November 6, 2025 • 43 mins
Matt and Wes talk more about the LA Chargers and catch up with Bob Labriola to get his thoughts heading into Week 10.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Our number two of the drive here as we roll
along and we go to the phone lines to catch
up with the Dean of Doom, the lord of living
in his fears. Of course, the Steelers historian Bob Labriola
Labs thank you for taking the time as always, as
always playing we want to discuss with you here, so
let's get right into it. Just an incredible effort by
(00:55):
this Steelers defense on Sunday against the Colts, you know,
forcing five turnovers another on special teams for six in
total against the team that only had four turnovers going
into that in their prior eight games. So much of
that was being able to get after Daniel Jones, and
I think another big part of that was the stabilization
of the back end with Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger.
(01:18):
That's going to be the same kind of deployment this week.
Is that something that you expect is here to stay,
at least for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Yeah, in terms of you know the line up, how
the players are going to be aligned, yes, I do,
But I really think that you know the key to
the game against the Colts, and the key to the
game this Sunday against the Chargers, and really, to me,
the key to every game moving forward. When it comes
to how the defense is supposed to look, it's got
(01:49):
to start with stopping the run. This defense can just
not allow the opposing team to use the running game
as a weapon, because then you can't get to your
pressure packages, you can't get after the quarterback and all
of the takeaway stuff and the sacks and the momentum
(02:12):
and you know, all that isn't as possible. So you know,
whatever they did to stop the run, certainly to me
is the most important thing. Guess Ramsey moving to free
safety not only his play there, but help with Kyle
Dugger get acclimated quickly and be a you know, beyond
(02:35):
just a good fill in guy. I mean, he was
a positive as a starting safety. So yeah, I mean,
I think it's gonna be a different kind of running
game this Saturday or Sunday night against the Chargers. They
don't have a Jonathan Taylor, but they get it done
by committee a little bit. So if you're gonna ask
(02:59):
me what I really hope to see Sunday night from
the Steelers defenses first stop to run. Then I think
that's the key that unlocks the door, and then all
those other things are possible.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Makes sense, labs Like, when you combine special teams contributions
and turnover contributions, the Steelers are the best team in
the league. The Chargers happen to be about the worst. Oh,
by the way, now you've been around this team a
long time and consistently turnovers special teams are great strengths
(03:32):
of the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin and this coaching
staff overall. I can't believe that's an accident. I mean,
all these people are like, oh, this Tomlin voodoo. I mean,
how does he squeeze winning seasons out? He understands how
to win in the margins like that.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Well, you know, just from being around this franchise for
a very, very long time, special teams were probably the
worst part of the dynasty of the seventies. Chuck Nole
was not a big special teams guy. He was the
last coach in the league to hire a full time
(04:09):
special teams coach. You know. Bill Coward came to the
Steelers as a well. He was a defensive coordinator as
the Chiefs, but he had broken into the league as
a coach special teams with the Browns. Uh. He had
some issues with special teams too. You know, the Steelers
franchise history with special teams. I remember when Danny Smith
(04:34):
got hired. You know, I went to high school with him,
and so I said to him kiddingly, I said, I'm
gonna write you a history of the special teams of
this franchise. I said, it's it's gonna surprise you and
scare you.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
But you know, so they won despite special teams for
a lot of years.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah, Like, just real quick, I
don't want to get too much in the weeds. For
this Super Bowl, Super Bowl ten, Chuck Bull went for
it on fourth and nine near midfield at the two
minute warning with a four point lead against Dallas in
(05:17):
a Super Bowl. He just turned it over to the
defense because he didn't Well, they got gotten one blocked.
You know, Walden was awful. Super Bowl ten was also
the game let's not forget where Cliff Harris was Patton
Roy Durel on the head the field goals. Yeah, so,
(05:39):
I mean these were the things. You know, even those
teams had to uh deal with so you know, but
Danny Smith is very very you know, I don't want
to I wanted to come across. As you know, we
went to high school together. So I'm saying good things
about him, but his uh detail, his attention to detail,
(06:01):
his video study is unmatched. Excuse me. And really, the Steelers,
in my opinion, they're special teams in terms of things
like kick blocking, you know, executing a lot of the
you know, non glamorous things for example. You know, I'm
(06:22):
not talking about returning kicks for touchdowns, but kick blocking.
The Steelers are always uh up close to the right
top of the league doing that, and you know that's significant. No,
I give him, you know a lot of that credit.
But yeah, I mean they they they are able to,
as you mentioned, live in the margins with this team,
(06:44):
and you know, to me, there's nothing wrong with that
because those points, you know, comp the same as you
get on either offense or or on defense.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And they always take away that's right. Yeah, And they
also keep four or five guys on the roster that
it's not their only as a special teamer, but it's
job number one. Killer grew prier those guys, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, I mean Mike Tomlin is willing to, you know,
consider I guess that's a good word keeping a guy
on the roster because of what he does on special team.
I mean I remember for one of his you know,
Mike Tomlin shows that you know, I do with him.
I asked him when was around roster cut in time.
(07:27):
I said, you know, is it possible for a guy,
you know to make this team as a special teams
guy and not a returner? And he said, yeah, absolutely,
Miles Kilrey, he said, you know, he's the team captain.
He was an All Pro last year, so yeah, he's
willing to consider a roster spot for a guy like that.
(07:49):
And I think that that kind of commitment or you know,
whatever you want to call it not only sends a
message to the guys on those teams or the guys
trying to find find spots on game day or helmets
on game day or anything. I mean, it just kind
of I think shows what you think of special teams,
(08:12):
and you know, guys can see that they can they
can get themselves a nice NFL check by being good
at it, work hard at it, pay attention, you know,
study it, because you know that there are a lot
of those those block kicks are not happenstance. You know,
(08:34):
it's not that Cam Hayward knows where you know, he
throws up a hand and he gets lucky and you
know blocks an extra pointer, gets a hand on a
field goal or something or whatever it might be. I mean,
that's that's video study, that's repetition, that's practice.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Let's package.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Protection and yeah, right, absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
It's a coordinated thing. So yeah, and hey that if
that can win you a game, that kind of stuff,
you know, it's a difference between ten and seven, nine
and eight, ten and seven, eleven and six. I mean
it's it's you know, you start looking at that game
(09:18):
difference at the end of the season, and that can
be a significant it could be a significant one game.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Yeah, and having Boswell doesn't hurt well, right in addition.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
To you know, because yeah, he is I don't know,
he's the best, and I think he's been the best
for a couple of seasons. You know, Tucker still had
the you know, the reputation and all of that kind
of stuff, and I think a lot of those awards,
all Pro Pro Bowl, you know, guys vote for that stuff,
(09:54):
or media votes for that stuff. They just vote what
they voted last year. You know, I don't know how
much the the all pro voters beyond looking at stats.
Who's the best kicker? You know? I mean, it's of
course it's not real, right, it's not Check the balls
(10:14):
for talker again, right, yes, check the blox for talker again. Oh,
look at all the field goalsing mate. Okay, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Bob Labriola with us here on the drive, Labs, I
did want to ask you one of the things that
Matt and I discussed a little bit before having you
on here was the Steelers' run game in Jalen Warren
and how you know, we think the offensive line is
playing better, but it hasn't necessarily translated to success in
the run game. I think, just particularly over the last
six quarters. They were really good in that department in
(10:43):
the first half against Green Bay eighty one rushing yards
in the first thirty minutes against green Bay, but the
last six quarters not quite up the snuff. How do
they get back to kind of that that commanding ground
game that we've seen this Sunday in La.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I would I would tease you, Wes, knowing you're a
Mountaineer fan, and say, you know, it all depends on
whether the center play is great. That's right, But I
wouldn't mean that, you know, uh yeah, I think the
Colts were pretty good at it, you know, stopping the run.
(11:20):
And I do believe that even you know, when the
Steelers had Jerome Bettets, when the Steelers had Franco Harris,
when they uh, you know, great running teams or what
you think of yourself as a great running team, or
you've proven it statistically that you are. I think when
you're playing a quality opponent, if that opponent commits the
(11:42):
stopping the run, both in terms of the personnel that
they assemble h and how they play, it's hard to
run in the NFL. It just is. I'm not making
any excuse excuses for against the Colts, but Buckner's really good.
