HR1: Tomlin Press Conference Recap

Matt and Wes break down all the news that took place during head coach Mike Tomlin's press conference. Chris Adamski joins the guys to talk Steelers news and headlines as well.

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Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. US Shooler and Matt Williamson with you here
for the next two hours on a Tuesday. As we
have got plenty to get into, some fantasy football talk,
our Tuesday weekly power rankings, we gotta do a Tuesday rewind.
We got to talk a little bit about this playoff
picture now that the Chargers get a win last night

(00:39):
on Monday Night Football, and how that affects the Steelers
and the rest of the AFC. We're gonna talk to
Chris Adamski on this Tuesday, but as always, Matt will
start with a little news of the day.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, As Mike Tomlin spoke at noon today as he
always does on a Tuesday, and there was plenty to
get into. But as we kind of always start, I
think the biggest takeaway from these is the injury updates,
no doubt, right, and that is just that's what we're
always kind of waiting to hear from the head coach.
And here's what he had to say. Calvin Anderson is

(01:12):
still out with that knee injury. Will not play this
week against the Dolphins. With that, Andris Pete is still
in concussion protocol, so sure a lot to watch there
at the left tackle position. We'll get into that in
a minute. Darnell Washington Malik Harrison also still in the
concussion protocol and they're just gonna have to take it
day by day.

Speaker 4 (01:33):
We knew they'd all be in the protocol, like as
long as you didn't rule them out like it's such
a bad one that then that's the We knew that
was going to be the.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
News exactly right, and more often than not that ends
up being a weak absence. But we did also just
see James Pierre able to return in that regard this
past week, so not i''m clad and they do have
an extra day which is important in that regard. One
hundred and.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
Then Washington's the most important of the group clearly to me,
even those three concussions.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Even with the potential up in the air at left
tackle with Calvin Anderson and Andrewstin.

Speaker 4 (02:08):
All right, you should we'll get that in a minute.
To get to it now as well, cross that bridge there.
I think Pete is really a guard at this stage
of his career, and he didn't play a full game.
And it's a short it's a small evaw. But they
must have thought that too, because I remember when he
arrived on campus. At Saint Vincent's first two practices, he
was at left tackle. Ever since, they just moved him

(02:29):
to guard, you know, like, I don't think you're a
left tackle anymore, you know, And and his previous stops
kind of told you that. I mean, drafted as a
left tackle, moved in as he slowed down, and I
think that's what he is. This pass game against the Ravens,
I thought he was a liability. I mean, I thought
he was clearly their worst lineman. And again Cook only

(02:50):
played I don't know, eighteen twenty snaps whatever it was.
I mean a little less than half the game, I think.
But I thought Cook was better than him in the game.
So I mean, again I'm comparing thirty twenty snaps, but
I Spencer Anderson is probably better than both Colvison.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
That's my thing, Like I would like to see him. Yeah,
And as we've mentioned a few times since training camp
and throughout this Roger Jones's injury process, he was the
one that got the contract last year year, and so
you think that they at least value him enough, even
if it's from a backup role, to give him a

(03:26):
little security, to give him.

Speaker 4 (03:30):
Guy back up, both those dudes exactly right.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
So he's the one that you would like to see
step up, get the opportunity all those different things, but
he has been ruled out. And so, yeah, I'm with you.
I I thought Dylan Cook, for the given situation, held
his water just fine.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
Yeah, They're not the greatest pass rushers, and.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
Right I just don't I just don't ever want to
be down three tackles. And I know Pete's kind of
guard tackle, but right now it's not a great place.

Speaker 4 (03:56):
And I also don't even know who would be activated
if Pete and Anderson and Brodrick are all out. Two
of the three already.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Are two of the three already are.

Speaker 4 (04:05):
Somebody else is going to be in pads on the
gonna play tackle. I don't know who that even is,
somebody on the practice squad.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
It's not shouldn't you know What's funny? This is the
part where I would make the joke, Oh, just bump
Darnell Washington to tackle, no problem. But he's in the protocols, right,
So Calvin Anderson now those three Pete, Washington, Harrison in
the concussion protocol obviously, will wait and see the practice
reports throughout the week. Keanu Benton with the ankle, James

(04:32):
Pierre with the calf, Ben's Coronic with the finger, and
why a Black still undisclosed at this point. All banged
up but could play this week. According to Mike Tomlin,
I'm just gonna have to wait and see how they
do throughout the week, how their participation goes in practice. Benton, Pierre,
Schronic and.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
Black okay, and didn't mention Queen.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Didn't mention. Queen also didn't initially mention Derek Harmon, but
he was asked about it.

Speaker 4 (04:58):
We'll get to that in a second Harmon one. I'm
curious about it.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
He also said that Kyle Duggar could return this week,
but again they'll have to wait and see how he
progresses through practice.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
So there's a lot of balls in the air. I mean,
we didn't get many firm answers there.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Good Mike Tomlin ism by you. There a lot of
balls in the air. Certainly, pursuit of likes to say
that one off the other thing doesn't he and so
that was kind of his initial statement from the podium,
if you will. And then he got asked a follow
up question a few minutes later about Derek Harmon, and
he said he will be limited early on this week,

(05:31):
but is expected to practice and could return.

Speaker 4 (05:34):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
So at least he hasn't been ruled out early in
the process like he was the last few weeks.

Speaker 4 (05:41):
One week ago today he was already ruled out right.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
And the week before Yeah, but yes, the last two
weeks Mike Tomlin ruled him out at his Tuesday press
car Good.

Speaker 4 (05:50):
Well, sounds like this extra day for Monday might be
useful for a lot of these guys.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
Massive. Yeah, it's not a rest advantage, right, because the
Dolphins get the same al right, right, But I do
think it's the right time. Hey, it's not a Thursday
to Sunday where you're getting ten days. It's certainly not
a bye week. It's only twenty four hours. But I
think it's a good time. It's a good time to
be getting that twenty four hours.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
Excuse me, third down the wrong pipe. Yeah, especially regular, No,
just regular, okay, cool ranch are fine, but if Regular
didn't exist, I would like cool Ranch a lot, but regular.
It's like my favorite chip oga big time. Actually the
spicy nacho so good?

Speaker 2 (06:30):
Is the purple bag?

Speaker 3 (06:31):
Right?

