October 24, 2025 • 47 mins
Missi Matthews joins her broadcast partners for a chat, and the guys share their final thoughts on the matchups heading into the weekend.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Oh yeah, rolling down the road on a Friday Optimist
swinging on by letting us know he's still in tiptop condition.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
He's still listening to the show. By the way, because
it is the Power Hour, our number two here inside
the locker room. But most importantly, will you hear that
beat drop? You know it could only be one person.
It is our favorite member of this triumvirnce and trio
of mysfits on the radio broadcast. It is our team, mom,
(00:33):
the one that keeps us in line, the one, the
only Missy Matthews. How are we doing today, Missy?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm doing great. I'm excited for you. I'm ready to
go big game.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Yeah, so, Missy, the NFL comes out with his stat pack, right,
and we all see the stat pack, so we get
our you know, we all do our research. So we
also part of our research is ination provided to us,
which we glean through and try to figure out what's
pertinent to the game. The NFL's release is roughly I
(01:10):
think it's five pages forty a little over forty percent
of that stat pack this week for this game on
Sunday night is dedicated to Aaron Rodgers because of the
return and by the way, they have three bullet points
on Jordan Love.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Right.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So look, a lot of this game is just revolving
around this sort of Aaron Rodgers revenge or I don't
think i'd call it redemption. Let's call the redemption for
the defense after Thursday night, but the revenge for Aaron Rodgers.
Do you sense any of that as being a motivating
(01:50):
factor for either Aaron Rodgers or for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
His teammates want to win it. You know, the Jets
were the former team drafted you. This is the team
that drafted.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Okay, so we're having some technical difficulties, uh, as we
say in the business, but we're gonna We're gonna get
Missy right back on the horn. And I do think
it's interesting and I do get it, you know, the
the headlines for the game. And by the way, Max,
I've never really been interested in the sort of salacious
(02:32):
you know. Just give me the football or in in
my in my past, uh and and also current lives
in other parts of my profession.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Just give me the hockey game. Just just give me
the just give me the baseball game.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Just give me the game, man, I don't need the
other stuff around it. It's interesting and I understand that
it's it's a drama. It's a drama that is intended
for for the masses, right, It's entertainment.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
It's not just a football game.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And so we're back to Missy and we are talking
about some of the drama, Missy about you know, uh,
the you know, Aaron Rodgers being such a focal point
of this matchup on Sunday night, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And how could he not be. It's the team that
drafted him, it's where you know. He did a zoom
call yesterday with Green Bay media members who have covered
the team and covered probably a majority of his career.
There he said he grew up in Green Bay, you know,
that's where he spent a majority of his football life.
You know, went through the different eatery spots, the local
(03:37):
you know, holes in the walls, talked about the trainers,
the equipment guys, just you know what has meant to him.
I even go back to Week one when we came
to MetLife Stadium when he got off the bus and
the first thing he did was drop his bag to
hug one of the old equipment managers that used to
throw the football with him, you know, and that was
just two years, so you can imagine the relationships in
(03:58):
the bond that he has from eight teen years in
Green Bay. So I think I do agree with Aaron.
He this isn't like a revenge game, but you know
he wants to get that win. He can also, you know,
join a very short list of players who have beat
all thirty two teams. And why would the rest of
(04:19):
the team not rally around him, Not just because they
all want to win, period and get the nasty taste
of the Cincinnati Locks out of their mouths, but also
because it is his former team. And whether it's you know,
kumbaya right now, I'm sure at the time it wasn't
you know, all positive feelings when when the divorce happened.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No, and you're absolutely right, Missy, he would join an
elite group. Only four NFL quarterbacks have done it, So
to become number five on that group would be you know,
a significant milestone and already a prolific career. And you know,
just as the team had been around and you've been
around the team all week, you know, practice is around
(05:05):
the facility. Just what is that? What is that mood?
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Like?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
I mean, I know everybody has to like you said
Kumbai Yai, And you've got you gotta you gotta tow
the company line to a degree and not create bulletin
board material. But do you since a a level of
I mean, and every game is important, So I'm not
trying to like overblow this or overstate it. But is
(05:31):
is there a certain sense of more business like approach
to this, to this week that you know, unlike you know,
a short week which you only have like two days
in the facility. But is there a sense of like
the importance of this game. They sense the importance of this.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Game absolutely, and I think it's almost tightened to a
sense because it has been such a long time since
they've lost in Cincinnati, it's almost worse. Yes, it was
great to have the weekend off and rest their bodies
and you know, get to sit on the couch and
watch football. But obviously a short week takes a toll
on your body. No one liked how that game ended up,
(06:11):
clearly in what was at stake in terms of, you know,
getting a larger lead in the division standings. So I
do think this is you know, it's Sunday night football,
Like there's just so many reasons to want this to
go your way and to prepare as if you know
this is an extremely important game, which it's an extremely
important stretch. You know it goes beyond this Sunday night
(06:31):
game for the Steelers. You watched with the Chargers last
night on Thursday Night Football against the Vikings. You know
that you know you're going out there soon to so far,
so I think a lot is riding on this scheme,
and it's almost bigger than the Aaron Rodgers versus former
team narrative.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, I think that, you know, I think the point
you're making is a good one, Missy about the defense, right, Like,
it's wonderful to have that buy in the in the
middle of the season, but it's way more wonderful after
a win. I just think that you're just doing a
little bit after a loss. And if you're a proud
defense that had turned in three consecutive really strong games
(07:09):
prior to Thursday night, I mean, you almost can't wait,
not almost, you can't wait.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
To get out there.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
So you know, if Aaron Rodgers is the quote unquote
revenge game or whatever you want to call it for
the defense, that there's got to be a redemption factor
they you know, they don't want the last thing on
the resume to be what the last thing on the
resume is that performance Thursday night in Cincinnati, right, And
you know.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Pokeson On always says you are what your record is.
You are what you know you put on tape, and
for that side of the ball, it wasn't good, it
wasn't pretty. You could see the disgusted and discomfort after
the loss in the locker room in Cincinnati. You felt
it back in Pittsburgh, you felt it after a weekend off,
and I like, you're feeling it every day as well
(07:56):
as you get closer and closer. And why would you
not want to, you know, another primetime game, be able
to put the defense that you want out there on tape.
It is front of a nationally televised audience where you
were the only game happening at that time.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, it's one where you get to be in front
of thirty other teams. You are the prime aspects. Some
guys at home earlier on Sunday than others. But you
have to believe everybody's tuning in to watch that, Missy.
I want to also talk about the challenge defensively that
Green Bay presents MICHAELH. Parsons also has like a whole
(08:35):
bunch of like milestones and all that kind of stuff.
Like you talk about this stat pack, it was like
Michah Parsons was right after the laundry list of things
that that Aaron Rodgers has milestone watch on. Then you
had a little bit of Josh Jacobson, a little bit
of Jordan Love. So Michael Parsons is a key element
(08:55):
to this and just his impact. Had a career high
day Sunday against the Cardinals with three sacks in a
single game for him, I just kind of talk about
the challenges that's been discussed as far as knowing where
number one is on the field.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Yeah, I mean it is crazy.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Max.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
When you think that his first three sack game came
last week, you would just think, you know, the way
he wrecks games, that this would have happened prior to that.
But I think you know clearly very acclimated with his
new team and the Green Bay Packers. I mean you
even saw it in his first game that he played
for them. But there was a story I had read
(09:35):
this week about how when the Cowboys were at lambeau Field,
I think it was during his rookie season. After the
game the Packers had won, Aaron Rodgers went up to
Micah Parsons and was like, I want to trade jerseys
with you. And he kind of like looked around and
was like me, like me, you know, like I didn't
sack him, I didn't do anything. He was just like,
(09:58):
I like what I see in you. He saw the effort.
He just saw everything that I think we're seeing now
before it was evident to the you know, general public,
and he said, you know, I will never forget that
how much confidence that gave him in becoming the type
of player that he is. Where As Aaron said this
week and said before we played Cleveland, it's like, you know,
(10:21):
Aaron Donald, JJ Watt, TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, Michaeh Parsons,
there's a very short list of people that you game
plan specifically against because of what they can do. And
as Aaron said, Ben and even said now, Michael Parsons
is one of those guys. So definitely a tall task
for the Steelers offensive line who has been playing I'm
(10:43):
sure as you can attest to so much better than
I think we thought it would at this point, and
what it looked like earlier in the season. The fact
they've kept Aaron safe upright, and you know it's not
going to get any easier as you go through the season,
and the types of players that they're going to be seeing.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yeah, and they've got two great edge rushers because Gary
on the other side is a very good pass rusher
in his own right. And of course that's the pressure
the Steelers put on other teams. Right, you're gonna you're
gonna focus on TJ. Watt Well on the other side,
you got problems, and green Bay backs that up by
being phenomenal against the run. You know, they're throwing that.
They have the nineteen thirty three throwback jerseys coming up
(11:23):
on Sunday night. This is their best rush defense. It's
nineteen thirty three. You know, when teams are basically banging
this single wing at he knew what they were gonna do.
They might throw it twice a game, you know. So
so green Bay's defense is formidable. But that part of
it too, just as I think the Steelers really have
to be vigilant about stopping Josh Jacobs and making trying
(11:47):
to make the Packers one dimensional, not letting him them
just sledgehammer Jacobs at him. The Steelers, we can't forget
that in that loss, they scored thirty one points and
continued the evolution into the running game.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Missy.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
And I'm sure that the Steelers with like nothing better
than to see Jalen Warren Kenneth game, Well, maybe Caleb
Johnson have another big rushing game against another top rushing defense.
