Drive081721Hr2.mp3

Matt and Dale look ahead to pre season week 3 with the Lions. Also taking a look at who holds the Green Dot this year. They round out the show with a mock fantasy draft out of the 5 hole.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
M hmm, welcome back. I'm Dale Lally here with Matt
Williamson and Matt. Of course, late last week the Steelers
make the trade for Joe Schober, adding to that defense,

(00:20):
and Matt Bowen has a an article here defending the
NFL's six elite offenses which teams are best set up
to slowdown Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and more. Interesting And
so I assume he's going into don't defend all of
them the same, right, Yeah, these are really good defense,
These are very good offense. So face all these guys differently. Yeah,

(00:42):
I just want to read how how he feels like
the best way to defend these guys these times. Are
you starting with Casey? We're gonna start with Casey. Let
me see if Matt and I agree. I really think
Casey is obviously very, very difficult to defend. I think
a massive key with the Chiefs. It's having somebody show Bert.
I mean, I'm just looking from through Steeler eyes, show

(01:03):
Bert Bush Edmonds that cannot get embarrassed by Kelsey one
on one. Everyone's gonna be a disadvantage. Every linebacker and
safety is me a disadvantage against Kelsey one on one?
But if you can hang with him, that allows you
to roll with safety over Tyreeke and kind of bang
him at the line of scrimmage and at least compete

(01:23):
with their two weapons that are unbelievable make the other
guys beat you, which I mean Mahomes is gonna get
his no matter what. Another huge key with Mahomes is
having a pass rush plan. Don't go running past the quarterback.
I mean, there's it's something we don't talk about a lot.
Having a pass rush plan is very important. Like Bud

(01:45):
Duprie earlier his career would run past the quarterback on
his blindside. That's what they want you. You can't do
any damage that way. So there's an art to staying
in your lanes or you know, forcing him in the
pocket and controlling the quarterback through path rush, but also
still pressuring him and being aggressive. Seewers are well cable
of doing that part for sure. Absolutely. Yeah. Uh. He's

(02:08):
saying that he would have heavy split safety coverage to
limit explosive play throws. Um Mahomes at a QB rating
or QBR of eighty seven point six against single high
coverage last year, with that number dipping to eighty one
point seven against split safety. Looks that's not that big
a deal, but teams need to play with zone discipline, depth,
anizing quarters, cover two, and cover six. Here, I'd pushed

(02:31):
my week safety to the field side of the formation
and quarters uh Locke looking to cut down the deep
crosser while using a linebacker edge player to disruptive release
of Kelsey into the boundary with the defender matching and
man technique. Okay, that's who's saying. I mean, sitting in
zone is rough dangerous against that crew. I mean it

(02:53):
is well playing man against that cruise. There's there's no
great answer there. There isn't. I mean, they're all he's
gonna see light boxes. But I think I think the
key is again disrupting those guys as a line of scrimmage. Yeah,
but they're not such a timing based offense because he's
so good at extending. But yeah, you gotta give you
gotta give your pass rush a chance to get to

(03:15):
him a little bit. You can't just give these guys
a little you can't get You can't give Tyreek kell
free release. He can't give Travis Kelsey free release. Yeah,
they're gonna they're gonna bang you. Up all day. Yeah,
and Kelsey's and there were there are other receivers aren't
ridiculous anymore. Though maybe Hardman steps up. He certainly could.
But I mean if Pringle and Robinson and Hardman and

(03:37):
you know, those guys eat me up, then I then
I'll tip my hat to you. You know. The other
guys are hard enough to hold down as it is.
But there surrounding weapons aren't crazy anymore. Yeah, I mean,
as great as they are, I think they're a little
more fragile than people realize, just how they're built. If
Tyreek goes from a four two to a four four,

(03:59):
you know what I mean, like has an ankle or
an achilles or something that he plays through, or Kelsey
gets a little old, you know, let alone if one
of them has a real injury. You know, I think
if you if you give them a lot of cover
two looks, you're kind of daring them to run the football.
And I think that's the better lesser of two evils.
Go ahead, runaway, fellas if they're getting five or six

(04:19):
o'clip yeah, you know, yeah, uh Tampa bay Um. He
said he would Arians and Company will go heavy, twelve
personnel with two tight ends to get opposing defenses in
the single high coverages, which means the defense will likely
spin a safety down to get an extra run defender. Here,
I'm here, I'd stick with quarters and cover six on

(04:39):
early downsta to a top to top and match the
inside seems before going with loaded fronts and two man
coverage and clear passing situations that would allow my defensive
scheme pass rush matchups and stunts that prevent Brady from
climbing the pocket while also putting my safeties in a
position to drive top down on the ball with aggressive
underneath coverage. Um. He says that he said that the

(05:03):
Patriots were the team that best matches up with When
he feels that they should be done against Kansas City,
he says, the Saints have the defense to do this
against Tampa Bay. Yeah, they have a lot of They
played against him an awful lot too. Brady's awesome, and
he threw the ball deep a lot more than people realize.

