September 23, 2025 • 45 mins
Matt and Wes get into final thoughts on the win over the Patriots before turning the page to Minnesota. Chris Adamski joins the guys to preview this upcoming challenge for the Steelers.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. While Shuoler and Matt Williamson with you for
the next two hours here on a Tuesday where Matt,
things are happening quickly. Yeah, we got the Mike Tomlin
press conference in the books that we'll get to here momentarily.
We got a thrilling Monday night football game last night
that we have to discuss at some point, and we
(00:43):
also partner. I mean, just a hair over twenty four
hours from now, you and I will be on a
flight to Dublin. And yeah, things are really picking up.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, and then there's things happening around the league like
Jackson dart Is now, I mean we're already benching quarterbacks,
and then like play callers in Tennessee are getting their jobs.
I mean zher and three. People start panicing, and Steelers
say what you want. I mean, they're in pretty good
shape at two and one, and Raven's losing last night
burrows out. You start looking around the vision not such
(01:11):
such a bad place to be in right now?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
No, it is certainly not. And with that as well
too some I think maybe you could say optimistic injury
renew injury news, injury updates, you know, painted by Mike
Tomlin and his.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Any of it. So I can't wait to hear.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Well, here we go. So this part not surprising. I
think everybody saw this coming. But Alex Highsmith has been
has been ruled out. He will not play Sunday in Dublin.
We all know that he avoided ir which is good.
But I think also when you look at kind of
the timeline of there's the bye week after this, give
him as much time as possible sense hopefully we'll see
him in mid October, you know, maybe week six when
(01:51):
when Cleveland rolls the town after the bye week.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Now, right, with Watt and Cam, I thought Herbig was
the best player in the field.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Outstanding.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, I mean I was not a big Will Campbell
fan coming out of LSU rookie, but he was still
a top five pick or whatever and six whatever he
ended up going, and that kid had a long day
with Herbig, Yes, was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And I wonder what the kind of you know, if
this was Pat's Nation Radio, if we're WEEI, which is
the huge sports station and in Boston where they all
talk about Chadda and the Sacks. I wonder how they
were talking about Will Campbell yesterday and today. But yes,
I think you got to give her Big a ton
of credit. I think that was a ideal match up
(02:34):
for him, and I think he feasted. He certainly took advantage.
When you combine that with how Cam Heyward played, how TJ.
Watt played, I don't think there's any surprises as to
why they were able to force so many turnovers, get
after the quarterbacks so many times.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
The defensive front looked like the fierce defensive front we
thought it could be absolutely and even without Highsmith. But
I mean, her BIG's an unbelievable replacement. You also got
to throw Harmon back.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I was going to say, nice first look at the
first round pick as well too.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, and Benton and Hayward could play a little less.
You know, I think they're trusting why Black a little
bit more. Same with that Walle I was going to say,
you know, I'm one of my guys.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
You know, I think they've kind of started to figure
out how they're deploying that defensive line, that defensive front.
What they're going to look like at the base and
it's a very encouraging start. And then yet you get
hopefully Alex Highsmith back sometime in early October, and and
then you really feel like you're you're cooking with something
there with that group. But I don't think that surprises
anybody that he's ruled out for this Sunday. I think,
(03:32):
in fact, we probably all expected that for Alex Highsmith.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
The game after the bye. I think it'll be a conversation.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Exactly right that that home game against Cleveland the second
weekend in October is I think when we really start
to hope to get some better news about Alex high Smith.
Questionable have a chance to play. According to Mike Tomlin,
the two that we've been discussing in this regard for
the last couple of weeks to Shawn Elliott with the knee,
Joey Porter Junior with the hamstring. Both will have to
wait and see how they progress throughout the week. Okay,
(03:59):
but they have a chance to play. According to Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
We've said over and over that Elliott, even since he's
got here, we've talked about how he's a glue guy.
He's more important than you think. Then they gave him
another contract. I mean, he was a great free agent signing.
But even just him being out this year, middle of
the field defense in the passing game has been problematic.
Communication two games ago, not this past one was problematic.
(04:24):
I think he's useful that way. The run defense has
not been great start to finish, and he's a good
run defender for his position, very important porter as well.
I don't know what we have dug into the Vikings.
We've got lots and lots of time. We got a
lot of hours from overseas going forward to talk about
the vikings.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But six hours of programming just you and I. Six
hours of programming from Dublin.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
That's awesome. But Addison is back this week, and justin
Jefferson's a total superstar, you know. So every corner you
can get, sign me up. And they start traded for theeling.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, they sure did. They've got talented playmakers. They're getting
healthier on the offensive line as well too, with Kelly
and Darisol and so yeah, we will have obviously a
lot on that as we roll along. And then finally
from Mike Tomlin expected to play so probable if you
will is Darius Slay with that leg issue that we
(05:19):
saw him dealing with, had to exit for a couple series,
was able to come back into the game. As you know,
and I'm sure most of the listeners know, that's usually
a good sign. You know, when you're injured and you
don't return, it's not a great indicator for your following
week when you're injured, but you're able to get back
in there, that's that's more encouraging.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
And so we never know if something blows up after
you're dying exactly right, So you can rule Alex high
Smith out, you can list Joey Porter Junior into Sean
Elliott is questionable, and then you could have Darius Slay
as probable.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's the latest on the injury front as we sit
here on a Tuesday afternoon.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And fortunately, I think we brought this up yesterday. There
was no injuries of note suffered last week, so there's
nothing new to add to the slate. So all these
guys are getting back at it. That's good news, Yeah,
real good news.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
It is.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
It absolutely is. And some other things from the Mike
Tomlin press conference that I wanted to dive into with
you kind of a I don't know, maybe a tale
of two different stories right out of the gate. At
his weekly press conference, Mike Tomlin discussed the need to
be better in possession down situations on both sides of
the ball. Okay, you know, the third and fourth downs
(06:27):
for the defense, third down conversions for the offense.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
The defense was night and day. I mean, early downs
were it's awesome. Late downs was.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Bad, real bad.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Is that a fluke or is it going to be
a trend? Let's hope not.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Absolutely. The other thing that he discussed, though, was the
while the offense has had too many lulls. You know,
they had those six straight possessions I think where it
was either three and out or a turnover. He also
talked about how seven for eight in the red zone,
they are finiting when they get down there into the
rest zone, they're finishing. They're not you're not trotting Chris
Boswell out onto the field like you were doing entirely
(06:59):
too often last season.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
A wonderful safety blanket. But I don't want to pull
that blanket out if I.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Don't have to, you know, so kind of some you know,
some pointing of Mike Tomlin there of Hey, I want
the possession stuff to get move possession down stuff to
get moving in the opposite direction. I want the red
zone success for both units, offense and defense to continue.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, and again, red zone's really difficult. And we've talked
about this quite a bit. They've gone a handful of
years of being at the bottom of the league in
red zone offense and.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Since Antonio, since that twenty eighteen season with Ben and
Brown and James Conner, Yeah, they were like second or
third in red zone percentage of that year. They were
one of the better teams in the league in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Since twenty nineteen, it's gone south. And in twenty nineteen,
at least it was understandable because you lost Ben Roethlisberger
six quarters into the season.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
That one's fine, But that one I can put aside.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
You know, since that hasn't been the exception to the rule.
That's been a trend that continued for way too long.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
With a different quarterback every year, multiple offensive coordinators. I
thought Wilson would help more than he did. You know,
I thought it'd be better last year. But maybe it's
a fluke and maybe, you know, Thanksgiving, we're talking about
how they're not getting the red zone anymore. But this
is really really promising, and I think the quarterback change
has a ton to do with it.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
A ton to do with it, a ton. And then lastly,
Matt from the Mike Tomlin press conference, specifics that I
wanted to get to with you. As obviously as you
can imagine, Mike Tomlin was asked multiple times and gave
a few different answers just about the magnitude of this
game Sunday in Dublin. How you navigate knowing that this
(08:32):
is different than a typical game, but that also it's
one out of seventeen, it's the same regular season opportunity,
while it is different, while it is on a bigger stage,
while it is in a different country, while it means
so much to the history of the Steelers organization and
the Rooney family decades in decades in the making culminating
(08:53):
in this moment, making sure to acknowledge that, but also
staying business as usual, also staying focused on the task. Imallenge, Man,
I imagine that's a real challenge.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I would think it's a challenge for Minnesota, oh of course.
But for the Steelers, again.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
They're kind of the guest, you know, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Everybody knows how much Ireland means to the Rooney family
in the Steelers organization. Everybody knows again how many decades
in the making this first regular season There's been preseason
games there before, but this first regular season NFL game
in Dublin and the Steelers being the host team in
the history of the Rooney family in the organization. The
(09:33):
magnitude of that is undeniable.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
No question.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
But you also have to proceed as if this is
another regular season game. We're trying to get to three
and one, We're trying to head into our bye week
with a win in some momentum.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And just x's and o's and the team you're playing
this is not an easy team to prepare for a
challenge at all. I mean, the offense is loaded with playmakers.
You mentioned the offensive line, They rebuilt the interior of
it and is now back where they wanted to be.
Darris saw. Their best player was out for a while.
The quarterbacks only played one game, you know. I mean,
(10:06):
it's not like you've got a lot of tape on
him in the Vikings uniform. And the defense is the
hardest one in the league to prepare for. I mean
it's it's a nightmare. I mean, Flores is a mad scientist.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
He sure is, and you know that's something that obviously
we'll talk. Let's talk a little bit about that now.
We will do a ton of Viking specific talk from
Dublin on Friday and Saturday with our programming. But Matt,
it's a defense that is multiple, It's a defense that
can disguise and confuse the opposition. And you know, we'll
(10:39):
do again, we'll do matchup specific segments later in the week.