And they really statistically they they had a decent game
against Cleveland, but don't forget a lot of those were
kneel downs at the end of the game that made
the numbers look worse. The Steelers ran the ball against
(12:22):
the top rush defense earlier. Now they'll get another opportunity
against the new top rush defense on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, and I think you know Jalen Warren is healthy
after missing that game against the Vikings in Dublin. But
you've also seen what Kenny Gamwo can do and why
the Steelers. You know, he's one of those like not
secret but maybe under the radar free agency signings because
of all of the other crazy signings and traits that
they did. But he proved that when he had the
(12:51):
chance to step up and have a career day, Jalen
had a career day in terms of you know, scrimmage,
yards everything last week in Cincinnati, So I do agree.
I think, you know, when they're able to get that
run going, you're starting to finally see what this Arthur
Smith's offense is supposed to look like. Where you have
to make people commit to stopping you running the ball,
(13:12):
and then it opens things out. Uh, clearly for the
other guys, the tight end we sell Pat Fryer Mouth,
you know, kind of have his game that we're used
to seeing in Cincinnati. So it will be another tall task,
but I think they have proved that they can stick
with the run and it's not something that they need
to you know, get away from quickly and also maybe
(13:33):
help that time of possession thing that I know, Max
you talk about like every week it's the second half
and you're like, man, you know, it's just it keeps
getting worse in terms of those numbers. But I think
eventually it's it's going to have to you know, aid
on their side in terms of not having a shootout,
but being able to stop the other team and also
not giving them a chance to also score.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Now, you're absolutely right, Missy. I mean I preach time
with possession, time of possession, time possession. That's an O
line accident. You've got to control the line of scrimmages.
And that's really one of the few stats that you
just own as an offensive line because it means you're
doing your job. If you're possessing the football, it means
you're converting on third downs. That means you're keeping drivers alive.
That means you're grinding down this defense, and your defense
(14:16):
transversely is sitting on the sidelines getting water logged, which
is a good thing, right, you know, drinking the gatorade,
drinking the water and sitting there and resting up so
that they can go run the next time around. Missy,
I didn't want to focus on another just I think
key factor in this game on the offense side of
the ball is the deployment of tight ends against a
(14:36):
Green Bay defense that doesn't do well against tight ends.
And we got four of them. We love throwing to
all of them. Aaron has unlocked something where when you
find these guys, it's pretty special. And to really look down,
you know, the stat sheet and see that all four
(14:57):
of our tight ends have touchdowns. That doesn't happen. You know,
four tight ends got touchdowns on the season pretty special,
and just how that element and how that's really evolved
I think this season for not only our office, but
just the perception of tight ends because Green Bay has
(15:17):
a good one in Tucker Craft, and they don't really
have that two headed monster. We got a four headed
monster and we got a hydra at tight end. You
know what I'm saying. So you know, I just kind
of talk about just how Aaron disperses the football. I
think that also puts teams in a buying and allows
us to score points.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Well, Max, I was telling rod yesterday when we were
taping our matchup show. Sunday is the unofficial holiday of
National tight End Day, So how would it not be
more appropriate to utilize the Steelers tight ends in the
way that we saw Aaron Rodgers do in Cincinnati last week.
I think it really just started with you knew what
you had in pat fire moves. You knew Johnny Smith,
(15:58):
what his reputation was making the Pro Bowl last year
in Miami and amount of touchdowns that he had. I
think Connor Hayward you were kind of like, I don't
know where, like where is he going to fit in
this offense? But then Darnell Washington, it was like, well
he can block, he's like an extra offensive lineman, Like
that makes sense. And then all of a sudden, you know,
they start throwing the ball to him, and teams are,
you know, thinking he's in there with Spencer Anderson, they're
(16:20):
going to run the ball, and all of a sudden
you see big number eighty, you know, catching a ball
and rumbling down the field because quite frankly, you need
more than one person to stop him, or maybe you
don't want to stop him because he's just so big.
I right, yeah, I mean like it looks like it
hurts when you're watching guys, you know, try to go
(16:41):
after him, or even like the two point conversion I
think it was in the Seattle game. I mean, he's
just so much taller. He just as long as Aaron
puts it up, like he just lifts his hands up.
No one else is getting that. It doesn't matter if
you jumps, so I think, you know, it will be
interesting to see if it's spreading it around a little
bit more like kind of how we saw in Cincinnati,
or if you know, can you get them all to
(17:03):
score a touchdown again? That'd be cool. I'd be here
for it. I just don't think that's completely feasible. And
I think, you know, you can't forget about DK Metcalf
as well, so but it will be definitely. You know,
you talk so much about Pat Fryarmouth and it's a
tight end friendly offense, and we weren't seeing that at first.
But I think, you know, the Cincinnati game definitely unlocks
(17:25):
something and hopefully that's something that continues.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
By the way, I'm still waiting.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I'm still waiting for Spencer Anderson to maybe sneak out
and get a reception and.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Both arms around the ball, though, both arms around the ball.
If that happens.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Who doesn't like a big man touchdown, you know, like
bigger than Darnell Washington. And yeah, Aaron Rodgers had said,
you know, when they started utilizing Spencer Anderson more that
he has really soft hands and you know, he'd like
to get him a touchdown. So I have it in
my notes, and I been waiting, So I'm with.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
You, Rob, Yeah, I don't want to and you bring
up a good point end zone target. I don't think
I want Spencer catching the ball, trying to tuck it
and turning and running, you know, with the way everybody's.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Trying to strip the ball.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Just getting the ball in the end zone, that'll be
that'll be a fun thing to watch, Missy. Thank you
very much, Really appreciate the time as always, and really
looking forward to Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Same. I might be bringing a special treat. Stay tuned o.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
You know, come on, we got to go all out.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Well, luckily one of us will go all out. Max, Jerry,
you're not playing on going all out, are you.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Listen? I don't even know what not going all out is,
so it's kind of a norm for me.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
Well, I think my stomach is rumbling. If that's what
the if that's what if that's what Missy's referring to.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
Okay, We're not going to say anything more, Missy. Thank
you very much. That's it. Sunday.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
See you guys Sunday or mind you you're.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Up at the latest game day in a seton City's
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as we take a look at the way the Steelers
offense will attack Green Bay's defense, a very good defense.
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Speaker 6 (19:46):
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Speaker 4 (20:08):
And thanks very much for being with us and Max.
Now we turn our attention. We've been talking about Jordan Love,
Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft as Packers offense.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Now let's talk about the Steelers offense.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
And it's a formidable challenge, you know, that the Packers
can be had we have seen that. But their consistency
defensively has been very good. And we talked about their
consistency offensively. In five of their six games, they've scored
twenty seven or more points five of their six games.
One of those games they scored forty. The beacon of
(20:43):
hope is that the Browns completely throttled them, completely throttled them.
But when we talk about the Packers defense, I mean
they're one of the most consistent defenses as far as
points allowed. They allowed forty in that tie against Dallas
and the other five games, averaging only seventeen points per
(21:03):
game against. So if you're a Packers fan, you're like, wow,
we're gonna throw out the outlier.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
That's the Cowboys game, you know.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Obviously, if you're the Steelers, who, by the way, only
the second time this century they have started each of
their six games scoring at least seventeen points. So the
Steelers certainly capable of being as explosive against the stingy
Packers defense, mostly Stingy's stingy Packers defense. What do you
think will be the key to unlocking this offense against
(21:34):
the Packers On Sunday night, and I guess probably do
we have to start with those two tackles and some
help against Parsons and Gary and make sure those guys
don't wreck the game.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, I think run game solves a lot of that.
You gotta be a run the football. I mean, I
could come up with all these other great statistics and
I can give you these really numbers and the down
and distance you need to be in to create success.
But at the end of the day, it's a human game.
It's a physical game. In physicality matters. Physicality is why
(22:08):
you get the job done, and running the football effectively
whether it's five or Hey, and even did you see
in the Cardinals game when they were using Kelvin Beachham
as a sixth offensive lineman a lot? How about that? Yeah?
I was like, man, I was like, I was like,
I was like, good to see old Beach fourteen years
in the league. But it's funny, like what the Steelers
(22:29):
have done, teams are now starting to try and duplicate
it right to create their run game. So I think
it was a tip of the cap to the Steelers.
But that kind of just goes to show you, like
the emphasis of the run has to be there and
you have to do it. And then when you get
the single high that's when DK gets to eat. That's
when John Eu and the tight end group and Pat
(22:50):
Fryer move people start to eat. Is when you have
to dedicate that eighth man to the box so force
the issue to get it done. But that's the pace
car for this, for this, for this, for this contest,
you have if you run the ball effectively, and whoever
runs that ball effectively, you know in this game is
(23:10):
going to be the victor. That's just how it's going
to be. Because, like you said, for all those high
motor guys and for all the good things that they do,
they still give you know, the average, and I get
that forty point game kind of throws the average out
of whack, but you know, it's a team that gives
up twenty point eight points a game, and that's that
forty point game, like you said seventeen others but yet
(23:33):
to remember, the Steelers average twenty five points a game
this season. So you know, you have a league tied
for eleventh place with average yards or average points scored
in a game going up against a team that's tied
for tenth. So very similarly matched. Who's going to give
up more in that respect? And I think that's kind
(23:55):
of what I'm leaning on, is that you know, Green
Bay scores six point three, so you got to keep
them slightly below that. We know, we know what the
we know what that forty point game does for your average,
and also we know they've had a ten point game, right,
So this is a team that you're gonna have to
best way to keep them from forty points keep them
(24:19):
on the bench. So I think offensively. So I think
offensively that is the key. You've got to be able
to control the line of scrimmage. You've got to be
able to run the ball effectively and frequently, and that's
going to be my key. That's the one thing that
(24:39):
I'm zeroing in on because I know everything else goes
when that. When that's in place, you know, run game
helps time and possession. Run game helps your play action
pass game and creates single high coverages. DK can do
what DK does, tight End group can do what they
do when they're not blocking. All those things going in
a sense keeps your defense fresh, and then they can
(25:00):
go out and blit and blit and blitz the passer.
