September 26, 2024 • 47 mins
Max and Wolf turn the page and begin to look at the Colts. Gerry Dulac joins the show to lend his thoughts on the challenge that awaits the Steelers this weekend
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by acro Shure, the official insurance and
cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Max, I gotta do this, okay.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I got a quote here from Mike Tomlin, all right,
from the other day, and it says I'm gonna keep
challenging those two. And he's referring to Dante Jackson. And
was it Deshaun Elliott, Joey port I'm sorry, Joey Portager,
thank you, Wes. So he says, I'm gonna keep challenging
those two. One's young and the other one's little, and
(00:59):
so I like challenging them.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I don't know where they get that little stuff from.
I ain't been little since I was in diapers. But
if you know, if it get coach going, is all
good with me.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
I ain't chipping about it.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Oh, yes, you know you got I ain't little. I
ain't been little since I've been in diapers. I thought
that was a great quote. I thought it was hilarious
that Dante Jackson Action Jackson, if you will, has made
a great impact in his short time here. And I
have to tell you, I just found that very amusing.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Wesson.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I have been laughing here, giggling and going wait till
Max gets a hold of this.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
Oh my goodness. I mean, yeah, let's listen.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
Comparatives to most of the people in the world, I
do consider everybody a little but you know, you know.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
It's just it's you know, it's a vision thing. It's
a vision thing. That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
When you look at the tops of heads most of
the time.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Yeah, you know, it's just.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
When I can when when I can see things before
you do. You know what I'm saying, like weather, you know,
like rain's gonna hit me first before it hits you.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
You know. That's how I kind of gave it.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Oh yeah, you know what I mean. I just thought
it was a great quote, like Mike.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
You know, Mike was just the fact is he's talking
about challenging these guys and the fact that they're young
and uh but bo when he said little, it was.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
A little Yeah, it was like kind of little diapers.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
I don't get that little stuff from yeah, I don't
know to get that little stuff from.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
My father in law was a coal miner, but he
used to have this saying, right, he'd say, you know,
when you throw a rock in a pack of wolves
and and one of them, it hits one of them,
and that one yelps, you know which one you hit, right,
So when you throw a little little quote like that,
and somebody who's got a little little probably being called little.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I don't know where to get that little stuff from.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Yeah, the way that little stuff from, that's a complex
right there. That's a complex. Max. What was the last
time you were called little?
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Uh? Yeah? Uh?
Speaker 6 (03:14):
But you know, yeah, I take that back. You don't
you know I got called little ones what I was
when I was when I when I was a ball
boy at one of my jobs, right that was a
ball boy for the for the Orlando Magic. That's where
I got referred to as little amongst like grown NBA players.
And and then like true Rollinson was also one of
(03:38):
the ball boys with me. So his son and his
son was just like his dad, like he's all legs,
you know, tall as all get out.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
So I was shorter than him of the two ball boys.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
So yeah, so that was the last time I was
called I was probably about yeah, I had Hey, the
child labor laws have changed drastically, But now I'm probably
like fourteen, fourteen years old. Yeah, the last time I
got called like little, like a comparative sense.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But now you can understand though, see, you know, when
you put it into context and from that exactly Okay,
now I get it.
Speaker 6 (04:17):
Yeah, compared to Corey Trice and Joey Porter, Julia Dante
Jackson might be considered the little one of the group.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Right, Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
I don't know where they get that little stuff from.
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's so funny. Was I played on an offensive line
of little guys. You know, in the Chuck Nole trapping era,
they we didn't have anybody over six three.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Chuck felt that you had to have leverage, you had
to be able to run, you had to be able
to get leverage, get under and up, and that was
all part of you know, when you had a six
to six guy, they couldn't get under and get that leverage,
is what he thought, you know, And I mean I understand,
but you see how the game has grown and everything else.
But the fact was we were all like, you know,
(05:00):
five midgets.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
You know, yeah, I mean, you know, hey, listen, you're
still tall than the average people.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
You could still call other people.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Little wolf When we're around six three, you can still
call there's a the average height, right's six foot or
five eleven five eleven from males, five to nine for women,
So technically you're above average. So that means at least
fifty percent of the population you could refer to as little.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Well.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
You know, the funny part is if you look amongst
the wolfly males. All right, my brother Ronnie, Ronnie's right
around six foot maybe you know, but my brother Dale
was over six foot. We were both like six one,
six one and a half something like that. Yeah, And
my mom said, as far back as she knew, there
was no woolfly males over six foot, you know, I mean,
it's just kind of funny, you know, we we maxed
(05:53):
out our height. That's that's exactly what happened, That's right.
But you picked up on your aggression level, rah when
you're little. You know, when you're little, you got.
Speaker 6 (06:03):
To you know, yeah, you're not you're more like little
you know what I'm saying, Like like little Jordan Humphrey.
We saw in in uh in Denver. You know, you
don't you'll have to spell out all the letters. You get,
you get to save some of those, you get to
you get to use a little abbreviated version because you're
not little, because you're above average height.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Well, the problem is is that when you when you
get finished going north and south, you only got east
and west to go. So that's you know it kind
of maximize words. Yeah, out going north. Now it's the
east and west. I gotta stop it. You know, That's
just the way it is. Brother, Okay, get into the game,
(06:45):
my friend.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
One of the things I was just mulling over was
I was looking at the Colts and offensively they're this,
defensively that and all that. So I'm just kind of
mulling over. And one of the big things in my
mind that is going to be absolutely huge this weekend
is the time of possession.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I mean, it really is.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I Mean, when you look at it, the Steelers are
number two in time of possession, just under thirty four minutes.
They'll call it thirty four minutes. But the Colts are
number thirty two in time of possession. Shoot, they're not
even bagging twenty five minutes a game. They're running the
fewest plays offensively in the NFL. And the best part
is with fifty right. But the Steelers opponents, the guys
(07:26):
at their offense is they're running the fewest plays per
game two against our defense. So it tells you something
right there that if you can, you can have the
opportunity to be able to roll these chains and get
her going here in Indie.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I really like our chances. I really like our chances.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
No, I like them too, And I mean I think
when you kind of look at this opponent because they're
so streaky, you know, with that squad, you know, I
mean you know, as I look at especially defensively, like
going up against their offense, I mean, if you can,
if you can, if you can nail down Jonathan Taylor,
that that creates problems, that creates issues in the in
(08:09):
the machine. And then offensively, you know, the run game
is gonna be key for us to keep us on
on UH on schedule. And when you when you do that,
when you can marry that and use that play action,
because I mean, as I kind of look look through them,
you know, there's there's no big thing particularly that just
(08:31):
jumps out right. You know, there's there's like, oh my god,
you know, outside of Jonathan Taylor, I'm like, I don't
see anybody that you have to necessarily fear. But you
have to be aware of everything. I mean that that's
just this league. But there's no one man wrecking machine
that's going that's going to change the forces of the
team if you can't get him locked down. I think
(08:53):
if you're not locked in as a unit and you
take this game for granted, you take the opponent for granted,
that's when they that's when they could hurt you.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
But I mean, you know, defensively, I mean I'm not.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
Scared, So I think a lot of those elements, like
you said, as long as you stay on schedule, you
can be in a good position for this game, you know,
because I think about uh, I mean defensively, I look
at LA two lat too.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Yeah, I say that again, right, okay, lot to.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
U c l A. I've called it. I called it collegame.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I figured because you just rolled it off your tongue
like as smooth as all get out.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
While I was at home going.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
I watched him get four.
Speaker 6 (09:38):
I watched him get like what four sacks on on
Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
So, yeah, I saw some of his yeah, going after
him yesterday, and I get more today. But I got
to tell you something again, I told you I said
this yesterday. I couldn't believe Caleb Williams just turning even
the ball a couple of the things, even, Yeah, he
would look so disgusted, like, get rid of it, just
(10:04):
get rid of it, leave me.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Alone, plays over, you know one of those, Yeah, just
utter disgust like I can't I don't even get enough
time to get out of my break, and I gotta
get rid of this. But I mean, but but I mean,
but that also goes to show you that's where the
numbers can kind of be a little inflated because Chicago's
offensive line is so bad. Yeah, and it's like when
(10:28):
you look at their numbers, it's like it's skewed because
you had that, you had that type of opponent. And
I mean, and they were still in that game though,
I mean, as bad as it looked, they were still
in that game. So that just goes to show you
kind of the other side of the ball, right, is
that if you if you, if you, if you could
start to dull and slow them, you could take advantage
(10:49):
of them.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
On the other side, Now, I.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Will say this, you know, not having not having Brockers,
I think I think it is a.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Is a big deal. Sorry to Forrest Bucker. I would
get there. I always get them confused.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
Yeah, to Forrest Buckner, not having him and having him on,
I R. I think that's you know, definitely takes them down.
Definitely a couple of a couple. And then Uhcom was
that Samson Ebcom him being on.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
I mean those are your two.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
Those are really your two big game wrecerds defensively, so
not have not having those guys on on this line
makes them a lot less.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
It takes a little teeth out of it.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, takes a little teeth out
of the defense. And it's just don't take it for granted.
That that's the one thing I Am going to say again,
do not take them for granted. Absolutely not.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Anybody can get you at any moment if you let
your guard.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Down, There's no question about it. And you speak truthfully
and very well. Talking about Buckner too, I've been a
big fan of his, watching him come in the league
from Oregon. You know, just he was out San Francisco
and everywhere he's been, he's put in high quality play.
