January 7, 2026 • 44 mins
Matt and Wes take a look at some of the awards that will be given out throughout the league and give their thoughts on who they think will be taking home some hardware in a few short weeks. The guys wrap up the hour reading some tweets sent in by Steelers Nation.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we do it? Well, that's
good us too. Our number two here of the Drive
on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black
and the Gold, and the regular season is in the books.
With that, we're kind of, as Stevie Rayvaughn would say,
best guitar player ever. By the way we're walking the
tight rope. He's number one for you, he's number one
for me. But I understand that's a personal preference.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It's not like Brady's best quarterback or Jordan's.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, correct, Yeah, I think I've said this to you though,
that I understand Stevie Rayvaughn's an acquired taste. If you're
talking best guitar player ever, okay, and you don't mention
Jimmy Hendricks, Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy Page, I immediately
tune you out.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Really okay.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
So if you want to tell me best guitar player
ever and one of those three isn't up at the
top in the conversation, I immediately tune you out.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Okay. You know my utter love for Zeppelin but I
was shocked at Page.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Was one of your three godfather of the riff. Okay,
I guess you could throw Clapton in that conversation.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
In that conversation, I would have picked van Halen and
Hendrix as two of your three for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah right, buddy, yeah buddy, just absolute game changers. I
forget who it was the other day, but I told
somebody somebody was UH was listening to uh to Beat
It by Michael Jackson and like dancing along and singing along.
It might have been on the Steelers bus, like on
the way to Cleveland or something. And I was like,
you know, Eddi van Halen wrote that riff, right, edievan
(01:46):
Halen who wrote that riff? So not only is he
you know, Eddie friggin van Halen, he also wrote the
riff for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. I digress.
These are the conversations that Matt and I have every
year when we drive five hours each way ten hours
round trip to indian a little bit. We used to
every year debate the hockey stuff. Crazy best guitar players
(02:09):
and like mount rushmore of hockey players.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And year on hockey stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Just be losing his mind guys, can we talk about
baseball instead?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Please?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Last year, did you guys have this same conversation as
we cross over the Ohio Turnpike every single year? Matt
Speaking of awards, let's talk some NFL awards now that
this regular season is in the book. You want to
start at the top with m v P. You want
to start with let's let's let's start with the with
the big, with the big klublamy. And I think it's
a two horse race, right, Drake May or Matthew Stafford?
(02:41):
Is that fair? And did the way the season ended?
Does that give Drake May the nod? Yes? And yes,
I think so.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Now, I hate being so driven by recency bias for
an award like this great, but I think it's enough,
you know, because they were so close.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
What I tend to do when it's splitting hairs like
with with deserving candidates like this is I like to
have the which team would drop off a cliff more
if you took that guy away from them?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Especially for valuable in the converts.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
It's not the Heisman Trophy, it's not the most outstanding.
I almost wish it was worded most outstanding player, as
opposed to the most valuable because that leaves a ton
open for interpretation.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Like Herbert has kind of a case in both out
a doubt right, like they might win three games if
you just Joe average quarterbacks in there.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Josh Allen maybe in that same right, that same that
same vein, but with the way it is is framed,
I think it's Drake May slightly over Matthew Stafford because
I just I think the Rams are a better organization,
better head coach, not that I think the Patriots are
bad and Rabel's bad, better organization, better head coach, better
roster h in l A than than a New England.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, the tie breakers, I think favor May, except for
he played an easier schedule and Patriot played a very
easy schedule. That's one knock against him. But I don't
think his receivers are exactly Davante Adams and pukakako Ja's
had a great year.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
But yeah, I would take I would take Davonte and
Puka before I would take Digs.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Better lines, better scheme, you know, right for sure?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
For sure. So yeah, as much as I would love
Matthew Stafford to get it at this point of his career,
would be a great story and a great career achievement
for him. I think I'd give Drake May the slight edge,
as much as I hate to say that. Another another
another MVP quarterback in New England.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
In the second season. All right, Jerks.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Gat offensive Player of the Year, Matt Does that go
to Puka Nukua? Or did he did? Missing? Missing time?
You go in Jackson?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
But Jacoba has a really strong case pretty much start
to finish.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
He sure does. Taylor's no longer say Taylor kind of
fell off. What's funny is I've seen in these articles.
I've seen a lot of people mentioned in Trey McBride
in this conversation, which I don't hate.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I mean, he's had a historic tight end year.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
But I think when your team's that bad and that
out of the playoff picture, I don't know if you
can win an individual.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Award, like I don't think Offensive Player of the year, right,
you know.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
When your team won three games?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Not to imagine, I mean you might have like a
Gronk year. I mean, I mean he's a I'm really yeah,
I'm not bash and McBride, but he doesn't influence the
game like Gronk. Did you know? I think it's a
two horse race, two receivers.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I think it's between those two receivers.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I've heard a little bit of buzz like ye, yeah,
you know. I think he carried that offense for a while,
but he only averaged like four yards of care. They
didn't run the ball well all year.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
No, I think I'll go Puka Nakua slightly over Jackson
Smith and Jigba. I think, and Jigba probably does in
terms of who I think is gonna win it. Yeah,
if that makes sense. I think in Jigba if this
was along the lines of most valuable, would get the award.
But offensive Player of the Year. You look at Puka
Nakua and what he's done and it's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It is ridiculous, like yards for route if you break
it down like the lowest common denominators yards per route
run things like that, He's historic. I'm going to Smith
and Jigba. Yeah, just a little more consistency from week
one to week eighteen.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I agree with you on it.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Less around him, lesser quarterback, higher target share.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Agree with you on all those.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, maybe I'm going against my own logic here.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I'm not sure who the better football player is. I
don't think he the one's the best wide receiver walking
the planet right now.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I think Puka's a little more complete because he's really
good in the run game. Like, he's physical, he's got
some hines Ward vibes about him.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, he's big, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Like he likes he likes the contact plays, big, likes
to get out there in the run game and and
move people around.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah. Yeah, I'm gonna go slightly Smith and Jig.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
I don't hate it. Yeah, I'll go Puka just so
we can be different. Kah Defensive Player of the Year
he had. This is a real tough one, no fun.
It's a real tough one to discuss. I guess the
better discussion is who comes in second, Jeffrey Simmons or
Will Anders.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I wouldn't bring up Will Anderson because obviously they're on
the dog.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If this was a Heisman style yeah, yeah, you have
the fists sitting up on the stage as you open
the envelope type thing. I think Will Anderson Junior and
Jeffrey Simmons would be the other two people on the
stage with Yes, maybe Nick Bonito as well, but I
think I think those two would be the other two
on the stage with Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, Simmons and I think Cam deserved to be first
team All Pro or Pro All Pro. Great the tackles,
and Michael Parsons, Sarrett.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
And Will Anderson on the edge is the first teamers.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Parsons had a case if he had kept going, get
the injury, I think has to knock him out of it,
you know, but he was awesome. I would go Anderson
number two, But I'm holding that against Simmons because his
team stinks kind of like the mcbrae bride conversation too,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, it is uh and all. I mean, all those
guys are absolutely outstanding years. But you're right. If we
flipped Jeffrey Simmons and Will Anderson the teams they were on,
I think Simmons would be getting a lot more like
I don't think I know that would be getting a
lot more.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
So, Folks, everyone's been I mean you probably know by
now the group, this pair of edge rushers coming to
town is horrendous. Hunter actually has more sacks than Anderson,
but I do think Anderson's had the better year and
is the slightly better player.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Fair Matt, what might be the most difficult of all
these Coach of the Year. Oh, I know there are
so many.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
About any of them as the clear number one.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I think the top three Ben Johnson, Kyle Shanahan, Mike McDonald.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I think Jacksonville has a case too, totally, Liam Cohen.
I think Vrabel has a case.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
He does, he certainly does.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I don't want to be too recentcy biased, because just
a week or so ago I said it was Shanahan,
and I know he just lost to McDonald. But boy,
they had a lot of injuries this year and they
lost bat They got beat up, you know. So I
just don't want to hold one game that if that
was Week two, I never would have thought twice about it. Sure,
I'm gonna go Shanny. I mean that that was possibly
(09:03):
the best offense in the league. Did a party first,
Stratch didn't, a Kittle wide receiver has been a rotating door.
Trent Williams didn't play some. But boy, there's five or
six really good candidates.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think I'm going Ben Johnson. And here's why sometimes
I rail on this, but I think it applies here.
The exceeded expectations and what you did with what you
had type thing like Seattle, I mean, like went to
the playoffs before McDaniel got there, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I think I picked them to be a playoff team
this year. I didn't pick them to the one seed,
but I picked them to be a playoff team.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Like they made the playoffs in twenty two. They went
nine to eight in twenty three. So it's not like
he inherited a Chicago Bears type. I mean, before he
took over, they had made the playoffs one, two, three,
four times in the previous six years. Seattle, Seattle say
Chicago is a total was a total opposite. Yeah, they haven't.
They haven't sniffed double digit win seed in some postseason
(10:00):
success and that kind of stuff. Kyle Shanahan's really tough
because man, he overcame so much. Bosa and Warner both
being out yesty, Purdy Kittle, Trent Williams, Brock Party all
missing time. But I just people were calling Caleb Williams
a bust and yeah, and you know that the Chicago
(10:21):
Bears organization is going to have to tear that thing
down and rebuild again. And Ben Johnson has them as
the two seed in the NFC playoffs. I'm going Ben.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Johnson, I'm gonna make a case. So for Vrabel, okay,
which is fair to do because I'm over under winding.
Totals came out and I'm sure we had conversations about that,
and I always do in the preseason, and I love
those talks. And when the Patriots came out as like
seven a half or eight, and I'm still like, this
team was terrible last year. You know, in twenty twenty four,
(10:52):
one year ago, they picked fourth in the draft or something,
you know, and I'm like, they're putting the cart before
the whole horse. It still needs an no line and
you know, there's some pieces on defense mazing the second year.
