October 29, 2025 • 44 mins
The Drive gets all the latest from the South Side with Chris Halicke, as well as a spirited Best of the Wes debate.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good evening, Steeler Nation and how we doing well? That's
good us too, Our number two, Matt Williamson, west Yuler.
It is the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network. Matt, We're going to talk to
our buddy Chris Halleck in about fifteen minutes get all
the latest from the South Side. But before we do that,
(00:46):
I do want to get the Best of the West,
a special Halloween edition. Love Best of the West with you.
But first I ask a very simple question. It's become
a new Wednesday tradition here on the show. If you
could add one player from the Indianapolis to the Pittsburgh
Steelers roster, who would it be? And this might be
the most fun, good one version of this exercise that
(01:07):
we've done so far. We started this Browns Week. That
was a pretty easy one. Yeah, Bengals, fairly easy chase.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But you know, right, sometimes we got to cut the
low hanging fruit off and go for the next one.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Right.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Even with the Packers, there were a couple of real answers.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
But it's fun to talk through it. I think people,
you know, starts to think that how the mind works.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
And you have to consider their money there a status, right,
how they fit, what it would mean for who's currently
on your roster, all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
So here's how my mind works on this subject is
immediately look at the Colts. There's nobody on defense that
I would say yes to. I love the Forest Buckner,
but I can't add another mid thirties expensive dude, you know,
like it'll help any team. He's a really, really good player.
I respect his career to know.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
D Javarius Ward.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
He's okay. I mean it's not a terrible call. I
mean he's making pretty good money. I think corner is
actually their weakest position, but that's not his fault. He's
a good player. But they have the best offense in
the league. You know, there's a lot to pick right
over there, right, Yes, I like their wide outs a lot,
and if I had to pick one, it would probably
(02:19):
be Downs, which probably shocks people. But he's not making
any money. He's vastly under used there. He would not
be a I don't know why he's their third and
I know they like Pierce and they like Pittman.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Since the beginning of the season.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think he's a really really good player. That is,
it would be extremely useful year. And he's young and
he's super cheap, so that's appealing. I think you have
to throw Warren's name out like we threw Craft. I mean,
just because they're super young.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
About right, so good, so young. Get him on his
rookie deale.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, you get four once you pick up the fifty
year right right right, I mean trade Friar moves, trade
John new whatever, you know, it just it just makes
it's a gift. The line is really good, and Quentin
Nelson still is. He's got back to being a superstar. Yes,
he's a left guard. Hey, I like Isaac, but he's
(03:18):
not going to be here probably next year. I mean,
it's a huge upgrade.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
This guy's going to Canton.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
He's going to Canton. I mean, he costs money and
he's not super young, but his I can't imagine him
falling off a cliff because he's getting he's better now
than he was the last two years. You stick that
guy left guard whoa you know, I mean, that's.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Nice having their Tudor Fraser for the next few years.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Right exactly between Jones and Fraser or even if Jones
isn't around whatever. So really it comes down to me
of Nelson versus Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
That to me as well too.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
As much Monningbacks I'll never take. But this guy's.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Special, man, Yes he is. And you know, I listen,
They've They've got a couple of pieces in the secondary
that I would be interested in. H Ward and maybe
Kenny Moore as well too.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But they're not as good at what they do as
Nelson and Taylor.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Correct, you know, and like I could probably talk myself
into Raymond or Smith one of the two tackles as
well and be happy. But to me it's I I want.
I know that they're a little bit longer in the tooth,
and they obviously cost money, but I wont Jonathan Taylor
or Quinton Nelson. Yeah, I mean, it's just the question
of who right.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
They make you so much better than anybody else.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
They do, and I think Quentin Nelson would be the
safer pick.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Agreed, running Backs, I'm not big on investment running Back.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You and I are both on the same same page
in that regard, And maybe even if Jonathan Taylor was
a couple of years younger, it would be a different conversation.
It's hard for me to pass though on an elite offense,
elite proven offensive lineman. While Jonathan Taylor is amazing, he's
the offensive.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Player of the year. It's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, So here's what I was gonna here's what I
was gonna say to you. While Jonathan Taylor is amazing,
there's a handful of amazing running backs in the National
Football League. There are Jean Robins, Jamier Gibbs, Saquon Barkley.
I don't know how many guards there are that are
like Quinton Nelson.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Right, I would take Nelson.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I think I would too. Yeah, And it'd be tough
to pass on the offensive player.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Of the year, right, no doubt, because Warren's really good.
But then Warren ends up still contributing, and he'd be
your passing down guy, and you know, the best backfield
in the league. And I mean, that's something we said
for that and next year's first round pick quarterback might
be really happy about.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It too, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I mean, just it's a nice safety blanket.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You could be set on your offensive line for the
next five six years.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, that's the thing, because you're probably gonna need a
left guard, whether that's Spencer Anderson or in the draft. Yeah,
and getting ahead of that with a massive upgrade with
the Hall of Fame type guy. I think you take Nelson.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I do too. I will say, though, Jonathan Taylor and
h Tyler Warren give me, give me the side eye
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I say, if we do thirty two teams a lot
of times, I'm gonna take guys on the rookie contract.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
It's smart business. Yeah, it's absolutely smart business. But if
I'm not a star, a future Hall of Fame offensive
lineman who is not a spring chicken anymore, but I
don't think has crossed over onto the other side of
his career arc yet, agreed Quentin Nelson would be. I
think I don't think should be my decision as well.
And he just man, if you put like you said,
(06:28):
you put him next to Broderick and Fraser hopefully you know,
uh McCormick and Faltanu, I mean you could you could
have a a stud offensive line for the next four five,
six years.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Huge.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Huge.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
We'll say that's just in case they don't. For the
rest of the season or the rest of the week.
Cam Hayward's done really well against Nelson in their last
couple of time. Yes, yeah, and they're gonna line up,
they're gonna battle it out one on one.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
You mentioned that kind of Yeah, he's kind of the fly.
Cam Hayward's been kind of the fly in the ointment
for Quentin Nelson.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Maybe subscripted Knight. I don't know. They don't play a lot,
but they've had at least two matchups lately that they have.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Gone pretty decisively Cam's way. And hopefully, hey, if that
happens again on Sunday, that would be a massive one
on one matchup. Massive. Hey, I'm sure when we do
a little five Star Friday in a couple of days,
I'm sure that we'll be getting to that one a
little bit deeper, Matt. Before we go to break here
and talk to our friend Chris Hallick, a little Best
of the West for you. And I told you I
(07:24):
was gonna start switching it up a little bit, right, Yeah. Yeah,
Still most of the time, ninety percent of the time
it'll be directly football related things. But in the spirit
of Halloween, I have for you, Matt, a different Best
of the West today top five Halloween candies. Now, normally
Best of the West is a ten thing. So here's
what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give you best five
(07:45):
traditional Halloween candies, and then I'm gonna macker. I'm gonna
give you best five like of the new age new candies.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I'm not gonna be well versed on that. I'm gonna
show my age.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Which you want traditional? You want traditional? First matter, We'll
start the back end. Let's go traditional. Number five, just
a straight up Hershey Bar.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Oh, wouldn't be hind them out list.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Maybe it's the central Pennsylvania roots that I have on
my backside of the spend a lot of time at
Hershey Chocolate World growing up there. Yeah, I just I
love a classic Hershey Bar. Love a classic Hershey Bar.
Number four peanut Eminem's solid.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I've gotten back into peanut nuts.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yes, agree, specifically they yellow packaging, Yes, so good, hit
the spot, just the right amount of chocolate, right amount
of crunch.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Yeah, I love them. Yeah they're they're around our house
a lot. Not my wife likes them, and yeah they're
they're a winner.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Number three Butterfinger.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I think I love Butterfinger. Do you go that I'd
be a kind of an island on that.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I I feel like Butterfinger is one that kind of
polarizing splits a crowd. Do you either love it or
you're like it's too flaky. My wife hates butterfingers. I
can understand it, which is fine with me because I
get them all.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I said, Butterfinger Blizzard, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
You are speaking my language. Number two Snickers, m you're
not a big Snickers guy.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
It's fine. I mean I eat him and the one
they're sitting out there. Don't get me wrong, I don't talk.
They're better in a milky way, you know, but they
would not make my top five.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And number one, the the Michael Jordan, the Jim Brown,
the Babe Ruth. It's Reese's Peanut butter Cup.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, it's super solid. I eat way too many
of them here than I should too. I mean, that's
another one I can't say no to a couple of mine.
In no particular word I'm gonna throw out there. I mean,
I don't think you can find him anymore. Clark Bars
their Butterfinger friends, right right, that's a Pittsburgh thing. The
zag Nut, too, is kind of that era couple that
(09:38):
don't get enough credit. In my opinion, the watcher might
call it real big on Baby Ruth.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Baby Ruth is severely underrated.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Yes, and I think if I had to pick one,
one hundred grand bar, I.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Like one hundred grands.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Those are good, guy, They're okay, They're okay.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Thoughts on twigs, I might into the wafer.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Thoughts on KitKat.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Good, but wouldn't be not in the top ten, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I like the I like the shout outs for the
throwbacks that mister you, mister goodbar guy.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
It's okay, kind of boring though.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
There's a lot of those out in the Yeah you
used to be.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Cross a lot like the Three Musketeers terrible. Yeah, I
get I'm nougat in general.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I don't think I've had a three Musketeer since they're
not evenna.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Like worth the calories. And I'm not one to be
like watching my weight, you know, like I'm not even.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Gonna bother that that's funny. I haven't had a Three Musketeers.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Whatever nugat is. I'm also not a coconut guy at all.
