Hr1: Thursday Football Recap, Matt's Stats

The Drive recaps a busy Thanksgiving day of games, as well as getting into Matt Stat's for Steelers-Bills.

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Episode Transcript

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 (00:28):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation, and welcome to Black Friday. Here
on the Drive on the Steelers' audio network, West Shooler
Matt Williamson with you for the next two hours. Here Matt,
on what is one of the weirdest days of the year.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
I said, it's such a strange day. I'm gonna ask
you the same thing about it.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Like, I feel like we should be used to this
because Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday. It's not like
Christmas where it moves around. Oh, it can really change.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
It's always on a Thursday.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
It's on a Tuesday. Is much different than Christmas on
a Friday. Yeah, but yeah, Black Friday always feels weird
because like eighty percent of people are out shopping and
sleeping and you know, eating leftovers, and like twenty percent
of people are working and the people still get.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Up at like three in the morning and getting lined
for some people and stuff like that too.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
I don't think it's clear it's clearly not as big
of a deal as it used to be because so
many stuff is online. Yeah, yeah, but I think with
certain things like I feel like electronics is still a
big one. You know, you go to the store, you
get the really good deals on TVs and yeah yeah stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
You want to get your hands on and look at too.
Yeahs oppose online.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
And I'm sure someone who does this regularly would tell us,
like the stores are cutting deals that you can't get
online because they still want people coming into the brick
and mortar storehouse and not just ordering everything. But it's
definitely much tamer than it.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Was along those lines like usually, but South Hields Village
is between my parents' house and my house, so we
pass it on the way home from Thanksgiving every Thursday,
every nice and last night it wasn't you know, like
just looking at like Target and stuff. Now, we left
my parents earlier than usual. It was only like eight
o'clock or nine o'clock, but we passed South was Village.

(02:06):
But sometimes we've left there at midnight and it's like
it's insane. You can't even get in the parking My
wife comments, she's like every time I go by here
every year, it's nuts and there's no one in like
the Target parking lot. But I mean we were a
little early, but still.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
On Thursday Night became a thing for a while too.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Well, I think that's what I mean. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
they were waiting to get over o'clock. Yeah or whatever.
Maybe that's done.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I don't know. I hope. So I'm not sure you.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Could pay me enough to go to do that.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
You could not.

Speaker 3 (02:35):
I did Black After the best deals ever.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
I did Black Friday proper with my Like I had
a bunch I have a bunch of aunts and cousins
that it was like a tradition, Like they'd get up
at like you know, four am on Black Friday and
they'd all pile in the minivan and they'd be gone
for twelve out like they know Ross Park, Mall and Robinson.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
And I mean, you know, a shop everything.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
I don't think there's as much of that anymore. And
I did do that with that one time, and the
whole time I was like what am I doing? Got
a couple of DVDs for like three bucks? But that
other than that, I was cool. I was just standing
in line. It was my entire day, the entire day.
But yeah, I hope, I hope everybody listen. If that
is your thing, I hope you got some good deals.
I hope you're enjoying it. My thing would be to

(03:17):
sit around and just watch football all day mat because
there's college games on all day. I obviously the Black
Friday Amazon game as well too, which uh man, I'll
tell you what, be rushing home because all my Philly
and laws are in town and.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
They were we're recording this.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
We're recording this a little earlier today for for full transparency,
because I think everybody stands that with the Philly and
Laws and my dad's from Chicago. So last last, you know,
yesterday at Thanksgiving dinner, he was kind of winding them
up a little bit, you know, about the Bears. So
I'm sure I'll be walking back into Civil War here.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
I'm walking back.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Into into into a big Eagles and Bears pow wow
and some great college football games on now and and
all night. And so yeah, I hope you hope you
had a good Thanksgiving. Dude. It was a nice day yesterday.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, it was in a lot of those lines too,
like a lot of people asked me in the last
few days too, or even like you know my aunts
and umbles from last night, like you know, so you're
off tomorrow, off tomorrow, No chance, I have never not
had a Black Friday. It's the middle of the season.
What are you talking about. They've played three games yesterday,
the game going right now is Steelers playing two days.
There's a way I'm off tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
This is the first Black Friday I've worked in a
long time. I think probably since I was with the
hockey team out of out of college, because we'd always
have games on Black Friday, and oh okay, yeah big
you know, big games. Thanks today, Yeah yeah, yeah, but
motes and I never did a show on Black Friday. Really,
but I guess that's just what happens when you move

(04:42):
up into the into the big.

Speaker 3 (04:48):
On video and we're not gonna do a Steeler preview.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Come on now, I am wearing my well, we could
have done one on Wednesday, but I digress. I'm wearing
my uh since then, my Thanksgiving best. It's true, we're
wearing my Thanksgiving best. I got my Dealers hoodie, I
got my under armor on. As we're as we're ready
to rock and roll here on a Black Friday and
of course set the stage for what is a massive
game Sunday four twenty five at Akresher Stadium. Matt Real,

(05:12):
simple question for you to get us started today. Who
needs this one more? The Buffalo Bills are the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
Well, I mean just watching those three games yesterday. What
a disaster the division and the entire conferences? Lord, I
mean a disaster, Lord, right.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Like if this was the if this was college football
and everybody did the SEC versus the Big ten thing
that people love to do in college football. My goodness,
the NFC is boat racing the afar destroying them.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
So a couple notes. I mean, this isn't exactly what
you ask, but I mean, oh.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
This is when the good stuff happens.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
Though I brought it up kind of joking a week
or two ago, like out of the four elite quarterbacks,
two of whom faced each other yesterday, Mahomes and Steelers
will face Allen. We might get none. I mean I
kind of said it. Then I'm like, how many are
we gonna really get? And there's a chance you get
none too of most. I'd still be.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Shocked if the Bills didn't make the playoffs, me too,
But if they use even if the Steelers win, yeah,
I'd still be shocked if they don't make the playoffs,
but if they lose the Steelers, it's a real possibility
they could miss and then winning the division if they
they fall to seven and five.