But I just think on the surface, Aaron Rodgers and
his game brain against Brian Floores and his game brain
is maybe at the top of the list as the
you know, the the top of the fight card is
the main event in this one.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
One hundred agree. So every Monday night, well actually this week,
we're doing it a week a day early. What I
do that nowadays is we usually record him on Thursdays,
but we're doing this one on Wednesday with Missy and
Rob and we do the matchup show basically, you know,
and we each so there's three matchups on each side
(11:18):
of the ball. We each pick one. And this year
I've just been sending a group email with six or
seven ideas on both sides of the ball or whatever
comes to mind, and if they like them, great, If
they don't, they don't first thing I wrote down Rogers
ver Flora. Yeah, like, if those two don't pick that one,
please picking that one.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I always let those guys pick first, ladies first, you know,
and then I'll take the next thing out. But I
am we are absolutely talking about that on tomorrow show, Yes,
no question.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
And so that to me is a real kind of
you know, game within the game big time is what
Flora is, How Flora tries to confuse Rogers, how he's
able to counter that like he does so well at
the line of scrimmage, and how that plays out over
the course of four quarters. One thing that worries me
in that regard Matt that I think we have to mention,
and I saw you tweeting this this morning. It's a
(12:10):
Vikings defense that was just hey, had a had a
fantastic performance top the bottom against the Bengals this past.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Second oh woah.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
But really in limiting what the Bengals were able to
do on the ground and forcing them to be one
dimensional and forcing Jake Browning to drop back and try
and beat you, And that's obviously a very difficult proposition
when it's not Joe Burrow that you're that you're that
you're making do Thatdgers two touchdowns and yeah, Chase brown
(12:40):
had three yards on ten carries. I think it was.
The Bengals right now are the only team in the
NFL averaging less than the Steelers in terms of yards
per rush. That to me is a big concern with
what Minnesota's defense was just able to do and completely
eliminating Cincinnati's run game as an element for that offense.
(13:02):
I obviously have a lot more faith in Aaron Rodgers
than I do Jake Browning to be able to counter that,
But you also cannot put that entirely on Aaron Rodgers
and get into that one dimensional phase where Brian Flure
has really has your right where he wants you.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
And I wouldn't mind borrowing Higgins and Chase too. I
mean it's not like they don't have weapons or Browning
has not had any success at this level. But I
mean the Bengals, not just in this game, have struggled
to run the ball all year, you know. I mean,
as you mentioned, they're right with the Steelers in lowest
yards per carry thus far through three games, and Brown's
had a good rookie year. But you're right, I mean
(13:38):
they totally wiped out that portion of it, and then
they got the lead and they had to keep throwing,
and the game script didn't help Cincinnati, and the snowball
just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and turned
into an avalanche. I mean it was a disaster for Cincinnati,
Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And part of that is because they are down their quarterback,
and when you rely on your quarterback as much as
they do, that is what it is. But an another
part of that was just how confused, you know, how
just Man had those guys in a blender the Vikings
defense did for the entire course of that contest.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
I mean, the Vikings should have came to the line
on offense, taking every snap and just throwing it in
the ground and still won that game. The defense beat them.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Alone, exactly right, exactly right. That's a very good point
by you of how many points the defense was able
just to put up on the board in.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Their very opportunistic, very aggressive, extremely well coached and just
highly unorthodoxy like they'll do things like remember like when
Paula Malu would come like close to the line of
scrimmage and you know, look like he's blitzing, and he
was one of the only guys that ever had done
this ever, and then to sprint down and back into
like a cover two environment.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
But then every once in a while he'd hop over
the line.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I mean, they do that kind of stuff, like stuff
you don't see. I saw a clip the other day
of both safeties coming down, or the safeties and the
linebackers just codally exchanged. You know, like you're not sure
what these guys responsibilities are and there's holes in it,
but it's hard to tell what you're gonna get sure.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, sure, that's and again that's where you love having
Aaron Rodgers as part of this. I mean, I don't
think you could have a better quarterback in the NFL
right now. In terms of the above the next stuff
above the shoulder stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
It's really phenomenal and thriving.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
To kind of counter what the Vikings have been doing
early on in the season and having people in a
blender and having people confused.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Even with his experience, knowledge and smarts, there'll be one
or two coverages he probably has never seen before because
it's almost like they make stuff on the fly, correct,
I mean, because they don't. They don't really even fear
having a hole in the zone. They just want to
cause confusion sometimes. You know, they're like the Joker, you know,
they's one chaos, introduce.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
A little chaos into the system, and then kind of
finally mad. As we wrap up this opening, uh, this
opening segment, this opening salvo here. I liked hearing Mike
Tomlin pretty quickly into his opening statement as well too,
crediting the kickoff team and the kickoff coverage good and
how that was much improved against New England, keeping them
(16:17):
inside the thirty, making them play on a larger, longer field,
something that they were not doing against the Jets and
the Seahawks. And in a game against an opponent like
the Vikings where that minutia those margins are gonna matters
to be big time.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Yeah, that's that's another It's not a trend yet, right,
they kind of reversed the trend of what we had
seen in the first two games. I want to see
them continue to lock that down and and don't give
the Vikings any extra inches.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
No, that's huge. I didn't realize he brought that up.
I'm glad we mentioned it first. We brought it up yesterday.
I think we almost slipped our minds, like, oh, the
kick offs are a lot better too, So now keep
that up for sure. You can't Jets had too many
or Patriots had too many long drives, held the ball
too long, you know, I mean, you can't give them
short fields, or they may have been way different a
(17:05):
game too.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, absolutely you had. I think it was a twelve
play drive and a seventeen play drive for New England
that resulted in zero points on each of those. Rare man,
it's nice that you could get it done in that
in that stage, at that moment, but you don't want
to bank on that.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Oh you're holding on for life.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
You're like the scared kid on the roller coaster, just
hoping this ride and right, get me off of this thing.
But that's kind of your news of the day, your
your Tomlin news. Your updates there mostly positive, mostly positive
on that forefront, and hopefully hopefully this is the week
as again the Vikings are starting to get some reinforcements
in the injury and suspension department, particularly on their offense. Yeah, yeah,
(17:45):
I'd like to be saying the same thing about the
Steelers defense by the time we get to you know,
to Saturday and Sunday and get to Dublin and Croke
Park and everything out there.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Addison coming back, Kelly, as you mentioned huge, these are.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Really strong on the defensive side of the ball for
that too.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
I don't know what we'll get into the stuff once
we get overseas, but Hardgrave got banged up in this game.
I'm curious what his status is or where where they're
at on him.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
We'll get first injury reports from both teams tomorrow and
that's something obviously that we'll keep an eye on, and
we'll address reminder, no Drive shows on Wednesday or Thursday, right,
but we will have a three hour show Friday and
a three hour show Saturday to make up for you.
Oh yeah, certainly. I texted our buddy Bob Labriola and
(18:30):
told him he was off the hook on this Thursday
because there's no Thursday, no Thursday edition of the Drive.
But hopefully we'll be able to nab some fun guests
while we're over there. A yeah, maybe some of the
DV morning show people that'll all be there, Missy Max,
maybe some other some Mother Steelers alumni that are gonna
be floating around. I do think Friday Show I want
(18:51):
to say it is. I think Pursuda is scheduled to
join us for a little bit of time as well too,
so we're gonna have a lot of fun. It's all
gonna happen really quick, but plenty to get to today.
Obviously before we all I almost set sail off. I
hope we're not taking a boat. That would take a
long time before we all fly off to the Emerald
Isle and get ready for a big one at Croke
Park in Dublin. Our buddy Chris Adanski covers the Steelers
(19:14):
for the Trib co hosts the Steelers Blitz here on
Steelers Nation Radio. He's going to join us on the
other side some more updates from down on the South Side,
and we'll get his thoughts on the challenge that these
Vikings are going to present this weekend to the Steelers.
All of that and more when we return West Yuler,
Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
A busy week for your Pittsburgh Steelers. Plenty of moving
and shaking in terms of the usual day to day operations,
but of course this operation is picking up and flying
across the pond to Dublin for perhaps one of the
more meaningful regular season games in franchise history. Joining us
now to discuss covers the Steelers for the trib the
(20:23):
co host of the Steelers Blitz with our guy Tom Opferman.
It's Chris Adamski. Buzz. Thank you for taking the time.
As always, we have heard, you know, a chance to
play for Deshaun Elliott and Joey Porter Junior this Sunday. Obviously,
for both of those guys and for the Steelers secondary
as a whole, getting them back would be massive, I think,
(20:45):
particularly against this talented Vikings offense as well too. I
know it's still early in this process and we got
to see them you know, practice and their availability and everything.
But how are you feeling about the chances to see
Joey Porters Junior and Sean Elliott this Sunday at Croke Park.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Yeah, the Elliott thing is a lot more kind of
linear and more predictable in terms of his injury. The
border injury has been sort of lingering for a while,
is to. I mean, from the very beginning, they sort of,
I don't say downplayed it, but it didn't get announce
as an injury might I mean, we went through Mike
Tomlin after the game said it was kind of precaution.
Then he said two days later, that Tuesday, two weeks
(21:24):
ago now that he was optimistic in play. And then
then and he didn't practice at all. He didn't practice since,
So I mean, you know, with the hamstring thing, that's
probably more, but it's harder to kind of predict or
look at or see how he reacts to it. At
least with Elliott's injury. If he's assuming he does practice
and soon there's no setbacks, that seemed a little more predictable.
And if he's on track too, you would think that
(21:46):
there's a better chance he would play. And I'm just
like I said, I was saying before week one, I
was fascinated and I was going to focus on watching
how the Seaers deployed their secondary and all the moving pieces,
and then and then kind of big names and that
the players they had have and and since I said that,
they added a whole nother one into real Peppers, And
but we have we kind of got the privd of
seeing how they wanted to or intended to or planned
(22:09):
to deploy everybody because they have everybody at full health.
So did you get everybody up again? I'll be fascinated
to keep an eye on that, to see exactly how
everybody's using, where they're putting, and how they're put Chris.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
The Elliott situation aside, would it shock you if Peppers
moved past Clark on the depth chart or in the
pecking order. I think he's the better player, and he
certainly runs better.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Yeah, you know, he showed out pretty well there, and yeah,
I would have thought, you know, if you know, Peppers
had been available somehow you know, lay Chel I or
whatever it is, and it's if and if whatever, but
you would think he'd be more of a target to tell,
you know, I don't know whatever happened to New England.