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Is that the purple bag, purple.

Speaker 4 (06:33):
Bag some other flavor, but they'd almost yeah, yeah, yah, yeah,
that's my number one. But anyway, it's my favorite chip
on the planet. Anyway, what the heck were we talking about?

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Chips? Kelly Derek Harmon.

Speaker 4 (06:45):
Derek Harmon Report, Monday Night Extra twenty four four hours. Yeah,
I would say, Okay, we did it.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (06:51):
I mean, just they're an old team that had the
earliest bye week of the year. So I think any
rest day would be a very good point, right, I
think any rest day would very welcome for.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
This team on twenty four extra hours. It's not going
to drastically tilt the meter in favor of your health
one way or the other. But I think if you're
going to have that at some point, this is the
right time to do it.

Speaker 4 (07:14):
Especially with the list you just listed there too. I mean,
I'd really like to get Harmon back.

Speaker 2 (07:18):
I'd really like to get Harmon.

Speaker 4 (07:19):
Back, like on second viewing or whatever.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
If that extra day is the difference for Darnel Washington
clear protocol or not a long.

Speaker 4 (07:25):
Way too, but of course you pay for it a
Monday night, or you pay for it on the other.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
End, exactly right, And it's on the other end it's
those Detroit Lions who are But that.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
Doesn't mean as much pretty because it's yeah, because it's
ANFC game, though.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
It is good point and at least it's not you're
a day short traveling across the country, or.

Speaker 4 (07:44):
Good point in Detroit is you probably made that trip.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
It like it's a joke. We made it last pre season.
It's like thirty five minute flights.

Speaker 3 (07:53):
We don't.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
We don't fly to Cleveland. We bust to Cleveland. But
other than that, Buffalo and Detroit are the quick quickest flights,
even a little bit quicker than Baltimore and Philly.

Speaker 4 (08:02):
And Sincey and Cincy, since he's a.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Little less than an hour, Philly is a little less
than an hour.

Speaker 4 (08:07):
Or under an hour. Yeah, oh oh yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
Baltimore's Baltimore is about forty minutes thirty five Buffalo. I'm
telling you, Matt, it's like we get thirty thousand feet
in the air and they're like, oh, please prepare the
cabin for you know, like Stewardess is please prepare the cabin.

Speaker 4 (08:25):
And there's no flat part. It's just exactly.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
And what was hilarious was last year, two years ago,
two years ago, that weird Monday Sunday that got moved
a Monday, that kicked off at like five o'clock the
Star the Mason Rudolph playoff game in Buffalo. Remember New
York was in a state of emergency with all the snow.
That's why that game got moved from Sunday to Monday.

(08:51):
We flew in and it was like apocalyptic like because
no one was around on the roads or anything. It
was no movement at all, and we never like climbed outitude,
like we just stayed like I could see that I could.
We like basically flew up seventy nine north right and

(09:11):
I'm like, oh, there's the there's the there's Cranberry, there's
the practice facility, and that's like wow, there's Grove City,
there's the Gros City outlets.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
There's every step, every step above the cloud.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
Because they were like, what's the point the weather is
so bad, like just stay low, no one in the air.
We landed. It was so bizarre, like apocalyptic. But yeah,
so that is like.

Speaker 4 (09:33):
Driving to the radio state the old station during COVID. Yes,
I mean I felt like the Walking Dead.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Felt like the Walking Dead. I still have a time
lapse that I took on my phone one time of
driving in here through the tunnels in like the middle
of rush hour, and it was like, so that's kind
of the latest of what we know and where we're
at in that regard. Yeah, pretty quick flight back to

(09:58):
and to and fro Detroit as you imagine as well, Matt.
Before we go to break here, some pretty substantial news
around the league. I don't know if it's gonna necessarily
tilt the playoff odds in the AFC or anything like that,
but from a name recognition standpoint, significant news, and that
is yeah. Philip Rivers and the Colts have agreed to

(10:20):
a contract after he worked out with the Colts Monday.
The forty four year old quarterback is on the Indianapolis
practice squad five seasons after his last NFL action. He's
a semi finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
right now, and it's back on the practice squad.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
This is wild. This is wild. I mean, he's an
odd dude from what I understand, Like love love, loves
football and in a good way, like he's not, you know,
a weirdo, not like a bad dude. He's got a
ton of kids. Yeah, yeah, that's a little strange. And
he's a grandfather. Yesterday was his forty fourth birthday. Just
think Rogers just turned forty two last week, so I
mean he's two four years.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
He has a son. He was the same age as
Riley Leonard the Colts, that's nuts, the Cults rookie quarterback.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
So I didn't know this, but what he's been doing
since his quote retirement high school coach, and he's also
been taking like draftable quarterbacks and working them out interesting,
one of which was Ryley Leonard. So there's some speculation
that he kind of might just be Riley's quarterback coach
mentor if.

Speaker 2 (11:25):
Missus being around a team in the locker room and
the camaraderie.

Speaker 4 (11:29):
But I mean Leonard's banged up right now. He got
hurt in that game coming off the bench. Richardson is out,
Daniel Jones is out, so Rivers would have to like
put pads on in a helmet. I mean, he would
have to be at least Leonard's backup, if not the
spot starter. I don't know. I mean, to me, I
think the Colts are shot. They have such a hard

(11:49):
schedule and this doesn't move the needle one bit for me.
Tyler told us, because this is the only thing I
wasn't sure about, was since he's already on the ballot,
if he sees playing.

Speaker 2 (12:01):
Time reset five, reset fame clock, Yeah, it's wild.

Speaker 4 (12:05):
I don't think i'd give that up ifire him just
to go get my head beat in as an immobile
forty four year old. But I don't know.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
Maybe he wants his grandkids to be a little bit
older when it finally gets into Cantons so they can
remember it and enjoy it.

Speaker 4 (12:16):
He doesn't think he's got a good shot to get
in this year.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
Maybe he doesn't think he's gonna get in this year
and another five years. Isn't that Brady and Ben those
guys get in and I'll sneak in on the next one.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
I can't I can't remember anyone that had this big
a layoff though. I mean, forty four.

Speaker 2 (12:30):
We've seen a lot of athletes do the retirement non
retirement thing. Yeah, yeah, that's nothing new.

