over
the first two games on the back of that hold
in contract situation, whatever you want to call it. It
was very nice to see Cam Hayward back to doing
Cam Hayward things. That's a big part of the reason
why the defense went from you know, giving up thirty
plus the first two weeks to holding the Patriots to
(21:06):
just fourteen points.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah, and again I like to point this out to fans,
you know, as to why those expectations are there, and
the players welcome that. The great players welcome back because
when you think about it, by definition, that's that's how
your team is built. So if you you know, let's
say you have a you say, you know what, let's
(21:29):
just go that I believe in a six man rotation,
and you know, I don't want to spend a lot
of money on your defensive line. And so you know,
we've got we've got twenty five million dollars allocated to
our defensive line, and so we're going to have six
four million dollar players right now, you're the Steelers and
you've got twenty five million allocated your defensive line. I'm
(21:49):
not saying that they do, but well, one of those
guys is taking up seventeen million. So what is that
going to mean for the guys backing them up, Well,
you're you're not going to be able to have that.
You know, sometimes a team will lose a defensive tackle
and they'll roll on. Well, why because it's one four
million dollar player replacing another, right, you know, I'm not
(22:10):
saying follow the way. I kind of am saying follow
the money. Follow the money. That tells you where the
team is investing their money and what their expectations are
for those players, and frankly what those players expectations are
for themselves too. So sometimes you just you know, you,
like you said, it is really nice when Daniel laqually
comes in and has proven to be really solid for them, Eccles,
(22:33):
same thing those are. You know, it takes that too,
you know, you know, as sid is replacing malk and
it's nice when the fourth liner chips in with the goal.
It is to take a little bit of the pressure off.
But ultimately the pressure resides with the big players because
they're they're being tasked with that kind of performance. They're
welcoming that because of the remuneration that they're getting from
(22:57):
the team. And it was just great to see those guys.
I just thought all that stuff aside, and it's not
an aside because you are waiting for guys to get healthy.
But those guys just it was dominant and it was
wonderful to see him. And the Steelers won twenty one
to fourteen. They are two and one. That is the
important thing. But we still have much more to come,
(23:18):
including a look around the AFC leading up to a
big play a big game tonight between the Ravens man
they've had nothing but big games so far and the Lions.
When we continue inside the Locker Room with King and Starks,
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
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 (23:59):
And it is time I'm for our AFC recap presented
by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Want to remind you that our good
buddy Wes Euler is here filling in for Max Starks,
who is the welcoming brigade, the one man welcoming brigade
in Ireland for us? And if you're going to have
(24:19):
a one man welcoming brigade in Ireland for the entirety
of Steelers Nation standing at the airport in Dublin, arms outstretch,
ready to gather in Steelers Nation as they arrive in
the Emerald asle you could not pick a better man,
a better representative, a better human being then Maximilian Starks,
the fourth.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
You know, King or I. As much as I would
like to disagree with you and say it should be
you and I, I got a feeling that the locals
there in Ireland will be a little bit more excited
to see a six foot fifty seven multiple times Super
Bowl champ like Max Starks than you and I. No,
it's awesome, like we've kind of been pumping out there.
(25:03):
The content will be rolling all week Steelers social media,
Steelers dot Com, Steelers Ireland social media accounts as well
to make sure you're following them on all your different
social media platforms for all the best stuff from this week.
But yeah, really really cool stuff that Max is having
the opportunity to do right now and then just hey,
(25:23):
we'll be on the way. King a really really cool
stuff that we're all going to get to do in
the back half of.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
The week as well. Have you been to Ireland?
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I have not, my friend, I have been to Italy
and to Spain in Europe, but I have never been
to the UK or to Ireland.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay, so a couple quick travel tips. We want travel
tips or should we leave that up to Max?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I would love I would love travel.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, so just a couple of I'll just throw a
couple of things out there. Double One very charming city.
