December 12, 2025 • 39 mins
Matt and Wes are talking all things Steelers-Dolphins as they get ready for Monday Night Football.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. Weshooler and Matt Williamson with you here for
the next two hours on a Friday, as the weather
is cold, all the tickets are sold. Yeah, you got
a big Monday night football game at home against the
Miami Dolphins, and Matt, obviously that's the forefront of our minds.
(00:46):
But just a huge slate, huge weekend across the NFL,
just four games left for all these teams in the league.
And I know we've been joking about it for about
a month now, but that road is quite literally asked
the boxer, I'm gonna say, asked Tama Bay. How quickly
that changed from last night? But it's a it's a
(01:08):
big weekend, a big couple of days across the NF.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, and we'll get into all that nonsense.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But I was looking for a seany cap.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And I couldn't find one at home.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
But real quick, for those that are watching or not
watching on YouTube, Matt just pulled out a box from
underneath the desk.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Right. Oh, Ben, I am got my seat TV, because
we've got to spread these around.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What's he gone over there? Oh? My goodness?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Size? Give and send the other one back to man.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
SNR Drive comes back. Here's a large for me for me?
Whoa hold on?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
What have you got over there?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
TV?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Okay? Flip me?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Is this?
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Is this a coffee mug?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I haven't looked at him yet.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
For those of you watching on YouTube, you will now
see we no longer have to use nondescript coffee cups.
We got an sn or Drive mug. Yes, did you
get these? Mate?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Not exactly?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, story short of I could.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Take so much credit for this, but remember, like a
week or two ago you mentioned how we need gear
and all that good stuff. Yinergear dot Com is somebody
I've talked to on Twitter quite a bit. Seems like
an awesome dude. Listens every day and direct message me
on Twitter and is like, one, are your shirt sizes
(02:27):
and all that good stuff? And what's your dress? Matt?
And I will send you some goodies and love it.
That is so awesome, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This is a high quality t sh is it?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I haven't even opened them. I didn't want I wanted
to be surprised too.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
No, this is like like you feel it, like this
is like a good material. This is a high quality
T shirt. This is not just some you know T
shirt cannon five dollars right right, right, right, Like this
is a legit T shirt. This is an awesome coffee.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Mug with his credit. He's like, please, don't like pump
my website. I'm just doing it for you guys. I
listen every day. I want. This is my Christmas pres
to you guys. But it's yinrgear dot com. So they
make all kinds of like Pittsford stuff. Apparently it went
the website. It's awesome and uh.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, yinsergear dot com.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Yesterday I've been jumping out of my skin to bring
him in.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I love it. Full transparency. Matt walks in today, you know,
about twenty minutes or so ago, right with a bottle box,
right with a box under his arm, and TV's like,
oh what you got in the box, And Matt's like,
shut up, don't worry about it, all right, shut up,
don't shut up, don't worry about it. You'll find out soon.
And then like five minutes later, I'm like card merry
(03:33):
Christmas to the best Steelers radio team out there. Appreciate
you guys very much.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's so kind.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
We appreciate you very much.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Is that awesome?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And that is a great Friday little gift here to
kick off the show and kick off the day.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And so Matt like puts this box, you know, TV's like,
what's in the box. He's like, don't worry about it.
Matt puts it under the desk. Like ten minutes later,
I'm like walking in out of the door and I
see it, and I'm like, is that something for us?
Like He's like, don't worry about it, all right, just
just wait.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And see what happens. Is looking for Christmas presents? Come on, man,
we have rules at home, like if anybody snoops or presents,
you got nothing. And my kids, to their credit, I
don't think I ever did in their kids.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I've been drinking coffee like way too late in the
in the day.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, And so I told myself when I was driving
in today, I was like, don't make a coffee. Don't
make a coffee, because then it's just going to keep
you up tonight. I mean when we go to break here,
I'm gonna have to make a coffee.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah. I even did this is sell it. I put
it in my regular cup, you know, so so now
I got to think about it, like I want to
leave it here the mug, yes, but nobody better touch
put a sticker on this thing, I don't yeah, or
secret hiding place, that's what it needs to be. Weed
lock up somewhere, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
We need to we need a you.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Know, because I want to use it on the air.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
A couple of weeks ago, we solicited coffee mugs and
T shirts and stuff that we got here. Now we
need to solicit like a little mini safe lock up
our coffee bugs right here.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
But if anyone else wants to send us gear, feel free.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Or that's awesome, say that. Say the name one more
time of the website Injured Gear Gear. Yeah, okay, awesome,
love it huge.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Thanks to he was like a super nice guy. We've
just you know, like texted on Twitter, you know, direct
the d MS or whatever, and he's been super helpful.
He asked. He gave me some like YouTube advice and
all kinds of stuff too. So listen, I'm sure he's listening.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
If anybody out there that owns a car dealership wants
to give us free cars.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah that's fine too, right, Yeah we got plenty right,
we got a.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Live of options available here. But no, that's awesome, huge,
thank you, very very pleasant, very nice early Christmas gift.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Do you guys remember I asked your T shirt size
is like a week ago? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I thought
I thought I was thinking about this kind of guessing.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But you know, can I tell you what I thought
that was?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
For sure?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I thought maybe you ordered to leave leave the gun,
take the Lombardi the Chief Godfather T shirts.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I have one. I bought one for myself to be fat.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You got to order it first to make sure it's
good quality, and.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Sitting on my bar, i'll folded up by so it's
pretty good stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I know we're supposed to wear our official brand and stuff. Here,
see if we can see if we.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Can definitely aware like around training camp though as the
same with this shirt.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's awesome, huge thank you. Isn't that awesome and a
nice way to start off the Friday?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I thought I've been so psyched to give you know, like.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Are we still doing our TV? We're still doing our
our sn or Christmas gift exchange here in a couple
of weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I didn't know if I'm off the hook.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now you see what he's doing over here.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Did he cost me a cent? But I had something
to do with it? You know?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Does that count? He's a regifted, He's a regift, but
I will not regifted.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
TV. You might remember this too. I mean this shows
what a heel I am compared to Dale. Dale used
to get me something every year, and I never got
about anything or like my birthday, He'd always bring me
like a bottle bourbon. I'd never remember his you know, like, sorry, well.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I'm not saying this to make you guys feel bad
and guilty into getting me something. But I did. I
did buy you both a Christmas gift. Okay, okay, it's
it's it's at home, I think off the it's I'll
bring it in. I'll bring it into the next week
or two. Hey, I'm the new blood here, all right,
so I gotta get It's like the rookie us the
doughnuts to carry the pad. It's like whatever rookie Aaron
(07:11):
Rodgers sent to pick up his big Nobu sushi order
when we were in New York. I've got to be
the I've got to be the rookie that that kind
of carries the load.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Here.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Wow, nice surprise to start and then let's let's jump
right into it here. Now is uh second straight day
in a row. There's no easy way to transition out
of the open, but let's just jump into it. Steelers Dolphins, Mattuh.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
We are going to TJ Watt News all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So t J Watts some more clarity there.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I just want to finish up the first segment with that.
I guess it's probably the news today one. I mean
it hijacked the show, so we know.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I mean this is again like I don't really know,
and you didn't hijack the show. That's a that's a
great way to that's a great way to get us
started the season. This is another one of those like
I don't I'm not a medical expert. I don't know
how these things were. I don't know how these things happen.
I don't know anything. I barely know my own address
and how to get home every evening and what I
(08:07):
had for breakfast yesterday. Sure, but it's being reported now
collapsed long for TJ and unlikely that he's going to
play on Monday night.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
And that's from what I understand. That's all we know.
I think that's all.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
That's all that I'm comfortable going with.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, yeah, big brother JJ put it out correct, right,
So I mean this is a good source, you know. Yes,
I guess Schefter took it and I got a notice
from NFL dot Com on my phone, So I mean
it's it's out there. Unlikely to play, is all I saw. Yes,
I mean yes, the chance that they didn't say he's out,
which is great.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And so I wonder if the game was Sunday, if
they would have completely ruled him out already. Maybe the
extra day. But again, these are things I have no idea.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I hate talking about it.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Or I don't even want to speculate down that road.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Because I was going to say it sounds like it's
not life threatening or career threatening, or would be making
a bigger deal out of it, or others would be
making a bigger deal that you know, But I don't
want to even say that, you know, because I don't
know any clue. But that's what we know, folks, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
That is what we know. And again, just all the
best of TJ. Hopefully a full recovery for him. We'll
see if we get any new news before we get
out of here or anything like that, but that's what
we know right now. Scary, but hopefully nothing that's going
to affect him long term.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And maybe it's a one week thing, maybe it's the
rest of the year. I don't I'm just thinking.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Football totally, and I'm like, he.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Would be misdefending the run against it. I mean, the
scariest thing in this game to me is their running game,
and he's a very, very good run.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
He absolutely is. And we're going to talk plenty more
about that as we roll along and we get into
five Star Friday, all those things. I guess if we're
going news of the day to Matt, we should probably
touch on this before we take our first break as well.
