November 11, 2025 • 44 mins
The guys talk to Bob Labriola at the top of the hour to converse on the state of the team, then Rob and Max dive into league power rankings.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
All right, that's how Lets you know, we are cruising
into the power hour hour number two here inside the
locker room, and we are joined by Steve colleague in
(00:46):
the Steelers family. And you know, we won't say we've
proclaimed him the Steelers history and he might try and
downplay it a little bit, but we know the history,
the facts and the brain that resides in this individual,
the one, the only editor in chief of Steelers Digest,
(01:06):
that would be the one. Bob Labriola Labs, how are
we doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
What a salutation?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That is?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What's going on? Lab?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Seriously? I mean I am never I never cease to
be amazed at Max Your wordsmithing. These intros are always different.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
I'm I'm you know, I'm in awe.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I'd say I'm speechless, but that's not what you're looking
for in this segment.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
No, no, no, no, that's well, put Bob, that's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
We need you speechful, speechful of this segment.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That's exactly right. Speechful, labs your take on before we
give you kind of our take and wonder if you
agree with it or whatever or what you saw. You
tell us your take on on what you saw Sunday
night in.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
La if you need it in a word, and you know,
the offense has to be better, uh, in a lot
of different ways. You know, Aaron Rodgers was pretty hard
(02:16):
on himself after the game in his own assessment. Uh.
And you know I'll defer to his expertise. You know,
I don't uh, just I don't think the Steelers can
win if he doesn't play as he did in the
(02:38):
first eight games of the season. I mean, just to me,
the way that the offense has been built, not only
in terms of personnel, but in you know, the scheme and.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know the the.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Receiving corps or as Mike palmery first to them, the eligibles,
it being a you know, a tight end centric group.
And then you have DK Metcalf really as the only
proven NFL playmaker at wide receiver. The running game is
I think it's a nice compliment I don't think it's
(03:15):
the kind of powerhouse running game led by a guy
like the Colts have, for example, in Jonathan Taylor that
you know, can dominate an opponent. And so you know,
you got to have Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers, and
he wasn't that. I remember seeing a stat It was,
(03:38):
you know, in the fourth quarter, earlier in the fourth quarter,
or let me say this early enough in the first
fourth quarter that the Steelers had yet to convert a
third down, which is frightening. But you know, he was
on pace for career lows in several statistical categories, uh
(04:01):
in you know, game statistical categories, rating I don't love.
For completion percentage I think was one of them. When
you think of all the games that Aaron Rodgers has played,
that that's an eye opening stat you know, when he's
that deep into a game and you know he's threatening,
(04:23):
you know, some of the all time lows in his
individual career in some of those categories. I think that
says a lot about the performance and a lot about
when you looked at that performance and then looked at
the score and the way the game was unfolding, you
see the importance of him to this team this season.
So you know, I'm not here to write his obituary,
(04:46):
his professional obituary, and I don't believe that he's done
or anything. But my take on the game is, and
this is the way it was with Ben too. If
your quarterback plays like that, you know, when you're a quarterback,
when you have a franchise quarterback, you know, an actual
(05:06):
not just someone who carries that title, but that guy
who is actually that, and he plays bad, you can't
win against the good opponent, just scan't.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And I think labs as we kind of you know,
saw that, and and I'm wrestling with a lot of
the mis miscues, right the miscues in this game, the
lack of being able to play up. And there's one
(05:40):
resounding thing and I kind of hinted at it earlier,
and I talked about it yesterday, just them not being
up for night games the same way that we're used
to in the past. Like they still don't have a
primetime win this season. We played three primetime games already,
and it just it seems like, for whatever reason, there's
(06:03):
a hitch in the gidea up in that and you know,
I struggle to find like kind of my answer to that.
Of course, I took the social media after the game
and I made kind of a little joke about it
that the Steelers are zero to two when Brandy and
Monica play across the street at a venue that we're
playing the game at the same time, because that's actually
(06:26):
what happened in Cincinnati. We had the game there in
Cincinnati at pay Corps, and then right next door at
the other venue, Brandy and Monica concert was going on
to last you know, Sunday night, We're at SOFI the
Keya Forum as a Brandybodica concert, and as I'm walking
to find my uber, the concert is still going on
over there, and I'm like, this is way too coincidental
(06:49):
to be zero for two on the day. So it
was just it was one of those things that I
just I struggle with how they can get up for
these type of games. Like you said that, I mean,
we've traveled to Ireland and had a game at an
off odd hour versus what we're used to and the
guys perform, performed well and then you see that, but
(07:13):
but the nighttime has been something. I mean, it's something
I know, We've had a bad Thursday night away game schedule.
But that's one that's been very just very frustrating to see.
And I can't remember recent history. Uh, still searching for
that first primetime win at this point the end of
the year.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Yeah, I mean and and and storty to reveal my
act the date on my actual birth certificate. But I
have no idea who Brandy and Monica are.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
It's all good. It's nineties R and B labs.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I don't worry about it.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Okay, So I don't think, you know, I kind of
pay attention to, you know, some of the happenings, you
know Pittsburgh, you know, live music and stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And I don't remember any Brandy in Monica having a
concert date in Pittsburgh in December, which will be another
Primetime game. Uh, you know, the Monday night game against
the Dolphins. So hey, Max, maybe we got a shot there.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Well, I'm definitely there. Yeah, I've had called the fire
marshall before before their video starts. Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, but the first play of the game, the first
play of the game andres pte false start. Yeah, I mean,
I mean I don't and you know, I'm not like
a lot of the you know, the social media world
that you know, you quickly jump on the coaches for that.
(08:46):
And the guy's been in the league eleven years. And
you know, I remember a training camp one year. It
was shortly after you know, Bill Cower was hired in
nineteen ninety two. Ron Earhart was the offensive coordinator and
I remember him going off on someone alignment or someone
(09:08):
during an eleven eleven uh eleven on eleven period and
he was screaming at the guy. You know, he said,
you can't count to two. He said games are lost,
Championships are lost because guys like you can't count to two.
And that's the you know, that's kind of the way
(09:29):
I was looking at that. How can you how can
you jump on the first snap of the game. You know,
I don't know, and you're a veteran. It's not like
it was his first start ever or you know what
what I just and I'm not laying it all on
him or any of that kind of thing, but that
(09:49):
just to me was emblematic of the kind of day
it was going to be. And there were other you know,
penalties called or uncalled that I thought were mistakes. You know,
the holding penalty on that seven yard run by Caleb
(10:10):
Johnson down inside the red zone certainly didn't help, you know,
just you can't do stuff like that. I mean, you
can't self inflicted wounds on a day when you know
you're fighting for your life and a lot of the
other aspects of the game, you know, those unforced airs
(10:32):
you can't have that, you.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Just can't, you know, Labs, I think there's you know,
there's a tendency maybe to look for a pattern for fans,
you know, or maybe just assume that one game is
a pattern. You know, Aaron Rodgers. Look, I agree with
your assessment. Aaron Rodgers did not That's that's not the
kind of game that we saw him play the first
(10:55):
you know, eight weeks of the season, where I think
he's been phenomenal. But if I'm looking for a trend
for this team, that is now worrisome. You know, I'm
a believer that you stack wins early and you start
to find your identity, and you start to find the
things you're good at and maybe the few weaknesses along
the way too, as you head into hopefully meaningful games
(11:17):
in December. The biggest issue for me the thread that
has gone through this team. And you know, I understand
again the caveat you have to win the game that's
in front of you. Doesn't matter if you win time
at possession, if you score enough points. But they've got
to get more first downs. They've got to possess the
ball longer they've got it. Can't be three and out,
(11:41):
three and out, three and out. Oh we got to turnover.
Now we scored a touchdown, you know, and listen, I'm
oversimplifying it. That hasn't been the case necessarily. But the
inability to extend drives hurts your offense, hurts your ability
to get into a continuity that is going to lead
to success, has your defense on the field too often.
(12:01):
I just think, if I'm looking at one trend that's
worrisome to me that needs to be reversed, it is
that way too many three outs, not enough long drives,
or just even drives.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I don't disagree. I mean, in the plays, the
number of offensive plays on Sunday nights, the Chargers had
a nineteen play advantage. I think it was sixty nine
to fifty. And the time of possession is reflective of that.
