November 5, 2025 • 24 mins
Jim Wexell joins the show as always, as his book with our friend Craig Wolfley is now available where books are sold.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our good friend, the editor in chief of steel City Insider,
also uh you know, lauded author and has pinned many
of great tales of Steeler's history. It is the one,
the only Jim Wex. So, how are we doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Wex Ah, we're doing good. Max. How you doing man?
Thanks forty much.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
No, you're welcome. You're welcome. It is it is a day,
you know, I kind of talked about in the beginning
of the first hour, but I lost my uncle yesterday.
Oh I'm sorry, Keith Browner Senior. But you know, pushing on,
pushing on as we as we all do, you know,
And it's a celebration of a life well lived. You know,
(00:44):
too soon, but you know it's all good. It is,
it is all good. Wex. But you know, sixty three.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, that's too young. I'm sixty five.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, I know, I know. It's just it's been one
of the it's been one of those years. Wex. You know,
it's incredible, you know, it's incredible, Yes, incredible, And this
was unexpected for all of us because now I had
it more suspected for for for for my uncle Joey,
and uh, my uncle Joey has been doing you know
he's been doing the work possible, you know that he
(01:19):
needs to do to get himself healthy. But Uncle Keith,
he was the one. He was strong as an ox
and you know, just a zest for life. So so yeah,
so unexpected, but uh but yes we push forward, you know,
as I kind of look at.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
This, let me throw this, let me throw this in
speaking of loss, you know, today's the release date of
Craig wolf Lee's Postumous Men Memoirs. Oh okay, it's available
at Amazon and and bookstores and I edited it and
it's fantastic, you know, uh stories well written by wolf
(02:00):
from the eighties of course, you know, there was a
story about it when he was a kid visiting the
rock Pile in Buffalo, and then some Syracuse stuff and
high school stuff, but mostly Steelers and then modern day
Steelers too because he was a broadcaster of course, and
so a lot of great, great Wolfly stories in there.
It's available now. I just thought I drove that out there.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
No absolutely, and no better time to say that. The
book For those who are interested, the book is If
These Walls Could Talk. Stories from the Pittsburgh Steelers Sideline,
Locker Room and Press Box by Craig Wolfley with Jim Wexel,
and of course a beautiful forward by his brother and
my colleague that I will see later on today, Ron
(02:44):
Wolfley for my duties out here, but amazing book. I'm
actually holding the book in my hand, wex and I've
been reading it, and I absolutely I love this book.
You know, for those if you're having a low moment
and you're losing, this book right here is like him
talking to you. It's like he's reading the book to you,
(03:05):
because as you're reading it, you hear him saying all
of these words. That's that's that's what the incredible part
about this book, right wex I mean it is Wolf
talking to us and sharing his story because we all
know it so well.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
You know when when they hired us, when they hired
us to do this, I was supposed to ghost write
for the Athlete, right yeah, well exactly. Instead I just
get out of the way, you know, let Wolf's voice
step through here. Yeah, I just got out of the way.
I just tidied it up a little bit, that's all.
And then of course when he passed, he had it
(03:41):
all in. He he died on the day the book
was due, but he had it all in and so
I just had to tidy up and get I brought
Ron in to write the foreward. I brought his son
Kyle in to write the afterward. I brought his widow
in Faith to write the acknowledgments. Thank you, and CJ's
included too. He did some lists, and so it's a
(04:05):
really precious family, uh family gathering, and it's it's precious
to me. You know, it's not gonna climb the New
York Times bestseller list, but it's gonna mean a lot
to all of us.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, I got to say it'll be. It'll be on
the Steelers best seller list because this is one that
when you think of just the work and this the
long history associated with the Steelers organization. Uh Wolf was
there for a lot of the lot of those great
moments you know, from the eighties and onward, and this
(04:41):
book is just it is is a beautiful swan song
to an amazing man. So definitely go check the book.
You said, Amazon, where else where, else where else?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
We get in this book Barnes and Noble, and you're
top independent booksellers in Pittsburgh. If you want me to
autograph it, make a little note you can catch me
at Jim Wexel dot com or on my Facebook, dm me,
on Twitter, dm me, you know, it's easy to reach me.
So and not not that my autograph is gonna be
(05:14):
measurable to Wolfs.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
But yeah, yeah, but no especially indeed, so definitely and
a special tip of the cap to you for uh
for going in and editing this and and and moving
along with wolf as he wrote this. But yeah, all right, okay,
now time for for a little let's bring the temperature
up a little bit, let's get a little little bit
(05:37):
of the BTMS up in the music. Uh yeah, wex Sunday.