Speaker 3 (06:24):
I'm on a group text with all my buddies and
someone puts out there, who's the best who's the best
team right now in the AFC? And there's no good answer,
not who's gonna win the most games or who's the
get the one seed?

Speaker 2 (06:40):
The Patriots or the Broncos obviously.

Speaker 3 (06:42):
But like, yeah, but I don't trust Enver's offense.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
On New England just kind of stumbled to a win
against Cleveland and.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
They lost two starting O linemen and they don't have replacements.

Speaker 2 (06:52):
Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Cincinnata.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, I mean I actually threw out Houston, like who's
playing the best right now?

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Ool?

Speaker 3 (07:00):
I mean their defense is big time legit and Stroud's
coming back and the rest of sportscasses.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
A great question. I don't know who the answered, Indy.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
I mean, like, who's the best team this second in
the AFC?

Speaker 2 (07:12):
Cool?

Speaker 3 (07:13):
Not the Ravens, I mean the Miami Dolphins. They're playing
like they're playing as well as anyone. That's kind of
my Texans thought. And then a buddy mind's like, would
Dallas be the best team in the AFC.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
I'm like, yes, I mean, they certainly would be the
hot in terms of this conversation, the best right now.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, like that's the state of the
conference right now. And the division is a disaster too.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
It's not great. And hope thankfully nobody really cares about
that stuff in the NFL like they do in college football, because, yeah,
the NFC would certainly be having their way with the
AFC this year. We saw that in Dallas, matt Where, Man,
I I don't know what to think about the Chiefs,
like that's I think they played terrible, but it's right, right,
But your record is what it is at this point.

Speaker 3 (07:55):
And they have no tie breakers in their face, they
have no time breakers. I won't win the I mean
that's a real long shot.

Speaker 2 (08:02):
This point. They're what four games, three and a half
games behind the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (08:05):
In the Denver to totally collapse.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
They still have to play Houston. They still have to
play the Chargers and the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (08:10):
Okay, I mean they want to play the Broncos and
Chargers so they can sure, Yeah, I mean at this point,
but losing yesterday is brutal on them.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
It absolutely is. And every sem looking here, Yeah, every
single one of the Chiefs remaining games is an AFC game.
Houston Chargers. I guess that's good for Titans Broncos. It
is good for them, but it's also if you lose
one more, you're done.

Speaker 3 (08:31):
That's a good point, right, Their backs against the wall.
To the point though, that they need.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
Take seven with no tie breakers, you're in all likelihood
not going to the postseason.

Speaker 3 (08:40):
Yeah, right, you'll miss out to.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
Like a Pittsburgh or a Baltimore or a Buffalo.

Speaker 3 (08:44):
Or maybe Houston or Jason the TI right, I mean
you start really looking at it, it's it's pretty crazy.
But a win for the Steelers. Say what you want
about how they they're playing, It doesn't matter, to be
honest with you, right, but they win this game, which
I'm not going to reveal my pick, but I'm really torn.

(09:05):
I mean, originally I'm like, Buffalo's gonna be the Steelers, Josh,
I mean like, but there's a lot of problems with
the Bills right now too.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
There certainly is, and they've got a huge list of
injury updates. Both starting tackles Deon Dawkins and Spencer Brown
ruled out today by Sean McDermott.

Speaker 3 (09:23):
That's unbelievably important.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
It's I mean, hey, we just saw this with the
Chargers a couple of weeks ago, and the Steelers weren't
able to take advantage like we all thought they would
in fact, but this is massively important. Losing both of
your starting tackles. We're down Roger Jones and we know.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
Four starting tackles are out in this game. Yes, I
mean that's crazy.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
I think if we if the Steelers are also down
Troy Faltanu right now, the tune we would be singing row.

Speaker 3 (09:49):
Bernard, backup tackles, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Toreu Bernard backup or sorry part of me, I'm just
thinking tackles and backups here. So both tackles for the Bills,
Deon Dawkins and Spencer Brown ruled out, along with Terrell
Bernard the linebacker and Curtis Samuel the wide receiver.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
The receiver. I don't think matters. They've been going through
every receiver left and right. They cut Elijah More, they
signed Brandon Cooks, and no one an other than Shakir
has been super reliable. I am extremely interested to see
the Kincaid situation, and I don't think we'll know that
anytime soon, but that's the next one. And if they're
without him, and they're really you're picking some of the

(10:28):
hardest guys to replace. But Bernard is their best middle
of the field defender. And I mean, there's some things
about this game that are just really interesting bizarre. Is
like if you just look at like EPA or any
advanced stat and you know, I'm not super big on
quote pressures, but pressure rate. I mean, when the Steelers

(10:51):
pass defense gets pressure, they're basically the best pass defense
in the league. When they when the quarterback is quote
under pressure on that play, whether they or not, they're
basically like the worst, right And I think anyone has
watched Steeler game says, oh, that passes the sniff dest
you know.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
What I mean, it makes a lot of sense. I'm
picking up what you're putting down there.

Speaker 3 (11:11):
And Allen was just sacked eight times and that was
with his tackles at least to start the game. And
now they're want to be the one, you know, and
I'm sure they're going to watch that Chargers game to
no end and be like, well, what do the Chargers do?
You know we're gonna get out of your hands super quick.
I mean, this isn't a revolutionary formula, but I hope
the steel Dan says, well, I know what they're going
to do to us, and you know, and the other

(11:32):
thing that's kind of crazy too, which doesn't really matter
as much with Bernard, is that this team really during
the McDermott era, wants to live in nickel. They've always said,
good linebackers that can do both, you know, like the
Steelers had a big problem for a lot of years
of you're either in base or you're in dime because
you didn't have a linebacker post his ear that you

(11:53):
could just do it all, you know, the swing guard
or the swing forward that can cover big and a little,
you know, like and so you're either too heavy or
too light. So the Bills did a really good job
that have like Milano and Edmunds out there every snap,
and they can do enough stuff that we can just
live a nickel when you can't move us around. Now

(12:13):
they're not as good at that now because their players
aren't as good. Frankly, those guys aren't their prime or
with the team anymore. But they still want to be
very light. I mean, they still have one of the
defenses in the league against clearly the heaviest offense. Clearly.
I mean it's not even close, especially if you don't
even count Washington, if you like, Oh, by the way,

(12:35):
he's he's not just a two hundred and forty five
pound tight end, right, you know, I'm just personnelity.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
He's like three eleven out there, big big old boy
out there. Yeah. I don't know. I've been thinking about
that question the whole way driving down here. Who needs
this more? I think I'm leaning towards the Steelers.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
I think the Steelers. Actually it didn't even answer the question.
I think it's the Steelers.