They can go out and be more effective with stopping
the run themselves because they're creating that pace car type
of mentality by the offense where they can play fast
and loose because your offense is doing his job. And
that's that's where we were getting. The first quarter of
the Cincinnati game looked like that. It's just somewhere along
(25:21):
the line you lose it with one play. Really kind
of knocks down the house of cars that you built.
But they have proven they can do that and like
I said, only one time they've been held without an
opening drive score in this season. That's a far cry
from what we saw for the previous couple of years.
So knowing that you have that pace, it matters. And
(25:42):
that's what I'm going to be harping on and focusing
it on.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Well, you have a guy at the controls in Aaron Rodgers.
That is a difference maker, I think too, to being
able to unlock the varied skill sets you have. And look,
I think the Packers are hoping Jordan Love could be
that guy. They have some similarities in that they're both
you know, they're both athletic. You know, obviously Jordan Loves
a younger athletic can get out of the pocket and
(26:07):
do some running, much as we saw Aaron Rodgers doing
more of younger.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
In his career.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
But he showed pretty good mobile to the last several games.
They take care of the football in terms of they
don't throw a lot of interceptions. I did want to
have you talk about how Aaron Rodgers can maybe exploit
what the Packers defense does, because look, it's been a
very good defense. It hasn't been quite as good this
(26:31):
Packers defense the last couple of weeks. But Aaron Rodgers can.
I think him at the controls can make a difference.
And I think we've seen that. And again, I think
there's some bad feeling in that. You know, it's some
uneasy here in Steelers. And I'm not saying there shouldn't
be some money easier facing a team it's, as we
said the other day, is fifth in the power rankings.
(26:54):
So that's does that mean anything? No, but it's how
they're perceived around the league. And you're coming off a loss.
But in that loss you scored thirty one points.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Max.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
I still think this offense is going to be able
to move the ball against a good Green Bay defense.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
No, I think I think they can. I think there
is there's room for that. And when you think about,
you know, how this defense does have some good things
that they have going for them. You know, their defense
you know, is not great at fourth downs, the turnovers.
(27:30):
They don't really generate a lot of turnovers as a unit,
which is always a good thing. So that means that
you feel good about a team that's already good with
ball security, you know, is sitting there at a turnover
margin of zero and Steelers are sitting at plus five
(27:50):
for the turnover margin. That's a good place to be
and so you know that they can get after you.
But they're not a ball searching defense. They're just get
a guy to the ground and try and get the
ball out of your hands type of defense. Now they
are they are really good at, you know, being able
to stop the you know, the passing yards per game
(28:12):
they're you know, they're tied for third five yards per pass.
It is a pretty good stat. Plus also, like you said,
they're they're the now leader and rushing yards per game.
As far as giving up those yards, they're they're only
giving up about seventy six almost seventy seven yards a game.
So if you're going to attack them at their strength.
(28:34):
You have to be consistent. You have to be stubborn
and realize three four yard gains are just as good
as those twenty yard explosives at times. Right, it's that consistency.
You can't fall below that consistency of three to four yards.
You've got to keep that type of pace because if
you could do that later in the game, that's when
the big twenty yards come. But you got to chop wood, right.
(28:57):
You gotta gotta swa swing the hand on rocks to
make them in little rocks. And that's what you have
to do because it's not going to be easy. They're
a very prideful group. And like you said, when you're
really good at stopping the rush early on, well, what's
the one biggest demoralizing thing is to be able to
rush a football on that? Right, We saw it against
our squads, so it's gonna be key.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Vince Lombardi used to talk about a different era of football,
not running away from a team's strength, but running at
it and trying to take their heart from them, trying
to take their soul from them by saying, okay, you
stop the run, well guess what not today? And that
you know that leaves in theory the other unit dispirited
by the way. I did want to point out one
(29:38):
thing that that isn't really necessarily one hundred percent germane
to this game, but about these two teams and about
the NFL in general, because fans are coming off this
thirty three thirty one loss. Upset, We're all upset. You're
you're you know, you're trying to steal a game there.
But in that game, and in the New England game
and in the Minnesota game, there were moments where I
(30:00):
thought the Steelers might just blow this team out. They
might they might win going away in New England. They
might win going away in Minnesota, which they almost did.
That was the closest they've come. But New England was early,
and Minnesota and the other game was early. Cincinnati was early,
and opportunities slipped away. I want to bring this up
(30:24):
because this happens in the NFL all the time. We
wind up talking about two or three plays that wind
up turning a game. Green Bay tied Dallas. Green Bay
was dominating the game, dominating, and McManus gets an extra
point block that's gonna put him up fourteen to nothing. Right,
(30:44):
routine kick, the extra point boom, Dallas returns at for touchdown,
returns out for two points. I mean, they go on
their first real drive of the game. They make a
big play down in the field, the George pickens, they
wind up scoring a touchdown, and then green Bay, now
up thirteen to nine, decides to press things with you know,
(31:04):
just about twenty seconds left in.
Speaker 5 (31:08):
The first half, Love stripsack.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
They wind up recovering the ball and I think it
was the very next play they score a touchdown.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
So here you are.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
You have dominated dominated twenty six out of the thirty
minutes of the first half, and you go into halftime
and you're trailing. It is stunning what can happen and
happen quickly in the NFL. I'm just pointing that out
because for everybody that says, oh my gosh, these things
only happen to this Steelers, No, they happen all over
the league to other good teams as well.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
There, I just wanted to point that out.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
So Max, the offensive line, you know, you're going against
a very active linebacking group. It is a four to
two group, right that is their base defense. Four down linemen,
two linebackers. Those linebackers Cooper and qua Walker can move,
(32:02):
they're effective, they're very good players. But there's only six
big guys out there. I suspect that with all the
talk about how you're gonna get Metcalf loosen, Yes, they're
gonna take their shots to Metcalf. What kind of a
factor will Cavan Austin have coming back? The tight ends,
all the other stuff. I would I would have to
(32:23):
believe that if you're going against a six man unit,
that we might see a lot of Spencer Anderson and
a lot of Darnell Washington. And even though this team's
been effective stopping to run man, I would be tempted
to come out with some big guys and be like, look,
we're just bigger than you, and we're gonna manhandle you.
I don't know if that's what they're gonna do because
the I'm sure other teams you just mentioned the Cardinals
(32:45):
have tried to do that against the Packers. But isn't
that tempting to look at that and say let's go
big and mash it at him?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
I would, I would say so. I would. I would
definitely line on Spencer Anderson and say, I dare you
to stop us if you're gonna run base in it,
let's see. Let's see if you can stop in base
nickel and you know, be able to address some of
those issues. Like you said, at least keep the pace
early until the guys get some confidence. Now you know
the edge. Obviously that's a different situation. That's passing situations.
(33:15):
But if you run the ball effectively, you could run
and you can pass off of that run with the
same run action. That's what you do, and that's what
good teams do. And I think the Steelers team, like
I said, is a good team and they could possibly
get into the great category with consistency. But it all
starts with the run. And if you need Spinster Anderson,
you feel comfortable. He's now your new security blanket. Do it.
(33:39):
Do it. There's no secrets left. Like you know, you're
in the season. You're trying to win games and this
is a common opponent. This counts in the division races
and for all you know, all the good will you
quote unquote lost after losing to Cincinnati, you go beat
green Bay and that gives you a little bit extra
in that tiebreaker category. So you want to do that
because green Bay is gonna face all four AFC North teams,
(34:00):
So get it out the way, play your best guys.
Don't sit there and pull punches, because you have to
get this type of game. This is a game that matters.
It's on prime time as well. This is now back
to back primetime games for the Steelers, and everybody's gonna
be watching, and they're gonna be wondering does Aaron Rodgers
(34:22):
still have it? Is this team? For real? Look how
much money you spend on the defense. Is it a
wasted investment or is it or is it a brilliant investment.
Time will only tell you've got to But it all
starts with the run. The run makes everybody else looks good.
And if you need it with Spencer Ersting, you feel
like you can do it without him because it's a
four to two nickel. I'm fine with that, but I'm
(34:44):
here to tell you that if you do decide to
use Spencer interested, it's gonna be as an asset to
your office. Now, it only creates you know, about two
maybe three passers in that situation, because you lose a
tight end, you lose a flexibility. But I really don't
think that that's the case for this team. I think
it's just a matter of confidence. It's a matter of
(35:07):
blocking those assignments and seeing guys stay on blocks instead
of slipping off of blocks. That's gonna be the real
key to getting everything going.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Yeah, I'd like to see Parsons and Gary moving backward
and I also backwards. I also think that you know
this is a team. As we mentioned earlier, and circling
back to the tight end conversation, green Bay has been
targeted a lot by opposing teams with their tight ends.