You're all kind of you know, speculation everything, how it
(22:55):
didn't work out in New England, why he was cut.
But I mean Clark was available, you know after camp starting.
There's some injury history there and everything, and Peppers pretty
much almost played as much as Clark did this past
week as well, and that was after what he was,
what eleven days a Steeler at that point, whenever that
that was developed, and he played pretty well. I mean
Clark said shown you know a little bit of splash too,
(23:17):
as you kept this hand on the ball in the
one interception. You have a little little bit more. But
Pepper's he's always been a playmaker. He's the type of
piece that the Steelers like a Mike Toman kind of player,
I think in terms of just that versatility, and he
does make big plays and it sounds like there's that
history there and everything, and he definitely can use him
(23:38):
I deploy him a little bit more freely, if that's what.
Going back to what I said, I'm fascinated to see
how they use everybody if they do. Go back to
if Joey does come back and you have your your
two outside corners more and seeing with him and Ramsey man,
it can be kind of fun the kind of things
they could do with those two and where they put
them and everything.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I guess along those lines. Got Addison coming back this week.
I'm just starting to really dig in the matchup. It's
early in the week, of course, but Jefferson's a nightmare
and then there isn't an answer for him. Do you
think Porter's availability greatly changes the Jefferson plan in any way?
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Yeah? Man, that'd be one thing. He's sitting out for
two and a half games and maybe a tender hamstring.
And yeah, I don't know if they would put you know, Ramsey,
and I'm Ramsey is gonna want them, That's for sure.
I would think, say you want them, And there's there's
the school of thoughts certainly that that's something you could do.
(24:33):
I don't know if Joey even I don't know. I
always get maybe I'm too simple about these things. You know,
Joey's on the Ian, not the Jefferson Small by any
stretch of the imagination. But you know, I don't see
like Joey is the matchup for him necessarily. But I
mean the Steelers don't always Sometimes they revert to that
or that, you know, the follow around, uh situation for
(24:55):
the for Thover's here. But yeah, I mean jeff Jefferds.
I mean they play Chase twice a year two and
I think those who are kind of you know, kind
of head and shoulders on their own tier. And like
I said, they had the match up with Chase all
the time, and you see hints from that, but yeah,
it's a whole nother level in terms of star player,
and I know they're not a quarterback and everything else.
And he hasn't been quite as productive these first three
(25:17):
weeks as he as you think of him, but he's
still probably you know, if you pull a pull, he's
certainly a lot of votes the game's best receiver, that's
for sure.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Chris, I guess kind of maybe similar maybe same church,
different pew to the question that Matt just asked you
about Pepper's Are we seeing a little bit of a
shift in Cole Holcombe maybe getting a bigger share of
the load over Peyton Wilson. Is that something you expect
to continue or was maybe not just a function of
Sunday's game plan in New England.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yeah, I kind of wonder about in New England in
terms of, you know, you could deploy this sort of
match up specific And that's what I'd probably have said
a month ago if they knew, once they established that
Holcombe was you know, full health. I guess they knew that.
But back to being at least however quose to the player,
he was before the injury or the player. Maybe he
(26:09):
would argue he is the same player once they established
that and the durability he got through they rent them
up and whether that was intentional from the start or not.
But no snaps to was it thirteen snaps to half
the snaps this past game? And now there is a
confidence with him. Of course he made a play early
on on Sunday, of course, and I think he legitimately
has impressed. Mean hear Mike Thomas kind of went on
(26:31):
and on about him today in terms of and remember
they signed him. It's like I don't forget if I
forget who, I tell what, talk to who about now?
But there was a maybe Patrick Queen's not here if
Kulkomb doesn't get hurt. And you know he was supposed
to be kind of their answer and inside linebacker three
years ago when he signed the three year contract with
the Steelers, so they obviously had an eye for him
(26:52):
and what he could do. And you know, let's face it,
I mean, Peyton Wilson hadn't been you could say been terrible,
but you know, not exactly stood out and maybe taking
that next step that you thought. I mean the first
game he played every snap. I think maybe that was
an ideal world where him and Queen play are every down.
Linebackers are every down, you know, depending on how you
wanted to do your safeties and all that too. So
(27:14):
and I think the struggles against the run if that's
what hokem is so whether it's macho specific, I mean,
I would think it'll probably follow into maybe we see
like it was last year, Landon Roberts and Peyton Wilson
and how they divide up that labor and then who
you call the starter? You call the starter, I guess,
and might be the first snap and what personnel package
is out there or whatever. But we'll probably go back
(27:36):
to that, and then you know, I guess that is
the expense of Peyton Wilson being that every down guy
that you.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
The Stewards envision. I'm sure he envision. When the season started, Chris,
what'd you think of the first round pick Derek Harmon's
debut And is there a lot of buzz and optimism
around the team that you've been You've noticed?
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Yeah, I mean you can't right away right his first
was the second and third snap. He popped right away.
He played I think more than I certainly I thought
he'd played for his first game, and I thought even
maybe they might do the thing, and that might have
been desperation is probably a strong word, but they need
They needed him out there, I think right. And I
(28:15):
thought maybe to be like a ramp up for last
week he was limited this week, he'd make his debut
even but the fact that he only had one full
practice and they put him out there, I think it's
another sign of how much they believe in him for
being a rookie. And what you know, we used. You
were there of a camp. Of course you saw him
and practice and everything. I think he does pop of
course the pedigree and the tape from room last year
and everything, and like I said, they do need some
(28:38):
more of that. And yeah, I would expect again just
from sitting out. He didn't practice for three weeks and
hasn't played. He didn't get a live game his first
NFL game this past week, expect him to get better.
And seeing how he kind of burst on the scene
there and in the first half of that first quarter
and then he kind of maybe plateaued a little bit.
Maybe you could see that for longer sustain period. So yeah,
(28:58):
I think it might be the start, you know, knocking wood.
If you're a Steeler fan or whatever to see declare, yeah,
it might be sort of of a long career this
past Sunday and heading forward.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Chris Adamski with US here covers the Steelers for the trip.
He's also now part of our Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers' Audio network Family. Chris, I want to ask
you just kind of about the the vibe with this
game ahead down there on the south side and around
the facility. I thought Mike Tomlin did a good job
(29:28):
of laying out why this game is so important, what
it means to the organization, what it means to the
Rooney family, what it would have meant to the ambassador,
and how much he'll be thinking about him when they
get over there. But at the same time, this is
business as usual. This is another game. It's a regular
season game, one out of seventeen where they need to
take care of business. How Like, how realistically are they
(29:51):
going to be able to walk that tightrope this week
of being excited, you know, having to get on a
flight a Thursday night over to Dublin and all the
pomp and circumstance that will come at this game, the
NFL's first regular season game in Dublin at a historic
stadium like Croke Park, with over eighty thousand people that
are gonna be there. What's the vibe like, what's the
(30:12):
kind of trying to again walk that that tightrope, that
razor thin margin of recognizing that this game is a
big deal, but maybe also just treating it like it's
any other regular season game.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
You know, some of the players, you talk to them,
it's definitely a unique experience for them.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
I mean, what is it.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
I guess Hayward would have been part of the team
when they went to Dublin. There's probably a couple of
veterans that they've had, so many veterans come in that
probably made a couple of games or two somewhere. I'm
sure Ramsey because Jacksonville always plays over in London and
all that. So there.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Yeah, I know dk DK played a game in Germany,
I believe when he was at the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Yeah, so you got some of the guys, but all
the younger guys that this is, you know, a unique opportunity.
Even I mean TJ. Watson in the league for nine years,
he hasn't been able to be a part of something
like this, And yeah, the whole Ireland thing, I thought
it was pretty neat today Mike Tomlin talking about the
Rooney or the Ambassador Rooney and mister Rooney and that
family and what it means and how they sort of
(31:12):
they like to and the players that come here, you
could tell that. I think that's true because a lot
of them do kind of talk about and everybody knows
the Steelers history of being in Super Bowls and all that,
but I do feel like every time the new veteran comes,
they often reference that. So I'm sure they have been
sort of, you know, talked to about it, or maybe
they ask about I don't know, or you know, they
see something. But it does get right. I don't think
(31:33):
it's just lip service when they're talking about that. And yeah,
I mean, you guys knew mister Rooney would have been
really cool for him to be part of something and
how much Ireland meant to him and means of the
family and everything. And it took a while, it feels like,
for all these international games from Ireland to get a
game period. But you got to think, if you know,
the Steelers connection and the Rooney family connection, maybe there
(31:53):
isn't a game Iraad, maybe there's another country in Europe
or whatever it might be. The places they've been and everything,
so you got all that up. It is pretty neat,
and I think it will be an experience. I do
wonder if in terms of keeping a business trip right,
the fact that they're leaving Thursday night and not maybe
earlier in the week, I wonder if that's I mean,
(32:15):
there's not gonna much time to They're not gonna be
any tourism really by the players, and you know, by
the time they touch down and get sleep and practice
that first they all of a sudden, it's the day
before a game, you know, when you get your meetings
and everything else. So there really isn't much you know,
I would think in terms of the schedule, just thinking
of it myself, it's kind of frenzy. Before you know what,
they're playing a game before you know it's back home again.
So in the sense of focusing on the game, it
(32:38):
sounds like maybe that's part of the intentionality of choosing
to leave when they did. And I think the players
really are going to have to just by the nature
of things, will come back them fast. Friday practice Saturday,
we'll walk through meetings and all that. Before you know
it will be playing a game and they won't even
really register them kind of that in terms of the
routine and what they're doing and prepare for it.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
So the Steelers have a winning record, know that. But
we also know and all our listeners know that there
are a lot of areas that still need work, and
the biggest concern for me that it won't get fixed
or might just not be ever a strength this year
is a still running game. Do you have I'm not
saying it won't, it's just the one I feel the
(33:19):
least confident will come around. Do you agree?