People love coconut or arena.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So I thought about I thought about Matt doing a
top five favorite and a top five bad Halloween candies
for this, but I you know, and the one of
it's been a little cantankerous and steeler Nation this week.
I didn't want to I didn't want to have to
fuel the fire. But all I'm enjoy would be number
one on my bad list. I don't like.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Oh yeah, he trade those immediately.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
There's only one thing I like with I like some
coconut in, Matt, and that's a rum drink when I'm
sitting on the beach and it's ninety degrees out in
the middle of July.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Agreed. I don't hate coconut. I would never choose it.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I kind of when it comes to being mixed with chocolate,
I can't stay right right rum different story. Top five
new Age candies, Matt, I'll be interested to see if
you know any of these, like any of these thoughts
on any of these. Number five is the kit Cat,
which is brew.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Oh, have no clue about that.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It's a kit Cat with a little bit of marshmallow
in it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Marshmallow can also.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I'm not a huge marshmallow guy, but it's one of
those things that I feel like when it works, it works.
And with the kit Cat, with the crunch and the chocolate,
it's it's it's surprisingly melting. It's like the Guinness of
of of of candies.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It's like doesn't appeal to me, but I would definitely try.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
It's it's creamy and kind of melts in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
There.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Number four the Reces Fast Break do not more chocolate,
more peanut butter. It does have a little bit of
NuGet in it, which you wouldn't like, but it's it's
like a it's like a garfier peanut butter cup.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Okay, I accidentally had a Receis peanut butter and jelly
out there and.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Still haven't had one of those.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I thought I was just getting a regular reseason, a
funny rapper and the curveball I couldn't hit. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Number three Nerds gummy clusters. Have you had these yet?
Speaker 3 (12:14):
For me? Nerds are even new, but I love gummies
and I love nerds.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Then you loved gummy We kind of perked up with that. Yeah,
I've got a I've got a big box of like
individuals serving ones. I'll have to bring you in some.
I'll have to bring you in something.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
My my favorite handy band. No one ever gives them
to it Halloween. Though it might be like gummy cherries.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
So good.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
They're so good.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Right, So I'm a big kind of gummy And you
don't think about that much at Halloween.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Like I love Jolly Ranchers too, like stuff you like
non chocolate stuff. You don't get it.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Hellow if you told. And I know, saying candy, that's
a big blanket, you know, like you're talking chocolate. Are
you talking sweets? You're talking gummies? Are you talking? But
if I could only have one candy for the rest
of my life, it might be the Nerds gummy clusters? Yeah,
so good.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
That does sound like a good marriage there.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Number two, The Reeses Oreo.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Oreos are overrated. Me too.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Oh but there's some of these out in our kitchen here.
You got to go have one during break It's a
Reese's peanut butter cup with the oreo on top. It's
so good, it's so good.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Say this. But the day out there right now, right now,
and a little single. So they're the single ones. And
I thought it was I made my first coffee before
we started. I picked one up and like, as I
never say no to one sitting out there, I opened
it and it was kind of white on top. I'm like,
is this white chocolate. I'm like, no one's watching them.
(13:36):
I put it back. I didn't even eat it. I
covered it back up and I put it right back.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
I confess into a murder here on the show and
the Reeses take five? Have you ever had to take five?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I think I've seen commercials.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Oh they're incredible. They're essentially it's another kind of beefed
up Rees's. And so it's got the chocolate and peanut butter,
but it's also got a pretzel on the inside, a
little bit of caramel. It's it's just again, it's I
love a take fun.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Sure, it's great. I could buy that.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
It's fantastic. It's got a little it's like it's got
a little peanut flavor in it, little pretzel flavor in it.
It's real good.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So I've got a theory here real quick that all
these chocolate bars, what just call them chocolate bars, you know,
like anything, they're just saying it's like Mexican food. It's
there's really only like eight ingredients, rice, protein, cheese, right,
and there's no wrong there's no wrong combination. Yeah, they're
all delicious, right, Like if I took a Snickers and
(14:38):
shoved pretzels in it, it'd be fine. Or made it
dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate, or add nuts to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's like the floor is very high on these things.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You can mix it. I mean, here's ten ingredients, like
any three, they'll be fine on that. It's kind of cheating,
you know. And Mexican's the same way. It's like, whatever
I put my burrito, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Like that's it. It's gonna be sour cream, is gonna
be avocado, is it gonna be whatever? Whatever it is,
I'm sure it'll be delicious.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Yes, That's why none of them don't go with the other,
like cheese goes with everything.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
That's why I do kind of laugh when people are like,
oh I hate twigs, you know, or whatever, Like it's
not that much different than what your face except for
almond joy, right, I.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Mean, if there's something that's like coconut you don't want
or marshmallow, like those aren't high, I would not go
for the nougat.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Allmondjoy can get in the bin as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, yeah, rubbish.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
We've got to get to a break the peppermint patty
rubbish right in the bin, right, especially when you're a kid.
It's like this is an adult treat or something like that.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
We'll talk to him.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
You know what a necho wafer is? I do?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
They're like pin forever since I've had one.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I hope they don't exist with the pepper York pepper.
They were supposed to be refreshing, they were coconut.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Those based out of York, PA. Is that how they
get the name York. I guess you just York. Leave
the chocolate, the Hershey.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Okay, the necho wafers like eating probably shock or a
Kleenex or something.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Probably yeah, probably owned by Hershey at this point. Anyways,
we gotta get to a break. We'll get Chris Halleck's
thoughts not only on the best Halloween candies, but of
course on all the recent moving and shaking for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. We'll do that when we return on the
other side. West Yuler, matt Oh Also, let us know
you know where to get us on Twitter, the comments, whatever.
Let us know your thoughts on best and worst of
(16:19):
course Halloween candies, the important stuff Here today on a Wednesday,
as we are getting close to Halloween here at the
end of the month, Halleck on the other side, Euler Williamson,
it's the Drive.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Your Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Back on the drive here all along on a Wednesday,
and of course a big part of our Wednesday conversation
is going to the phone lines and talking to our buddy,
Chris Hallett covers the Steelers for dk Pittsburgh Sports. Chris,
thank you for taking the time as always, And it's
been a busy ish twenty four hours for the Steelers
here in terms of some moving and some shaking, particularly
(17:19):
in the secondary. Let's start first with the name that
we're familiar with. Corey Trice Junior returns to practice now
in that twenty one day window of activation. It feels
like this weekend could be a stretch, as he's just
returning to practice here today. But do you think it's
only a matter of if not when we see Corey
(17:42):
Trice Junior kind of at a probably opportune time here
thrown into the fold in that Steeler secondary.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Yeah, I think I also agree. I have a hard
time seeing him jumping on that moving train that everybody
likes to talk about getting activated and playing any kind
of meaningful snaps this Sunday, especially when you're talking about
facing the number one offense in the NFL. But uh,
(18:12):
who knows. I mean, they could just be like, you know, listen,
we we need we need some change, we need some
we need some something different. If they like where he's at,
you know, physically, if they don't think there's any kind
of physical limitations, then you know, who knows, we might
actually see him. But just based off of precedent, the
way that Mike Tomlin has handled the younger players coming
(18:32):
off of you know, something like this, something you know,
like a a longer IR stint. Usually it's a little
bit of a slower process back, but uh, you know,
either way, it's another guy to add it to the mix.
And right now, when you're when you're you know, kind
of in a I don't want to say free fall,
but when you're playing the way that you're playing right now,
(18:52):
and you've lost games the way you've lost in the
past two weeks, having options is not a bad thing.
And getting Corey Trent back is definitely a help because
at at least another guy you could possibly turn to
if that is the solution is to possibly change some
things around in terms of who's actually out on the field.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So yesterday Wes and I Chris talked about how the
defensive backfield is a puzzle that's a hard one to
put together. Safety in predicted, predicted or in particular is
a bit of a mystery to me pre Kyle Dugger
trade and still kind of is you know, why is
Clark over Pepper's thornhill? Seems like he's going backwards. Could
(19:34):
Ramsey be your free safety? What do you think just
of the safety position as a whole, How does Douger
fit in? And is do you have any clue who's
going to lose a roster spot whenever he joins the roster?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Well, I mean they they would. I would assume that
in terms of who they put who they take off
of the roster, that Deshaun Elliott would be placed on
my own. Really, I would create the roster.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
But I mean it wasn't your answer.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Yeah, I mean I don't have that, you know, like
verifiable from a source. But that's that's the meaning right now. Yeah,
just just because you know, even though Tomlin said you
know that he's he's weak to weak, it's still it's
a hyper extended me. I have a hard time seeing
him come back in less than four weeks from an
injury like that. If he comes back in six, that's
(20:24):
that's phenomenal. But so I think getting Kyle Duggar, I
honestly think that's your plug and play for Shawn Elliott.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
This week.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Well, he didn't. He he wasn't with the team today. Uh,
you know, like so that the trade is not yet official,
he didn't have a locker and so he still didn't.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, I guess you should mention that, yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Yeah, yeah, So I mean it's not it's not yeah,
that the trade is not official. Uh right now, So
I would he wasn't practicing with the team today. I mean,
so he's not officially member of the team. So I
have a hard time thinking that he's gonna play, right,
I mean that he's gonna play Sunday just because he's
now you talk about the moving train heading for you know,
facing the Colts on Sunday. I have a hard time
(21:18):
seeing like maybe one or two practices that he's going
to go.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
But I think, you know, for how maybe more Peers,
more Ramsey at safety.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
I mean, I think you're definitely gonna see more Peppers good.