And he's one of those guys that I call a
shape shifter because he never gives you a clean chest
(12:09):
to punch, you know what I mean. See, in my day,
it was guys today will will punch to connect, and
you know, in my day was punched to redirect, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
It was.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
It was like a punch and release type of thing
rather than locking onto a guy, you know, because it
was it was a different era. So in that essence,
when you have somebody like a Buckner in there who
would not give you a clean shot at the chest,
you know, because he'd twist and turn stuff like that,
and his long limbs he could chop down your arms
and stuff that. That created problems for short guys like me.
(12:45):
You know, he would have been a real problem. I
would have been. I'd have been gnawing on his ankles
or something, you know, hanging on for life, listen, taking
a tackle.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Let me tell you, yeah, hey, listen, nothing nothing, nothing
wrong with that. Sometimes sometimes you get to drive the
bus and the other time you hold on, you know,
for dear life. I have and we all we've all
been there. We've all been there, like please got just stop? Okay, good?
Speaker 5 (13:18):
You know?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Oh man, you know what it was against the Colts. No,
it was Miami. I'm sorry. It was Miami defensive end.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
But I was cutting off on the backside and my
for whatever reason, the guy was like six seven and
here I am at six one and he's been over
and my face mask clicked on his shoulder pad on
the backside. It popped over the top and then he
starts running and I'm by my helmet, my face, my
(13:49):
chin strap.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Every day.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, I'm yelling stop, you're breaking my neck, you know,
I mean the guys he's running across the field. I'm like,
I'm like flopping right next to him, like punching him
at anything to get my face mask off his shoulder
pad that it was locked in there.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
It was crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You know how that one flap comes up a little
bit on the shoulder pad. Well, my face mask got
caught in there somehow. It was the most awkward situation
I've ever been in. But I remember, I remember, like yesterday,
just flopping hanging. I remember in the films, my coach
is going, well, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I've never seen that before.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh God, say that, Oh geez, yeah, that was It
was a little unusual for me.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
The first Yeah, that's the first year hanging by your
face mask off the shoulder the guy you're trying to block.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, that's I'm just gonna go and
say that's a bad day.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yes, that was.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Well, it turned out to be a good day because
neither us nor the Dolphins were going to the playoffs.
It was the last game in a December game. It
was the last game of season in December at three
Rivers and it was very cold, and the Miami boys
just want to get on the plane and go home,
you know, it was.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
It was that bad. And so the game was good.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
But that was a play that will always stand out
to me because just like my coach said, well, I've
never seen that before. Yeah, when you get an old
offensive line coach, it's been in the league years and
you can show them something new.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Wow, you're pretty good, huh.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
I mean, you know, you you've done something that very
few people can say.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Wolf, you have stumped the swami.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
There isn't that the truth?
Speaker 5 (15:36):
All Right?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
We got let's see, we got the cool breeze is
coming up next. So I think we're gonna break early
here and we're gonna head off. We're gonna get the
cool breeze roll in here. So that is the opening salvo.
Here in the locker room, you're listening to wolf Strucks
and the Ninjas and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by acro Sure, the official insurance and
Cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by bet MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Stark's.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
All right, we are back in the locker room.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
And as you can tell, that is the one, the only,
the cool breeze blowing into the locker room right now.
Somebody left the doors open and we'll welcome it in.
On a like a hot summer day. You want to
feel the cool breeze hits your face now, of course,
Jerry Dulac is brought to you, well, brought to us
(16:57):
by Bud Light, the official partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jerry,
how are we doing on this Thursday late morning?
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Well, fellas I am terrific. And you know when West
makes that call to me at ten twenty, it's kind
of like the alarm clock going off in a morning,
like oh, is it already time to get up? And
and but I look at it like, ugh, it's this
is this is the time I get to come on
with you two guys. And that's that just brightens my day,
(17:28):
no matter how cloudy and gray it is here in
the Burg.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
What a reload that was, Max, Because I heard Jerry
when he is it really that time again?
Speaker 7 (17:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Exactly?
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Really Welf heard that when West called me, Yeah exactly.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
It's like, yep, okay, is this really Thursday? Yep, it's Thursday?
Is that time of the week? And I could have
used the cool breeze on Sunday?
Speaker 5 (17:54):
Jerry.
Speaker 6 (17:54):
I know it might be cloudy today, but it was.
It was not cloudy or chili you know.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
I was. I was like where is the fall at?
I was like, why are we still in summer? I
was like, are we still on Latrobe right now? It was.
It was a very toasty one out there on Sunday. Matt.
Speaker 7 (18:10):
I will tell you. I will tell you I was
looking at my phone last night at ten fifteen, So
seven to fifteen your time, and it said one hundred degrees.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Yes, one eleven to day. Wow is the high today?
Speaker 7 (18:23):
Yeah, I believeeah. And then what if you how many
straight days, like if you had over one hundred?
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Uh, well we the record was consecutive. We had like
one hundred and three straight days, and.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Then that's what I mean consecutive day.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Yeah, yeah, consecutive was one hundred and three.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
Oh man, it was. It was ridiculous. It was ridiculous.
So so yeah, so now now we we're now back
there and hopefully we break this one so it doesn't
become a record again.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Can you imagine the first people into Phoenix how many
centuries ago, and going, you know, it's going to be
a great talent someday. You know, we're gonna after the
invent air conditioning, this place is really going.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
To take off.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
The guy that had like a block strap to his
head of.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Ice, Well that's what that's what I say about the settlers.
When they're going west, they get to Denver, they see
those rocky mountains, they go, ah, that's okay, we've gone
for we'll just settle here. And Denver was born there
you go that.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Makes sense to me, Like, ah, I can't go any further.
I can't go higher, I can't go higher.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
That's okay, this looks like a good spot. Let's just
pitch our tents here.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Well, Jared, you know obviously, you know, as we get
ready for this, I mean, you know, we talk about
the three and oh start Steelers defense now being ranked
the number one team defense. You know, the opponent Indianapolis Colts,
third straight year going to India in the regular season,
how about that?
Speaker 7 (19:55):
And I'm there all the time for the combine. I've
been going there for years. Max, I know you been
going here the last couple however, Man, it's been. But yeah,
I say, I spend a lot of time in Indy.
But you know what I like Downtown Indy. I've always
said it is the It is the greatest big event
venue that there is in the United States because that
eight block grid, everything's right there, including the stadium. All
(20:18):
the people were there, whether it's a Super Bowl, whether
it's a Final four, and I've been there for several
Final fours, and it's just a it's just a great
big event venue city. And plus I like a couple
of the restaurants there too.
Speaker 6 (20:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, don't don't forget.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
I know you haven't been there, but it's an annual
stop for me, and it will be Saturday night. I
Arie is a little dumpy Italian place. It's just wonderful.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Tell I once at at Saint Almo's, I had four
shrimp cocktails with the wolf.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
With you.
Speaker 7 (20:53):
I was wolf. I was with you the first time
you were there. That's because you got that shrimp. You
got that shrimp. There are about twenty of us. You
got that shrimp and you dipped it and you took
a bite like you were taking a bite out of
regular shrimp, and that horse shot sauce went up through
your nose and you were like.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Whoa, whoa.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I remember that you were laughing at me because of
my face.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
I was beat red wolf.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
One of my neighbors is going there actually in Friday,
and they have a reservation and they are going there
for the first time. And I told them, I said,
I'm just telling you, when you get the shrimp cocktail,
just take a little nip at first. You just not
take a big bite. Just take a little nip because
that horse radish sauce is gonna.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Light you up.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Oh yeah, and it's not subtle either. It is not subtle.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Well when that horse radishits the nostrils, it's it's like yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
But you know, as we kind of look at this opponent,
now obviously we know you know you have you got
another change there. We did not get to see Anthony
Richardson a year ago. It was Gardner Minshew and now
it's officially the Anthony Richardson era for the Colts, a
former first round pick from a year ago. And you know,
(22:09):
this team has some injuries, has some major injuries, the
longest defensive line. But I look at this team and
I say the strength of this has to be their
run game. For this that has not changed. Jonathan Taylor
is actually very healthy this year as opposed to last year.
And you know, there's not a lot you can glean
from last season and kind of looking at the first
three games of the season, you know, very up and
(22:32):
down with the quarterback play. I mean, what do you
see from them as and what have you heard just
kind of as they're scouting and breaking down this this
Colts team that they're about to face on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Well, well, one thing don't forget they spanked the Steelers
pretty good last year, and it wasn't exactly like they
you know, in Week fifteen, I think it was, and
it's not exactly like they were a dominant football team.
They finished nine to eight, But that was a game
that Mitch Trubisky started and eventually led to Mason Rudolph
starting the last three games and basically saving the Steelers season.
(23:05):
You know, they were seven and seven after that loss
and not looking very good, not looking very promising, and
Mason Mason got him into the postseason. I will say this,
I think this is a great matchup for the Steelers
because one because of a young, inexperienced quarterback who's basically
a rookie. Let's face it, he's only had a handful
(23:26):
start so far in his career because of the injury
last year.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
So it's you're.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Looking at a at a young inexperienced quarterback, and you're
looking at a running back who I think is terrific.
I love them coming out of college, coming out of Wisconsin.
I love that the scouts said, oh, he had too
much wear and tear on him from how many carries
he had in college. Yeah, he looks doesn't he look
like a guy who said too much wear and tear.
When he's been healthy. I mean, he leads the league
in rushing. But I think what's encouraging here is how
(23:55):
well the Steelers have defensed the run. You're talking Vjon
Robinson and you're talking at JK. Dobbins and and you're
talking who am I leaving out here Denver?
