Hr2: Latest On the Injury Front

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
It wouldn't be a Thursday show here on the Drive
without catching up with the Dean of Doom, the lord
of living in his fears, of course, Steeler's historian, the
Great Bob Labriola Labs. Thank you for taking the time
as always, And before we look ahead to Cincinnati, want
to look back to la in the Steelers' loss out

(00:44):
there at Sofi Stadium and just kind of I don't know,
thirty thousand foot view here, your concern level with the
offense and in particular with the quarterback. Who, hey, he's
set a very high bar throughout his career, but that
might have been one of the lesser performances that well,
that we've seen from the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, I mean it's it's easy to be, uh, the
Dean of Doom in Steelers Nation the week after a
game like the Chargers last Sunday night. You know, specifically
you asked about Aaron Rodgers. Uh, you know, he pretty
much admitted that he didn't play well. And I really

(01:26):
think that when you're a team that is married to
that kind of a quarterback. You know a guy who
is a established superstar, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers.

(01:46):
I mean when you're when you're a team Eli Manning,
when you're a team Peyton Manning, when you're a team
uh in the NFL, you know the current NFL and
your quarterback is that guy, you're pretty much tied to
him in terms of if he doesn't play well, Uh,
you have virtually no chance to win. You just you

(02:09):
just don't you know, we we have seen Ben. You know,
when Ben was great, you were never out of it.
But when Ben was bad, as some of those games
where he would have a lot of turnovers early, you really,
you know, you get behind to a point where maybe
he brings you back a little bit, but you really
don't have a chance to win. It's you. The guy

(02:32):
who has his hands on the ball every snap, has
so much control over a game. And when he is
that person is an established guy who has a reputation,
who has built up a lot of I don't know,
respect and a resume, and you're just dependent on him.
I mean, when you're going through your weekly regular season schedule,

(02:54):
your plan is built around him, and how he can
help you win, and if he is uncharacteristically bad, then
you're you're done. So Aaron Rodgers did not play well
on Sunday, he knows he did not play well on Sunday.

(03:15):
And as I mentioned, so you and the Chargers are
not a bad team, so you really that pretty much
blows up the whole plan. But I don't think he's
done by any means. I certainly, you know, I get
a lot of I get a lot of emails. I'm
not on the let's see what Will Award can do bandwagon.

(03:36):
I'll tell you that, or you know, let's are we
gonna go to Mason Rudolph like we did a few
years ago in December, because you know, he is such
a great stretch run and what was that twenty twenty three?
So yeah, I'm not I'm not anywhere near that level

(03:57):
of lunacy yet I don't and I don't think I
ever will get there. So I have every confidence that
he's gonna play better, because like I said, I don't
think he's done. And hey, the Bengals defense didn't have it.
They giving up over i don't know, seventy eighty points

(04:17):
or something in the last five quarters. You know, the
last game they gave up I don't know, almost fifty,
and then the fourth quarter of the game before that
they gave up twenty three or something. I saw that
or heard that somewhere. Yeah, I'm not real good. Yeah yeah, yeah, Okay,
so you know there's that to look forward to as well.

Speaker 4 (04:38):
So I'm with you. I'm not.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
Well.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
I'm not ready to go to Howard or Rudolph or
anything crazy like that. And I don't think Rogers all
of a sudden turned into a bad player over the
course of a week or two. But you also listed
five or six exceptional quarterbacks, the Mannings, Rivers, Ben et cetera,
and all those guys when they hit about this age,

(05:02):
you know, thirty eight, thirty nine into your forties, even
the rigors of the season treat your body a little differently,
you know. I mean, I think when because West asked
me this in the first segment, and I said, I'm aware,
Slash concerned, Slash worried, and I wouldn't be if you
had a bad game when he was thirty three.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know.

Speaker 4 (05:22):
It's just age is unbeaten, you know.

Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yeah, And I think that I'm not arguing with that
and I think that that's a factor. But I think
that's something that you can manage. Yeah, yeah, yeah, either
with I'll with game plans or what's in the game
plans or whatever. I mean. But still, you know what

(05:49):
Aaron Rodgers gives this team from the neck up. You
have to have you have to.

Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yeah, you have to, and that's going anywhere.

Speaker 3 (05:58):
Well, right, I mean, so that's why I'm saying, you've
got to that. The rest of it has to be
figured out and you do the best you can. And
I don't know what the answers are. I really don't.
I'm not I'm not smart enough or well versed enough
in the intricacies of the sport at the NFL level
or any of that stuff. But to me, that's one

(06:20):
of those that's a job that has to be figured
out and I'm just gonna that it's not my job.

Speaker 4 (06:31):
One thing I think that would definitely help, though, is
getting back to running the ball a higher percentage of
the time. I mean, that's one of my qualms. I mean,
time of possession is a real problem. I thought they
were running the ball really well going into halftime of
the Green Bay game and just kind of gotten away
from it too much.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
Well, I mean, I don't. I don't know if I
would say gotten away from it too much. I I
just wonder, at what point this season has the running
game ever been anything where you could have confidence in
it in terms of it carrying the weight I have

(07:10):
I have. I've watched every play of every game and
I've never been there yet.

Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, there's like, oh, it's looking better.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
It was.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
It was pretty good the last time they saw the
Bengals right seven yards I believe it was.

Speaker 3 (07:22):
But I'm with you, it wasn't the best running game
on the field. Okay, Yeah, that's that's what I mean.
When is when is the Steelers running game? And that
would maybe it was not a factor of the running
game itself. But what I'm saying is because of that,
even when it's played well, it wasn't the best one
on the field. At what point have you I I

(07:44):
have not had this the kind of confidence that, Okay,
we're gonna run the ball. They know we're going to
run the ball, but we're gonna do it anyway and
it's gonna work because it either's either a penalty or
there has been you know, a negative play you know
should go for it more on fourth and short. I

(08:04):
don't know what do you have confidence in calling? I'd
like to hear that answer, because I don't know what
that answer is. I don't think you have a running
play or a running back or you know that you
can say, Okay, you know, third and three, this is
what we're doing. We're getting the ball to this guy.

(08:27):
And I don't mean that in any disrespect to Jalen
Warren or I just think I'm just I'm talking about
the hole. And it's not just the back, it's the
back and everybody else that has to you know, is
the backside block going to be made by whoever that is,
or is that guy going to crash down and catch
him from behind because there's not enough push on the

(08:49):
front side of the play, you know, to get him
out of the backfield quick. You know, these are the
things that I don't know. I mean, when I'm watching
the games and it's third and short or fourth and
short and the Steelers are going for it, I, first
of all, I don't know. I have no idea what
they're going to try and do, because uh that's and

(09:13):
that's because of part two, which is what can you
count on consistently.

Speaker 4 (09:17):
Yeah, We've seen so many times in our life where
they can control the flow of the game through their
running game and everyone knows Jerome's getting the ball. By
no means have we seen that this year.

Speaker 3 (09:30):
No, And we haven't seen that in a long time. Probably,
so maybe the last time was when Le'Veon Yeah, you know,
you could, you pretty much knew, Okay, we're gonna you know,
whatever they call it, the four minute drill or whatever
it is in the fourth quarter. Yeah, we're doing that,
and he's getting the ball. Maybe mix in a pass

(09:52):
or two, but that's only to you know, keep the
defense a little bit off balance. You're primarily running the
football with this. I you know, as I said, it
hasn't it hasn't. And I think that that's a kind
of a rare thing anyway in the NFL. How many
teams can do that.

Speaker 4 (10:11):
It's not like everyone can do this, right, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (10:13):
Right, Jonathan Taylor. You know, say Kwon Barkley and.

Speaker 4 (10:17):
That even comes and goes a little too, you know.

Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yes, yes, but you know, generally speaking, you have a
level of confidence in those guys because they have been there,
done that resume that you know, cannot be ignored.

Speaker 4 (10:39):
I've been given this more thought and sorry to dominate
all the questions.

Speaker 3 (10:42):
But.

Speaker 4 (10:43):
The the lack of development from the Caleb Johnson situation,
I think has a bigger ripple effect than people want
to give it credit for. Like, I feel like this team.
I love Warren, I love Warren, I respect Gainwell, but
they need a big back.

Speaker 3 (11:02):
Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
I think everyone, Look, everything would fall into place in
the backfield with a big back. He doesn't have to
be Jerome, but I mean a hammer nause type, you know.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
Yeah, Okay, so let me you know, let's okay, let's
talk about it. What are you saying that Caleb Johnson
should be used more?

Speaker 4 (11:22):
I don't know. I mean, I think they had a
very distinct plan in place that they're gonna have an
early down back. They're gonna have Warren do what he
did last year and more, and then Gainwell is going
to be the afterthought, you know, satellite player. And I
don't know why Johnson's not out there. I know he
hasn't been super effective, but I also know he hasn't
gotten a whole lot of time. I'm not saying they

(11:45):
should have traded for one. I hope it's not an
offseason need. But I think you're feeling the effect of
not having a punisher because I think everyone else's role
would fall perfectly into place then, which I think was
their plan.

Speaker 3 (11:59):
Yeah, I don't I don't disagree with that. But I
also don't think that Caleb Johnson deserves more time.

Speaker 4 (12:05):
No, I'm not saying that either. I just think it's
just because he's he's the height and weight you're looking for,
and just because he uh, you know, was that in
Iowa at Iowa?

Speaker 3 (12:17):
You know, his tough running against defenses stacked in the
box eight or nine guys or whatever it was, his
yardage after contact, all those pretty statistics that the analytics
people like to talk about, and hey, they have they
have some merit. But when he's he has been in
the NFL so far, I haven't seen anything from him
that's saying we got to get this guy more time.

(12:40):
Right And I'll tell you something else. When you put
Caleb Johnson in the game right now, I don't want
him blocking for Aaron Rodgers. He's not blocking for Aaron Rodgers.
And what's he doing in the game if we're not
running the ball. And I don't think opponents needed a
whole lot of time to figure that out themselves.

