September 5, 2025 • 46 mins
It's finally time for the regular season! Matt and Wes get into all of the biggest matchups ahead of Steelers-Jets.
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 (00:03):
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? And welcome to the
Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt Williamson and
West Shuler with you here for the next two hours.
Fired up, Matt, we.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Had almost Justin Miller with us again. That guy can't
get enough to drive, he misses us. Ready to kick
him out of here.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Old Drive producer Justin Miller, all excited to talk some
football with the fellas, comes running in here. I mean
quite literally, as our intro bed was playing, You're a
popular guy here around the iHeart Studios, Matt.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I have an't do with it. I was kicking him out.
I was the bouncer.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You are the bouncer, and you know what. This is
going to be a poor transition, but let's get right
into it. The bouncer of the Pittsburgh Steelers is Cam Heyward.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
So you're sticking in the locker room.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
You see what I did there? And good news, no
rest for Cam for a second consecutive day. Reminder for
everybody who might have missed it or just needs refreshed. Thursday,
Cam did not practice, but was clearly listed on the
injury report as a veteran's rest day. Right back today
for what is Friday, not as an intense of a practice,
can a lot of times be more of a walk
(01:38):
through if you will, sure, but Cam was back out
there practicing today after getting a rest day yesterday. Again,
we won't know until we know Sunday afternoon, but I
think that's a pretty good sign.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I think it's a great sign. And I'm almost certain
that he pretty much took every Thursday off last year period.
You know, I couldn't remember for a Wednesday or Thursday,
but at least once a week. He's a d MP basically,
So this isn't news. If there wasn't other stuff, you know,
no one would even bring it up. I mean, if
this was last year at this time, it would not
even be discussed, or if it was week twelve, it
(02:09):
wouldn't even be discussed. They absolutely need him. I mean
that goes out saying. I mean, he's a tremendous football player,
but in this game, in particular, when we start getting
into things that could go off the rails for the
Steelers or whatever, that's one of the areas I'm definitely
focusing on. But this is good news, I think. I mean,
I don't. I'm not avoiding it because we're on the
(02:31):
Steelers audio networks. I don't know what's going on behind
the scenes. I'm sure he wants more money. I think
he's got somewhat of a case. I think they say
he's got a contract he doesn't. Maybe he will get
more money. They have a chunk of cap space, they
could give him some now whatever. I honestly don't care
that much.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm with you as well too. All
that matters to me is his status for Sunday, and
I think all all good indicators in that regard, and
mattump into that, right, I think a kind of fun way.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Wait, any other injury news, I mean Herbig or did
the injury? Is there anything else of note? I didn't
see anything not worrisome.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Not not anything worrisome. I think her Big again too,
is going to be or We're just gonna have to
wait and see.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I would think he's a game time, game time.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Decision type on on Sunday. But other than that, right, A,
as Mike Tomlin put it earlier in the week, relatively
healthy group, which is certainly a good thing. And we
hope that we're we're singing the same tune next week. Sure, sure, Matt,
let's uh, let's get right into it. Like I Friday shows,
last shows before game days, right. I guess that that
(03:37):
fluctuates throughout the seed. You know, sometimes it's a Monday,
sometimes it's a Wednesday or a Thursday, depending on the
schedule and all those different things. But I kind of
like to go through a like how can they win?
How can they lose? For the Steelers, and as it
relates to their upcoming opponent, And I think this kind
of directly ties to Cam Hayward, to that defense, to
(03:57):
me for the Steelers, And I don't mean to start
out on the negative, but like I said, I think
it just kind of transitions nicely. How they can lose
is by letting the Jets run the football, control the clock,
keeping that Steelers defense on the field, keeping Aaron Rodgers
and company on the sideline. I if the Jets rush
for one hundred and twenty five yards or less, I
(04:19):
think the Steelers have a great chance to win this
game one hundred and thirty yards or less. Great chance
that number starts getting close to one forty one fifty,
God forbid even higher. I think that's the way that
the Steelers could find themselves on the losing end of
things Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So if we plan on doing this every week, which
I assume we will, I think we should need to
get it out of the way now. Like obviously you
could be like, well, if you turn the ball over
five times, or you get five kicks, you know, three kicks.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Absolutely, quarterback gets hurt on the second play.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
At the game, I'd say, injuries galore, or they take
a bazillion penalties, or you spit on the opposing quarterback before.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
He'll talk about we'll tell yeah today.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
But I'm with you. There's two big things that stand
out to me, and that's number one. And I like
the way you phrased it. And again, Cam Hayward, even
if he plays, I don't want him to play, you know,
start to finish, okay, And I think that's asking too much.
And I would kind of phrase it along the lines of,
(05:17):
if the Jets can still be dedicated to the run
game deep deep into this game, you could be in trouble.
I mean you that means you've suffered a lot of
body blows. You know, they're still swinging and doing their
style play and there's eight minutes left and it's a
close game, and four yard runs are turned into seven
(05:38):
yard runs and people got hands on their hips and
you're starting to look around like they're starting to the
tides are turning.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
You know. It's a very good point. I like the
way you phrase that. If Justin Fields doesn't have to
drop back and pass in the fourth quarter, right right,
that could be a game, that could be a way
that they could lose. Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I mean, if you get those guys to all right,
you're down fourteen and it's a drop back passing game,
and of course he'll run out of drop back, but
that's not what the Jets want to do at all.
I mean, that's playing left handed for them.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
That's that is kind of a great kind of way
to phrase it. If the Jets, with you know, into
the fourth quarter, are still able to run the ball,
still able to run the offense as they want to
patiently and methodically, that's probably lock like crazy take probably
not a great sign.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
For the Steelers. Yeah, then I think you're on the ropes.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
How the Steelers win, though, Matt another loss one, Yeah,
go ahead.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I said, there's two that are kind of standing out
to me.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Other than the obvious bunch of turnovers, a bunch of sacks,
bad special teams.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So I really think Sauce is going to spend a
lot of time on DK. I mean, maybe almost exclusively.
Now no one does one hundred percent anymore, you know,
but then they'll move them around. And I think I
like the K but I think he could easily lose
that match, you know, like if we do the tail
of tape when it's over, we might be like Sauce
was the enter, you know, and hopefully not by knockout.
(07:02):
Hopefully at least it's close and it goes twelve rounds
or whatever. Do I know that Austin and Wilson can
beat other guys? I don't know, you know, I mean,
if you've got to rely on them, ooh, I'm a
little concerned, you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Know, absolutely absolutely, and you know that kind of I
think parlays into the run game for the Steelers is
going to be a massive indicator for both teams, Like
whoever has the more successful rushing attack run game on
Sunday afternoon, it's going to have a phrase.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
It that way, And sorry, to like jump onto there,
but like the Jets could still be the better running
team as long as the Steelers isn't horrible, they can
be balanced, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know,
whoever runs the wall better wins. The Jets have to
be the team to run the ball better for them
to win. The Steelers don't. But it also can't be
(07:56):
two point nine yards. You know you're sitting there at
halftime twelve rushes forty yards like this isn't going anywhere.
You know, that would be a real bad sign.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
That would absolutely and.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
That could happen, Like I don't think that's a crazy
fictional novel that we're writing for that to happen. Quinn
Williams is blowing things up. Those linebackers are tackling everything.
There's no holes.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
I'm sure when we get to our matchup segments here
on the other side, actually you'll there will be plenty
of conversation around Quinn Williams. I think you know, another
indicator in this regard is going to be for the
Steelers that first quarter start that we talked about so
much yesterday.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I hate to see it.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
How do you win this game? Hm? You're up by four,
up by seven at the end of the first quarter,
and the Jets already have to start getting away from
their game plan. How do you lose this game? You're
down three, you're down four, you're down six at the
end of the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, if it's even seven to three at the at
the quarter and you're losing, and it's like they minutes
a possession or something, still a.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Ton of football left that point. But the Jets have
your right where they want you. If that's the case,
and then all of a sudden you kind of have
to start changing and altering your game plan a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I keep using these boxing analogies, but if that were
the case, it's like, all right, points to the Jets
in round one, points to the Jets in round two.
It's like, yeah, you can still knock them out. There's
still a lot of you know, you're not a bloody mess.
You don't look like Balboa against Creed yet, but that's
the way it's starting to go. And then, I mean,
we've talked about it all week, but I mean, the
(09:29):
first quarter thing's terrible, but it's particularly bad for a
team like the Jets or the Steelers in recent memory
that you can't just say, hey, Josh Allen, just take
it over. You know what I mean, We're just gonna
put everything into your basket. You got to play a
certain way.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
You absolutely do. And winning in the margins kind of
the final thing that you know that I that I
had to had to discuss here, if you will, both
of these teams, it was, as the tape is a
tale of two different teams. When it comes to their
special teams from last year, Steelers Chris Boswell made ninety
(10:03):
seven percent of his kicks I believe, second best in
the NFL, only behind McPherson from Tampa. It was the
only was the only one who was better left. The
only team that made a higher percentage of higher field
goals last year was Tampa, Whereas I believe the Jets
were dead last in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think exact they were like seventy one percent or something.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
A vast, vast difference between.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Those points for teams that don't score a ton of
points and what's expected to be the lowest point scoring
game of the week. You know, like this game is
not going to be forty to thirty eight.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I would be shocked. I would be shocked if we
see like what we saw last night in Philadelphia with
it was a seventeen fourteen. You know, in the second
quarter already anyone, no one was stopping anyone. Yeah, I
think this is going to be the opposite and in
those type of games, much like we saw from the
Steelers opener last year down in Atlanta where you scored
eighteen points all off the toe of Chris Boswell. Special
(10:54):
teams and particularly the kickers, feel like a way that
the Steelers get out of a stadium with the win. Yeh,
something that cost the Jets a lot last year. That
to me is kind of the final piece of this
opening week puzzle is who has the more net positive
special teams again, I think particularly the kicking game.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That's a great point. I'm glad you went down the
special teams road. Now I should know this and Dale
made fun of me all the time because I don't
know kickers and punters around the league. I think the
Jets have a new kicker this year. They do have
folk Okay if he back okay?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Who and he's okay? You know?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
He is also though a top five in terms of
accuracy in the NFL over the last two seasons.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Okay, I don't know what his strengths and weaknesses are,
but you would hope that they've addressed the kicker situation.
