Hr1: Browns Reaction

Matt and Wes react to the Steelers 23-9 win over Cleveland.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation, and welcome to another victory Monday.
It's the Drive here on Steelers Audio Network. Wes Shuler
and Matt Williamson with you for the next two hours
of We have got a plenty to get into here. Matt. Yeah,
on a bit of a different week, a condensed week.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Weird week. We got to juggling everything this week. I
know it's been a TV and I were chatting about
before you got here. It's like I've been moving this
one to this and all the different shows more than
any week I can remember.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, we did a lot of this a couple of
weeks ago when we were of course in Doublin and
kind of moved our operation on the road and didn't
get back till late Monday afternoon, early evening time. We'll
have a little bit of a different week this week
is kind of Today will be our day.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
To recap recap a great game, man, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Twenty three to nine victory for the Steelers over the
Cleveland Browns. And then tomorrow we'll start quickly turning the
page for this quick turnaround to the Cincinnati Bengals. But
Matt it was a twenty three to nine victory for
the Steelers. I wouldn't call it completely a blowout, but
a decisive I think start to finish performance.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
I think it was a very business like performance, and like,
if you didn't care one way or another about the
Browns or Steelers, or if this was the Thursday night
game and you're in Chicago or Seattle, you might be
like kind of boring game, you know, if you didn't
have anything invested, It's like not a ton happening here.
But I never was threatened by the Browns, you know,
Like I thought the best team controlled the action pretty

(01:53):
much from the start and asserted not dominance, but asserted
their strengthen that they were the bet or squad for sure.
And that played out basically from start to finish. There
wasn't any real moments where it's like, oh no, they're
coming near that Viking moment in Doublin much of that.
One of my biggest takeaways is defensively, I thought they

(02:16):
created a lot of havoc and splash and big plays
and frankly could have had a lot more. I mean
four or five near interceptions, you know, like I'm not
even blaming them for it, but what if they would
have picked off two of those, you.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Know, negated by the TJ. Wattoff sides.

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, yeah, a couple real, real close to being big,
big splash plays on that side of the ball. And
then on offense, I thought the opposite in that very
few negative plays. I mean not every play was a
home runner, you know, but you're getting two yards on
second and four or you know what I mean, like

(02:53):
very few sacks or turnovers or just tackles for loss
or negative plays in general, and on offense. I really
think that's this sells the coaching staff short. But really
a Rogers thing too, because he's the one on the
field at the line of scrimmage, you know, and that
that Browns defense is really formidable.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yes it is. Yeah, right, that continues to be something
to me that is growing. Yeah, it's it's still not
I've been a couple of weeks since I've used this one.
It's still not a Mona Lisa for the Steelers offense.
But I don't think it's your kindergartener scribbling something that
you hang on the refrigerator for a couple of days
and maybe you throw it away as well.

Speaker 3 (03:34):
Too, right, and maybe when he's ten years old it
looks better. It's exactly fifteen year old. Maybe he's a
decent artist or either.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
The run game continues to show some improvement. Again, not
a finished product, not great by any means, but they
rushed for one hundred yards against a defense that was
very stingy in that department. Best run defense in the league.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, and multiple quick on that because I didn't do
the math, but Mike pursued it and I did a
show with him earlier. If you eliminate really the garbage
time poor Caleb Johnson, you know, like he's just running
into like ten mini boxes, you know, and the Rudolph
Neil downs. Steelers basically did got to one hundred yards

(04:14):
almost basically in three quarters when in meaningful football, and
averaged well over four yards of carry just on that stuff.
Yet not the run into the boxes eating up clock time.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
It's correct, absolutely, and some more of those explosive runs
that we had been kind of Jones and for not
a big twenty thirty, forty to fifty yarder, but Jalen
Warren had an eleven yarder that counts as an.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
Explosive play, yeah, chunks.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Kenneth Gainwell had a ten yarder that counts as an
explosive play. John U Smith with a ten yard carry
is well too, and then Caleb Johnson with a nine
yarder right on that precipice. So I liked what we
saw in terms of again, not a finished product, not
a work of art, but moving in the right direction there.
And I think you can say the same about the
past game as well too.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
I thought so too, Yeah, I mean down the field
a little bit more.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
A little bit more down the field. Another solid performance
from dk Metcalf, fourth straight game with a touchdown for him.

Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
That first play of the game, which I thought was yeh,
was awesome. Darnel Washington a thirty six yarder on the
first play from scrimmage. DK Metcalf had a twenty five
yarder as well too. I know the benchmark for explosive
passes is twenty yards, but you had a twelve yard
reception from Connor Hayward, twelve yard reception from Roman Wilson,
eleven yard reception from Pat Fryermouth, more of that intermediate stuff.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah, and two touchdown passes.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
Two touchdown passes every week down no turnovers for Rogers.
And once again, Matt, I know it wasn't the touchdown,
but every game that the Steelers have played in this country,
in the United States of America, Jack Nicholson, that departed
in this country. We don't walk around with automatic weapons

(05:53):
in this country. The Steelers have scored points on their
opening drive of every single game so far two touchdowns.
Is the only opening possession all season that they don't
have points was at Croke Park in Dublin against the Vikings.
So again, a lot of these things that we talked
about heading into the season, Yeah, they're they're they're not
valedictorian level success yet, but they are moving in the

(06:16):
right direction.

Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's funny because that's about That was exactly what I
was going to say too, is some of the concerns.
Time of possession is getting better. It's getting better. It's
really trending the right direction, no doubt. The explosive play
differential getting a lot better. That was real bad before
you know, now it's getting better, better, better. The sack
differential was.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Crazy, it was crazy in the wrong department for the
first few weeks. Right now it's flipping back.

Speaker 3 (06:43):
So big correcting, and they're you know, some of the
things we talked about in the off season, it's it
should be this team's god given right to lead the
team in sacks, lead the league in sacks. Well, they're
trending that way in a big way. And you're getting
sacks from Queen and Ramsey and you know, like Vince
Williams and Hilton used to and you know, from everybody
and Herbig's and Madman and all those things harmon, you know,

(07:06):
and then there was one other two whatever the throwing
touchdowns and red zones good and all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Red zones another great one.

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, I feel like we're like good analysts because we've
kind of nailed what they should do and this is
how they should do it, and they seem to be
agreeing with us, and it's coming around, you.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
Know, exactly right. And I think this was what you
wanted to see against this team that, yes, has a
strong defense.

Speaker 3 (07:30):
It does.

Speaker 2 (07:31):
But also, I mean, we know, like the Browns, they
are maybe in a way kind of trapped a little
bit in the same formula that the Steelers were in
a couple of years ago when they were bouncing back
and forth between Pickett and Trubisky and Mason Rudolph of like,
you can win some games, but it has to go
exactly according to this format, to this script. You got
them off of that script early on. Dylan Gabriel through

(07:54):
the ball. It was fifty two times, right, fifty two times.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
I think I think you dropped back fifty eight sacked
six exactly right. That is not the way. I mean
if you told me you dropped back fifty eight times,
like that can't be the plan.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
Can't be the plan, right, And I think we all
would have liked the Steelers' chances to win if we
would have known that was the case. Quind John Jenkins
twelve carries for thirty six yards. Matt, I'm no genius,
but I can do the quick math on that one.
That's three yards per carry.

Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah for a.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Guy that was top five and rushing in the league
going into yesterday.

Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think just job accomplished across the board.

Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeah, you beat me to it on him too, exact.
The next thing I was gonna say is the two
players in this game I feared most were Miles Garrett
obviously and Judkins, who I think is their best offensive
and best defensive player the show. I do with pursuit,
I do with Rob King. He's like, I don't think
I mentioned Miles Garrett in the playoff play and Judkins

(08:47):
was a non factor in this game.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Factor right, twelve carries for thirty six yards. You would
have signed in blood for that absolutely before kickoff. And
same with Miles Garrett. And how about that, Matt, how
about some credit for Roderick Jones.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
Played really well.

Speaker 2 (09:02):
I mean, perhaps his best game in the Black and gold,
his best game in a Steelers uniform, I think, at
least certainly since you know this year when he moved
to the left side of the offensive line, and it
wasn't just him, it was everybody on that offensive line.

Speaker 3 (09:14):
No, I mean he got help, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (09:16):
No doubt ever. And there were there were some moments
where Rogers was under duress and had to get rid
of that thing quickly to be to be expected.

Speaker 3 (09:23):
But his sack avoidance was really good.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Very good.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, he got rid of it quick when the pressure
was was was coming and he made just enough moves.
And listen, he's not mobile, thirty year old Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
Anymore sprint away from people, but.

Speaker 2 (09:36):
He can he still has the savvy to when he
can diagnose it and sees it come and can buy
himself that extra half second that.

Speaker 3 (09:43):
He needs it just he knows where it's coming from.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
He knows exactly right. His game His game brain is
so evolved at this point.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Even like how he moved Hayward around for the touchdown pass.

Speaker 2 (09:54):
He's like, exactly right, exactly right right. A couple a
couple of series before that, he was trying to do
a similar thing with Pat Freyermouth down the field and
I don't think I just don't think Pat saw him.
And it was a longer developing play, So that's understandable.
But yeah, just to me, you win comfortable. Okay. We
could easily look at it and say, maybe you should
have beat him thirty to nine or thirty three to nine,

(10:16):
But you win comfortable. It's never in doubt.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
I think one or two of those picks that were
super close, it might have been.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
It could be a completely it could be a completely
different story.

Speaker 3 (10:25):
And again I never thought they were really challenged.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
Never. Yeah, right, I mean even you know, even at
halftime there when it was only nine to three and
it's still a one score game in Cleveland's getting the
ball coming out of the half, like I was never
super worse, He's never super worried about it. And Steelers
again kind of bookending, I guess that's the wrong way
to put it, because that would be at the beginning
and the end of game. But points on their first

(10:48):
drive of the first half, points on their second drive
of the second half, or first drive of the second half.
Part of me, each half first possession yielded points. I
said that very Sloteah.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
Yeah, when you've time to prepare for the half to
get game out and put points on.