Speaker 4 (12:59):
I just think there's a voy in the backfield right now.

Speaker 3 (13:01):
Yes, yes, you know, I don't know that. I don't
know you that you could have seen Caleb Johnson's weaknesses.
You could have kind of felt them because of the
kind of offense. You know, he's one of those big
ten guys like Ron Day or some of those other guys,

(13:23):
big guys, powerful guys. All they did was carry the ball.
Then they get into a version of the sport where
they need to do more than just be a hammerhead
in the middle of the line of scrimmage, and some
need time to figure it out and some never do. So. Yeah, so,
I mean, but you're you're right about him again. I

(13:48):
guess we're gonna find out what he's made of mentally,
his his off season, and then the way he comes
back in twenty twenty six is going to define not
only his career but also the course maybe of this
team's running game moving forward.

Speaker 4 (14:09):
I hope another third round pick on a two hundred
and thirty pound guy you know right right.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
And you just don't find them. I mean, they're not
just out there. So because you know, Trey Sermon and
Lou Nichols and you know, you can go through a
lot of that kind of stuff. Shamplin or whatever his
name was, and cam Ward and cam what was it was?

Speaker 4 (14:36):
Enough said, Yeah, so anyway, the opponent says thank you
when you put them on the field. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:42):
Yeah, So.

Speaker 2 (14:48):
I did not think we would get a Ron Dane
reference from Labs on the show today, but but I
absolutely love it.

Speaker 4 (14:53):
Had a TJ. Duckett of the mix from Mission stay right,
come in here, and.

Speaker 3 (15:02):
You know, whenever speaking of you know, Michigan State running backs,
whenever he might mention Lorenzo White, I always point to
that eighty nine playoff game against the Oilers down in
the Dome when low White got stripped by Woodson in
overtime and that turned into the Gary Anderson's fifty yard
field goal in that leaving the Oilers with the pain

(15:25):
in the House of Pain.

Speaker 2 (15:28):
But anyway, yeah, central central thesis about to do a show.
Never never trust a Spartan. That's what I'm That's what
I'm getting out of this conversation. And Labs, you know what,
just kind of sticking with the trenches. Here it comes again, right,
I thought Matt laid this out very well. You know
when we came in here on a few hours of
sleep the Friday after the Steelers had lost in Cincinnati,

(15:50):
and he said, yeah, you know, jamar Cha sixteen receptions,
one hundred and sixty one yards. That was that was
the storyline. But you know, sometimes you can play great
defense on Steph Curry and he's still going to score
fifty points. What you couldn't let happen with somebody else
on the Golden State Warriors takeover as well too, and
Chase Brown eleven carries one hundred and eight yards on

(16:12):
just eleven carries in that Thursday night at pay Corpse
Stadium Labs. They got to make this offense one dimensional.

Speaker 4 (16:18):
That was the sin to me. It was allowing that
terrible run game to be highly effective.

Speaker 3 (16:24):
Right And when you know, because you're going in I
think you're going into that game, it's a short week,
you're looking at that running game and thinking, you know,
we should be able to deal with this just kind
of because they're not very good at it. Yeah, yeah,
once you don't, then that that unlocked the key for

(16:46):
the Bengals offense. If a defense like the Steelers the
way it was built and the way it needs to
play to be effective. If they can't stop the run,
then they can't unleash their pressure packages. And if they
can't do that, you got a forty year old veteran
quarterback back there with the best wide receivers in the NFL.

(17:06):
You can't cover those guys if you can't pressure the quarterback.
That's seven on seven at training camp, chasing Jamar Chase
around Chuck Nolefield one on one or whatever. I mean,
that's that's good. That's just not gonna work. You might
and you might even have two good plays out of three,
but that third one is a fifty eight yard passed

(17:27):
on the sideline. I mean, they're just too good. If
if you don't, you know, cut off the snake at
the head, so to speak. You got to get the
quarterback as uh, you know Al Davis said, you know,
the quarterback must go down. So yeah, if what was

(17:47):
Chase Bromo was the average in like nine point nine
yards on first downs or something.

Speaker 4 (17:53):
I think it was averaging like two point six when
he came into the game. You know, in general, something
like that.

Speaker 3 (18:01):
The average I think overall in the game eleven, but
on first downs, it was nine point nine, which is
not going to cut it. Yeah, so that cannot happen again.

Speaker 4 (18:13):
No, So along those lines, lab, I find it really
interesting that and maybe telling in not necessarily a great
way that the secondary that the Steelers have now safeties
and corners is so much different than the one they
finished last season with, and it's markedly different than the
one they played the Bengals against two or three weeks ago.

(18:35):
Do you have any faith in the changes?