I mean, what is there to say? I mean, Steelers
defense was dead in the water, right, I mean a
fan had a casket in the tailgate area pregame and
was allowing people to come by and say their last
(05:58):
regards to this Steelers squad and the Steelers just like
the Undertaker in every WrestleMania that I've watched since a kid. Uh,
they came out, they came out of the address. You know,
they absolutely you know, pummeled the NFL's number one offense
and stemied them, turned them over, knocked them down, sacked
(06:22):
them just kind of talk about just your thoughts and
initial reaction to that performance by the defense on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well, we know there's talent there, and we know the
defensive coaches know what they're doing. They made an adjustment
with that four to three. I really like that. I
mean I'm old school right and played in front of
you guys, your team, not that you guys ran a
four to three, but all that old school stuff just
(06:51):
resonated and the physicality returned. And you know, people talk
about in indianapols, they're probably saying whatever they use for
the term Tomlin Special, because whenever the Steelers get upset
by a team that's a four point underdog, a huge
(07:12):
four point underdog like Cincinnati playing at home, people are
shocked and they blame it on Tomlin. He doesn't get
his team ready. But this is what goes on in
the NFL every week. The Colts had what a two
game lead, two and a half game lead in their division.
They're playing a team that is on a two game
losing streak, playing a second consecutive game at home, which
(07:36):
I don't know if you're aware of, Max, but Steelers,
going back to the seventies excel in the second week
in a row at home. I don't know why they
get cozy. They get comfortable, the fans get a little
cozy and ratchet down. And so I'm predicted to Steelers
to upset him last week on this show. And because
(07:59):
of motion. You know, emotion means so much and it's
not coach driven. You know that Colts coach could have
been screaming at his players, but they're sitting there with
a two and a half game lead. Everything is good
in their world. I mean a while, the Steelers they're rabbit,
you know. I don't know that Taylen Ramsey needed to
get up to talk, but that's what happens when teams
(08:21):
are rabbit like that. Somebody gets up to talk and
just spills it all out for everybody that's ready to
listen to anybody talk. I don't know that the talk
did it. It's just it was just the emotional pitch
that they were at at the time. So that stuff
happens in the NFL every week. And then then you
look at the quarterback for the Colts. Yes, he's leading
(08:43):
the league in passing, but he is Daniel Jones. He
doesn't get rid of the ball like Jordan Love or
Joe Flacco, those guys that know that that getting rid
of the thing and hitting the short passing game. Because
the Steelers, I think they've learned their lesson by now.
They're coming up to playing tight that they have safeties now.
(09:05):
It seems so, you know, Daniel Jones didn't fit that
that role model that that beats the Steelers with a
quick passing game, and so he took his beating and
he turned the ball over and six turnovers and nobody's
complaining like they were after the Patriots game. Oh they
(09:27):
needed five turnovers. You know, how are you going to
get lucky like that every week? Well, when you've got
a quarterback that stands in the pocket and takes the
beating and you're ferocious, it's not luck you cause those turnovers,
especially this game, and you didn't have the running back
fumbling like New England did. But I'm just the emotional
(09:49):
pitch and the Colts being a little overrated having played
a very weak schedule. I'm not denigrating the the the win.
It's just it just seems that there's a lack of
balance among the fan base. You know this, don't get
(10:10):
too excited about this win, just like don't get too
excited about those losses. To go a four point spread
to Cincinnati, that's not much. That's not like a big
ups that was at Cincinnati, and Flacco's tough, so uh,
I just I mean the Colts aren't good, don't get
(10:32):
me wrong, and they're even better today with Sauce Gardner.
But the Steelers could have even played better. So they
even had that going for him.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, wex And you know, I think a big part
of that defensive performance was the stabilization on the back end.
You saw Jalen Ramsey move back there. Very impressive what
he was able to do with Kyle Duggar on just
a couple of days of practice, a couple of days
of commune medication. I thought we didn't see, you know,
the game against Green Bay, the game against Cincinnati, too
(11:06):
many guys on the defense, particularly on the back end,
kind of you know, standing around and looking each looking
at each other with their palms up, like what just happened?
You missed it?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
No, I missed it.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
No, it was supposed to be this, it was supposed
to be that. Didn't see any of that against Indianapolis
on Sunday. I think Jalen Ramsey certainly deserves a ton
of credit in that regard. The move to safety worked
on Sunday afternoon at Akrasure Stadium and WEX it sounds like,
according to Mike Tomlin yesterday, it sounds like that's where
Jalen Ramsey is going to stay put. You think that's
(11:37):
the right call at this point in time.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, you know, not only did they have a bunch
of new guys, including Jalen that follow up communication, but
they're moving the new guy, Jalen to different positions and
then it's not just him, it's not him making the communication,
but who replaces him and where so you have you
have a lot of new parts and they're all moving.