Speaker 2 (11:01):
They came out and put points on the board. Those
to me are again, those are some of the things
that we've been looking for. Those are the things that
if this defense is going to develop like we think
they can and be one of the best units in
the league, if the offense can continue to grow and
just get to that above average average to slightly above
average standpoint.

Speaker 3 (11:20):
Maybe seven, you know, these these.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
They're starting to check those boxes to hit a lot
of those indicators that again that we've been laying out
here for the last couple of months.

Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, and you know you would think they're not They're
not little things. I was about to say little things,
but like it's pretty clear how they're using their tight ends. Now, yeah,
they may not have known that in going into week one.
We like all these guys, but how's the best way
to use them? If you're fiarmooth, you're not thrilled about it,
but you know, not everyone could play all the time.
You know, the Anderson is glaring, you know, addition slash,

(11:51):
you know the way of using things Now it's minor,
but I want to throw it out there. But like
Caleb Johnson got six carries, Like, is is this the
beginning of his process of Okay? Maybe I think so
come November you're going to be comfortable with him too.
You know, like we saw so much this on defense
because of their injuries, they had to play equally and

(12:14):
goes a lot of echos, and for the most part,
they've all been successes. But now you know what you have,
even if they're the depth guys.

Speaker 2 (12:21):
You know what I mean, even with someone like Sawyer
as well.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yeah, yeah, a lot of those guys played a lot
of snaps and you at least know who they are
and how to use them. Now the running back room
is starting to shape up a little bit. Too, like
pretty clear warns the one, even if the box score
is a little grayer than it was. But he's clearly
the best player in that room, you know what I mean.
And you know, even we didn't we ne had some

(12:45):
questions about the wide receiver room, which scares me outside
of Metcalf to be frank. But Miller was clearly the two.
Roman was the three, and you know heally ran eight routes.
But you could see their roles. They didn't want three
receivers on the field hardly at all.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
Right, they didn't have to, no, And that's something that
continues to be part of the game playing. Yeah, certainly now,
especially in the second straight week. For the second straight week,
Darnall Washington did lead the Steelers tight end room and
snaps forty seven For Darnell Washington at the.

Speaker 3 (13:19):
Post, he's tight in one, right, Yeah, Yeah, he's tight
in one.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
And do you think that is the case even if
the Steelers were to line up? Hey, ma, I think
it's gonna be every week, maybe this Thursday. Cincinnati's a
good example a defense that's not as stout in the
run game. I do you think that's that's the case
moving forward?

Speaker 3 (13:38):
Which I love. I mean, I've been calling for this,
We've been calling for this. I think he's just so
hard to play against, even if you don't use him
much as a receiver. But they are using him more
and more as a receiver. He's running more routes. He's
a ridiculously big target. You could tell Rogers trusts him
and his lobbying for him. I'm sure too. And I
think Rogers carries some waitness just.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
A little bit, just a little bit.

Speaker 3 (13:58):
And I don't think Friar moves even in the It's
just there's only so many snaps to go around. If
Anderson's gonna be out there twenty plus snaps, and Washington's
well over forty into the fifteen neighborhood, well, Metcalf's gonna
be out there running backs, canna be out there. What's left?
You know?

Speaker 2 (14:13):
Absolutely?

Speaker 3 (14:14):
And John who's playing on passing downs a lot, Yes, yes, yeah,
yes he is. Friar Moose's unfortunate. He's kind of getting scraps.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
Forty seven snaps for Darnel Washington out of fifty nine
for the offense, forty one for John News So not
terribly far behind now. Pat fryar Mouth with twenty one.
Connor Hayward was six, and as you mentioned, I think
you kind of have to put Spencer Anderson in that.
You know, that extra package.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Lines up in the back in a tight end spot.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
Seventeen snaps for him, Yeah, in.

Speaker 3 (14:42):
That seventeen of a possible fifty nine.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
In that in that regard, so that is now two
weeks in a row that it's looked very similar to that.
It was a smaller number for friar Mouth in Dublin
than than it was in the doghouse. I think that
was a little bit different and I listen, I don't
think that that means that we're going to see friar
Mouth in a relegated role the entire season. I think

(15:05):
he'll still have at some point he'll have a big
part to play in this offense. His time will come to,
His time will come to. But I think that's kind
of again. We spent so much time in OTAs and
in mini camp and particularly training camp, you know, when
the Minka trade had been made, and in all those
things as well to talking about these tight ends, their
different skill sets, how you can attack kind of manipulate

(15:28):
defenses with this group. That's another thing that it took
some time for the offense, for all of them to
get on the same page, for Aaron Rodgers to get
you know, to get mogination, as Wolf would have said.
With all of this, with all of his new teammates,
and I again, I think they're starting to get comfortable.
It's like they were dipping their toes in the in

(15:50):
the shallow end for a little bit. Yeah, you're now
like sampler here, but they've identified you know, that cookies
and cream down there.

Speaker 3 (16:00):
That was the best.

Speaker 2 (16:00):
It was pretty good. Let's let's stay in that department
for a little bit.

Speaker 3 (16:03):
Wolf would I appreciate that too?