I knew they thought they had a new guy. And again,
this is a different coaching staff, so it's hard to
leave the sins of last year on this team. But
they were also the most penalized team in the league.
You know, you talk about hitting yardage miss field goals,
(11:54):
and you'll get sick of me saying this, and you've
heard me say before. Miss field goals are a turnover,
a turnover. They are a turnover, handing the ball often
at midfield to the opponent. What's the difference if you
fumbled the play before and they fall on it and penalized. Hey,
I mean that that hurt the Eagles bad last night.
A lot of penalties early in the season too, a
lot of sloppy play, and you know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's always one of those things Week one, Right, it's
just ball security and turnovers. How buttoned up are you?
I mean, quite often in week one at every level
of football match, I'm sure, yeah, certainly in the NFL,
but it's the same way in college. It's the same way.
If you're going out the Friday night lights in your
local community tonight.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
HM.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
At the end, at the beginning of the season, well,
everyone's trying to figure out how they're being coached, who
fits where, exactly what they're being asked to do. In
schematics and x'es and o's and all of that. It
can quite simply come down to who's more buttoned up,
who made the mistakes, who made the most mistakes, who
made the least mistakes, more likely to win? And I think.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Snaps or didn't fields have a few fumbled snaps here?
Speaker 2 (12:51):
He did? Yeh, there was the history. There was the issue. Well,
he was a turnover machine until those six games that
he played with the Steelers last one of the highest
turnover rates. There was the one uh of.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
A fumbling history correct and the Steelers the best team
the league get getting.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
The ball out correct. Yeah, there were other notes we
should have brought up early. There was the one shotgun
snap issue with him and Fraser last year in Indianapolis.
If you remember at the end of the game, there
was stuff I couldn't That's the one off the top
of my head that I remember in those in those
six games, and I'm not pinning that at all on
on fields certainly either there was clear a clear miscommunication
between him and Fraser there. But I'm sure that's one
(13:31):
of the things that Aaron Glenn the Jets have been,
you know, driving home with him. Of Hey, that those
six games that you played in Pittsburgh last year where
you really took care of the ball and it was
a much different story than your time in Chicago. That's
one thing that we need to carry over.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You want a lot you had much better winning percentage
when that happened then in your Bears days too, you know.
And obviously on the flip side, I'm sure Tomlin's saying
the exact same thing, like, Hey, I love Justin he
was here, but we could get we get the ball.
You know, we can force him into mistakes. I mean,
I wasn't easy reeling him, man, you.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Know, absolutely, huge. Absolutely, Let's get into some of those
specific matchups when we return on the other side. You know,
Matt's got all the breakdowns on these matchups, baby, a
little some five star matchups here on a Friday one.
That's what the Steelers like to say. You know, it's
a five star matchup because we're in it. Well, we'll
have a little five Star Friday for you when we
(14:23):
return on the other side, West Yeuler, Matt Williamson, It's
the Drive here on a Friday on Steelers Nation Radio
on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Because now I'm ready for some football. Williamson, little, Troy
Polamalu little Uh. I believe the second one is the
shay Townsend if I'm remembering correctly. Uh. It is always
a five star matchup when the Steelers are in it.
But man, Matt, and I don't know, Maybe I'm just
(15:22):
being hyperbolic because it's Week one and I'm so excited
to get back to it here, But it really does
feel like there's some some real meat on the bone
as it relates to individual matchups in this game.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I agree. I mean, say, we want about the Jets,
but they have some stars, you know, I mean, they
have some building blocks, some young guys. They just paid Wilson,
they's played Sauce Quinn Williams a big time player, you
know what I mean. Like they got some dudes. I mean,
the tackles are first round picks. That's kind of fun.
And so I think you could say that probably almost
any Jets game that there's some pretty cool matchups for
(15:54):
a lot of their games, you.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Know, absolutely some big names on both of these rosters
on both sides of the ball. You you mentioned Metcalf
and Sauce in our in our opening segment. There is
that kind of the the highlight. It might be the
headline that the headliner right on a it's a good
you know. I mean this is like Woodstock, like there's
some big acts on there.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
But is it's a real big and they both have
the size too. I mean like it's not like it's
then's a ward, you know, right?
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Is this is this the uh the Jimmy Hendrix of
the Woodstock lineup?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, maybe that's the last one that comes out. Yeah,
I think you could. Well we'll talk about the other
side the ball too, But if if it was a
year ago and the Steelers only had Porter, well you
could argue, is Porter versus Wilson or Metcalf versus Sauce
the better battle, you know what I mean? Where this one.
I don't know exactly how the Steelers will handle Wilson,
(16:46):
but they have more options the Jets with Sauce. So
I don't know if I've said this throughout the week.
I've been I'm on so many outlets, to be honest
with you. But the Lions, who this staff comes over from, Yes,
and the head coach was defense coordinator Detroit last year
for those that don't follow the Jets, and they were
the heaviest man coverage defense in the league. Where the
(17:08):
Jets during Sauce's career more zone heavy, a lot of
off coverage from him. You won't find a lot of
reps of Sauce mel Blunton on the you know, man
playing pressman, beating guys up at the line of scrimmage.
But he's still really good at it. He's long, he
could do everything, so they give him a huge contract
this staff and the Jets. Also, Reid was a really
(17:33):
good corner. He went to the Lions coincidentally, they would
left right it through Sauce's career, so he didn't even follow.
He was, you know, the right corner, left corner, whatever,
you know, and with a lot of off coverage, break
on the ball, attacked the ball in the air, really
really good at it. But I think they're playing on
using him taking it up a level, you know, and
the contract implies that. The Lions background implies that that.
(17:53):
I think it's like we're looking at you to deal
with the DK Metcalfs of the world.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You know, too many snaps as possible to do revis
type things.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I think. I mean, I don't think you'll right for sure,
but right all right, I mean, I think he's a
top three or four corner and he's a really really
good player and one of their best, one of the
best assets. So I mean, I'm not even certain DK
wins that battle, you know what I mean, Like I
said in the first segment, like that's going to be huge.
I'm not sure what Vegas odds are on that boxing
match right now.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
You know, you mentioned how you're on a bunch of
different outlets, and I'm not on quite as many as you,
but I I do some different things as well. I
was talking with our buddy Chad Tyson on DV on
DVE earlier and he asked me, how concerned are you
about the wide receiver two conversation that's been that's been lingering,
And I said more this week than I am in
some other weeks. I said, because what happens is Sauce
(18:45):
clearly wins that matchup against DK.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
That's a great point. And again it's like, Okay, well,
I don't need Roman Wilson to have or Austin for
that matter, to combine for fourteen for one forty, but
I need you to make some plays. I mean there's
a third downs I got to go your way or whatever.
Secondary honest, absolutely, or hey, I would think that you're
gonna get a lot of man coverage as well. Are
(19:10):
you big and physical enough to deal with it? And
they they I mentioned their second corner that they lost
read to the Lions, big money free agent guy, and
they went out and they signed Brandon Stevens from the Ravens.
So someone that the Steelers know well. He's a big,
physical guy. I don't think he's a particularly good player,
but he's played a lot of man He's got a
(19:32):
lot of ability, and his issue is he doesn't play
the ball or find the ball well in the air,
you know, so he gets beat a lot. But the
first nine tenths of the route are pretty good and
at the end it's like, yeah, I bet he's super
frustrating for coaches and sometimes guys never get that, you know,
finding the ball in the air is tough and getting
your head around and having eyes, especially playing man, you know,
(19:55):
but he is going to be bigger and more physical
than Wilson and Austin.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And that can it's a little frightening, that can quite
often be the advantage that you need. Yeah, yeah, and
those type of matchups that that I think is is
certainly a headliner, certainly a great place to start. I also, man,
though I know that quickly, if we're going to stick
with the Steelers offense, I'm sure Quinn Williams's against the
stud against the interior of that Steelers offensive line is
(20:22):
a big Whoever wins, that is going to be a
big indicator to how things play out on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Again, this was not the same staff as last year,
so you don't know exactly usage what their plans are.
They don't tell us, you know, But he's mostly a
three technique. I mean, he's going to line up a
lot on an outside shoulder of a guard, but I
would bet that they move him from the outside shoulder
(20:47):
of the left guard to the right outside shoulder of
the right guard and everywhere in between, you know. So
he's I think he's right there with Cam Hayward is
one of the best five defensive tackles in the league
and can be easy to forget about him in those
conversations because the team does win any games. But the
Jets defense have been pretty darn good for a while,
(21:07):
and he's the straw sort of drink.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I he's one of those guys to me that you know,
he's not on national TV very often. Right, I know
he plays in a big market, but he doesn't play
for the Giant. He doesn't play for the Giants, right,
because even the Giants defensive line, those guys get a
lot more credit than he does, despite being a team
that has not been very good the last few years
as well. Too. It's a very early test for those
(21:35):
three guys on the interior. Oh yeah, if you can
perform against this guy, I like, what you're gonna do
for the next sixteen games. Yeah, that's not to say
that if if Quinn Williams gets the best of that Steelers,
that means that they're going to be a disaster for
sixteen games either. But this is like, I mean, this
is a that's a guy you double and right, this
is not you know, this is not uh, you know
(21:56):
Ohio State opening with Akron Week one, like this is
Ohio State and Texas. I mean, yeah, this is a
this is a big test right out of the shoot.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
And the other d tackles aren't exactly household names. But
they did just trade for Phillips from the Vikes, who's
a veteran power interior player that's tough to move. You know,
he'll complement Williams pretty well. And their edge guys are
pretty good pass rushers too. Their defensive front is not bad,
including their second level dudes who run real well too.
(22:25):
Williams brother. You know, they make a lot of plays too,
So this defense isn't bad.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
No, they're not. And I mean, in fact, if you're
listing the things that they did well last year, it's
not a huge list, but you might start. You would
probably start with that defense. Yeah yeah, and you know
you bring it in Aaron Glenn. It is obviously game one,
so you hope that you're getting them at the right
time where there's still some kinks and some rush to
work out, but bringing in a defensive mind as well too.
