November 18, 2025 • 45 mins
Matt and Wes open with all the latest news from the Mike Tomlin Tuesday press conference, including the status of Aaron Rodgers.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. Wes Shooler and Matt Williamson with you here
for the next two hours on a Tuesday. Whereas always,
we have got plenty to get into. Matt, I don't
think there's any need to really tee it up today.
The moment that everyone had been waiting for Mike tomlin
weekly Tuesday press conference of course at noon every single
(00:51):
Tuesday here on the Steelers Audio Network, and we're all
kind of waiting with baited breath to see what the
update would be on one Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, go ahead and reveal it. I did not listen
to the press conference, but I did see the headline,
and that's about as much as I know it to
the moment too. But I'm sure some listeners have heard
the news, but little inconclusive at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yes, yes, exactly right. That's a good way to put it.
And let's hear straight from the source. Here's what Mike
Tomlin had to say today about Aaron Rodgers' status for
Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Aaron's got a fracture in his wrist. It does not
require surgery. Really is just about bracing it and securing
it for his comfort and safety. And then it's about
how functional he is. And so we don't have the
answers to that as we say in here today, but
(01:46):
certainly I would imagine we will get some clarity as
we push through the week. I think his experience really
kind of aids in that he's the type of guy
and has the type of profile. It doesn't require a
lot of physical work and an effort to be ready
to play, and that's helpful in the meanwhile, certainly it'll
provide opportunities for Mason and Will to get quality work
(02:08):
as we start the week, and I think that's the
posture that we're in a little later in the week,
we'll take a look at erin and again, as I mentioned,
the variables are stabilizing it and making sure that he's
safe and he can protect himself, brace himself as he falls,
et cetera. Pain tolerance, but that doesn't seem to be
(02:29):
an issue with Aaron. He wanted to go back in
the game on Sunday. And then lastly, obviously how effective
he can be. And so you know, Friday's probably a
big day in terms of some of those things. I
know he's working his tail off to to to be
a component of this this week. He and I talked yesterday.
(02:53):
He expressed that directly, I'm of the mindset of supporting
that while at the same time I got a help
be collective of guys as a team and as a
unit to ready in the meanwhile, that would be our mindset.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So there you go, Matt. Yeah, a fracture in the
wrist for Aaron Rodgers, but still leaving the much like
red roof in leaving the light on first Sunday in Chicago.
And I think we touched on this a little bit yesterday.
But you know how badly he wants to play in
this game, I mean I think right, I mean, it's
(03:31):
it's Ben Roethlisberger versus Brown's type ownership from a from
a future Hall of Fame quarterback. And I think for him,
probably the opener in the rematch against the Jets was
one he had circled on his schedule coming into this year.
The reunion with the Packers on Sunday Night football. Those
are the tops the top two. This might have been
number three for him in terms of games he was
(03:51):
most excited for this year.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I bet it is.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I'm sure Captain obvious he's going to do everything he
can to potentially be to play on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
It's it's cool obviously that they he lands on the
Steelers one, not every four years where they play his
old division where he's.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Had Minnesota and the Vikings in Dublin was probably high
on that line.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Right, so got the Lions, you know, right? I mean,
so you're gonna play the whole North that he's had
a lot of success against and has played a lot
now some faces of change, a lot of faces of change,
especially Inaga. Yeah, but he's the Steelers have not had
a lot of success in Chicago. He has, you know,
So all that being said, you're not putting them out
there in harm's way because you absolutely have to win
(04:33):
this game. It's not Super Bowl, it's not the AFC
Championship game. I'm sure if it was a playoff game,
it'd be like, oh, he's playing you know. I maybe
Tomlin wouldn't say that on Tuesday, but.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You know, I think you're I think you're spot on
that yeah, yeah, and so Tomlin also later on, you know,
that was kind of part of his opening remarks. Later on,
he was as you could imagine, there were plenty of
follow up questions about Aaron Rodgers, and he did say
that he will not practice on Wednesday. Rule the ruled
him out of practicing on Wednesday, and it even sounded
(05:03):
like more so they were just going to wait till
Friday if he can potentially do some you know, some
light Friday walk through type stuff. So I got a
feeling this is gonna be unless it comes out Friday
that he didn't practice at all this week and they're
ruling him out.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
They rule him out Friday, they could.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But again, with a guy in his status and his
experience level, you could even if he doesn't practice this week,
he could still obviously play the.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Same as like Cam Heyward. I mean, it's not even
as a quarterback thing, right.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I think that there's a at least very good chance
that we're waiting until Sunday morning, you know, maybe even
sometime in the noon hour to hear if Aaron Rodgers
is going on Sunday like a true game time decision.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That sounds very possible. I mean I'm sure that they'll
mess with different splints or whatever you know he's most
comfortable with, and that type of thing. I mean, not
that I know a lot about it, but would you
want to get one semi practice in of just taking snaps,
handing off with your splinter, your brace of choice, you know,
(06:06):
your cast or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
As much as we know that Aaron Rodgers was bothered
by his league mandated helmet change that he had to make, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I would think so.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I would think so, you know, more than just a
pregame thing.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or even even for a twenty year veteran future Hall
of Famer like him, that's probably something that you don't
want to just leave up to leave up to game
day and now the bullets are flying, and let's see,
that's a great point by you. I would think at
least even in a small capacity, he would want to
get under center with Zach Fraser a few times, get
some snaps.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
In, yeah, and do some handoffs. How do I hold
the ball in the pocket with two hands? Those type
of things. And he could do that out back by himself,
you know, he could do that in his living room
to some degree. But I mean still if there's five
different braces there, casts or whatever to pick from. Maybe
you want to try him out. I don't know. I mean,
(06:57):
I don't think he needs the practice time. I don't
think he needs the road to Metcalf this week necessarily, right, you.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Know, but more so you're right wrist brace, you know
whatever that's exactly gonna look like. I know I made
this reference I think to yesterday. It's it's not the
same as like Patrick Willis. Just just put a whole
bubble around my hand and I'm gonna go out there
and still tackle people who cares that that center quarterback
exchange thing, particularly under center, is something that's gonna have
(07:24):
to I think at least have a little bit of
work ahead of time.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah, and there were also schefter reports that it was
a minor break or whatever. I mean, we knew that
even yesterday, I think when we were on the air.
So it makes me think it's maybe a one game
missed at most.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
We think so because those the Shifters and the Rapaports
and the Tom Pellisaro's of the world, big national insider
guys have all stated yesterday and today that Aaron Rodgers
wants to play, you know, he's gonna do everything he
can to get out there and so.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And Coach said that too. It's not a toughness pain issue.
I mean, he's going to work through that stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yes, and so if you made me guess right now,
I would lean towards he plays.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
But I was thinking the same. But I'm also with
you the own to that press conference.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I'm also with you that if it's anywhere close to
fifty to fifty, I would err on the side of
give I know it's a tough one for him to miss,
but give him an extra week because you got bigger
fish to fry down the stretch here.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
I think so too. I would definitely error on the
side of caution. But if he's comfortable out there, great,
you know absolutely, and hey maybe, and there's also the
possibility starts a game, he takes a big hit and
he goes out in the first quarter. But that's no
different than the other week, you know, I mean, the
thing is Rudolph good, you know, it's the distance between
(08:45):
the two is still a distance. But it's not like
man option number two gives you no chance to win, you.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Know, exactly right. It's not Joe Flacco to Jake Browning.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
No, right, right, Like we saw this show and it
doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Yes, yes, So that's kind of where we start today.
We're gonna take a little bit of a shorter opening
segment here because we want to talk to our buddy
Chris Adamski all things Aaron Rodgers related and moore with
Chris when we return on the other side, his thoughts
on Aaron's status for Sunday, as well as guys like
Alex Highsmith and Jalen Warren that we still need to
get into as well. We'll do all of that and
(09:19):
more as we roll along. Was sheeler Matt Williamson. It's
the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Back on the Drive. Here is a Tuesday with plenty
to get to, plenty to parse through from the weekly
Mike Tomlin press conference, particularly as it relates to injury
updates for Alex Heismith, for Jalen Warren, for Darius Slay,
some key members of this team, but of course chief
most amongst them the future Hall of Fame signal caller
Aaron Rodgers joining us now to discuss all this and more.
(10:14):
Kris Adamsky covers the Steelers for the trib and of
course is the co host of the Steelers' Blitz here
at noon on the Steelers Audio Network Buzz. Thank you
for taking the time as always, and let's jump right
into it as we stand here today on Tuesday. Plenty
can change by Sunday, obviously, but how you're feeling, how
are you leaning in towards Aaron Rodgers' status, his availability
(10:37):
for Sunday in Chicago against the Bears.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
Man, you know, you hate to read too much into
what Mike Tomlins says on Tuesday, because there's both. It's
early in the week. He's sort of intentionally vague a
lot of times, and cynic my day sometimes even puts
out some misdirection. But to me he signed more and
more optimist stick then I anticipated heading into the day.
(11:03):
If we had talked a few hours ago here before
Tomlin's presser, I wouldn't have thought it was likely. It
sounds a lot more feasible the way it's talking now.
And you know we've seen this movie before, even with
Mason Rudaph for that matter, with with with Ben Roethlisberg
a similar situation. Any you know a quarterback Hall of
(11:24):
Fame quarterback late in his career that doesn't need the
practice time per se And remember that one week one
on the one that what year that was? Now they're
run together, but when ben I didn't practice literally all
week and even practice Friday. In this case, Tomin's on record,
and it's it's true. It's that you know, it's not
a COVID or whatever, an illness where he needs to
make sure his hand can be able to because you
(11:46):
don't want to take I mean, this isn't even early
a shot at Zach Frazier, but you know a shotgun
snapped is a little bit to his left or something.
You know, you don't you don't want to have a
guy who can't catch that snap, right, I mean that
you know again it's not and that might happen once
again where there's the snap is a little bit you
know that you might need to make a play on
and that's a turnover and that could meant the Bears
thrive on turnovers and takeaway that's howther that's other seven
(12:08):
and three. So you hate the chance something like that.
So I guess it sounds to me like it'll come
down to Friday and see how he's you know, how
he's taken both under center snaps and shotgun snaps. To me,
is the way I kind of read that.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I was thinking the same thing that I thought Tomlin's
tone would be a little more negative, a little more disconcerting.
