January 14, 2025 • 54 mins
Steel City Insider Jim Wexell joins the guys to discuss the end of the season and the playoff loss.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
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 Bett MGM, Huntington Bank,
p n C, PEPSI, and by FedEx. Where now meets next?
Now here's Craig Wolfley and Max Stark's.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
All right, we got the Power Hour coming at you
live and just like you, all good things Optimist comes
on through at least for next week. We shall see
how much longer it can it can last for good
old Optimists. Uh. You know, he he you know, he's
(00:52):
got a he's got a Walmart run, you know, to
make you know, those guys last until the end of
the day. Uh or you know, they have a day,
they have day routes. We'll see if we see if
we can get him to go a little bit longer.
But you know, as we kind of look at this,
most importantly, we got we got a little wex time.
We've got a little wex time coming up with us.
And of course the man the myth, the author himself,
(01:13):
Jim Wexel, joining us live on the line as he
does every week. Of course, you know, we have we
have now that new Tuesday schedule with him, which we love. Jim, Jim,
how are we doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Hey? Minco Was that a train or was that Derrick Henry?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh Lo brook soon man too soon? Mine too soon?
But yes, that was that was That was a pretty
bad Uh, that was a pretty bad one there. Uh,
you know, step.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Got to answer. Someone's got to answer to Derrick Henry.
The disinterest the secondary added tackling him, and NNCA would
not answer the questions. So I don't know, I thought
it was a pretty good joke.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Uh yeah, I know, but like I said, you know,
the wound is still fresh. You know that that that's
the only kind of kind of negative about it. But
I mean you're absolutely right. I mean, this was one
where you look at it you're just like, gosh, this
is this is rough. This is a rough, this is
a rough. Go at it. And I mean, you know,
(02:26):
like you said, some guys weren't ready to tackle Derrick Henry.
They didn't understand what what what what what? Two trains
one track means I guess they thought they could sidestep it,
and there's no substitute for it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
There were two trains and many tracks with Lamar too.
You know, I don't understand the game plan of going
after sending TJ after Garrick Henry on that read option
it used to be, and how they got into Lamar
(03:00):
head to begin with, they would hit Lamar whether he
had the ball or not. But if you're close enough
and he fakes it, boom, hit him, hit him again.
And you could see he was wobbling in what the
third quarter from being hit elsewhere on the field. But
I don't understand, you know, Dick wibo one set of
Larry Fitzgerald going into Super Bowl, it's like Michael Jordan's.
(03:24):
You just want to hold him to forty. Don't let
him get sixty, and you know, Derick Henry is going
to get his. Their game plan of targeting Lamar in
the second game this year allowed Henry to get what
one sixty, he's going to get hit, He's going to
get his. They thought that was too much, so they
(03:47):
changed their game plan apparently what it looked like to me,
And so you know, he got his forty and Lamar
got his forty two. That's only the first time.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Yeah, there was a difference in the way they attacked
the mesh point in the handoff and all those things.
And you know, again, who can say you know? I mean,
it's just like I didn't quite understand it either. But
at the same time, you know what, you got some
other performances. Let me ask you this. One of the
one of the themes we've been going uh wex is
(04:21):
was there any positives that you've seen in this game
over the season?
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Any any thoughts like that.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
We've kind of a little bit because everybody's everybody's feeling
kind of the negative spirit and stuff like that, but
there was still a lot of positives throughout this season.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And yeah, I do. I do. I mean because I
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I agree with you. But see, I think that's too soon,
But I'm with you. I'll play along. I think you
have to purge your demons first, and I'm not for
firing the coach, so I'm not going that far. I okay,
I think some of the just I'll be with you
in a second, well, but some of the explained negatives
(05:03):
have to be part of purging the demons of blaming
it all on the head coach. Okay, I think I
think one of the good things I think Corey Trice
showed us in Cincinnati in the Cincinnati game, that he's
a willing pressman cover guy that will be a nice
pairing with Joey Porter and is willing to tackle. And
(05:26):
I thought the unwillingness of Dante Jackson, whether it was
his back, I mean to go along with whatever problems
Minko was having. And you know, Joey's not the greatest tackler,
but he's he's showing an increased willingness and he's physical.
But I like Corey Trice and I think he could
be the answer next year at that cornerback spot, and
(05:49):
that's an important that's an important position like the second
receiver position. But anyway, so those are my complaints about
the defensive game plan.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
And I know.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Only only a guy like me who has no job
at stake can play an inexperienced seventh round draft pick
over the return to health of the leading interceptor. I
know why coach has played Dante Jackson instead of Corey Trice.
I get that, but that was my take in it.
(06:23):
It's I think there's a positive there being that Corey
Trice and I know you guys have been high on
him since he had that big pick early in the year. Okay, well,
if you want me to get off the negatives.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
All right, we're just accentuating some of the positives.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Now you can do what you want.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
No, I'm with you. I'm with you. And there were
positives and getting to ten and three, no doubt. And
I like Bob Labriola's line in the in his asked
and answer this morning on Steelers dot Com that he
has a strong hunch that appearing on Hard Knocks had
something to do with that heavily backloaded schedule and that
(07:11):
had something to do with the collapse. I think, I think,
and I agree with that. I was thinking that same thought.
The positives. You know, the young offensive line got a
full year under their belt. I don't think any of
us believed it would truly coalesce into a dominating unit
(07:34):
in the first year. And I think Zach Fraser showed
that he is the legit newest addition to that center
legacy that's gonna that's been a great tradition. So that
and Roderick Jones improved, although that one play where he
(07:54):
and Dan Moore pulled in opposite directions at the same time,
it is kind of curious.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
That's the problem with having film, you know, Yeah, exactly.
That's the scoo I call it the Scooby Do play.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
The amazing thing is, and I was talking about this yesterday.
I'll just quickly reiterated, played Cleveland three four defense cross
key in the backs because we had two backs in
the backfield, and Terry Long and I pulled into each other.
I mean I pulled to my right, he pulled to
his left, and we hit like two freight trains, literally
two trains, one track. But the beauty was the inside
(08:39):
linebackers for the Browns were cross keying, so they turned
and ran into each other and fell down and Franco
ran for like ten.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yards in the middle.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
It was rather humorous and Chuck afterwards when I thought
Chuck was gonna rip me in the meetings, and he said,
we got to put that play.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
In Scooby Do.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah. Yeah, that's one of those where you see it,
it's like you're like, and here's the thing, I We've
all we've all been there, right wolf, Like you know
you have that play and in your mind, you you are,
you are locked in like man, I cannot wait, like
for me as a tackle, like you as a guard.
You got to pull a lot more but the tackle,
you know, that tackle trap is that that that's that's
(09:23):
like the past or dervs, Like when you see one
the first time, you're supposed to get it because you
don't know when it's gonna come back around. You know,
it's like, oh man, that Beef Wellington. I want to
try that, and so I'm gonna I'm gonna grabbed two
of them.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
So you're like, man, I.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Can't wait for this, all right, I've been waiting for
this play all day, all my life. And then you pull.
You're like it was the wrong direction. Oh my god,
I'm about to run straight into my own teammate. I
can't move, he can't boom, He's like deer in headlights.
And then boom. And then you're like, they're never gonna
call this play again. I just lost my one shot.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
At least at least you got to be swelling and.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Exactly as much as you might like it, you'll never
try it again. And that's what they did. I'll never forget.
We ran a when I was playing an extra tight
end with Ben, and so we ran that. We ran
this one where I kind of ran It was supposed
to be a pick route, but we called it a
rub route where I run like a little seven yard
hitch right and Hines comes right behind me as as
(10:26):
as I'm kind of turning to come back in the
hitch supposed to mimic you know, quote unquote, not knowing
the defensive back is in trail right if it's man coverage.
So we run it in practice, and I ran the
hitch and I was right there and Ben just fires
one straight at my chest, right right between the seven
and eight, and I'm thinking I'm a decoy. He throws it.
(10:48):
It bounces straight off my chest plate. Before I could
even get my hands up to pretend like I was
going to catch. Boom, hits me in the chest. He says, well, Max,
you're a decoy forever.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Now.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
I'm like, no, come back to me. I swear I'll
make it right right there, tackle trap and then and
then my little hitch rout on the on the short
yards and goal line. Never get those again. That was
my two beef. Wellington's gave me a shot and I
(11:21):
fumbled it. I should have asked for the napkin.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Uh Well, speaking of you running a hitch rout, let
me know what you guys, and I may have asked
you this. I'm sorry before, but the way I see
the offensive line taking shape is that Dan Moore leaves
in free agency. I think, uh and it's not that
(11:44):
big of a leap of faith that Roderick will be
moved to left tackle. Fautano, who won the right tackle
job to begin the season and who told me that
he prefers right tackle because he's right handed. That uh
fi Tano will move ABROADERI joneson left side and Dan will.
(12:06):
They don't bring back starters to make them depth pieces.
They did it with Bettish, they did on very rare occasions.
They historically don't like to do that unless Dan, you know,
they need you need a third tackle always. I just
see Dan leaving a free agency and Broader going to
(12:31):
the left side now too, to take up the slack
for that lost third guy. Could could they move Darnel
Washington to tackle and therefore and then if he wins
a job is very impressive, which I don't believe can
happen this quickly. It took Villanueva a little time to
(12:53):
master tackle when he moved from wide receiver and tight
end the defensive line and all those positions he played.
I just I've watched Darnell in the in the passing game,
and he looks like Al looked in the passing game,
and possibly like Max looked practice that day. So but
(13:22):
I just think he can become a massive tackle and
make a lot of more money than he can as
a blocking tight end, and still, as he doesn't win
that starting job, be used as you know, the third
tight end, the second tight end, the third tackle, whichever,
(13:44):
and be eligible to go out for passes or if
he actually stuns everybody adds twenty pounds, which I don't
think that would be difficult for him to adds twenty pounds.
Oh I did ask you this well, because you're his
nutrition coordinator in adding twenty that's right. Yeah, if he
does win the job. If he does win the job,
(14:06):
then file Tonnel can be the right guard. Then you
can move McCormick to the left side, where he played
sixty six games in college and will probably feel more comfortable.