Zaire Franklin is really good. Uh and you know those
(12:04):
guys in there. I mean it's it's to me, it's
similar to what the Steelers did with Jonathan Taylor. I mean,
you you make it, you commit to this, We're going
to stop this, uh this guy. Uh, And I think
it can't happen if that becomes a primary focus and
you have you know, players who are paying attention and
(12:25):
doing what they're told. Uh, you can stop the run.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
So the advantage of I can put enough people here
that you can't block everybody.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Right because running play, you got the quarterback who's handing
the ball off, the running back who's running the ball,
has eleven guys going against nine. They should be they
should be able to handle that.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Calvin Austin's not going to blow up a linebacker and
you know.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Right exactly so you know, flipping it around. Uh, I
think that uh if. I think Aaron Rodgers had a
lot on the ball when he was talking about you know,
he liked the play calls, but that had to be
better execution, and he started with himself. You know, there
(13:14):
were some instances of some guys not being where they
were supposed to be. Sometimes that can either happen on
a possession down and you have to punt, so you
have fewer snaps to get your running game established. You know,
there's all kinds of things like that that are kind
of interwoven. I don't think the Steelers are the kind
of team yet that they're going to say, Okay, it's
(13:39):
time to run the ball. Now we have a ten
point lead. There's six minutes left. Here we go. You know,
we're just gonna drain four or five minutes off the
clock by running the football down your throat. I just
don't think they're that kind of team. And I also
don't think that that's really possible in today's NFL. But anyway,
(14:01):
you want to be able to, you know, find a
sweet spot between being able to run when when everyone
knows you're supposed to be running, or maybe you look
at it as your offense needs to be able to
move the chains when everybody knows you need to train
(14:22):
the clock. Because so I think a lot of it
is Rogers and what he can do with the receivers.
Guys need to get open, you know, they need to
understand what is at stake or what the situation. You know,
Mike Tolan talks about situational football so much. I think
that's a situation in itself. Guys need to catch the
(14:45):
ball to a couple of drops last week, but again
good enough to win. Uh. And I think though that
if he starts, if the passing attack does a little
bit better possess it the ball. There aren't any you know,
I don't know, like fumbles when you're trying to hurdle
a guy after you already had a first don in
(15:07):
the fourth quarter to keep a drive move and you know,
I mean or you know, I saw some how what
I call it maybe miss or misreading which way to
run with the ball when you get the ball in
the in the flatter in the open field, you know,
(15:28):
trying to maybe make more of it than is there,
and instead of settling for four or five yards, you
end up maybe only getting one or losing you know,
those kinds of things. Uh. But you know, I'm not
going to be the dean of doone today. I'm sorry
for those people Bolts really good team. Uh. And they
(15:50):
they the Steelers I thought looked good defensively, really good defensively. Uh.
Or let me say this, like the plan was for
them to look defensively when all these people were assembled.
And so now that they've done it, they can use
that as internal fuel or whatever motivation because then they
(16:14):
can say to themselves, well, we've done this before, so
we can do it again last night.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Sorry, last thing I have for you is on that defense,
A young pop Peyton Wilson in the second year, to
me is really starting to level up and take his
game doing the next level. Is that something you're seeing too?
You think the team's really happy with him right now?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Peyden Wilson, All right, yeah, how could you not be?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:37):
I mean you're playing. As I mentioned, Jonathan Taylor. He
leads the team with thirteen tackles. Peyton Wilson, he had
an interception, okay, so then he also got his hands
on bat at the ball in the air that turned
into an interception. So he's making plays obviously against the run,
getting the guy on the ground. He's making plays average
(17:01):
against the pass. However you want to put it. He
played a lot of snaps. Yeah, yes he is. He
is that guy. A really good tandem with Patrick Queen,
I think, and the kind of inside linebacker I think
some good teams need to have because he's not somebody
(17:22):
who got to sub out in either obvious running situations
or obvious passing situations.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Great stuff with our friend Bob Labriola, not the Dean
of doom or lord of living in his fears. Today,
a cheerier, happier Labs here is the Steelers get into
the win column against the Colts. Labs, thank you for
taking the time. As always, we really appreciate it, and
we'll be looking forward to hearing you on the pregame
show on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
All right, fellows, take care you as well.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
There he goes, Bob Labriola, Steelers a store. Hey, everything
from Super Bowl nine anecdotes to Miles Killerbrew. He's got
it all. Yeah, he's got it all.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Matt. We have some breaths that I forgot about that though,
Chuck Noles, they did not have a special teams.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
One of the last highranchise. Yeah, a special teams coach.
It is amazing how times have changed.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Crazy, right, But those teams were never good on special teams.
I remember my dad telling me that when I was
like ten years old, like, oh no, they gotta bring
up the punter.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Special teams and ball security were just not what they
were now, not at all. I still, I know I've
told you this story before, but I remember during COVID
Motes and I did like that once and for all
week where we settled all these Steelers debates. You know,
who's the best linebacker in the best center, and who's
the best corner, and who's the best running back, And
(18:36):
Motes was like, I know it's Franco He's like, but
I just can't get over the fumble numbers. He's like,
they're just ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Look at franchise interception numbers, right, it's insane.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah, Matt, we have some breaking Steelers news. We talked
about how they had made an addition to the active
roster there would be need to be a corresponding move
after signing Broderick Martin Rhodes. That corresponding move has happened.
I'll tell you what it is. We return on the
other side, West Sheler. Matt Williamson, it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Well, Matt, we said that we would probably get a
corresponding roster move for the Steelers edition of Broderick Martin
Rhodes off of the Chiefs practice squad to their active roster. Yeah,
and we now have that as the Steelers have released
the Marvin Leal just not too long ago.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Totally get it. I mean he's been here long enough
that I think you know who he is, and it's
hard to find a role for him. I mean, he
really is not a stand up outside linebacker, and when
he would get that role, he'd be kind of your
your big base end run stuffer guy. But all four
of the guys ahead of him on the depth chart
at that position stuff the run. Fine. What's incredible at it?
(20:21):
Sawyer's provided you that at a minimum is Smith's always
been good. Herbie's been getting better and better, you know,
so putting him out there for that reason isn't good enough.
Coming out of A and M. I found him interesting
because frankly, he's always been kind of an enigma for
the Steeler defense because I'm not sure exactly how he fits.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Yeah. And talent, He's got a skill set, yeah, but
there was just always something felt a little lost, a.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Little often, just kind of missing. I also think something
he can provide is be a d tackle on throwing downs,
you know, as an upfield penetrator type. Little undersized, But
he's not better than Bent and Harmon and cam at
it right, you know what I mean? Like, so when
do I put you on the field unless people are hurt?
(21:09):
So I think they just wanted a bigger body. I
mean they added somebody that has fifty more pounds.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, you know, six five. Yeah, yeah, three twenty five.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Yeah, that's not leal. You know. Yeah, I was to
eighty or something.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I wouldn't have guessed. If you would have made me
guess who it was going to be, he probably wouldn't
have been one of my first names that I mentioned either.
But when I saw it, I'm like, oh, yeah, that
also makes sense.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, what's he doing for you now?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Exactly right? Exactly right, And hopefully for him, he'll get
an opportunity to go somewhere where he can kind of,
you know, find a fit a mesh with his skill set.
Speaker 4 (21:42):
And I'm sure you will. He's got enough tape in
pedigree that I mean, he'll definitely get picked up on
a practice squad.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, I I I even throw him back.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
On the practice squad.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's true. That's great. That's a great point
as well too. He could always, right, he could always
end up back on the practice squad. That is a great,
great point by you, But just.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
Not providing enough on game day for you. When do
I put him on the field where he's given me
an advantage over the other guys I could put on
the field, right, It's not there.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
That's life in the National Football league, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
It is?
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Yeah, So the Marvin Leal has been released. We'll see
where he ends up, if it's back on the Steelers
practice squad, if it's somewhere else. But that's kind of
the corresponding move that that we had been waiting for.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Yeah, and big bodies are harder to find.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
They absolutely are. They certainly are. That is a big
body that they added from the Kansas City Chiefs practice
squad for sure.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Now, it doesn't mean he has to be active on
game day. He just has to be on the active roster.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
That's a great point. That doesn't mean that he has
to get a helmet. He could be in inactive. But
there's I wonder how that's gonna look with Logan Lee
now as well.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I don't know. Curious about that too, because.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
At the same time, you probably don't want too defensive
linemen inactive in terms of your inactives, and Logan Lee
has been that guy recently. I'll be interesting to see
how that plays.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I wouldn't think he plays this week, dude.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, just kind of happened today. Yeah, they're gonna want
him to at least get a couple of practices under
his belt. That's a good that's a good point by you.