Speaker 2 (12:56):
Because it feels more and more to me that Steelers
Ravens is going to be two dogs, one bone, that
one's going to win the division and one's going to
miss the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah, I tend to think there's not gonna be a
wild card out of.

Speaker 2 (13:08):
The North where because even so, say the.

Speaker 3 (13:10):
Bell, are the Bengals done?

Speaker 2 (13:13):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (13:14):
Okay, yes, okay, I think so. I think so too.
I mean not mathematically, they've already lost.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
I mean they can't lose another game.

Speaker 3 (13:20):
That's basically what I think with the defense is playing
batter and Burrow and they get Higgins back. I mean,
like again with the five games, Bengals Nation Radio would
be like we're still cooking, you know.

Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah, but but with five games left, I don't think
they can afford to lose one.

Speaker 3 (13:34):
I think they're just a spoiler.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
I agree, they have to play Baltimore again, which is
gonna be good. Great, they still have to play Buffalo
the Bengals do, which.

Speaker 3 (13:43):
Is good for the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
I just seen in terms of their case to really
I agree with you. They want to throw it out there.
They're one loss over the line, like if they had
one more, if they would have one of those close
games that they lost, like the Bears game, you know,
something like they traded.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
For Flacco two weeks earlier, something like that, or.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
Absolutely right, then I would be singing a different tune.

Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah. I think it's just math for Buffalo.

Speaker 2 (14:06):
Though. If you lose the Steelers, you're seven and five,
you still have game a game against Cleveland, in a
game against the Jets. Those should both be wins. That
gets you a nine yea. Then your other probably going
to go. Your other three would be Cincinnati, New England,
and Philly. Okay, so you would really need one of
those would get you to ten wins.

Speaker 3 (14:26):
They probably need three more wins period.

Speaker 2 (14:28):
Probably need three more wins in their last six games.

Speaker 3 (14:31):
They have seven wins right now.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
They do. They're seven and four. They have the tie
breaker over Baltimore as well, which really helps in this conversation.
They have the tiebreaker over Kansas City.

Speaker 3 (14:39):
I think Baltimore is going to turn it around, though, Buffalo,
though some of it's just sniffed that stuff too.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
Agree, Lamar doesn't Lamar what you've been saying for two
weeks now everyone's saying today Lamar looks off.

Speaker 3 (14:50):
Oh big time. And they still have their same problems
they had week before you got hurt. The first month
of the season. If any pass rushers the old lines
below the line, I mean, it's it's a very average
offensive line. Henry's good, but he's not this force of
nature he has been, you know, no. And they have problems.

Speaker 2 (15:09):
They they they haven would have said they have problems,
and they are many.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
And I think he stole from Chuckinghole.

Speaker 2 (15:16):
I think he did.

Speaker 3 (15:17):
You're pretty sure, yeah.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
He did, right, I'm I'm I'm leaning more towards now.
Baltimore finishes with a losing record than they do. You know,
they're playing for a playoff spot week eighteen.

Speaker 3 (15:30):
Ye I think, like I'm happy the Steelers are playing
him next week. Now, the Steelers could look terrible too.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
You know, now you're you're absolutely right right, I think
the next one hundred Matt, I am aware. Okay. I
like to think that self awareness is one of my
greatest traits. I know TV's laughing at me because he
hears me yelling it myself all the time. I'm looking
right in the camera as I say this. I know
I say as well too, all right. Too often. I

(15:55):
know I said trip the fan too much on the
show on Wednesday. I know I said same church, different
pew too often a few months ago. Okay, I like that.
I like to think that I'm pretty self aware. I
realized that I've said I'm sure, big week you do.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
I'm sure, yeah you do. We all do it. That's what.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Listen, we speak.

Speaker 3 (16:14):
For four hours a day on the radio. You're gonna
say some stuff exactly right.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
But you're not all. You're gonna step in it sometimes
and you're gonna say something that sounds dumb. You're gonna
say something that sounds like you just learned the English
language a couple of weeks ago. I realize I've been
saying this for what seems like ever since the Packers game,
But like, not only the next sixty minutes master for
the Steelers, the next one hundred and twenty minutes of

(16:38):
football are master for the Steelers. If you beat both
the Bills and the Ravens, you're going to the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
Oh yeah, write your ticket. Then if you.

Speaker 2 (16:45):
Lose to both, you're in big trouble. But I still
don't think you're dead.

Speaker 3 (16:50):
Yeah, you're still swimming.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
Your your wild card shot would be dead. You would
need to hold a division over Baltimore. But that's why
Baltimore to exactly, Baltimore still has the like Green Bay Baltimore.
I think is it New England that they still have
to play as well They've got they've got some tough ones.
Since he could beat him again, Since he could beat
him again and be in Cincinnati when they play again,
and Higgans should be there.

Speaker 3 (17:11):
Wigan's got hurt last time, how bad that is. He's
a really good young player.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
So I continue to think more and.

Speaker 3 (17:17):
More Wigans should guard Higgins for his whole career.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
Wigans and Higgins try saying that one ten times fast.
I continue to think more and more to get back
to where we started fifteen minutes ago. It's more important
for the Steelers because AFC North, there's gonna be one
team that goes. It's gonna be the division winner, and
that's gonna be it.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
I tend to agree because again, I think Houston's playing better.
I don't. I don't trust Jacksonville or the Chargers, but
they're in it and they have good records.