Whether you keep Seeamalo or not, then McCormick becomes your
top swing guy. Now you're packed at offensive line and
(14:27):
you're prepared for Seeamalo to move on. You're prepared with
a third tackle one stand more moves on. What do
you think of all that? Is that just a media
idiot talking again?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
No, I wouldn't say, I wouldn't say media idiot. I
mean I think, I think I think it is very
apropos you know, to have that opportunity. But like you said,
there's a there's a lot of a lot of moving
parts with that. That's the only thing I say is
that you know the moving parts aspect of it that
(15:01):
it's a lot of assumptions to be made, uh for
for those guys like you said, you know, how does
how how does Darnell take to that potentially if that's
if that's an option? Uh, you know, how does how? How?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
How does how do how do?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
How does Darnell uh play?
Speaker 3 (15:22):
You know?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Or not not Darnell?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I mean, how does Troy feel about going to guard?
That's another one that you have to ask, Hey, how
how's how's he going? How's he? How would he respond
to that? So, yeah, it's a lot of moving parts
to reconfigure.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, let me add this the the part about Darnell
Washington surprising us and winning that tackle job is I
think a dream. That's just best case. If you're asking
when when I say that people say, Okay, well in
(15:59):
two years, Darnel gets good what you can do. And
I think we've all seen follow Tana's move skills uh
and the fact that he could become Dave Dicastro alike.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
In my opinion, I think we all watch those move
skills in training camp. And I think on this show
we talked about him playing next to Broderick over there
on the right side. So that just is a possibility
for year two if if this move really works for Darnell.
But other the the other movements, you know, McCormick doesn't
(16:33):
have to go but move over to his more comfortable side.
But I think it would help him. Uh. And and
that would if they would have drafted guard again. You know,
I don't think they'll do that, So see them all
those stays, then McCormick has to stay at a more
uncomfortable right guard spot. I don't know that he needs comfort.
(16:59):
I don't know he's the fight, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I think about the thing about Mason, I think he is.
He looked comfortable certainly by the the how many starts
did he have?
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Like fifteen?
Speaker 4 (17:12):
About halfway through, he really looked like he was getting comfortable.
What was amazing to me, Wex. I talked to Troy
Fatonham before I got off the plane, just you know,
about the off season stuff like that, and I saw
I went and watched his game against Denver, because you
remember he got the starting job in Denver and then
got hurt and so forth. But you know what I
(17:32):
forgot how good he was. I mean just watching him,
watching his hands and his movement skills like you were
talking about. You know, he really looked good. And he
was playing against some guys that you know, were good
pass rushers. I mean, Denver had a hot pass rush.
Now they weren't exactly as on fire as they have
(17:52):
been throughout the whole year. But you know, it was
really amazing to watch him. And the other thing that
got me too, I forgot justin Field some of the
things he added one time that that the outside pass rusher,
Bonito came off the edge.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Now he's the end man on the line. For some reason,
he was unaccounted for.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
He comes off and instead of throwing the ball or
you know, just throwing away, justin Fields outran him around
the other side for.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
A first down. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Bonito couldn't catch him from behind, even though he was
within I would say five or six yards, five or
six steps, and and and Justin had to, you know,
accelerate out of the pocket. That was perfectly good except
for the unaccounted for Blitzer, the end man on the line.
And I couldn't believe how fast Justin took off and
got the first down.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
What do you think, Yeah, Justin is my guy to resign.
I love Russ, I do. I love all that positive positivity, right.
I love his vision I do. I don't think any
of that's fake. It's something I've aspired to myself and
have had great difficulty in reaching. He's the kind of
(19:07):
guy I like as a leader. However, he's going to
be thirty seven. They need, I think the most important
thing they need to do. I know everyone else thinks
it's changed coaches. I think the most important thing they
need to do is resign themselves to finding a young,
(19:33):
foundational quarterback. And I don't know even though that Fields
is it, but I think he's a good stop gap,
and he's got potential to be it. But he's a
good stop gap, a young guy until somebody comes along.
I know Russ wants to be here. I believe him
when he says that, and that could have been the
(19:54):
plan from day one. As Jerry Dulac has reported that
he'll be here next year. I just want to hear
Art Rooney the second resign the organization to finding that
foundational next foundational quarterback. They've tried, you know, they've tried
(20:15):
the third round pick. They've tried the Neil o'donald route
with Mason Rudolph didn't work. They tried the first round,
late first round approach with Kenny Pickett. They've marked Malone approach,
It did not work. They've tried the Great Leader of
Men approached, bringing in thirty six year old Russell Wilson
(20:35):
as they did with Bobby Lane back in the late fifties.
It did not work either, as it didn't work in
those other instances. You have to do something like what
Andy Reid did at Kansas City. Identify someone and move
up and you know, identify your man, don't don't misidentify
(20:58):
and move up like San Francisco it did and then
got lucky with Rock Party in the seventh round. But
there has to be someone in that organization who has
an eye for quarterbacks. I don't know. I don't know
if Mike Tomlin can or Camps. I'm unsure. I don't
know if he's ever been given the lattice dude to
(21:19):
go way up and really wreck some future drafts for
a guy they're certain of that they're in love with.
But that is the problem with the team in the
last one six seven playoff seasons. Uh, playoff less win
win seasons. It's been It's been older Ben after his
(21:44):
arm was blown up. It's been rookie Kenny Pickett, and
now it's been thirty six year old Russ. It's more
about the quarterbacking than it is the coaching, in my opinion. Okay,
let me have it, boy.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah. Uh, I mean that that there's a lot to digest.
Uh let's see, let's let's try and digest this. I think.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Let me add this before you get rolled, Max, let
me add this caveat. It doesn't have to be traded
up this year. It has to be a year where
you love a guy like Patrick Mahomes with with Andy
Reid if nothing else this year. I know everyone wants
wide receiver, but I think defensive line should draw their attention.
This is a deep defensive line draft detached the way
(22:38):
they got gutted and TAM's age. Yeah. Yeah, so anyway,
you can still build while working towards that young quarterback
finding that guy.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Go ahead, Yeah, so I think you know well to
attack that. Yeah, draft, I think defensive linement has to
be more of a priority. We we have we have
we have done the offensive line. We we've we've drafted
enough bodies. I think, you know, obviously you can always
add depth, but you can do that in later rounds because,
(23:10):
like you said, you have a starting five. Now it's
about building and also creating that future position. I mean,
don't forget. Also, there's a Spencer Anderson on this roster
as well, so you have a guy who's built in
that that that can swing at a lot of positions.
So if you do need a third tackle, guess what.
Spencer Anderson former left tackle from Maryland. He could be
a guy who could be your third tackle if you're
(23:31):
not willing to go you know, like you said, the
Darnel Washington route. I think you know, like you said,
for the quarterback, I love Justin too. I think Justin
will have more of a value, you know, as far
as all the things that you might want to address
in free agency. He might be the easier of the two,
you know, because, like you said, Russ at the age
where he's at, you know, what we saw late in
(23:53):
the year kind of transpire would give you a little
bit of buyer beware, you know. And I think you
know that we we did. We we've done some good,
splashy things in free agency to find some guys to
bring in to add and bolster and fill those gaps.
Think of the Dante Jackson Deontay Johnson trade last year,
Think of the j'john Elliott signing Patrick Queen. Right, we
(24:15):
went and we got foundational pieces that we can add
that were instant impacts and lasting impacts throughout the season.
From those aspects, now it's time to go splash and
go find some guys for the offensive side of the
ball in free agency. And I think the draft you
attack defense very primarily and early in this draft. Uh,
(24:36):
you know, another one is gonna have to be, you know,
running back. We're gonna have to address a running back position,
right Jalen Warren, you know, is the only one that
would be under contract. I can't remember. Does Cordo will
have one more year? Was he a one year deal.
Could not remember that. But okay, there we go. All right,
(24:56):
there we go. There's your thoughts. Yeah, but we you
need a running back, you know, and I think that's
something we have to go decide. Do you go veteran
behind Jalen Warren or do you are you going to
go find a guy to compete with him in the draft,
because like you said, running backs don't go early anymore.
They go a little bit later, and there's value in
day two and day three other raft. Look where we
(25:18):
found Jalen Warren? Right, So you can go find that
and address that later. But early in the draft, I
think it has to be a defensive emphasis, specifically on
the line. So I'm with you. I'm with you on
most of those things. But you know that that that's
the evaluation process. As we get further on, you know
that this is this is that time of year, right
wex is the business of football season. Football seasons ended,
(25:40):
but the business of football season is just beginning for
the Steelers and for a lot of other a lot
of other teams.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
That's uh, that's that's uh exactly right. And uh we're
already I know, I know, we don't want to encroach
too much in draft talk today. But boy, after that, uh,
after that line got gutted, you know, you have to
you have to play. You have to beat the Ravens,
and you're going to play them again twice next year,
(26:10):
maybe three times, so you have to have answers this time.
And I don't know what happened to Keanu Benton that
Montravius Adams I believe played more snaps. It should look
like it. And Montrevius Adams struggled out there. So if
the coaches deemed him better than Keanu, that makes me
(26:31):
a little nervous as Camp moves into his fiftieth year
on the field.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Golden Age, the Golden Age, Yeah, I think and.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Roberts were so huge. They they made me believe that
there was there was hard out there. I thought, I
don't believe that. What I don't believe what Herb Street
was saying that they have no interest. You know, maybe
there was some cornerbacks, but that's what cornerbacks do.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Here's the other things. If you would look at some
of the guys and I didn't know this, I didn't
know Pat Queen was all flewed up, you know what
I mean? Before the game, how sick.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
He was, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
And it was funny because I've been watching film over
the last couple of days and I was just thinking
to myself, well, he doesn't look himself.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
What in the world's going on? Da da da da
da da.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
And then suddenly I find out, oh, he's got the flu.
Well it makes perfect sense because you could see that
in Cam before too. But you take a look at
Cam and what he did. I was just so struck
by what he did, even getting his noggin nogainated and
have him to go see the noginologists and all that,
and you know, he could have checked out of that game,
(27:47):
and yet Captain Cam is standing at the end of
the day ten tackles, two tackles for lost man. That's salute,
you know, I mean, that's a tip of the cap
to a great guy.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
If he checked out anywhere, he checked out of that
tent and anagainator and told the noginator to leave them below.
Doctor Nagainator had no say, I don't know how that
all works, but Cam's that kind of guy, and he
showed that kind of fight, as did a land and Roberts. Roberts.