No team targets their tight ends more than the Steelers
run the ball go jumbo. That means two tight ends
(35:37):
out there, little play action to those tight ends. Occasionally,
now you see DK metcalf, maybe they start to creep
up to try to stop that run. You get DK
on the outside, maybe on the other side of Keyshawn
Nixon going against Hobbs or Valentine, get them one on
one up that left sideline, just saying man, I can
(35:58):
see it, Max, I can visual is it?
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Okay? Okay? Signal caller, all right, now, put on the
headset down sideline, Arthur King or Rob Smith. I mean,
I feel I feel that I feel that old QB
coming out in you where you want to just direct traffic.
You were like, listen, listen, we got the goods, we
got the goods, We're gonna deploy them misdirection, right, let's
(36:22):
do it. And and let's let's But I think it
really does really come down to keeping the pace right,
because when you keep the pace, you dictate, you dictate
the actions. And for the Steelers that's been a really
good thing. And like I said last week, I mean,
you know, I thought Arthur was called a hell of
(36:43):
a game two games in a row. Cleveland. Cleveland was great.
You know, he had he had the right he had
the right calls it. But Cincinnati, there was some good
trickery there. There was some there were some good moments
that could have been had just missed opportunities. But they're
on the cusps were on the verge of breaking that
open and they can and they can pile on points
(37:04):
in a hurry, just like Green Bay did. They kind
of catch up to Dallas and everything. They could still
put up points in a hurry. So that's why you
have to bleed as much clock as possible, so you
don't really give them as many opportunities to do that.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
Yeah, and again I think that and just real quick
because there's an old offensive lineman. I think once again,
you know Foutano and Broderick Jones. Three of the last
four games, Aaron Rodgers has not been sacked, and I
think that's gone maybe a little unnoticed. I think people
are gonna say, wow, no Trey Hendrickson in this game
against Cincinnati, so he didn't have much to fear in
(37:40):
other games having Spencer Anderson out there, and you know,
the quick release by Aaron Rodgers, you know, sort of
mitigated the rush effect of the other teams and helped
out those offensive linemen.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
So how real is that?
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Well, look, I understand all those arguments, but again we're
gonna find out right where.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I mean, these guys are going.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
To face a and I'm actually saying to find out
that's that's unfair because we saw Joe Walt having his
troubles last night and in instances in that game against
Grenard and some of the pass rushers for the Vikings.
And it's hard to get much better than Joe Walt.
But this will be a big test for those young guys,
and this will be an opportunity for them to maybe
get some notice if they can keep Gary and Parsons
(38:21):
at bay.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Yeah, no, I mean this is this is the next
this is the next step. I mean we talked about it,
but Miles Garrett was highly ineffective for for a tough
Browns defensive unit that's really good. So yeah, you got
Micah and you got Rashaan, but guess what they play
on the outside primarily. Yeah, they will come in on
the inside, but only on known passing UH situations. They're
(38:45):
not getting in there and trying to toss it up
in the run game. So when you can create the
same personnel groupings, the same four maces and run different
things off of it, that's where you're going to have
your advantage, and that's where you're going to take care
of take advantage of them, because think about this, you're
in the third medium Michael Parson lines up at de
tackle even though the twist is coming. But yeah, you
(39:06):
feel confident in your run game, you're going to run
right at him in those moments like you don't run
right at him off the edge, right, you don't run right,
don't you don't try and play the waiting game with him.
He has a clock in his head and he has
a bunch of pass root rush moves at his disposal,
so he's going to be cognizant of that. But I
think that's the other thing that makes it kind of
(39:29):
cat and mousey chess versus checkers. The gamesmanship involved in
it is watching how that's going to play out, and
I would love to say the Steelers have been consistent
with that over the last couple of weeks. But once again,
I know you're only as good as as last film
you put out, but you've got to take it as
(39:50):
an emphasis. You've got to run the football. You've got
to be in position to be in third and short medium.
You know, that's what makes green Bays offense so good
and why they're would convert because they're getting in the
third shorts. Any team that gets in the third shorts
should have the advantage. It's when you miss and you
get that third and medium right, that three to five
(40:10):
zone you get in the long situations, which is nine plus.
And you couple that with the drops you would think
for well for the green Bay offense, meaning the deep
drop of of Jordan Love. Not just they're dropping things
from a past catching standpoint, but you've got to be
(40:31):
able to generate. You've got to be able to be bullyish.
I want this to be a bully game. That's what
I'm calling for. I'm calling for. Bring on the bullies,
bring on the Shenanigans, bring the hooligans, bring the fanatics.
Whatever it takes to get up there and get the
fans excited. You got to utilize and with our offense,
(40:54):
they can be prolific. But right now we need we
need the grinders. We need the grinding approach. You need
to ground and grind out of victory the old fashioned way,
because I think that's gonna go a lot for taking
the tempo and the mood and the morale of that,
of that sideline and of that locker room. Is when
you can go out and you can feel confident, like,
when's the last time we've averaged twenty five points a game.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
Rob, Right, That's been a very long time, right late Ben?
Speaker 2 (41:18):
So right, Yeah, that's about it. So this this is
an opportunity to build upon that legacy as you move
forward throughout this season.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
So the Steelers taking me on the Packers, We're going
to finish things up. Can't wait till the Sunday night
football matchup. Some final thoughts. We continue in the Locker
Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers
Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
The F one.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
Fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and
by Steelers Pro. Get it direct from the team at
the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop Dog Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
All right, we are inside the final segment. But we
all know what time it is. This the bell lap.
That's right, early lunch warning system tem minus six minutes. Still,
it's the noon o'clock hour, and you've got to forge
this last noon foraging work opportunity. Unless you work on
(42:34):
the weekends like we do, you know, take advantage of
this opportunity. It's a Friday, think about what you want
to accomplish. Sunday night football is far away, you know.
Do you go light because you know you're gonna have
a heavier, longer Sunday getting the game day and those
brats and those you know, those those those nachos and
what paro GI's and all the good stuff that's gonna happen,
(42:58):
you know, is a little bit delayed. But or do
you take the opportunity and do you just go ahead
and say, you know, it is Friday, Collies don't count
after twelve noon. I want to enjoy myself a little bit.
That's the quandary that you're in. But I digress. This
is our final segment of the week, so I turned
(43:19):
it back over to.
Speaker 5 (43:20):
The Great Rolph King to come out. I'm hungry.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Hey. Last night.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
Just wanted to say this really quickly as we sort
of put the weekend into perspective. The weekends begins with
the Chargers suddenly looking like the Chargers of earlier in
the season. They just demolished the Vikings. That was never
a game, that was a one sided beat down. And
then prior to the game, so that begins things prior
to the game, which doesn't end the weekend the Packers.
(43:47):
It's two's on Sunday night, but it gets as close
to the end. Jets at the Bengals, Browns at the Patriots,
Bears at the Ravens. Don't want the Browns getting any
thoughts that maybe they are anything more than what they are,
which is two and five team at New England, the
Jets of the Bengals, the Bears at the Ravens. You know,
I don't know if I have much hope for the
(44:07):
Jets at the Bengals, but the Bears at the Ravens.
Bears are won four in a row, Ravens coming out
of the break. I think that's a really really interesting game.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Max.
Speaker 4 (44:15):
That, along with the Packers at Steelers is you know,
we hopefully we have these teams at arm's length at
the end of the weekend, but certainly cause for concern
or certainly get your attention heading into this weekend slated
games in the AFC North.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
It absolutely does. But I mean, when you're a war daddy,
you know, bumps, bruises of a physical nature are part
with this job. I think you try and be cautious
because you got younger guys involved, But we know what
this game means, we know what's at stake, and you
kind of push through that pain. You kind of push
through those things, and I don't expect that to hinder
(44:55):
the capabilities of the Morgantown Maler. So I'm feeling really
good that things will be okay. Obviously we'll get the
final report card sheet today. But it is something new,
something to keep keep aware of. But you know, Zach,
Zach's tough, and I feel like he will be a
guy that when it's all said and done, he should
(45:16):
he should be president accounted for him. Hoping it's nothing
big and you can put on a sleeve on the leg.
I mean, the technology today, Rob that's available to to
these young guys is amazing. What you can put on.
You know, every guy's gotta got an arm sleeve now,
you know, to help every every defensive lineman feels like,
where's an elbow brace? You know, so you could you
(45:38):
can brace it and go. You could, you could, you
can put something there to keep everything tight. So so
the strain doesn't feel any worse than what it what
it originally was. You know, you wear you hat, the
compression pants and stuff. I remember I you know, I
had a pull on my groin once I throw on
these these these uh like it almost is like a
girdle and it's a it was a compression style pant.
Speaker 4 (46:02):
And let let's stop with almost like it was a girdle.
It was a girdle like material. Okay, all right, girdle
like thing.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
It was more of a knee, a prene type of deal.
So it's girdle like this, you know.
Speaker 5 (46:18):
I'm sorry, yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
So so so. I I feel I feel okay going
into the game. But let's you know, let's just stop there.
I feel I feel good about going to the game.
Max Starks, You're the best, my friend. Enjoyed this week
looking forward to Sunday night. I mean, I can't wait.
I I really can't wait. A Battle of Division.
Speaker 4 (46:36):
Leaders Marquee matchup on Sunday night, all the tremendous storylines.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
Uh, but I.
Speaker 5 (46:43):
Look forward to seeing you on Sunday night, my friend.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
I look forward to seeing you as well, Sir. A
time is going to be had and I cannot wait
for this showdown against the against the Packers, all right.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us our thanks to
Justin Miller for being into controls format. Starks, I'm rob king,
thanks for being in the Locker Room, presented by your
neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Oh yeah, rolling down the road on a Friday Optimist
swinging on by letting us know he's still in tiptop condition.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
He's still listening to the show. By the way, because
it is the Power Hour, our number two here inside
the locker room. But most importantly, will you hear that
beat drop? You know it could only be one person.