Speaker 2 (16:05):
He certainly would. He absolutely would. A victory donut Monday
for our for our buddy Craig Wolfley.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
So here's a little more that tight end stuff I
might expand on. So this probably doesn't shock anyone, but
Washington's played forty five or more snaps in each of
the last two games his he played thirty or fewer
in the first three. You like, they've clearly dedicated to
It's not a one off, you know. I mean he's
playing a nice jump more than what was his highest

(16:32):
And then just for pass plays, Smith was on the
field for like sixty eight percent, Washington was about sixty
one percent, and friar Mouth were about forty five percent
just when they called a pass.

Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yes, you know that I think paints a better picture
for mooth and and and yeah, and you know again
it's I don't think just because it's been this way
for the last two weeks means it's going to be
this way for the next twelve.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
No, right, right, But.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
It's also nice too that at some point if you
do go back to all right, we're gonna be pass
heavier this week, it's gonna be more mooth than John
Hu this week, or if.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
You get down one of my I'm sorry interrupt, but
like when well, it's a great point. One of my
issues with being I love the thirteen personnel stuff, and
I love the John who trade well the Ramsey part
of it too, but the John new addition, like you're
doing something that's unique. But one of my concerns was
inevitably at some point during the season, it's gonna you're
to be down ten parts in the fourth quarter and

(17:28):
no one cares that you've got a good match up
against Darnell versus safety because it's an eight yard game.
You know, like eventually Rogers is gonna have to drop
back there and fling it all over that it's gonna
happen at some point. Can you do that?

Speaker 2 (17:40):
And you're gonna want Pat Fryar Moose when that time comes.

Speaker 3 (17:42):
I mean right now that is probably you put Washington
down Friarmuth John who metcalf Austin hopefully you know, and
that's what you got. Again. I would love another receiver
still too, But yeah, I'm starting to get gree to
you on that. By the way, why not?

Speaker 2 (17:55):
Why not?

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Why not? It's it's a good team.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
It's a good team who's in a great position, by
the way, as they keep winning and everyone else in
the AFC North keeps losing. Uh and man, you have
really got an opportunity to put a stranglehold on this
division before Halloween even uh here in a few days
in Cincinnati, let's talk a little bit more about that.
I want to talk about some of the edge rusher
usage because there's some there's some juicy stuff there as well, too,

(18:22):
plenty to get into. As we roll along today, we're
gonna talk to Rob King in hour number two. We'll
recap some other stuff that happened around the league. We
got a bunch of tweets as well. I wanted to know,
did you get many angry Miles Garrett tweets in the
aftermath of his one or two I thought you might
have a few people telling you, oh, where's your boy, Miles?

Speaker 3 (18:41):
That often happens because he doesn't do his best work
against the steep it do.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
He certainly does not say I'll be the first to
play my tiny little violin the world's smallest violin like
I'm Steve Bishemi and reservoir dogs for Miles Garrett and
what transpired Sunday at Akershuer Stadium Steelers twenty three Brown's
not will continue to recap at all as we roll
along West Wheeler. Matt Williams and it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (19:46):
Back on the drive here as we recap another victory
for the Steelers twenty three to nine over the Cleveland Browns.
And Matt, how about this Nick Herbig playing the most
snaps of the Steelers edge rushers. Yeah, Yeah, it was
very close to be fair, he played sixty one percent

(20:06):
of the snaps. TJ. Watt's sixty, Alex high Smith fifty
seven so.

Speaker 3 (20:11):
And Sawyer was over twenty snaps was as well too,
and someone in garbage.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
Some of that. I was going to say some of
them skewes skewed because the end of the game, the
Steelers were resting some of their uh.

Speaker 3 (20:23):
The broadcast teams was hurt, which I don't think was
the case.

Speaker 2 (20:27):
I don't think it was the case at all.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
No, I mean, the game is out of reach and
they just sat them down, Yes, and exactly what they
should do.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
Mike Tomlin just had his press conference a couple hours
ago on a Monday this week because it's the short week. Sure,
we'll cover it obviously, and when he discussed injury stuff,
there was no mention of of TJ. Watt or anything.
All relatively good news on the injury department. Didn't sound
overly optimistic about Calvin Austin for this week, but I
think it would be you know, Packers game at the

(20:53):
latest Killibrew's the only one who you know. Mike Tomlin
said the same thing he said postgame, it's significant injury
and he's gonna miss some time.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
I was worried just watching it in game though. It
seemed like a defensive back there for a while. It
was in and out all the time.

Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yes, you know, like Ramsey got the win knocked out
of him at one point, missed a couple of sligh
missed a couple seems like they were all just as
Mike Toma would say, bumps and bruises associated with play. Yeah,
and and nothing that's gonna that's gonna hamper them or
hurt them.

Speaker 3 (21:26):
I even thought to him, like glad Ramsey's healthy or
played this game, not because he was good, but he
could play all those roles, you know, like, oh we
lost the corner, we lost a slot, we lost the safety. Jalen,
go do it.