(12:02):
I get the theory that they wanted and you really
you miss the fact that you can't have Jalen play
in a nickel or wherever you need him on a
particular down. But this provides stability. And he really looked
like a natural back there, didn't he. You know, I
hate to say, you know, Mica was a natural, and
(12:24):
I hate to say he was better than Minca because
Makea's fantastic, it still is. But Rahimby just looked like
a natural, looked like Rod Woodson going back there. Yeah,
I played here when I was in high school. I
could do this and then he does it. So yeah,
and a lot of kudos to dog Er two. Yeah,
(12:45):
the stability. They're all new, so let's just get them
used to their new position instead of giving them three
new positions and different teammates on every play. So, you know,
stability here is definitely was definitely need it and his
needed going forward. And also tip of the cap to
Brandon Eccles. You know, he really didn't play a lot
(13:06):
of slot with the Jets. Everyone just assumed that he
was a slot guy because he was a reserve who
was labeled as a versatile, but he really didn't play
much slot with the Jets, and he seems to be
a great fit.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
No, he absolutely you know shined, no no doubt about that.
And then of course, welcome back TJ. Watt, right WEX.
I mean amazing when a quarterback actually holds the ball
for more than just one and a half seconds, what TJ.
Watt could actually do and that defensive line like a
pass rush, but just kind of talk about you know
(13:43):
that aspect of getting after the quarterback the way they
did and not really having to blitz as much, you know,
the four man rush and maybe an add on of
one bringing five, but really not blitzing a whole heck
of a lot and winning at the line of scrimmage
against you know, a pretty good offensive line.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
TJ, in my mind, never left. I mean, the production
wasn't there. But as a sportswriter going in locker rooms
for how many years, you hear it all the time.
You know, Hey, Joey Porter, how come you have an
had a second four games? He says, when it rains
at poors Man, you'll see, and then it does. So
I really wasn't worried about TJ. Alex Highsmith maybe a
(14:28):
little worried there. Well, he really returned in a big way.
And there weren't many blitzes, but there were a few.
Patrick Queen came hard one time. I know, Cam drilled more.
I believe it was either a third down or fourth
down incompletion or maybe a pick, but that blitz by
(14:50):
Queen was the key. There was a blitz by Brandon
Echols up the middle, drilled the quarterback just as he
got rid of the ball, and the same thing. I
can't remember the result, but it wasn't good. For the Colts.
It was a key play, so they blitzed it, you know.
Uh Terol Austin called some great blitzes timely. I know
(15:11):
he didn't do it much, but they were timely. And
high Smith had the huge game and uh Peyton Wilson
blitzing too, you know, he he handed the ball to
uh Sawyer. I loved uh Tomlin's comment after when someone
was asking about Jack Sawyer. You know a ball, a
ball fell on his lap thanks to Peyton Wilson, and
(15:34):
Tomlins said something like, yeah, the son's always shining on
Jack Sawyer. He's a five star recruit something like that.
Likes just go well for that that dude. And if
you talk to Jack Sawyer in the locker room, there's
a guy that lifts the bp ms. Uh. He just
smiling all the time, and he loves talk at ball.
And you know he's from Ohio and we've talked about
(15:55):
Jack Lambert and James Harrison linebackers from Ohio, and he's
just a pleasure to talk to. And I can see
why the sun shines on that dude. He just attracts things.
He just things go well for this five star kid.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
He was he was offered by Michigan, I think his
second game of this freshman year. So uh, things of
things have gone well for Jack Lawyer. And I liked
how Tomlin touched on that because that basically it was
all Peyton Wilson. But it was enjoyable to see all
these guys who but some of these guys have been
(16:33):
really struggling to finally finally get it and also to
feel the vibe of what it's like to play defense
in Pittsburgh. That's what That's what the fans they probably
going back to the fifties. They just can't stand a
team that isn't a great defensive team win or lose.
(16:54):
The physicality has to be there, and it was there
last Sunday.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
It certainly was, and it was it was fun to
watch Wex and I also, you know, I I think
we're starting to see that from from from some of
the Steelers offensive line as well too. I know the
numbers weren't there on Sunday. It's a it's a kind
of very you know, pedestrian type day for Jalen Warren,
particularly compared to how well they had been running the football.
(17:21):
It felt like ever since that Dublin game against the Vikings.
But you go back and you watch, you rewatch the game,
and I mean Troy FALTONU is just crushing people. Mason
McCormick and Zach Frasier are finishing every block to the turf.
I'm really liking what we're seeing from this offensive line.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
And I think I think our I think our brother
Craig Wolfley would be would be proud of how this
this young group has has grown together this year through
kind of the first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Here. You wouldn't have gotten the word at Edgewise today
West with Wolfson Max going on about the offensive line.
I'm sure, Yeah, you know, I didn't go back and
watch the film. I'm glad you said that. I didn't
know if Filetano was having playing that. Well, that's good
to hear because the numbers were bad. But you know,
(18:11):
Rogers for the most parts being protected, and I think
we're going to see more of that this week. I
think the Chargers defenses is worse than the Colts, and
Chargers are seemed to be a little overrated too.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, it's it's one of those you think about this.
I mean, you couple that with the Chargers of course
losing both their tackles on Sunday and having the trade
for Trevor Pinning from the Saints to to bolster that.