But I sensed optimism there. And I'm not trying to
like get our listeners psyched about it or push one
layer or another. But Wes mentioned and you kind of
did too. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked at all
if this even goes down to Sunday morning.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
Yeah, and it makes sense. I mean that's sort of intuitive.
And what Tomlin said and what I just mentioned about
the snaps, I mean to me, I mean t easy
for me to say right back. But you know, not
having your left hand available, you know, you wouldn't think
would affect too too much of the off ration of
throwing a ball or certainly reading a defense, or certainly
(13:03):
moving around the pocket scrambling, uh, you know, all the
things you would need. Your footwork's not affected. But but
but so it's one little detail, but the pretty big detail,
you know, like I said, if it's if it's of
trouble to take and that you can wrap that up
the defensive player. There's so many player positions on the
field other than wide receiver and I guess maybe running
back that you could just wrap up that that left
(13:25):
wrist and you'd be okay. But you know, obviously he's
not throwing rep That's that's a big, big difference. But
at the same time, again as we saw with little
Howard who took a snap and you know, they can
come it can come in hot and you're either disrupting
the the wrists in terms of the end compromising it
that way have been more important. Like I said, if
you can't you can't reliably catch every snap in the
(13:48):
shotgun or reliably handle every snap under center. Again, to me, intuitively,
that seems to be the issue, and I think that's
what it might just come down to, is you get
to get the Friday and yeah, maybe even I don't
you know, And that's something obviously you don't need a
full fledged practice with the whole team out there. You
could take snaps whenever and kind of make a read
on on your ability to his ability. If you're the
(14:09):
you're not airing yourself in terms of his ability to
handle the snaps and unless there's something I'm missing, Like
I said, I'm just speaking again. I'm not a not
a quarterback quarterback, but in terms of what what that
risk would be most affected.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
By Chris I Again, I know that this is probably
a tough one to answer here as we, you know,
sit on a Tuesday and still five days away from
game day and a handful of practices for the Steelers
to get to before that point. But you know, a
classic Mike tomlinism is he'd rather say whoa than sick them.
(14:42):
Do you do you think there's a chance or do
you think there's a possibility that you get to Sunday,
You get to Saturday and you tell Aaron whoa? You know,
I realize that you'll want to play in Chicago. This
is like Ben Roethlisberger playing in Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
It's a franchise that you've had a ton of success
against and you've really enjoyed playing against and kind of
sticking it in their cross so many times over the year.
But we've got a lot of important games left. We've
got a stretch run here in the AFC, trying to
win the division and secure our playoff spot and obviously
a lot of confidence in the backup and Mason Rudolph
as well too. Could there be a woe instead of
(15:18):
sicker moment for Aaron Rodgers this week? Or you know,
do you tell the future Hall of Fame quarterback if
you want to go, you can go.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
Yeah, you know, from a fan perspective or an outsider perspective,
even you know, if you gave him trust here and
maybe an organizational perspective, I don't think it would be
the worst thing in the world to sit down the
soon to be forty two year old quarterback here for
the stretch run and you know, and rather than playing
it'll do a thirteen straight weeks of games here. And
(15:46):
I just think kind of maybe in totality was he was?
Probably he was, you know, I think we saw the
best Aaron Rodgers in totality the first four or five
weeks in the most recent four or five weeks here.
And I don't know if fatigue is the factor, you know,
not be. But at the same time, I don't think
it's I would I would place the bet on he'd
probably better off down the stretch if we had a
(16:08):
week off, just for his body and everything, and and no,
he probably won't agree with that, and I get it,
but I also think that, you know, maybe if you
didn't have Mason Rudolph as a proven NFL high quality
backup and a guy who's proven to win games for
you over the years, you know, you know, if your
backup was you know, if you just had a you know,
(16:29):
if your back up with a six round pickrookie, if
they only had Will Howard is the only backup or something,
then and maybe you do approach it differently, or maybe
we've seen some bad backup play in the NFL. I mean,
Jake Browning. Let's say, I don't know, you know, you probably.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Don't that's.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Yeah, yeah, so you know again, I don't know. I
can't sit here and say that's the way Mike Tommins's
gonna think, or the way you know, organizationally they're gonna
think and something not the way probably Aaron's is thinking.
But in my mind, I don't think it's the worst
in the world. Or yeah, if you just say whoa
and you know, it takes the week off and you know,
(17:04):
he'd probably better, you know, not only for the risk
in general, and maybe getting used to operating with the
whatever condition that risk is in. And I don't know
if it's something I would assume obviously the body heals,
you know, if it's something that gets better in terms
of functionality after a week. You have that aspect too,
but doesn't think overall is overall just kind of you know,
load management. I don't think it would be such a
bad thing to take one week off and take your
(17:26):
puncher's chance with Mason Rudolph in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Yeah, that's a lot of stuff we've been saying as well.
And again I'm sure he would admit it. But at
his age, I would think his knees, back, shoulders, you know, everything,
hamstrings would love a week off, you know, the non
injured parts, but they got to be sore than usual. Chris,
you're at the facility a lot more than us. I mean,
I think we all know the answer. But do you
(17:50):
truly think that the organization and coaching staff has supreme
confidence in Rudolph as a number two? Oh?
Speaker 5 (17:58):
I mean as a number two? I think. I mean
they they've now, you know, and you could say about
confidence in a viable number one or whatever, but I
mean they brought him back now twice as a free agent.
Whenever he was a free agent, they gave Hi an
extension the first time, you know, after his of course
being drafted and everything, and I mean twenty twenty three,
(18:18):
that was Remember I always think back to that Seattle
game when New Year's Eve, when essentially their playoff lives
were at stake and they could have shut it. And
only did he play well the whole game, But I'm
the specific moment was one of the I don't know
if that was the Showtime show or whatever where Plum
was miked up and he was telling who was that
the coordinat I mean, who the coordinator was that year?
Was that the Faulkner end of the year. I can't,
(18:40):
I can't keep them all straight. I think it was, yes, yeah,
and he said, uh, he said, he said something the
effect of, you know, with not sit on the ball,
let him thro. You know what I'm saying. You had
a backup quarterback, a third string quarterback really, I guess
in terms of the depth chart to start the season,
and he showed confidence he threw that pass the pickings
to put that game away and it rather than just
(19:01):
try to you know, bleed it out or whatever. And
so yeah, I think and again, you've seen some bad
backup quarterbacks across the league and different teams and everything,
and yeah, there is there is a there thinks is
a real good amongst the amongst most of these players too.
Know Mason Rudolphe, you know most of them, although there's
a lot of turnover from even two years ago in
terms of the roster, but most of them were there
(19:21):
whenever he which for his face it's save their season
and gave him the best quarterback play by far the
twenty twenty three season, those last three games in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Chris Adamski a few more minutes with him here on
the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network, Chris. Aaron Rodgers
not the only key member of that offense that picked
up an injury on Sunday in the win against Cincinnati.
Jalen Warren dealing with an ankle as well, and Mike
Tomlin saying may expect him to be limited at first,
but optimistic he will play on Sunday. It's maybe kind
(19:53):
of a same church, different Pew conversation as Aaron Rodgers
and Mason Rudolph with Jalen Warren and Keneth Gainwell, we've
seen Kenneth Gainwell, we saw it in Dublin, we saw
it on Sunday, filling in admirably when they need. But again,
Jalen Warren, I think we could argue has been perhaps
the offensive MVP of this team to this point in
the season. Optimistic that he'll play on Sunday according to
(20:17):
Mike Tomlin. But what's your kind of optimism level that
he'll be healthy and maybe, you know, uninhibited at Soldier
Field on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Yeah, I have to feel you know, he was, he
said he was clear of the game. We all saw
he went in for that snap that was in it
being aboarded by a time out after he'd been injured
on Sunday, And the way Tomlin talked about him being
in Now, if you say inhibited in terms of his
physical ability, I don't think so, but inhibited in terms
of the snap count. Because you know, now, it's kind
(20:49):
of crazy that last week at this point, at least
I was talking or me and tom were talking and
other people talking about get warned the ball or I
can't play game well as much, you know, and and
but I mean game all showed in the I mean,
he has five touchdowns amongst his last. I think it's
seventy three touches now over the past whatever, whatever game
it is. So you know, he's making plays and we
(21:09):
saw on Doublin that he can be, and that game
to me proved that if needed, and if they were
to spell Warren during the game or whatever, for a
full game or whatever, just he can be a first
and second down back, you know, in that in that
realm and certain certainly in small sample sizes. So I
would I if I'm sitting here right now, I'd say
(21:30):
probably Warren will play and again trade because the week
everybody's consternation was Warren's not played enough. But you know
it might be back to that again, Warren's you know,
maybe gain Well. You know who might who take the
first snap a quote unquote starter doesn't matter, but you know,
game well plays. You know, it's a it's just maybe
a sixty thirty ten type game with Gainwell, Warren, Caleb
(21:51):
Johnson or something like that. In terms of the snapshirt
running back.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Chris, last thing I got for you is cornerback. Now.
I mean, we know Porter's playing really well. He's in
me an outside guy. I think eccoles is very securely
the Nickel, But I think there's still there's three candidates
to be the other starter. I mean, does Slay go
right back into the starting role? Pierre's played really well lately.
Could he have you know, taken that job? And Sante
(22:16):
Samuel is still looming?
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Yeah? Yeah, I you know, I felt for for weeks
kind of the you know, awkwardness in terms of Sleigh,
in terms of you know, his career resume and get
him hinto everything, and you know that the pride of
a of a veteran like that. Do they just go
to him and tell him he's bench?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
I don't, you know?
Speaker 5 (22:36):
And Tom and publicly there and then the press conference
today was to the affirmative that Slay will be the
starter again or he turned it or yeah he's he
said that now. He did say certainly Pierre's ear earned
to stay in the field too, or something to that effect,
and he reiterated that later. So what does that mean?
Does that mean you know they alternate theories? Does that mean?
(22:59):
I don't know how you kind of go about that.