As much as I love him, you know that that's
not this type of team that they are not a
playoff contender. They way exceeded that. Like, I don't think
he took over a great roster in the May situation. Actually,
(11:15):
Josh McDaniels might be the offensive coordinator, could be like
coordinator of the year. I mean, he deserves a lot
of the May credit too, by the.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Way, Yes he does, Yes he does. I've kind of
been surprised in a way that his name hasn't popped
up on more of these head coaching searches. But that's might.
This would be his third crack at that and the
first two haven't worked out, and he might just be
a coordinator forever. And if he is, what a what
a benefit for Vrabel and Drake May and those guys
going forward? Yea, I you, I think I would go
(11:44):
Vrabel over Liam Cohen just because of how bad, how
bad the Patriots may far worse, far worse. You know what.
The one guy who I think deserves a shout in
this too. He's not gonna win it, but he might
not even be in the top five. But I think
Jim Harbaugh deserves a quick They lost their top three tackles, yes,
(12:05):
their top two running backs, and they still won double
digit games and are in the playoff, like comfortably in
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I just feel like he's always going to.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Win in a really good division. Yeah, like, yeah, he's.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
It's some of those like Tomlin never losing season field too.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
He's not top three, he might not even be top
five if you put Cohen and Vrabel ahead of him,
which I think is fair, But he at least deserves
a ship. A really really good year, he at least
deserves a shout I think in this in this conversation.
Oh it sure could. Like I said, that might be,
that might be the hardest. That might be the hardest
one of the year to judge between there to decide
(12:40):
as Coach of the Year, Matt. A couple more of
these that we need to get into, defensive and offensive rookies,
Comeback Player of the Year, and a new award that
I love, the Protector protect the Year of the Year,
which I absolutely love. The offensive lineman getting some credit.
Let's take a break and do that on the other
side so we can give those all kind of the
proper conversation and not rush things here. Will continue to
talk some NFL awards as we roll along. Euler Williamson.
(13:03):
It is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Back on the drive here as we roll along with
our NFL Season Awards, regular season awards recap here in
our number two or I guess maybe predictions and picks
since it will be a little under a month, it'll
be the you know, the NFL Awards ceremony that is
ahead of the Super Bowl where they announced all of
these the Hall of Fame class that we'll be looking towards.
(14:01):
See if our guy, I'll see Greenwood gets in, which
is kind of a way that they fill that gap
week between the you know, between between the championship and
the Super Bowl. Absolutely used to be the Pro Bowl.
Now no one gives a rip watch on. Can I
be honest, like, yeah, it's a I think it's a
(14:21):
like a generational disconnect thing. But I've I've never been
into All Star games. Pro Bowls was. I'm sure it
was a big it was a big deal at a
time there was as.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Much entertainment back then, either channels.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Or there's fifty seven channels with everything you want to watch,
right and you know Netflix, HBO was seven hundred great
TV shows.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I haven't cared for thirty years though.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, you do. Although have a great story about when
the NHL All Star Game came to Pittsburgh and you
got everybody's autograph.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yeah, we hung out in the hotel lobby for like
two days, two or three days.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Matt comeback, Player of the Year up next for us.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
And it's always a weird war.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
It's always a weird because how do you judge it
is so Boddy who got injured and then came back
like an Aiden Hutchinson or a Chris o'lave or even
I've seen Troyaltanu's name mentioned.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I was.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Not bad, not bad. Yeah, there have been examples like
Ryan Tannehill and Gino Smith where it was guys who
just struggled and then all of a sudden broke through.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yeah. Part of it's like, because you were so bad
last year, we're gonna give you this award.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Some of it has been you know, like Damar Hamlin
health type stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Like there's yeah, there's not Lacko won when he came
off the couch of one year. If Rivers would have
taken Rivers.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Would have taken them to the playoffs, there's not. This
one's tough because there's not clearly defined parameters.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah, I know, So who are some names.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Olave, Aiden Hutchinson or the two that I see most?
Like I said, I've seen Troy Faltanu mentioned in this regard.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Rookie year basically, Yeah, I would say who missed all
last year would be.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think Aaron Rodgers should be getting some love in
here too, though, because he missed the start of last season, right,
with an injury. Did he with the Jets or did
he start Week one? He was there the whole time, Okay.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
I would say if it was his first year in
New York to this, then he runs away with it. Yes,
he blew out of Achilles.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Absolutely, absolutely. Aiden Hutchinson's a good one. Chris o'lave is
a good one.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
I'm scanning, like, who were guys that missed a ton
of time?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
You know, those are the only ones that kind of
really jump off the page for me.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Yeah, both are good. I would probably go with Lave though, Well,
Hutchinson is a better player.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Hutchinson's the better player. Olave might have had the better year. Yeah,
I mean eleven hundred yards.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Dak Prescott's the new favorite.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Oh, Dak Prescott. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Interesting see that.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I could see that because he's he's another he's another
one of those guys you know, coming back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Yeah, he had a great year.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
He was outstanding. I mean, they're they're the attention on
that team fell off as the year went along, But
he did have a great year.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
He was out Christian McCaffrey's mentioned on this article, which
I mean he was pretty useless last year and he
was great this year. That's pretty good. Stefan Diggs. Diggs, Okay,
Daniel Jones, I mean he came from nowhere.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Man. If he would have finished the year, yeah, he'd
be a great one.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Trevor Lawrence like from good. Yeah, I think you're being
with McCaffrey.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
It's a good one.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I don't know exactly how much time he missed last
year and all those things, but he was. I mean, like,
people thought I was crazy for taking him in the
first round of my fantasy draft because he hasn't played
in forever. Blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You know, I might go wading Hutchinson Okay, is tough though, man,
I mean he he was talking about retirement during the
off season because of his concussion issues.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
McCaffery playing four games last.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Year playing about interesting. That'd be awesome to see Troy
Faltanuho gets some more spin and some more love though.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
He won't, but it's nice that we throw him out there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I agree with you on that. Protector of the Year
Matt Williamson, Oh baby. According to Bill Barnwell of ESPN,
three top candidates Aaron Brewer the outstations. I thought I
was gonna Quinton Nelson of the Colts and Trent Williams
of the Niners.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
I was a Brewer. I thought he was a I
thought for sure I would be the only one that
came up here.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
He was unbelievable and heading into the last year of
his contract, he might have positioned himself.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh, he's just a rare players.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
He went on. He went undrafted in twenty twenty. He
might go from undrafted to cash to become in the
highest paid center in the NFL. He gets a heck
of a story for him. I'd love to get him
in the NFC. I'd love to get Creed Humphrey or
some of these guys. Yeah, but he's a tough he's
he's another though, like based off how good his team was,
(18:57):
and you know, but I think football people, oh no, yeah,
have been given this dude a lot of flowers, rightfully.
So yes, and he might he might be you know,
like we were talking about the the O Line masterminds.
What's the what's the name podcast? They do? Trench Warfare?
Is that the name of their their podcast? They've been
(19:17):
given Aaron Brewer some love. I saw a Q Shipley.
He goes on, He goes on ESPN every year and
gives his first and second team All pros at each position.
And he had Aaron Brewer and staid he thought him
and Trent Williams were the two best offensive linemen in
the world.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
He the other name there and it was there the
Trench Warfare People's starting left tackle is Laramie tunsl Larmie Tune.
He became a lot more consistent in Washington and became
a better run blocker.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
What about someone like Peney Soul? Would he deserve a
shout in this conversation?
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Always those guys, and I'm with them. Lane Johnson is
probably the best offensive lineman walk in the earth right now,
time he can't do it. But his time was out.
There was like.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Joell might be winning this award too much longer?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, maybe Trovill, who knows? I mean, but I think Johnson.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, with Brewer, I think it'd be very cool to
see him win it.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Yeah, because a lot of people be like, who's that?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Who's that? Just with all the ups and downs they
had this year, they were consistent in the run game
with a chaine and Brewer was a massive part of that.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Joe Toney was really good as well. I heard this
the other day. Joe Tuney's been in league what ten
twelve years or something like that, he's been He's coming
first place in his division every year, no way. Yeah,
you go for the Patriots to the Chiefs and now
he's with the Bears.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Not bad.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, he's like he's never coming second.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Not bad.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
With Delon Dawkins deserve a shout in this in this conversation, second.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Or third team type guy maybe, I mean really good player.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I think it'd be really cool if Brewer won it. Yeah,
because this type of war typically goes to a tackle.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Oh yeah, Seember center. The award is going to be
a thing last year, like it's always a go to
a left hack or right right.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Maybe not, and maybe some of these guards too will
work their way into the conversation coming down the home
stretch here, Matt Williamson, Rookie of the Years, Rookie of
the Years, it's.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Not very rookie class.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It is certainly not, certainly not what it's been these
past couple of years where there's been some really great
debates here, I think, particularly on the defensive side of
the football. So let's start there, because I think the
offensive Rookie of the Year is a little more fun conversation.
Let's save that for last defensive rookie of the year?
Is it Carson Swessinger of the Browns? Abdul Carder maybe
working his way into the conversation, swers might pick here's
(21:37):
from the Falcons. I feel like has been getting some love.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
It's a bad group.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
It's not at it really is. And like Carter and
Carson Swashinger are very good players, but they're not the
typical names that we're discussing in this conversation. Sweassenger. Yeah,
I don't hate that.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
He missed the game or two, but that's not that
big a deal.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
For I know you've discussed this before. We've discussed this before.