I think he's gonna he's gonna be He's going to
be more of that play and and then you know,
just talking about after Douger is here, I think this
Sunday is gonna help give us a further indication because
if Dougger obviously doesn't play, which I don't think he will,
then you will have some some further answers on Chuck
(21:48):
Clark and you know, Juan Thornhill. I tend to think
that when the Steelers are in their nickel, the solution
might actually be to play Douger like in that box
safety and then have Peppers play the free safety. They've
played together in New England. They've got some chemistry from there.
(22:09):
You know, you have to talk to Peppers about that
to see what that relationship is like, but you know
they've played together before. That might be something they could
tap into. Gibil Peppers is not my ideal free safety,
but that's just me. Yeah, that's just my opinion. But
that doesn't mean that it's right. But shoot, at this point,
(22:29):
and when you talk about any kind of cohesion that
you could possibly have among players, you know, especially on
the back end, and see how much its struggled this year,
and then yeah, I mean, if it can help, then
it can help. So but for for this, for this week,
I think you're gonna see a lot more Gibb Peppers
and then trust on Thornhill. I'm kind of I'm kind
(22:49):
of curious to see how the rotation is going to
be because it has been a bit of a bit
of a mess.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So if you're expand upon it, I mean, I know
you're not like saying this is definitely gonna happen, But
if Pepper's and Dougger are your starting safeties in Nickel,
I would imagine Ramsey's your slot. Porter. Porter is an
outside corner. Of course, is Eckles over Sleigh outside It's possible.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
I mean we have now seen at near the end
of games in two weeks in a row in which
Eccles has really gone in and Slay has been on
the sideline.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Yeah, Now, I don't think you know what, when it
comes to a veteran player that Mike Tomlin has a
lot of respect for, I don't see him just completely
pulling the plug and saying, all right, Sleigh is completely gone. Uh,
He's gonna be on the sideline holding his helmets. But
then again, Mike Tomlin wants to win and could.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Be on another team holding a different helmet.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
That's that's that's that's the other. That's the that's the legitimate.
So that's a really possible.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Not crazy talk.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's not crazy talk. Because listen, if
they don't feel like that it's a good fit and
they feel like they have I mean, they're getting Corny
Trice back now. If they feel like they have enough
corners to get to get the job done, and they
really have a lot of faith in Brain and Eckles,
and they have liked Brandon Nickles like for like since
the very beginning of this entire process. He was making
impressions right away in training camp and he's continued to
(24:22):
make impressions. Yeah, I think that's a realistic possibility. Do
I think it's gonna happen like as soon as this Sunday,
Like braindon Eckles is absolutely a start, like a starter
over Gario. Like if the defense is introduced, brainon Eckle
is going to be running out of the tunnel, not Darius,
(24:43):
I doubt it. But will Eckles play more stamps than
this play? I'm not going to completely roll it out.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah, so Chrish, the Steelers obviously making a move, but
we know that the trade deadline is still six days away.
It sounds to me a little bit like you said,
I think they might not be done doing business at
this point.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Uh No, they they.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
I mean Omar Khan has been I swear every time
I run into him on the South Thought he's on
the phone. He's just he's constantly he's constantly talking, he's
constantly doing something. But I mean, you know, there's there's
always to talk about wide receiver. I still think they
could be looking for wide receivers, not just working out
(25:26):
guys like Marquez Valda Scantling. I'm thinking, like they're still,
you know, looking there. But while I think that that's
still a possibility, they get Calvin Austin back, Roman Wilson's
starting to get a little bit more comfortable, Aaron Rodgers
is starting to get more comfortable with Roman. Is it
as pressing of a need as it was at the
(25:47):
start of the season. I don't think so, especially when
we see how much this offense is humming with larger
personnel on the field. I think the main thing that
acquiring a receiver of that kind, if you're talking about
the Jacobe Myers or another receiver of that caliber, it's
insurance for if hekme that calf ever gets injured. I
(26:10):
think that's that's probably more of what that would be for.
It just really really solidifies that depth, and you're not
if if a major key, like a key player in
the receiver room goes down, you're not scrambling like they
were last year when George Pickens was injured. In terms
of other moves, it's I'm not gonna roll anything out,
(26:30):
whether it's trading away a starter that's on the team
right now. But one thing that I know for sure,
whether it's players that are acquiring, players that are getting
rid of whatever it is, they are making moves to
get better. I mean my comm made that very very clear. Uh,
they're always buying, They're trying to get better. This is
a team that's still in first place. We know the
(26:53):
rhetoric that's going around with this team right now and
all the outside noise, all the concern but this is
still a team in first place in in its division,
still in line where the season ended. Ended today they'd
be hosting a playoff game, so They're going to keep
continue to trying to get better build off of that.
So whatever moves are made, O Markan is going to
try to make the team better equipped to trying to
(27:15):
compete for Super Bowl this year.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Chris, last thing I really got for you is if
Ciamalho's going to be sidelined for a while, obviously Anderson's replacement,
does the jumbo package you get sidelined or does Calvin
Anderson get the bump or I had heard some people
say maybe Pete could be your left guard and Anderson
could be your six guy again. Still, Spencer, do you
(27:38):
have any thoughts on that? I do.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
I don't think that it's completely dead. I think with
how how much of a weapon that's been I don't
know that they they probably prefer to find find a
way now. I think in terms of the totality of
the snaps, I think Spencer Anderson is going to be
your left guard on Sunday if Sam can't play. However,
(28:03):
I do think in my first bet on this would
be Andrews. Pete comes in, plays left guard, Spencer Anderson
kicks out, and he's and he's he's the normal you know,
jumpbo at, you know extra eligible that they have there,
that that's that would be the way I the way
I lean on this can't verify that obviously, but that
(28:27):
that would be my guess for what the Steelers would
do if they were to continue that. But I have
a hard time thinking that they're just going to completely
scrap it. It's one thing when when the injury happens
in game and you make that adjustment, like all of
you haven't practiced it and anything like that. But right, yeah,
and he wasn't even active last week. So but yeah,
(28:50):
that would be that would be my guess. But I
I would think more than anything, whatever their solution is
would be to keep that weapon to not just be like, well,
why the sam All is injured now, Swiss is going
to do nothing to play last Guard when it's worked
as well as it has unlocked the run game the
way it has. No, I I don't think they're just
(29:10):
going to throw that away just because of injuries.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Good Chris, last one for you before we let you go.
Of course, we've covered the important stuff, but now we
must ask you the very important stuff. We are about
to kick off the stretch run of the end of
the year, of holiday season of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas
on the horizon, but it begins this Friday with Halloween.
(29:33):
So Matt and I just want to know, give us
one or two Halloween candies that you can't live without,
and one or two that when you see them, they
immediately go in the trash can.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, which ones are you stealing out of your kids?
Out of the kids?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Trigg or treat bad, Milky Way and TwixT are the
ones there? Okay, Milky Way and Twist are the ones
Star Wars, Star Wars too, I'm started growing up stars.
Good answer, this is my favorite growing up you know,
especially No, so the my daughter is like very very
(30:10):
protective of the pink ones. If she sees me taking
out out of her Halloween bucket, she she I get
the the you know, very like a woman scorn. Yeah,
but uh no, the ones I'm throwing away candy corn
is just absolutely disgusting. I cannot stand it.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
We're not coconut fans here, Milky Ways.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Enjoy we agreed, no, no, no, no not plus.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Okay, so you're talking about coconut, which already gets stuck
in your teeth, and you're talking about almonds, which break
your teeth. So yeah, no, no, thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Almond Joys are a deep dangerous They're a deep state
conspiracy from the local dentists Association to keep everybody in line.
It might be you might be on listen. You're there,
you're the boots on the ground reporter. You might have
to investigate that a little bit for us. Chris Aleck,
make sure you're checking out all his work DK Pittsburgh Sports. Chris,
thank you so much for the time, buddy. Enjoy Halloween
(31:11):
with your family and we'll see you this weekend.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
All right, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
There he goes. Great stuff as always from Chris Hallick.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
You overlook the star or Starburst. That's a good different world,
but it deserves it deserves. You're gonna get them in
your bag, you know, right.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I think the ideal blend is like one or two
good chocolate candies, chocolate bars, and one or two good
like gummy sweeter, fruity, yeah, starbursts, nerds clusters. I think
that's kind of the balance that we're looking for in life.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Here, I hear you. And the orange Starbursts you can
have though, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Not very good. You can now if you go to
the right store. Like the right grocery store or something,
you know, Target or Walmart or whatever you like, just
get lemon. You can just get pink, or just get red,
or you can get like a bag of them.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
That's okay, it's nice.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
It's real dangerous, real dangerous.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
I remember when Jolly Ranchers you could just get the lemons.
It's like, oh baby, you off the fight through the
grapes and the oranges.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
And you get a bag of those Starburst pinks. Matt,
you sit down on the cows to watch Thursday night football.
The next thing you look at and you're like digging
into the bag and you're like, wait, it's empty. What happened?
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Any orange or grape flavored candy is not my bag.
I can do orange, like oranges, and I like grapes,
but they just they just taste fake to me.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
They don't orange jump totally with you. I would say
watermelon flavoring. I love watermelon. I think watermelon flavoring always
tastes janky to me. It just doesn't taste right. It
tastes fake and artificial and not like.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
A water I see where you're coming from, but a
watermelon Jolly rancher still makes me Happy.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Maybe Jolly Rancher is the one exception, but.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
It's not my top five choices and Jolly Rancherland that's Apple. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Next week on Best of the West with Power Right
the best Jolly Rancher flavors. We've got one more segment
to go. We've got these Steelers is practice report that
we got to get to and maybe a tweet or
two if we have time before we get out of
here as well. We'll do all that to wrap things up.