(05:25):
The middle, though, is still the way. He still doesn't
get out of the way. Yeah, I mean, he benefited
from a really good line last year, and he makes
a good line better of course. Um, But again, that
ability to do another step up into the pocket right.
If you keep him from doing that, he's a lot
less dangerous. I mean, you can certainly rush him up
the middle, even if it's t J or those guys

(05:47):
stunting inside. That's where he wants to go. He wants
he wants to step into the middle, and he's not
going to roll, and he does move well within the confines.
They're another team. If you can get him to hand
off against the light box, let Leonard for Nette and
Ronald Jones beat you. You know they're not gonna put
that many points up. Yeah, they're hard to play against.
There's no doubt the Buffalo Bills. Everything runs through Josh

(06:09):
Allen in the past game. So I try to take
the fourth year quarterback work post snap with late secondary
movement and disguise, giving Brian the devil's ability to game
plan coverage. I'd get be heavy on zone coverage, get
six defensive backs on this on the field spin the
safety is late to two deep zone shells and force
Allan to throw into contested windows. Simply put, defensive can't

(06:30):
give Alan clean looks to read it out of the
pocket after the ball snap. He proved last season that
he will light up teams if they don't change things.
That makes sense. I mean, he is an immense talent
and he's come a very long way, but we saw
it in their playoff game. He'll still put the cape
on and be Superman when he shouldn't be, or force
things and still looks young. They play four receivers a ton,

(06:54):
you know, which brings us the Steelers opening Day, and
I think the Steters will have to match that with
four corners. More than this Nickel conversation, you know we have,
um Diggs is the one you can't let kill you, though,
I mean the rest of their weapons, Like we talked
fantasy all the time, I mean, how many Bills do
one besides Alan or Diggs? They're okay. The other guys
are okay, but yeah, as a lead offenses go, it's

(07:14):
not like the Box or Kansas City that's just loaded
with guys everywhere. I think Diggs as good as any
receiver in the league, and Steelers saw that firsthand, and
he's really hard to keep down. But I think Bowen
said some good points there of really very things don't
get predictable, and what's different about Brady obviously versus Allen
and Mahomes. You can play a lot of strict man

(07:36):
coverage against Brady because he's like tuck and run on
you either. You know. He says the team best set
up to defend the Bills is the Kansas City Chiefs.
I would disagree with that. Yeah, I don't like their
linebacker situation to control the middle of the field. I
think the Steelers are a much better, a much tougher
matchup for the Chiefs. For the Bills should say my

(07:58):
first I actually I would probably pick the Patriot it.
I would pick the Patriots or Ravens, somebody to have
a lot of corners. He said. In the a f
C Championship Game win over Buffalo in January, the Chiefs
brought zero man pressure, all out blitz is on seventeen
point five percent of Allan's dropbacks. That's a lot. Yeah.
Kansas City also played cover too and to robber with
math Al moving late as the middle hole defender on

(08:19):
twenty point one percent of the snaps. Well who else
does that? Yeah, Steelers do that a lot with make
of Fitzpatrick. They do. But I do understand the honey
Badger conversation there, because he'll do it like Troy from
anywhere on the field, not necessarily from the single hide down,
which still would give Allen problems. But math Ow, I
guess is the wild card that would make Allen's life
harder than you know. Brady wouldn't have a problem with that.

(08:42):
You know, things like that, So I guess I get that.
But Kansas City is d shouldn't really be in the
conversation as any top offense and me, I mean, they've
got a couple of guys and they're built to win
high scoring games. His next team is green Bay. How
he would defend green Bay? Star and Steelers gonna have
to play these guys quick green Bay. Note that I'm

(09:03):
I bet he won't touch on there are lines a problem. Yeah,
I'm curious how Rogers makes up for an injured box
the r E and Lindsay and l A right now, Yeah,
I'm talk about Steelers are lined green Bay did nothing
to help theirs. How he would defend green Bay? Start
every defensive snap in a two high shell, moved from there,
giving the efficiency of the Packers zone run game with

(09:26):
with Jones and A J. Dillon, I'd play some cover
three and Freeman or Man free to spin a safety
late to cut off the edge. Plus I can also
play some three robber to put a safety in the
weeds waiting to close the window on the play action throws.
The core of my call sheet though, in addition to
simulated pressures, will lean on two high schemes. You'd see
quarters and cover too. Two men for me against Rogers

(09:48):
to limit the middle of the field throws and help
get over, get over the top, help against Adams said,
the team best set up defend to defend the Packers
is Tampa Bay m I mean he really stressed the
middle of the field. I can't think Rogers is lethal
and everyblody out yeah and all the above, but they

(10:10):
do tanyan and they've been breaking routes and they're very
good in the middle. Want Yes, that's not gonna beat you.
Their second receivers aren't all that exciting to me, I
would think, and Bone is better at this than I am.
But if I were playing the Packers, I would think
I'd want the Rams put Ramsey on. I was someone

(10:31):
with an elite corner. And oh, by the way, the
Rams had that Donald guy who causes problems to be
disruptive in the middle of the right. Yeah, that I
think I'd want a great corner as my starting point. Okay,
you're on atoms and will help you a little, but
don't get embarrassed over there. And our other ten should
do pretty well because Adams isn't gonna run past He's tyreke,

(10:52):
you know. I mean if you if he beats you,
it probably isn't an eight ardor um Baltimore. Interesting. What
I would do to obviously, what I would do to
defend care about corners with them. I'd steal a little
bit from the Patriots, who defended the Ravens extremely well
in Week ten last season, and specifically regarding how they

(11:13):
use safetyes Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger. I get both
both of my safeties on the field and sub package
personnel to play as overhang defenders. To limit the edge
run schemes and count for Jackson speed. I'd mix up
my front looks to jumping from four man alignments to
bear fronts. I'd also stay in zone coverage, limit Jackson's
ability to escape and extend outside the pocket. Get to