Off Ball linebacker is one of the hardest positions to
transition from college to pro. It's it's underrated in that
regard how how much your game brain has to develop
and come along and catch up with.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Your skills set so much.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
And for him to do what he's done in year one,
there all be it on a very good defense. I mean,
he got drafted a very good defense. But I think
I think he's I think he's the answer him Carter.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
I would think, I don't really know who Carter was
kind of not even every down guy though Thibodeau and
Burns and him, they had rotate and Burns was second
league in sacks, and I mean he was good. It
was flash.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
And I'm sure there's like a third or fourth round
pick that like had a good year, you know that,
but not better than.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Even someone like Johan Campbell had a really hot start
off towards.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
The Another one that kind of was a rotation with
j And.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
If Derek Harmon would have been healthy all year, maybe
he'd be in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
He's in the conversation for best like defensive tackle. Yes, yes,
you know, I'm trying to go position by position in
my head, like who was the Another an honorable mention
is uh from the the from the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
From the Seahawks Heavy Impact, Xavier Watt's honorable mention.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, yeah, I mean they would probably be your safeties, yeah,
and wries that Hamilton move will Chase Chess peace and
that McDonald slash Ravens defense.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Though not a great group, not not a great group.
They also mention the Niners Upton Stout as a as
someone who deserves a shout. That means a stout deserves
a shout. He's a he's a yeah, Matt Offensive Rookie
of the Year. Uh Teed McMillan, Tyler Warren.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
It wouldn't be Warren for me, No, I think it's
McMillan or Shock.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Chuck is a great call, but it's so recent. I mean,
I put him ahead of Jackson Dart Oh yeah, head
award like the guy. The running backs like Henderson and Judkins.
I don't know if they had the complete body of work.
They all got hurt a Meccha Buka fell off, Luther
Burden I think started too late. Like great second. He
does that the whole year. He might win the award.
(24:21):
Tat McMillan, I mean my favorite picks, and I might
even throw them. I mean, playing worth the breath almost
is Membo and Zabel. They were both high, high quality
offensive linemen. They have no chance to win it. I
can't imagine offensive lineman winning that award ever, but that
they were the best. They deserve shouts.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Players amongst them. I think it'll be McMillan.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
He is the only rookie in this class to finish
with over a thousand rushing or receiving yards is tat McMillan,
I know, the running back or receiver like I think
Tyler Warren was close. I think he had like almost
a nine hundred receiving yards, but McMillan the only one
in the rookie class to finish over a thousand yards
receiving or rushing.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
I think he will win it, and he'd probably get
my vote as well. But I don't know if you
remember the Saquon Barkley's rookie year, Baker Mayfield end up
winning it that year, Yeah, yeah, but he didn't become
the starter until like week six for the Browns as
the first overall pick, and Barkley was good from the jumps,
I meant, right off the bat, and they gave it
(25:28):
to the quarterback, which I thought Barkley deserved it at
the time.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Tigers to the quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Quarterbacks, right, and Chuck's got a decent case considering the
competition this year.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Absolutely, maybe maybe winning last week would have really helped
his case, but I think you're right, he absolutely deserves
to be in the conversation.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
They almost won their last five, He won their last five.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
One loss was like a field goal game to the fountains.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah, yeah, and if he were to end on a
five game winning streak, that's pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
It is, it is, And what you do down the
stretch is more heavy weighted than what you did. You
know in October certainly, But there's some thoughts on the
NFL Awards that we'll find out here in just a
few weeks before we completely turn all of our focus
to the postseason. One more segment to go when we
return here. On the other side, we'll cross some te's dot,
some eyes, get to some of your tweets of the
(26:18):
week as well. We'll do all of that when we return.
What's you aler at, Matt Williamson. It is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Final segment here of the Drive on this Wednesday, as
we are getting closer and closer to wild Card weekend,
Tomorrow will have our first semi final college football playoff game.
As we mentioned, we'll spend a few minutes, nothing crazy
because all eyes will be on Steelers Texans, but we'll
spend a few minutes, Yeah, two days. Yeah, and we
(27:13):
got to talk a little bit about Ty Simpson as well.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
And the four quarterbacks are still left all or draft
relevant at least.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Yeah, they could all be top fifty picks in the
upcoming NFL Draft. I do want to get to some tweets,
but Matt, this caught my eye here when I was
kind of just scrolling through during break. NFL dot com
posted one potential fatal flaw for every team in the playoffs. Okay,
and I'm laughing because what they put for the Broncos
(27:41):
was their run game, which was something that we discussed
when we were talking about Drake May. We talked about
how he doesn't have that, you know, reliable of a
run game to lean on, and could that end up
costing him? Could that end up be the difference. So
before we get to some of these tweets, I just
wanted to roll through the rest of these and see
what you thought. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Yeah, fatal flaw Patriots.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Yes, according to NFL dot com, one potential fatal flaw
for every team in the playoff Patriots red zone defense.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I'm not on top of it enough.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
That's very that is very detailed, but they have the
third worst red zone defense in the league. They're the
only team only team in the bottom ten of red
zone defense to make the postmakers.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
That's a good one.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
They allowed twelve touchdowns on fifteen red zone drives against
other teams in the postseason. Would call it, wouldn't call
that great?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Yeah? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Number three the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here biggest weakness fading rushing game.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
They're a tough one for me. I think they're pretty
well rounded. I don't think they're awesome in any just experience. Yeah,
that wouldn't be a bad call either. I mean you
got a rookie head coach and a young quarterback, you.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Know, and then just a roster full of guys that
haven't done that. Yeah, but that is an interesting one
because you're right now that I think about it, they
don't have.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
They don't have a glaring one to me.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, but they It might just be the cumulative cumulative, like,
are they elite in any area? And do they have
the experience? For the Steelers, Matt, this is not a
surprising one. Explosive plays, That's where I was going to
lack of them on offense, allowing them on defense.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
A lot better. With the allowing part and they they
do get some explosive especially on the ground. It's better
than better.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
It has been better, and hopefully with DK Metcalf that
will continue. But Aaron Rodgers five point nine air yards
per attempt lowest of any quarterback in the league. Next
lowest is Geno Smith at six point six.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yep, I get it.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I think that's fair. I mean, we've talked about explosives
for the offense and the defense just about every single
Weekason he probably will once again in the off season.
The Houston Texans, the Steelers opponent offensive line, completely agree.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah. I would say, if you want to break running
game more so, Yeah, it's not a great running game
at all. I think the line is still a huge
question mark.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
It's not the albatross around their neck that it has
been the last two or three years, but it's horrible.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
It's still bottom of the league.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
It's still below average. Yeah. Uh. Houston also though, and
I'm sure we'll talk about this red zone conversion rate
of just forty six percent, that's thirtieth in the National
Football League. And part of that is because you can't
run the ball in those tight spaces with the field.
When the field constricts Yeah, Buffalo Bill's biggest weakness one
(30:29):
potential fatal flaw lack of a go to target on offense. Yes,
I think that's well said.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I would say run defense is also right there too.
It's been a problem all year, but you really need
it's really nice to have a difference makeror mismatch outside receiver.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
When and not even it doesn't even have to be
like a Jamar Chase Hall of Famer outlier. If you
gave them a Medcalf, a Metcalf, Higgins, yes, Zay Flowers even.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
They might be the my pick to win at all.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Then it might be do we need to do that
before the week's over too, don't we?
Speaker 3 (31:04):
We're gonna pick all our games.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah, but just make a prediction of who's gonna win
it all before the sure, I think that's an easy
some of these teams, it's a little bit harder to
pick one. A lack of a dynamic playmaker not named
James Cook that that's not your running number seven. No
surprise here too. For the Chargers, what do you think
(31:26):
it is matter? It's the offensive.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Line, particularly protections horrible.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
I mean they've been without Slater and Joe Alt forever
they've had more injuries since then. It's it's bad of
all the teams and their one potential fatal flaw. This
might be the biggest of of of everybody.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
It's certainly the most obvious.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yes, into the NFC Seattle Seahawks offensive turnovers.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
That's a Darnold thing. I mentioned that when we were
talking quarterbacks. He makes three or four decisions where you're like,
what are you doing you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Yeah, fourteen interceptions this year for Darnald, six fumbles lost
for twenty turnovers in seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
For him, Yeah, that could derail things.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
He's also only pressured twenty nine percent of the time,
six lowest in the NFL on his pass attempt So
it's not like he's yeah, it's a Herbert situation or
a Stroud situation exactly. That's a pretty clear one for
Seattle too. Bears interesting potential fatal flaw. Leaky defense.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Okay, something on defense, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Twenty eighth most yards allowed per game in the NFL
at three hundred and sixty two per game, that's a lot.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah, they could be another playoff experience type one most
but I definitely picked something on defense. They kind of
made a nice.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Broad Yeah, I would have probably gone lack a reliance
on turnovers on defense. I guess this fits into that
conversation too.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
A big thing in the playoffs too. It's great to
have a pass rush or pass rusher that can close
out a game for you, you know, bringing Rivera out of
the pen. They don't really have that.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
They do not know, they do not They don't have
the Chris Jones, they don't have the dynamic guys that
the Eagles have had. They allow three hundred and sixty
two yards per game, twenty eighth in the NFL, twenty
four and a half points per game, the most of
any team that is qualified for the postseason Philadelphia Eagles
at number three. Fading disappearing offense.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
It has to be something offense, agree. I mean it's
probably a little rough to say quarterback.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I might say rush game, but that means hurts, that
means the offensive line. Yeah, but I think I think
fading offense. Yeah, Like, does Lane Johnson still have it
in the tank to be Lane Johnson for three or
four games?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
I think he'll be back. And they did rest everybody,
which could help, you know in that that situation.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Yeah, it'll be interesting. It'll be interesting. But that defense
pretty stinking good, really good. They can get the other
side of the ball, move and they will be dangerous
once again. Carolina Panthers biggest fatal flaw passing attack.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure what.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
There's a lot you could list there for those guys.
Yeah again, there, quarter back play, passing attack.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I mean, they'd be lasting a lot of categories. You know,
it'd be harder to say whether it's strengths.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Yes, you know, defense is good.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
It's fine, but yeah, I mean, none of them are
not elite, but it's it's good. You know, like the
Texans could ride their defense to a Super Bowl championship.