Speaker 3 (18:39):
Well, I think some of them, you know, I think
I hope one of the things that what was learned
in that game against the Bengals was that, you know,
being complicated sometimes works against you. I mean multiple and
you know, all of that stuff. Gotta have enough on

(19:01):
your defensive menu when you're playing receivers like that. And
because I will agree that you can't put somebody on
Jamar Chase and somebody on t Higgins and think that
they're just going to cover them. I mean, I don't care,
you know, right, I mean Rod Woodson in his prime

(19:25):
and the way the rules are, you know, put Dion
Sanders on one and Woodson on the other, and if
you're given the quarterback time, he's gonna he's gonna complete
some passes. So I think that putting Ramsey, you know
now that you when Ramsey had to be anchored in

(19:47):
a position and free safety is a good one for him.
You discouraged a lot of the you know, trying to
play with all your toys.

Speaker 4 (19:59):
Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (20:00):
You had because you had Ramsey, you could use as
a multiple board chess piece. You had sleigh, you had echos,
you had Joey Porter Junior. You know, you're thinking, boy,
we've got a lot of people here that we can
do a lot of different things with. And too often
I thought guys ended up looking at each other kind

(20:23):
of shrugging their shoulders, and you know one of the
things about shoulders.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
Looking at each other.

Speaker 3 (20:37):
But but but you know, like on offense, if you're
an offensive player, you break the huddle. Okay, you know
the play unless there's an audible pretty much on defense,
whatever is called in could change based on how the
personnel and the offensive huddle lines up. Okay, then if

(20:57):
there's motion, it can change again. And how far does
the motion go? Does it past the center? Because that
changes coverages in some circumstances, And so all of this stuff.

Speaker 4 (21:08):
And the change and moves it back and right.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yes, yes, so I mean you're the potential to me
for miscommunication on defense is exponentially higher because of the
nature of the position and how it how that unit
has to react. And then when you also add a
lot of extra stuff. I don't know, I just uh

(21:35):
playing they're just thinking too much. So I think that
has helped a little bit. And the interest and dedication
to stopping the run as a primary. You know, the
Chargers ran the ball a little bit, but I thought
that that kind of was a factor of being able

(21:59):
to continue to go back to the roulette wheel and
spin it again.

Speaker 4 (22:04):
What they did to Taylor and Jacobs the two weeks
before that is not easy to pull off.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
Right, That's what I mean. Yeah, So you play run
defense like that, at least you have a chance to
get after the passer, and if the coverage is simple enough,
maybe you can rely on some ability to make the
quarterback just holl the ball a little longer because not

(22:31):
blown coverages or mistakes. Maybe that half a second gets
t J. Watt there or Herbie there, yeah, half.

Speaker 2 (22:38):
Camp right, or Keanu Benton who's come on strong apartment, Yeah,
half a second extra one more. Joe Flacco tapping the
football and thinking about it means there's a whole bunch
for this defensive front. Absolutely, the great Bob Labriola kind
enough to give us some of his time here on
a Thursday, the Dean of Doom, the lord of living
in his fears labs. Thank you for the time, and

(23:00):
we'll see you on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (23:01):
Okay, follows, have a good one you as well.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
There he goes, Bob Labriola, good stuff, man of Steelers
dot Com. Great stuff as always. It's funny. I mean
we ask like four or five questions and we do
twenty five minutes with last. He's a good interview, that guy.
I tell you. That's the way you like it as
a radio host, not the other way around. Matt latest
Thursday injury reports for both teams coming across the timeline here.

(23:25):
We'll get into that and some more of Matt's stats
as we roll along here in our number two. It
is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (23:40):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Driving along here on a Thursday. As we continue to
get ready for all things Steelers Bengals this Sunday at
Atrasure Stadium, and of course a big part of that
the injury report. Of course, on Thursday is the day
that we really like to comb over this thing.

Speaker 1 (24:19):
Matt.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
I didn't think I've seen any of the Bengals yet.
That's my fault.

Speaker 2 (24:23):
But I was gonna say, there's came out late yesterday.
But we have both teams here today and again Thursday
obviously an important day in this conversation, so let's get
into it. Scotty Miller with that finger, has been a
full participant all week, so you would think that bodes
well for his status to get back into the mix
on Sunday.

Speaker 4 (24:41):
A note on that, and it's public knowledge. But when
I mentioned I was down in the facility today, you
learn stuff when you're down there. I guess Calvin Austin
is now listed on the depth chart. They made a
change as the number one punt returner. Okay, so I
wonder if William's days of getting a helmet. I like
him as a punt returner, but that's where all he does.
If Miller's back, if Austin's now the number one punt

(25:03):
returner makes sense, and you need I'd rather have somebody
run down on kickoffs that Williams can't do, you know
what I mean?

Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yes, actual, and Calvin Austin has been good in that regard.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
As well to Yeah, he's no slouch obviously.

Speaker 2 (25:14):
Darius Slay has not practiced yet this week, still in
concussion protocol. I would say he is extremely doubtful for
Sunday's game.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
They all used to be a master a concussion protocol
because there's such so many steps you have to take. Yes,
And I don't know that on a Thursday he's mathematically
eliminated yet if he hasn't taken a step, but I
think he might he is. Yeah, I think he probably is.
I think he had to do something so he could
do something tomorrow and then he can do that start
the process.

