December 18, 2025 • 18 mins
Bob Labriola kicks off hour number two with the guys to discuss the sate of the Steelers as they head off to Detroit this weekend.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. Good evening,
Steeler Nation, how you doing well? That's good us too.
It is our number two of the Drive here and
(00:24):
we go to the phone lines to talk to the
Dean of Doom, the lord of living in his fears,
Steeler's historian and our friend Bob Labriola Labs. Thank you
for taking the time for us on a Thursday. As always,
Matt and I kind of kicked around a Aaron Rodgers
question to start the show, and I wanted to get
your opinion on it to this point, Aaron Rodgers, has
he met your expectations? Has he exceeded your expectations? Or
(00:48):
do you still need to wait and see how these
last three plus games play out?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Stole my question for.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I gotta say he's exceeded my expectations. I mean, the
you know, the physical part of it, the way he
plays the game is still at a high level. I mean,
and I didn't really have any you know, I wasn't
really paying close attention to him, you know, when he
(01:16):
was with the Jets, so you know, watching it from Afar,
hearing about it from afar, you know, forty two year
old man, you know, the whole thing. But he can
really still play. He can spin it, he sees it,
he can often anticipate it, and he's throwing the ball
(01:40):
in an anticipatory and on time way. But what has
really impressed me is, you know, the way he has
been a quarterback, a leader. He is available for his teammates.
He's an example. You know, the narrative that was you know,
(02:00):
following Aaron Rodgers around, you know, in terms of what
kind of guy he was teammate and all that kind
of stuff to me is nothing. There's nothing farther from
the what we have learned to be the truth. So
uh yeah, I'm really uh, I'm really high on what
the Steelers have gotten from Aaron Rodgers this season. And
(02:25):
you know, if he's interested and I was in charge,
which I am not, I would be interested in, uh
maybe making it more than a one year situation.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, that's where I was going to kind of piggyback,
is I. I know you're not deep into the draft
prep and all that stuff, but it doesn't look like
a lot of great options to go down that road.
And even if they were, who would be a better
mentor than Rogers to spend a year in the quarterback
room with. And again I have no clue if he
has any interest at all, but I don't see a
(02:56):
lot of other options, and I'm happy with this one. Hey, Aaron,
you to do it and try it again?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You know? Yeah again, No, but I mean he's gotta
I don't know if he is interested. Yeah, yeah, And
I and I think that that is the you know,
his level of interest, his buy in, his wont to
all of that is what may is in my mind,
what is what has made him more than what I expected? Again,
(03:25):
I mean I had nothing to concrete in terms of
having seen any of that, So you know, I almost
kind of feel guilty saying that what he's doing now
is beyond my expectations because you know, maybe that's been
him all long and I just didn't know it. So
(03:46):
but you know, the answer the question, I would say,
he has exceeded my expectations. And what has really impressed
me is, you know, more than the above the next stuff. Yeah,
the presence and yeah he's not wearing a wristband, what
(04:08):
plays on it? Seriously, I mean, this isn't somebody who
you know, was in this system before he has no
he had no history with Arthur Smith, so you know,
there's no easy hook for him in terms of learning
this offense. And the guy never wore the wristband. I
(04:31):
mean he is capable of learning it and hearing it
and communicating it to his teammates, you know, within the
parameters of the play clock, and has been since this started.
So you know, I don't I don't think that that's
an I don't think that's an insignificant thing in terms
(04:52):
of his intelligence and awareness.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
If the Steelers were we haven't tug into the practice report,
but if Watt and her Big you're both out for
this game, how much does that concern you? Against this
passing attack they're going to visit.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
How about this running attack?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well, all the above, I guess yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I mean, you know, if no Want and no Herbiic
that's two of your top three edge people, then that's significant. Uh.
But you know this is I don't know the Lions.
(05:35):
This is a very difficult opponent. I'm not really comfortable with,
you know, the the living in my fierce thing. You
look at the Steelers injury report, you know there there's
just seems to be a lot of areas where you
know the Steelers are going to be kind of dipping
down into the well of their depths, right, James Pierre
(06:00):
gonna play because those two receivers aren't bad either. Think
Brown and Jameson Williams. And you know, Golf he can
he can be very efficient if given the time. And
you know, I don't think you can necessarily blitz him
(06:25):
because you know that will leave you thinner in terms
of the people you can commit to the coverage. As
already said, the receivers I think are both pretty good.
