HR1: Live from Mini Camp

Matt, Dale, and Wes are live from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and we hear from DC Teryl Austin's presser.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williams
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Good morning, Steelers Nation, and welcome back once again to
the beautiful backyard at the UPC Rooney Sports Complex for
another day of Many Camp coverage here on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
That's Matt Williamson that you hear. I'm wesh Yuler.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
It is another special edition of the Drive here on
the final day of Many Camp. We've got a lot
of fun stuff planned. A little different schedule here today. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
which will which will quiet out here for it's you
won't hear the normal music and horn that you're typically
here at this point, some of the scuttle button, the
shuffling around us because today different schedule, won't have the

(00:57):
morning walkthrough and there will be just a I mean
a lot of other stuff that they're doing behind the
doors right now in terms of meetings and all that.
But one practice today at noon.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, I just went and looked at the board and
they they had breakfast. There was an optional chapel service
if they wanted to. As we're speaking now, it's ten o'clock. There,
they had different meetings at team meeting, position group meetings,
special teams meetings, all that kind of stuff. Instead of
walking through and instead of a one o'clock start for
practice practice, it's going to be noon today, so we'll

(01:29):
actually see our last hour. They'll be doing stuff, you know,
real practice stuff. So get them out of here a
little earlier too. Some of these guys have flights and yeah,
no doubt, all the guests we've had and you've been
a part of this too. That was only the first
two weeks, but we were always asking them, you know,
what's your plans these six weeks instead of camp, and
some of them we're excited to get out of here,
and it's it's kind of a nice thing to do,

(01:50):
is you know, give them a little.

Speaker 5 (01:51):
Bit of a break.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And I think some of that too
may be designed to look a little bit more like
a game day here today, you know, with the team breakfast,
with the with the chat services.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
That are available, you know.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
That's yeah, that's what in meetings, that's what they do
at the hotels on game days before the game is
meals together, meetings together, church services, chapel services, all that
different kind of stuff that is available. And yeah, final
day here, there is definitely a handful of guys in
there that have flights out of here tonight. Maybe sure,
maybe early tomorrow morning. I'm sure some of those guys,
maybe Jones and to get over to the US Open
as well.

Speaker 5 (02:21):
Two, maybe they'll wait till Monday and you watch.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Them golf, which of course just got underway, what probably
about two two and a half hours ago, just a
few miles down the road, the first day of the
one hundred and twenty fifth US Open over out Open Mont.
Pretty cool how it ends up being a like a
not a round number, but you know, mental kind of number. Yeah,
pretty cool, one hundred and twenty fifth US Open. It'll

(02:46):
be back here for like the one hundred and thirty
eighth and then the one hundred and forty something.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
That's well to already on the calendar.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
They come twelve years, every every eleven twelve thirteen years
in that range. I think this is the tenth time
that the US Open has been at o come on.
So yeah, certainly, man a lot of moving and shaking
here in western Pennsylvania as it relates to the sports calendar.

Speaker 4 (03:06):
Yeah, you mentioned yesterday, New Penn's coach, I mean Buco
has been playing.

Speaker 3 (03:10):
Wells won again last night, yep.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
I think they won five of their last six now
like nine of their last fourteen something like that.

Speaker 5 (03:17):
Looks like McCutcheon had some kind of.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
McCutcheon past past Roberto Clemente for for for most home
for I think he's now second or third in terms
of most third thanks to Justin our producer h for
for home runs in franchise history, which is obviously a
big any time you're doing something in the same breath
as Roberto cle that's a pretty good company to keep.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
And everything going on here, of course.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
With the final things have any camps I mean sks
TJ McConnell, you know, Western Pennsylvania's finest basketball exporty he
had I think ten points five and five last night
and very efficient fifteen minutes of play from him.

Speaker 5 (03:53):
Yeah, and they spent a fair amount of time talking
about his father.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
They showed his dad on the broadcast a cool time
a couple of times, which was which was very cool
and yeah, so were ready for this transition. It was
an efficient game from TJ McConnell last night, right, and
just In just fifteen minutes he had ten points, five rebounds,
five assists. That's what you want in just fifteen minutes
off the bench. That's production, that's efficiency. We talked about

(04:17):
that a little bit yesterday with the Steelers offense, right, Yeah,
run game efficiency, red zone efficiency, even small incremental but
still marked improvements. What that can mean over the course
of a seventeen game season.