On the other side, West Uler, Matt Williamson, It's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
(33:19):
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Final segment here on a Wednesday, as we reach the
halfway point of the week. Obviously tomorrow we will talk
to I mean, I tell you what he's speaking of. Halloween,
the guy with all the best Halloween nicknames, Bob Labriola,
Oh yeah yeah, the lord of living in his fears,
the master of misery, the I.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Bet he's not thrilled with how things went Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
I bet he's not. I bet he'll bring some doom
and gloom to the program. Tomorrow will also begin all
of that Matt's stats and scouting the Colts. But with
that Matt Wednesday, today we got the Steelers first practice
report injury report of the week. Here, some good news,
some bad news, as always, I think not to anybody's surprise,
(34:26):
but obviously we'll get this out of the way. To
Sean Elliott and daniel Aqualay did not practice today. Still
no official IR designations at least as you know as
we're doing this now, but that one not as surprising. Also,
Scotty Miller did not practice with that finger injury that
he was dealing with. Isaac Sayamalu missed practice with a
(34:49):
pectoral injury. U don't think that's surprising as well. But
then the two that you don't want to see, Pat
Fryermouth did not practice with a quad injury. Zach Fraser
still dealing with that calf. He did not practice as well.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Okay on Wednesday though still early doors ran a lot
of these guys or all these guys are dealing with something.
But yes, okays to me.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
The entire trio of the entire trio of guys who
are now in their twenty one day window to return
from ir All were full practice participants, so Will Howard,
Corey Trice, and Malik Harrison. All three forgot all three
full practice participants. Uh Matt. Last one here, Ben Skronick
(35:34):
was limited today with a neck injury.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
So, and there's gonna be some roster moves here real soon.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
There's gonna be some some moving and shaking.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
And yeah, I so he might have jumped the gun
talking about Dugger, but I mean chefter reported it, and
I mean if he's not officially a stealer announced yet,
but somebody's got to go. And I didn't love hearing Elliott,
But when he said that, I'm like, yeah, that's probably
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
It's unfortunate. It's unfortunate, certainly, but it does make sense.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Right if you know he's not gonna play definitely the
next two or three games, maybe he plays the fourth,
and he's got to be out for for I or anyway, right,
you know, like, okay.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Significant around the division as well. Two Matt Joe Flacco,
dealing with an ac joint sprain in his throwing shoulder,
did not practice. His status is up in the air
for Sunday. According to Ian Rappaport, Now he's not.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Joe Burrow, but if he has a play, I think
their season is probably officially shot and it's time to sell.
What's the trade deadline?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I mean they're on life support right now.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Right Losing this past week was a bullet to the Jets.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
I mean they are still within reasonable striking distance of
the Steelers. Oh they are, but yeah, you lose Flacco
as well as Joe Burrow. Obviously you have to go
back to Browning. That would feel like they're.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
One of the few teams that at the trade deadline,
could you come to the road And there's the why.
I can make an argument for both most teams you can't.
But one more loss, i'd really start leaning towards it. Yeah,
let's yeah, get on with it.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And I think you are. I think you are correct
in that one. A couple of tweets to close us
down here, Matt for today Before we do that, though,
I did want to give a quick shout out and
his mom, Marty tweeted me the DeSantis family. They are
training camp regulars. I'm sure you have met them at
some point during training camp, Matt. Uh. Their son James
(37:32):
has duchen muscular dystrophee he's in a wheelchair. They are
always wearing Penn State and Ohio state stuff. So if
you've if you've ever met them, maybe that would paint
the picture for you. But they were very close with Wolf.
They would come out the training camp every year. They'd
bring James down onto the sideline. A incredibly kind family.
They'd bring me cookies and stuff like that to Wolf
(37:54):
and I every single year. James had his eighteenth birthday today.
Very cool and for people not a scientist, Okay, you
and I talk about this all the time when we
talk injuries. I'm not a scientist.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
I'm not a doctor.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
That's not my feel. But I know for somebody with
Dushen muscular dystrophe, turning eighteen years old is a big deal.
Is a big milestone. And Sora a big happy eighteenth
birthday to one of the biggest dealers fans that I know,
James DeSantis. Wanted to make sure that I said that
big thanks to He's a diehard listener of the show.
(38:27):
The whole family. They're S and R junkies, you.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, they've got us on all the time. Nice,
So wanted to give a big shout out and a
happy eighteenth birthday to James and a big thanks to
his mom Marty for reaching out to me and letting
me know that today was his eighteenth birthday. Keep on
keeping on, James, dude, and let's let's get a victory
this weekend. Put the cherry on top for you, Matt.
(38:51):
We got a couple Tom and Cody both asked in
a question here that's kind of similar and just it
relates to the conversation about this secondary that we've been
having a lot this week, and I think the defense
as a whole talking about kind of Jimmy's and Joe's
versus x's and O's. How much of the Steelers struggle
(39:11):
is maybe just players that are now on the other
side of their prime, entering their thirties. Not I hate
it when everyone's washed, everyone's cooked right, right, It's not
it's not how it works. But guys who aren't twenty
seven years old and absolutely in the prime of their
career verse kind of just some schematic things that the
(39:32):
Steelers could be doing differently. How do you kind of
come down on striking that balance.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
The answer to almost every football question I've ever been
asked is a blend of all the above, you know,
of course. I mean it's just there's eleven people in
the field. Coaching is more important than other sports, so
when things go wrong, it's almost never one thing to blame,
or one player to blame, or one coach to blame.
And I think that's the truth here too. Now I
(39:58):
am a little concerned, not so with a Dugger trade
or any specific move, but team speed in the back
end is lacking.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
It's not a strength.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
It's not a strength. And I thought going into the
season they would move and run collective as a whole
better than they do in the secondary. I mean, I
don't know that there's anyone that's fast for his respective
maybe Elliott.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Maybe Elliott is not going to be out there.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Now order, you know, but I mean he does one
of four to two either. I mean, I don't worry
about Porter speed, but everyone else is, and they're not
getting faster because it is an older group now, I mean,
Pepper's and Thornhill and these guys are kind of are
who they are at this point. But I don't know
the schemes helped them either. I mean, there's a lot
of instances on tape. First of all, there's too many
(40:44):
communication issues with the back seven in general, way too
many with simple motion across you know, tight end goes
from the left to right and people start looking to
their like who's got here? Like that can't happen, And
there's definitely communication issues.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Although through the smoking yeah, right right, and it does
contrary to popular belief, it happens every week, just every team,
and sometimes you get exposed more than others.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
But they spent too much, and frankly, I think there's
now it's easy for me to sit here in the
chair and say it. They are playing a lot of man,
but they've also played a lot of offman, and if
everyone wants to get the ball out quick, I would
prefer to see more press just to disrupt things as
(41:30):
opposed to catch throw. You know, Flaco did a ton
of that. Rogers great at it, but that's also some
trust other than porter, who's our press man? Guys? They
have more man guys than last year, but who's our
press man guys? Ramsey and slaves still in that neighborhood.
I think they're telling us they don't think so, you know,
(41:52):
or they do more of it.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
Sometimes they don't need to say. You just got to
look at their act.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
That's why these questions are always multiple answers, you know.
I mean you could just say, well they should tell
them all do press man like they're the mel Blunt
and you.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Know, and what if? What if that's a worse position
for them to success?
Speaker 3 (42:09):
That's what I mean, Like they've thought of this, two folks.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It's like you can just tell Wes Uleern to do TV,
but he's going to be a disaster, right, all the
bright lights and the where do I look? And what
camera is this?
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Even that? Like Williamson's got a face for radio. I mean,
that's why I've been a radio guy for my whole life.
I mean, if I was like a cutie like Rob King,
I'd have been on TV.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
All this time, you know, And then you'd have to
put on some makeups as well too. I can't do that.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
No dress in this pig up.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Oh come on, we put lips you look right. That'll
do it for the show today. A big thanks to
Chris Hallick for joining us. Big thanks to our video
producer slash statistician mister TV Matt Tomorrow. You know, I
don't know why I've been liking doing this lately, teasing tomorrow.
You procured you unearthed some crazy stats as it relates
(43:00):
to the Steelers defense and their quarter by quarter splits.
Speaker 3 (43:04):
I'm all about it this last twenty four hours, so
it's all I can think about.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
And I was thinking about getting it to hear in
this last segment, but I don't want to share change.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Yeah, it's not a too many conversations, it's not in fact,
and some of it might even be promising.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
I mean, if that's weird, that's the weird part about it.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
I was how often we had these conversations like going
to the doctor, But maybe we it's the disease is
a little more acute than I.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Thought, you know, a little more benign about benign.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
It's raging. I mean, there's no disease when yeah, yeah,
I can't think I can. You can at least figure
out more where the problem is now. So that's a
good tease.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Matt with some really good stuff on that. And that
is where when we get into Matt's stats and start
to preview the Colts tomorrow, we will begin with this
Steeler defense and how things have shaken out on a
quarter to quarter basis. There will be some stuff in
there that's going to encourage Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
There's also some in there that's kind of glaring and staring.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
You're right right down the barrel and anything to do
with the Colts offense you're not gonna like hearing as
the upcoming opponent. Yeah, it's really good.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I mean we talked about them. There was like five
guys not the Burger Company, there was like five guys
on that offense alone that we would love to have.
We will do all of that start there tomorrow, really
focus on the Colts as we scout Indianapolis and get
into all of Matt's stats and some really good breakdown
on this Steelers defense on a quarter by quarter basis.
(44:30):
We'll do all of that and more tomorrow for Matt Williamson.
I'm Wes Shuler. Thanks everybody, take care. We will talk
to you tomorrow. As always. You know where to find us.
