September 18, 2025 • 46 mins
Max and Rob discuss the special teams unit, preview the AFC for the weekend, and pay another tribute to our late friend, Dale Lolley.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
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Speaker 2 (00:30):
Whoo whoo.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
That's right, that's the power hour, you know when Optimist
comes roll it through.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Kinger. We are in our number two here inside the locker.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Room, and yeah, love that horn.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Love that horn. That's probably one of our greatest sounders.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I think that we came up it being we both
act like, literally like grown up toddlers when we hear that.
Speaker 5 (00:56):
And it's made me laugh every single time, every single
time for man me left.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So maybe I'm just too easily amused.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
So Max, we were talking offensive line, and obviously, look,
you know when you talk about the things you want
to do offensively, you want to protect Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You want to you know, get make sure DK Metcalf
gets his.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Touches and and exploit the you know, the weapons you
have in the passing game, get the running game going.
All that stuff begins up front, so you talked about
the transition that Broderick Jones is making back from right
tackle to left tackle, the position he played in college,
although again he didn't have a huge amount of experience.
People have to remember that. And your conclusion is, Hey,
(01:46):
give him five or six weeks to settle into that
role and then we'll begin to see, you know what,
what his ceiling is, what we're going to be able
to expect to see from him week in week out.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So good, that's done.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Now we're talking about Troy Faltano making the move from
left tackle where he played in college to right tackle
where he's being asked to play for the Steelers. And
so I guess I guess one question that might be
obvious to fans is well, why do that?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Right?
Speaker 5 (02:19):
If Broderick was your right tackle and Troy was a
left tackle in college, why make that switch? And I'm
sure there's certain reasons or characteristics players have that would
lead the scouting department and the coaching staff to say
Broderick's better suited for left tackle, Troy is better suited
for right tackle.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I would say physical dimensions dictate that right. Roderick taller, leaner,
longer type of body type. That's your traditional left tackle right.
You want the more athletic guy in those positions, longer arms,
therefore longer distance for catch radius you know, running. I mean,
there's a whole lot of mathematics involved with it, you know,
(03:02):
when you looking at body dimensions and Troy being a shorter, thicker,
stronger individual, you would traditionally put that as your right
side guy, right, a physical point of attack blocker, a
guy strong hands. You could you could be a little
bit I don't want to call it sloppier, but not
(03:23):
as disciplined in your deck technique. I think is the
best way to say that is that you could you
could create that part of it, and you could be
more aggressive. And I think for Troy, Troy has that
aggression level. Also given the stature, being at that six
foot four height, leverage naturally can be a little bit better,
(03:43):
so you can dig guys out in the run game
a lot easier. And so for Troy, Troy has a
footwork and athleticism of a left tackle, but he has
that compact, strong, powerful nature to be a good, really
good right tackle. And if I'm being truly honest in
my heart of hearts, Troy would make a fantastic right guard.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
On top of that, I.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Feel like, you know, he is a you know, he
will be a perennial multi year starter at right tackle.
But man, he would have the capabilities of being a
Pro Bowl slash All pro if he played guard, just
because of how physically strong, how physically menacing he can be.
Especially you put him in a phone booth and not
(04:26):
on an island. You know he's going to make people uncomfortable.
But where we're at right now, he is. He is
a really good right tackle and he will be. It's
just heat. He's a requisite reps in game, live reps.
He's done all of the background reps over the last
two years, and that gives him, you know, a solid
(04:46):
footing to be on. And I think he's going to
be a really good right tackle for us. Don't get
me wrong. I'm not sitting here saying we need to
put him at guard by any stretch. I'm just saying
on my initial analysis and what I've seen over the years.
You know, I know that you know you could fight
and be and and be good at something, but sometimes
you know, and obviously the opportunity have to present itself.
(05:06):
But I look at Willie Colone, like Willy one of
my brothers. You know, Willie was It was a really
good right tackle for us. But you know when he
switched into guard and we played guard together for a year.
He played left guard. I was a left tackle man.
We used to we used to mess people up together.
So you know, I've seen it where that guy with
that body type can be can excel on the interior
(05:29):
because you have the border walls in the center of
the tackle to a defensive tackle can't run.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
But so far.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
And uh for Troy Troy, Troy's got all the goods.
It's just he needs the requisite reps. That's all he
needs in those moments is just to play more and
every snap, every opportunity, he is going to be a
guy that's going to gain information and gain ability. I mean,
(05:57):
he locked up t J. Watten campmultiple occasions, and that's
a tough task to do. And you know with his
hands now, he's gonna have to work on not ducking
his head as much. I mean, Broderick has to do
the same thing. They have to trust their arm extension
and I know Troy's is shorter than Prodercts, but that's
gonna be. The biggest thing is trusting your arm extension
and using that to punch and snap.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
A guy back and not kind of what a lot
of guys do.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
You kind of catch headbutt and then press off. If
you can see that mental imagery, right, Take the guy
he gets close enough, you grab him, kind of duck
your head a little bit, and then you just push
him back or you're trying to create the extension late
as opposed to initially throwing that extension. And that's a
tough habit to break. You know, we always hear the
(06:45):
phrase like throw your hands, throw your hands. That's what
it is like a boxer, right. You know, you throw
that jab out to create the distance, so you know
how far your radius is for that guy. You don't
want that guy getting in your orbit as a shorter,
smaller boxer, right, So you throw the jab to keep
the distance and create that extension where you can kind
of control them. Same thing with offensive line play. When
(07:07):
you throw those hands, it's just like throwing the jabs
out there. And then once once the guy you know,
gets into a counter move, that's where you come with
your counters as well. Right, you know, a hook can
all of a sudden be a redirect and at what
we call a push pull negotiation. Right, if your right
hand's still in place, that left hand, if you're a
left tackle, comes to the inside to kind of guide
(07:28):
a guy and push a guy in the direction that
you want him to. That's almost like throwing a hook
at somebody. So you get into these different things, and
there's a lot of crossover from a lot of different disciplines.
But that's what they have to both get confident in
is knowing how to throw. And then of course both
of them now being on different sides. Right, Troy's used
to have to throwing that left hook, you know, and
(07:51):
that left hand a lot to cry and get a
guy to bait him up field. Now that becomes his
right hand. His right hand has to be the one
that directs them up field. And then the left is
the counter because that guy's made an inside move. Now
you use that to push him back and force him
back across your face on the right side, and for
project is vice versa. Right, as we talk about the
(08:12):
flip mentally, you've now got to use that right hand
has to be it. You might be right hand dominant
playing left tackle. I mean the one thing that I
was beneficial to me was I was left handed, so
it did bother me when I switched over the left.
And I loved it when when a guy when I
was at right tackle would come inside because I knew
that left was going to hit him right in the
rib case I was gonna, I was gonna, I was
(08:34):
gonna get that body blow that I wanted. And then
on the outside, you know, you kind of learned how
to work it in the right head wasn't quite as powerful,
you know, with that when I was at left tackle,
so I used a lot of maneuverability, and I used
more manipulation to get a guy to turn him away
from the inside. And that's what they kind of work.
But that's also you know, I'm also speaking from a
position where you know, in college I played equally both sides,
(08:58):
and my Sea year I played all four positions right
I played every position except center because I was left handed.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
They didn't want a left handed center. Now look at
Creed Humphrey.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Two decades later, you say man or a quarter century later,
I guess it's to say uh. And now now now
it's new, Now it's new Vaux, but it's Patrick Mahomes
I digress.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Uh, well, let me say this.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
If someone's taking it, Ben could have taken a snap
from you. Another quarterback might have had to get in
a step, yeah, to take a snap from you at
the center position.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
That is true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And unfortunately at college I had Rex Grossman who was
not six feet So that is the reason why I
did not get that. Now Jesse was was still on
the team, Jesse Palmer that maybe maybe I could have
snapped to Jesse, but Jesse was a senior when I
was a freshman. So uh that that that that didn't
really come to play on sophomore year.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
But saying, I spent a lot of time playing a
lot of.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Those positions, and I played those positions in game in college.
So I played right guard, I played left guard, I
played right tackle, played left tackle all of my senior
year every game. So you know, when I came to
the league, I was a little more well, had a
better disposition to when I got to the leak.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
That's why.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
You know, you get to the end of season, your
rookie year, and Allen Fanica looks at you and says
you're in rook It's like, ha, what Sorry, at what position.
If we're going in for Marvel, am I going in
for Oliver?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
No?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
No, no, you're going in for me? Ah? Got it?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Okay, left guard that I've not taken a snap at
all season, gotcha?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So you get into that type of moment and you
just you deal with it and you don't know what
you don't know. I got beat on the inside move
by first, my very first time, by Sam Adams, who
had the quickest first step for a guy that large.
I mean you talking about three hundred and forty pounds
d tackle. It's like six foot five and he blows
past you and you're just like, oh, oh, that is
(10:49):
a moving train. That is a moving train with no break.
So you know, for them, they're gonna learn, and it's
gonna take time. That's why I said, you know, give
it five games before we start making assessments on them,
because they have to work through all of those little things.
Like I said, your body's telling you one thing. You're
fighting the nature of your body. Your mind's telling you
another thing, and you're trying to flip things in your head.
(11:12):
Things that you're comfortable with have to now are now
uncomfortable and you have to make those things comfortable again,
and so it takes time and you could only do
it in live game reps. The practice helps set the habit,
but the habits cement and stick in game time situations,
and that's what you have to remember at all times.
(11:33):
That's what it's going to be, and you just continue
to work and work and work at that. So you know,
I'm not frustrated yet. Like I said, I saw a jump.