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, Javonte Williams and yeah, or they.
Speaker 7 (24:15):
Just shut down. They just shut down. Yeah, they just
shut down the running game. And so but with those
two backs, they shut down V Jon Robinson, you know,
and JK. Dobbins, and what you saw just like what
we saw in Atlanta. They ran that the zone scheme
to the left about four or five times with success,
and then after that Steelers adjusted. That was basically it.
(24:35):
We saw JK. Dobbins have some success, you know, the
first series or two, and then they pretty much shut
that down as well. And so I think that's what's
encouraging about there, this defense. So now you've got Jonathan Taylor,
but as well as they've been defending the run, and
to me, that's been the achilles heel of this defense.
That's what's prevented them from being a top tier, maybe
(24:56):
elite defense, but stopping the run has been the key
to how they're playing and defensively, and so I think,
you know, based on that, I just think this is
I think this is a very good matchup for the Steelers.
I know Anthony Richardson he leaves the league with five
passes of forty yards or longer. And Alec Pierce has
gotten behind the defense a couple of times, but that
(25:19):
was in the opener. It hasn't happened since, so, you know,
I think teams, you know, they catch on, they watch
for it, and I think the Steelers will beyond guard
for it. I just think it's a good matchup for
him because their defense isn't very good.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Oh either, Yeah, I think they've got problems, especially when
Buckner's out too, because I thought he was the most
lethal guy in that front defensive front end of that defense.
He is a guy that just could be problematic. But
Jerry wanted to ask you about Mason McCormick. I thought
it very interesting he gets to start at the jumbo tackle,
tight end whatever you want to call it. Also played
(25:52):
some guard he had about I think it was around
twenty five reps total between the two. Right, If that's
the over under, what do you think over or under?
Speaker 7 (26:02):
Yeah, I think pretty close to it. Obviously depends on
how many offensive snaps they have. But they want to
rotate him in and wolf. That's they wanted to get
him on the field, and and they got him on
the field, and now they want to get him on
the field more. It's not so much a knock against
Spencer Anderson as much as it is who's been who's
been fine. But they like this kid and they they
(26:24):
want to get him on the field while they can
because when Isaac Sayamalo comes back and I expect him
back next week, then you know he's going to go
back to the bench for now unless they bring him
in on that jumbo package. But this is a guy
you know that look there. This isn't a college program
where they're already looking ahead the next year, but you know,
(26:45):
more than likely they know what's going to happen, that
Dan Moore is going to be gone and they're going
to let James Daniels go to because they have these
young guys and and Mason McCormick's going to be that
guy that they feel is will be the starter next year.
At that position.
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Yeah, And I mean I think when we kind of
look at it, like, I felt like this was also
an opportunity to get Spencer kind of used to being
somewhere else or being off the field at the guard position,
to get Mason in and then allow him to kind
of be ready because I feel like, because of the
Troy injury, Spencer's going to end up being that swing
(27:24):
tackle guy for us once his duties are done, once
Isaac ciamalu Is is healthy again.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
And so it's like, well, once he.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Does switch to that swing tackle type guy, we need
to get somebody ready for the interior three. And I
felt like Mason was that because you're not going to
sub him out for Zak in a game. You're like, Okay,
of these three, who could I sub out? I could
sub Spencer to get Mason in there after gettinghim some
jumbo tight end stuff.
Speaker 7 (27:50):
Yeah, Max, And that's a good point. And that's exactly
what's going to happen because they because of the injury too. Futanum,
I will tell you this. You know, I told you
guys the other day he's going to miss the regular season.
They have a small, small hope that you know, he
could be ready for the postseason should they get that far,
(28:11):
of course, but that's not want to guarantee, nor is
he guarantee he will be ready. But they think that
that that time frame is possible, but they are not
expecting him to play. He's going to miss the rest
of the regular season with that knee injury, and that
that's unfortunate both for him and for them.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Has there been any more info about Jared I'm sorry
Alex Heismith's groin injury and.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
Yeah, well today, Well they expect him to miss about
three games, including this one, and so you know, it's
easy to say. And and fortunately they have a kuy
like Nick Herbig, who is a disruptor. You know, we
we have seen that, and so that's the positive of
having a player like that, you know, being able to
(28:59):
replace high Smith. The downside is no knock against her Big.
But what Alex Heigsmith does best, and he does it
better than even TJ. Watt, is he sets that edge
on the run defense. This was a guy who was
a defensive end in college and he is very good
at that. He's very good against the run and that's
what they're going to miss. You know, Nick Herbig doesn't
have the size and girth that high Smith does. You know,
(29:24):
he's more of an up to speed up the field guy.
But that's so we'll see how much that might affect
their run defense. But that's what he does best, and
that's what that's what they're really going to miss with
Alex Heismith.
Speaker 6 (29:37):
Yeah, no, it's it's gonna it's gonna be a miss
on that. I mean, you know, looking at the Demarvin
Lee aal effect. Right, He's going to have to slide
out and be able to play more multiple positions because,
like you said, you know, we have we have a
lot of other guys that are that are outside linebacking
pass rushing types. So you know, and then I was
(29:58):
looking at this the other day. We didn't really we
didn't realize this earlier, Jerry, but I didn't realize you
can only have eight on the short term designated to
return ir and we already have eight.
Speaker 7 (30:13):
Yeah, yeah, right, I mean you look at it, yeah,
And I mean you look at the you know, the
forty nine Ers, look at look at the injuries they have.
But you look at the Steelers, they already have three
guys who have a season ending injuries that you know,
Nate Herbig, the punter, Cam Johnston and now Fatanu and
then you have a bunch of other guys on the
(30:33):
designated for return uh list. Uh, you know, I'll be
honest with you, Max, I didn't know it was limited
to eight as well. I thought it was to a
degree somewhat you know, unlimited. But you know, Corey Trice
is now on there and that's gonna hurt them. And
what they'll do there is James Pierre will be they
just signed last week, will be the guy who's going
(30:56):
to fill in for him. Uh. You know, Darius Russia
is there, but they feel that James Pierre, even though
they've just brought him back, has played more in this
defense and is more familiar with it, and so he
will be the guy that they will use more. And
it's a shame too. It's a shame for on several fronts.
For Corey Trice because of what happened last year, missing
the entire season. He battles his way back and they
(31:19):
really like him. He'd you know, he'd become the third
corner and he's played well and then he has you know,
he will he will be back. But obviously that's a
severe hamstring injury. When they put you on, I r
that's a pretty good tear. Excuse me. And hopefully, hopefully,
you know, it'll just be four games and then he'll
he'll be able to come back.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
And we definitely put to rest the need for Mike
Tomlin to declare somebody QB one.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
No never no never, Well, that'll never rest never never
never right, that'll that'll keep going on. But but but
what I have been told is that, uh, you know,
Russ is going to practice more this week and he
was going to miss this week's game. I was told
this after the game on Sunday that he wasn't going
to play this week. But he's you know, Mike Tomlin,
(32:09):
you talked about him not being medically cleared, and we
didn't know that he wasn't medically cleared. The least they
never said, is what I'm saying, And they're not going
to say he is medically cleared. I doubt it, but
he is healthy enough to play. But they but they
still just want to be careful because that injury recurred
(32:30):
when there were no symptoms. He looked fine and then
it recurred. It's not the first time, he said you know,
it'd be different if he just injured it, but that
it recurred when there were no symptoms is what has
caused the alarm for them. And I think we'll be
looking at next week, and you know we've talked about
this fellas. What will constitute making that change will be
(32:51):
several factors, and part of it will be, you know,
how well the offense is performing, how well justin Fields
is performing. But as long as they're winning, I don't
think he's going to change. And why should and.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Why should he exactly? You know, it's interesting you point
out a very good thing. The calf showed no symptoms,
he was asymptomatic. When when that occurred, And you know
that's the problem with hammies. You know, hamstrings are like you,
You don't know your hamstring is completely healed until you
go full bore basically and find out. And for us,
that's a similar thing. And that's a soft tissue area
(33:24):
the calf, just like it is the hamstrings. It's what
I could refer to as the hamhocks, which are all
the backside of muscles of your starting that your keyster
and low back and running down to your your achilles.
But the fact that that's interesting that you pointed that out,
because yeah, he did not have any symptoms.
Speaker 7 (33:42):
Yeah, and and you know and at age thirty six,
well he'll be thirty six in November, I believe you know.
That's you know how injuries are, the little little takes
a little longer to heal the older you get. And
but so all those things factor in there. But he
is I've been told he is hell healthy enough to play.
(34:02):
But you know, again, I I don't, you know, I'm
not going to quantify what healthy is to play, whether
he could go in there. I'm curious to see. Now
today's practice will you'll get a better idea. And that's
what I've been told, you know, see what you know,
We'll see what happens in practice. If he is doing
(34:23):
more like second team, then maybe he's not the emergency quarterback.
Maybe he's the backup quarterback. I don't know that, but
I think today's practice will will dictate and show what
is going to transpire on Sunday in terms of whether
he's the emergency third or the number two.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Yeah, now that that we're we're and we're going to
be anxiously waiting to hear that reporting. Jerry because I know,
you know, for us, you know, you want to you
want to see what the hype was about, right, you
want to see. And we got a little small preview,
you know, really in Detroit game to really get a
feel for Russ and what Russ could do. And you
(35:06):
know when you name the starter, there's intrigued behind that, right,
because we saw a lot more justin fields, and we
didn't see as much of Russ and you're like, well,
Russ must be doing something tremendous that we don't know about.