The west coast of Ireland is I think just incredible,
absolutely beautiful. You know when you see movies and stuff,
they're frequently cast in the western part of Ireland. You
can get from Dublin to Galway, which has a great
music scene in if you rent a car, in about
(26:07):
two and a half hours. There are buses that you
can take. I've never taken a bus tour, but to
see you know, the cliffs of More and that western part.
If you have time and you're going out early and
you have a chance to see a dingle or a
carry I think the Ring of Dingle is fantastic because
it's smaller than the Ring of Carry Ring of Kerry
(26:28):
is is jaw dropping. But that western part of Ireland,
I think is incredibly beautiful if you're if you are
a person who I was trying to convince Max of
this because Max and I both have a love of
ancient history and you know, like we were talking, he
said he would love to go see the Pyramids one day,
(26:50):
and I'm totally down with that. I still think walking
into the Coliseum I'm bringing in my inner nerd now
was one of the greatest travel moments my life. To
walk into the Coliseum was spectacular. But there's a place
north of Dublin called New Grange and it's more like
(27:11):
kind of a really cool curiosity than it would be. Like,
I'm sure if you look at the Pyramids, you're like,
whoa man, that is impressive, you know, you know, the
Colisseum looks like a you know, a football stadium, impressive.
New Grange isn't isn't quite that, but it's ancient. Nobody
quite knows why it's there. There's some handwriting in front
on a big stone. Nobody knows what it says. I mean,
(27:33):
it's a pretty cool place. So if you're looking to
get outside of the city limits, don't want to go
all the way to western Ireland, I'm going to throw
out those suggestions. But believe me, if you just stay
in Dublin and walk around the city and you know,
the pubs there, the whole pub scene, whether you want
to pint or don't want to pint, extremely charming. I
(27:55):
think there's some of the most inviting buildings I've ever
been to in my life. Just to lunch in a
pub in Dublin anyway, there, that's it, OK, real quick, Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Was just gonna say, just real quick, I have a
feeling that all this four or five day trip to
Ireland for me is going to do is going to
make me want to just go back there on a
longer vacation where I'm not working at the same time.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, we went on our last trip, we went west.
We went to Galway. So the first trip we flew
in and out of Shannon and we did the Ring
of Dingle and the Ring of Kerry, and this last
trip we did a little bit of Cork. We went
up north north of Galway, we went to the Aarin
Islands that was pretty cool. You want to talk about remote,
(28:40):
that is remote. And you know the other thing too
is if you go out there like it struck me,
you know, if you go to Doolan where Doolan was
where the sort of the rebirth of Irish music happened,
I don't know, thirty forty years ago, whenever it was.
So you go into the pubs now and you see
the you see the people playing instruments you've never heard
of or seen. You know, there's always a fiddle in
(29:02):
there and a couple of guitars and uh, it's all
acoustic and it's and it's incredible. But we went from
Galway north and did the air and Islands and there's
a there's a fjord in Ireland and we're like driving along,
I'm like, what is this.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
It's like you're in Norway all of a sudden.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
I had no idea it was there. I've never been
to Norway, but uh, just incredible, rugged, beautiful country in
that northwest part. You know, the inner part is like
rolling hills, you know, so a little more like you know,
like Liganeer or something or a place like that, you know,
you know, not too far from Pittsburg you know, you
(29:42):
get out West Virginia, you go out, you see those
rolling hills, very beautiful, lot of sheep running around. But
the whole the whole country is charming and the and
the thing that you know, you always have to be careful,
like in any city, you know, make sure you don't
get pickpocket or whatever. You know, all those travel tips here,
but the people are just so unbelievably friendly, incredible that
(30:05):
anger makes it.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I think when we return home on Monday, it might
be the first time in my life that I'll be
able to relate to Michael Phelps. And here's what I
mean by that. Of course, greatest swimmer of all time
won like eight hundred and thirty seven gold medals. Michael Phelps.