Something I saw that was very glaring week one did
not become an issue in week two. So I know
that these guys are working their way in a positive
aspect to get things done.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
So you know, you just talked about the transitions. There's
a couple other elements off the line player I wanted
to get to, but I want to stick with the
individuals first. You just talked about these guys swapping left
tackle to right tackle five games to get that, But
there's also got to be doesn't there some sort of
transformation on the rookie level. Now, Look, and I'm not
(12:17):
trying to damn anybody with faint praise because he's a
first round pick. When you pick a guy fourth like
Will Campbell or up up that high like Joe Ault,
last year, you kind of expect those guys to come
in and make an instant impact. That's why they got
drafted that high. Right, It's like the difference between a
(12:38):
receiver taken fifth overall or whatever, a Jamar Chase and
a receiver taken twenty eighth overall.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
They're both in the first round.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
But you're expecting different impact levels, especially I think at
the beginning. Now upside is up to the individual in
some ways and what you're able to accomplish. So given
that Troy was a you know, later first round pick
who missed a year, was able to you know, get
some of the stuff and doctrinated in the system. Obviously
kind of a rookie and a half this year. So
(13:10):
five game transition moving from left tackle to right tackle.
Do you need to add on a few more games
for that rookie transition to the NFL as well?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
I would say as a true rookie, yes, rookie plus no,
because he's already had a year, he's seen, he's been
in meetings, he's made that mental transition, that mental shift,
it's just a physical part of it.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
But is that the biggest shift max? The mental shift?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Yeah, the mental shift.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I feel like is bigger than the physical shift, right,
because the physical shift, you wouldn't be in this league,
or if you were a tweener, you wouldn't have been
drafted the first round. Right, So the physicals already answered.
It's the mental part of it. The speed with which
information comes, with which you have to disseminate, dissect and
then go do. And that's the biggest thing. Everything gets
(14:03):
ramped up. You know, when you're hearing these calls, it's
a longer call. What's your responsibility? How's that communication with that? Okay,
Now let's identify the defense. Okay, Well, where's the mic
at so that I can start my reads from the
mic and then from the mic? Okay, what do we
have shifted the secondary? Secondary? Is there is there an
overshift here? Do I have a backed up nickel over
here in the slot?
Speaker 4 (14:23):
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Does that now give him free rein? Is this a blitz?
What's their tendency? How is that defensive endplay? Is he
inside footback? Is he outside footback?
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
What is this tendency? Out of both of those? What's
his favorite move? What's his counter move versus? Each of
those footwork pre stands, alignments, Okay, Now this guy's in
a two point two point? Is he is he angled
in or is he a two point? And looking up field,
is he rush contained or is he a guy that's
going to be you know, that's going to.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Play down the line.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
All these things go through your head on a play
by play basis, right, And so how fast you disseminate
that information, how fast you're going.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
To figure that out to work on that so that
all you you have to do is react. That takes time.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That takes time, But that's all of the minutia that
you have to work through that's going through your brain
at any given moment, and any given play you have
about six seconds from when that play is called walking
to the line of scrimmage, getting set in your stance.
You have to take in all that information and know
what to do and then ball snaps.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You got to do it.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
So one more bit of.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
To talk about with the offensive line, and then we're
going to move on to some other topics after we
go to break. We have the AFC preview coming up,
presented by UPMC.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
We have to get to that.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
And also, again I keep talking about this something that
I've seen in New England and I you know, I've
watched the preseason tape. I know what's happened during the season,
and there's something that that that that's got my intenta up.
But before we get to that, the other thing that
it seems so importing an offensive line play is communication.
(16:03):
And you know, look, there's communication that's that's talked about,
and then eventually, I think when offensive lines really get
to their peak, it's almost, you know, unspoken communication. It's
almost telepathy. You know what Willie Cologne's going to do
next to you. You know how you're going to pass
guys off, and and and you're not worried about you know,
(16:24):
a guy shoots a gap and now the guards looking
at the tackle and there I thought you had them. No,
you're supposed to have them. And so how long does
that part of it take? Because you know, ideally for
the Steelers, you know they're going to be running this
offensive line out for the rest of the season and
at least four fists of this offensive line for the
next couple of seasons. How long does that communication, that
(16:46):
comfortability factor take.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Is it already there?
Speaker 5 (16:50):
For example, with Mason McCormick and Zach Fraser, does it
now have to happen with Mason McCormick and with Troy Faltano.
And if it's happening to them, how does that affect
McCormick been going back to Fraser? So what what you know,
how long does that element take to kind of smooth out?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Ah? That that that that that's time. That's time.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
But I mean the good thing is, like you said,
that interior three has played together, so it's it's an
easier it's an easier situation to do when you've when
you've had a year under your belt. Now the biggest
thing is catching up to speed on that on that
exterior side, right, Prodrick's done it before and he's played
(17:33):
in games, so he's played. He understands that. Now he
just has to get used to Isaac versus Mason. Troy
on the other hand, Troy has to get used to Mason,
and they have to work on their you know, their
communication skills, their non verbal side, because right, you know,
there's some things you take in qise pre snap that
gives you a tendency trip or you know, some type
(17:55):
of trigger, but you have to communicate that in real
time because is this is this a three step and
then slash guy for the te or is he a
right now guy that's going to go try and pin
the hip immediately and then the outside guy now takes
the three steps that comes to the inside or vice versa. Right,
there's those things, or is it a full on slant
where you have what we call down down in a
(18:16):
round so that means defensive end defensive tackle slant one way,
nose tackle wraps around, or you do it in the
other way where they slant out and that one guy
then drops back to the inside because they're trying to
go on run blitz. Those those are things they have
to work on, like how are they going to communicate
this pass protection?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
We used to call it sugar.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
So when whenever me and the guard were working together,
whether it was Kendall Sibbons, whether it was Trey Essex,
whether it was Chris kumiout too, whether it's Willie Cologne,
douglack Ersky, any of those guys, ramone Foster there was
we had our trigger and it was sugar. Sugar was
was was across the board. When we're in pass protection
(18:58):
and we think there's a twist coming, but we don't
really know how it's going to play out sugar means
take two sets straight back vertical off the ball and
let it sort itself out so that guy can't pin
your hip. Because the problem you get on is when
you get on different levels in the passport and they
have a twist going. That's where you get the splits
of the double teams, right. You know, it's it's like
(19:18):
a zipper. You know, when the zipper comes down, it's
hard to get those those teeth to connect right on
the top side of it because the zippers down, zipper's up,
everything's equal, right, it's all connected properly, So you have
to stay with a tight zipper when you when you
sit back, and that allows for if a guy is
coming guarter tackle can then shove to take the guy
(19:41):
off the angle because the guy is angling for your hip.
If he could collapse your hip, he can split the
gap and he can get through. So you want to
prevent that hip that hip shot, and if you stay
parallel now that hip shot, he just kind of wipes
across and you can push him off to the side
and then move off and pick up that ooping guy.
Because the looping guy's taking more steps, he's dropping back
(20:02):
deeper and then coming forward. So yes, he's coming with
a full head of steam because he's got about four
to five steps on you versus where you are relatively,
But in that moment, you're still in a picket fence,
so you're better well equipped to deal with that and
kind of ricochet that guy off. If you come off
on an angle, that guy gets hit, gets pinned on
(20:23):
the hip. Now that guark can't get to can't can't
get to that to his guy because he's he's already
out leversed. So now you gotta stay on him longer.
And now that looper's got a head of steam, you're late.
You're just twisting your body and trying to get hands.
You're not positioning yourself with your half man relationship. And
now that guy shortens the edge. So those are the
things that you know, you kind of do, and that's
(20:45):
how we that's how we kind of look at it.
And yes, I just gave you guys like the crash
course deep in the woods approach.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
No, it's great, but yeah, so so it just to
just to kind of wrap it up before we had
to break.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
And we are running little late here to get to break.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
But you give give Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu, you know,
four five, six weeks of grace to let them get
themselves established to playing a new position at the NFL level.
And then you know, obviously some evolution is also happening.
It's not like they're just thinking about their jobs. They're
still they're still creating that camaraderie with their teammates. And
(21:23):
then give give this offensive line. What to the to
the halfpoint, you know, two thirds of the point of
the way through the season before we can really expect
a fully gelling unit together and and begin to see
what this what this five man group can be together
as an entity?
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Is that is that fair? Is that about a decent timeline?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
It's about a decent timeline.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
I think I think that's probably you know, right in
the midpoint. You know that you would like you'd like
to see it accelerate a little bit. But this is
one of the things where I always tell people croc
pop meals always taste better than a microwave meal. I
don't know what it is. A great you know, a smoke,
A smoke, A smoked meat tastes better than a boiled meat,
(22:10):
you know, And that's what you're kind of dealing with, right,
You're trying to deal with there's a necessity and a
point for all of them, but they have to become
strong individuals before they can become a strong unit. And
so that time, how well they acclimate themselves will determine
how open they are to acclimating as a unit. And
(22:30):
so that's what you can't predict it. That's the real
kind of pinch point or pain point for an office
line is how fast do other guys learn around you?
Speaker 4 (22:41):
And everybody learns differently.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Everybody has a different key that helps them latch onto
a concept or latch on to their individual skill set.
And then you figure out, how do I apply this
to a team concept? How well do I know my guard?
How well do I know my center? And down the
line right side side? How do we communicate across the board?
I mean, And it was something that I learned a
(23:04):
lot earlier because of the way our team was structured.
We had a lot of experience on the team, and
I was just the new young guy on the group
right because Marvel was was was in his fourth year
when I came in as a rookie. Alan Fanica was
seven years in Jeff Hardings was was eight to nine
(23:24):
years in by the time I saw him. Kendall had
two years on me when I when I when I
was when I was inserted, So you know, I was
a young guy and it was a game of telephone
and it was on the end, so he didn't have
to deal with as much. Right at the edge, win
a doubt block out, you know, is what they always say,
right for a young rookie right tackle. And so it
(23:46):
was like, you know, you learned this what we call
in man on the line of scrimmage, or EMO as
we called it. That was it was it's like when
a doubt blocked the EMO, win a doubt block out.