Speaker 7 (35:20):
Good, you know, Max, I went I went back last
night and I was looking at the number of big
plays forty yard passes by Russell Wilson going. I think
I went back to like twenty seventeen. Now I haven't
totaled all the others, but I can tell you he
had double digit passes of forty or more yards every
(35:44):
year since then. And if I totaled him up relative
to every other quarterback in the league, I don't know
that he would be one, but he would be in
either one, two or three. And my point is Russell
Wilson has always been a big play guy, you know,
with those rain passes he would throw, and so that's
something that he would bring to an offense, the ability
(36:07):
to make big plays and and you know, look, I
mean he's not a nine time Pro Bowl quarterback for nothing,
and so I think that's what he will be able
to bring. Then, look, there's a lot of factors he
can bring to this offense. Let's face it, he's Russell Wilson.
The only question is, you know, is he still the
same guy. But that has been his history and right
(36:28):
up until last year, those big play passes, and that's
what he can add to this offense. And with all
due respect to Justin Field's look, I'm not knocking him.
I'm just saying this is what Russell Wilson does, you.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Know, And again that's something to consider, you know that,
And the fact that, like I've talked about, you know,
rus rush for thirty eight for his downs last year
in Denver, his ability to maintain drives is still something
that you know, It's not as big as the big plays,
but it links drives together and continues we get some rhythm.
So if he's not able to do that, then you know,
(37:01):
obviously you want to leave somebody like a Justin who's
got capabilities of running the ball too, you continue forward. Look,
I think you're you hit it on the head when
you said look, as long as he wins, and he
does so, not turning the ball over and putting that
ball in jeopardy such as what he's doing now. He
even cut back on his time that from snap to throw.
I mean, he was up over three and now he's
(37:23):
down around the mid almost two and a half second
mark in this last game. That's that's substantial in my mind.
Speaker 7 (37:30):
Yeah, I agree, Wolf. And you know we heard Mike
Tomlins say the other day, you know, he's doing everything
we ask him to do, and they have found no
fault with Look the bar, let's face it, the bar
was set low with Justin Fields. I love these national
quote experts and analysts who are raving about Justin Fields.
(37:54):
They're the same people who were bashing him in March
and April that he's no good.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
You know, he's not.
Speaker 7 (38:00):
It's the trouble, he's not worth a draft pick. You know,
he's sitting out there. And they said, yeah, there's a
reason why those same people now are throwing bouquets at
him because the bar was.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Set so low.
Speaker 7 (38:11):
And and I get to you know, I got a
kick out of that. I know, I know you guys
got to go, so you can let me go with
ease and I won't be offended very much.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
The cool breez needs to get out. Hey, thank you.
Speaker 5 (38:26):
Down the road.
Speaker 7 (38:26):
You're so perceptive. It's not a loom time and I
gotta go.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Boys.
Speaker 6 (38:31):
Yes, absolutely well, we appreciate the time Jerry, And once
again Jerry is brought to us. Bye Bud, Like the
official partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be back with
more here inside the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 5 (39:03):
Ju is in.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
The Locker Room, presented by Ford and brought to you
by acro Sure, the official insurance and cybersecurity partner of
the Pittsburgh Steelers, by BET MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Oh yeah, it's that time of day when we're going
to increase our vote, Cab.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
You know half.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
The Wolfly word of.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
The day to increase your vocabulary is decussing. Yes, decussing.
It works as either a verb or an adjective. It
can describe things shaped like an X, or can refer
to the action or the crossing the Latin dicussis dicussitis
means divided crosswise. How about that right? I mean you
could use it like in Okay, the main road in
(40:04):
the railroad tracks meeting a decusset intersection east of downtown,
or I want a wallpaper pattern that has decussating stripes,
well to use it in woofly world. How about my
old line coach, Raleigh dodge Man. He'd be decussating me
when I missed a block.
Speaker 6 (40:26):
And here here I was thinking it was going to
be something like, you know, before I get on the show,
I have to make sure I get all those words
out so I don't so I'm decussating myself before I
talk to other people.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
It works, It works.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
That was all.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
That was all just a setup for Wolf to make
that hup.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
It was, it was, it was, It was I.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Think we just got played next, No, we did.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Do you think I'm actually going to come across from
something that makes sense?
Speaker 6 (40:53):
He's like, I was hoping for, you know, something that
was meaningful that was going to unlock the inner knowledge
within my my my my brain cells.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
And nope, nope, nope. He researched the word just so
he could get a cheap joke out of it.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
Oh like you're above that, you.
Speaker 5 (41:11):
Ma, I'm not. I'm not.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
I'm I'm just I'm just mad that I actually rose
my expectations. That's what I'm mad about, because I was like,
I knew, I knew where this was going. Once he
said the word, I was like, oh, I know what
this is going, you know, because we talked about him
finding something new as coach had never seen before.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Rally was the original guy. This is the guy that
was John John Mitchell was brought into the league with Uh.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Rally was just the toughest nails, old school guy. And
if he hated a guy, you didn't block him. He
hated you.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I mean, it's so mad at you.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
It's like going, hey, all right, you know I might
have screwed up, okay, but I mean it's it's not
worthy of just ballistically tearing me apart. I remember touch
one that I'm up a train again. I've said this before.
You know, I got hurt on a on a trap.
Raley said, you deserve to be hurt. I mean, come on, man.
Speaker 6 (42:09):
Yeah, see yeah, He's like he's like he's like, I
hope you really are hurt, and I hope, I hope
it's a long term one. I hope they put you
on IR for this one because it looked that bad.
You know, It's like coach, I hope for the best.
He's the one that just predicts the worst.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Raleigh Dodge, right, we were playing Cleveland and he could
not stand this linebacker from Cleveland, and the linebacker was
given to a lot of history onics and cheering and
so forth.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
So I was on the short that was a short
yardage guard. I'd come in a guard. Ray Penny would
go out to tackle when I was a rookie, right, yeah,
much like Mason. Okay, So so I pull on on
a thirty eight pg O where both guards are pulling,
and up until almost the day of the game, rally
would remind me, don't let that guy run through on
the front side. All right, I'm the backside guard and pulling,
(42:59):
uh you know, the front sid don't let him run through.
And I got out there, man, I I pulled really quick.
I got out in front and out of the corner
of my eyes, I passed that that area where the
guy can run through the B gap over there. I
see something flash behind me, and I know without a
doubt that the run through just happened, you know, and
(43:20):
then sure enough blow the whistle boom was for a loss.
Raleigh met me almost at the numbers, screaming at me, Oh,
it's bad because it was that guy, that cheerleader, and
he rally was just tearing me up.
Speaker 5 (43:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
But that's the way it was back in the day.
Speaker 6 (43:40):
We've all we've all been there, wolf there, and I
can tell you that Larry's airline definitely, definitely was.
Speaker 5 (43:47):
It was cut from a similar cloth. I was gonna say.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
He reminded me of Rally zero.
Speaker 5 (43:52):
Yes, yeah, very much so.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
And you know, and ze, god forbid you mess up
a technique that he actually saw from the side. He
would be out there, I mean, and dog cussing you
from the from the moment you touched off the chalk,
all the way to sitting down and probably the first
two plays of whatever whatever the defense is doing, it was,
(44:16):
it was. It was straight in your face. And let's
just say he was not decussating when he was speaking
to me.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
He was not decussating.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
See, he spared no words. He spared no words.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Or feelings or nerve endings, you know, what I mean
those oh man.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
That can be Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
You know, it was funny because Raley the only one
he wouldn't touch was basically John Colb I'm sorry, Mike Webster,
you know. Actually it was Webby, Colby and Larry Brown,
you know, the rest of us we were all.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
I mean it was to the point where one time,
because we didn't wear numbers on our practice jerseys, and
Tounch was not playing center, and and he he thought
that touch was playing center and it was really Mike
Webster and Mike messed up to play, which.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
Was very rare.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
But Raleigh was killing tonch Wright. And Tounch is sitting
in the room as we're sitting in the mining room
watching the film, and he's tapping Mike. He keeps tapping,
going say something, say something, you know, it's not me.
And Webby you just looked at him and kept smiling
and laughing, you know. And then and then finally, after
about sixty seconds of just total haranguement, right, Webby goes, hey, Rally,
(45:31):
that's me, and Rally goes oh, and he that's the player.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
Run.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
That's just way it was back in the day.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
You know, when you were a young guy you were
the lowest form of life on the on the totem pole,
you know what I mean, It's just the way it was.
Speaker 6 (45:47):
Yeah, I mean, but but I mean, but but but
that's also that also just goes to show you have
to earn your way up the hierarchy, right, you earn
your way up the food chain, and once once you've
gathered enough cachet, then you moved to that untouchable zone.
But until you hit that untouchable zone, you you are,
you are, You were in the crosshairs and some of them.
Speaker 5 (46:11):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I'll say.
Speaker 6 (46:12):
Yeah, I mean, like I can say that I never
really got there.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
So well, so yeah, well we were on the all
alternate team, you know.
Speaker 5 (46:21):
I mean that's what we were.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
We were alternate Pro Bowlers, all all alternate, you know, guys.
Speaker 5 (46:27):
That they look forward to, uh win it down you know.