I remember, I remember watching an interview with him. I
can't remember if it was like ESPN or if it
was one of the CBS or ABC late shows, whatever,
(30:31):
but they had an interview with Michael Phelps. You know,
this was ten years ago or whatever when he retired,
and they said to him, like, what's the first thing
you want to do? And he said, I want to
go back to all the cities where I participated in
the Olympics, Like I want to go back to Athens.
I want to go back to Beijing. I want to
go back to London. And I think there was one
more in there for Phelps as well too. But he
(30:52):
basically said, because I didn't get to enjoy any of it,
Like all these cities looked amazing, but I was so
locked in. All that mattered to me were my race
in the Olympics. I didn't care about sight seeing or
taking any of it in. He's like, I want to
go back to those places and be able to just
not be working, to be able to really enjoy it.
And like I said, I have a feeling I'm you know,
next Monday, about seven days from now, when we when
(31:15):
we land back here, I'm going to think, Wow, what
a whirlwind I got to go back so I can
really experience all of that.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I would highly recommend it, highly recommend it. So where
did I got lost? You were going around the AFC, right,
and so see, Yeah, Thursday night, the Bills defeats Dolphins
thirty one to twenty one. Bills look really good again.
Of course, the Dolphins gave him a really good game.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But man, oh man, you have to wonder how much
longer that's going to go on in Miami. Now, all
and three in.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
The season, I think there's a real chance that the
wheels could come off there. I mean, you know, they
they're just a team that they put in I think
about as good of a performance as they could have
hoped for Kinger and they still lost to their division
rival by double digits. It's just an organization right now
(32:06):
that they've got a couple, They've got a couple of
nice Ferraris and Lamborghini's on offense, there's no denying that.
But other than that, it's a lot of broken down jealoppies,
you know what I mean, It's a lot of it's
a lot of hoopy vehicles all over that roster, and
I just think, yeah, they're zero to three. I don't
think they have the leadership from the top of the
organization down to the coaching staff to kind of stay
(32:30):
together and stay locked in. I could see that one unraveling,
and I could see that being the first organization in
the NFL to, you know, to make a coaching change
this year.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Yeah, and again, sometimes I'm reminded that we here in Pittsburgh.
You know, what is it twenty one consecutive seasons without
a losing season.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Twenty two.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I think, well, okay, I thought it was twenty one,
and we're gonna get twenty two this year.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
I could be wrong, though.
Speaker 4 (32:54):
You might be right, because four, I guess right, would
have been the line of demarcation there.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
So it is Uh, it's remarkable. And even the Bills
just go back to what did they have? Twenty consecutive
losing seasons and they still haven't won it. You know,
this could be their year, This could be the year.
But they've been saying that for a couple of years.
But I understand too, there's a different contender status for
a lot of these teams. So I don't want to
(33:19):
get too overboard with, you know, with what's with what's
going on. But you know, the Bills are I think
one of the clear Super Bowl contenders. A game that
I rightly predicted, not only the outcome but the exact score.
The Browns defeated the Packers thirteen to ten. I mean,
who saw that coming?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Seriously, come on, good lord, thirteen.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
I mean the Packers look like they might be you know,
you talk about early season teams, they look like they're
putting a stake in the ground. As the team to
beat maybe in the entire NFL, and they go in
and they just get they get just strangled by the
Browns thirteen to ten.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Incredible.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Anything can happen in this league, Kinger, I mean even
the listen, Matt Williamson and I do power rankings on
the Drive every single Wednesday, and I had Green Bay
as my number one team.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
I don't think that's wrong.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
And right right, And you know Cleveland was like twenty
nine or thirty something like that, towards the very bottom
of the barrel, maybe just like Carolina and New Orleans
or Miami, maybe the only teams that they weren't behind.
This is the National Football League, though, Man, Like, this
is not this is not Ohio State playing Kent State.