(28:20):
Maybe he didn't play perfectly, but you can't. You can't
question his will no, you know, uh TJ. You know
he was coming at the guy who didn't have the
ball with the highest speed. It's just a game plan
just didn't work for me. You know, I don't know.
(28:42):
Up the middle of their defense, defensive it's such a
small line they have. Now, there's a guy at Michigan
who's about three hundred and thirty pounds that fit, who's
a nose tackle d tackle type. That might be might
be an answer for him, but they need another answer
(29:04):
besides Cam up up in the middle, especially if they're
going to do that two defensive tackle, four man front.
You know, you've got your outside linebacker playing d n Yeah,
that's small enough. And speaking of nickel, they need a nickel.
I don't know. I mean, I like Beanie, I don't,
(29:26):
I don't. I don't know why Cam was playing more
than Beanie. But if beanie's the answer there, then so
be it. But if Cam's playing ahead of him for
a reason that we don't know about, that makes me
a little nervous. Uh So, yeah, those are my thoughts.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Right, Well, thank you, Well, I mean, I mean, we
just we just we just cured all the ills for
the twenty twenty five Steelers. We'll have to do this
more often. Next time, we'll grab coffee so that we
can keep everybody engaged and aware and feel like that,
you know, we gave you something in the process. So
we'll make sure we uh we send you a little
(30:07):
Starbucks gift card next time we do this pow wow.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
But uh, let's just meet it at Starbucks, have a
coffee talk and invite the whole crowd there.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
You know, there we go there, we go there too.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
That's true. They have cake pops. My daughters love the
cake pops. I like the Oreo Brownie person. Bring the kid, yeah,
bring the kid exactly, bring the We could make we
could make it a fun like an adult round table,
you know, with our family round table. Why not. And
we'll get CJ everybody.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
And since we've purged all our demons the first day
back from the show, we won't have demons anymore. It'll
be you know, gearing up for a nice uh draft
or something. Maybe maybe get us going on on that
draft excursion. Is that this year where we're going to
draft him in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Next year next year, So this year is in Green
Bay and then next year, we're in Pittsburgh, so that's okay.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So we warm up from Starbucks this year and we
show the company how well we can handle the coffee talk. Yeah,
we'll get a stadium gig. We'll get We'll go from
small theater to a stadium gig.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Hey we can. We also could go to Dunkin Donuts now,
I mean, if you want to get.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
I didn't see I didn't want to argue with you
guys about coffee, but donts.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Is Yeah, that's that's that's pretty good stuff.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
I hope you don't have a Starbucks account.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
No, I do not, and I don't have a Dunkin
Donuts because see out here, we're kind of we're a
little bit more rogue out in the west. So you know,
my donut shop is Rainbow Donuts out here, which is
a fantastic donut spot. They also have like really good
a really good cronut, uh you know, bacon maple on john.
(32:00):
I mean that's some really good ones, artisan raised donuts.
But any who, and we got Randy's Donuts out here now,
so so yeah, so a lot of good options. So
I haven't done the Duncan thing as much because we
have a lot of a lot of uh, you know,
my daughter's are donut connoisseurs, so they're very particular about
where where we peruse for confectionery delights. This pros is
(32:28):
killing me, just killing me, you know, I mean, sometimes
you gotta show up the vernacular just let people know
you're on your toes. But any who, we appreciate all
all your contributions this season seriously. Well obviously we'll find
out about, you know, if if we could utilize your
services through the end of the month or you know
(32:48):
when when the show, how how long it will be
extended for. But we appreciate everything that that that you've
done for us, and of course the sacrifice that it is.
We appreciate the time as always, and of course we
got to throw out there. You gotta go to Jim
Wexel dot com. You got the Steelers in Illustrated Timeline,
the most current published publishing of Jim Wexel, but he
(33:12):
has so many other great books also that he's authored.
You can go to Jim Wexell dot com to find
those and then of course steel City Insider dot com
for all your Steelers news insights of the current Steelers
not in historical perspective, even though this season is to
an end and it will go into the the the
the appendices of Steelers history, but still fresh commentary from
(33:37):
from WEX, and of course Wolf contributes on that as well.
Thank you so much, WEX. We appreciate the time as always.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Oh you're welcome, and thank you guys for having me
on so much. I love it, I love it. Take care.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
All right, we're gonna step aside. We will be back
with more. It's possession Arrow Wolf when we come back
here inside the Locker Room on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
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 Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
We've got we're gonna have a short segment here because
we've got the Bell Lapp coming up after and you know, Max,
one of the things that just is mystifying to me
has been kind of the play of Russ that was
so scintillating during the first you know, the first six
weeks or so that he was playing, and then the
(34:57):
last four or five and how you know, they were
such a big difference in you know, him throwing the ball.
I mean, you know, going from you know what he
was he was averaging like two hundred and thirty you know, uh,
sixty two percent completion rate and so forth, and then
dropping to a completion rate less than that.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
It's just it was wild. Oh here it is, okay.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
The first seven starts, Wilson completed sixty five percent of
his passes, averaged eight point four yards per attempt in
two hundred and fifty five yards per game. You know,
he threw twelve TD passes versus three i nts. Over
his last four games, his his completion rate only dropped
to sixty two percent, but he averaged five point seven
yards per attempt. The big drop in in averaging per
(35:45):
attempt is what gets me. We talked about this earlier,
but I still think I feel in my gut that
there was something more there that that we're missing about
that well.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And you know, I kind of kind of made a
little inference to this because I wasn't quite sure where
it would be. But you know, ball security, right, I mean,
was that was that? Was that a decree that kind
of came down from up top, like, hey, you know
you got you got to protect this ball a lot better,
(36:17):
right right? You know, I wonder I wonder if that changed,
and then therefore now he has it. Now he's holding
onto the ball a little bit longer. Now he has
a hitch, you know in his processing, you know, with
not throwing in the middle of the field, you know,
always looking for that hide or that quick little you know,
(36:38):
quick out to start the game and just try and
get him into a rhythm, right. You know, you wonder
if that kind of messed with the psyche of Russ
when you're not necessarily you know, the catchphrase for a
long time, let Russ cook, you know it was now
you know, I need you to microwave or crockpot this.
You know you used to open flame. Well you know,
(36:59):
we had a hot plate for you. You know, you
wonder if that if that had an effect on him,
and then that just permeating. He couldn't quite get out
of that funk, or defenses started taking away what what
what felt comfortable to him, and he didn't quite adjust
for it. I think that's one of the things that
you know, as we kind of dissect this and look
(37:20):
at it over the all season, you know, there's a
couple of those questions that have to be answered.
Speaker 4 (37:24):
You know, I think you're onto something though, you know,
I mean, that would make sense. And you know the
fact that he cut it loose in the playoff game,
maybe it's you know, no holds barred then you know,
locked the door and let her go, you know, I
mean that's it was a little bit there was a
difference in it. I mean you go to those three
big throws he had what in the second quarter and
(37:44):
third quarter whatever it was. You know, we threw the
ball to Van Jefferson, where he threw it down the
field to George Pickens, where he threw that crossing route
to Calvin Austin, who, by the way, Calvin Austin to me,
has been one of the nice, nice, unsung heroes of
this season. What a nice job he's done coming along.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yeah, No, I mean, he he's he's been excellent. And
I think that's where you're like, Okay, well we had
we have safely our number three option. Could that be
an expanded number two role. I don't know if he
necessarily has a height for that. I think you know,
we got Mike Williams kind of midway through the season,
(38:27):
would love to, you know, to explore what the potential
would be with a guy of his size, right, you know,
moving forward to pair him with with it, with it
with a George Pickens. But I mean, I feel like
there's something there now. I know that they're gonna make
an emphasis to go get an established number two, right
(38:48):
just because you've you've got to, You've got to. You've
got to get somebody to compliment George. I mean, when
you look at the rest of the division, right, you
think of the Jamar Chase and t Higgins combo, we're
not going to talk about Cleveland because Cleveland is a
whole mess. And then even when Baltimore, yes, exactly exactly
(39:10):
once again when is Brown flush it? But then even
for Baltimore like finding a z A Flowers and now
we're shot Bateman coming along, right, I mean, you got
two very good receivers that compliment themselves, and you pair
them with the two tight ends, Uh, you got formidable force.
So then you throw Derrick Henry back there, and it's like,
oh my gosh, Like, that's who you have to build
your team around. Is your division first, because you have
(39:34):
to get out of your division if you want to
get to the playoffs. And we prove that even when
you get out of your division to get into the playoffs,
you still got to see your division. So you know,
right now, the rabbit, you know, and this in this
four dollar race is Baltimore. So you have to build
your team to combat what Baltimore does well and make
(39:55):
sure that you have something better, you know, if not equal,
if not better to what Baltimore has. So now you
kind of start crafting. That's how these drafts and that's
how free agency goes. It's you weighed against, you know,
the teams that are in your division first because, as
Mike Tomlin has famously said and continually, you know, division
(40:15):
dominance precedes everything else. You've got to dominate your division.
And we did not dominate our division this year, so
hence why we were a wild card and then hence
why we got bounced by one of our opponents in
the first round. So it's gonna be very interesting to
see how they how they can figure that. But I
do love what Calvin Austin brought to the table because
and and man, he's tough. God, he's tough. Man, man,
(40:39):
I mean, you know, woodpecker lips toward a shell, kevlar, vibranium,
you know, just throw in any hard substance that's used
to protect vital organs and you know, an animal species
in the wild. I mean, he's all of those materials. Yeah, yeah,
he's just he's tough. But you're right, I love him,
(41:00):
but I think I love him as a three, as
a third option, as a slot guy, and like you said,
amazing returner. So I love the role that he's in.
I would like it a little bit expanded, but I
think it expands once you get somebody else on the
outside that takes that attention away, you know, and it.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
Keeps It makes me wonder to keep coming back. What's
keeping Mike Williams from being that number two?
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Well, I think because we didn't get as much and
we got a mid season right.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
Well yeah, fast, he still I mean think about it, Russ.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
You know what was the game when he threw the
touchdown pass to Mike Williams and he specifically won Washington, Washington. Okay,
what a tremendous call by Russ, Like you know what
I mean, that's the guy identify then deliver the rock
like he did. That was just so I just thought
there was going to be a takeoff from that and
we get some huge benefits later in the season with
(41:55):
Mike Williams and Russ collaborating on some catching.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, I thought so as well. I thought I thought
this is going to be, you know, an inundation of
him into the offense, like hey, this is welcome to
the team. Touchdown. Now we need to go ahead and
we need to go out there. We need to go
get some some bigger plays. But it just never quite
came to fruishing. But I think we could also say
that about a lot of guys. Yeah, you know, all
(42:20):
the offense side of the ball not quite getting you know,
opportunities that we thought were going to be there because
you look at I mean Pat, like we unloaded Pat.