This is news that we got back into July back
in July, but it's been a while since then. It's
going to become officially official this weekend. The Steelers new
(09:54):
Hall of Honor class, which was of course Ben Roethlisberger,
Joey Porter Senior, and Mark east Pouncy, will officially be
enshrined Monday night at halftime during the Steelers game against
the Miami Dolphins. So again, this news broke back in July. Yeah,
it's always one of the first couple of days of
(10:15):
training camp. It's usually that I think first Saturday, actually
when they do the whole Welcome back to Football Saturday
across the NFL. That's typically when the Steelers make this announcement.
And so we knew that it's going to be Joey Porter,
Senior Pease who ride, Marcus Pouncy and Ben Roethlisberger Matt
a star studded trio and those three going to officially
(10:37):
be immortalized Hall of Honor Hall of Honor Museum in
the Black and Gold for the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night
as part of the ceremonies with the football game.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
So I know, it's not like a competition between you.
This class is better than that class, and with all
respect to the other classes, that's about as good as against.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
The first class was loaded because it was all the
Hall of Famers, right right, right, that's different. But then
you're right, that's an exception. That's different. Since then, I mean, yeah,
this is very difficult to beat. I mean, one of
the ten best quarterbacks to ever play the game, a
center who is you know, was able to continue that tradition,
(11:15):
that honor that mantle of Webby and you know, on
down the lid and then Joey Porter Senior, who was
an All Pro caliber player and one of the great
personalities and leaders in franchise.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
History and the team.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's it's a really cool class. I know that I
said this back in July, but this is like, this
is the first time it's really felt like my generation class,
Like these are the guys that I grew up rooting for.
You know, I, I know I've told you this story before,
but when I was like when I was growing up
playing sports and football and hockey, like in the locker room,
(11:54):
we would always do the who ride thing. It was football,
whether it was hockey, we would always break down at
the end with who ride if you if you went
the Mars at that time period and played football or hockey,
you know, and everybody wanted to wear number fifty five
to be just like easy and so yeah, this is
a pretty cool class, pretty special class. Joey Porter Senior
(12:15):
just for what he's meant in the history of the
organization and the personality and his son now Pouncy being
one of those elite. You know, you talk about the
elite lexicon of Steelers, centers, and then Ben Roethlisberger, who
I know that you know labs would strangle me if
he were sitting in here right now. But you could
make a legitimate good faith argument the greatest Steeler of
(12:37):
all time. You could do that for Ben. I know
it's it's probably mean Joe or some of those seventies guys.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
And I'm sure people like Brad Jaws better.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Go ahead of them. I'd put me and Joe ahead
of him. I'd put all these things. Fine, that's not
what I'm saying, But I'm saying you could make a
legitimate good faith argument that it's Ben.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, that's a pretty pretty cool class, pretty special group.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah. Man, It's funny because you know you're younger than me.
This is one of the classes that to me, I
basically been an analyst their whole career, you know, as
opposed to I remember him when I was a fan,
or you know, I was a kid, or my dad
told me about him, or you know those type of things.
Because my year with the Browns was Ben's rookie year.
So basically I got hired by ESPN as soon as
(13:19):
I got fired from them, and so friend, Frankly, I
think I've told a story too. In our downtime, i'd
watch Ben highlights, yes, you know, and then.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You'd get ice cream. I go to do go home
to my townhouse by myself.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
My big buddy or my buddy James was an Atlanta
guy who'd watch would watch Victim, would watch Ben just
for like fun, like we're watching a movie. You know,
it's awesome. And then one of my first things with
the Steelers, doing the Steeler pregame postgame show, as I
still do, was with your buddy out Adam Crawley, and
I remember it was Pouncy's first game as a rookie
(13:54):
and he's like, what do you think of Pouncy. I'm like, oh,
he's the best lineman already.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
I meant to tell you that that I totally forgot.
A couple of weeks ago, I was going through our
sound system here and I forget exactly what I was
looking for, but I found a clip of a radio
hit of you speaking of old names from the past,
and you know you mentioned our buddy Crowley and it
was from twenty and fourteen WOW with David Todd Okay,
on our nine seventy I'm like scrolling through old clips
(14:21):
looking for something. It might have been a Steeler's clip
or highlight or something.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Yeah, we did a show from a bar down the
south Side too.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
What it might have been now that again i'm remembering.
I think it might have been leading up to Bear's Week.
I think I was looking for the famous Jerome Bettis
over Erlacker clip and so going back through old stuff
and I saw that in there, and it was hilarious
because you sound and deliver exactly the same as you
do now eleven years later, but your voice sounded a
little higher pitch back then. I mean a little bit
(14:48):
a little bit younger, a little bit more youthful for
Matt back then. But I was laughing. I meant to
play that for you. But yeah, it was from you
and our system in twenty fourteen. That was probably like
right around the time that you were really getting ingrained here,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Yeah. I'm bad with years, Like everyone's like, what year
were you with the Brown like Ben Rookie heear, I
forget what you are? What you were you as the
Steelers or with with pitt Uh both the Larry's years,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Right off and running here when we get started, well, yeah,
we'll talk some more about different you know, Steelers and
and and Dolphins things here. We'll start to set the scene,
get into some matchups, all that good stuff. We are
going to talk to Missy Matthews in this hour as well,
so plenty to get to as we roll along. Just
getting started here on the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
(15:31):
on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Having some fun here on a Friday on the Drive.
New coffee mug, rocking and rolling, feeling like a new man.
You know, everyone talks about how you know, like when
you're when you're a dad, right, Like you get the
socks and the ties and all the classic dad gifts.
Right the coffee mugs one I never get tired of though.
I'm always I'm I'm always I'm always good for another
coffee mug. I can always find you, so I can
(16:24):
always find space.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
This is shocky. I don't drink a ton of coffee
at home. It's always like at the stage. It here
right as soon as I walk in, first thing I
do and then I get the second one. But I
always drink out of the same mug. It's my my father
in law's Iron City mug. And so he's passed and
you know, we cleaned out of his house. I'm like,
I'm keeping this.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah yeah, yeah, but you'd like I have a that
is that's pretty cool. I have a plethora of different
coffee mugs, like a whole thing. Some of them are
like new ones that I bought at mc cool in
last year. Yeah, there's a couple of WV ones and there,
as you can imagine. But I've got some from from
my grandfather too, trips that I took with him when
I was a kid. Okay, So when I was like twelve,
(17:05):
we went to Sydney, Australia with my dad friends. Yeah,
my my mom and I, my grandma and grandpa and
my dad. He was playing shows at the Sydney Opera House.
We did the bridge climb in Sydney. You can like
climb the big bridge in Sydney and it like overlooks
the whole city. Okay, And my grandpa bought a mug
at the gift shop, so when he passed away, I
got that one and we used to take fishing trips
(17:27):
as a family, like every other year up to Canada.
My grandpa had an RV. We would use it on
football weekends in Morgantown. We would also load it up
once a year and go up to Canada and go fishing.
Nice and so he had a like a Canada whatever
the lake was mug that we used to always go to.
So I got those two, so let's go from him.
So I use I use those a lot.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, these are from my mine, from my wife's father
who passed away a couple of years ago, and he
had a keg of iron in his fridge. Oh yeah,
always the iron mugs. Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
That's great. Might have got myself a Guinness mug in
the back when we were in Dublin. Well, I thought,
so why I just said that in an English accent
when I was talking about Ireland. But don't ask questions.
You don't want the answer to, Matt. Before we get
back into some Steelers specific stuff. I don't know when
we're going to do this the rest of the show,
so I did want to make sure to get to
it just briefly here. But man, what a fumble by
(18:17):
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Oh they should be and kicking themselves book now.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But the Carolina Panthers would be in the playoffs if
they started today driver's seat.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I mean now, they still played twice, which is a
shoe in the air. But they basically, from what I understand,
more or less, if Carolina beats the Saints, it's in
New Orleans, they're not huge favorites. We'll get that game
at the other show. Tampa basically has to win both
those games against Carolina, so they really put themselves behind
the eight ball. And Atlanta took nineteen penalties in that game.
(18:49):
They had fifteen more penalties in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I mean, I thought they were kind of the better
team down and down out, but they kept going backwards,
kept going backwards. I mean, Tampa's got to be kicking
themselves and well big time. I mean, how happy would
you be if you're like Seattle and you get to
go to Carolina for a huge week one like.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
A bowl game. Yeah, fifty of your own fans would
probably take over that place, all the East coast Seattle fans.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Yea was not playing very well. Mayfield's not playing very well.