So it was easier for me to acclimate to the
rest of the group because I was on my island
on the end. And then I had to work myself
in to where it got to the point where then
later in my career, boom I was. I was relaying
(24:07):
messages all the way down the line. I knew what
every single thing was because I realized I had to
faster because I had to catch up to the rest
of the group. Well, this group necessarily everybody's about at
the same experience level. Minus Isaac Camalo. So Isaac is
sitting there with you know, with like four little ducklings. Essentially,
you know, it's like Isaac has already played in one
(24:28):
Super Bowls, right, you know, these guys they are still
trying to figure out what their consistent pass set is
or what their consistent footwork is. So it presents those
those unique challenges for a group. I was literally the
inverse of that when I came into this league, and
then as we matured, as we added pieces in right,
you know, you get Jeff Hardings who retires, and then
(24:51):
you're you're trying to look for that next center for
your team. Alan Fanica leaves some free agency and goes
to the Jets, so that you're inserting your left guard
Chris Cumonto, sorry, sat for a year or two in
the system before he's starting. And then you bring in
as Sean Mayheon for you and then you find to
Justin Hartwig the next year at center, and then for
the right guard position. Right, you know, Kendall and I
(25:14):
play together, but then Darnell Stapleton, you know, as a
guy that ends up filling in for him. Willie Cologne
uh takes my position as right tackle I had become
a swing tackle and then eventually moved to the left
side for Marvel Smith.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
There's a more natural.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Progression and evolution of it where you see these pieces
switching in at a lower rate. This team, it was like, hey,
you know we got we have three rookie offensive linemen
coming in last year in camp right and you know
you had you had you had Nick Nate Herbig, who
is our starting center. He gets injured, so Zach Fraser
(25:49):
gets pushed into the center position right out the gates,
and then Mason McCormick comes in fills in for for
James Daniels who gets injured. And now you got too,
two raw rookies in the middle. And then, like you said, Troy,
Troy had beaten out Broderick, but then Troy gets injured.
Now Projec's back in at right tackle, and of course
Dan Moore and Isaac Camolo sit over there and they
(26:11):
played years together.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
So it's a transition.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And I'm not sitting here trying to make excuses at all,
but I do want to provide clarity because I think
that's something that a lot of people tend to tend
to overlook with that because five have to play as one.
And like I said, you can't have fingers and expect
to punch somebody if not all five of those fingers
are tightly wound together right to make a fist. When
(26:36):
you clinch the fist, that's when you're able to attack.
And right now they're getting close that they're curled. The
fingers are curled over. They just need to ball up
together to truly make it work.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Wonderful metaphor. He's Max Starks, I'm Rob King. You're inside
the locker room with King and Stark's presented by your
neighborhood Forge Store.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
In the locker room with Yon Starks on Steelers Nation Radio,
presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty
is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and by
Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from the team at
the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
And welcome back inside the locker room at bringing Starks
and we wanted to get to our AFC preview presented
by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Max begins tonight with the Dolphins and Bills.
I don't have any real reason to think that the
Bills are in any trouble in losing this game.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
They look really good.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
The Dolphins has already talk about coaching staff being on
the hot seat and what's gonna happen down there. They're
not off to a good start. I mean, they've got
that puncher's chance with the offense that they still have.
But your thoughts on what we're going to see tonight
on Thursday at Football.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Last Gasp like like it. It has to be now.
If the Dolphins are to have any chance at staying
intact through the end of this season, they have got
to figure out a way to win. And this is
the toughest part of it because their defense is given
up a ton of points. The offense does not look
(28:24):
in sequence. I mean, they had a better showing against
the Patriots, but this group is just truly.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Is just truly.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Something that you know, it's you have all the skill
set guys. Right when you look at Miami, you know,
you look at two a tongue of Iiloa and you know,
people could argue polarizing how good he is or not good,
but he's a quality quarterback.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
He's a guy who can run. He can scramble.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
You have Jalen Waddel and Tyreek Hill on the edges
super fast track star sprint speed fast, and Devon h Chain.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Who similarly has the speed and the skill as well.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So you're like, man, you've got three super fast guys
at a position and you and you know, I don't
know if you watched the Patriots game yet, but when
you watch this offense, a lot of the swings, a
lot of the toss and movement stuff that they do,
they get to the edge quick. Now, sometimes they outrun
their blockers in those moments and that's what prevents it.
(29:31):
But I mean, there was some big plays in that game.
Tyrek Hill has some deep, big plays, Davon h Change
had a big play, Tyreek Hill had had a huge pass,
and they just they could blow the tops off of coverages.
But it's just it's not consistent. And that's what I think.
You know, there's just that certain key dismissing. And when
(29:51):
I look at the Steelers, it just it gives me
sub parallels except for without the you know, all of
that speed. They have good speed everywhere, but that's elite
speed down there in Miami.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
But your defense gonna stop anybody and this offense.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
I don't know how in concert they are, because you've
heard the rublics about Tyreek Hill and his unhappiness and
whether he gets traded or not. And I just think
Buffalo is just a well oiled machine right now, toe
to toe with the best, YEP Colts and Titans.
Speaker 5 (30:26):
Cindramel's slipper on for another week for the Colts as
they take on the OENC Titans.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Hey, Indiana Jones, the Last Crusade, right, this is the
third installment.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
That's the Indiana Jones.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I'm just saying, you know, now, will we get Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull after that when we start going
fraight down the rabbit hole? I don't know, but I
will say the first two have been good. Third one
was probably my favorite. So we'll see if he can,
if he can keep the trilogy alive.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, wait a minute, the
third was your favorite?
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Last Crusader?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
You it was great? It was it was it was great.
It was great.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
But come on, okay, first, are you okay?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
You go?
Speaker 4 (31:08):
You go? So you're a Raiders guy.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
Raiders The Lost Ark is one of my all time
favorite movies and the third Thurban's actually the second one.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
We can just dismiss out of hand.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
Yeah, we could just we could dismiss. I just go ahead.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
I mean, yes, is it cool that you had the
whole ball rolling?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
No? No, no, you can't. No, we're not, We're not.
I mean it was.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
It was good as an installment a part of it.
But I feel like, you know, it's the same thing
when I look at you know, four two in the
in the Marvel.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
And the door two was excellent. Thoor two was excellent.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
No it was not. No, it was not Dark World,
Are you kidding? No?
Speaker 5 (31:44):
Wait, what's the one where he's spinning around and they're
playing the led Zeppelin song?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Is that? Is that the third Thor movie? Oh?
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Yeah, that's raged Rock. That's okay, all right, I thought
that rock Ragon Rock was great. No, rag rock is great. Yeah,
but yeah, but no, no, that's second Thor.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Now.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
We can we can, we can, we can get it.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
We need to put up a page now, but we
need to have we need to put up a page
and have a polling opinion on this because it's got it.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Come on, man, Raiders is a lost arc.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
I mean, Raiders is awesome. Don't get me wrong. Like
I said, but last crusade, come on, man, the search
for the Holy Grail.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I mean you kind of knew what it is that
you get Sean Connery.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Wisely, Yes, yeah, I love that line. By the way, poorly.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
So Bengals, we better skip them alou here. Bengals Vikings.
Bengals are two and zero. They don't have Joe Burrow.
The Vikings are one and one. They pulled the you know,
very They're kind of similar to the Steelers for me.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
You know, their first.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Two games in which they they they kind of pulled
the rabbit out of the hat in Game one and
beat the Bears. They really only outplayed the Bears for
one quarter. And then in Week two they just they
just really did not look good, not up to the
standards that we expect to see from that team. Uh,
you know, a little more extreme than we would than
(33:02):
this year. There's the Steelers are a lot closer to
being two and oh than the Vikings were. But you know,
a good team that finds themselves one and one. As
we go back to the Steelers parallel, what do you
expect to see here in Minnesota? I think it's an
intriguing game with the Bengals trying to improve the three
and ozer without Joe Burrow.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Yeah, like you said, and know Joe Burrow moving forward,
so Jake Browning is your guy until unless they find
some other quarterback. So you know, Joe Burrow lost with
the turf toe, JJ McCarthy sitting in concussion protocol, so
you won't see JJ McCarthy potentially in this game. So
there's a lot it's a battle of the backups really
in this And like you said, you have two defenses
(33:43):
who are still trying to figure themselves out, and you
know you'd say mid in the pack. So I just
think I think it's gonna be just an ugly, low
scoring affair in that game.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
And I and really is a toss up.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I mean, like you said, two and oh and one
and one for those two teams, I don't think, because
you're not going to this game with either one of
your number one or your qb ones.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
Right but you and man, if you know, if you're Minnesota,
you do not want to be one and two and
your home.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Now, especially having to have to travel to Ireland and
then London. So you got back to back international games
on top of that, you want to at least try
and get to two and one. Before you take that,
you say you split the overseas trips.
Speaker 5 (34:21):
So we have been handling and will continue to handle
this Steelers Patriots game, which is very intriguing. Of course,
Jets Buccaneers, Bucks are two and oh and looking again
like a good team. It feels like every year people
want to say, Wow, this is the year the Bucks
go backward and they just have it.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
No, they have not, and and I think this is
three and oh. The Jets you're already dealing with. I
think what Tyrod Taylor I believe is going to be
your starter because because once again another quarterback out, Justin
Fields out of this game. So you know, they were
already struggling in two games with Justin Field.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Now I feel like the struggle, you know, it could
be a little a little less.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
I mean, Tyrod is a is a well seasoned veteran.