But uh, but no, he's absolutely right. I mean, the
offensive line, they were doing their job for the most part,
and like you said, Troy, Troy was absolutely he was
(18:47):
lighting dudes up left and right, and a couple of
guys even jumped on the bandwagon. Brian Baldinger, who was
who was calling the game next to us in the booth,
you know, did his Baldy breakdowns, and then he had
he had a Troy Falatano feature, Aq Hippy, former Steeler,
fult Cardinal. He's he's not He's out taking Ron Wolfley's
place as the color commentator for the Arizona Cardinals. He
(19:10):
even had to go and pull and pull out the video,
the game tape and wash that and pull that play
out because he was like, wow, this was amazing. So
a lot of people taking notice of what Troy Fautanau
is doing right now and playing just at a high
level meeting it's pretty good. Yeah, yeah, so so positive.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Shipley's Shipley's becoming a pretty uh sage voice in the
media these days. When it comes to the offensive line.
So that's really good to hear. Which which player are
we talking about particular?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
It was a pass play. I wouldn't say. I cannot
remember exactly where in the game the play happened. It
was a pass play and they had protection on and uh,
Darnel washed it was in there blocking with him and
Troy didn't have any work because Darnell was eating him up.
So the other quote unquote right tackle on our team
(20:02):
was blocking. He just absolutely came off and just gave
a what I like to call a rib tenderizer and
just decleted uh I think it was quitty pay off
the edge and just annihilated him. He smoked him pretty good.
And that play has kind of been circulating through the
through the social media sphere of the world.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I I I I admittedly do not know what I
call an ex post, but uh, you know, it's still
a tweet to me. But yeah, so it was. It
was in that ex Twitter space thingy out there in
the sky and and yeah, I popped up on my
feet and I was like, oh, look at that. And
then and then of course Brian Baldi you're at one
as well. So I was like, okay, So everybody saw
(20:46):
that play happen. But but yeah, now it it was
it was a good it was. It was a good effort.
And when you know, I watched the film, uh through
the offense, and it was just like little things here
and there, you know, small things that that that they
need to clean up. And we kind of heard as
much from Aaron after the game talking about that, you know,
just hey, you know, we have to take advantage of
(21:07):
these opportunities. Our defense is doing a heck of a
job out there. He gave a tip of the cap
to them, and then talked about how, you know, we
should have easily had thirty five to forty two points,
we should not have had twenty seven, So we've got
to do better to capitalize in those moments. I think,
you know, direct reference, you get that second series inside
the five and you can't convert it, and you know
you had you had four tries at it. It was
(21:27):
you know, frustrating. But then of course, you know, Peyton
Wilson even made it easier for you know, when we
finally did get our score. And I just think that
that's just a hallmark of complimentary football, Like you don't
doesn't matter what the score is just as long as
at the end of the day, wex right, you have
one more point than the opponent. That's that that that
that's all you need to do. That's all this that's
(21:48):
all this league requires. But that is what it requires.
You must get the other.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Guess what's going to happen this week. Pat Meyer is
going to be on his boys this week. Look, we
only had the yards from Jalen. Jalen's going to be
feeling the heat. And they're playing a Chargers team that
in the last five games, and this is how I
break break games, Doyle, and to handicap them. In the
last five games against opposition that has a combined three
(22:15):
eight six winning percentage, which means week a week schedule,
the Chargers have allowed five point o per carry, So
they're not coming into the game as one of the
worst run defenses in the NFL because everybody looks at
the compilation of yards per game for the whole season,
but yards per carry for the last five is more telling.
(22:37):
That's underneath the numbers. And they're giving up five point
oprah carry against three eighty six opposition. So the Steelers
being hungry all week and not having really gotten the
results last week that their coach is gonna want out
of them this week at practice. I think they're gonna
they're gonna exploit that Chargers soft run defense that nobody
(23:00):
really knows about yet because it's buried. I'm looking for
numbers that are buried. And I really like, I really
like the Steelers this game. I think they're gonna ride
a little momentum and roll.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Oh oh, WEX you you were, you were, you were talking,
you were talking some great stuff there. I love that
and we are excited and we're going to continue to
break that down. WEX thank you so much for joining
us as you do always on a WEX Wednesday here
inside the locker room. That is UH Jim Wexel, editor
in chief of the Steel City and Sider of course
(23:33):
editor I'm sorry, author and lauded. I mean, he has
a lot of books out there, but the one that
was released today, I want to make sure we hit
this one. It is if these Walls could Talk Stories
from the Pittsburgh Steelers Sideline, locker room and press box.
This is Wolfe's posthumous UH book that WEX did with him,
(23:54):
and you can pick it up at Barnes and Nobles,
local independent retailers and of course the biggest of big
box plays is Amazon as well. Make sure you go
out grab a copy. You can go to Jim wexel
dot com as well, and you can pester wex on
any of those social medias and he will he will
sign a copy for you. Wex thank you so much.
(24:15):
We really appreciate the time, and you know the hump
day headlines were presented with Wexel presented by your neighborhood
for shore. The F one fifty is the official truck
of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Our good friend, the editor in chief of steel City Insider,
also uh you know, lauded author and has pinned many
of great tales of Steeler's history. It is the one,
the only Jim Wex. So, how are we doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Wex Ah, we're doing good. Max. How you doing man?
Thanks forty much.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
No, you're welcome. You're welcome. It is it is a day,
you know, I kind of talked about in the beginning
of the first hour, but I lost my uncle yesterday.
Oh I'm sorry, Keith Browner Senior. But you know, pushing on,
pushing on as we as we all do, you know,
And it's a celebration of a life well lived. You know,
(00:44):
too soon, but you know it's all good. It is,
it is all good. Wex. But you know, sixty three.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, that's too young. I'm sixty five.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, I know, I know. It's just it's been one
of the it's been one of those years. Wex. You know,
it's incredible, you know, it's incredible, Yes, incredible, And this
was unexpected for all of us because now I had
it more suspected for for for for my uncle Joey,
and uh, my uncle Joey has been doing you know
he's been doing the work possible, you know that he
(01:19):
needs to do to get himself healthy. But Uncle Keith,
he was the one. He was strong as an ox
and you know, just a zest for life. So so yeah,
so unexpected, but uh but yes we push forward, you know,
as I kind of look at.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
This, let me throw this, let me throw this in
speaking of loss, you know, today's the release date of
Craig wolf Lee's Postumous Men Memoirs. Oh okay, it's available
at Amazon and and bookstores and I edited it and
it's fantastic, you know, uh stories well written by wolf
(02:00):
from the eighties of course, you know, there was a
story about it when he was a kid visiting the
rock Pile in Buffalo, and then some Syracuse stuff and
high school stuff, but mostly Steelers and then modern day
Steelers too because he was a broadcaster of course, and
so a lot of great, great Wolfly stories in there.
It's available now. I just thought I drove that out there.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
No absolutely, and no better time to say that. The
book For those who are interested, the book is If
These Walls Could Talk. Stories from the Pittsburgh Steelers Sideline,
Locker Room and Press Box by Craig Wolfley with Jim Wexel,
and of course a beautiful forward by his brother and
my colleague that I will see later on today, Ron
(02:44):
Wolfley for my duties out here, but amazing book. I'm
actually holding the book in my hand, wex and I've
been reading it, and I absolutely I love this book.
You know, for those if you're having a low moment
and you're losing, this book right here is like him
talking to you. It's like he's reading the book to you,
(03:05):
because as you're reading it, you hear him saying all
of these words. That's that's that's what the incredible part
about this book, right wex I mean it is Wolf
talking to us and sharing his story because we all
know it so well.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
You know when when they hired us, when they hired
us to do this, I was supposed to ghost write
for the Athlete, right yeah, well exactly. Instead I just
get out of the way, you know, let Wolf's voice
step through here. Yeah, I just got out of the way.
I just tidied it up a little bit, that's all.
And then of course when he passed, he had it
(03:41):
all in. He he died on the day the book
was due, but he had it all in and so
I just had to tidy up and get I brought
Ron in to write the foreward. I brought his son
Kyle in to write the afterward. I brought his widow
in Faith to write the acknowledgments. Thank you, and CJ's
included too. He did some lists, and so it's a
(04:05):
really precious family, uh family gathering, and it's it's precious
to me. You know, it's not gonna climb the New
York Times bestseller list, but it's gonna mean a lot
to all of us.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, I got to say it'll be. It'll be on
the Steelers best seller list because this is one that
when you think of just the work and this the
long history associated with the Steelers organization. Uh Wolf was
there for a lot of the lot of those great
moments you know, from the eighties and onward, and this
(04:41):
book is just it is is a beautiful swan song
to an amazing man. So definitely go check the book.
You said, Amazon, where else where, else where else?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
We get in this book Barnes and Noble, and you're
top independent booksellers in Pittsburgh. If you want me to
autograph it, make a little note you can catch me
at Jim Wexel dot com or on my Facebook, dm me,
on Twitter, dm me, you know, it's easy to reach me.
So and not not that my autograph is gonna be
(05:14):
measurable to Wolfs.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
But yeah, yeah, but no especially indeed, so definitely and
a special tip of the cap to you for uh
for going in and editing this and and and moving
along with wolf as he wrote this. But yeah, all right, okay,
now time for for a little let's bring the temperature
up a little bit, let's get a little little bit
(05:37):
of the BTMS up in the music. Uh yeah, wex Sunday.
I mean, what is there to say? I mean, Steelers
defense was dead in the water, right, I mean a
fan had a casket in the tailgate area pregame and
was allowing people to come by and say their last
(05:58):
regards to this Steelers squad and the Steelers just like
the Undertaker in every WrestleMania that I've watched since a kid. Uh,
they came out, they came out of the address. You know,
they absolutely you know, pummeled the NFL's number one offense
and stemied them, turned them over, knocked them down, sacked
(06:22):
them just kind of talk about just your thoughts and
initial reaction to that performance by the defense on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well, we know there's talent there, and we know the
defensive coaches know what they're doing. They made an adjustment
with that four to three. I really like that. I
mean I'm old school right and played in front of
you guys, your team, not that you guys ran a
four to three, but all that old school stuff just
(06:51):
resonated and the physicality returned. And you know, people talk
about in indianapols, they're probably saying whatever they use for
the term Tomlin Special, because whenever the Steelers get upset
by a team that's a four point underdog, a huge
(07:12):
four point underdog like Cincinnati playing at home, people are
shocked and they blame it on Tomlin. He doesn't get
his team ready. But this is what goes on in
the NFL every week. The Colts had what a two
game lead, two and a half game lead in their division.
They're playing a team that is on a two game
losing streak, playing a second consecutive game at home, which
(07:36):
I don't know if you're aware of, Max, but Steelers,
going back to the seventies excel in the second week
in a row at home. I don't know why they
get cozy. They get comfortable, the fans get a little
cozy and ratchet down. And so I'm predicted to Steelers
to upset him last week on this show. And because
(07:59):
of motion. You know, emotion means so much and it's
not coach driven. You know that Colts coach could have
been screaming at his players, but they're sitting there with
a two and a half game lead. Everything is good
in their world. I mean a while, the Steelers they're rabbit,
you know. I don't know that Taylen Ramsey needed to
get up to talk, but that's what happens when teams
(08:21):
are rabbit like that. Somebody gets up to talk and
just spills it all out for everybody that's ready to
listen to anybody talk. I don't know that the talk
did it. It's just it was just the emotional pitch
that they were at at the time. So that stuff
happens in the NFL every week. And then then you
look at the quarterback for the Colts. Yes, he's leading
(08:43):
the league in passing, but he is Daniel Jones. He
doesn't get rid of the ball like Jordan Love or
Joe Flacco, those guys that know that that getting rid
of the thing and hitting the short passing game. Because
the Steelers, I think they've learned their lesson by now.
They're coming up to playing tight that they have safeties now.
(09:05):
It seems so, you know, Daniel Jones didn't fit that
that role model that that beats the Steelers with a
quick passing game, and so he took his beating and
he turned the ball over and six turnovers and nobody's
complaining like they were after the Patriots game. Oh they
(09:27):
needed five turnovers. You know, how are you going to
get lucky like that every week? Well, when you've got
a quarterback that stands in the pocket and takes the
beating and you're ferocious, it's not luck you cause those turnovers,
especially this game, and you didn't have the running back
fumbling like New England did. But I'm just the emotional
(09:49):
pitch and the Colts being a little overrated having played
a very weak schedule. I'm not denigrating the the the win.
It's just it just seems that there's a lack of
balance among the fan base. You know this, don't get
(10:10):
too excited about this win, just like don't get too
excited about those losses. To go a four point spread
to Cincinnati, that's not much. That's not like a big
ups that was at Cincinnati, and Flacco's tough, so uh,
I just I mean the Colts aren't good, don't get
(10:32):
me wrong, and they're even better today with Sauce Gardner.
But the Steelers could have even played better. So they
even had that going for him.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, wex And you know, I think a big part
of that defensive performance was the stabilization on the back end.
You saw Jalen Ramsey move back there. Very impressive what
he was able to do with Kyle Duggar on just
a couple of days of practice, a couple of days
of commune medication. I thought we didn't see, you know,
the game against Green Bay, the game against Cincinnati, too
(11:06):
many guys on the defense, particularly on the back end,
kind of you know, standing around and looking each looking
at each other with their palms up, like what just happened?
You missed it?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
No, I missed it.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
No, it was supposed to be this, it was supposed
to be that. Didn't see any of that against Indianapolis
on Sunday. I think Jalen Ramsey certainly deserves a ton
of credit in that regard. The move to safety worked
on Sunday afternoon at Akrasure Stadium and WEX it sounds like,
according to Mike Tomlin yesterday, it sounds like that's where
Jalen Ramsey is going to stay put. You think that's
(11:37):
the right call at this point in time.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, you know, not only did they have a bunch
of new guys, including Jalen that follow up communication, but
they're moving the new guy, Jalen to different positions and
then it's not just him, it's not him making the communication,
but who replaces him and where so you have you
have a lot of new parts and they're all moving.
(12:02):
I get the theory that they wanted and you really
you miss the fact that you can't have Jalen play
in a nickel or wherever you need him on a
particular down. But this provides stability. And he really looked
like a natural back there, didn't he. You know, I
hate to say, you know, Mica was a natural, and
(12:24):
I hate to say he was better than Minca because
Makea's fantastic, it still is. But Rahimby just looked like
a natural, looked like Rod Woodson going back there. Yeah,
I played here when I was in high school. I
could do this and then he does it. So yeah,
and a lot of kudos to dog Er two. Yeah,
(12:45):
the stability. They're all new, so let's just get them
used to their new position instead of giving them three
new positions and different teammates on every play. So, you know,
stability here is definitely was definitely need it and his
needed going forward. And also tip of the cap to
Brandon Eccles. You know, he really didn't play a lot
(13:06):
of slot with the Jets. Everyone just assumed that he
was a slot guy because he was a reserve who
was labeled as a versatile, but he really didn't play
much slot with the Jets, and he seems to be
a great fit.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
No, he absolutely you know shined, no no doubt about that.
And then of course, welcome back TJ. Watt, right WEX.
I mean amazing when a quarterback actually holds the ball
for more than just one and a half seconds, what TJ.
Watt could actually do and that defensive line like a
pass rush, but just kind of talk about you know
(13:43):
that aspect of getting after the quarterback the way they
did and not really having to blitz as much, you know,
the four man rush and maybe an add on of
one bringing five, but really not blitzing a whole heck
of a lot and winning at the line of scrimmage
against you know, a pretty good offensive line.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
TJ, in my mind, never left. I mean, the production
wasn't there. But as a sportswriter going in locker rooms
for how many years, you hear it all the time.
You know, Hey, Joey Porter, how come you have an
had a second four games? He says, when it rains
at poors Man, you'll see, and then it does. So
I really wasn't worried about TJ. Alex Highsmith maybe a
(14:28):
little worried there. Well, he really returned in a big way.
And there weren't many blitzes, but there were a few.
Patrick Queen came hard one time. I know, Cam drilled more.
I believe it was either a third down or fourth
down incompletion or maybe a pick, but that blitz by
(14:50):
Queen was the key. There was a blitz by Brandon
Echols up the middle, drilled the quarterback just as he
got rid of the ball, and the same thing. I
can't remember the result, but it wasn't good. For the Colts.
It was a key play, so they blitzed it, you know.
Uh Terol Austin called some great blitzes timely. I know
(15:11):
he didn't do it much, but they were timely. And
high Smith had the huge game and uh Peyton Wilson
blitzing too, you know, he he handed the ball to
uh Sawyer. I loved uh Tomlin's comment after when someone
was asking about Jack Sawyer. You know a ball, a
ball fell on his lap thanks to Peyton Wilson, and
(15:34):
Tomlins said something like, yeah, the son's always shining on
Jack Sawyer. He's a five star recruit something like that.
Likes just go well for that that dude. And if
you talk to Jack Sawyer in the locker room, there's
a guy that lifts the bp ms. Uh. He just
smiling all the time, and he loves talk at ball.
And you know he's from Ohio and we've talked about
(15:55):
Jack Lambert and James Harrison linebackers from Ohio, and he's
just a pleasure to talk to. And I can see
why the sun shines on that dude. He just attracts things.
He just things go well for this five star kid.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
He was he was offered by Michigan, I think his
second game of this freshman year. So uh, things of
things have gone well for Jack Lawyer. And I liked
how Tomlin touched on that because that basically it was
all Peyton Wilson. But it was enjoyable to see all
these guys who but some of these guys have been
(16:33):
really struggling to finally finally get it and also to
feel the vibe of what it's like to play defense
in Pittsburgh. That's what That's what the fans they probably
going back to the fifties. They just can't stand a
team that isn't a great defensive team win or lose.
(16:54):
The physicality has to be there, and it was there
last Sunday.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
It certainly was, and it was it was fun to
watch Wex and I also, you know, I I think
we're starting to see that from from from some of
the Steelers offensive line as well too. I know the
numbers weren't there on Sunday. It's a it's a kind
of very you know, pedestrian type day for Jalen Warren,
particularly compared to how well they had been running the football.
(17:21):
It felt like ever since that Dublin game against the Vikings.
But you go back and you watch, you rewatch the game,
and I mean Troy FALTONU is just crushing people. Mason
McCormick and Zach Frasier are finishing every block to the turf.
I'm really liking what we're seeing from this offensive line.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
And I think I think our I think our brother
Craig Wolfley would be would be proud of how this
this young group has has grown together this year through
kind of the first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Here. You wouldn't have gotten the word at Edgewise today
West with Wolfson Max going on about the offensive line.
I'm sure, Yeah, you know, I didn't go back and
watch the film. I'm glad you said that. I didn't
know if Filetano was having playing that. Well, that's good
to hear because the numbers were bad. But you know,
(18:11):
Rogers for the most parts being protected, and I think
we're going to see more of that this week. I
think the Chargers defenses is worse than the Colts, and
Chargers are seemed to be a little overrated too.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, it's it's one of those you think about this.
I mean, you couple that with the Chargers of course
losing both their tackles on Sunday and having the trade
for Trevor Pinning from the Saints to to bolster that.