And yes, everything you said, Rob is a function of
(12:36):
not being able to possess the ball not converting on
third downs, you know. And I don't know what the
answer is, but it didn't seem to me, and you
guys had a much better advantage of it in the booth.
On third downs I'm speaking about, didn't seem to be
(12:57):
a lot of people open. I agree, And you know,
Pat Fryermouth set after the game. You know that the
eligibles have to do a better job of getting open,
you know, And I refuse to accept that. These guys,
(13:19):
they're all veterans, you know, like John hus Smith as
an example, and I'm just picking his name out. John
Whu Smith has been doing this for a long time,
and he has a lot of catches in this league
for a lot of first downs. I don't believe that
all of a sudden he can't get open. I don't
think he lost it on the on the trip from
Miami to La Trope. So I don't know what the
(13:43):
answer is, but just the visual of it doesn't look
good in terms of you can't say. And it's another thing,
you know, if the quarterback was somebody else during the
days of Kenny Pickett or you know those people, Mitch Trubisky,
you could say, well, he's holding the ball too long.
You know, he's got to see it and deliver it
(14:03):
and all that stuff. Well, Aaron Rodgers doesn't have that problem.
So if you're open, uh, he'll throw you the ball.
And if he's not throwing it, then you're not open.
So again, I don't know what. I don't know what
the answer is. And the again, a lot of the
knee jerk reaction is is that the play call is
(14:25):
bad or you know, whatever that kind of stuff is.
But I mean, I again, h I mean, that can't
be the answer. It can't be that every time there
isn't anyone open, it's a bad play.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Laughs.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I think it's something that you know, it's it's a
combination of everybody has to be in it to win it,
and it takes eleven. I think that's where, you know,
unlike a lot of other sports, you can have one
or two guys take over a game, right you know, basketball,
one guy can take over a game, right you know.
(15:05):
I mean we have countless stories and adaptations of watching
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, right, I mean, doctor j Kareem
abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson. We could see how Larry Bird.
We could see how one guy can take over a game.
You can't do that in the NFL. Like everybody has
(15:26):
to be on their p's and q's, and you can't
have anybody that is off or you miss. I mean,
you could have a guy be a little late every
once in a while on something and it happens in
your direction, but for the most part, you have to be,
you know, all in concert. Like you know, the old
(15:48):
phrase is if one's wrong, we're all wrong, right, Or
if we're all gonna be wrong, let's be wrong together.
Like that's kind of how it is. And I think
for the Steelers that's a prime example of you know,
just it went when you're not on the same page.
You know, quarterback is a little jittery and he has
happy feet, or you know your offensive line you miss
(16:10):
a block, guy comes Scott Free and you knew that
you had a wide open hole when the running back
made the cut and it had disappeared all of a sudden, defensively,
I jumped out of a gap and because I thought
I could make a play on this, and then all
of a sudden it turns into a huge, gashing run
play or a guy steps up, tries to jump around
on a double move, like all of these things, you
(16:31):
can't have that. Everybody else can play great, but everybody
has to be on the same page. And I think
that's what also makes it tough. And the easiest excuse it,
like you said, is bad play. It's a bad play call. Well,
if the play was ran how they designed it and
drew it up, it should be successful. But humans play
this game, and humans also unfortunately messes the game up.
Every once in a while, you mess up, you miss
(16:52):
the play. That's what we have missed as signmons some
mental errors. But you're right, I think that's something that
you look at and they just they weren't all that
were on the field at one time. We're not all
on the same page.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
And sometimes yes, and you know, the really frustrating thing
for me is I've seen it when it's working this year,
so it can work. It has worked. Now you're just
talking about, you know, doing it on a consistent basis,
(17:25):
doing it more times than once in a row. And again,
I don't I don't know the answer to that. Why
that is not happening. I guess I'm gonna go with you, Max.
You know, everybody has to kind of everybody in that
locker room kind of has to get into themselves a
little bit and uh, you know, one for all and
(17:48):
all for one kind of thing and make that commitment
to themselves and you know, to everybody else. And it
has to come from I think it has to come
from each and each individual. You know, it's not something
that can be talked or you know, beat into them
(18:11):
during practice or you know, yelled at into them during
meetings or I don't know, Pep talked into them the
night before the game or any of that stuff. I mean,
it has to be something that, uh, I don't know
is inside each each man. I guess you know. Sorry,
I don't have more answers for you all tonight today,
(18:33):
but I I'm I'm flumuxed by this to some degree.
But whatever it is, it needs to change and or
stop now because uh five and four. You know, Aaron
Rodgers kept saying, you know, it's still one game ahead
(18:53):
in the ASC North, which is a mathematical fact. But
when you look at trends, you know, the Steelers are
not trending well and the Ravens are. Now you can
explain that away by the quality of their competition and
all that other kind of stuff and pick apart the
different aspects of their game. And hey, I like doing
(19:13):
that too, because you know, everybody hates the Ravens, but
the fact is that they are winning and playing better
each week in certain areas and the Steelers are not.
So you know, your one game lead on November today
is November the eleventh. I mean, there are meaningless things
(19:38):
in professional football, but I don't know that there's anything
more meaningless than that having a one game lead before Thanksgiving,
because that's you know, that's like putting up one notes
pretty windy outside right now here in Pittsburgh, PA, you know,
(20:01):
putting up an outdoor umbrella in this weather and expecting
it to, you know, not blow away. So hey, Bengals
on Sunday, uh rematch with Joe Flacco. I don't know,
Hopefully something happens. It's not a night game, Max, No,
(20:25):
Mandy and Brittany or whatever that conference.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Lab Labs full disclosure. Youngest person I've seen in concert
this year I think is sixty three or sixty four
years old. That's the youngest person I've seen in concert
this year.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Well with Brandy, as I always say, there's a reason
that it's called classic rock.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
So true Labs Labs, thank you very much, my friend,
appreciate it and look forward to seeing you if before then,
certainly Sunday at Akroshuer.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Stadium one pm.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Don't be late, I plan to be there in time.
Tuesdays with Labs is presented by UPMC, the official healthcare
provider and health plan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Have not
really dived into the Joe Burrow return as it relates
to the Bengals. That's a team, of course that we're
going to be spending a lot of this week getting
you ready for. We will talk about that. Well, look
(21:26):
at the latest power rankings. How are the Steelers now
perceived after this loss? Perceived nationally after this loss on
Sunday Night Football. We'll let you know when we continue
in the Locker Room presented by our neighborhood Ford Store
in the Studer's Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network. And thank you very
(21:47):
much for being with us.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
I don't know if you can hear my dog barking.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
In the back. We've had a dog day. The dogs
are howling, Max. We let the dogs out. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
They have been on full till on twelve, and I'm
just like, oh gosh, because he's dead most of the time,
as far as like he's just lying on his pet
bed in my office and dead to the world, like snoring.
He's on his back, his legs, his legs are up.
I mean, it's it's almost embarrassing, like if somebody was
(22:18):
just to look in like randomly, You're like, what is
your dog doing? And he just knocked out. But the
second one knock, one little thing happens. He's twelve, and
I had my door open to my office, so he
ran out my office, ran to the front door. There's
a window right there. He's jumping on the way. I'm
(22:39):
like like trying to like whisper yell at my dog.
You know, you know what that is, because like we're
on air, I'm like, I don't want to hear anybody
hear me yelling, you know, to try and get him
to calm down. And then he comes in and it
was it was a water delivery guy, you know, bringing
bringing the you know, the jugs, and I made the mistake.
(23:00):
I was like I was trying to get his attention.
I thought my dog was still in the other room
and trying to come around and like, hey, you know,
just drop it right here, and he darts outside. Than
now I gotta chase him because I'm like, he's he's
He's circling the guy like a shark and barking and jumping,
and I'm just like, oh my god. So yeah, so
so apologies for that interruption, but yeah, dogs are They're special.