But you know, I hate to say this, but where
did Connor Heywood go this season?
Speaker 4 (42:35):
That's true, that's true, But you know what else is true,
my friend, we got to go to break because we
got to make Ti lap and yeah, it is so
unfortunately for me, I got to take a break right now,
but fortunately for you cause you get the bell lap.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
So coming up now, you still have to be here,
still have to be here, though, don't leave because it's
not your second but I won't leave, and.
Speaker 5 (42:54):
I also have We had the Mike Tomlin press conference
at what twelve thirty?
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Okay, so going we're going to break Steelers audio network.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
This is in the locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by Akroshure, 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 2 (43:41):
Alright, it's the bell up, that's right. Early lunch warning
system comes straight at and of course remember the Mike
Talin press conference is at twelve thirty. Normally it comes
on at twelve noon at the top of the hour,
straight up and down. But it is going to come
(44:01):
today at twelve thirty, thirty minutes later for the final
press conference of the season for Mike Thomlin. Make sure
you stay tuned and wolf has to stay an extra
thirty minutes on top of what he normally had to
stay for his duties. So Wolf, that's also your reminder
to hold tight, bud, because you have, yeah, can't can't
(44:22):
can't can't jump the hot route here, can't jump in
and go here. So you know, we are definitely in
a position where, you know, as as we get ready
to hear kind of what Mike Tomlin has to say
about this season, it is strictly one of those that's
you find out stuff at the at the end of
(44:43):
the day, you know how how things reviewed.
Speaker 5 (44:48):
And how it goes.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
But you know, Wolf, just as we kind of put
a bow on kind of today and what all we've
talked about, it's just it's crazy to think, know it's
over with, right, I mean, the season, the season is done,
and and we're we're we're now guys are packing their bags,
(45:09):
right and we are now in a position where we
have to be, you know, we have to be talking
about what's the next steps? What are the next steps
for this team? And and what what what what do
we now do? You know, you know it's like you said,
saying goodbye to everybody, but at the same time, you
know it's it's gonna be hello to a new opportunity.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
No, no question about it. You know.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
I mean again, we're gonna put all the final uh
you know, Dott and the eyes crossing the t's as
we moved through this this last week here, whatever we
got left on the air, and you know, then you
start looking forward and it's you know again that the
one of the most mystifying things to me is how
you take a ten and three team with the same
(45:55):
guys and then you go through that gauntlet, which, hey,
it's a gauntlet, no doubt about it was a cheese
greater gauntlet.
Speaker 5 (46:02):
Took some flesh, you know, and left them bloody.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
But again, it's the same sort of guys that were
there that that just couldn't pull out of that tailspin.
And that's one of the significant things that I think
it has to be addressed and looked at. But again,
to me, it's totally mystifying, Max. I mean, they practiced
the same. It's not like things change and you know,
you or you lost you know, several of the most
(46:27):
important guys on the team. It just didn't happen. And
it just in my mind, I really have a hard
time wrapping my brain around that. And I think the
guys do too.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Yeah, I mean it's the toughest part to have to
figure out, like, man, what could have been, what what
what should have happened, and what ultimately did happen. Was
that we just you know, for whatever reason, the flat
the flatness was was flat and that and that's just
the best way of putting it, right, Yeah, there's no
(47:00):
doubt about it. Yeah, it never quite came to fruition.
And and you know, guys missed an opportunity. I mean,
you hate to say, you know, what could have happened,
you know, and you know it's like you'd rather say
well than sick them, right, I mean, but at the
same time, it was just I missed opportunity that that
(47:20):
was that was not had, and that was not that
was not taking advantage of that. That's the best way
of putting it.
Speaker 5 (47:26):
Yeah, there's no doubt. You know.
Speaker 4 (47:28):
I just felt like there was more, as Mike would say,
more meat on the bone for this team, but it
did not coals or lead itself to rearing its head
and saying, hey, we're gonna do it, We're gonna overcome.
Speaker 5 (47:41):
That five game loss.
Speaker 4 (47:42):
That stretch there was just it was it was just
a hard stomach and I think about it for the players,
because nobody suffers more than the players. You know, I
really believe that that that locker room is full of
guys that really care about it, and really care about
their performance, and really care about what they were contributing,
you know, and uh into the city of Pittsburgh, you know.
Speaker 5 (48:03):
Uh, you know again, I hear a TJ.
Speaker 4 (48:06):
Watt, you know when he talks about the fact that
I want to be here, you know, I mean, he
loves the city, loves the organization. I think that's awesome stuff.
And I hope that people give them some credence for
it and you know, get behind them and not you know,
just simply you don't think, well, they're just professionals, and
they're just saying that they're not.
Speaker 5 (48:26):
They're speaking from their heart.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
Yeah, I mean it's it's a very sobering thing. And
you realize also that you know, your team will never
be the same as it was before. That that's that's
the part that makes it so tough, right, you know,
is that you'll never have the same crew as before
and and you know, think things will never be the same.
(48:53):
There will never be the same squad.
Speaker 5 (48:57):
That you had from a year ago, that will be there.
Speaker 4 (49:00):
Yeah, buddies go down, you know. I mean, yeah, you
get tight, you know, you got a tight room, and
all of a sudden that guy is not there the
next year, you know, and then at some point in
time it comes for you. I mean, that's the nature
of the life cycle of life in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
Not for long, No, it is not for long. And
you know this is a goodbye, but you know, for
this moment, it's it's it's so long for this current edition,
and you just pray that you know, you know you'll
get to see each other again, you'll get to hold
on a little bit longer. Maybe that that that's what
(49:35):
the that's what the wish and the dream is for.
Speaker 5 (49:37):
Your for you and your entire squad, no doubt about it,
you know. And I looked at it and go, well,
there's next year.
Speaker 4 (49:45):
There's a lot of the NFL business coming up, and
you're going to start to hear that as it rolls out.
But of course, you know, it's it's never never really
that important until after the super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (49:56):
You know, the super Bowl coming up is just going
to be great.
Speaker 4 (49:59):
And h you know, it's funny because I was looking
at I was watching the game last night with who
was it with the Rams and in the Vikings, and
I just couldn't believe how the Vikings, who are fourteen
and three when I opened the season on a five
game winning streak, then they lose two in a row,
(50:19):
then they rip off another nine in a row before
losing their last game of the season against the Lions.
But how horrible they looked. I mean, sam Donold got
sacked what nine times?
Speaker 2 (50:30):
Yeah, Zekes listen, I did the postgame for that show.
Speaker 5 (50:33):
Well did you It was?
Speaker 2 (50:36):
It was brutal. It was brutal. That offensive line had
had no shot. I mean they had no shot. And
you know, you lost Kisha Dara saw, you know, a
couple of weeks before actually against the Rams the first
time they met. And then you go and you lose
Brian O'Neill, and then Quesenberry has to go out there
(50:58):
right now.
Speaker 5 (50:58):
That happened to Brian O'Neill.
Speaker 2 (51:01):
Uh, it was it was a it was an arm thing.
He hurt his arm.
Speaker 5 (51:05):
Okay, I thought it was a injury.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
It it was a it was a it was a
neck area. I think it was his shoulder, you know,
I think it was a stinger that went too bad
and they called it head you know, because it's always
that confusion right between the two. That's what I felt
it was when I watched it. But I mean, but
I had to say that pass rush, that Young pass
rush for the Rams. Yeah, Jared versus Byron Young. I
(51:31):
was like, oh Jesus and everybody, everybody got in on it.
Speaker 5 (51:36):
Yeah, man, nine s.
Speaker 2 (51:39):
Nine sacks as that set the playoff record, that tied
the playoff record from back in nineteen sixty three.
Speaker 5 (51:45):
Really, yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
So these are the things the UFI that you have
to know when you're on the air from midnight to
two am recapping that slaughtering.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
So is it for you when you finished?
Speaker 2 (52:03):
Well, I finished at midnight my time?
Speaker 5 (52:04):
Okay, Oh that's right, yeah, yeah, because it.
Speaker 2 (52:07):
Started at ten pm my time, midnight East coast, okay,
two difference.
Speaker 5 (52:11):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
So so we were good. But I digress. I think
we filled enough time so we don't have to hear
too much of a loop before we go to this
uh five after the hour Wolf. As always, it was
a pleasure, Wesley, pleasure you guys enjoy staying and hanging
around in the studio I'll be listening at my house.
(52:35):
Well I'll go forge for food and we'll do this again.
Speaker 5 (52:38):
And what's the temperature? What's the temperature there? Just you
don't want to know. Okay, you're right, never mind.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
I mean, you know, you know, here we go, it's
not as warm as it could be. So forty nine degrees.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
Okay, I take forty nine at this point.
Speaker 2 (52:51):
Yeah, I know you would.
Speaker 5 (52:52):
I know you would.
Speaker 2 (52:52):
But it's but it's not like I said seventy five,
like it's like San Diego or something, right, I guess
it's like I'm walking around in shorts. I mean, you
walk outside, it's a little blustery. You know, I'll still
wear some some wind breaker pants, not the jack not
the jacket, but the pants.
Speaker 5 (53:08):
Those wind breaker pants get they're too sweaty, you know.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I mean, but slowly you hear someone coming from a
mile away.
Speaker 4 (53:16):
I mean that was the corridor roys in high school
I had. I had like huge I got big, big
legs back in the day. And you know you'd come
down the hallway and cordorating here right, somebody stepping on
a duck. It's really not necessary, you're they're max.
Speaker 2 (53:38):
Yeah, I'm still here. I'm just I'm just listening to
you guys because I'm like, I'm like, I don't mind,
I don't mind wind breaker pants. So I'm just letting
you guys get exercise your wind breaker you know, you know,
uh feelings, but yeah, but no, it was, uh it was.
It was a great time. And uh we'll do this
(53:59):
again tomorrow, guys. Talk to you guys later and and
yeah we will be out. We'll be back with more
here inside the locker room.