Speaker 4 (33:24):
Yeah, the wort question, it's crazy, it's weird. Well I
shouldn't say it's crazy or weird, but it's a This
might sound like a dichotomy or something here, but I
kind of feel better about Jaalen Warren as an every
down running back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I don't
(33:46):
know if I would have necessarily I wanted to see
it at least right I think the way we I've
talked about it is with Warren is I'm not saying
he can't do it, but there's going to be a
little trepidation until I start seeing you know, and and
and to be fair, I was just gonna say, in
a situation where you wouldn't lean on Najie Harrison in
the past, where you get an early lead and then
you and then you're running more. But that's that's kind
(34:07):
of what happened last week, and it didn't really work
out too well in terms of the middle part of
that game, whenever you traditionally would want to lean on
that style of running or that that style running game.
And yeah, you know, it's funny because you asked earlier
and I didn't really answer that part of your question
about that the team being excited about Derek Harmon and
where I'm going with this is I was going to
(34:28):
I was gonna answer that in the affirmative, Yes, I
really get the sense from the coaching staff and the
teammates about that. But then the way I was gonna
but then I was going to sort of college it
by saying I felt the same genuine I mean, I
get their first round picks and all that, and that
that's that's a read that's part of the reason why
is that pedigree, But I felt a genuine sort of
like wow, this faw a Ton is just gonna blow
people away. This is going to be you know, he's great.
(34:49):
Look at the way he moves. He's gonna just really
hit the ground running and be you know, a high
level starter immediately. And and you know, over the first
three games it hasn't been a meeting. Now, that doesn't
mean it's gonna happen, not not gonna happen, or you
of course you given up on him. He's anything like
that at all. I'm just saying that he hasn't stood
out that that's been kind of a I guess something
that I almost penciled in is like, oh, even though
he played one NFL game right that people were so
(35:12):
high on him that, okay, right, tackle was fine, that's
gonna be great. You know, center's great. And at the
same time you're dealing with all those guys. I mean,
what Fraser's now at what twenty career starts whatever? You know,
mccormicks did sixteen career starts and fallow Tons at four
career starts. So you go up into roder toonese. How
many does he have?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
What thirty?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Maybe? So you're going up and down this and there's
still a very young offensive wire other than your left
guard of course, and that's also been you know, another
thing where I kind of oh, he's say, I'm all
those fine penciled in and that hasn't worked out either.
Now there's a track record there unless you start to
worry about and being you know, whether it be the
injury catching up with him or get in age and
(35:52):
you got to pedigree with the other four essentially, So
I still think it can be okay. But but yeah,
like like you put it, there's a point where you
know that it is you were three weeks in. After
one week, well it's one week sample size two two games, Okay,
Now you're three games, and so if things think are
on for their game or two, there's no longer small
sample size to explain this away. It's kind of they
(36:13):
are who they are at that point, right.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Yeah, And two point eight yards per rush attempt in
the first three games is certainly not paint a pretty picture.
Kris Damski, co host of the Steelers Blitz here on
the Steelers Audio Network, covers the Black and Gold for
the trib Buzz. Thank you for the time, partner as always,
and we'll talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
I want the pleasure guys see you.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Then there he is Chris Adamski, you know before I
cut him off there dropped his call there. Should ask him,
you know he he likes to wear those Irish caps.
That's kind of like one of the looks. Should ask
him where to get a good Irish cap over there
and Dublin. Maybe I'll text him to get that information
one of our us out. I'm sure it's probably like
(36:54):
finding in French fries on a sandwich in Pittsburgh, It's
probably not too difficult to find yourself an Irish cap
over When we returned to close down the first hour
a little Tuesday rewind some maybe final or extra observations
after rewatching the Steelers game yesterday. We'll get into those
and maybe kind of put the final pin in the
Patriots conversation before all eyes fully turned to Ireland and
(37:18):
those Minnesota vikings. West Euler, Matt Williams and it's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
It's Tuesday Rewind Time. It's a very simple concept with
a catchy name. It's just some final thoughts about the
Steelers previous game. You know, we've had a chance to
do some rewatch and some deeper dives into it at
this point, Matt, quite simply, I do feel like we've
done a pretty good job combing over all the details
(38:11):
of that win in New England, just because we know
how quickly we're gonna have to turn the page here
this week, and kind of how little time we had
to get into the weeds and into the forest of
that game. But kind of final thing to kick around
for you. And we touched on this a little bit
in the opening segment, but wanted to get back to it.
I think they've found their ideal base alignment on defense. Hayward,
(38:35):
A Quala, Harmon, Do you agree?
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Yeah, I don't know if they agree. I mean, that
might leave Benton a little out in the cold because
equally only played thirteen to fifteen snaps something in that neighborhood.
But I think.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Harmon and way a Black will still get more snaps
than a Quala. But that's ideal base formation right now?
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Is those three me too? I agree with you. I
think they probably agree with us, and I think that's
the best way to do it. We know that their
base three four isn't going to be used exclusively or right.
It's not like a starter in basketball, and you ring
the six guy off the bench because you know, and
the nickel and dime could easily and probably will be
(39:24):
used even more. But I think that's a great way
to do it, is if those three are there when
you need three of them out there more often than not.
And Cam could take a breather still or I mean
all these guys could Andy of Benton and Black quote
off the bench. I know it doesn't work that way now.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
You cook it pretty good players the sideline, right.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
You know, like when they devised this thing, we had
similar things in mind, but I didn't count on as
much for mcwala. He's outkicked my thoughts for him, and
certainly when they drafted a Black, that's a nice pick,
but I didn't look at him as a regular contributor.
I mean, he's better than I thought too, no doubt,
you know, Benton to me, I expected more from this point,
(40:10):
but I'm hoping his role can be more conducive to
what he does well. I mean, if he's in the
so when you have the fore man front and there's
only two of those people out there. You'd love it
to be Hayward. But if it isn't and it's Benton
and Harmon, that's not bad either though, you know. I
mean if if he's your if you're your early down
(40:32):
your three four stuff is you know, the more important role,
and Cam's only out there some on you know, Nickel
and Dime. Okay, you know how it just gives you
a lot of flexibility. There's a lot of options there.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
And that's what we envisioned. Yeah, when we all gathered
in Latrobe, but the end of July.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Exactly right, I thought it was a really deep D
line group, you know.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I thought it was a very deep group. And that
was even before I think we all had the expectations
for ya Black that we have now. Yeah, you know,
like his expectation have grown in that time period. We
were all obviously high on Harmon and Hayward, and I
think Benton not maybe not quite to that extent, but
certainly as well too. This is I think how you
(41:14):
start to get to the defense that we're all optimistic
they can become is by obviously starting to win more
in the trenches and as you get healthier there as
you have a lot of bodies to rotate in and
out and stay fresh there to help your rookies who
were trying to get up to.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Speed, rookies getting more experience.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Yeah, keeping Cam Hayward from you know, running all the
tread off his tires early in the season a lot
early on. It's a great it's the ideal balance that
I think they're starting to develop them.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, And this was their vision when the draft was over,
when when they went to camp, and you even had
a Lowry in there who was kind of an innings
eater type guy, and Logan Lee is a name we
haven't mentioned. They lost louder Milk and frankly, I didn't
know if Loudermilk would make the team. Whenever the ninety
man are, you know, the more guys involved. So I
(42:09):
think this has been the vision all along, you know,
and it's a good one. And they've invested a lot
in the cornerback position. They've made a traded safety, they've
added some safeties. They've been aggressive on the second level
as well. But the foundation of this d and it
always will be, is the front line, you know, including
Watt high Smith, Herbig I mean, the people on the
(42:30):
line of scrimmage. That goes back to hate. It goes
back to Joe Green, as I say, it goes back
to the Hampton and Smith and Lloyd and those guys.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
But it goes back to Joe Grady, the Steel Curtain baby. Yeah,
one of the great nicknames in the history of sports.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
So I think that's a real promising place to start
for what the defense is not starting in this game
and going forward is at least that line should be
really good. I mean, I think it's still the best
defensive line of the league. I know that that that
that took a little bit of shrapnel, you know you.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Did, I mean, is there for that one?
Speaker 3 (43:08):
Yeah, But it's especially the run defense stuff.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
I think you and I have been saying this since
July as well too. There's clearly a plan.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
There's clearly a plan now.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Like everything, Mike Tyson, everything, it's great to everyone has
a plan too. You get punched in the face or
punch in the mouth, right, you deal with some injuries,
you deal with some guys not quite performing the way
you thought they were going to right out of the gate.
But I think the plan has always been there. Starting
to come together, maybe took a week or two longer
than we all want it, but that to me.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
And Tomlin's going to be good at adjusting on the
I mean, anyone that's coached over ten years as a
head coach has dealt. I mean, every team comes in
with a plan and none of it ever goes.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
And then you get punched in the mouth, right right,
you get yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, and then he knows how to adapt as when
he els anyone out there. I mean, you can complain
he should go for it more and fourth down. You know,
you gotta have your complaints about the head coach, and
sure that's fine, but understanding how the league works and
what all unforeseen things that are coming your way. And
there's a lot more coming and most of it's bad.
(44:10):
You know, I always say most of it's bad. I mean,
some of it might be a pleasant something or other. Wow,
romand Wilson turned into a great player.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Wow, he's way ahead of the dule.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
But most of it's bad. That's coming down the Popes.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Mostly you're gonna have to navigate the first season without
Joey Porter Junior and Deshaun Ellie.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
Yeah, you know, Benton's not a nose or you know whatever,
it is, or man, they's got three zero line injuries
in the same game. What are we gonna do? You
know that stuff happens all the time.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
It certainly does. But I think they are going to
be stronger for some of those setbacks on the defensive
line in the early season, and hopefully that really continues
and carries over and they build upon it Sunday against
the Vikings, because that would go a long way.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Come up with bye would be real nice. You get
a long stretch after that buy. I don't love the
early buye.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
I don't either. I do love getting to do it.
I love getting the buy when we're coming back from
Dublin because we're all going to be wiped out for
our own personal sake. But in terms of how it
falls in the schedule.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
That post buy is not going to be an easy run,
and it's gonna be a long run.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It's going to be a gauntlet ye and yeah, hopefully
their positioning themselves adequately. Foresaid Gauntlet hour in the books
Another Hour Ago, West ruler Matt Williamson a little fantasy
football focus when we return to start hour number two.