So you know, the Lions of the highest scoring team
in the league, you know, and we're in We're in
week what is this week sixteen? Yeah? Yeah, okay, So
(06:48):
this isn't one of those small sample sizes where you
can say, yeah, they they blew out a couple of
teams and they ranked number one in the NFL scoring
a This is a multi month deal for them, and
they're at home, and so I mean, I you know
they're gonna they're gonna score a lot of points.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I believe the score in twenty four no, uh, because
you know, high twenties might get you by if you
had all.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Your defensive players, but you don't so uh. And and
some of the guys you're missing are your potentially dynamic playmakers.
And I know that's the way I think you've got
to play defense against this team too. You cannot expect
to shut them down. They're not going to go three
and out a bunch of times. You're gonna give up yards.
(07:44):
They're gonna move the ball, they're gonna possess the ball.
But hopefully, you know, you do enough in some situations
to create negative negativity for them. Maybe they have to
settle for some field goals and maybe you get a
few takeaways, and that's gonna be the way you play
good defense against them. But again, you know, no what,
(08:05):
no herbig, no James Pierre so far, and all due
respect to James Pierre, Uh, you know he's not in
any danger of getting voted to the Pro Bowl either.
And you know you don't even have him, so yes,
(08:29):
very much so. And then in terms of the your
your offense to try and you know, keep up with them.
Who's responsible for Aden Hutchinson? Well but yeah, right, I
mean because they list him. You know, I've seen various
(08:52):
depth charts, you know the line sometimes they list him
as an edge. Sometimes they list him as a left
defensive end. And I'm enough about the Lions too, you know,
do they keep it? Is he kind of anchored in
one spot? Okay? So I mean, uh, whose problem is that? Yeah,
(09:12):
you know Dylan Cook played well last week, but uh
that happened against a uh players who are lesser than
Aiden Hutchinson, and uh, you know he got some help,
which you know it was only fair and right. So
I mean, I don't you know, this is a tough game.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
In their building and.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Right, all of that stuff. So you know, I understand
there are you know, best case scenarios in terms of
what could happen to where that Week eighteen game against
the Ravens is meaningless in a good way for the Steelers.
But I don't. I only anticipate the Steelers path to
(10:04):
that being a simple one or an easy one. So
you know, I would sitting here right now if you
ask me what I think is going to be the
outcome Sunday, I wouldn't be real confident in a victory.
I'll tell you that. Yeah. I'm leaning that way too.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I think we all are, especially with some of the
injury stuff that has popped up. The one thing I
will say, though, LABS is certainly feels, you know, a
lot different amongst Steeler Nation in Western Pennsylvania and countrywide
and worldwide here on December eighteenth, twenty twenty five than
it did three hundred and sixty five days ago, when
(10:43):
this team felt like it was going in the opposite direction,
the wrong direction at the absolute worst time. Now it
feels like the quarterback is getting better, the offense is
getting better, the defense, despite some key injuries, is maintaining form.
I'm with you, guys, like it does seem like they're
kind of stepping into a hornet's nest on Sunday against
(11:03):
a desperate team and a tough environment, a physical team
too that can kind of match how the Steelers want
to play in that regard. But I also got to
think there's a lot more optimism, There's a lot more
you know, just kind of energy and juice down there
on the south side. Then again, you know three hundred
and sixty five days ago, where it felt like this
was heading in the opposite direction.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, and again I trace a lot of that back
to the quarterback totally. I just do I mean, I
just think that you know, Rogers Aaron Rodgers has it it.
You know, they refer to as it. I don't know
how I would necessarily define the word it in that context.
But you know, he's one of these guys who you know,
(11:49):
when you hear Deon Sanders talk about the Hall of Fame,
you know, and he says there's different wings and plateaus
and all that stuff. You know, Aaron Rodgers is at
the upper level of his position. Uh. And he is
a certain in my opinion, you know, sure sure thing,
first ballot inductee. So you know, a lot of I
(12:12):
don't know presence or again I don't I don't have
any firsthand experience with any of this stuff. But I
just got to believe that this guy, you know, kind
of like the pied piper. I mean, he's playing the
tune and everybody's listening and following and they're in line.
