November 12, 2025 • 48 mins
Jim Wexell joins the guys as always to discuss the state of the team and Rob and Max go around the league to highlight various news and notes.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
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 in direct
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
Oh, guess what day it is? Guess what day it is?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Eh?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Anybody, Julie, Hey, guess what day it is? Come on,
I know you can hear me. Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike.
What day is it? Mike listening? Guess what today is?
Speaker 4 (00:40):
It's humpday.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, that's right.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
When you hear Mike the camel, you know that you
are about to be filled up with good knowledge, good rhetoric,
and good of course good conversation. And no better conversationalist
than a guy who who does it for a living
editor in chief of Steel City Insider, but also you know,
lauded author and uh you know many of ghosts written
(01:09):
but also direct works in his in his arsenal and
as the one the only Jim Wexel here inside the
locker room with us as he is every Wednesday, for
none other than wex Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
How are we doing today? WEX, We're doing good.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
Max. You know with your rhetoric. I would like to
ghost write your book one of these days because I
know I would have to do about as much work
as I did for wolf Leys, which is not much
at all. I have a feeling you can write, brother.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, I do have.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I do possess a skill. You know, my mom was
a speech writer, so you know, I had to write
countless speeches growing up as a kid, when I was
running for different positions and student government and other you know,
scholarships and everything. So yeah, I've I've had my hand
at writing. Uh, don't do it as much as I
used to, but I definitely did have a skill back
(02:06):
in the day.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I should at least say.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
You mean your would your mom even edit you? My
mom working for scholarships and things.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
So she she would, she would read it over, but
she didn't really make any edits her or my aunt
because my aunt's a lawyer, so they would you know,
it was like send it to your aunt. Okay, now
did your mother reprove this? It was like I had to.
I had to go through like levels of approval. So
you know you've done that a young kid by the
time you got by by the time I got to
scholarship writing in high school, yeah, I already knew what
(02:35):
they were going to say, so they were already in
the back of my head. So that usually guided a
way that I wrote, because I ended up taking on
a lot of what they would see nuance wise and
just adapted it. But yeah, by the end, yeah, no,
they just simply said, did you finish it?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Good, I'm sure, I'm sure you.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I'm sure you did all right.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
You know what's funny is my daughter was going for
a scholarship from the Pro Football Leaders Association as the
children of the Pro Football Writers in America. And I
told her, I says, you know, you got to write
an essay, and you know I can help you. And
I wasn't going to write the whole thing, but I could,
(03:15):
you know, I could start it, I could finish it,
I could segue and you know. And uh, month later,
I said, hey, by the way, when are you gonna
let me help you with that? All I already sent
it in. I said, you know, you didn't even let.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Me edit it.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
I would have edited for you. Oh no, Dad, I
wanted to win and she won. Oh oh jesu.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Hey, she learned from the best. I mean, she's read enough,
been around you, she she knew what she.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Needed to do well. I will say this. She is
a paying subscriber to my site, steel City Inside. So uh,
she has respect, I believe.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So wax, before we moved too far ahead to Sunday,
what were your thoughts on what you saw this past
Sunday night, and you know, can you draw any conclusions
from it? Can you make any sort of sweeping generalizations
about what you saw and how it relates to where
(04:25):
the students need to improve over the rest of the
season and that sort of thing.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Wow, you know, I'm usually an optimistic, uplifting guy. I
like to come on this show and raise spirits. I
could not watch that again. I did not write my
usual just my opinion column after from my site. I
had other people write and rip however they saw fit.
(04:54):
I just I thought that was such a bad performance.
I'm sorry, it was really really bad. The offense is,
you know, I don't want to put it all on
Aaron Rodgers. He's a little gun shy because I think
the line is so poor that it's making him gun shy,
(05:17):
especially the left tackle, and that does not bode well
for the future if you have to find another tackle. Uh,
that's just it was depressing. I'm sorry. I don't have
anything more than more depression to lay on you. And
I'm sure you're all feeling the same way. You've got
(05:41):
to lift me up, Rob, come.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
On back, I'll get back first, crack at it.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Oh yeah, well, I mean and I understand that. I mean,
you know, when you've seen, you know what can be
when things are going well. It's tough to believe where
things sit currently. Uh, you know, for for for a
lot of intents and purposes. But you know, I'm one
(06:10):
of those guys that I look at it and You're right,
it's frustrating because this was one of those where it
wasn't necessarily a gut to have it, but it was
a WHOA sure would be nice to get it type
of type of performances that they could have had. And
you know, I think there are some there are some
(06:31):
shortcomings to Broderick Jones's game that he still needs to
work out, that he still has to mature in, you know,
but he was on an upward trajectory. But this is
this is the kind of up and downs that you're
going to have to grow with. You know, it's that
ugly haircut, right, It's it's the I'm trying. I'm trying
(06:52):
to get to the ponytail phase. But you know I can't.
I can't. You know, I can't even get a top
knot going type type of deal.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
And you know, but you have to. You have to.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
You have to if you want, if you want the
ponytail you got, you gotta wait. You gotta wait. That
hair has to grow. And I feel like for Broderick,
like he has to grow like some of the things
that you know we lauded, you know that we're not
necessarily as clean. You know, we're a little bit more
glaring in this game. And you know, it's just realize
how far away, you know, a guy is from really
(07:26):
getting it consistently in performance because he hadn't had to
have that consistency before. And I think that's where the
mature we're going to see the maturity of him. And
even for Tory Fatanu, who who was now arrow pointed up,
he he struggled in this game as well, so he
took a step back. I think I think a lot
of guys were necessarily respecting what the Chargers defensive line
(07:50):
is and that that's a that's a heck of a
group in front of him. That they had to deal with,
very large bodies similar to our own skilled and depth
pass rushers off the edge, and they had a slew
of them, and you know, it closely resembled to what
our Steelers defense is, but you know a little bit younger, uh,
(08:11):
you know, not as long as the tooth of the interior.
And I think that's where you know, they got caught
off guard. I think they started reading their own press
clippings after that Colts game and thought that we could
just show up and a game's gonna happen, and we're
gonna win it because we're here. And they sadly got
put in their place to say, no, you've got to
go earn everything you get. You know, you only get
(08:34):
to eat what you kill. You can't you can't go order.
You can't go order it, and and and it's going
to be cooked for you. You got to go cook
it yourself. You know, you can't answer extra salt and pepper.
You gotta go find the extra salt and pepper. And
I think that's that was kind of One of the
sobering things I took away from this is, you know,
guys expected to win, but didn't put the work in
to secure a win.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
It also was glaringly significant that they are missing a
second threat, and Mike Tomlin at his weekly press conference
must have mentioned it four or five times. I think
it's good that he recognized it, but a little too
late maybe unless Scantling is a guy, and it's sure
(09:24):
seems like they're going to give him a full look
this week. I think Alvin Austin really disappointed the coach,
and I think he is. The coach is now blatantly
condemning the play of any of the number two receivers.
(09:46):
Although Roman Wilson made a play and he looked fast
doing it, he looked smooth doing it. He didn't try
to hurtle anybody. You know, we're up and down with Roman,
so that was something. Rogers has to get his confidence back,
and the line has to protect him even with that confidence,
(10:09):
because he's really not going to run. I mean, he's
bobal for a forty one year old, but that's not
going to help you win games. He needs he needs
full pocket protection, he needs clean pockets, and he needs
a second receiver. So both of those problems bore down
(10:29):
on the Steelers Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
You know, I think wex I'm going to try to
talk you off the cliff good he ask me to
do it, didn't you please? Okay, somebody. I didn't think
this was a problem until this week, and I think
that the Chargers. I think there was a number of
(10:56):
things that happened. I think the Chargers and I do
agree that the past rush was an issue. I think
it made Aaron Rodgers move around a little bit, maybe
made him a little antsy. I he said he was
going to go back and look at the tape as
to whether he moved up maybe a little bit too
early a couple of times, and kind of moved into
some pressure. But he also mentioned that guys weren't open.
I think this was a combination that a lot of
(11:19):
teams aren't necessarily going to be able to have, which
is the Chargers rush for They trust those guys. They
are very very talented their edge rushers and a boy
be on the inside. These are guys that are very
very adept at getting to the quarterback. And when you
can rush only four and get home, you can drop
seven and do a very good job of protecting. I
(11:42):
think also the fact that the Steelers, and I've been
harping on this all week, the fact that they could
not sustain drives hurt them offensively. Sustained drives hurt them
in every face. It hurt them offensively, obviously, it hurt
them defensively because you're losing the time of possession battle,
your guys are getting exhausted, You're playing from behind, which
(12:03):
is never a good place to be. I would like
to think that the overall performance was more of a
one off, but that the underlying issue is getting more
first down and whether it's third down conversions. It's okay
to get a it's okay to get a first down
on first down or second down too, but when you
go at one point, they were zero for nine on
(12:25):
third down conversions. Whether that is a symptom or whether
that is the cause is hard to say, but either way,
getting more first downs and it sounds simple, getting more
first downs and maybe doing it against you know, and listen,
you're gonna have to do it against teams that match
up well with you, and I thought the Chargers matched
up pretty well with this Dealers after watching them play.