You know, this is not Penn State beating up on
(34:35):
Villan Nova. These These are millionaires and professionals and and
talented guys everywhere. And I think there was a lot
of examples of that this past week where just some
of these games, I mean, who saw Carolina. I know
this is AFC, but who in the NFC saw Carolina
beating Atlanta thirty to nothing?
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Demolish that one demolished them?
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Who saw Chicago so handling Dallas easily. There's just in
this league, it truly defines any given Sunday. And I
tell you what, through three weeks now, I think it's
safe to say that that Browns defense is legit and
they're going to keep that team, which has a lot
of issues, certainly, but they are well coached and they
have a very good defense. I think they're gonna be
(35:20):
able to hang around with a lot of teams that
you know, are better than them on paper and more
talented than them. And yesterday was a perfect example of.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
That, and a reminder that two and one and two
and zero in the conference isn't too bad of a
place to be right now, unless you're the three and
zero Colts. They just hammered the Titans forty one to twenty.
They continue to be the surprise story in the NFL.
I don't think there's any question they are the number
one who saw this coming, nobody type of team in
(35:51):
the NFL. The Vikings just waxed the Bengals forty eight
to ten. You know a couple things about that. The
Bengals defense is really bad for sure, and a couple
of turnovers for touchdowns by the Vikings, But you wonder,
you know, in a team's evolution. So the Vikings move
on from Sam Donald. They go to JJ McCarthy, who showed,
(36:12):
you know, a lot of gumption in that opening win
over Chicago, but then they just got handled last week.
And now you bring in a veteran more Sam Donald
than JJ McCarthy in golf, and he steers you to
an easy victory over the Bengals, easy victory forty eight
to ten, and the Bengals are now two and one.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah, and I don't like the momentum that Minnesota has
with a redheaded quarterback heading into uh that just seems
like a recipe for disaster. But I think this is
gonna be kind of the you know, the way that
it is for Cincinnati. I know, Joe Burrow is out
for a long period of time. Like if they're unable
(36:55):
to score some points, they're gonna have some difficulty. Obviously,
as you mentioned, multiple non offensive scores for Minnesota in
that game. But even still, if you can slow Jamar
Chase and t Higgins, which obviously becomes a much easier
task without Joe Burrow, one of the best quarterbacks in
the league, you know, it could be a long long
(37:17):
year for Cincinnati. I know they were a popular pick
to kind of sneak into the playoffs by a lot
of national football analysts. Man, the the value of that
unicorn quarterback we all know is immense. But I think,
particularly when you are so built upon being an offense
it's gonna throw the football and score a lot of points,
(37:38):
you lose the key cog in that, and it's just
it's just a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Did a pretty good job with Jake Browning a couple
of years ago. We should point out when when Burrow
is hurt. So you know, I'm not going to write
him off yet any earlier than I'm going to start,
you know, planning a ticker tape parade for the Colts.
The students beat the Patriots here two and one. Patriots
dropped to one and two the Jets and the Bucket ears,
and the Bucks hang on twenty nine to twenty seven
(38:03):
to beat the Jets just a two point victory in
that one. So again the Jets looked completely overmatched a
week ago.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
They're ow and three.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
But again I think that they kind of like Cleveland,
are going to always have an opportunity to do something.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
And you better buckle up.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
I feel the same way about the Raiders, even though
they got handled by the Commanders forty one to twenty four.
You better you better play a good, solid football game
against those teams. You can't come in and expect that
to be a pushover. Who had the Texans being what
they're owing three now?
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Right?
Speaker 2 (38:34):
Texans are owing three three? The Jaguars beat him. There's
no the Jaguars were. They were one of my teams
that I thought had an opportunity to be surprising. New
coach and Liam Cohen, a lot of offensive weapons, you know,
the full faith in Trevor Lawrence. If Trevor Lawrence is
going to be a guy, this is the time and
if he is a guy that elevates those offensive weapons
(38:56):
you have on that team. They only scored seventeen, but
you know, the Jaguards improve and the Texans shop to
zero and three. Who saw that one coming? The Chargers
over the Broncos twenty three to twenty. How about that one, man.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
I know a lot of people talked about how good
the AFC West could be or was going to be
coming into this season. Everyone, even despite Kansas City's two
losses to start the season, I think people still know
that the Chiefs aren't going anywhere, But the Chargers the
Broncos were both popular picks. Denver, you know, made the
playoffs last year with rookie Bow Knicks and now entering
(39:31):
year three of Sean Payton. The Chargers, though, Man Kinger,
I think they're kind of the opposite of the Texans.