I there, of course, everybody up and down the organization
has been complimentary for good reason with how Pierre played
these this last game and a half when he's been
in there and you know, so I don't know, I
mean Samuel. The thing about Samuel wasn't you know people said, oh,
dugger came right, but yeah, but that was he had
been playing NFL football and it in football shape for
(23:21):
went through our training camp, went through you know, six
weeks of practice at that point, and Samuel mean hasn't
played an NFL game in fourteen months and now only
has what practice, you know, he had six practices under
his belt in terms of NFL. Actually, I know he
could stay in shape and all that, but it's a
little bit different to throw you an NFL game. So
I could see maybe Samuel getting you know, in uniformly
(23:42):
get a hat this week, but I don't know if
I don't think it'll roll them out there as your
as you'r you know, a quote unquote starter or outside
you know, regular corners necessary, but you know it might
not even need it because you have per right now.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
And yeah, I would probably coming back.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
So I am curious to see assume he gets just
slay in Pierre, and I am curious to see how
that plays out in terms of because we saw, you know,
before they moved everybody and Douger got here, and Ramsey
went back to the safety that a couple of games
there were Echoles was almost in a pretty much time
share on the outside spot with Sleigh, So I would
imagine it wouldn't be any too much different than that. Maybe,
(24:17):
you know, however, you want to say at a kind
of a fifty to fifty and if you know, saw
a couple of games over the season where Slave had
had some rough govick it and beat a couple of times,
and then Eckles played more, and maybe that's what happened
Sunday is if you know, maybe Slaves played, you know,
played if exsumeing he's clear of course played the first
series and there are struggles, then you see more and
more Pierre the rest of the game.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Chris, one more real quick before we let you go.
We got the news last night that Jamar Chase will
be suspended for a game by the National Football League
for that spinning incident with Jalen Ramsey in the third
quarter at Akershur Stadium on Sunday. In your mind, fair
suspension should have been a little bit more harsh, you know,
we there was some precedent for this week one of
(24:57):
the season with Jalen Carter and what happened between the
Eagles and Dak Prescott and the Cowboys there. But that
was right after the opening kickoff, so he essentially missed
the entire game. They decided not to suspend them. After
the fact, they said that that kind of served as
a as a pseudo suspension him missing that entire game.
You think that this is again one game kind of
(25:19):
the the a fair punishment for what transpired, or you
maybe were thinking, hey, this is something that the league's
got to nip in the bud and could have been
a little more heavy handed with that suspension.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Yeah, people say precedent based off that Week one, and
you know, essentially that was time served one full entire
game and everything. I don't know how much or even
if you know the CBA involved union, i'd police can
factor into it. But remember after that game, Carter was
really contrite and you know, opened it and you know,
(25:51):
apologized and and all that after that game against Dallas,
and and I mean to me that I don't see
that it is not the most is going part. I
guess there's a good norm McDonald uh ran about saying
that's not the worst get into that joke. But you know,
the worst part with the spit, the worst part is
not the hipocrisy. The worst part is the spit itself. However,
(26:14):
you know, for him to kind of flat out deny it,
it's also not only is that not too good character touch,
it's pretty stupid because yeah, there's nobody camera, you know,
to think you can you could get away with it.
It's it's not very smart to not be you know,
could carry out to the game. I don't know if
that can factor in by the rules in the in
the CNBA and or if that will factor in or
not you know, or could have factored. And I mean
(26:37):
it's you know, according to what the NFL network report
to the the planned defenses, that I was trying to
spit down and not toward him.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Or what come on, what.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Are we doing here? So in that sense, but it's
it's kind of wild that, I mean, I don't know,
you remember, I mean, we've all been watching football whole live.
You remember the last spinning incident during a game that
now we've had to do it a span one even
you know, it's just like it's wow to think that
we have to we have to nip this in the
bud with grown adults to say. But yeah, but I
(27:11):
guess where we're at right now, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
But anyway, Chris Damski kind of enough to join us
here on a Tuesday. Make sure you're checking out all
his work in the trib and of course listening to
him and our buddy Tom opp froman at noon every
day on these Steelers Audio Network buzz. Thank you for
the time. Great stuff is always man and we'll talk
to you soon.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
All right, take care, guys. Talking again.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
There he goes Chris Adamski with uh, all the latest
on all the moving and shaking. Yeah, that was the
only thing for me, Matt, like, I've you know how
protective rightfully, So this is how any billion dollar business
is of their brand, of their logo. For the NFL,
we always call it the shield. That was my only
thing is I could see them being like, all right,
this is the second time this year. Yes, spitting incident
(27:54):
has dominated the news cycle the day after a game.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
We got to that, we got to really send a message,
you know.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
So I think the one game is fair, but I
also wouldn't have surprised me if there was more.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yeah, I think one is the right situation. You know,
and that's that's a.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
I mean, is it's only seventeen games, and it's right
you know, it's not baseball or basketball or hockey where
there's you know, eighty some or one hundred and sixty
seven games. Yeah, I tell you right now, I gotta
think that's gonna be in the off season maybe something
that they will try and work it, or maybe the
next CBA something like that that they try and work into.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Some sort of clause in there, clear.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Guidelines of like if you do this, there will be
zero tolerance and we can't be having that. Matt, a
few more things from Mike Tomlin's weekly press conference that
I want to get into. I also want to talk
about some of that stuff in the secondary that you
brought up there with a damn ski. We'll do all
of that when we return on the other side. To
close down, the first hour of the show was Shooler
Matt Williams and it's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
(28:56):
on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Back on the Drive here and a big thanks to
Chris Danski for joining us once again, and Matt, I
did want to discuss a few things further, some interesting
discussion points that you brought up with Chris and just
kind of some final crossing of the t's and dotting
of the eyes from the Mike Tomlins press conference.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
It's a lot we haven't quite touched on, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
So we gave the specific updates for Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Warren.
Let me just set the scene here for what was
the Warren Warren if he will be limited at first
in the week, but we're optimistic he'll play on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
Okay, I mean, I knew he came back and maybe
could have finished the game, and you know that that
doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
But if it's divisional round this weekend, I'm sure there's
there's you know, not much of a of a big
picture concern there, but obviously being where you're.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
At, maybe he doesn't practice Wednesday or you know, and
which would make all the sense in the world to.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Me, absolutely, And is a Damski mentioned maybe he's on
a little bit of a pitch count, a little bit
of a snap count on Sunday. Will obviously monitor the
the injury reports on on Thursday and Friday for you
like we always do.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Maybe you activate a running back that's good on special
teams too, or you know something like that. Now those
they've done that.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
End sermons back on the practice squad. So yeah, they've
got that that option. Cole Holcome should be back this week,
according to Mike Tomlin good, which is good. Hopefully he's okay.
I mean, that's been a long term thing that he's
been dealing with illness. Something's going around. Yeah, I'll be careful.
Something's going around. TV's locked in over there. He's not
laughing at me.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I wonder we saw about twelve snaps of the
three inside linebacker package something like that. It was I
think that might have been right. Harrison's a lot different.
I mean, to pull that off, I think you want
one of them to kind of be a hammer, like
a Harrison. I wonder if Hulcombe would get any run
in that because Queen and Wilson aren't coming off the field.
(31:30):
Is that a Harrison specific thing?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
That's interesting.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I'm just curious.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You're right, Typically, like when we've seen them do that
in years past, it was always Mark Robinson. Yeah, like
the thumper, the hammer type.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
You're the downhill key, the run guy.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I think, particularly against teams like the Ravens and the
Lions and the Eagles, and you know, teams that you
know are predicated on running the football, Cole Holcomb has
a more well rounded skill set. I don't think that's uh, I.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Don't think that's that's a debatable. I mean, he's the
backup to both starters. Yes, the second he's.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Helping without it, without a door. But in terms of
that specific package, I think you might be right. I
think that might be a you're looking for different skill
sets amongst the group when you deploy them in that regard.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Because I know we'll get into this more bright in
the second hour. But I think a big reason for
it is now they're playing more too high, more defensive
backs away from the line of scrimmage. So I want
one of my guys that is your line of scrimmage
to be a little bigger, stronger thumper. You know, makes sense, right, Yeah,
especially against Jonathan Taylor, you.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
Know, right, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
But it's not like the Bears don't run the ball
reasonably well too, and you know they do. Jase Brown
was coming on pretty good too.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I was gonna say, like they don't have a Jonathan
Taylor Josh Jacob's type name in the backfield, but that
offense is doing everything effectively right now.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
In my hunch, that three inside line packer package is
here to stay in some capacity. You might see three
snaps one game twelve fifteen and next I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Yeah, absolutely you'll see it more probably against Baltimore, Yeah,
you know than you would against Cincinnati. Yeah, I would think,
but certainly something to keep an eye on.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
But that might be Harrison specific. The more I think
through it, that.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Would make sense. Yeah, it would make sense. And hopefully
with Cole Holcomb back in the fold, maybe we'll get
the answer to that. On Sunday. Alex high Smith will
be limited to start the week and they'll monitor his progress.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, I mean obviously they're very equipped to move on
or you know, to survive without him. I mean Herbig's
a stud.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Yep sway, or you're getting more and more comfortable with
him being out.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Playing better and better too. I mean again, I thought
the bottom of the roster really stepped up in this
game across the board. But I don't think anyone thinks
Highsmiths not a very good player too, right, you know right.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
He is certainly, even as much as we all love herbig,
you'd love to have all three in the fold.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
And finally, Matt Darius Slay with the concussion should be
back this week.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Usually it's a one game miss at this point unless
it's a severe you know, easy for me to say,
but I mean, we.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Didn't just see c. J. Stroud miss two weeks with one.
For the most part, You're right.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Usually it's next game.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
It's a you know, a take a week off and
then return. And then that raises the question speaking of
bottom of the roster guys who played well, I think
if you were writing that story you would start talking
about James Pierre and the opening paragraph and what he's
done the last couple of weeks and specifically on Sunday
against perhaps the best wide receiver tandem in the National
(34:24):
Football League. But according to Mike Tomlin, it sounds like
Slay will return. That's something that a Damski touched on
too when you when you brought it up again, though,
I wonder exactly what that looks like. Is it as
simple as Slay or the starter? You're back out there, Pierre,
You return to your special teams and your spot duty.