Speaker 6 (46:31):
Yeah, yeah, we could go down low enough that we
could use Max and Craig, But did we really want
to go all right, they'll.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
Just be alternates exactly. But I'll say this, it was
a ride. We had a lot of fun. So all right,
that's a wrap on the first hour. Max is up
with the second hour because you know what's coming up,
the power hours coming up with max after this,
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by acro Shure, the official insurance and
cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Max, I gotta do this, okay.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I got a quote here from Mike Tomlin, all right,
from the other day, and it says I'm gonna keep
challenging those two. And he's referring to Dante Jackson. And
was it Deshaun Elliott, Joey port I'm sorry, Joey Portager,
thank you, Wes. So he says, I'm gonna keep challenging
those two. One's young and the other one's little, and
(00:59):
so I like challenging them.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I don't know where they get that little stuff from.
I ain't been little since I was in diapers. But
if you know, if it get coach going, is all
good with me.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
I ain't chipping about it.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Oh, yes, you know you got I ain't little. I
ain't been little since I've been in diapers. I thought
that was a great quote. I thought it was hilarious
that Dante Jackson Action Jackson, if you will, has made
a great impact in his short time here. And I
have to tell you, I just found that very amusing.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Wesson.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I have been laughing here, giggling and going wait till
Max gets a hold of this.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
Oh my goodness. I mean, yeah, let's listen.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
Comparatives to most of the people in the world, I
do consider everybody a little but you know, you know.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
It's just it's you know, it's a vision thing. It's
a vision thing. That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
When you look at the tops of heads most of
the time.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Yeah, you know, it's just.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
When I can when when I can see things before
you do. You know what I'm saying, like weather, you know,
like rain's gonna hit me first before it hits you.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
You know. That's how I kind of gave it.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Oh yeah, you know what I mean. I just thought
it was a great quote, like Mike.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
You know, Mike was just the fact is he's talking
about challenging these guys and the fact that they're young
and uh but bo when he said little, it was.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
A little Yeah, it was like kind of little diapers.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
I don't get that little stuff from yeah, I don't
know to get that little stuff from.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
My father in law was a coal miner, but he
used to have this saying, right, he'd say, you know,
when you throw a rock in a pack of wolves
and and one of them, it hits one of them,
and that one yelps, you know which one you hit, right,
So when you throw a little little quote like that,
and somebody who's got a little little probably being called little.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I don't know where to get that little stuff from.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Yeah, the way that little stuff from, that's a complex
right there. That's a complex. Max. What was the last
time you were called little?
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Uh? Yeah? Uh?
Speaker 6 (03:14):
But you know, yeah, I take that back. You don't
you know I got called little ones what I was
when I was when I when I was a ball
boy at one of my jobs, right that was a
ball boy for the for the Orlando Magic. That's where
I got referred to as little amongst like grown NBA players.
And and then like true Rollinson was also one of
(03:38):
the ball boys with me. So his son and his
son was just like his dad, like he's all legs,
you know, tall as all get out.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
So I was shorter than him of the two ball boys.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
So yeah, so that was the last time I was
called I was probably about yeah, I had Hey, the
child labor laws have changed drastically, But now I'm probably
like fourteen, fourteen years old. Yeah, the last time I
got called like little, like a comparative sense.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But now you can understand though, see, you know, when
you put it into context and from that exactly Okay,
now I get it.
Speaker 6 (04:17):
Yeah, compared to Corey Trice and Joey Porter, Julia Dante
Jackson might be considered the little one of the group.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Right, Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
I don't know where they get that little stuff from.
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's so funny. Was I played on an offensive line
of little guys. You know, in the Chuck Nole trapping era,
they we didn't have anybody over six three.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Chuck felt that you had to have leverage, you had
to be able to run, you had to be able
to get leverage, get under and up, and that was
all part of you know, when you had a six
to six guy, they couldn't get under and get that leverage,
is what he thought, you know, And I mean I understand,
but you see how the game has grown and everything else.
But the fact was we were all like, you know,
(05:00):
five midgets.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
You know, yeah, I mean, you know, hey, listen, you're
still tall than the average people.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
You could still call other people.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Little wolf When we're around six three, you can still
call there's a the average height, right's six foot or
five eleven five eleven from males, five to nine for women,
So technically you're above average. So that means at least
fifty percent of the population you could refer to as little.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Well.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
You know, the funny part is if you look amongst
the wolfly males. All right, my brother Ronnie, Ronnie's right
around six foot maybe you know, but my brother Dale
was over six foot. We were both like six one,
six one and a half something like that. Yeah, And
my mom said, as far back as she knew, there
was no woolfly males over six foot, you know, I mean,
it's just kind of funny, you know, we we maxed
(05:53):
out our height. That's that's exactly what happened, That's right.
But you picked up on your aggression level, rah when
you're little. You know, when you're little, you got.
Speaker 6 (06:03):
To you know, yeah, you're not you're more like little
you know what I'm saying, Like like little Jordan Humphrey.
We saw in in uh in Denver. You know, you
don't you'll have to spell out all the letters. You get,
you get to save some of those, you get to
you get to use a little abbreviated version because you're
not little, because you're above average height.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Well, the problem is is that when you when you
get finished going north and south, you only got east
and west to go. So that's you know it kind
of maximize words. Yeah, out going north. Now it's the
east and west. I gotta stop it. You know, That's
just the way it is. Brother, Okay, get into the game,
(06:45):
my friend.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
One of the things I was just mulling over was
I was looking at the Colts and offensively they're this,
defensively that and all that. So I'm just kind of
mulling over. And one of the big things in my
mind that is going to be absolutely huge this weekend
is the time of possession.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I mean, it really is.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I Mean, when you look at it, the Steelers are
number two in time of possession, just under thirty four minutes.
They'll call it thirty four minutes. But the Colts are
number thirty two in time of possession. Shoot, they're not
even bagging twenty five minutes a game. They're running the
fewest plays offensively in the NFL. And the best part
is with fifty right. But the Steelers opponents, the guys
(07:26):
at their offense is they're running the fewest plays per
game two against our defense. So it tells you something
right there that if you can, you can have the
opportunity to be able to roll these chains and get
her going here in Indie.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I really like our chances. I really like our chances.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
No, I like them too, And I mean I think
when you kind of look at this opponent because they're
so streaky, you know, with that squad, you know, I
mean you know, as I look at especially defensively, like
going up against their offense, I mean, if you can,
if you can, if you can nail down Jonathan Taylor,
that that creates problems, that creates issues in the in
(08:09):
the machine. And then offensively, you know, the run game
is gonna be key for us to keep us on
on UH on schedule. And when you when you do that,
when you can marry that and use that play action,
because I mean, as I kind of look look through them,
you know, there's there's no big thing particularly that just
(08:31):
jumps out right. You know, there's there's like, oh my god,
you know, outside of Jonathan Taylor, I'm like, I don't
see anybody that you have to necessarily fear. But you
have to be aware of everything. I mean that that's
just this league. But there's no one man wrecking machine
that's going that's going to change the forces of the
team if you can't get him locked down. I think
(08:53):
if you're not locked in as a unit and you
take this game for granted, you take the opponent for granted,
that's when they that's when they could hurt you.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
But I mean, you know, defensively, I mean I'm not.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
Scared, So I think a lot of those elements, like
you said, as long as you stay on schedule, you
can be in a good position for this game, you know,
because I think about uh, I mean defensively, I look
at LA two lat too.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Yeah, I say that again, right, okay, lot to.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
U c l A. I've called it. I called it collegame.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I figured because you just rolled it off your tongue
like as smooth as all get out.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
While I was at home going.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
I watched him get four.
Speaker 6 (09:38):
I watched him get like what four sacks on on
Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
So, yeah, I saw some of his yeah, going after
him yesterday, and I get more today. But I got
to tell you something again, I told you I said
this yesterday. I couldn't believe Caleb Williams just turning even
the ball a couple of the things, even, Yeah, he
would look so disgusted, like, get rid of it, just
(10:04):
get rid of it, leave me.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Alone, plays over, you know one of those, Yeah, just
utter disgust like I can't I don't even get enough
time to get out of my break, and I gotta
get rid of this. But I mean, but but I mean,
but that also goes to show you that's where the
numbers can kind of be a little inflated because Chicago's
offensive line is so bad. Yeah, and it's like when
(10:28):
you look at their numbers, it's like it's skewed because
you had that, you had that type of opponent. And
I mean, and they were still in that game though,
I mean, as bad as it looked, they were still
in that game. So that just goes to show you
kind of the other side of the ball, right, is
that if you if you, if you, if you could
start to dull and slow them, you could take advantage
(10:49):
of them.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
On the other side, Now, I.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Will say this, you know, not having not having Brockers,
I think I think it is a.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Is a big deal. Sorry to Forrest Bucker. I would
get there. I always get them confused.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
Yeah, to Forrest Buckner, not having him and having him on,
I R. I think that's you know, definitely takes them down.
Definitely a couple of a couple. And then Uhcom was
that Samson Ebcom him being on.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
I mean those are your two.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
Those are really your two big game wrecerds defensively, so
not have not having those guys on on this line
makes them a lot less.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
It takes a little teeth out of it.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, takes a little teeth out
of the defense. And it's just don't take it for granted.
That that's the one thing I Am going to say again,
do not take them for granted. Absolutely not.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Anybody can get you at any moment if you let
your guard.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Down, There's no question about it. And you speak truthfully
and very well. Talking about Buckner too, I've been a
big fan of his, watching him come in the league
from Oregon. You know, just he was out San Francisco
and everywhere he's been, he's put in high quality play.