It's on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold. It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good evening, Steeler Nation and how we doing well? That's
good us too, Our number two, Matt Williamson, west Yuler.
It is the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network. Matt, We're going to talk to
our buddy Chris Halleck in about fifteen minutes get all
the latest from the South Side. But before we do that,
(00:46):
I do want to get the Best of the West,
a special Halloween edition. Love Best of the West with you.
But first I ask a very simple question. It's become
a new Wednesday tradition here on the show. If you
could add one player from the Indianapolis to the Pittsburgh
Steelers roster, who would it be? And this might be
the most fun, good one version of this exercise that
(01:07):
we've done so far. We started this Browns Week. That
was a pretty easy one. Yeah, Bengals, fairly easy chase.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But you know, right, sometimes we got to cut the
low hanging fruit off and go for the next one.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Right.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Even with the Packers, there were a couple of real answers.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
But it's fun to talk through it. I think people,
you know, starts to think that how the mind works.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
And you have to consider their money there a status, right,
how they fit, what it would mean for who's currently
on your roster, all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
So here's how my mind works on this subject is
immediately look at the Colts. There's nobody on defense that
I would say yes to. I love the Forest Buckner,
but I can't add another mid thirties expensive dude, you know,
like it'll help any team. He's a really, really good player.
I respect his career to know.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
D Javarius Ward.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
He's okay. I mean it's not a terrible call. I
mean he's making pretty good money. I think corner is
actually their weakest position, but that's not his fault. He's
a good player. But they have the best offense in
the league. You know, there's a lot to pick right
over there, right, Yes, I like their wide outs a lot,
and if I had to pick one, it would probably
(02:19):
be Downs, which probably shocks people. But he's not making
any money. He's vastly under used there. He would not
be a I don't know why he's their third and
I know they like Pierce and they like Pittman.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Since the beginning of the season.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think he's a really really good player. That is,
it would be extremely useful year. And he's young and
he's super cheap, so that's appealing. I think you have
to throw Warren's name out like we threw Craft. I mean,
just because they're super young.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
About right, so good, so young. Get him on his
rookie deale.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, you get four once you pick up the fifty
year right right right, I mean trade Friar moves, trade
John new whatever, you know, it just it just makes
it's a gift. The line is really good, and Quentin
Nelson still is. He's got back to being a superstar. Yes,
he's a left guard. Hey, I like Isaac, but he's
(03:18):
not going to be here probably next year. I mean,
it's a huge upgrade.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
This guy's going to Canton.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
He's going to Canton. I mean, he costs money and
he's not super young, but his I can't imagine him
falling off a cliff because he's getting he's better now
than he was the last two years. You stick that
guy left guard whoa you know, I mean, that's.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Nice having their Tudor Fraser for the next few years.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Right exactly between Jones and Fraser or even if Jones
isn't around whatever. So really it comes down to me
of Nelson versus Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
That to me as well too.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
As much Monningbacks I'll never take. But this guy's.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Special, man, Yes he is. And you know, I listen,
They've They've got a couple of pieces in the secondary
that I would be interested in. H Ward and maybe
Kenny Moore as well too.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But they're not as good at what they do as
Nelson and Taylor.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Correct, you know, and like I could probably talk myself
into Raymond or Smith one of the two tackles as
well and be happy. But to me it's I I want.
I know that they're a little bit longer in the tooth,
and they obviously cost money, but I wont Jonathan Taylor
or Quinton Nelson. Yeah, I mean, it's just the question
of who right.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
They make you so much better than anybody else.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
They do, and I think Quentin Nelson would be the
safer pick.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Agreed, running Backs, I'm not big on investment running Back.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You and I are both on the same same page
in that regard, And maybe even if Jonathan Taylor was
a couple of years younger, it would be a different conversation.
It's hard for me to pass though on an elite offense,
elite proven offensive lineman. While Jonathan Taylor is amazing, he's
the offensive.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Player of the year. It's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, So here's what I was gonna here's what I
was gonna say to you. While Jonathan Taylor is amazing,
there's a handful of amazing running backs in the National
Football League. There are Jean Robins, Jamier Gibbs, Saquon Barkley.
I don't know how many guards there are that are
like Quinton Nelson.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Right, I would take Nelson.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I think I would too. Yeah, And it'd be tough
to pass on the offensive player.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Of the year, right, no doubt, because Warren's really good.
But then Warren ends up still contributing, and he'd be
your passing down guy, and you know, the best backfield
in the league. And I mean, that's something we said
for that and next year's first round pick quarterback might
be really happy about.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It too, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I mean, just it's a nice safety blanket.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You could be set on your offensive line for the
next five six years.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, that's the thing, because you're probably gonna need a
left guard, whether that's Spencer Anderson or in the draft. Yeah,
and getting ahead of that with a massive upgrade with
the Hall of Fame type guy. I think you take Nelson.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I do too. I will say, though, Jonathan Taylor and
h Tyler Warren give me, give me the side eye
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I say, if we do thirty two teams a lot
of times, I'm gonna take guys on the rookie contract.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
It's smart business. Yeah, it's absolutely smart business. But if
I'm not a star, a future Hall of Fame offensive
lineman who is not a spring chicken anymore, but I
don't think has crossed over onto the other side of
his career arc yet, agreed Quentin Nelson would be. I
think I don't think should be my decision as well.
And he just man, if you put like you said,
(06:28):
you put him next to Broderick and Fraser hopefully you know,
uh McCormick and Faltanu, I mean you could you could
have a a stud offensive line for the next four five,
six years.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Huge.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Huge.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
We'll say that's just in case they don't. For the
rest of the season or the rest of the week.
Cam Hayward's done really well against Nelson in their last
couple of time. Yes, yeah, and they're gonna line up,
they're gonna battle it out one on one.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
You mentioned that kind of Yeah, he's kind of the fly.
Cam Hayward's been kind of the fly in the ointment
for Quentin Nelson.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Maybe subscripted Knight. I don't know. They don't play a lot,
but they've had at least two matchups lately that they have.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Gone pretty decisively Cam's way. And hopefully, hey, if that
happens again on Sunday, that would be a massive one
on one matchup. Massive. Hey, I'm sure when we do
a little five Star Friday in a couple of days,
I'm sure that we'll be getting to that one a
little bit deeper, Matt. Before we go to break here
and talk to our friend Chris Hallick, a little Best
of the West for you. And I told you I
(07:24):
was gonna start switching it up a little bit, right, Yeah. Yeah,
Still most of the time, ninety percent of the time
it'll be directly football related things. But in the spirit
of Halloween, I have for you, Matt, a different Best
of the West today top five Halloween candies. Now, normally
Best of the West is a ten thing. So here's
what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give you best five
(07:45):
traditional Halloween candies, and then I'm gonna macker. I'm gonna
give you best five like of the new age new candies.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I'm not gonna be well versed on that. I'm gonna
show my age.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Which you want traditional? You want traditional? First matter, We'll
start the back end. Let's go traditional. Number five, just
a straight up Hershey Bar.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Oh, wouldn't be hind them out list.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Maybe it's the central Pennsylvania roots that I have on
my backside of the spend a lot of time at
Hershey Chocolate World growing up there. Yeah, I just I
love a classic Hershey Bar. Love a classic Hershey Bar.
Number four peanut Eminem's solid.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I've gotten back into peanut nuts.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yes, agree, specifically they yellow packaging, Yes, so good, hit
the spot, just the right amount of chocolate, right amount
of crunch.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Yeah, I love them. Yeah they're they're around our house
a lot. Not my wife likes them, and yeah they're
they're a winner.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Number three Butterfinger.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I think I love Butterfinger. Do you go that I'd
be a kind of an island on that.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I I feel like Butterfinger is one that kind of
polarizing splits a crowd. Do you either love it or
you're like it's too flaky. My wife hates butterfingers. I
can understand it, which is fine with me because I
get them all.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I said, Butterfinger Blizzard, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
You are speaking my language. Number two Snickers, m you're
not a big Snickers guy.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
It's fine. I mean I eat him and the one
they're sitting out there. Don't get me wrong, I don't talk.
They're better in a milky way, you know, but they
would not make my top five.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And number one, the the Michael Jordan, the Jim Brown,
the Babe Ruth. It's Reese's Peanut butter Cup.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, it's super solid. I eat way too many
of them here than I should too. I mean, that's
another one I can't say no to a couple of mine.
In no particular word I'm gonna throw out there. I mean,
I don't think you can find him anymore. Clark Bars
their Butterfinger friends, right right, that's a Pittsburgh thing. The
zag Nut, too, is kind of that era couple that
(09:38):
don't get enough credit. In my opinion, the watcher might
call it real big on Baby Ruth.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Baby Ruth is severely underrated.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Yes, and I think if I had to pick one,
one hundred grand bar, I.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Like one hundred grands.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Those are good, guy, They're okay, They're okay.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Thoughts on twigs, I might into the wafer.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Thoughts on KitKat.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Good, but wouldn't be not in the top ten, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I like the I like the shout outs for the
throwbacks that mister you, mister goodbar guy.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
It's okay, kind of boring though.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
There's a lot of those out in the Yeah you
used to be.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Cross a lot like the Three Musketeers terrible. Yeah, I
get I'm nougat in general.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I don't think I've had a three Musketeer since they're
not evenna.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Like worth the calories. And I'm not one to be
like watching my weight, you know, like I'm not even.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Gonna bother that that's funny. I haven't had a Three Musketeers.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Whatever nugat is. I'm also not a coconut guy at all.