(23:23):
They're special. They are man's best friend, but they're also
like man's enigma at times.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah. I I call my nickname my dog the velvet
tank Stella, because she will plow through anything. You know,
She's like a field, an old field Irish Setter, not
the not the total skinny, tall ones but more of
the boxier ones that were that were made to you know,
go out and not that I knew when I was
getting I just got an Irish Setter. Anyway, she'll plower
(23:51):
out it stuff. But like Irish Setter, if you drop
a twig behind her, she jumps about thirty feet in
the air, stops whatever she's doing and sniffing at and
just runs away with your tail between your lakes. So
any delivery man comes up that means bark, uh, So
we had a delivery man, so that meant bark anyway.
Are you ready for the We're gonna go athletic power
(24:12):
rankings today, Not athletic as in we're athletic, but the
we certainly you are, Max, but the the power rankings
from the outfit called the athletic. Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
I am ready to rock and roll?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Number one, same number one as a week ago. They
won last night. Max. Who do you got?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, Philly Chief Steak, excellent Birds.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
So, much to your chagrin, we are going to be
very NFC heavy here the top. I know that this
Eagles one, Rams two, Seahawks three.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I cannot cannot argue it. And
you got two teams at the MC West and we
just watched both of them put forty on on their
opponents in that in that afternoon slate. Remember we're talking
about that. The three afternoon games were all all all
teams scored forty plus points and the losers scored no
more than twenty two points. So it was a large
(25:13):
margin of victory for both the Rams and the Seahawks
as they took on one was a division rival. Actually
both of were division games. I take that back because
the Rams played the played the forty nine ers. No, no, yeah,
play forty nine ers and uh and Seahawks played the Cardinals,
so I mean, you know, definitely distancing themselves in that
(25:34):
NFC West race and you know, establishing themselves. And then
of course we watched the Philly the ten to seven
just absolute struggle game that was a zero zero tie
at halftime. So yep, no surprise their top three.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
So, by the way, and we're gonna see the Lions
here in a moment in this ranking. Eagles against the
Lions on Sunday night, Rams at the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.
So you're saying two versus three and a little sneak
(26:09):
ahead one versus five. That is a weekend, man, that's
a weekend. We're going to be getting getting home in
time to watch from Akrosher in time to watch the
second half of the Seahawks and Rams. And at least
I am are you flying back out?
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Yes I am, Yes I am, because I have to
be ready for this show right and early Monday morning.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Yes you do. But anyway, great, thank you for doing
that great day of football on Sunday. As far as
you know, maybe starting to give us a better idea here.
I know I'm a big believer in let's get to December,
but man, that's going to give us at a little idea,
(26:57):
a little sneak peek about the value of these teams. Okay,
so we have the top perk.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Your butts, park your butts on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Culture four. I'm gonna pay that eating too. They're on
a buye.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
They're going to a buye, going into a buye. You know,
they just came from Berlin and they won the game
and in overtime against the Falcons, who you know, we
can't make heads or tails. Who the Falcons are? Sounds familiar.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
So the cards to me, they they're they're tough, Max, Like,
you know, you beat them and you kind of should
beat them, but you beat them, and you also feel
good about beating because they're they're they're good. They're good,
they're I shouldn't say that they're not good. Their records
aren't good, but they can give you a struggle. They
can they're capable of beating you, so kudos to them.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
They beat the Bills. Let's think about that. They beat
the Bills handedly, right, right, So it's a team that's
just an enigma. Like when they get up and when
they have everything clicking on all cylinders, you know, a
very tough team to stop. But like you said, the
inconsistencies is what puts them in the category.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
That they're in. Yes, so I mentioned the Lions, five, Patriots, six,
Broncos seven, Tampa Bay eight Chargers, nine Packers ten anything
that you the Bucks only drop four spots. You know,
(28:29):
I'm beginning to pay things maybe New England. And by
the way, to throw out the weirdness of this season,
and you know where the Steelers fit in the hierarchy
of things. The Colts and the Patriots have four losses
between them, They are combined sixteen and four. Two of
(28:51):
those losses have come to the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah, yep, I was just about to thank two, I mean,
two of the three top AFC teams or yeah, yeah,
the top four AFC teams, two of the four we've beaten,
and they're the two highest seated of the four we've lost,
you know, to the Chargers. Just now, who was the
lower of those four. Obviously we hadn't played the Broncos,
(29:15):
so that's just crazy to think. And then we've lost
to Seattle and the Packers. So we've lost to you know,
all of our loss have come to teams that are
ranked in front of us in this powerpole.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
So yeah, and I have no real issues with these
teams where they are, Max, I don't know how you
feel about it.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
I mean, I mean they're all they all should be
there in the top ten, right, I mean a slotting
one or two guys. But but yeah, now it's.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Largely arrested top ten. Yeah, it's largely irrelevant where they are.
And then another team that I think the next two teams,
I think they belong in that same group, the Bills.
They were number three last week after they the Chiefs.
They were riding high, and we talked about this yesterday,
but they didn't get they didn't lose, Max, they didn't
(30:07):
lose to the Dolphins. They got smoked by the Dolphins,
smoked thirty to thirteen. I mean, you know, sometimes I think, hey,
I'm trying to measure the Steelers and where they are,
and hey, how are they playing against the top teams.
Have they gotten closer? You know, we know that they
were nine and eight and ten and seven for a while,
and it felt like the good teams there was a
(30:28):
gap there, and I felt like last year that gap
got smaller. And so I'm looking at you, and then
I'm like, am I just? Am I looking at the
wrong place? Am I barking up the wrong tree? The
Bills got destroyed by a terrible I mean this Dolphins
team everyone's talking about. They just fired their GM, fire
the coach, They're trading guys at the trade deadline. I
(30:51):
don't get that one at all. Max, I have no
idea what happened?
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
And what it means? I mean they lost. Yeah, so
I'm looking at the Bills. Okay, they beat the Ravens
forty one to forty in the opening game, right, great win? Yep,
They've beaten six Jets, Jets, Dolphins at home, Saints at home.
Then they lose to the Patriots, they lose to the Falcons.
(31:18):
They work over the Panthers, who I don't know, are
they any good? They just lost to the Saints.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
They beat the Chiefs playing that game either.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
What's that wasn't playing? That's right? That's right, And then
you work over the Chiefs. But now you have to
wonder how good are the Chiefs. It's it is the
most bizarre season, Max. It has been. It has been
so strange. All right, let me let me, let me
whisk along here, because we're running just a little bit late.
(31:48):
San Francisco is thirteenth. They lost to the Rams forty
two to twenty six. They kind of got back in
that game and then then didn't really do the Cardinals. Yeah, uh,
the Steel drop only two spots from twelve to fourteen.
They're five and four, so didn't really tumble. I thought
they might tumble further. They didn't tumble.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Well, they go to show you that there's a lot,
there's a lot worse teams behind us, but.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
It does you know, the and again, I don't care
about this status of being quote unquote in the outside
looking into those top ten teams right now. I don't
care about this. You know what bothers me more is
the way they lost to the Chargers and where I
thought they were kind of you know, there's no bar
graph bottom left, top right, for a team, for a player,
(32:38):
for anything. It doesn't it's not linear. But you know,
I thought, Okay, you lost a couple, but then you
won again against the Colts. You look more like you
had before that. You start to think well, they really
did play a good first half against the Packers, and
events conspired against them. Maybe you could look at it
that way and Cincinnati, Okay, Thursday night on the road,
(32:58):
division opponent, blah blah blah blah blah. Then this is
the kind of game that makes you think, well, hang
on a second, but fourteen, I'm okay with that. You're
on the aut Let's get back to that riding that role.
Let's get you know, we're riding up the phantom right,
We're not ready for the plunge down. We're still on
the way up. Yes, Okay. Fifteen is the Bears, who
(33:20):
we will see in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
And tie for first place in the NFC North. Just
just in case we wanted to note that.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
That is a that's a tough division. Boy, that is
a tough division. And the Stellers still they still have
the Lions, still have the Bears. Right, I've already the Packers.
So the Bears are fifteen, The Ravens keep moving up.
Nineteen now they're sixteen. Seventeen is and this is where
(33:49):
I think, you know, we're maybe starting to see some separation.
Maybe we'll come back to this next week. Carolina seventeen.