Speaker 2 (17:45):
Matt Let's it's such a weird year in the AFC.

Speaker 3 (17:51):
It is, and the Steelers as week to week as
any team in the league. But they're not alone at all.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
They're not. I had had this conversation last night with
my father in law and my grand father in law.
We all know the NFL is such a week to
week league any given Sunday, but I feel like this year,
more so than any other year in recent history.

Speaker 3 (18:08):
When we have rob On, he brings up all the time,
He's like, this year's weirder than ever, so weird and
sometimes I'm like, yeah, it's because you remember it better, right,
you know what I mean? Like that I don't remember, Yeah,
that's certainly part of it. Twenty twenty one weeks thirteen,
like I do. Now, you know, I might have said
the exact same, might have said the same thing. It is.

Speaker 2 (18:26):
I've got some led Zeppelin good times, bad times, statistics
and numbers.

Speaker 3 (18:32):
No, I've had my share him to bring you here.

Speaker 2 (18:34):
On the other side, I want to listen, Matt, not
to toot your horn, okay, because you always do a
great job with it. But I thought this week's Matt's
Stats was exceptional.

Speaker 3 (18:42):
Oh it was very good. I didn't get that feedback
from anybody.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
Page of notes here I have on my laptop of
everything I pulled out of there that that's only like
half of it that I want to talk about.

Speaker 3 (18:51):
I'm not sure if it's up live or not. I
get a check right now.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
Well, we'll figure all of that out.

Speaker 3 (18:55):
Giving might have slowed that up a little bit.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
The trip the fan, well done, Matt's Stats, Steelers bills,
some analytics, some numbers, some deep dive analysis. When we
return here in hour number one on Friday, having some fun.
Euler Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on

(19:17):
the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (19:25):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven,
Home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
All Right, Matt, so you know the opening question of
who needs this one the most, and that could be
debated either way. But one thing that I think stands
out for both of these teams is how well they've
responded to losses.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yes, okay, and you're not teased about how you like
something in the status.

Speaker 2 (19:59):
I like a lot in the staff packet. But here's
what I pulled to start because I think it's pertinent
both these teams coming off a loss.

Speaker 3 (20:05):
I think this is kind of cool statement and.

Speaker 2 (20:07):
Coming off a loss in a pretty big spot for
both of these teams exactly and really respond feeling pretty
not Kansas City Chiefs desperate, but pretty desperate times for
both of these teams. How do you respond in these situations?
Let's start with Buffalo Josh Allen coming off a loss,
career winning percentage of point seventy four to three. That's

(20:28):
nearly seventy five percent. Yeah, that means about three out
of four times after a loss Josh Allen gets a w.
Only Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have a win percentage
better than seventy percent following a loss.

Speaker 3 (20:43):
That came straight from NFL. So I don't know if
he's one, two or three, but they're the three that
have seventy or better.

Speaker 2 (20:49):
They didn't makes a lot of sense.

Speaker 3 (20:51):
I mean, they're all great, great players.

Speaker 2 (20:52):
Their teams have been very good the last you know,
handful of years.

Speaker 3 (20:56):
Now, what's interesting to me about Allan because I know
where you get to a Steeler one here in two
is he's playing, you know, like we're gonna get to
Tomlin pull back the curtain. Yes, I bet coaches could
be like, oh, I lost Brady for six weeks in
a row, so my winning percentage off of loss great
point lost lost lost, you know, or TJ Watts out

(21:20):
and Cam Hayward's out.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
I'm starting to as a quarterback here.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
So a quarterback should have a better number than a coach,
because at least if you're an awesome quarterback and those
are your awesome quarterbacks, I go back out there the
next week and I'm the best guy on the field,
but still over fifty percent after a loss. Seems to
me like it'd be really really good because times are
probably tough. A lot of those you know, like my
whole line hurt. I mean there's bad things that happen.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Great point, it'd be like if the Bills had the
Bills part of me, if they if the Bengals had
a really good record off of losses this year, it'd
be extra impressive because they've been doing it without Joe Burrow.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
Yeah, right, right, right right.

Speaker 2 (21:58):
You mentioned Mike tomlin career winning percentage of point six
two six, so basically sixty three percent of the time
following a loss Mike Tomlin wins. That's the best in
the NFL amongst head coaches since he became one in
two thousand and seven.

Speaker 3 (22:13):
Which pretty good stretch, pretty long. Sam Parson lost ample
size to say the least. Yes, I'm not sure if
that one's more impressive. I know it's not the winning
percentages and is good, But again, the fact that coaches
have to deal with stretches of you know, like the Niners,
everybody hurt. That's pretty tough to win sixty one percent
games when I am facing the hardest stretch of the

(22:34):
season or the hardest stretch of my coaching career, you know,
And I think everyone would recognize Tomlin is pretty darn
good of when tom doesn't let snowballs just roll down.
You know, I think this thing in the Bible.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
I think even the biggest Mike Tomlin detractors, and you
and I have had plenty of them in our Twitter
mentions over the last few weeks, would tell what would
have to give it to him that he never lets
the season go to waste, he never loses the locker room.

Speaker 3 (23:03):
I think he's got a great pulse a team.

Speaker 2 (23:05):
I know plenty of people right now are listening to
us say that, and they're going, I don't give a
rip win some playoff games. I'm not Those things don't
have to be mutually exclusive, like right, I'm just saying,
like he he deserves a lot of credit for that.
You and I have talked about this in the In
the crux of the the Eagles moved on from Andy Reid,

(23:25):
the Patriots moved on from Bill Belichick.

Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:28):
Andy Reid went four and twelve his last season in Philadelphia.

Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yeah Belichick Belichick.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
Belichick went three and thirteen his last season in New England.
I'm not saying that you have to like worship the
guy and that means he can do no wrong and all.
Like I'm not saying that this means that Mike Tomlin
is god right. I'm just telling you it's whatever you
think of the man. I think you have to be
impressed by the fact that twenty years in the National
Football League, he's like the only head coach that can

(23:56):
say that, right. Sean Payton can't say that. Andy Reid
can't say that. Bill Belichick can't say that.

Speaker 3 (24:00):
And I know that that's not a.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Ring on your finger. That's not a Super Bowl trophy.
No one's hanging a banner because you never lost a team.
But that still doesn't mean it's not impressive. There's middle
ground here.

Speaker 3 (24:14):
It's not so side tangent.

Speaker 2 (24:16):
We're not saying that means Mike Tomlin should coach in
Pittsburgh forever. It's like the fact that he hasn't won
a playoff game in eight years as a fact.

Speaker 3 (24:25):
So is that? So? I guess I'm getting a little
bit of a reputation on social media.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
Man, You're I'm catching some strays because of you. I mean,
Matt Williamson's the biggest Mike Tomlin defender, and at Wesley
Yuler is going with him because You're gonna get some
mean tweets because.

Speaker 3 (24:41):
Because I do this stat back when something really perks
my interest. I just cut paste put it on Twitter.

Speaker 2 (24:48):
These are numbers.

Speaker 3 (24:49):
It's not I think this. I mean, they're just facts.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Mike Tomlin doesn't want a playoff game in eight years, right,
and that's not good enough. That's a fact.

Speaker 3 (24:56):
That's a fact.

Speaker 2 (24:57):
Mike Tomlin also has an insane record after the Steelers
lose a game. Fact, that's a fact, right, right, right,
then these things can be true.

Speaker 3 (25:03):
Many of my tweets are just that cutting and pasting
something that is a fact. Car or whatever, get off
my lawn. But and I don't even care, like you
can come at me. That doesn't bother at all. I mean,
I learned that at ESPN. You know, I call me.
I get called an idiot every day. That's fine. I
have no plble.

Speaker 2 (25:20):
So he's just a Cleveland brown scout that tells you
all you need to know.

Speaker 3 (25:23):
But it's amazing.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
My favorite, real quick is when people write in your
comments that you were part of a group that picked
Callan Winslow junior over Ben Roethlisberker.

Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah, when you weren't. I wasn't even hired after that.
My first day was the day after that. But that's fine, good,
close enough. But anyway. I mean, it's so crazy when
you just put a fact out there. I put that
fact and eighty five percent of the people from it.
Not even that. It's just will show me the playoff one?

(25:53):
When's the last playoff? Fine, I don't care about that stuff.
Like it's still pertinent. I understand you're frustrated with playoff
losses and they don't win the super Bowl every year.
I get that, But it amazes me that.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
If Aaron Rodgers goes out there on Sunday and throws
for seven hundred yards and seven touchdowns, I'm gonna come
back in here Monday and go, Yeah, but he hasn't
been to a super Bowl in fifteen years.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
Doesn't really matter, right, Like, if you just put a
fact out there, and I understand more angry people will
actually type than happy people. No, you know, right, right, that's.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
Like when you go to Google reviews or Yelp where
it right, take it with a grain of salt, because
happy people usually don't post about it online, right, they
just stay happy.

Speaker 3 (26:30):
They stay happy type this thing. No, but like you
put that out of that too.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
I'm sure, man, I'm guilty of that too.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
But you put that stat about Tomlin out, and eighty
five percent of it was that would actually type something
back was negative, like I just can't imagine living like that.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
I'm not saying that this means that Mike Tomlin can
never be criticized and all right deserves a contract for life.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
Or I'm even gonna pick him to beat the Bill.
I mean, let alone what happens the rest of the season.
But it's nuts.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
So a lot going for Josh Allen and the Bills
coming off a loss, a lot going for Mike tom
And and the Steelers coming off.

Speaker 3 (27:07):
Those are impressive numbers. That's hard. Times are tough after
a loss in the NFL, absolutely right, right.

Speaker 2 (27:11):
The Bills have lost four of their last seven, Pittsburgh
has lost four of their last six. Both teams are
coming off a loss.

Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, yeah, all right.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
Matt led Zeppelin your favorite band of all time?

Speaker 3 (27:22):
Right? Yes, number one?

Speaker 2 (27:23):
My second favorite band of all time? Okay, Grateful Dead
number one?

Speaker 3 (27:26):
One? Right?

Speaker 2 (27:28):
Do you want the good times? Robert Plant? Do you
want the bad times? Jimmy Page?

Speaker 3 (27:33):
Good first?

Speaker 2 (27:33):
Good times first? Okay. The Bills averaging twenty three point
two points on the road this season, as opposed to
thirty two point five at home. Buffalo on average scores
about nine ten points less per game on the road
than they do at home.

Speaker 3 (27:49):
And then we're deep enough in the season, there might
be something to it.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah, one million percent.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, And those things are always hard to decipher. So
those two years ago when the when the Browns defense
was unbelievable. Last year, it was okay. Two years ago,
their numbers home versus road defensively were ridiculous, Like it
was almost hard to score on them at home, and
they were just like slightly below average on the road.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
We'll give you eleven points a game at home, right,
but twenty three on the road.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
It was still twenty two on the road. They good players,
but I mean at home it was like they're unbelievable,
you know, and you get deep enough in the season,
you think that is probably a big enough sample size,
although statisticians will be like, that's not even close to
big enough statis size. You're talking about five games versus
six games. That's nothing, dude, So I don't know that stuff.

(28:40):
Despite citing stats, I am not some people like there
will be even people that are statisticians or analytics folks
that will type things to me and say that one
really doesn't mean anything like maybe whatever, but for whatever reason,
Buffalo is clearly worse on offense on the road.

Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yes, and the numbers back that up.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
Yeah, and it makes so of course. That's why I
do these numbers is I want to know why, and
I can't really come up with much. I mean, maybe
they played tougher defenses, they played Houston on the road.
I mean it could be that. It could be that simple.
I mean I didn't look at it enough, but it
makes me think too, like is it a communication thing?
You know, is the noise that they as good as
getting the plays in or communicating things to the receivers

(29:23):
or something that simple that they're you know.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
It could be a combination of both.