I don't think Carolina could ride any aspect of their
team too. An NFC championship game.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
You don't look at it and you go, this is
where they cut their teeth. At least they can do this.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Like maybe they beat the Rams. If they turned Stafford
over four times and have a kickoff return.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
For a touch, you're gonna be saying the same thing
the next week.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
And then the next week they're gonna be a ten
point dog again. You know.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Number five in the NFC, the Los Angeles rams, Matt.
This is probably the most encouraging of all the potential
fatal flaws. Special teams.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Yeah, they're not great on there. You're thinking, who's will.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Change their kicker? Yeah, they've had They've allowed some fake
punts and some issues in the punt game.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
They're also hard to find.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
But the other stuff, that's your big potential fatal flaw,
that's a pretty good place to be usually.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Yeah, not that it's not important totally. Absolutely, one of
their games is gonna come down to a kick, you know, Yes.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
They always do this time of year. Number six, the
forty nine ers lack of a pass rush.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's the worst pass rush going and the defense as
a whole is worrisome. A lot of youth, not a
lot of playmakers, but the pass rush in particular is
bottom of the.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
League, especially without Bosa. Yeah yeah, yeah, uh you buying
Fred warnerback, by the way, I don't know, I don't know.
He's a freak man. Yeah yeah, if anyone could do it.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
I think it's in they think this week or they're
talking like if they I think.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
He said divisional round, okay, so it would be one
more week. I think he's saying and Finally, the Green
Bay Packers potential fatal flaw run defense.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Run defense, and we saw what Henry did against them,
and defense in general has been great post Parsons, but
the run deees a problem.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
It is it is. And they traded Clark, you know,
back in the off season as part of that to
get Parsons.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
We forget about that part. You'd always hear up the middle.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
You'd obviously make that decision again, Sure, but costs.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Yeah, you got worse than an area. Wasn't just picks.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yes, Uh. Some tweets here as we go to close
this thing down, Rodney tweets us and he says, hey, guys,
I'm not saying but I'm just saying, Dome teams in
the postseason, or sorry, Dome teams over the last decade
on the road in games below forty degrees one in fourteen,
(36:28):
really Dome teams in the last decade on the road.
Temperature below forty degrees one and fourteen. The predicted temperature
for Monday night, Matt Williamson, because I pulled up my
weather app here is twenty five degrees for the Steelers
around kickoff.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
So just so happens, found this out this Morning Stroud
averages six point one yards per past outdoors this season
compared to seven point eight in the Dome. Who they
play a lot more Dome games.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I mean that's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, Oh, it's a real thing. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
You look at some of these guys, even someone like
Drew Brees, who is a no doubt all time great
Hall of Fame quarterback.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Oh, it's way different than like Ben's career.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
The year they went to the Super Bowl and won,
it was the year that they had were the one
seed and had the home field advantage.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
They trying to bring up Ben because they basically were contemporaries.
Of course, you can make the argument who had a
better career, who did a better career, blah blah blah,
and they both were better for their respective city, then
the other one would have been you know what I mean.
But I get the odd to Ben just because I mean,
Breeze's passing numbers are in the NFC South and in
the Dome and.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Dome, and with the guy that everyone regards as one
of the greatest offensive mines in terms of had saches
in the NFL history, whereas Ben did it with a
defensive guy.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Do we have much time.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
We got nothing but time.
Speaker 3 (37:48):
Okay. I was asked this question on my podcast today
and I've been rattling around my skull and it was
with all these new stadiums going towards domes, yes, is
this late season playoff running game gonna be less important
than ever?
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Possibly?
Speaker 3 (38:06):
And we spent like ten minutes on this conversation. I
know we don't have that, but I just wanted to
put that out in this neck of the woods, I mean, Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Buffalo, all that stuff, New England.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
And then I started talking through it, talking.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
About Phillies, talking about remodeling the link and yeah, retractable roof.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I'm shocked all those ones don't have retractables at least, you.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Know, because because they want those bigger city places too,
Like they want to host events, you know, they want
to host Super Bowls and concerts and final fours and
like that.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Well that brought me to this conversation too, like in
fifty years, will every stadium be a dome?
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Probably?
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Yeah, just like hockey or basketball, or you know, are
we to talk about weather in this sport, Matt?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Are we gonna have newspapers and radio stations in fifty years?
Or is it just all gonna be podcasts and tiktoks.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I mean, like it's hard to predict the future, folks,
but things change drastically.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
Look at really rectable stadiums in sports fifty years ago
compared to now, What do you think it's gonna be
like it?
Speaker 3 (38:57):
And yeah, yeah, I kind of lean that way.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Unfortunately, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
And people are like, oh, that'd be terrible, But the
next generation will know any different.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
You know their loss. Let's see here. Favorite c J
tweets us and says, after watching your Guys show yesterday,
listening to you talk about head coaching openings, any chance
you'd still choose the Titans or Raiders job over the
Ravens or is it now the best available opening? As
a Steelers fan, I really don't want Kevin Stefanski to
(39:25):
end up in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
No, Ravens are definitely my one.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
We did. We talked about that a little bit earlier.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Than one if it's a male or female, but mentioned Raiders.
Raiders are still distant last for me? Is it? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
See, I think I'd rather have that job than the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
Cardinals bad Brown is bad. I mean, the these are
the worst.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
The thing with the Raiders is at least you're getting
a blank slate, like you can go and take Fernando
Mendoza or Dante Moore. Yeah, you want to go. You've
got brock Bauers and Ashton Gent But.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
That's like two good players and positions of aren't true.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
That's true. But like in Cleveland, everything you do, every
decision you make is going to be hyper scrutinized. In Vegas,
you got I don't know. It's an interesting conversation, but
the Ravens is definitely number one of all the open jobs.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Right, you get to work at Lamar, right?
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (40:16):
Steele Curtin says, do you think? Asks us if any
of the reasoning behind Stefanski's firing is him being at
odds with the organization over Shador Sanders after he already
didn't want the Sean Watson and now the organization is
saddling him with another quarterback he did not want.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
That's definitely possible.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
I don't think anybody's ever happy to get fired, but
I think Stefanski might be greener for him. On the
on the other side, Uh, I.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Mean, I think he'd be great for cam Ward Jackson Dart.
I mean, let alone like a Lamar, but like a
young quarterback that's in place already. I think he'd be
great and I absolutely absolutely see him in Baltimore. But
you talk about waking up on the Rider's side of life,
you know, man.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Christopher tweets us and says, can you guys remember a
team having a more insane ending of the season like
the Steelers just had Detroit a gold to goal situation
came down to the last play of the game. Cleveland
gold to goal situation came down to the last play
of the game except for one irrelevant kneel down. Baltimore
came down to the last play of the game with
everything hanging in the balance over that three game stretch. Wow,
(41:32):
it's I mean, yeah, it's the wildest kind of down
the stretch that I could remember for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
Steelers as long as I can remember, and certainly that
last game is as crazy as anyone's last game of
the season, without a.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Doubt, Without a doubt, it's.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
A pretty crazy league. I mean, there's a lot of
teams that are dealing with nutty stuff down the road,
down the stretch year after year.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
Absolutely, uh JG tweets us and says, any concern about
Chris boswell Er is he's still the proverbial wizard of Boss.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
I never was super concerned, but I was happy to
hear that that got deflected and he and just shank
and extra point.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yes, now he missed a kick in Cleveland, he missed
a kick in Detroit. I wouldn't say I'm worried about Boss.
I might not. I might not think he's bulletproof, ironclad,
no questions asked, like he's been for the last handful
of years. But I'm not. I'm not panic. I feel
like I.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Walk away from the TV when he comes out, you know,
I mean, I don't, but I feel like I don't
even have to. I put my head down, I start
typing or whatever. I don't know that I'll do that
on Monday night.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I don't know if. I don't know if I will
do uh. If I will do that either, we'll see.
I'm not sure. I'm uh, I'm not sure.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Along those lines, the Texans had the most field goals
made by a very wide margin in the league this year.
Did they Yeah, he made six last week, fair barn
and I think they had like seven or eight more
made field goals than any other team.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
Well, I'll tell you this, man, if it's going to
be a Texans team that's going to try and rely
heavily on their kicker to win Monday, that will go
in the Steelers favor in that weather, in those conditions games,
whichever team relies less on their kicker on Monday night
is a good thing just for the optics of finding
the back of the end zone. And of course because
(43:27):
in January at night time and the you know, the
confluence of rivers is not the most ideal place to
It's it's not a dome in Houston, Texas or a retractable,
retractable roof in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
So back to that tweet real quick. I mean, if
it comes down to putting balls out there to win,
it a tough kick that's fifty nine yard or into
the open end, I wouldn't hesitate one bit.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
Completely agree, completely agree. I think that's a good way
to wrap this thing up for the day. I enjoyed this.
We were all over the place a lot of different topics.
Tomorrow will narrow our focus a little bit here on
the program, we will dive into Matt's stats and really
start to preview matchups with the Houston Texans. Where are
they good? Where do they have the advantage? Where can
the Steelers make some hey cut their teeth and find
(44:10):
an advantage of their own. We'll get into all of that.
We'll also talk to the Great Bob Labriola for the
first time in a little while off. Yeah, we've missed
Labs these past couple Thursdays with some holidays and things
of that nature. So we'll catch up with the Demon Doo,
with the Dean of Doom and the Lord of Living
in his fears tomorrow on the show, as we will
really turn the page and start to focus a little
(44:31):
bit on the college football playoff and completely on wild
card weekend. That'll do it for us today. Thanks to
our buddy Chris Hallick for joining us. Thanks to Nathan
for producing on the radio side, Tyler V Mister TV
keeping us handsome on the video side of things for
Matt Williamson, um Wesheeler, Take care everybody, and we will
talk to the Inn's Tamairo as always. You know where
to find us. It's on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on
(44:54):
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 (00:18):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we do it? Well, that's
good us too. Our number two here of the Drive
on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black
and the Gold, and the regular season is in the books.