You know, just when I thought, well, maybe maybe there's
more there than I thought, they lose to the Saints
the Texans. Just when I think there's less there than
I thought, they come back and beat the Jaguars. So
they're eighteen. Jacksonville is nineteen. So listen, maybe those teams
(34:15):
could at least get up into the to the upper teams.
Maybe the Vikings can as well. They're twenty, the Cowboys
are twenty one. You know, maybe there's another line there
of teams that could potentially move up and join that
next group ahead of them that, you know, maybe includes
the Steelers and the Bears and a couple other teams
(34:36):
that we mentioned. I don't know, I don't know. I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (34:40):
Max.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Then our two teams are special Delivery Jones teams. You
should beat them, but they're gonna give you a match.
The Cardinals twenty two. That's an old time wrestling reference.
The Cardinals twenty two, Falcons twenty three, Bengals twenty we're
gonna talk about Joe Burrow. We'll talk more about the
(35:04):
Bengals coming up. But Max, they're not out of it.
They're not out of the AFC North they're three and six,
they'd be out of most other division races. They're not
out of the AFC North race. They're not. They are
going to be highly motivated Joe Burrow coming back to practice.
The Steelers are gonna be facing a very very motivated
Bengals team this week.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Yeah, we're We're now gonna get the you know, the
the cornered animal once again, because this is also one
of those gotta have It's funny how the gotta have
a game has always come against us for the yeah right,
because we were talking about that. I mean, we could
literally play the show from Monday and Tuesday that week
(35:45):
when we were going into the Thursday night game, and
it's the same thing. The Bengals, you know, without their
star quarterback, embarrassing loss the week before, and they're trying
to figure out who they are and they need this
win to stay alive. I think if you if they
lose this game, you know, you might be able to
(36:08):
put a four K in them. But it's not there yet.
They go from three and six to four and six.
There are only two games out of first place behind us.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
Drop another one game out right, I'm sorry, Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
I apologize. Yeah, they're one game out, you know, and
they they have a perfect record, so you're absolutely right,
I apologize. Yeah, yeah, because we would we would then
go to five and five and then whatever the Ravens do.
You know, being at the four and five mark, Uh, yeah,
(36:44):
you're now and you're now in a heated three way race.
So this you can gain some separation from the Bengals
and keep your one game lead if you're the Steelers, uh,
in the and in the race before we have to
see them twice December and January. That for the Ravens
that you'd be closed and he closed the Cincinnati Bengals
(37:07):
book for the year.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Yeah. So, but they're not out of it. And this
was a big we talked about this last week with
the Chargers. You know, they had this game and then
Jacksonville and they know they can't stumble. You know, Jacksonville
is a solid team. Steelers at home on a Sunday night,
you can't lose that game. You know, you lose that game,
you're six and four. You lose to the Jaguars, you're
(37:29):
six and five. That promising start of the season's gone
up and smoke. Yeah, you're getting guys back from injury,
but you lost some guys. That was a big game
for the Chargers. Man, that was a big game, and
it'll be less big this week against Jacksonville because of it.
I'd rather be playing the Chargers this week than last week.
Back anyway, Bengals are twenty You play them when you
(37:50):
play them, right, and you got to yep, and the
Steelers didn't do that. Twenty four is the Bengals, as
we just mentioned, then the Commanders at twenty five. I
I preferred the twenty six ranked Dolphins when it looked
like they were rolling over and colling her the season,
because they'll be here in the middle of December and
now all of a sudden, you're thinking, you better score
some points if you want to beat that team like
(38:11):
the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Oh yeah, I mean and that squad. And mikeew Daniels
is fighting for his life right now. Absolutely, he is
fighting for his life. And even though it felt like
they cleaned house and we're open for business, you know,
kneading up into the trade deadline, Man, they prove to
(38:34):
us that no, that they can literally step on the
gas and when they have a lead, they can protect
that lead. Because it was seventeen sixteen zip at one point.
So you look at that, you're just like, WHOA wait
a second. I guess Buffalo the class of the AFC East,
you know, one of the top AFC contenders. You're in it,
You're out. There's Josh Allen. How could this be? No,
(38:58):
the Miami Dolphins said, now we're not done yet, and
tahead a game. Jalen Wadall had a game. Davon a change.
I mean, I don't think we talk about enough about him.
Uh this, He's quietly having a phenomenal season. The problem
is they don't have the ws to back it up
like Jonathan Taylor does. But Davon ah Chan is right
(39:19):
there with Jonathan Taylor as far as explosive, uh, game changing,
put the game on my back type of play, like
you know we talked about like you know there there
was there. They're all these rushing yards. Davon a chain.
Speaker 4 (39:34):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
I think put almost two hundred scrimmage yards up as
well in that game against the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I got it. I got an a change story for you,
but I'm going to save it for Dolphins week. Okay,
it's a super teas. That's a that's a month long tease.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
I mean you're talking about that. That's a slow tease
right there.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
That's a slow And then the teams, and I thought
the Dolphins were in this group of teams that we
know aren't going where. They're starting to think about next year.
The Saints at twenty seven, coming off and upset over Carolina.
The Raiders at twenty eight, who gave the Broncos a
good game. The Jets at twenty nine, who just beat
the Browns. What a year the Giants remember for a
(40:14):
little while, the Giants look like they might be breaking out.
They're two and eight, they has fired their coach. They're thirty.
The Browns are thirty one. They are hosting the Ravens
this week. The Titans are thirty two. So that is
your power rankings according to Athletic. We might jump into
a couple more see the perception of where, or at
least look at the Steelers' perception from around the NFL.
Over the next couple of days. We're going to continue
(40:37):
in the locker room. In a moment, we want to
remind you that you can gear up with the latest
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Visit one of the official Steelers Pro shops located at
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(40:58):
or gear up online at shopot Steelers dot com. Get
it direct from the team at Steers Pro Shop at
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Shop by Steelers Nation Radio apart of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
All right, it's time for the bellp that's right, early
onto warning system engaged and today you know, I feel
like the theme should be Chili because it's chili, right.
I mean, you talked about it earlier, you teased it
at the beginning.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Rob and they got my brain going.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
So you know, it's a Tuesday, which I usually like
tout a couple the uh the taco Tuesday Night for
my kids. I usually take some of the some of
the leftover taco me and I just make it, whip
up a quick personal pot of chili for for dinner
as well. I'm just it's because I'm like, if you
(42:21):
have extra ground b for ground turkey, why not why
not make a chili out of it? I mean, you
see it, I'm already gonna make beans anyways, So it's like, man,
I can make chili out of this. So I usually
do a little side small max size pot of of
chili as well. And then my daughter usually like, Dad,
you got chili over there? Can I have that for
lunch tomorrow? And so so yeah, so I think chili
(42:44):
chili because it's chili is the theme for today. That's
that's that's what I'm feeling. I'm going I'm going to
see I'm going to see comfort along with everybody else.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Uh in comfort, it's a comfort food day, right, Yeah,
we got to turn the corner. We'll turn the corner
and we'll get over the hump. On Weddings Day and
Jim Wax, it's going to just a hump day tomorrow. Max.
What Look, we don't know when Joe Burrow is gonna
come back to you. The windows opened up real quick.
Psychological effect for Joe Burrow. We got about thirty five
(43:12):
to forty five seconds. Can you have a psychological positive
effect on his team just by being around the building.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Yeah, I think I think he can. He's an equivocal
leader of this squad. So you seeing him bounce around
and the precipice of Hey, I just need you guys
to get me to December so that we could go.