(22:52):
You know, I think by the end of the year
they could certainly be a top ten defense. I don't
think that's crazy in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I don't know if he's calling plays or not. I
bet he's not as a new head coach, but his influence,
he was a very good play caller, varied things. I
mean that you don't know exactly what you're getting from
his lion's days, you know.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
And I would I would expect that to continue.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
And the Steelers have a lot of new bodies on offense.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Certainly certainly got some rust and some kinks to work
out as well. Particularly, I think how they're going to
use those three tight ends, the different skill sets, the
different body types. What's it looked like in twelve personnel?
What's it looked like in thirteen personnel? Heck, what's it
even looked like an eleven personnel? When when there's only
going to be one tight end out there? And how
(23:36):
the Jets go about deploying their defense base versus Nickel
versus what's it look like if it's Mouth and John
Wu what's it look like if it's Washington and Mouth
and et cetera. That to me is a real kind
of chess matchup to watch as well too.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
In one thousand percent and that one, I'm kind of
looking at with kind of a precursor of maybe these
next sixteen games after that, what does the league do
against thirteen? Now, the Jets could be an outlier and
they might do something crazy like play dime or whatever,
you know, because of the way that they look at it.
Who knows. But I am real curious of specifically those
(24:13):
snaps when all three tight ends are on the field.
It wouldn't shop me if you get Based, wouldn't shock
me if you get Nickel. Like the league has changed
a little bit in that it used to be when
you come out in twelve one back, two tight ends,
two receivers, you would almost always get Bass. Twenty one
or twelve almost was always base. But the league as
(24:36):
a whole, this is a very generic statement. It depends
who you have is now countering twelve much much more
with Nickel because a lot of these tight ends aren't
very good. They're more John New than they are Darnell,
you know what I mean. Yes, so I'm gonna have
lighter linebackers. I'm gonna put an extra safety on the field.
Maybe I'll guard the John News of the world or
Kelsey's of the world with a Ramsey type, you know,
(24:59):
or a big, big safety or something like that as
opposed to being real heavy. But thirteen is a different world,
you know, Like, I don't think there's a blueprint for
we're going to get a heavy dosage of thirteen. I
always bring up the Ravens. The Ravens don't run much thirteen,
But the Ravens throw crazy stuff at you. I mean,
they're the number one twelve personnel team in the league.
(25:21):
But what's twelve with Recard or twenty two with Ricard?
And oh, by the way, your back's two and fifty
pounds going to the Hall of Fame too, you and
your quarterback is the best runner in the league two.
You know, like, do we play nickel against this? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Right, right, right, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
I'm just going to pay attention to how the league
responds to thirteen because the players are so different too.
To your point, all three of these tight ends are
really different on the purpose.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
That's what makes it. And again, I know we talked
about this earlier in the week. My kind of hope
for that being the Steelers' matchup nightmare, you know, their
matchup card.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
It could be their their ACEP the sleeve.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
You just alluded to what that is for Baltimore. We
all know for Cincinnati it's Burrow and Chase and t
and how they can just sling that thing all over
the field. I hope the Steelers kind of match up.
Nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators is how they gonna use
those tight ends, how they're gonna deploy them, and what
are we gonna look like when when it's it's such
and such on the field, so and so on the field.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
So I'm sure most of our listeners are going to
watch Bill's Ravens on Sunday night. I better you're out
of your mind if you don't.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
And racing. I'm racing home from the flight from the
MetLife to catch the start of it.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So like Alan and Lamar are the headliners. Of course
they may go down as all time greates. I think
there they blow me away. But you'll see if you
pay attention to this game, Buffalo is gonna come out
with a six offensive lineman a lot. The Ravens are
gonna come out with a lot not many wide receivers.
Just put it that way. You know it's gonna be Lamar, Henry, Ricard, Kohle,
(26:50):
Lar Likely Andrews. You might just have Zay Flowers out
there as the only receiver, Like, no one uses one
receiver less than the Ravens. And these are like to
the best offense in the league last year, if not
the best too, you know. And there's different ways to
do a.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Lot of ways to skin that cat. Yeah, yeah, And
you know that's what makes the intriguing from a defensive
coordinator perspective. There's no easy way. There's no perfect way
to go about defending all this. If there was, everybody
would run that scheme. Everybody would do it that way.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
And the other thing that's great about it too is
I say this every year, but especially once we gin
in the week. Week ones a little bit different. But
when you only have seven days to prepare, it really
isn't seven days for one thing. It's really only a
couple of practices, and it's just not as long of
a prep week as you usually it's a lot of
(27:38):
people think, you know, right, for man, we need a
lot of practice time against thirteen personnel all week long
trying to figure this stuff out, even if you only
get it twelve percent of the time, you know what
I mean, Mm.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Hmm, yeah, I I that's one of the things that
there there is less time in the week, certainly than
people realize.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Definitely less time on the grass with helmets on than
you think.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Especially once you get past week one and the schedules
start to change and Thursday night football and Monday night
football and travel and all those different things. Last one
from a Steelers offensive perspective to focus on with you, Matt,
how about this Steelers run game, the running backs in
particular Jalen Warren against you know, Williams and Sheerwood and
these off ball linebackers of the Jets.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Yeah, they they just are smaller, very active, good in coverage,
free flowing linebackers that make a lot of plays. And
the coverage stuff's important. You know. Quentin Williams brother, Quentin
Williams is a really really underrated player. It gets overshadowed
by his brother. But I just am thinking of all
(28:45):
the stretch outside zone stuff that the Steelers is just
an Arthur Smith staple. You're not gonna beat those guys
at the edge very often, you know, and you're gonna
have to get some big bodies, whether it's Washington, no
lineman covering those guys up downfield a little bit because
they can make a lot of plays.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Who there's a lot, There's a lot, and that's just
the Steelers offensive side of the football. Yeah, let's take
a break here and spend the block to the other side.
That worked for you, absolutely, but I want to continue
talking some matchups with you. We'll focus on him from
a Steelers defensive perspective when we return on the other side.
To close down the first hour of the drive, West
s Hueler and Matt Williamson with you here on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your teams.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
About drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Back on the drive here as we are taking a
look at some matt between the Stellers and the Jets,
some five star matchups that are going to determine the
outcome of this one of course, Sunday one o'clock at
MetLife Stadium, matt our last segment there, we focused on
it more from a Steelers offensive perspective. If we spin
that block, if we go to the other side of
(30:18):
the football, where's the what's the headliner matchup for you
on the Steelers defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
I think there's a couple for sure, I mean, first
of all, just Tomlin Verse Fields, you know, like the
familiarity and all that. I mean, let's we'll break them
all down individually. But two really promising first round tackles
Verse welcome to the NFL. TJ and high Smith and
maybe her Big is a big one. God Speak is
(30:46):
a big one. And the other one, I think to
me is is Wilson Verse. What do they do with Wilson.
There's a lot of options I want to dig into.
We can even start there if you want.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah, let's do it. Let's get right into it.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Okay. So I would be shocked again new coaching staff
if we see a lot of three receiver sets from
the Jets, and they used a lot last year, but
that was Lizard and Adam and Will were talented, Rogers
was your quarterback. It wasn't fields. They couldn't be any
more different. So they did not use a lot of
(31:17):
multiple tight end stuff in New York last year. But
it's a whole new staff. Here's the second round pick
on a tight end. Who's promising. I mean Jason Taylor's kid,
willand Hills Jason Taylor. So I think you're also gonna
want to help those tackles. I think you're gonna get
bigger personnel than what the Jets played with last year.
Where I'm going with this is, I think the Steelers
(31:38):
will be in their base defense with four defensive backs
more than usual as a result, you know, because they
want to run the ball. I think you want to
be heavier, you want to nose tackle on the field
as opposed to an extra defensive back. Now, when they
made the Ramsey trade, I was kind of uncertain who
(31:58):
are their four defensive back gonna be, And it sure
seems like Thornhill won't be one of them. Ramsey will
be the free Elliott, It'll be the strong Porter and
Sleigh on the outside cool. I think that's your best
four guys. I'm a Thornhill fan, but those are your
best four football players certainly, and Ramsey can do it.
It's one of the beauties of them. However, I also
(32:21):
thought back then, when the deal happened, maybe you might
tell Slay we love you, but you're up in age
and we want you for twenty games. In those instances,
what if we gave you, took a little off your plate,
you know what I mean, put Ramsey on the outside
Thornhill at free. So I thought, those are the two options.
(32:41):
You know, of what four group of four defensive backs
could you put out there? To me, those are the
only two options that makes any sense. And I one
hundred percent believe them that Ramsey's never leaving the field.
So he's either gonna be the outside corner, he's gonna
be the free in four dB sets. Now, Tomlin like,
I didn't night show with Mike Pursuda last night, and
(33:02):
he reminded me he's, like Tomlin said, if someone's following
around to number one, it's Jalen, you know, like I
love you there, I love you Joey. But this is
the alpha. This is mel Blunt, this is Woodson, this
is our dude. And you definitely got that impression of Camp.
I mean, like he carries a lot of weight and
there's only one guy to follow, So would it be Jalen?
Speaker 2 (33:26):
How does that look if if they're in base?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Yeah, do you want your best guy in deep middle?
Or is it the second scenario that I laid out there?
Or do you just trust the three of them and
say we're not going to follow him with one? We
like all of these guys. If it was a year ago.
I think Porter would follow them. It's not like this
is crazy talk. Slay's done it a ton in his career.
I know he's not as good a player now as
he was on his best day, but he's done it
(33:53):
a lot, and so maybe you just don't tip your
hand and wherever he lines up, we go that way
and Ramsey leans his direction over the top, you know
what I mean. So I think that's really interesting. Is
a lot of options?
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Is that how you would go about about it? Because
I think you're right. I think that there is a
chance to win. The regular season's over and we have
those seventeen data points. This might be the game where
we see the highest percentage of bass from the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Yeah, very well.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Could Baltimore outside of the division. This feels like Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
The league in rushing attempts is here New York.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
They certainly could.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I bet they want to.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
They certainly could. So I think we'll see a lot
of bas against Bufalo. I think we'll see a lot
of bass against Detroit. Yeah, but this could be the
most that we see. So what's what's that look like
with how you would want to deploy Jalen Ramsey specifically, I.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Think how I would do it. First of all, I
meant to say, it's just a second ago. If whatever
you're doing is not working through two quarters, we'll do
something else, you know.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
And as we talked about yesterday, we went through Matt stats,
that's one thing they did very well last year. Yeah,
best third quarter point differential in the league.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Yeah. Right, that means when storing the game or good.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Whatever they were doing for those fifteen to twenty minutes during
halftime was working.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Yeah, that's a great point, you know. And even in game,
boy Wilson's tearing us up. We gotta you can't let
him tear you up. I don't care what happens. But
yes he'll get some catches. But like I don't want
to start DK Metcalf or Garrett Wilson in fantasy this week.