(12:47):
But you know you're gonna have to find a way
to do that too. But first you just have to
find a way to be to sustain more drives on
offense more consistently, regardless of who you're playing.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
You know, it was a lot of twenty twenty one
late season in that game with the pressman coverage and
you know.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
You, Jim, that was you. They started eleven and zero, right, Yeah,
I was thinking the same thing because that was all
about I was in my mind making that same parallel
because people remember that was the year Ben was getting
the ball rid of the ball very very quickly, and
teams started to adapt to that and say, okay, that's
what you're gonna do. We're gonna throw off your timing.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Well, that line was on its last legs down the stretch,
and the new line in twenty twenty two didn't help
Ben's confidence or or should it have. It was a
whole new line with rookies, rookies that really didn't make it,
that didn't last here. So you know, they played tight.
(13:56):
They couldn't throw the short stuff and he couldn't wait
for them to get open against that tight coverage, which
is you know, which is how you beat that kind
of pressman coverage. You you wait for him to get
opened and they can get opened deep. Well, I don't
know if that's going to happen, especially without a number
two receiver. And you know, yeah, I want to see
(14:19):
more from Johnny Smith. We're seeing more from Pat friar
Mouth when when called upon. I think we see enough
from him. We're not seeing enough from john who disappointing there.
I know that past was very catchable. We still could
have caught it. Yeah, Aaron's gonna you know, are they
(14:45):
gonna rely on Jalen Warren Moore? That should have helped
open up the passing game more. You know, when they
were passing on rundowns when they had the run game
cooking and San Diego, San Diego, the Chargers had to
be alerted to it. It wasn't It wasn't helping get
anyone open. Oh. I like, I liked the theory, but
(15:09):
it just didn't work.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
It was tough, and I think, like you said, wex
it was, you know, the lack of separation at the
point when they were pressed up. But like you said,
it's press and then drop it into cover two doing
some creative things to take away the underneath an intermediate game.
Linebackers were all over the place something Dayon Henley and
Denzel Perriman can fly, both of them, so they were
(15:37):
doing a great job of really sticking to our tight
ends and rbs, and even when we tried to run
some stuff behind the line of scrimmage did not work
as well. Some of the swing some of the swing
passes and swing screens that we were trying to set
up just you know, some of them just dead in
the water because a guy blew through a gap, or
you know, uh a linebacker came and up, you know
(16:01):
and played along line screams or just fat their perimeter
blocking and then shedding to get to a tackle was
just at a high level. So a lot of things
that can be approved upon as a Steelers squad. Stail
on that guy just extra tick, dump him to the inside,
don't dump him to the outside, take him against where
(16:21):
he wants to go. And then, you know, defensively, I
felt like up until that last drive of the first half,
they had really done a good job of bottling up
the you know, the popent efficacy of the the you know,
(16:41):
the Herbert led Chargers offense, and you know, Lad McConkie
struggled and I think that's where you know, and then
he but then that fifty eight the arder happened, you know,
enough injuries happened where he had James Pierre out there consistently,
and you know, there was a reason why James Pierre
was not a starter at the beginning of the season, right,
(17:02):
but why he was a special team's ace. It kind
of showed in that moment where you needed a big
play tackle and it burned us for fifty eight yards.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
For the most part, he played well, yeah, that play
was a killer.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Absolutely was that Echos Pierre. Was that Pierre in coverage?
Speaker 4 (17:21):
It was Pierre in cover that.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Was pressed the tackle?
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Yeah, okay, yeah, uh.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I like the signing of a Sante Samuel? Does that?
Does that lift us up? Does set lift this little
group discussion up?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It does? And I do want to real Yeah, I
think that James Pierre. I think he's interesting, you know,
and I understand what Max is saying. That pass whistled
right past this year. The coverage is excellent. Mike Tomlin
kind of singled him out for praise Wax yesterday and.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Oh yeah, I played well, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think he's been I think he's you know, as
as we're looking at you know, sleigh and a concussion
and who's going to be the next step And you
know a lot of people have talked about eccols and
I think he's done a fine job. And I you know, again,
I don't get into the to the slot outside thing,
but it's my understandings he's he's played more slaughters, more
comfortable in the slotter or maybe a better player in
(18:16):
the slot, what have you. But but I think James
Pierre is a guy that you could at least feel
pretty solid about because otherwise you start to think about
do we need to move Jalen Ramsey back to corner?
And if we have to move Jalen Ramsey back to corner,
what does that do for us at safety? So if
James Pierre, and again I don't have any idea when
(18:40):
or if Sante sam is going to be ready for
active duty, I think that could potentially be. We talked
about this. It's a low risk, potentially very high reward
when you get a player of that caliber in in
mid season. But if Pierre can can play a corner
for you and keep Jalen Ramsey at safety at free safety.
(19:01):
I think that benefits the team, so that he was
the guy I've been alluding talking to him and maybe,
you know, changing the way the roster looks, because if
he can do that, I think you can keep Ramsey
there and I think for the time being, that makes
you a better defensive football team.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
It really sounds and seems like they want to keep
Ramsey there and develop the next Rod Woodson type of
safety for four or five years. That's my take. So, yeah,
they're gonna want to They're not gonna. I don't think
they're gonna mess around. And you know, the strange part
is they're in first place and I am now looking
(19:43):
at next year thinking of Samuel was at least a
guy for next year. And I don't know. I don't
know if it's wise at mid season on a team
that first place to be thinking like that, but man,
after a game like that, it's hard not to. So, yeah, Samuel.
(20:04):
The problem with him as a slot They want those
linebacker types in the slot, the blitzers that they want
that kind of player, and he's not that guy. He's
a cover guy. He's a feisty cover guy that has
not been a great tackler, and that could have been
due to his stinger issues. Who knows, And you would
(20:25):
think that's all cleared up. You know, the Steelers. The
Steelers doctor is the one who inspected him or if
not operated, I'm unsure. I hesitate, but the Steelers doctor
was heavily involved in his recovery and so the fact
(20:47):
that the Steelers signed him has to make you feel
optimistic about his ability to return to who he was.
And he's only twenty six. He just turned twenty six
last month. He's not that tackler. He's not Mike Hilton,
you know, He's not what they wanted on a Ramsey there.
Uh yeah, just go in a different direction. But he
(21:08):
is a slot corner and that provides you one answer
with Joey Porter and then you need one more and
if that's Echoles or Pierre or a draft pick, there
you go. They have the strong safety and Deshaun Elliott
and I'm talking future. So that's a nice I believe
(21:29):
it's a nice sign. And I can work on offense
in the in the draft.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Well, I don't know if I want to. I still
want to direct. I still want to win some football
games this year and get into the playoffs and hope
that you know this, this trend of losing three, three
or four can be reversed and this team can start
heading in the right direction. And I look forward to
seeing you over the next couple of days, my friend.
Speaker 5 (22:01):
Yeah, the Cincinnati game. You know, Cincinnati has been a
cure all for many teams over the years. So this,
you know, you want to go see James mcmurtury sing
the blues, you know. Let's then he meets Cincinnati Bengals,
you know, and then then he writes happy songs.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So hey, Max is trying to get me into younger music.
He's the sixty three year old Jim Wexer has brought out.
He's a sixty three year old. The youngest guy I've
seen in concert this year. James McMurtry. Great performers, great.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
Yeah, but he's modern, he's relevant. He's playing great music.
Now there you get That's.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
All you care about, That's right.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah. I went to see Nico Case and then Griffin
House last week. I really had no interest in fighting
the masses and paying at that huge buck for Paul McCartney.
I really didn't. I did and uh and I saw,
I saw my bands and I I you know, it's relevant.
It's hip. You're you're a hipster hip rap.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
All right, wex Let's leave it there. Thank you, my friend.
I appreciate it. All right, boys, talk to you suits
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(23:28):
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Speaker 1 (23:51):
This ski 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 (24:12):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this hump day wedding day as we kind of
roll up our sleeves and start to get ready for
the Cincinnati Bengals. Reacting to some of the things Mike
Tomlin said yesterday in the press conference, but you know,
we got Wex's point of view on this, Max, I
would like to get your point of view on you know,
if James Pierre, who you know, at one time the
(24:35):
Sews felt like they were very high on and then
remember he wasn't always on the roster the last couple
of years. You know, he was a practice squad guy.
But you know, they so the career arc seemed to be,
hey he's really promising, Hey we're putting them on special teams.
For now he's kind of off and on the roster
(24:55):
too now maybe starting to fulfill some of that promises
to the felt like they had for him earlier in
the season. And your thoughts on what kind of an
impact he could have. We don't know yet about a
Sante Samuel Jr. I think, you know, at least on
a Wednesday. It's too early, maybe it's weeks too early
about whether he can have an impact in game settings,
(25:16):
but you know your thoughts on whether Pierre can be
a guy that can come up and you know, alleviate
some of that pressure in the secondary as far as
you know who's playing where in specific Jaalen Ramsey, but
also just the rest of the corners as well well.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I think I think that's kind of where it's It's
so funny, is that you're trying to figure out what
what was this team really you know, able to accomplish, right,
you know, can they.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Be above that?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
But really who is a personnel that I can depend on?