Speaker 4 (12:35):
I mean Flaco did a couple of years ago, Blackco.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
Did it a couple years ago. Brett Favre did it
thirty seven times. Yeah yeah, yeah, Michael Jordan did it.
Swiss on Swiss did it.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
Yeah yeah.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
But five years after your last action is wild.

Speaker 4 (12:48):
I think it's wild. And again, like I compareing to
Rogers just because they're exactly almost exactly two years apart,
Rivers was never as talented or as mobile as Rogers
on his best day. I mean, he was great player.
I think he should be a Hall of Fame. He's
a pocket passer. I'm just about mobility and a bit
an ability to like defend yourself.

Speaker 2 (13:08):
If you would have told me a former Colts quarterback
that hasn't played in a long time it's coming out
of retirement, I'd have been like, oh, wow, Andrew Lucks
back in the fold.

Speaker 4 (13:15):
Yeah right, he might still still have it.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
He might still have it. He left Stanford, where he's
currently the GM of the Stanford Cardinal football program to
return to the Colts. No, it's Philip Rivers.

Speaker 4 (13:26):
It's when I heard it last night, I thought, Wow,
that's nuts. But I'm like, well, he at least has
been with this organization recent recently. You know, he's a
great player. Maybe gonna flacko it, and then I thought
through it. I'm like, he was on a Hall of
Fame ballot. It wasn't recently, you know, time flies. That
was five years ago. That's a long time. I hope
it just doesn't go terribly wrong. For like his I

(13:47):
don't want to get broken half.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
I don't want to see him get broken half and
have his Hall of Fame clock or he said at
the same time, and.

Speaker 4 (13:53):
The teams are playing, or they have really tough games
the rest of the way.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
But this gets back to this reminds me. This is
the player example of you know how like every time
James Franklin, big time coach, gets fired, gets a boatload
of money to go away, and then three months later
they take another job and get right back to work,
and you're like, dude, you just got fifty million dollars
to get fired, Like what are you doing? Are you psychotic?

Speaker 4 (14:19):
Yes, these people are.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Psychotic, right, like Philip Rivers. You have all the money
in the world, You're going into the Hall of Fame,
you haven't played in five years. Do you really want
to do this? Yes?

Speaker 4 (14:29):
Anytime anyone offers me a job to be a starting quarterback,
I'm going to take it. I mean, five years from now,
someone might offer again psychotic Yes.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, but they all didn't get to that point in
their careers. In these industries where it's the one percent
of the one percent who make it without being wired
differently than the.

Speaker 4 (14:43):
Rest, it's certainly not the same. But if I won
the lottery, I'd still be in here did in the drive.
I would cut back some of the things I do,
but I would still be I would still be talking
on the radios and a lottery.

Speaker 2 (14:54):
We're talking here because sometimes in the lottery you can
win like four five million dollars. Other times you can
win like four hundred five hundred million dollars.

Speaker 4 (15:00):
That's even if it's five hundred either, I would still
be in here.

Speaker 2 (15:04):
Well, I take that as a compliment, thank you. Yeah,
I don't know if I would be I don't leave.
Most of you would if I now if I want,
I'm not talking.

Speaker 4 (15:10):
Like Dan was that way. Like if I'm.

Speaker 2 (15:12):
Talking like I I went a couple million from a scratcher,
I'd still be in here doing the show. But if
I hit like the billion dollar power ball, and after taxes,
I'm getting like four hundred and fifty million. I don't know.
There might only be like a dozen people that ever here.
And I really like you guys a lot, sure, but
there might only be like a dozen people who ever
hear from me again the rest of my life. Maybe

(15:34):
I'll show up in Indianapolis one February and join you guys
at Saint Elmo and pick up the tab. We have
got to talk about all these injury, all these Mike
Tomlin related things with Chris talk more.

Speaker 4 (15:44):
Colts at at some point too, because the sauce gardener
Daniel Joe. I mean, there's a lot of stuff going
on with SAT.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
You'll see. We've got Nathan in here producing for us again,
and that has allowed me the opportunity to have a
legitimate show outline.

Speaker 4 (15:56):
Oh look at that. I figured that's frowned upon around here.

Speaker 2 (15:59):
By the way, pull one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,
nine ten twelve words on this thing took. I mean
I really wrote, I really went all out to start
the second hour I have. Let's discuss the AFC playoff picture.
I just wrote Playoff picture shorthand I.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
Think yes Yesterday influenced it a lot big time.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
So we will talk about that. How the Colts play
into that, how the Steelers play into that. Every buddy
in the moving and shaking and continuing to narrow playoff
picture all of that and mores.

Speaker 4 (16:27):
We roll along.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
But our buddy Chris Adamski on the other side, just
getting started here on the drive, U'ler Williamson, Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal.

Speaker 5 (16:41):
Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (16:54):
Back on the drive here on a Tuesday, as we
roll along and we go to the phone lines now
to talk to Chris A. Danski of course covers the
Steelers for the trip and host the Steelers Blitz at
noon right here on the Steelers Audio Network with our
buddy Tom Otferman. Buzz. Thank you for taking the time
and joining us here on this Tuesday. As always, let's

(17:14):
jump into it and why bury the lead? What's your
what's your temperature gauge? On Derek Hartman's chances of being
active on Monday night football against the Dolphins.

Speaker 6 (17:27):
I feel like he'll be there. I feel like, generally speaking,
obviously there is nobody there today or anything. They have
the extra day or the extra day off. I feel
as if it's pretty consistent that, especially with a younger
guy like that. I don't think he would Mike Tomman
would do would characterize it as come early in the
week generally speaking, you know when it's let it be

(17:50):
our guide and they get the practice early in the week.
It's trending that way to play. I mean, we'll see
for sure, but all the things, for sure, the rushing
defense is literally cutting half in terms of yard to allow.
When the four games Derek Carmen's played ninety six yards
per game and the nine or sorry that that the
nine games he's played ninety six yards per game for

(18:12):
opponents in the four games he's missed, it has been
one hundred and ninety two yards average rushing by opponents.

Speaker 3 (18:17):
It's literally halved.

Speaker 6 (18:19):
And like I've been saying here, I've not even told you.
Last week I had to say that Derek Carmon's best
case to be in the NFL rookie team and when
Stewersrooie the year and everything is to put on the
tape whenever he's not playing to see what happens to
Steelwards rushing defense, and there there's gotta be a correlation
there Now a guy.