(11:34):
cover three here the Patriots played on seventy two, which
the Patriots played on seventy two and a half percent
of direct Jackson's dropbacks in that game last season. I
think there's so I have a side note on to
bring up with them, but I think a real key
and we saw this Jackson's first year when they played
the Chargers in uh, what's his face? The Chargers study

(11:57):
safety that was Irwin j In the rookie year. They
had a bunch of linebacker injuries, the Chargers, and they
played Baltimore with a lot of safety seven the field
and it worked. And I think that I'm not saying
it's the blueprint, but I think it's important to have
two hundred hundred ninety pounds two pound linebacker safeties whatever,

(12:22):
as many of them as you can between the numbers,
running around, causing chaos. Play a lot of zone of course,
but here's one thing that Baltimore is really smart. And
I think when they I know this, when when they
dedicated themselves to Lamar, they said, Okay, we have a
unique player and we're gonna play a unique way. So

(12:42):
we anticipate defenses never playing man coverage against us, because
who's gonna play man against Lamar? And so therefore we're
not gonna spend a lot of money on wide receivers
that can beat man because we're never gonna see it. Well,
the league said, we're gonna play man against you. You know, Okay,
Lamar might beat us for a run here and there,

(13:02):
but we're gonna have the Bush or the Derwin James
by them, and they may still lose that battle. But
if we can man up on your corners on the
outside with no help against guys who can't get off man,
that leaves us nine in the middle of the field
no matter how we employ them. So now I think
the Ravens at the crossroads where they're getting the Watkins
and Bateman's and you know, and saying we can't just

(13:25):
get Joe below receiver to beat up zone coverage. You know,
it's the world changes. His team best set up to
defend the Ravens is the Bills. I like the safety, linebacker, speed,
middle of the field stuff. I mean it's okay. I
mean they're they're disciplined. Does nobody nationally understand that the
Steelers have defended Lamar Jackson better than any team that

(13:48):
that never gets it doesn't seem that it, Like, yeah,
and there's a big sample size compared to other teams
absolutely played them more than anybody. Just beat Lamar. Playing
him more than ever helps beat him up, beat him up, right,
I don't nobody brings that concept up. And the Steelers
last year, in that game against Lamar the second time
or the first time around last year played a lot
of snaps with three outside linebackers on the field without

(14:11):
a nickel corner on the like, and I would think
you'll see it again. Yeah right, I mean now they're
better with their third linebacker outside linebacker because all those
guys can run. Yeah, and they abuse that outside run too. Uh.
Dallas is the other offense here. How he would defend Dallas.
I try to close the middle of the field to
limit Lamb on seams and benders, while also putting a

(14:32):
cover corner on the backside to match both Gallup and
Cooper on vertical throws. I want to play a mix
of quarters and three match to account for inside verticals
and overs. Plus the run game carries for Ezeque Elliott. Well,
if they never try to run the football, it's a
pretty well rounded offense. Yeah it is. While also having
the personnel to lock up the backside X receiver look
for both Lamb and Gallop to a line both outside,

(14:54):
in and in the slot. This season, we could see
more two tight end play action looks with Prescott under
centator for in breakers and attack the edge on boots.
The team best set up to defend the Cowboys is Washington.
He's I said, win the line of scrimmage. Washington is
a good d I think they match up well against everybody.
I like bow And he didn't convince me that that

(15:16):
was a wonderful strategy against Dallas though, you know, I mean,
you know there there three receivers are tough there. They
are going to move them around more than they did.
I think Lamb will play outside more than he did.
You know. He basically said, I need two good corners
to handle Cooper and Gallop on the side. Like, okay,
it's a good start, and then I'm gonna disrupt Lamb

(15:37):
in the middle of the field. Um, I mean, then
you gotta light box. And I don't know, I'm not
a schematic wizard, but the thing that hurts every one
of these teams is pass rush. And we never talked
pass rush, ever talked about how would you defend these receivers?
Pass rush? Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush. That's why
Washington against any of these is fine for me. For

(15:58):
the Steelers for that matter, is I think they have
the two best front lines and two best pass rushes
that doesn't have weaknesses, you know, like the Rams are
a really good pass rush, but they have an awesome
player and then some guys that are okay. You know,
Dak Prescott played five games last year and through the
ball very very well. He also fumbled six times and
Elliota a ton of fumbles too, right, right right, He's

(16:20):
still he's that very much like Baker Mayfield. That's who
he is. He's fumbled his entire career. So you know,
if you get hit him and forced a couple of fumbles,
you're not gonna stop these offenses, No, none of them.
But you force them to turn the football over, yeah,
or hit the quarterback at the quarter mall at instants
or you know, um like the Homes and Allen. I
don't think hitting them as as valuable as it is

(16:42):
hitting Brady or I don't know about Rogers, but um,
some of these guys Lamar. You know, I think that
that certainly is a maybe Dak too with the fumbles,
you know, and he's he's coming off an injury by
the way to practicing at the moment. Yeah, I mean
some of these, yeah, you'd love to have in a
league corner. But I'm still a believer. If you give

(17:04):
me a front four like the Steelers, like Washington, we're
hard to play against. No matter what you know, it's
you're you're gonna pay to complete big passes. I'm just
I'm just shocked reading that article that the Steelers weren't
mentioned once, not mentioned once. I still think it's the
best defense in the league. They got they got better
over the weekend. They get better over the weekend. I