(12:32):
And you know, he's a guy who I think his
performance even gives his words more impact and credibility. Uh.
You know, last week, would he completed eighty three percent
or some ridiculous I mean seriously, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
His career, Yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
But and hey, you know, Ben roff Burger is a
franchise all time player, at the position. He's a Hall
of Famer two and all that kind of stuff. But
they are different guys. You know, the way Ben won
games is not the way Aaron Rodgers does it. And
I'm not saying one is better than the other, but
(13:17):
they're different. And you know, watching it, maybe it's because
you know, we're used to Ben, or we grew up
with Ben, or however you want to And that's fine.
Like I said, a lot of great statistics, a lot
of comeback wins, playoff games, championships, all that good stuff,
but Rogers is just different. You know, I don't Ben
(13:41):
would make big plays and have big games and go
down the field deep and all that kind of stuff.
But I don't remember a whole lot of eighty percent
completion games either. So, as I said, it's different, I
think that Rogers has a I don't know an aura
(14:01):
about him. That's again Ben had that too, But they're different,
And especially when you're comparing Rogers now with with Russell
Wilson last year. And again I'm not running him down either,
but I mean there's to be there. There's those guys
are on two different levels, and you know it's I'm
(14:24):
just like I see it. I'm not trying to run
down Russell Wilson or any of that stuff. I mean,
it's just if you can't watch Aaron Rodgers and Russell
Wilson play and see that there's a significant difference in
the way they play, the way they handle themselves, the
way they comport themselves, the way they interact with teammates,
(14:47):
and how their teammates interact with them as as a
result of that, well, then you know, I don't know
what you're watching live.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Last thing I got for you is Wes mentioned, you know,
the end of last year, and I understand that Pierre
might not play this week again, and Elliott is on
injured reserve. So it's killerbrew. That's an another thing people
want to talk about. But boy, the Steelers have churned
through defensive backs since the end of last year at
a remarkable rate. And you could say, hey, maybe they
(15:16):
don't evaluate defensive backs well, or you know, we're about
to make a Ramsey trade blah blah blah blah. But
I think they may have gotten it right. I mean,
I'm pretty I'm very happy with where this secondary is.
I mean, there was a lot of puzzle pieces that
didn't quite go together, and now I think they're starting
to snap together where they're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yeah, and I do think that, you know, And there
were some misses, yeah, in terms of accumulation of right right,
thorn hill sligh. But let's love forget Beanie Bishop was
a big part of this secondary last year. Right, Yeah,
Beanie Bishop. Again, nothing against Beanie Bishop. He's got good
(15:59):
enough to play with this group this year, right. Uh. So,
you know, And and Ramsey, Jalen Ramsey is he's kind
of the Aaron Rodgers of the defense. I think he
is a guy who he is just a presence. He
(16:20):
is a force as a personality, and I think a
lot of times you need that kind of stuff coming down, Uh,
this the stretch of a season like this, big game
after big game after big game. You know, Mike Toman
always says, don't blink. Ramsey won't let you. You know,
(16:41):
he's the first, he's he'll stick his face in anything.
He will talk to anybody. Uh, there's no intimidation of him.
He doesn't back down from anybody or anything. Uh. And
you know that's a good addition, right, A good addition
(17:01):
in terms of both his skill set and the demeanor
that he brings to that unit, and to that the
unit of the defense and the defense as a whole
part of the team. I you know, the thing with
chemistry with me has always been, you know, the question
is does good chemistry on the team lead to winning
(17:26):
or does winning lead to good chemistry on the team,
because you know, I don't know that chemistry is going
to get you through many losing streaks.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
If you're talented.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Right. Yeah, So again, like you said, yeah, I think
I agree with you, Matt. I think they did a
lot of good things. They hit on a lot of
these moves that they made guys that they brought in.
They didn't hit on.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Them all, but they didn't sit on their hands either.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Well right, Yeah, And a lot of this kind of
roster turnover might have might seem drastic when you look
at it in the rear view mirror, but as you mentioned,
comparing the team December twenty twenty four to December twenty
twenty five, I think pretty much all of it was necessary.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Great stuff is always with the Great Bob Labriola, the
Dina Doom, the Lord of living in his fears labs.
Thank you, and we'll be listening on Sunday for you
part of the pregame show with Mike Persuda and Jerry Dulac.