Because you know we always talk about like A players, right,
that's what That's what Mike Tomlin you know, used to
say back the day. You know, A players, you know,
have A games, And that's what we're looking for is
the A players to have those A games and then
you kind of, you know, go from there because those
(26:06):
are the guys that you're counted on and need day
in and day out in the big games or the
marquee matchups. Well, all these games are marquee matchups from
this point forward, So what are you doing as a
squad to prepare for those things. And I think that's
what Mike Tomlin kind of gets at is that, Hey,
(26:27):
we need these guys to kick in how they're supposed
to kick in, and we can't depend on others to
alleviate us of that responsibility. And I think that's where
you kind of you look at Jalen Ramsey and the
more you can do, I mean he should literally have.
(26:47):
There was a shirt that Mike Tomlin had started, uh,
never forget this his first year in the league, or sorry,
his first year is our head coach here in Pittsburgh.
And he was talking to everybody and that's where he
introduced like the two dog, one bone, you gotta fight
for everything that you get. But he also had the
phrase the more you can do, and he would go
around saying the more you can do.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
And then he eventually.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Put this shirt in all of our lockers that was
like a white dry fit shirt and across the front
of it say use me was the shirt, and he
was like, give me a reason to use you. The
more you can do, the less likely I am to
not use you. And that's kind of the mantra that
I think these guys have to adopt. And that's that's one.
(27:30):
You have an example in Jalen Ramsey, Right. Jalen's played
three different positions. He's been in a slot, he's been
on the outside, at corner, he's now at free safety.
That's the more you can do, right, And so I
look at around the room and I say, well, what
else can you do? You know, what can you do?
Peyton Wilson? Right, Peyton Wilson the way that he's using
(27:53):
his utility. He's on Core four special teams as well
as being the start one of the starting inside backers.
That's the more you can do right, the more flexibility
you have, the less likely you are to get passed by.
And now you're at that position where okay, Spencer, are
you happy now?
Speaker 2 (28:13):
You know? In year two now?
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Or is it year three?
Speaker 2 (28:17):
I think he's year three for Spencer.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Just being the jumbo tight end or can you eventually
take that left guard job? You know, because Isaaccama was
not getting younger. So when are you going to kick
in and show us that, Hey man, I got to
put this guy in because we need him on the field.
He's already proven invaluable at at the specialty work. But
what's the primary role, And so you're trying to carve
(28:40):
out things almost in reverse where you have a secondary skill,
now you just need to parlay that and keep that
along with a primary skill. That's kind of the way
I look at the entire roster, like what else, what
else are you providing? And you know, resume aside, but
what are you providing as a boost on game day
(29:03):
to get us in position where we can where we
can get out of stadiums with a victory. That's what
I want to see. That's what my hope is is
that we'll eventually turn into that squad where it's like, man,
we don't I don't know what we can do because
they just keep coming at us in waves, and even
when the starting guys not in there, you have to
deal with these other two guys. And so that's that's
(29:27):
what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping that guys will take
the onus on themselves and realize, you know that I
need to do more within my job skill set, because
I mean, I don't want guys jumping out of gas
like they were talking about, you know, guys trying to
do too much.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
But I want you to do your job and.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Then what else do you have available to me that
I can use as a change up.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
So Max, I did want to take a look at
a couple of things regarding to see other sort of
big picture. Yesterday we ran through some power rankings. I
don't think there's any real need to run through all
the power rankings again. You know the NFL, we did
the athletic yesterday. We kind of vary things up a
little bit. By the way, I will say this, NFL
(30:14):
dot Com has Seattle number one. I don't know as
I would have any real problem with that. No, I
mean I think they've earned it.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I mean, listen, they've gone through the fire more than
one time and they've come out unburned. And so when
you think about how a season progresses and what they
can do, I mean, I think are we at that
point now, Kinger where we can actually say that Sam
Darnold is a real quarterback, is a real starting, bona
(30:47):
fide quarter He's been resurrected, he's been rehabed, whatever you
want to say, and you know, he's left the Jets
organization and now he's really found who he was in
the last two years. Can we now say that I
think about him because of the performances.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I do I think so, I think, you know, there
were some questions and he wouldn't have been the first
guy to apparently have resurrected his career only to find
out it was a system and he moves on and
it's and then you know, well, he's just a system quarterback.
We're going to find out, you know, that answer to
(31:22):
maybe Daniel Jones. And in a larger question, you know,
when you're evaluating the quarterback position and what to do
with young players, I mean, it brings to mind some
serious questions. You know, do you do you draft? If
(31:44):
you think of guy's a franchise quarterback, you have to
take them right, You have to. You have to have
to have to because there's only so many of those
guys around. And yet most times, if you're in a
position to draft that quarterback, you yourself are a very
bad team making a very tough place to win. And
Sam Donald was in tough places to win. Daniel Jones
(32:07):
was in a tough place to win, as we just
found out. I mean, they they moved on from him,
They drafted another young quarterback, they signed a veteran quarterback,
and their coach just got fired. That wasn't a good situation.
You know, when Ryan Tannehill went to the Dolphin, that
wasn't a good situation, and then later he found a
better situation. I do think that Sam Donald is proving that.
(32:30):
You do remember when he came out and the question was,
by the way Baker Mayfield, right, look at Baker Mayfield
now in a better team. When when Sam Donald came out,
I believe PFF said he was the highest rated Now,
of course they haven't been around forever, the highest rated
quarterback they'd ever had coming out of college, I believe
(32:51):
I recall reading that. If it wasn't the highest, it
was way up there, then I think he might have
been supplanted by Trevor Lawrence. As far as those ratings.
Take that for what it's worth. He was extremely high regarded,
seemed like a very low risk type of player, and
now he's apparently cashing into that talent. Max, I agree
with you. I think he's been he's been an outstanding player,
(33:14):
and he's an MVP candidate right now. I mean, I
think who are the front runners? Is it him and Stafford?
Are those your front runners right now for MVP? Yeah?
I think you have.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
I think you have to put both of them in there,
and I think you know, I know it's a quarterback award.
I know it is, even though it shouldn't be. But
you know, Jonathan Taylor deserves some credit to deserves some
credit in there as well.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
By the way, thank you for mentioning Taylor because he
finished second that year, and you're right, he was the
last non quarterback to win it. It's been well over
a decade since a non quarterback has won it, and
Jonathan Taylor finished second when he led the league in
rushing and and did he make a statement this past week.
I just don't think he can. I don't think he
can win it because of the team. He's having a
(34:07):
fabulous year. But yes, I'm glad you mentioned Jonathan Taylor.
To your original point, I think Sam Darnold is he's legit.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Yeah yeah, I mean, I mean, you have, you have,
you have to give that man his credit and give
him his due. He has earned it, and he has
walked through the fire and he's still standing here. You know,
he's he he has he hasn't flinched at all, and
he's been fervent about doing what he believes is his work,
and the team is succeeding because of that. They're not
(34:39):
succeeding in spite of they're in seed. They're they're they're
they're winning because of him. He's throwing them into victories.
And I think that's what when you think about that
M v P style quarterback, that's that that that's kind
of what you draw the conclusion of is okay, Well,
you know, is this guy? Are we better with or
without him in the line up? A?
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And then B?
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Is he the reason why you're winning games? And I
think for Sam Donald you have to say yes, yes,
heck yes, And if you have to see how Seahawks
Geno who right, even as good as Geno was for
them in his time, he still had the struggle. And
Sam Donald has not done that. His teammates have lifted up,
(35:25):
they've answered every play that he's done. And he also
has a better protecting offensive line in front of him
than he did in Minnesota a year ago in that
playoff game where they just got ravaged by the Rams,
and then definitely better than anything he saw prior to
that Minnesota year, both the Jets and the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
You know, you said a lot there and I agree.
I think that when you you know, when I look
at the quarterback position, I think, can this person win
a Super Bowl? And I think that obviously it's not
just the player, it's the cast around them, right, you
have to have a good cast, and the better your
cast is, you know, the less good your quarterback has
(36:09):
to be. But I think you get to a point
where you say, okay, you know, quarterback number, you know,
twelve in the league can't win a Super Bowl? Whatever,
whatever the cutoff I'm just making. I'm totally making up
a number there, right, But when you think of Sam
Darnold and you think of what he's able to do,
and Seattle's got an absolutely top notch defense, I mean
(36:29):
they are an excellent, excellent defensive team. They are seven
and two. So try to remember these numbers, right, they
are seven and two and Minnesota is four and six.