It is our favorite member of this triumvirnce and trio
of mysfits on the radio broadcast. It is our team, mom,
(00:33):
the one that keeps us in line, the one, the
only Missy Matthews. How are we doing today, Missy?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm doing great. I'm excited for you. I'm ready to
go big game.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Yeah, so, Missy, the NFL comes out with his stat pack, right,
and we all see the stat pack, so we get
our you know, we all do our research. So we
also part of our research is ination provided to us,
which we glean through and try to figure out what's
pertinent to the game. The NFL's release is roughly I
(01:10):
think it's five pages forty a little over forty percent
of that stat pack this week for this game on
Sunday night is dedicated to Aaron Rodgers because of the
return and by the way, they have three bullet points
on Jordan Love.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Right.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So look, a lot of this game is just revolving
around this sort of Aaron Rodgers revenge or I don't
think i'd call it redemption. Let's call the redemption for
the defense after Thursday night, but the revenge for Aaron Rodgers.
Do you sense any of that as being a motivating
(01:50):
factor for either Aaron Rodgers or for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
His teammates want to win it. You know, the Jets
were the former team drafted you. This is the team
that drafted.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Okay, so we're having some technical difficulties, uh, as we
say in the business, but we're gonna We're gonna get
Missy right back on the horn. And I do think
it's interesting and I do get it, you know, the
the headlines for the game. And by the way, Max,
I've never really been interested in the sort of salacious
(02:32):
you know. Just give me the football or in in
my in my past, uh and and also current lives
in other parts of my profession.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Just give me the hockey game. Just just give me
the just give me the baseball game.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Just give me the game, man, I don't need the
other stuff around it. It's interesting and I understand that
it's it's a drama. It's a drama that is intended
for for the masses, right, It's entertainment.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
It's not just a football game.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And so we're back to Missy and we are talking
about some of the drama, Missy about you know, uh,
the you know, Aaron Rodgers being such a focal point
of this matchup on Sunday night, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And how could he not be. It's the team that
drafted him, it's where you know. He did a zoom
call yesterday with Green Bay media members who have covered
the team and covered probably a majority of his career.
There he said he grew up in Green Bay, you know,
that's where he spent a majority of his football life.
You know, went through the different eatery spots, the local
(03:37):
you know, holes in the walls, talked about the trainers,
the equipment guys, just you know what has meant to him.
I even go back to Week one when we came
to MetLife Stadium when he got off the bus and
the first thing he did was drop his bag to
hug one of the old equipment managers that used to
throw the football with him, you know, and that was
just two years, so you can imagine the relationships in
(03:58):
the bond that he has from eight teen years in
Green Bay. So I think I do agree with Aaron.
He this isn't like a revenge game, but you know
he wants to get that win. He can also, you know,
join a very short list of players who have beat
all thirty two teams. And why would the rest of
(04:19):
the team not rally around him, Not just because they
all want to win, period and get the nasty taste
of the Cincinnati Locks out of their mouths, but also
because it is his former team. And whether it's you know,
kumbaya right now, I'm sure at the time it wasn't
you know, all positive feelings when when the divorce happened.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No, and you're absolutely right, Missy, he would join an
elite group. Only four NFL quarterbacks have done it, So
to become number five on that group would be you know,
a significant milestone and already a prolific career. And you know,
just as the team had been around and you've been
around the team all week, you know, practice is around
(05:05):
the facility. Just what is that? What is that mood?
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Like?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
I mean, I know everybody has to like you said
Kumbai Yai, And you've got you gotta you gotta tow
the company line to a degree and not create bulletin
board material. But do you since a a level of
I mean, and every game is important, So I'm not
trying to like overblow this or overstate it. But is
(05:31):
is there a certain sense of more business like approach
to this, to this week that you know, unlike you know,
a short week which you only have like two days
in the facility. But is there a sense of like
the importance of this game. They sense the importance of this.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Game absolutely, and I think it's almost tightened to a
sense because it has been such a long time since
they've lost in Cincinnati, it's almost worse. Yes, it was
great to have the weekend off and rest their bodies
and you know, get to sit on the couch and
watch football. But obviously a short week takes a toll
on your body. No one liked how that game ended up,
(06:11):
clearly in what was at stake in terms of, you know,
getting a larger lead in the division standings. So I
do think this is you know, it's Sunday night football,
Like there's just so many reasons to want this to
go your way and to prepare as if you know
this is an extremely important game, which it's an extremely
important stretch. You know it goes beyond this Sunday night
(06:31):
game for the Steelers. You watched with the Chargers last
night on Thursday Night Football against the Vikings. You know
that you know you're going out there soon to so far,
so I think a lot is riding on this scheme,
and it's almost bigger than the Aaron Rodgers versus former
team narrative.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, I think that, you know, I think the point
you're making is a good one, Missy about the defense, right, Like,
it's wonderful to have that buy in the in the
middle of the season, but it's way more wonderful after
a win. I just think that you're just doing a
little bit after a loss. And if you're a proud
defense that had turned in three consecutive really strong games
(07:09):
prior to Thursday night, I mean, you almost can't wait,
not almost, you can't wait.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
To get out there.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
So you know, if Aaron Rodgers is the quote unquote
revenge game or whatever you want to call it for
the defense, that there's got to be a redemption factor
they you know, they don't want the last thing on
the resume to be what the last thing on the
resume is that performance Thursday night in Cincinnati, right, And
you know.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Pokeson On always says you are what your record is.
You are what you know you put on tape, and
for that side of the ball, it wasn't good, it
wasn't pretty. You could see the disgusted and discomfort after
the loss in the locker room in Cincinnati. You felt
it back in Pittsburgh, you felt it after a weekend off,
and I like, you're feeling it every day as well
(07:56):
as you get closer and closer. And why would you
not want to, you know, another primetime game, be able
to put the defense that you want out there on tape.
It is front of a nationally televised audience where you
were the only game happening at that time.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, it's one where you get to be in front
of thirty other teams. You are the prime aspects. Some
guys at home earlier on Sunday than others. But you
have to believe everybody's tuning in to watch that, Missy.
I want to also talk about the challenge defensively that
Green Bay presents MICHAELH. Parsons also has like a whole
(08:35):
bunch of like milestones and all that kind of stuff.
Like you talk about this stat pack, it was like
Michah Parsons was right after the laundry list of things
that that Aaron Rodgers has milestone watch on. Then you
had a little bit of Josh Jacobson, a little bit
of Jordan Love. So Michael Parsons is a key element
(08:55):
to this and just his impact. Had a career high
day Sunday against the Cardinals with three sacks in a
single game for him, I just kind of talk about
the challenges that's been discussed as far as knowing where
number one is on the field.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Yeah, I mean it is crazy.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Max.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
When you think that his first three sack game came
last week, you would just think, you know, the way
he wrecks games, that this would have happened prior to that.
But I think you know clearly very acclimated with his
new team and the Green Bay Packers. I mean you
even saw it in his first game that he played
for them. But there was a story I had read
(09:35):
this week about how when the Cowboys were at lambeau Field,
I think it was during his rookie season. After the
game the Packers had won, Aaron Rodgers went up to
Micah Parsons and was like, I want to trade jerseys
with you. And he kind of like looked around and
was like me, like me, you know, like I didn't
sack him, I didn't do anything. He was just like,
(09:58):
I like what I see in you. He saw the effort.
He just saw everything that I think we're seeing now
before it was evident to the you know, general public,
and he said, you know, I will never forget that
how much confidence that gave him in becoming the type
of player that he is. Where As Aaron said this
week and said before we played Cleveland, it's like, you know,
(10:21):
Aaron Donald, JJ Watt, TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, Michaeh Parsons,
there's a very short list of people that you game
plan specifically against because of what they can do. And
as Aaron said, Ben and even said now, Michael Parsons
is one of those guys. So definitely a tall task
for the Steelers offensive line who has been playing I'm
(10:43):
sure as you can attest to so much better than
I think we thought it would at this point, and
what it looked like earlier in the season. The fact
they've kept Aaron safe upright, and you know it's not
going to get any easier as you go through the season,
and the types of players that they're going to be seeing.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yeah, and they've got two great edge rushers because Gary
on the other side is a very good pass rusher
in his own right. And of course that's the pressure
the Steelers put on other teams. Right, you're gonna you're
gonna focus on TJ. Watt Well on the other side,
you got problems, and green Bay backs that up by
being phenomenal against the run. You know, they're throwing that.
They have the nineteen thirty three throwback jerseys coming up
(11:23):
on Sunday night. This is their best rush defense. It's
nineteen thirty three. You know, when teams are basically banging
this single wing at he knew what they were gonna do.
They might throw it twice a game, you know. So
so green Bay's defense is formidable. But that part of
it too, just as I think the Steelers really have
to be vigilant about stopping Josh Jacobs and making trying
(11:47):
to make the Packers one dimensional, not letting him them
just sledgehammer Jacobs at him. The Steelers, we can't forget
that in that loss, they scored thirty one points and
continued the evolution into the running game.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Missy.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
And I'm sure that the Steelers with like nothing better
than to see Jalen Warren Kenneth game, Well, maybe Caleb
Johnson have another big rushing game against another top rushing defense.