Sooner rather than later, Yeah, certainly, But yeah, that's a
good call by you. Actually, I would I don't think
we'll see him on Sunday night. Would be surprised if
there was that quick of a turnaround. Yeah, Matt before
we uh, maybe close down with some tweets here today,
(23:29):
we do have to talk a little Thursday night football tonight.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Yeah, not the best game, not the best game.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
But you got Vegas at Denver Mile High Stadium there
the Broncos nine and a half point favorites. We did
see some signs of life from Vegas in their in
their past Sunday out of their bye week.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
What's such a key for them, as brock by ours
health totally. I mean it's first time that healthy since
week one.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
And he looked at me like, what like one hundred
and forty yards receiving and three touchdowns or something insane
like that. And they are a two point conversion away
from potentially beating the Jags. That would have been a
nice win. That would have been a nice win for
them out of their bye week. Any chance they can
keep this one close, that's a pretty chunky number. It's
in Denver, but they are that proverbial team going on
(24:13):
the road on Thursday night.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Division game on the road, Division.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Game on the road Thursday night. And also you know
in Mile High, tough place to play. You you like
the you like the Broncos? You laying the points on
this one? Or where are you going?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (24:26):
No, certain the Broncos are a little uneven. I think
they're the better team clearly. Now we're also getting the
point of the season. I kind of mentioned it earlier
that Steeler fans need to start rooting against. Like you
wanted the Raiders to beat the Jags, You'd love to
see the Broncos drop a loss here in this especially
a conference loss, you know, because all these tiebreakers and
(24:48):
things could impact the Steelers. I do think the Broncos win,
but I would probably take the points. It's a lot
for a short week, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
It is, even for being the home team on the
short week. Yes, these Thursday games are typically closer, and
I realized last week it was just what twenty eight
to six that the Ravens won pretty comfortably. Yeah, in
Miami on the road, but that feels a game that
feels like maybe more the exception than the rule. It
just always feels like these Thursday nighters are close because
it's a short week. Teams are tired and beat up
(25:17):
and don't have as much prep time.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yeah, and the Raiders are one week removed from their
by maybe they're still a little fresh or healthier, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Yeah, yeah, that's a good point too. I think I
would I think I will take the nine and a
half points with the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I'd probably keep an eye on see if it goes
to ten, Yes, that would.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Be absolutely ten ten and a half, certainly, yes, would
be would be fantastic. But this is a big one
for Denver.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Man.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
If they can get to eight and two, they're in
really good shape. They're in great shape. The Chiefs are
five and four.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Right, you get this win, then have a long week.
They have a long their next opponent is which I
don't know who that it is, and they.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Still haven't had their bye week yet either, so they've
got some real rest down the stretch here.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Certain will be backed not too long down the road.
I mean, no, they're they're shitting pretty.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Chiefs are only five and four. Chargers, Yeah, they're six
and three, but they're banged up. And they got a
tough one against the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
I wonder, especially if the win tonight, what the Vegas
odds would be for them to win their division. It
has to be very, very high.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Oh, I would think so.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
And I know people you know rightfully so value what
the Chiefs can do. But that's a big hole to
come back from for Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Oh, it's huge, It's absolutely huge. And you know what
I think, I saw this actually just a minute ago.
I do right here playoff odds for every team at
this point. So right now they have the Broncos with
a little over forty eight percent chance to win that division.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
To win the division.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
But that's before if they would win tonight.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
Yeah, I'm sure it goes well.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Their odds are ninety percent to make the playoffs, so
they you know, if they win tonight, that probably goes
up to ninety six ninety seven.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Especially if the Steelers beat the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Especially if the Steelers beat the Chargers, if that happened,
I bet you their division odds would go up closer
to sixty percent. The Chiefs are going to get a
lot of benefit of the doubt because at any point
they could rattle off six or seven straight wins wouldn't
surprise anybody.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Losing in Buffalo. It doesn't.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
They are still five and four. I mean, you know,
that's maths. Some of it is just math. If you're
three games behind and we're in the November already, you
only got so much time, you only got so much opportunity.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
So Denver would be eight and two if they win tonight.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It would be eight and two. If they win tonight, man, yeah,
that's that's a stronghold. And then they would have their
bye week. Wait no, sorry, sorry, sorry, party.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
They have a long week.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
They have a long week to host Kansas City.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
That'd be and then if you win that one, you're
pretty much set.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Absolutely. Let me look here. Ten Yes, then you have
a bye Yes, okay, So would host Kansas City, then
have a bye, then would go to Washington to Las Vegas,
Green Bay, Jacksonville to Kansas City the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
So maybe three more losses on there.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Some tough ones, but you get Vegas twice, that should
be two wins for them. Yeah, you get Washington, albeit
on the road, but that should be a win. You
host the Packers at home, you host the Jags at home.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
No one likes playing in Denver. I mean, maybe you
split those.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
If you split with Kansas City, you're in great shape.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
I mean, you're gonna have a rest advantage against Jeeves.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
If you win tonight and then you split against Kansas City,
you are.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
In You're gonna win the great shape. You'll probably win,
You'll probably win the division.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And man, that is just to be impressive. I think
a lot of us thought the Broncos could be good
this year. I'm pretty sure you and I both picked
them to go to the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
People go to the playoffs. But they're exceeding my expectations.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
To win that division would would would be a big
deal for them, and hosting a playoff game there in
that environment, in that that mile high atmosphere, brutal place
to go to, it would wouldn't be It would be
so weird this year if if the Chiefs and the
Bills both ended up as wild cards? What if the Ravens?
What if the Ravens, Bills and Chiefs the three proverbial
(28:47):
AFC favorites coming into this year are the three wild card.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
We were actually sort of joking about that indirectly last
night with Tim and Tom, because like Steelers win division,
here's your Kansas kid of yours. That's awesome, right, yeah,
and that could happen. I could certainly, Hey, you'd love
to host a playoff game, but I don't really want
the Josh Allen or mahomes with some strong or Lamar
super hot. You know that's happened to.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
I think I'd rather go to New England for a
round game than host the Bills or the Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
I want the Jags coming something like that, right, everybody
like that?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Come on, man, But yes, certainly I want to keep
an eye on tonight on Thursday Night. Can the Raiders
continue to show any sign of life? Cause the Broncos
really put the AFC West in a in a stranglehold
here as we get into November. All of that on
the table this evening. We'll close things down with a
couple of your tweets on the other side, some final thoughts.
(29:41):
All of that and more. Wesh Euler, Matt Williamson. It
is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
M M m M.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Final segment here on a Thursday of the drive and
Matt we have the Steeler's latest practice report, good to
go through before we get to some tweets to get
on up out of here. Here's what we've got for Thursday,
November the sixth. Scottie Miller still has not practiced with
that broken finger. I assume he'll be an act I
got to think that means that he's going to be
(30:54):
an active again. Will Howard has been all of our
listeners favorite player. Will Howard has been a full participant
again yesterday and today.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
His windows getting close to close.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
It's getting closed to close, and I think he's got
a few more days here, so that's certainly something to
keep an eye on. Chuck Clark back, like I mentioned
this earlier, but back from that illness, been a full
practice participant.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Good.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Corey Trice Junior has not practiced yet. The hamstring and knee.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
Yeah, it's he came back and he played one practice.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
I'm I'm discouraged. I'm starting to I'm starting to think
this might be the end of the line. As unfortunate
as that would, because they're getting close with his twenty
one day window as well too.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
I mean, it could be the end the line. For
this season at a minimum. Yeah, I mean, if he
can't get it.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
It's just a shame. It really is not good news
on the Jabrill Peppers front. He did not practice again
today with that quad injury, so he has not practiced yet.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
This wark being healthy. Probably not.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah, Cole Holcomb still has not practiced this week with
that illness.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
What illness has never lasted that long?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
I know he must be dealing with.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Yeah, okay, keep him away from everybody.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yeah, seriously. Alex high Smith with the ankle, he was
limited in practice today. I'm sure that was probably you know,
he didn't practice with like a vet's day today limited.
I'm sure that's all planned.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I'd say Wednesday Thursday. I really don't even care about
Smalu in high Smith veterans.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Yeah, Sayamalu has not practiced yet this.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
I'm sure they're going to take it very conservatively with
both those guys. I'm sure the high Smith limited was
not doing much correct.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
I would think that that was the case. Darnel Washington
didn't practice Wednesday with a foot, good news. He was
a full participant in today's practice. Love to see that.
John new Smith also a full participant in today's practice
after getting a day off yesterday. Uh Cam Hayward got
a arresting, arresting day today, but then not great news
(32:47):
with Connor Hayward who popped up with a knee injury
today and did not practice.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Okay, Well, sounds like Smith and Washington are good to
go to tight end position. Good news, no injury issue.
But the Connor one, they're sorting through some special team
stuff and he is one of the core guys. You know,
the killer brew injury has a ripple effect on their
special teams participation, you know, all that stuff. And Danny
(33:13):
Smith of course will handle what he's done it for years.