With that, we're kind of, as Stevie Rayvaughn would say,
best guitar player ever. By the way we're walking the
tight rope. He's number one for you, he's number one
for me. But I understand that's a personal preference.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It's not like Brady's best quarterback or Jordan's.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, correct, Yeah, I think I've said this to you though,
that I understand Stevie Rayvaughn's an acquired taste. If you're
talking best guitar player ever, okay, and you don't mention
Jimmy Hendricks, Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy Page, I immediately
tune you out.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Really okay.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
So if you want to tell me best guitar player
ever and one of those three isn't up at the
top in the conversation, I immediately tune you out.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Okay. You know my utter love for Zeppelin but I
was shocked at Page.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Was one of your three godfather of the riff. Okay,
I guess you could throw Clapton in that conversation.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
In that conversation, I would have picked van Halen and
Hendrix as two of your three for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah right, buddy, yeah buddy, just absolute game changers. I
forget who it was the other day, but I told
somebody somebody was UH was listening to uh to Beat
It by Michael Jackson and like dancing along and singing along.
It might have been on the Steelers bus, like on
the way to Cleveland or something. And I was like,
you know, Eddi van Halen wrote that riff, right, edievan
(01:46):
Halen who wrote that riff? So not only is he
you know, Eddie friggin van Halen, he also wrote the
riff for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. I digress.
These are the conversations that Matt and I have every
year when we drive five hours each way ten hours
round trip to indian a little bit. We used to
every year debate the hockey stuff. Crazy best guitar players
(02:09):
and like mount rushmore of hockey players.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And year on hockey stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Just be losing his mind guys, can we talk about
baseball instead?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Please?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Last year, did you guys have this same conversation as
we cross over the Ohio Turnpike every single year? Matt
Speaking of awards, let's talk some NFL awards now that
this regular season is in the book. You want to
start at the top with m v P. You want
to start with let's let's let's start with the with
the big, with the big klublamy. And I think it's
a two horse race, right, Drake May or Matthew Stafford?
(02:41):
Is that fair? And did the way the season ended?
Does that give Drake May the nod? Yes? And yes,
I think so.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Now, I hate being so driven by recency bias for
an award like this great, but I think it's enough,
you know, because they were so close.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
What I tend to do when it's splitting hairs like
with with deserving candidates like this is I like to
have the which team would drop off a cliff more
if you took that guy away from them?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Especially for valuable in the converts.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
It's not the Heisman Trophy, it's not the most outstanding.
I almost wish it was worded most outstanding player, as
opposed to the most valuable because that leaves a ton
open for interpretation.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Like Herbert has kind of a case in both out
a doubt right, like they might win three games if
you just Joe average quarterbacks in there.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Josh Allen maybe in that same right, that same that
same vein, but with the way it is is framed,
I think it's Drake May slightly over Matthew Stafford because
I just I think the Rams are a better organization,
better head coach, not that I think the Patriots are
bad and Rabel's bad, better organization, better head coach, better
roster h in l A than than a New England.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, the tie breakers, I think favor May, except for
he played an easier schedule and Patriot played a very
easy schedule. That's one knock against him. But I don't
think his receivers are exactly Davante Adams and pukakako Ja's
had a great year.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
But yeah, I would take I would take Davonte and
Puka before I would take Digs.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Better lines, better scheme, you know, right for sure?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
For sure. So yeah, as much as I would love
Matthew Stafford to get it at this point of his career,
would be a great story and a great career achievement
for him. I think I'd give Drake May the slight edge,
as much as I hate to say that. Another another
another MVP quarterback in New England.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
In the second season. All right, Jerks.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Gat offensive Player of the Year, Matt Does that go
to Puka Nukua? Or did he did? Missing? Missing time?
You go in Jackson?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
But Jacoba has a really strong case pretty much start
to finish.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
He sure does. Taylor's no longer say Taylor kind of
fell off. What's funny is I've seen in these articles.
I've seen a lot of people mentioned in Trey McBride
in this conversation, which I don't hate.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I mean, he's had a historic tight end year.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
But I think when your team's that bad and that
out of the playoff picture, I don't know if you
can win an individual.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Award, like I don't think Offensive Player of the year, right,
you know.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
When your team won three games?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Not to imagine, I mean you might have like a
Gronk year. I mean, I mean he's a I'm really yeah,
I'm not bash and McBride, but he doesn't influence the
game like Gronk. Did you know? I think it's a
two horse race, two receivers.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I think it's between those two receivers.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I've heard a little bit of buzz like ye, yeah,
you know. I think he carried that offense for a while,
but he only averaged like four yards of care. They
didn't run the ball well all year.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
No, I think I'll go Puka Nakua slightly over Jackson
Smith and Jigba. I think, and Jigba probably does in
terms of who I think is gonna win it. Yeah,
if that makes sense. I think in Jigba if this
was along the lines of most valuable, would get the award.
But offensive Player of the Year. You look at Puka
Nakua and what he's done and it's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It is ridiculous, like yards for route if you break
it down like the lowest common denominators yards per route
run things like that, He's historic. I'm going to Smith
and Jigba. Yeah, just a little more consistency from week
one to week eighteen.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I agree with you on it.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Less around him, lesser quarterback, higher target share.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Agree with you on all those.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, maybe I'm going against my own logic here.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I'm not sure who the better football player is. I
don't think he the one's the best wide receiver walking
the planet right now.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I think Puka's a little more complete because he's really
good in the run game. Like, he's physical, he's got
some hines Ward vibes about him.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, he's big, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Like he likes he likes the contact plays, big, likes
to get out there in the run game and and
move people around.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah. Yeah, I'm gonna go slightly Smith and Jig.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
I don't hate it. Yeah, I'll go Puka just so
we can be different. Kah Defensive Player of the Year
he had. This is a real tough one, no fun.
It's a real tough one to discuss. I guess the
better discussion is who comes in second, Jeffrey Simmons or
Will Anders.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I wouldn't bring up Will Anderson because obviously they're on
the dog.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If this was a Heisman style yeah, yeah, you have
the fists sitting up on the stage as you open
the envelope type thing. I think Will Anderson Junior and
Jeffrey Simmons would be the other two people on the
stage with Yes, maybe Nick Bonito as well, but I
think I think those two would be the other two
on the stage with Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, Simmons and I think Cam deserved to be first
team All Pro or Pro All Pro. Great the tackles,
and Michael Parsons, Sarrett.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
And Will Anderson on the edge is the first teamers.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Parsons had a case if he had kept going, get
the injury, I think has to knock him out of it,
you know, but he was awesome. I would go Anderson
number two, But I'm holding that against Simmons because his
team stinks kind of like the mcbrae bride conversation too,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, it is uh and all. I mean, all those
guys are absolutely outstanding years. But you're right. If we
flipped Jeffrey Simmons and Will Anderson the teams they were on,
I think Simmons would be getting a lot more like
I don't think I know that would be getting a
lot more.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
So, Folks, everyone's been I mean you probably know by
now the group, this pair of edge rushers coming to
town is horrendous. Hunter actually has more sacks than Anderson,
but I do think Anderson's had the better year and
is the slightly better player.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Fair Matt, what might be the most difficult of all
these Coach of the Year. Oh, I know there are
so many.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
About any of them as the clear number one.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I think the top three Ben Johnson, Kyle Shanahan, Mike McDonald.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I think Jacksonville has a case too, totally, Liam Cohen.
I think Vrabel has a case.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
He does, he certainly does.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I don't want to be too recentcy biased, because just
a week or so ago I said it was Shanahan,
and I know he just lost to McDonald. But boy,
they had a lot of injuries this year and they
lost bat They got beat up, you know. So I
just don't want to hold one game that if that
was Week two, I never would have thought twice about it. Sure,
I'm gonna go Shanny. I mean that that was possibly
(09:03):
the best offense in the league. Did a party first,
Stratch didn't, a Kittle wide receiver has been a rotating door.
Trent Williams didn't play some. But boy, there's five or
six really good candidates.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think I'm going Ben Johnson. And here's why sometimes
I rail on this, but I think it applies here.
The exceeded expectations and what you did with what you
had type thing like Seattle, I mean, like went to
the playoffs before McDaniel got there, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I think I picked them to be a playoff team
this year. I didn't pick them to the one seed,
but I picked them to be a playoff team.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Like they made the playoffs in twenty two. They went
nine to eight in twenty three. So it's not like
he inherited a Chicago Bears type. I mean, before he
took over, they had made the playoffs one, two, three,
four times in the previous six years. Seattle, Seattle say
Chicago is a total was a total opposite. Yeah, they haven't.
They haven't sniffed double digit win seed in some postseason
(10:00):
success and that kind of stuff. Kyle Shanahan's really tough
because man, he overcame so much. Bosa and Warner both
being out yesty, Purdy Kittle, Trent Williams, Brock Party all
missing time. But I just people were calling Caleb Williams
a bust and yeah, and you know that the Chicago
(10:21):
Bears organization is going to have to tear that thing
down and rebuild again. And Ben Johnson has them as
the two seed in the NFC playoffs. I'm going Ben.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Johnson, I'm gonna make a case. So for Vrabel, okay,
which is fair to do because I'm over under winding.
Totals came out and I'm sure we had conversations about that,
and I always do in the preseason, and I love
those talks. And when the Patriots came out as like
seven a half or eight, and I'm still like, this
team was terrible last year. You know, in twenty twenty four,
(10:52):
one year ago, they picked fourth in the draft or something,
you know, and I'm like, they're putting the cart before
the whole horse. It still needs an no line and
you know, there's some pieces on defense mazing the second year.