Speaker 2 (25:41):
About twenty four hours from now when the Friday reports
come out. I would be pretty I would be very
surprised if he wasn't just rolled.

Speaker 4 (25:48):
Out at that point, right And frankly, if he hasn't
done anything tomorrow, he will be he correct, impossible.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Correct, Corey Trice Junior Matt still has not practiced this
week with that hamstring issue that popped up last week,
and he's now starting to get towards the tail end. Say,
how long has the window been, that twenty one day window.

Speaker 4 (26:07):
We may not see him this year.

Speaker 2 (26:08):
I mean he's probably If he's not back early next week,
I would imagine that's probably it for his twenty twenty
five season and maybe for his Pittsburgh Steelers career.

Speaker 4 (26:18):
Who knows.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yea, yeah, I know it would ye speculation there.

Speaker 4 (26:22):
The seasons seems very much in jeopardy. Yes, yes, let's
leave it there for now.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
But yeah, good news for Jabrow Peppers dealing with that
quad injury. That guy same, Yeah, it's been a full
participant Wednesday and Thursday. That obviously bodes very well for
his status. Maybe he won't even have an injury designation
by the time we get to the weekend.

Speaker 4 (26:41):
Now, I think we know the starters at this point
where Predugger, I thought Peppers might be a starter, or
maybe Peppers and Douger would battle it out, but I
think Dougger's probably while he pipped them to some degree.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
Now, speaking of which, glad you mentioned that name on
the show. Tomorrow Kyle Dugger will join us here on
the Blitz. So we will get to talk to one
of the Steelers.

Speaker 4 (27:02):
It's the first time you've ever done that, first time
I've ever done it.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
Oh man, I got too comfortable. I'm getting too comfortable
around you. Man on the Drive, okay, not on the Blitz.
That's tom Off for a Man and CHRISA. Danski now
at noon. Make sure you're checking those guys out. Dang,
I really made it this deep into the season without
doing it.

Speaker 4 (27:19):
It's crossed my mind a few times. I'm like, I've
been on several podcasts where we've changed the title of
them and things like that, and my co host has
a brutal time to it. Oh yeah, and he still
sometimes be like locked on Niners.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
You know, I'm like nope, Like you know, this is
someone who does a bunch of different shows as well too,
Like you know, I do the WVU show twice a week,
and for those who haven't picked up, like I usually
do a similar sign off here on the Drive, yes,
where I'm like, take care, we'll talk to you tomorrow.
I'm doing my WBU show that we do twice a week,
and I'm like, take care, I'll talk to you tomorrow.
And we go to the break and the guys are like,

(27:51):
what are you talking about? Talk to you tomorrow, like
we don't have or four days, and I'm like, dang it, man,
I've done a good job of keeping the signals from
getting crossed, but it got me there.

Speaker 3 (28:01):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (28:01):
Jabil Peppers full participant all week.

Speaker 4 (28:03):
I would love to see him go past Clark and
just be the pure three just because I think he's talented.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
And he's got special teams value as well.

Speaker 4 (28:09):
Too.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
Good news for Cole Holcomb Matt back to practice today
for the first time since dealing with that illness these
last couple of weeks.

Speaker 4 (28:16):
Boy, I mean, must have been quite the illness. But okay, good.
I'm not saying Harrison's worthless or he should just go away,
but I think you'll see less and less. I mean
that might have been a one off, Jonathan Taylor.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
I think Cole Hulkom is the clear cut number three linebacker.

Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yeah, and if either one, if Wilson or Queen were
to get hurt, Hulkom totals that spot totally.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
Let's see here. Alex high Smith pectoral has still not
practiced this week, and guys.

Speaker 4 (28:47):
Like that, I don't worry about till Friday unless it's
something that's looming that's obviously huge. Maybe it's bigger than
maybe I'm brushing off, not giving enough credit, but I
think he's earned the right to not agreed.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
Good news on the same Malu front, he has practiced
limited capacity, but he practiced both Wednesday and today Thursday.

Speaker 4 (29:06):
That's good news.

Speaker 2 (29:07):
I think that's him trending in the right direction.

Speaker 4 (29:09):
Yeah for Sunday, And that's a guy that usually gets
a veterans day off, so yes, you know they just
even do that.

Speaker 2 (29:14):
Better news for Broderick Jones. Remember we kind of yesterday
he popped up with a growing practice and we were like, Okay,
hopefully that's just it's that time of year, day off,
it's Wednesday. He was limited today, so moving in the
right propression, moving in the right yesterday, did not practice
it all yesterday, was limited today, So good in that regard.
And then three guys just.

Speaker 4 (29:35):
Assumed Calvin Anderson as his direct backup. Yes, I mean,
I'm so glad we don't have to know that off
of our head. I mean, Pete's played some left tackle too,
but I would assume they just put Calvin and think.