(17:24):
thought Washington the Rams were in the conversation. The Rams
are mentioned once either, right, like, how do you not
mention two of the top defenses in the league? Forts
and the like. The Ravens were mentioned either. They're pretty unique, unique,
They're tough to play against. Yeah, I think the Ravens
against the Bills would be interesting, just because they have
so many corners. You could go straight man and see

(17:47):
how you see how at fairs? Yeah, with the safety
over the top or whatever. Interesting. I mean again, defending
all these offenses nowadays is really really difficult. They absolutely
have the leg up and you know, the seventies are gone.
You're not gonna shut any of these guys down, but
if you can make them do things that they're uncomfortable with,

(18:08):
that's a win. Yeah. Yeah, So anyways that I thought
that was an interesting art. Yeah, let's take yeah, let's
take a break. He is Matt Williamson. I'm Dale Lolly.
You're listening to the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio.
We'll be back with more right after this Black and
Gold football leaves here seven. You're listening to s n R.

(18:32):
Welcome back. I'm Dale Lally here with Matt Williamson. Um, Matt.
Of course, the Steelers again play on Saturday against the
Lions and preseason game number three for the Steelers, and
I would expect that the the starters will be out
there for at least a quarter. Actually, the Lions are
kind of interesting as an opponent too. I was doing

(18:53):
some research last night. I read a pregame article for
uh Steelers dot Com. I'm just fiddling with it, think,
and they got a lot to play for. I mean,
they're gonna be in. They're not gonna lay down. I
mean they're gonna be a pretty good opponent. They're trying.
They're trying, right, They might leave their starters in quite
a while. And they got a heck of an offensive line,
and they're a physical team, and I think they're a
good opponent for your Week three matchup. Is there anybody

(19:18):
who hasn't played yet in this preseason that you're anxious
to take a look at Snell in some ways? But
I'm not a big believer. But I remember watching the
second half against the Eagles, saying, boy, Benny Snow will
be tearing these guys up even more, you know what
I mean, Like he missed an opportunity to look better
in front of coaches and stealing they were. There were
people asking me if if Jalen Same was really you know,

(19:40):
he passed Benny Snell. Now I'm like, no, I don't
think there were a couple of runs that he made
in that game where I thought he went to the
wrong Oh, I thought he missed some opportunity. He left
yards out there, Like that's who he is. Like he's
not a natural runner, and he doesn't see things great
or set up blocks, and he's not explosive downhill and
you know, not that smell superber. But he's running back,

(20:03):
I mean trade, you know what I mean? Who else.
I mean, most everyone has played Banners an obvious one. Yeah,
you want to see you want to see Zach Banner
on the field. That that to me four other starters,
the whole starting old line. You know, I wrote about
that today. I've wrote an off day piece on some
things that to me right now, Banner is the biggest

(20:23):
question mark on that offensive line because he just hasn't
been able to be consistently be on the field. And
I know some people have asked me about this, you know,
did he have setback? You know, we've we've seen Devin
Bush out there and we haven't seen Banner Like, well,
he's a huge human being. He's a hundred pounds heavier
than Devon Bush. Like, yeah, I know he had the

(20:44):
surgery a couple of weeks before Devon Bush, and everybody
heals different. I mean, but you're looking at a difference
between you know, the think about the torque where the
pressure that Zach Banner puts on his new a c hell,
it's spared to I realized that. And Bush is a
faster player. Yeah, they played different positions, but the the weight,

(21:05):
you know, that weight puts a lot of you know,
think about a people who knows how maybe his was
a little more severe. I mean, we're not doctors. I mean,
when they went in there, do they find more I
I don't know, but um, I think it was Wolf
and I have these days are kind of run together.
My apologies, but I did think it was interesting and
Wolf brought this up. I think that they moved more
to right tackles. They did, and I thought that was

(21:28):
not a ringing endorsement for Banner. I know he's more,
but it's more about Joe Hag Okay, they want I
thought they want more to be the more. They want
more to be the swing guy on game days. He's
going to be on the roster. They like him, so
he needs to know if he's going to be active
on game days, he has to be able to play
both sides, which I was I always find interesting. It's like,

(21:52):
you've been so good at left tackle, go to something else.
But that's by something He's played like he'd been a
left tackle over the course of his career. So now
you're gonna say, Okay, we we now feel confident in
your ability to do that. You've seen enough of that.
We want you to be able to do the right
side as well. Because again, you're playing opposite handed over there.
If you can show that you can competently do that,

(22:14):
then you're definitely active. Then you're definitely active on game day. Again,
it's a compliment, and Choops was in that that that
stage of his career, it doesn't happen if your first
round pick. It does if you're a third or fourth,
then they like you. I just think it's rough on
the poor kids development in a way, But I also
understand the logic. You only if so many people have
active on you make yourself more valuable to the team

(22:35):
if you can play both sides. If I'm gonna put
my tinfoil hat on though and say, well maybe they do.
They want their best backup for Banner because they're not
sure where Banner is right now. Well that's always a
possibility too, because they just I mean, we've seen bits
and pieces, we've seen it sporadically on the field, but
they're still kind of at times holding him out of

(22:56):
you know, more competitive situations, um, you know, where you
had to actually do a little more blocking than they
haven't done that with him. We'll see if that changes today,
if they start to ramp things up even a little
bit more. It's it's been it's been a slow burn
for him at this point. In fact, if you look
at what they opened their practices with over the weekend,