And they really statistically they they had a decent game
against Cleveland, but don't forget a lot of those were
kneel downs at the end of the game that made
the numbers look worse. The Steelers ran the ball against
(12:22):
the top rush defense earlier. Now they'll get another opportunity
against the new top rush defense on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, and I think you know Jalen Warren is healthy
after missing that game against the Vikings in Dublin. But
you've also seen what Kenny Gamwo can do and why
the Steelers. You know, he's one of those like not
secret but maybe under the radar free agency signings because
of all of the other crazy signings and traits that
they did. But he proved that when he had the
(12:51):
chance to step up and have a career day, Jalen
had a career day in terms of you know, scrimmage,
yards everything last week in Cincinnati, So I do agree.
I think, you know, when they're able to get that
run going, you're starting to finally see what this Arthur
Smith's offense is supposed to look like. Where you have
to make people commit to stopping you running the ball,
(13:12):
and then it opens things out. Uh, clearly for the
other guys, the tight end we sell Pat Fryer Mouth,
you know, kind of have his game that we're used
to seeing in Cincinnati. So it will be another tall task,
but I think they have proved that they can stick
with the run and it's not something that they need
to you know, get away from quickly and also maybe
(13:33):
help that time of possession thing that I know, Max
you talk about like every week it's the second half
and you're like, man, you know, it's just it keeps
getting worse in terms of those numbers. But I think
eventually it's it's going to have to you know, aid
on their side in terms of not having a shootout,
but being able to stop the other team and also
not giving them a chance to also score.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Now, you're absolutely right, Missy. I mean I preach time
with possession, time of possession, time possession. That's an O
line accident. You've got to control the line of scrimmages.
And that's really one of the few stats that you
just own as an offensive line because it means you're
doing your job. If you're possessing the football, it means
you're converting on third downs. That means you're keeping drivers alive.
That means you're grinding down this defense, and your defense
(14:16):
transversely is sitting on the sidelines getting water logged, which
is a good thing, right, you know, drinking the gatorade,
drinking the water and sitting there and resting up so
that they can go run the next time around. Missy,
I didn't want to focus on another just I think
key factor in this game on the offense side of
the ball is the deployment of tight ends against a
(14:36):
Green Bay defense that doesn't do well against tight ends.
And we got four of them. We love throwing to
all of them. Aaron has unlocked something where when you
find these guys, it's pretty special. And to really look down,
you know, the stat sheet and see that all four
(14:57):
of our tight ends have touchdowns. That doesn't happen. You know,
four tight ends got touchdowns on the season pretty special,
and just how that element and how that's really evolved
I think this season for not only our office, but
just the perception of tight ends because Green Bay has
(15:17):
a good one in Tucker Craft, and they don't really
have that two headed monster. We got a four headed
monster and we got a hydra at tight end. You
know what I'm saying. So you know, I just kind
of talk about just how Aaron disperses the football. I
think that also puts teams in a buying and allows
us to score points.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Well, Max, I was telling rod yesterday when we were
taping our matchup show. Sunday is the unofficial holiday of
National tight End Day, So how would it not be
more appropriate to utilize the Steelers tight ends in the
way that we saw Aaron Rodgers do in Cincinnati last week.
I think it really just started with you knew what
you had in pat fire moves. You knew Johnny Smith,
(15:58):
what his reputation was making the Pro Bowl last year
in Miami and amount of touchdowns that he had. I
think Connor Hayward you were kind of like, I don't
know where, like where is he going to fit in
this offense? But then Darnell Washington, it was like, well
he can block, he's like an extra offensive lineman, Like
that makes sense. And then all of a sudden, you know,
they start throwing the ball to him, and teams are,
you know, thinking he's in there with Spencer Anderson, they're
(16:20):
going to run the ball, and all of a sudden
you see big number eighty, you know, catching a ball
and rumbling down the field because quite frankly, you need
more than one person to stop him, or maybe you
don't want to stop him because he's just so big.
I right, yeah, I mean like it looks like it
hurts when you're watching guys, you know, try to go
(16:41):
after him, or even like the two point conversion I
think it was in the Seattle game. I mean, he's
just so much taller. He just as long as Aaron
puts it up, like he just lifts his hands up.
No one else is getting that. It doesn't matter if
you jumps, so I think, you know, it will be
interesting to see if it's spreading it around a little
bit more like kind of how we saw in Cincinnati,
or if you know, can you get them all to
(17:03):
score a touchdown again? That'd be cool. I'd be here
for it. I just don't think that's completely feasible. And
I think, you know, you can't forget about DK Metcalf
as well, so but it will be definitely. You know,
you talk so much about Pat Fryarmouth and it's a
tight end friendly offense, and we weren't seeing that at first.
But I think, you know, the Cincinnati game definitely unlocks
(17:25):
something and hopefully that's something that continues.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
By the way, I'm still waiting.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I'm still waiting for Spencer Anderson to maybe sneak out
and get a reception and.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Both arms around the ball, though, both arms around the ball.
If that happens.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Who doesn't like a big man touchdown, you know, like
bigger than Darnell Washington. And yeah, Aaron Rodgers had said,
you know, when they started utilizing Spencer Anderson more that
he has really soft hands and you know, he'd like
to get him a touchdown. So I have it in
my notes, and I been waiting, So I'm with.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
You, Rob, Yeah, I don't want to and you bring
up a good point end zone target. I don't think
I want Spencer catching the ball, trying to tuck it
and turning and running, you know, with the way everybody's.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Trying to strip the ball.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Just getting the ball in the end zone, that'll be
that'll be a fun thing to watch, Missy. Thank you
very much, Really appreciate the time as always, and really
looking forward to Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Same. I might be bringing a special treat. Stay tuned o.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
You know, come on, we got to go all out.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Well, luckily one of us will go all out. Max, Jerry,
you're not playing on going all out, are you.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Listen? I don't even know what not going all out is,
so it's kind of a norm for me.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
Well, I think my stomach is rumbling. If that's what
the if that's what if that's what Missy's referring to.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
Okay, We're not going to say anything more, Missy. Thank
you very much. That's it. Sunday.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
See you guys Sunday or mind you you're.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Up at the latest game day in a seton City's
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(19:19):
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as we take a look at the way the Steelers
offense will attack Green Bay's defense, a very good defense.
On Sunday night, we'll return in the Locker Room presented
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Speaker 6 (19:46):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingyon Starks on
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Speaker 4 (20:08):
And thanks very much for being with us and Max.
Now we turn our attention. We've been talking about Jordan Love,
Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft as Packers offense.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Now let's talk about the Steelers offense.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
And it's a formidable challenge, you know, that the Packers
can be had we have seen that. But their consistency
defensively has been very good. And we talked about their
consistency offensively. In five of their six games, they've scored
twenty seven or more points five of their six games.
One of those games they scored forty. The beacon of
(20:43):
hope is that the Browns completely throttled them, completely throttled them.
But when we talk about the Packers defense, I mean
they're one of the most consistent defenses as far as
points allowed. They allowed forty in that tie against Dallas
and the other five games, averaging only seventeen points per
(21:03):
game against. So if you're a Packers fan, you're like, wow,
we're gonna throw out the outlier.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
That's the Cowboys game, you know.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Obviously, if you're the Steelers, who, by the way, only
the second time this century they have started each of
their six games scoring at least seventeen points. So the
Steelers certainly capable of being as explosive against the stingy
Packers defense, mostly Stingy's stingy Packers defense. What do you
think will be the key to unlocking this offense against
(21:34):
the Packers On Sunday night, and I guess probably do
we have to start with those two tackles and some
help against Parsons and Gary and make sure those guys
don't wreck the game.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, I think run game solves a lot of that.
You gotta be a run the football. I mean, I
could come up with all these other great statistics and
I can give you these really numbers and the down
and distance you need to be in to create success.
But at the end of the day, it's a human game.
It's a physical game. In physicality matters. Physicality is why
(22:08):
you get the job done, and running the football effectively
whether it's five or Hey, and even did you see
in the Cardinals game when they were using Kelvin Beachham
as a sixth offensive lineman a lot? How about that? Yeah?
I was like, man, I was like, I was like,
I was like, good to see old Beach fourteen years
in the league. But it's funny, like what the Steelers
(22:29):
have done, teams are now starting to try and duplicate
it right to create their run game. So I think
it was a tip of the cap to the Steelers.
But that kind of just goes to show you, like
the emphasis of the run has to be there and
you have to do it. And then when you get
the single high that's when DK gets to eat. That's
when John Eu and the tight end group and Pat
(22:50):
Fryer move people start to eat. Is when you have
to dedicate that eighth man to the box so force
the issue to get it done. But that's the pace
car for this, for this, for this, for this contest,
you have if you run the ball effectively, and whoever
runs that ball effectively, you know in this game is
(23:10):
going to be the victor. That's just how it's going
to be. Because, like you said, for all those high
motor guys and for all the good things that they do,
they still give you know, the average, and I get
that forty point game kind of throws the average out
of whack, but you know, it's a team that gives
up twenty point eight points a game, and that's that
forty point game, like you said seventeen others but yet
(23:33):
to remember, the Steelers average twenty five points a game
this season. So you know, you have a league tied
for eleventh place with average yards or average points scored
in a game going up against a team that's tied
for tenth. So very similarly matched. Who's going to give
up more in that respect? And I think that's kind
(23:55):
of what I'm leaning on, is that you know, Green
Bay scores six point three, so you got to keep
them slightly below that. We know, we know what the
we know what that forty point game does for your average,
and also we know they've had a ten point game, right,
So this is a team that you're gonna have to
best way to keep them from forty points keep them
(24:19):
on the bench. So I think offensively. So I think
offensively that is the key. You've got to be able
to control the line of scrimmage. You've got to be
able to run the ball effectively and frequently, and that's
going to be my key. That's the one thing that
(24:39):
I'm zeroing in on because I know everything else goes
when that. When that's in place, you know, run game
helps time and possession. Run game helps your play action
pass game and creates single high coverages. DK can do
what DK does, tight End group can do what they
do when they're not blocking. All those things going in
a sense keeps your defense fresh, and then they can
(25:00):
go out and blit and blit and blitz the passer.