He understands how to play this game. You know, I
think you'll see some bursts. But the bucks Man they
just they're so gutsy and their first two victories have
been just gutted out wins. I mean that Monday night
game against the Houston Texans to come back with six
seconds left. This team knows, no knows, no quit, and
(35:25):
I think.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
And Baker Baker's playing out of his mind. He has
this clutch gene. I'm not sure you know which which
chromosome it is, but he's got it, and he just
knows how to play. And you know, he's a guy
that could go five touchdowns or five interceptions, but he's
gonna play hard and he's gonna will his way into it.
If he throws five or so, he's still gonna throw
probably like five touchdowns in the process.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
So, you know, and that defense is really good. They
got after c J. Strout. They absolutely just leveled CJ.
Stroud throughout that game.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
So I think if I'm leaning towards that defense versus
the Jets defense, and we and we saw we saw
you know, the Bucks of the preseason, and it was
a tough game and we end up losing that preseason game.
It wasn't starters, but it's still, you know, it is
It's still one of those things where I'm like, this
Bucks team is going.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
To be really, really good this year, and so I
can't go against him.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
Raiders one and one at the Commanders one on one,
probably without Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Yeah, but the Raiders are the Raiders. Yeah, yes you did.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
But they look completely inept against the Chargers also on
the Monday night game, and Gino Smith looked flustered and
there's not a lot of weapons there. You know, brock
Owers who was not at one hundred percent uh, just
never quite going. And I don't know if they still
trust Ashen Genty yet. Ashon Genty had a better rushing game,
but he only touched the ball eleven times that and
(36:46):
that Monday nighter. I'm like, dude, I would hand it
off to him twenty five times. U. Let's see what happens,
you know what I'm saying. Like now, if they make
that decision, maybe they have a shot, but it's it's
it's it's not going to be easy. And I still
like the Commander even without Jayden Daniels. I think they
have a really good squad around them. So I think
the Commanders probably pulled this one out.
Speaker 5 (37:06):
Texans oh and two the oh and two Texans at
the Jaguars, who were the Jaguars were my one of
my teams that I thought could be a surprise team.
We had them in the preseason and I thought, okay, listen,
they got a lot of talent, uh, and then they
let one slip away against the Bengals when Joe Burrow
got hurt early in that game. I gotta believe the
(37:27):
Texans go on the road and win this one in Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
I mean, you would like to think, you would like
to think that that would happen, but at the end
of the day, you'd never know what happens Jacksonville. I'm
just I'm confused by them. I know Liam Cohen's trying
to set a new precedent there and trying to create
a new culture, but man, oh man, it is just
(37:53):
it is a rough one to sit there and say this, but.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
But the Texas. Texas are the same ghosts of last year.
They can't put C. J. Stroud.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
They have a really good defense, but you know, you
need some offensive assistants to really help that defense out.
And now I don't know if that offensive line's up
to the task. Nick Chubb, you're talking about guy with
two neat big knee surgeries as you're leading back because
you still don't have a Joe Mixon who's injured as well,
So you have an oft injured backfield to go with
all those weapons, and you need time and hopefully they
(38:23):
can figure out a way to buy time and get
this victory. But it's still going to be a daunting
task for them. And it's a division foe. So when
it's a division rivalry, you just you never know.
Speaker 5 (38:33):
Okay, So two big games I'm gonna skip past Chiefs
at the Giants. Chiefs are zero and two. This feels
like a win on Sunday Football to me. If you disagree,
you know, leave comments below. Broncos Chargers huge game one
on one Broncos at the two and zero Chargers. And
then on Monday night the Lions at the Ravens. Two
(38:56):
very very intriguing.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Juggernauts Juggernaut game. This is gonna be a good test
for the Ravens. The Ravens could go down one and
two potentially, but they could also go to two and one.
Same with the Lions, right, I mean they just they
just hung a fifty burger on the Bears last week.
I mean absolutely put them in a spin cycle. And
like you said, watching them play the Vikings with the Bears,
(39:18):
you know, you're like, Okay, the Bears have something. They
just need to put a fourth quarter together. They have
three quarters of it done, just to figure that last
quarter they just seemed like they failure to start.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
They just got ripped through. So you know, when you're
looking at.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
The Lions, I mean they're a team that went into
Kansas City, you know, a year two years ago, you know,
to really start their renaissance, and they beat Kansas City
at home. So this is a team I do not
put anything past. And they have a lot of weapons
at their disposal. I'm surprised they haven't found Sam Laporta
more in this office. But do they need to find
(39:50):
Sam Laporta When you have Alman Ross, Saint Brown, right,
you got you have Gibbs and Montgomery. I mean, you
have a lot of different weapons to work with. But
it would be crazy they if they get their tight
end game going. This is looks like a continuation last
year when we saw a fourteen and three Lions team
just ripped through the NSC North.
Speaker 5 (40:07):
Still need to get to my uh the thing that
I that I saw in the tape that concerned me,
and we're going to get to that as we conclude
this edition. Inside the locker Room, with King Stark's presented
by your Neighborhood for Store here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
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 4 (40:48):
All right, live and then you know what time it is?
It is the bell lap it last big days right, yeah, yeah,
way good?
Speaker 1 (41:01):
All right.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
I gotta get this fear off my chest, Max, I
gotta get this fear off my chest. So obviously I
know what happened during the game last week, right. I
think it's the first time, did they say the first
time and in NFL history for a while that a
team's had a punt return for a touchdown? Kicked it
off and that team got a kickoff return for a touchdown.
So I already know that the Patriots have a kickoff
(41:23):
return for a touchdown this year. I turn on the
preseason game, first preseason play. They're getting the ball first,
they kick off the Travon Henderson and he takes it
to the house for a touchdown. Later they had a
fifty seven yard kickoff return in that game, another good
kickoff return after that. I'm not talking about punt returns
(41:44):
right now. I'm just talking because man and listen, Marcus
Jones is I'm sure every kick returner's got danger to him.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
That concerns me. Max.
Speaker 5 (41:52):
They have two kickoff returns for a touchdown, one to
begin the preseason and one at a crucial time during
the regular season. This step is we'd come to take
for granted their coverage units. But you know, if you're
a team looking for an upset, and I think New
England will be an underdog in this game, you know,
you want to try to win the turnover battle, or
(42:14):
you want to end or you want to make a
big play on special teams. That's an area that concerns
me going into this game on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
No, it is. But I mean I trust Danny Smith's unit.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Sure, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Sometimes the other guys are pretty good too, though.
Speaker 4 (42:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
No, absolutely, And I think you know, going through what
they did last week gives great coaching points. You know,
one of the good things is not only has a
team put stuff on tape, but you've also put stuff
on tape as well, and Danny Smith and his adjustments.
I feel like they're going to know exactly where they
want to kick, how they want to kick these guys,
(42:51):
and what they want to force them to do in
those moments. And I think, you know, Caleb Johnson, yes,
he had a big gaff a week ago, but you know,
you learn from your mistakes, and I think we we've
talked about it throughout the week.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
You know, Jim Wexel talked about it.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Yesterday about how you know he went and then you know,
he talked, he talked to Caleb after the game and
he reminded him or it made him aware of Barry
Foster who did the very exact same thing and how
that didn't determine his career.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
So you know, I think, you know, with young.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Guys that want to learn and they're just thirsty to
get better, that he'll get better from this. And the
heroics that we saw in week one with the special teams,
and of course you know the lack of in week two,
I think things come back to focus. I mean, this
has been this has been a top unit for years
for us.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
It's been a strong point.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
You know, Miles Killerbrew captain of the Captain of the
Special Teams, has been a multi multi year pro bowler,
always voted on, has come up with big punt blocks,
you know, or like you said, strip strip fumbles. So
this unit has an a depth skill. Love Ben Skeronica
on this unit. Love Scottie Miller on this unit. Love
(44:03):
guys like Conter Hayward now Carson Brunner. I think I
think they're going to get it, but yeah, you got
to be You got to be locked in completely when
you're dealing with special teams, especially with that dynamic kickoff,
because it can be dynamic if you let it be,
or it could be not so dynamic, uh if you
can stop it out early.
Speaker 5 (44:23):
So that concludes today's program Inside of the Locker Room with
the King of Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network. I want to thank
Jerry Dulac for being on with us. We are still
reeling from the loss of our colleague Dale Lolly, who
passed away yesterday after a battle with cancer. We want
(44:46):
to pay one last tribute on this program. Certainly won't
be the last time he will be in our thoughts
to Dale, who of course was a contributing writer for
the Steelers dot Com for many, many, many years and
a co host along with Matt Williamson on The Drive,
one of the most popular podcasts in the entire NFL.
(45:08):
And you know, just a really good colleague that he
appeared with all of us over the years on many
different formats and many different shows.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
So we're all feeling his loss.
Speaker 5 (45:18):
And for one final time for Justin Miller producing in
our iHeart Studios, Brian Lamartine who helped put this together.
For Max Starks, I'm Rob King. Here's a tribute to
our friend Dale Lolly.
Speaker 6 (45:35):
We come to you with heavy hearts as the news
that we did not want to have to share have
to bear our good friend and our colleague Dale Lolly
passing away at the age of fifty six. I pride
myself on being somebody who has a pretty good finger
on the pulse of the team, one of the.
Speaker 4 (45:53):
First things I noticed about him. But it's very professional,
you know.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
He was very tough and I'm.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Like man Le Scoots a bulldog. He could have one.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
Hundred and four fever when we were doing the show.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
This job and what he did was a lot of
who Dale was and he took a lot of pride
in it. This is what I do, This is what
we do talking to my buddy about some football and
it's a job, but it's also something that we enjoy
to do.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
That's the thing, you know.