It is the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers audio Network,
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. While Shuoler and Matt Williamson with you for
the next two hours here on a Tuesday where Matt,
things are happening quickly. Yeah, we got the Mike Tomlin
press conference in the books that we'll get to here momentarily.
We got a thrilling Monday night football game last night
that we have to discuss at some point, and we
(00:43):
also partner. I mean, just a hair over twenty four
hours from now, you and I will be on a
flight to Dublin. And yeah, things are really picking up.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, and then there's things happening around the league like
Jackson dart Is now, I mean we're already benching quarterbacks,
and then like play callers in Tennessee are getting their jobs.
I mean zher and three. People start panicing, and Steelers
say what you want. I mean, they're in pretty good
shape at two and one, and Raven's losing last night
burrows out. You start looking around the vision not such
(01:11):
such a bad place to be in right now?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
No, it is certainly not. And with that as well
too some I think maybe you could say optimistic injury
renew injury news, injury updates, you know, painted by Mike
Tomlin and his.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Any of it. So I can't wait to hear.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Well, here we go. So this part not surprising. I
think everybody saw this coming. But Alex Highsmith has been
has been ruled out. He will not play Sunday in Dublin.
We all know that he avoided ir which is good.
But I think also when you look at kind of
the timeline of there's the bye week after this, give
him as much time as possible sense hopefully we'll see
him in mid October, you know, maybe week six when
(01:51):
when Cleveland rolls the town after the bye week.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Now, right, with Watt and Cam, I thought Herbig was
the best player in the field.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Outstanding.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, I mean I was not a big Will Campbell
fan coming out of LSU rookie, but he was still
a top five pick or whatever and six whatever he
ended up going, and that kid had a long day
with Herbig, Yes, was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And I wonder what the kind of you know, if
this was Pat's Nation Radio, if we're WEEI, which is
the huge sports station and in Boston where they all
talk about Chadda and the Sacks. I wonder how they
were talking about Will Campbell yesterday and today. But yes,
I think you got to give her Big a ton
of credit. I think that was a ideal match up
(02:34):
for him, and I think he feasted. He certainly took advantage.
When you combine that with how Cam Heyward played, how TJ.
Watt played, I don't think there's any surprises as to
why they were able to force so many turnovers, get
after the quarterbacks so many times.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
The defensive front looked like the fierce defensive front we
thought it could be absolutely and even without Highsmith. But
I mean, her BIG's an unbelievable replacement. You also got
to throw Harmon back.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I was going to say, nice first look at the
first round pick as well too.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, and Benton and Hayward could play a little less.
You know, I think they're trusting why Black a little
bit more. Same with that Walle I was going to say,
you know, I'm one of my guys.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
You know, I think they've kind of started to figure
out how they're deploying that defensive line, that defensive front.
What they're going to look like at the base and
it's a very encouraging start. And then yet you get
hopefully Alex Highsmith back sometime in early October, and and
then you really feel like you're you're cooking with something
there with that group. But I don't think that surprises
anybody that he's ruled out for this Sunday. I think,
(03:32):
in fact, we probably all expected that for Alex Highsmith.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
The game after the bye. I think it'll be a conversation.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Exactly right that that home game against Cleveland the second
weekend in October is I think when we really start
to hope to get some better news about Alex high Smith.
Questionable have a chance to play. According to Mike Tomlin,
the two that we've been discussing in this regard for
the last couple of weeks to Shawn Elliott with the knee,
Joey Porter Junior with the hamstring. Both will have to
wait and see how they progress throughout the week. Okay,
(03:59):
but they have a chance to play. According to Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
We've said over and over that Elliott, even since he's
got here, we've talked about how he's a glue guy.
He's more important than you think. Then they gave him
another contract. I mean, he was a great free agent signing.
But even just him being out this year, middle of
the field defense in the passing game has been problematic.
Communication two games ago, not this past one was problematic.
(04:24):
I think he's useful that way. The run defense has
not been great start to finish, and he's a good
run defender for his position, very important porter as well.
I don't know what we have dug into the Vikings.
We've got lots and lots of time. We got a
lot of hours from overseas going forward to talk about
the vikings.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But six hours of programming just you and I. Six
hours of programming from Dublin.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
That's awesome. But Addison is back this week, and justin
Jefferson's a total superstar, you know. So every corner you
can get, sign me up. And they start traded for theeling.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, they sure did. They've got talented playmakers. They're getting
healthier on the offensive line as well too, with Kelly
and Darisol and so yeah, we will have obviously a
lot on that as we roll along. And then finally
from Mike Tomlin expected to play so probable if you
will is Darius Slay with that leg issue that we
(05:19):
saw him dealing with, had to exit for a couple series,
was able to come back into the game. As you know,
and I'm sure most of the listeners know, that's usually
a good sign. You know, when you're injured and you
don't return, it's not a great indicator for your following
week when you're injured, but you're able to get back
in there, that's that's more encouraging.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
And so we never know if something blows up after
you're dying exactly right, So you can rule Alex high
Smith out, you can list Joey Porter Junior into Sean
Elliott is questionable, and then you could have Darius Slay
as probable.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's the latest on the injury front as we sit
here on a Tuesday afternoon.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And fortunately, I think we brought this up yesterday. There
was no injuries of note suffered last week, so there's
nothing new to add to the slate. So all these
guys are getting back at it. That's good news, Yeah,
real good news.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
It is.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
It absolutely is. And some other things from the Mike
Tomlin press conference that I wanted to dive into with
you kind of a I don't know, maybe a tale
of two different stories right out of the gate. At
his weekly press conference, Mike Tomlin discussed the need to
be better in possession down situations on both sides of
the ball. Okay, you know, the third and fourth downs
(06:27):
for the defense, third down conversions for the offense.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
The defense was night and day. I mean, early downs
were it's awesome. Late downs was.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Bad, real bad.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Is that a fluke or is it going to be
a trend? Let's hope not.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Absolutely. The other thing that he discussed, though, was the
while the offense has had too many lulls. You know,
they had those six straight possessions I think where it
was either three and out or a turnover. He also
talked about how seven for eight in the red zone,
they are finiting when they get down there into the
rest zone, they're finishing. They're not you're not trotting Chris
Boswell out onto the field like you were doing entirely
(06:59):
too often last season.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
A wonderful safety blanket. But I don't want to pull
that blanket out if I.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Don't have to, you know, so kind of some you know,
some pointing of Mike Tomlin there of Hey, I want
the possession stuff to get move possession down stuff to
get moving in the opposite direction. I want the red
zone success for both units, offense and defense to continue.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, and again, red zone's really difficult. And we've talked
about this quite a bit. They've gone a handful of
years of being at the bottom of the league in
red zone offense and.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Since Antonio, since that twenty eighteen season with Ben and
Brown and James Conner, Yeah, they were like second or
third in red zone percentage of that year. They were
one of the better teams in the league in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Since twenty nineteen, it's gone south. And in twenty nineteen,
at least it was understandable because you lost Ben Roethlisberger
six quarters into the season.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
That one's fine, But that one I can put aside.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
You know, since that hasn't been the exception to the rule.
That's been a trend that continued for way too long.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
With a different quarterback every year, multiple offensive coordinators. I
thought Wilson would help more than he did. You know,
I thought it'd be better last year. But maybe it's
a fluke and maybe, you know, Thanksgiving, we're talking about
how they're not getting the red zone anymore. But this
is really really promising, and I think the quarterback change
has a ton to do with it.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
A ton to do with it, a ton. And then lastly,
Matt from the Mike Tomlin press conference, specifics that I
wanted to get to with you. As obviously as you
can imagine, Mike Tomlin was asked multiple times and gave
a few different answers just about the magnitude of this
game Sunday in Dublin. How you navigate knowing that this
(08:32):
is different than a typical game, but that also it's
one out of seventeen, it's the same regular season opportunity,
while it is different, while it is on a bigger stage,
while it is in a different country, while it means
so much to the history of the Steelers organization and
the Rooney family decades in decades in the making culminating
(08:53):
in this moment, making sure to acknowledge that, but also
staying business as usual, also staying focused on the task. Imallenge, Man,
I imagine that's a real challenge.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I would think it's a challenge for Minnesota, oh of course.
But for the Steelers, again.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
They're kind of the guest, you know, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Everybody knows how much Ireland means to the Rooney family
in the Steelers organization. Everybody knows again how many decades
in the making this first regular season There's been preseason
games there before, but this first regular season NFL game
in Dublin and the Steelers being the host team in
the history of the Rooney family in the organization. The
(09:33):
magnitude of that is undeniable.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
No question.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
But you also have to proceed as if this is
another regular season game. We're trying to get to three
and one, We're trying to head into our bye week
with a win in some momentum.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And just x's and o's and the team you're playing
this is not an easy team to prepare for a
challenge at all. I mean, the offense is loaded with playmakers.
You mentioned the offensive line, They rebuilt the interior of
it and is now back where they wanted to be.
Darris saw. Their best player was out for a while.
The quarterbacks only played one game, you know. I mean,
(10:06):
it's not like you've got a lot of tape on
him in the Vikings uniform. And the defense is the
hardest one in the league to prepare for. I mean
it's it's a nightmare. I mean, Flores is a mad scientist.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
He sure is, and you know that's something that obviously
we'll talk. Let's talk a little bit about that now.
We will do a ton of Viking specific talk from
Dublin on Friday and Saturday with our programming. But Matt,
it's a defense that is multiple, It's a defense that
can disguise and confuse the opposition. And you know, we'll
(10:39):
do again, we'll do matchup specific segments later in the week.