We could go finish this thing off. That's going to
be the rally and cry. I feel like around Cincinnati
this week is Look, I'm getting better. I'm almost there,
not there yet, but I need you guys to hold on,
(43:41):
hold on till I get back and we could do
some good things.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
So we want to thank our guest today, Alvaro Martin
was with us in the locker room. We also want
to think Bob Labriola as he comes by. Both those
gentlemen come by every Tuesday. We're going to turn the
page look much more at the Cincinnati Bengals team. Important
matchup for those teams coming up, don't forget the Mike
Tomlin Press conference is coming up next for Justin Miller
at the Controls in our iHeart Studio. For Max Starks,
(44:08):
I'm Rob King. We thank you as always for listening
in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
in the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
All right, that's how Lets you know, we are cruising
into the power hour hour number two here inside the
locker room, and we are joined by Steve colleague in
(00:46):
the Steelers family. And you know, we won't say we've
proclaimed him the Steelers history and he might try and
downplay it a little bit, but we know the history,
the facts and the brain that resides in this individual,
the one, the only editor in chief of Steelers Digest,
(01:06):
that would be the one. Bob Labriola Labs, how are
we doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
What a salutation?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That is?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What's going on? Lab?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Seriously? I mean I am never I never cease to
be amazed at Max Your wordsmithing. These intros are always different.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
I'm I'm you know, I'm in awe.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I'd say I'm speechless, but that's not what you're looking
for in this segment.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
No, no, no, no, that's well, put Bob, that's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
We need you speechful, speechful of this segment.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That's exactly right. Speechful, labs your take on before we
give you kind of our take and wonder if you
agree with it or whatever or what you saw. You
tell us your take on on what you saw Sunday
night in.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
La if you need it in a word, and you know,
the offense has to be better, uh, in a lot
of different ways. You know, Aaron Rodgers was pretty hard
(02:16):
on himself after the game in his own assessment. Uh.
And you know I'll defer to his expertise. You know,
I don't uh, just I don't think the Steelers can
win if he doesn't play as he did in the
(02:38):
first eight games of the season. I mean, just to me,
the way that the offense has been built, not only
in terms of personnel, but in you know, the scheme and.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know the the.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Receiving corps or as Mike palmery first to them, the eligibles,
it being a you know, a tight end centric group.
And then you have DK Metcalf really as the only
proven NFL playmaker at wide receiver. The running game is
I think it's a nice compliment I don't think it's
(03:15):
the kind of powerhouse running game led by a guy
like the Colts have, for example, in Jonathan Taylor that
you know, can dominate an opponent. And so you know,
you got to have Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers, and
he wasn't that. I remember seeing a stat It was,
(03:38):
you know, in the fourth quarter, earlier in the fourth quarter,
or let me say this early enough in the first
fourth quarter that the Steelers had yet to convert a
third down, which is frightening. But you know, he was
on pace for career lows in several statistical categories, uh
(04:01):
in you know, game statistical categories, rating I don't love.
For completion percentage I think was one of them. When
you think of all the games that Aaron Rodgers has played,
that that's an eye opening stat you know, when he's
that deep into a game and you know he's threatening,
(04:23):
you know, some of the all time lows in his
individual career in some of those categories. I think that
says a lot about the performance and a lot about
when you looked at that performance and then looked at
the score and the way the game was unfolding, you
see the importance of him to this team this season.
So you know, I'm not here to write his obituary,
(04:46):
his professional obituary, and I don't believe that he's done
or anything. But my take on the game is, and
this is the way it was with Ben too. If
your quarterback plays like that, you know, when you're a quarterback,
when you have a franchise quarterback, you know, an actual
(05:06):
not just someone who carries that title, but that guy
who is actually that, and he plays bad, you can't
win against the good opponent, just scan't.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And I think labs as we kind of you know,
saw that, and and I'm wrestling with a lot of
the mis miscues, right the miscues in this game, the
lack of being able to play up. And there's one
(05:40):
resounding thing and I kind of hinted at it earlier,
and I talked about it yesterday, just them not being
up for night games the same way that we're used
to in the past. Like they still don't have a
primetime win this season. We played three primetime games already,
and it just it seems like, for whatever reason, there's
(06:03):
a hitch in the gidea up in that and you know,
I struggle to find like kind of my answer to that.
Of course, I took the social media after the game
and I made kind of a little joke about it
that the Steelers are zero to two when Brandy and
Monica play across the street at a venue that we're
playing the game at the same time, because that's actually
(06:26):
what happened in Cincinnati. We had the game there in
Cincinnati at pay Corps, and then right next door at
the other venue, Brandy and Monica concert was going on
to last you know, Sunday night, We're at SOFI the
Keya Forum as a Brandybodica concert, and as I'm walking
to find my uber, the concert is still going on
over there, and I'm like, this is way too coincidental
(06:49):
to be zero for two on the day. So it
was just it was one of those things that I
just I struggle with how they can get up for
these type of games. Like you said that, I mean,
we've traveled to Ireland and had a game at an
off odd hour versus what we're used to and the
guys perform, performed well and then you see that, but
(07:13):
but the nighttime has been something. I mean, it's something
I know, We've had a bad Thursday night away game schedule.
But that's one that's been very just very frustrating to see.
And I can't remember recent history. Uh, still searching for
that first primetime win at this point the end of
the year.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Yeah, I mean and and and storty to reveal my
act the date on my actual birth certificate. But I
have no idea who Brandy and Monica are.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
It's all good. It's nineties R and B labs.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I don't worry about it.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Okay, So I don't think, you know, I kind of
pay attention to, you know, some of the happenings, you
know Pittsburgh, you know, live music and stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And I don't remember any Brandy in Monica having a
concert date in Pittsburgh in December, which will be another
Primetime game. Uh, you know, the Monday night game against
the Dolphins. So hey, Max, maybe we got a shot there.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Well, I'm definitely there. Yeah, I've had called the fire
marshall before before their video starts. Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, but the first play of the game, the first
play of the game andres pte false start. Yeah, I mean,
I mean I don't and you know, I'm not like
a lot of the you know, the social media world
that you know, you quickly jump on the coaches for that.
(08:46):
And the guy's been in the league eleven years. And
you know, I remember a training camp one year. It
was shortly after you know, Bill Cower was hired in
nineteen ninety two. Ron Earhart was the offensive coordinator and
I remember him going off on someone alignment or someone
(09:08):
during an eleven eleven uh eleven on eleven period and
he was screaming at the guy. You know, he said,
you can't count to two. He said games are lost,
Championships are lost because guys like you can't count to two.
And that's the you know, that's kind of the way
(09:29):
I was looking at that. How can you how can
you jump on the first snap of the game. You know,
I don't know, and you're a veteran. It's not like
it was his first start ever or you know what
what I just and I'm not laying it all on
him or any of that kind of thing, but that
(09:49):
just to me was emblematic of the kind of day
it was going to be. And there were other you know,
penalties called or uncalled that I thought were mistakes. You know,
the holding penalty on that seven yard run by Caleb
(10:10):
Johnson down inside the red zone certainly didn't help, you know,
just you can't do stuff like that. I mean, you
can't self inflicted wounds on a day when you know
you're fighting for your life and a lot of the
other aspects of the game, you know, those unforced airs
(10:32):
you can't have that, you.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Just can't, you know, Labs, I think there's you know,
there's a tendency maybe to look for a pattern for fans,
you know, or maybe just assume that one game is
a pattern. You know, Aaron Rodgers. Look, I agree with
your assessment. Aaron Rodgers did not That's that's not the
kind of game that we saw him play the first
(10:55):
you know, eight weeks of the season, where I think
he's been phenomenal. But if I'm looking for a trend
for this team, that is now worrisome. You know, I'm
a believer that you stack wins early and you start
to find your identity, and you start to find the
things you're good at and maybe the few weaknesses along
the way too, as you head into hopefully meaningful games
(11:17):
in December. The biggest issue for me the thread that
has gone through this team. And you know, I understand
again the caveat you have to win the game that's
in front of you. Doesn't matter if you win time
at possession, if you score enough points. But they've got
to get more first downs. They've got to possess the
ball longer they've got it. Can't be three and out,
(11:41):
three and out, three and out. Oh we got to turnover.
Now we scored a touchdown, you know, and listen, I'm
oversimplifying it. That hasn't been the case necessarily. But the
inability to extend drives hurts your offense, hurts your ability
to get into a continuity that is going to lead
to success, has your defense on the field too often.
(12:01):
I just think, if I'm looking at one trend that's
worrisome to me that needs to be reversed, it is
that way too many three outs, not enough long drives,
or just even drives.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I don't disagree. I mean, in the plays, the
number of offensive plays on Sunday nights, the Chargers had
a nineteen play advantage. I think it was sixty nine
to fifty. And the time of possession is reflective of that.
And yes, everything you said, Rob is a function of
(12:36):
not being able to possess the ball not converting on
third downs, you know. And I don't know what the
answer is, but it didn't seem to me, and you
guys had a much better advantage of it in the booth.
On third downs I'm speaking about, didn't seem to be
(12:57):
a lot of people open. I agree, And you know,
Pat Fryermouth set after the game. You know that the
eligibles have to do a better job of getting open,
you know, And I refuse to accept that. These guys,
(13:19):
they're all veterans, you know, like John hus Smith as
an example, and I'm just picking his name out. John
Whu Smith has been doing this for a long time,
and he has a lot of catches in this league
for a lot of first downs. I don't believe that
all of a sudden he can't get open. I don't
think he lost it on the on the trip from
Miami to La Trope. So I don't know what the
(13:43):
answer is, but just the visual of it doesn't look
good in terms of you can't say. And it's another thing,
you know, if the quarterback was somebody else during the
days of Kenny Pickett or you know those people, Mitch Trubisky,
you could say, well, he's holding the ball too long.
You know, he's got to see it and deliver it
(14:03):
and all that stuff. Well, Aaron Rodgers doesn't have that problem.
So if you're open, uh, he'll throw you the ball.
And if he's not throwing it, then you're not open.
So again, I don't know what. I don't know what
the answer is. And the again, a lot of the
knee jerk reaction is is that the play call is
(14:25):
bad or you know, whatever that kind of stuff is.
But I mean, I again, h I mean, that can't
be the answer. It can't be that every time there
isn't anyone open, it's a bad play.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Laughs.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I think it's something that you know, it's it's a
combination of everybody has to be in it to win it,
and it takes eleven. I think that's where, you know,
unlike a lot of other sports, you can have one
or two guys take over a game, right you know, basketball,
one guy can take over a game, right you know.
(15:05):
I mean we have countless stories and adaptations of watching
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, right, I mean, doctor j Kareem
abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson. We could see how Larry Bird.
We could see how one guy can take over a game.
You can't do that in the NFL. Like everybody has
(15:26):
to be on their p's and q's, and you can't
have anybody that is off or you miss. I mean,
you could have a guy be a little late every
once in a while on something and it happens in
your direction, but for the most part, you have to be,
you know, all in concert. Like you know, the old
(15:48):
phrase is if one's wrong, we're all wrong, right, Or
if we're all gonna be wrong, let's be wrong together.
Like that's kind of how it is. And I think
for the Steelers that's a prime example of you know,
just it went when you're not on the same page.
You know, quarterback is a little jittery and he has
happy feet, or you know your offensive line you miss
(16:10):
a block, guy comes Scott Free and you knew that
you had a wide open hole when the running back
made the cut and it had disappeared all of a sudden, defensively,
I jumped out of a gap and because I thought
I could make a play on this, and then all
of a sudden it turns into a huge, gashing run
play or a guy steps up, tries to jump around
on a double move, like all of these things, you
(16:31):
can't have that. Everybody else can play great, but everybody
has to be on the same page. And I think
that's what also makes it tough. And the easiest excuse it,
like you said, is bad play. It's a bad play call. Well,
if the play was ran how they designed it and
drew it up, it should be successful. But humans play
this game, and humans also unfortunately messes the game up.
Every once in a while, you mess up, you miss
(16:52):
the play. That's what we have missed as signmons some
mental errors. But you're right, I think that's something that
you look at and they just they weren't all that
were on the field at one time. We're not all
on the same page.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
And sometimes yes, and you know, the really frustrating thing
for me is I've seen it when it's working this year,
so it can work. It has worked. Now you're just
talking about, you know, doing it on a consistent basis,
(17:25):
doing it more times than once in a row. And again,
I don't I don't know the answer to that. Why
that is not happening. I guess I'm gonna go with you, Max.
You know, everybody has to kind of everybody in that
locker room kind of has to get into themselves a
little bit and uh, you know, one for all and
(17:48):
all for one kind of thing and make that commitment
to themselves and you know, to everybody else. And it
has to come from I think it has to come
from each and each individual. You know, it's not something
that can be talked or you know, beat into them
(18:11):
during practice or you know, yelled at into them during
meetings or I don't know, Pep talked into them the
night before the game or any of that stuff. I mean,
it has to be something that, uh, I don't know
is inside each each man. I guess you know. Sorry,
I don't have more answers for you all tonight today,
(18:33):
but I I'm I'm flumuxed by this to some degree.
But whatever it is, it needs to change and or
stop now because uh five and four. You know, Aaron
Rodgers kept saying, you know, it's still one game ahead
(18:53):
in the ASC North, which is a mathematical fact. But
when you look at trends, you know, the Steelers are
not trending well and the Ravens are. Now you can
explain that away by the quality of their competition and
all that other kind of stuff and pick apart the
different aspects of their game. And hey, I like doing
(19:13):
that too, because you know, everybody hates the Ravens, but
the fact is that they are winning and playing better
each week in certain areas and the Steelers are not.
So you know, your one game lead on November today
is November the eleventh. I mean, there are meaningless things
(19:38):
in professional football, but I don't know that there's anything
more meaningless than that having a one game lead before Thanksgiving,
because that's you know, that's like putting up one notes
pretty windy outside right now here in Pittsburgh, PA, you know,
(20:01):
putting up an outdoor umbrella in this weather and expecting
it to, you know, not blow away. So hey, Bengals
on Sunday, uh rematch with Joe Flacco. I don't know,
Hopefully something happens. It's not a night game, Max, No,
(20:25):
Mandy and Brittany or whatever that conference.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Lab Labs full disclosure. Youngest person I've seen in concert
this year I think is sixty three or sixty four
years old. That's the youngest person I've seen in concert
this year.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Well with Brandy, as I always say, there's a reason
that it's called classic rock.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
So true Labs Labs, thank you very much, my friend,
appreciate it and look forward to seeing you if before then,
certainly Sunday at Akroshuer.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Stadium one pm.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Don't be late, I plan to be there in time.
Tuesdays with Labs is presented by UPMC, the official healthcare
provider and health plan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Have not
really dived into the Joe Burrow return as it relates
to the Bengals. That's a team, of course that we're
going to be spending a lot of this week getting
you ready for. We will talk about that. Well, look
(21:26):
at the latest power rankings. How are the Steelers now
perceived after this loss? Perceived nationally after this loss on
Sunday Night Football. We'll let you know when we continue
in the Locker Room presented by our neighborhood Ford Store
in the Studer's Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network. And thank you very
(21:47):
much for being with us.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
I don't know if you can hear my dog barking.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
In the back. We've had a dog day. The dogs
are howling, Max. We let the dogs out. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
They have been on full till on twelve, and I'm
just like, oh gosh, because he's dead most of the time,
as far as like he's just lying on his pet
bed in my office and dead to the world, like snoring.
He's on his back, his legs, his legs are up.
I mean, it's it's almost embarrassing, like if somebody was
(22:18):
just to look in like randomly, You're like, what is
your dog doing? And he just knocked out. But the
second one knock, one little thing happens. He's twelve, and
I had my door open to my office, so he
ran out my office, ran to the front door. There's
a window right there. He's jumping on the way. I'm
(22:39):
like like trying to like whisper yell at my dog.
You know, you know what that is, because like we're
on air, I'm like, I don't want to hear anybody
hear me yelling, you know, to try and get him
to calm down. And then he comes in and it
was it was a water delivery guy, you know, bringing
bringing the you know, the jugs, and I made the mistake.
(23:00):
I was like I was trying to get his attention.
I thought my dog was still in the other room
and trying to come around and like, hey, you know,
just drop it right here, and he darts outside. Than
now I gotta chase him because I'm like, he's he's
He's circling the guy like a shark and barking and jumping,
and I'm just like, oh my god. So yeah, so
so apologies for that interruption, but yeah, dogs are They're special.
(23:23):
They're special. They are man's best friend, but they're also
like man's enigma at times.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah. I I call my nickname my dog the velvet
tank Stella, because she will plow through anything. You know,
She's like a field, an old field Irish Setter, not
the not the total skinny, tall ones but more of
the boxier ones that were that were made to you know,
go out and not that I knew when I was
getting I just got an Irish Setter. Anyway, she'll plower
(23:51):
out it stuff. But like Irish Setter, if you drop
a twig behind her, she jumps about thirty feet in
the air, stops whatever she's doing and sniffing at and
just runs away with your tail between your lakes. So
any delivery man comes up that means bark, uh, So
we had a delivery man, so that meant bark anyway.
Are you ready for the We're gonna go athletic power
(24:12):
rankings today, Not athletic as in we're athletic, but the
we certainly you are, Max, but the the power rankings
from the outfit called the athletic. Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
I am ready to rock and roll?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Number one, same number one as a week ago. They
won last night. Max. Who do you got?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, Philly Chief Steak, excellent Birds.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
So, much to your chagrin, we are going to be
very NFC heavy here the top. I know that this
Eagles one, Rams two, Seahawks three.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I cannot cannot argue it. And
you got two teams at the MC West and we
just watched both of them put forty on on their
opponents in that in that afternoon slate. Remember we're talking
about that. The three afternoon games were all all all
teams scored forty plus points and the losers scored no
more than twenty two points. So it was a large
(25:13):
margin of victory for both the Rams and the Seahawks
as they took on one was a division rival. Actually
both of were division games. I take that back because
the Rams played the played the forty nine ers. No, no, yeah,
play forty nine ers and uh and Seahawks played the Cardinals,
so I mean, you know, definitely distancing themselves in that
(25:34):
NFC West race and you know, establishing themselves. And then
of course we watched the Philly the ten to seven
just absolute struggle game that was a zero zero tie
at halftime. So yep, no surprise their top three.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
So, by the way, and we're gonna see the Lions
here in a moment in this ranking. Eagles against the
Lions on Sunday night, Rams at the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.
So you're saying two versus three and a little sneak
(26:09):
ahead one versus five. That is a weekend, man, that's
a weekend. We're going to be getting getting home in
time to watch from Akrosher in time to watch the
second half of the Seahawks and Rams. And at least
I am are you flying back out?
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Yes I am, Yes I am, because I have to
be ready for this show right and early Monday morning.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Yes you do. But anyway, great, thank you for doing
that great day of football on Sunday. As far as
you know, maybe starting to give us a better idea here.
I know I'm a big believer in let's get to December,
but man, that's going to give us at a little idea,
(26:57):
a little sneak peek about the value of these teams. Okay,
so we have the top perk.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Your butts, park your butts on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Culture four. I'm gonna pay that eating too. They're on
a buye.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
They're going to a buye, going into a buye. You know,
they just came from Berlin and they won the game
and in overtime against the Falcons, who you know, we
can't make heads or tails. Who the Falcons are? Sounds familiar.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
So the cards to me, they they're they're tough, Max, Like,
you know, you beat them and you kind of should
beat them, but you beat them, and you also feel
good about beating because they're they're they're good. They're good,
they're I shouldn't say that they're not good. Their records
aren't good, but they can give you a struggle. They
can they're capable of beating you, so kudos to them.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
They beat the Bills. Let's think about that. They beat
the Bills handedly, right, right, So it's a team that's
just an enigma. Like when they get up and when
they have everything clicking on all cylinders, you know, a
very tough team to stop. But like you said, the
inconsistencies is what puts them in the category.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
That they're in. Yes, so I mentioned the Lions, five, Patriots, six,
Broncos seven, Tampa Bay eight Chargers, nine Packers ten anything
that you the Bucks only drop four spots. You know,
(28:29):
I'm beginning to pay things maybe New England. And by
the way, to throw out the weirdness of this season,
and you know where the Steelers fit in the hierarchy
of things. The Colts and the Patriots have four losses
between them, They are combined sixteen and four. Two of
(28:51):
those losses have come to the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah, yep, I was just about to thank two, I mean,
two of the three top AFC teams or yeah, yeah,
the top four AFC teams, two of the four we've beaten,
and they're the two highest seated of the four we've lost,
you know, to the Chargers. Just now, who was the
lower of those four. Obviously we hadn't played the Broncos,
(29:15):
so that's just crazy to think. And then we've lost
to Seattle and the Packers. So we've lost to you know,
all of our loss have come to teams that are
ranked in front of us in this powerpole.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
So yeah, and I have no real issues with these
teams where they are, Max, I don't know how you
feel about it.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
I mean, I mean they're all they all should be
there in the top ten, right, I mean a slotting
one or two guys. But but yeah, now it's.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Largely arrested top ten. Yeah, it's largely irrelevant where they are.
And then another team that I think the next two teams,
I think they belong in that same group, the Bills.
They were number three last week after they the Chiefs.
They were riding high, and we talked about this yesterday,
but they didn't get they didn't lose, Max, they didn't
(30:07):
lose to the Dolphins. They got smoked by the Dolphins,
smoked thirty to thirteen. I mean, you know, sometimes I think, hey,
I'm trying to measure the Steelers and where they are,
and hey, how are they playing against the top teams.
Have they gotten closer? You know, we know that they
were nine and eight and ten and seven for a while,
and it felt like the good teams there was a
(30:28):
gap there, and I felt like last year that gap
got smaller. And so I'm looking at you, and then
I'm like, am I just? Am I looking at the
wrong place? Am I barking up the wrong tree? The
Bills got destroyed by a terrible I mean this Dolphins
team everyone's talking about. They just fired their GM, fire
the coach, They're trading guys at the trade deadline. I
(30:51):
don't get that one at all. Max, I have no
idea what happened?
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
And what it means? I mean they lost. Yeah, so
I'm looking at the Bills. Okay, they beat the Ravens
forty one to forty in the opening game, right, great win? Yep,
They've beaten six Jets, Jets, Dolphins at home, Saints at home.
Then they lose to the Patriots, they lose to the Falcons.
(31:18):
They work over the Panthers, who I don't know, are
they any good? They just lost to the Saints.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
They beat the Chiefs playing that game either.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
What's that wasn't playing? That's right? That's right, And then
you work over the Chiefs. But now you have to
wonder how good are the Chiefs. It's it is the
most bizarre season, Max. It has been. It has been
so strange. All right, let me let me, let me
whisk along here, because we're running just a little bit late.
(31:48):
San Francisco is thirteenth. They lost to the Rams forty
two to twenty six. They kind of got back in
that game and then then didn't really do the Cardinals. Yeah, uh,
the Steel drop only two spots from twelve to fourteen.
They're five and four, so didn't really tumble. I thought
they might tumble further. They didn't tumble.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Well, they go to show you that there's a lot,
there's a lot worse teams behind us, but.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
It does you know, the and again, I don't care
about this status of being quote unquote in the outside
looking into those top ten teams right now. I don't
care about this. You know what bothers me more is
the way they lost to the Chargers and where I
thought they were kind of you know, there's no bar
graph bottom left, top right, for a team, for a player,
(32:38):
for anything. It doesn't it's not linear. But you know,
I thought, Okay, you lost a couple, but then you
won again against the Colts. You look more like you
had before that. You start to think well, they really
did play a good first half against the Packers, and
events conspired against them. Maybe you could look at it
that way and Cincinnati, Okay, Thursday night on the road,
(32:58):
division opponent, blah blah blah blah blah. Then this is
the kind of game that makes you think, well, hang
on a second, but fourteen, I'm okay with that. You're
on the aut Let's get back to that riding that role.
Let's get you know, we're riding up the phantom right,
We're not ready for the plunge down. We're still on
the way up. Yes, Okay. Fifteen is the Bears, who
(33:20):
we will see in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
And tie for first place in the NFC North. Just
just in case we wanted to note that.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
That is a that's a tough division. Boy, that is
a tough division. And the Stellers still they still have
the Lions, still have the Bears. Right, I've already the Packers.
So the Bears are fifteen, The Ravens keep moving up.
Nineteen now they're sixteen. Seventeen is and this is where
(33:49):
I think, you know, we're maybe starting to see some separation.
Maybe we'll come back to this next week. Carolina seventeen.
You know, just when I thought, well, maybe maybe there's
more there than I thought, they lose to the Saints
the Texans. Just when I think there's less there than
I thought, they come back and beat the Jaguars. So
they're eighteen. Jacksonville is nineteen. So listen, maybe those teams
(34:15):
could at least get up into the to the upper teams.