Speaker 6 (46:21):
If he can find a career half that you love
to do, it doesn't feel like work.
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Whoo whoo.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
That's right, that's the power hour, you know when Optimist
comes roll it through.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Kinger. We are in our number two here inside the locker.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Room, and yeah, love that horn.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Love that horn. That's probably one of our greatest sounders.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I think that we came up it being we both
act like, literally like grown up toddlers when we hear that.
Speaker 5 (00:56):
And it's made me laugh every single time, every single
time for man me left.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So maybe I'm just too easily amused.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
So Max, we were talking offensive line, and obviously, look,
you know when you talk about the things you want
to do offensively, you want to protect Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You want to you know, get make sure DK Metcalf
gets his.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Touches and and exploit the you know, the weapons you
have in the passing game, get the running game going.
All that stuff begins up front, so you talked about
the transition that Broderick Jones is making back from right
tackle to left tackle, the position he played in college,
although again he didn't have a huge amount of experience.
People have to remember that. And your conclusion is, Hey,
(01:46):
give him five or six weeks to settle into that
role and then we'll begin to see, you know what,
what his ceiling is, what we're going to be able
to expect to see from him week in week out.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So good, that's done.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Now we're talking about Troy Faltano making the move from
left tackle where he played in college to right tackle
where he's being asked to play for the Steelers. And
so I guess I guess one question that might be
obvious to fans is well, why do that?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Right?
Speaker 5 (02:19):
If Broderick was your right tackle and Troy was a
left tackle in college, why make that switch? And I'm
sure there's certain reasons or characteristics players have that would
lead the scouting department and the coaching staff to say
Broderick's better suited for left tackle, Troy is better suited
for right tackle.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I would say physical dimensions dictate that right. Roderick taller, leaner,
longer type of body type. That's your traditional left tackle right.
You want the more athletic guy in those positions, longer arms,
therefore longer distance for catch radius you know, running. I mean,
there's a whole lot of mathematics involved with it, you know,
(03:02):
when you looking at body dimensions and Troy being a shorter, thicker,
stronger individual, you would traditionally put that as your right
side guy, right, a physical point of attack blocker, a
guy strong hands. You could you could be a little
bit I don't want to call it sloppier, but not
(03:23):
as disciplined in your deck technique. I think is the
best way to say that is that you could you
could create that part of it, and you could be
more aggressive. And I think for Troy, Troy has that
aggression level. Also given the stature, being at that six
foot four height, leverage naturally can be a little bit better,
(03:43):
so you can dig guys out in the run game
a lot easier. And so for Troy, Troy has a
footwork and athleticism of a left tackle, but he has
that compact, strong, powerful nature to be a good, really
good right tackle. And if I'm being truly honest in
my heart of hearts, Troy would make a fantastic right guard.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
On top of that, I.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Feel like, you know, he is a you know, he
will be a perennial multi year starter at right tackle.
But man, he would have the capabilities of being a
Pro Bowl slash All pro if he played guard, just
because of how physically strong, how physically menacing he can be.
Especially you put him in a phone booth and not
(04:26):
on an island. You know he's going to make people uncomfortable.
But where we're at right now, he is. He is
a really good right tackle and he will be. It's
just heat. He's a requisite reps in game, live reps.
He's done all of the background reps over the last
two years, and that gives him, you know, a solid
(04:46):
footing to be on. And I think he's going to
be a really good right tackle for us. Don't get
me wrong. I'm not sitting here saying we need to
put him at guard by any stretch. I'm just saying
on my initial analysis and what I've seen over the years.
You know, I know that you know you could fight
and be and and be good at something, but sometimes
you know, and obviously the opportunity have to present itself.
(05:06):
But I look at Willie Colone, like Willy one of
my brothers. You know, Willie was It was a really
good right tackle for us. But you know when he
switched into guard and we played guard together for a year.
He played left guard. I was a left tackle man.
We used to we used to mess people up together.
So you know, I've seen it where that guy with
that body type can be can excel on the interior
(05:29):
because you have the border walls in the center of
the tackle to a defensive tackle can't run.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
But so far.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
And uh for Troy Troy, Troy's got all the goods.
It's just he needs the requisite reps. That's all he
needs in those moments is just to play more and
every snap, every opportunity, he is going to be a
guy that's going to gain information and gain ability. I mean,
(05:57):
he locked up t J. Watten campmultiple occasions, and that's
a tough task to do. And you know with his
hands now, he's gonna have to work on not ducking
his head as much. I mean, Broderick has to do
the same thing. They have to trust their arm extension
and I know Troy's is shorter than Prodercts, but that's
gonna be. The biggest thing is trusting your arm extension
and using that to punch and snap.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
A guy back and not kind of what a lot
of guys do.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
You kind of catch headbutt and then press off. If
you can see that mental imagery, right, Take the guy
he gets close enough, you grab him, kind of duck
your head a little bit, and then you just push
him back or you're trying to create the extension late
as opposed to initially throwing that extension. And that's a
tough habit to break. You know, we always hear the
(06:45):
phrase like throw your hands, throw your hands. That's what
it is like a boxer, right. You know, you throw
that jab out to create the distance, so you know
how far your radius is for that guy. You don't
want that guy getting in your orbit as a shorter,
smaller boxer, right, So you throw the jab to keep
the distance and create that extension where you can kind
of control them. Same thing with offensive line play. When
(07:07):
you throw those hands, it's just like throwing the jabs
out there. And then once once the guy you know,
gets into a counter move, that's where you come with
your counters as well. Right, you know, a hook can
all of a sudden be a redirect and at what
we call a push pull negotiation. Right, if your right
hand's still in place, that left hand, if you're a
left tackle, comes to the inside to kind of guide
(07:28):
a guy and push a guy in the direction that
you want him to. That's almost like throwing a hook
at somebody. So you get into these different things, and
there's a lot of crossover from a lot of different disciplines.
But that's what they have to both get confident in
is knowing how to throw. And then of course both
of them now being on different sides. Right, Troy's used
to have to throwing that left hook, you know, and
(07:51):
that left hand a lot to cry and get a
guy to bait him up field. Now that becomes his
right hand. His right hand has to be the one
that directs them up field. And then the left is
the counter because that guy's made an inside move. Now
you use that to push him back and force him
back across your face on the right side, and for
project is vice versa. Right, as we talk about the
(08:12):
flip mentally, you've now got to use that right hand
has to be it. You might be right hand dominant
playing left tackle. I mean the one thing that I
was beneficial to me was I was left handed, so
it did bother me when I switched over the left.
And I loved it when when a guy when I
was at right tackle would come inside because I knew
that left was going to hit him right in the
rib case I was gonna, I was gonna, I was
(08:34):
gonna get that body blow that I wanted. And then
on the outside, you know, you kind of learned how
to work it in the right head wasn't quite as powerful,
you know, with that when I was at left tackle,
so I used a lot of maneuverability, and I used
more manipulation to get a guy to turn him away
from the inside. And that's what they kind of work.
But that's also you know, I'm also speaking from a
position where you know, in college I played equally both sides,
(08:58):
and my Sea year I played all four positions right
I played every position except center because I was left handed.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
They didn't want a left handed center. Now look at
Creed Humphrey.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Two decades later, you say man or a quarter century later,
I guess it's to say uh. And now now now
it's new, Now it's new Vaux, but it's Patrick Mahomes
I digress.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Uh, well, let me say this.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
If someone's taking it, Ben could have taken a snap
from you. Another quarterback might have had to get in
a step, yeah, to take a snap from you at
the center position.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
That is true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And unfortunately at college I had Rex Grossman who was
not six feet So that is the reason why I
did not get that. Now Jesse was was still on
the team, Jesse Palmer that maybe maybe I could have
snapped to Jesse, but Jesse was a senior when I
was a freshman. So uh that that that that didn't
really come to play on sophomore year.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
But saying, I spent a lot of time playing a
lot of.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Those positions, and I played those positions in game in college.
So I played right guard, I played left guard, I
played right tackle, played left tackle all of my senior
year every game. So you know, when I came to
the league, I was a little more well, had a
better disposition to when I got to the leak.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
That's why.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
You know, you get to the end of season, your
rookie year, and Allen Fanica looks at you and says
you're in rook It's like, ha, what Sorry, at what position.
If we're going in for Marvel, am I going in
for Oliver?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
No?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
No, no, you're going in for me? Ah? Got it?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Okay, left guard that I've not taken a snap at
all season, gotcha?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So you get into that type of moment and you
just you deal with it and you don't know what
you don't know. I got beat on the inside move
by first, my very first time, by Sam Adams, who
had the quickest first step for a guy that large.
I mean you talking about three hundred and forty pounds
d tackle. It's like six foot five and he blows
past you and you're just like, oh, oh, that is
(10:49):
a moving train. That is a moving train with no break.
So you know, for them, they're gonna learn, and it's
gonna take time. That's why I said, you know, give
it five games before we start making assessments on them,
because they have to work through all of those little things.
Like I said, your body's telling you one thing. You're
fighting the nature of your body. Your mind's telling you
another thing, and you're trying to flip things in your head.
(11:12):
Things that you're comfortable with have to now are now
uncomfortable and you have to make those things comfortable again,
and so it takes time and you could only do
it in live game reps. The practice helps set the habit,
but the habits cement and stick in game time situations,
and that's what you have to remember at all times.
(11:33):
That's what it's going to be, and you just continue
to work and work and work at that. So you know,
I'm not frustrated yet. Like I said, I saw a jump.