Speaker 2 (21:37):
That's why his I mean, his value is immense just
because he can wear so many hats for that team.
You need him on the outside, you need him in
the slot, you need him in safety. He's he's got
you all of them, right, He's got you covered wherever, uh,
wherever you need to be stuff. But yeah, we you
know you and I kind of spent some time talking
about what does it look like when high Smith is
back Herbig has been so good. I Matt, I think

(21:58):
the way that they value you would appreciate Herbig right
now and view him right now can be summed up
by this. You know this. I'm sure most of the
listeners do. But the Steelers introduce one of the units
before every home game. Told me I was bring it
up to so it you know it flip flops, and
so for the first home game against Seattle, I think
it makes a lot of sense. The Steelers organization, we

(22:18):
all know, usually leans toward the defensive side of the football.
That's kind of the history of the organization. But it's
Aaron Rodgers, you worst first game. You want him to
get that.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
Points in front of them crowd.

Speaker 2 (22:30):
Yeah. So it was the defense that got introduced for
this one, and they introduced twelve guys on that defense.

Speaker 3 (22:37):
Matt Herbi.

Speaker 2 (22:38):
They included Herbig in there as well too, and they
not only showed him that love in the intro to
introduce him as an extra starter, they also backed that
up with the way they used him throughout the game.

Speaker 3 (22:50):
A million percent. So here's one stat that came out
of the game, and this came straight from NFL dot Com.
This is you know, not because I don't always like
in my stat pack he don't put pressures in there
because like, who's calling that pressure not blah blah blah.
But if it comes straight from the league, I'm going
to cite it, at least on the air. He had
eight pressures in this game. That's the second time this

(23:11):
year that he's had eight or more. Two games he's
had eight pressures.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
Missed a game with injury as well.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
Too, right, and he's not a full time player to
start season. Oh, by the way, there's three players in
the league that have had eight pressures multiple times this year.
It's him, it's Aiden Hutchinson, and it's Micah Parsons.

Speaker 2 (23:33):
It's a pretty good company.

Speaker 3 (23:34):
Yeah, I mean, folks, I've said this a few times,
and I'm gonna stress it even more and more now.
He's one of the best pass rushers in the league,
period of sense. Yes, stop, yes, and he can play
either side. He's fine versus the run. He's not a
liability versus run. He's an exceptional football player. I love Highsmith.

(23:55):
I love what her big can't be off the field much.
And I love the way they did it too. You know,
like you gotta lead TJ is definitely the guy you
sit down. Of course, age, respect all those things, keep
all these guys fresh. And I was a little critical
of the Sawyer pick. But he's doing his job. That's
your fourth guy is just a power player, inning eater,

(24:17):
find power, play hard, try to maximize his stuff too.
I'm sure he's learning from the other three in the process.
What a great room to you know, grow up in too.
But her BIG's a star, folks. He's not like, no,
he's kind of a cute player. He's the twelfth guy. No, no, no,
Like if you rank those twelve, he might be third, fourth,
you know, like he's a great player.

Speaker 2 (24:38):
He's been one of their best five players this season. Yeah,
forget like value and position and all that stuff. If
you just listing, who's the top five Steelers right through
five games? Right, yeah, five games?

Speaker 3 (24:50):
If you grade every snap they were on the field,
who grades the best?

Speaker 2 (24:53):
He's in the top five.

Speaker 3 (24:54):
No one beats him.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
He might be in the top three right right, right one.

Speaker 3 (24:57):
Just an efficiency per snap. But he's really done that
his whole career. You know, he's been one of that.
It's kind of like the Warren conversation, Like he averages
a lot more yards per carry than Nausey, But would
he against space defenses and not have you know, third
and eights to get a draw for six yards, which
is a valid conversation. But her big It's like, doesn't
matter how many snaps you get him, he still is

(25:19):
a three hundred hitter. You know. It's not like he
can just pinch it exactly.

Speaker 2 (25:22):
There was a time when you could say, yeah, he's
having great success, but the sample size is small.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
It's not the case, and he benefits from TJ on
the other side.

Speaker 2 (25:30):
No, he's great, he's outstanding.

Speaker 3 (25:32):
Right.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
It reminds me a little bit of that last year
the Bud Dupree was here and him and TJ were
playing at such a high level. Yeah, yeah, Bud got
the contract from the Titans to prove it.

Speaker 3 (25:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
But then there was this start round rookie out of Charlotte,
Alex Highsmith, who like every time he was on the field,
you were like, that guy's good, he's good. Like that
guy's making plays, and you started to think it's okay
because he's hoping, he's hopping off the bench's getting match
ups TJ and all day. Right, But then it eventually
he became undeniable that like high Smith is pretty good

(26:03):
at this too, and then his second year he has
double digit sacks and is probably one of the top
ten or twelve edge rushers in the league.

Speaker 3 (26:09):
Yeah, yeah, you know, it turn to get paid.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
It's turn to get paid, right It's like that's and
they deserve its reminding me of Herbig right now. But
maybe even and this is not a knock on Heighsmith,
this is credit to Herbig, maybe even a even a
little bit of a step better than what we said
as a pass rusher from Herbig or in his early career.