Speaker 4 (54:09):
H
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 Bett MGM, Huntington Bank,
p n C, PEPSI, and by FedEx. Where now meets next?
Now here's Craig Wolfley and Max Stark's.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
All right, we got the Power Hour coming at you
live and just like you, all good things Optimist comes
on through at least for next week. We shall see
how much longer it can it can last for good
old Optimists. Uh. You know, he he you know, he's
(00:52):
got a he's got a Walmart run, you know, to
make you know, those guys last until the end of
the day. Uh or you know, they have a day,
they have day routes. We'll see if we see if
we can get him to go a little bit longer.
But you know, as we kind of look at this,
most importantly, we got we got a little wex time.
We've got a little wex time coming up with us.
And of course the man the myth, the author himself,
(01:13):
Jim Wexel, joining us live on the line as he
does every week. Of course, you know, we have we
have now that new Tuesday schedule with him, which we love. Jim, Jim,
how are we doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Hey? Minco Was that a train or was that Derrick Henry?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh Lo brook soon man too soon? Mine too soon?
But yes, that was that was That was a pretty
bad Uh, that was a pretty bad one there. Uh,
you know, step.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Got to answer. Someone's got to answer to Derrick Henry.
The disinterest the secondary added tackling him, and NNCA would
not answer the questions. So I don't know, I thought
it was a pretty good joke.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Uh yeah, I know, but like I said, you know,
the wound is still fresh. You know that that that's
the only kind of kind of negative about it. But
I mean you're absolutely right. I mean, this was one
where you look at it you're just like, gosh, this
is this is rough. This is a rough, this is
a rough. Go at it. And I mean, you know,
(02:26):
like you said, some guys weren't ready to tackle Derrick Henry.
They didn't understand what what what what what? Two trains
one track means I guess they thought they could sidestep it,
and there's no substitute for it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
There were two trains and many tracks with Lamar too.
You know, I don't understand the game plan of going
after sending TJ after Garrick Henry on that read option
it used to be, and how they got into Lamar
(03:00):
head to begin with, they would hit Lamar whether he
had the ball or not. But if you're close enough
and he fakes it, boom, hit him, hit him again.
And you could see he was wobbling in what the
third quarter from being hit elsewhere on the field. But
I don't understand, you know, Dick wibo one set of
Larry Fitzgerald going into Super Bowl, it's like Michael Jordan's.
(03:24):
You just want to hold him to forty. Don't let
him get sixty, and you know, Derick Henry is going
to get his. Their game plan of targeting Lamar in
the second game this year allowed Henry to get what
one sixty, he's going to get hit, He's going to
get his. They thought that was too much, so they
(03:47):
changed their game plan apparently what it looked like to me,
And so you know, he got his forty and Lamar
got his forty two. That's only the first time.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Yeah, there was a difference in the way they attacked
the mesh point in the handoff and all those things.
And you know, again, who can say you know? I mean,
it's just like I didn't quite understand it either. But
at the same time, you know what, you got some
other performances. Let me ask you this. One of the
one of the themes we've been going uh wex is
(04:21):
was there any positives that you've seen in this game
over the season?
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Any any thoughts like that.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
We've kind of a little bit because everybody's everybody's feeling
kind of the negative spirit and stuff like that, but
there was still a lot of positives throughout this season.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And yeah, I do. I do. I mean because I
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I agree with you. But see, I think that's too soon,
But I'm with you. I'll play along. I think you
have to purge your demons first, and I'm not for
firing the coach, so I'm not going that far. I okay,
I think some of the just I'll be with you
in a second, well, but some of the explained negatives
(05:03):
have to be part of purging the demons of blaming
it all on the head coach. Okay, I think I
think one of the good things I think Corey Trice
showed us in Cincinnati in the Cincinnati game, that he's
a willing pressman cover guy that will be a nice
pairing with Joey Porter and is willing to tackle. And
(05:26):
I thought the unwillingness of Dante Jackson, whether it was
his back, I mean to go along with whatever problems
Minko was having. And you know, Joey's not the greatest tackler,
but he's he's showing an increased willingness and he's physical.
But I like Corey Trice and I think he could
be the answer next year at that cornerback spot, and
(05:49):
that's an important that's an important position like the second
receiver position. But anyway, so those are my complaints about
the defensive game plan.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
And I know.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Only only a guy like me who has no job
at stake can play an inexperienced seventh round draft pick
over the return to health of the leading interceptor. I
know why coach has played Dante Jackson instead of Corey Trice.
I get that, but that was my take in it.
(06:23):
It's I think there's a positive there being that Corey
Trice and I know you guys have been high on
him since he had that big pick early in the year. Okay, well,
if you want me to get off the negatives.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
All right, we're just accentuating some of the positives.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Now you can do what you want.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
No, I'm with you. I'm with you. And there were
positives and getting to ten and three, no doubt. And
I like Bob Labriola's line in the in his asked
and answer this morning on Steelers dot Com that he
has a strong hunch that appearing on Hard Knocks had
something to do with that heavily backloaded schedule and that
(07:11):
had something to do with the collapse. I think, I think,
and I agree with that. I was thinking that same thought.
The positives. You know, the young offensive line got a
full year under their belt. I don't think any of
us believed it would truly coalesce into a dominating unit
(07:34):
in the first year. And I think Zach Fraser showed
that he is the legit newest addition to that center
legacy that's gonna that's been a great tradition. So that
and Roderick Jones improved, although that one play where he
(07:54):
and Dan Moore pulled in opposite directions at the same time,
it is kind of curious.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
That's the problem with having film, you know, Yeah, exactly.
That's the scoo I call it the Scooby Do play.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
The amazing thing is, and I was talking about this yesterday.
I'll just quickly reiterated, played Cleveland three four defense cross
key in the backs because we had two backs in
the backfield, and Terry Long and I pulled into each other.
I mean I pulled to my right, he pulled to
his left, and we hit like two freight trains, literally
two trains, one track. But the beauty was the inside
(08:39):
linebackers for the Browns were cross keying, so they turned
and ran into each other and fell down and Franco
ran for like ten.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yards in the middle.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
It was rather humorous and Chuck afterwards when I thought
Chuck was gonna rip me in the meetings, and he said,
we got to put that play.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
In Scooby Do.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah. Yeah, that's one of those where you see it,
it's like you're like, and here's the thing, I We've
all we've all been there, right wolf, Like you know
you have that play and in your mind, you you are,
you are locked in like man, I cannot wait, like
for me as a tackle, like you as a guard.
You got to pull a lot more but the tackle,
you know, that tackle trap is that that that's that's
(09:23):
like the past or dervs, Like when you see one
the first time, you're supposed to get it because you
don't know when it's gonna come back around. You know,
it's like, oh man, that Beef Wellington. I want to
try that, and so I'm gonna I'm gonna grabbed two
of them.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
So you're like, man, I.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Can't wait for this, all right, I've been waiting for
this play all day, all my life. And then you pull.
You're like it was the wrong direction. Oh my god,
I'm about to run straight into my own teammate. I
can't move, he can't boom, He's like deer in headlights.
And then boom. And then you're like, they're never gonna
call this play again. I just lost my one shot.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
At least at least you got to be swelling and.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Exactly as much as you might like it, you'll never
try it again. And that's what they did. I'll never forget.
We ran a when I was playing an extra tight
end with Ben, and so we ran that. We ran
this one where I kind of ran It was supposed
to be a pick route, but we called it a
rub route where I run like a little seven yard
hitch right and Hines comes right behind me as as
(10:26):
as I'm kind of turning to come back in the
hitch supposed to mimic you know, quote unquote, not knowing
the defensive back is in trail right if it's man coverage.
So we run it in practice, and I ran the
hitch and I was right there and Ben just fires
one straight at my chest, right right between the seven
and eight, and I'm thinking I'm a decoy. He throws it.
(10:48):
It bounces straight off my chest plate. Before I could
even get my hands up to pretend like I was
going to catch. Boom, hits me in the chest. He says, well, Max,
you're a decoy forever.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Now.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
I'm like, no, come back to me. I swear I'll
make it right right there, tackle trap and then and
then my little hitch rout on the on the short
yards and goal line. Never get those again. That was
my two beef. Wellington's gave me a shot and I
(11:21):
fumbled it. I should have asked for the napkin.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Uh Well, speaking of you running a hitch rout, let
me know what you guys, and I may have asked
you this. I'm sorry before, but the way I see
the offensive line taking shape is that Dan Moore leaves
in free agency. I think, uh and it's not that
(11:44):
big of a leap of faith that Roderick will be
moved to left tackle. Fautano, who won the right tackle
job to begin the season and who told me that
he prefers right tackle because he's right handed. That uh
fi Tano will move ABROADERI joneson left side and Dan will.
(12:06):
They don't bring back starters to make them depth pieces.
They did it with Bettish, they did on very rare occasions.
They historically don't like to do that unless Dan, you know,
they need you need a third tackle always. I just
see Dan leaving a free agency and Broader going to
(12:31):
the left side now too, to take up the slack
for that lost third guy. Could could they move Darnel
Washington to tackle and therefore and then if he wins
a job is very impressive, which I don't believe can
happen this quickly. It took Villanueva a little time to
(12:53):
master tackle when he moved from wide receiver and tight
end the defensive line and all those positions he played.
I just I've watched Darnell in the in the passing game,
and he looks like Al looked in the passing game,
and possibly like Max looked practice that day. So but
(13:22):
I just think he can become a massive tackle and
make a lot of more money than he can as
a blocking tight end, and still, as he doesn't win
that starting job, be used as you know, the third
tight end, the second tight end, the third tackle, whichever,
(13:44):
and be eligible to go out for passes or if
he actually stuns everybody adds twenty pounds, which I don't
think that would be difficult for him to adds twenty pounds.
Oh I did ask you this well, because you're his
nutrition coordinator in adding twenty that's right. Yeah, if he
does win the job. If he does win the job,
(14:06):
then file Tonnel can be the right guard. Then you
can move McCormick to the left side, where he played
sixty six games in college and will probably feel more comfortable.