People love coconut or arena.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So I thought about I thought about Matt doing a
top five favorite and a top five bad Halloween candies
for this, but I you know, and the one of
it's been a little cantankerous and steeler Nation this week.
I didn't want to I didn't want to have to
fuel the fire. But all I'm enjoy would be number
one on my bad list. I don't like.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Oh yeah, he trade those immediately.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
There's only one thing I like with I like some
coconut in, Matt, and that's a rum drink when I'm
sitting on the beach and it's ninety degrees out in
the middle of July.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Agreed. I don't hate coconut. I would never choose it.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I kind of when it comes to being mixed with chocolate,
I can't stay right right rum different story. Top five
new Age candies, Matt, I'll be interested to see if
you know any of these, like any of these thoughts
on any of these. Number five is the kit Cat,
which is brew.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Oh, have no clue about that.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It's a kit Cat with a little bit of marshmallow
in it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Marshmallow can also.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I'm not a huge marshmallow guy, but it's one of
those things that I feel like when it works, it works.
And with the kit Cat, with the crunch and the chocolate,
it's it's it's surprisingly melting. It's like the Guinness of
of of of candies.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It's like doesn't appeal to me, but I would definitely try.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
It's it's creamy and kind of melts in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
There.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Number four the Reces Fast Break do not more chocolate,
more peanut butter. It does have a little bit of
NuGet in it, which you wouldn't like, but it's it's
like a it's like a garfier peanut butter cup.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Okay, I accidentally had a Receis peanut butter and jelly
out there and.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Still haven't had one of those.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I thought I was just getting a regular reseason, a
funny rapper and the curveball I couldn't hit. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Number three Nerds gummy clusters. Have you had these yet?
Speaker 3 (12:14):
For me? Nerds are even new, but I love gummies
and I love nerds.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Then you loved gummy We kind of perked up with that. Yeah,
I've got a I've got a big box of like
individuals serving ones. I'll have to bring you in some.
I'll have to bring you in something.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
My my favorite handy band. No one ever gives them
to it Halloween. Though it might be like gummy cherries.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
So good.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
They're so good.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Right, So I'm a big kind of gummy And you
don't think about that much at Halloween.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Like I love Jolly Ranchers too, like stuff you like
non chocolate stuff. You don't get it.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Hellow if you told. And I know, saying candy, that's
a big blanket, you know, like you're talking chocolate. Are
you talking sweets? You're talking gummies? Are you talking? But
if I could only have one candy for the rest
of my life, it might be the Nerds gummy clusters? Yeah,
so good.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
That does sound like a good marriage there.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Number two, The Reeses Oreo.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Oreos are overrated. Me too.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Oh but there's some of these out in our kitchen here.
You got to go have one during break It's a
Reese's peanut butter cup with the oreo on top. It's
so good, it's so good.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Say this. But the day out there right now, right now,
and a little single. So they're the single ones. And
I thought it was I made my first coffee before
we started. I picked one up and like, as I
never say no to one sitting out there, I opened
it and it was kind of white on top. I'm like,
is this white chocolate. I'm like, no one's watching them.
(13:36):
I put it back. I didn't even eat it. I
covered it back up and I put it right back.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
I confess into a murder here on the show and
the Reeses take five? Have you ever had to take five?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I think I've seen commercials.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Oh they're incredible. They're essentially it's another kind of beefed
up Rees's. And so it's got the chocolate and peanut butter,
but it's also got a pretzel on the inside, a
little bit of caramel. It's it's just again, it's I
love a take fun.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Sure, it's great. I could buy that.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
It's fantastic. It's got a little it's like it's got
a little peanut flavor in it, little pretzel flavor in it.
It's real good.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So I've got a theory here real quick that all
these chocolate bars, what just call them chocolate bars, you know,
like anything, they're just saying it's like Mexican food. It's
there's really only like eight ingredients, rice, protein, cheese, right,
and there's no wrong there's no wrong combination. Yeah, they're
all delicious, right, Like if I took a Snickers and
(14:38):
shoved pretzels in it, it'd be fine. Or made it
dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate, or add nuts to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's like the floor is very high on these things.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You can mix it. I mean, here's ten ingredients, like
any three, they'll be fine on that. It's kind of cheating,
you know. And Mexican's the same way. It's like, whatever
I put my burrito, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Like that's it. It's gonna be sour cream, is gonna
be avocado, is it gonna be whatever? Whatever it is,
I'm sure it'll be delicious.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Yes, That's why none of them don't go with the other,
like cheese goes with everything.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
That's why I do kind of laugh when people are like,
oh I hate twigs, you know, or whatever, Like it's
not that much different than what your face except for
almond joy, right, I.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Mean, if there's something that's like coconut you don't want
or marshmallow, like those aren't high, I would not go
for the nougat.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Allmondjoy can get in the bin as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, yeah, rubbish.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
We've got to get to a break the peppermint patty
rubbish right in the bin, right, especially when you're a kid.
It's like this is an adult treat or something like that.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
We'll talk to him.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
You know what a necho wafer is? I do?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
They're like pin forever since I've had one.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I hope they don't exist with the pepper York pepper.
They were supposed to be refreshing, they were coconut.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Those based out of York, PA. Is that how they
get the name York. I guess you just York. Leave
the chocolate, the Hershey.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Okay, the necho wafers like eating probably shock or a
Kleenex or something.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Probably yeah, probably owned by Hershey at this point. Anyways,
we gotta get to a break. We'll get Chris Halleck's
thoughts not only on the best Halloween candies, but of
course on all the recent moving and shaking for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. We'll do that when we return on the
other side. West Yuler, matt Oh Also, let us know
you know where to get us on Twitter, the comments, whatever.
Let us know your thoughts on best and worst of
(16:19):
course Halloween candies, the important stuff Here today on a Wednesday,
as we are getting close to Halloween here at the
end of the month, Halleck on the other side, Euler Williamson,
it's the Drive.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Your Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Back on the drive here all along on a Wednesday,
and of course a big part of our Wednesday conversation
is going to the phone lines and talking to our buddy,
Chris Hallett covers the Steelers for dk Pittsburgh Sports. Chris,
thank you for taking the time as always, And it's
been a busy ish twenty four hours for the Steelers
here in terms of some moving and some shaking, particularly
(17:19):
in the secondary. Let's start first with the name that
we're familiar with. Corey Trice Junior returns to practice now
in that twenty one day window of activation. It feels
like this weekend could be a stretch, as he's just
returning to practice here today. But do you think it's
only a matter of if not when we see Corey
(17:42):
Trice Junior kind of at a probably opportune time here
thrown into the fold in that Steeler secondary.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Yeah, I think I also agree. I have a hard
time seeing him jumping on that moving train that everybody
likes to talk about getting activated and playing any kind
of meaningful snaps this Sunday, especially when you're talking about
facing the number one offense in the NFL. But uh,
(18:12):
who knows. I mean, they could just be like, you know, listen,
we we need we need some change, we need some
we need some something different. If they like where he's at,
you know, physically, if they don't think there's any kind
of physical limitations, then you know, who knows, we might
actually see him. But just based off of precedent, the
way that Mike Tomlin has handled the younger players coming
(18:32):
off of you know, something like this, something you know,
like a a longer IR stint. Usually it's a little
bit of a slower process back, but uh, you know,
either way, it's another guy to add it to the mix.
And right now, when you're when you're you know, kind
of in a I don't want to say free fall,
but when you're playing the way that you're playing right now,
(18:52):
and you've lost games the way you've lost in the
past two weeks, having options is not a bad thing.
And getting Corey Trent back is definitely a help because
at at least another guy you could possibly turn to
if that is the solution is to possibly change some
things around in terms of who's actually out on the field.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So yesterday Wes and I Chris talked about how the
defensive backfield is a puzzle that's a hard one to
put together. Safety in predicted, predicted or in particular is
a bit of a mystery to me pre Kyle Dugger
trade and still kind of is you know, why is
Clark over Pepper's thornhill? Seems like he's going backwards. Could
(19:34):
Ramsey be your free safety? What do you think just
of the safety position as a whole, How does Douger
fit in? And is do you have any clue who's
going to lose a roster spot whenever he joins the roster?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Well, I mean they they would. I would assume that
in terms of who they put who they take off
of the roster, that Deshaun Elliott would be placed on
my own. Really, I would create the roster.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
But I mean it wasn't your answer.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Yeah, I mean I don't have that, you know, like
verifiable from a source. But that's that's the meaning right now. Yeah,
just just because you know, even though Tomlin said you
know that he's he's weak to weak, it's still it's
a hyper extended me. I have a hard time seeing
him come back in less than four weeks from an
injury like that. If he comes back in six, that's
(20:24):
that's phenomenal. But so I think getting Kyle Duggar, I
honestly think that's your plug and play for Shawn Elliott.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
This week.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Well, he didn't. He he wasn't with the team today. Uh,
you know, like so that the trade is not yet official,
he didn't have a locker and so he still didn't.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, I guess you should mention that, yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Yeah, yeah, So I mean it's not it's not yeah,
that the trade is not official. Uh right now, So
I would he wasn't practicing with the team today. I mean,
so he's not officially member of the team. So I
have a hard time thinking that he's gonna play, right,
I mean that he's gonna play Sunday just because he's
now you talk about the moving train heading for you know,
facing the Colts on Sunday. I have a hard time
(21:18):
seeing like maybe one or two practices that he's going
to go.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
But I think, you know, for how maybe more Peers,
more Ramsey at safety.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
I mean, I think you're definitely gonna see more Peppers good.