Speaker 3 (26:26):
Exactly, he's a star. I mean, every team's gonna look
at him like, man, we don't have a really hard
time blocking that dude, and we're gonna you know, it
doesn't matter who you are. Yes, and it didn't hurt.
But this is one game. The Browns tackle situation fell apart.
As a game went on. We knew the left tackle
was gonna be bad. Conklin's a little over eight anyways,
then he gets hurt, you know, but every team has

(26:48):
bad tackle.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
You say this all the time. It's like the worst
group of units around the league, offensive line line, whoever
you think has the best offensive line in the NFL.
If you gave their O line coach truth serum, he
would tell you, I still wish we could upgrade at
left guard, or I still wish our center was better.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
Still not the best unit on their team or whatever,
you know, right, yeah, I mean nobody.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
Is lineman, nobody has nobody has lineman. Everyone is looking
for help in that department. And that makes it a
great place to be for the Steelers to have just
the weaponry that they have after week and boy, Cam
Hayward's playing at a high level, and Derek Harmon's playing well,
and Keanu Benton's playing much.

Speaker 3 (27:28):
Better role now so much, and you know he might Wally.

Speaker 2 (27:33):
You know, he might be the guy on the team
that I think, and I mean this in the best way,
has done like the biggest one to eighty over these
last couple of weeks.

Speaker 3 (27:40):
His tape was very concerning to start the season.

Speaker 2 (27:43):
Very concerning in the lapse of.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
The linebackers all the time getting pancake five yards down feet.

Speaker 2 (27:48):
And part of that is, hey, you got to control
what you can control, right Yeah. Plenty of people in
the NFL are not in the most optimal situation. To succeed, right,
But part of that was also his usage. Without a doubt,
there's there's a real much rhyme behind that reason too.
His usage, his deployment I think has been much better
to suit his skill set since you got Derek Harmon back,

(28:11):
and it's showing.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
It's showing in a big way, right, right, it absolutely is.
And this is true for Cam too. I mean all
those guys and this is this is true for across
the league. Week one, no one's in shape, you know,
I mean not like this kind of shape. They're in
shape compared to me and you and everybody listening, but
they're not in shape to play sixty snaps against the Jets,
you know. I mean that's a different.

Speaker 2 (28:32):
World, one hundred percent.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
And yeah, I mean you're playing max like ten in
the preseason, you.

Speaker 2 (28:38):
Know, yes, right, it takes time for everybody. But I
think particularly those guys in the trenches, they're big because.

Speaker 3 (28:44):
The fat on their body and they're big, right.

Speaker 2 (28:47):
They're not wide receivers and running backs, sensive backs who
are running routes at least all throughout July.

Speaker 3 (28:52):
And simulate running routes, I mean you could run a
million sprints. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I can't fight,
you know, Zach Frazier for sixtys in a row, and
I'm never gonna survive.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
You know, I thought, I thought my boy Zach Fraser
had himself a very solid game as well too.

Speaker 3 (29:07):
In general, those tackles are coming around too.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
Tackles are coming around. They're looking much much better. No
sacks for the Browns. They did have six TFLs, which
is a little high. But when the Steelers have six
sacks their own uh selves six TFLs as well, I mean,
and it's just coming from all over the place. Peyton
Wilson with a TfL, Ramsey with two sacks and two TFLs,

(29:30):
TJ half sack, Harmon has a sack, high Smith half sack.
Pierre with a TfL.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
Pierre got thrust into action and been okay too, you know,
right he again, if that's your fifth corner, your fourth corner,
that's always gonna be active on game day. Fine, you
can get thrust into like the third guy.

Speaker 2 (29:46):
Right, Sometimes the number two guy points in his career
as well too. No he is he again, It's it's
all coming together. Cole Holcombe is getting more spin and
more reps, yeah, than than we've seen.

Speaker 3 (29:59):
Clark was inactive because you didn't need them, you know,
like right, and Pepper's had an uneven day, but like
he's moved past them.

Speaker 2 (30:06):
Yes, yeah, yes, yes, he did, no doubt. And so
it's a good place to be for the Steelers. Defense
is performing the best that they have at this point
in the season, as healthy as they've been at this
point in the season, and the.

Speaker 3 (30:18):
Tests are gonna get tougher. Maybe not Thursday, but I mean,
that's not the best offense in the league, but.

Speaker 2 (30:23):
They still they obviously still have some guys that can
beat you and can hurt you, and we'll talk plenty
about that.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
They create havoc.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
They they yes, no doubt, and that's that is difficult
for offenses. For quarterbacks. I don't care if you're a
rookie Dylan Gabriel, if you're a veteran Joe Flacco. That's
a tough defense to play against. We're obviously going to
see both opposite ends of that spectrum as well. It'll
be uh a little over three days from from right
now when the Steelers, I know that is crazy to

(30:49):
say out loud, or kicking off there at pay Course
Stadium against Cincinnati there, of course, coming off a loss
at lambeau Field against the Packers. Plenty more on Cincinnati
tomorrow and as we roll along in the week, but yeah,
I'm starting to feel very good about this defense, more
encouraged by the offense Matt and again at four and one,

(31:11):
you're only lost being an NFC loss at this point
as well too. Ravens lost again there one in five,
you beat the Browns, Bengals lost again. You can really,
I think stick a fork in Cincinnati with a with
a win on They just have to be. I mean,
they they just have to be at this point.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
And we'll get into it. But Flacco helped them a
little definitely, it was better than.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
It's definitely definitely helped them a little bit. But hopefully
it'll just stay in that realm and won't be too
much of a health here.