(23:18):
Actually if Sunday was the first time we've seen this
the starting the lineup that they have as their number
one on their depth chart, it was finally on the
field together for the first time on Sunday with Banner
right tackle, Banner, right tackle, Trade Turner, right guard Hassan
because Green wasn't there, but he still listed his number

(23:40):
one on the depth The left tack or left guard
was was Dots and the left tackle was Chokes Coore.
For that's the first time in this camp we've seen
that group on the field together. Do you think there's
any chance that's the opening day five? Oh, there's a chance. Yeah.
I think they like Hawson Hower a lot more than
I did when the season ended, and the thing's come

(24:02):
a long way. He's been better in this camp. Then
then I think he's put on some additional size and strength.
Um that he's not going to go out there and
be the little guy getting pushed around, right, He's not
gonna look like he's completely out of place like he
did before. Do you think it's gotten to the point
that if Kendrick Green is not the rookie center, it's
Hoss not Finny. I think so. I think they're not

(24:25):
the Finney can't play center, but I think there he's
better at guard, and they're happy with him a guard,
is my impression of it, because Hoss is good enough
at center, which is nice, instead of having Finny do
things he's not quite as good at. Get better at guard,
stay there. I mean, we don't know the trade turners
of raging success. He maybe I would think you just
haven't seen enough of him, enough of him, and I

(24:46):
would think Finney's first guy, Well, maybe it's Coward, But
if one of the guards be good, that makes me
more comfortable. I think he's the better player. I know
Coward started on the left side that one time, but
Fitting also played a lot on the right right. So yeah,
I think, you know, that's something that I definitely want
to see. I want to see that starting unit on

(25:07):
the field together, and I want to see them start
to get some Yeah, a little bit of I would
hope that happened by now, considering the open camp earlier
and everybody else, and that was probably goal number one.
So that's a little concerning. And again I think the
old lines performed very well in the two preseason games,
but a lot of this because their depth is so

(25:28):
good and that's great, but that doesn't block the ones.
On game day Buffalo September twelve, right in Allowed Stadium,
if they were played against Letricox and Javan and Graham
all game, I think they lose, you know that battle
in that in the opener, quick old line question for
you put your crystal ball on, you know, pull out
your crystal ball. And I think a big thing about

(25:51):
the line this year is I really feel like they're
gonna have definitive answers. We can trust these three, these four,
these five, this one and as a long term starter here,
if I were to tell you the Steelers are going
to have off season old line needs, where do you
think they would most be most likely to be at.

(26:14):
I don't know, Yeah, I mean, honestly, it's a tough question.
It could be anywhere. Where I don't think it will
be is left Garden Center. Like, I think those guys
will get a lot of leash to turn into quality
players for a long stretch. Where if Chucks or Banner
is fine this year. I can see tackle being at

(26:36):
the top of their list of offseason needs. If Turners
just fine, maybe you let them walk. Get the comp
pic drafted guard in a second round, you know what
I mean? Like, I would bet it's the right guard
or a tackle. Yeah, you know, and that's what you want.
And I don't know if if it's a guard, I
don't know that you you have to go. It doesn't
have to be a first round pick. No, no, no,

(26:57):
you know I think that's I mean, maybe if you
could live with some of the guys team or who knows. Yeah,
and maybe it's finny. I don't know who's finny, right,
But there are a lot of bodies, um I want
to see. I'd like to see uh Antoine Brooks back
on the field. I think that needs to have I'm
sure you've got this even more than I have. But

(27:18):
since that game, who's the slot they maybe Sutton has
to go inside. I'm like, I think Brooks is a slot.
He has missed the game? Yeah, you know, Like I
saw that on the on NFL dot Com there was
a takes from each game or for each team after
the week one. Yeah, what we learned or whatever we learned,
and that was one of the things that Steelers. Steelers
don't have a nickel corner. Yeah he did. He missed

(27:41):
the game. You didn't see him on the field. All
my buddies been asked me about that. I mean, on
local radio, is asked that. I was like, I just
think that he was injured for the game, so they
set him out. But I think they're nickel corner is
pretty clear that they feel pretty comfortable with it. In fact,
everybody that I've talked to, UM, I don't think they're
bumping Sutton inside because they have no nick corner. And
if they if they bump Sutton inside is because they

(28:02):
don't feel they can keep James Pierre off the field
to compliment the Pierre Yeah, right, which I guess is
still in the mix potentially. But again, as you mentioned
in Week one, they play the Bills, who are going
to play a lot of four receiver sets and need
for no matter what, So Sutton is going to be
in the slot in the dime if they play, If
they play a lot of dime, then that's what's gonna happen.

(28:25):
I guess the most obvious answer to your question is
Joe Schobert and it sounds like he's gonna play a lot,
don't you think. Yeah, And that's another let's get into that, right.
So Schobert said, I saw your tweet that they threw
him right in the midt. They put him right into
the mix. And when we talked to him after practice
on Sunday, he said, yeah, they want me to uh,
you know, they want me to learn all the defense

(28:47):
and eventually where the green dot or should I say
a green dot? You get to t J Watts had
at the time, t J Watson. Yeah, but you get
two guys. Devon Bush is going to be one of
those guys, because people were looking at that going, well,
they won't. They don't want Devon Bush calling a place. No,
Devon Bush is going to be on the field the snaps.