Speaker 2 (29:47):
So yeah, hopefully hopefully him and FELTONU just stay healthy
the rest of the way, and you need it for
evaluation reasons as well too. And then three guys who
got VET days yesterday, John Smith, TJ. Watt, Cam Hayward
all return to practice today, So good in that regard. Honestly,
I think the only one there that really I think
we assumed that Darius Slay was likely to miss this week.

(30:11):
I think we assumed that Isaac Samalu was likely to
get back this week. I think the only one to
keep an eye on for tomorrow really is Alex Highsmith.

Speaker 4 (30:19):
Yes, a thousand agree with what you said.

Speaker 2 (30:22):
Let's take a look here at the Cincinnati Bungles injury report.
If I can get this to why is this? Why
do they put this in such small font? What are
you doing here, Cincinnati?

Speaker 1 (30:33):
Good? Look?

Speaker 2 (30:34):
What is this an injury report for ants? Joe Burrow's
been limited all week. He's not going to be activated.
We're not going to no.

Speaker 4 (30:41):
I think he even said he's shooting for like Thanksgiving it.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
Shooting for Thanksgiving us.

Speaker 3 (30:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:45):
Jermaine Burton, wide receiver, has an illness, has not practiced
yet this week.

Speaker 4 (30:50):
He's down the depth joke, down the depth chart. Disappointing,
but yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:53):
Interesting one. And I'm sure that this is just a
you know, his age and everything like that and his
veteran status. But Joe Flacco with a right shoulder injury,
did not practice yesterday, was limited today on Thursday.

Speaker 4 (31:05):
I wish I knew where I heard this earlier in
the week, But it might be a little more than.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
That you think. So, I mean, somebody like that he
was a little sore, will give him a day or
two rest.

Speaker 4 (31:18):
Right, But you don't like you're starting quarterback hitting at yeah.

Speaker 2 (31:21):
Especially right show, especially throwing as well too.

Speaker 4 (31:24):
And I'm not saying there's any more to that, but
you want you need him practice.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
And you need him practicing for the rest of the
good for everybody else.

Speaker 4 (31:31):
Yeah, get stuff done.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
Trey Hendrickson, another d n P another did not practice
today with the hip injury. So he hasn't practiced yet
this week. I'd be shocked if we saw him on Sunday.
BJ Hill was limited in practice today.

Speaker 4 (31:46):
Yeah. Not a great player, but he is important to them. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (31:50):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Lucas Patrick the guard has not practiced yet this week
with a calf injury. He's a backup yep. J Ryan
backup running back has not practiced yet this week with
an ankle I think for a while, I think he's
out for a while as well too.

Speaker 4 (32:05):
I thought he might even die are And then.

Speaker 2 (32:07):
The first round pick, the rookie Shimer Stewart defensive end
edge rusher, has not practiced yet this week either with
a knee injury.

Speaker 4 (32:14):
It's amazing how little they've gotten out of their incredible
high draft picks on defense. I don't know if you
caught in him Matt stats or whatever, but the number
of guys they've drafted in like the top one hundred
or I forget what it was like. Maybe it was
even the top fifty in just the last couple of
drafts and DJ turners like the one playing well. I mean,
they've invested in defense.

Speaker 2 (32:34):
Like crazy and it hasn't paid off.

Speaker 4 (32:35):
No, and they're the worst defense in the league.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
Yeah, it's cool. It's not for a lack of trying,
Matt right, whatever, lame.

Speaker 4 (32:43):
The coordinator goes to the Colts and wins every game.

Speaker 2 (32:45):
That's maybe the most ironic part of it is the
coordinator goes to the Colts and all of a sudden,
their defense looks great.

Speaker 4 (32:50):
Steps up in a big way, right.

Speaker 2 (32:52):
They're one of they're one of the better teams in
the National Football League and have a real shot to
go on a run this year.

Speaker 4 (32:57):
So oh no, injury wise, feel pretty good, not too shabby.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
Keep an eye on Alex high Smith. But other than that,
I think.

Speaker 4 (33:04):
And frankly, if he missed, you could, I mean, Herbie's great.

Speaker 2 (33:07):
It's not the end of the world. You want him
out there, certainly, yes, yeah, no doubt, no doubt him much.
AFC North note for you before we go to break.
Matt Lamar Jackson missed yesterday's practice with a knee injury.
He was a full participant at today's practice.

Speaker 4 (33:25):
So didn't run a ton against Minnesota. He's not quite
playing his same style, but he's back and the Ravens
are scary.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
Unfortunately they are uh and we will have plenty of
time to discuss that as we roll along. One more
segment to go on the other side. Will put some
final kind of crossing, some t's dotting, some eyes of
Matt's stats. We will also just give some quick thoughts
on tonight's Thursday night football game Patriots and Jets. Is

(33:54):
it going to be a blowout or on the short week.
Could the Jets who have hey don't look now, but
have won two games.

Speaker 1 (33:59):
In a row.

Speaker 4 (34:00):
Oh wow, I guess they have, even though they traded
Sauce and Quinnen And you know, right, Garrett Wilson just
went an ir like ten minutes ago to by the way,
you know, hey, they don't make a players left, but.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
They won to Breeze Hall fifty carries tonight.