I don't know. I mean, Slay's the veteran, Slay's the
(34:47):
guy that signed the bigger contract and all those things.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
There are locker room ramifications, there's locker ications.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Whether we think that's right or wrong, anybody knows. It's
not just as simple as who's the best right now
that's gonna it's going to get you know, the role
or the snaps, as much as maybe we do feel
like that should be the case at times.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Not knowing the human beings or the dynamics or the leadership,
the pecking the you know, the locker room. I would
play Pierre and say, I'm sorry Slagh, but he's playing
too well. He's got the hot hand. I'm going with it.
I mean, I think he's played better than Slay, has
smaller number snapped, but I would pick Pierre.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I think so too. And you know, it is funny
in terms of that contract conversation, like remember we had
the Pierre conversation going into the first week of the
season that if you're you know you're you're if you're
the vested veteran like he was at that point. It
hit so many years in the league, right right, if
you're act of Week one, your contract is guaranteed for
the rest of the season. We talked about that with
Pierre with was it with Joey Porter Junior because he
(35:50):
missed he missed the first game against the Jets right
then he missed the Jets and the Seahawks. He missed
a couple of games at the beginning of the year.
I believe it was.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Does that ring a bell?
Speaker 2 (35:58):
I'm one of those guys was out. One of those
guys was out one. I think it was Joey Porter Junior.
Might have been Slay, but I think it was Joey
Porter Junior. And then Pierre ends up playing, and so
his contract does become guaranteed, stays on the roster, ends
up you know, as as our brother dal Lawley would
have said, guys are allowed to get better, and he
is and he certainly has. And that's just the that's
(36:20):
the conundrum that you will find yourself in. I guess
it's a better problem to have than oh, yeah, we're
down pretty thin here and if somebody else gets hurt,
we're in real trouble. But I just I'm interested to
see what that If Slay is completely cleared, No injury designation.
I'll be very interested to see what that that snap
count looks like on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
And Chris alluded to this too, But I can't imagine
with Samuel not playing a real football game in fourteen months,
and when you say it in that term, that's a
lot different than Duggar. I mean, he's put a helmet
on six times since he's you know, probably I think
he's had six practices Steelers. That's why I said that.
So maybe you flirt with him in there, especially if
(37:02):
the game gets if you're losing by twenty, you're winning
by twenty, maybe it's get him, you know, his feet
wet a little bit. Maybe he's not even active. Yeah,
I don't know. Maybe I would think, though, it's safe
to say that Samuel is not gonna be your starter
in Chicago. Yes, I don't think he just jumps everybody.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
You know what they say happens when you assume, But
I think that's I think that's a safe assumption. At
this point.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
He's new the airflaying well, slave's got a track record.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
You know, you would like to start getting him acclimated,
and that obviously will begin with practice. But it's a
good point by you two in terms.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Of Tyler just set us up and said Porter was
out week two of the hammy and then got the
concussion week six against the Brownies.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Okay, yeah, so what I can't remember if I remember
there was defensive back missing week one, maybe, but I
felt like we had that conversation with Pierre.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
It sounds familiar to me too, and I don't remember,
but you know, it doesn't matter at this point.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
In some ways, week one feels like yesterday. In some
ways it feels like seven years ago, right right, kind
of the kind of the way it goes. But yeah,
that to me is an interesting the Aaron Rodgers storyline
is going to rightfully so understandably, so get all the attention.
Oh yeah, but I think the Pierre there's a lot
of Pierre. Yeah right, one might be Smith. That one
(38:20):
might be just as intriguing to me.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
I agree that one.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
That one might be just as intriguing to me.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
It sure feels like they've figured some things out on defense,
particularly in the secondary. I we'll probably talk about that
more in the second half, you know, the too high
stuff and all that. But I don't know that I'd
messed with a good thing at this point against two
high quality offenses. You know, you just you did well
against the Colts and the Bengals, and I know Sligh
(38:45):
was in there for the Colts, but I mean still,
you're starting to write the ship.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Exactly right and well against Chargers two.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
But you know, and you.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Got another I mean, you've got another obviously very capable
offense in Chicago awaiting you at Soldier Field.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah, eating up and so some real weapons too.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I I understand the uh, the game plan and the
belief in your guys, but I would, man, I'd have
a hard time just saying thanks for your service, Pierre.
And you're gonna, you know, revert to to pretty much
all special teams this week.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
And it can happen. It's not like it's no lineman,
but usually your starting corners play almost one hundred percent
snap Like, I don't think Porter missed a snap.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You know, maybe maybe one, you know, but yeah, they
want to.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Go route, they're a little tired, they pop out or
oh something got it.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
You know, a guy fell on me and I just
need to catch my win for for you know, for
a second on the sideline being shocked.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
If there's any kind of rotation.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
There, agreed. It's much like offensive line in that regard
kind of those those guys have to work very similarly
so much as a unit, and like you know, like
five fingers on a fist type thing, and you don't
want more moving parts than are necessary amongst the cele positions.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
You don't rotate very often.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
No, no, not at all.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
And that doesn't mean you can't get pooled. This is
poor play, This is true.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
And I you know, I know a lot of times
when you bring that up, Matt, people will say, yeah,
but then what are you doing to Pierre's confidence and
what kind of message are you sending there. I don't
think that's an issue for a guy like Pierre, who
has been back and forth up and down his career.
He's been a starter, he's been a practice squad guy,
he's been all over the place.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
He's gotten bad news from coaches often right, exactly right,
And I get that, And I think that's more of
a quarterback thing. You know, taking guys in out of lineup.
You're the leader of the team. Like if you were
to take JJ McCarthy and out of lineup, I mean
that does have ramifications in your locker room and maybe
the young man. But deep down, I think any of
these athletes if that, if that's enough of a setback
(40:47):
to throw your career down the toilet, then you probably
weren't mentally tough enough to begin with.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
You know, it's a great point by you.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Yeah, like, come on, you got benched in the NFL,
so be it. You know you're gonna get called upon
here again.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
You know a lot of these guys who go on
to have great success, it didn't start for them all
sunshine and rainbow.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
No, a lot of these guys have gotten betch.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
A lot of these guys have gotten benched. A lot
of these guys have been on practice squad, have been
on different teams even now in this era mat A
lot of these guys went to different universities.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
Yeah, yeah, you know, transfer because they're moving up, moving up,
getting more money. It's the Flacco moves from pitt to Delaware.
So you couldn't play.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Exactly right, or you know, coach leaves and you don't
think the scheme fits you the same way where you
get somewhere and maybe some of the promises that college
coaches and recruiters making problem make, you know, writing checks
that they can't actually cash when you get onto campus. Yeah,
this was not what I thought it was going to be.
I think that happens plenty of the time as well.
(41:49):
And yeah, so I knew again that we would have
the Aaron Rodgers storyline from today and there'd be plenty
to discuss and dissect and debate from that. But this,
like I said that, this, this sleigh in Pierre usage
is is just about as interesting from a I agree,
from not from a national perspective of a future Hall
of Fame quarterback, but from a what it means for
(42:10):
the Steelers this Sunday and what it could mean going
forward the rest.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Of the way. Yeah, I mean, starting corner is a
big deal. And again they have really good receivers and
you're gonna see a bunch of receivers going forward and
hopefully into the playoffs. And I'm not saying either one
is the long term answer, but I think Pierre's clearly
turned a corner and worth pursuing. You know, is this
who he is? For real?
Speaker 2 (42:33):
I couldn't agree more, couldn't agree more. I'm the last
thing I'm trying to check is I don't think you know,
as I was in here, obviously I do the quick
little two minute intro for the Mike Tomlin press conference,
and though yeah, you know, then hop on with Jerry
for like twenty minutes afterwards to kind of recap everything,
and I was listening for anything about Asante Samuel. Tomlin
(42:55):
didn't say anything in his opening statement. I don't believe
anybody asked. I don't think anybody. And again, in my mind,
I was like, but again, when you've got the Aaron
Rodgers stuff going on and war An injury in High
Smith injury, Yeah, yeah, that's true, it maybe falls to
the back burner a little bit. But I'm double checking
here and it does. And unless I completely missed it
listening and no one's tweeting about it, don't think we
(43:17):
got any new word on a Sante Samuel Junior. So
that might be one that we just got to wait
and see the practice report and see.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I think he's practicing in full. I mean he did
last year. I mean he's healthy, he's cleared. It's still
on the or.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Maybe the practice squad is the better way to put that.
Does he get elevated to the active roster at any point?
That would be the.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
Don't think he has an extensive special teams background though
I wouldn't if he's your fourth corner and he's not
a special team or although Pierre is.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
Here, absolutely is he's one of your your core guys.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
But how I mean, does this Jersey get dirty? Right?
But you also don't want just two out there, you know,
I mean or three, because that's what worried me when
Ramsey got jacked, is like all of a sudden, it's
like you may not have any corners at least because
Ramsey can always do it. Sure, yeah, sure, and then
you're short of free safety like Clark had to be
the free and he's not.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
Really we're kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul in
some ways. But it all worked out well. I was,
I was not laughing about that. But in an alternate universe,
you know, Mike Tomlin, as I think everybody would expect,
was very much in Jalen Ramsey's corner and was you know,
I forget what his exact line was, but you know,
when someone spits on you, you can you can react,
(44:26):
however to kind of to kind of paraphrase there a
little bit. I wonder, let's see, I have no message.
If someone spits in your face, do whatever comes natural.
That was from Mike Tomlin, and I think that's right
to say. Today, I do wonder if Cincinnati would have
ended up coming back and winning that game, what the
message or what the.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
You know, we would all understand no matter what, but boy,
that'd be an unfortunate way for the game to turn.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I mean totally awful, awful yesterday, I think we would
be singing a completely different tune, as would many people.
Fortunately ended well on the field justice with the suspension,
we close the book and we move on.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
On my other podcast, we did a pretty much just
buried the Falcons and Bengals today. That's something we've been
kind of doing on Tuesdays once in a while. It's like,
all right, who's like out of it out?
Speaker 2 (45:14):
You're writing eulogies on Tuesdays.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
Yeah, basically, And I think the Bengals are qualify.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
The Falcons, especially with the loss of Pennix and Drake London,
that seems.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Like a it's not going great.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
Can coon on three, as Arthur Moates would say, an
hour in the books, another hour to go. We got
plenty to get into. We'll do a little fantasy football focus.