Now a four and five. I beg your part. Now,
It's not all one player, okay, So don't I'm not
(36:51):
saying that one player has made all this difference. However,
last year Minnesota with Donald the quarterback, I was fourteen
and three. They're four and five. This year they were
fourteen and three. A year ago and Seattle. Remember Seattle
didn't have Sam Donald, they had Gino Smith. As you mentioned,
(37:14):
Seattle was ten and seven last year, so a very
good team. But they have clearly taken a step forward
this year. And I think when you so, you know,
if you want to try to take assessment out of
it the eye test or whatever, and you just want
to take a look at raw numbers, the records, the records,
you're telling you that this was a good Seattle team,
(37:34):
and now with Sam Donald, they are in a different class.
They are a and I think that that makes them
a legitimate They are a legitimate Super Bowl contender in
my opinion.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Yeah, and I agree with you, And listen, I don't
know if I would had I not seen it live
in the stadium, right. We got to see it up
close and personal, and it was one of those of
the few ones where I said, yeah, we got out played.
They worked us, They controlled the line of scrimmage, they
beat us up up front, they had a pass rush
(38:11):
on our offense, they stopped the run game. I mean,
they did it all both offensively and defensive. This was
not some type of oh, you know, who holds the
ball last like Buffalo and Baltimore right Week one forty
one game. It wasn't like that. They were dominant from
the beginning, and they took advantage of the opportunities and
(38:32):
they never let off the gas. And I think that's
a different shift mentally that you know, Sam Darnold has
gone through that, he's been in that position, and he
knows how precious these opportunities are because you don't know
the next time you're going to be a starter once
you lose that job. And he and and he is
driving that quarterback position like he stole it. Yes, man,
(38:54):
you know what I'm saying, Like, yes, he is.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
He is.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
He is full, top down, going ninety hair blowing in
the wind and just taking this full for the ride
for what it is. He's not thinking about the next ride.
He's not thinking about, you know, washing the car. He's
thinking about, I'm going to use this till the gas
tank goes on e And that's and that's what Seattle
looks like.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
I agree. And should you be seeking some solace or
some comfort, right, I just want to point this out.
So Seattle is one. This is NFL dot com. Seattle one,
New England is I'm sorry the Colts are three, and
New England is six, okay, one three and six espn
uh similar they don't have they have Philadelphia number one,
(39:41):
but they have the Colts three, they have the Patriots four,
and they have Seattle five. Okay, so uh, you know,
sort of similar type of rankings. Right. However, having said that,
you know, think about where you know who the Steelers
have played, even that Seattle game. And I agree with
you Max that the Seattle game they got beaten, right,
(40:07):
But think about you gifted him a touchdown, right, you
gave him one, and then you have an interception in
the end zone. So you know, according to at least
one pole, that's the best team in football. And it
wasn't like they came in and blew you out of
the stadium. You were in that game. And then you
(40:27):
beat the number three team in both poles, the Colts,
and you beat the number four team, the New England Patriots.
So if you're looking for and I know Mike Tomlins says,
we don't seek comfort. If you're looking for some solace
with where this team is gone, and you want to
convince yourself that they can right the ship and look
(40:50):
beyond what maybe your own eyes have seen over the
last four games, in which you've lost three of them.
I do take solace in that now. I know. Some
of it's when you play a team. I get that
at and the Patriots weren't maybe the Patriots yet when
you went up there and beat them, but the Colts
were the Colts, and you could talk about, well you
needed to play a certain way to win. Well you
still beat them. And so yes, you lost to some
(41:12):
teams that are lesser in this power ranking. But that
lets me know that that the Steelers, if they can
pull it together and iron some things out, can you know,
can be right there with these these teams. And you
don't have to take my word for it. You just
have to look at their schedule.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Well, you have to look at the schedule, and then
you also they got to play this schedule, right, they
got to execute.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
But I mean they've already I'm been telling you about
the guys they've already played. You know, oh, teams they've
already played. I'm not looking at the future saying they
got to do that. They've already played these teams. Look
and look what happened.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
Yeah, I mean, and that's why I think you know,
very well deserving of where they are skill wise, right
and where they are in the rankings. I mean for
Seattle especially, they did the work and you could only
and you can only play what what what the schedule
dictates right up until the playoffs, you know, and you've
put yourself in a fine position that you know, we
(42:07):
talked about the games coming up this this weekend, and
they're gonna have a titanic matchup against the l A
Rams this weekend. Right, it's gonna be that's a division
game that's going to be very hotly contested because the
LA Rams are trying to make their own push. So
are we getting a preview of you know, the quote
unquote NFL MVP matchup Stafford Darnold, I know, you know,
(42:33):
I mean, that's gonna be a good game. That's a
four that's a four o'clock game, right.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
Uh yeah, one of them. There there were there were
a couple of games this week that I was really
really looking forward.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
To, and I started out the Nightmare.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I think I'm gonna do get because one of them
was a night game. So Jets Patriots is Thursday. Uh,
so we'll see that the Patriots the Buccaneers Bills is
one o'clock. That was one that was certainly on my radar,
and then trying to see the other one.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Rawks is a four o'clock game.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Ramseyhawks four o'clock game.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
Okay, yeah, Broncos Chiefs is also a four o'clock for kick,
and then.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
That's that's a pretty game. Good game. And the Lion's
Eagles on Sunday night. That's a pretty Sunday night.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
Oh man, we got a Monday night's gonna suck. Yeah,
terrible game Raiders Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
That was like, good, we'll get it. We'll have a
chance to be refreshed Tuesday morning exactly. Hey we woke up.
Speaker 4 (43:26):
Oh, somebody actually did decide they wanted to win at
some point. Okay, got it.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Are you working the post game on Monday night? No,
I'm not think good man.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
Could you imagine having to do that?
Speaker 2 (43:36):
I would no, no way. We are going to take
a break. We have one final segment to get to,
as we continued again to we're rounding the corner to
get you ready for the game between the Steelers and Bengals,
obviously huge, the important game coming up on Sunday. That's
when we continue in the locker room, presented by our Neighborhood
for Store and the Cheetish Pro Shop on Steers Nation Radio,
part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (44:04):
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 3 (44:28):
Alright, it's time for the belllap. Wow, the delayed anticipation, Rob.
Speaker 4 (44:43):
I know you were like, are we even on air?
Speaker 2 (44:45):
I didn't. I wasn't sure what was going on, but
I've always always a little slow things. That's two days
in a row, Thomax.
Speaker 4 (44:56):
You have held strong. I gave a little post of
like he might he might jump and let me see.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
Yeah, I thought you were baiting me. I couldn't tell
whether you're baiting me or not.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Yeah, yesterday I was bating you. Today today it was
definitely not a bait on my part.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Yeah, it was definitely a bating us. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
Yeah, he was like, are you really on air? Once again?
He put he put the question mark on the telepropter
for us Ron Burgundy style, and so we didn't bite.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
I'm ready for some lunches. I have not yet eaten today,
so I'm eagerly going to be uh foraging as you
like to say, for my lunchtime snack. So real quick,
I wanted to at least again get to where others
have the rankings for the students. We saw that they
didn't move that far down in the athletic ranking. They
(45:44):
didn't move that far down an NFL dot com they
are fourteenth. Okay, I want to I want to fourteenth.
The Ravens are fifteenth in the NFL this year has
dropped four spots and the race ravensh moved up quite
a bit from nineteen to fifteen. And ESPN has the
(46:06):
Ravens fifteen and the Steelers sixteen. For what it's worth, Max,
just throwing that out there. They are, you know, two
franchises that are linked in style of play, in in
in you know, the closest in the division in the
last two decades, as being the top rivalry in the
NFL over the last twenty five years or so, two
(46:28):
decades plus. They are ranked right next to each other. Max,
and I think that you know, we're looking obviously to
beat the Bengals and push them down and make this
to two horse race between the Ravens and Steelers for
the AFC North. Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
I think that's that's where we're where we're at, and
this is you know, this is what the league wants
as well. Let's just be honest. The league wants, you know,
this to be the parody because that's why they always
put our games against the Ravens in December and Janey
where we usually end the season with the Ravens just
about every year or if not, second to last game.
(47:08):
And it's because of these very moments. When you see
the power poles, it's like, well, you're not gonna be
that far off, but you know this, this, this is
what we've kind of we've kind of earned this type
of deal two to have to to have to do
battle with the with the squad that we know very well,
(47:28):
and like you said, the franchises, you know this history
the division usually goes through these two teams.
Speaker 5 (47:34):
Max.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
I hope you enjoy your lunchtime forage, you.
Speaker 4 (47:38):
Know, I appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy yours too.
Speaker 2 (47:42):
Well. You're gonna have something interesting like Mississippi Chicken.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
Or or I told you I made I made chili
last night. I told you I made chili last night.
So I think I'm gonna be the guy that, uh,
that goes for the chili.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I'm gonna try to move past the yogurt and find
something more interesting in the fridge.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
You you should, you know what you deserve it. I'll
just say it like that.
Speaker 2 (48:03):
I don't know if I never feel like deserve is
part of it, but I might just do it anyway.
Speaker 4 (48:08):
You know, once again, it's a matter of perspective.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
It's a matter of perspective. Justin Miller at the Controls,
we thank Justin Max Starks, I'm Rob King. We of
course always thank you for being with us in the
Locker Room, presented by our neighborhood Ford Store and the
Steelers Pro Shop on STUIS Nation Radio, a part of
the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get in direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Oh, guess what day it is? Guess what day it is?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Eh?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Anybody, Julie, Hey, guess what day it is? Come on,
I know you can hear me. Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike.