An odd game, you know, Cousins played great. Yes, yeahs,
Cousins say.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Two guys on the Falcons that did themselves a lot
of favors for their upcoming off season, Kirk Cousins and
Kyle Pitts big time Cole. Pits had maybe his best
game in his NFL career. He's going to be a
free agent this summer. He's been up and down throughout
his entire tenure there, but the talent's always been undeniable. Sure,
and then Kirk Cousins, Hey man, maybe one of these
(19:45):
I say it, but Steelers too.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I mean, I might have to consider it.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I don't want to go down that path, like I
just don't. I'm ready to step up to the plate
again and try and find my future franchise quarterback. And
if I strike out, I strike out. Oh well, But
I don't want to keep pulling the forty year old
designated hitter the thirty seven year old designated hitter out
of the bullpen to see if he can still crush
a home run for me.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
As it stands in middle of December, I'm not interested
for the Steelers, but I bet he's doing something next
year now. And I thought he was pretty shot before that.
But who knows something. It's one game.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
It's it's one game, but those mean a lot in
the National Football League. And it was a good day
for him in a good day for the Atlanta Falcons.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah, they played hard. Yeah they were rore, they rushed,
rushed the passer.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You know, they're another one of those. Like we've talked
about this with the Titans a little bit. We've talked
about this with the Jets a little bit. One good
off season and you could be formidable. Yeah, I'm not
saying you're gonna win the division next.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Year, right, but they don't have the first round pick.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
They don't have a first round pick. Is the is
the key part.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And I do wonder about quarterback. We'll be cousins, will
be Penix. I mean I assume it'll be Penis, But
I don't even know if they'll have their job next year.
That staff, but they're a lot that save it last night.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
It's a it's a good point. There's a lot of
those staffs going on all around right now.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Matt and Miami used to be one of them.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Miami used to be one of them, maybe still is
one of them, but has certainly done incredible stuff from
where they were at one point, I and so much
of that. Let's go ahead, we'll jump into it here
for just a few minutes before we get to Missy Matthews.
But so much of that has revolved around the run game,
around a chain big time. Uh. You consider, as you mentioned,
(21:25):
the potential and and maybe even likely absence of TJ.
Watt makes you more nervous in that regard, especially so
Mat because this is not a Derrick Henry bruising James
Cook here. Here it comes between the tackles and try
to stop us. There is more of the outside run
(21:49):
games spreads you out want to attack the edges, attack
the boundary with that run game. And you mentioned this
yesterday a Chain did he actually run track at Texas
saying I think so? Or was he just really good
at it in high school?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
And that's what I wasn't positive? But he there's verified
hundred meter times that are really really they're worthy, you know, right, yes.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Like some Ted like some Ted Gin junior.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
He didn't necessarily do much of it at Ohio State
because he was so focused on football. I mean, that
dude could have ran for the track team pretty easily
if he wanted to.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I mean I helped recruit Teddy you know, going to
Ohio State, but I mean the the Glenville tar Blutters.
Ted Gin Senior is a legendary head coach of the
Glenville tar Blutters. But anyway, yeah, I mean, like he
considered going to the Olympics for hurdles. You know Rod
Woodson did that, you know, when he was like holding
now He's like, we'll just go to the Olympics and
run hurdles. I love chans like, I don't know if
(22:43):
he's at that level, but he was, you know, a
big time track athlete.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I always I always love it when you would tell
the story about when you guys got ted Gin to
come to Pittsburgh for a recruiting visit and he was like,
where's the track, and you guys, looks are good. We
don't have It's not like there's a there's a lot
of you'd be surprised how many big time universities don't
have track and field programs.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I guess this takes up so much space, takes so much.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Takes up so much space, And think about it from
a Title nine perspective, Oh okay, where you have to
have the same amount of scholarships for men's and women's sports.
Football is such a outlier that a lot of schools,
like WU, for example, has a women's cross country team
but not a man's but a man women's track and
field team. That's how they balance out the scholarship difference
with football. Gotcha, But that is funny where it's like.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah, in a great weekend and he's like, I never
saw the track though, I want to do both, and
we're like, well, we don't really have one. I think
I'll go to USC next week in Ohio State after that,
and yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Von A Chain was the twenty twenty Texas Boys Track
and Field Athlete of the Year.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Wowk in high school.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
His senior year of high school.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Okay, yeah, I don't know if he ran at A
and M.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
It doesn't look like he ran it all at A
and M. But he was.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
He was.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
He was in Texas too, which is a massive track and.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Field right right, and it's not a bad neighborhood.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
He was.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
He was the track and field athlete of the year
his senior year there. So they like to spread you
out and make you make work for they're not coming
right at you and necessarily in the physicality standpoint, this
is a more of a sideline to sideline run game.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah. I mean everyone now understands his speed and his explosiveness.
And this is a big watt thing too, just his watts.
Smarts and recognition is so key here because they lead
the league in motion. And it's not just somebody you know,
you know, carosing behind the line of scrimmage just to
change the strength. I mean, it's jet motions and orbit
(24:39):
motions and things you don't see before, you know, behind
the quarterback and in the backfield, and a wide, wide
variety of formations. I mean a ton of two back.
Like I said, the most motion in the league to
set up runt, you know, I mean a lot of
it's to freeze guys and get them leaning in the
wrong direction.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
They can hold your water for an extra second.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
And McDaniel great at it. You know, just get a
little bit better blocking angle and if you don't secure
the edge, this guy gets to it. Forget about it. Man.
Hej's a big loss obviously, but this week it's maybe
even above the neck as much as anything.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
And as you've mentioned, so much for TJ and it's
kind of a testament to how regularly he was creating
splash plays, doing just absolutely psychotic game changing stuff every
single time he stepped onto the field. So many people,
when they evaluate TJ's performance in a given game or
(25:34):
a given season, it's just what's the sack numbers, what's
the force fumble numbers, what's the TfL numbers. Yeah, and
again it's a testament to him of how regularly he was.
I mean, he was putting those things up, like, you know,
like Steph Curry put.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Up forty point games.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
It's nice, just another day, right an Just another four
goal game for Wayne Gretzky, No big deal. But he
has always been criminally underrated in that regard, and even
where he hasn't had as much splash as typical this year,
that element of his game is still so stout and
so underrated it is.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
And there's a lot of times I can take or
leave Pro Football Focus grades. But I think he started
to get some recognition last year because he was their
number one graded edge run defender by like a mile
by not even close, like clearly, you know, like just
when you think he's not like he's not doing much,
he used to don't be so sure. Yeah, Yeah, So.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
It's obviously a big onus on her big and high
Smith Jack Sawyer as well. I would think he plays
a long He only played three snaps last week.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Yeah, I might be thirty.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
You know what they say happens when you assume, But
I'm assuming that number is going to be much greater
this week. We have not as as Matt and I
are you know, doing this show right now, We have
not heard a final verdict on TJ for Monday, but
in all likelihood is the reports is that he is
going to miss that clash with the Dolphins, which is,
(26:58):
you know, obviously a huge loss for the Steelers, and
we wish TJ all the best from a from a
health standpoint and getting right there.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
The only thing I did read one thing since we
you know, opened the show was not expected to miss
the rest of the season. But again I don't know
the answer to that.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Sure, sure, yeah, and you know chef they're putting out
there unlikely to play Monday night against the Dolphins, but
again that's a you know, something will wait until we
get a a final verdict. And yeah, it's just a
weird situation, scary situation, but obviously one that uh that
(27:37):
we hope everything is all good on the other side
for him, and is uh, certainly, certainly something that we have.
We've kept an eye on here and we'll continue to
keep an eye on going forward.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
And you hope Miami Canic doesn't exploit it on game day, you.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Know, yeah, no, absolutely. This is one of those you know,
to use another Mike tomlinism. Uh, you know your opponents,
they're not they're not concerned about the problems you have,
and they're glad you have them, is what Mike Tomlin says. So, Uh,
they are not weeping in Miami. They might be concerned
about the the weather Monday night here in Pittsburgh, but
(28:11):
they're not they're not concerned about that nasty right fourteen
When I looked yesterday it was about fourteen degrees. I
don't think there's gonna be any rain, snow, sleep, wintry
mix as the meteor the river, it'll be it'll be
wendy and it'll be chilly. Yeah, I mean, there's there's
absolutely no doubt. It'll be windy and uh and it'll
be chilly. Let's get to a break here, We'll get
(28:32):
to missus. Matthews on the other side, closed down this
first hour of the program when we return West Ruler
Matt Williamson. It is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
on the Steelers Audio Network. Back here on the Drive
(29:12):
on a Friday, as we get rocking and rolling, and
who better to help us paint the picture than the
queen of the sideline herself, Missy Matthews, joining us now
here on Steelers Nation Radio. Missy, thank you for taking
the time as always. And you know something Matt and
I kind of talked about yesterday and kicked around, was
this voodoo that the Steelers have on Monday night football,
(29:35):
particularly at home. It's one of those weird things in
sports that can sometimes be tough to pinpoint. But you've
obviously been on the sideline now for a lot of
those Steelers Monday night home triumphs. Any secret sauce, any
peak behind the curtain that you can share with us
as to why the Steelers have been practically unbeatable in
(29:56):
this spot at home for so long.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Thing that you know with the name that they're doing differently.