Speaker 4 (34:12):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (34:13):
Hey, you win two in a row, you know what
happens if you win three in a row. They call
that a winning street. It has happened before.

Speaker 4 (34:21):
Wow, wouldn't that be Jets like to very much sell
everything and then lose the first overall pick and the
end up six. It would be very right.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
Didn't that happen to them a few years ago? And
like maybe the Sam Donald Baker Mayfield year where they were.

Speaker 4 (34:34):
Supposed to the last one.

Speaker 2 (34:36):
Like an overtime a meaningless and they ended up getting
picked two instead of pick one. Yeah, would have probably
still taken Sam Donald anyways. But it's funny how for
some franchises that stuff just seems to happen.

Speaker 4 (34:48):
Right.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
We will wrap this thing up when we return on
the other side. Some Thursday night football thoughts, some final
Matt stats nuggets, all of that and more as we
close down shop. It is the drive on Steelers Nation Radio.
The dry I've seven Home of the Black and Cult.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
You were two weeks about drive on your twenty four
to seven Home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (35:27):
Down the home stretch here on a Thursday. I do
want to get Matt's more concrete thoughts on tonight's Thursday
night football matchup, an AFC East clash between the Jets
and the Patriots.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
At New England. I believe so, I think so.

Speaker 2 (35:44):
Oh yes, at New England where the Patriots are a
thirteen and a half point favorite. Big number. We'll get
to that in just a second. Two tweets that I
wanted to run past you here, Matt, as we start
to close this thing down. The first one from Brad says,
why all doom and gloom stealer because the team is
thrown up on themselves a couple of times? Who in
the AFC hasn't Who in this conference would you be

(36:06):
afraid of? Right now? The Colts already beat the Patriots,
already beat the Bolts. Okay, that one was a little
bit different, and sure, concerned about the Chiefs, but they
have problems too. The Broncos have a strong defense, but
their offense isn't nearly as good as some of the
others that we've seen. The Ravens, their win against the
Vikings was weak. The problems are fixable, and there has

(36:29):
been improvement in the trenches.

Speaker 4 (36:30):
Hey, I like some Uh that's a great tweet.

Speaker 2 (36:32):
Some optimism from Brad there, right, and he's I think
the AFC is way more wide open than the NFC.

Speaker 4 (36:38):
Yeah, I'm way weaker in terms of strong teams. I mean,
Bill Holt, right.

Speaker 2 (36:43):
The Broncos have their issues, The Patriots have their issues.

Speaker 4 (36:46):
The Chiefs are the sleeping Giant, but they've been sleepy.
I don't love they love that wins, you know what
I mean. Denver his offense is kind of a mess.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
They're ripping giant. But it's like many though, Yeah, take
it too much Tiland on p m over there. Yeah,
in the city. It's a fair point.

Speaker 4 (37:03):
It's a fair point. I mean, the Steelers problems aren't.

Speaker 2 (37:06):
If you're in much different if you're in the NFC.
You're looking at and you're going, man, the Rams are tough.

Speaker 1 (37:11):
Man.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
Seattle is tough. Yeah, man, the Eagles are doing Eagles things. Yeah,
Detroit Detroit, right or even like Green Bay and Tampa.

Speaker 4 (37:19):
I think Philly plays Detroit, and I know the Rams
play Seattle, so like big Dogs. I know the Rams
play Seattle. Yeah, big dogs?

Speaker 2 (37:26):
Is that this weekend? I think Ram Seattle this weekend? Maybe? Yeah,
there is so, Yeah, the Big Dogs are going to
clash out there.

Speaker 4 (37:31):
Yeah, and I think that's playoff like football where AFC
is not the same right now, like even like he
didn't bring up Jacksonville, which I wouldn't have either, but
they're kind of falling apart, you know.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
Yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker 4 (37:44):
Actually they used starting to rebound, but they're in such
a hole.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
Speaking of which CJ. Stroud ruled out for the second
second straight week. See if they can work some more,
some more mills magic down there in Houston last week
to get to b Wigs tweets us and says Gundy
head to the Steelers make the playoffs. I mean, we
could put the gun away. We can just we can
just ask the question. I'm still leaning towards yes, But

(38:08):
check back after you ask me Sunday at about four
thirty and I'll really let you know.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
Yeah, Monday Sunday at four thirty would be a lot
more concrete. And it might even could be that if
they lost, I might be like, no, they win. I
might just feel like, yes, I think so. But seven
teams are going, and I think it'll be the Bills.

Speaker 2 (38:29):
The Patriots, no doubt, the Colts, no doubt.

Speaker 4 (38:34):
Chargers are basically in now. Denver's basically in. Now.

Speaker 2 (38:37):
That's five.

Speaker 4 (38:38):
I'm definitely think I don't think the Chiefs are going missuppose.

Speaker 2 (38:42):
It would be six.

Speaker 4 (38:43):
That's six.

Speaker 2 (38:44):
That leaves Steelers of Baltimore. Yeah, one seat left on
the Titanic.