What day is it? Mike listening? Guess what today is?
Speaker 4 (00:40):
It's humpday.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, that's right.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
When you hear Mike the camel, you know that you
are about to be filled up with good knowledge, good rhetoric,
and good of course good conversation. And no better conversationalist
than a guy who who does it for a living
editor in chief of Steel City Insider, but also you know,
lauded author and uh you know many of ghosts written
(01:09):
but also direct works in his in his arsenal and
as the one the only Jim Wexel here inside the
locker room with us as he is every Wednesday, for
none other than wex Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
How are we doing today? WEX, We're doing good.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
Max. You know with your rhetoric. I would like to
ghost write your book one of these days because I
know I would have to do about as much work
as I did for wolf Leys, which is not much
at all. I have a feeling you can write, brother.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, I do have.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I do possess a skill. You know, my mom was
a speech writer, so you know, I had to write
countless speeches growing up as a kid, when I was
running for different positions and student government and other you know,
scholarships and everything. So yeah, I've I've had my hand
at writing. Uh, don't do it as much as I
used to, but I definitely did have a skill back
(02:06):
in the day.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I should at least say.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
You mean your would your mom even edit you? My
mom working for scholarships and things.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
So she she would, she would read it over, but
she didn't really make any edits her or my aunt
because my aunt's a lawyer, so they would you know,
it was like send it to your aunt. Okay, now
did your mother reprove this? It was like I had to.
I had to go through like levels of approval. So
you know you've done that a young kid by the
time you got by by the time I got to
scholarship writing in high school, yeah, I already knew what
(02:35):
they were going to say, so they were already in
the back of my head. So that usually guided a
way that I wrote, because I ended up taking on
a lot of what they would see nuance wise and
just adapted it. But yeah, by the end, yeah, no,
they just simply said, did you finish it?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Good, I'm sure, I'm sure you.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I'm sure you did all right.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
You know what's funny is my daughter was going for
a scholarship from the Pro Football Leaders Association as the
children of the Pro Football Writers in America. And I
told her, I says, you know, you got to write
an essay, and you know I can help you. And
I wasn't going to write the whole thing, but I could,
(03:15):
you know, I could start it, I could finish it,
I could segue and you know. And uh, month later,
I said, hey, by the way, when are you gonna
let me help you with that? All I already sent
it in. I said, you know, you didn't even let.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Me edit it.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
I would have edited for you. Oh no, Dad, I
wanted to win and she won. Oh oh jesu.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Hey, she learned from the best. I mean, she's read enough,
been around you, she she knew what she.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Needed to do well. I will say this. She is
a paying subscriber to my site, steel City Inside. So uh,
she has respect, I believe.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So wax, before we moved too far ahead to Sunday,
what were your thoughts on what you saw this past
Sunday night, and you know, can you draw any conclusions
from it? Can you make any sort of sweeping generalizations
about what you saw and how it relates to where
(04:25):
the students need to improve over the rest of the
season and that sort of thing.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Wow, you know, I'm usually an optimistic, uplifting guy. I
like to come on this show and raise spirits. I
could not watch that again. I did not write my
usual just my opinion column after from my site. I
had other people write and rip however they saw fit.
(04:54):
I just I thought that was such a bad performance.
I'm sorry, it was really really bad. The offense is,
you know, I don't want to put it all on
Aaron Rodgers. He's a little gun shy because I think
the line is so poor that it's making him gun shy,
(05:17):
especially the left tackle, and that does not bode well
for the future if you have to find another tackle. Uh,
that's just it was depressing. I'm sorry. I don't have
anything more than more depression to lay on you. And
I'm sure you're all feeling the same way. You've got
(05:41):
to lift me up, Rob, come.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
On back, I'll get back first, crack at it.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Oh yeah, well, I mean and I understand that. I mean,
you know, when you've seen, you know what can be
when things are going well. It's tough to believe where
things sit currently. Uh, you know, for for for a
lot of intents and purposes. But you know, I'm one
(06:10):
of those guys that I look at it and You're right,
it's frustrating because this was one of those where it
wasn't necessarily a gut to have it, but it was
a WHOA sure would be nice to get it type
of type of performances that they could have had. And
you know, I think there are some there are some
(06:31):
shortcomings to Broderick Jones's game that he still needs to
work out, that he still has to mature in, you know,
but he was on an upward trajectory. But this is
this is the kind of up and downs that you're
going to have to grow with. You know, it's that
ugly haircut, right, It's it's the I'm trying. I'm trying
(06:52):
to get to the ponytail phase. But you know I can't.
I can't. You know, I can't even get a top
knot going type type of deal.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
And you know, but you have to. You have to.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
You have to if you want, if you want the
ponytail you got, you gotta wait. You gotta wait. That
hair has to grow. And I feel like for Broderick,
like he has to grow like some of the things
that you know we lauded, you know that we're not
necessarily as clean. You know, we're a little bit more
glaring in this game. And you know, it's just realize
how far away, you know, a guy is from really
(07:26):
getting it consistently in performance because he hadn't had to
have that consistency before. And I think that's where the
mature we're going to see the maturity of him. And
even for Tory Fatanu, who who was now arrow pointed up,
he he struggled in this game as well, so he
took a step back. I think I think a lot
of guys were necessarily respecting what the Chargers defensive line
(07:50):
is and that that's a that's a heck of a
group in front of him. That they had to deal with,
very large bodies similar to our own skilled and depth
pass rushers off the edge, and they had a slew
of them, and you know, it closely resembled to what
our Steelers defense is, but you know a little bit younger, uh,
(08:11):
you know, not as long as the tooth of the interior.
And I think that's where you know, they got caught
off guard. I think they started reading their own press
clippings after that Colts game and thought that we could
just show up and a game's gonna happen, and we're
gonna win it because we're here. And they sadly got
put in their place to say, no, you've got to
go earn everything you get. You know, you only get
(08:34):
to eat what you kill. You can't you can't go order.
You can't go order it, and and and it's going
to be cooked for you. You got to go cook
it yourself. You know, you can't answer extra salt and pepper.
You gotta go find the extra salt and pepper. And
I think that's that was kind of One of the
sobering things I took away from this is, you know,
guys expected to win, but didn't put the work in
to secure a win.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
It also was glaringly significant that they are missing a
second threat, and Mike Tomlin at his weekly press conference
must have mentioned it four or five times. I think
it's good that he recognized it, but a little too
late maybe unless Scantling is a guy, and it's sure
(09:24):
seems like they're going to give him a full look
this week. I think Alvin Austin really disappointed the coach,
and I think he is. The coach is now blatantly
condemning the play of any of the number two receivers.
(09:46):
Although Roman Wilson made a play and he looked fast
doing it, he looked smooth doing it. He didn't try
to hurtle anybody. You know, we're up and down with Roman,
so that was something. Rogers has to get his confidence back,
and the line has to protect him even with that confidence,
(10:09):
because he's really not going to run. I mean, he's
bobal for a forty one year old, but that's not
going to help you win games. He needs he needs
full pocket protection, he needs clean pockets, and he needs
a second receiver. So both of those problems bore down
(10:29):
on the Steelers Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
You know, I think wex I'm going to try to
talk you off the cliff good he ask me to
do it, didn't you please? Okay, somebody. I didn't think
this was a problem until this week, and I think
that the Chargers. I think there was a number of
(10:56):
things that happened. I think the Chargers and I do
agree that the past rush was an issue. I think
it made Aaron Rodgers move around a little bit, maybe
made him a little antsy. I he said he was
going to go back and look at the tape as
to whether he moved up maybe a little bit too
early a couple of times, and kind of moved into
some pressure. But he also mentioned that guys weren't open.
I think this was a combination that a lot of
(11:19):
teams aren't necessarily going to be able to have, which
is the Chargers rush for They trust those guys. They
are very very talented their edge rushers and a boy
be on the inside. These are guys that are very
very adept at getting to the quarterback. And when you
can rush only four and get home, you can drop
seven and do a very good job of protecting. I
(11:42):
think also the fact that the Steelers, and I've been
harping on this all week, the fact that they could
not sustain drives hurt them offensively. Sustained drives hurt them
in every face. It hurt them offensively, obviously, it hurt
them defensively because you're losing the time of possession battle,
your guys are getting exhausted, You're playing from behind, which
(12:03):
is never a good place to be. I would like
to think that the overall performance was more of a
one off, but that the underlying issue is getting more
first down and whether it's third down conversions. It's okay
to get a it's okay to get a first down
on first down or second down too, but when you
go at one point, they were zero for nine on
(12:25):
third down conversions. Whether that is a symptom or whether
that is the cause is hard to say, but either way,
getting more first downs and it sounds simple, getting more
first downs and maybe doing it against you know, and listen,
you're gonna have to do it against teams that match
up well with you, and I thought the Chargers matched
up pretty well with this Dealers after watching them play.