Maybe it's the extra day of rest and or preparation.
But it is wild to go back to nineteen ninety one,
the last time they've lost at home on Monday night.
It's a very significant streak. You know, we're not talking
four games, this is twenty two, so it's yeah, I
(30:24):
don't have what the magic sauce is, but whoever sold
it to the Steelers, I hope they keep buying.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
It, no doubt. And Mike Tomlin does have a great record.
Obviously he has a lot to do with this, but
he does have a very good record with extra rest
in as opposed to short rest compared to other coaches.
Everybody does. But I wonder if he just has something
behind the scenes of you know, we're going to practice
(30:50):
this hard on this day or I have no idea,
but it can't be a fluke, no.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
And maybe it's you know, just the coaching staff too,
having that extra day.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Maybe it's sleep.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
I used to run on fumes and never sleep, and
you know, got to the age where that's not that's
not how you can live. But I've also realized how
importantly does even for my kids, which I feel like,
get something new. So I don't know, maybe everyone's sleeping
a little bit more, But I think, you know, being
in the classroom, the you know, the team meeting, the
(31:25):
individual unit meeting, maybe just having that day but an
extra day of that before they hit the field. It helps.
It's just I don't know. I hope this street continues
because I certainly don't want to be there when it ends.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Yeah, well well said, and that would be uh be
a less than opportune time for it to end. Uh
this Monday night, certainly against the Dolphins team that is
playing very well in the Steelers team that finds itself
in good standing in the AFC North, Missy, it does
sound like.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
T J.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Watt in all likelihood is not going to be available
for Monday. And none of us really want to speculate
or anything like that other than to just wish him
well in a full recovery. But what we do know,
speaking of trends, you know the Steelers, they they win
pretty much all the time when they play at home
on Monday night football, Missy, it's kind of the opposite.
When the Steelers are without TJ. Watt one and eleven
(32:21):
including the playoffs, they allow twenty seven points per game,
three hundred and eighty yards per game. Just a obviously
we know how valuable he is to this defense. Maybe
you feel more confident in that regard now with Nick
Herbig having the season that he's having and and you
know being I think probably the finest you know, third
(32:44):
option edge rusher off the bench that we've had throughout TJ.
Watt's career. But it's still it's a you know, against
a run game like this Miami one, and a spot
like this, it's a it's a less than ideal time
to be to be losing such a key part of
your defense.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah, you know, obviously you first thing about TJ. His wife,
his daughter, his family. Hope he gets better. I agree
with Nick Herbig and just how lights out he has
played this season, even last year. But really this season
something has, you know, really clicked, and I think coming
off of the performance that Alex high Smith had in
Baltimore last week, you want to see that going and
(33:23):
how good he can be when he's healthy and not
dealing with injuries. I do think, you know, Derek Carmon
put it best. Hey, these guys like to bounce to
the outside. That's why you need the TJ. Watts of
the world, Alex high Smith, Nick Herbig. But I do
think hopefully if Harmon is trending to play that helps solidify,
you know, the middle of that line, which I think
would be huge. I think you know, clearly everyone has
(33:46):
seen the numbers with and without Harmon in terms of
yards they're giving up on the ground. But hopefully, you know,
for the Steelers, the extra day again going into that
of game planning and figuring things out will be useful
to them. Who knows, you know, if they're going to
(34:06):
rule the rule him out, when they're going to rule
him out, if they're going to let TJ take it
to Monday and maybe decide then I don't know that
you know, that's something we'll have to monitor. It's just
the week's just off in terms of practice reports and
status reports because it's Monday night, so we really won't
know for sure what the team is thinking until tomorrow
(34:26):
when they have to list everybody for the status report.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
So you mentioned, I mean, getting Derek Harmon back, if
that happens, would sure help a lot. But how worried
are you, especially if the Watt news and seeing the
Steelers run defense the past two weeks, I'm a little
terrified all of a sudden of Miami's rushing attack.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
Yeah, you know, I think it was you know, Miami
is one of those teams where it felt like the
sky fell early and you kind of forgot about him
just a little bit, and then all of a sudden,
they're coming up on your schedule and you look and
you're like, oh, they're winning now. I thought they were losing,
you know, and trading everybody and fire wanting to fire everybody,
and they are on this sneaky little four game win streak.
(35:07):
And I agree. I mean, their run game is legit.
I do try to think positively. Okay, we saw what
they did against Jonathan Taylor even in Chicago, But then
you think about the games where you're like, yeah, I
remember that time James Cook was here, and games like
that where you're like, man, hopefully, because I think this
(35:30):
is this is like not even a question. You have
to stop the run. You're not worried about anything else.
I'm not saying, you know, FUA can't change his tune,
but what he has been doing over the past few games,
he's not the biggest threat. It wasn't like last week
when you were preparing for Derek Henry and Lamar Jackson,
oh and all of their eligibles. They don't have Tyreek Hill.
(35:51):
They have Jalen Waddle, and I'm not saying that's not
a real threat, but if Tua can't get them the ball,
I just think this is a lockdown. You bring your lunch,
cayle hell as they like to say, because it's gonna
be a long day work for all of the guys
really on both sides. For the lack of.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Scrimmage, yeah, I think, Missy, when you look like when
you look at guys like a Chain and guys like Waddle,
there's you know, certainly fair concern there from a Steelers
defensive perspective. But I think when you kind of spin
the block the other way around, you can say the
same thing about the Steelers offense against that Miami defense.
And I think, namely, building off the performance that we
(36:27):
saw in the pass game last week centered around DK Metcalf,
it feels like there's a real opportunity to build upon that,
to get number four involved early and often in space
down the field, and what that could mean for the
rest of the pass game, the offense for Aaron Rodgers
him coming off his finest performance, I think DK Metcalf,
his finest performance, feels like a real opportunity against this
(36:51):
Miami defense for those two to build off of what
they did successfully last Sunday in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Yeah, and you know, you hope that Miami plays single
coverage kind of how the Ravens did and didn't really
try to do anything to you know, counter that, which
was a little surprising.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Of course.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
I think going into that game for the Ravens, you're
just thinking stop the runs. They don't really throw anyways,
but they came out swinging with that, So I do
think again, I hate to like preface everything of how
I feel based on an injury, but Darnel Washington is
a large part of that run game, so I would
like to know. You know, it appears he's arrow pointed up,
(37:28):
but with the concussion protocol that can change quickly, so
we won't really know for sure, but if he can
be out there, I think that would be significant in
terms of getting Jalen Moore and and Kenny Gen even
Caleb Johnson going on the ground when it's you know,
it's going to be in the teams, it's going to
be cold and running the ball time of possession. We
(37:48):
talk about it every week, right that it's his favorite
stat to talk about. And also just the fact that,
you know, it's it's a different element for the Dolphins,
and if it's old and you're making them physically tired,
but that's the recipe for success. So hopefully those things
can all fall into place, and Darnell was able to go.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
So it seems like a long time ago now, I
mean the trip to Baltimore, but I would imagine spirits
were a little better, and then the last couple of
weeks on the sidelines there and particularly how how was
Rogers handling things? I mean, I thought was his best
game as a Steeler.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
You know he I it's it's everybody on that team
follows him. And man, when he's having fun, they are
having fun, not you know, having fun and not focusing TYPEA.
That's not what I think at all. Coach Tomlin did
the discount doubt. You know, I was feeding he was
(38:48):
feeding off of his just attitude and energy. And I
do think that, you know, being able to take a lead.
And I know they've lost them recently, but the way
that they did it, the way they all stuck together,
the way all units were playing better and more consistently,
and it wasn't all right, this is the game the
(39:08):
offense won for them. This is the game. You know,
special teams didn't do this. You can say that all
three phases had to handle this win, which I think
makes it more of a team bonding, building, happy family
type deal. And when the going got tough, and hey,
that Isaiah likely touchdown could have counted, and things would
(39:28):
have you know, been a little bit more anxious than
they were, they all stuck together, and I think that
maybe something
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. Weshooler and Matt Williamson with you here for
the next two hours on a Friday, as the weather
is cold, all the tickets are sold. Yeah, you got
a big Monday night football game at home against the
Miami Dolphins, and Matt, obviously that's the forefront of our minds.