But uh, but no, he's absolutely right. I mean, the
offensive line, they were doing their job for the most part,
and like you said, Troy, Troy was absolutely he was
(18:47):
lighting dudes up left and right, and a couple of
guys even jumped on the bandwagon. Brian Baldinger, who was
who was calling the game next to us in the booth,
you know, did his Baldy breakdowns, and then he had
he had a Troy Falatano feature, Aq Hippy, former Steeler,
fult Cardinal. He's he's not He's out taking Ron Wolfley's
place as the color commentator for the Arizona Cardinals. He
(19:10):
even had to go and pull and pull out the video,
the game tape and wash that and pull that play
out because he was like, wow, this was amazing. So
a lot of people taking notice of what Troy Fautanau
is doing right now and playing just at a high
level meeting it's pretty good. Yeah, yeah, so so positive.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Shipley's Shipley's becoming a pretty uh sage voice in the
media these days. When it comes to the offensive line.
So that's really good to hear. Which which player are
we talking about particular?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
It was a pass play. I wouldn't say. I cannot
remember exactly where in the game the play happened. It
was a pass play and they had protection on and uh,
Darnel washed it was in there blocking with him and
Troy didn't have any work because Darnell was eating him up.
So the other quote unquote right tackle on our team
(20:02):
was blocking. He just absolutely came off and just gave
a what I like to call a rib tenderizer and
just decleted uh I think it was quitty pay off
the edge and just annihilated him. He smoked him pretty good.
And that play has kind of been circulating through the
through the social media sphere of the world.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I I I I admittedly do not know what I
call an ex post, but uh, you know, it's still
a tweet to me. But yeah, so it was. It
was in that ex Twitter space thingy out there in
the sky and and yeah, I popped up on my
feet and I was like, oh, look at that. And
then and then of course Brian Baldi you're at one
as well. So I was like, okay, So everybody saw
(20:46):
that play happen. But but yeah, now it it was
it was a good it was. It was a good effort.
And when you know, I watched the film, uh through
the offense, and it was just like little things here
and there, you know, small things that that that they
need to clean up. And we kind of heard as
much from Aaron after the game talking about that, you know,
just hey, you know, we have to take advantage of
(21:07):
these opportunities. Our defense is doing a heck of a
job out there. He gave a tip of the cap
to them, and then talked about how, you know, we
should have easily had thirty five to forty two points,
we should not have had twenty seven, So we've got
to do better to capitalize in those moments. I think,
you know, direct reference, you get that second series inside
the five and you can't convert it, and you know
you had you had four tries at it. It was
(21:27):
you know, frustrating. But then of course, you know, Peyton
Wilson even made it easier for you know, when we
finally did get our score. And I just think that
that's just a hallmark of complimentary football, Like you don't
doesn't matter what the score is just as long as
at the end of the day, wex right, you have
one more point than the opponent. That's that that that
that's all you need to do. That's all this that's
(21:48):
all this league requires. But that is what it requires.
You must get the other.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Guess what's going to happen this week. Pat Meyer is
going to be on his boys this week. Look, we
only had the yards from Jalen. Jalen's going to be
feeling the heat. And they're playing a Chargers team that
in the last five games, and this is how I
break break games, Doyle, and to handicap them. In the
last five games against opposition that has a combined three
(22:15):
eight six winning percentage, which means week a week schedule,
the Chargers have allowed five point o per carry, So
they're not coming into the game as one of the
worst run defenses in the NFL because everybody looks at
the compilation of yards per game for the whole season,
but yards per carry for the last five is more telling.
(22:37):
That's underneath the numbers. And they're giving up five point
oprah carry against three eighty six opposition. So the Steelers
being hungry all week and not having really gotten the
results last week that their coach is gonna want out
of them this week at practice. I think they're gonna
they're gonna exploit that Chargers soft run defense that nobody
(23:00):
really knows about yet because it's buried. I'm looking for
numbers that are buried. And I really like, I really
like the Steelers this game. I think they're gonna ride
a little momentum and roll.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Oh oh, WEX you you were, you were, you were talking,
you were talking some great stuff there. I love that
and we are excited and we're going to continue to
break that down. WEX thank you so much for joining
us as you do always on a WEX Wednesday here
inside the locker room. That is UH Jim Wexel, editor
in chief of the Steel City and Sider of course
(23:33):
editor I'm sorry, author and lauded. I mean, he has
a lot of books out there, but the one that
was released today, I want to make sure we hit
this one. It is if these Walls could Talk Stories
from the Pittsburgh Steelers Sideline, locker room and press box.
This is Wolfe's posthumous UH book that WEX did with him,
(23:54):
and you can pick it up at Barnes and Nobles,
local independent retailers and of course the biggest of big
box plays is Amazon as well. Make sure you go
out grab a copy. You can go to Jim wexel
dot com as well, and you can pester wex on
any of those social medias and he will he will
sign a copy for you. Wex thank you so much.
(24:15):
We really appreciate the time, and you know the hump
day headlines were presented with Wexel presented by your neighborhood
for shore. The F one fifty is the official truck
of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.