But if you take another one of his core guys
away just for one day, it's hard to put those
puzzle pieces together. You know. They said they activated those
two running backs off the practice squad just for special
teams reasons, right.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You know, right, Yeah, So that's certainly something to keep
an eye on here.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
You have a special team's advantage against Chargers, but you
need your best guys out there.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Right, And they've already had to do some shuffling. We
talked about how they had to move Ben's Chronik into
the personal protector role. Bump Brandon eckles out. Yeah, just
becomes one of those you don't want to be. You
don't have too many moving parts.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
No one thinks about that on special teams. But like,
if you lose your starting left guard and tight end
and you're gonna ask a receiver to play tight end
and receive, you know, like, it's not apples to apples.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
No, it's not. And as you and I talked about,
We've talked about this many times, you only have so
much time during the course of the week, right, like
you're getting ready for Herbert and for the Chargers and
for Derwin James and for like, you don't have all
this time to figure out how exactly you're going to
deploy your special teams in practice.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
No, they're getting ready for the Chargers. There's not that
many sessions too, your periods during the course of the
week dedicated special teams, you know, the one big meeting
a day probably too.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Yes, So certainly, certainly something to keep an eye on there.
We will continue you to monitor that. Obviously, we'll have
tomorrow's Friday report and everything that's going on there. But Matt,
that is kind of all the latest in the moving
and shaken for today. So what do you say We
get to some tweets here, all right, Joe tweets us
(34:45):
and says that the Steelers only had fifty two on
the roster and so now even with the release of
Demarvin Leal, they still have one more room. Wondering if
that's maybe for MVS, for Marquez Valdez scantling to get
bumped up from the practice squad.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Good for him for paying attention. I don't monitor that
stuff down to the.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That is not our that's where we miss dale. Yeah,
and the real kind of boots on the ground journalism
people here.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
That's a good thought on MVS, especially if Miller's probably
not gonna play. But I immediately when he said that,
I thought, is that a spot for Will Howard? Ooh?
I mean they love keeping three quarterbacks. I bet they
don't sleep well at night when there's only two. I
bet that's Will Howard.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
That's a great call.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Yeah, because that is closing soon, he's healthy. They want
that third guy involved. I'm thinking that's Howard.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
We will That's another thing that we'll keep an eye
on here.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
And if he tells that immediately, correct, he's just gonna
practice either way, and yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
But that might be might be something to keep an
eye on coming down the pipeline here before too much longer. Uh,
let's see here. Steel Curtin tweets us and actually says
say similar kind of thing about leaving Will Howard within
his twenty one day window and leaving room within the roster.
(36:02):
He said, maybe it was because their injuries in the secondary.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Now safety shuffling.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
It was a lot of safety shuffling as well too,
So you guys are on it that all that all
makes makes a lot of sense to me at this
at this standpoint, it certainly does, certainly does. Let's see here, man,
I'm gonna find a find a few more of these
that I had bookmarked.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Here.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Let's see, Jeff, here's the one that I wanted to
get to from. Jeff says that he he said, he's laughed.
How not too many people are really talking a ton
about the offensive line lately. You guys did a little
bit this week, But I think that's a good thing
when you're not talking too much about the offensive line.
How much do you think that or where do you
think the unit is now compared to where they were
(36:46):
in the first couple weeks of the season. In my opinion,
they seem to be much better in the run game,
improving in past pro but still need some.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Work thousand percent. They still need to work in period,
but really trending the right direction. I still haven't read
the Brandon Thorn thing top to bottom. I probably will tonight,
like at halftime or whatever. It's like it's going to
take long. But I thought nine might be a little
high just the initial sniff test. But I want to
just check out the other lines around them. But I
(37:15):
don't think it's crazy to say that they're definitely in
the top half of the league. I mean, because the
one thing I'm going to hold against the Steelers line
it thought their fault. I mean, this is scheme wise.
They're not asked to protect.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Long, yes, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Compared to most lines, they are not asked to protect long.
Now Rogers is like the least pressured quarterback in the league.
As a result, you know, I mean, that's the plan
here too. You're also getting your desired results. It'd be
different if it was like time to throw is super
low and he's getting blasted, you know.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Right, you know, different story, right, different?
Speaker 4 (37:49):
So they're doing their job, but they're not asked. Their
job in protection isn't as difficult as most.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
And hey, do what you're asked to do, and maybe
they'll continue to build upon that.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
And I think that's what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
I think we've seen a little bit.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
And they're definitely doing that in the run game.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Yes, Matt tweets us this is an interesting one with
the way teams are stacking receivers and doing the pick,
the legal pick, and how tight the ref's police defensive backs.
Is pressman coverage going the way of the Dodo bird.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
No, but it's harder and harder to find capable pressman corners.
It was so long ago, but one of the first
things drilled into my head as a scout for the
Browns and it was from the receiver coach. So when
I got hired, like the first two days on the job,
you basically go spend like two hours with each position coach,
(38:41):
you know, and me and another new hire we're in there,
and then you know, what are you looking for specifically
for this team at this position? What are your You know,
I can't have short arm tackles, some teams can whatever,
you know, I mean, like these are our parameters, all right, cool,
So it's a very useful exercise before this he's and starts,
you know, I mean during the down times and immediately
(39:05):
the receiver coach, the defensive back coach said, when you
go into a college, you watch every human possible snap
of pressman coverage because you're not going to see much
of it, and we need you might get thirty reps
of it. Yeah, of all wvu's season, you know, like
it's it's hard to find.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Beanie Bishop's a good example in that re guard. Like
he was a consensus All American his last year at WVU,
didn't get drafted, and so I had a lot of
WV people that were like surprised he wasn't taken in
the six or seventh round. You know, somebody no special
teams and I mean he might have had a right
he might have had a dozen. He had a bunch
of He had a handful of interceptions, and like was
(39:45):
second in the nation and pbu's his last year at WU.
That's because they had him. They had him back off
the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Ball hawking, like he had break it on the ball.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
He had a handful of pressman coverage snaps and that
was it and no special teams.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
And you'll hate here in this, but I think you
already know it total.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
I mean, that's why they get so many dbs drafted
and they.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Last, you know, fifth round corner from Pitts. Nordoozy had
them playing press man.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Fonte maddis exactly.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
They aren't super talented, but it goes a long way,
you know, like think you stick.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Not a lot of college programs do that. Still, no, right, right, right,
it's a big deal. You're absolutely right. Uh, here's a
funny one from AJ He said, I thought about this
with the Colts game earlier. What was the more surprising
victory over Indianapolis the divisional round of the playoffs in
two thousand and five or this past win on Sunday.
I'm gonna go with this past win.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
On Sunday, probably, yeah, because I know the Colts.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Were the super Bowl favorite that year.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
But the Steers are a really good team.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
But it was still the playoffs. It was the divisional round,
so the Steelers had already won a playoff game. They
were fifteen and one and in the AFC Championship game
the year before. I felt pretty good about the Steelers
go to that pretty.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Really good defense. So yeah, I'm gonna go with this
past win.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
I'm gonna go with this past one too. I was surprised.
I thought I was kind of flabber We both picked
the Steelers to lose. That's the first time that's happened
this year. But I tell you what, that man, that
two thousand and five Colts Divisional Round win is just
time capsule stuff. That was such a crazy game, such
a crazy game. Let's see here, Cody, another question about
(41:17):
that cot Colts game. Cody says, you know, it's easier
to talk about these things in hindsight, but the Steelers
going for it on that fourth down and getting zero points,
is that's still the correct decision?
Speaker 4 (41:33):
I thought so.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
I think so.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
I mean, you can't judge those things on Monday or
in this case, Thursday. You got it. You know, we
don't have the head coach, the whole team, US don't
have the benefit of knowing how it's going to turn
out and all those things. But I think it was
definitely the right call because at that stage of the game,
you're thinking, this is gonna be a high scoring event. I
got it. It's gotta be touchdowns off field goals.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
You know, they just went thirteen plays and scored touchdown
on their first drive. Like we right right, We're gonna
win this.
Speaker 4 (42:05):
Up today, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Yeah, despite turning the ball over on offense, they still
put up twenty points.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
It's still great offense, right Yeah. The receivers have big days, you.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Know, totally totally good stuff on the tweets today, Guys
got some good ones. Appreciate that from everybody out there
on the ex Twitter. Thank you for chiming in. We
always appreciate it. A big thank you to Bob Labriola
for joining us a little bit later than usual, but
it still worked out swimmingly. Thanks thanks to Labs for
joining us, and thanks as always to our video producer
mister tv Tyler V for making us look handsome on
(42:36):
the YouTube and for young Nathan hanging out here and
learning the ropes in the studio with us as well.
For Matt Williinson I'm wes Huler. Big show tomorrow as
we deep dive into Steelers Chargers five Star Friday, our
NFL picks all that good stuff your Friday fixings when
we return tomorrow, Take care everybody, and we will talk
to you tomorrow. As always, you know where to find us.