(12:47):
But you know you're gonna have to find a way
to do that too. But first you just have to
find a way to be to sustain more drives on
offense more consistently, regardless of who you're playing.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
You know, it was a lot of twenty twenty one
late season in that game with the pressman coverage and
you know.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
You, Jim, that was you. They started eleven and zero, right, Yeah,
I was thinking the same thing because that was all
about I was in my mind making that same parallel
because people remember that was the year Ben was getting
the ball rid of the ball very very quickly, and
teams started to adapt to that and say, okay, that's
what you're gonna do. We're gonna throw off your timing.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Well, that line was on its last legs down the stretch,
and the new line in twenty twenty two didn't help
Ben's confidence or or should it have. It was a
whole new line with rookies, rookies that really didn't make it,
that didn't last here. So you know, they played tight.
(13:56):
They couldn't throw the short stuff and he couldn't wait
for them to get open against that tight coverage, which
is you know, which is how you beat that kind
of pressman coverage. You you wait for him to get
opened and they can get opened deep. Well, I don't
know if that's going to happen, especially without a number
two receiver. And you know, yeah, I want to see
(14:19):
more from Johnny Smith. We're seeing more from Pat friar
Mouth when when called upon. I think we see enough
from him. We're not seeing enough from john who disappointing there.
I know that past was very catchable. We still could
have caught it. Yeah, Aaron's gonna you know, are they
(14:45):
gonna rely on Jalen Warren Moore? That should have helped
open up the passing game more. You know, when they
were passing on rundowns when they had the run game
cooking and San Diego, San Diego, the Chargers had to
be alerted to it. It wasn't It wasn't helping get
anyone open. Oh. I like, I liked the theory, but
(15:09):
it just didn't work.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
It was tough, and I think, like you said, wex
it was, you know, the lack of separation at the
point when they were pressed up. But like you said,
it's press and then drop it into cover two doing
some creative things to take away the underneath an intermediate game.
Linebackers were all over the place something Dayon Henley and
Denzel Perriman can fly, both of them, so they were
(15:37):
doing a great job of really sticking to our tight
ends and rbs, and even when we tried to run
some stuff behind the line of scrimmage did not work
as well. Some of the swing some of the swing
passes and swing screens that we were trying to set
up just you know, some of them just dead in
the water because a guy blew through a gap, or
you know, uh a linebacker came and up, you know
(16:01):
and played along line screams or just fat their perimeter
blocking and then shedding to get to a tackle was
just at a high level. So a lot of things
that can be approved upon as a Steelers squad. Stail
on that guy just extra tick, dump him to the inside,
don't dump him to the outside, take him against where
(16:21):
he wants to go. And then, you know, defensively, I
felt like up until that last drive of the first half,
they had really done a good job of bottling up
the you know, the popent efficacy of the the you know,
(16:41):
the Herbert led Chargers offense, and you know, Lad McConkie
struggled and I think that's where you know, and then
he but then that fifty eight the arder happened, you know,
enough injuries happened where he had James Pierre out there consistently,
and you know, there was a reason why James Pierre
was not a starter at the beginning of the season, right,
(17:02):
but why he was a special team's ace. It kind
of showed in that moment where you needed a big
play tackle and it burned us for fifty eight yards.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
For the most part, he played well, yeah, that play
was a killer.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Absolutely was that Echos Pierre. Was that Pierre in coverage?
Speaker 4 (17:21):
It was Pierre in cover that.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Was pressed the tackle?
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Yeah, okay, yeah, uh.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I like the signing of a Sante Samuel? Does that?
Does that lift us up? Does set lift this little
group discussion up?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It does? And I do want to real Yeah, I
think that James Pierre. I think he's interesting, you know,
and I understand what Max is saying. That pass whistled
right past this year. The coverage is excellent. Mike Tomlin
kind of singled him out for praise Wax yesterday and.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Oh yeah, I played well, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think he's been I think he's you know, as
as we're looking at you know, sleigh and a concussion
and who's going to be the next step And you
know a lot of people have talked about eccols and
I think he's done a fine job. And I you know, again,
I don't get into the to the slot outside thing,
but it's my understandings he's he's played more slaughters, more
comfortable in the slotter or maybe a better player in
(18:16):
the slot, what have you. But but I think James
Pierre is a guy that you could at least feel
pretty solid about because otherwise you start to think about
do we need to move Jalen Ramsey back to corner?
And if we have to move Jalen Ramsey back to corner,
what does that do for us at safety? So if
James Pierre, and again I don't have any idea when
(18:40):
or if Sante sam is going to be ready for
active duty, I think that could potentially be. We talked
about this. It's a low risk, potentially very high reward
when you get a player of that caliber in in
mid season. But if Pierre can can play a corner
for you and keep Jalen Ramsey at safety at free safety.
(19:01):
I think that benefits the team, so that he was
the guy I've been alluding talking to him and maybe,
you know, changing the way the roster looks, because if
he can do that, I think you can keep Ramsey
there and I think for the time being, that makes
you a better defensive football team.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
It really sounds and seems like they want to keep
Ramsey there and develop the next Rod Woodson type of
safety for four or five years. That's my take. So, yeah,
they're gonna want to They're not gonna. I don't think
they're gonna mess around. And you know, the strange part
is they're in first place and I am now looking
(19:43):
at next year thinking of Samuel was at least a
guy for next year. And I don't know. I don't
know if it's wise at mid season on a team
that first place to be thinking like that, but man,
after a game like that, it's hard not to. So, yeah, Samuel.
(20:04):
The problem with him as a slot They want those
linebacker types in the slot, the blitzers that they want
that kind of player, and he's not that guy. He's
a cover guy. He's a feisty cover guy that has
not been a great tackler, and that could have been
due to his stinger issues. Who knows, And you would
(20:25):
think that's all cleared up. You know, the Steelers. The
Steelers doctor is the one who inspected him or if
not operated, I'm unsure. I hesitate, but the Steelers doctor
was heavily involved in his recovery and so the fact
(20:47):
that the Steelers signed him has to make you feel
optimistic about his ability to return to who he was.
And he's only twenty six. He just turned twenty six
last month. He's not that tackler. He's not Mike Hilton,
you know, He's not what they wanted on a Ramsey there.
Uh yeah, just go in a different direction. But he
(21:08):
is a slot corner and that provides you one answer
with Joey Porter and then you need one more and
if that's Echoles or Pierre or a draft pick, there
you go. They have the strong safety and Deshaun Elliott
and I'm talking future. So that's a nice I believe
(21:29):
it's a nice sign. And I can work on offense
in the in the draft.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Well, I don't know if I want to. I still
want to direct. I still want to win some football
games this year and get into the playoffs and hope
that you know this, this trend of losing three, three
or four can be reversed and this team can start
heading in the right direction. And I look forward to
seeing you over the next couple of days, my friend.
Speaker 5 (22:01):
Yeah, the Cincinnati game. You know, Cincinnati has been a
cure all for many teams over the years. So this,
you know, you want to go see James mcmurtury sing
the blues, you know. Let's then he meets Cincinnati Bengals,
you know, and then then he writes happy songs.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So hey, Max is trying to get me into younger music.
He's the sixty three year old Jim Wexer has brought out.
He's a sixty three year old. The youngest guy I've
seen in concert this year. James McMurtry. Great performers, great.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
Yeah, but he's modern, he's relevant. He's playing great music.
Now there you get That's.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
All you care about, That's right.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah. I went to see Nico Case and then Griffin
House last week. I really had no interest in fighting
the masses and paying at that huge buck for Paul McCartney.
I really didn't. I did and uh and I saw,
I saw my bands and I I you know, it's relevant.
It's hip. You're you're a hipster hip rap.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
All right, wex Let's leave it there. Thank you, my friend.
I appreciate it. All right, boys, talk to you suits
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(23:28):
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Speaker 1 (23:51):
This ski is in the Locker Room with King and
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Speaker 2 (24:12):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this hump day wedding day as we kind of
roll up our sleeves and start to get ready for
the Cincinnati Bengals. Reacting to some of the things Mike
Tomlin said yesterday in the press conference, but you know,
we got Wex's point of view on this, Max, I
would like to get your point of view on you know,
if James Pierre, who you know, at one time the
(24:35):
Sews felt like they were very high on and then
remember he wasn't always on the roster the last couple
of years. You know, he was a practice squad guy.
But you know, they so the career arc seemed to be,
hey he's really promising, Hey we're putting them on special teams.
For now he's kind of off and on the roster
(24:55):
too now maybe starting to fulfill some of that promises
to the felt like they had for him earlier in
the season. And your thoughts on what kind of an
impact he could have. We don't know yet about a
Sante Samuel Jr. I think, you know, at least on
a Wednesday. It's too early, maybe it's weeks too early
about whether he can have an impact in game settings,
(25:16):
but you know your thoughts on whether Pierre can be
a guy that can come up and you know, alleviate
some of that pressure in the secondary as far as
you know who's playing where in specific Jaalen Ramsey, but
also just the rest of the corners as well well.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I think I think that's kind of where it's It's
so funny, is that you're trying to figure out what
what was this team really you know, able to accomplish, right,
you know, can they.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Be above that?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
But really who is a personnel that I can depend on?
Because you know we always talk about like A players, right,
that's what That's what Mike Tomlin you know, used to
say back the day. You know, A players, you know,
have A games, And that's what we're looking for is
the A players to have those A games and then
you kind of, you know, go from there because those
(26:06):
are the guys that you're counted on and need day
in and day out in the big games or the
marquee matchups. Well, all these games are marquee matchups from
this point forward, So what are you doing as a
squad to prepare for those things. And I think that's
what Mike Tomlin kind of gets at is that, Hey,
(26:27):
we need these guys to kick in how they're supposed
to kick in, and we can't depend on others to
alleviate us of that responsibility. And I think that's where
you kind of you look at Jalen Ramsey and the
more you can do, I mean he should literally have.
(26:47):
There was a shirt that Mike Tomlin had started, uh,
never forget this his first year in the league, or sorry,
his first year is our head coach here in Pittsburgh.
And he was talking to everybody and that's where he
introduced like the two dog, one bone, you gotta fight
for everything that you get. But he also had the
phrase the more you can do, and he would go
around saying the more you can do.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
And then he eventually.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Put this shirt in all of our lockers that was
like a white dry fit shirt and across the front
of it say use me was the shirt, and he
was like, give me a reason to use you. The
more you can do, the less likely I am to
not use you. And that's kind of the mantra that
I think these guys have to adopt. And that's that's one.
(27:30):
You have an example in Jalen Ramsey, Right. Jalen's played
three different positions. He's been in a slot, he's been
on the outside, at corner, he's now at free safety.
That's the more you can do, right, And so I
look at around the room and I say, well, what
else can you do? You know, what can you do?
Peyton Wilson? Right, Peyton Wilson the way that he's using
(27:53):
his utility. He's on Core four special teams as well
as being the start one of the starting inside backers.
That's the more you can do right, the more flexibility
you have, the less likely you are to get passed by.
And now you're at that position where okay, Spencer, are
you happy now?
Speaker 2 (28:13):
You know? In year two now?
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Or is it year three?
Speaker 2 (28:17):
I think he's year three for Spencer.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Just being the jumbo tight end or can you eventually
take that left guard job? You know, because Isaaccama was
not getting younger. So when are you going to kick
in and show us that, Hey man, I got to
put this guy in because we need him on the field.
He's already proven invaluable at at the specialty work. But
what's the primary role, And so you're trying to carve
(28:40):
out things almost in reverse where you have a secondary skill,
now you just need to parlay that and keep that
along with a primary skill. That's kind of the way
I look at the entire roster, like what else, what
else are you providing? And you know, resume aside, but
what are you providing as a boost on game day
(29:03):
to get us in position where we can where we
can get out of stadiums with a victory. That's what
I want to see. That's what my hope is is
that we'll eventually turn into that squad where it's like, man,
we don't I don't know what we can do because
they just keep coming at us in waves, and even
when the starting guys not in there, you have to
deal with these other two guys. And so that's that's
(29:27):
what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping that guys will take
the onus on themselves and realize, you know that I
need to do more within my job skill set, because
I mean, I don't want guys jumping out of gas
like they were talking about, you know, guys trying to
do too much.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
But I want you to do your job and.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Then what else do you have available to me that
I can use as a change up.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
So Max, I did want to take a look at
a couple of things regarding to see other sort of
big picture. Yesterday we ran through some power rankings. I
don't think there's any real need to run through all
the power rankings again. You know the NFL, we did
the athletic yesterday. We kind of vary things up a
little bit. By the way, I will say this, NFL
(30:14):
dot Com has Seattle number one. I don't know as
I would have any real problem with that. No, I
mean I think they've earned it.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I mean, listen, they've gone through the fire more than
one time and they've come out unburned. And so when
you think about how a season progresses and what they
can do, I mean, I think are we at that
point now, Kinger where we can actually say that Sam
Darnold is a real quarterback, is a real starting, bona
(30:47):
fide quarter He's been resurrected, he's been rehabed, whatever you
want to say, and you know, he's left the Jets
organization and now he's really found who he was in
the last two years. Can we now say that I
think about him because of the performances.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I do I think so, I think, you know, there
were some questions and he wouldn't have been the first
guy to apparently have resurrected his career only to find
out it was a system and he moves on and
it's and then you know, well, he's just a system quarterback.
We're going to find out, you know, that answer to
(31:22):
maybe Daniel Jones. And in a larger question, you know,
when you're evaluating the quarterback position and what to do
with young players, I mean, it brings to mind some
serious questions. You know, do you do you draft? If
(31:44):
you think of guy's a franchise quarterback, you have to
take them right, You have to. You have to have
to have to because there's only so many of those
guys around. And yet most times, if you're in a
position to draft that quarterback, you yourself are a very
bad team making a very tough place to win. And
Sam Donald was in tough places to win. Daniel Jones
(32:07):
was in a tough place to win, as we just
found out. I mean, they they moved on from him,
They drafted another young quarterback, they signed a veteran quarterback,
and their coach just got fired. That wasn't a good situation.
You know, when Ryan Tannehill went to the Dolphin, that
wasn't a good situation, and then later he found a
better situation. I do think that Sam Donald is proving that.
(32:30):
You do remember when he came out and the question was,
by the way Baker Mayfield, right, look at Baker Mayfield
now in a better team. When when Sam Donald came out,
I believe PFF said he was the highest rated Now,
of course they haven't been around forever, the highest rated
quarterback they'd ever had coming out of college, I believe
(32:51):
I recall reading that. If it wasn't the highest, it
was way up there, then I think he might have
been supplanted by Trevor Lawrence. As far as those ratings.
Take that for what it's worth. He was extremely high regarded,
seemed like a very low risk type of player, and
now he's apparently cashing into that talent. Max, I agree
with you. I think he's been he's been an outstanding player,
(33:14):
and he's an MVP candidate right now. I mean, I
think who are the front runners? Is it him and Stafford?
Are those your front runners right now for MVP? Yeah?
I think you have.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
I think you have to put both of them in there,
and I think you know, I know it's a quarterback award.
I know it is, even though it shouldn't be. But
you know, Jonathan Taylor deserves some credit to deserves some
credit in there as well.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
By the way, thank you for mentioning Taylor because he
finished second that year, and you're right, he was the
last non quarterback to win it. It's been well over
a decade since a non quarterback has won it, and
Jonathan Taylor finished second when he led the league in
rushing and and did he make a statement this past week.
I just don't think he can. I don't think he
can win it because of the team. He's having a
(34:07):
fabulous year. But yes, I'm glad you mentioned Jonathan Taylor.
To your original point, I think Sam Darnold is he's legit.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Yeah yeah, I mean, I mean, you have, you have,
you have to give that man his credit and give
him his due. He has earned it, and he has
walked through the fire and he's still standing here. You know,
he's he he has he hasn't flinched at all, and
he's been fervent about doing what he believes is his work,
and the team is succeeding because of that. They're not
(34:39):
succeeding in spite of they're in seed. They're they're they're
they're winning because of him. He's throwing them into victories.
And I think that's what when you think about that
M v P style quarterback, that's that that that's kind
of what you draw the conclusion of is okay, Well,
you know, is this guy? Are we better with or
without him in the line up? A?
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And then B?
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Is he the reason why you're winning games? And I
think for Sam Donald you have to say yes, yes,
heck yes, And if you have to see how Seahawks
Geno who right, even as good as Geno was for
them in his time, he still had the struggle. And
Sam Donald has not done that. His teammates have lifted up,
(35:25):
they've answered every play that he's done. And he also
has a better protecting offensive line in front of him
than he did in Minnesota a year ago in that
playoff game where they just got ravaged by the Rams,
and then definitely better than anything he saw prior to
that Minnesota year, both the Jets and the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
You know, you said a lot there and I agree.
I think that when you you know, when I look
at the quarterback position, I think, can this person win
a Super Bowl? And I think that obviously it's not
just the player, it's the cast around them, right, you
have to have a good cast, and the better your
cast is, you know, the less good your quarterback has
(36:09):
to be. But I think you get to a point
where you say, okay, you know, quarterback number, you know,
twelve in the league can't win a Super Bowl? Whatever,
whatever the cutoff I'm just making. I'm totally making up
a number there, right, But when you think of Sam
Darnold and you think of what he's able to do,
and Seattle's got an absolutely top notch defense, I mean
(36:29):
they are an excellent, excellent defensive team. They are seven
and two. So try to remember these numbers, right, they
are seven and two and Minnesota is four and six.
Now a four and five. I beg your part. Now,
It's not all one player, okay, So don't I'm not
(36:51):
saying that one player has made all this difference. However,
last year Minnesota with Donald the quarterback, I was fourteen
and three. They're four and five. This year they were
fourteen and three. A year ago and Seattle. Remember Seattle
didn't have Sam Donald, they had Gino Smith. As you mentioned,
(37:14):
Seattle was ten and seven last year, so a very
good team. But they have clearly taken a step forward
this year. And I think when you so, you know,
if you want to try to take assessment out of
it the eye test or whatever, and you just want
to take a look at raw numbers, the records, the records,
you're telling you that this was a good Seattle team,
(37:34):
and now with Sam Donald, they are in a different class.
They are a and I think that that makes them
a legitimate They are a legitimate Super Bowl contender in
my opinion.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Yeah, and I agree with you, And listen, I don't
know if I would had I not seen it live
in the stadium, right. We got to see it up
close and personal, and it was one of those of
the few ones where I said, yeah, we got out played.
They worked us, They controlled the line of scrimmage, they
beat us up up front, they had a pass rush
(38:11):
on our offense, they stopped the run game. I mean,
they did it all both offensively and defensive. This was
not some type of oh, you know, who holds the
ball last like Buffalo and Baltimore right Week one forty
one game. It wasn't like that. They were dominant from
the beginning, and they took advantage of the opportunities and
(38:32):
they never let off the gas. And I think that's
a different shift mentally that you know, Sam Darnold has
gone through that, he's been in that position, and he
knows how precious these opportunities are because you don't know
the next time you're going to be a starter once
you lose that job. And he and and he is
driving that quarterback position like he stole it. Yes, man,
(38:54):
you know what I'm saying, Like, yes, he is.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
He is.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
He is full, top down, going ninety hair blowing in
the wind and just taking this full for the ride
for what it is. He's not thinking about the next ride.
He's not thinking about, you know, washing the car. He's
thinking about, I'm going to use this till the gas
tank goes on e And that's and that's what Seattle
looks like.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
I agree. And should you be seeking some solace or
some comfort, right, I just want to point this out.
So Seattle is one. This is NFL dot com. Seattle one,
New England is I'm sorry the Colts are three, and
New England is six, okay, one three and six espn
uh similar they don't have they have Philadelphia number one,
(39:41):
but they have the Colts three, they have the Patriots four,
and they have Seattle five. Okay, so uh, you know,
sort of similar type of rankings. Right. However, having said that,
you know, think about where you know who the Steelers
have played, even that Seattle game. And I agree with
you Max that the Seattle game they got beaten, right,
(40:07):
But think about you gifted him a touchdown, right, you
gave him one, and then you have an interception in
the end zone. So you know, according to at least
one pole, that's the best team in football. And it
wasn't like they came in and blew you out of
the stadium. You were in that game. And then you
(40:27):
beat the number three team in both poles, the Colts,
and you beat the number four team, the New England Patriots.
So if you're looking for and I know Mike Tomlins says,
we don't seek comfort. If you're looking for some solace
with where this team is gone, and you want to
convince yourself that they can right the ship and look
(40:50):
beyond what maybe your own eyes have seen over the
last four games, in which you've lost three of them.
I do take solace in that now. I know. Some
of it's when you play a team. I get that
at and the Patriots weren't maybe the Patriots yet when
you went up there and beat them, but the Colts
were the Colts, and you could talk about, well you
needed to play a certain way to win. Well you
still beat them. And so yes, you lost to some
(41:12):
teams that are lesser in this power ranking. But that
lets me know that that the Steelers, if they can
pull it together and iron some things out, can you know,
can be right there with these these teams. And you
don't have to take my word for it. You just
have to look at their schedule.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Well, you have to look at the schedule, and then
you also they got to play this schedule, right, they
got to execute.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
But I mean they've already I'm been telling you about
the guys they've already played. You know, oh, teams they've
already played. I'm not looking at the future saying they
got to do that. They've already played these teams. Look
and look what happened.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
Yeah, I mean, and that's why I think you know,
very well deserving of where they are skill wise, right
and where they are in the rankings. I mean for
Seattle especially, they did the work and you could only
and you can only play what what what the schedule
dictates right up until the playoffs, you know, and you've
put yourself in a fine position that you know, we
(42:07):
talked about the games coming up this this weekend, and
they're gonna have a titanic matchup against the l A
Rams this weekend. Right, it's gonna be that's a division
game that's going to be very hotly contested because the
LA Rams are trying to make their own push. So
are we getting a preview of you know, the quote
unquote NFL MVP matchup Stafford Darnold, I know, you know,
(42:33):
I mean, that's gonna be a good game. That's a
four that's a four o'clock game, right.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
Uh yeah, one of them. There there were there were
a couple of games this week that I was really
really looking forward.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
To, and I started out the Nightmare.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I think I'm gonna do get because one of them
was a night game. So Jets Patriots is Thursday. Uh,
so we'll see that the Patriots the Buccaneers Bills is
one o'clock. That was one that was certainly on my radar,
and then trying to see the other one.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Rawks is a four o'clock game.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Ramseyhawks four o'clock game.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
Okay, yeah, Broncos Chiefs is also a four o'clock for kick,
and then.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
That's that's a pretty game. Good game. And the Lion's
Eagles on Sunday night. That's a pretty Sunday night.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
Oh man, we got a Monday night's gonna suck. Yeah,
terrible game Raiders Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
That was like, good, we'll get it. We'll have a
chance to be refreshed Tuesday morning exactly. Hey we woke up.
Speaker 4 (43:26):
Oh, somebody actually did decide they wanted to win at
some point. Okay, got it.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Are you working the post game on Monday night? No,
I'm not think good man.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
Could you imagine having to do that?
Speaker 2 (43:36):
I would no, no way. We are going to take
a break. We have one final segment to get to,
as we continued again to we're rounding the corner to
get you ready for the game between the Steelers and Bengals,
obviously huge, the important game coming up on Sunday. That's
when we continue in the locker room, presented by our Neighborhood
for Store and the Cheetish Pro Shop on Steers Nation Radio,
part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (44:04):
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 3 (44:28):
Alright, it's time for the belllap. Wow, the delayed anticipation, Rob.
Speaker 4 (44:43):
I know you were like, are we even on air?
Speaker 2 (44:45):
I didn't. I wasn't sure what was going on, but
I've always always a little slow things. That's two days
in a row, Thomax.
Speaker 4 (44:56):
You have held strong. I gave a little post of
like he might he might jump and let me see.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
Yeah, I thought you were baiting me. I couldn't tell
whether you're baiting me or not.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Yeah, yesterday I was bating you. Today today it was
definitely not a bait on my part.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Yeah, it was definitely a bating us. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
Yeah, he was like, are you really on air? Once again?
He put he put the question mark on the telepropter
for us Ron Burgundy style, and so we didn't bite.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
I'm ready for some lunches. I have not yet eaten today,
so I'm eagerly going to be uh foraging as you
like to say, for my lunchtime snack. So real quick,
I wanted to at least again get to where others
have the rankings for the students. We saw that they
didn't move that far down in the athletic ranking. They
(45:44):
didn't move that far down an NFL dot com they
are fourteenth. Okay, I want to I want to fourteenth.
The Ravens are fifteenth in the NFL this year has
dropped four spots and the race ravensh moved up quite
a bit from nineteen to fifteen. And ESPN has the
(46:06):
Ravens fifteen and the Steelers sixteen. For what it's worth, Max,
just throwing that out there. They are, you know, two
franchises that are linked in style of play, in in
in you know, the closest in the division in the
last two decades, as being the top rivalry in the
NFL over the last twenty five years or so, two
(46:28):
decades plus. They are ranked right next to each other. Max,
and I think that you know, we're looking obviously to
beat the Bengals and push them down and make this
to two horse race between the Ravens and Steelers for
the AFC North. Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
I think that's that's where we're where we're at, and
this is you know, this is what the league wants
as well. Let's just be honest. The league wants, you know,
this to be the parody because that's why they always
put our games against the Ravens in December and Janey
where we usually end the season with the Ravens just
about every year or if not, second to last game.
(47:08):
And it's because of these very moments. When you see
the power poles, it's like, well, you're not gonna be
that far off, but you know this, this, this is
what we've kind of we've kind of earned this type
of deal two to have to to have to do
battle with the with the squad that we know very well,
(47:28):
and like you said, the franchises, you know this history
the division usually goes through these two teams.
Speaker 5 (47:34):
Max.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
I hope you enjoy your lunchtime forage, you.
Speaker 4 (47:38):
Know, I appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy yours too.
Speaker 2 (47:42):
Well. You're gonna have something interesting like Mississippi Chicken.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
Or or I told you I made I made chili
last night. I told you I made chili last night.
So I think I'm gonna be the guy that, uh,
that goes for the chili.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I'm gonna try to move past the yogurt and find
something more interesting in the fridge.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
You you should, you know what you deserve it. I'll
just say it like that.
Speaker 2 (48:03):
I don't know if I never feel like deserve is
part of it, but I might just do it anyway.
Speaker 4 (48:08):
You know, once again, it's a matter of perspective.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
It's a matter of perspective. Justin Miller at the Controls,
we thank Justin Max Starks, I'm Rob King. We of
course always thank you for being with us in the
Locker Room, presented by our neighborhood Ford Store and the
Steelers Pro Shop on STUIS Nation Radio, a part of
the Steelers Audio Network.
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