But I just think on the surface, Aaron Rodgers and
his game brain against Brian Floores and his game brain
is maybe at the top of the list as the
you know, the the top of the fight card is
the main event in this one.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
One hundred agree. So every Monday night, well actually this week,
we're doing it a week a day early. What I
do that nowadays is we usually record him on Thursdays,
but we're doing this one on Wednesday with Missy and
Rob and we do the matchup show basically, you know,
and we each so there's three matchups on each side
(11:18):
of the ball. We each pick one. And this year
I've just been sending a group email with six or
seven ideas on both sides of the ball or whatever
comes to mind, and if they like them, great, If
they don't, they don't first thing I wrote down Rogers
ver Flora. Yeah, like, if those two don't pick that one,
please picking that one.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I always let those guys pick first, ladies first, you know,
and then I'll take the next thing out. But I
am we are absolutely talking about that on tomorrow show, Yes,
no question.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
And so that to me is a real kind of
you know, game within the game big time is what
Flora is, How Flora tries to confuse Rogers, how he's
able to counter that like he does so well at
the line of scrimmage, and how that plays out over
the course of four quarters. One thing that worries me
in that regard Matt that I think we have to mention,
and I saw you tweeting this this morning. It's a
(12:10):
Vikings defense that was just hey, had a had a
fantastic performance top the bottom against the Bengals this past.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Second oh woah.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
But really in limiting what the Bengals were able to
do on the ground and forcing them to be one
dimensional and forcing Jake Browning to drop back and try
and beat you, And that's obviously a very difficult proposition
when it's not Joe Burrow that you're that you're that
you're making do Thatdgers two touchdowns and yeah, Chase brown
(12:40):
had three yards on ten carries. I think it was.
The Bengals right now are the only team in the
NFL averaging less than the Steelers in terms of yards
per rush. That to me is a big concern with
what Minnesota's defense was just able to do and completely
eliminating Cincinnati's run game as an element for that offense.
(13:02):
I obviously have a lot more faith in Aaron Rodgers
than I do Jake Browning to be able to counter that,
But you also cannot put that entirely on Aaron Rodgers
and get into that one dimensional phase where Brian Flure
has really has your right where he wants you.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
And I wouldn't mind borrowing Higgins and Chase too. I
mean it's not like they don't have weapons or Browning
has not had any success at this level. But I
mean the Bengals, not just in this game, have struggled
to run the ball all year, you know. I mean,
as you mentioned, they're right with the Steelers in lowest
yards per carry thus far through three games, and Brown's
had a good rookie year. But you're right, I mean
(13:38):
they totally wiped out that portion of it, and then
they got the lead and they had to keep throwing,
and the game script didn't help Cincinnati, and the snowball
just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and turned
into an avalanche. I mean it was a disaster for Cincinnati,
Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And part of that is because they are down their quarterback,
and when you rely on your quarterback as much as
they do, that is what it is. But an another
part of that was just how confused, you know, how
just Man had those guys in a blender the Vikings
defense did for the entire course of that contest.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
I mean, the Vikings should have came to the line
on offense, taking every snap and just throwing it in
the ground and still won that game. The defense beat them.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Alone, exactly right, exactly right. That's a very good point
by you of how many points the defense was able
just to put up on the board in.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Their very opportunistic, very aggressive, extremely well coached and just
highly unorthodoxy like they'll do things like remember like when
Paula Malu would come like close to the line of
scrimmage and you know, look like he's blitzing, and he
was one of the only guys that ever had done
this ever, and then to sprint down and back into
like a cover two environment.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
But then every once in a while he'd hop over
the line.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I mean, they do that kind of stuff, like stuff
you don't see. I saw a clip the other day
of both safeties coming down, or the safeties and the
linebackers just codally exchanged. You know, like you're not sure
what these guys responsibilities are and there's holes in it,
but it's hard to tell what you're gonna get sure.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, sure, that's and again that's where you love having
Aaron Rodgers as part of this. I mean, I don't
think you could have a better quarterback in the NFL
right now. In terms of the above the next stuff
above the shoulder stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
It's really phenomenal and thriving.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
To kind of counter what the Vikings have been doing
early on in the season and having people in a
blender and having people confused.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Even with his experience, knowledge and smarts, there'll be one
or two coverages he probably has never seen before because
it's almost like they make stuff on the fly, correct,
I mean, because they don't. They don't really even fear
having a hole in the zone. They just want to
cause confusion sometimes. You know, they're like the Joker, you know,
they's one chaos, introduce.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
A little chaos into the system, and then kind of
finally mad. As we wrap up this opening, uh, this
opening segment, this opening salvo here. I liked hearing Mike
Tomlin pretty quickly into his opening statement as well too,
crediting the kickoff team and the kickoff coverage good and
how that was much improved against New England, keeping them
(16:17):
inside the thirty, making them play on a larger, longer field,
something that they were not doing against the Jets and
the Seahawks. And in a game against an opponent like
the Vikings where that minutia those margins are gonna matters
to be big time.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Yeah, that's that's another It's not a trend yet, right,
they kind of reversed the trend of what we had
seen in the first two games. I want to see
them continue to lock that down and and don't give
the Vikings any extra inches.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
No, that's huge. I didn't realize he brought that up.
I'm glad we mentioned it first. We brought it up yesterday.
I think we almost slipped our minds, like, oh, the
kick offs are a lot better too, So now keep
that up for sure. You can't Jets had too many
or Patriots had too many long drives, held the ball
too long, you know, I mean, you can't give them
short fields, or they may have been way different a
(17:05):
game too.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, absolutely you had. I think it was a twelve
play drive and a seventeen play drive for New England
that resulted in zero points on each of those. Rare man,
it's nice that you could get it done in that
in that stage, at that moment, but you don't want
to bank on that.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Oh you're holding on for life.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
You're like the scared kid on the roller coaster, just
hoping this ride and right, get me off of this thing.
But that's kind of your news of the day, your
your Tomlin news. Your updates there mostly positive, mostly positive
on that forefront, and hopefully hopefully this is the week
as again the Vikings are starting to get some reinforcements
in the injury and suspension department, particularly on their offense. Yeah, yeah,
(17:45):
I'd like to be saying the same thing about the
Steelers defense by the time we get to you know,
to Saturday and Sunday and get to Dublin and Croke
Park and everything out there.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Addison coming back, Kelly, as you mentioned huge, these are.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Really strong on the defensive side of the ball for
that too.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
I don't know what we'll get into the stuff once
we get overseas, but Hardgrave got banged up in this game.
I'm curious what his status is or where where they're
at on him.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
We'll get first injury reports from both teams tomorrow and
that's something obviously that we'll keep an eye on, and
we'll address reminder, no Drive shows on Wednesday or Thursday, right,
but we will have a three hour show Friday and
a three hour show Saturday to make up for you.
Oh yeah, certainly. I texted our buddy Bob Labriola and
(18:30):
told him he was off the hook on this Thursday
because there's no Thursday, no Thursday edition of the Drive.
But hopefully we'll be able to nab some fun guests
while we're over there. A yeah, maybe some of the
DV morning show people that'll all be there, Missy Max,
maybe some other some Mother Steelers alumni that are gonna
be floating around. I do think Friday Show I want
(18:51):
to say it is. I think Pursuda is scheduled to
join us for a little bit of time as well too,
so we're gonna have a lot of fun. It's all
gonna happen really quick, but plenty to get to today.
Obviously before we all I almost set sail off. I
hope we're not taking a boat. That would take a
long time before we all fly off to the Emerald
Isle and get ready for a big one at Croke
Park in Dublin. Our buddy Chris Adanski covers the Steelers
(19:14):
for the Trib co hosts the Steelers Blitz here on
Steelers Nation Radio. He's going to join us on the
other side some more updates from down on the South Side,
and we'll get his thoughts on the challenge that these
Vikings are going to present this weekend to the Steelers.
All of that and more when we return West Yuler,
Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
A busy week for your Pittsburgh Steelers. Plenty of moving
and shaking in terms of the usual day to day operations,
but of course this operation is picking up and flying
across the pond to Dublin for perhaps one of the
more meaningful regular season games in franchise history. Joining us
now to discuss covers the Steelers for the trib the
(20:23):
co host of the Steelers Blitz with our guy Tom Opferman.
It's Chris Adamski. Buzz. Thank you for taking the time.
As always, we have heard, you know, a chance to
play for Deshaun Elliott and Joey Porter Junior this Sunday. Obviously,
for both of those guys and for the Steelers secondary
as a whole, getting them back would be massive, I think,
(20:45):
particularly against this talented Vikings offense as well too. I
know it's still early in this process and we got
to see them you know, practice and their availability and everything.
But how are you feeling about the chances to see
Joey Porters Junior and Sean Elliott this Sunday at Croke Park.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Yeah, the Elliott thing is a lot more kind of
linear and more predictable in terms of his injury. The
border injury has been sort of lingering for a while,
is to. I mean, from the very beginning, they sort of,
I don't say downplayed it, but it didn't get announce
as an injury might I mean, we went through Mike
Tomlin after the game said it was kind of precaution.
Then he said two days later, that Tuesday, two weeks
(21:24):
ago now that he was optimistic in play. And then
then and he didn't practice at all. He didn't practice since,
So I mean, you know, with the hamstring thing, that's
probably more, but it's harder to kind of predict or
look at or see how he reacts to it. At
least with Elliott's injury. If he's assuming he does practice
and soon there's no setbacks, that seemed a little more predictable.
And if he's on track too, you would think that
(21:46):
there's a better chance he would play. And I'm just
like I said, I was saying before week one, I
was fascinated and I was going to focus on watching
how the Seaers deployed their secondary and all the moving pieces,
and then and then kind of big names and that
the players they had have and and since I said that,
they added a whole nother one into real Peppers, And
but we have we kind of got the privd of
seeing how they wanted to or intended to or planned
(22:09):
to deploy everybody because they have everybody at full health.
So did you get everybody up again? I'll be fascinated
to keep an eye on that, to see exactly how
everybody's using, where they're putting, and how they're put Chris.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
The Elliott situation aside, would it shock you if Peppers
moved past Clark on the depth chart or in the
pecking order. I think he's the better player, and he
certainly runs better.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Yeah, you know, he showed out pretty well there, and yeah,
I would have thought, you know, if you know, Peppers
had been available somehow you know, lay Chel I or
whatever it is, and it's if and if whatever, but
you would think he'd be more of a target to tell,
you know, I don't know whatever happened to New England.
You're all kind of you know, speculation everything, how it
(22:55):
didn't work out in New England, why he was cut.