(42:57):
It's on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio
Network
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Our number two of the drive here as we roll
along and we go to the phone lines to catch
up with the Dean of Doom, the lord of living
in his fears. Of course, the Steelers historian Bob Labriola
Labs thank you for taking the time as always, as
always playing we want to discuss with you here, so
let's get right into it. Just an incredible effort by
(00:55):
this Steelers defense on Sunday against the Colts, you know,
forcing five turnovers another on special teams for six in
total against the team that only had four turnovers going
into that in their prior eight games. So much of
that was being able to get after Daniel Jones, and
I think another big part of that was the stabilization
of the back end with Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger.
(01:18):
That's going to be the same kind of deployment this week.
Is that something that you expect is here to stay,
at least for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Yeah, in terms of you know the line up, how
the players are going to be aligned, yes, I do,
But I really think that you know the key to
the game against the Colts, and the key to the
game this Sunday against the Chargers, and really, to me,
the key to every game moving forward. When it comes
to how the defense is supposed to look, it's got
(01:49):
to start with stopping the run. This defense can just
not allow the opposing team to use the running game
as a weapon, because then you can't get to your
pressure packages, you can't get after the quarterback and all
of the takeaway stuff and the sacks and the momentum
(02:12):
and you know, all that isn't as possible. So you know,
whatever they did to stop the run, certainly to me
is the most important thing. Guess Ramsey moving to free
safety not only his play there, but help with Kyle
Dugger get acclimated quickly and be a you know, beyond
(02:35):
just a good fill in guy. I mean, he was
a positive as a starting safety. So yeah, I mean,
I think it's gonna be a different kind of running
game this Saturday or Sunday night against the Chargers. They
don't have a Jonathan Taylor, but they get it done
by committee a little bit. So if you're gonna ask
(02:59):
me what I really hope to see Sunday night from
the Steelers defenses first stop to run. Then I think
that's the key that unlocks the door, and then all
those other things are possible.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Makes sense, labs Like, when you combine special teams contributions
and turnover contributions, the Steelers are the best team in
the league. The Chargers happen to be about the worst. Oh,
by the way, now you've been around this team a
long time and consistently turnovers special teams are great strengths
(03:32):
of the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin and this coaching
staff overall. I can't believe that's an accident. I mean,
all these people are like, oh, this Tomlin voodoo. I mean,
how does he squeeze winning seasons out? He understands how
to win in the margins like that.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Well, you know, just from being around this franchise for
a very, very long time, special teams were probably the
worst part of the dynasty of the seventies. Chuck Nole
was not a big special teams guy. He was the
last coach in the league to hire a full time
(04:09):
special teams coach. You know. Bill Coward came to the
Steelers as a well. He was a defensive coordinator as
the Chiefs, but he had broken into the league as
a coach special teams with the Browns. Uh. He had
some issues with special teams too. You know, the Steelers
franchise history with special teams. I remember when Danny Smith
(04:34):
got hired. You know, I went to high school with him,
and so I said to him kiddingly, I said, I'm
gonna write you a history of the special teams of
this franchise. I said, it's it's gonna surprise you and
scare you.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
But you know, so they won despite special teams for
a lot of years.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah, Like, just real quick, I
don't want to get too much in the weeds. For
this Super Bowl, Super Bowl ten, Chuck Bull went for
it on fourth and nine near midfield at the two
minute warning with a four point lead against Dallas in
(05:17):
a Super Bowl. He just turned it over to the
defense because he didn't Well, they got gotten one blocked.
You know, Walden was awful. Super Bowl ten was also
the game let's not forget where Cliff Harris was Patton
Roy Durel on the head the field goals. Yeah, so,
(05:39):
I mean these were the things. You know, even those
teams had to uh deal with so you know, but
Danny Smith is very very you know, I don't want
to I wanted to come across. As you know, we
went to high school together. So I'm saying good things
about him, but his uh detail, his attention to detail,
(06:01):
his video study is unmatched. Excuse me. And really, the Steelers,
in my opinion, they're special teams in terms of things
like kick blocking, you know, executing a lot of the
you know, non glamorous things for example. You know, I'm
(06:22):
not talking about returning kicks for touchdowns, but kick blocking.
The Steelers are always uh up close to the right
top of the league doing that, and you know that's significant. No,
I give him, you know a lot of that credit.
But yeah, I mean they they they are able to,
as you mentioned, live in the margins with this team,
(06:44):
and you know, to me, there's nothing wrong with that
because those points, you know, comp the same as you
get on either offense or or on defense.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And they always take away that's right. Yeah, And they
also keep four or five guys on the roster that
it's not their only as a special teamer, but it's
job number one. Killer grew prier those guys, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, I mean Mike Tomlin is willing to, you know,
consider I guess that's a good word keeping a guy
on the roster because of what he does on special team.
I mean I remember for one of his you know,
Mike Tomlin shows that you know, I do with him.
I asked him when was around roster cut in time.
(07:27):
I said, you know, is it possible for a guy,
you know to make this team as a special teams
guy and not a returner? And he said, yeah, absolutely,
Miles Kilrey, he said, you know, he's the team captain.
He was an All Pro last year, so yeah, he's
willing to consider a roster spot for a guy like that.
(07:49):
And I think that that kind of commitment or you know,
whatever you want to call it not only sends a
message to the guys on those teams or the guys
trying to find find spots on game day or helmets
on game day or anything. I mean, it just kind
of I think shows what you think of special teams,
(08:12):
and you know, guys can see that they can they
can get themselves a nice NFL check by being good
at it, work hard at it, pay attention, you know,
study it, because you know that there are a lot
of those those block kicks are not happenstance. You know,
(08:34):
it's not that Cam Hayward knows where you know, he
throws up a hand and he gets lucky and you
know blocks an extra pointer, gets a hand on a
field goal or something or whatever it might be. I mean,
that's that's video study, that's repetition, that's practice.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Let's package.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Protection and yeah, right, absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
It's a coordinated thing. So yeah, and hey that if
that can win you a game, that kind of stuff,
you know, it's a difference between ten and seven, nine
and eight, ten and seven, eleven and six. I mean
it's it's you know, you start looking at that game
(09:18):
difference at the end of the season, and that can
be a significant it could be a significant one game.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Yeah, and having Boswell doesn't hurt well, right in addition.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
To you know, because yeah, he is I don't know,
he's the best, and I think he's been the best
for a couple of seasons. You know, Tucker still had
the you know, the reputation and all of that kind
of stuff, and I think a lot of those awards,
all Pro Pro Bowl, you know, guys vote for that stuff,
(09:54):
or media votes for that stuff. They just vote what
they voted last year. You know, I don't know how
much the the all pro voters beyond looking at stats.
Who's the best kicker? You know? I mean, it's of
course it's not real, right, it's not Check the balls
(10:14):
for talker again, right, yes, check the blox for talker again. Oh,
look at all the field goalsing mate. Okay, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Bob Labriola with us here on the drive, Labs, I
did want to ask you one of the things that
Matt and I discussed a little bit before having you
on here was the Steelers' run game in Jalen Warren
and how you know, we think the offensive line is
playing better, but it hasn't necessarily translated to success in
the run game. I think, just particularly over the last
six quarters. They were really good in that department in
(10:43):
the first half against Green Bay eighty one rushing yards
in the first thirty minutes against green Bay, but the
last six quarters not quite up the snuff. How do
they get back to kind of that that commanding ground
game that we've seen this Sunday in La.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I would I would tease you, Wes, knowing you're a
Mountaineer fan, and say, you know, it all depends on
whether the center play is great. That's right, But I
wouldn't mean that, you know, uh yeah, I think the
Colts were pretty good at it, you know, stopping the run.
(11:20):
And I do believe that even you know, when the
Steelers had Jerome Bettets, when the Steelers had Franco Harris,
when they uh, you know, great running teams or what
you think of yourself as a great running team, or
you've proven it statistically that you are. I think when
you're playing a quality opponent, if that opponent commits the
(11:42):
stopping the run, both in terms of the personnel that
they assemble h and how they play, it's hard to
run in the NFL. It just is. I'm not making
any excuse excuses for against the Colts, but Buckner's really good.