Whether you keep Seeamalo or not, then McCormick becomes your
top swing guy. Now you're packed at offensive line and
(14:27):
you're prepared for Seeamalo to move on. You're prepared with
a third tackle one stand more moves on. What do
you think of all that? Is that just a media
idiot talking again?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
No, I wouldn't say, I wouldn't say media idiot. I
mean I think, I think I think it is very
apropos you know, to have that opportunity. But like you said,
there's a there's a lot of a lot of moving
parts with that. That's the only thing I say is
that you know the moving parts aspect of it that
(15:01):
it's a lot of assumptions to be made, uh for
for those guys like you said, you know, how does
how how does Darnell take to that potentially if that's
if that's an option? Uh, you know, how does how? How?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
How does how do how do?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
How does Darnell uh play?
Speaker 3 (15:22):
You know?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Or not not Darnell?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I mean, how does Troy feel about going to guard?
That's another one that you have to ask, Hey, how
how's how's he going? How's he? How would he respond
to that? So, yeah, it's a lot of moving parts
to reconfigure.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, let me add this the the part about Darnell
Washington surprising us and winning that tackle job is I
think a dream. That's just best case. If you're asking
when when I say that people say, Okay, well in
(15:59):
two years, Darnel gets good what you can do. And
I think we've all seen follow Tana's move skills uh
and the fact that he could become Dave Dicastro alike.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
In my opinion, I think we all watch those move
skills in training camp. And I think on this show
we talked about him playing next to Broderick over there
on the right side. So that just is a possibility
for year two if if this move really works for Darnell.
But other the the other movements, you know, McCormick doesn't
(16:33):
have to go but move over to his more comfortable side.
But I think it would help him. Uh. And and
that would if they would have drafted guard again. You know,
I don't think they'll do that, So see them all
those stays, then McCormick has to stay at a more
uncomfortable right guard spot. I don't know that he needs comfort.
(16:59):
I don't know he's the fight, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I think about the thing about Mason, I think he is.
He looked comfortable certainly by the the how many starts
did he have?
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Like fifteen?
Speaker 4 (17:12):
About halfway through, he really looked like he was getting comfortable.
What was amazing to me, Wex. I talked to Troy
Fatonham before I got off the plane, just you know,
about the off season stuff like that, and I saw
I went and watched his game against Denver, because you
remember he got the starting job in Denver and then
got hurt and so forth. But you know what I
(17:32):
forgot how good he was. I mean just watching him,
watching his hands and his movement skills like you were
talking about. You know, he really looked good. And he
was playing against some guys that you know, were good
pass rushers. I mean, Denver had a hot pass rush.
Now they weren't exactly as on fire as they have
(17:52):
been throughout the whole year. But you know, it was
really amazing to watch him. And the other thing that
got me too, I forgot justin Field some of the
things he added one time that that the outside pass rusher,
Bonito came off the edge.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Now he's the end man on the line. For some reason,
he was unaccounted for.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
He comes off and instead of throwing the ball or
you know, just throwing away, justin Fields outran him around
the other side for.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
A first down. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Bonito couldn't catch him from behind, even though he was
within I would say five or six yards, five or
six steps, and and and Justin had to, you know,
accelerate out of the pocket. That was perfectly good except
for the unaccounted for Blitzer, the end man on the line.
And I couldn't believe how fast Justin took off and
got the first down.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
What do you think, Yeah, Justin is my guy to resign.
I love Russ, I do. I love all that positive positivity, right.
I love his vision I do. I don't think any
of that's fake. It's something I've aspired to myself and
have had great difficulty in reaching. He's the kind of
(19:07):
guy I like as a leader. However, he's going to
be thirty seven. They need, I think the most important
thing they need to do. I know everyone else thinks
it's changed coaches. I think the most important thing they
need to do is resign themselves to finding a young,
(19:33):
foundational quarterback. And I don't know even though that Fields
is it, but I think he's a good stop gap,
and he's got potential to be it. But he's a
good stop gap, a young guy until somebody comes along.
I know Russ wants to be here. I believe him
when he says that, and that could have been the
(19:54):
plan from day one. As Jerry Dulac has reported that
he'll be here next year. I just want to hear
Art Rooney the second resign the organization to finding that
foundational next foundational quarterback. They've tried, you know, they've tried
(20:15):
the third round pick. They've tried the Neil o'donald route
with Mason Rudolph didn't work. They tried the first round,
late first round approach with Kenny Pickett. They've marked Malone approach,
It did not work. They've tried the Great Leader of
Men approached, bringing in thirty six year old Russell Wilson
(20:35):
as they did with Bobby Lane back in the late fifties.
It did not work either, as it didn't work in
those other instances. You have to do something like what
Andy Reid did at Kansas City. Identify someone and move
up and you know, identify your man, don't don't misidentify
(20:58):
and move up like San Francisco it did and then
got lucky with Rock Party in the seventh round. But
there has to be someone in that organization who has
an eye for quarterbacks. I don't know. I don't know
if Mike Tomlin can or Camps. I'm unsure. I don't
know if he's ever been given the lattice dude to
(21:19):
go way up and really wreck some future drafts for
a guy they're certain of that they're in love with.
But that is the problem with the team in the
last one six seven playoff seasons. Uh, playoff less win
win seasons. It's been It's been older Ben after his
(21:44):
arm was blown up. It's been rookie Kenny Pickett, and
now it's been thirty six year old Russ. It's more
about the quarterbacking than it is the coaching, in my opinion. Okay,
let me have it, boy.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah. Uh, I mean that that there's a lot to digest.
Uh let's see, let's let's try and digest this. I think.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Let me add this before you get rolled, Max, let
me add this caveat. It doesn't have to be traded
up this year. It has to be a year where
you love a guy like Patrick Mahomes with with Andy
Reid if nothing else this year. I know everyone wants
wide receiver, but I think defensive line should draw their attention.
This is a deep defensive line draft detached the way
(22:38):
they got gutted and TAM's age. Yeah. Yeah, so anyway,
you can still build while working towards that young quarterback
finding that guy.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Go ahead, Yeah, so I think you know well to
attack that. Yeah, draft, I think defensive linement has to
be more of a priority. We we have we have
we have done the offensive line. We we've we've drafted
enough bodies. I think, you know, obviously you can always
add depth, but you can do that in later rounds because,
(23:10):
like you said, you have a starting five. Now it's
about building and also creating that future position. I mean,
don't forget. Also, there's a Spencer Anderson on this roster
as well, so you have a guy who's built in
that that that can swing at a lot of positions.
So if you do need a third tackle, guess what.
Spencer Anderson former left tackle from Maryland. He could be
a guy who could be your third tackle if you're
(23:31):
not willing to go you know, like you said, the
Darnel Washington route. I think you know, like you said,
for the quarterback, I love Justin too. I think Justin
will have more of a value, you know, as far
as all the things that you might want to address
in free agency. He might be the easier of the two,
you know, because, like you said, Russ at the age
where he's at, you know, what we saw late in
(23:53):
the year kind of transpire would give you a little
bit of buyer beware, you know. And I think you
know that we we did. We we've done some good,
splashy things in free agency to find some guys to
bring in to add and bolster and fill those gaps.
Think of the Dante Jackson Deontay Johnson trade last year,
Think of the j'john Elliott signing Patrick Queen. Right, we
(24:15):
went and we got foundational pieces that we can add
that were instant impacts and lasting impacts throughout the season.
From those aspects, now it's time to go splash and
go find some guys for the offensive side of the
ball in free agency. And I think the draft you
attack defense very primarily and early in this draft. Uh,
(24:36):
you know, another one is gonna have to be, you know,
running back. We're gonna have to address a running back position,
right Jalen Warren, you know, is the only one that
would be under contract. I can't remember. Does Cordo will
have one more year? Was he a one year deal.
Could not remember that. But okay, there we go. All right,
(24:56):
there we go. There's your thoughts. Yeah, but we you
need a running back, you know, and I think that's
something we have to go decide. Do you go veteran
behind Jalen Warren or do you are you going to
go find a guy to compete with him in the draft,
because like you said, running backs don't go early anymore.
They go a little bit later, and there's value in
day two and day three other raft. Look where we
(25:18):
found Jalen Warren? Right, So you can go find that
and address that later. But early in the draft, I
think it has to be a defensive emphasis, specifically on
the line. So I'm with you. I'm with you on
most of those things. But you know that that that's
the evaluation process. As we get further on, you know
that this is this is that time of year, right
wex is the business of football season. Football seasons ended,
(25:40):
but the business of football season is just beginning for
the Steelers and for a lot of other a lot
of other teams.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
That's uh, that's that's uh exactly right. And uh we're
already I know, I know, we don't want to encroach
too much in draft talk today. But boy, after that, uh,
after that line got gutted, you know, you have to
you have to play. You have to beat the Ravens,
and you're going to play them again twice next year,
(26:10):
maybe three times, so you have to have answers this time.
And I don't know what happened to Keanu Benton that
Montravius Adams I believe played more snaps. It should look
like it. And Montrevius Adams struggled out there. So if
the coaches deemed him better than Keanu, that makes me
(26:31):
a little nervous as Camp moves into his fiftieth year
on the field.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Golden Age, the Golden Age, Yeah, I think and.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Roberts were so huge. They they made me believe that
there was there was hard out there. I thought, I
don't believe that. What I don't believe what Herb Street
was saying that they have no interest. You know, maybe
there was some cornerbacks, but that's what cornerbacks do.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Here's the other things. If you would look at some
of the guys and I didn't know this, I didn't
know Pat Queen was all flewed up, you know what
I mean? Before the game, how sick.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
He was, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
And it was funny because I've been watching film over
the last couple of days and I was just thinking
to myself, well, he doesn't look himself.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
What in the world's going on? Da da da da
da da.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
And then suddenly I find out, oh, he's got the flu.
Well it makes perfect sense because you could see that
in Cam before too. But you take a look at
Cam and what he did. I was just so struck
by what he did, even getting his noggin nogainated and
have him to go see the noginologists and all that,
and you know, he could have checked out of that game,
(27:47):
and yet Captain Cam is standing at the end of
the day ten tackles, two tackles for lost man. That's salute,
you know, I mean, that's a tip of the cap
to a great guy.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
If he checked out anywhere, he checked out of that
tent and anagainator and told the noginator to leave them below.
Doctor Nagainator had no say, I don't know how that
all works, but Cam's that kind of guy, and he
showed that kind of fight, as did a land and Roberts. Roberts.
(28:20):
Maybe he didn't play perfectly, but you can't. You can't
question his will no, you know, uh TJ. You know
he was coming at the guy who didn't have the
ball with the highest speed. It's just a game plan
just didn't work for me. You know, I don't know.