We'll take a look at the Tuesday power rankings. All
that and more as we roll along West Shuler, Matt Williamson.
It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. Wes Shooler and Matt Williamson with you here
for the next two hours on a Tuesday. Whereas always,
we have got plenty to get into. Matt, I don't
think there's any need to really tee it up today.
The moment that everyone had been waiting for Mike tomlin
weekly Tuesday press conference of course at noon every single
(00:51):
Tuesday here on the Steelers Audio Network, and we're all
kind of waiting with baited breath to see what the
update would be on one Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, go ahead and reveal it. I did not listen
to the press conference, but I did see the headline,
and that's about as much as I know it to
the moment too. But I'm sure some listeners have heard
the news, but little inconclusive at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yes, yes, exactly right. That's a good way to put it.
And let's hear straight from the source. Here's what Mike
Tomlin had to say today about Aaron Rodgers' status for
Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Aaron's got a fracture in his wrist. It does not
require surgery. Really is just about bracing it and securing
it for his comfort and safety. And then it's about
how functional he is. And so we don't have the
answers to that as we say in here today, but
(01:46):
certainly I would imagine we will get some clarity as
we push through the week. I think his experience really
kind of aids in that he's the type of guy
and has the type of profile. It doesn't require a
lot of physical work and an effort to be ready
to play, and that's helpful in the meanwhile, certainly it'll
provide opportunities for Mason and Will to get quality work
(02:08):
as we start the week, and I think that's the
posture that we're in a little later in the week,
we'll take a look at erin and again, as I mentioned,
the variables are stabilizing it and making sure that he's
safe and he can protect himself, brace himself as he falls,
et cetera. Pain tolerance, but that doesn't seem to be
(02:29):
an issue with Aaron. He wanted to go back in
the game on Sunday. And then lastly, obviously how effective
he can be. And so you know, Friday's probably a
big day in terms of some of those things. I
know he's working his tail off to to to be
a component of this this week. He and I talked yesterday.
(02:53):
He expressed that directly, I'm of the mindset of supporting
that while at the same time I got a help
be collective of guys as a team and as a
unit to ready in the meanwhile, that would be our mindset.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So there you go, Matt. Yeah, a fracture in the
wrist for Aaron Rodgers, but still leaving the much like
red roof in leaving the light on first Sunday in Chicago.
And I think we touched on this a little bit yesterday.
But you know how badly he wants to play in
this game, I mean I think right, I mean, it's
(03:31):
it's Ben Roethlisberger versus Brown's type ownership from a from
a future Hall of Fame quarterback. And I think for him,
probably the opener in the rematch against the Jets was
one he had circled on his schedule coming into this year.
The reunion with the Packers on Sunday Night football. Those
are the tops the top two. This might have been
number three for him in terms of games he was
(03:51):
most excited for this year.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I bet it is.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I'm sure Captain obvious he's going to do everything he
can to potentially be to play on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
It's it's cool obviously that they he lands on the
Steelers one, not every four years where they play his
old division where he's.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Had Minnesota and the Vikings in Dublin was probably high
on that line.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Right, so got the Lions, you know, right? I mean,
so you're gonna play the whole North that he's had
a lot of success against and has played a lot
now some faces of change, a lot of faces of change,
especially Inaga. Yeah, but he's the Steelers have not had
a lot of success in Chicago. He has, you know,
So all that being said, you're not putting them out
there in harm's way because you absolutely have to win
(04:33):
this game. It's not Super Bowl, it's not the AFC
Championship game. I'm sure if it was a playoff game,
it'd be like, oh, he's playing you know. I maybe
Tomlin wouldn't say that on Tuesday, but.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You know, I think you're I think you're spot on
that yeah, yeah, and so Tomlin also later on, you know,
that was kind of part of his opening remarks. Later on,
he was as you could imagine, there were plenty of
follow up questions about Aaron Rodgers, and he did say
that he will not practice on Wednesday. Rule the ruled
him out of practicing on Wednesday, and it even sounded
(05:03):
like more so they were just going to wait till
Friday if he can potentially do some you know, some
light Friday walk through type stuff. So I got a
feeling this is gonna be unless it comes out Friday
that he didn't practice at all this week and they're
ruling him out.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
They rule him out Friday, they could.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But again, with a guy in his status and his
experience level, you could even if he doesn't practice this week,
he could still obviously play the.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Same as like Cam Heyward. I mean, it's not even
as a quarterback thing, right.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I think that there's a at least very good chance
that we're waiting until Sunday morning, you know, maybe even
sometime in the noon hour to hear if Aaron Rodgers
is going on Sunday like a true game time decision.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That sounds very possible. I mean I'm sure that they'll
mess with different splints or whatever you know he's most
comfortable with, and that type of thing. I mean, not
that I know a lot about it, but would you
want to get one semi practice in of just taking snaps,
handing off with your splinter, your brace of choice, you know,
(06:06):
your cast or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
As much as we know that Aaron Rodgers was bothered
by his league mandated helmet change that he had to make, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I would think so.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I would think so, you know, more than just a
pregame thing.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or even even for a twenty year veteran future Hall
of Famer like him, that's probably something that you don't
want to just leave up to leave up to game
day and now the bullets are flying, and let's see,
that's a great point by you. I would think at
least even in a small capacity, he would want to
get under center with Zach Fraser a few times, get
some snaps.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
In, yeah, and do some handoffs. How do I hold
the ball in the pocket with two hands? Those type
of things. And he could do that out back by himself,
you know, he could do that in his living room
to some degree. But I mean still if there's five
different braces there, casts or whatever to pick from. Maybe
you want to try him out. I don't know. I mean,
(06:57):
I don't think he needs the practice time. I don't
think he needs the road to Metcalf this week necessarily, right, you.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Know, but more so you're right wrist brace, you know
whatever that's exactly gonna look like. I know I made
this reference I think to yesterday. It's it's not the
same as like Patrick Willis. Just just put a whole
bubble around my hand and I'm gonna go out there
and still tackle people who cares that that center quarterback
exchange thing, particularly under center, is something that's gonna have
(07:24):
to I think at least have a little bit of
work ahead of time.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah, and there were also schefter reports that it was
a minor break or whatever. I mean, we knew that
even yesterday, I think when we were on the air.
So it makes me think it's maybe a one game
missed at most.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
We think so because those the Shifters and the Rapaports
and the Tom Pellisaro's of the world, big national insider
guys have all stated yesterday and today that Aaron Rodgers
wants to play, you know, he's gonna do everything he
can to get out there and so.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And Coach said that too. It's not a toughness pain issue.
I mean, he's going to work through that stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yes, and so if you made me guess right now,
I would lean towards he plays.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
But I was thinking the same. But I'm also with
you the own to that press conference.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I'm also with you that if it's anywhere close to
fifty to fifty, I would err on the side of
give I know it's a tough one for him to miss,
but give him an extra week because you got bigger
fish to fry down the stretch here.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
I think so too. I would definitely error on the
side of caution. But if he's comfortable out there, great,
you know absolutely, and hey maybe, and there's also the
possibility starts a game, he takes a big hit and
he goes out in the first quarter. But that's no
different than the other week, you know, I mean, the
thing is Rudolph good, you know, it's the distance between
(08:45):
the two is still a distance. But it's not like
man option number two gives you no chance to win, you.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Know, exactly right. It's not Joe Flacco to Jake Browning.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
No, right, right, Like we saw this show and it
doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Yes, yes, So that's kind of where we start today.
We're gonna take a little bit of a shorter opening
segment here because we want to talk to our buddy
Chris Adamski all things Aaron Rodgers related and moore with
Chris when we return on the other side, his thoughts
on Aaron's status for Sunday, as well as guys like
Alex Highsmith and Jalen Warren that we still need to
get into as well. We'll do all of that and
(09:19):
more as we roll along. Was sheeler Matt Williamson. It's
the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Back on the Drive. Here is a Tuesday with plenty
to get to, plenty to parse through from the weekly
Mike Tomlin press conference, particularly as it relates to injury
updates for Alex Heismith, for Jalen Warren, for Darius Slay,
some key members of this team, but of course chief
most amongst them the future Hall of Fame signal caller
Aaron Rodgers joining us now to discuss all this and more.
(10:14):
Kris Adamsky covers the Steelers for the trib and of
course is the co host of the Steelers' Blitz here
at noon on the Steelers Audio Network Buzz. Thank you
for taking the time as always, and let's jump right
into it as we stand here today on Tuesday. Plenty
can change by Sunday, obviously, but how you're feeling, how
are you leaning in towards Aaron Rodgers' status, his availability
(10:37):
for Sunday in Chicago against the Bears.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
Man, you know, you hate to read too much into
what Mike Tomlins says on Tuesday, because there's both. It's
early in the week. He's sort of intentionally vague a
lot of times, and cynic my day sometimes even puts
out some misdirection. But to me he signed more and
more optimist stick then I anticipated heading into the day.
(11:03):
If we had talked a few hours ago here before
Tomlin's presser, I wouldn't have thought it was likely. It
sounds a lot more feasible the way it's talking now.
And you know we've seen this movie before, even with
Mason Rudaph for that matter, with with with Ben Roethlisberg
a similar situation. Any you know a quarterback Hall of
(11:24):
Fame quarterback late in his career that doesn't need the
practice time per se And remember that one week one
on the one that what year that was? Now they're
run together, but when ben I didn't practice literally all
week and even practice Friday. In this case, Tomin's on record,
and it's it's true. It's that you know, it's not
a COVID or whatever, an illness where he needs to
make sure his hand can be able to because you
(11:46):
don't want to take I mean, this isn't even early
a shot at Zach Frazier, but you know a shotgun
snapped is a little bit to his left or something.
You know, you don't you don't want to have a
guy who can't catch that snap, right, I mean that
you know again it's not and that might happen once
again where there's the snap is a little bit you
know that you might need to make a play on
and that's a turnover and that could meant the Bears
thrive on turnovers and takeaway that's howther that's other seven
(12:08):
and three. So you hate the chance something like that.
So I guess it sounds to me like it'll come
down to Friday and see how he's you know, how
he's taken both under center snaps and shotgun snaps. To me,
is the way I kind of read that.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I was thinking the same thing that I thought Tomlin's
tone would be a little more negative, a little more disconcerting.