Like I think a lot of people thought they could
make the playoffs and have a good year, But I
don't know if anybody saw this coming. They're three to
zero in the division, already have wins banked against Kansas
City and Denver. The Raiders as well too, but obviously
for playoff purposes and seeding purposes and tiebreaker purposes. You've
(39:55):
already got wins over Kansas City and Denver and Kinger
don't look now, but Justin Herbert looks like he might
be moving into that. We talk about the unicorn quarterbacks
in the NFL all the time, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen,
Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow bad news. All four of those
guys are in the AFC. Worst news. I think Justin
(40:18):
Herbert could be elevating himself into that conversation. He has
been unbelievable through three games. He made a play. If
you go back and watch one of the touchdown passes
that he threw yesterday, he splits two Broncos defensive linemen
to avoid a sack, rolling to his left on his
off side, and just drops a perfect twenty twenty five
(40:40):
yard touchdown pass right into the back of the end
zone over a defensive backs head. It's the best play
I've seen a quarterback make all year, and that is
You know, they've got a good roster, they're well coached
under Harbaugh.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
They're good.
Speaker 4 (40:54):
Even with the loss of Rashawn Slater, they're still very
good in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
You know, hey, it's only September, but man, the Chargers
are playing scary good football right now.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
And the Broncos, my goodness. You talk about two backbreakers.
You know, they think they win last week, and then
it's a penalty on a sort of an illegal pass
rush on a field goal fifteen yards gives them another
opportunity against the Patriots. They get that field goal, they'll
win the game at the buzzer, and then they give
up ten ten fourth quarter points, including dick Er the
(41:33):
kicker coming up with one at the buzzer. Oh, man,
that is the Broncos have got to be kicking themselves
that there are two plays away from being three to zero.
But you still got to make those plays. Let's see
other games to get to. Well, there's the big one
a Chiefs defeating the Giants twenty two to nine. That
(41:54):
seemed relatively predictable. Not the most impressive win, but a
win nonetheless. And then tonight and Ravens. Cannot wait for
this matchup? Can't wait?
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Each seems one and one man is a big game
for both these teams. At one and one.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
Big game for both these teams. Man, Baltimore has had
a few of those already this season, so has Detroit.
Like they had to go to lambeau Field to open
up the season, now they have to go to Baltimore.
A lot of early tests for both of these teams
and what could be you know, I don't know if
Detroit's Super Bowl window is as wide open as it
was the last couple of years, but it certainly hasn't
closed completely. And then Baltimore, I mean, we know their
(42:33):
expectations are through the roof this season. It's like Super
bowl or bust almost for that organization and that fan
base really good. One tonight in Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Heavily overdue for breaks. Let's take that now. He is
west Yuler. I'm Rob King. You're listening inside the locker
room with King and Starks, presented by you neighborhood for Store.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Here on the steel there's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
The ski is in the locker room with King and
Starks on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one point fifty is the.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
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 (43:19):
And we thank you for being with us inside the
locker room. Max Starks over in Ireland. Wes Euler filling
in as always, doing a phenomenal job. We'll hear Wes
later on today on the Drive with Matt Williamson, and
I think Wes because it's a short week, we're kind
of wrapping up this game and tomorrow is our only
(43:39):
day or the only other day we're going to be
doing this particular program, and so with that in mind,
we're going to be turning our attention to the Vikings tomorrow,
so you know, just kind of some final thoughts from
you to me, it is a step in the right direction.