Thank you for the time as always
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Hey, no problem having nice weekend those
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. Good evening,
Steeler Nation, how you doing well? That's good us too.
It is our number two of the Drive here and
(00:24):
we go to the phone lines to talk to the
Dean of Doom, the lord of living in his fears,
Steeler's historian and our friend Bob Labriola Labs. Thank you
for taking the time for us on a Thursday. As always,
Matt and I kind of kicked around a Aaron Rodgers
question to start the show, and I wanted to get
your opinion on it to this point, Aaron Rodgers, has
he met your expectations? Has he exceeded your expectations? Or
(00:48):
do you still need to wait and see how these
last three plus games play out?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Stole my question for.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I gotta say he's exceeded my expectations. I mean, the
you know, the physical part of it, the way he
plays the game is still at a high level. I mean,
and I didn't really have any you know, I wasn't
really paying close attention to him, you know, when he
(01:16):
was with the Jets, so you know, watching it from Afar,
hearing about it from afar, you know, forty two year
old man, you know, the whole thing. But he can
really still play. He can spin it, he sees it,
he can often anticipate it, and he's throwing the ball
(01:40):
in an anticipatory and on time way. But what has
really impressed me is, you know, the way he has
been a quarterback, a leader. He is available for his teammates.
He's an example. You know, the narrative that was you know,
(02:00):
following Aaron Rodgers around, you know, in terms of what
kind of guy he was teammate and all that kind
of stuff to me is nothing. There's nothing farther from
the what we have learned to be the truth. So
uh yeah, I'm really uh, I'm really high on what
the Steelers have gotten from Aaron Rodgers this season. And
(02:25):
you know, if he's interested and I was in charge,
which I am not, I would be interested in, uh
maybe making it more than a one year situation.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, that's where I was going to kind of piggyback,
is I. I know you're not deep into the draft
prep and all that stuff, but it doesn't look like
a lot of great options to go down that road.
And even if they were, who would be a better
mentor than Rogers to spend a year in the quarterback
room with. And again I have no clue if he
has any interest at all, but I don't see a
(02:56):
lot of other options, and I'm happy with this one. Hey, Aaron,
you to do it and try it again?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You know? Yeah again, No, but I mean he's gotta
I don't know if he is interested. Yeah, yeah, And
I and I think that that is the you know,
his level of interest, his buy in, his wont to
all of that is what may is in my mind,
what is what has made him more than what I expected? Again,
(03:25):
I mean I had nothing to concrete in terms of
having seen any of that, So you know, I almost
kind of feel guilty saying that what he's doing now
is beyond my expectations because you know, maybe that's been
him all long and I just didn't know it. So
(03:46):
but you know, the answer the question, I would say,
he has exceeded my expectations. And what has really impressed
me is, you know, more than the above the next stuff. Yeah,
the presence and yeah he's not wearing a wristband, what
(04:08):
plays on it? Seriously, I mean, this isn't somebody who
you know, was in this system before he has no
he had no history with Arthur Smith, so you know,
there's no easy hook for him in terms of learning
this offense. And the guy never wore the wristband. I
(04:31):
mean he is capable of learning it and hearing it
and communicating it to his teammates, you know, within the
parameters of the play clock, and has been since this started.
So you know, I don't I don't think that that's
an I don't think that's an insignificant thing in terms
(04:52):
of his intelligence and awareness.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
If the Steelers were we haven't tug into the practice report,
but if Watt and her Big you're both out for
this game, how much does that concern you? Against this
passing attack they're going to visit.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
How about this running attack?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well, all the above, I guess yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I mean, you know, if no Want and no Herbiic
that's two of your top three edge people, then that's significant. Uh.
But you know this is I don't know the Lions.
(05:35):
This is a very difficult opponent. I'm not really comfortable with,
you know, the the living in my fierce thing. You
look at the Steelers injury report, you know there there's
just seems to be a lot of areas where you
know the Steelers are going to be kind of dipping
down into the well of their depths, right, James Pierre
(06:00):
gonna play because those two receivers aren't bad either. Think
Brown and Jameson Williams. And you know, Golf he can
he can be very efficient if given the time. And
you know, I don't think you can necessarily blitz him
(06:25):
because you know that will leave you thinner in terms
of the people you can commit to the coverage. As
already said, the receivers I think are both pretty good.