But I sensed optimism there. And I'm not trying to
like get our listeners psyched about it or push one
layer or another. But Wes mentioned and you kind of
did too. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked at all
if this even goes down to Sunday morning.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
Yeah, and it makes sense. I mean that's sort of intuitive.
And what Tomlin said and what I just mentioned about
the snaps, I mean to me, I mean t easy
for me to say right back. But you know, not
having your left hand available, you know, you wouldn't think
would affect too too much of the off ration of
throwing a ball or certainly reading a defense, or certainly
(13:03):
moving around the pocket scrambling, uh, you know, all the
things you would need. Your footwork's not affected. But but
but so it's one little detail, but the pretty big detail,
you know, like I said, if it's if it's of
trouble to take and that you can wrap that up
the defensive player. There's so many player positions on the
field other than wide receiver and I guess maybe running
back that you could just wrap up that that left
(13:25):
wrist and you'd be okay. But you know, obviously he's
not throwing rep That's that's a big, big difference. But
at the same time, again as we saw with little
Howard who took a snap and you know, they can
come it can come in hot and you're either disrupting
the the wrists in terms of the end compromising it
that way have been more important. Like I said, if
you can't you can't reliably catch every snap in the
(13:48):
shotgun or reliably handle every snap under center. Again, to me, intuitively,
that seems to be the issue, and I think that's
what it might just come down to, is you get
to get the Friday and yeah, maybe even I don't
you know, And that's something obviously you don't need a
full fledged practice with the whole team out there. You
could take snaps whenever and kind of make a read
on on your ability to his ability. If you're the
(14:09):
you're not airing yourself in terms of his ability to
handle the snaps and unless there's something I'm missing, Like
I said, I'm just speaking again. I'm not a not
a quarterback quarterback, but in terms of what what that
risk would be most affected.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
By Chris I Again, I know that this is probably
a tough one to answer here as we, you know,
sit on a Tuesday and still five days away from
game day and a handful of practices for the Steelers
to get to before that point. But you know, a
classic Mike tomlinism is he'd rather say whoa than sick them.
(14:42):
Do you do you think there's a chance or do
you think there's a possibility that you get to Sunday,
You get to Saturday and you tell Aaron whoa? You know,
I realize that you'll want to play in Chicago. This
is like Ben Roethlisberger playing in Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
It's a franchise that you've had a ton of success
against and you've really enjoyed playing against and kind of
sticking it in their cross so many times over the year.
But we've got a lot of important games left. We've
got a stretch run here in the AFC, trying to
win the division and secure our playoff spot and obviously
a lot of confidence in the backup and Mason Rudolph
as well too. Could there be a woe instead of
(15:18):
sicker moment for Aaron Rodgers this week? Or you know,
do you tell the future Hall of Fame quarterback if
you want to go, you can go.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
Yeah, you know, from a fan perspective or an outsider perspective,
even you know, if you gave him trust here and
maybe an organizational perspective, I don't think it would be
the worst thing in the world to sit down the
soon to be forty two year old quarterback here for
the stretch run and you know, and rather than playing
it'll do a thirteen straight weeks of games here. And
(15:46):
I just think kind of maybe in totality was he was?
Probably he was, you know, I think we saw the
best Aaron Rodgers in totality the first four or five
weeks in the most recent four or five weeks here.
And I don't know if fatigue is the factor, you know,
not be. But at the same time, I don't think
it's I would I would place the bet on he'd
probably better off down the stretch if we had a
(16:08):
week off, just for his body and everything, and and no,
he probably won't agree with that, and I get it,
but I also think that, you know, maybe if you
didn't have Mason Rudolph as a proven NFL high quality
backup and a guy who's proven to win games for
you over the years, you know, you know, if your
backup was you know, if you just had a you know,
(16:29):
if your back up with a six round pickrookie, if
they only had Will Howard is the only backup or something,
then and maybe you do approach it differently, or maybe
we've seen some bad backup play in the NFL. I mean,
Jake Browning. Let's say, I don't know, you know, you probably.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Don't that's.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Yeah, yeah, so you know again, I don't know. I
can't sit here and say that's the way Mike Tommins's
gonna think, or the way you know, organizationally they're gonna
think and something not the way probably Aaron's is thinking.
But in my mind, I don't think it's the worst
in the world. Or yeah, if you just say whoa
and you know, it takes the week off and you know,
(17:04):
he'd probably better, you know, not only for the risk
in general, and maybe getting used to operating with the
whatever condition that risk is in. And I don't know
if it's something I would assume obviously the body heals,
you know, if it's something that gets better in terms
of functionality after a week. You have that aspect too,
but doesn't think overall is overall just kind of you know,
load management. I don't think it would be such a
bad thing to take one week off and take your
(17:26):
puncher's chance with Mason Rudolph in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Yeah, that's a lot of stuff we've been saying as well.
And again I'm sure he would admit it. But at
his age, I would think his knees, back, shoulders, you know, everything,
hamstrings would love a week off, you know, the non
injured parts, but they got to be sore than usual. Chris,
you're at the facility a lot more than us. I mean,
I think we all know the answer. But do you
(17:50):
truly think that the organization and coaching staff has supreme
confidence in Rudolph as a number two? Oh?
Speaker 5 (17:58):
I mean as a number two? I think. I mean
they they've now, you know, and you could say about
confidence in a viable number one or whatever, but I
mean they brought him back now twice as a free agent.
Whenever he was a free agent, they gave Hi an
extension the first time, you know, after his of course
being drafted and everything, and I mean twenty twenty three,
(18:18):
that was Remember I always think back to that Seattle
game when New Year's Eve, when essentially their playoff lives
were at stake and they could have shut it. And
only did he play well the whole game, But I'm
the specific moment was one of the I don't know
if that was the Showtime show or whatever where Plum
was miked up and he was telling who was that
the coordinat I mean, who the coordinator was that year?
Was that the Faulkner end of the year. I can't,
(18:40):
I can't keep them all straight. I think it was, yes, yeah,
and he said, uh, he said, he said something the
effect of, you know, with not sit on the ball,
let him thro. You know what I'm saying. You had
a backup quarterback, a third string quarterback really, I guess
in terms of the depth chart to start the season,
and he showed confidence he threw that pass the pickings
to put that game away and it rather than just
(19:01):
try to you know, bleed it out or whatever. And
so yeah, I think and again, you've seen some bad
backup quarterbacks across the league and different teams and everything,
and yeah, there is there is a there thinks is
a real good amongst the amongst most of these players too.
Know Mason Rudolphe, you know most of them, although there's
a lot of turnover from even two years ago in
terms of the roster, but most of them were there
(19:21):
whenever he which for his face it's save their season
and gave him the best quarterback play by far the
twenty twenty three season, those last three games in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Chris Adamski a few more minutes with him here on
the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network, Chris. Aaron Rodgers
not the only key member of that offense that picked
up an injury on Sunday in the win against Cincinnati.
Jalen Warren dealing with an ankle as well, and Mike
Tomlin saying may expect him to be limited at first,
but optimistic he will play on Sunday. It's maybe kind
(19:53):
of a same church, different Pew conversation as Aaron Rodgers
and Mason Rudolph with Jalen Warren and Keneth Gainwell, we've
seen Kenneth Gainwell, we saw it in Dublin, we saw
it on Sunday, filling in admirably when they need. But again,
Jalen Warren, I think we could argue has been perhaps
the offensive MVP of this team to this point in
the season. Optimistic that he'll play on Sunday according to
(20:17):
Mike Tomlin. But what's your kind of optimism level that
he'll be healthy and maybe, you know, uninhibited at Soldier
Field on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Yeah, I have to feel you know, he was, he
said he was clear of the game. We all saw
he went in for that snap that was in it
being aboarded by a time out after he'd been injured
on Sunday, And the way Tomlin talked about him being
in Now, if you say inhibited in terms of his
physical ability, I don't think so, but inhibited in terms
of the snap count. Because you know, now, it's kind
(20:49):
of crazy that last week at this point, at least
I was talking or me and tom were talking and
other people talking about get warned the ball or I
can't play game well as much, you know, and and
but I mean game all showed in the I mean,
he has five touchdowns amongst his last. I think it's
seventy three touches now over the past whatever, whatever game
it is. So you know, he's making plays and we
(21:09):
saw on Doublin that he can be, and that game
to me proved that if needed, and if they were
to spell Warren during the game or whatever, for a
full game or whatever, just he can be a first
and second down back, you know, in that in that
realm and certain certainly in small sample sizes. So I
would I if I'm sitting here right now, I'd say
(21:30):
probably Warren will play and again trade because the week
everybody's consternation was Warren's not played enough. But you know
it might be back to that again, Warren's you know,
maybe gain Well. You know who might who take the
first snap a quote unquote starter doesn't matter, but you know,
game well plays. You know, it's a it's just maybe
a sixty thirty ten type game with Gainwell, Warren, Caleb
(21:51):
Johnson or something like that. In terms of the snapshirt
running back.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Chris, last thing I got for you is cornerback. Now.
I mean, we know Porter's playing really well. He's in
me an outside guy. I think eccoles is very securely
the Nickel, But I think there's still there's three candidates
to be the other starter. I mean, does Slay go
right back into the starting role? Pierre's played really well lately.
Could he have you know, taken that job? And Sante
(22:16):
Samuel is still looming?
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Yeah? Yeah, I you know, I felt for for weeks
kind of the you know, awkwardness in terms of Sleigh,
in terms of you know, his career resume and get
him hinto everything, and you know that the pride of
a of a veteran like that. Do they just go
to him and tell him he's bench?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
I don't, you know?
Speaker 5 (22:36):
And Tom and publicly there and then the press conference
today was to the affirmative that Slay will be the
starter again or he turned it or yeah he's he
said that now. He did say certainly Pierre's ear earned
to stay in the field too, or something to that effect,
and he reiterated that later. So what does that mean?
Does that mean you know they alternate theories? Does that mean?
(22:59):
I don't know how you kind of go about that.