But I mean Clark was available, you know after camp starting.
There's some injury history there and everything, and Peppers pretty
much almost played as much as Clark did this past
week as well, and that was after what he was,
what eleven days a Steeler at that point, whenever that
that was developed, and he played pretty well. I mean
Clark said shown you know a little bit of splash too,
(23:17):
as you kept this hand on the ball in the
one interception. You have a little little bit more. But
Pepper's he's always been a playmaker. He's the type of
piece that the Steelers like a Mike Toman kind of player,
I think in terms of just that versatility, and he
does make big plays and it sounds like there's that
history there and everything, and he definitely can use him
(23:38):
I deploy him a little bit more freely, if that's what.
Going back to what I said, I'm fascinated to see
how they use everybody if they do. Go back to
if Joey does come back and you have your your
two outside corners more and seeing with him and Ramsey man,
it can be kind of fun the kind of things
they could do with those two and where they put
them and everything.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I guess along those lines. Got Addison coming back this week.
I'm just starting to really dig in the matchup. It's
early in the week, of course, but Jefferson's a nightmare
and then there isn't an answer for him. Do you
think Porter's availability greatly changes the Jefferson plan in any way?
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Yeah? Man, that'd be one thing. He's sitting out for
two and a half games and maybe a tender hamstring.
And yeah, I don't know if they would put you know, Ramsey,
and I'm Ramsey is gonna want them, That's for sure.
I would think, say you want them, And there's there's
the school of thoughts certainly that that's something you could do.
(24:33):
I don't know if Joey even I don't know. I
always get maybe I'm too simple about these things. You know,
Joey's on the Ian, not the Jefferson Small by any
stretch of the imagination. But you know, I don't see
like Joey is the matchup for him necessarily. But I
mean the Steelers don't always Sometimes they revert to that
or that, you know, the follow around, uh situation for
(24:55):
the for Thover's here. But yeah, I mean jeff Jefferds.
I mean they play Chase twice a year two and
I think those who are kind of you know, kind
of head and shoulders on their own tier. And like
I said, they had the match up with Chase all
the time, and you see hints from that, but yeah,
it's a whole nother level in terms of star player,
and I know they're not a quarterback and everything else.
And he hasn't been quite as productive these first three
(25:17):
weeks as he as you think of him, but he's
still probably you know, if you pull a pull, he's
certainly a lot of votes the game's best receiver, that's
for sure.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Chris, I guess kind of maybe similar maybe same church,
different pew to the question that Matt just asked you
about Pepper's Are we seeing a little bit of a
shift in Cole Holcombe maybe getting a bigger share of
the load over Peyton Wilson. Is that something you expect
to continue or was maybe not just a function of
Sunday's game plan in New England.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yeah, I kind of wonder about in New England in
terms of, you know, you could deploy this sort of
match up specific And that's what I'd probably have said
a month ago if they knew, once they established that
Holcombe was you know, full health. I guess they knew that.
But back to being at least however quose to the player,
he was before the injury or the player. Maybe he
(26:09):
would argue he is the same player once they established
that and the durability he got through they rent them
up and whether that was intentional from the start or not.
But no snaps to was it thirteen snaps to half
the snaps this past game? And now there is a
confidence with him. Of course he made a play early
on on Sunday, of course, and I think he legitimately
has impressed. Mean hear Mike Thomas kind of went on
(26:31):
and on about him today in terms of and remember
they signed him. It's like I don't forget if I
forget who, I tell what, talk to who about now?
But there was a maybe Patrick Queen's not here if
Kulkomb doesn't get hurt. And you know he was supposed
to be kind of their answer and inside linebacker three
years ago when he signed the three year contract with
the Steelers, so they obviously had an eye for him
(26:52):
and what he could do. And you know, let's face it,
I mean, Peyton Wilson hadn't been you could say been terrible,
but you know, not exactly stood out and maybe taking
that next step that you thought. I mean the first
game he played every snap. I think maybe that was
an ideal world where him and Queen play are every down.
Linebackers are every down, you know, depending on how you
wanted to do your safeties and all that too. So
(27:14):
and I think the struggles against the run if that's
what hokem is so whether it's macho specific, I mean,
I would think it'll probably follow into maybe we see
like it was last year, Landon Roberts and Peyton Wilson
and how they divide up that labor and then who
you call the starter? You call the starter, I guess,
and might be the first snap and what personnel package
is out there or whatever. But we'll probably go back
(27:36):
to that, and then you know, I guess that is
the expense of Peyton Wilson being that every down guy
that you.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
The Stewards envision. I'm sure he envision. When the season started, Chris,
what'd you think of the first round pick Derek Harmon's
debut And is there a lot of buzz and optimism
around the team that you've been You've noticed?
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Yeah, I mean you can't right away right his first
was the second and third snap. He popped right away.
He played I think more than I certainly I thought
he'd played for his first game, and I thought even
maybe they might do the thing, and that might have
been desperation is probably a strong word, but they need
They needed him out there, I think right. And I
(28:15):
thought maybe to be like a ramp up for last
week he was limited this week, he'd make his debut
even but the fact that he only had one full
practice and they put him out there, I think it's
another sign of how much they believe in him for
being a rookie. And what you know, we used. You
were there of a camp. Of course you saw him
and practice and everything. I think he does pop of
course the pedigree and the tape from room last year
and everything, and like I said, they do need some
(28:38):
more of that. And yeah, I would expect again just
from sitting out. He didn't practice for three weeks and
hasn't played. He didn't get a live game his first
NFL game this past week, expect him to get better.
And seeing how he kind of burst on the scene
there and in the first half of that first quarter
and then he kind of maybe plateaued a little bit.
Maybe you could see that for longer sustain period. So yeah,
(28:58):
I think it might be the start, you know, knocking wood.
If you're a Steeler fan or whatever to see declare, yeah,
it might be sort of of a long career this
past Sunday and heading forward.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Chris Adamski with US here covers the Steelers for the trip.
He's also now part of our Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers' Audio network Family. Chris, I want to ask
you just kind of about the the vibe with this
game ahead down there on the south side and around
the facility. I thought Mike Tomlin did a good job
(29:28):
of laying out why this game is so important, what
it means to the organization, what it means to the
Rooney family, what it would have meant to the ambassador,
and how much he'll be thinking about him when they
get over there. But at the same time, this is
business as usual. This is another game. It's a regular
season game, one out of seventeen where they need to
take care of business. How Like, how realistically are they
(29:51):
going to be able to walk that tightrope this week
of being excited, you know, having to get on a
flight a Thursday night over to Dublin and all the
pomp and circumstance that will come at this game, the
NFL's first regular season game in Dublin at a historic
stadium like Croke Park, with over eighty thousand people that
are gonna be there. What's the vibe like, what's the
(30:12):
kind of trying to again walk that that tightrope, that
razor thin margin of recognizing that this game is a
big deal, but maybe also just treating it like it's
any other regular season game.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
You know, some of the players, you talk to them,
it's definitely a unique experience for them.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
I mean, what is it.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
I guess Hayward would have been part of the team
when they went to Dublin. There's probably a couple of
veterans that they've had, so many veterans come in that
probably made a couple of games or two somewhere. I'm
sure Ramsey because Jacksonville always plays over in London and
all that. So there.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Yeah, I know dk DK played a game in Germany,
I believe when he was at the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Yeah, so you got some of the guys, but all
the younger guys that this is, you know, a unique opportunity.
Even I mean TJ. Watson in the league for nine years,
he hasn't been able to be a part of something
like this, And yeah, the whole Ireland thing, I thought
it was pretty neat today Mike Tomlin talking about the
Rooney or the Ambassador Rooney and mister Rooney and that
family and what it means and how they sort of
(31:12):
they like to and the players that come here, you
could tell that. I think that's true because a lot
of them do kind of talk about and everybody knows
the Steelers history of being in Super Bowls and all that,
but I do feel like every time the new veteran comes,
they often reference that. So I'm sure they have been
sort of, you know, talked to about it, or maybe
they ask about I don't know, or you know, they
see something. But it does get right. I don't think
(31:33):
it's just lip service when they're talking about that. And yeah,
I mean, you guys knew mister Rooney would have been
really cool for him to be part of something and
how much Ireland meant to him and means of the
family and everything. And it took a while, it feels like,
for all these international games from Ireland to get a
game period. But you got to think, if you know,
the Steelers connection and the Rooney family connection, maybe there
(31:53):
isn't a game Iraad, maybe there's another country in Europe
or whatever it might be. The places they've been and everything,
so you got all that up. It is pretty neat,
and I think it will be an experience. I do
wonder if in terms of keeping a business trip right,
the fact that they're leaving Thursday night and not maybe
earlier in the week, I wonder if that's I mean,
(32:15):
there's not gonna much time to They're not gonna be
any tourism really by the players, and you know, by
the time they touch down and get sleep and practice
that first they all of a sudden, it's the day
before a game, you know, when you get your meetings
and everything else. So there really isn't much you know,
I would think in terms of the schedule, just thinking
of it myself, it's kind of frenzy. Before you know what,
they're playing a game before you know it's back home again.
So in the sense of focusing on the game, it
(32:38):
sounds like maybe that's part of the intentionality of choosing
to leave when they did. And I think the players
really are going to have to just by the nature
of things, will come back them fast. Friday practice Saturday,
we'll walk through meetings and all that. Before you know
it will be playing a game and they won't even
really register them kind of that in terms of the
routine and what they're doing and prepare for it.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
So the Steelers have a winning record, know that. But
we also know and all our listeners know that there
are a lot of areas that still need work, and
the biggest concern for me that it won't get fixed
or might just not be ever a strength this year
is a still running game. Do you have I'm not
saying it won't, it's just the one I feel the
(33:19):
least confident will come around. Do you agree?