Speaker 4 (18:36):
On another rookie I've been meaning to ask you about
week after week and I always forget, is what do
you think deep down they truly think about Caleb Johnson.
I mean, he just doesn't seem to make any kind
of impact the very limited times we see him. There's
times he plays two snaps, five snaps, but he's always active.
I mean, I assume maybe next man up if either

(18:57):
one of the backs got hurt. But do you think
they're just that down on them?

Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (19:03):
You know, I tend to think, like you know, last
year this time, I mean, they are both some of
their third round pick, skill position players, and I was like,
I think they're more down on Merlin Wilson than people think. Now,
he finally got a healthy scratch in twenty twenty five
this past week in terms of that, so that's evident
is starting to mop.

Speaker 3 (19:20):
But the fact that.

Speaker 6 (19:21):
They kept they keep giving him. I remember, this is
the second half of a December game against the first
place on the line and they gave him some snaps
or series or whatever on the series, but they only
got a candle of snaps. But he was in there
in the second half of that game Sunday, and if.

Speaker 3 (19:37):
They didn't believe in him at all. You know, you
wouldn't see that.

Speaker 6 (19:41):
There's obviously a reason that they're trying to mix them in.
You know, even if and you would think, again, it's
December football in first place on the line, even if
there was some sort of element of you know, salvage
the funk costs in this or something, you know, you
don't think you would do that at this stage of
the season and that impardant of a game like that

(20:01):
if they didn't see some degree of So I do
think there's like, hey, we need to keep getting is
getting him some reps to some degree and see what
we have here in twenty twenty six. Obviously there's a
degree of I mean, Kenny Gainwell, I think by all measureds,
I'm sure even if you give them to see him,
their management and coaches that he's been better than than.

Speaker 3 (20:23):
They expected and been more useful than they.

Speaker 6 (20:25):
Expected, and they're using him more than expected. I think
Jayden Warrens, at least from my view, I don't want
to speak for them or anybody else, has been I
think better than expected and with the nogy not around
him and be that guy generally in terms of that
so there's been that element why they haven't needed him,
needed to use him. But so I kind of you're right,
I go back and forth on it. Yeah, and I

(20:46):
guess they still see a future of him on some
sort or at least, you know, at least setting them
up or at least putting the give them the resources,
give him these snaps, give him this time, keep them
active for games that that that that, you know, to
create that foster they environment where he could be a player,
astrict contributor next year.

Speaker 4 (21:03):
I would hate for them to have to go into
the offseason thinking we got to add a big back,
you know, we gotta use a fourth round pick on
on a two hundred and thirty pound guy, you know.

Speaker 6 (21:12):
And you're right, because even and then if they did,
it's almost I don't say certainly shutting the door on.
But at that point, then you know, you can't trust
that many guys and the you know well, I mean,
I guess you got to you know, re sign Gainwell
in that scenario we're talking about, which I certainly think
that they they won't want to do, and they want
to have Gainwell around going forward. And we know Warren's
you know, signed and committed to being here, so you're right,

(21:35):
they they wouldn't need four running backs, So yeah, I
guess in that sense, maybe that is a small part
of it too. Like I said, now you're past the
point where you're worried about twenty twenty six and they're
trying to get a twenty twenty five playoffs. But I
think they do need to make sure they do it
at least a thorough enough evaluation before they go into
how they you know, whether free agency or draft, whatever
they do it.

Speaker 3 (21:53):
Running back.

Speaker 2 (21:55):
Certainly plenty to be desired in the run game, but
we finally saw the pass game come to life a
little bit on Sunday Buzz, What was it all the
entire month of November for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers
without a completion of twenty plus yards? They had three
or four of those in the game on Sunday, of course,
right away with DK Metcalf kind of setting a tone,

(22:18):
and then at the end of the game in a
big moment, is it safe safe to say, like when
this is something we talked about a little bit yesterday,
do you think that that was Aaron Rodgers' best performance
in a Steelers uniform? With that we know that you
know DK is dealing with some health stuff too, but
does that you know, does that relationship there feel like, okay,
there's something there, like this can be our bread and

(22:39):
butter to build on and playoff of down the stretch
and into the postseason.

Speaker 6 (22:45):
Yeah, I definitely. I thought it was interesting the way
Mike Tomlin put it, and he answered the question about
taking a start on the first play there and said,
we will go to bed with an aggressive mindset and
aggressive posture.

Speaker 3 (22:58):
However reput it, but it was.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
I thought because generally under tom win and they won
a lot of games doing this in Baltimore, especially recently here,
so you might this isn't a criticism necessarily, but they've
played like, well, we do rock fight better than Ravens
do rock fight. We'll win that way. That seemed to
be that the mindset and the way they've won a
lot of games. Now, maybe it's when you get your
brains beat in twice in a row over a month

(23:21):
span last winter that you want to change that. But
as you said, it had been five six weeks since
you completed a downfield pass, so that certainly wasn't the
strength of your team or at least we were. Nobody
was thinking that was the strength of their team. So
I think this element that I think that I was
interested in him saying that. I think that was a
reflection of the trust in Rogers and the trust in DK,

(23:44):
the two guys, the two biggest names you brought in
the off season. One you gave a lot of money
and gave a draft pick for one of course, the
four time MVP, and and there wasn't much of a
connection there at least there wasn't any big play element
at all from DK for again four or five, six weeks,
but obviously would correlate and that way too in terms
of not having that so come out and do it
in the first play. I thought that was both a

(24:07):
sign of faith in Rogers and Metcalfs secondarily or you know,
maybe not even secondarily, and the fact that they connected
on I think the execution of that, because I mean,
if the fact that Rogers didn't, I mean, if they
don't execute that player right, all of a sudden, you're
second and ten and maybe it's a free and not
to start the game, and the entire game is completely different, right,

(24:31):
So I thought that, I mean, it goes not saying
it was a big yard is play and it was
a big play in the game coming that, But I
do think it was a reflection of Mike Thoman and
the coaching staff's faith and belief that Hey, I mean
it's cliche to say, but that's that's why Aaron Rodgers
is signed for December on for that game on. It's
December football, it's the two Ravens games, the divisions on

(24:51):
the line, the playoffs, whatever's going on. That's what he
was brought here for. And they put their money where
their mouth was and said here, you know, we know
we haven't connected here. We know you've got a bum hand.
We know things that haven't been working in the passing game,
but you know what, go out and do it today.
And they do their credit.