Speaker 3 (29:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that is that is a good time.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
So that was the when I made the good times
and the bad times here. I was like, oh, that's
that's nice. That they're scoring about nine points less a
game on the road than they do at home. They've
been held under twenty points.

Speaker 3 (29:38):
And Allen's numbers are much different home versus road. Different.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
It takes Sacks. I loves it takes Sacks road.

Speaker 3 (29:45):
Now again, Williams loves it takes loves now. Some of
it's coming off a game in Houston where you took eight,
Like if we cited this one week ago, it wouldn't
look wouldn't look as bad, right, But that's also the
most recent game that matters.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
And what if my dad's you're only as good as
your most recent performances.

Speaker 3 (30:03):
And the other one. I mean that just a side note.
His numbers with and without kincaid are really start to
big time, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
Big time. Let's get into some more good signs for
the Steelers. The Bills have a turnover differential on the
year of minus two. That's so not like, so not
like that. Last year Buffalo and Pittsburgh were first and
third respectively in the league, and turnover differential Buffalo is.

Speaker 3 (30:26):
A distant one. Just unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
Yeah, they were unbelievable last year. Bills were negative three
in the turnover battle last week on the road in Houston.
Steelers turnover differential plus eight this year twenty takeaways, second
in the league behind only Chicago and also Matt The
Bills minus two sack differential on the year, where the
Steelers are plus thirteen. So we talk about.

Speaker 3 (30:51):
So many more bad plays for Buffalo's offense than there
used to be.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
We talk about the holy trinity of win indicators, turnover difrential,
sacked differential, explosive play differential. I'll get to explosive play
differential in the bad time.

Speaker 3 (31:04):
You're horrendous.

Speaker 2 (31:05):
Yeah, but in the turnover differential and in the sack differential,
they are much better than Buffalo.

Speaker 3 (31:10):
Much better, much better, much better. And they don't have
their two tackles this game.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
They do not have two starting offensive tackles for this.

Speaker 3 (31:16):
I can't harp on that enough. Right.

Speaker 2 (31:18):
Against running plays out of twelve and thirteen personnel, Buffalo
allows a league high six point seven yards per carry.

Speaker 3 (31:25):
Now they're bad against all Their run defense is flat
out bad. But we open the show with this, you know,
like they want to be light, Steelers want to be heavy.
Twelve and thirteen personnel is heavy. And that's not the
Darnel Washington over the top factor or the Calvinander or
the Spencer Anderson I did that too often factor too. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (31:44):
Right, they're both offensive linemen. They both have the same
last name.

Speaker 3 (31:47):
Steelers are going to bigger people. I was listening to
a podcasts this morning and said, Darnel Washington is bigger
than every Bills defender that will see the field in
this game except for one. Wow.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
Context there that really puts it into context.

Speaker 3 (32:03):
He weighs more than anyone on everyone that they will
put on the field on defense except for one.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
That's wild. I love that statu last one for the
good times here for the Steelers before we take a
break and maybe get into some of the concern Josh Allen.
You mentioned pressure, pressure rate, pressure to sack rate. Yeah, yeah,
Josh Allen last year led the league in pressure to
sack rate.

Speaker 3 (32:28):
Didn't take sacks, meaning even when he.

Speaker 2 (32:30):
Was pressured, he found a way to not take sacks.

Speaker 3 (32:32):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Getting back to your offseason thesis that we spent a
ton of time on of sacks are as much a
quarterback stat as they are an offensive line stat, if
not more so. Last year Josh Allen was best in
the league at that This year down to twenty seventh. Yeah,
bottom of the barrel of the NFL.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
And he deserves some of the blame. I mean, I
think they're allowed some of their scheme stuffs a little
goofy too. They're allowing a lot more unblocked pressures, which
are obviously harder to get out of the way of
because nobody even touched this dude, you know, Like, you know,
I mean even if I am Allan or Ben in
his prime, that's still tough. But I think he's also not.

(33:11):
And maybe I'll kick this coverage a little bit over
it last year, Like if we look back at Alan's
unbelievable Hall of Fame career, we might go twenty twenty
four was the best sack avoidance of his life, you know.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
I mean he may have peaked, you know, and it
was an MVP season for a reason. Yeah, I mean,
you're the MVP.

Speaker 3 (33:26):
You're the best player in the league, you know, So
maybe it's crazy to even put him to that standard.
But it's a problem for them. I mean, he's going down.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
No doubt, and some of that's with his tackles. Some
of that Matt might be like, it kind of screams
to me, the the golfer who's in a bit of
a drought, so he starts gripping the club a little
too tight, yeah, and trying a little too much, getting
outside of his game.

Speaker 3 (33:52):
I think the other part player that's on.

Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, I'm gonna switch my stands up a little bit.

Speaker 3 (33:57):
Sometimes hitters will be like, then that pitch looks like
a beach ball. Yeah, sometimes, you know.

Speaker 2 (34:02):
Right, looks like a ping pong right.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
Like a babie, you know, all right? But I also
think too, he's not as the timing with his receivers
are letting him down to like this guy's not coming
out of his break on time. I mean, Keon Coleman's
all over the place. Shakiir is the only guy I
can trust, but he's not an upper level player. Yeah,
we run the ball great, but who's my Stepan Diggs? Boy?
I miss you stuff on? You know that type of thing.

(34:25):
I think that's part of it too, Like come on,
where you're at, Sach? You know where are you at? Zach?

Speaker 2 (34:32):
All right, So there's the good times.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
Now, this game is so lopsided both ways, good bad, rare.
We could sing good times, bad times the whole day.