And he's one of those guys that I call a
shape shifter because he never gives you a clean chest
(12:09):
to punch, you know what I mean. See, in my day,
it was guys today will will punch to connect, and
you know, in my day was punched to redirect, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
It was.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
It was like a punch and release type of thing
rather than locking onto a guy, you know, because it
was it was a different era. So in that essence,
when you have somebody like a Buckner in there who
would not give you a clean shot at the chest,
you know, because he'd twist and turn stuff like that,
and his long limbs he could chop down your arms
and stuff that. That created problems for short guys like me.
(12:45):
You know, he would have been a real problem. I
would have been. I'd have been gnawing on his ankles
or something, you know, hanging on for life, listen, taking
a tackle.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Let me tell you, yeah, hey, listen, nothing nothing, nothing
wrong with that. Sometimes sometimes you get to drive the
bus and the other time you hold on, you know,
for dear life. I have and we all we've all
been there. We've all been there, like please got just stop? Okay, good?
Speaker 5 (13:18):
You know?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Oh man, you know what it was against the Colts. No,
it was Miami. I'm sorry. It was Miami defensive end.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
But I was cutting off on the backside and my
for whatever reason, the guy was like six seven and
here I am at six one and he's been over
and my face mask clicked on his shoulder pad on
the backside. It popped over the top and then he
starts running and I'm by my helmet, my face, my
(13:49):
chin strap.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Every day.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, I'm yelling stop, you're breaking my neck, you know,
I mean the guys he's running across the field. I'm like,
I'm like flopping right next to him, like punching him
at anything to get my face mask off his shoulder
pad that it was locked in there.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
It was crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You know how that one flap comes up a little
bit on the shoulder pad. Well, my face mask got
caught in there somehow. It was the most awkward situation
I've ever been in. But I remember, I remember, like yesterday,
just flopping hanging. I remember in the films, my coach
is going, well, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I've never seen that before.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh God, say that, Oh geez, yeah, that was It
was a little unusual for me.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
The first Yeah, that's the first year hanging by your
face mask off the shoulder the guy you're trying to block.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, that's I'm just gonna go and
say that's a bad day.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yes, that was.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Well, it turned out to be a good day because
neither us nor the Dolphins were going to the playoffs.
It was the last game in a December game. It
was the last game of season in December at three
Rivers and it was very cold, and the Miami boys
just want to get on the plane and go home,
you know, it was.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
It was that bad. And so the game was good.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
But that was a play that will always stand out
to me because just like my coach said, well, I've
never seen that before. Yeah, when you get an old
offensive line coach, it's been in the league years and
you can show them something new.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Wow, you're pretty good, huh.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
I mean, you know, you you've done something that very
few people can say.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Wolf, you have stumped the swami.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
There isn't that the truth?
Speaker 5 (15:36):
All Right?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
We got let's see, we got the cool breeze is
coming up next. So I think we're gonna break early
here and we're gonna head off. We're gonna get the
cool breeze roll in here. So that is the opening salvo.
Here in the locker room, you're listening to wolf Strucks
and the Ninjas and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by acro Sure, the official insurance and
Cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by bet MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Stark's.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
All right, we are back in the locker room.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
And as you can tell, that is the one, the only,
the cool breeze blowing into the locker room right now.
Somebody left the doors open and we'll welcome it in.
On a like a hot summer day. You want to
feel the cool breeze hits your face now, of course,
Jerry Dulac is brought to you, well, brought to us
(16:57):
by Bud Light, the official partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jerry,
how are we doing on this Thursday late morning?
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Well, fellas I am terrific. And you know when West
makes that call to me at ten twenty, it's kind
of like the alarm clock going off in a morning,
like oh, is it already time to get up? And
and but I look at it like, ugh, it's this
is this is the time I get to come on
with you two guys. And that's that just brightens my day,
(17:28):
no matter how cloudy and gray it is here in
the Burg.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
What a reload that was, Max, Because I heard Jerry
when he is it really that time again?
Speaker 7 (17:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Exactly?
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Really Welf heard that when West called me, Yeah exactly.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
It's like, yep, okay, is this really Thursday? Yep, it's Thursday?
Is that time of the week? And I could have
used the cool breeze on Sunday?
Speaker 5 (17:54):
Jerry.
Speaker 6 (17:54):
I know it might be cloudy today, but it was.
It was not cloudy or chili you know.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
I was. I was like where is the fall at?
I was like, why are we still in summer? I
was like, are we still on Latrobe right now? It was.
It was a very toasty one out there on Sunday. Matt.
Speaker 7 (18:10):
I will tell you. I will tell you I was
looking at my phone last night at ten fifteen, So
seven to fifteen your time, and it said one hundred degrees.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Yes, one eleven to day. Wow is the high today?
Speaker 7 (18:23):
Yeah, I believeeah. And then what if you how many
straight days, like if you had over one hundred?
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Uh, well we the record was consecutive. We had like
one hundred and three straight days, and.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Then that's what I mean consecutive day.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Yeah, yeah, consecutive was one hundred and three.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
Oh man, it was. It was ridiculous. It was ridiculous.
So so yeah, so now now we we're now back
there and hopefully we break this one so it doesn't
become a record again.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Can you imagine the first people into Phoenix how many
centuries ago, and going, you know, it's going to be
a great talent someday. You know, we're gonna after the
invent air conditioning, this place is really going.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
To take off.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
The guy that had like a block strap to his
head of.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Ice, Well that's what that's what I say about the settlers.
When they're going west, they get to Denver, they see
those rocky mountains, they go, ah, that's okay, we've gone
for we'll just settle here. And Denver was born there
you go that.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Makes sense to me, Like, ah, I can't go any further.
I can't go higher, I can't go higher.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
That's okay, this looks like a good spot. Let's just
pitch our tents here.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
Well, Jared, you know obviously, you know, as we get
ready for this, I mean, you know, we talk about
the three and oh start Steelers defense now being ranked
the number one team defense. You know, the opponent Indianapolis Colts,
third straight year going to India in the regular season,
how about that?
Speaker 7 (19:55):
And I'm there all the time for the combine. I've
been going there for years. Max, I know you been
going here the last couple however, Man, it's been. But yeah,
I say, I spend a lot of time in Indy.
But you know what I like Downtown Indy. I've always
said it is the It is the greatest big event
venue that there is in the United States because that
eight block grid, everything's right there, including the stadium. All
(20:18):
the people were there, whether it's a Super Bowl, whether
it's a Final four, and I've been there for several
Final fours, and it's just a it's just a great
big event venue city. And plus I like a couple
of the restaurants there too.
Speaker 6 (20:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, don't don't forget.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
I know you haven't been there, but it's an annual
stop for me, and it will be Saturday night. I
Arie is a little dumpy Italian place. It's just wonderful.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Tell I once at at Saint Almo's, I had four
shrimp cocktails with the wolf.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
With you.
Speaker 7 (20:53):
I was wolf. I was with you the first time
you were there. That's because you got that shrimp. You
got that shrimp. There are about twenty of us. You
got that shrimp and you dipped it and you took
a bite like you were taking a bite out of
regular shrimp, and that horse shot sauce went up through
your nose and you were like.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Whoa, whoa.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I remember that you were laughing at me because of
my face.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
I was beat red wolf.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
One of my neighbors is going there actually in Friday,
and they have a reservation and they are going there
for the first time. And I told them, I said,
I'm just telling you, when you get the shrimp cocktail,
just take a little nip at first. You just not
take a big bite. Just take a little nip because
that horse radish sauce is gonna.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Light you up.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Oh yeah, and it's not subtle either. It is not subtle.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Well when that horse radishits the nostrils, it's it's like yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
But you know, as we kind of look at this opponent,
now obviously we know you know you have you got
another change there. We did not get to see Anthony
Richardson a year ago. It was Gardner Minshew and now
it's officially the Anthony Richardson era for the Colts, a
former first round pick from a year ago. And you know,
(22:09):
this team has some injuries, has some major injuries, the
longest defensive line. But I look at this team and
I say the strength of this has to be their
run game. For this that has not changed. Jonathan Taylor
is actually very healthy this year as opposed to last year.
And you know, there's not a lot you can glean
from last season and kind of looking at the first
three games of the season, you know, very up and
(22:32):
down with the quarterback play. I mean, what do you
see from them as and what have you heard just
kind of as they're scouting and breaking down this this
Colts team that they're about to face on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Well, well, one thing don't forget they spanked the Steelers
pretty good last year, and it wasn't exactly like they
you know, in Week fifteen, I think it was, and
it's not exactly like they were a dominant football team.
They finished nine to eight, But that was a game
that Mitch Trubisky started and eventually led to Mason Rudolph
starting the last three games and basically saving the Steelers season.
(23:05):
You know, they were seven and seven after that loss
and not looking very good, not looking very promising, and
Mason Mason got him into the postseason. I will say this,
I think this is a great matchup for the Steelers
because one because of a young, inexperienced quarterback who's basically
a rookie. Let's face it, he's only had a handful
(23:26):
start so far in his career because of the injury
last year.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
So it's you're.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Looking at a at a young inexperienced quarterback, and you're
looking at a running back who I think is terrific.
I love them coming out of college, coming out of Wisconsin.
I love that the scouts said, oh, he had too
much wear and tear on him from how many carries
he had in college. Yeah, he looks doesn't he look
like a guy who said too much wear and tear.
When he's been healthy. I mean, he leads the league
in rushing. But I think what's encouraging here is how
(23:55):
well the Steelers have defensed the run. You're talking Vjon
Robinson and you're talking at JK. Dobbins and and you're
talking who am I leaving out here Denver?
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, Javonte Williams and yeah, or they.