Speaker 4 (25:06):
They went out and did it, so Buzz you mentioned
you know, Roman Wilson was an act of this past week.
And we've talked a lot of receiver stuff here just
for you know, the last couple of minutes. We know
Metcalf's the one. We know Scoronic's going to be active
every week because of his special team's background, but he's not,
you know, clearly not the number two receiver. Do you

(25:28):
think the feel in Valdez Scantling being active every week
is here to stay? Do you think one of those
two or three including Austin, is on the verge of
taking over as a true number two receiver? Like where
do you think the pecking order is in the future here?

Speaker 6 (25:46):
Yeah, I thought it was interesting going into the game. Now,
you know again, the first snap maybe was part of it,
but I thought the element of kind of the it's
always on a queen slate. I mean, obviously you know
DK's you're you're number one, and there wasn't any danger
that they would scratch Colvin Austin per se at all.
But I thought the fact that not only was it
feeling and MVS, but they also brought back Scotty Miller.

(26:08):
It was almost like they were like, you know what,
this passing game right now, something's broken here, something's not right.
We're gonna like almost hit the reset button to a point.
Obviously not again completely, but as much as we can
reasonably do it. We're getting three new guys in here.
It's getting there. No more for the moment anyway, Keshawn Williams,
We're we gotta try something here. So I think there

(26:29):
was an element of that. And you know we talked
about and I mean how you define number two receiver.
I mean, none of them had more than one catch.
My favorite stat is now two games in a row,
Aaron Rodgers had as many catches as the second leading
wide receiver on the Steelers did.

Speaker 4 (26:47):
It's pretty good.

Speaker 2 (26:48):
That's pretty good.

Speaker 6 (26:49):
Last week against Buffalo and you know number one there's
only nobody had more than one catch this past week
again in Baltimore amongst the receiving guard than DK Metcalf.
So I mean it's not as if was it passed
and flying colors, the feeling mvs thing. You know, they
combined for one sketch for forty yards. But that being said,
you know DK had his best game. But it's kind

(27:11):
of like, I guess to make a hockey analogy, you know,
you go with the hot goalie, or you stick with
the goalie. That used to be a kind of an
NHL thing, not so much anymore, per se. But if
you win, you keep the same maybe not even goalie,
you keep the same.

Speaker 3 (27:22):
Lineup week after week. Right.

Speaker 6 (27:23):
You hear that a lot of hockey coaches. I think
the fact that the passing game wasn't dynamic as it
was all all season. I don't know how much that
was attributable to feeling and MVS. But but if it
ain't broke, don't fix it to a point.

Speaker 2 (27:35):
Right, And I think they you know, they found some
things there, and you know, I found it interesting, Like
Patrick Queen had a a line there was something about,
you know, like getting a win against Baltimore, it's more
about momentum than confidence like some you know, he said
something along those lines like, it's not about it's more

(27:56):
about momentum for us this time of year as opposed
to confidence. And you know what, Chris, I think to
build on that for this week. It is a Monday
night football matchup. We all know, even in twenty twenty five,
that still gets the blood going. There's still something special
about being the only show in town and Monday night

(28:17):
football and the brand that that is becoming the National
Football League over the decades, and a Dolphins team that's
one of the hottest in the NFL. And you know,
back in September and October at times looked like this
might be a you know, just push the easy button
and show up and don't vomit all over yourselves and
you'll be able to beat this terrible Dolphins team. Not
the case anymore. This to me feels like a real

(28:39):
opportunity to continue to gain that momentum. Keep but you know,
forget about what Baltimore does if they lose, great, but
take care of business yourself and you know, to get
a second straight AFC win here against you know, in
a big spot against another team that's playing well, I
think would be big for this group and particularly for

(28:59):
this offense.

Speaker 6 (29:01):
Yeah, that's that's actually I like that that quote that
lot that sounds like a confusion. You could put that
on a T shirt or something.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
Unmost moment is greater than confidence.

Speaker 6 (29:14):
But I that when when you start to look at
the way and part of that win. I think part
of my logic in this year is that I think
I exposed the Ravens aren't that good or just showing
that you can beat the Ravens. But it did so
much because I feel as if this is more so
to the Detroit game, or you could make the case again,
but the Miami's played over the past month. Crazy to say,

(29:36):
but over the past month or one of the best
team in the NFL. Yeah, yeah, they're on this win
streak and defensively the numbers are putting up and it's
kind of wild. You know, it depends on when when
you play a team sometimes on a schedule, than then
the quality of them, you know, at the end of
the season or beginning that thing. But in reference to
the Detroit game in particular, that's a road game, and hey,
they might not have the playoffs either, but I mean,

(29:56):
we know they're a super Bowl you know, talent contending
type team or that typeer roster. The pressure is so
much off now to win they would have lost the
game of the Ravens. They would have had to force
to win out essentially. And now it's like, because even
if the Ravens win all three, I mean there's tie
breakers involved, and you know how it shakes out, you
could almost go one and two if you're the Steelers

(30:18):
and still have a chance to play for the division
that last week of the season. So in the Ravens,
at look, team right now is gonna win the next three,
right guys?

Speaker 3 (30:25):
I think? You know, so you're.

Speaker 6 (30:27):
Almost the point where you could go one and two
of these in these three and still play for that.
It is now you don't want to do that. Obviously
for a lot of reasons, you want to have them
under the confidence wherever you want to put it. But
but but playing Detroit, for instance, on the road with Detroit,
if you go up there, playing a real good game
and you lose, well, it's like, okay, that's fine. I
remember a couple of those years that in twenty eighteen,

(30:47):
the Steelers that they didn't make the playoffs, they like extremely,
I feel better about their about their chances in the playoffs,
and they lost the.

Speaker 3 (30:53):
Game because they played a good game.

Speaker 6 (30:54):
But doesn't make any sense. So I think that you
can apply that too to Miami in terms of where
they're at.

Speaker 3 (30:59):
And it is a it is a bigger game. It's
you know, there's a lot.