Speaker 4 (33:24):
Yeah, the wort question, it's crazy, it's weird. Well I
shouldn't say it's crazy or weird, but it's a This
might sound like a dichotomy or something here, but I
kind of feel better about Jaalen Warren as an every
down running back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I don't
(33:46):
know if I would have necessarily I wanted to see
it at least right I think the way we I've
talked about it is with Warren is I'm not saying
he can't do it, but there's going to be a
little trepidation until I start seeing you know, and and
and to be fair, I was just gonna say, in
a situation where you wouldn't lean on Najie Harrison in
the past, where you get an early lead and then
you and then you're running more. But that's that's kind
(34:07):
of what happened last week, and it didn't really work
out too well in terms of the middle part of
that game, whenever you traditionally would want to lean on
that style of running or that that style running game.
And yeah, you know, it's funny because you asked earlier
and I didn't really answer that part of your question
about that the team being excited about Derek Harmon and
where I'm going with this is I was going to
(34:28):
I was gonna answer that in the affirmative, Yes, I
really get the sense from the coaching staff and the
teammates about that. But then the way I was gonna
but then I was going to sort of college it
by saying I felt the same genuine I mean, I
get their first round picks and all that, and that
that's that's a read that's part of the reason why
is that pedigree, But I felt a genuine sort of
like wow, this faw a Ton is just gonna blow
people away. This is going to be you know, he's great.
(34:49):
Look at the way he moves. He's gonna just really
hit the ground running and be you know, a high
level starter immediately. And and you know, over the first
three games it hasn't been a meeting. Now, that doesn't
mean it's gonna happen, not not gonna happen, or you
of course you given up on him. He's anything like
that at all. I'm just saying that he hasn't stood
out that that's been kind of a I guess something
that I almost penciled in is like, oh, even though
he played one NFL game right that people were so
(35:12):
high on him that, okay, right, tackle was fine, that's
gonna be great. You know, center's great. And at the
same time you're dealing with all those guys. I mean,
what Fraser's now at what twenty career starts whatever? You know,
mccormicks did sixteen career starts and fallow Tons at four
career starts. So you go up into roder toonese. How
many does he have?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
What thirty?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Maybe? So you're going up and down this and there's
still a very young offensive wire other than your left
guard of course, and that's also been you know, another
thing where I kind of oh, he's say, I'm all
those fine penciled in and that hasn't worked out either.
Now there's a track record there unless you start to
worry about and being you know, whether it be the
injury catching up with him or get in age and
(35:52):
you got to pedigree with the other four essentially, So
I still think it can be okay. But but yeah,
like like you put it, there's a point where you
know that it is you were three weeks in. After
one week, well it's one week sample size two two games, Okay,
Now you're three games, and so if things think are
on for their game or two, there's no longer small
sample size to explain this away. It's kind of they
(36:13):
are who they are at that point, right.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Yeah, And two point eight yards per rush attempt in
the first three games is certainly not paint a pretty picture.
Kris Damski, co host of the Steelers Blitz here on
the Steelers Audio Network, covers the Black and Gold for
the trib Buzz. Thank you for the time, partner as always,
and we'll talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
I want the pleasure guys see you.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Then there he is Chris Adamski, you know before I
cut him off there dropped his call there. Should ask him,
you know he he likes to wear those Irish caps.
That's kind of like one of the looks. Should ask
him where to get a good Irish cap over there
and Dublin. Maybe I'll text him to get that information
one of our us out. I'm sure it's probably like
(36:54):
finding in French fries on a sandwich in Pittsburgh, It's
probably not too difficult to find yourself an Irish cap
over When we returned to close down the first hour
a little Tuesday rewind some maybe final or extra observations
after rewatching the Steelers game yesterday. We'll get into those
and maybe kind of put the final pin in the
Patriots conversation before all eyes fully turned to Ireland and
(37:18):
those Minnesota vikings. West Euler, Matt Williams and it's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
It's Tuesday Rewind Time. It's a very simple concept with
a catchy name. It's just some final thoughts about the
Steelers previous game. You know, we've had a chance to
do some rewatch and some deeper dives into it at
this point, Matt, quite simply, I do feel like we've
done a pretty good job combing over all the details
(38:11):
of that win in New England, just because we know
how quickly we're gonna have to turn the page here
this week, and kind of how little time we had
to get into the weeds and into the forest of
that game. But kind of final thing to kick around
for you. And we touched on this a little bit
in the opening segment, but wanted to get back to it.
I think they've found their ideal base alignment on defense. Hayward,
(38:35):
A Quala, Harmon, Do you agree?
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Yeah, I don't know if they agree. I mean, that
might leave Benton a little out in the cold because
equally only played thirteen to fifteen snaps something in that neighborhood.
But I think.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Harmon and way a Black will still get more snaps
than a Quala. But that's ideal base formation right now?
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Is those three me too? I agree with you. I
think they probably agree with us, and I think that's
the best way to do it. We know that their
base three four isn't going to be used exclusively or right.
It's not like a starter in basketball, and you ring
the six guy off the bench because you know, and
the nickel and dime could easily and probably will be
(39:24):
used even more. But I think that's a great way
to do it, is if those three are there when
you need three of them out there more often than not.
And Cam could take a breather still or I mean
all these guys could Andy of Benton and Black quote
off the bench. I know it doesn't work that way now.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
You cook it pretty good players the sideline, right.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
You know, like when they devised this thing, we had
similar things in mind, but I didn't count on as
much for mcwala. He's outkicked my thoughts for him, and
certainly when they drafted a Black, that's a nice pick,
but I didn't look at him as a regular contributor.
I mean, he's better than I thought too, no doubt,
you know, Benton to me, I expected more from this point,
(40:10):
but I'm hoping his role can be more conducive to
what he does well. I mean, if he's in the
so when you have the fore man front and there's
only two of those people out there. You'd love it
to be Hayward. But if it isn't and it's Benton
and Harmon, that's not bad either though, you know. I
mean if if he's your if you're your early down
(40:32):
your three four stuff is you know, the more important role,
and Cam's only out there some on you know, Nickel
and Dime. Okay, you know how it just gives you
a lot of flexibility. There's a lot of options there.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
And that's what we envisioned. Yeah, when we all gathered
in Latrobe, but the end of July.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Exactly right, I thought it was a really deep D
line group, you know.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I thought it was a very deep group. And that
was even before I think we all had the expectations
for ya Black that we have now. Yeah, you know,
like his expectation have grown in that time period. We
were all obviously high on Harmon and Hayward, and I
think Benton not maybe not quite to that extent, but
certainly as well too. This is I think how you
(41:14):
start to get to the defense that we're all optimistic
they can become is by obviously starting to win more
in the trenches and as you get healthier there as
you have a lot of bodies to rotate in and
out and stay fresh there to help your rookies who
were trying to get up to.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Speed, rookies getting more experience.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Yeah, keeping Cam Hayward from you know, running all the
tread off his tires early in the season a lot
early on. It's a great it's the ideal balance that
I think they're starting to develop them.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, And this was their vision when the draft was over,
when when they went to camp, and you even had
a Lowry in there who was kind of an innings
eater type guy, and Logan Lee is a name we
haven't mentioned. They lost louder Milk and frankly, I didn't
know if Loudermilk would make the team. Whenever the ninety
man are, you know, the more guys involved. So I
(42:09):
think this has been the vision all along, you know,
and it's a good one. And they've invested a lot
in the cornerback position. They've made a traded safety, they've
added some safeties. They've been aggressive on the second level
as well. But the foundation of this d and it
always will be, is the front line, you know, including
Watt high Smith, Herbig I mean, the people on the
(42:30):
line of scrimmage. That goes back to hate. It goes
back to Joe Green, as I say, it goes back
to the Hampton and Smith and Lloyd and those guys.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
But it goes back to Joe Grady, the Steel Curtain baby. Yeah,
one of the great nicknames in the history of sports.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
So I think that's a real promising place to start
for what the defense is not starting in this game
and going forward is at least that line should be
really good. I mean, I think it's still the best
defensive line of the league. I know that that that
that took a little bit of shrapnel, you know you.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Did, I mean, is there for that one?
Speaker 3 (43:08):
Yeah, But it's especially the run defense stuff.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
I think you and I have been saying this since
July as well too. There's clearly a plan.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
There's clearly a plan now.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Like everything, Mike Tyson, everything, it's great to everyone has
a plan too. You get punched in the face or
punch in the mouth, right, you deal with some injuries,
you deal with some guys not quite performing the way
you thought they were going to right out of the gate.
But I think the plan has always been there. Starting
to come together, maybe took a week or two longer
than we all want it, but that to me.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
And Tomlin's going to be good at adjusting on the
I mean, anyone that's coached over ten years as a
head coach has dealt. I mean, every team comes in
with a plan and none of it ever goes.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
And then you get punched in the mouth, right right,
you get yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, and then he knows how to adapt as when
he els anyone out there. I mean, you can complain
he should go for it more and fourth down. You know,
you gotta have your complaints about the head coach, and
sure that's fine, but understanding how the league works and
what all unforeseen things that are coming your way. And
there's a lot more coming and most of it's bad.
(44:10):
You know, I always say most of it's bad. I mean,
some of it might be a pleasant something or other. Wow,
romand Wilson turned into a great player.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Wow, he's way ahead of the dule.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
But most of it's bad. That's coming down the Popes.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Mostly you're gonna have to navigate the first season without
Joey Porter Junior and Deshaun Ellie.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
Yeah, you know, Benton's not a nose or you know whatever,
it is, or man, they's got three zero line injuries
in the same game. What are we gonna do? You
know that stuff happens all the time.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
It certainly does. But I think they are going to
be stronger for some of those setbacks on the defensive
line in the early season, and hopefully that really continues
and carries over and they build upon it Sunday against
the Vikings, because that would go a long way.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Come up with bye would be real nice. You get
a long stretch after that buy. I don't love the
early buye.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
I don't either. I do love getting to do it.
I love getting the buy when we're coming back from
Dublin because we're all going to be wiped out for
our own personal sake. But in terms of how it
falls in the schedule.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
That post buy is not going to be an easy run,
and it's gonna be a long run.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It's going to be a gauntlet ye and yeah, hopefully
their positioning themselves adequately. Foresaid Gauntlet hour in the books
Another Hour Ago, West ruler Matt Williamson a little fantasy
football focus when we return to start hour number two.
It is the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers audio Network,
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