(29:10):
You can't just have one because if the guy gets
hurt or you know, he doesn't play every snap, then
you're Robert Splaine was going to be the other green
dot right before they acquired Joe Schoberg. And I'm sure
there's a depth chart, a green dot depth chart that
if both are on the field, who's in charge? And frankly,
I expect that to be Schobert and I think that's
one of the beauties of picking him up is communication

(29:35):
intelligence for the game experience, and maybe eventually he will
be the Maybe they'll decide that he's he's better at
it than Devon Bushes. We want Schobert to be the
play caller, but that doesn't mean that Devon Bush is
going to get you. I don't know if he's good, bad,
or ugly at it. I have no idea. I have
no idea. But people people read something into this it's
not there. Well, they don't want Devon Bush being the

(29:56):
play caller. They must not trust him. He got the motive,
not what happened. That's a great point. There are two dots,
and that's very important. I don't know that it would
be I mean, this is a view from Afar, but
Bushes in early in his career, he's coming off an injury.
If you took those responsibilities totally off his plate, you know,
like in Tampa Lavante, David handles all that and White

(30:18):
just runs around his people. Yeah, it would probably be
good for Bush's career, you know, one more thing off
his plate. Just let him go out there and be
an athlete and make play. But I think it saysn't
mean he's not good at it. I think it's a
bit mm hmm. It would be a bit much to
ask Joe Schobert, probably in September twelve in Buffalo. Hey, Joe,
we know, we know you've only been here for three weeks,

(30:40):
but you're gonna call the defenses. You're running the defense
and making the checks, slapping Cam Heyward on the butt
that he needs to move over six inches and he's
been he's been in the defense for ten years him.
I don't like your alignment. I mean you have to
earn that. Yeah, yeah, I mean when Luke kick Lee
and ray Lewis do it, you know, week after week,
year after year, and they all the everything they tell

(31:01):
he was right, Okay, I'm in you know, but but again,
the other the other green dot was going to be Spillane.
Who's now I'm not gonna see the field He's not
going Yeah, who's not gonna be on the field show. Burton,
his career in three of the last four years, has
played a hundred percent of the snaps. Last year, but
the one year that he didn't, he missed three games,

(31:22):
so obviously he didn't play as many. They're drafting him
to play a lot of snaps him He's going to
play a lot, and so is Bush. Bush. That's a
plan play nickel with two linebackers as much as possible.
If you if I look back at what Tampa Bay,
there's their defensive snaps were for David and White last year.
David was at like six the snaps and White was

(31:45):
that's that's what you're going to see. That's what you're
gonna see. You know, Buffalo is a great example. Milano
was hurt, but they'll both be around a hundred of
their healthy snaps. And there's probably five other obvious examples
around the league to where having to quality ones may
it's just see a lot harder to play against the
guys that can do a lot of things for you.
But I think people were reading just way too much
into you know, Schobert saying he's gonna be I'm gonna

(32:07):
I'm gonna have the green dot. Well, you have eight,
you have one of the green dust. Because if something
happens to Bush, you'll be on the You'll be on
the field the dime. If they go dime defense in
Week one with one linebacker, it's one linebacker on the field,
it's gonna be Bush. It almost has to be right.
You would think you would think that would be a
little bit of an indictment on Bush if it isn't

(32:28):
to me, if you see, depending on here's the thing,
I think, if they're gonna play a lot of zone
against Buffalo, I would prefer Melt or prefer U Shoberd
on the field. He's better better. If they're gonna play Man,
then I'd rather see Bush out there. But in general,
I just rather see Bush out there. Yeah, I mean,
it's faster, he's a better athlete and all those things.

(32:51):
Now that's interesting though, Um, and there's a good chance
that we do see him Shobert on the field Saturday
against Detroit, I would assume. So, yeah, with him again,
they threw him into They threw him into the onto
the field with the ones in that first practice, first
snap here at seven shots, he's in there. He's in
the nickel next to Bush. And frankly, if he makes mistakes,
who cares? Yeah, you can. You can make of these guys.

(33:14):
Get used to play it side by side with Bush.
Getting our calls in understanding helped communicate, you know, the
speed of the game in a in a live stadium
against the what I think is kind of a quality
opponent when they're ones are out there, good offensive line,
and I think they'll play those guys a lot um.
One thing you're seeing around league is this kind of
side note. Some safeties are getting the dot here and

(33:34):
there too, you know, because it's hard to find lifebackers
well and again they never they never leave the field
right right, the safety more shortage anything. Finding those linebackers
like a show birth that they got for nothing. But
ideally it's one of those guys in the middle of
the field. Oh yeah, yeah, you know, just because it's
hard to communicated, like Jamal Adams might have one, or
you know, the guy's like I mean, I'm sure I
know Wagner does, but i mean, like those type of safeties.