Speaker 3 (31:41):
And Hendrickson got hurt.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
Hendrickson got hurt too.

Speaker 3 (31:44):
And tackle I mean, I don't know what their status is, but.

Speaker 2 (31:49):
A short week. We'll get into some more of Thursday
nights of not being kind to the Steelers and Mike
Collins as of late, but this feel like the good
opportunity the rite opponent to exercise some of those demons
as once again these Steelers get a win out of
their bye week. Now fifteen and four off the bye.

(32:12):
In the nineteen years that Mike Tomlin can't tell me
has been the boss of the sidelines for the Pittsburgh Steelers,
you cannot tell us that that is a fluke for sure.
More thoughts on this game when we return on the
other side, as we wrap up the first hour on
the other side, that was redundant department of redundancy department
over here, West Shuler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive.

(32:34):
More on the Steelers victory of the Browns as we
roll along here on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network, your.

Speaker 1 (32:47):
Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (33:10):
Feeling good here on the Drive on a Monday, Another
victory for your Steelers as they moved to four and one.
They do it in their first AFC North clash of
the season. They'll have another one of those against another
team from Ohio here in just a couple hours. They're
gonna kick off that thing at pay Corse State the
little week against Ohio here for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as

(33:33):
the Browns continue to not have won a regular season
game in Pittsburgh in over twenty years. Pretty crazy to think.
I think it was the first year that then Hinesfield
opened now Akroscher Stadium. I think I believe was the
only time the Browns have gotten a regular season win there.

(33:53):
They did, of course, have that playoff wild card game
in twenty twenty one that we do not mention, but
just a insane street of the Steelers at home against
a division foe. Long may it continue, Matt. We do
have a few minutes here till we got to get
to our buddy Rob king who, Yeah, I know you
do that the recap show with with him and Mike Pursuda.

(34:15):
Did Kinger mention his his love for de Kaylin.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
It came up quite a bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we
replayed that and you might even know better than I do,
but I guess he talked to d K and DK
said I prefer it, but I go by DK because
everybody mispronounces it. Yes, And then Pursuda, you know, the
typical writer background. He's like, well, it's not the period,

(34:40):
K period, it's just right. Yes, So maybe that's the
thing and Rob robson what's the break up to I shouldn't.

Speaker 2 (34:50):
But yeah, Rob Rob talked to to mister Metcalf this week.
Yeah yeah, and UH was like, you know, does anybody
call you Decaylin? What's the story behind DK? And he said,
I actually prefer to be called the Kaitlin, but it's
just everyone messed up my name and so DK became
a nickname. That's what Rob gets for being like a
real savvy journalist. Media Guy's a tough spot because he

(35:11):
is what it is, because he says, I want to
be called the Kaitlin, but everyone else is like, what
are you doing?

Speaker 3 (35:16):
Yeah, well, you're in a new uniform. It's time for
a change, you know. I like it.

Speaker 2 (35:20):
You know, we'll get the scoop from Kinger here in
just a few minutes.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
But first I didn't know when he said it, I'm like,
did you make I didn't know that's was even his name.

Speaker 2 (35:28):
I didn't, I didn't.

Speaker 3 (35:29):
I don't know TJ's first name, Jordan's I should but yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:35):
Motes used to make this joke that you can tell
if somebody is important in Wes's life because he knows
their full government name. Oh wow, Trent Jordan Watt, Sidney,
Patrick Crosby, gotcha, Benjamin Todd, Roethlisberger.

Speaker 3 (35:48):
Matthew Craig Williamson, exactly.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
Yeah, Tyler video Viitemeier something like that. I think it's
TV's middle name. Uh, yes, that's it. You got to
listen to the US.

Speaker 3 (36:00):
I think about it, right.

Speaker 2 (36:01):
You know mine starts with the V.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
I know it starts of the V. But the name
that I call you is not.

Speaker 2 (36:10):
We'll believe it at that. I did want to run
this by you before we get to rob King the King.
Aaron Rodgers average time to throw against Cleveland two point
seventy three seconds longer. Yeah, second longest of his Steelers
career so far. Also nearly seven point seven yards average

(36:30):
depth of target. Yes, that is by far his highest
average depth of target this season by more than a yard. Again,
starting to see some of that stuff that we've been Yeah, well,
this offense isn't sustainable if they continue to Yeah there's
some truth to that. Sure, but but but slow, more
and more slower than we all want. Sure, this is

(36:52):
a this is a instant gratification world.

Speaker 3 (36:55):
Work on all these things at your own pace while
you win.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
That's it. And you and I say this all the time, Like,
I get it. I'm not calling people crazy. We love football.
It's by far the most popular sport in this country.
It's religion in this country. Your team plays seventeen meaningful
games a year if you're lucky.