I think both of them I think are in for
long days. To be very honest with you, how I
would handle it for this game, Because most games I
(35:29):
think I would have Thornhill as the guy on the
sidelines with four just because I don't think he's as
good at football as Slay. But in this game, I
would sit Sleigh. And here's the reason. Because I do
think it's the first game that Ramsey's ever put a
Steeler helmet on for real, you know. And I think
it sends a message to everyone that you're gonna follow
(35:51):
Wilson Jalen And also Thornhill's better against the run, as
almost every safety is than Sleigh is, you know, like
if so, you know they're going to run the ball
a ton. If one of them has to get fields
down or breeze haul down twenty yards downfield, I trust
the safety to do it more than the corner, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Yes, that makes a ton of sense. And that is
from aside from the obvious storylines of Aaron Rodgers against
his old team, justin fields against his old team, new
coach for the Jets, Like, there is a ton in
this game. But that I think is the thing most
intrigued to see is how they're going to deploy that
secondary all year, but particularly against a Jets team that
(36:32):
so clearly wants to run the ball, run the ball,
run the ball right, and so clearly has one receiver
that can hurt you.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yes, and I also think Ramsey's probably certainly better against
the run than Slay as an outside corner. People don't
think about corners in against the run. That's a huge
theme now. I mean, like that's why the Mike Hilton's
of the world are going away, because they just run
Dereck Henry Adam over and over, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Rightly, right, exactly right, all right? Talk to me about
Theer's edge rushers against those young bookend tackles for the Jets.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I think everyone knows what the edge rushers are all about.
I mean, and I don't think Watt's gonna move around much.
Maybe he does a little, but it's two snaps of game.
I mean, I think he's gonna get Membo. And for Shawn,
who's gonna get high Smith. Hopefully you mix in a
lot of herbig on throwing downs and maybe a little
bit of Sawyer on you know, heavy situations, you know.
(37:30):
But my I really like both these tackles. That's where
I want to stress it because I think everyone knows
who these Steeler guys are at this point. Membo was
my favorite offensive lineman in this draft when the Browns
and I was like, take an extra minute to throw
an arrow at the Browns. But when they made a time,
when they made the Travis Hunter trade. I thought, that's smart,
(37:54):
they can go build an offensive They had all these
picks and I killed them after the draft because they
drafted zero offensive line. But I would have drafted Membo,
not Mason Grant. That would have been my start. You know,
Like when the Browns were good is when their line
was good, you know, right know those guards and I
mean they were a good physical group up front. So
Membo I adore. But he's also a little bit more
(38:16):
of a boxier, get off the ball, blow your face
off guy, then light on his feet, dancing bear protection dude.
You know, sure for Shawn, who's more that dude. But
he's a little bit short armed, which is like at
this time last this would be two years ago. This
time two years ago, if you would look at like
(38:36):
draft lists, people talked about him like he could compete
for being the first overall pick, like this is a
special offensive tackle at Penn State. And I'm sure a
lot of Penn State fans remember him.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
People were shocked when he came back for his senior
year at Penn State. Shockly right, like he's gonna be
a top five pick.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
He's a no brainer, and his tape's awesome, But he
had a real rough day. I think it was against Sawyer.
Actually he had a really a bad day against Ohio State.
And he goes to combine and his arms are a
little short. I mean, I think he's gonna be a
really good left tackle. But that's basically his scouter report too.
He's a little bit more of a protection guy. Membo
is a little bit more of a masher. I think
(39:11):
that's a great place to start to rebuild your team.
But the Steelers guys are better, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Yes, they're more proven. They are. They've got a lot
of All Pros and Pro Bowls between them. Yeah, but
those are I mean those are those are high pedigree
guys that were drafted even higher than Rodger Jones and
Troy Faltonhute right right right that this is a real
test for them out of the gate. And you know,
we talked about those talked about those sack numbers and
(39:40):
how we want to see that rise for the Steelers
this season. I think this is a good place to start. Yeah,
against the guy like fields that will hold it a
little bit too long and against some you know, some wet,
critical tackles.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
Yeah, I mean, if this was a Jets keys. Ball's
got to come out Justin and if it doesn't, I know,
he's elusive and he's not easy to get on the ground,
but they'll get to him. Let's talk. You're a tucker.
Not being there doesn't help either. It hurts. It hurts
a big, big blow to what they want to do.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Let's talk about justin fields.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
Now.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
You said at the start of this segment, which I
thought was was funny, but it was very motes like
it reminded me of something he would have done justin
fields versus Mike Tomlin and Tarrell Austin. Yeah, yeah, you know,
and like he loved to throw those kind of matchups
in there, not necessarily guys that are on the field
against each other, players and coaches. And how how they
go about attacking him and trying to confuse him.
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Yeah, and we'll see what they do. They might take
the Lamar mush rush, keep him in the pocket. We
don't get sacks, so be it. But we just want
him sitting there patting the ball, and maybe they'll take
that approach. Now, one thing that I pursued and I
were talking about last night too, is I don't think
Steeler fans know unless you watched him with the Bears,
(40:52):
how good of a runner he really is. Rarely did
they feature him that way or rarely did he even
get an opportunity to really open it up because he
can fly and as one of the best running quarterbacks
I've ever lived, to be honest with you, and I
don't think the Jets are going to hesitate one bit.
I mean yard rush seasons right, So obviously he presents
a lot of problems on the ground, but through the
(41:13):
air he has a big arm, but he is very
much a see it and throw it guy. You know,
he's him and Rogers couldn't be any more different in
terms of anticipation, and his super high time to throw
is twofold thing. First of all, he's going to have
some of the Lamar snaps where it's five seconds because
(41:34):
he runs around and it's you know, he's making plays
behind the line of scrimmage. People can't get him on
the ground. But more than anything, even if he had
bad feet, he'd be a high time to throw guy
because he wait, wait, see it, throw it, you know,
And that's tough way to live in Ohio state. You
can do that when first round picks are blocking for
you and you're throwing to Marvin and JSN or whatever
(41:57):
or superstar recruit. You can do that because you get
the biggest arm in Georgia, you know what I mean.
It's tough to pull it off here.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
You know, it certainly is against a group and a
coaching staff that's familiar with you and what you do
and your strengths and your weaknesses. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Yeah, and they know he doesn't like going to you know,
stuff we would never even think of. He really doesn't
like rolling to his left or you know, like I
always think about when they used to play Mayfield twice
a year. Mayfield had a terrible habit of anything went bad,
he rolled right and TJ would just sit there and
be like, I know he's coming. Sam's cause the problems
over the same issue, right right, right right. You know
(42:34):
Cam's causing problems over there. I don't have to rush
up Field. He's gonna come to me. Boom done. You know, Like,
you learn these guys pretty good.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
And they that one. I think it was the last
time Baker Mayfield played against the Steelers at hines Field
and Cam Hayward. I mean he had one of those
remember me, hits I don't know if you remember that,
but he about broke Baker Mayfield in half. Like I
almost felt bad for Baker Mayfield how much he got
just planted into the turf at Akerscher Stadium. And yeah,
(43:02):
that's that's a that's a good way to kind of
lay it out there. And some of those little things,
those little nuanced right that you know about a quarterback
that you spent a year with.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
And of course you'll ask Arthur Smith and the quarterback
coach and all the what'd you guys work on? I
mean not that they would Tom that wouldn't know, but you.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
Know, yeah, one hundred last one here, Matt is. Obviously,
the run defenses is critical for the Steelers. Those defensive
linemen Camp Paig, were, Keanu Benton, why a Black, you know,
guys like Logan Lee and Aqualley, they're in louder Milk.
They're going to feature into this equation as well too,
against a talented obviously justin fields as we just talked,
but a talented tandem of running backs.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
Yeah. I'm a big Breasseehall fan. And it sounds like
his percentage touches and role and role is going to
decrease a little bit because because they're a big committee group,
they seem to love Allen. I don't, but I see
what they like about him. He's remarkably young. I mean,
he came in the league like younger than Juju did.
And he's a linebacker turned running back at Wisconsin. And
(44:01):
he's big and he's fast and that's a good combination.
But I don't think he's got great vision and I
don't think he's a great all around back. But they
like him. He's big and fast. So they're all three
of those guys, including fields, are going to carry the
ball a lot, you know, I mean by design, and
this time of year, fatigue always worries you. I mean
for all thirty two teams, totally. Tackling always worries you
(44:24):
run fits, things like that, just physical nature of playing
defense that you didn't do hit Latrobe or very little
in the preseason. And it's a tiny sample size, but
that little that the ones played in Carolina, they didn't
tackle very well. Yeah they didn't.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
They did not that's a that's a good point actually.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
And these guys will take it the house. These aren't
nausea that if you miss a tackle he ends up
with eight yards it could be seen later.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent that I mean that
is I think the biggest game within the game is,
you know, the Steelers limiting the Jets run rushing attack
and making them one dimensional and then letting all those
all those justin fields things that we talked about bubble
up to the surface.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Last thing on that again, it's a Lions offensive staff
too that they stole from Detroit. Now, I don't know
what you can take out of that film though, because
golf is not a runner, you know what I mean,
Like they're gonna but they did a very diverse run scheme.
They don't just run two or three run plays over
and over. They throw a lot at you. And that
was without a running quarterback. So what kind of run
(45:29):
plays you're gonna see? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
Some very interesting wrinkles, I think, say the least hour
in the books another hour to go, we'll get into
all kinds of NFL pick them Steelers predictions and picks.
On the other side, we do have to talk a
little bit about I don't know, is it spitgate they
is there a name for last night now as well?
Speaker 3 (45:48):
I heard them calling them cde Lamb drops instead of
lamb chops.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
That's tough. That's tough. We got a game tonight, all
kinds of games this weekend to get into, plenty to
get to. In our number two West Wheeler and Matt Williamson,
it is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network
You were tuned about Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? And welcome to the
Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt Williamson and
West Shuler with you here for the next two hours.