Speaker 2 (34:41):
You know, I've had my share in the days of
my youth, I was taught what it means to be
a man. Let's take a break. We'll get into some
of the concerning underlying statistics and analytics as it relates
to Steller's bills. Sunday at Akroser stadium will do that
to close down the first hour of the program. When
we return. Wesh Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers

(35:02):
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (35:12):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
Now I've reached that age. I've tried to do all
those things the best I can, good times, bad times.
Rolling through Matt's stats packet. Here we're having some fun
and today's one of those fly on the wall days.
And here all right, if we could.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
Uh, there's nobody in this building.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
First, there's nobody in this building. We're all I mean,
Matt is dressed much better than TV and I. TV
and I are in our.

Speaker 3 (36:11):
Are in our blackform, Like I have to wear this.
I'm the powers of be pretty much told us again.
I also don't have any kind of like bummy official
Steeler sweatshirts.

Speaker 2 (36:21):
Yeah, I got this.

Speaker 3 (36:21):
That that's bummy.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
I got this cool, just a simple Steelers. So I
actually really like this, Like it's just a if you're
not watching on YouTube, it's just a black Steelers that
a little I have so.

Speaker 3 (36:29):
Many golf shirts I need to request something like that,
and I have nothing that's like warm either.

Speaker 2 (36:33):
When I was in Chicago last weekend, you know, I went,
we went to the Bulls game, and so they have
a massive team shop there at the United Center. Yeah yeah, yeah,
and I filled with not only bull stuff, but Blackhawks
stuff as well. And you know, my dad, my dad,
uh you know, once was you know, I was like,
I'm gonna look for something for the old man. Everything now, Matt,

(36:53):
it's like big logos and bulky and busy.

Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (36:59):
The fashion now amongst young people are busy. And I
don't like busy easy black little Steelers crest on it.
I don't like no busy out there, Matt.

Speaker 3 (37:10):
Let's get into this bad times.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
Let's get into the so the the last segment was
glass half full encouraging, and there's a lot there, absolutely,
but let's get into some some glass half empty, maybe
some more pessimistic if the Steelers come up empty on Sunday.
Reasons why the Steelers are one of four teams to

(37:33):
lead every game they've played in the NFL this season.
Only four teams can say that they've had a lead
in every game they've played. The other teams beside the
Steelers that can say that are twenty five and eight
combined record. The Steelers are six and five.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
That's the first I heard that. I pulled that out
of a different get.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
Your thought behind that one, because on the surface, I
think it indicates that the Steelers haven't been as strong
at per detecting leads as maybe the other teams.

Speaker 3 (38:02):
I think that's on Now, if you cut the sentence
off of you're only one of four teams, you're amongst
the best teams in the league. So I think we
can all recognize that the Steelers aren't one of the
best four teams in the league. So if I'm comparing
myself to them, yes, I fell short, you know, in

(38:24):
terms of finishing the deal. And I'm sure Philadelphia, if
they're one of them, is better at it, you know,
or whoever, maybe the Colts were one of them. I'm
just guessing who the teams are. I don't know the
other ones are.

Speaker 2 (38:35):
Yeah, if you're in the Rams, if you're in company
with like the Rams, the Eagles, and the Colts, that's
a pretty good company to be.

Speaker 3 (38:40):
And I bet their leads are greater. I mean, they're
probably winning by twelve, not three, you know. But the
fact that you've led every game is also pretty darn good.
And like Rob brings us up a lot, and his
memory is better than mine of how this game exactly?
Remember that third eight against Green Bay. I'm like, no,
I don't.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Kinger is like Sean mcvayl hoo DEENI with that stuff.

Speaker 3 (39:01):
With that stuff, right, I remember they were fourteen.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
In the third quarter against Jacksonville.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
Actually that's been.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
Nine years eleven years ago.

Speaker 3 (39:11):
Brother, I don't remember this year. Yeah, but he'll be
like they were leading this week two, right, right, right.
I'm always looking like a head. I know it's coming.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
The amount of times I've had to this year say
to myself, wait, who do the Steelers beat on the
road week one? Again? Was it the the Jets?

Speaker 3 (39:25):
That's right, it feels like one hundred years ago.

Speaker 2 (39:27):
I do that once a week.

Speaker 1 (39:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (39:28):
Yeah, I'm the same way, but I look forward more
than you know. Yes, you know, like I'm gonna start
Ravens Matt's stats tonight, you know, like that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (39:35):
My grandpa would always say, your your windshield is much
bigger than your rear view mirror for a reason.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
Yeah, that's that's me. But and I have my memory
just falls apart. The rob will often cite that, you
know that, even all the their losses, he'll show you
where almost to the play, how deep in the game
they were very, very in it, or had a lead.
He is really good, really good at that.

Speaker 2 (40:00):
IM like, wow, but like you remember when you started
the fourth quarter against the Packers, you still had a lead. Yeah,
now they scored on the first play the first fourth
quarter to take the lead. But you're right.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
I'm like, oh, yeah, I forget exact that one in
complete pass doesn't get dropped. Then they have the lead
for another five minutes and you know how the game go. Yeah,
that's great what you're looking at it. I just don't
see it that way. So I think there is something
to be said to that, because their losses aren't against
bad teams, and even the Bengals losses looking better and better.
They're playing better, their defense has actually gotten a little better,
their run games gotten a lot better.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
Weird things happen on the road on Thursdays. Saw that
yesterday in the NFL.

Speaker 3 (40:34):
Yes, and especially in Division especial.

Speaker 2 (40:36):
I say that in two of the three teams that
won were the road teams.

Speaker 3 (40:38):
But that's true. So I don't know how to make that.
I mean, like, I threw that one out on Twitter too,
and some people wrote back that were not all of
them were terribly mean people either. They were just like,
I wonder if age has something to do with it,
you know, defensive age in particular, like there could be
something to that. I'll buy that. Yeah, I'm in on
that absolutely. Yeah, yeah, and I need to double check it.

(41:03):
But I think the Steelers third quarter point differentials pretty bad,
which is weird because last year was total obvious that's.