(00:46):
But just a huge slate, huge weekend across the NFL,
just four games left for all these teams in the league.
And I know we've been joking about it for about
a month now, but that road is quite literally asked
the boxer, I'm gonna say, asked Tama Bay. How quickly
that changed from last night? But it's a it's a
(01:08):
big weekend, a big couple of days across the NF.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, and we'll get into all that nonsense.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But I was looking for a seany cap.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And I couldn't find one at home.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
But real quick, for those that are watching or not
watching on YouTube, Matt just pulled out a box from
underneath the desk.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Right. Oh, Ben, I am got my seat TV, because
we've got to spread these around.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What's he gone over there? Oh? My goodness?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Size? Give and send the other one back to man.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
SNR Drive comes back. Here's a large for me for me?
Whoa hold on?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
What have you got over there?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
TV?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Okay? Flip me?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Is this?
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Is this a coffee mug?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I haven't looked at him yet.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
For those of you watching on YouTube, you will now
see we no longer have to use nondescript coffee cups.
We got an sn or Drive mug. Yes, did you
get these? Mate?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Not exactly?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, story short of I could.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Take so much credit for this, but remember, like a
week or two ago you mentioned how we need gear
and all that good stuff. Yinergear dot Com is somebody
I've talked to on Twitter quite a bit. Seems like
an awesome dude. Listens every day and direct message me
on Twitter and is like, one, are your shirt sizes
(02:27):
and all that good stuff? And what's your dress? Matt?
And I will send you some goodies and love it.
That is so awesome, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This is a high quality t sh is it?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I haven't even opened them. I didn't want I wanted
to be surprised too.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
No, this is like like you feel it, like this
is like a good material. This is a high quality
T shirt. This is not just some you know T
shirt cannon five dollars right right, right, right, Like this
is a legit T shirt. This is an awesome coffee.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Mug with his credit. He's like, please, don't like pump
my website. I'm just doing it for you guys. I
listen every day. I want. This is my Christmas pres
to you guys. But it's yinrgear dot com. So they
make all kinds of like Pittsford stuff. Apparently it went
the website. It's awesome and uh.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, yinsergear dot com.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Yesterday I've been jumping out of my skin to bring
him in.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I love it. Full transparency. Matt walks in today, you know,
about twenty minutes or so ago, right with a bottle box,
right with a box under his arm, and TV's like,
oh what you got in the box, And Matt's like,
shut up, don't worry about it, all right, shut up,
don't shut up, don't worry about it. You'll find out soon.
And then like five minutes later, I'm like card merry
(03:33):
Christmas to the best Steelers radio team out there. Appreciate
you guys very much.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's so kind.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
We appreciate you very much.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Is that awesome?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And that is a great Friday little gift here to
kick off the show and kick off the day.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And so Matt like puts this box, you know, TV's like,
what's in the box. He's like, don't worry about it.
Matt puts it under the desk. Like ten minutes later,
I'm like walking in out of the door and I
see it, and I'm like, is that something for us?
Like He's like, don't worry about it, all right, just
just wait.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And see what happens. Is looking for Christmas presents? Come on, man,
we have rules at home, like if anybody snoops or presents,
you got nothing. And my kids, to their credit, I
don't think I ever did in their kids.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I've been drinking coffee like way too late in the
in the day.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, And so I told myself when I was driving
in today, I was like, don't make a coffee. Don't
make a coffee, because then it's just going to keep
you up tonight. I mean when we go to break here,
I'm gonna have to make a coffee.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah. I even did this is sell it. I put
it in my regular cup, you know, so so now
I got to think about it, like I want to
leave it here the mug, yes, but nobody better touch
put a sticker on this thing, I don't yeah, or
secret hiding place, that's what it needs to be. Weed
lock up somewhere, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
We need to we need a you.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Know, because I want to use it on the air.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
A couple of weeks ago, we solicited coffee mugs and
T shirts and stuff that we got here. Now we
need to solicit like a little mini safe lock up
our coffee bugs right here.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
But if anyone else wants to send us gear, feel free.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Or that's awesome, say that. Say the name one more
time of the website Injured Gear Gear. Yeah, okay, awesome,
love it huge.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Thanks to he was like a super nice guy. We've
just you know, like texted on Twitter, you know, direct
the d MS or whatever, and he's been super helpful.
He asked. He gave me some like YouTube advice and
all kinds of stuff too. So listen, I'm sure he's listening.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
If anybody out there that owns a car dealership wants
to give us free cars.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah that's fine too, right, Yeah we got plenty right,
we got a.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Live of options available here. But no, that's awesome, huge,
thank you, very very pleasant, very nice early Christmas gift.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Do you guys remember I asked your T shirt size
is like a week ago? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I thought
I thought I was thinking about this kind of guessing.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But you know, can I tell you what I thought
that was?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
For sure?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I thought maybe you ordered to leave leave the gun,
take the Lombardi the Chief Godfather T shirts.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I have one. I bought one for myself to be fat.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You got to order it first to make sure it's
good quality, and.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Sitting on my bar, i'll folded up by so it's
pretty good stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I know we're supposed to wear our official brand and stuff. Here,
see if we can see if we.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Can definitely aware like around training camp though as the
same with this shirt.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's awesome, huge thank you. Isn't that awesome and a
nice way to start off the Friday?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I thought I've been so psyched to give you know, like.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Are we still doing our TV? We're still doing our
our sn or Christmas gift exchange here in a couple
of weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I didn't know if I'm off the hook.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now you see what he's doing over here.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Did he cost me a cent? But I had something
to do with it? You know?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Does that count? He's a regifted, He's a regift, but
I will not regifted.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
TV. You might remember this too. I mean this shows
what a heel I am compared to Dale. Dale used
to get me something every year, and I never got
about anything or like my birthday, He'd always bring me
like a bottle bourbon. I'd never remember his you know, like, sorry, well.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I'm not saying this to make you guys feel bad
and guilty into getting me something. But I did. I
did buy you both a Christmas gift. Okay, okay, it's
it's it's at home, I think off the it's I'll
bring it in. I'll bring it into the next week
or two. Hey, I'm the new blood here, all right,
so I gotta get It's like the rookie us the
doughnuts to carry the pad. It's like whatever rookie Aaron
(07:11):
Rodgers sent to pick up his big Nobu sushi order
when we were in New York. I've got to be
the I've got to be the rookie that that kind
of carries the load.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Here.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Wow, nice surprise to start and then let's let's jump
right into it here. Now is uh second straight day
in a row. There's no easy way to transition out
of the open, but let's just jump into it. Steelers Dolphins, Mattuh.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
We are going to TJ Watt News all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So t J Watts some more clarity there.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I just want to finish up the first segment with that.
I guess it's probably the news today one. I mean
it hijacked the show, so we know.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I mean this is again like I don't really know,
and you didn't hijack the show. That's a that's a
great way to that's a great way to get us
started the season. This is another one of those like
I don't I'm not a medical expert. I don't know
how these things were. I don't know how these things happen.
I don't know anything. I barely know my own address
and how to get home every evening and what I
(08:07):
had for breakfast yesterday. Sure, but it's being reported now
collapsed long for TJ and unlikely that he's going to
play on Monday night.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
And that's from what I understand. That's all we know.
I think that's all.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
That's all that I'm comfortable going with.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, yeah, big brother JJ put it out correct, right,
So I mean this is a good source, you know. Yes,
I guess Schefter took it and I got a notice
from NFL dot Com on my phone, So I mean
it's it's out there. Unlikely to play, is all I saw. Yes,
I mean yes, the chance that they didn't say he's out,
which is great.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And so I wonder if the game was Sunday, if
they would have completely ruled him out already. Maybe the
extra day. But again, these are things I have no idea.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I hate talking about it.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Or I don't even want to speculate down that road.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Because I was going to say it sounds like it's
not life threatening or career threatening, or would be making
a bigger deal out of it, or others would be
making a bigger deal that you know, But I don't
want to even say that, you know, because I don't
know any clue. But that's what we know, folks, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
That is what we know. And again, just all the
best of TJ. Hopefully a full recovery for him. We'll
see if we get any new news before we get
out of here or anything like that, but that's what
we know right now. Scary, but hopefully nothing that's going
to affect him long term.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And maybe it's a one week thing, maybe it's the
rest of the year. I don't I'm just thinking.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Football totally, and I'm like, he.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Would be misdefending the run against it. I mean, the
scariest thing in this game to me is their running game,
and he's a very, very good run.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
He absolutely is. And we're going to talk plenty more
about that as we roll along and we get into
five Star Friday, all those things. I guess if we're
going news of the day to Matt, we should probably
touch on this before we take our first break as well.