Fired up, Matt, we.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Had almost Justin Miller with us again. That guy can't
get enough to drive, he misses us. Ready to kick
him out of here.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Old Drive producer Justin Miller, all excited to talk some
football with the fellas, comes running in here. I mean
quite literally, as our intro bed was playing, You're a
popular guy here around the iHeart Studios, Matt.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I have an't do with it. I was kicking him out.
I was the bouncer.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You are the bouncer, and you know what. This is
going to be a poor transition, but let's get right
into it. The bouncer of the Pittsburgh Steelers is Cam Heyward.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
So you're sticking in the locker room.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
You see what I did there? And good news, no
rest for Cam for a second consecutive day. Reminder for
everybody who might have missed it or just needs refreshed. Thursday,
Cam did not practice, but was clearly listed on the
injury report as a veteran's rest day. Right back today
for what is Friday, not as an intense of a practice,
can a lot of times be more of a walk
(01:38):
through if you will, sure, but Cam was back out
there practicing today after getting a rest day yesterday. Again,
we won't know until we know Sunday afternoon, but I
think that's a pretty good sign.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I think it's a great sign. And I'm almost certain
that he pretty much took every Thursday off last year period.
You know, I couldn't remember for a Wednesday or Thursday,
but at least once a week. He's a d MP basically,
So this isn't news. If there wasn't other stuff, you know,
no one would even bring it up. I mean, if
this was last year at this time, it would not
even be discussed, or if it was week twelve, it
(02:09):
wouldn't even be discussed. They absolutely need him. I mean
that goes out saying. I mean, he's a tremendous football player,
but in this game, in particular, when we start getting
into things that could go off the rails for the
Steelers or whatever, that's one of the areas I'm definitely
focusing on. But this is good news, I think. I mean,
I don't. I'm not avoiding it because we're on the
(02:31):
Steelers audio networks. I don't know what's going on behind
the scenes. I'm sure he wants more money. I think
he's got somewhat of a case. I think they say
he's got a contract he doesn't. Maybe he will get
more money. They have a chunk of cap space, they
could give him some now whatever. I honestly don't care
that much.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm with you as well too. All
that matters to me is his status for Sunday, and
I think all all good indicators in that regard, and
mattump into that, right, I think a kind of fun way.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Wait, any other injury news, I mean Herbig or did
the injury? Is there anything else of note? I didn't
see anything not worrisome.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Not not anything worrisome. I think her Big again too,
is going to be or We're just gonna have to
wait and see.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I would think he's a game time, game time.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Decision type on on Sunday. But other than that, right, A,
as Mike Tomlin put it earlier in the week, relatively
healthy group, which is certainly a good thing. And we
hope that we're we're singing the same tune next week. Sure, sure, Matt,
let's uh, let's get right into it. Like I Friday shows,
last shows before game days, right. I guess that that
(03:37):
fluctuates throughout the seed. You know, sometimes it's a Monday,
sometimes it's a Wednesday or a Thursday, depending on the
schedule and all those different things. But I kind of
like to go through a like how can they win?
How can they lose? For the Steelers, and as it
relates to their upcoming opponent, And I think this kind
of directly ties to Cam Hayward, to that defense, to
(03:57):
me for the Steelers, And I don't mean to start
out on the negative, but like I said, I think
it just kind of transitions nicely. How they can lose
is by letting the Jets run the football, control the clock,
keeping that Steelers defense on the field, keeping Aaron Rodgers
and company on the sideline. I if the Jets rush
for one hundred and twenty five yards or less, I
(04:19):
think the Steelers have a great chance to win this
game one hundred and thirty yards or less. Great chance
that number starts getting close to one forty one fifty,
God forbid even higher. I think that's the way that
the Steelers could find themselves on the losing end of
things Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So if we plan on doing this every week, which
I assume we will, I think we should need to
get it out of the way now. Like obviously you
could be like, well, if you turn the ball over
five times, or you get five kicks, you know, three kicks.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Absolutely, quarterback gets hurt on the second play.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
At the game, I'd say, injuries galore, or they take
a bazillion penalties, or you spit on the opposing quarterback before.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
He'll talk about we'll tell yeah today.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
But I'm with you. There's two big things that stand
out to me, and that's number one. And I like
the way you phrased it. And again, Cam Hayward, even
if he plays, I don't want him to play, you know,
start to finish, okay, And I think that's asking too much.
And I would kind of phrase it along the lines of,
(05:17):
if the Jets can still be dedicated to the run
game deep deep into this game, you could be in trouble.
I mean you that means you've suffered a lot of
body blows. You know, they're still swinging and doing their
style play and there's eight minutes left and it's a
close game, and four yard runs are turned into seven
(05:38):
yard runs and people got hands on their hips and
you're starting to look around like they're starting to the
tides are turning.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
You know. It's a very good point. I like the
way you phrase that. If Justin Fields doesn't have to
drop back and pass in the fourth quarter, right right,
that could be a game, that could be a way
that they could lose. Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I mean, if you get those guys to all right,
you're down fourteen and it's a drop back passing game,
and of course he'll run out of drop back, but
that's not what the Jets want to do at all.
I mean, that's playing left handed for them.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
That's that is kind of a great kind of way
to phrase it. If the Jets, with you know, into
the fourth quarter, are still able to run the ball,
still able to run the offense as they want to
patiently and methodically, that's probably lock like crazy take probably
not a great sign.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
For the Steelers. Yeah, then I think you're on the ropes.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
How the Steelers win, though, Matt another loss one, Yeah,
go ahead.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I said, there's two that are kind of standing out
to me.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Other than the obvious bunch of turnovers, a bunch of sacks,
bad special teams.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So I really think Sauce is going to spend a
lot of time on DK. I mean, maybe almost exclusively.
Now no one does one hundred percent anymore, you know,
but then they'll move them around. And I think I
like the K but I think he could easily lose
that match, you know, like if we do the tail
of tape when it's over, we might be like Sauce
was the enter, you know, and hopefully not by knockout.
(07:02):
Hopefully at least it's close and it goes twelve rounds
or whatever. Do I know that Austin and Wilson can
beat other guys? I don't know, you know, I mean,
if you've got to rely on them, ooh, I'm a
little concerned, you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Know, absolutely absolutely, and you know that kind of I
think parlays into the run game for the Steelers is
going to be a massive indicator for both teams, Like
whoever has the more successful rushing attack run game on
Sunday afternoon, it's going to have a phrase.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
It that way, And sorry, to like jump onto there,
but like the Jets could still be the better running
team as long as the Steelers isn't horrible, they can
be balanced, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know,
whoever runs the wall better wins. The Jets have to
be the team to run the ball better for them
to win. The Steelers don't. But it also can't be
(07:56):
two point nine yards. You know you're sitting there at
halftime twelve rushes forty yards like this isn't going anywhere.
You know, that would be a real bad sign.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
That would absolutely and.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
That could happen, Like I don't think that's a crazy
fictional novel that we're writing for that to happen. Quinn
Williams is blowing things up. Those linebackers are tackling everything.
There's no holes.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
I'm sure when we get to our matchup segments here
on the other side, actually you'll there will be plenty
of conversation around Quinn Williams. I think you know, another
indicator in this regard is going to be for the
Steelers that first quarter start that we talked about so
much yesterday.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I hate to see it.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
How do you win this game? Hm? You're up by four,
up by seven at the end of the first quarter,
and the Jets already have to start getting away from
their game plan. How do you lose this game? You're
down three, you're down four, you're down six at the
end of the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, if it's even seven to three at the at
the quarter and you're losing, and it's like they minutes
a possession or something, still a.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Ton of football left that point. But the Jets have
your right where they want you. If that's the case,
and then all of a sudden you kind of have
to start changing and altering your game plan a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I keep using these boxing analogies, but if that were
the case, it's like, all right, points to the Jets
in round one, points to the Jets in round two.
It's like, yeah, you can still knock them out. There's
still a lot of you know, you're not a bloody mess.
You don't look like Balboa against Creed yet, but that's
the way it's starting to go. And then, I mean,
we've talked about it all week, but I mean, the
(09:29):
first quarter thing's terrible, but it's particularly bad for a
team like the Jets or the Steelers in recent memory
that you can't just say, hey, Josh Allen, just take
it over. You know what I mean, We're just gonna
put everything into your basket. You got to play a
certain way.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
You absolutely do. And winning in the margins kind of
the final thing that you know that I that I
had to had to discuss here, if you will, both
of these teams, it was, as the tape is a
tale of two different teams. When it comes to their
special teams from last year, Steelers Chris Boswell made ninety
(10:03):
seven percent of his kicks I believe, second best in
the NFL, only behind McPherson from Tampa. It was the
only was the only one who was better left. The
only team that made a higher percentage of higher field
goals last year was Tampa, Whereas I believe the Jets
were dead last in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think exact they were like seventy one percent or something.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
A vast, vast difference between.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Those points for teams that don't score a ton of
points and what's expected to be the lowest point scoring
game of the week. You know, like this game is
not going to be forty to thirty eight.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I would be shocked. I would be shocked if we
see like what we saw last night in Philadelphia with
it was a seventeen fourteen. You know, in the second
quarter already anyone, no one was stopping anyone. Yeah, I
think this is going to be the opposite and in
those type of games, much like we saw from the
Steelers opener last year down in Atlanta where you scored
eighteen points all off the toe of Chris Boswell. Special
(10:54):
teams and particularly the kickers, feel like a way that
the Steelers get out of a stadium with the win. Yeh,
something that cost the Jets a lot last year. That
to me is kind of the final piece of this
opening week puzzle is who has the more net positive
special teams again, I think particularly the kicking game.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That's a great point. I'm glad you went down the
special teams road. Now I should know this and Dale
made fun of me all the time because I don't
know kickers and punters around the league. I think the
Jets have a new kicker this year. They do have
folk Okay if he back okay?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Who and he's okay? You know?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
He is also though a top five in terms of
accuracy in the NFL over the last two seasons.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Okay, I don't know what his strengths and weaknesses are,
but you would hope that they've addressed the kicker situation.