Zaire Franklin is really good. Uh and you know those
(12:04):
guys in there. I mean it's it's to me, it's
similar to what the Steelers did with Jonathan Taylor. I mean,
you you make it, you commit to this, We're going
to stop this, uh this guy. Uh, And I think
it can't happen if that becomes a primary focus and
you have you know, players who are paying attention and
(12:25):
doing what they're told. Uh, you can stop the run.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
So the advantage of I can put enough people here
that you can't block everybody.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Right because running play, you got the quarterback who's handing
the ball off, the running back who's running the ball,
has eleven guys going against nine. They should be they
should be able to handle that.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Calvin Austin's not going to blow up a linebacker and
you know.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Right exactly so you know, flipping it around. Uh, I
think that uh if. I think Aaron Rodgers had a
lot on the ball when he was talking about you know,
he liked the play calls, but that had to be
better execution, and he started with himself. You know, there
(13:14):
were some instances of some guys not being where they
were supposed to be. Sometimes that can either happen on
a possession down and you have to punt, so you
have fewer snaps to get your running game established. You know,
there's all kinds of things like that that are kind
of interwoven. I don't think the Steelers are the kind
of team yet that they're going to say, Okay, it's
(13:39):
time to run the ball. Now we have a ten
point lead. There's six minutes left. Here we go. You know,
we're just gonna drain four or five minutes off the
clock by running the football down your throat. I just
don't think they're that kind of team. And I also
don't think that that's really possible in today's NFL. But anyway,
(14:01):
you want to be able to, you know, find a
sweet spot between being able to run when when everyone
knows you're supposed to be running, or maybe you look
at it as your offense needs to be able to
move the chains when everybody knows you need to train
(14:22):
the clock. Because so I think a lot of it
is Rogers and what he can do with the receivers.
Guys need to get open, you know, they need to
understand what is at stake or what the situation. You know,
Mike Tolan talks about situational football so much. I think
that's a situation in itself. Guys need to catch the
(14:45):
ball to a couple of drops last week, but again
good enough to win. Uh. And I think though that
if he starts, if the passing attack does a little
bit better possess it the ball. There aren't any you know,
I don't know, like fumbles when you're trying to hurdle
a guy after you already had a first don in
(15:07):
the fourth quarter to keep a drive move and you know,
I mean or you know, I saw some how what
I call it maybe miss or misreading which way to
run with the ball when you get the ball in
the in the flatter in the open field, you know,
(15:28):
trying to maybe make more of it than is there,
and instead of settling for four or five yards, you
end up maybe only getting one or losing you know,
those kinds of things. Uh. But you know, I'm not
going to be the dean of doone today. I'm sorry
for those people Bolts really good team. Uh. And they
(15:50):
they the Steelers I thought looked good defensively, really good defensively. Uh.
Or let me say this, like the plan was for
them to look defensively when all these people were assembled.
And so now that they've done it, they can use
that as internal fuel or whatever motivation because then they
(16:14):
can say to themselves, well, we've done this before, so
we can do it again last night.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Sorry, last thing I have for you is on that defense,
A young pop Peyton Wilson in the second year, to
me is really starting to level up and take his
game doing the next level. Is that something you're seeing too?
You think the team's really happy with him right now?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Peyden Wilson, All right, yeah, how could you not be?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:37):
I mean you're playing. As I mentioned, Jonathan Taylor. He
leads the team with thirteen tackles. Peyton Wilson, he had
an interception, okay, so then he also got his hands
on bat at the ball in the air that turned
into an interception. So he's making plays obviously against the run,
getting the guy on the ground. He's making plays average
(17:01):
against the pass. However you want to put it. He
played a lot of snaps. Yeah, yes he is. He
is that guy. A really good tandem with Patrick Queen,
I think, and the kind of inside linebacker I think
some good teams need to have because he's not somebody
(17:22):
who got to sub out in either obvious running situations
or obvious passing situations.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Great stuff with our friend Bob Labriola, not the Dean
of doom or lord of living in his fears. Today,
a cheerier, happier Labs here is the Steelers get into
the win column against the Colts. Labs, thank you for
taking the time. As always, we really appreciate it, and
we'll be looking forward to hearing you on the pregame
show on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
All right, fellows, take care you as well.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
There he goes, Bob Labriola, Steelers a store. Hey, everything
from Super Bowl nine anecdotes to Miles Killerbrew. He's got
it all. Yeah, he's got it all.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Matt. We have some breaths that I forgot about that though,
Chuck Noles, they did not have a special teams.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
One of the last highranchise. Yeah, a special teams coach.
It is amazing how times have changed.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Crazy, right, But those teams were never good on special teams.
I remember my dad telling me that when I was
like ten years old, like, oh no, they gotta bring
up the punter.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Special teams and ball security were just not what they
were now, not at all. I still, I know I've
told you this story before, but I remember during COVID
Motes and I did like that once and for all
week where we settled all these Steelers debates. You know,
who's the best linebacker in the best center, and who's
the best corner, and who's the best running back, And
(18:36):
Motes was like, I know it's Franco He's like, but
I just can't get over the fumble numbers. He's like,
they're just ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Look at franchise interception numbers, right, it's insane.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah, Matt, we have some breaking Steelers news. We talked
about how they had made an addition to the active
roster there would be need to be a corresponding move
after signing Broderick Martin Rhodes. That corresponding move has happened.
I'll tell you what it is. We return on the
other side, West Sheler. Matt Williamson, it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Well, Matt, we said that we would probably get a
corresponding roster move for the Steelers edition of Broderick Martin
Rhodes off of the Chiefs practice squad to their active roster. Yeah,
and we now have that as the Steelers have released
the Marvin Leal just not too long ago.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Totally get it. I mean he's been here long enough
that I think you know who he is, and it's
hard to find a role for him. I mean, he
really is not a stand up outside linebacker, and when
he would get that role, he'd be kind of your
your big base end run stuffer guy. But all four
of the guys ahead of him on the depth chart
at that position stuff the run. Fine. What's incredible at it?
(20:21):
Sawyer's provided you that at a minimum is Smith's always
been good. Herbie's been getting better and better, you know,
so putting him out there for that reason isn't good enough.
Coming out of A and M. I found him interesting
because frankly, he's always been kind of an enigma for
the Steeler defense because I'm not sure exactly how he fits.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Yeah. And talent, He's got a skill set, yeah, but
there was just always something felt a little lost, a.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Little often, just kind of missing. I also think something
he can provide is be a d tackle on throwing downs,
you know, as an upfield penetrator type. Little undersized, But
he's not better than Bent and Harmon and cam at
it right, you know what I mean? Like, so when
do I put you on the field unless people are hurt?
(21:09):
So I think they just wanted a bigger body. I
mean they added somebody that has fifty more pounds.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, you know, six five. Yeah, yeah, three twenty five.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Yeah, that's not leal. You know. Yeah, I was to
eighty or something.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I wouldn't have guessed. If you would have made me
guess who it was going to be, he probably wouldn't
have been one of my first names that I mentioned either.
But when I saw it, I'm like, oh, yeah, that
also makes sense.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, what's he doing for you now?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Exactly right? Exactly right, And hopefully for him, he'll get
an opportunity to go somewhere where he can kind of,
you know, find a fit a mesh with his skill set.
Speaker 4 (21:42):
And I'm sure you will. He's got enough tape in
pedigree that I mean, he'll definitely get picked up on
a practice squad.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, I I I even throw him back.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
On the practice squad.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's true. That's great. That's a great point
as well too. He could always, right, he could always
end up back on the practice squad. That is a great,
great point by you, But just.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
Not providing enough on game day for you. When do
I put him on the field where he's given me
an advantage over the other guys I could put on
the field, right, It's not there.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
That's life in the National Football league, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
It is?
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Yeah, So the Marvin Leal has been released. We'll see
where he ends up, if it's back on the Steelers
practice squad, if it's somewhere else. But that's kind of
the corresponding move that that we had been waiting for.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Yeah, and big bodies are harder to find.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
They absolutely are. They certainly are. That is a big
body that they added from the Kansas City Chiefs practice
squad for sure.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Now, it doesn't mean he has to be active on
game day. He just has to be on the active roster.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
That's a great point. That doesn't mean that he has
to get a helmet. He could be in inactive. But
there's I wonder how that's gonna look with Logan Lee
now as well.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I don't know. Curious about that too, because.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
At the same time, you probably don't want too defensive
linemen inactive in terms of your inactives, and Logan Lee
has been that guy recently. I'll be interesting to see
how that plays.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I wouldn't think he plays this week, dude.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, just kind of happened today. Yeah, they're gonna want
him to at least get a couple of practices under
his belt. That's a good that's a good point by you.