(33:55):
You don't want to make us screaming from the you know,
from the hilltops, hoping people hear him, you know, right. Yeah,
But anyways, let's take a break. He is Matt Williamson.
I'm dale Ally you're listening to the drive here on
Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be back with the Fantasy Football
focus right after this Black and Gold football leaves here. Seven.
You're listening to s n R. Welcome back. I'm Dale

(34:22):
Ally here with Matt Williamson. It's time for the wildly
popular Fantasy Football Focus. Don't draft him Tebow, He's been released.
He's been released. You're gonna be pushed for him early
in the draft. Here, we're gonna do him mock draft today.
It is a twelve team PPR and we're drafting out
of the five hole. I went random on this is
this being on Draft Wizards Fantasy pros dot Com Draft Wizard. Uh,

(34:44):
the other team, Yeah, it's not a good spot to
be in the other teams in the league here. I
don't want no Chubb home for the holadays Haskin for
a friend ingram Toe, Neil the QT pies to of
for the money. It hurts so good. One there's a
double like when they put two names in there one

(35:08):
afternoon t time. Okay. Uh. Number ten is keep calm
and carry on, as in carry on Johnson, I, Johnson,
Levin is Bateman and Robin okay. And the twelve is
the Ronquistadors. Okay, not bad. Some new ones in there.
There are some new ones in there. As we mentioned,

(35:29):
we've got the five all the first picks were as
you can imagine. Um, I'm sure Cochie McCaffrey are gone. Yeah,
it's all so our pick and Henry go. Henry did
not go. Okay, So we're sitting here and we've got
to pick here, Derrick, Henry, Ezekiel Elliott, Aaron Jones. I

(35:50):
think you'd lean Jones this way in a similar decision
last week, I want to say, and much has changed.
I don't have a problem with it. I think he
catches a lot more passes this year. Yeah, I think
so too. Jamal Williams being out of there. I think
Dylan is going to be a factor. Don't get me wrong,
But I just think the receiving aspect of Jones pretty intriguing.

(36:11):
You might look back three months from now ago, how
did why do we pass on Henry? How dumb was that?
But here's the Here's how Henry fell to us. Here's
the guy A number four took, Davante Adams. I sent
you a draft last night that I did. Yeah, I
feel bad. I didn't even look at it. I was
I took I went receiver, receiver, receiver in the first
three rounds. So I ended up with Davante Adams. Uh.

(36:35):
Justin Jefferson and um another stud apparently yeah, Falcons, Um Ridley, Ridley,
which is yeah, I mean you have to draft any
other receivers, no, right, I mean those are all high,
high end receiver. And then I still ended up with
Carson and Henderson is my running back to Lamar Johnson
is my is my quarterback, and I had had pitches

(36:56):
my tight end and like that's pretty good. Like that's
a pretty four remaintable starting line up. Not somebody I
want to play against, No, right, because those backs will
get something. Yeah, you know, but your receivers will carry
the day. Interesting, but Henry available here. Elliott Aaron Jones,
I'm fine going Jones again. I'm warming up to Elliott
more and more. I'm kind of warming up to Elliott

(37:17):
there as well. Yeah. I think he's gonna score a
bunch of touchoes. I think the offense is great. Yeah,
I think he's gonna score a bunch of touchdowns too.
I'm I'm believing the in shape thing, and you know
it wasn't happy with Yeah, I'm cool with that. Let's
take Let's take Elliot here. Alright, So we got the
Elliott at five. The thing about Elliott is even if

(37:39):
Paullard is a better player. There's no way Jerry's playing
up Pollard over Elliott. No, no way, no. Alright, we're
back up again. The picks here the top top suggestions.
Jonathan Taylor's not bad at that, right. I know his
stocks dropped with the quarterback injuries and stuff, but so
what so Justin Jefferson, Yeah, Nick Chub dub vers Taylor

(38:03):
is very similar. That's a tough which one it comes
comes down to? Which one do you think will catch
more passes? Taylor? Yeah, Brotheran Chubb is a better player
in a little bit better situation. I'm shocking the one
still there, to be honest with. I mean, you take
it's it's you take the gift, right, you take Taylor there.
I'm fine with it, absolutely all right. That's a nice start.

(38:25):
I mean, I guess it could happen in stock is
falling and Jonathan Taylor to start your draft. Both should
be first round picks. Yeah, okay, we're back up again here.
The top suggestions. Terry McLaurin, Ceedee Lamb, Robert Woods, Amari Cooper,
Cooper bi last, Yeah, I think it'd be Lamb or McLaurin,
although I've really gained respect for Woods, and I've gotten
him a lot less. We already drafted Zeke. Did we

(38:46):
want two shares of that Cowboys offense? Probably mclauren. Then
it's not horrible if you're gonna have the shares of
an offense. I think it's pretty good been to have
shares of. As long as that's healthy, you'll be happy
about it. Let's just take a look at the running
backs here, just to be sure. Edwards Hilaire still availing,
Bow Montgomery, Carson, J K. Dobbins, Edwards Hillari be the
best of the group. Is there a Waller, a Kittle?

(39:07):
Uh No, Hackinson? The top ten can't do with the
third round? O would consider those. Yeah, the only three
could take McLarin that's an easy ye. Stacking Cowboys is fine,
but it's not I'm gonna stack somebody. I want to
stack the quarterback with the receiver. Alright, we're back up again.
The top guy suggested Chris Godwin, Hawkinson, Cooper Cup, Julio Jones.