I knew they thought they had a new guy. And again,
this is a different coaching staff, so it's hard to
leave the sins of last year on this team. But
they were also the most penalized team in the league.
You know, you talk about hitting yardage miss field goals,
(11:54):
and you'll get sick of me saying this, and you've
heard me say before. Miss field goals are a turnover,
a turnover. They are a turnover, handing the ball often
at midfield to the opponent. What's the difference if you
fumbled the play before and they fall on it and penalized. Hey,
I mean that that hurt the Eagles bad last night.
A lot of penalties early in the season too, a
lot of sloppy play, and you know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's always one of those things Week one, Right, it's
just ball security and turnovers. How buttoned up are you?
I mean, quite often in week one at every level
of football match, I'm sure, yeah, certainly in the NFL,
but it's the same way in college. It's the same way.
If you're going out the Friday night lights in your
local community tonight.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
HM.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
At the end, at the beginning of the season, well,
everyone's trying to figure out how they're being coached, who
fits where, exactly what they're being asked to do. In
schematics and x'es and o's and all of that. It
can quite simply come down to who's more buttoned up,
who made the mistakes, who made the most mistakes, who
made the least mistakes, more likely to win? And I think.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Snaps or didn't fields have a few fumbled snaps here?
Speaker 2 (12:51):
He did? Yeh, there was the history. There was the issue. Well,
he was a turnover machine until those six games that
he played with the Steelers last one of the highest
turnover rates. There was the one uh of.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
A fumbling history correct and the Steelers the best team
the league get getting.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
The ball out correct. Yeah, there were other notes we
should have brought up early. There was the one shotgun
snap issue with him and Fraser last year in Indianapolis.
If you remember at the end of the game, there
was stuff I couldn't That's the one off the top
of my head that I remember in those in those
six games, and I'm not pinning that at all on
on fields certainly either there was clear a clear miscommunication
between him and Fraser there. But I'm sure that's one
(13:31):
of the things that Aaron Glenn the Jets have been,
you know, driving home with him. Of Hey, that those
six games that you played in Pittsburgh last year where
you really took care of the ball and it was
a much different story than your time in Chicago. That's
one thing that we need to carry over.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You want a lot you had much better winning percentage
when that happened then in your Bears days too, you know.
And obviously on the flip side, I'm sure Tomlin's saying
the exact same thing, like, Hey, I love Justin he
was here, but we could get we get the ball.
You know, we can force him into mistakes. I mean,
I wasn't easy reeling him, man, you.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Know, absolutely, huge. Absolutely, Let's get into some of those
specific matchups when we return on the other side. You know,
Matt's got all the breakdowns on these matchups, baby, a
little some five star matchups here on a Friday one.
That's what the Steelers like to say. You know, it's
a five star matchup because we're in it. Well, we'll
have a little five Star Friday for you when we
(14:23):
return on the other side, West Yeuler, Matt Williamson, It's
the Drive here on a Friday on Steelers Nation Radio
on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Because now I'm ready for some football. Williamson, little, Troy
Polamalu little Uh. I believe the second one is the
shay Townsend if I'm remembering correctly. Uh. It is always
a five star matchup when the Steelers are in it.
But man, Matt, and I don't know, Maybe I'm just
(15:22):
being hyperbolic because it's Week one and I'm so excited
to get back to it here, But it really does
feel like there's some some real meat on the bone
as it relates to individual matchups in this game.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I agree. I mean, say, we want about the Jets,
but they have some stars, you know, I mean, they
have some building blocks, some young guys. They just paid Wilson,
they's played Sauce Quinn Williams a big time player, you
know what I mean. Like they got some dudes. I mean,
the tackles are first round picks. That's kind of fun.
And so I think you could say that probably almost
any Jets game that there's some pretty cool matchups for
(15:54):
a lot of their games, you.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Know, absolutely some big names on both of these rosters
on both sides of the ball. You you mentioned Metcalf
and Sauce in our in our opening segment. There is
that kind of the the highlight. It might be the
headline that the headliner right on a it's a good
you know. I mean this is like Woodstock, like there's
some big acts on there.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
But is it's a real big and they both have
the size too. I mean like it's not like it's
then's a ward, you know, right?
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Is this is this the uh the Jimmy Hendrix of
the Woodstock lineup?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, maybe that's the last one that comes out. Yeah,
I think you could. Well we'll talk about the other
side the ball too, But if if it was a
year ago and the Steelers only had Porter, well you
could argue, is Porter versus Wilson or Metcalf versus Sauce
the better battle, you know what I mean? Where this one.
I don't know exactly how the Steelers will handle Wilson,
(16:46):
but they have more options the Jets with Sauce. So
I don't know if I've said this throughout the week.
I've been I'm on so many outlets, to be honest
with you. But the Lions, who this staff comes over from, Yes,
and the head coach was defense coordinator Detroit last year
for those that don't follow the Jets, and they were
the heaviest man coverage defense in the league. Where the
(17:08):
Jets during Sauce's career more zone heavy, a lot of
off coverage from him. You won't find a lot of
reps of Sauce mel Blunton on the you know, man
playing pressman, beating guys up at the line of scrimmage.
But he's still really good at it. He's long, he
could do everything, so they give him a huge contract
this staff and the Jets. Also, Reid was a really
(17:33):
good corner. He went to the Lions coincidentally, they would
left right it through Sauce's career, so he didn't even follow.
He was, you know, the right corner, left corner, whatever,
you know, and with a lot of off coverage, break
on the ball, attacked the ball in the air, really
really good at it. But I think they're playing on
using him taking it up a level, you know, and
the contract implies that. The Lions background implies that that.
(17:53):
I think it's like we're looking at you to deal
with the DK Metcalfs of the world.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You know, too many snaps as possible to do revis
type things.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I think. I mean, I don't think you'll right for sure,
but right all right, I mean, I think he's a
top three or four corner and he's a really really
good player and one of their best, one of the
best assets. So I mean, I'm not even certain DK
wins that battle, you know what I mean, Like I
said in the first segment, like that's going to be huge.
I'm not sure what Vegas odds are on that boxing
match right now.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
You know, you mentioned how you're on a bunch of
different outlets, and I'm not on quite as many as you,
but I I do some different things as well. I
was talking with our buddy Chad Tyson on DV on
DVE earlier and he asked me, how concerned are you
about the wide receiver two conversation that's been that's been lingering,
And I said more this week than I am in
some other weeks. I said, because what happens is Sauce
(18:45):
clearly wins that matchup against DK.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
That's a great point. And again it's like, Okay, well,
I don't need Roman Wilson to have or Austin for
that matter, to combine for fourteen for one forty, but
I need you to make some plays. I mean there's
a third downs I got to go your way or whatever.
Secondary honest, absolutely, or hey, I would think that you're
gonna get a lot of man coverage as well. Are
(19:10):
you big and physical enough to deal with it? And
they they I mentioned their second corner that they lost
read to the Lions, big money free agent guy, and
they went out and they signed Brandon Stevens from the Ravens.
So someone that the Steelers know well. He's a big,
physical guy. I don't think he's a particularly good player,
but he's played a lot of man He's got a
(19:32):
lot of ability, and his issue is he doesn't play
the ball or find the ball well in the air,
you know, so he gets beat a lot. But the
first nine tenths of the route are pretty good and
at the end it's like, yeah, I bet he's super
frustrating for coaches and sometimes guys never get that, you know,
finding the ball in the air is tough and getting
your head around and having eyes, especially playing man, you know,
(19:55):
but he is going to be bigger and more physical
than Wilson and Austin.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And that can it's a little frightening, that can quite
often be the advantage that you need. Yeah, yeah, and
those type of matchups that that I think is is
certainly a headliner, certainly a great place to start. I also, man,
though I know that quickly, if we're going to stick
with the Steelers offense, I'm sure Quinn Williams's against the
stud against the interior of that Steelers offensive line is
(20:22):
a big Whoever wins, that is going to be a
big indicator to how things play out on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Again, this was not the same staff as last year,
so you don't know exactly usage what their plans are.
They don't tell us, you know, But he's mostly a
three technique. I mean, he's going to line up a
lot on an outside shoulder of a guard, but I
would bet that they move him from the outside shoulder
(20:47):
of the left guard to the right outside shoulder of
the right guard and everywhere in between, you know. So
he's I think he's right there with Cam Hayward is
one of the best five defensive tackles in the league
and can be easy to forget about him in those
conversations because the team does win any games. But the
Jets defense have been pretty darn good for a while,
(21:07):
and he's the straw sort of drink.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I he's one of those guys to me that you know,
he's not on national TV very often. Right, I know
he plays in a big market, but he doesn't play
for the Giant. He doesn't play for the Giants, right,
because even the Giants defensive line, those guys get a
lot more credit than he does, despite being a team
that has not been very good the last few years
as well. Too. It's a very early test for those
(21:35):
three guys on the interior. Oh yeah, if you can
perform against this guy, I like, what you're gonna do
for the next sixteen games. Yeah, that's not to say
that if if Quinn Williams gets the best of that Steelers,
that means that they're going to be a disaster for
sixteen games either. But this is like, I mean, this
is a that's a guy you double and right, this
is not you know, this is not uh, you know
(21:56):
Ohio State opening with Akron Week one, like this is
Ohio State and Texas. I mean, yeah, this is a
this is a big test right out of the shoot.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
And the other d tackles aren't exactly household names. But
they did just trade for Phillips from the Vikes, who's
a veteran power interior player that's tough to move. You know,
he'll complement Williams pretty well. And their edge guys are
pretty good pass rushers too. Their defensive front is not bad,
including their second level dudes who run real well too.
(22:25):
Williams brother. You know, they make a lot of plays too,
So this defense isn't bad.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
No, they're not. And I mean, in fact, if you're
listing the things that they did well last year, it's
not a huge list, but you might start. You would
probably start with that defense. Yeah yeah, and you know
you bring it in Aaron Glenn. It is obviously game one,
so you hope that you're getting them at the right
time where there's still some kinks and some rush to
work out, but bringing in a defensive mind as well too.