Speaker 3 (37:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (37:13):
Yeah, the Browns played like three or four meetingful. Now
this year, the Ravens aren't playing. Probably aren't gonna play
many more meaningful games. This year. You get seventeen if
you're lucky. I understand why we're so hyperbolic, why we
overreact everything so much. They were not going to win
a super Bowl or win playoff games playing the way

(37:33):
they did in September. But I don't expect them. They
know that, they know that, and I don't expect them
to play the way in September they do on Thanksgiving.
I don't expect them to play in January the way
they do on Thanksgiving. But we're starting to see some
of those indicators, some of those numbers, some of those
trends move in the right direction.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Yeah, just in the average ups of target going up,
slash time to throw, he bought more time. I mean,
like Lamar is always the league because he'll have two
or three plays a game where it's like six seconds,
you know, like just totally screws up the whole thing.
Of course the Steers have never do.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
That, but Hoolmes running around for nine seconds before dumping
one off to.

Speaker 3 (38:13):
Like I bet Rogers had several over three, you know,
because there was times he was moving around by time
avoiding yeah, exactly exactly, or just rolling out and you know,
comfortable in space and not having to get it out.
So I think that's part of it. One thing we
talked about a lot last week, you know, coming off
that Viking game was well this Anderson Washington, especially the

(38:35):
Anderson thing is that here to stay Well, maybe you
throw off it against a team that is such a
good run defense. Put that guy on Garrett and Max protect.
You know, Anderson can also pass protect. He's an offensive lineman.
I think we saw some of that, and what I
think is obvious and it was hard to back up,
but it was just something we've suspected from the start

(38:56):
is if you play Rogers is going to take what
the defense gives them. You know, like this is a
predominantly single high safety big box. Don't want to be
in Nickel and Dime Brown's defense a lot. So if
I if I got Metcalf against the corner, who's a
good player that they just traded for two days ago,
I'm gonna take a shot there. I'm going up top
against single high. If you're gonna give me a lot

(39:17):
of too high, I'm gonna thinking Dunky to death. You know,
like there's no perfect defense, and he knows that better
than all of us, you know.

Speaker 2 (39:21):
Exactly right. Uh, if you if you want him to
take the middle of the field, he'll take the middle
of the field. You want him to take deep shots,
he'll take deep shots. If you got to and over,
you gotta paper cut him to death. Absolutely, And when
you could open the game the way that they opened
the game, I think that makes that so much more
realistic as well too.

Speaker 3 (39:39):
I was played a little bit of lead, you know, yeah,
or not from behind.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
Not from behind, and just you know that corn beef package.
It was all run, run, run, run run. We're gonna
we're gonna mash you in Dublin against the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (39:52):
But the Vikings want to be a nickel when.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
And in the first series against Cleveland, first play from scrimmage,
it's like here they come with that big corn beef again,
woo over your head for thirty six yards. Now the
rest of the game, the remaining fifty nine and a
half minutes, every time they come out in that corn beef,
you're like, I gotta be careful because they might throw,
they might slip Darnell out and whoop right over our head.
Like that's where you start to be able to play

(40:18):
that matchup card that we've been talking about for months
as well too.

Speaker 3 (40:22):
Yeah, and you know, we opened the show talking about
how the offense had very few negative plays, and to me,
that's such a rogers thing. And again that's cutting the
coaching staff short. I mean, it's not fair to blame
the offensive coordinator with things go wrong, but just give
the quarterback all the credit when things go right or whatever,
you know. But I think that's a huge part of

(40:43):
it is I'm always going to get you at the
line of scrimmage in the best play for this look
with the people I have on the field with me
with three seconds left on the play clock or ever.
You know, they don't let you pause and go to
the bathroom and think about it and get a beer,
you know, I mean, you got to think about the
stuff on the fly. And that doesn't mean your left
guard doesn't get whipped right off the bat and you

(41:05):
get sacked, or you fumble the snap or the drop
pass or a bad things, you're still gonna happen, a
holding call, blah blah blah blah blah. But if I
can consistently play the right cards in poker to give
myself the best chance to beat my opponent, he's always
going to get you there for that, you know.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
That's a great way to put it. He's going to
play the odds.

Speaker 3 (41:24):
Yeah, success well to hold him.

Speaker 2 (41:27):
He's gonna play the odds every time, whether it's going
to be successful or not.

Speaker 3 (41:30):
Right again, execution errors right now, thing.

Speaker 2 (41:32):
It's perfect, But more often than not, he's going to
have you in the right position.

Speaker 3 (41:35):
Like we said, I mean, and the guys on defense
are on scholarship too, you know, I mean, like they're
not bad.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
They can make him a shorts guy you know, is
known for that type of thing. Uh good first hour
in the books here kind of recapping everything that happened
yesterday at Akroscher Stadium in that twenty three to nine
victory over Cleveland. The guy who called the victory over
the Browns will join us on the other side. Rob King,
the king in the castle, will get his thoughts on
the win in the short week. Here for the Pittsburgh Steelers,

(42:02):
we'll do all that in our number two West Huler
Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network.