They can go out and be more effective with stopping
the run themselves because they're creating that pace car type
of mentality by the offense where they can play fast
and loose because your offense is doing his job. And
that's that's where we were getting. The first quarter of
the Cincinnati game looked like that. It's just somewhere along
(25:21):
the line you lose it with one play. Really kind
of knocks down the house of cars that you built.
But they have proven they can do that and like
I said, only one time they've been held without an
opening drive score in this season. That's a far cry
from what we saw for the previous couple of years.
So knowing that you have that pace, it matters. And
(25:42):
that's what I'm going to be harping on and focusing
it on.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Well, you have a guy at the controls in Aaron Rodgers.
That is a difference maker, I think too, to being
able to unlock the varied skill sets you have. And look,
I think the Packers are hoping Jordan Love could be
that guy. They have some similarities in that they're both
you know, they're both athletic. You know, obviously Jordan Loves
a younger athletic can get out of the pocket and
(26:07):
do some running, much as we saw Aaron Rodgers doing
more of younger.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
In his career.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
But he showed pretty good mobile to the last several games.
They take care of the football in terms of they
don't throw a lot of interceptions. I did want to
have you talk about how Aaron Rodgers can maybe exploit
what the Packers defense does, because look, it's been a
very good defense. It hasn't been quite as good this
(26:31):
Packers defense the last couple of weeks. But Aaron Rodgers can.
I think him at the controls can make a difference.
And I think we've seen that. And again, I think
there's some bad feeling in that. You know, it's some
uneasy here in Steelers. And I'm not saying there shouldn't
be some money easier facing a team it's, as we
said the other day, is fifth in the power rankings.
(26:54):
So that's does that mean anything? No, but it's how
they're perceived around the league. And you're coming off a loss.
But in that loss you scored thirty one points.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Max.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
I still think this offense is going to be able
to move the ball against a good Green Bay defense.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
No, I think I think they can. I think there
is there's room for that. And when you think about,
you know, how this defense does have some good things
that they have going for them. You know, their defense
you know, is not great at fourth downs, the turnovers.
(27:30):
They don't really generate a lot of turnovers as a unit,
which is always a good thing. So that means that
you feel good about a team that's already good with
ball security, you know, is sitting there at a turnover
margin of zero and Steelers are sitting at plus five
(27:50):
for the turnover margin. That's a good place to be
and so you know that they can get after you.
But they're not a ball searching defense. They're just get
a guy to the ground and try and get the
ball out of your hands type of defense. Now they
are they are really good at, you know, being able
to stop the you know, the passing yards per game
(28:12):
they're you know, they're tied for third five yards per pass.
It is a pretty good stat. Plus also, like you said,
they're they're the now leader and rushing yards per game.
As far as giving up those yards, they're they're only
giving up about seventy six almost seventy seven yards a game.
So if you're going to attack them at their strength.
(28:34):
You have to be consistent. You have to be stubborn
and realize three four yard gains are just as good
as those twenty yard explosives at times. Right, it's that consistency.
You can't fall below that consistency of three to four yards.
You've got to keep that type of pace because if
you could do that later in the game, that's when
the big twenty yards come. But you got to chop wood, right.
(28:57):
You gotta gotta swa swing the hand on rocks to
make them in little rocks. And that's what you have
to do because it's not going to be easy. They're
a very prideful group. And like you said, when you're
really good at stopping the rush early on, well, what's
the one biggest demoralizing thing is to be able to
rush a football on that? Right, We saw it against
our squads, so it's gonna be key.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Vince Lombardi used to talk about a different era of football,
not running away from a team's strength, but running at
it and trying to take their heart from them, trying
to take their soul from them by saying, okay, you
stop the run, well guess what not today? And that
you know that leaves in theory the other unit dispirited
by the way. I did want to point out one
(29:38):
thing that that isn't really necessarily one hundred percent germane
to this game, but about these two teams and about
the NFL in general, because fans are coming off this
thirty three thirty one loss. Upset, We're all upset. You're
you're you know, you're trying to steal a game there.
But in that game, and in the New England game
and in the Minnesota game, there were moments where I
(30:00):
thought the Steelers might just blow this team out. They
might they might win going away in New England. They
might win going away in Minnesota, which they almost did.
That was the closest they've come. But New England was early,
and Minnesota and the other game was early. Cincinnati was early,
and opportunities slipped away. I want to bring this up
(30:24):
because this happens in the NFL all the time. We
wind up talking about two or three plays that wind
up turning a game. Green Bay tied Dallas. Green Bay
was dominating the game, dominating, and McManus gets an extra
point block that's gonna put him up fourteen to nothing. Right,
(30:44):
routine kick, the extra point boom, Dallas returns at for touchdown,
returns out for two points. I mean, they go on
their first real drive of the game. They make a
big play down in the field, the George pickens, they
wind up scoring a touchdown, and then green Bay, now
up thirteen to nine, decides to press things with you know,
(31:04):
just about twenty seconds left in.
Speaker 5 (31:08):
The first half, Love stripsack.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
They wind up recovering the ball and I think it
was the very next play they score a touchdown.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
So here you are.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
You have dominated dominated twenty six out of the thirty
minutes of the first half, and you go into halftime
and you're trailing. It is stunning what can happen and
happen quickly in the NFL. I'm just pointing that out
because for everybody that says, oh my gosh, these things
only happen to this Steelers, No, they happen all over
the league to other good teams as well.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
There, I just wanted to point that out.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
So Max, the offensive line, you know, you're going against
a very active linebacking group. It is a four to
two group, right that is their base defense. Four down linemen,
two linebackers. Those linebackers Cooper and qua Walker can move,
(32:02):
they're effective, they're very good players. But there's only six
big guys out there. I suspect that with all the
talk about how you're gonna get Metcalf loosen, Yes, they're
gonna take their shots to Metcalf. What kind of a
factor will Cavan Austin have coming back? The tight ends,
all the other stuff. I would I would have to
(32:23):
believe that if you're going against a six man unit,
that we might see a lot of Spencer Anderson and
a lot of Darnell Washington. And even though this team's
been effective stopping to run man, I would be tempted
to come out with some big guys and be like, look,
we're just bigger than you, and we're gonna manhandle you.
I don't know if that's what they're gonna do because
the I'm sure other teams you just mentioned the Cardinals
(32:45):
have tried to do that against the Packers. But isn't
that tempting to look at that and say let's go
big and mash it at him?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
I would, I would say so. I would. I would
definitely line on Spencer Anderson and say, I dare you
to stop us if you're gonna run base in it,
let's see. Let's see if you can stop in base
nickel and you know, be able to address some of
those issues. Like you said, at least keep the pace
early until the guys get some confidence. Now you know
the edge. Obviously that's a different situation. That's passing situations.
(33:15):
But if you run the ball effectively, you could run
and you can pass off of that run with the
same run action. That's what you do, and that's what
good teams do. And I think the Steelers team, like
I said, is a good team and they could possibly
get into the great category with consistency. But it all
starts with the run. And if you need Spinster Anderson,
you feel comfortable. He's now your new security blanket. Do it.
(33:39):
Do it. There's no secrets left. Like you know, you're
in the season. You're trying to win games and this
is a common opponent. This counts in the division races
and for all you know, all the good will you
quote unquote lost after losing to Cincinnati, you go beat
green Bay and that gives you a little bit extra
in that tiebreaker category. So you want to do that
because green Bay is gonna face all four AFC North teams,
(34:00):
So get it out the way, play your best guys.
Don't sit there and pull punches, because you have to
get this type of game. This is a game that matters.
It's on prime time as well. This is now back
to back primetime games for the Steelers, and everybody's gonna
be watching, and they're gonna be wondering does Aaron Rodgers
(34:22):
still have it? Is this team? For real? Look how
much money you spend on the defense. Is it a
wasted investment or is it or is it a brilliant investment.
Time will only tell you've got to But it all
starts with the run. The run makes everybody else looks good.
And if you need it with Spencer Ersting, you feel
like you can do it without him because it's a
four to two nickel. I'm fine with that, but I'm
(34:44):
here to tell you that if you do decide to
use Spencer interested, it's gonna be as an asset to
your office. Now, it only creates you know, about two
maybe three passers in that situation, because you lose a
tight end, you lose a flexibility. But I really don't
think that that's the case for this team. I think
it's just a matter of confidence. It's a matter of
(35:07):
blocking those assignments and seeing guys stay on blocks instead
of slipping off of blocks. That's gonna be the real
key to getting everything going.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Yeah, I'd like to see Parsons and Gary moving backward
and I also backwards. I also think that you know
this is a team. As we mentioned earlier, and circling
back to the tight end conversation, green Bay has been
targeted a lot by opposing teams with their tight ends.