(22:52):
You know, I think by the end of the year
they could certainly be a top ten defense. I don't
think that's crazy in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I don't know if he's calling plays or not. I
bet he's not as a new head coach, but his influence,
he was a very good play caller, varied things. I
mean that you don't know exactly what you're getting from
his lion's days, you know.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
And I would I would expect that to continue.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
And the Steelers have a lot of new bodies on offense.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Certainly certainly got some rust and some kinks to work
out as well. Particularly, I think how they're going to
use those three tight ends, the different skill sets, the
different body types. What's it looked like in twelve personnel?
What's it looked like in thirteen personnel? Heck, what's it
even looked like an eleven personnel? When when there's only
going to be one tight end out there? And how
(23:36):
the Jets go about deploying their defense base versus Nickel
versus what's it look like if it's Mouth and John
Wu what's it look like if it's Washington and Mouth
and et cetera. That to me is a real kind
of chess matchup to watch as well too.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
In one thousand percent and that one, I'm kind of
looking at with kind of a precursor of maybe these
next sixteen games after that, what does the league do
against thirteen? Now, the Jets could be an outlier and
they might do something crazy like play dime or whatever,
you know, because of the way that they look at it.
Who knows. But I am real curious of specifically those
(24:13):
snaps when all three tight ends are on the field.
It wouldn't shop me if you get Based, wouldn't shock
me if you get Nickel. Like the league has changed
a little bit in that it used to be when
you come out in twelve one back, two tight ends,
two receivers, you would almost always get Bass. Twenty one
or twelve almost was always base. But the league as
(24:36):
a whole, this is a very generic statement. It depends
who you have is now countering twelve much much more
with Nickel because a lot of these tight ends aren't
very good. They're more John New than they are Darnell,
you know what I mean. Yes, so I'm gonna have
lighter linebackers. I'm gonna put an extra safety on the field.
Maybe I'll guard the John News of the world or
Kelsey's of the world with a Ramsey type, you know,
(24:59):
or a big, big safety or something like that as
opposed to being real heavy. But thirteen is a different world,
you know, Like, I don't think there's a blueprint for
we're going to get a heavy dosage of thirteen. I
always bring up the Ravens. The Ravens don't run much thirteen,
But the Ravens throw crazy stuff at you. I mean,
they're the number one twelve personnel team in the league.
(25:21):
But what's twelve with Recard or twenty two with Ricard?
And oh, by the way, your back's two and fifty
pounds going to the Hall of Fame too, you and
your quarterback is the best runner in the league two.
You know, like, do we play nickel against this? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Right, right, right, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
I'm just going to pay attention to how the league
responds to thirteen because the players are so different too.
To your point, all three of these tight ends are
really different on the purpose.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
That's what makes it. And again, I know we talked
about this earlier in the week. My kind of hope
for that being the Steelers' matchup nightmare, you know, their
matchup card.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
It could be their their ACEP the sleeve.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
You just alluded to what that is for Baltimore. We
all know for Cincinnati it's Burrow and Chase and t
and how they can just sling that thing all over
the field. I hope the Steelers kind of match up.
Nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators is how they gonna use
those tight ends, how they're gonna deploy them, and what
are we gonna look like when when it's it's such
and such on the field, so and so on the field.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
So I'm sure most of our listeners are going to
watch Bill's Ravens on Sunday night. I better you're out
of your mind if you don't.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
And racing. I'm racing home from the flight from the
MetLife to catch the start of it.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So like Alan and Lamar are the headliners. Of course
they may go down as all time greates. I think
there they blow me away. But you'll see if you
pay attention to this game, Buffalo is gonna come out
with a six offensive lineman a lot. The Ravens are
gonna come out with a lot not many wide receivers.
Just put it that way. You know it's gonna be Lamar, Henry, Ricard, Kohle,
(26:50):
Lar Likely Andrews. You might just have Zay Flowers out
there as the only receiver, Like, no one uses one
receiver less than the Ravens. And these are like to
the best offense in the league last year, if not
the best too, you know. And there's different ways to
do a.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Lot of ways to skin that cat. Yeah, yeah, And
you know that's what makes the intriguing from a defensive
coordinator perspective. There's no easy way. There's no perfect way
to go about defending all this. If there was, everybody
would run that scheme. Everybody would do it that way.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
And the other thing that's great about it too is
I say this every year, but especially once we gin
in the week. Week ones a little bit different. But
when you only have seven days to prepare, it really
isn't seven days for one thing. It's really only a
couple of practices, and it's just not as long of
a prep week as you usually it's a lot of
(27:38):
people think, you know, right, for man, we need a
lot of practice time against thirteen personnel all week long
trying to figure this stuff out, even if you only
get it twelve percent of the time, you know what
I mean, Mm.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Hmm, yeah, I I that's one of the things that
there there is less time in the week, certainly than
people realize.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Definitely less time on the grass with helmets on than
you think.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Especially once you get past week one and the schedules
start to change and Thursday night football and Monday night
football and travel and all those different things. Last one
from a Steelers offensive perspective to focus on with you, Matt,
how about this Steelers run game, the running backs in
particular Jalen Warren against you know, Williams and Sheerwood and
these off ball linebackers of the Jets.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Yeah, they they just are smaller, very active, good in coverage,
free flowing linebackers that make a lot of plays. And
the coverage stuff's important. You know. Quentin Williams brother, Quentin
Williams is a really really underrated player. It gets overshadowed
by his brother. But I just am thinking of all
(28:45):
the stretch outside zone stuff that the Steelers is just
an Arthur Smith staple. You're not gonna beat those guys
at the edge very often, you know, and you're gonna
have to get some big bodies, whether it's Washington, no
lineman covering those guys up downfield a little bit because
they can make a lot of plays.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Who there's a lot, There's a lot, and that's just
the Steelers offensive side of the football. Yeah, let's take
a break here and spend the block to the other side.
That worked for you, absolutely, but I want to continue
talking some matchups with you. We'll focus on him from
a Steelers defensive perspective when we return on the other side.
To close down the first hour of the drive, West
s Hueler and Matt Williamson with you here on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your teams.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
About drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Back on the drive here as we are taking a
look at some matt between the Stellers and the Jets,
some five star matchups that are going to determine the
outcome of this one of course, Sunday one o'clock at
MetLife Stadium, matt our last segment there, we focused on
it more from a Steelers offensive perspective. If we spin
that block, if we go to the other side of
(30:18):
the football, where's the what's the headliner matchup for you
on the Steelers defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
I think there's a couple for sure, I mean, first
of all, just Tomlin Verse Fields, you know, like the
familiarity and all that. I mean, let's we'll break them
all down individually. But two really promising first round tackles
Verse welcome to the NFL. TJ and high Smith and
maybe her Big is a big one. God Speak is
(30:46):
a big one. And the other one, I think to
me is is Wilson Verse. What do they do with Wilson.
There's a lot of options I want to dig into.
We can even start there if you want.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Yeah, let's do it. Let's get right into it.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Okay. So I would be shocked again new coaching staff
if we see a lot of three receiver sets from
the Jets, and they used a lot last year, but
that was Lizard and Adam and Will were talented, Rogers
was your quarterback. It wasn't fields. They couldn't be any
more different. So they did not use a lot of
(31:17):
multiple tight end stuff in New York last year. But
it's a whole new staff. Here's the second round pick
on a tight end. Who's promising. I mean Jason Taylor's kid,
willand Hills Jason Taylor. So I think you're also gonna
want to help those tackles. I think you're gonna get
bigger personnel than what the Jets played with last year.
Where I'm going with this is, I think the Steelers
(31:38):
will be in their base defense with four defensive backs
more than usual as a result, you know, because they
want to run the ball. I think you want to
be heavier, you want to nose tackle on the field
as opposed to an extra defensive back. Now, when they
made the Ramsey trade, I was kind of uncertain who
(31:58):
are their four defensive back gonna be, And it sure
seems like Thornhill won't be one of them. Ramsey will
be the free Elliott, It'll be the strong Porter and
Sleigh on the outside cool. I think that's your best
four guys. I'm a Thornhill fan, but those are your
best four football players certainly, and Ramsey can do it.
It's one of the beauties of them. However, I also
(32:21):
thought back then, when the deal happened, maybe you might
tell Slay we love you, but you're up in age
and we want you for twenty games. In those instances,
what if we gave you, took a little off your plate,
you know what I mean, put Ramsey on the outside
Thornhill at free. So I thought, those are the two options.
(32:41):
You know, of what four group of four defensive backs
could you put out there? To me, those are the
only two options that makes any sense. And I one
hundred percent believe them that Ramsey's never leaving the field.
So he's either gonna be the outside corner, he's gonna
be the free in four dB sets. Now, Tomlin like,
I didn't night show with Mike Pursuda last night, and
(33:02):
he reminded me he's, like Tomlin said, if someone's following
around to number one, it's Jalen, you know, like I
love you there, I love you Joey. But this is
the alpha. This is mel Blunt, this is Woodson, this
is our dude. And you definitely got that impression of Camp.
I mean, like he carries a lot of weight and
there's only one guy to follow, So would it be Jalen?
Speaker 2 (33:26):
How does that look if if they're in base?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Yeah, do you want your best guy in deep middle?
Or is it the second scenario that I laid out there?
Or do you just trust the three of them and
say we're not going to follow him with one? We
like all of these guys. If it was a year ago.
I think Porter would follow them. It's not like this
is crazy talk. Slay's done it a ton in his career.
I know he's not as good a player now as
he was on his best day, but he's done it
(33:53):
a lot, and so maybe you just don't tip your
hand and wherever he lines up, we go that way
and Ramsey leans his direction over the top, you know
what I mean. So I think that's really interesting. Is
a lot of options?
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Is that how you would go about about it? Because
I think you're right. I think that there is a
chance to win. The regular season's over and we have
those seventeen data points. This might be the game where
we see the highest percentage of bass from the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Yeah, very well.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Could Baltimore outside of the division. This feels like Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
The league in rushing attempts is here New York.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
They certainly could.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I bet they want to.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
They certainly could. So I think we'll see a lot
of bas against Bufalo. I think we'll see a lot
of bass against Detroit. Yeah, but this could be the
most that we see. So what's what's that look like
with how you would want to deploy Jalen Ramsey specifically, I.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Think how I would do it. First of all, I
meant to say, it's just a second ago. If whatever
you're doing is not working through two quarters, we'll do
something else, you know.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
And as we talked about yesterday, we went through Matt stats,
that's one thing they did very well last year. Yeah,
best third quarter point differential in the league.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Yeah. Right, that means when storing the game or good.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Whatever they were doing for those fifteen to twenty minutes during
halftime was working.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Yeah, that's a great point, you know. And even in game,
boy Wilson's tearing us up. We gotta you can't let
him tear you up. I don't care what happens. But
yes he'll get some catches. But like I don't want
to start DK Metcalf or Garrett Wilson in fantasy this week.