I think he's gonna he's gonna be He's going to
be more of that play and and then you know,
just talking about after Douger is here, I think this
Sunday is gonna help give us a further indication because
if Dougger obviously doesn't play, which I don't think he will,
then you will have some some further answers on Chuck
(21:48):
Clark and you know, Juan Thornhill. I tend to think
that when the Steelers are in their nickel, the solution
might actually be to play Douger like in that box
safety and then have Peppers play the free safety. They've
played together in New England. They've got some chemistry from there.
(22:09):
You know, you have to talk to Peppers about that
to see what that relationship is like, but you know
they've played together before. That might be something they could
tap into. Gibil Peppers is not my ideal free safety,
but that's just me. Yeah, that's just my opinion. But
that doesn't mean that it's right. But shoot, at this point,
(22:29):
and when you talk about any kind of cohesion that
you could possibly have among players, you know, especially on
the back end, and see how much its struggled this year,
and then yeah, I mean, if it can help, then
it can help. So but for for this, for this week,
I think you're gonna see a lot more Gibb Peppers
and then trust on Thornhill. I'm kind of I'm kind
(22:49):
of curious to see how the rotation is going to
be because it has been a bit of a bit
of a mess.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So if you're expand upon it, I mean, I know
you're not like saying this is definitely gonna happen, But
if Pepper's and Dougger are your starting safeties in Nickel,
I would imagine Ramsey's your slot. Porter. Porter is an
outside corner. Of course, is Eckles over Sleigh outside It's possible.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
I mean we have now seen at near the end
of games in two weeks in a row in which
Eccles has really gone in and Slay has been on
the sideline.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Yeah, Now, I don't think you know what, when it
comes to a veteran player that Mike Tomlin has a
lot of respect for, I don't see him just completely
pulling the plug and saying, all right, Sleigh is completely gone. Uh,
He's gonna be on the sideline holding his helmets. But
then again, Mike Tomlin wants to win and could.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Be on another team holding a different helmet.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
That's that's that's that's the other. That's the that's the legitimate.
So that's a really possible.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Not crazy talk.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's not crazy talk. Because listen, if
they don't feel like that it's a good fit and
they feel like they have I mean, they're getting Corny
Trice back now. If they feel like they have enough
corners to get to get the job done, and they
really have a lot of faith in Brain and Eckles,
and they have liked Brandon Nickles like for like since
the very beginning of this entire process. He was making
impressions right away in training camp and he's continued to
(24:22):
make impressions. Yeah, I think that's a realistic possibility. Do
I think it's gonna happen like as soon as this Sunday,
Like braindon Eckles is absolutely a start, like a starter
over Gario. Like if the defense is introduced, brainon Eckle
is going to be running out of the tunnel, not Darius,
(24:43):
I doubt it. But will Eckles play more stamps than
this play? I'm not going to completely roll it out.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah, so Chrish, the Steelers obviously making a move, but
we know that the trade deadline is still six days away.
It sounds to me a little bit like you said,
I think they might not be done doing business at
this point.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Uh No, they they.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
I mean Omar Khan has been I swear every time
I run into him on the South Thought he's on
the phone. He's just he's constantly he's constantly talking, he's
constantly doing something. But I mean, you know, there's there's
always to talk about wide receiver. I still think they
could be looking for wide receivers, not just working out
(25:26):
guys like Marquez Valda Scantling. I'm thinking, like they're still,
you know, looking there. But while I think that that's
still a possibility, they get Calvin Austin back, Roman Wilson's
starting to get a little bit more comfortable, Aaron Rodgers
is starting to get more comfortable with Roman. Is it
as pressing of a need as it was at the
(25:47):
start of the season. I don't think so, especially when
we see how much this offense is humming with larger
personnel on the field. I think the main thing that
acquiring a receiver of that kind, if you're talking about
the Jacobe Myers or another receiver of that caliber, it's
insurance for if hekme that calf ever gets injured. I
(26:10):
think that's that's probably more of what that would be for.
It just really really solidifies that depth, and you're not
if if a major key, like a key player in
the receiver room goes down, you're not scrambling like they
were last year when George Pickens was injured. In terms
of other moves, it's I'm not gonna roll anything out,
(26:30):
whether it's trading away a starter that's on the team
right now. But one thing that I know for sure,
whether it's players that are acquiring, players that are getting
rid of whatever it is, they are making moves to
get better. I mean my comm made that very very clear. Uh,
they're always buying, They're trying to get better. This is
a team that's still in first place. We know the
(26:53):
rhetoric that's going around with this team right now and
all the outside noise, all the concern but this is
still a team in first place in in its division,
still in line where the season ended. Ended today they'd
be hosting a playoff game, so They're going to keep
continue to trying to get better build off of that.
So whatever moves are made, O Markan is going to
try to make the team better equipped to trying to
(27:15):
compete for Super Bowl this year.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Chris, last thing I really got for you is if
Ciamalho's going to be sidelined for a while, obviously Anderson's replacement,
does the jumbo package you get sidelined or does Calvin
Anderson get the bump or I had heard some people
say maybe Pete could be your left guard and Anderson
could be your six guy again. Still, Spencer, do you
(27:38):
have any thoughts on that? I do.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
I don't think that it's completely dead. I think with
how how much of a weapon that's been I don't
know that they they probably prefer to find find a
way now. I think in terms of the totality of
the snaps, I think Spencer Anderson is going to be
your left guard on Sunday if Sam can't play. However,
(28:03):
I do think in my first bet on this would
be Andrews. Pete comes in, plays left guard, Spencer Anderson
kicks out, and he's and he's he's the normal you know,
jumpbo at, you know extra eligible that they have there,
that that's that would be the way I the way
I lean on this can't verify that obviously, but that
(28:27):
that would be my guess for what the Steelers would
do if they were to continue that. But I have
a hard time thinking that they're just going to completely
scrap it. It's one thing when when the injury happens
in game and you make that adjustment, like all of
you haven't practiced it and anything like that. But right, yeah,
and he wasn't even active last week. So but yeah,
(28:50):
that would be that would be my guess. But I
I would think more than anything, whatever their solution is
would be to keep that weapon to not just be like, well,
why the sam All is injured now, Swiss is going
to do nothing to play last Guard when it's worked
as well as it has unlocked the run game the
way it has. No, I I don't think they're just
(29:10):
going to throw that away just because of injuries.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Good Chris, last one for you before we let you go.
Of course, we've covered the important stuff, but now we
must ask you the very important stuff. We are about
to kick off the stretch run of the end of
the year, of holiday season of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas
on the horizon, but it begins this Friday with Halloween.
(29:33):
So Matt and I just want to know, give us
one or two Halloween candies that you can't live without,
and one or two that when you see them, they
immediately go in the trash can.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, which ones are you stealing out of your kids?
Out of the kids?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Trigg or treat bad, Milky Way and TwixT are the
ones there? Okay, Milky Way and Twist are the ones
Star Wars, Star Wars too, I'm started growing up stars.
Good answer, this is my favorite growing up you know,
especially No, so the my daughter is like very very
(30:10):
protective of the pink ones. If she sees me taking
out out of her Halloween bucket, she she I get
the the you know, very like a woman scorn. Yeah,
but uh no, the ones I'm throwing away candy corn
is just absolutely disgusting. I cannot stand it.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
We're not coconut fans here, Milky Ways.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Enjoy we agreed, no, no, no, no not plus.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Okay, so you're talking about coconut, which already gets stuck
in your teeth, and you're talking about almonds, which break
your teeth. So yeah, no, no, thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Almond Joys are a deep dangerous They're a deep state
conspiracy from the local dentists Association to keep everybody in line.
It might be you might be on listen. You're there,
you're the boots on the ground reporter. You might have
to investigate that a little bit for us. Chris Aleck,
make sure you're checking out all his work DK Pittsburgh Sports. Chris,
thank you so much for the time, buddy. Enjoy Halloween
(31:11):
with your family and we'll see you this weekend.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
All right, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
There he goes. Great stuff as always from Chris Hallick.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
You overlook the star or Starburst. That's a good different world,
but it deserves it deserves. You're gonna get them in
your bag, you know, right.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I think the ideal blend is like one or two
good chocolate candies, chocolate bars, and one or two good
like gummy sweeter, fruity, yeah, starbursts, nerds clusters. I think
that's kind of the balance that we're looking for in life.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Here, I hear you. And the orange Starbursts you can
have though, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Not very good. You can now if you go to
the right store. Like the right grocery store or something,
you know, Target or Walmart or whatever you like, just
get lemon. You can just get pink, or just get red,
or you can get like a bag of them.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
That's okay, it's nice.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
It's real dangerous, real dangerous.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
I remember when Jolly Ranchers you could just get the lemons.
It's like, oh baby, you off the fight through the
grapes and the oranges.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
And you get a bag of those Starburst pinks. Matt,
you sit down on the cows to watch Thursday night football.
The next thing you look at and you're like digging
into the bag and you're like, wait, it's empty. What happened?
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Any orange or grape flavored candy is not my bag.
I can do orange, like oranges, and I like grapes,
but they just they just taste fake to me.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
They don't orange jump totally with you. I would say
watermelon flavoring. I love watermelon. I think watermelon flavoring always
tastes janky to me. It just doesn't taste right. It
tastes fake and artificial and not like.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
A water I see where you're coming from, but a
watermelon Jolly rancher still makes me Happy.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Maybe Jolly Rancher is the one exception, but.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
It's not my top five choices and Jolly Rancherland that's Apple. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Next week on Best of the West with Power Right
the best Jolly Rancher flavors. We've got one more segment
to go. We've got these Steelers is practice report that
we got to get to and maybe a tweet or
two if we have time before we get out of
here as well. We'll do all that to wrap things up.