Speaker 2 (41:09):
In the league. Yeah, it was if you were listing
the terrible in the first quarter, if you were doing
the uh you know, like putting together the Steelers DVD
or the Steelers magazine, the year in review like teams
used to do all the time before everything was on YouTube,
and yeah, you could go rewatch everything at the drop
of a hat.

Speaker 3 (41:26):
Halftime adjustments would be a big thing. Right, here's a
results of their halftime adjustment. They're really good.

Speaker 2 (41:30):
That was one of the stories of the things they
did well last year, and that would be in the
top five. They had the best third point differential in
the entire league. They were really good out of the half.

Speaker 3 (41:38):
They were always losing like crazy after the first quarter,
the worst number thirty two.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
It's been kind of the opposite out of this year
where it felt. It's felt like they've been in a lead,
still a decent amount, but they haven't been able to
hang on to it, and they've ended up saying they were.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Really new coaches. But they do have a new quarterback,
they have new players. Maybe teams have figured something out.
I'm sure that happens all the time. I don't have
a great answer for that, but I'm not even sure
that belongs in the bad stats. You're a good time
bad times, you know, like, yeah, the three best teams
in the league that have had leads have really good records.
You're not one of the three best teams in the league,
but in this category, you're with them. And that you

(42:15):
never play, you never get beat bad.

Speaker 2 (42:17):
You're not going out there and you're not getting decisively
defeated for sixty minutes.

Speaker 3 (42:23):
Yeah, like, I'll never forget Dale and I break them
down now. I do remember this game, rememberhen they opened
with the Niners two years ago?

Speaker 2 (42:29):
Here do I ever?

Speaker 3 (42:31):
I mean, that was a very memorable game.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
Well previously thirty five seven Diners and.

Speaker 3 (42:36):
Party's coming off injury. I'm like, this is exactly when
you get the Niners. You know, we got more and
more optimistic as we came home. Yeah, there's been any
games like that like this. It was over First War,
forget about it.

Speaker 2 (42:48):
You know there were a lot of a lot of
Niners fans at Agrocer Stadium that day too.

Speaker 3 (42:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
Yeah, I think Eddie de Bartelow and company were busting
them in from Young, Yeah, from Young's time. Let's get
into some individuals here. Matt Jalen Warren has played just
ten total third down snaps over the last four games,
forty for Kenneth Gainwell.

Speaker 3 (43:11):
Is it the Chargers game where he played zero zero
on third downs? So really bothered me.

Speaker 2 (43:17):
I'm not really good at math, but for the Steelers
last I can even I can do this one. For
the Steelers last fifty third downs, Jalen Warren's been on
the bench for eighty percent of them. Yeah, I can
do the math on that one. That ain't great.

Speaker 3 (43:30):
That ain't great.

Speaker 2 (43:30):
And you and I I'm saying this, I know you
echo this. We are fans of Kenneth Gainwell. We've been
very importing. See by what he's done this year, in
particularly the last.

Speaker 3 (43:38):
Couple of weeks, and he's earned a role.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
He's earned a role. I won million percent. But I
don't want Jalen Warren on the bench eighty percent of
the time on third downs.

Speaker 3 (43:48):
So I do the pregame show. I did a pre
pregame show, and then I do the pregame show. Just
a hit from the phones. And it was before last game,
I guess it was. And pursued is asking me about
third down in the back situation.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
And the Steelers third down conversion percentage has been alright,
to be fair.

Speaker 3 (44:06):
But going into that game it was horrendal.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
They were.

Speaker 3 (44:09):
Yes, yeah, they were like fifteen percent. But there were
three games in a row where combined they were fifteen
percent on third downs. Bad. And I basically said, well,
taking your best player off the field in that situation,
which is a crucial situation, can't possibly be. You can't
convince me that was the right move. Time sat right, right, right,

(44:31):
I mean, And so I think there's a couple sides
of this. First off, Warren, to me in a vacuum,
as he proved in the nausea years, is an exceptional
third down back. I mean, He's one of the best receiving, running,
protecting backs in the league and especially third down duties.
Great in protection, phenomenal after the catch, all those things.

(44:54):
So I think they would love to use him as
a third down back more, you know, And we've seen
that for most of his career, and I think the
Caleb Johnson effect of not being trustworthy yet has still
has a very much a ripple effect through the entire backfield.
Usage A big back would put these guys in their
place better. And Gamewell's great on third down. He's a

(45:16):
great receiving back too. I mean, there's some numbers in
there that are really really favorable for Gainwell and Warren
as receivers. But my problem is third downs aren't know
created equal. I mean, third and two isn't third and twelve?
And I do think they're gonna They're slightly gotten away
from this where I almost don't care what down it is.

(45:39):
I almost care more about the situation. And Gamewell's proven
the vikings this past couple of weeks. He's fine on
first and ten, you know what I mean, Like I
would rather Warren this is your series, Gainwell, this is
your series, and Warren gets sixty five percent of the
usage Gainwell gets thirty five.

Speaker 2 (45:58):
Not yep, it's third down, you're coming out of the game,
especially when it's third and two. I want Jalen Warren
in there.

Speaker 3 (46:05):
Yeah, yeah, eight zero.

Speaker 2 (46:06):
If it's third and eight, I've got no problem with Gainwell.

Speaker 3 (46:08):
He's great out of the backfield exactly. And I think
that they and myself too looked at Gainwell like he
can only do sure third and long stuff, But he's
proving to be able to do.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
More in a way, his perception has changed.

Speaker 3 (46:21):
Ye right, right, right, So maybe it's more of a
equal usage, non as dependent going forward, because this was
a little better this past week. But the day that
Warren had zero third down snaps when they were really
really struggling on third down made me want to pull
my hair out. Yeah, I agree.

Speaker 2 (46:39):
More on Warren, more on DK metcalf, more on explosive
play differential that I said we would get to when
we were talking about turnovers and sacks. We'll do that
to start our number two halfway home here on the drive.
E'ler Williamson on your twenty four to seven home with
the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio. On the Steelers
Audio network