I think both of them I think are in for
long days. To be very honest with you, how I
would handle it for this game, Because most games I
(35:29):
think I would have Thornhill as the guy on the
sidelines with four just because I don't think he's as
good at football as Slay. But in this game, I
would sit Sleigh. And here's the reason. Because I do
think it's the first game that Ramsey's ever put a
Steeler helmet on for real, you know. And I think
it sends a message to everyone that you're gonna follow
(35:51):
Wilson Jalen And also Thornhill's better against the run, as
almost every safety is than Sleigh is, you know, like
if so, you know they're going to run the ball
a ton. If one of them has to get fields
down or breeze haul down twenty yards downfield, I trust
the safety to do it more than the corner, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Yes, that makes a ton of sense. And that is
from aside from the obvious storylines of Aaron Rodgers against
his old team, justin fields against his old team, new
coach for the Jets, Like, there is a ton in
this game. But that I think is the thing most
intrigued to see is how they're going to deploy that
secondary all year, but particularly against a Jets team that
(36:32):
so clearly wants to run the ball, run the ball,
run the ball right, and so clearly has one receiver
that can hurt you.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yes, and I also think Ramsey's probably certainly better against
the run than Slay as an outside corner. People don't
think about corners in against the run. That's a huge
theme now. I mean, like that's why the Mike Hilton's
of the world are going away, because they just run
Dereck Henry Adam over and over, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Rightly, right, exactly right, all right? Talk to me about
Theer's edge rushers against those young bookend tackles for the Jets.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I think everyone knows what the edge rushers are all about.
I mean, and I don't think Watt's gonna move around much.
Maybe he does a little, but it's two snaps of game.
I mean, I think he's gonna get Membo. And for Shawn,
who's gonna get high Smith. Hopefully you mix in a
lot of herbig on throwing downs and maybe a little
bit of Sawyer on you know, heavy situations, you know.
(37:30):
But my I really like both these tackles. That's where
I want to stress it because I think everyone knows
who these Steeler guys are at this point. Membo was
my favorite offensive lineman in this draft when the Browns
and I was like, take an extra minute to throw
an arrow at the Browns. But when they made a time,
when they made the Travis Hunter trade. I thought, that's smart,
(37:54):
they can go build an offensive They had all these
picks and I killed them after the draft because they
drafted zero offensive line. But I would have drafted Membo,
not Mason Grant. That would have been my start. You know,
Like when the Browns were good is when their line
was good, you know, right know those guards and I
mean they were a good physical group up front. So
Membo I adore. But he's also a little bit more
(38:16):
of a boxier, get off the ball, blow your face
off guy, then light on his feet, dancing bear protection dude.
You know, sure for Shawn, who's more that dude. But
he's a little bit short armed, which is like at
this time last this would be two years ago. This
time two years ago, if you would look at like
(38:36):
draft lists, people talked about him like he could compete
for being the first overall pick, like this is a
special offensive tackle at Penn State. And I'm sure a
lot of Penn State fans remember him.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
People were shocked when he came back for his senior
year at Penn State. Shockly right, like he's gonna be
a top five pick.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
He's a no brainer, and his tape's awesome, But he
had a real rough day. I think it was against Sawyer.
Actually he had a really a bad day against Ohio State.
And he goes to combine and his arms are a
little short. I mean, I think he's gonna be a
really good left tackle. But that's basically his scouter report too.
He's a little bit more of a protection guy. Membo
is a little bit more of a masher. I think
(39:11):
that's a great place to start to rebuild your team.
But the Steelers guys are better, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Yes, they're more proven. They are. They've got a lot
of All Pros and Pro Bowls between them. Yeah, but
those are I mean those are those are high pedigree
guys that were drafted even higher than Rodger Jones and
Troy Faltonhute right right right that this is a real
test for them out of the gate. And you know,
we talked about those talked about those sack numbers and
(39:40):
how we want to see that rise for the Steelers
this season. I think this is a good place to start. Yeah,
against the guy like fields that will hold it a
little bit too long and against some you know, some wet,
critical tackles.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
Yeah, I mean, if this was a Jets keys. Ball's
got to come out Justin and if it doesn't, I know,
he's elusive and he's not easy to get on the ground,
but they'll get to him. Let's talk. You're a tucker.
Not being there doesn't help either. It hurts. It hurts
a big, big blow to what they want to do.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Let's talk about justin fields.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
Now.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
You said at the start of this segment, which I
thought was was funny, but it was very motes like
it reminded me of something he would have done justin
fields versus Mike Tomlin and Tarrell Austin. Yeah, yeah, you know,
and like he loved to throw those kind of matchups
in there, not necessarily guys that are on the field
against each other, players and coaches. And how how they
go about attacking him and trying to confuse him.
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Yeah, and we'll see what they do. They might take
the Lamar mush rush, keep him in the pocket. We
don't get sacks, so be it. But we just want
him sitting there patting the ball, and maybe they'll take
that approach. Now, one thing that I pursued and I
were talking about last night too, is I don't think
Steeler fans know unless you watched him with the Bears,
(40:52):
how good of a runner he really is. Rarely did
they feature him that way or rarely did he even
get an opportunity to really open it up because he
can fly and as one of the best running quarterbacks
I've ever lived, to be honest with you, and I
don't think the Jets are going to hesitate one bit.
I mean yard rush seasons right, So obviously he presents
a lot of problems on the ground, but through the
(41:13):
air he has a big arm, but he is very
much a see it and throw it guy. You know,
he's him and Rogers couldn't be any more different in
terms of anticipation, and his super high time to throw
is twofold thing. First of all, he's going to have
some of the Lamar snaps where it's five seconds because
(41:34):
he runs around and it's you know, he's making plays
behind the line of scrimmage. People can't get him on
the ground. But more than anything, even if he had
bad feet, he'd be a high time to throw guy
because he wait, wait, see it, throw it, you know,
And that's tough way to live in Ohio state. You
can do that when first round picks are blocking for
you and you're throwing to Marvin and JSN or whatever
(41:57):
or superstar recruit. You can do that because you get
the biggest arm in Georgia, you know what I mean.
It's tough to pull it off here.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
You know, it certainly is against a group and a
coaching staff that's familiar with you and what you do
and your strengths and your weaknesses. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Yeah, and they know he doesn't like going to you know,
stuff we would never even think of. He really doesn't
like rolling to his left or you know, like I
always think about when they used to play Mayfield twice
a year. Mayfield had a terrible habit of anything went bad,
he rolled right and TJ would just sit there and
be like, I know he's coming. Sam's cause the problems
over the same issue, right right, right right. You know
(42:34):
Cam's causing problems over there. I don't have to rush
up Field. He's gonna come to me. Boom done. You know, Like,
you learn these guys pretty good.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
And they that one. I think it was the last
time Baker Mayfield played against the Steelers at hines Field
and Cam Hayward. I mean he had one of those
remember me, hits I don't know if you remember that,
but he about broke Baker Mayfield in half. Like I
almost felt bad for Baker Mayfield how much he got
just planted into the turf at Akerscher Stadium. And yeah,
(43:02):
that's that's a that's a good way to kind of
lay it out there. And some of those little things,
those little nuanced right that you know about a quarterback
that you spent a year with.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
And of course you'll ask Arthur Smith and the quarterback
coach and all the what'd you guys work on? I
mean not that they would Tom that wouldn't know, but you.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
Know, yeah, one hundred last one here, Matt is. Obviously,
the run defenses is critical for the Steelers. Those defensive
linemen Camp Paig, were, Keanu Benton, why a Black, you know,
guys like Logan Lee and Aqualley, they're in louder Milk.
They're going to feature into this equation as well too,
against a talented obviously justin fields as we just talked,
but a talented tandem of running backs.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
Yeah. I'm a big Breasseehall fan. And it sounds like
his percentage touches and role and role is going to
decrease a little bit because because they're a big committee group,
they seem to love Allen. I don't, but I see
what they like about him. He's remarkably young. I mean,
he came in the league like younger than Juju did.
And he's a linebacker turned running back at Wisconsin. And
(44:01):
he's big and he's fast and that's a good combination.
But I don't think he's got great vision and I
don't think he's a great all around back. But they
like him. He's big and fast. So they're all three
of those guys, including fields, are going to carry the
ball a lot, you know, I mean by design, and
this time of year, fatigue always worries you. I mean
for all thirty two teams, totally. Tackling always worries you
(44:24):
run fits, things like that, just physical nature of playing
defense that you didn't do hit Latrobe or very little
in the preseason. And it's a tiny sample size, but
that little that the ones played in Carolina, they didn't
tackle very well. Yeah they didn't.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
They did not that's a that's a good point actually.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
And these guys will take it the house. These aren't
nausea that if you miss a tackle he ends up
with eight yards it could be seen later.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent that I mean that
is I think the biggest game within the game is,
you know, the Steelers limiting the Jets run rushing attack
and making them one dimensional and then letting all those
all those justin fields things that we talked about bubble
up to the surface.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Last thing on that again, it's a Lions offensive staff
too that they stole from Detroit. Now, I don't know
what you can take out of that film though, because
golf is not a runner, you know what I mean,
Like they're gonna but they did a very diverse run scheme.
They don't just run two or three run plays over
and over. They throw a lot at you. And that
was without a running quarterback. So what kind of run
(45:29):
plays you're gonna see? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
Some very interesting wrinkles, I think, say the least hour
in the books another hour to go, we'll get into
all kinds of NFL pick them Steelers predictions and picks.
On the other side, we do have to talk a
little bit about I don't know, is it spitgate they
is there a name for last night now as well?
Speaker 3 (45:48):
I heard them calling them cde Lamb drops instead of
lamb chops.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
That's tough. That's tough. We got a game tonight, all
kinds of games this weekend to get into, plenty to
get to. In our number two West Wheeler and Matt Williamson,
it is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
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
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.