Sooner rather than later, Yeah, certainly, But yeah, that's a
good call by you. Actually, I would I don't think
we'll see him on Sunday night. Would be surprised if
there was that quick of a turnaround. Yeah, Matt before
we uh, maybe close down with some tweets here today,
(23:29):
we do have to talk a little Thursday night football tonight.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Yeah, not the best game, not the best game.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
But you got Vegas at Denver Mile High Stadium there
the Broncos nine and a half point favorites. We did
see some signs of life from Vegas in their in
their past Sunday out of their bye week.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
What's such a key for them, as brock by ours
health totally. I mean it's first time that healthy since
week one.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
And he looked at me like, what like one hundred
and forty yards receiving and three touchdowns or something insane
like that. And they are a two point conversion away
from potentially beating the Jags. That would have been a
nice win. That would have been a nice win for
them out of their bye week. Any chance they can
keep this one close, that's a pretty chunky number. It's
in Denver, but they are that proverbial team going on
(24:13):
the road on Thursday night.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Division game on the road, Division.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Game on the road Thursday night. And also you know
in Mile High, tough place to play. You you like
the you like the Broncos? You laying the points on
this one? Or where are you going?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (24:26):
No, certain the Broncos are a little uneven. I think
they're the better team clearly. Now we're also getting the
point of the season. I kind of mentioned it earlier
that Steeler fans need to start rooting against. Like you
wanted the Raiders to beat the Jags, You'd love to
see the Broncos drop a loss here in this especially
a conference loss, you know, because all these tiebreakers and
(24:48):
things could impact the Steelers. I do think the Broncos win,
but I would probably take the points. It's a lot
for a short week, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
It is, even for being the home team on the
short week. Yes, these Thursday games are typically closer, and
I realized last week it was just what twenty eight
to six that the Ravens won pretty comfortably. Yeah, in
Miami on the road, but that feels a game that
feels like maybe more the exception than the rule. It
just always feels like these Thursday nighters are close because
it's a short week. Teams are tired and beat up
(25:17):
and don't have as much prep time.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yeah, and the Raiders are one week removed from their
by maybe they're still a little fresh or healthier, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Yeah, yeah, that's a good point too. I think I
would I think I will take the nine and a
half points with the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I'd probably keep an eye on see if it goes
to ten, Yes, that would.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Be absolutely ten ten and a half, certainly, yes, would
be would be fantastic. But this is a big one
for Denver.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Man.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
If they can get to eight and two, they're in
really good shape. They're in great shape. The Chiefs are
five and four.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
Right, you get this win, then have a long week.
They have a long their next opponent is which I
don't know who that it is, and they.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Still haven't had their bye week yet either, so they've
got some real rest down the stretch here.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Certain will be backed not too long down the road.
I mean, no, they're they're shitting pretty.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Chiefs are only five and four. Chargers, Yeah, they're six
and three, but they're banged up. And they got a
tough one against the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
I wonder, especially if the win tonight, what the Vegas
odds would be for them to win their division. It
has to be very, very high.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Oh, I would think so.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
And I know people you know rightfully so value what
the Chiefs can do. But that's a big hole to
come back from for Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Oh, it's huge, It's absolutely huge. And you know what
I think, I saw this actually just a minute ago.
I do right here playoff odds for every team at
this point. So right now they have the Broncos with
a little over forty eight percent chance to win that division.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
To win the division.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
But that's before if they would win tonight.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
Yeah, I'm sure it goes well.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Their odds are ninety percent to make the playoffs, so
they you know, if they win tonight, that probably goes
up to ninety six ninety seven.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Especially if the Steelers beat the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Especially if the Steelers beat the Chargers, if that happened,
I bet you their division odds would go up closer
to sixty percent. The Chiefs are going to get a
lot of benefit of the doubt because at any point
they could rattle off six or seven straight wins wouldn't
surprise anybody.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Losing in Buffalo. It doesn't.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
They are still five and four. I mean, you know,
that's maths. Some of it is just math. If you're
three games behind and we're in the November already, you
only got so much time, you only got so much opportunity.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
So Denver would be eight and two if they win tonight.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It would be eight and two. If they win tonight, man, yeah,
that's that's a stronghold. And then they would have their
bye week. Wait no, sorry, sorry, sorry, party.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
They have a long week.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
They have a long week to host Kansas City.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
That'd be and then if you win that one, you're
pretty much set.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Absolutely. Let me look here. Ten Yes, then you have
a bye Yes, okay, So would host Kansas City, then
have a bye, then would go to Washington to Las Vegas,
Green Bay, Jacksonville to Kansas City the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
So maybe three more losses on there.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Some tough ones, but you get Vegas twice, that should
be two wins for them. Yeah, you get Washington, albeit
on the road, but that should be a win. You
host the Packers at home, you host the Jags at home.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
No one likes playing in Denver. I mean, maybe you
split those.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
If you split with Kansas City, you're in great shape.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
I mean, you're gonna have a rest advantage against Jeeves.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
If you win tonight and then you split against Kansas City,
you are.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
In You're gonna win the great shape. You'll probably win,
You'll probably win the division.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And man, that is just to be impressive. I think
a lot of us thought the Broncos could be good
this year. I'm pretty sure you and I both picked
them to go to the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
People go to the playoffs. But they're exceeding my expectations.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
To win that division would would would be a big
deal for them, and hosting a playoff game there in
that environment, in that that mile high atmosphere, brutal place
to go to, it would wouldn't be It would be
so weird this year if if the Chiefs and the
Bills both ended up as wild cards? What if the Ravens?
What if the Ravens, Bills and Chiefs the three proverbial
(28:47):
AFC favorites coming into this year are the three wild card.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
We were actually sort of joking about that indirectly last
night with Tim and Tom, because like Steelers win division,
here's your Kansas kid of yours. That's awesome, right, yeah,
and that could happen. I could certainly, Hey, you'd love
to host a playoff game, but I don't really want
the Josh Allen or mahomes with some strong or Lamar
super hot. You know that's happened to.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
I think I'd rather go to New England for a
round game than host the Bills or the Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
I want the Jags coming something like that, right, everybody
like that?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Come on, man, But yes, certainly I want to keep
an eye on tonight on Thursday Night. Can the Raiders
continue to show any sign of life? Cause the Broncos
really put the AFC West in a in a stranglehold
here as we get into November. All of that on
the table this evening. We'll close things down with a
couple of your tweets on the other side, some final thoughts.
(29:41):
All of that and more. Wesh Euler, Matt Williamson. It
is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
M M m M.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Final segment here on a Thursday of the drive and
Matt we have the Steeler's latest practice report, good to
go through before we get to some tweets to get
on up out of here. Here's what we've got for Thursday,
November the sixth. Scottie Miller still has not practiced with
that broken finger. I assume he'll be an act I
got to think that means that he's going to be
(30:54):
an active again. Will Howard has been all of our
listeners favorite player. Will Howard has been a full participant
again yesterday and today.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
His windows getting close to close.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
It's getting closed to close, and I think he's got
a few more days here, so that's certainly something to
keep an eye on. Chuck Clark back, like I mentioned
this earlier, but back from that illness, been a full
practice participant.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Good.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Corey Trice Junior has not practiced yet. The hamstring and knee.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
Yeah, it's he came back and he played one practice.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
I'm I'm discouraged. I'm starting to I'm starting to think
this might be the end of the line. As unfortunate
as that would, because they're getting close with his twenty
one day window as well too.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
I mean, it could be the end the line. For
this season at a minimum. Yeah, I mean, if he
can't get it.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
It's just a shame. It really is not good news
on the Jabrill Peppers front. He did not practice again
today with that quad injury, so he has not practiced yet.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
This wark being healthy. Probably not.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah, Cole Holcomb still has not practiced this week with
that illness.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
What illness has never lasted that long?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
I know he must be dealing with.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Yeah, okay, keep him away from everybody.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yeah, seriously. Alex high Smith with the ankle, he was
limited in practice today. I'm sure that was probably you know,
he didn't practice with like a vet's day today limited.
I'm sure that's all planned.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I'd say Wednesday Thursday. I really don't even care about
Smalu in high Smith veterans.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Yeah, Sayamalu has not practiced yet this.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
I'm sure they're going to take it very conservatively with
both those guys. I'm sure the high Smith limited was
not doing much correct.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
I would think that that was the case. Darnel Washington
didn't practice Wednesday with a foot, good news. He was
a full participant in today's practice. Love to see that.
John new Smith also a full participant in today's practice
after getting a day off yesterday. Uh Cam Hayward got
a arresting, arresting day today, but then not great news
(32:47):
with Connor Hayward who popped up with a knee injury
today and did not practice.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Okay, Well, sounds like Smith and Washington are good to
go to tight end position. Good news, no injury issue.
But the Connor one, they're sorting through some special team
stuff and he is one of the core guys. You know,
the killer brew injury has a ripple effect on their
special teams participation, you know, all that stuff. And Danny
(33:13):
Smith of course will handle what he's done it for years.