On the other side, West Uler, Matt Williamson, It's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
(33:19):
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Final segment here on a Wednesday, as we reach the
halfway point of the week. Obviously tomorrow we will talk
to I mean, I tell you what he's speaking of. Halloween,
the guy with all the best Halloween nicknames, Bob Labriola,
Oh yeah yeah, the lord of living in his fears,
the master of misery, the I.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Bet he's not thrilled with how things went Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
I bet he's not. I bet he'll bring some doom
and gloom to the program. Tomorrow will also begin all
of that Matt's stats and scouting the Colts. But with
that Matt Wednesday, today we got the Steelers first practice
report injury report of the week. Here, some good news,
some bad news, as always, I think not to anybody's surprise,
(34:26):
but obviously we'll get this out of the way. To
Sean Elliott and daniel Aqualay did not practice today. Still
no official IR designations at least as you know as
we're doing this now, but that one not as surprising. Also,
Scotty Miller did not practice with that finger injury that
he was dealing with. Isaac Sayamalu missed practice with a
(34:49):
pectoral injury. U don't think that's surprising as well. But
then the two that you don't want to see, Pat
Fryermouth did not practice with a quad injury. Zach Fraser
still dealing with that calf. He did not practice as well.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Okay on Wednesday though still early doors ran a lot
of these guys or all these guys are dealing with something.
But yes, okays to me.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
The entire trio of the entire trio of guys who
are now in their twenty one day window to return
from ir All were full practice participants, so Will Howard,
Corey Trice, and Malik Harrison. All three forgot all three
full practice participants. Uh Matt. Last one here, Ben Skronick
(35:34):
was limited today with a neck injury.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
So, and there's gonna be some roster moves here real soon.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
There's gonna be some some moving and shaking.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
And yeah, I so he might have jumped the gun
talking about Dugger, but I mean chefter reported it, and
I mean if he's not officially a stealer announced yet,
but somebody's got to go. And I didn't love hearing Elliott,
But when he said that, I'm like, yeah, that's probably
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
It's unfortunate. It's unfortunate, certainly, but it does make sense.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Right if you know he's not gonna play definitely the
next two or three games, maybe he plays the fourth,
and he's got to be out for for I or anyway, right,
you know, like, okay.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Significant around the division as well. Two Matt Joe Flacco,
dealing with an ac joint sprain in his throwing shoulder,
did not practice. His status is up in the air
for Sunday. According to Ian Rappaport, Now he's not.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Joe Burrow, but if he has a play, I think
their season is probably officially shot and it's time to sell.
What's the trade deadline?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I mean they're on life support right now.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Right Losing this past week was a bullet to the Jets.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
I mean they are still within reasonable striking distance of
the Steelers. Oh they are, but yeah, you lose Flacco
as well as Joe Burrow. Obviously you have to go
back to Browning. That would feel like they're.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
One of the few teams that at the trade deadline,
could you come to the road And there's the why.
I can make an argument for both most teams you can't.
But one more loss, i'd really start leaning towards it. Yeah,
let's yeah, get on with it.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And I think you are. I think you are correct
in that one. A couple of tweets to close us
down here, Matt for today Before we do that, though,
I did want to give a quick shout out and
his mom, Marty tweeted me the DeSantis family. They are
training camp regulars. I'm sure you have met them at
some point during training camp, Matt. Uh. Their son James
(37:32):
has duchen muscular dystrophee he's in a wheelchair. They are
always wearing Penn State and Ohio state stuff. So if
you've if you've ever met them, maybe that would paint
the picture for you. But they were very close with Wolf.
They would come out the training camp every year. They'd
bring James down onto the sideline. A incredibly kind family.
They'd bring me cookies and stuff like that to Wolf
(37:54):
and I every single year. James had his eighteenth birthday today.
Very cool and for people not a scientist, Okay, you
and I talk about this all the time when we
talk injuries. I'm not a scientist.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
I'm not a doctor.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
That's not my feel. But I know for somebody with
Dushen muscular dystrophe, turning eighteen years old is a big deal.
Is a big milestone. And Sora a big happy eighteenth
birthday to one of the biggest dealers fans that I know,
James DeSantis. Wanted to make sure that I said that
big thanks to He's a diehard listener of the show.
(38:27):
The whole family. They're S and R junkies, you.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, they've got us on all the time. Nice,
So wanted to give a big shout out and a
happy eighteenth birthday to James and a big thanks to
his mom Marty for reaching out to me and letting
me know that today was his eighteenth birthday. Keep on
keeping on, James, dude, and let's let's get a victory
this weekend. Put the cherry on top for you, Matt.
(38:51):
We got a couple Tom and Cody both asked in
a question here that's kind of similar and just it
relates to the conversation about this secondary that we've been
having a lot this week, and I think the defense
as a whole talking about kind of Jimmy's and Joe's
versus x's and O's. How much of the Steelers struggle
(39:11):
is maybe just players that are now on the other
side of their prime, entering their thirties. Not I hate
it when everyone's washed, everyone's cooked right, right, It's not
it's not how it works. But guys who aren't twenty
seven years old and absolutely in the prime of their
career verse kind of just some schematic things that the
(39:32):
Steelers could be doing differently. How do you kind of
come down on striking that balance.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
The answer to almost every football question I've ever been
asked is a blend of all the above, you know,
of course. I mean it's just there's eleven people in
the field. Coaching is more important than other sports, so
when things go wrong, it's almost never one thing to blame,
or one player to blame, or one coach to blame.
And I think that's the truth here too. Now I
(39:58):
am a little concerned, not so with a Dugger trade
or any specific move, but team speed in the back
end is lacking.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
It's not a strength.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
It's not a strength. And I thought going into the
season they would move and run collective as a whole
better than they do in the secondary. I mean, I
don't know that there's anyone that's fast for his respective
maybe Elliott.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Maybe Elliott is not going to be out there.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Now order, you know, but I mean he does one
of four to two either. I mean, I don't worry
about Porter speed, but everyone else is, and they're not
getting faster because it is an older group now, I mean,
Pepper's and Thornhill and these guys are kind of are
who they are at this point. But I don't know
the schemes helped them either. I mean, there's a lot
of instances on tape. First of all, there's too many
(40:44):
communication issues with the back seven in general, way too
many with simple motion across you know, tight end goes
from the left to right and people start looking to
their like who's got here? Like that can't happen, And
there's definitely communication issues.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Although through the smoking yeah, right right, and it does
contrary to popular belief, it happens every week, just every team,
and sometimes you get exposed more than others.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
But they spent too much, and frankly, I think there's
now it's easy for me to sit here in the
chair and say it. They are playing a lot of man,
but they've also played a lot of offman, and if
everyone wants to get the ball out quick, I would
prefer to see more press just to disrupt things as
(41:30):
opposed to catch throw. You know, Flaco did a ton
of that. Rogers great at it, but that's also some
trust other than porter, who's our press man? Guys? They
have more man guys than last year, but who's our
press man guys? Ramsey and slaves still in that neighborhood.
I think they're telling us they don't think so, you know,
(41:52):
or they do more of it.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
Sometimes they don't need to say. You just got to
look at their act.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
That's why these questions are always multiple answers, you know.
I mean you could just say, well they should tell
them all do press man like they're the mel Blunt
and you.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Know, and what if? What if that's a worse position
for them to success?
Speaker 3 (42:09):
That's what I mean, Like they've thought of this, two folks.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It's like you can just tell Wes Uleern to do TV,
but he's going to be a disaster, right, all the
bright lights and the where do I look? And what
camera is this?
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Even that? Like Williamson's got a face for radio. I mean,
that's why I've been a radio guy for my whole life.
I mean, if I was like a cutie like Rob King,
I'd have been on TV.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
All this time, you know, And then you'd have to
put on some makeups as well too. I can't do that.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
No dress in this pig up.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Oh come on, we put lips you look right. That'll
do it for the show today. A big thanks to
Chris Hallick for joining us. Big thanks to our video
producer slash statistician mister TV Matt Tomorrow. You know, I
don't know why I've been liking doing this lately, teasing tomorrow.
You procured you unearthed some crazy stats as it relates
(43:00):
to the Steelers defense and their quarter by quarter splits.
Speaker 3 (43:04):
I'm all about it this last twenty four hours, so
it's all I can think about.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
And I was thinking about getting it to hear in
this last segment, but I don't want to share change.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Yeah, it's not a too many conversations, it's not in fact,
and some of it might even be promising.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
I mean, if that's weird, that's the weird part about it.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
I was how often we had these conversations like going
to the doctor, But maybe we it's the disease is
a little more acute than I.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Thought, you know, a little more benign about benign.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
It's raging. I mean, there's no disease when yeah, yeah,
I can't think I can. You can at least figure
out more where the problem is now. So that's a
good tease.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Matt with some really good stuff on that. And that
is where when we get into Matt's stats and start
to preview the Colts tomorrow, we will begin with this
Steeler defense and how things have shaken out on a
quarter to quarter basis. There will be some stuff in
there that's going to encourage Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
There's also some in there that's kind of glaring and staring.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
You're right right down the barrel and anything to do
with the Colts offense you're not gonna like hearing as
the upcoming opponent. Yeah, it's really good.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I mean we talked about them. There was like five
guys not the Burger Company, there was like five guys
on that offense alone that we would love to have.
We will do all of that start there tomorrow, really
focus on the Colts as we scout Indianapolis and get
into all of Matt's stats and some really good breakdown
on this Steelers defense on a quarter by quarter basis.
(44:30):
We'll do all of that and more tomorrow for Matt Williamson.
I'm Wes Shuler. Thanks everybody, take care. We will talk
to you tomorrow. As always. You know where to find us.
It's on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold. It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network
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