As much as I love him, you know that that's
not this type of team that they are not a
playoff contender. They way exceeded that. Like, I don't think
he took over a great roster in the May situation. Actually,
(11:15):
Josh McDaniels might be the offensive coordinator, could be like
coordinator of the year. I mean, he deserves a lot
of the May credit too, by the.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Way, Yes he does, Yes he does. I've kind of
been surprised in a way that his name hasn't popped
up on more of these head coaching searches. But that's might.
This would be his third crack at that and the
first two haven't worked out, and he might just be
a coordinator forever. And if he is, what a what
a benefit for Vrabel and Drake May and those guys
going forward? Yea, I you, I think I would go
(11:44):
Vrabel over Liam Cohen just because of how bad, how
bad the Patriots may far worse, far worse. You know what.
The one guy who I think deserves a shout in
this too. He's not gonna win it, but he might
not even be in the top five. But I think
Jim Harbaugh deserves a quick They lost their top three tackles, yes,
(12:05):
their top two running backs, and they still won double
digit games and are in the playoff, like comfortably in
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I just feel like he's always going to.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Win in a really good division. Yeah, like, yeah, he's.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
It's some of those like Tomlin never losing season field too.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
He's not top three, he might not even be top
five if you put Cohen and Vrabel ahead of him,
which I think is fair, But he at least deserves
a ship. A really really good year, he at least
deserves a shout I think in this in this conversation.
Oh it sure could. Like I said, that might be,
that might be the hardest. That might be the hardest
one of the year to judge between there to decide
(12:40):
as Coach of the Year, Matt. A couple more of
these that we need to get into, defensive and offensive rookies,
Comeback Player of the Year, and a new award that
I love, the Protector protect the Year of the Year,
which I absolutely love. The offensive lineman getting some credit.
Let's take a break and do that on the other
side so we can give those all kind of the
proper conversation and not rush things here. Will continue to
talk some NFL awards as we roll along. Euler Williamson.
(13:03):
It is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Back on the drive here as we roll along with
our NFL Season Awards, regular season awards recap here in
our number two or I guess maybe predictions and picks
since it will be a little under a month, it'll
be the you know, the NFL Awards ceremony that is
ahead of the Super Bowl where they announced all of
these the Hall of Fame class that we'll be looking towards.
(14:01):
See if our guy, I'll see Greenwood gets in, which
is kind of a way that they fill that gap
week between the you know, between between the championship and
the Super Bowl. Absolutely used to be the Pro Bowl.
Now no one gives a rip watch on. Can I
be honest, like, yeah, it's a I think it's a
(14:21):
like a generational disconnect thing. But I've I've never been
into All Star games. Pro Bowls was. I'm sure it
was a big it was a big deal at a
time there was as.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Much entertainment back then, either channels.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Or there's fifty seven channels with everything you want to watch,
right and you know Netflix, HBO was seven hundred great
TV shows.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I haven't cared for thirty years though.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, you do. Although have a great story about when
the NHL All Star Game came to Pittsburgh and you
got everybody's autograph.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yeah, we hung out in the hotel lobby for like
two days, two or three days.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Matt comeback, Player of the Year up next for us.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
And it's always a weird war.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
It's always a weird because how do you judge it
is so Boddy who got injured and then came back
like an Aiden Hutchinson or a Chris o'lave or even
I've seen Troyaltanu's name mentioned.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I was.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Not bad, not bad. Yeah, there have been examples like
Ryan Tannehill and Gino Smith where it was guys who
just struggled and then all of a sudden broke through.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yeah. Part of it's like, because you were so bad
last year, we're gonna give you this award.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Some of it has been you know, like Damar Hamlin
health type stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Like there's yeah, there's not Lacko won when he came
off the couch of one year. If Rivers would have
taken Rivers.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Would have taken them to the playoffs, there's not. This
one's tough because there's not clearly defined parameters.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah, I know, So who are some names.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Olave, Aiden Hutchinson or the two that I see most?
Like I said, I've seen Troy Faltanu mentioned in this regard.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Rookie year basically, Yeah, I would say who missed all
last year would be.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think Aaron Rodgers should be getting some love in
here too, though, because he missed the start of last season, right,
with an injury. Did he with the Jets or did
he start Week one? He was there the whole time, Okay.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
I would say if it was his first year in
New York to this, then he runs away with it. Yes,
he blew out of Achilles.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Absolutely, absolutely. Aiden Hutchinson's a good one. Chris o'lave is
a good one.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
I'm scanning, like, who were guys that missed a ton
of time?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
You know, those are the only ones that kind of
really jump off the page for me.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Yeah, both are good. I would probably go with Lave though, Well,
Hutchinson is a better player.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Hutchinson's the better player. Olave might have had the better year. Yeah,
I mean eleven hundred yards.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Dak Prescott's the new favorite.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Oh, Dak Prescott. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Interesting see that.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I could see that because he's he's another he's another
one of those guys you know, coming back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Yeah, he had a great year.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
He was outstanding. I mean, they're they're the attention on
that team fell off as the year went along, But
he did have a great year.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
He was out Christian McCaffrey's mentioned on this article, which
I mean he was pretty useless last year and he
was great this year. That's pretty good. Stefan Diggs. Diggs, Okay,
Daniel Jones, I mean he came from nowhere.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Man. If he would have finished the year, yeah, he'd
be a great one.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Trevor Lawrence like from good. Yeah, I think you're being
with McCaffrey.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
It's a good one.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I don't know exactly how much time he missed last
year and all those things, but he was. I mean, like,
people thought I was crazy for taking him in the
first round of my fantasy draft because he hasn't played
in forever. Blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You know, I might go wading Hutchinson Okay, is tough though, man,
I mean he he was talking about retirement during the
off season because of his concussion issues.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
McCaffery playing four games last.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Year playing about interesting. That'd be awesome to see Troy
Faltanuho gets some more spin and some more love though.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
He won't, but it's nice that we throw him out there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I agree with you on that. Protector of the Year
Matt Williamson, Oh baby. According to Bill Barnwell of ESPN,
three top candidates Aaron Brewer the outstations. I thought I
was gonna Quinton Nelson of the Colts and Trent Williams
of the Niners.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
I was a Brewer. I thought he was a I
thought for sure I would be the only one that
came up here.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
He was unbelievable and heading into the last year of
his contract, he might have positioned himself.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh, he's just a rare players.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
He went on. He went undrafted in twenty twenty. He
might go from undrafted to cash to become in the
highest paid center in the NFL. He gets a heck
of a story for him. I'd love to get him
in the NFC. I'd love to get Creed Humphrey or
some of these guys. Yeah, but he's a tough he's
he's another though, like based off how good his team was,
(18:57):
and you know, but I think football people, oh no, yeah,
have been given this dude a lot of flowers, rightfully.
So yes, and he might he might be you know,
like we were talking about the the O Line masterminds.
What's the what's the name podcast? They do? Trench Warfare?
Is that the name of their their podcast? They've been
(19:17):
given Aaron Brewer some love. I saw a Q Shipley.
He goes on, He goes on ESPN every year and
gives his first and second team All pros at each position.
And he had Aaron Brewer and staid he thought him
and Trent Williams were the two best offensive linemen in
the world.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
He the other name there and it was there the
Trench Warfare People's starting left tackle is Laramie tunsl Larmie Tune.
He became a lot more consistent in Washington and became
a better run blocker.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
What about someone like Peney Soul? Would he deserve a
shout in this conversation?
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Always those guys, and I'm with them. Lane Johnson is
probably the best offensive lineman walk in the earth right now,
time he can't do it. But his time was out.
There was like.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Joell might be winning this award too much longer?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, maybe Trovill, who knows? I mean, but I think Johnson.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, with Brewer, I think it'd be very cool to
see him win it.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Yeah, because a lot of people be like, who's that?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Who's that? Just with all the ups and downs they
had this year, they were consistent in the run game
with a chaine and Brewer was a massive part of that.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Joe Toney was really good as well. I heard this
the other day. Joe Tuney's been in league what ten
twelve years or something like that, he's been He's coming
first place in his division every year, no way. Yeah,
you go for the Patriots to the Chiefs and now
he's with the Bears.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Not bad.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, he's like he's never coming second.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Not bad.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
With Delon Dawkins deserve a shout in this in this conversation, second.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Or third team type guy maybe, I mean really good player.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I think it'd be really cool if Brewer won it. Yeah,
because this type of war typically goes to a tackle.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Oh yeah, Seember center. The award is going to be
a thing last year, like it's always a go to
a left hack or right right.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Maybe not, and maybe some of these guards too will
work their way into the conversation coming down the home
stretch here, Matt Williamson, Rookie of the Years, Rookie of
the Years, it's.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Not very rookie class.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It is certainly not, certainly not what it's been these
past couple of years where there's been some really great
debates here, I think, particularly on the defensive side of
the football. So let's start there, because I think the
offensive Rookie of the Year is a little more fun conversation.
Let's save that for last defensive rookie of the year?
Is it Carson Swessinger of the Browns? Abdul Carder maybe
working his way into the conversation, swers might pick here's
(21:37):
from the Falcons. I feel like has been getting some love.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
It's a bad group.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
It's not at it really is. And like Carter and
Carson Swashinger are very good players, but they're not the
typical names that we're discussing in this conversation. Sweassenger. Yeah,
I don't hate that.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
He missed the game or two, but that's not that
big a deal.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
For I know you've discussed this before. We've discussed this before.