Something I saw that was very glaring week one did
not become an issue in week two. So I know
that these guys are working their way in a positive
aspect to get things done.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
So you know, you just talked about the transitions. There's
a couple other elements off the line player I wanted
to get to, but I want to stick with the
individuals first. You just talked about these guys swapping left
tackle to right tackle five games to get that, But
there's also got to be doesn't there some sort of
transformation on the rookie level. Now, Look, and I'm not
(12:17):
trying to damn anybody with faint praise because he's a
first round pick. When you pick a guy fourth like
Will Campbell or up up that high like Joe Ault,
last year, you kind of expect those guys to come
in and make an instant impact. That's why they got
drafted that high. Right, It's like the difference between a
(12:38):
receiver taken fifth overall or whatever, a Jamar Chase and
a receiver taken twenty eighth overall.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
They're both in the first round.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
But you're expecting different impact levels, especially I think at
the beginning. Now upside is up to the individual in
some ways and what you're able to accomplish. So given
that Troy was a you know, later first round pick
who missed a year, was able to you know, get
some of the stuff and doctrinated in the system. Obviously
kind of a rookie and a half this year. So
(13:10):
five game transition moving from left tackle to right tackle.
Do you need to add on a few more games
for that rookie transition to the NFL as well?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
I would say as a true rookie, yes, rookie plus no,
because he's already had a year, he's seen, he's been
in meetings, he's made that mental transition, that mental shift,
it's just a physical part of it.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
But is that the biggest shift max? The mental shift?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Yeah, the mental shift.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I feel like is bigger than the physical shift, right,
because the physical shift, you wouldn't be in this league,
or if you were a tweener, you wouldn't have been
drafted the first round. Right, So the physicals already answered.
It's the mental part of it. The speed with which
information comes, with which you have to disseminate, dissect and
then go do. And that's the biggest thing. Everything gets
(14:03):
ramped up. You know, when you're hearing these calls, it's
a longer call. What's your responsibility? How's that communication with that? Okay,
Now let's identify the defense. Okay, Well, where's the mic
at so that I can start my reads from the
mic and then from the mic? Okay, what do we
have shifted the secondary? Secondary? Is there is there an
overshift here? Do I have a backed up nickel over
here in the slot?
Speaker 4 (14:23):
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Does that now give him free rein? Is this a blitz?
What's their tendency? How is that defensive endplay? Is he
inside footback? Is he outside footback?
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
What is this tendency? Out of both of those? What's
his favorite move? What's his counter move versus? Each of
those footwork pre stands, alignments, Okay, Now this guy's in
a two point two point? Is he is he angled
in or is he a two point? And looking up field,
is he rush contained or is he a guy that's
going to be you know, that's going to.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Play down the line.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
All these things go through your head on a play
by play basis, right, And so how fast you disseminate
that information, how fast you're going.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
To figure that out to work on that so that
all you you have to do is react. That takes time.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That takes time, But that's all of the minutia that
you have to work through that's going through your brain
at any given moment, and any given play you have
about six seconds from when that play is called walking
to the line of scrimmage, getting set in your stance.
You have to take in all that information and know
what to do and then ball snaps.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You got to do it.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
So one more bit of.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
To talk about with the offensive line, and then we're
going to move on to some other topics after we
go to break. We have the AFC preview coming up,
presented by UPMC.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
We have to get to that.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
And also, again I keep talking about this something that
I've seen in New England and I you know, I've
watched the preseason tape. I know what's happened during the season,
and there's something that that that that's got my intenta up.
But before we get to that, the other thing that
it seems so importing an offensive line play is communication.
(16:03):
And you know, look, there's communication that's that's talked about,
and then eventually, I think when offensive lines really get
to their peak, it's almost, you know, unspoken communication. It's
almost telepathy. You know what Willie Cologne's going to do
next to you. You know how you're going to pass
guys off, and and and you're not worried about you know,
(16:24):
a guy shoots a gap and now the guards looking
at the tackle and there I thought you had them. No,
you're supposed to have them. And so how long does
that part of it take? Because you know, ideally for
the Steelers, you know they're going to be running this
offensive line out for the rest of the season and
at least four fists of this offensive line for the
next couple of seasons. How long does that communication, that
(16:46):
comfortability factor take.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Is it already there?
Speaker 5 (16:50):
For example, with Mason McCormick and Zach Fraser, does it
now have to happen with Mason McCormick and with Troy Faltano.
And if it's happening to them, how does that affect
McCormick been going back to Fraser? So what what you know,
how long does that element take to kind of smooth out?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Ah? That that that that that's time. That's time.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
But I mean the good thing is, like you said,
that interior three has played together, so it's it's an
easier it's an easier situation to do when you've when
you've had a year under your belt. Now the biggest
thing is catching up to speed on that on that
exterior side, right, Prodrick's done it before and he's played
(17:33):
in games, so he's played. He understands that. Now he
just has to get used to Isaac versus Mason. Troy
on the other hand, Troy has to get used to Mason,
and they have to work on their you know, their
communication skills, their non verbal side, because right, you know,
there's some things you take in qise pre snap that
gives you a tendency trip or you know, some type
(17:55):
of trigger, but you have to communicate that in real
time because is this is this a three step and
then slash guy for the te or is he a
right now guy that's going to go try and pin
the hip immediately and then the outside guy now takes
the three steps that comes to the inside or vice versa. Right,
there's those things, or is it a full on slant
where you have what we call down down in a
(18:16):
round so that means defensive end defensive tackle slant one way,
nose tackle wraps around, or you do it in the
other way where they slant out and that one guy
then drops back to the inside because they're trying to
go on run blitz. Those those are things they have
to work on, like how are they going to communicate
this pass protection?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
We used to call it sugar.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
So when whenever me and the guard were working together,
whether it was Kendall Sibbons, whether it was Trey Essex,
whether it was Chris kumiout too, whether it's Willie Cologne,
douglack Ersky, any of those guys, ramone Foster there was
we had our trigger and it was sugar. Sugar was
was was across the board. When we're in pass protection
(18:58):
and we think there's a twist coming, but we don't
really know how it's going to play out sugar means
take two sets straight back vertical off the ball and
let it sort itself out so that guy can't pin
your hip. Because the problem you get on is when
you get on different levels in the passport and they
have a twist going. That's where you get the splits
of the double teams, right. You know, it's it's like
(19:18):
a zipper. You know, when the zipper comes down, it's
hard to get those those teeth to connect right on
the top side of it because the zippers down, zipper's up,
everything's equal, right, it's all connected properly, So you have
to stay with a tight zipper when you when you
sit back, and that allows for if a guy is
coming guarter tackle can then shove to take the guy
(19:41):
off the angle because the guy is angling for your hip.
If he could collapse your hip, he can split the
gap and he can get through. So you want to
prevent that hip that hip shot, and if you stay
parallel now that hip shot, he just kind of wipes
across and you can push him off to the side
and then move off and pick up that ooping guy.
Because the looping guy's taking more steps, he's dropping back
(20:02):
deeper and then coming forward. So yes, he's coming with
a full head of steam because he's got about four
to five steps on you versus where you are relatively,
But in that moment, you're still in a picket fence,
so you're better well equipped to deal with that and
kind of ricochet that guy off. If you come off
on an angle, that guy gets hit, gets pinned on
(20:23):
the hip. Now that guark can't get to can't can't
get to that to his guy because he's he's already
out leversed. So now you gotta stay on him longer.
And now that looper's got a head of steam, you're late.
You're just twisting your body and trying to get hands.
You're not positioning yourself with your half man relationship. And
now that guy shortens the edge. So those are the
things that you know, you kind of do, and that's
(20:45):
how we that's how we kind of look at it.
And yes, I just gave you guys like the crash
course deep in the woods approach.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
No, it's great, but yeah, so so it just to
just to kind of wrap it up before we had
to break.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
And we are running little late here to get to break.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
But you give give Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu, you know,
four five, six weeks of grace to let them get
themselves established to playing a new position at the NFL level.
And then you know, obviously some evolution is also happening.
It's not like they're just thinking about their jobs. They're
still they're still creating that camaraderie with their teammates. And
(21:23):
then give give this offensive line. What to the to
the halfpoint, you know, two thirds of the point of
the way through the season before we can really expect
a fully gelling unit together and and begin to see
what this what this five man group can be together
as an entity?
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Is that is that fair? Is that about a decent timeline?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
It's about a decent timeline.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
I think I think that's probably you know, right in
the midpoint. You know that you would like you'd like
to see it accelerate a little bit. But this is
one of the things where I always tell people croc
pop meals always taste better than a microwave meal. I
don't know what it is. A great you know, a smoke,
A smoke, A smoked meat tastes better than a boiled meat,
(22:10):
you know, And that's what you're kind of dealing with, right,
You're trying to deal with there's a necessity and a
point for all of them, but they have to become
strong individuals before they can become a strong unit. And
so that time, how well they acclimate themselves will determine
how open they are to acclimating as a unit. And
(22:30):
so that's what you can't predict it. That's the real
kind of pinch point or pain point for an office
line is how fast do other guys learn around you?
Speaker 4 (22:41):
And everybody learns differently.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Everybody has a different key that helps them latch onto
a concept or latch on to their individual skill set.
And then you figure out, how do I apply this
to a team concept? How well do I know my guard?
How well do I know my center? And down the
line right side side? How do we communicate across the board?
I mean, And it was something that I learned a
(23:04):
lot earlier because of the way our team was structured.
We had a lot of experience on the team, and
I was just the new young guy on the group
right because Marvel was was was in his fourth year
when I came in as a rookie. Alan Fanica was
seven years in Jeff Hardings was was eight to nine
(23:24):
years in by the time I saw him. Kendall had
two years on me when I when I when I
was when I was inserted, So you know, I was
a young guy and it was a game of telephone
and it was on the end, so he didn't have
to deal with as much. Right at the edge, win
a doubt block out, you know, is what they always say,
right for a young rookie right tackle. And so it
(23:46):
was like, you know, you learned this what we call
in man on the line of scrimmage, or EMO as
we called it. That was it was it's like when
a doubt blocked the EMO, win a doubt block out.