The the special teams, as we mentioned, continue to be good,
(44:02):
and I thought the kickoff return coverage group took a
step forward. I think we saw elements of the running
game that we really have not seen yet on that
opening drive, opening couple of possessions that went away, then
the offense rebounded late with a touchdown drive. So I
think that there are some puzzle pieces laying on the
table that still need to be fitted together, because in
(44:24):
between those two first sequences in the last one were
far too many. Three and out's not giving your defense
a break. And then I thought the defense to me,
clearly played their best game of the season. You know,
five sacks and five turnovers. Look, some of those were
right place, right time. You could argue very easily that
(44:46):
the Studers could be three and zero, You could argue
very easily that the Steelers could be oh and three,
but they're two and one. And I think that we're
seeing some of the building blocks in place that I
would like to think by week eight, week nine, we're
gonna say, ah, yeah, Remember, we saw the team maybe
defensively turning the corner in that win over New England.
(45:07):
Maybe we saw some elements the running game begin to
take its first tentative steps toward where it needs to be.
So that's kind of my take on this game. And
then the number one take is you're two and one,
and you know, if you're two and one, you're a
lot happier than you are in Houston right now, who's
zero and three? In other places where teams aren't living
(45:28):
up to their expectations at this point of the season.
Speaker 4 (45:32):
Absolutely like there there is plenty to be encouraged by
at this point, there are obviously concerns as well too.
That's the again, unless you're in Annapolis or the Chargers
or the Eagles, right, I mean, that's life for everybody
in September in the National Football League. You are two
and one, you have I think, you know, it's an
(45:53):
interesting I don't want to say it's a tough schedule
in September, but you're also in the I mean, you
get one home game in the first five weeks of
the season. I know next week counts as a home game,
but it's the furthest game. You're going to play away
from Akroscher Stadium all year, you get one home game
at Akroschure. In the first five weeks of the season,
you have had You've been dealt an unfortunate injury hand
(46:16):
early on in the year on the defensive side of
the football. But you are two and one. You've found
ways to navigate it, and I think Kinger like you
have started to see your best players round into form,
which is encouraging. And I think it's very clear too.
You know, like some of these teams across the NFL
that are zero to three or one and two or
maybe even two and one still kind of trying to
(46:39):
figure out who they are. I think it's so cut
and dry for the Steelers right now where they're playing
well and where they need to improve. I don't think
there's any question marks about who they are, what they
do well, and where they've been struggling. I think it's
all right in front of them now. They just got
to address it. Continue to get better. Every week that
(47:00):
you get better, you know, health fortune here in the
month of October and beyond, and there is you know,
a lot to hang your hat on. At this point.
You have plenty to clean up as well too, but
a lot to grow and and continue to develop at
the same time as well.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
Well. That puts a wrap on a very short week
for us inside the locker room in show number one,
because in show number two, we're going to look forward
to this Minnesota Vikings team that just demolished the Bengals
yesterday and has been up and down, but they're two
and one as well, heading into a huge game in
Croke Park for both teams.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
Again.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
Our buddy Max Starks is over in Ireland, will join us,
rejoin us in the broadcast on Sunday Croke Park and
of course other events coming up later in the week
on radio that you'll hear Max Starks on Wes Uler
capably as always more than capably filling in.
Speaker 3 (47:55):
I look forward to talking to you a little bit
later on today, my friend.
Speaker 4 (47:59):
Looking forward to a partner. Yes, you will join us
on the drive and I will speak to you tomorrow.
I mean, you're gonna be sick of me by the
time we get on this plane.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
Never never, never, never never. And he even slipped in
a couple of Morgantown references. Did the initial WVU Wesley v. Eilder,
Wes thank you very much, my friend appreciated our thanks
to Justin Miller as well, and of course, as always,
thanks to you for listening inside the locker Room with
King and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford
Speaker 3 (48:26):
Store here on this Steeler's Audio Network
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