(39:32):
Top running back still available Carson, Darryl Henderson, Miles Sanders,
Josh Jacobs. Jacobs will be last of those, Yeah, for sure,
because so it comes For me, it comes down to
our Henderson or Carson better than Doblin, Cooper, Cup, Julio Jones,
d J. Moore, we're Hawkinson. I think Hawkinson is gonna

(39:53):
have him. I've come around to your thinking on that.
That Hackinson. I think he's gonna go. I think he
catches nine, he passes this. Ye, they don't have anybody else.
They don't have anybody else. And either if they're close,
they'll still go to him. If they're losing, they'll still
go to him. I think he's you know, he's an
early NFL draft pick. I think he's definitely a breakout guy.
Tight Ends still available Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts. Yeah,

(40:14):
that's interesting. I bet yeah, if you get your choice
to the three, but I bet you don't get one
on the coming back, this isn't the five, and then
short is this is four? And then we got to
come back a long way, A long way. Yeah, I
think I take the tight ends like I respect Godwin,
but I think he b is really good. I think
Hawkinson is the number one receiver on his team. Oh yeah,

(40:38):
the other guys aren't well, Andrews is, but they don't
throw the ball no, Hackinson in around four, and I'm
fine with it. That's where you have to take those guys. Yeah,
I mean they're not gonna be there in around five. Well,
pitt were in round five and Pits were still available.
That's president. So if I had known that, I would
have waited. But yeah, that blows me away. I guess
who else is still available? Darrell Henderson? Yeah, us take him? Okay, Yeah,

(41:02):
we've three bags for a while. Yea one of these
guys receiver, but oh yeah, I think, well, okay, Kenny Golladay, Yeah,
I don't. I just don't. I don't like. I don't
know that I've ever owned Kenny Golladay. I don't know
that I ever want to own Kenny Yellow the bad
taste of my mouth sitting out as much as he

(41:22):
did last year, and I just think that he's kind
of fair weather and they're bad weather in New York.
Tyler Boyd, I take Alliday Overboard Boyd, though, Jerry Judy,
I take Judy over both Courtland Sutton. I think Judy
over all those guys. Is there a quarterback that blows
you away? Well, that's what we want to look at here.
How about Dak Prescott, that's not bad. Who's next on

(41:46):
the quarterback list? Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert. Yeah,
Wilson's my next favorite. But I think that's the last
of the Tier one guy first for six thousand yards.
I think he tears him up. Yeah, I think I
take that. I think there's a good chance you're still there.
This is the long waiter. Let's see here. Now that's
a short one. Oh no, he got picked over. So

(42:09):
the top the top receivers available, Deebo, Samuel will Fuller,
DeVante Smith, Antonio Brown. That's our wide receiver too. That's
our wide receiver too. We have to take one, even
though that's not value to me. I don't. I don't
love debot here because I would lean. We've never taken

(42:29):
will Fuller. But I think he's good. He's also also suspended,
so you know going into it that he's gonna I don't.
He misses the time and I don't trust him to
stay healthy. That's our this is our number two. We
need a safe pick here at number two isn't and
needs somebody we both love. But Jarvis, Landry, Lavicius, Chenalt
Jarvis is to say Curtis, Samuel, Corey Davis, Corey, Here's

(42:54):
I heard this the other day day. Corey Davis was
on the field for ten snaps with the preseason. In
the preseason, he was targeted four times and ten snaps. Yeah,
he's there number one. Yeah, I think you take him here. Yeah.
It's gave him a lot of money and he's not
a bad player. No, he's not a bad player. They
didn't pay him to not use him. No. No, they'll

(43:15):
be losing a lot too. I don't love it, but
it's you know, Okay, we're back up again. Antonio Brown
still available. I feel much safer about taking Brown is
my number three. Yeah, I wouldn't mind grabbing another another
receiver the next big Oh yeah. I mean if this
is the route that you go, is what happens if
you go If you go three running backs early, you
gotta load up on on mid run. You gotta hope
you start runs or you know, and be ride receiver's fault,

(43:38):
which they did not. Laviska Chanlt Curtis, Samuel Michael Gallop.
Gallup is interesting here because we have Dak. Yeah, Gallup's good.
So those days that we have to play him, we
doubled down on their scores. An, yeah, I think you
take Gallup. I'm fine with that. I like Lavisco a
lot too, but I would take Gallup. We're cruising along here. Yeah,
we're up against it too. We are up against it here.

(44:00):
Um this top suggested player James Conner Tony Pollard. Do
we take Tony Pollard here? Because we've got I think
he's usable in a pinch with Zeke on a bye
week two and then I'd probably done it running back unforth.
He's done with Cowboys too. Yeah, we're probably Cowboy out
before him now right. Uh, let's take a tight back

(44:21):
up tight end here, Dallas Goddard's still available. Yea, yeah,
take that in a heartbeat. I would take some home
run flyers at receiver or a wattle or you know,
someone of that nature. The top suggested player for a
Sterling Shepherd Aguilar, Let Tavis Murray, Joe Burrow, No, no, no,
but Jalen reagor Nelson Aguilar, Rashod Bateman, Bateman. He's not

(44:44):
gonna start a season. Yeah, let's take a hang out
for a while, and we got a couple of picks
left here. But think he'll be their best receiver and
that injury hurts the Ravens a lot. Need a backup quarterback.
We'll take still there. Yeah, we'll just take him. Burrows.
Fine for moving on the round fourteen year real quick.

(45:07):
We're gonna take a defense and a kicker and that
should do it. Our top defense available. We're gonna take
the Patriots. I'm fine with it. I knew you would be. Yeah,
you love the Patriots. And then we will take our
kicker and that we'll do it for the draft in
our kickers got it in under the buzzer. Jason Sanders boom,
done finished. That's it. Our receivers are not great. We

(45:30):
gotta see. We got a seventy five out of a hundred.
But that's gonna do it. For today's show. He is
Matt Williamson. We want to thank you Matt Ford. Holding
tight here. You can can stay right here here listen
to uh to Matt and Wolf. We want to thank
Brian La Martine for also keeping us on the air
throughout the course of the show, and we want to
thank you for listening to this edition of The Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio.