December 16, 2025 • 44 mins
Bob Labriola joins the guys at the top of the hour to break down the win. Max and Rob take listener calls to end the show.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is in the locker room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The
F one point fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh, you know what time it is when you hear
Optimus blowing through? And I think I heard a happy
honk there by opt It was very faint on the
second side of that, as we enter the power hour
here inside the locker room, and no Tuesday is complete.
I know we have a Mike Tomlin press conference at
the top of the hour next hour, and of course
(00:48):
we are going to lead you up all the way
until that moment.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
But what makes this.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hour so special is we have steel City Digest and
the editor in chief, the the head honcho, the uh,
the labs in charge, you know, our color, our culinary
commandant of all things Italiano, and that is the one
(01:13):
the only, Bob Labriola joining us here inside the locker.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
How are we doing today, Bob?
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Pretty good fellows, I got to admit, and I'd like
to start if you'll allow me Uh, tip of the
cap to the fans who showed up last night at
Akershuer Stadium. It was not it was not a pleasant
evening in terms of the weather. I mean, it was
a pleasant evening in terms of you know what happened.
(01:40):
But it was cold, it was windy. Uh and uh,
I just you know, want to pay some homage to
the fans who showed up, who stayed, who were into
it throughout the evening. They enjoyed the Hall of Honor
festivities at halftime, you know, and as I said, it
(02:02):
was just it all created for a pretty nice atmosphere.
And then the Steelers did put the crowning touches on
that with a victory. So all things considered, you know,
it was it was a great night. And I do
need to confess that even though I only had to
walk like a couple of hundred yards from my car
(02:24):
to get into the warmth of the press box or
the elevator of the press box, that two hundred yard
walk was pretty cold. And that was nothing like with
those fans endured. So, as I said, to the cap,
to those.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
People, no doubt, and a great atmosphere last night. And Bob,
we've just kind of been discussing that, you know, we've
liked what we've seen the last couple of weeks with
the Steelers. We're hoping that this is a sign that
you know, December football and reaching that crescendo and being
on a roll going into the playoffs. And you know,
I don't want to discount we saw last night, but
(03:00):
in conjunction with last night's performance, does it feel to
you like the Steelers are trending in a positive direction?
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yeah, you know, and I think it's really important this
time of the season for any team to start doing,
you know, things that we saw the Steelers do last night,
because a lot of those elements I believe are critical
to winning games, you know, down the stretch here in
December and the first week of January and then on
(03:31):
into the playoffs and being more than one and done.
So you know what happens is once a team does
those things, then they know they can do them, and
so there's a confidence there, I think underlying a lot
of times, or maybe it's an overt confidence that you know,
a team or players can call upon the next time
(03:54):
they're in one of those kinds of situations. And I
think it's only inevitable when you're going to be in
games where you need to be able to run more
offensive plays than the opponent. You need to be able
to gain more total net yards than the opponent. You
need to have a better time of possession than the opponent,
(04:15):
and you need to do a better job of running
the ball and stopping the run than the opponent does
running the ball and stopping the run. And you mix
all that together with a quarterback who if he provides
I think I said this to you guys last Tuesday.
If Aaron Rodgers provides twenty five points or more with
(04:37):
no turnovers in every game moving forward, I'll take my chances.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now, I completely agree, Bob, And I think you know,
last night was that momentum builder. We talked about teams
surviving December like we were a year ago. You know,
this is right in the heart of that stretch, the
three games in eleven days, and it was just a
frenzy and things are normal, and this team is in
(05:08):
what I would say thriving mode right two and oh
already in December. You're you're hitting, you're hitting your stride
as you're kind of going up that roller coaster to
get to the playoffs and then from there, you know,
all bets are off once you hit that drop into
into into the postseason. But this team is looking a
(05:29):
lot different. And you know, we talked about earlier in
this show before you got on, just about the guys
who stepped in right, the uncommon characters that put their
hand in the pile, you know, this week and churning
this roster even in season, like going and finding players
and those guys being instant contributors to this team. I
thought that was something that was also really on display
(05:52):
last night. I mean, everything from Dylan Cook at left
tackle to MVS catching a touchdown pass, Adam Thielen and
his snap count in this and Sante Samuel come up
with a big play interception early in that game that
I felt like changed and swung the momentum.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Back in the Steelers direction.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
But just all of these different guys that put their
hand in the pal and it was it. It was
some common guys that we expected to play up, but
other guys who elevated their game to match the level
of of the leaders of this team.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yeah, and I think as we've seen, you know, throughout
this season, a lot of that's contagious either way. You know,
guys doing good things and then that's contagious to their teammates,
the same as we have seen in other games where
you know, the Rockers rolling down the hill and threatening
to crush you a lot of times. You know, that's
(06:45):
contagious too. So you know, Kenneth Gamwell was a guy
I think deserves, you know, a little shout out. And
you know, one of the things that I also see
as optimistic is the fact that you know, Derek Harmon
is going to come back. TJ. Watt is going to
(07:07):
come back, at least by all accounts. You know, Andre's
Pete is probably coming back since you know he was
just in the concussion protocol. So you know there are
going to be some reinforcements along the way. And I
think those guys too, as they're watching, they want to
(07:29):
come back even more because you know, you start seeing,
I think, what this team's potential might be or what
they might have going for themselves right now, and you
just want to be a part of it, because, as
I said, when things are going good, that can be
contagious too. So again I and let me say this,
(07:54):
all of it is traced back to the quarterback.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I mean, this guy is just he is it. He
completed what eighty percent or something, eighty three percent, some
ridiculous number again protecting the ball. He made anticipatory throws
on target, he was on time. He converted a third
(08:20):
down by catching the Dolphins with too many men on
the field. On defense, he's doing the Aaron Rodgers stuff, throwing,
side arm, throwing, you know whatever, three quarters, whatever it
needs to be to get the ball to the receiver.
He sees it, he's delivering it, giving guys an opportunity
to make plays. And that kind of quarterback play is
(08:46):
what you have to have. So this I don't know, man.
And I really think Aaron Rodgers is into this too.
He I think he wanted. You know, Mike Pursua was
talking about this on the pregame show yesterday when the
DV Morning show was up at Saint Vincent College and
(09:06):
they you know, uh do a show from camp and
they had Rogers on and he's he was saying that
before in between segments or whatever, Rogers stayed and he
was just telling them that, you know, he's really excited
for this. He wants another crack at it. You know,
he's a competitor. I got to believe he's cold blooded,
(09:26):
ruthless competitor. And you know, I think Aaron Rodgers sees
what kind of what could could happen here, what could coalesce,
what this could develop into, and I think he's excited
about it. And you know, when you have a court,
your quarterback is the guy who's leading the charge. In
(09:48):
that respect, I just really think it's good for the team.
You know, one of the things I mentioned on the
pregame show myself about Rogers was no day's off last
week practic from practice. He could have taken a limited
day or something, you know, for the left wrist or
(10:08):
you know, any of that stuff, but he was a
full participant every day. And I think that what he's
doing is kind of leading by example and showing the
other the younger guys what's required at this time of
the year. You know, there's no shortcuts, details matter, all
that kind of stuff, and he's without saying it, he's
(10:32):
showing it. And then I think that that makes it
more conducive for guys to follow along, especially when he's
doing what he's doing and then performing the way he's
performing in the games.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah, couldn't agree more, Bob, with everything you're saying. And
you know, I think he, you know, a veteran guy
who's great. The arm talent is you know, again We've
talked about this many times, the best I've ever seen
as far as making throws and the different things he
can do off platform and all that other stuff. You know,
(11:04):
obviously it depends upon your definition of that, but I mean,
just a thrower of the football and you know intellectually
what he can do, but also knowing that, you know,
we saw him kind of flinging the ball around the
field against Cincinnati, We saw him doing a little bit
of that against Baltimore. We saw him doing last night
what it took to win the game, you know what
(11:26):
I mean. So he can fall back on, still can
fall back on tremendous talent, but knows what it also
takes to win the game. And I thought what he
did last night was play, you know, within the confines
of that game. I think it's one of Mike Tomlins strengths,
you know, coaching to win the game, not coaching to
(11:49):
to you know, appease the Associated Press. Voters in the
latest poll doesn't care about any of that stuff. And
I think Aaron Rodgers shares that with his head coach.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah. And you know, to me and I believe this
for a long time in the NFL. At the NFL level,
there's a difference between playing quarterback and being the quarterback.
And Aaron Rodgers is being the quarterback. He's going beyond
just playing the position. You know, he's leading, He's seeing
(12:20):
you see him occasionally react to something that doesn't go well,
and you also see him react to something that does
go well by pointing out, often literally the person responsible
for it. You know, I saw Aaron Rodgers a couple
(12:41):
of times look over to the Steelers sideline after a
big play or a conversion or something and point to
the sideline, you know, with a kind of a thumbs
up kind of attitude. And you know, I got to
believe he's giving a little shout out whoever called the
plays or whoever designed the play or whatever that might be.
(13:05):
And you know, I think that that's extremely valuable. I mean,
you want your quarterback to be a fiery guy who
is demanding, he's detail oriented, all those kinds of things,
and I think you're more apt to accept criticism from
(13:26):
him in a positive way. If he's also in complimentary
when that's warranted. And so again he's really doing it
all in my opinion, and I haven't seen he's different.
I mean, Ben is a great player, was a great player,
and he was honored yesterday, and you know he's on
(13:47):
the launchpad to being inducted in the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. I have no doubt, but they're different. The
way Ben played the position was not that the surgical
precision that Aaron Rodgers plays with it. You know, Ben
was a big play guy, you know, big and strong
(14:11):
and big arm and you know, all of those things
that you love in a quarterback. But in terms of
being you know, a surgical complete eighty three percent of
his passes. You know, that wasn't Ben's game. And that's fine.
This team with this supporting cast, I think that this
is a good way for this team to try and
(14:33):
move forward now as we're what we got now three
games left in the regular season, right, Yeah, And you
know we talked about this was another one to pursue
his ideas for the pregame show yesterday. He just went around,
you know, met him and Jerry Dulac and Mike said,
who do you think from the AFC. Who would you
pick from the AFC to go to the Super Bowl?
(14:57):
You know, we all have different ideas. Think about who
do you like and whoever it is. I think you
could probably make a decent case for that team and
I could poke holes in that team. That's the way
the AFC looks to me this season.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
And I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
I think when you look at it, you know the parody.
And then here's the other thing. I need you to
pick who's coming out of the AFC. And you can't
pick Kansas City because they won't be eligible.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Right, that's another thing.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
They're already eliminated.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Already with three games left. When's the last time you've
said that? So no, I completely I completely agree with you, Labs,
Like this is the thing when a team catches fire
in December, that team that's riding the wave up, not
catching it on the downturn, catching it on the wave up.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
And what we've.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Seen is is that the Steelers are putting together those
ways and they're riding the trend up. We saw the
first uptick against Baltimore, and you win in that game
in a very unconventional fashion. Right, you don't win the
rushing attack you know, the time of possession plays called,
(16:16):
they're not there, but they had the more explosives and
they captured them in the right moments. And then what
you saw this week was something different. Right, We actually
won time of possession, we won the plays earned, and
that third quarter that had been so bad for us,
we had a net one hundred and eighty three more
yards than a team that had been putting up four
(16:38):
hundred plus yards of offense per week in the last
four weeks and rushing the ball at almost two hundred
yards and they just dropped them dead in the tracks.
So you're right, there's holes to be poked in every story.
The New England Patriots, who everybody probably would have picked
two weeks ago because they just looked indomitable, or even
(17:00):
for Denver.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Now Denver is one of those they've had the.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Luckiest streak of all because all the level of their
winds have been comeback victories, Like they haven't had an
easy victory all season. But everybody else, you know, has
some type of story that you have to that you
have to consider of a butt and that's where the Steelers,
I think thrive in that because they are so varied
(17:26):
and you don't know who's going to be the contributor
from week to week. I mean, we had eight different
guys catch passes yesterday, Like that's on the way to
him completing eighty three percent of his passes, Like that's
that's just you don't get that normally. And two of
those guys weren't on this roster a month ago, you know,
so it's like, right, those are the things that you're right,
These are the small little things that can lead to
(17:49):
a lot of success. And that anonymity is, yeah, just
let us be middling, but hit the gas pedal when
you need to.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
And that's what they're doing right now.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Yeah, And you know, uh, all of a sudden, you know,
I didn't get any or hear any. Why don't they
get the ball to Pat Friarmouth? You know because with
with the way Rogers is playing, I mean he sees
it all, and a lot of it he sees before
it happens. And so you know, when whenever the opposing
(18:20):
defense uh is in a scheme or a situation where
it's conducive for Pat Firemouth to win his matchup and
be open, Aaron Rodgers will get him the ball on
time and on target, then just catch it because, as
I said, he's seeing it a lot of it. Again,
(18:41):
I believe he sees it in his head before the
ball is snapped. And that's what makes him so dangerous,
so dangerous, and you know, again, this is this, this
could be something interesting. You know, Max, you were maybe
a part of a team like that in two thousand
(19:02):
and five. Yeah, down down the last four games of
the regular season, sixth seed, and then you get a
hot quarterback that takes you through the AFC playoffs by
just playing out of his mind. Not necessarily with big
numbers for sixty minutes, but he was clutch. Yeah, and
(19:26):
in situations and in parts of games that kind of
guided the outcome the way that you needed to go
to beat that team that day. Number one in my
mind in that category is at Indianapolis.
Speaker 7 (19:44):
Yes, you know, Ben wasn't He didn't throw for three
hundred yards or anything, but in the first half, whatever
it was, he was ten or fourteen, no interceptions and
a couple of touchdowns, and you're winning fourteen nothing against
the Colts.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Midway through the second Piereriod and all of a sudden,
that place is quiet. It's not only quiet, but now
the cults are having to play their their defense that
was light, you know, in weight, and was athletic and
took advantage of the noise because they got opponents behind.
(20:20):
Their offense got opponents behind and you had to throw
and he turned Freeney and Robert mathis loosen and all
you know, dogs and cats, you know, all over the place. Yeah,
and but that didn't happen that day because the game
didn't unfold that way. So, you know, as I said,
(20:40):
there's some there's some things that are interesting happening here
with this Steelers team, and I'm looking forward to the
rest of this season. I will say this though, going
to Detroit is not going to be any walk in
the park.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
No, it will not be. It will not be.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
But but this is what you signed up for, right
This is another you know, another team that's a that's
a solid.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Look.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You beat a solid team in Baltimore, you beat a
team that was playing well six and seven Miami, he'd
won four in a row. Next challenge Detroit, let's go man,
bring it on, uh and and they will challenge the
Steelers run defense and and challenge some of the things
that the students have been putting together, so hey man,
fun times, fun times.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
And one other thing about the Lions. One more loss
and they're out.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
Yeah right another yeah, another team we've been talking about
this Labs. Another team that's that the Steelers are facing,
that's desperate. It just seems like they're getting a lot
of those teams right now.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yep, can't wait.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Tuesdays with Labs is as always presented by UPMC, the
official healthcare provider and health plan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bob,
thanks very much for coming on with us, as always appreciated.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Nice labs.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Okay, good, okay, guys, have a good week.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Stick around back with your phone calls four one two
nine one nine one three one six when we continue
in the Locker Room presented by our neighborhood Ford Store,
the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part
of the Steelers Audio network.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Thinks 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 and.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
We thank you for being with us on this Tuesday,
that's sort of a Monday as well, after the Monday
night football victory. So we'll be opening the phone lines
to take your phone calls at four one two nine
one nine one three one six and let's get to
the phone lines and talk to our buddy one.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Thanks very much for being with us in the locker
room today.
Speaker 8 (23:04):
Hey, good morning, guys. How y'all doing good?
Speaker 6 (23:06):
How you doing?
Speaker 8 (23:08):
Hey, I'm doing good? A Max, how was that fish
last night?
Speaker 9 (23:12):
Man?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
You know it needed a little bit of pepper. It
had a lot of salt. It was a very salty fish,
but it need a little bit of pepper, little hot sauce,
maybe some mustard on there. But hey, it went down easy.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Hey, I know, I know, A. It was a good
game last night. He So let's get to a urge
you last night, Max on the Pools game. And I
was going to talk about it this morning, like you said,
Dylan Cook, A, I know our guy woke touching Wolkers
and hear and loving how you played last night, because
you know what they liked the big hogs. That's all
(23:47):
I used to talk about. So he played a wonderful y'all.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Last night, Dan, he did an excellent job, and I
was really proud for it because he's a guy that's
just been working hard the last couple of years, Right,
He's just been toiling away on practice squad and just
sticking with it. I know he got an opportunity to
get called up last year and had some reserve duty work,
but you know, this was his coming out party. This
(24:12):
was his opportunity to really kind of show what he's
been doing in the lab.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
Right.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
It's like that one guy that's in the studio and
been working on mixtape, selling out the trunk of his car,
and then finally he becomes ludicrous, right, you know, he's
like you put that first single on, You're like, oh
my gosh, where where did this guy come from? It's like, now,
I've been here the whole time. I've just been working.
I just been perfecting my craft. And and he did it.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
He did.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
He had a masterclass on Bradley Chubb last night.
Speaker 8 (24:38):
Yeah, and being also, like you said, Samuels, we had
a little history last night. Of course, t number ten
all time and wins also with the two tight Ends,
first team NFL history with two tight ends rushing tds. Yeah,
and Reneguer was back to normal last night. And all
(24:58):
the tall men he is all right, I don't hit
him seeing fire him?
Speaker 2 (25:01):
No more, no, no, no, they was they were saying fire.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Who said that? Who said?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
It's cold outside? You can't you get you can't start
a fire in this weather. What are you talking about? Yeah,
they were.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Really quiet and Renegade did not get booed last night. One.
That's the other thing. We had all tears.
Speaker 8 (25:20):
Yeah, it saw that it was back last night. One
more thing I didn't know if you guys saw on them,
if you watched a t on the d K touchdown
when Minka I felt god, I felt sci fi guy
at Menca, But you saw Calvin Austin had a key
block down here.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
You know what Alvaro actually pointed that out. He talked
about that exactly. Was that, you know, and in the
years past, like young receivers would not have seen that opportunity.
But Calvin knew that he needed to throw that block
to make sure that Minca didn't come back on the
backside of that pursuit and uh and take Minca out.
And that was that very heads up. You would say
(26:00):
veteran type type play by him to stay stay with
the play.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
Yeah, so it's only Detroit A like I was telling
guys last night, Hey, we controlled our one destiny he
with Detroit. We beat them, we knocked them out. I
don't care about that because that's an NFC team. As
we get the last two with the Brownies and the
rad Bers, I'm good with that.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Absolutely absolutely. I mean, you know, elimination football. That's what
December is all about. And listen, if you help some
guys go fishing, just like we did the Dolphins last night.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Nothing wrong with it. That's part for the course here.
Speaker 8 (26:39):
Yeah, all right, guys, I'll get out of the let some
other people get in.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Thank you, one, appreciate it. Always good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah, Happy holidays, one.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Happy holidays, and let's move on to talk to cr
CR Thanks very much for being with us today.
Speaker 10 (26:53):
Hey, y'all, Steeling Net Chicago Live. Just no for the
Port City of Woman's the north line of home on Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh linebacker Alex Heismith, I am so excited to be
here with you guys, and they talk to the phone.
But I do have a complaint with the Ninjas in
the background. How the heck you guys keep putting one
in front of me. I'm gonna send it.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
He called, He called first, He called three times before
you called the first time. That's how wan Jeam's getting
on there. You gotta be quicker on the button.
Speaker 10 (27:24):
Hey, I'm gonna see the centizen, not the man.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
Am I right?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Hey, we'll pull up the handicap line next time.
Speaker 10 (27:31):
So that's what I'm talking about. Hey, Roy, you gotta
get hold of me. I miss your brother. Uh from
another connection? Hey anyway, uh, hey, man on this game yesterday,
that's the team that I saw when I want to
training camp. That's the spirit that I saw when I
want to training camp. I'm really excited about our quarterback.
(27:54):
The brother is a walk on Hall of Fame, Ain't
no doubt about it. And here's here's my point of view.
He beat us in the Super Bowl, so he's got
a ring there. He has the opportunity to get another ring.
And what's so unique about that it will be the
seventh ring in the history of the NFL. No team
(28:15):
has seven Super Bowl rings. I like his concepts, I
like his ideas. I like the way he commands the
field when he walks out there. He's been there long enough.
When he looks on the field, he can see what's
going on. The Other thing that's important right now is
that what happened last night with the defense, they didn't
have a lot of mistackles. At the end of the game.
(28:36):
You know, they came down. The Dolphins came down and
got to score, but they get paid the score too.
So right now we're really where we need to be at.
We just come together. You and I was talking about
the Detroit game. It is the NFC team, but we
have to beat them because right now we got that
mindset we can close out this season. This season with
(28:59):
those three wins. That's gonna be a huge, huge pickup
for the whole team. Man, what are you comment?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Well, I think for me, CR it's indicative of it's
the next opponent and in December football, these are the
games you gotta have, right These are the guy to
have at moments because it's the next team and when
you play single elimination football like this, like the Steelers
are having to play right now because you're in that
neck and neck race with Baltimore, you want that game
(29:33):
come January whatever date they put it. On because right
it's still TBD for the for week eighteen. You want
to make sure that a it means something to the Steelers,
but you know, we kind of hope that it doesn't
mean anything for Baltimore. We hope they get they lose
to the New England Patriots next week. But if they don't,
it doesn't matter, right, because as long as you handle
(29:53):
your business and you keep your eyes forward on your goal,
it doesn't matter what everybody else does. Just kind of
like and Labs mentioned this, our five team, you know,
we we control our own destiny because all we had
to do was just focus on winning. Everything else is
gonna take care of itself around us, all the fodder
and all the cloudiness and murkiness of everybody else. Now,
(30:14):
I ain't worried about y'all. I'm worried about what what
what's inside my four walls. And that's the mentality that
you see them operating in.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
And we're just we're just happening.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
We just happen to get a glimpse of the board
meeting every Sunday, right, you know we're not in there.
You know, we're aside on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
but we're actually get a live peek in of what
they've been doing all week on Sunday. It's indicative of
what that work has been. And so you're absolutely right,
(30:45):
it doesn't matter. And yes, another elimination game. Well that
that that's what this that's what this month is. December
football is the pacing car for the playoffs and the
biggest thing we have. We know that the only way
we getting in is by winning this division, right because
everybody else around us has those wild cards and they
(31:06):
have less losses than we do. But it doesn't matter.
We want to win the division anyways. I want to
see a home get I'm tired of going on the
road as a wildcard seven seed and you know, I'm
getting snowballs thrown at me in Buffalo and all that
kind of stuff. Now, granted, I'm in the booths now,
so it'd be a really long snowball.
Speaker 7 (31:23):
But.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
You know, in the past, that's what it's been like.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Or being in Baltimore in that miserable weather and seeing
Ray Lewis, you know, do it, do it, doing it,
doing his generations. You know, I don't I don't want
to see that. I let let's have it at home
and let's be able to play renegade. And I think
the Steelers kind of understand the assignment of it. And
once again, number eight, that's a cold blooded dude there,
that's a cold blooded du.
Speaker 10 (31:49):
Brothers, danves Man, I just mean to cut you off,
but he is his mindset. His mindset is there with
the coaches and everybody, and it seems like they got
they all on the same page. And I think Keith
very excited to be there because if he can bring
our championship to the Steelers, like I said, that's gonna
be unprecedent. I'm gonna get out of here.
Speaker 11 (32:08):
I appreciate you guys, or allow me to.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Come in there for a minute. And uh, I gotta
close out by saying this in the maintime, in in
between time, here.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
We go, Here we go, woo, there we go.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
As always, we expect nothing less from you, cr and
we will have that handicapped space for you on the
on the phone line next time.
Speaker 8 (32:33):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
Okay, So we're gonna take a break right now.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
We have some other phone calls that we have to
get to, uh, and we will get to you guys
right after the break. Before that, we want to remind
you can gear up with the latest game data necessities
at the official Students Pro Shops. Get the latest sideline
apparel of Jerseys, Terrible Tows of Phenic, Memora, Billia, and
custom exclusives you can only find directly from the team.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
Visit one of the official Students Pro.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Shops located at Akrosher Stadium, Grove City Premium Ountlets or
Tanger out Let's Heir. Gear up online at shop dot
Steelers dot com. Get it direct from the team. It's
studis Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
Back in the Locker.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Room presented by our neighborhood Fords Store, and see this
pro shop on Suthers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
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 3 (33:41):
All right, guys, you know what time it is. It's
time for the bell lap.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
That's right, early lunch warning system engaged. Of course, if
you did not partake in donuts. It is all good
because you can get your lunch after this, but make
sure you stay tuned for the Mike time and press
conference coming right at the top of the hour here
at noon, and we're gonna go rapid fire water cooler.
We got about five to six callers here on the line, Kinger,
so we want to make sure we get to everybody
before the ticker goes off. So I'm gonna let you
(34:08):
go ahead and get it started.
Speaker 6 (34:09):
Ricky and Georgia.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Ricky, thanks for being with us in the locker room.
Speaker 11 (34:13):
Hey Man, Duffine, how y'all doing.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Man, doing good? Doing good?
Speaker 11 (34:17):
Hey Man, I'm gonna keep it short of something.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Man.
Speaker 11 (34:19):
The game last night, I'm very happy everybody paid attention
and one time I mess preaching for a long time
the details of the game. And I feel like everybody
was on the SIMU last night and they did what
they had to do to win the game. And I
just want to say this one other thing. Shouts to
mister Jaylen Ramson. All, maam a Hurricane fan, and I
don't like Florida State and match. I know you a
Florida fan. You don't like maam in North Florida State,
(34:40):
and I get it, but I'm glad he had a
man on my team. That man played with intention like no,
like we ain't seen a long time. And the way
he chased out a tool, I felt bad for a tool.
And that mom called like that man run like a
horse out of out of a horse worker, like he
hot stepped, and that said, oh my god, it's might
be ugly. So I thought he was gonna call it
roughing the pass on to know him, but they never did,
so I'm glad they didn't. But shouting miss Jason Ranch,
(35:01):
that's a great trade gat a great pick up boy.
Let's putting off season and I'm glad to have him
on my team.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Ricky, thank you very much, appreciate it. Thanks for being
with us in the locker room. Up next gym in
Southern California. Jim, thanks for being with us today.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
Hey guys, I just wanted to say this. That was
a complete football game last night. Shout out to number sixty.
I know Max must appreciated guy coming in and starting
his first game protecting the backside.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Of Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 12 (35:27):
He did a great job and that defense stepped up.
They proved they can shut down that run. Nay Sayers
nationally were saying they were gonna run on us, they
were gonna run on us. I love the intensity of
our defense last night. All in all, team win, and
I'll tell you it is great having Aaron Rodgers on
our team because that guy can read defenses like nobody.
It's guys, ghosteelers.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
All right, Don great, Okay, let's keep going. Dave in Nashville, Dave,
you're with us in the locker room. How you doing today?
Speaker 6 (35:55):
Great?
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Good morning guys.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
Hey.
Speaker 13 (35:56):
I made a trip to Florida last week. Wasn't near Miami,
but close enough. Made a pan of lasagna, ate it
and man it paid off.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yes, sometimes the comfort lasagna is always It could be
a secret agent too, you know, and you do it
in the right area.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
You planed a sleeper cell. I appreciate that.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
And my daughter is in college up very close to Detroit,
so I'm gonna have her make a pen and bring
it here tomorrow to eat before the Lions game. Anyway,
on more serious note, just a question.
Speaker 6 (36:33):
To you, guys.
Speaker 13 (36:33):
So it seems like we're on a roll, But what's
it gonna take from a leadership standpoint to be consistent
for the remaining three games. We can take this momentum
into the playoffs. What is it gonna take? What are
the keys?
Speaker 3 (36:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
No, and I'll answer this real quick. I mean the
keys are is you know, keep your foot on the pedal.
I think we have the right guys in the place.
I think Cam Hayward led from the front last night.
You need that leadership is key. I think Jalen Ramsey
brings a very physical nature to that defense. That's that
kind of backs up that type of play. And Aaron Rodgers,
he's your leader. Follow his directions. If he tells you
(37:10):
gets the line, get to the line. If he tells
you to watch the extra film, go watch the extra film,
show up and and be locked in and take notes.
I mean that's really what it takes. This is where
leaders lead from the players standpoint, and coaches just coach.
Coaches call the plays and allow the players to go
out there and activate. And if they can do that consistently,
they'll be fine.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Thanks very much, appreciate it. Uh, that was Jim Right.
We have Dave from Nashville. I'm try That was Dave.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
All right, I'm gonna take over and we got Doug
from Georgia.
Speaker 6 (37:41):
Doug.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
What's up here on the side of the locker room.
Speaker 14 (37:43):
Hey, I just want to say, great win. Really happy
they didn't have any offensive penalties. I love how the
receivers are blocking to help the run. And and uh,
you and Bob call a fantastic game. I mean every
(38:06):
time it's fantastic.
Speaker 11 (38:09):
Just good job.
Speaker 14 (38:10):
Just want to say that, all right.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Well, hey, we appreciate it very much. Hey, I like
to do nickname Bob King. I'm gonna go with that,
da that was my dad.
Speaker 6 (38:22):
Bob. I've never I've never been. I've never been. I've
been called many, many things, not always relating to the
to the name Robert.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Yeah, there we go.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Bob is not one.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
We gotta we gotta do what we gotta do it,
all right, all right, we're gonna take the thail in
Los Angeles to tail.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
What's up you're in the locker room?
Speaker 9 (38:38):
Hey, good morning, guys.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
How we doing.
Speaker 9 (38:42):
I'm doing great? Nice win, great win. It's so nice
to have leadership on the field. I mean, especially at
the quarterback position. I mean we have another coach out there.
I mean the things that that Aaron's doing, I think
they're feeling it. I think they're singing it. It's all
come together and we're gonna win the division. There's just
(39:05):
no doubt in my mind that we're gonna get this
done and and we're gonna we're gonna make some noise,
you know, when we get there this time. So all
the naysayers, you know, keep nay saying, but we're gonna
keep playing. That's all I got to say for me.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
Yeah, I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You're right, Hey, the cream rises to the top of
right now. Thriving in, thriving in, not surviving. We're thriving
in and not surviving in December. So you're absolutely right, Nate,
and we appreciate you calling to the locker room of
our last one.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
We got John and Michigan. You are inside the locker.
Speaker 15 (39:39):
Room, fellas, Listen. I need I need to win on Sunday.
I can't let my wife have bragging rights.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Oh she's a Lions fan.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
That's not good.
Speaker 15 (39:50):
Yeah, turn our daughters and a Lions fans, guys.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
I can't have it. No, No, definitely not.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
Well.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I could tell you this was a great momentum builder.
In that moment, this was gonna be more of a
track meet just because of the dome environment. Of course,
what they bring in this moment, you know, from the
lion standpoint, and they're facing elimination. But you know, as
we've seen, we we've been good in those elimination matches
so far. So I'm hoping, you know, we we we
(40:16):
we have the sabotage going with the with the with
the pre victory, Lasagna being the sleeper sell in those cities.
So for this one, I think, you know, just keep
the positive vibes and make sure your girls just focus
on black and goal. Don't let don't let them be
allured by blue and blue and silver or whatever their color.
Speaker 15 (40:34):
Also, I don't understand the negative comments that uh Connor
Hayward gets. Like the dude does everything he's asked, and
he does that at such a high level weekend and
week out.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
I was on DV this morning, Max and just said,
you know, I think it's really great for coaching staff
to have players like Connor Hayward and Scottie Miller.
Speaker 6 (40:55):
You know you need to touch push.
Speaker 5 (40:56):
It's Connor Hayward scores a touchdown, first rushing touchdown of
his career on side kick gets past at first row.
Oh no, don't worry. We got Connor Hayward there for you.
Hey you need a gunner, you need a holder. We
got a Scotty Miller that can do that and also
play wide receiver. I just think players of that ilk
who are just good football players are always welcome on
a team. And I think coaching staffs love to have
(41:20):
players like and I'm lumping Miller in there too. The
question was specifically about Connor. I think coaches love to
have players like Connor Hayward.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Oh, they absolutely do. And like you said, he doesn't
make the problems. Is everybody else that seems to have
a problem with him? And I think that's the funny
part about it. Players are gonna play and when your
numbers called, you have to answer the bell. And that's
all he does. All he does is just answer the bell.
And I think that's where people kind of get irritated
and say, oh, you have to be this brash type
of boisterous guy. No you don't, Oh you don't just
(41:51):
just go out there and do the job. Listen, steel
City cheve great rushing touchdown great. I mean I called
him little iron, a little iron ironhead. Last night you
know what I'm saying, because that's what you're supposed to do.
He had a Jerome bettistat line four rushes four yards,
one touchdown, like that's a great.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
Night, latter day, latter day, Jerome.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Yes, exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
So you know, I think a lot of people have that,
but that this is what it takes to be a team.
You have to just put your hand on the pal
and be counted when it's when, when, when your numbers called,
answer the bell and that's all he does. So yeah,
I love having Connor. He's now dispelled the name Meatball Express.
We won't use Meatball anymore. He is now a little ironhead.
Speaker 6 (42:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:34):
And by the way, kudos to the special teams because
you know, Malik Washington is a really dangerous return man.
Speaker 6 (42:42):
So's d S. Gridge.
Speaker 5 (42:44):
You know, we know their punter is an excellent punter.
But I thought the Steelers, you know, if you're a
team like Miami and you're looking for a spark, there's
a number of different ways that can happen. They they've
been feasting on turnovers. Steelers did not allow that to happen.
They have been getting plays from their special teams. Steelers
did not allow that to happen either, So uh and
(43:06):
and I mentioned that because Connor Hayward is one of
those key guys on special teams who make sure the
big plays don't happen against this teethers. So I think
that's well pointed out. It was a guy that I did.
I did want to mention him specifically, and I'm glad
he was just brought up because I thought, you know,
Connor Hayward again, when you're trotting off the off the
field last night, you know, not everybody dressed can can
(43:28):
always say.
Speaker 6 (43:29):
Hey, I played a part in that victory.
Speaker 5 (43:30):
If you're Connor Hayward, you're jogging off that field saying
I played a part in that victory.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Absolutely, And you know CR pointed it out. Two tight
ends with two rushing touchdowns in a game never been
done before. So the fact that you got to say
I was, I stood and I was counted, and I
made a big play in a big moment and I
did not allow the weight of the.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Moment to get to me.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
That that that that that's that that that's high level
football right there.
Speaker 5 (43:58):
Our thanks to everybody called in today on this Tuesday
slash Monday. Thanks to justin Miller the controls in our
iHeart Studio, Max enjoy packing away those victory donuts. We're
not quite ready to turn the page yet to the
lions and not basking the glow of this, of this victory.
But again, my friend, always goold spending time with.
Speaker 2 (44:20):
You, always a great time, King Heer and of course
Sane Bat channel, Saint Bat Time will be on here tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
You got it, and we'll be reacting to what comes next,
and that is the Mike Tomlin Press conference right here
in these airwaves. We thank you for being with us
in the Locker Room, presented by our neighborhood Ford Store
and this Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network,
This is in the locker room with Kingon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The
F one point fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh, you know what time it is when you hear
Optimus blowing through? And I think I heard a happy
honk there by opt It was very faint on the
second side of that, as we enter the power hour
here inside the locker room, and no Tuesday is complete.
I know we have a Mike Tomlin press conference at
the top of the hour next hour, and of course
(00:48):
we are going to lead you up all the way
until that moment.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
But what makes this.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hour so special is we have steel City Digest and
the editor in chief, the the head honcho, the uh,
the labs in charge, you know, our color, our culinary
commandant of all things Italiano, and that is the one
(01:13):
the only, Bob Labriola joining us here inside the locker.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
How are we doing today, Bob?
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Pretty good fellows, I got to admit, and I'd like
to start if you'll allow me Uh, tip of the
cap to the fans who showed up last night at
Akershuer Stadium. It was not it was not a pleasant
evening in terms of the weather. I mean, it was
a pleasant evening in terms of you know what happened.
(01:40):
But it was cold, it was windy. Uh and uh,
I just you know, want to pay some homage to
the fans who showed up, who stayed, who were into
it throughout the evening. They enjoyed the Hall of Honor
festivities at halftime, you know, and as I said, it
(02:02):
was just it all created for a pretty nice atmosphere.
And then the Steelers did put the crowning touches on
that with a victory. So all things considered, you know,
it was it was a great night. And I do
need to confess that even though I only had to
walk like a couple of hundred yards from my car
(02:24):
to get into the warmth of the press box or
the elevator of the press box, that two hundred yard
walk was pretty cold. And that was nothing like with
those fans endured. So, as I said, to the cap,
to those.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
People, no doubt, and a great atmosphere last night. And Bob,
we've just kind of been discussing that, you know, we've
liked what we've seen the last couple of weeks with
the Steelers. We're hoping that this is a sign that
you know, December football and reaching that crescendo and being
on a roll going into the playoffs. And you know,
I don't want to discount we saw last night, but
(03:00):
in conjunction with last night's performance, does it feel to
you like the Steelers are trending in a positive direction?
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yeah, you know, and I think it's really important this
time of the season for any team to start doing,
you know, things that we saw the Steelers do last night,
because a lot of those elements I believe are critical
to winning games, you know, down the stretch here in
December and the first week of January and then on
(03:31):
into the playoffs and being more than one and done.
So you know what happens is once a team does
those things, then they know they can do them, and
so there's a confidence there, I think underlying a lot
of times, or maybe it's an overt confidence that you know,
a team or players can call upon the next time
(03:54):
they're in one of those kinds of situations. And I
think it's only inevitable when you're going to be in
games where you need to be able to run more
offensive plays than the opponent. You need to be able
to gain more total net yards than the opponent. You
need to have a better time of possession than the opponent,
(04:15):
and you need to do a better job of running
the ball and stopping the run than the opponent does
running the ball and stopping the run. And you mix
all that together with a quarterback who if he provides
I think I said this to you guys last Tuesday.
If Aaron Rodgers provides twenty five points or more with
(04:37):
no turnovers in every game moving forward, I'll take my chances.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now, I completely agree, Bob, And I think you know,
last night was that momentum builder. We talked about teams
surviving December like we were a year ago. You know,
this is right in the heart of that stretch, the
three games in eleven days, and it was just a
frenzy and things are normal, and this team is in
(05:08):
what I would say thriving mode right two and oh
already in December. You're you're hitting, you're hitting your stride
as you're kind of going up that roller coaster to
get to the playoffs and then from there, you know,
all bets are off once you hit that drop into
into into the postseason. But this team is looking a
(05:29):
lot different. And you know, we talked about earlier in
this show before you got on, just about the guys
who stepped in right, the uncommon characters that put their
hand in the pile, you know, this week and churning
this roster even in season, like going and finding players
and those guys being instant contributors to this team. I
thought that was something that was also really on display
(05:52):
last night. I mean, everything from Dylan Cook at left
tackle to MVS catching a touchdown pass, Adam Thielen and
his snap count in this and Sante Samuel come up
with a big play interception early in that game that
I felt like changed and swung the momentum.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Back in the Steelers direction.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
But just all of these different guys that put their
hand in the pal and it was it. It was
some common guys that we expected to play up, but
other guys who elevated their game to match the level
of of the leaders of this team.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yeah, and I think as we've seen, you know, throughout
this season, a lot of that's contagious either way. You know,
guys doing good things and then that's contagious to their teammates,
the same as we have seen in other games where
you know, the Rockers rolling down the hill and threatening
to crush you a lot of times. You know, that's
(06:45):
contagious too. So you know, Kenneth Gamwell was a guy
I think deserves, you know, a little shout out. And
you know, one of the things that I also see
as optimistic is the fact that you know, Derek Harmon
is going to come back. TJ. Watt is going to
(07:07):
come back, at least by all accounts. You know, Andre's
Pete is probably coming back since you know he was
just in the concussion protocol. So you know there are
going to be some reinforcements along the way. And I
think those guys too, as they're watching, they want to
(07:29):
come back even more because you know, you start seeing,
I think, what this team's potential might be or what
they might have going for themselves right now, and you
just want to be a part of it, because, as
I said, when things are going good, that can be
contagious too. So again I and let me say this,
(07:54):
all of it is traced back to the quarterback.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I mean, this guy is just he is it. He
completed what eighty percent or something, eighty three percent, some
ridiculous number again protecting the ball. He made anticipatory throws
on target, he was on time. He converted a third
(08:20):
down by catching the Dolphins with too many men on
the field. On defense, he's doing the Aaron Rodgers stuff, throwing,
side arm, throwing, you know whatever, three quarters, whatever it
needs to be to get the ball to the receiver.
He sees it, he's delivering it, giving guys an opportunity
to make plays. And that kind of quarterback play is
(08:46):
what you have to have. So this I don't know, man.
And I really think Aaron Rodgers is into this too.
He I think he wanted. You know, Mike Pursua was
talking about this on the pregame show yesterday when the
DV Morning show was up at Saint Vincent College and
(09:06):
they you know, uh do a show from camp and
they had Rogers on and he's he was saying that
before in between segments or whatever, Rogers stayed and he
was just telling them that, you know, he's really excited
for this. He wants another crack at it. You know,
he's a competitor. I got to believe he's cold blooded,
(09:26):
ruthless competitor. And you know, I think Aaron Rodgers sees
what kind of what could could happen here, what could coalesce,
what this could develop into, and I think he's excited
about it. And you know, when you have a court,
your quarterback is the guy who's leading the charge. In
(09:48):
that respect, I just really think it's good for the team.
You know, one of the things I mentioned on the
pregame show myself about Rogers was no day's off last
week practic from practice. He could have taken a limited
day or something, you know, for the left wrist or
(10:08):
you know, any of that stuff, but he was a
full participant every day. And I think that what he's
doing is kind of leading by example and showing the
other the younger guys what's required at this time of
the year. You know, there's no shortcuts, details matter, all
that kind of stuff, and he's without saying it, he's
(10:32):
showing it. And then I think that that makes it
more conducive for guys to follow along, especially when he's
doing what he's doing and then performing the way he's
performing in the games.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah, couldn't agree more, Bob, with everything you're saying. And
you know, I think he, you know, a veteran guy
who's great. The arm talent is you know, again We've
talked about this many times, the best I've ever seen
as far as making throws and the different things he
can do off platform and all that other stuff. You know,
(11:04):
obviously it depends upon your definition of that, but I mean,
just a thrower of the football and you know intellectually
what he can do, but also knowing that, you know,
we saw him kind of flinging the ball around the
field against Cincinnati, We saw him doing a little bit
of that against Baltimore. We saw him doing last night
what it took to win the game, you know what
(11:26):
I mean. So he can fall back on, still can
fall back on tremendous talent, but knows what it also
takes to win the game. And I thought what he
did last night was play, you know, within the confines
of that game. I think it's one of Mike Tomlins strengths,
you know, coaching to win the game, not coaching to
(11:49):
to you know, appease the Associated Press. Voters in the
latest poll doesn't care about any of that stuff. And
I think Aaron Rodgers shares that with his head coach.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah. And you know, to me and I believe this
for a long time in the NFL. At the NFL level,
there's a difference between playing quarterback and being the quarterback.
And Aaron Rodgers is being the quarterback. He's going beyond
just playing the position. You know, he's leading, He's seeing
(12:20):
you see him occasionally react to something that doesn't go well,
and you also see him react to something that does
go well by pointing out, often literally the person responsible
for it. You know, I saw Aaron Rodgers a couple
(12:41):
of times look over to the Steelers sideline after a
big play or a conversion or something and point to
the sideline, you know, with a kind of a thumbs
up kind of attitude. And you know, I got to
believe he's giving a little shout out whoever called the
plays or whoever designed the play or whatever that might be.
(13:05):
And you know, I think that that's extremely valuable. I mean,
you want your quarterback to be a fiery guy who
is demanding, he's detail oriented, all those kinds of things,
and I think you're more apt to accept criticism from
(13:26):
him in a positive way. If he's also in complimentary
when that's warranted. And so again he's really doing it
all in my opinion, and I haven't seen he's different.
I mean, Ben is a great player, was a great player,
and he was honored yesterday, and you know he's on
(13:47):
the launchpad to being inducted in the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. I have no doubt, but they're different. The
way Ben played the position was not that the surgical
precision that Aaron Rodgers plays with it. You know, Ben
was a big play guy, you know, big and strong
(14:11):
and big arm and you know, all of those things
that you love in a quarterback. But in terms of
being you know, a surgical complete eighty three percent of
his passes. You know, that wasn't Ben's game. And that's fine.
This team with this supporting cast, I think that this
is a good way for this team to try and
(14:33):
move forward now as we're what we got now three
games left in the regular season, right, Yeah, And you
know we talked about this was another one to pursue
his ideas for the pregame show yesterday. He just went around,
you know, met him and Jerry Dulac and Mike said,
who do you think from the AFC. Who would you
pick from the AFC to go to the Super Bowl?
(14:57):
You know, we all have different ideas. Think about who
do you like and whoever it is. I think you
could probably make a decent case for that team and
I could poke holes in that team. That's the way
the AFC looks to me this season.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
And I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
I think when you look at it, you know the parody.
And then here's the other thing. I need you to
pick who's coming out of the AFC. And you can't
pick Kansas City because they won't be eligible.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Right, that's another thing.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
They're already eliminated.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Already with three games left. When's the last time you've
said that? So no, I completely I completely agree with you, Labs,
Like this is the thing when a team catches fire
in December, that team that's riding the wave up, not
catching it on the downturn, catching it on the wave up.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
And what we've.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Seen is is that the Steelers are putting together those
ways and they're riding the trend up. We saw the
first uptick against Baltimore, and you win in that game
in a very unconventional fashion. Right, you don't win the
rushing attack you know, the time of possession plays called,
(16:16):
they're not there, but they had the more explosives and
they captured them in the right moments. And then what
you saw this week was something different. Right, We actually
won time of possession, we won the plays earned, and
that third quarter that had been so bad for us,
we had a net one hundred and eighty three more
yards than a team that had been putting up four
(16:38):
hundred plus yards of offense per week in the last
four weeks and rushing the ball at almost two hundred
yards and they just dropped them dead in the tracks.
So you're right, there's holes to be poked in every story.
The New England Patriots, who everybody probably would have picked
two weeks ago because they just looked indomitable, or even
(17:00):
for Denver.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Now Denver is one of those they've had the.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Luckiest streak of all because all the level of their
winds have been comeback victories, Like they haven't had an
easy victory all season. But everybody else, you know, has
some type of story that you have to that you
have to consider of a butt and that's where the Steelers,
I think thrive in that because they are so varied
(17:26):
and you don't know who's going to be the contributor
from week to week. I mean, we had eight different
guys catch passes yesterday, Like that's on the way to
him completing eighty three percent of his passes, Like that's
that's just you don't get that normally. And two of
those guys weren't on this roster a month ago, you know,
so it's like, right, those are the things that you're right,
These are the small little things that can lead to
(17:49):
a lot of success. And that anonymity is, yeah, just
let us be middling, but hit the gas pedal when
you need to.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
And that's what they're doing right now.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Yeah, And you know, uh, all of a sudden, you know,
I didn't get any or hear any. Why don't they
get the ball to Pat Friarmouth? You know because with
with the way Rogers is playing, I mean he sees
it all, and a lot of it he sees before
it happens. And so you know, when whenever the opposing
(18:20):
defense uh is in a scheme or a situation where
it's conducive for Pat Firemouth to win his matchup and
be open, Aaron Rodgers will get him the ball on
time and on target, then just catch it because, as
I said, he's seeing it a lot of it. Again,
(18:41):
I believe he sees it in his head before the
ball is snapped. And that's what makes him so dangerous,
so dangerous, and you know, again, this is this, this
could be something interesting. You know, Max, you were maybe
a part of a team like that in two thousand
(19:02):
and five. Yeah, down down the last four games of
the regular season, sixth seed, and then you get a
hot quarterback that takes you through the AFC playoffs by
just playing out of his mind. Not necessarily with big
numbers for sixty minutes, but he was clutch. Yeah, and
(19:26):
in situations and in parts of games that kind of
guided the outcome the way that you needed to go
to beat that team that day. Number one in my
mind in that category is at Indianapolis.
Speaker 7 (19:44):
Yes, you know, Ben wasn't He didn't throw for three
hundred yards or anything, but in the first half, whatever
it was, he was ten or fourteen, no interceptions and
a couple of touchdowns, and you're winning fourteen nothing against
the Colts.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Midway through the second Piereriod and all of a sudden,
that place is quiet. It's not only quiet, but now
the cults are having to play their their defense that
was light, you know, in weight, and was athletic and
took advantage of the noise because they got opponents behind.
(20:20):
Their offense got opponents behind and you had to throw
and he turned Freeney and Robert mathis loosen and all
you know, dogs and cats, you know, all over the place. Yeah,
and but that didn't happen that day because the game
didn't unfold that way. So, you know, as I said,
(20:40):
there's some there's some things that are interesting happening here
with this Steelers team, and I'm looking forward to the
rest of this season. I will say this though, going
to Detroit is not going to be any walk in
the park.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
No, it will not be. It will not be.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
But but this is what you signed up for, right
This is another you know, another team that's a that's
a solid.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Look.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You beat a solid team in Baltimore, you beat a
team that was playing well six and seven Miami, he'd
won four in a row. Next challenge Detroit, let's go man,
bring it on, uh and and they will challenge the
Steelers run defense and and challenge some of the things
that the students have been putting together, so hey man,
fun times, fun times.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
And one other thing about the Lions. One more loss
and they're out.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
Yeah right another yeah, another team we've been talking about
this Labs. Another team that's that the Steelers are facing,
that's desperate. It just seems like they're getting a lot
of those teams right now.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yep, can't wait.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Tuesdays with Labs is as always presented by UPMC, the
official healthcare provider and health plan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bob,
thanks very much for coming on with us, as always appreciated.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Nice labs.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Okay, good, okay, guys, have a good week.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Stick around back with your phone calls four one two
nine one nine one three one six when we continue
in the Locker Room presented by our neighborhood Ford Store,
the Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part
of the Steelers Audio network.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Thinks 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
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dot Steelers dot com and.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
We thank you for being with us on this Tuesday,
that's sort of a Monday as well, after the Monday
night football victory. So we'll be opening the phone lines
to take your phone calls at four one two nine
one nine one three one six and let's get to
the phone lines and talk to our buddy one.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Thanks very much for being with us in the locker
room today.
Speaker 8 (23:04):
Hey, good morning, guys. How y'all doing good?
Speaker 6 (23:06):
How you doing?
Speaker 8 (23:08):
Hey, I'm doing good? A Max, how was that fish
last night?
Speaker 9 (23:12):
Man?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
You know it needed a little bit of pepper. It
had a lot of salt. It was a very salty fish,
but it need a little bit of pepper, little hot sauce,
maybe some mustard on there. But hey, it went down easy.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Hey, I know, I know, A. It was a good
game last night. He So let's get to a urge
you last night, Max on the Pools game. And I
was going to talk about it this morning, like you said,
Dylan Cook, A, I know our guy woke touching Wolkers
and hear and loving how you played last night, because
you know what they liked the big hogs. That's all
(23:47):
I used to talk about. So he played a wonderful y'all.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Last night, Dan, he did an excellent job, and I
was really proud for it because he's a guy that's
just been working hard the last couple of years, Right,
He's just been toiling away on practice squad and just
sticking with it. I know he got an opportunity to
get called up last year and had some reserve duty work,
but you know, this was his coming out party. This
(24:12):
was his opportunity to really kind of show what he's
been doing in the lab.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
Right.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
It's like that one guy that's in the studio and
been working on mixtape, selling out the trunk of his car,
and then finally he becomes ludicrous, right, you know, he's
like you put that first single on, You're like, oh
my gosh, where where did this guy come from? It's like, now,
I've been here the whole time. I've just been working.
I just been perfecting my craft. And and he did it.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
He did.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
He had a masterclass on Bradley Chubb last night.
Speaker 8 (24:38):
Yeah, and being also, like you said, Samuels, we had
a little history last night. Of course, t number ten
all time and wins also with the two tight Ends,
first team NFL history with two tight ends rushing tds. Yeah,
and Reneguer was back to normal last night. And all
(24:58):
the tall men he is all right, I don't hit
him seeing fire him?
Speaker 2 (25:01):
No more, no, no, no, they was they were saying fire.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Who said that? Who said?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
It's cold outside? You can't you get you can't start
a fire in this weather. What are you talking about? Yeah,
they were.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Really quiet and Renegade did not get booed last night. One.
That's the other thing. We had all tears.
Speaker 8 (25:20):
Yeah, it saw that it was back last night. One
more thing I didn't know if you guys saw on them,
if you watched a t on the d K touchdown
when Minka I felt god, I felt sci fi guy
at Menca, But you saw Calvin Austin had a key
block down here.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
You know what Alvaro actually pointed that out. He talked
about that exactly. Was that, you know, and in the
years past, like young receivers would not have seen that opportunity.
But Calvin knew that he needed to throw that block
to make sure that Minca didn't come back on the
backside of that pursuit and uh and take Minca out.
And that was that very heads up. You would say
(26:00):
veteran type type play by him to stay stay with
the play.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
Yeah, so it's only Detroit A like I was telling
guys last night, Hey, we controlled our one destiny he
with Detroit. We beat them, we knocked them out. I
don't care about that because that's an NFC team. As
we get the last two with the Brownies and the
rad Bers, I'm good with that.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Absolutely absolutely. I mean, you know, elimination football. That's what
December is all about. And listen, if you help some
guys go fishing, just like we did the Dolphins last night.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Nothing wrong with it. That's part for the course here.
Speaker 8 (26:39):
Yeah, all right, guys, I'll get out of the let some
other people get in.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Thank you, one, appreciate it. Always good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah, Happy holidays, one.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Happy holidays, and let's move on to talk to cr
CR Thanks very much for being with us today.
Speaker 10 (26:53):
Hey, y'all, Steeling Net Chicago Live. Just no for the
Port City of Woman's the north line of home on Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh linebacker Alex Heismith, I am so excited to be
here with you guys, and they talk to the phone.
But I do have a complaint with the Ninjas in
the background. How the heck you guys keep putting one
in front of me. I'm gonna send it.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
He called, He called first, He called three times before
you called the first time. That's how wan Jeam's getting
on there. You gotta be quicker on the button.
Speaker 10 (27:24):
Hey, I'm gonna see the centizen, not the man.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
Am I right?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Hey, we'll pull up the handicap line next time.
Speaker 10 (27:31):
So that's what I'm talking about. Hey, Roy, you gotta
get hold of me. I miss your brother. Uh from
another connection? Hey anyway, uh, hey, man on this game yesterday,
that's the team that I saw when I want to
training camp. That's the spirit that I saw when I
want to training camp. I'm really excited about our quarterback.
(27:54):
The brother is a walk on Hall of Fame, Ain't
no doubt about it. And here's here's my point of view.
He beat us in the Super Bowl, so he's got
a ring there. He has the opportunity to get another ring.
And what's so unique about that it will be the
seventh ring in the history of the NFL. No team
(28:15):
has seven Super Bowl rings. I like his concepts, I
like his ideas. I like the way he commands the
field when he walks out there. He's been there long enough.
When he looks on the field, he can see what's
going on. The Other thing that's important right now is
that what happened last night with the defense, they didn't
have a lot of mistackles. At the end of the game.
(28:36):
You know, they came down. The Dolphins came down and
got to score, but they get paid the score too.
So right now we're really where we need to be at.
We just come together. You and I was talking about
the Detroit game. It is the NFC team, but we
have to beat them because right now we got that
mindset we can close out this season. This season with
(28:59):
those three wins. That's gonna be a huge, huge pickup
for the whole team. Man, what are you comment?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Well, I think for me, CR it's indicative of it's
the next opponent and in December football, these are the
games you gotta have, right These are the guy to
have at moments because it's the next team and when
you play single elimination football like this, like the Steelers
are having to play right now because you're in that
neck and neck race with Baltimore, you want that game
(29:33):
come January whatever date they put it. On because right
it's still TBD for the for week eighteen. You want
to make sure that a it means something to the Steelers,
but you know, we kind of hope that it doesn't
mean anything for Baltimore. We hope they get they lose
to the New England Patriots next week. But if they don't,
it doesn't matter, right, because as long as you handle
(29:53):
your business and you keep your eyes forward on your goal,
it doesn't matter what everybody else does. Just kind of
like and Labs mentioned this, our five team, you know,
we we control our own destiny because all we had
to do was just focus on winning. Everything else is
gonna take care of itself around us, all the fodder
and all the cloudiness and murkiness of everybody else. Now,
(30:14):
I ain't worried about y'all. I'm worried about what what
what's inside my four walls. And that's the mentality that
you see them operating in.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
And we're just we're just happening.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
We just happen to get a glimpse of the board
meeting every Sunday, right, you know we're not in there.
You know, we're aside on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
but we're actually get a live peek in of what
they've been doing all week on Sunday. It's indicative of
what that work has been. And so you're absolutely right,
(30:45):
it doesn't matter. And yes, another elimination game. Well that
that that's what this that's what this month is. December
football is the pacing car for the playoffs and the
biggest thing we have. We know that the only way
we getting in is by winning this division, right because
everybody else around us has those wild cards and they
(31:06):
have less losses than we do. But it doesn't matter.
We want to win the division anyways. I want to
see a home get I'm tired of going on the
road as a wildcard seven seed and you know, I'm
getting snowballs thrown at me in Buffalo and all that
kind of stuff. Now, granted, I'm in the booths now,
so it'd be a really long snowball.
Speaker 7 (31:23):
But.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
You know, in the past, that's what it's been like.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Or being in Baltimore in that miserable weather and seeing
Ray Lewis, you know, do it, do it, doing it,
doing his generations. You know, I don't I don't want
to see that. I let let's have it at home
and let's be able to play renegade. And I think
the Steelers kind of understand the assignment of it. And
once again, number eight, that's a cold blooded dude there,
that's a cold blooded du.
Speaker 10 (31:49):
Brothers, danves Man, I just mean to cut you off,
but he is his mindset. His mindset is there with
the coaches and everybody, and it seems like they got
they all on the same page. And I think Keith
very excited to be there because if he can bring
our championship to the Steelers, like I said, that's gonna
be unprecedent. I'm gonna get out of here.
Speaker 11 (32:08):
I appreciate you guys, or allow me to.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Come in there for a minute. And uh, I gotta
close out by saying this in the maintime, in in
between time, here.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
We go, Here we go, woo, there we go.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
As always, we expect nothing less from you, cr and
we will have that handicapped space for you on the
on the phone line next time.
Speaker 8 (32:33):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
Okay, So we're gonna take a break right now.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
We have some other phone calls that we have to
get to, uh, and we will get to you guys
right after the break. Before that, we want to remind
you can gear up with the latest game data necessities
at the official Students Pro Shops. Get the latest sideline
apparel of Jerseys, Terrible Tows of Phenic, Memora, Billia, and
custom exclusives you can only find directly from the team.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
Visit one of the official Students Pro.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Shops located at Akrosher Stadium, Grove City Premium Ountlets or
Tanger out Let's Heir. Gear up online at shop dot
Steelers dot com. Get it direct from the team. It's
studis Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
Back in the Locker.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Room presented by our neighborhood Fords Store, and see this
pro shop on Suthers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
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 3 (33:41):
All right, guys, you know what time it is. It's
time for the bell lap.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
That's right, early lunch warning system engaged. Of course, if
you did not partake in donuts. It is all good
because you can get your lunch after this, but make
sure you stay tuned for the Mike time and press
conference coming right at the top of the hour here
at noon, and we're gonna go rapid fire water cooler.
We got about five to six callers here on the line, Kinger,
so we want to make sure we get to everybody
before the ticker goes off. So I'm gonna let you
(34:08):
go ahead and get it started.
Speaker 6 (34:09):
Ricky and Georgia.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Ricky, thanks for being with us in the locker room.
Speaker 11 (34:13):
Hey Man, Duffine, how y'all doing.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Man, doing good? Doing good?
Speaker 11 (34:17):
Hey Man, I'm gonna keep it short of something.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Man.
Speaker 11 (34:19):
The game last night, I'm very happy everybody paid attention
and one time I mess preaching for a long time
the details of the game. And I feel like everybody
was on the SIMU last night and they did what
they had to do to win the game. And I
just want to say this one other thing. Shouts to
mister Jaylen Ramson. All, maam a Hurricane fan, and I
don't like Florida State and match. I know you a
Florida fan. You don't like maam in North Florida State,
(34:40):
and I get it, but I'm glad he had a
man on my team. That man played with intention like no,
like we ain't seen a long time. And the way
he chased out a tool, I felt bad for a tool.
And that mom called like that man run like a
horse out of out of a horse worker, like he
hot stepped, and that said, oh my god, it's might
be ugly. So I thought he was gonna call it
roughing the pass on to know him, but they never did,
so I'm glad they didn't. But shouting miss Jason Ranch,
(35:01):
that's a great trade gat a great pick up boy.
Let's putting off season and I'm glad to have him
on my team.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Ricky, thank you very much, appreciate it. Thanks for being
with us in the locker room. Up next gym in
Southern California. Jim, thanks for being with us today.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
Hey guys, I just wanted to say this. That was
a complete football game last night. Shout out to number sixty.
I know Max must appreciated guy coming in and starting
his first game protecting the backside.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Of Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 12 (35:27):
He did a great job and that defense stepped up.
They proved they can shut down that run. Nay Sayers
nationally were saying they were gonna run on us, they
were gonna run on us. I love the intensity of
our defense last night. All in all, team win, and
I'll tell you it is great having Aaron Rodgers on
our team because that guy can read defenses like nobody.
It's guys, ghosteelers.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
All right, Don great, Okay, let's keep going. Dave in Nashville, Dave,
you're with us in the locker room. How you doing today?
Speaker 6 (35:55):
Great?
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Good morning guys.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
Hey.
Speaker 13 (35:56):
I made a trip to Florida last week. Wasn't near Miami,
but close enough. Made a pan of lasagna, ate it
and man it paid off.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yes, sometimes the comfort lasagna is always It could be
a secret agent too, you know, and you do it
in the right area.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
You planed a sleeper cell. I appreciate that.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
And my daughter is in college up very close to Detroit,
so I'm gonna have her make a pen and bring
it here tomorrow to eat before the Lions game. Anyway,
on more serious note, just a question.
Speaker 6 (36:33):
To you, guys.
Speaker 13 (36:33):
So it seems like we're on a roll, But what's
it gonna take from a leadership standpoint to be consistent
for the remaining three games. We can take this momentum
into the playoffs. What is it gonna take? What are
the keys?
Speaker 3 (36:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
No, and I'll answer this real quick. I mean the
keys are is you know, keep your foot on the pedal.
I think we have the right guys in the place.
I think Cam Hayward led from the front last night.
You need that leadership is key. I think Jalen Ramsey
brings a very physical nature to that defense. That's that
kind of backs up that type of play. And Aaron Rodgers,
he's your leader. Follow his directions. If he tells you
(37:10):
gets the line, get to the line. If he tells
you to watch the extra film, go watch the extra film,
show up and and be locked in and take notes.
I mean that's really what it takes. This is where
leaders lead from the players standpoint, and coaches just coach.
Coaches call the plays and allow the players to go
out there and activate. And if they can do that consistently,
they'll be fine.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Thanks very much, appreciate it. Uh, that was Jim Right.
We have Dave from Nashville. I'm try That was Dave.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
All right, I'm gonna take over and we got Doug
from Georgia.
Speaker 6 (37:41):
Doug.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
What's up here on the side of the locker room.
Speaker 14 (37:43):
Hey, I just want to say, great win. Really happy
they didn't have any offensive penalties. I love how the
receivers are blocking to help the run. And and uh,
you and Bob call a fantastic game. I mean every
(38:06):
time it's fantastic.
Speaker 11 (38:09):
Just good job.
Speaker 14 (38:10):
Just want to say that, all right.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Well, hey, we appreciate it very much. Hey, I like
to do nickname Bob King. I'm gonna go with that,
da that was my dad.
Speaker 6 (38:22):
Bob. I've never I've never been. I've never been. I've
been called many, many things, not always relating to the
to the name Robert.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Yeah, there we go.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Bob is not one.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
We gotta we gotta do what we gotta do it,
all right, all right, we're gonna take the thail in
Los Angeles to tail.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
What's up you're in the locker room?
Speaker 9 (38:38):
Hey, good morning, guys.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
How we doing.
Speaker 9 (38:42):
I'm doing great? Nice win, great win. It's so nice
to have leadership on the field. I mean, especially at
the quarterback position. I mean we have another coach out there.
I mean the things that that Aaron's doing, I think
they're feeling it. I think they're singing it. It's all
come together and we're gonna win the division. There's just
(39:05):
no doubt in my mind that we're gonna get this
done and and we're gonna we're gonna make some noise,
you know, when we get there this time. So all
the naysayers, you know, keep nay saying, but we're gonna
keep playing. That's all I got to say for me.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
Yeah, I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You're right, Hey, the cream rises to the top of
right now. Thriving in, thriving in, not surviving. We're thriving
in and not surviving in December. So you're absolutely right, Nate,
and we appreciate you calling to the locker room of
our last one.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
We got John and Michigan. You are inside the locker.
Speaker 15 (39:39):
Room, fellas, Listen. I need I need to win on Sunday.
I can't let my wife have bragging rights.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Oh she's a Lions fan.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
That's not good.
Speaker 15 (39:50):
Yeah, turn our daughters and a Lions fans, guys.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
I can't have it. No, No, definitely not.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
Well.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I could tell you this was a great momentum builder.
In that moment, this was gonna be more of a
track meet just because of the dome environment. Of course,
what they bring in this moment, you know, from the
lion standpoint, and they're facing elimination. But you know, as
we've seen, we we've been good in those elimination matches
so far. So I'm hoping, you know, we we we
(40:16):
we have the sabotage going with the with the with
the pre victory, Lasagna being the sleeper sell in those cities.
So for this one, I think, you know, just keep
the positive vibes and make sure your girls just focus
on black and goal. Don't let don't let them be
allured by blue and blue and silver or whatever their color.
Speaker 15 (40:34):
Also, I don't understand the negative comments that uh Connor
Hayward gets. Like the dude does everything he's asked, and
he does that at such a high level weekend and
week out.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
I was on DV this morning, Max and just said,
you know, I think it's really great for coaching staff
to have players like Connor Hayward and Scottie Miller.
Speaker 6 (40:55):
You know you need to touch push.
Speaker 5 (40:56):
It's Connor Hayward scores a touchdown, first rushing touchdown of
his career on side kick gets past at first row.
Oh no, don't worry. We got Connor Hayward there for you.
Hey you need a gunner, you need a holder. We
got a Scotty Miller that can do that and also
play wide receiver. I just think players of that ilk
who are just good football players are always welcome on
a team. And I think coaching staffs love to have
(41:20):
players like and I'm lumping Miller in there too. The
question was specifically about Connor. I think coaches love to
have players like Connor Hayward.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Oh, they absolutely do. And like you said, he doesn't
make the problems. Is everybody else that seems to have
a problem with him? And I think that's the funny
part about it. Players are gonna play and when your
numbers called, you have to answer the bell. And that's
all he does. All he does is just answer the bell.
And I think that's where people kind of get irritated
and say, oh, you have to be this brash type
of boisterous guy. No you don't, Oh you don't just
(41:51):
just go out there and do the job. Listen, steel
City cheve great rushing touchdown great. I mean I called
him little iron, a little iron ironhead. Last night you
know what I'm saying, because that's what you're supposed to do.
He had a Jerome bettistat line four rushes four yards,
one touchdown, like that's a great.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
Night, latter day, latter day, Jerome.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Yes, exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
So you know, I think a lot of people have that,
but that this is what it takes to be a team.
You have to just put your hand on the pal
and be counted when it's when, when, when your numbers called,
answer the bell and that's all he does. So yeah,
I love having Connor. He's now dispelled the name Meatball Express.
We won't use Meatball anymore. He is now a little ironhead.
Speaker 6 (42:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:34):
And by the way, kudos to the special teams because
you know, Malik Washington is a really dangerous return man.
Speaker 6 (42:42):
So's d S. Gridge.
Speaker 5 (42:44):
You know, we know their punter is an excellent punter.
But I thought the Steelers, you know, if you're a
team like Miami and you're looking for a spark, there's
a number of different ways that can happen. They they've
been feasting on turnovers. Steelers did not allow that to happen.
They have been getting plays from their special teams. Steelers
did not allow that to happen either, So uh and
(43:06):
and I mentioned that because Connor Hayward is one of
those key guys on special teams who make sure the
big plays don't happen against this teethers. So I think
that's well pointed out. It was a guy that I did.
I did want to mention him specifically, and I'm glad
he was just brought up because I thought, you know,
Connor Hayward again, when you're trotting off the off the
field last night, you know, not everybody dressed can can
(43:28):
always say.
Speaker 6 (43:29):
Hey, I played a part in that victory.
Speaker 5 (43:30):
If you're Connor Hayward, you're jogging off that field saying
I played a part in that victory.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Absolutely, And you know CR pointed it out. Two tight
ends with two rushing touchdowns in a game never been
done before. So the fact that you got to say
I was, I stood and I was counted, and I
made a big play in a big moment and I
did not allow the weight of the.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Moment to get to me.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
That that that that that's that that that's high level
football right there.
Speaker 5 (43:58):
Our thanks to everybody called in today on this Tuesday
slash Monday. Thanks to justin Miller the controls in our
iHeart Studio, Max enjoy packing away those victory donuts. We're
not quite ready to turn the page yet to the
lions and not basking the glow of this, of this victory.
But again, my friend, always goold spending time with.
Speaker 2 (44:20):
You, always a great time, King Heer and of course
Sane Bat channel, Saint Bat Time will be on here tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
You got it, and we'll be reacting to what comes next,
and that is the Mike Tomlin Press conference right here
in these airwaves. We thank you for being with us
in the Locker Room, presented by our neighborhood Ford Store
and this Steelers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a
part of the Steelers Audio Network,
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