So you know, the Lions of the highest scoring team
in the league, you know, and we're in We're in
week what is this week sixteen? Yeah? Yeah, okay, So
(06:48):
this isn't one of those small sample sizes where you
can say, yeah, they they blew out a couple of
teams and they ranked number one in the NFL scoring
a This is a multi month deal for them, and
they're at home, and so I mean, I you know
they're gonna they're gonna score a lot of points.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I believe the score in twenty four no, uh, because
you know, high twenties might get you by if you
had all.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Your defensive players, but you don't so uh. And and
some of the guys you're missing are your potentially dynamic playmakers.
And I know that's the way I think you've got
to play defense against this team too. You cannot expect
to shut them down. They're not going to go three
and out a bunch of times. You're gonna give up yards.
(07:44):
They're gonna move the ball, they're gonna possess the ball.
But hopefully, you know, you do enough in some situations
to create negative negativity for them. Maybe they have to
settle for some field goals and maybe you get a
few takeaways, and that's gonna be the way you play
good defense against them. But again, you know, no what,
(08:05):
no herbig, no James Pierre so far, and all due
respect to James Pierre, Uh, you know he's not in
any danger of getting voted to the Pro Bowl either.
And you know you don't even have him, so yes,
(08:29):
very much so. And then in terms of the your
your offense to try and you know, keep up with them.
Who's responsible for Aden Hutchinson? Well but yeah, right, I
mean because they list him. You know, I've seen various
(08:52):
depth charts, you know the line sometimes they list him
as an edge. Sometimes they list him as a left
defensive end. And I'm enough about the Lions too, you know,
do they keep it? Is he kind of anchored in
one spot? Okay? So I mean, uh, whose problem is that? Yeah,
(09:12):
you know Dylan Cook played well last week, but uh
that happened against a uh players who are lesser than
Aiden Hutchinson, and uh, you know he got some help,
which you know it was only fair and right. So
I mean, I don't you know, this is a tough game.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
In their building and.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Right, all of that stuff. So you know, I understand
there are you know, best case scenarios in terms of
what could happen to where that Week eighteen game against
the Ravens is meaningless in a good way for the Steelers.
But I don't. I only anticipate the Steelers path to
(10:04):
that being a simple one or an easy one. So
you know, I would sitting here right now if you
ask me what I think is going to be the
outcome Sunday, I wouldn't be real confident in a victory.
I'll tell you that. Yeah. I'm leaning that way too.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I think we all are, especially with some of the
injury stuff that has popped up. The one thing I
will say, though, LABS is certainly feels, you know, a
lot different amongst Steeler Nation in Western Pennsylvania and countrywide
and worldwide here on December eighteenth, twenty twenty five than
it did three hundred and sixty five days ago, when
(10:43):
this team felt like it was going in the opposite direction,
the wrong direction at the absolute worst time. Now it
feels like the quarterback is getting better, the offense is
getting better, the defense, despite some key injuries, is maintaining form.
I'm with you, guys, like it does seem like they're
kind of stepping into a hornet's nest on Sunday against
(11:03):
a desperate team and a tough environment, a physical team
too that can kind of match how the Steelers want
to play in that regard. But I also got to
think there's a lot more optimism, There's a lot more
you know, just kind of energy and juice down there
on the south side. Then again, you know three hundred
and sixty five days ago, where it felt like this
was heading in the opposite direction.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, and again I trace a lot of that back
to the quarterback totally. I just do I mean, I
just think that you know, Rogers Aaron Rodgers has it it.
You know, they refer to as it. I don't know
how I would necessarily define the word it in that context.
But you know, he's one of these guys who you know,
(11:49):
when you hear Deon Sanders talk about the Hall of Fame,
you know, and he says there's different wings and plateaus
and all that stuff. You know, Aaron Rodgers is at
the upper level of his position. Uh. And he is
a certain in my opinion, you know, sure sure thing,
first ballot inductee. So you know, a lot of I
(12:12):
don't know presence or again I don't I don't have
any firsthand experience with any of this stuff. But I
just got to believe that this guy, you know, kind
of like the pied piper. I mean, he's playing the
tune and everybody's listening and following and they're in line.
(12:32):
And you know, he's a guy who I think his
performance even gives his words more impact and credibility. Uh.