Speaker 6 (31:02):
Of the Steelers record of Monday Night football, especially on
Mike Commas record of Monday Night Football. And you got
the whole cold weather team coming up here in December,
and of course I had last time, I think the
last time that happened, I think it was about twenty
thirteen and the Dolphins won that game. Actually, the kind
of the deliverablow to the Steelers playoff chance is one
of those seasons there and they didn't make the playoffs
because of it. But there, Yeah, there's a lot of

(31:24):
reasons why I think it's an important game to win.
But more so where I'm going with this is, you know,
just seeing I don't want to see him way and
like they did against the Bills, right, I just want
to see them kind of if they play a good
game and it looks like, you know, they're not getting
shut out and in the running game or they're not
getting just shredded and then the run defense game. Things
like that, little parts think to make you believe that,

(31:46):
you know, they have a fighters chance to win a
playoff game or two once you get the next month,
whether or not they lose one or two of these.

Speaker 2 (31:52):
Games or not, I concur well said by our buddy
Chris and Damski. Good stuff is always buzzed. Thank you
for taking the time. Make sure you're checking out all
of Chris's work in the trib and listening to him
and Tom at Noon on the Steelers Audio Network every
single day. Thanks dude, and we'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 6 (32:08):
Thank you, boys.

Speaker 2 (32:10):
Pleasure is all ours. What this guy think he works
at Chick fil a or something? There no good point.
And I liked that from Patrick queen too. More about
momentum than confident. All these guys are confident. You don't
make it to the football league without being confident. But
this is the right time to be to be build momentum,
and a win in Baltimore against your chiefest rival probably
the easiest way to build momentum. Great place to start,

(32:32):
Great place to start. Let's talk more about that win
close down the first hour of the show. When we
return on the other side, West Shooler, Matt Williamson, it
is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (32:43):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (33:04):
Back on the drive here as we roll along on
a Tuesday, it is now time for our aptly named
Tuesday rewind. Yeah, very simple concept, just a final chance
to go back cross some te's dot some i's, some
additional observations and thoughts that we didn't just download on
Monday and are kind of you know, first reaction that

(33:25):
we always do on Mondays after a game, and Matt,
I've got a couple of things that I want to discuss.

Speaker 4 (33:30):
Yeah, I got a coupletes too. First, big one.

Speaker 2 (33:32):
Okay, that's what I like to hear first is the
wide receiver usage. Okay, namely let cause I want to
glance at the feeling in the MVS usage, but mainly
DK metcalf. I think there's a real fine line. And
this is something that Mike Tomlin actually talked about in
his press conference today that I'm paraphrasing. I'm not giving

(33:54):
an exact quote here, but you at times you can
almost get so obsessed over your identity that if you're
if you're trying one thing so much, you're sticking with
one thing so much, you become easier to prepare for.

Speaker 4 (34:06):
At the same time, oh yeah, So I do think
that's a Steeler problem over the years period.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
I think that there's some not chicken an egg, that's
not the right analogy I'm looking for, But I think
having an identity as a team is important, but only
to a certain extent, and you have to be light
on your feet with it, and you have to be
flexible with.

Speaker 4 (34:24):
It unless you're like amazing at it.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
If unless you're the Eagles in their run game, right,
the Patriots, who just hey, here's Tom Brady and Randy Moss.
Good luck.

Speaker 4 (34:37):
Yeah, but even like the Belichick era, they were the
most light on their feet.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Went from ground and pound defensive team to we're going
to score fifty touchdowns a year with Randy Moss, to
watch us use these wide receivers in the slot, to
watch how we use our tight end right right right.
The Patriots, their identity was we're going to evolve and
we're going to attack wherever you're weak.

Speaker 4 (34:57):
And their defense was weak to week was weak. A
lot of smart, versatile players.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
Sometimes we'll take away the runs, sometimes we'll take away
the pass. And so they had identities, but it was
like they were married to it. They were flexible within
that ideology, and I think that's the best place to be.
And when you consider that for the Steelers, I think
it starts with DK the run game too, obviously, which
is still left plenty to desire. I wrote down this

(35:23):
stat here, let me find it real quick for you
that four of the last six games the Steelers have
seventy few or fewer rushing yards and four of their
last six games. Yeah, yeah, that that needs to change.

Speaker 3 (35:35):
That.

Speaker 2 (35:36):
I don't know that's incredibly long term sustainable. But all this,
where I'm going with all this is we had spent
so much time talking about how if you want to
level up this offense, it feels like it has to
start with Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, the All Pro,
the Pro Bowl playmaker, the guy who's making the big

(35:56):
contract at wide receiver who you you know, gave up
a second round pick and gave a new contract to
to acquire this offseason, all that stuff. I loved how
they started in that regard. It was early, it was often,
and yeah, there were some deep shot long balls that,
as we have discussed many times, is not necessarily DK's
cup of tea. But you got him the ball in

(36:17):
a lot of different ways. You got him acting them
up or schemed them up early. And because of that,
the whole rest of the game, Baltimore had to be
on high alert with everything that he was doing.

Speaker 4 (36:28):
Yeah, I think to this point they've asked him to
win just based on execution a little too much, you know,
like good way to put it, as opposed to let's
move a lot of pieces around, set a pick or
you know, I mean that kind of stuff, you know,
and get your guy, you know, as open as possible
via scheme. Previewing that game, you know, the Steelers are

(36:50):
notorious short passing game. I mean, get out quick lion scrimmage,
blah blah blah. Right, oh, the catch and the Ravens
are the best in the league. Coming into that game
and taking away their numbers versus short passing game were
the best. And that makes sense, Hamilton roquon. They're good
tackling corners, you know, like those guys all get to
the ball in the flats quickly too, So I thought, well,

(37:11):
of course that'll still be part of the game plan.
But let let's go run heavy here. You know, the
time of possession is a real problem. They didn't. They
went less run than ever, which frankly, if I'll be honest,
if they lost, I'd probably be critical of them. I'm
in a Monday morning quarterback at the death, no doubt,
no doubt. Like I mean, I'm not sure it worked.