No team targets their tight ends more than the Steelers
run the ball go jumbo. That means two tight ends
(35:37):
out there, little play action to those tight ends. Occasionally,
now you see DK metcalf, maybe they start to creep
up to try to stop that run. You get DK
on the outside, maybe on the other side of Keyshawn
Nixon going against Hobbs or Valentine, get them one on
one up that left sideline, just saying man, I can
(35:58):
see it, Max, I can visual is it?
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Okay? Okay? Signal caller, all right, now, put on the
headset down sideline, Arthur King or Rob Smith. I mean,
I feel I feel that I feel that old QB
coming out in you where you want to just direct traffic.
You were like, listen, listen, we got the goods, we
got the goods, We're gonna deploy them misdirection, right, let's
(36:22):
do it. And and let's let's But I think it
really does really come down to keeping the pace right,
because when you keep the pace, you dictate, you dictate
the actions. And for the Steelers that's been a really
good thing. And like I said last week, I mean,
you know, I thought Arthur was called a hell of
(36:43):
a game two games in a row. Cleveland. Cleveland was great.
You know, he had he had the right he had
the right calls it. But Cincinnati, there was some good
trickery there. There was some there were some good moments
that could have been had just missed opportunities. But they're
on the cusps were on the verge of breaking that
open and they can and they can pile on points
(37:04):
in a hurry, just like Green Bay did. They kind
of catch up to Dallas and everything. They could still
put up points in a hurry. So that's why you
have to bleed as much clock as possible, so you
don't really give them as many opportunities to do that.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
Yeah, and again I think that and just real quick
because there's an old offensive lineman. I think once again,
you know Foutano and Broderick Jones. Three of the last
four games, Aaron Rodgers has not been sacked, and I
think that's gone maybe a little unnoticed. I think people
are gonna say, wow, no Trey Hendrickson in this game
against Cincinnati, so he didn't have much to fear in
(37:40):
other games having Spencer Anderson out there, and you know,
the quick release by Aaron Rodgers, you know, sort of
mitigated the rush effect of the other teams and helped
out those offensive linemen.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
So how real is that?
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Well, look, I understand all those arguments, but again we're
gonna find out right where.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I mean, these guys are going.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
To face a and I'm actually saying to find out
that's that's unfair because we saw Joe Walt having his
troubles last night and in instances in that game against
Grenard and some of the pass rushers for the Vikings.
And it's hard to get much better than Joe Walt.
But this will be a big test for those young guys,
and this will be an opportunity for them to maybe
get some notice if they can keep Gary and Parsons
(38:21):
at bay.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Yeah, no, I mean this is this is the next
this is the next step. I mean we talked about it,
but Miles Garrett was highly ineffective for for a tough
Browns defensive unit that's really good. So yeah, you got
Micah and you got Rashaan, but guess what they play
on the outside primarily. Yeah, they will come in on
the inside, but only on known passing UH situations. They're
(38:45):
not getting in there and trying to toss it up
in the run game. So when you can create the
same personnel groupings, the same four maces and run different
things off of it, that's where you're going to have
your advantage, and that's where you're going to take care
of take advantage of them, because think about this, you're
in the third medium Michael Parson lines up at de
tackle even though the twist is coming. But yeah, you
(39:06):
feel confident in your run game, you're going to run
right at him in those moments like you don't run
right at him off the edge, right, you don't run right,
don't you don't try and play the waiting game with him.
He has a clock in his head and he has
a bunch of pass root rush moves at his disposal,
so he's going to be cognizant of that. But I
think that's the other thing that makes it kind of
(39:29):
cat and mousey chess versus checkers. The gamesmanship involved in
it is watching how that's going to play out, and
I would love to say the Steelers have been consistent
with that over the last couple of weeks. But once again,
I know you're only as good as as last film
you put out, but you've got to take it as
(39:50):
an emphasis. You've got to run the football. You've got
to be in position to be in third and short medium.
You know, that's what makes green Bays offense so good
and why they're would convert because they're getting in the
third shorts. Any team that gets in the third shorts
should have the advantage. It's when you miss and you
get that third and medium right, that three to five
(40:10):
zone you get in the long situations, which is nine plus.
And you couple that with the drops you would think
for well for the green Bay offense, meaning the deep
drop of of Jordan Love. Not just they're dropping things
from a past catching standpoint, but you've got to be
(40:31):
able to generate. You've got to be able to be bullyish.
I want this to be a bully game. That's what
I'm calling for. I'm calling for. Bring on the bullies,
bring on the Shenanigans, bring the hooligans, bring the fanatics.
Whatever it takes to get up there and get the
fans excited. You got to utilize and with our offense,
(40:54):
they can be prolific. But right now we need we
need the grinders. We need the grinding approach. You need
to ground and grind out of victory the old fashioned way,
because I think that's gonna go a lot for taking
the tempo and the mood and the morale of that,
of that sideline and of that locker room. Is when
you can go out and you can feel confident, like,
when's the last time we've averaged twenty five points a game.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
Rob, Right, That's been a very long time, right late Ben?
Speaker 2 (41:18):
So right, Yeah, that's about it. So this this is
an opportunity to build upon that legacy as you move
forward throughout this season.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
So the Steelers taking me on the Packers, We're going
to finish things up. Can't wait till the Sunday night
football matchup. Some final thoughts. We continue in the Locker
Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers
Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
The F one.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
Fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and
by Steelers Pro. Get it direct from the team at
the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop Dog Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
All right, we are inside the final segment. But we
all know what time it is. This the bell lap.
That's right, early lunch warning system tem minus six minutes. Still,
it's the noon o'clock hour, and you've got to forge
this last noon foraging work opportunity. Unless you work on
(42:34):
the weekends like we do, you know, take advantage of
this opportunity. It's a Friday, think about what you want
to accomplish. Sunday night football is far away, you know.
Do you go light because you know you're gonna have
a heavier, longer Sunday getting the game day and those
brats and those you know, those those those nachos and
what paro GI's and all the good stuff that's gonna happen,
(42:58):
you know, is a little bit delayed. But or do
you take the opportunity and do you just go ahead
and say, you know, it is Friday, Collies don't count
after twelve noon. I want to enjoy myself a little bit.
That's the quandary that you're in. But I digress. This
is our final segment of the week, so I turned
(43:19):
it back over to.
Speaker 5 (43:20):
The Great Rolph King to come out. I'm hungry.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Hey. Last night.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
Just wanted to say this really quickly as we sort
of put the weekend into perspective. The weekends begins with
the Chargers suddenly looking like the Chargers of earlier in
the season. They just demolished the Vikings. That was never
a game, that was a one sided beat down. And
then prior to the game, so that begins things prior
to the game, which doesn't end the weekend the Packers.
(43:47):
It's two's on Sunday night, but it gets as close
to the end. Jets at the Bengals, Browns at the Patriots,
Bears at the Ravens. Don't want the Browns getting any
thoughts that maybe they are anything more than what they are,
which is two and five team at New England, the
Jets of the Bengals, the Bears at the Ravens. You know,
I don't know if I have much hope for the
(44:07):
Jets at the Bengals, but the Bears at the Ravens.
Bears are won four in a row, Ravens coming out
of the break. I think that's a really really interesting game.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Max.
Speaker 4 (44:15):
That, along with the Packers at Steelers is you know,
we hopefully we have these teams at arm's length at
the end of the weekend, but certainly cause for concern
or certainly get your attention heading into this weekend slated
games in the AFC North.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
It absolutely does. But I mean, when you're a war daddy,
you know, bumps, bruises of a physical nature are part
with this job. I think you try and be cautious
because you got younger guys involved, But we know what
this game means, we know what's at stake, and you
kind of push through that pain. You kind of push
through those things, and I don't expect that to hinder
(44:55):
the capabilities of the Morgantown Maler. So I'm feeling really
good that things will be okay. Obviously we'll get the
final report card sheet today. But it is something new,
something to keep keep aware of. But you know, Zach,
Zach's tough, and I feel like he will be a
guy that when it's all said and done, he should
(45:16):
he should be president accounted for him. Hoping it's nothing
big and you can put on a sleeve on the leg.
I mean, the technology today, Rob that's available to to
these young guys is amazing. What you can put on.
You know, every guy's gotta got an arm sleeve now,
you know, to help every every defensive lineman feels like,
where's an elbow brace? You know, so you could you
(45:38):
can brace it and go. You could, you could, you
can put something there to keep everything tight. So so
the strain doesn't feel any worse than what it what
it originally was. You know, you wear you hat, the
compression pants and stuff. I remember I you know, I
had a pull on my groin once I throw on
these these these uh like it almost is like a
girdle and it's a it was a compression style pant.
Speaker 4 (46:02):
And let let's stop with almost like it was a girdle.
It was a girdle like material. Okay, all right, girdle
like thing.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
It was more of a knee, a prene type of deal.
So it's girdle like this, you know.
Speaker 5 (46:18):
I'm sorry, yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
So so so. I I feel I feel okay going
into the game. But let's you know, let's just stop there.
I feel I feel good about going to the game.
Max Starks, You're the best, my friend. Enjoyed this week
looking forward to Sunday night. I mean, I can't wait.
I I really can't wait. A Battle of Division.
Speaker 4 (46:36):
Leaders Marquee matchup on Sunday night, all the tremendous storylines.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
Uh, but I.
Speaker 5 (46:43):
Look forward to seeing you on Sunday night, my friend.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
I look forward to seeing you as well, Sir. A
time is going to be had and I cannot wait
for this showdown against the against the Packers, all right.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us our thanks to
Justin Miller for being into controls format. Starks, I'm rob king,
thanks for being in the Locker Room, presented by your
neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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