This is news that we got back into July back
in July, but it's been a while since then. It's
going to become officially official this weekend. The Steelers new
(09:54):
Hall of Honor class, which was of course Ben Roethlisberger,
Joey Porter Senior, and Mark east Pouncy, will officially be
enshrined Monday night at halftime during the Steelers game against
the Miami Dolphins. So again, this news broke back in July. Yeah,
it's always one of the first couple of days of
(10:15):
training camp. It's usually that I think first Saturday, actually
when they do the whole Welcome back to Football Saturday
across the NFL. That's typically when the Steelers make this announcement.
And so we knew that it's going to be Joey Porter,
Senior Pease who ride, Marcus Pouncy and Ben Roethlisberger Matt
a star studded trio and those three going to officially
(10:37):
be immortalized Hall of Honor Hall of Honor Museum in
the Black and Gold for the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night
as part of the ceremonies with the football game.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
So I know, it's not like a competition between you.
This class is better than that class, and with all
respect to the other classes, that's about as good as against.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
The first class was loaded because it was all the
Hall of Famers, right right, right, that's different. But then
you're right, that's an exception. That's different. Since then, I mean, yeah,
this is very difficult to beat. I mean, one of
the ten best quarterbacks to ever play the game, a
center who is you know, was able to continue that tradition,
(11:15):
that honor that mantle of Webby and you know, on
down the lid and then Joey Porter Senior, who was
an All Pro caliber player and one of the great
personalities and leaders in franchise.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
History and the team.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's it's a really cool class. I know that I
said this back in July, but this is like, this
is the first time it's really felt like my generation class,
Like these are the guys that I grew up rooting for.
You know, I, I know I've told you this story before,
but when I was like when I was growing up
playing sports and football and hockey, like in the locker room,
(11:54):
we would always do the who ride thing. It was football,
whether it was hockey, we would always break down at
the end with who ride if you if you went
the Mars at that time period and played football or hockey,
you know, and everybody wanted to wear number fifty five
to be just like easy and so yeah, this is
a pretty cool class, pretty special class. Joey Porter Senior
(12:15):
just for what he's meant in the history of the
organization and the personality and his son now Pouncy being
one of those elite. You know, you talk about the
elite lexicon of Steelers, centers, and then Ben Roethlisberger, who
I know that you know labs would strangle me if
he were sitting in here right now. But you could
make a legitimate good faith argument the greatest Steeler of
(12:37):
all time. You could do that for Ben. I know
it's it's probably mean Joe or some of those seventies guys.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
And I'm sure people like Brad Jaws better.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Go ahead of them. I'd put me and Joe ahead
of him. I'd put all these things. Fine, that's not
what I'm saying, But I'm saying you could make a
legitimate good faith argument that it's Ben.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, that's a pretty pretty cool class, pretty special group.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah. Man, It's funny because you know you're younger than me.
This is one of the classes that to me, I
basically been an analyst their whole career, you know, as
opposed to I remember him when I was a fan,
or you know, I was a kid, or my dad
told me about him, or you know those type of things.
Because my year with the Browns was Ben's rookie year.
So basically I got hired by ESPN as soon as
(13:19):
I got fired from them, and so friend, Frankly, I
think I've told a story too. In our downtime, i'd
watch Ben highlights, yes, you know, and then.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You'd get ice cream. I go to do go home
to my townhouse by myself.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
My big buddy or my buddy James was an Atlanta
guy who'd watch would watch Victim, would watch Ben just
for like fun, like we're watching a movie. You know,
it's awesome. And then one of my first things with
the Steelers, doing the Steeler pregame postgame show, as I
still do, was with your buddy out Adam Crawley, and
I remember it was Pouncy's first game as a rookie
(13:54):
and he's like, what do you think of Pouncy. I'm like, oh,
he's the best lineman already.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
I meant to tell you that that I totally forgot.
A couple of weeks ago, I was going through our
sound system here and I forget exactly what I was
looking for, but I found a clip of a radio
hit of you speaking of old names from the past,
and you know you mentioned our buddy Crowley and it
was from twenty and fourteen WOW with David Todd Okay,
on our nine seventy I'm like scrolling through old clips
(14:21):
looking for something. It might have been a Steeler's clip
or highlight or something.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Yeah, we did a show from a bar down the
south Side too.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
What it might have been now that again i'm remembering.
I think it might have been leading up to Bear's Week.
I think I was looking for the famous Jerome Bettis
over Erlacker clip and so going back through old stuff
and I saw that in there, and it was hilarious
because you sound and deliver exactly the same as you
do now eleven years later, but your voice sounded a
little higher pitch back then. I mean a little bit
(14:48):
a little bit younger, a little bit more youthful for
Matt back then. But I was laughing. I meant to
play that for you. But yeah, it was from you
and our system in twenty fourteen. That was probably like
right around the time that you were really getting ingrained here,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Yeah. I'm bad with years, Like everyone's like, what year
were you with the Brown like Ben Rookie heear, I
forget what you are? What you were you as the
Steelers or with with pitt Uh both the Larry's years,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Right off and running here when we get started, well, yeah,
we'll talk some more about different you know, Steelers and
and and Dolphins things here. We'll start to set the scene,
get into some matchups, all that good stuff. We are
going to talk to Missy Matthews in this hour as well,
so plenty to get to as we roll along. Just
getting started here on the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
(15:31):
on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Having some fun here on a Friday on the Drive.
New coffee mug, rocking and rolling, feeling like a new man.
You know, everyone talks about how you know, like when
you're when you're a dad, right, Like you get the
socks and the ties and all the classic dad gifts.
Right the coffee mugs one I never get tired of though.
I'm always I'm I'm always I'm always good for another
coffee mug. I can always find you, so I can
(16:24):
always find space.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
This is shocky. I don't drink a ton of coffee
at home. It's always like at the stage. It here
right as soon as I walk in, first thing I
do and then I get the second one. But I
always drink out of the same mug. It's my my father
in law's Iron City mug. And so he's passed and
you know, we cleaned out of his house. I'm like,
I'm keeping this.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah yeah, yeah, but you'd like I have a that
is that's pretty cool. I have a plethora of different
coffee mugs, like a whole thing. Some of them are
like new ones that I bought at mc cool in
last year. Yeah, there's a couple of WV ones and there,
as you can imagine. But I've got some from from
my grandfather too, trips that I took with him when
I was a kid. Okay, So when I was like twelve,
(17:05):
we went to Sydney, Australia with my dad friends. Yeah,
my my mom and I, my grandma and grandpa and
my dad. He was playing shows at the Sydney Opera House.
We did the bridge climb in Sydney. You can like
climb the big bridge in Sydney and it like overlooks
the whole city. Okay, And my grandpa bought a mug
at the gift shop, so when he passed away, I
got that one and we used to take fishing trips
(17:27):
as a family, like every other year up to Canada.
My grandpa had an RV. We would use it on
football weekends in Morgantown. We would also load it up
once a year and go up to Canada and go fishing.
Nice and so he had a like a Canada whatever
the lake was mug that we used to always go to.
So I got those two, so let's go from him.
So I use I use those a lot.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, these are from my mine, from my wife's father
who passed away a couple of years ago, and he
had a keg of iron in his fridge. Oh yeah,
always the iron mugs. Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
That's great. Might have got myself a Guinness mug in
the back when we were in Dublin. Well, I thought,
so why I just said that in an English accent
when I was talking about Ireland. But don't ask questions.
You don't want the answer to, Matt. Before we get
back into some Steelers specific stuff. I don't know when
we're going to do this the rest of the show,
so I did want to make sure to get to
it just briefly here. But man, what a fumble by
(18:17):
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Oh they should be and kicking themselves book now.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But the Carolina Panthers would be in the playoffs if
they started today driver's seat.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I mean now, they still played twice, which is a
shoe in the air. But they basically, from what I understand,
more or less, if Carolina beats the Saints, it's in
New Orleans, they're not huge favorites. We'll get that game
at the other show. Tampa basically has to win both
those games against Carolina, so they really put themselves behind
the eight ball. And Atlanta took nineteen penalties in that game.
(18:49):
They had fifteen more penalties in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I mean, I thought they were kind of the better
team down and down out, but they kept going backwards,
kept going backwards. I mean, Tampa's got to be kicking
themselves and well big time. I mean, how happy would
you be if you're like Seattle and you get to
go to Carolina for a huge week one like.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
A bowl game. Yeah, fifty of your own fans would
probably take over that place, all the East coast Seattle fans.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Yea was not playing very well. Mayfield's not playing very well.