I there, of course, everybody up and down the organization
has been complimentary for good reason with how Pierre played
these this last game and a half when he's been
in there and you know, so I don't know, I
mean Samuel. The thing about Samuel wasn't you know people said, oh,
dugger came right, but yeah, but that was he had
been playing NFL football and it in football shape for
(23:21):
went through our training camp, went through you know, six
weeks of practice at that point, and Samuel mean hasn't
played an NFL game in fourteen months and now only
has what practice, you know, he had six practices under
his belt in terms of NFL. Actually, I know he
could stay in shape and all that, but it's a
little bit different to throw you an NFL game. So
I could see maybe Samuel getting you know, in uniformly
(23:42):
get a hat this week, but I don't know if
I don't think it'll roll them out there as your
as you'r you know, a quote unquote starter or outside
you know, regular corners necessary, but you know it might
not even need it because you have per right now.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
And yeah, I would probably coming back.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
So I am curious to see assume he gets just
slay in Pierre, and I am curious to see how
that plays out in terms of because we saw, you know,
before they moved everybody and Douger got here, and Ramsey
went back to the safety that a couple of games
there were Echoles was almost in a pretty much time
share on the outside spot with Sleigh, So I would
imagine it wouldn't be any too much different than that. Maybe,
(24:17):
you know, however, you want to say at a kind
of a fifty to fifty and if you know, saw
a couple of games over the season where Slave had
had some rough govick it and beat a couple of times,
and then Eckles played more, and maybe that's what happened
Sunday is if you know, maybe Slaves played, you know,
played if exsumeing he's clear of course played the first
series and there are struggles, then you see more and
more Pierre the rest of the game.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Chris, one more real quick before we let you go.
We got the news last night that Jamar Chase will
be suspended for a game by the National Football League
for that spinning incident with Jalen Ramsey in the third
quarter at Akershur Stadium on Sunday. In your mind, fair
suspension should have been a little bit more harsh, you know,
we there was some precedent for this week one of
(24:57):
the season with Jalen Carter and what happened between the
Eagles and Dak Prescott and the Cowboys there. But that
was right after the opening kickoff, so he essentially missed
the entire game. They decided not to suspend them. After
the fact, they said that that kind of served as
a as a pseudo suspension him missing that entire game.
You think that this is again one game kind of
(25:19):
the the a fair punishment for what transpired, or you
maybe were thinking, hey, this is something that the league's
got to nip in the bud and could have been
a little more heavy handed with that suspension.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Yeah, people say precedent based off that Week one, and
you know, essentially that was time served one full entire
game and everything. I don't know how much or even
if you know the CBA involved union, i'd police can
factor into it. But remember after that game, Carter was
really contrite and you know, opened it and you know,
(25:51):
apologized and and all that after that game against Dallas,
and and I mean to me that I don't see
that it is not the most is going part. I
guess there's a good norm McDonald uh ran about saying
that's not the worst get into that joke. But you know,
the worst part with the spit, the worst part is
not the hipocrisy. The worst part is the spit itself. However,
(26:14):
you know, for him to kind of flat out deny it,
it's also not only is that not too good character touch,
it's pretty stupid because yeah, there's nobody camera, you know,
to think you can you could get away with it.
It's it's not very smart to not be you know,
could carry out to the game. I don't know if
that can factor in by the rules in the in
the CNBA and or if that will factor in or
not you know, or could have factored. And I mean
(26:37):
it's you know, according to what the NFL network report
to the the planned defenses, that I was trying to
spit down and not toward him.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Or what come on, what.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Are we doing here? So in that sense, but it's
it's kind of wild that, I mean, I don't know,
you remember, I mean, we've all been watching football whole live.
You remember the last spinning incident during a game that
now we've had to do it a span one even
you know, it's just like it's wow to think that
we have to we have to nip this in the
bud with grown adults to say. But yeah, but I
(27:11):
guess where we're at right now, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
But anyway, Chris Damski kind of enough to join us
here on a Tuesday. Make sure you're checking out all
his work in the trib and of course listening to
him and our buddy Tom opp froman at noon every
day on these Steelers Audio Network buzz. Thank you for
the time. Great stuff is always man and we'll talk
to you soon.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
All right, take care, guys. Talking again.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
There he goes Chris Adamski with uh, all the latest
on all the moving and shaking. Yeah, that was the
only thing for me, Matt, like, I've you know how
protective rightfully, So this is how any billion dollar business
is of their brand, of their logo. For the NFL,
we always call it the shield. That was my only
thing is I could see them being like, all right,
this is the second time this year. Yes, spitting incident
(27:54):
has dominated the news cycle the day after a game.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
We got to that, we got to really send a message,
you know.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
So I think the one game is fair, but I
also wouldn't have surprised me if there was more.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yeah, I think one is the right situation. You know,
and that's that's a.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
I mean, is it's only seventeen games, and it's right
you know, it's not baseball or basketball or hockey where
there's you know, eighty some or one hundred and sixty
seven games. Yeah, I tell you right now, I gotta
think that's gonna be in the off season maybe something
that they will try and work it, or maybe the
next CBA something like that that they try and work into.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Some sort of clause in there, clear.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Guidelines of like if you do this, there will be
zero tolerance and we can't be having that. Matt, a
few more things from Mike Tomlin's weekly press conference that
I want to get into. I also want to talk
about some of that stuff in the secondary that you
brought up there with a damn ski. We'll do all
of that when we return on the other side. To
close down, the first hour of the show was Shooler
Matt Williams and it's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio
(28:56):
on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Back on the Drive here and a big thanks to
Chris Danski for joining us once again, and Matt, I
did want to discuss a few things further, some interesting
discussion points that you brought up with Chris and just
kind of some final crossing of the t's and dotting
of the eyes from the Mike Tomlins press conference.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
It's a lot we haven't quite touched on, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
So we gave the specific updates for Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Warren.
Let me just set the scene here for what was
the Warren Warren if he will be limited at first
in the week, but we're optimistic he'll play on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
Okay, I mean, I knew he came back and maybe
could have finished the game, and you know that that
doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
But if it's divisional round this weekend, I'm sure there's
there's you know, not much of a of a big
picture concern there, but obviously being where you're.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
At, maybe he doesn't practice Wednesday or you know, and
which would make all the sense in the world to.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Me, absolutely, And is a Damski mentioned maybe he's on
a little bit of a pitch count, a little bit
of a snap count on Sunday. Will obviously monitor the
the injury reports on on Thursday and Friday for you
like we always do.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Maybe you activate a running back that's good on special
teams too, or you know something like that. Now those
they've done that.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
End sermons back on the practice squad. So yeah, they've
got that that option. Cole Holcome should be back this week,
according to Mike Tomlin good, which is good. Hopefully he's okay.
I mean, that's been a long term thing that he's
been dealing with illness. Something's going around. Yeah, I'll be careful.
Something's going around. TV's locked in over there. He's not
laughing at me.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I wonder we saw about twelve snaps of the
three inside linebacker package something like that. It was I
think that might have been right. Harrison's a lot different.
I mean, to pull that off, I think you want
one of them to kind of be a hammer, like
a Harrison. I wonder if Hulcombe would get any run
in that because Queen and Wilson aren't coming off the field.
(31:30):
Is that a Harrison specific thing?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
That's interesting.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I'm just curious.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You're right, Typically, like when we've seen them do that
in years past, it was always Mark Robinson. Yeah, like
the thumper, the hammer type.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
You're the downhill key, the run guy.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I think, particularly against teams like the Ravens and the
Lions and the Eagles, and you know, teams that you
know are predicated on running the football, Cole Holcomb has
a more well rounded skill set. I don't think that's uh, I.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Don't think that's that's a debatable. I mean, he's the
backup to both starters. Yes, the second he's.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Helping without it, without a door. But in terms of
that specific package, I think you might be right. I
think that might be a you're looking for different skill
sets amongst the group when you deploy them in that regard.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Because I know we'll get into this more bright in
the second hour. But I think a big reason for
it is now they're playing more too high, more defensive
backs away from the line of scrimmage. So I want
one of my guys that is your line of scrimmage
to be a little bigger, stronger thumper. You know, makes sense, right, Yeah,
especially against Jonathan Taylor, you.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
Know, right, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
But it's not like the Bears don't run the ball
reasonably well too, and you know they do. Jase Brown
was coming on pretty good too.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I was gonna say, like they don't have a Jonathan
Taylor Josh Jacob's type name in the backfield, but that
offense is doing everything effectively right now.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
In my hunch, that three inside line packer package is
here to stay in some capacity. You might see three
snaps one game twelve fifteen and next I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Yeah, absolutely you'll see it more probably against Baltimore, Yeah,
you know than you would against Cincinnati. Yeah, I would think,
but certainly something to keep an eye on.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
But that might be Harrison specific. The more I think
through it, that.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Would make sense. Yeah, it would make sense. And hopefully
with Cole Holcomb back in the fold, maybe we'll get
the answer to that. On Sunday. Alex high Smith will
be limited to start the week and they'll monitor his progress.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, I mean obviously they're very equipped to move on
or you know, to survive without him. I mean Herbig's
a stud.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Yep sway, or you're getting more and more comfortable with
him being out.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Playing better and better too. I mean again, I thought
the bottom of the roster really stepped up in this
game across the board. But I don't think anyone thinks
Highsmiths not a very good player too, right, you know right.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
He is certainly, even as much as we all love herbig,
you'd love to have all three in the fold.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
And finally, Matt Darius Slay with the concussion should be
back this week.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Usually it's a one game miss at this point unless
it's a severe you know, easy for me to say,
but I mean, we.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Didn't just see c. J. Stroud miss two weeks with one.
For the most part, You're right.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Usually it's next game.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
It's a you know, a take a week off and
then return. And then that raises the question speaking of
bottom of the roster guys who played well, I think
if you were writing that story you would start talking
about James Pierre and the opening paragraph and what he's
done the last couple of weeks and specifically on Sunday
against perhaps the best wide receiver tandem in the National
(34:24):
Football League. But according to Mike Tomlin, it sounds like
Slay will return. That's something that a Damski touched on
too when you when you brought it up again, though,
I wonder exactly what that looks like. Is it as
simple as Slay or the starter? You're back out there, Pierre,
You return to your special teams and your spot duty.