Off Ball linebacker is one of the hardest positions to
transition from college to pro. It's it's underrated in that
regard how how much your game brain has to develop
and come along and catch up with.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Your skills set so much.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
And for him to do what he's done in year one,
there all be it on a very good defense. I mean,
he got drafted a very good defense. But I think
I think he's I think he's the answer him Carter.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
I would think, I don't really know who Carter was
kind of not even every down guy though Thibodeau and
Burns and him, they had rotate and Burns was second
league in sacks, and I mean he was good. It
was flash.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
And I'm sure there's like a third or fourth round
pick that like had a good year, you know that,
but not better than.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Even someone like Johan Campbell had a really hot start
off towards.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
The Another one that kind of was a rotation with
j And.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
If Derek Harmon would have been healthy all year, maybe
he'd be in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
He's in the conversation for best like defensive tackle. Yes, yes,
you know, I'm trying to go position by position in
my head, like who was the Another an honorable mention
is uh from the the from the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
From the Seahawks Heavy Impact, Xavier Watt's honorable mention.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, yeah, I mean they would probably be your safeties, yeah,
and wries that Hamilton move will Chase Chess peace and
that McDonald slash Ravens defense.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Though not a great group, not not a great group.
They also mention the Niners Upton Stout as a as
someone who deserves a shout. That means a stout deserves
a shout. He's a he's a yeah, Matt Offensive Rookie
of the Year. Uh Teed McMillan, Tyler Warren.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
It wouldn't be Warren for me, No, I think it's
McMillan or Shock.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Chuck is a great call, but it's so recent. I mean,
I put him ahead of Jackson Dart Oh yeah, head
award like the guy. The running backs like Henderson and Judkins.
I don't know if they had the complete body of work.
They all got hurt a Meccha Buka fell off, Luther
Burden I think started too late. Like great second. He
does that the whole year. He might win the award.
(24:21):
Tat McMillan, I mean my favorite picks, and I might
even throw them. I mean, playing worth the breath almost
is Membo and Zabel. They were both high, high quality
offensive linemen. They have no chance to win it. I
can't imagine offensive lineman winning that award ever, but that
they were the best. They deserve shouts.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Players amongst them. I think it'll be McMillan.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
He is the only rookie in this class to finish
with over a thousand rushing or receiving yards is tat McMillan,
I know, the running back or receiver like I think
Tyler Warren was close. I think he had like almost
a nine hundred receiving yards, but McMillan the only one
in the rookie class to finish over a thousand yards
receiving or rushing.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
I think he will win it, and he'd probably get
my vote as well. But I don't know if you
remember the Saquon Barkley's rookie year, Baker Mayfield end up
winning it that year, Yeah, yeah, but he didn't become
the starter until like week six for the Browns as
the first overall pick, and Barkley was good from the jumps,
I meant, right off the bat, and they gave it
(25:28):
to the quarterback, which I thought Barkley deserved it at
the time.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Tigers to the quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Quarterbacks, right, and Chuck's got a decent case considering the
competition this year.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Absolutely, maybe maybe winning last week would have really helped
his case, but I think you're right, he absolutely deserves
to be in the conversation.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
They almost won their last five, He won their last five.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
One loss was like a field goal game to the fountains.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah, yeah, and if he were to end on a
five game winning streak, that's pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
It is, it is, And what you do down the
stretch is more heavy weighted than what you did. You
know in October certainly, But there's some thoughts on the
NFL Awards that we'll find out here in just a
few weeks before we completely turn all of our focus
to the postseason. One more segment to go when we
return here. On the other side, we'll cross some te's dot,
some eyes, get to some of your tweets of the
(26:18):
week as well. We'll do all of that when we return.
What's you aler at, Matt Williamson. It is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Final segment here of the Drive on this Wednesday, as
we are getting closer and closer to wild Card weekend,
Tomorrow will have our first semi final college football playoff game.
As we mentioned, we'll spend a few minutes, nothing crazy
because all eyes will be on Steelers Texans, but we'll
spend a few minutes, Yeah, two days. Yeah, and we
(27:13):
got to talk a little bit about Ty Simpson as well.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
And the four quarterbacks are still left all or draft
relevant at least.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Yeah, they could all be top fifty picks in the
upcoming NFL Draft. I do want to get to some tweets,
but Matt, this caught my eye here when I was
kind of just scrolling through during break. NFL dot com
posted one potential fatal flaw for every team in the playoffs. Okay,
and I'm laughing because what they put for the Broncos
(27:41):
was their run game, which was something that we discussed
when we were talking about Drake May. We talked about
how he doesn't have that, you know, reliable of a
run game to lean on, and could that end up
costing him? Could that end up be the difference. So
before we get to some of these tweets, I just
wanted to roll through the rest of these and see
what you thought. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Yeah, fatal flaw Patriots.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Yes, according to NFL dot com, one potential fatal flaw
for every team in the playoff Patriots red zone defense.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I'm not on top of it enough.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
That's very that is very detailed, but they have the
third worst red zone defense in the league. They're the
only team only team in the bottom ten of red
zone defense to make the postmakers.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
That's a good one.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
They allowed twelve touchdowns on fifteen red zone drives against
other teams in the postseason. Would call it, wouldn't call
that great?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Yeah? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Number three the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here biggest weakness fading rushing game.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
They're a tough one for me. I think they're pretty
well rounded. I don't think they're awesome in any just experience. Yeah,
that wouldn't be a bad call either. I mean you
got a rookie head coach and a young quarterback, you.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Know, and then just a roster full of guys that
haven't done that. Yeah, but that is an interesting one
because you're right now that I think about it, they
don't have.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
They don't have a glaring one to me.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, but they It might just be the cumulative cumulative, like,
are they elite in any area? And do they have
the experience? For the Steelers, Matt, this is not a
surprising one. Explosive plays, That's where I was going to
lack of them on offense, allowing them on defense.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
A lot better. With the allowing part and they they
do get some explosive especially on the ground. It's better
than better.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
It has been better, and hopefully with DK Metcalf that
will continue. But Aaron Rodgers five point nine air yards
per attempt lowest of any quarterback in the league. Next
lowest is Geno Smith at six point six.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yep, I get it.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I think that's fair. I mean, we've talked about explosives
for the offense and the defense just about every single
Weekason he probably will once again in the off season.
The Houston Texans, the Steelers opponent offensive line, completely agree.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah. I would say, if you want to break running
game more so, Yeah, it's not a great running game
at all. I think the line is still a huge
question mark.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
It's not the albatross around their neck that it has
been the last two or three years, but it's horrible.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
It's still bottom of the league.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
It's still below average. Yeah. Uh. Houston also though, and
I'm sure we'll talk about this red zone conversion rate
of just forty six percent, that's thirtieth in the National
Football League. And part of that is because you can't
run the ball in those tight spaces with the field.
When the field constricts Yeah, Buffalo Bill's biggest weakness one
(30:29):
potential fatal flaw lack of a go to target on offense. Yes,
I think that's well said.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I would say run defense is also right there too.
It's been a problem all year, but you really need
it's really nice to have a difference makeror mismatch outside receiver.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
When and not even it doesn't even have to be
like a Jamar Chase Hall of Famer outlier. If you
gave them a Medcalf, a Metcalf, Higgins, yes, Zay Flowers even.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
They might be the my pick to win at all.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Then it might be do we need to do that
before the week's over too, don't we?
Speaker 3 (31:04):
We're gonna pick all our games.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah, but just make a prediction of who's gonna win
it all before the sure, I think that's an easy
some of these teams, it's a little bit harder to
pick one. A lack of a dynamic playmaker not named
James Cook that that's not your running number seven. No
surprise here too. For the Chargers, what do you think
(31:26):
it is matter? It's the offensive.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Line, particularly protections horrible.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
I mean they've been without Slater and Joe Alt forever
they've had more injuries since then. It's it's bad of
all the teams and their one potential fatal flaw. This
might be the biggest of of of everybody.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
It's certainly the most obvious.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yes, into the NFC Seattle Seahawks offensive turnovers.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
That's a Darnold thing. I mentioned that when we were
talking quarterbacks. He makes three or four decisions where you're like,
what are you doing you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Yeah, fourteen interceptions this year for Darnald, six fumbles lost
for twenty turnovers in seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
For him, Yeah, that could derail things.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
He's also only pressured twenty nine percent of the time,
six lowest in the NFL on his pass attempt So
it's not like he's yeah, it's a Herbert situation or
a Stroud situation exactly. That's a pretty clear one for
Seattle too. Bears interesting potential fatal flaw. Leaky defense.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Okay, something on defense, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Twenty eighth most yards allowed per game in the NFL
at three hundred and sixty two per game, that's a lot.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah, they could be another playoff experience type one most
but I definitely picked something on defense. They kind of
made a nice.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Broad Yeah, I would have probably gone lack a reliance
on turnovers on defense. I guess this fits into that
conversation too.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
A big thing in the playoffs too. It's great to
have a pass rush or pass rusher that can close
out a game for you, you know, bringing Rivera out of
the pen. They don't really have that.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
They do not know, they do not They don't have
the Chris Jones, they don't have the dynamic guys that
the Eagles have had. They allow three hundred and sixty
two yards per game, twenty eighth in the NFL, twenty
four and a half points per game, the most of
any team that is qualified for the postseason Philadelphia Eagles
at number three. Fading disappearing offense.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
It has to be something offense, agree. I mean it's
probably a little rough to say quarterback.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I might say rush game, but that means hurts, that
means the offensive line. Yeah, but I think I think
fading offense. Yeah, Like, does Lane Johnson still have it
in the tank to be Lane Johnson for three or
four games?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
I think he'll be back. And they did rest everybody,
which could help, you know in that that situation.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Yeah, it'll be interesting. It'll be interesting. But that defense
pretty stinking good, really good. They can get the other
side of the ball, move and they will be dangerous
once again. Carolina Panthers biggest fatal flaw passing attack.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure what.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
There's a lot you could list there for those guys.
Yeah again, there, quarter back play, passing attack.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I mean, they'd be lasting a lot of categories. You know,
it'd be harder to say whether it's strengths.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Yes, you know, defense is good.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
It's fine, but yeah, I mean, none of them are
not elite, but it's it's good. You know, like the
Texans could ride their defense to a Super Bowl championship.