An odd game, you know, Cousins played great. Yes, yeahs,
Cousins say.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Two guys on the Falcons that did themselves a lot
of favors for their upcoming off season, Kirk Cousins and
Kyle Pitts big time Cole. Pits had maybe his best
game in his NFL career. He's going to be a
free agent this summer. He's been up and down throughout
his entire tenure there, but the talent's always been undeniable. Sure,
and then Kirk Cousins, Hey man, maybe one of these
(19:45):
I say it, but Steelers too.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I mean, I might have to consider it.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I don't want to go down that path, like I
just don't. I'm ready to step up to the plate
again and try and find my future franchise quarterback. And
if I strike out, I strike out. Oh well, But
I don't want to keep pulling the forty year old
designated hitter the thirty seven year old designated hitter out
of the bullpen to see if he can still crush
a home run for me.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
As it stands in middle of December, I'm not interested
for the Steelers, but I bet he's doing something next
year now. And I thought he was pretty shot before that.
But who knows something. It's one game.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
It's it's one game, but those mean a lot in
the National Football League. And it was a good day
for him in a good day for the Atlanta Falcons.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah, they played hard. Yeah they were rore, they rushed,
rushed the passer.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You know, they're another one of those. Like we've talked
about this with the Titans a little bit. We've talked
about this with the Jets a little bit. One good
off season and you could be formidable. Yeah, I'm not
saying you're gonna win the division next.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Year, right, but they don't have the first round pick.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
They don't have a first round pick. Is the is
the key part.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And I do wonder about quarterback. We'll be cousins, will
be Penix. I mean I assume it'll be Penis, But
I don't even know if they'll have their job next year.
That staff, but they're a lot that save it last night.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
It's a it's a good point. There's a lot of
those staffs going on all around right now.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Matt and Miami used to be one of them.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Miami used to be one of them, maybe still is
one of them, but has certainly done incredible stuff from
where they were at one point, I and so much
of that. Let's go ahead, we'll jump into it here
for just a few minutes before we get to Missy Matthews.
But so much of that has revolved around the run game,
around a chain big time. Uh. You consider, as you mentioned,
(21:25):
the potential and and maybe even likely absence of TJ.
Watt makes you more nervous in that regard, especially so
Mat because this is not a Derrick Henry bruising James
Cook here. Here it comes between the tackles and try
to stop us. There is more of the outside run
(21:49):
games spreads you out want to attack the edges, attack
the boundary with that run game. And you mentioned this
yesterday a Chain did he actually run track at Texas
saying I think so? Or was he just really good
at it in high school?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
And that's what I wasn't positive? But he there's verified
hundred meter times that are really really they're worthy, you know, right, yes.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Like some Ted like some Ted Gin junior.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
He didn't necessarily do much of it at Ohio State
because he was so focused on football. I mean, that
dude could have ran for the track team pretty easily
if he wanted to.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I mean I helped recruit Teddy you know, going to
Ohio State, but I mean the the Glenville tar Blutters.
Ted Gin Senior is a legendary head coach of the
Glenville tar Blutters. But anyway, yeah, I mean, like he
considered going to the Olympics for hurdles. You know Rod
Woodson did that, you know, when he was like holding
now He's like, we'll just go to the Olympics and
run hurdles. I love chans like, I don't know if
(22:43):
he's at that level, but he was, you know, a
big time track athlete.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I always I always love it when you would tell
the story about when you guys got ted Gin to
come to Pittsburgh for a recruiting visit and he was like,
where's the track, and you guys, looks are good. We
don't have It's not like there's a there's a lot
of you'd be surprised how many big time universities don't
have track and field programs.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I guess this takes up so much space, takes so much.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Takes up so much space, And think about it from
a Title nine perspective, Oh okay, where you have to
have the same amount of scholarships for men's and women's sports.
Football is such a outlier that a lot of schools,
like WU, for example, has a women's cross country team
but not a man's but a man women's track and
field team. That's how they balance out the scholarship difference
with football. Gotcha, But that is funny where it's like.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah, in a great weekend and he's like, I never
saw the track though, I want to do both, and
we're like, well, we don't really have one. I think
I'll go to USC next week in Ohio State after that,
and yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Von A Chain was the twenty twenty Texas Boys Track
and Field Athlete of the Year.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Wowk in high school.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
His senior year of high school.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Okay, yeah, I don't know if he ran at A
and M.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
It doesn't look like he ran it all at A
and M. But he was.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
He was.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
He was in Texas too, which is a massive track and.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Field right right, and it's not a bad neighborhood.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
He was.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
He was the track and field athlete of the year
his senior year there. So they like to spread you
out and make you make work for they're not coming
right at you and necessarily in the physicality standpoint, this
is a more of a sideline to sideline run game.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah. I mean everyone now understands his speed and his explosiveness.
And this is a big watt thing too, just his watts.
Smarts and recognition is so key here because they lead
the league in motion. And it's not just somebody you know,
you know, carosing behind the line of scrimmage just to
change the strength. I mean, it's jet motions and orbit
(24:39):
motions and things you don't see before, you know, behind
the quarterback and in the backfield, and a wide, wide
variety of formations. I mean a ton of two back.
Like I said, the most motion in the league to
set up runt, you know, I mean a lot of
it's to freeze guys and get them leaning in the
wrong direction.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
They can hold your water for an extra second.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
And McDaniel great at it. You know, just get a
little bit better blocking angle and if you don't secure
the edge, this guy gets to it. Forget about it. Man.
Hej's a big loss obviously, but this week it's maybe
even above the neck as much as anything.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
And as you've mentioned, so much for TJ and it's
kind of a testament to how regularly he was creating
splash plays, doing just absolutely psychotic game changing stuff every
single time he stepped onto the field. So many people,
when they evaluate TJ's performance in a given game or
(25:34):
a given season, it's just what's the sack numbers, what's
the force fumble numbers, what's the TfL numbers. Yeah, and
again it's a testament to him of how regularly he was.
I mean, he was putting those things up, like, you know,
like Steph Curry put.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Up forty point games.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
It's nice, just another day, right an Just another four
goal game for Wayne Gretzky, No big deal. But he
has always been criminally underrated in that regard, and even
where he hasn't had as much splash as typical this year,
that element of his game is still so stout and
so underrated it is.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
And there's a lot of times I can take or
leave Pro Football Focus grades. But I think he started
to get some recognition last year because he was their
number one graded edge run defender by like a mile
by not even close, like clearly, you know, like just
when you think he's not like he's not doing much,
he used to don't be so sure. Yeah, Yeah, So.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
It's obviously a big onus on her big and high
Smith Jack Sawyer as well. I would think he plays
a long He only played three snaps last week.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Yeah, I might be thirty.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
You know what they say happens when you assume, But
I'm assuming that number is going to be much greater
this week. We have not as as Matt and I
are you know, doing this show right now, We have
not heard a final verdict on TJ for Monday, but
in all likelihood is the reports is that he is
going to miss that clash with the Dolphins, which is,
(26:58):
you know, obviously a huge loss for the Steelers, and
we wish TJ all the best from a from a
health standpoint and getting right there.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
The only thing I did read one thing since we
you know, opened the show was not expected to miss
the rest of the season. But again I don't know
the answer to that.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Sure, sure, yeah, and you know chef they're putting out
there unlikely to play Monday night against the Dolphins, but
again that's a you know, something will wait until we
get a a final verdict. And yeah, it's just a
weird situation, scary situation, but obviously one that uh that
(27:37):
we hope everything is all good on the other side
for him, and is uh, certainly, certainly something that we have.
We've kept an eye on here and we'll continue to
keep an eye on going forward.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
And you hope Miami Canic doesn't exploit it on game day, you.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Know, yeah, no, absolutely. This is one of those you know,
to use another Mike tomlinism. Uh, you know your opponents,
they're not they're not concerned about the problems you have,
and they're glad you have them, is what Mike Tomlin says. So, Uh,
they are not weeping in Miami. They might be concerned
about the the weather Monday night here in Pittsburgh, but
(28:11):
they're not they're not concerned about that nasty right fourteen
When I looked yesterday it was about fourteen degrees. I
don't think there's gonna be any rain, snow, sleep, wintry
mix as the meteor the river, it'll be it'll be
wendy and it'll be chilly. Yeah, I mean, there's there's
absolutely no doubt. It'll be windy and uh and it'll
be chilly. Let's get to a break here, We'll get
(28:32):
to missus. Matthews on the other side, closed down this
first hour of the program when we return West Ruler
Matt Williamson. It is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
on the Steelers Audio Network. Back here on the Drive
(29:12):
on a Friday, as we get rocking and rolling, and
who better to help us paint the picture than the
queen of the sideline herself, Missy Matthews, joining us now
here on Steelers Nation Radio. Missy, thank you for taking
the time as always. And you know something Matt and
I kind of talked about yesterday and kicked around, was
this voodoo that the Steelers have on Monday night football,
(29:35):
particularly at home. It's one of those weird things in
sports that can sometimes be tough to pinpoint. But you've
obviously been on the sideline now for a lot of
those Steelers Monday night home triumphs. Any secret sauce, any
peak behind the curtain that you can share with us
as to why the Steelers have been practically unbeatable in
(29:56):
this spot at home for so long.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Thing that you know with the name that they're doing differently.