(37:34):
The passing game was really good, so let's leave it
at that. But they still lost time possession and you
know that type of thing. But they did push the
ball down the field by design against a team it
doesn't rush the passer all that well. And that's how
they zagged from the short passing game to some degree.
And you know scheme to metcap buff appropriately that that's great.
You can't have his talent and his investment and beginning him. Yeah,

(37:59):
four targets a game at four point four yards down
the field.

Speaker 2 (38:02):
Three reception for twenty yards, right, that's just three receptions
for eighteen yards. It's just not what you brought him in.

Speaker 4 (38:07):
Paid him for ten targets, you know, right.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
Exactly right. And aside from the offensive lineman and Aaron Rodgers,
he played the most snaps on the offense eighty three
percent of them, and was really, along with Aaron Rodgers,
the straw that stirred the drink. And I think, like
you're right that the way that you put it there
was perfect. They asked him to just go out and

(38:31):
and Jimmy there, Joe. Yeah, Whereas they did more x'es
and o's stuff with him on Sunday, and he still
had some Jimmy and Joe moments, but I think the
x'es and o' stuff opened that up and made it
a little bit easier for him.

Speaker 4 (38:43):
So everyone remembers, like the Killer Bee era, that was
not a very schemed offensive. It was we have better
checkers than you, so we're not going to do things crazy.
AB's gonna win.

Speaker 2 (38:53):
One in the world. You got this running back in
the world. You got a Hall of Fame quarterback. Yeah,
and a really good offensive line.

Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (38:59):
I mean even like Peyton Manning thrown to Marvin and Wayne,
one of them is always on the right, one was
always on the left. And we're just gonna beat you,
you know, like keep it simple. I mean, that's fine,
but this is this offense, isn't Ab and Marvin and
Ben in his prime and Peyton banningen right? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (39:18):
Correct with that with.

Speaker 4 (39:20):
The second receiver too, you know, like the way that
people treat Metcalf is very disrespectful to the other receivers, to.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
The other receiver, yeah, sure, yeah. And at least in
those killer b eras yed Mark Tavis Bryant, who was
a lot to handle it. Well, you had Juju early
in his career who was a lot to handle and
putting up big numbers.

Speaker 4 (39:36):
Lev and Heith Miller and guys that will sting you.
And you know, if they're the third fourth.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
Option, absolutely uh. Other wide receiver usage here and funny enough, Matt,
we spent some time speculating what could Adam Feelen's role
look like will he be active? How much of a
snap share and a role will he have? Well, he
by far played these second most reps of any Steelers
wide receiver. Yeah, with twenty five reps for him almost

(40:04):
fifty percent of the offensive snaps. The next closest wide
receivers were Calvin Austin and Calvin Austin and Marquez Valdez Scanling,
who both played sixteen snaps, so feeling nine more snaps
than the third and fourth wide receivers. That was quicker
than I expected.

Speaker 4 (40:20):
Yeah, me too. He started the game, which started the
game first? Maybe man something, maybe that wasn't who knows.
This kind of why I brought up to Chris is like,
because maybe it wouldn't shock me if on Monday or
I guess it would be Tuesday, we go. I think
thelan's the two, you know, I mean it's his second game,
and I think he might be the two by then.

(40:41):
We might go back to this has changed so much
throughout the year. Austin was, Wilson was one time out Austin,
et cetera, et cetera. They're they're they're searching. I mean
that's the word I've been using for the number two.
Receiver all day, all year. But theland is reliable and
he didn't just got there talk about moving train, and
he was able to be on the field a lot.

(41:02):
I was just say, contribute, but that's a strong work. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:04):
I think he only had one, right, but you're right.
I mean he was nearly fifty percent of the snaps
on offense. That's a substantial number. Yeah, Calvin Austin and
Marquez Valdez scantling thirty one percent of the offensive snaps,
So a little less than one out of three. Does
that say more about Calvin Austin or MVS.

Speaker 4 (41:21):
I don't know. I think the size at that position
is really important to them and it's been lacking and
it shows up more and more as the season goes on,
and you know, sure, So I don't know exactly. Again,
I think they're searching. I think they're throwing a lot
of things against a fan and see what sticks and
that type of thing.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
That was it for kind of my first observation, Yeah,
go ahead, let's get into it.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
A good one, but it's a small little nugget. Was
I can't remember if we talked about this yesterday now,
but I don't think so. Weightman was much better than
he's been in the last couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
I don't think we mentioned that.

Speaker 4 (41:55):
I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, he was very good on Sunday.

Speaker 4 (41:58):
I thought we might be getting report in these coming weeks,
like oh, they brought in a punter. I thought we
could be getting to that level. So great and another
special teamer. It was outstanding, you know. So I maybe
I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong, But I don't think
he really is a future as a defensive player. I
think he's going to be Killer Brew Matti Kaevich maybe

(42:21):
one of the best special teamers, not even on the
team but in the league. But those two special teamers
had really good days. So that was great. Not that
I was worried about Bruner, but he could be on
the verge of being your next Killer Brew, you know.
But rewatching the game and the run defense, there's some
some problems that I don't know they're gonna go away.

(42:42):
To be frank, they've been one of the worst tackling
teams in the league, you know, just by number of mistackles,
which I think with some stock in but I don't
is that a mistackle.

Speaker 2 (42:54):
Or you know, I mean, not like the definition of
a mis catch right, like his caught it his fingertips,
you know, two yards outside of his body.

Speaker 4 (43:04):
But I don't think they've been a great tackling team.

Speaker 2 (43:06):
I would agree, you know, I think they started poorly,
real poor, got better like in October ish, but I
think it's started to regress a little bit.

Speaker 4 (43:15):
And I think fatigue hat something to do with that too.
You know, you could be a step behind.

Speaker 2 (43:19):
Or now played three now played three more games than
the average defense in the NFL.

Speaker 4 (43:24):
And I commend his efforts and the way he's flying
around the field and clearly was playing with something. But
Queen's the biggest culprit. I mean, he misses a lot
of tackles and I think he probably always will. I mean,
part of it's just because he's so you know, it's
like Shazier missed a lot of tackles, but down on
ice talk by Lake. But he also gets to more
than others too, you know, like maybe he didn't make

(43:46):
tackle three yards behind the line of scrimmage, but he
got he bumped into, he slowed the guy down. Yes
there were another linebacker might not have even done that,
you know, So I'm not saying Queen's at that level,
but he gets to a lot. But my problem with
the run defense more than that is they faced two
very run different schemes back to back. I mean with
Ricard and Henry's a lot different than Cook on outside

(44:10):
zones and duos. But what I saw from every D
lineman not named Cam Hayward, they're just going backwards. I
mean they're just losing whatever style block it is, They're
going backwards, and thus they end up in Queen and
Wilson's lap too much. That was how the beginning of
the season was a lot. Benton in particular, was bad

(44:33):
early got better. I still think he's kind of fine.
But Black played a lot of snaps in this game,
and he was going back.