I don't think Carolina could ride any aspect of their
team too. An NFC championship game.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
You don't look at it and you go, this is
where they cut their teeth. At least they can do this.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Like maybe they beat the Rams. If they turned Stafford
over four times and have a kickoff return.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
For a touch, you're gonna be saying the same thing
the next week.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
And then the next week they're gonna be a ten
point dog again. You know.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Number five in the NFC, the Los Angeles rams, Matt.
This is probably the most encouraging of all the potential
fatal flaws. Special teams.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Yeah, they're not great on there. You're thinking, who's will.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Change their kicker? Yeah, they've had They've allowed some fake
punts and some issues in the punt game.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
They're also hard to find.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
But the other stuff, that's your big potential fatal flaw,
that's a pretty good place to be usually.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Yeah, not that it's not important totally. Absolutely, one of
their games is gonna come down to a kick, you know, Yes.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
They always do this time of year. Number six, the
forty nine ers lack of a pass rush.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's the worst pass rush going and the defense as
a whole is worrisome. A lot of youth, not a
lot of playmakers, but the pass rush in particular is
bottom of the.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
League, especially without Bosa. Yeah yeah, yeah, uh you buying
Fred warnerback, by the way, I don't know, I don't know.
He's a freak man. Yeah yeah, if anyone could do it.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
I think it's in they think this week or they're
talking like if they I think.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
He said divisional round, okay, so it would be one
more week. I think he's saying and Finally, the Green
Bay Packers potential fatal flaw run defense.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Run defense, and we saw what Henry did against them,
and defense in general has been great post Parsons, but
the run deees a problem.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
It is it is. And they traded Clark, you know,
back in the off season as part of that to
get Parsons.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
We forget about that part. You'd always hear up the middle.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
You'd obviously make that decision again, Sure, but costs.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Yeah, you got worse than an area. Wasn't just picks.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yes, Uh. Some tweets here as we go to close
this thing down, Rodney tweets us and he says, hey, guys,
I'm not saying but I'm just saying, Dome teams in
the postseason, or sorry, Dome teams over the last decade
on the road in games below forty degrees one in fourteen,
(36:28):
really Dome teams in the last decade on the road.
Temperature below forty degrees one and fourteen. The predicted temperature
for Monday night, Matt Williamson, because I pulled up my
weather app here is twenty five degrees for the Steelers
around kickoff.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
So just so happens, found this out this Morning Stroud
averages six point one yards per past outdoors this season
compared to seven point eight in the Dome. Who they
play a lot more Dome games.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I mean that's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, Oh, it's a real thing. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
You look at some of these guys, even someone like
Drew Brees, who is a no doubt all time great
Hall of Fame quarterback.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Oh, it's way different than like Ben's career.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
The year they went to the Super Bowl and won,
it was the year that they had were the one
seed and had the home field advantage.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
They trying to bring up Ben because they basically were contemporaries.
Of course, you can make the argument who had a
better career, who did a better career, blah blah blah,
and they both were better for their respective city, then
the other one would have been you know what I mean.
But I get the odd to Ben just because I mean,
Breeze's passing numbers are in the NFC South and in
the Dome and.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Dome, and with the guy that everyone regards as one
of the greatest offensive mines in terms of had saches
in the NFL history, whereas Ben did it with a
defensive guy.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Do we have much time.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
We got nothing but time.
Speaker 3 (37:48):
Okay. I was asked this question on my podcast today
and I've been rattling around my skull and it was
with all these new stadiums going towards domes, yes, is
this late season playoff running game gonna be less important
than ever?
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Possibly?
Speaker 3 (38:06):
And we spent like ten minutes on this conversation. I
know we don't have that, but I just wanted to
put that out in this neck of the woods, I mean, Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Buffalo, all that stuff, New England.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
And then I started talking through it, talking.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
About Phillies, talking about remodeling the link and yeah, retractable roof.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I'm shocked all those ones don't have retractables at least, you.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Know, because because they want those bigger city places too,
Like they want to host events, you know, they want
to host Super Bowls and concerts and final fours and
like that.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Well that brought me to this conversation too, like in
fifty years, will every stadium be a dome?
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Probably?
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Yeah, just like hockey or basketball, or you know, are
we to talk about weather in this sport, Matt?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Are we gonna have newspapers and radio stations in fifty years?
Or is it just all gonna be podcasts and tiktoks.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I mean, like it's hard to predict the future, folks,
but things change drastically.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
Look at really rectable stadiums in sports fifty years ago
compared to now, What do you think it's gonna be
like it?
Speaker 3 (38:57):
And yeah, yeah, I kind of lean that way.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Unfortunately, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
And people are like, oh, that'd be terrible, But the
next generation will know any different.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
You know their loss. Let's see here. Favorite c J
tweets us and says, after watching your Guys show yesterday,
listening to you talk about head coaching openings, any chance
you'd still choose the Titans or Raiders job over the
Ravens or is it now the best available opening? As
a Steelers fan, I really don't want Kevin Stefanski to
(39:25):
end up in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
No, Ravens are definitely my one.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
We did. We talked about that a little bit earlier.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Than one if it's a male or female, but mentioned Raiders.
Raiders are still distant last for me? Is it? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
See, I think I'd rather have that job than the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
Cardinals bad Brown is bad. I mean, the these are
the worst.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
The thing with the Raiders is at least you're getting
a blank slate, like you can go and take Fernando
Mendoza or Dante Moore. Yeah, you want to go. You've
got brock Bauers and Ashton Gent But.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
That's like two good players and positions of aren't true.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
That's true. But like in Cleveland, everything you do, every
decision you make is going to be hyper scrutinized. In Vegas,
you got I don't know. It's an interesting conversation, but
the Ravens is definitely number one of all the open jobs.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Right, you get to work at Lamar, right?
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (40:16):
Steele Curtin says, do you think? Asks us if any
of the reasoning behind Stefanski's firing is him being at
odds with the organization over Shador Sanders after he already
didn't want the Sean Watson and now the organization is
saddling him with another quarterback he did not want.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
That's definitely possible.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
I don't think anybody's ever happy to get fired, but
I think Stefanski might be greener for him. On the
on the other side, Uh, I.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Mean, I think he'd be great for cam Ward Jackson Dart.
I mean, let alone like a Lamar, but like a
young quarterback that's in place already. I think he'd be
great and I absolutely absolutely see him in Baltimore. But
you talk about waking up on the Rider's side of life,
you know, man.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Christopher tweets us and says, can you guys remember a
team having a more insane ending of the season like
the Steelers just had Detroit a gold to goal situation
came down to the last play of the game. Cleveland
gold to goal situation came down to the last play
of the game except for one irrelevant kneel down. Baltimore
came down to the last play of the game with
everything hanging in the balance over that three game stretch. Wow,
(41:32):
it's I mean, yeah, it's the wildest kind of down
the stretch that I could remember for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
Steelers as long as I can remember, and certainly that
last game is as crazy as anyone's last game of
the season, without a.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Doubt, Without a doubt, it's.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
A pretty crazy league. I mean, there's a lot of
teams that are dealing with nutty stuff down the road,
down the stretch year after year.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
Absolutely, uh JG tweets us and says, any concern about
Chris boswell Er is he's still the proverbial wizard of Boss.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
I never was super concerned, but I was happy to
hear that that got deflected and he and just shank
and extra point.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yes, now he missed a kick in Cleveland, he missed
a kick in Detroit. I wouldn't say I'm worried about Boss.
I might not. I might not think he's bulletproof, ironclad,
no questions asked, like he's been for the last handful
of years. But I'm not. I'm not panic. I feel
like I.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Walk away from the TV when he comes out, you know,
I mean, I don't, but I feel like I don't
even have to. I put my head down, I start
typing or whatever. I don't know that I'll do that
on Monday night.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I don't know if. I don't know if I will
do uh. If I will do that either, we'll see.
I'm not sure. I'm uh, I'm not sure.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Along those lines, the Texans had the most field goals
made by a very wide margin in the league this year.
Did they Yeah, he made six last week, fair barn
and I think they had like seven or eight more
made field goals than any other team.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
Well, I'll tell you this, man, if it's going to
be a Texans team that's going to try and rely
heavily on their kicker to win Monday, that will go
in the Steelers favor in that weather, in those conditions games,
whichever team relies less on their kicker on Monday night
is a good thing just for the optics of finding
the back of the end zone. And of course because
(43:27):
in January at night time and the you know, the
confluence of rivers is not the most ideal place to
It's it's not a dome in Houston, Texas or a retractable,
retractable roof in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
So back to that tweet real quick. I mean, if
it comes down to putting balls out there to win,
it a tough kick that's fifty nine yard or into
the open end, I wouldn't hesitate one bit.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
Completely agree, completely agree. I think that's a good way
to wrap this thing up for the day. I enjoyed this.
We were all over the place a lot of different topics.
Tomorrow will narrow our focus a little bit here on
the program, we will dive into Matt's stats and really
start to preview matchups with the Houston Texans. Where are
they good? Where do they have the advantage? Where can
the Steelers make some hey cut their teeth and find
(44:10):
an advantage of their own. We'll get into all of that.
We'll also talk to the Great Bob Labriola for the
first time in a little while off. Yeah, we've missed
Labs these past couple Thursdays with some holidays and things
of that nature. So we'll catch up with the Demon Doo,
with the Dean of Doom and the Lord of Living
in his fears tomorrow on the show, as we will
really turn the page and start to focus a little
(44:31):
bit on the college football playoff and completely on wild
card weekend. That'll do it for us today. Thanks to
our buddy Chris Hallick for joining us. Thanks to Nathan
for producing on the radio side, Tyler V Mister TV
keeping us handsome on the video side of things for
Matt Williamson, um Wesheeler, Take care everybody, and we will
talk to the Inn's Tamairo as always. You know where
to find us. It's on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on
(44:54):
the Steelers Audio Network.
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