I don't know. I mean, Slay's the veteran, Slay's the
(34:47):
guy that signed the bigger contract and all those things.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
There are locker room ramifications, there's locker ications.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Whether we think that's right or wrong, anybody knows. It's
not just as simple as who's the best right now
that's gonna it's going to get you know, the role
or the snaps, as much as maybe we do feel
like that should be the case at times.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Not knowing the human beings or the dynamics or the leadership,
the pecking the you know, the locker room. I would
play Pierre and say, I'm sorry Slagh, but he's playing
too well. He's got the hot hand. I'm going with it.
I mean, I think he's played better than Slay, has
smaller number snapped, but I would pick Pierre.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I think so too. And you know, it is funny
in terms of that contract conversation, like remember we had
the Pierre conversation going into the first week of the
season that if you're you know you're you're if you're
the vested veteran like he was at that point. It
hit so many years in the league, right right, if
you're act of Week one, your contract is guaranteed for
the rest of the season. We talked about that with
Pierre with was it with Joey Porter Junior because he
(35:50):
missed he missed the first game against the Jets right
then he missed the Jets and the Seahawks. He missed
a couple of games at the beginning of the year.
I believe it was.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Does that ring a bell?
Speaker 2 (35:58):
I'm one of those guys was out. One of those
guys was out one. I think it was Joey Porter Junior.
Might have been Slay, but I think it was Joey
Porter Junior. And then Pierre ends up playing, and so
his contract does become guaranteed, stays on the roster, ends
up you know, as as our brother dal Lawley would
have said, guys are allowed to get better, and he
is and he certainly has. And that's just the that's
(36:20):
the conundrum that you will find yourself in. I guess
it's a better problem to have than oh, yeah, we're
down pretty thin here and if somebody else gets hurt,
we're in real trouble. But I just I'm interested to
see what that If Slay is completely cleared, No injury designation.
I'll be very interested to see what that that snap
count looks like on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
And Chris alluded to this too, But I can't imagine
with Samuel not playing a real football game in fourteen months,
and when you say it in that term, that's a
lot different than Duggar. I mean, he's put a helmet
on six times since he's you know, probably I think
he's had six practices Steelers. That's why I said that.
So maybe you flirt with him in there, especially if
(37:02):
the game gets if you're losing by twenty, you're winning
by twenty, maybe it's get him, you know, his feet
wet a little bit. Maybe he's not even active. Yeah,
I don't know. Maybe I would think, though, it's safe
to say that Samuel is not gonna be your starter
in Chicago. Yes, I don't think he just jumps everybody.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
You know what they say happens when you assume, But
I think that's I think that's a safe assumption. At
this point.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
He's new the airflaying well, slave's got a track record.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
You know, you would like to start getting him acclimated,
and that obviously will begin with practice. But it's a
good point by you two in terms.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Of Tyler just set us up and said Porter was
out week two of the hammy and then got the
concussion week six against the Brownies.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Okay, yeah, so what I can't remember if I remember
there was defensive back missing week one, maybe, but I
felt like we had that conversation with Pierre.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
It sounds familiar to me too, and I don't remember,
but you know, it doesn't matter at this point.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
In some ways, week one feels like yesterday. In some
ways it feels like seven years ago, right right, kind
of the kind of the way it goes. But yeah,
that to me is an interesting the Aaron Rodgers storyline
is going to rightfully so understandably, so get all the attention.
Oh yeah, but I think the Pierre there's a lot
of Pierre. Yeah right, one might be Smith. That one
(38:20):
might be just as intriguing to me.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
I agree that one.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
That one might be just as intriguing to me.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
It sure feels like they've figured some things out on defense,
particularly in the secondary. I we'll probably talk about that
more in the second half, you know, the too high
stuff and all that. But I don't know that I'd
messed with a good thing at this point against two
high quality offenses. You know, you just you did well
against the Colts and the Bengals, and I know Sligh
(38:45):
was in there for the Colts, but I mean still,
you're starting to write the ship.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Exactly right and well against Chargers two.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
But you know, and you.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Got another I mean, you've got another obviously very capable
offense in Chicago awaiting you at Soldier Field.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah, eating up and so some real weapons too.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I I understand the uh, the game plan and the
belief in your guys, but I would, man, I'd have
a hard time just saying thanks for your service, Pierre.
And you're gonna, you know, revert to to pretty much
all special teams this week.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
And it can happen. It's not like it's no lineman,
but usually your starting corners play almost one hundred percent
snap Like, I don't think Porter missed a snap.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You know, maybe maybe one, you know, but yeah, they
want to.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Go route, they're a little tired, they pop out or
oh something got it.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
You know, a guy fell on me and I just
need to catch my win for for you know, for
a second on the sideline being shocked.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
If there's any kind of rotation.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
There, agreed. It's much like offensive line in that regard
kind of those those guys have to work very similarly
so much as a unit, and like you know, like
five fingers on a fist type thing, and you don't
want more moving parts than are necessary amongst the cele positions.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
You don't rotate very often.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
No, no, not at all.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
And that doesn't mean you can't get pooled. This is
poor play, This is true.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
And I you know, I know a lot of times
when you bring that up, Matt, people will say, yeah,
but then what are you doing to Pierre's confidence and
what kind of message are you sending there. I don't
think that's an issue for a guy like Pierre, who
has been back and forth up and down his career.
He's been a starter, he's been a practice squad guy,
he's been all over the place.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
He's gotten bad news from coaches often right, exactly right,
And I get that, And I think that's more of
a quarterback thing. You know, taking guys in out of lineup.
You're the leader of the team. Like if you were
to take JJ McCarthy and out of lineup, I mean
that does have ramifications in your locker room and maybe
the young man. But deep down, I think any of
these athletes if that, if that's enough of a setback
(40:47):
to throw your career down the toilet, then you probably
weren't mentally tough enough to begin with.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
You know, it's a great point by you.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Yeah, like, come on, you got benched in the NFL,
so be it. You know you're gonna get called upon
here again.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
You know a lot of these guys who go on
to have great success, it didn't start for them all
sunshine and rainbow.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
No, a lot of these guys have gotten betch.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
A lot of these guys have gotten benched. A lot
of these guys have been on practice squad, have been
on different teams even now in this era mat A
lot of these guys went to different universities.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
Yeah, yeah, you know, transfer because they're moving up, moving up,
getting more money. It's the Flacco moves from pitt to Delaware.
So you couldn't play.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Exactly right, or you know, coach leaves and you don't
think the scheme fits you the same way where you
get somewhere and maybe some of the promises that college
coaches and recruiters making problem make, you know, writing checks
that they can't actually cash when you get onto campus. Yeah,
this was not what I thought it was going to be.
I think that happens plenty of the time as well.
(41:49):
And yeah, so I knew again that we would have
the Aaron Rodgers storyline from today and there'd be plenty
to discuss and dissect and debate from that. But this,
like I said that, this, this sleigh in Pierre usage
is is just about as interesting from a I agree,
from not from a national perspective of a future Hall
of Fame quarterback, but from a what it means for
(42:10):
the Steelers this Sunday and what it could mean going
forward the rest.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Of the way. Yeah, I mean, starting corner is a
big deal. And again they have really good receivers and
you're gonna see a bunch of receivers going forward and
hopefully into the playoffs. And I'm not saying either one
is the long term answer, but I think Pierre's clearly
turned a corner and worth pursuing. You know, is this
who he is? For real?
Speaker 2 (42:33):
I couldn't agree more, couldn't agree more. I'm the last
thing I'm trying to check is I don't think you know,
as I was in here, obviously I do the quick
little two minute intro for the Mike Tomlin press conference,
and though yeah, you know, then hop on with Jerry
for like twenty minutes afterwards to kind of recap everything,
and I was listening for anything about Asante Samuel. Tomlin
(42:55):
didn't say anything in his opening statement. I don't believe
anybody asked. I don't think anybody. And again, in my mind,
I was like, but again, when you've got the Aaron
Rodgers stuff going on and war An injury in High
Smith injury, Yeah, yeah, that's true, it maybe falls to
the back burner a little bit. But I'm double checking
here and it does. And unless I completely missed it
listening and no one's tweeting about it, don't think we
(43:17):
got any new word on a Sante Samuel Junior. So
that might be one that we just got to wait
and see the practice report and see.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I think he's practicing in full. I mean he did
last year. I mean he's healthy, he's cleared. It's still
on the or.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Maybe the practice squad is the better way to put that.
Does he get elevated to the active roster at any point?
That would be the.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
Don't think he has an extensive special teams background though
I wouldn't if he's your fourth corner and he's not
a special team or although Pierre is.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
Here, absolutely is he's one of your your core guys.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
But how I mean, does this Jersey get dirty? Right?
But you also don't want just two out there, you know,
I mean or three, because that's what worried me when
Ramsey got jacked, is like all of a sudden, it's
like you may not have any corners at least because
Ramsey can always do it. Sure, yeah, sure, and then
you're short of free safety like Clark had to be
the free and he's not.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
Really we're kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul in
some ways. But it all worked out well. I was,
I was not laughing about that. But in an alternate universe,
you know, Mike Tomlin, as I think everybody would expect,
was very much in Jalen Ramsey's corner and was you know,
I forget what his exact line was, but you know,
when someone spits on you, you can you can react,
(44:26):
however to kind of to kind of paraphrase there a
little bit. I wonder, let's see, I have no message.
If someone spits in your face, do whatever comes natural.
That was from Mike Tomlin, and I think that's right
to say. Today, I do wonder if Cincinnati would have
ended up coming back and winning that game, what the
message or what the.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
You know, we would all understand no matter what, but boy,
that'd be an unfortunate way for the game to turn.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I mean totally awful, awful yesterday, I think we would
be singing a completely different tune, as would many people.
Fortunately ended well on the field justice with the suspension,
we close the book and we move on.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
On my other podcast, we did a pretty much just
buried the Falcons and Bengals today. That's something we've been
kind of doing on Tuesdays once in a while. It's like,
all right, who's like out of it out?
Speaker 2 (45:14):
You're writing eulogies on Tuesdays.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
Yeah, basically, And I think the Bengals are qualify.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
The Falcons, especially with the loss of Pennix and Drake London,
that seems.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Like a it's not going great.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
Can coon on three, as Arthur Moates would say, an
hour in the books, another hour to go. We got
plenty to get into. We'll do a little fantasy football focus.
We'll take a look at the Tuesday power rankings. All
that and more as we roll along West Shuler, Matt Williamson.
It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.