Speaker 4 (38:48):
I miscounted. I was thinking they both would be in
the top ten.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
Again, though, as much as I is there any of
those I'm putting, I'm putting the Chiefs on the grease board.
But they're also only.

Speaker 4 (38:57):
Five and four, right, I just can't imagine.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
I can't. I can't either. But like what if I
hate being this guy, but like what if Mahomes missed
two games with an injury?

Speaker 3 (39:07):
You know?

Speaker 4 (39:08):
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean some of these teams are
going to have that stuff. Yeah, I mean, like I assume.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
But they also have no wiggle room the rest of
the way, and they play in a really tough division.

Speaker 4 (39:17):
The Chiefs don't have it or Bills don't have as
much wiggle room as you think either.

Speaker 2 (39:20):
Bills don't have as much wiggle room either.

Speaker 4 (39:22):
The Chargers winning is that last week was huge for them,
big time. Now I heard this, Yeah you know Aaron
Shott says he used to be football outsiders. Yeah yeah,
I was listening to this podcast today and he's very technical,
and he said the biggest game to date in terms
of playoff or chances of going to the playoffs are Chargers Jags.

(39:43):
This week makes sense if the Charger, if the Jags.

Speaker 2 (39:47):
Lose, they're done.

Speaker 4 (39:48):
They're at like seven percent. Yeah, you know, but if
the Chargers lose, all of a sudden, it starts.

Speaker 2 (39:52):
To get maybe the window a little bit. And again
they're in that tough division too. They still got to
play the Broncos and the Chiefs.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
So we would like to see the Jags beat the
charge yes, because they go from like a right now,
I think they're like a fifty percent chance. And I
don't love the percentage stuff because who knows what's gonna happen.
I mean, you're pretending to have a crystal ball, but
they go to like eighty five with a win and
a lot AFC win three. Yeah, because they heard an
opponent for a wild card spot AFC win a double

(40:18):
tap yeah yeah, yeah yeah, But that's their biggest one
to date.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
That makes a lot of sense and they certainly want
to keep an eye on. We will talk about those
plenty on tomorrow's program, as well as being joined by
Kyle Duggar if you miss that as well too. Matt
eight to fifteen Tonight Jets in Foxborough a two and
seventeen against an eight and two team. The spread reflects
that New England nearly a two touchdown favorite thirteen and

(40:43):
a half points. But you know what, it's a Thursday night,
it's a divisional matchup. I would weird things happen.

Speaker 4 (40:50):
It would.

Speaker 2 (40:50):
You'd have more of a pension for the strange in
this one. Pension for the strange that sounds like a
hipster album if it was at MetLife as opposed to
Jill at Stadium. But any chance you think the Jets
could give the Patriots and issues this evening, I.

Speaker 4 (41:05):
Would probably take the points, though, I mean that's a
lot of points for Thursday night.

Speaker 2 (41:08):
Games a short week for a commany.

Speaker 4 (41:11):
They don't Garrett Wilson and no sauce. They don't have
winning right. And I'll be honest, I it took me
a long time, but I am now on the Patriots bandwagon.
I think they're legit, legit.

Speaker 2 (41:23):
I don't think they're a super Bowl contender, but I
think they're a legit, no doubt playoff team.

Speaker 3 (41:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (41:28):
A couple of weeks ago, I thought they're gonna fall off.
Tampa will beat them and put them back in their
place a little bit. But they're really well coached and
they're strong on both sides of the ball.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
That they are, and I tell you what, man, they
can move to nine and two tonight.

Speaker 4 (41:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
Good lord.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
I'm sure some people have him isolated on Drake May
except for the Steeler game that that you as big
nerds as I am or whatever, But dude, watch him.
He's really really good tonight. I think the next great one.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
I think right now he is the Vegas front runner
for MVP.

Speaker 4 (41:58):
I know he's like I would vote for Stafford, but
in Vegas right now he is.

Speaker 2 (42:03):
Stafford's up there. Goth I think is up there as
well too. But yeah, I think as of this morning,
Drake may was the slight betting favorite for MVP, and
if he goes out there and lights up the Jets tonight,
that'll certainly be the case Friday morning, Matt and I'll
be back tomorrow full gamble of Friday shows to get
you ready for Steelers Bengals five Star Friday Douggart double

(42:25):
guest Friday tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (42:27):
Baby.

Speaker 2 (42:27):
As the road starts to narrow, then there's a lot
of important games around the league, certainly, and there's a
big one at Acroture Stadium on Sunday. We'll get into
all of that when we return tomorrow. Thanks to the
Dina Doom, the Lord of living in his fears, Bob
Labriola for joining us today, for our resident video producer
slash statistician slash mister do it All, Tyler V mister

(42:48):
TV for making sure we look nice and handsome, and
HD on the YouTube for Matt Williams and I'm Wes Shuler.
Take care everybody, we'll talk to you tomorrow. You know
where to find us. It's on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Gold Delers Nation Radio
on the Steelers' audio network