So it was easier for me to acclimate to the
rest of the group because I was on my island
on the end. And then I had to work myself
in to where it got to the point where then
later in my career, boom I was. I was relaying
(24:07):
messages all the way down the line. I knew what
every single thing was because I realized I had to
faster because I had to catch up to the rest
of the group. Well, this group necessarily everybody's about at
the same experience level. Minus Isaac Camalo. So Isaac is
sitting there with you know, with like four little ducklings. Essentially,
you know, it's like Isaac has already played in one
(24:28):
Super Bowls, right, you know, these guys they are still
trying to figure out what their consistent pass set is
or what their consistent footwork is. So it presents those
those unique challenges for a group. I was literally the
inverse of that when I came into this league, and
then as we matured, as we added pieces in right,
you know, you get Jeff Hardings who retires, and then
(24:51):
you're you're trying to look for that next center for
your team. Alan Fanica leaves some free agency and goes
to the Jets, so that you're inserting your left guard
Chris Cumonto, sorry, sat for a year or two in
the system before he's starting. And then you bring in
as Sean Mayheon for you and then you find to
Justin Hartwig the next year at center, and then for
the right guard position. Right, you know, Kendall and I
(25:14):
play together, but then Darnell Stapleton, you know, as a
guy that ends up filling in for him. Willie Cologne
uh takes my position as right tackle I had become
a swing tackle and then eventually moved to the left
side for Marvel Smith.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
There's a more natural.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Progression and evolution of it where you see these pieces
switching in at a lower rate. This team, it was like, hey,
you know we got we have three rookie offensive linemen
coming in last year in camp right and you know
you had you had you had Nick Nate Herbig, who
is our starting center. He gets injured, so Zach Fraser
(25:49):
gets pushed into the center position right out the gates,
and then Mason McCormick comes in fills in for for
James Daniels who gets injured. And now you got too,
two raw rookies in the middle. And then, like you said, Troy,
Troy had beaten out Broderick, but then Troy gets injured.
Now Projec's back in at right tackle, and of course
Dan Moore and Isaac Camolo sit over there and they
(26:11):
played years together.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
So it's a transition.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And I'm not sitting here trying to make excuses at all,
but I do want to provide clarity because I think
that's something that a lot of people tend to tend
to overlook with that because five have to play as one.
And like I said, you can't have fingers and expect
to punch somebody if not all five of those fingers
are tightly wound together right to make a fist. When
(26:36):
you clinch the fist, that's when you're able to attack.
And right now they're getting close that they're curled. The
fingers are curled over. They just need to ball up
together to truly make it work.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Wonderful metaphor. He's Max Starks, I'm Rob King. You're inside
the locker room with King and Stark's presented by your
neighborhood Forge Store.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
In the locker room with Yon Starks on Steelers Nation Radio,
presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty
is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and by
Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from the team at
the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
And welcome back inside the locker room at bringing Starks
and we wanted to get to our AFC preview presented
by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Max begins tonight with the Dolphins and Bills.
I don't have any real reason to think that the
Bills are in any trouble in losing this game.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
They look really good.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
The Dolphins has already talk about coaching staff being on
the hot seat and what's gonna happen down there. They're
not off to a good start. I mean, they've got
that puncher's chance with the offense that they still have.
But your thoughts on what we're going to see tonight
on Thursday at Football.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Last Gasp like like it. It has to be now.
If the Dolphins are to have any chance at staying
intact through the end of this season, they have got
to figure out a way to win. And this is
the toughest part of it because their defense is given
up a ton of points. The offense does not look
(28:24):
in sequence. I mean, they had a better showing against
the Patriots, but this group is just truly.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Is just truly.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Something that you know, it's you have all the skill
set guys. Right when you look at Miami, you know,
you look at two a tongue of Iiloa and you know,
people could argue polarizing how good he is or not good,
but he's a quality quarterback.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
He's a guy who can run. He can scramble.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
You have Jalen Waddel and Tyreek Hill on the edges
super fast track star sprint speed fast, and Devon h Chain.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Who similarly has the speed and the skill as well.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So you're like, man, you've got three super fast guys
at a position and you and you know, I don't
know if you watched the Patriots game yet, but when
you watch this offense, a lot of the swings, a
lot of the toss and movement stuff that they do,
they get to the edge quick. Now, sometimes they outrun
their blockers in those moments and that's what prevents it.
(29:31):
But I mean, there was some big plays in that game.
Tyrek Hill has some deep, big plays, Davon h Change
had a big play, Tyreek Hill had had a huge pass,
and they just they could blow the tops off of coverages.
But it's just it's not consistent. And that's what I think.
You know, there's just that certain key dismissing. And when
(29:51):
I look at the Steelers, it just it gives me
sub parallels except for without the you know, all of
that speed. They have good speed everywhere, but that's elite
speed down there in Miami.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
But your defense gonna stop anybody and this offense.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
I don't know how in concert they are, because you've
heard the rublics about Tyreek Hill and his unhappiness and
whether he gets traded or not. And I just think
Buffalo is just a well oiled machine right now, toe
to toe with the best, YEP Colts and Titans.
Speaker 5 (30:26):
Cindramel's slipper on for another week for the Colts as
they take on the OENC Titans.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Hey, Indiana Jones, the Last Crusade, right, this is the
third installment.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
That's the Indiana Jones.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I'm just saying, you know, now, will we get Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull after that when we start going
fraight down the rabbit hole? I don't know, but I
will say the first two have been good. Third one
was probably my favorite. So we'll see if he can,
if he can keep the trilogy alive.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, wait a minute, the
third was your favorite?
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Last Crusader?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
You it was great? It was it was it was great.
It was great.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
But come on, okay, first, are you okay?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
You go?
Speaker 4 (31:08):
You go? So you're a Raiders guy.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
Raiders The Lost Ark is one of my all time
favorite movies and the third Thurban's actually the second one.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
We can just dismiss out of hand.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
Yeah, we could just we could dismiss. I just go ahead.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
I mean, yes, is it cool that you had the
whole ball rolling?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
No? No, no, you can't. No, we're not, We're not.
I mean it was.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
It was good as an installment a part of it.
But I feel like, you know, it's the same thing
when I look at you know, four two in the
in the Marvel.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
And the door two was excellent. Thoor two was excellent.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
No it was not. No, it was not Dark World,
Are you kidding? No?
Speaker 5 (31:44):
Wait, what's the one where he's spinning around and they're
playing the led Zeppelin song?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Is that? Is that the third Thor movie? Oh?
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Yeah, that's raged Rock. That's okay, all right, I thought
that rock Ragon Rock was great. No, rag rock is great. Yeah,
but yeah, but no, no, that's second Thor.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Now.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
We can we can, we can, we can get it.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
We need to put up a page now, but we
need to have we need to put up a page
and have a polling opinion on this because it's got it.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Come on, man, Raiders is a lost arc.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
I mean, Raiders is awesome. Don't get me wrong. Like
I said, but last crusade, come on, man, the search
for the Holy Grail.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I mean you kind of knew what it is that
you get Sean Connery.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Wisely, Yes, yeah, I love that line. By the way, poorly.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
So Bengals, we better skip them alou here. Bengals Vikings.
Bengals are two and zero. They don't have Joe Burrow.
The Vikings are one and one. They pulled the you know,
very They're kind of similar to the Steelers for me.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
You know, their first.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Two games in which they they they kind of pulled
the rabbit out of the hat in Game one and
beat the Bears. They really only outplayed the Bears for
one quarter. And then in Week two they just they
just really did not look good, not up to the
standards that we expect to see from that team. Uh,
you know, a little more extreme than we would than
(33:02):
this year. There's the Steelers are a lot closer to
being two and oh than the Vikings were. But you know,
a good team that finds themselves one and one. As
we go back to the Steelers parallel, what do you
expect to see here in Minnesota? I think it's an
intriguing game with the Bengals trying to improve the three
and ozer without Joe Burrow.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Yeah, like you said, and know Joe Burrow moving forward,
so Jake Browning is your guy until unless they find
some other quarterback. So you know, Joe Burrow lost with
the turf toe, JJ McCarthy sitting in concussion protocol, so
you won't see JJ McCarthy potentially in this game. So
there's a lot it's a battle of the backups really
in this And like you said, you have two defenses
(33:43):
who are still trying to figure themselves out, and you
know you'd say mid in the pack. So I just
think I think it's gonna be just an ugly, low
scoring affair in that game.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
And I and really is a toss up.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I mean, like you said, two and oh and one
and one for those two teams, I don't think, because
you're not going to this game with either one of
your number one or your qb ones.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
Right but you and man, if you know, if you're Minnesota,
you do not want to be one and two and
your home.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Now, especially having to have to travel to Ireland and
then London. So you got back to back international games
on top of that, you want to at least try
and get to two and one. Before you take that,
you say you split the overseas trips.
Speaker 5 (34:21):
So we have been handling and will continue to handle
this Steelers Patriots game, which is very intriguing. Of course,
Jets Buccaneers, Bucks are two and oh and looking again
like a good team. It feels like every year people
want to say, Wow, this is the year the Bucks
go backward and they just have it.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
No, they have not, and and I think this is
three and oh. The Jets you're already dealing with. I
think what Tyrod Taylor I believe is going to be
your starter because because once again another quarterback out, Justin
Fields out of this game. So you know, they were
already struggling in two games with Justin Field.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Now I feel like the struggle, you know, it could
be a little a little less.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
I mean, Tyrod is a is a well seasoned veteran.