You know, last week, would he completed eighty three percent
or some ridiculous I mean seriously, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
His career, Yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
But and hey, you know, Ben roff Burger is a
franchise all time player, at the position. He's a Hall
of Famer two and all that kind of stuff. But
they are different guys. You know, the way Ben won
games is not the way Aaron Rodgers does it. And
I'm not saying one is better than the other, but
(13:17):
they're different. And you know, watching it, maybe it's because
you know, we're used to Ben, or we grew up
with Ben, or however you want to And that's fine.
Like I said, a lot of great statistics, a lot
of comeback wins, playoff games, championships, all that good stuff,
but Rogers is just different. You know, I don't Ben
(13:41):
would make big plays and have big games and go
down the field deep and all that kind of stuff.
But I don't remember a whole lot of eighty percent
completion games either. So, as I said, it's different, I
think that Rogers has a I don't know an aura
(14:01):
about him. That's again Ben had that too, But they're different,
And especially when you're comparing Rogers now with with Russell
Wilson last year. And again I'm not running him down either,
but I mean there's to be there. There's those guys
are on two different levels, and you know it's I'm
(14:24):
just like I see it. I'm not trying to run
down Russell Wilson or any of that stuff. I mean,
it's just if you can't watch Aaron Rodgers and Russell
Wilson play and see that there's a significant difference in
the way they play, the way they handle themselves, the
way they comport themselves, the way they interact with teammates,
(14:47):
and how their teammates interact with them as as a
result of that, well, then you know, I don't know
what you're watching live.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Last thing I got for you is Wes mentioned, you know,
the end of last year, and I understand that Pierre
might not play this week again, and Elliott is on
injured reserve. So it's killerbrew. That's an another thing people
want to talk about. But boy, the Steelers have churned
through defensive backs since the end of last year at
a remarkable rate. And you could say, hey, maybe they
(15:16):
don't evaluate defensive backs well, or you know, we're about
to make a Ramsey trade blah blah blah blah. But
I think they may have gotten it right. I mean,
I'm pretty I'm very happy with where this secondary is.
I mean, there was a lot of puzzle pieces that
didn't quite go together, and now I think they're starting
to snap together where they're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yeah, and I do think that, you know, And there
were some misses, yeah, in terms of accumulation of right right,
thorn hill sligh. But let's love forget Beanie Bishop was
a big part of this secondary last year. Right, Yeah,
Beanie Bishop. Again, nothing against Beanie Bishop. He's got good
(15:59):
enough to play with this group this year, right. Uh. So,
you know, And and Ramsey, Jalen Ramsey is he's kind
of the Aaron Rodgers of the defense. I think he
is a guy who he is just a presence. He
(16:20):
is a force as a personality, and I think a
lot of times you need that kind of stuff coming down, Uh,
this the stretch of a season like this, big game
after big game after big game. You know, Mike Toman
always says, don't blink. Ramsey won't let you. You know,
(16:41):
he's the first, he's he'll stick his face in anything.
He will talk to anybody. Uh, there's no intimidation of him.
He doesn't back down from anybody or anything. Uh. And
you know that's a good addition, right, A good addition
(17:01):
in terms of both his skill set and the demeanor
that he brings to that unit, and to that the
unit of the defense and the defense as a whole
part of the team. I you know, the thing with
chemistry with me has always been, you know, the question
is does good chemistry on the team lead to winning
(17:26):
or does winning lead to good chemistry on the team,
because you know, I don't know that chemistry is going
to get you through many losing streaks.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
If you're talented.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Right. Yeah, So again, like you said, yeah, I think
I agree with you, Matt. I think they did a
lot of good things. They hit on a lot of
these moves that they made guys that they brought in.
They didn't hit on.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Them all, but they didn't sit on their hands either.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Well right, Yeah, And a lot of this kind of
roster turnover might have might seem drastic when you look
at it in the rear view mirror, but as you mentioned,
comparing the team December twenty twenty four to December twenty
twenty five, I think pretty much all of it was necessary.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Great stuff is always with the Great Bob Labriola, the
Dina Doom, the Lord of living in his fears labs.
Thank you, and we'll be listening on Sunday for you
part of the pregame show with Mike Persuda and Jerry Dulac.
Thank you for the time as always
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Hey, no problem having nice weekend those
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal: Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.