Maybe it's the extra day of rest and or preparation.
But it is wild to go back to nineteen ninety one,
the last time they've lost at home on Monday night.
It's a very significant streak. You know, we're not talking
four games, this is twenty two, so it's yeah, I
(30:24):
don't have what the magic sauce is, but whoever sold
it to the Steelers, I hope they keep buying.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
It, no doubt. And Mike Tomlin does have a great record.
Obviously he has a lot to do with this, but
he does have a very good record with extra rest
in as opposed to short rest compared to other coaches.
Everybody does. But I wonder if he just has something
behind the scenes of you know, we're going to practice
(30:50):
this hard on this day or I have no idea,
but it can't be a fluke, no.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
And maybe it's you know, just the coaching staff too,
having that extra day.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Maybe it's sleep.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
I used to run on fumes and never sleep, and
you know, got to the age where that's not that's
not how you can live. But I've also realized how
importantly does even for my kids, which I feel like,
get something new. So I don't know, maybe everyone's sleeping
a little bit more, But I think, you know, being
in the classroom, the you know, the team meeting, the
(31:25):
individual unit meeting, maybe just having that day but an
extra day of that before they hit the field. It helps.
It's just I don't know. I hope this street continues
because I certainly don't want to be there when it ends.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Yeah, well well said, and that would be uh be
a less than opportune time for it to end. Uh
this Monday night, certainly against the Dolphins team that is
playing very well in the Steelers team that finds itself
in good standing in the AFC North, Missy, it does
sound like.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
T J.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Watt in all likelihood is not going to be available
for Monday. And none of us really want to speculate
or anything like that other than to just wish him
well in a full recovery. But what we do know,
speaking of trends, you know the Steelers, they they win
pretty much all the time when they play at home
on Monday night football, Missy, it's kind of the opposite.
When the Steelers are without TJ. Watt one and eleven
(32:21):
including the playoffs, they allow twenty seven points per game,
three hundred and eighty yards per game. Just a obviously
we know how valuable he is to this defense. Maybe
you feel more confident in that regard now with Nick
Herbig having the season that he's having and and you
know being I think probably the finest you know, third
(32:44):
option edge rusher off the bench that we've had throughout TJ.
Watt's career. But it's still it's a you know, against
a run game like this Miami one, and a spot
like this, it's a it's a less than ideal time
to be to be losing such a key part of
your defense.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah, you know, obviously you first thing about TJ. His wife,
his daughter, his family. Hope he gets better. I agree
with Nick Herbig and just how lights out he has
played this season, even last year. But really this season
something has, you know, really clicked, and I think coming
off of the performance that Alex high Smith had in
Baltimore last week, you want to see that going and
(33:23):
how good he can be when he's healthy and not
dealing with injuries. I do think, you know, Derek Carmon
put it best. Hey, these guys like to bounce to
the outside. That's why you need the TJ. Watts of
the world, Alex high Smith, Nick Herbig. But I do
think hopefully if Harmon is trending to play that helps solidify,
you know, the middle of that line, which I think
would be huge. I think you know, clearly everyone has
(33:46):
seen the numbers with and without Harmon in terms of
yards they're giving up on the ground. But hopefully, you know,
for the Steelers, the extra day again going into that
of game planning and figuring things out will be useful
to them. Who knows, you know, if they're going to
(34:06):
rule the rule him out, when they're going to rule
him out, if they're going to let TJ take it
to Monday and maybe decide then I don't know that
you know, that's something we'll have to monitor. It's just
the week's just off in terms of practice reports and
status reports because it's Monday night, so we really won't
know for sure what the team is thinking until tomorrow
(34:26):
when they have to list everybody for the status report.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
So you mentioned, I mean, getting Derek Harmon back, if
that happens, would sure help a lot. But how worried
are you, especially if the Watt news and seeing the
Steelers run defense the past two weeks, I'm a little
terrified all of a sudden of Miami's rushing attack.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
Yeah, you know, I think it was you know, Miami
is one of those teams where it felt like the
sky fell early and you kind of forgot about him
just a little bit, and then all of a sudden,
they're coming up on your schedule and you look and
you're like, oh, they're winning now. I thought they were losing,
you know, and trading everybody and fire wanting to fire everybody,
and they are on this sneaky little four game win streak.
(35:07):
And I agree. I mean, their run game is legit.
I do try to think positively. Okay, we saw what
they did against Jonathan Taylor even in Chicago, But then
you think about the games where you're like, yeah, I
remember that time James Cook was here, and games like
that where you're like, man, hopefully, because I think this
(35:30):
is this is like not even a question. You have
to stop the run. You're not worried about anything else.
I'm not saying, you know, FUA can't change his tune,
but what he has been doing over the past few games,
he's not the biggest threat. It wasn't like last week
when you were preparing for Derek Henry and Lamar Jackson,
oh and all of their eligibles. They don't have Tyreek Hill.
(35:51):
They have Jalen Waddle, and I'm not saying that's not
a real threat, but if Tua can't get them the ball,
I just think this is a lockdown. You bring your lunch,
cayle hell as they like to say, because it's gonna
be a long day work for all of the guys
really on both sides. For the lack of.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Scrimmage, yeah, I think, Missy, when you look like when
you look at guys like a Chain and guys like Waddle,
there's you know, certainly fair concern there from a Steelers
defensive perspective. But I think when you kind of spin
the block the other way around, you can say the
same thing about the Steelers offense against that Miami defense.
And I think, namely, building off the performance that we
(36:27):
saw in the pass game last week centered around DK Metcalf,
it feels like there's a real opportunity to build upon that,
to get number four involved early and often in space
down the field, and what that could mean for the
rest of the pass game, the offense for Aaron Rodgers
him coming off his finest performance, I think DK Metcalf,
his finest performance, feels like a real opportunity against this
(36:51):
Miami defense for those two to build off of what
they did successfully last Sunday in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Yeah, and you know, you hope that Miami plays single
coverage kind of how the Ravens did and didn't really
try to do anything to you know, counter that, which
was a little surprising.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Of course.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
I think going into that game for the Ravens, you're
just thinking stop the runs. They don't really throw anyways,
but they came out swinging with that, So I do
think again, I hate to like preface everything of how
I feel based on an injury, but Darnel Washington is
a large part of that run game, so I would
like to know. You know, it appears he's arrow pointed up,
(37:28):
but with the concussion protocol that can change quickly, so
we won't really know for sure, but if he can
be out there, I think that would be significant in
terms of getting Jalen Moore and and Kenny Gen even
Caleb Johnson going on the ground when it's you know,
it's going to be in the teams, it's going to
be cold and running the ball time of possession. We
(37:48):
talk about it every week, right that it's his favorite
stat to talk about. And also just the fact that,
you know, it's it's a different element for the Dolphins,
and if it's old and you're making them physically tired,
but that's the recipe for success. So hopefully those things
can all fall into place, and Darnell was able to go.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
So it seems like a long time ago now, I
mean the trip to Baltimore, but I would imagine spirits
were a little better, and then the last couple of
weeks on the sidelines there and particularly how how was
Rogers handling things? I mean, I thought was his best
game as a Steeler.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
You know he I it's it's everybody on that team
follows him. And man, when he's having fun, they are
having fun, not you know, having fun and not focusing TYPEA.
That's not what I think at all. Coach Tomlin did
the discount doubt. You know, I was feeding he was
(38:48):
feeding off of his just attitude and energy. And I
do think that, you know, being able to take a lead.
And I know they've lost them recently, but the way
that they did it, the way they all stuck together,
the way all units were playing better and more consistently,
and it wasn't all right, this is the game the
(39:08):
offense won for them. This is the game. You know,
special teams didn't do this. You can say that all
three phases had to handle this win, which I think
makes it more of a team bonding, building, happy family
type deal. And when the going got tough, and hey,
that Isaiah likely touchdown could have counted, and things would
(39:28):
have you know, been a little bit more anxious than
they were, they all stuck together, and I think that
maybe something
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