Speaker 7 (24:15):
Just shut down. They just shut down. Yeah, they just
shut down the running game. And so but with those
two backs, they shut down V Jon Robinson, you know,
and JK. Dobbins, and what you saw just like what
we saw in Atlanta. They ran that the zone scheme
to the left about four or five times with success,
and then after that Steelers adjusted. That was basically it.
(24:35):
We saw JK. Dobbins have some success, you know, the
first series or two, and then they pretty much shut
that down as well. And so I think that's what's
encouraging about there, this defense. So now you've got Jonathan Taylor,
but as well as they've been defending the run, and
to me, that's been the achilles heel of this defense.
That's what's prevented them from being a top tier, maybe
(24:56):
elite defense, but stopping the run has been the key
to how they're playing and defensively, and so I think,
you know, based on that, I just think this is
I think this is a very good matchup for the Steelers.
I know Anthony Richardson he leaves the league with five
passes of forty yards or longer. And Alec Pierce has
gotten behind the defense a couple of times, but that
(25:19):
was in the opener. It hasn't happened since, so, you know,
I think teams, you know, they catch on, they watch
for it, and I think the Steelers will beyond guard
for it. I just think it's a good matchup for
him because their defense isn't very good.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Oh either, Yeah, I think they've got problems, especially when
Buckner's out too, because I thought he was the most
lethal guy in that front defensive front end of that defense.
He is a guy that just could be problematic. But
Jerry wanted to ask you about Mason McCormick. I thought
it very interesting he gets to start at the jumbo tackle,
tight end whatever you want to call it. Also played
(25:52):
some guard he had about I think it was around
twenty five reps total between the two. Right, If that's
the over under, what do you think over or under?
Speaker 7 (26:02):
Yeah, I think pretty close to it. Obviously depends on
how many offensive snaps they have. But they want to
rotate him in and wolf. That's they wanted to get
him on the field, and and they got him on
the field, and now they want to get him on
the field more. It's not so much a knock against
Spencer Anderson as much as it is who's been who's
been fine. But they like this kid and they they
(26:24):
want to get him on the field while they can
because when Isaac Sayamalo comes back and I expect him
back next week, then you know he's going to go
back to the bench for now unless they bring him
in on that jumbo package. But this is a guy
you know that look there. This isn't a college program
where they're already looking ahead the next year, but you know,
(26:45):
more than likely they know what's going to happen, that
Dan Moore is going to be gone and they're going
to let James Daniels go to because they have these
young guys and and Mason McCormick's going to be that
guy that they feel is will be the starter next year.
At that position.
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Yeah, And I mean I think when we kind of
look at it, like, I felt like this was also
an opportunity to get Spencer kind of used to being
somewhere else or being off the field at the guard position,
to get Mason in and then allow him to kind
of be ready because I feel like, because of the
Troy injury, Spencer's going to end up being that swing
(27:24):
tackle guy for us once his duties are done, once
Isaac ciamalu Is is healthy again.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
And so it's like, well, once he.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Does switch to that swing tackle type guy, we need
to get somebody ready for the interior three. And I
felt like Mason was that because you're not going to
sub him out for Zak in a game. You're like, Okay,
of these three, who could I sub out? I could
sub Spencer to get Mason in there after gettinghim some
jumbo tight end stuff.
Speaker 7 (27:50):
Yeah, Max, And that's a good point. And that's exactly
what's going to happen because they because of the injury too. Futanum,
I will tell you this. You know, I told you
guys the other day he's going to miss the regular season.
They have a small, small hope that you know, he
could be ready for the postseason should they get that far,
(28:11):
of course, but that's not want to guarantee, nor is
he guarantee he will be ready. But they think that
that that time frame is possible, but they are not
expecting him to play. He's going to miss the rest
of the regular season with that knee injury, and that
that's unfortunate both for him and for them.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Has there been any more info about Jared I'm sorry
Alex Heismith's groin injury and.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
Yeah, well today, Well they expect him to miss about
three games, including this one, and so you know, it's
easy to say. And and fortunately they have a kuy
like Nick Herbig, who is a disruptor. You know, we
we have seen that, and so that's the positive of
having a player like that, you know, being able to
(28:59):
replace high Smith. The downside is no knock against her Big.
But what Alex Heigsmith does best, and he does it
better than even TJ. Watt, is he sets that edge
on the run defense. This was a guy who was
a defensive end in college and he is very good
at that. He's very good against the run and that's
what they're going to miss. You know, Nick Herbig doesn't
have the size and girth that high Smith does. You know,
(29:24):
he's more of an up to speed up the field guy.
But that's so we'll see how much that might affect
their run defense. But that's what he does best, and
that's what that's what they're really going to miss with
Alex Heismith.
Speaker 6 (29:37):
Yeah, no, it's it's gonna it's gonna be a miss
on that. I mean, you know, looking at the Demarvin
Lee aal effect. Right, He's going to have to slide
out and be able to play more multiple positions because,
like you said, you know, we have we have a
lot of other guys that are that are outside linebacking
pass rushing types. So you know, and then I was
(29:58):
looking at this the other day. We didn't really we
didn't realize this earlier, Jerry, but I didn't realize you
can only have eight on the short term designated to
return ir and we already have eight.
Speaker 7 (30:13):
Yeah, yeah, right, I mean you look at it, yeah,
And I mean you look at the you know, the
forty nine Ers, look at look at the injuries they have.
But you look at the Steelers, they already have three
guys who have a season ending injuries that you know,
Nate Herbig, the punter, Cam Johnston and now Fatanu and
then you have a bunch of other guys on the
(30:33):
designated for return uh list. Uh, you know, I'll be
honest with you, Max, I didn't know it was limited
to eight as well. I thought it was to a
degree somewhat you know, unlimited. But you know, Corey Trice
is now on there and that's gonna hurt them. And
what they'll do there is James Pierre will be they
just signed last week, will be the guy who's going
(30:56):
to fill in for him. Uh. You know, Darius Russia
is there, but they feel that James Pierre, even though
they've just brought him back, has played more in this
defense and is more familiar with it, and so he
will be the guy that they will use more. And
it's a shame too. It's a shame for on several fronts.
For Corey Trice because of what happened last year, missing
the entire season. He battles his way back and they
(31:19):
really like him. He'd you know, he'd become the third
corner and he's played well and then he has you know,
he will he will be back. But obviously that's a
severe hamstring injury. When they put you on, I r
that's a pretty good tear. Excuse me. And hopefully, hopefully,
you know, it'll just be four games and then he'll
he'll be able to come back.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
And we definitely put to rest the need for Mike
Tomlin to declare somebody QB one.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
No never no never, Well, that'll never rest never never
never right, that'll that'll keep going on. But but but
what I have been told is that, uh, you know,
Russ is going to practice more this week and he
was going to miss this week's game. I was told
this after the game on Sunday that he wasn't going
to play this week. But he's you know, Mike Tomlin,
(32:09):
you talked about him not being medically cleared, and we
didn't know that he wasn't medically cleared. The least they
never said, is what I'm saying, And they're not going
to say he is medically cleared. I doubt it, but
he is healthy enough to play. But they but they
still just want to be careful because that injury recurred
(32:30):
when there were no symptoms. He looked fine and then
it recurred. It's not the first time, he said you know,
it'd be different if he just injured it, but that
it recurred when there were no symptoms is what has
caused the alarm for them. And I think we'll be
looking at next week, and you know we've talked about
this fellas. What will constitute making that change will be
(32:51):
several factors, and part of it will be, you know,
how well the offense is performing, how well justin Fields
is performing. But as long as they're winning, I don't
think he's going to change. And why should and.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Why should he exactly? You know, it's interesting you point
out a very good thing. The calf showed no symptoms,
he was asymptomatic. When when that occurred, And you know
that's the problem with hammies. You know, hamstrings are like you,
You don't know your hamstring is completely healed until you
go full bore basically and find out. And for us,
that's a similar thing. And that's a soft tissue area
(33:24):
the calf, just like it is the hamstrings. It's what
I could refer to as the hamhocks, which are all
the backside of muscles of your starting that your keyster
and low back and running down to your your achilles.
But the fact that that's interesting that you pointed that out,
because yeah, he did not have any symptoms.
Speaker 7 (33:42):
Yeah, and and you know and at age thirty six,
well he'll be thirty six in November, I believe you know.
That's you know how injuries are, the little little takes
a little longer to heal the older you get. And
but so all those things factor in there. But he
is I've been told he is hell healthy enough to play.
(34:02):
But you know, again, I I don't, you know, I'm
not going to quantify what healthy is to play, whether
he could go in there. I'm curious to see. Now
today's practice will you'll get a better idea. And that's
what I've been told, you know, see what you know,
We'll see what happens in practice. If he is doing
(34:23):
more like second team, then maybe he's not the emergency quarterback.
Maybe he's the backup quarterback. I don't know that, but
I think today's practice will will dictate and show what
is going to transpire on Sunday in terms of whether
he's the emergency third or the number two.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Yeah, now that that we're we're and we're going to
be anxiously waiting to hear that reporting. Jerry because I know,
you know, for us, you know, you want to you
want to see what the hype was about, right, you
want to see. And we got a little small preview,
you know, really in Detroit game to really get a
feel for Russ and what Russ could do. And you
(35:06):
know when you name the starter, there's intrigued behind that, right,
because we saw a lot more justin fields, and we
didn't see as much of Russ and you're like, well,
Russ must be doing something tremendous that we don't know about.