(28:42):
Up the middle of their defense, defensive it's such a
small line they have. Now, there's a guy at Michigan
who's about three hundred and thirty pounds that fit, who's
a nose tackle d tackle type. That might be might
be an answer for him, but they need another answer
(29:04):
besides Cam up up in the middle, especially if they're
going to do that two defensive tackle, four man front.
You know, you've got your outside linebacker playing d n Yeah,
that's small enough. And speaking of nickel, they need a nickel.
I don't know. I mean, I like Beanie, I don't,
(29:26):
I don't. I don't know why Cam was playing more
than Beanie. But if beanie's the answer there, then so
be it. But if Cam's playing ahead of him for
a reason that we don't know about, that makes me
a little nervous. Uh So, yeah, those are my thoughts.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Right, Well, thank you, Well, I mean, I mean, we
just we just we just cured all the ills for
the twenty twenty five Steelers. We'll have to do this
more often. Next time, we'll grab coffee so that we
can keep everybody engaged and aware and feel like that,
you know, we gave you something in the process. So
we'll make sure we uh we send you a little
(30:07):
Starbucks gift card next time we do this pow wow.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
But uh, let's just meet it at Starbucks, have a
coffee talk and invite the whole crowd there.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
You know, there we go there, we go there too.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
That's true. They have cake pops. My daughters love the
cake pops. I like the Oreo Brownie person. Bring the kid, yeah,
bring the kid exactly, bring the We could make we
could make it a fun like an adult round table,
you know, with our family round table. Why not. And
we'll get CJ everybody.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
And since we've purged all our demons the first day
back from the show, we won't have demons anymore. It'll
be you know, gearing up for a nice uh draft
or something. Maybe maybe get us going on on that
draft excursion. Is that this year where we're going to
draft him in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Next year next year, So this year is in Green
Bay and then next year, we're in Pittsburgh, so that's okay.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So we warm up from Starbucks this year and we
show the company how well we can handle the coffee talk. Yeah,
we'll get a stadium gig. We'll get We'll go from
small theater to a stadium gig.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Hey we can. We also could go to Dunkin Donuts now,
I mean, if you want to get.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
I didn't see I didn't want to argue with you
guys about coffee, but donts.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Is Yeah, that's that's that's pretty good stuff.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
I hope you don't have a Starbucks account.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
No, I do not, and I don't have a Dunkin
Donuts because see out here, we're kind of we're a
little bit more rogue out in the west. So you know,
my donut shop is Rainbow Donuts out here, which is
a fantastic donut spot. They also have like really good
a really good cronut, uh you know, bacon maple on john.
(32:00):
I mean that's some really good ones, artisan raised donuts.
But any who, and we got Randy's Donuts out here now,
so so yeah, so a lot of good options. So
I haven't done the Duncan thing as much because we
have a lot of a lot of uh, you know,
my daughter's are donut connoisseurs, so they're very particular about
where where we peruse for confectionery delights. This pros is
(32:28):
killing me, just killing me, you know, I mean, sometimes
you gotta show up the vernacular just let people know
you're on your toes. But any who, we appreciate all
all your contributions this season seriously. Well obviously we'll find
out about, you know, if if we could utilize your
services through the end of the month or you know
(32:48):
when when the show, how how long it will be
extended for. But we appreciate everything that that that you've
done for us, and of course the sacrifice that it is.
We appreciate the time as always, and of course we
got to throw out there. You gotta go to Jim
Wexel dot com. You got the Steelers in Illustrated Timeline,
the most current published publishing of Jim Wexel, but he
(33:12):
has so many other great books also that he's authored.
You can go to Jim Wexell dot com to find
those and then of course steel City Insider dot com
for all your Steelers news insights of the current Steelers
not in historical perspective, even though this season is to
an end and it will go into the the the
the appendices of Steelers history, but still fresh commentary from
(33:37):
from WEX, and of course Wolf contributes on that as well.
Thank you so much, WEX. We appreciate the time as always.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Oh you're welcome, and thank you guys for having me
on so much. I love it, I love it. Take care.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
All right, we're gonna step aside. We will be back
with more. It's possession Arrow Wolf when we come back
here inside the Locker Room on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
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 Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI,
and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig
Wolfley and Max Starks.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
We've got we're gonna have a short segment here because
we've got the Bell Lapp coming up after and you know, Max,
one of the things that just is mystifying to me
has been kind of the play of Russ that was
so scintillating during the first you know, the first six
weeks or so that he was playing, and then the
(34:57):
last four or five and how you know, they were
such a big difference in you know, him throwing the ball.
I mean, you know, going from you know what he
was he was averaging like two hundred and thirty you know, uh,
sixty two percent completion rate and so forth, and then
dropping to a completion rate less than that.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
It's just it was wild. Oh here it is, okay.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
The first seven starts, Wilson completed sixty five percent of
his passes, averaged eight point four yards per attempt in
two hundred and fifty five yards per game. You know,
he threw twelve TD passes versus three i nts. Over
his last four games, his his completion rate only dropped
to sixty two percent, but he averaged five point seven
yards per attempt. The big drop in in averaging per
(35:45):
attempt is what gets me. We talked about this earlier,
but I still think I feel in my gut that
there was something more there that that we're missing about
that well.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And you know, I kind of kind of made a
little inference to this because I wasn't quite sure where
it would be. But you know, ball security, right, I mean,
was that was that? Was that a decree that kind
of came down from up top, like, hey, you know
you got you got to protect this ball a lot better,
(36:17):
right right? You know, I wonder I wonder if that changed,
and then therefore now he has it. Now he's holding
onto the ball a little bit longer. Now he has
a hitch, you know in his processing, you know, with
not throwing in the middle of the field, you know,
always looking for that hide or that quick little you know,
(36:38):
quick out to start the game and just try and
get him into a rhythm, right. You know, you wonder
if that kind of messed with the psyche of Russ
when you're not necessarily you know, the catchphrase for a
long time, let Russ cook, you know it was now
you know, I need you to microwave or crockpot this.
You know you used to open flame. Well you know,
(36:59):
we had a hot plate for you. You know, you
wonder if that if that had an effect on him,
and then that just permeating. He couldn't quite get out
of that funk, or defenses started taking away what what
what felt comfortable to him, and he didn't quite adjust
for it. I think that's one of the things that
you know, as we kind of dissect this and look
(37:20):
at it over the all season, you know, there's a
couple of those questions that have to be answered.
Speaker 4 (37:24):
You know, I think you're onto something though, you know,
I mean, that would make sense. And you know the
fact that he cut it loose in the playoff game,
maybe it's you know, no holds barred then you know,
locked the door and let her go, you know, I
mean that's it was a little bit there was a
difference in it. I mean you go to those three
big throws he had what in the second quarter and
(37:44):
third quarter whatever it was. You know, we threw the
ball to Van Jefferson, where he threw it down the
field to George Pickens, where he threw that crossing route
to Calvin Austin, who, by the way, Calvin Austin to me,
has been one of the nice, nice, unsung heroes of
this season. What a nice job he's done coming along.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yeah, No, I mean, he he's he's been excellent. And
I think that's where you're like, Okay, well we had
we have safely our number three option. Could that be
an expanded number two role. I don't know if he
necessarily has a height for that. I think you know,
we got Mike Williams kind of midway through the season,
(38:27):
would love to, you know, to explore what the potential
would be with a guy of his size, right, you know,
moving forward to pair him with with it, with it
with a George Pickens. But I mean, I feel like
there's something there now. I know that they're gonna make
an emphasis to go get an established number two, right
(38:48):
just because you've you've got to, You've got to. You've
got to get somebody to compliment George. I mean, when
you look at the rest of the division, right, you
think of the Jamar Chase and t Higgins combo, we're
not going to talk about Cleveland because Cleveland is a
whole mess. And then even when Baltimore, yes, exactly exactly
(39:10):
once again when is Brown flush it? But then even
for Baltimore like finding a z A Flowers and now
we're shot Bateman coming along, right, I mean, you got
two very good receivers that compliment themselves, and you pair
them with the two tight ends, Uh, you got formidable force.
So then you throw Derrick Henry back there, and it's like,
oh my gosh, Like, that's who you have to build
your team around. Is your division first, because you have
(39:34):
to get out of your division if you want to
get to the playoffs. And we prove that even when
you get out of your division to get into the playoffs,
you still got to see your division. So you know,
right now, the rabbit, you know, and this in this
four dollar race is Baltimore. So you have to build
your team to combat what Baltimore does well and make
(39:55):
sure that you have something better, you know, if not equal,
if not better to what Baltimore has. So now you
kind of start crafting. That's how these drafts and that's
how free agency goes. It's you weighed against, you know,
the teams that are in your division first because, as
Mike Tomlin has famously said and continually, you know, division
(40:15):
dominance precedes everything else. You've got to dominate your division.
And we did not dominate our division this year, so
hence why we were a wild card and then hence
why we got bounced by one of our opponents in
the first round. So it's gonna be very interesting to
see how they how they can figure that. But I
do love what Calvin Austin brought to the table because
and and man, he's tough. God, he's tough. Man, man,
(40:39):
I mean, you know, woodpecker lips toward a shell, kevlar, vibranium,
you know, just throw in any hard substance that's used
to protect vital organs and you know, an animal species
in the wild. I mean, he's all of those materials. Yeah, yeah,
he's just he's tough. But you're right, I love him,
(41:00):
but I think I love him as a three, as
a third option, as a slot guy, and like you said,
amazing returner. So I love the role that he's in.
I would like it a little bit expanded, but I
think it expands once you get somebody else on the
outside that takes that attention away, you know, and it.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
Keeps It makes me wonder to keep coming back. What's
keeping Mike Williams from being that number two?
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Well, I think because we didn't get as much and
we got a mid season right.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
Well yeah, fast, he still I mean think about it, Russ.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
You know what was the game when he threw the
touchdown pass to Mike Williams and he specifically won Washington, Washington. Okay,
what a tremendous call by Russ, Like you know what
I mean, that's the guy identify then deliver the rock
like he did. That was just so I just thought
there was going to be a takeoff from that and
we get some huge benefits later in the season with
(41:55):
Mike Williams and Russ collaborating on some catching.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, I thought so as well. I thought I thought
this is going to be, you know, an inundation of
him into the offense, like hey, this is welcome to
the team. Touchdown. Now we need to go ahead and
we need to go out there. We need to go
get some some bigger plays. But it just never quite
came to fruishing. But I think we could also say
that about a lot of guys. Yeah, you know, all
(42:20):
the offense side of the ball not quite getting you know,
opportunities that we thought were going to be there because
you look at I mean Pat, like we unloaded Pat.