He understands how to play this game. You know, I
think you'll see some bursts. But the bucks Man they
just they're so gutsy and their first two victories have
been just gutted out wins. I mean that Monday night
game against the Houston Texans to come back with six
seconds left. This team knows, no knows, no quit, and
(35:25):
I think.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
And Baker Baker's playing out of his mind. He has
this clutch gene. I'm not sure you know which which
chromosome it is, but he's got it, and he just
knows how to play. And you know, he's a guy
that could go five touchdowns or five interceptions, but he's
gonna play hard and he's gonna will his way into it.
If he throws five or so, he's still gonna throw
probably like five touchdowns in the process.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
So, you know, and that defense is really good. They
got after c J. Strout. They absolutely just leveled CJ.
Stroud throughout that game.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
So I think if I'm leaning towards that defense versus
the Jets defense, and we and we saw we saw
you know, the Bucks of the preseason, and it was
a tough game and we end up losing that preseason game.
It wasn't starters, but it's still, you know, it is
It's still one of those things where I'm like, this
Bucks team is going.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
To be really, really good this year, and so I
can't go against him.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
Raiders one and one at the Commanders one on one,
probably without Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Yeah, but the Raiders are the Raiders. Yeah, yes you did.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
But they look completely inept against the Chargers also on
the Monday night game, and Gino Smith looked flustered and
there's not a lot of weapons there. You know, brock
Owers who was not at one hundred percent uh, just
never quite going. And I don't know if they still
trust Ashen Genty yet. Ashon Genty had a better rushing game,
but he only touched the ball eleven times that and
(36:46):
that Monday nighter. I'm like, dude, I would hand it
off to him twenty five times. U. Let's see what happens,
you know what I'm saying. Like now, if they make
that decision, maybe they have a shot, but it's it's
it's it's not going to be easy. And I still
like the Commander even without Jayden Daniels. I think they
have a really good squad around them. So I think
the Commanders probably pulled this one out.
Speaker 5 (37:06):
Texans oh and two the oh and two Texans at
the Jaguars, who were the Jaguars were my one of
my teams that I thought could be a surprise team.
We had them in the preseason and I thought, okay, listen,
they got a lot of talent, uh, and then they
let one slip away against the Bengals when Joe Burrow
got hurt early in that game. I gotta believe the
(37:27):
Texans go on the road and win this one in Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
I mean, you would like to think, you would like
to think that that would happen, but at the end
of the day, you'd never know what happens Jacksonville. I'm
just I'm confused by them. I know Liam Cohen's trying
to set a new precedent there and trying to create
a new culture, but man, oh man, it is just
(37:53):
it is a rough one to sit there and say this, but.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
But the Texas. Texas are the same ghosts of last year.
They can't put C. J. Stroud.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
They have a really good defense, but you know, you
need some offensive assistants to really help that defense out.
And now I don't know if that offensive line's up
to the task. Nick Chubb, you're talking about guy with
two neat big knee surgeries as you're leading back because
you still don't have a Joe Mixon who's injured as well,
So you have an oft injured backfield to go with
all those weapons, and you need time and hopefully they
(38:23):
can figure out a way to buy time and get
this victory. But it's still going to be a daunting
task for them. And it's a division foe. So when
it's a division rivalry, you just you never know.
Speaker 5 (38:33):
Okay, So two big games I'm gonna skip past Chiefs
at the Giants. Chiefs are zero and two. This feels
like a win on Sunday Football to me. If you disagree,
you know, leave comments below. Broncos Chargers huge game one
on one Broncos at the two and zero Chargers. And
then on Monday night the Lions at the Ravens. Two
(38:56):
very very intriguing.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Juggernauts Juggernaut game. This is gonna be a good test
for the Ravens. The Ravens could go down one and
two potentially, but they could also go to two and one.
Same with the Lions, right, I mean they just they
just hung a fifty burger on the Bears last week.
I mean absolutely put them in a spin cycle. And
like you said, watching them play the Vikings with the Bears,
(39:18):
you know, you're like, Okay, the Bears have something. They
just need to put a fourth quarter together. They have
three quarters of it done, just to figure that last
quarter they just seemed like they failure to start.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
They just got ripped through. So you know, when you're
looking at.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
The Lions, I mean they're a team that went into
Kansas City, you know, a year two years ago, you know,
to really start their renaissance, and they beat Kansas City
at home. So this is a team I do not
put anything past. And they have a lot of weapons
at their disposal. I'm surprised they haven't found Sam Laporta
more in this office. But do they need to find
(39:50):
Sam Laporta When you have Alman Ross, Saint Brown, right,
you got you have Gibbs and Montgomery. I mean, you
have a lot of different weapons to work with. But
it would be crazy they if they get their tight
end game going. This is looks like a continuation last
year when we saw a fourteen and three Lions team
just ripped through the NSC North.
Speaker 5 (40:07):
Still need to get to my uh the thing that
I that I saw in the tape that concerned me,
and we're going to get to that as we conclude
this edition. Inside the locker Room, with King Stark's presented
by your Neighborhood for Store here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
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 4 (40:48):
All right, live and then you know what time it is?
It is the bell lap it last big days right, yeah, yeah,
way good?
Speaker 1 (41:01):
All right.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
I gotta get this fear off my chest, Max, I
gotta get this fear off my chest. So obviously I
know what happened during the game last week, right. I
think it's the first time, did they say the first
time and in NFL history for a while that a
team's had a punt return for a touchdown? Kicked it
off and that team got a kickoff return for a touchdown.
So I already know that the Patriots have a kickoff
(41:23):
return for a touchdown this year. I turn on the
preseason game, first preseason play. They're getting the ball first,
they kick off the Travon Henderson and he takes it
to the house for a touchdown. Later they had a
fifty seven yard kickoff return in that game, another good
kickoff return after that. I'm not talking about punt returns
(41:44):
right now. I'm just talking because man and listen, Marcus
Jones is I'm sure every kick returner's got danger to him.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
That concerns me. Max.
Speaker 5 (41:52):
They have two kickoff returns for a touchdown, one to
begin the preseason and one at a crucial time during
the regular season. This step is we'd come to take
for granted their coverage units. But you know, if you're
a team looking for an upset, and I think New
England will be an underdog in this game, you know,
you want to try to win the turnover battle, or
(42:14):
you want to end or you want to make a
big play on special teams. That's an area that concerns
me going into this game on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
No, it is. But I mean I trust Danny Smith's unit.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Sure, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Sometimes the other guys are pretty good too, though.
Speaker 4 (42:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
No, absolutely, And I think you know, going through what
they did last week gives great coaching points. You know,
one of the good things is not only has a
team put stuff on tape, but you've also put stuff
on tape as well, and Danny Smith and his adjustments.
I feel like they're going to know exactly where they
want to kick, how they want to kick these guys,
(42:51):
and what they want to force them to do in
those moments. And I think, you know, Caleb Johnson, yes,
he had a big gaff a week ago, but you know,
you learn from your mistakes, and I think we we've
talked about it throughout the week.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
You know, Jim Wexel talked about it.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Yesterday about how you know he went and then you know,
he talked, he talked to Caleb after the game and
he reminded him or it made him aware of Barry
Foster who did the very exact same thing and how
that didn't determine his career.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
So you know, I think, you know, with young.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Guys that want to learn and they're just thirsty to
get better, that he'll get better from this. And the
heroics that we saw in week one with the special teams,
and of course you know the lack of in week two,
I think things come back to focus. I mean, this
has been this has been a top unit for years
for us.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
It's been a strong point.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
You know, Miles Killerbrew captain of the Captain of the
Special Teams, has been a multi multi year pro bowler,
always voted on, has come up with big punt blocks,
you know, or like you said, strip strip fumbles. So
this unit has an a depth skill. Love Ben Skeronica
on this unit. Love Scottie Miller on this unit. Love
(44:03):
guys like Conter Hayward now Carson Brunner. I think I
think they're going to get it, but yeah, you got
to be You got to be locked in completely when
you're dealing with special teams, especially with that dynamic kickoff,
because it can be dynamic if you let it be,
or it could be not so dynamic, uh if you
can stop it out early.
Speaker 5 (44:23):
So that concludes today's program Inside of the Locker Room with
the King of Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
here on the Steelers Audio Network. I want to thank
Jerry Dulac for being on with us. We are still
reeling from the loss of our colleague Dale Lolly, who
passed away yesterday after a battle with cancer. We want
(44:46):
to pay one last tribute on this program. Certainly won't
be the last time he will be in our thoughts
to Dale, who of course was a contributing writer for
the Steelers dot Com for many, many, many years and
a co host along with Matt Williamson on The Drive,
one of the most popular podcasts in the entire NFL.
(45:08):
And you know, just a really good colleague that he
appeared with all of us over the years on many
different formats and many different shows.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
So we're all feeling his loss.
Speaker 5 (45:18):
And for one final time for Justin Miller producing in
our iHeart Studios, Brian Lamartine who helped put this together.
For Max Starks, I'm Rob King. Here's a tribute to
our friend Dale Lolly.
Speaker 6 (45:35):
We come to you with heavy hearts as the news
that we did not want to have to share have
to bear our good friend and our colleague Dale Lolly
passing away at the age of fifty six. I pride
myself on being somebody who has a pretty good finger
on the pulse of the team, one of the.
Speaker 4 (45:53):
First things I noticed about him. But it's very professional,
you know.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
He was very tough and I'm.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Like man Le Scoots a bulldog. He could have one.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
Hundred and four fever when we were doing the show.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
This job and what he did was a lot of
who Dale was and he took a lot of pride
in it. This is what I do, This is what
we do talking to my buddy about some football and
it's a job, but it's also something that we enjoy
to do.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
That's the thing, you know.
Speaker 6 (46:21):
If he can find a career half that you love
to do, it doesn't feel like work.
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