Speaker 7 (35:20):
Good, you know, Max, I went I went back last
night and I was looking at the number of big
plays forty yard passes by Russell Wilson going. I think
I went back to like twenty seventeen. Now I haven't
totaled all the others, but I can tell you he
had double digit passes of forty or more yards every
(35:44):
year since then. And if I totaled him up relative
to every other quarterback in the league, I don't know
that he would be one, but he would be in
either one, two or three. And my point is Russell
Wilson has always been a big play guy, you know,
with those rain passes he would throw, and so that's
something that he would bring to an offense, the ability
(36:07):
to make big plays and and you know, look, I
mean he's not a nine time Pro Bowl quarterback for nothing,
and so I think that's what he will be able
to bring. Then, look, there's a lot of factors he
can bring to this offense. Let's face it, he's Russell Wilson.
The only question is, you know, is he still the
same guy. But that has been his history and right
(36:28):
up until last year, those big play passes, and that's
what he can add to this offense. And with all
due respect to Justin Field's look, I'm not knocking him.
I'm just saying this is what Russell Wilson does, you.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Know, And again that's something to consider, you know that,
And the fact that, like I've talked about, you know,
rus rush for thirty eight for his downs last year
in Denver, his ability to maintain drives is still something
that you know, It's not as big as the big plays,
but it links drives together and continues we get some rhythm.
So if he's not able to do that, then you know,
(37:01):
obviously you want to leave somebody like a Justin who's
got capabilities of running the ball too, you continue forward. Look,
I think you're you hit it on the head when
you said look, as long as he wins, and he
does so, not turning the ball over and putting that
ball in jeopardy such as what he's doing now. He
even cut back on his time that from snap to throw.
I mean, he was up over three and now he's
(37:23):
down around the mid almost two and a half second
mark in this last game. That's that's substantial in my mind.
Speaker 7 (37:30):
Yeah, I agree, Wolf. And you know we heard Mike
Tomlins say the other day, you know, he's doing everything
we ask him to do, and they have found no
fault with Look the bar, let's face it, the bar
was set low with Justin Fields. I love these national
quote experts and analysts who are raving about Justin Fields.
(37:54):
They're the same people who were bashing him in March
and April that he's no good.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
You know, he's not.
Speaker 7 (38:00):
It's the trouble, he's not worth a draft pick. You know,
he's sitting out there. And they said, yeah, there's a
reason why those same people now are throwing bouquets at
him because the bar was.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Set so low.
Speaker 7 (38:11):
And and I get to you know, I got a
kick out of that. I know, I know you guys
got to go, so you can let me go with
ease and I won't be offended very much.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
The cool breez needs to get out. Hey, thank you.
Speaker 5 (38:26):
Down the road.
Speaker 7 (38:26):
You're so perceptive. It's not a loom time and I
gotta go.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Boys.
Speaker 6 (38:31):
Yes, absolutely well, we appreciate the time Jerry, And once
again Jerry is brought to us. Bye Bud, Like the
official partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be back with
more here inside the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 5 (39:03):
Ju is in.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
The Locker Room, presented by Ford and brought to you
by acro Sure, the official insurance and cybersecurity partner of
the Pittsburgh Steelers, by BET MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Oh yeah, it's that time of day when we're going
to increase our vote, Cab.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
You know half.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
The Wolfly word of.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
The day to increase your vocabulary is decussing. Yes, decussing.
It works as either a verb or an adjective. It
can describe things shaped like an X, or can refer
to the action or the crossing the Latin dicussis dicussitis
means divided crosswise. How about that right? I mean you
could use it like in Okay, the main road in
(40:04):
the railroad tracks meeting a decusset intersection east of downtown,
or I want a wallpaper pattern that has decussating stripes,
well to use it in woofly world. How about my
old line coach, Raleigh dodge Man. He'd be decussating me
when I missed a block.
Speaker 6 (40:26):
And here here I was thinking it was going to
be something like, you know, before I get on the show,
I have to make sure I get all those words
out so I don't so I'm decussating myself before I
talk to other people.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
It works, It works.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
That was all.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
That was all just a setup for Wolf to make
that hup.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
It was, it was, it was, It was I.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Think we just got played next, No, we did.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Do you think I'm actually going to come across from
something that makes sense?
Speaker 6 (40:53):
He's like, I was hoping for, you know, something that
was meaningful that was going to unlock the inner knowledge
within my my my my brain cells.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
And nope, nope, nope. He researched the word just so
he could get a cheap joke out of it.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
Oh like you're above that, you.
Speaker 5 (41:11):
Ma, I'm not. I'm not.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
I'm I'm just I'm just mad that I actually rose
my expectations. That's what I'm mad about, because I was like,
I knew, I knew where this was going. Once he
said the word, I was like, oh, I know what
this is going, you know, because we talked about him
finding something new as coach had never seen before.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Rally was the original guy. This is the guy that
was John John Mitchell was brought into the league with Uh.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Rally was just the toughest nails, old school guy. And
if he hated a guy, you didn't block him. He
hated you.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I mean, it's so mad at you.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
It's like going, hey, all right, you know I might
have screwed up, okay, but I mean it's it's not
worthy of just ballistically tearing me apart. I remember touch
one that I'm up a train again. I've said this before.
You know, I got hurt on a on a trap.
Raley said, you deserve to be hurt. I mean, come on, man.
Speaker 6 (42:09):
Yeah, see yeah, He's like he's like he's like, I
hope you really are hurt, and I hope, I hope
it's a long term one. I hope they put you
on IR for this one because it looked that bad.
You know, It's like coach, I hope for the best.
He's the one that just predicts the worst.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Raleigh Dodge, right, we were playing Cleveland and he could
not stand this linebacker from Cleveland, and the linebacker was
given to a lot of history onics and cheering and
so forth.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
So I was on the short that was a short
yardage guard. I'd come in a guard. Ray Penny would
go out to tackle when I was a rookie, right, yeah,
much like Mason. Okay, So so I pull on on
a thirty eight pg O where both guards are pulling,
and up until almost the day of the game, rally
would remind me, don't let that guy run through on
the front side. All right, I'm the backside guard and pulling,
(42:59):
uh you know, the front sid don't let him run through.
And I got out there, man, I I pulled really quick.
I got out in front and out of the corner
of my eyes, I passed that that area where the
guy can run through the B gap over there. I
see something flash behind me, and I know without a
doubt that the run through just happened, you know, and
(43:20):
then sure enough blow the whistle boom was for a loss.
Raleigh met me almost at the numbers, screaming at me, Oh,
it's bad because it was that guy, that cheerleader, and
he rally was just tearing me up.
Speaker 5 (43:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
But that's the way it was back in the day.
Speaker 6 (43:40):
We've all we've all been there, wolf there, and I
can tell you that Larry's airline definitely, definitely was.
Speaker 5 (43:47):
It was cut from a similar cloth. I was gonna say.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
He reminded me of Rally zero.
Speaker 5 (43:52):
Yes, yeah, very much so.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
And you know, and ze, god forbid you mess up
a technique that he actually saw from the side. He
would be out there, I mean, and dog cussing you
from the from the moment you touched off the chalk,
all the way to sitting down and probably the first
two plays of whatever whatever the defense is doing, it was,
(44:16):
it was. It was straight in your face. And let's
just say he was not decussating when he was speaking
to me.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
He was not decussating.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
See, he spared no words. He spared no words.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Or feelings or nerve endings, you know, what I mean
those oh man.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
That can be Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
You know, it was funny because Raley the only one
he wouldn't touch was basically John Colb I'm sorry, Mike Webster,
you know. Actually it was Webby, Colby and Larry Brown,
you know, the rest of us we were all.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
I mean it was to the point where one time,
because we didn't wear numbers on our practice jerseys, and
Tounch was not playing center, and and he he thought
that touch was playing center and it was really Mike
Webster and Mike messed up to play, which.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
Was very rare.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
But Raleigh was killing tonch Wright. And Tounch is sitting
in the room as we're sitting in the mining room
watching the film, and he's tapping Mike. He keeps tapping,
going say something, say something, you know, it's not me.
And Webby you just looked at him and kept smiling
and laughing, you know. And then and then finally, after
about sixty seconds of just total haranguement, right, Webby goes, hey, Rally,
(45:31):
that's me, and Rally goes oh, and he that's the player.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
Run.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
That's just way it was back in the day.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
You know, when you were a young guy you were
the lowest form of life on the on the totem pole,
you know what I mean, It's just the way it was.
Speaker 6 (45:47):
Yeah, I mean, but but I mean, but but but
that's also that also just goes to show you have
to earn your way up the hierarchy, right, you earn
your way up the food chain, and once once you've
gathered enough cachet, then you moved to that untouchable zone.
But until you hit that untouchable zone, you you are,
you are, You were in the crosshairs and some of them.
Speaker 5 (46:11):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I'll say.
Speaker 6 (46:12):
Yeah, I mean, like I can say that I never
really got there.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
So well, so yeah, well we were on the all
alternate team, you know.
Speaker 5 (46:21):
I mean that's what we were.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
We were alternate Pro Bowlers, all all alternate, you know, guys.
Speaker 5 (46:27):
That they look forward to, uh win it down you know.
Speaker 6 (46:31):
Yeah, yeah, we could go down low enough that we
could use Max and Craig, But did we really want
to go all right, they'll.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
Just be alternates exactly. But I'll say this, it was
a ride. We had a lot of fun. So all right,
that's a wrap on the first hour. Max is up
with the second hour because you know what's coming up,
the power hours coming up with max after this,
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