But if you take another one of his core guys
away just for one day, it's hard to put those
puzzle pieces together. You know. They said they activated those
two running backs off the practice squad just for special
teams reasons, right.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You know, right, Yeah, So that's certainly something to keep
an eye on here.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
You have a special team's advantage against Chargers, but you
need your best guys out there.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Right, And they've already had to do some shuffling. We
talked about how they had to move Ben's Chronik into
the personal protector role. Bump Brandon eckles out. Yeah, just
becomes one of those you don't want to be. You
don't have too many moving parts.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
No one thinks about that on special teams. But like,
if you lose your starting left guard and tight end
and you're gonna ask a receiver to play tight end
and receive, you know, like, it's not apples to apples.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
No, it's not. And as you and I talked about,
We've talked about this many times, you only have so
much time during the course of the week, right, like
you're getting ready for Herbert and for the Chargers and
for Derwin James and for like, you don't have all
this time to figure out how exactly you're going to
deploy your special teams in practice.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
No, they're getting ready for the Chargers. There's not that
many sessions too, your periods during the course of the
week dedicated special teams, you know, the one big meeting
a day probably too.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Yes, So certainly, certainly something to keep an eye on there.
We will continue you to monitor that. Obviously, we'll have
tomorrow's Friday report and everything that's going on there. But Matt,
that is kind of all the latest in the moving
and shaken for today. So what do you say We
get to some tweets here, all right, Joe tweets us
(34:45):
and says that the Steelers only had fifty two on
the roster and so now even with the release of
Demarvin Leal, they still have one more room. Wondering if
that's maybe for MVS, for Marquez Valdez scantling to get
bumped up from the practice squad.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Good for him for paying attention. I don't monitor that
stuff down to the.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That is not our that's where we miss dale. Yeah,
and the real kind of boots on the ground journalism
people here.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
That's a good thought on MVS, especially if Miller's probably
not gonna play. But I immediately when he said that,
I thought, is that a spot for Will Howard? Ooh?
I mean they love keeping three quarterbacks. I bet they
don't sleep well at night when there's only two. I
bet that's Will Howard.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
That's a great call.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Yeah, because that is closing soon, he's healthy. They want
that third guy involved. I'm thinking that's Howard.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
We will That's another thing that we'll keep an eye
on here.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
And if he tells that immediately, correct, he's just gonna
practice either way, and yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
But that might be might be something to keep an
eye on coming down the pipeline here before too much longer. Uh,
let's see here. Steel Curtin tweets us and actually says
say similar kind of thing about leaving Will Howard within
his twenty one day window and leaving room within the roster.
(36:02):
He said, maybe it was because their injuries in the secondary.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Now safety shuffling.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
It was a lot of safety shuffling as well too,
So you guys are on it that all that all
makes makes a lot of sense to me at this
at this standpoint, it certainly does, certainly does. Let's see here, man,
I'm gonna find a find a few more of these
that I had bookmarked.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Here.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Let's see, Jeff, here's the one that I wanted to
get to from. Jeff says that he he said, he's laughed.
How not too many people are really talking a ton
about the offensive line lately. You guys did a little
bit this week, But I think that's a good thing
when you're not talking too much about the offensive line.
How much do you think that or where do you
think the unit is now compared to where they were
(36:46):
in the first couple weeks of the season. In my opinion,
they seem to be much better in the run game,
improving in past pro but still need some.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Work thousand percent. They still need to work in period,
but really trending the right direction. I still haven't read
the Brandon Thorn thing top to bottom. I probably will tonight,
like at halftime or whatever. It's like it's going to
take long. But I thought nine might be a little
high just the initial sniff test. But I want to
just check out the other lines around them. But I
(37:15):
don't think it's crazy to say that they're definitely in
the top half of the league. I mean, because the
one thing I'm going to hold against the Steelers line
it thought their fault. I mean, this is scheme wise.
They're not asked to protect.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Long, yes, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Compared to most lines, they are not asked to protect long.
Now Rogers is like the least pressured quarterback in the league.
As a result, you know, I mean, that's the plan
here too. You're also getting your desired results. It'd be
different if it was like time to throw is super
low and he's getting blasted, you know.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Right, you know, different story, right, different?
Speaker 4 (37:49):
So they're doing their job, but they're not asked. Their
job in protection isn't as difficult as most.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
And hey, do what you're asked to do, and maybe
they'll continue to build upon that.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
And I think that's what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
I think we've seen a little bit.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
And they're definitely doing that in the run game.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Yes, Matt tweets us this is an interesting one with
the way teams are stacking receivers and doing the pick,
the legal pick, and how tight the ref's police defensive backs.
Is pressman coverage going the way of the Dodo bird.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
No, but it's harder and harder to find capable pressman corners.
It was so long ago, but one of the first
things drilled into my head as a scout for the
Browns and it was from the receiver coach. So when
I got hired, like the first two days on the job,
you basically go spend like two hours with each position coach,
(38:41):
you know, and me and another new hire we're in there,
and then you know, what are you looking for specifically
for this team at this position? What are your You know,
I can't have short arm tackles, some teams can whatever,
you know, I mean, like these are our parameters, all right, cool,
So it's a very useful exercise before this he's and starts,
you know, I mean during the down times and immediately
(39:05):
the receiver coach, the defensive back coach said, when you
go into a college, you watch every human possible snap
of pressman coverage because you're not going to see much
of it, and we need you might get thirty reps
of it. Yeah, of all wvu's season, you know, like
it's it's hard to find.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Beanie Bishop's a good example in that re guard. Like
he was a consensus All American his last year at WVU,
didn't get drafted, and so I had a lot of
WV people that were like surprised he wasn't taken in
the six or seventh round. You know, somebody no special
teams and I mean he might have had a right
he might have had a dozen. He had a bunch
of He had a handful of interceptions, and like was
(39:45):
second in the nation and pbu's his last year at WU.
That's because they had him. They had him back off
the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Ball hawking, like he had break it on the ball.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
He had a handful of pressman coverage snaps and that
was it and no special teams.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
And you'll hate here in this, but I think you
already know it total.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
I mean, that's why they get so many dbs drafted
and they.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Last, you know, fifth round corner from Pitts. Nordoozy had
them playing press man.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Fonte maddis exactly.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
They aren't super talented, but it goes a long way,
you know, like think you stick.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Not a lot of college programs do that. Still, no, right, right, right,
it's a big deal. You're absolutely right. Uh, here's a
funny one from AJ He said, I thought about this
with the Colts game earlier. What was the more surprising
victory over Indianapolis the divisional round of the playoffs in
two thousand and five or this past win on Sunday.
I'm gonna go with this past win.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
On Sunday, probably, yeah, because I know the Colts.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Were the super Bowl favorite that year.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
But the Steers are a really good team.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
But it was still the playoffs. It was the divisional round,
so the Steelers had already won a playoff game. They
were fifteen and one and in the AFC Championship game
the year before. I felt pretty good about the Steelers
go to that pretty.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Really good defense. So yeah, I'm gonna go with this
past win.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
I'm gonna go with this past one too. I was surprised.
I thought I was kind of flabber We both picked
the Steelers to lose. That's the first time that's happened
this year. But I tell you what, that man, that
two thousand and five Colts Divisional Round win is just
time capsule stuff. That was such a crazy game, such
a crazy game. Let's see here, Cody, another question about
(41:17):
that cot Colts game. Cody says, you know, it's easier
to talk about these things in hindsight, but the Steelers
going for it on that fourth down and getting zero points,
is that's still the correct decision?
Speaker 4 (41:33):
I thought so.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
I think so.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
I mean, you can't judge those things on Monday or
in this case, Thursday. You got it. You know, we
don't have the head coach, the whole team, US don't
have the benefit of knowing how it's going to turn
out and all those things. But I think it was
definitely the right call because at that stage of the game,
you're thinking, this is gonna be a high scoring event. I
got it. It's gotta be touchdowns off field goals.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
You know, they just went thirteen plays and scored touchdown
on their first drive. Like we right right, We're gonna
win this.
Speaker 4 (42:05):
Up today, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Yeah, despite turning the ball over on offense, they still
put up twenty points.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
It's still great offense, right Yeah. The receivers have big days, you.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Know, totally totally good stuff on the tweets today, Guys
got some good ones. Appreciate that from everybody out there
on the ex Twitter. Thank you for chiming in. We
always appreciate it. A big thank you to Bob Labriola
for joining us a little bit later than usual, but
it still worked out swimmingly. Thanks thanks to Labs for
joining us, and thanks as always to our video producer
mister tv Tyler V for making us look handsome on
(42:36):
the YouTube and for young Nathan hanging out here and
learning the ropes in the studio with us as well.
For Matt Williinson I'm wes Huler. Big show tomorrow as
we deep dive into Steelers Chargers five Star Friday, our
NFL picks all that good stuff your Friday fixings when
we return tomorrow, Take care everybody, and we will talk
to you tomorrow. As always, you know where to find us.
(42:57):
It's on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio
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