Speaker 2 (44:41):
To most of any Steelers, I mean one more than
camb Right, the snaps for him, that's a big number,
Like when we have it. He played sixty four snaps.

Speaker 4 (44:50):
I know should happen in Chicago.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
I think he played thirteen or fourteen.

Speaker 4 (44:55):
And that's where he should be.

Speaker 2 (44:56):
And he played sixty four. I mean, that's a that's
a lot to put on his.

Speaker 4 (45:00):
It's a ton And part of this because Benton got hurt.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
Part of it is because you're down Harmon and Benton
got banned.

Speaker 4 (45:05):
I mean, who do you want to play him instead
of though Lee or Dunwoe.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
I was just going to say, like Logan Lee, who
has been in active some weeks.

Speaker 4 (45:12):
He played fourteen, right, I mean, so you're you're I mean,
you're pretty thin.

Speaker 2 (45:16):
Here's like taking the y a black roll.

Speaker 4 (45:21):
Exactly. So they need to get Harmon back.

Speaker 2 (45:23):
Played thirty five snaps, the defensive snaps.

Speaker 4 (45:27):
He's probably played none, or you know, he in the
perfect world, he's not even really active, you know, so
you can see that that's by default. I mean, the
wrong people are out there a lot. Yeah, you got
to paint the barn red right, right, and that's not
the color you want to paint this barn. But I
just see a lot of d linemen going backwards in
the run game, and Harmon won't. Cam never does. Cam's

(45:50):
having a really really good year. It maybe he's not
splashy and if Benton's out there too fine, But the
rest of them worries me a little bit, Like to
the point even sometimes you can find these like old
grizzled nose tackles that can stop the run until they're sixty.
I wonder if there's one on a couch somewhere that
you could They really don't have the nose tackle that

(46:12):
can't run. That's just rock. Yes, you know, like they
might need.

Speaker 2 (46:16):
To put both of those bear paws out right, just
like the Hoover dam cannot move right.

Speaker 4 (46:22):
They may need to examine their style of nose in
the off season and just get a big plugger, double
team eater, you know, an anvil TV.

Speaker 2 (46:33):
Maybe we'll put that in the Weird World of Matt
Williamson topics to discuss in the offseason, because I think
you might be onto something there.

Speaker 4 (46:39):
Yeah, they could use one right now.

Speaker 2 (46:41):
And then I understand it because high Smith is back
in the fold, but I was still a little surprised.
Three snaps for Jack Sawyer. That's very low, even with
all three of those other guys healthy.

Speaker 4 (46:56):
It's very low, especially because fatigue has to be an
issue and run that may snap.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
Has to be has to be So Jack Sawyer only
three snaps. Again, I thought he'd be closer to ten,
not know, not thirty, but but k and then just
one snap all game. It was on defense. One snap
all game for a Sante Samuel Junior.

Speaker 4 (47:14):
Okay, let's get to that in a minute. But I thought,
where you're going to go? And I almost asked Christis,
but we kept him a little long. Herbig is still
not playing enough for me. I mean, I know it's
a it's a.

Speaker 2 (47:26):
Great twenty seven snaps for him.

Speaker 4 (47:27):
Out of seventy four or something like that out of
eighty so less than a third.

Speaker 2 (47:33):
Yes, wait, no, sorry, twenty seven out of eighty thirty
four percent, so it's just about a third.

Speaker 4 (47:40):
He's too good for that. I don't know what how
the ants how you solve this problem, But with all
respect to Cam and Watt, Herbig might be your best
defensive player. I mean it might be.

Speaker 2 (47:49):
He might be, at least at least in a lot
of times this season. He certainly has been.

Speaker 4 (47:54):
Maybe he's having the best year. Let's put that there,
you go. And I love high Smith and he made
big plays. And what I think Watt dictates his own
when he comes on and off the field. I think
he's earned that, and I'm cool with that too. But
in the end, if Herbig's only playing a third of
the snaps, can't have it. He's too good. It's too
good and that and that's a great problem to have.

Speaker 2 (48:12):
And if you're gonna pay him this offseason, like you
can't pay him Premie. I'm not saying he's gonna make
TJ money but no, but he's gonna pay him big
time edge rusher money and have him on the bench
for sixty some sixty six sixty five percent of the
time at all.

Speaker 4 (48:29):
One thousand percent. And lastly, the Samuel thing, I think
is actually a good problem.

Speaker 2 (48:33):
Because all the other three are playing so well, that's
the thing.

Speaker 4 (48:36):
And and this team that you played is never in
three wide. You weren't going to go deep into the
corner rotation anyway, you know, So I thought he might
play fifty percent, Pierre might play fifty percent. I think
that's just a big compliment to Pierre. And we still
don't know more about Samuel than we did. And in
this case, I'm totally fine with it because, hey, you

(48:57):
know that that's we just didn't need to try to
test that. Yes, and you would think Miami's a big
three wide team, but they're not not. In the absence
of Jaalen wattle Tree.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
Still healthy. Sorry was mixed up, but yeah.

Speaker 4 (49:13):
They played with two backs a lot. They play with
an extra heavier. I think that people think and they
run the ball.

Speaker 2 (49:18):
Well, they certainly do, and that's something we'll begin talking
plenty about tomorrow. But that's an hour in the books.
Another hour to go in Hour number two Fantasy Football Focus,
Power Rankings, But we begin by taking a look at
the playoff picture, which I think we'll do this now now,
maybe every Tuesday the rest of the way.

Speaker 4 (49:34):
Yeah, it seems pertinent and a.

Speaker 2 (49:36):
Little more clarity. After the Chargers get themselves a big
win last night on Monday Night Football against the Eagles.
We'll discuss all that more an Hour number two when
we return here on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Gold at Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network.