But you know, I hate to say this, but where
did Connor Heywood go this season?
Speaker 4 (42:35):
That's true, that's true, But you know what else is true,
my friend, we got to go to break because we
got to make Ti lap and yeah, it is so
unfortunately for me, I got to take a break right now,
but fortunately for you cause you get the bell lap.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
So coming up now, you still have to be here,
still have to be here, though, don't leave because it's
not your second but I won't leave, and.
Speaker 5 (42:54):
I also have We had the Mike Tomlin press conference
at what twelve thirty?
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Okay, so going we're going to break Steelers audio network.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
This is in the locker Room, presented by Ford and
brought to you by Akroshure, 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 2 (43:41):
Alright, it's the bell up, that's right. Early lunch warning
system comes straight at and of course remember the Mike
Talin press conference is at twelve thirty. Normally it comes
on at twelve noon at the top of the hour,
straight up and down. But it is going to come
(44:01):
today at twelve thirty, thirty minutes later for the final
press conference of the season for Mike Thomlin. Make sure
you stay tuned and wolf has to stay an extra
thirty minutes on top of what he normally had to
stay for his duties. So Wolf, that's also your reminder
to hold tight, bud, because you have, yeah, can't can't
(44:22):
can't can't jump the hot route here, can't jump in
and go here. So you know, we are definitely in
a position where, you know, as as we get ready
to hear kind of what Mike Tomlin has to say
about this season, it is strictly one of those that's
you find out stuff at the at the end of
(44:43):
the day, you know how how things reviewed.
Speaker 5 (44:48):
And how it goes.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
But you know, Wolf, just as we kind of put
a bow on kind of today and what all we've
talked about, it's just it's crazy to think, know it's
over with, right, I mean, the season, the season is done,
and and we're we're we're now guys are packing their bags,
(45:09):
right and we are now in a position where we
have to be, you know, we have to be talking
about what's the next steps? What are the next steps
for this team? And and what what what what do
we now do? You know, you know it's like you said,
saying goodbye to everybody, but at the same time, you
know it's it's gonna be hello to a new opportunity.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
No, no question about it. You know.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
I mean again, we're gonna put all the final uh
you know, Dott and the eyes crossing the t's as
we moved through this this last week here, whatever we
got left on the air, and you know, then you
start looking forward and it's you know again that the
one of the most mystifying things to me is how
you take a ten and three team with the same
(45:55):
guys and then you go through that gauntlet, which, hey,
it's a gauntlet, no doubt about it was a cheese
greater gauntlet.
Speaker 5 (46:02):
Took some flesh, you know, and left them bloody.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
But again, it's the same sort of guys that were
there that that just couldn't pull out of that tailspin.
And that's one of the significant things that I think
it has to be addressed and looked at. But again,
to me, it's totally mystifying, Max. I mean, they practiced
the same. It's not like things change and you know,
you or you lost you know, several of the most
(46:27):
important guys on the team. It just didn't happen. And
it just in my mind, I really have a hard
time wrapping my brain around that. And I think the
guys do too.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Yeah, I mean it's the toughest part to have to
figure out, like, man, what could have been, what what
what should have happened, and what ultimately did happen. Was
that we just you know, for whatever reason, the flat
the flatness was was flat and that and that's just
the best way of putting it, right, Yeah, there's no
(47:00):
doubt about it. Yeah, it never quite came to fruition.
And and you know, guys missed an opportunity. I mean,
you hate to say, you know, what could have happened,
you know, and you know it's like you'd rather say
well than sick them, right, I mean, but at the
same time, it was just I missed opportunity that that
(47:20):
was that was not had, and that was not that
was not taking advantage of that. That's the best way
of putting it.
Speaker 5 (47:26):
Yeah, there's no doubt. You know.
Speaker 4 (47:28):
I just felt like there was more, as Mike would say,
more meat on the bone for this team, but it
did not coals or lead itself to rearing its head
and saying, hey, we're gonna do it, We're gonna overcome.
Speaker 5 (47:41):
That five game loss.
Speaker 4 (47:42):
That stretch there was just it was it was just
a hard stomach and I think about it for the players,
because nobody suffers more than the players. You know, I
really believe that that that locker room is full of
guys that really care about it, and really care about
their performance, and really care about what they were contributing,
you know, and uh into the city of Pittsburgh, you know.
Speaker 5 (48:03):
Uh, you know again, I hear a TJ.
Speaker 4 (48:06):
Watt, you know when he talks about the fact that
I want to be here, you know, I mean, he
loves the city, loves the organization. I think that's awesome stuff.
And I hope that people give them some credence for
it and you know, get behind them and not you know,
just simply you don't think, well, they're just professionals, and
they're just saying that they're not.
Speaker 5 (48:26):
They're speaking from their heart.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
Yeah, I mean it's it's a very sobering thing. And
you realize also that you know, your team will never
be the same as it was before. That that's that's
the part that makes it so tough, right, you know,
is that you'll never have the same crew as before
and and you know, think things will never be the same.
(48:53):
There will never be the same squad.
Speaker 5 (48:57):
That you had from a year ago, that will be there.
Speaker 4 (49:00):
Yeah, buddies go down, you know. I mean, yeah, you
get tight, you know, you got a tight room, and
all of a sudden that guy is not there the
next year, you know, and then at some point in
time it comes for you. I mean, that's the nature
of the life cycle of life in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
Not for long, No, it is not for long. And
you know this is a goodbye, but you know, for
this moment, it's it's it's so long for this current edition,
and you just pray that you know, you know you'll
get to see each other again, you'll get to hold
on a little bit longer. Maybe that that that's what
(49:35):
the that's what the wish and the dream is for.
Speaker 5 (49:37):
Your for you and your entire squad, no doubt about it,
you know. And I looked at it and go, well,
there's next year.
Speaker 4 (49:45):
There's a lot of the NFL business coming up, and
you're going to start to hear that as it rolls out.
But of course, you know, it's it's never never really
that important until after the super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (49:56):
You know, the super Bowl coming up is just going
to be great.
Speaker 4 (49:59):
And h you know, it's funny because I was looking
at I was watching the game last night with who
was it with the Rams and in the Vikings, and
I just couldn't believe how the Vikings, who are fourteen
and three when I opened the season on a five
game winning streak, then they lose two in a row,
(50:19):
then they rip off another nine in a row before
losing their last game of the season against the Lions.
But how horrible they looked. I mean, sam Donold got
sacked what nine times?
Speaker 2 (50:30):
Yeah, Zekes listen, I did the postgame for that show.
Speaker 5 (50:33):
Well did you It was?
Speaker 2 (50:36):
It was brutal. It was brutal. That offensive line had
had no shot. I mean they had no shot. And
you know, you lost Kisha Dara saw, you know, a
couple of weeks before actually against the Rams the first
time they met. And then you go and you lose
Brian O'Neill, and then Quesenberry has to go out there
(50:58):
right now.
Speaker 5 (50:58):
That happened to Brian O'Neill.
Speaker 2 (51:01):
Uh, it was it was a it was an arm thing.
He hurt his arm.
Speaker 5 (51:05):
Okay, I thought it was a injury.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
It it was a it was a it was a
neck area. I think it was his shoulder, you know,
I think it was a stinger that went too bad
and they called it head you know, because it's always
that confusion right between the two. That's what I felt
it was when I watched it. But I mean, but
I had to say that pass rush, that Young pass
rush for the Rams. Yeah, Jared versus Byron Young. I
(51:31):
was like, oh Jesus and everybody, everybody got in on it.
Speaker 5 (51:36):
Yeah, man, nine s.
Speaker 2 (51:39):
Nine sacks as that set the playoff record, that tied
the playoff record from back in nineteen sixty three.
Speaker 5 (51:45):
Really, yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
So these are the things the UFI that you have
to know when you're on the air from midnight to
two am recapping that slaughtering.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
So is it for you when you finished?
Speaker 2 (52:03):
Well, I finished at midnight my time?
Speaker 5 (52:04):
Okay, Oh that's right, yeah, yeah, because it.
Speaker 2 (52:07):
Started at ten pm my time, midnight East coast, okay,
two difference.
Speaker 5 (52:11):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
So so we were good. But I digress. I think
we filled enough time so we don't have to hear
too much of a loop before we go to this
uh five after the hour Wolf. As always, it was
a pleasure, Wesley, pleasure you guys enjoy staying and hanging
around in the studio I'll be listening at my house.
(52:35):
Well I'll go forge for food and we'll do this again.
Speaker 5 (52:38):
And what's the temperature? What's the temperature there? Just you
don't want to know. Okay, you're right, never mind.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
I mean, you know, you know, here we go, it's
not as warm as it could be. So forty nine degrees.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
Okay, I take forty nine at this point.
Speaker 2 (52:51):
Yeah, I know you would.
Speaker 5 (52:52):
I know you would.
Speaker 2 (52:52):
But it's but it's not like I said seventy five,
like it's like San Diego or something, right, I guess
it's like I'm walking around in shorts. I mean, you
walk outside, it's a little blustery. You know, I'll still
wear some some wind breaker pants, not the jack not
the jacket, but the pants.
Speaker 5 (53:08):
Those wind breaker pants get they're too sweaty, you know.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I mean, but slowly you hear someone coming from a
mile away.
Speaker 4 (53:16):
I mean that was the corridor roys in high school
I had. I had like huge I got big, big
legs back in the day. And you know you'd come
down the hallway and cordorating here right, somebody stepping on
a duck. It's really not necessary, you're they're max.
Speaker 2 (53:38):
Yeah, I'm still here. I'm just I'm just listening to
you guys because I'm like, I'm like, I don't mind,
I don't mind wind breaker pants. So I'm just letting
you guys get exercise your wind breaker you know, you know,
uh feelings, but yeah, but no, it was, uh it was.
It was a great time. And uh we'll do this
(53:59):
again tomorrow, guys. Talk to you guys later and and
yeah we will be out. We'll be back with more
here inside the locker room.
Speaker 4 (54:09):
H
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