Maybe the Vikings can as well. They're twenty, the Cowboys
are twenty one. You know, maybe there's another line there
of teams that could potentially move up and join that
next group ahead of them that, you know, maybe includes
the Steelers and the Bears and a couple other teams
(34:36):
that we mentioned. I don't know, I don't know. I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (34:40):
Max.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Then our two teams are special Delivery Jones teams. You
should beat them, but they're gonna give you a match.
The Cardinals twenty two. That's an old time wrestling reference.
The Cardinals twenty two, Falcons twenty three, Bengals twenty we're
gonna talk about Joe Burrow. We'll talk more about the
(35:04):
Bengals coming up. But Max, they're not out of it.
They're not out of the AFC North they're three and six,
they'd be out of most other division races. They're not
out of the AFC North race. They're not. They are
going to be highly motivated Joe Burrow coming back to practice.
The Steelers are gonna be facing a very very motivated
Bengals team this week.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Yeah, we're We're now gonna get the you know, the
the cornered animal once again, because this is also one
of those gotta have It's funny how the gotta have
a game has always come against us for the yeah right,
because we were talking about that. I mean, we could
literally play the show from Monday and Tuesday that week
(35:45):
when we were going into the Thursday night game, and
it's the same thing. The Bengals, you know, without their
star quarterback, embarrassing loss the week before, and they're trying
to figure out who they are and they need this
win to stay alive. I think if you if they
lose this game, you know, you might be able to
(36:08):
put a four K in them. But it's not there yet.
They go from three and six to four and six.
There are only two games out of first place behind us.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
Drop another one game out right, I'm sorry, Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
I apologize. Yeah, they're one game out, you know, and
they they have a perfect record, so you're absolutely right,
I apologize. Yeah, yeah, because we would we would then
go to five and five and then whatever the Ravens do.
You know, being at the four and five mark, Uh, yeah,
(36:44):
you're now and you're now in a heated three way race.
So this you can gain some separation from the Bengals
and keep your one game lead if you're the Steelers, uh,
in the and in the race before we have to
see them twice December and January. That for the Ravens
that you'd be closed and he closed the Cincinnati Bengals
(37:07):
book for the year.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Yeah. So, but they're not out of it. And this
was a big we talked about this last week with
the Chargers. You know, they had this game and then
Jacksonville and they know they can't stumble. You know, Jacksonville
is a solid team. Steelers at home on a Sunday night,
you can't lose that game. You know, you lose that game,
you're six and four. You lose to the Jaguars, you're
(37:29):
six and five. That promising start of the season's gone
up and smoke. Yeah, you're getting guys back from injury,
but you lost some guys. That was a big game
for the Chargers. Man, that was a big game, and
it'll be less big this week against Jacksonville because of it.
I'd rather be playing the Chargers this week than last week.
Back anyway, Bengals are twenty You play them when you
(37:50):
play them, right, and you got to yep, and the
Steelers didn't do that. Twenty four is the Bengals, as
we just mentioned, then the Commanders at twenty five. I
I preferred the twenty six ranked Dolphins when it looked
like they were rolling over and colling her the season,
because they'll be here in the middle of December and
now all of a sudden, you're thinking, you better score
some points if you want to beat that team like
(38:11):
the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Oh yeah, I mean and that squad. And mikeew Daniels
is fighting for his life right now. Absolutely, he is
fighting for his life. And even though it felt like
they cleaned house and we're open for business, you know,
kneading up into the trade deadline, Man, they prove to
(38:34):
us that no, that they can literally step on the
gas and when they have a lead, they can protect
that lead. Because it was seventeen sixteen zip at one point.
So you look at that, you're just like, WHOA wait
a second. I guess Buffalo the class of the AFC East,
you know, one of the top AFC contenders. You're in it,
You're out. There's Josh Allen. How could this be? No,
(38:58):
the Miami Dolphins said, now we're not done yet, and
tahead a game. Jalen Wadall had a game. Davon a change.
I mean, I don't think we talk about enough about him.
Uh this, He's quietly having a phenomenal season. The problem
is they don't have the ws to back it up
like Jonathan Taylor does. But Davon ah Chan is right
(39:19):
there with Jonathan Taylor as far as explosive, uh, game changing,
put the game on my back type of play, like
you know we talked about like you know there there
was there. They're all these rushing yards. Davon a chain.
Speaker 4 (39:34):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
I think put almost two hundred scrimmage yards up as
well in that game against the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I got it. I got an a change story for you,
but I'm going to save it for Dolphins week. Okay,
it's a super teas. That's a that's a month long tease.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
I mean you're talking about that. That's a slow tease
right there.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
That's a slow And then the teams, and I thought
the Dolphins were in this group of teams that we
know aren't going where. They're starting to think about next year.
The Saints at twenty seven, coming off and upset over Carolina.
The Raiders at twenty eight, who gave the Broncos a
good game. The Jets at twenty nine, who just beat
the Browns. What a year the Giants remember for a
(40:14):
little while, the Giants look like they might be breaking out.
They're two and eight, they has fired their coach. They're thirty.
The Browns are thirty one. They are hosting the Ravens
this week. The Titans are thirty two. So that is
your power rankings according to Athletic. We might jump into
a couple more see the perception of where, or at
least look at the Steelers' perception from around the NFL.
Over the next couple of days. We're going to continue
(40:37):
in the locker room. In a moment, we want to
remind you that you can gear up with the latest
game to necessities at the official Steelers pro shops. Get
the latest sideline apparel, jerseys, Terrible towels, authentic memorabilia and
custom exclusives you can only find directly from the team.
Visit one of the official Steelers Pro shops located at
Akroshuer Stadium, Grove City Premium, ount Let's or Tanger out Let's,
(40:58):
or gear up online at shopot Steelers dot com. Get
it direct from the team at Steers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com. Back in the Locker Room
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Shop by Steelers Nation Radio apart of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
All right, it's time for the bellp that's right, early
onto warning system engaged and today you know, I feel
like the theme should be Chili because it's chili, right.
I mean, you talked about it earlier, you teased it
at the beginning.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Rob and they got my brain going.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
So you know, it's a Tuesday, which I usually like
tout a couple the uh the taco Tuesday Night for
my kids. I usually take some of the some of
the leftover taco me and I just make it, whip
up a quick personal pot of chili for for dinner
as well. I'm just it's because I'm like, if you
(42:21):
have extra ground b for ground turkey, why not why
not make a chili out of it? I mean, you
see it, I'm already gonna make beans anyways, So it's like, man,
I can make chili out of this. So I usually
do a little side small max size pot of of
chili as well. And then my daughter usually like, Dad,
you got chili over there? Can I have that for
lunch tomorrow? And so so yeah, so I think chili
(42:44):
chili because it's chili is the theme for today. That's
that's that's what I'm feeling. I'm going I'm going to
see I'm going to see comfort along with everybody else.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Uh in comfort, it's a comfort food day, right, Yeah,
we got to turn the corner. We'll turn the corner
and we'll get over the hump. On Weddings Day and
Jim Wax, it's going to just a hump day tomorrow. Max.
What Look, we don't know when Joe Burrow is gonna
come back to you. The windows opened up real quick.
Psychological effect for Joe Burrow. We got about thirty five
(43:12):
to forty five seconds. Can you have a psychological positive
effect on his team just by being around the building.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Yeah, I think I think he can. He's an equivocal
leader of this squad. So you seeing him bounce around
and the precipice of Hey, I just need you guys
to get me to December so that we could go.
We could go finish this thing off. That's going to
be the rally and cry. I feel like around Cincinnati
this week is Look, I'm getting better. I'm almost there,
not there yet, but I need you guys to hold on,
(43:41):
hold on till I get back and we could do
some good things.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
So we want to thank our guest today, Alvaro Martin
was with us in the locker room. We also want
to think Bob Labriola as he comes by. Both those
gentlemen come by every Tuesday. We're going to turn the
page look much more at the Cincinnati Bengals team. Important
matchup for those teams coming up, don't forget the Mike
Tomlin Press conference is coming up next for Justin Miller
at the Controls in our iHeart Studio. For Max Starks,
(44:08):
I'm Rob King. We thank you as always for listening
in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
in the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.