Speaker 5 (04:29):
Absolutely, Matt.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
Can we kind of spin the block around the other
direction here today? Yeah, and talk about what would that
look like for the Steelers defense?

Speaker 3 (04:37):
For you?

Speaker 4 (04:38):
So again, I mean, if you didn't listen yesterday, we'll
shame on you for six weeks, of course, but you
kind of started a segment by saying, Hey, do you
have any like overriding offseason offensive goals? And I just
so happened that I did, and it was real quick.
I wanted to You can't beat the bottom of the
league in yards per carry. Now, I'm not saying you
need to be at the top. You can't beat the bottom.

Speaker 3 (05:00):
Now.

Speaker 4 (05:01):
They were not at the bottom of the league in
sacks defensives. Now when we go to defense, but I
think you need my goals there higher.

Speaker 5 (05:10):
You need to lead the league.

Speaker 4 (05:10):
You need to be in the top two, you know,
like with the defensive front that you have, and now
you've added.

Speaker 5 (05:16):
Two draft picks.

Speaker 4 (05:17):
Well, I wasn't counting why you're black, because I don't
know if you look at him as a pass rusher.

Speaker 5 (05:21):
But I was talking about.

Speaker 4 (05:21):
Sawyer and Harmon that you're even more reinforced with young, talented,
productive players coming out of college. You need to get
back to I mean, they went for five years in
a row leading the league.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
In second Yes, with a lot of different personnel and
a lot of different ways of accomplishing that team.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
It started with Mike Hilton defence Williams, you know, fun.

Speaker 5 (05:41):
He brought that up because I think that's been something
that's been lacking.

Speaker 4 (05:44):
You know, it's not Blitzberg anymore, and I think some
of it is starts with coverage. I'm not worried about
the front at all. I still think it's the best
defensive front in the league. Not the best front seven,
but the best defensive front. You know, TJ across the
board to high Smith and her big et cetera, et cetera,
that you need to punish quarterbacks, I mean, and be

(06:09):
aggressive and light things up more. With blitz very coverages
more and I definitely think we're gonna see varied coverages
and we can talk about that. There's a side note
as well, make make quarterbacks pat the ball win more
one on one and not even win more one on
one matchups. Because they win a lot of one on
one matchups, they get a lot of pressures. And I
understand that the ball has come out very quick against

(06:30):
the Steelers, but then I need a lot of hits,
you know. I mean, if you're gonna put if you're
gonna battle Burrow twice, Lamar twice, Alan Mahomes in the
playoffs and want to compete with those guys, you need
to hurt them. I mean, maybe they don't finish every
game you play against them. You know, you need to
make it Monday not a fun day for those guys,

(06:53):
more so than any team in the league. And again
I don't think that's an unrealistic you know, expectation with
this group is be at the top of the league
in sacks, pressures, quarterback hits because I think they're very,
very capable. I think the swapping out we mentioned this before,
swapping out Jackson for Sleigh is a good start because

(07:15):
I think that allows you to play more pressman.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
Having to hold the ball more.

Speaker 4 (07:19):
Sure, I think you'll see more quarters coverage, more covered
to more variety of coverages. Now they're three deep at
the off the ball linebacker spot of guys you're very
comfortable with. You're also three deep at safety. So I
think you'll see more differing personnel groupings. And you brought

(07:39):
it up, you know, like they haven't gotten a lot
of sacks from the Vince Williams Mike Hilton's of the
world in this you know version of the team. Now,
I don't see a slot corner that blitz is like Hilton.

Speaker 5 (07:51):
But Queen is a.

Speaker 4 (07:53):
Very accomplished pass rusher Wilson was in college. You know,
like those guys could be blitzed more, certainly, could bring
make out of the slot or things like that. But
they can get home with four if their coverage holds
up a little better. Not to make these guys hold
the ball a little bit longer. So again, I don't
think that's in unrealistic expectations, like going from four to

(08:14):
one yards to carry to four to three get to
the middle, so this is from the middle, get back
to the top, right, I think it would be a
massive ramification. Last note on this is I think a
lot of our listeners understand sacks are very important for
killing drives, whether you're on offense or defense. But when
you really dig into like EPA and these really advanced metrics,

(08:40):
they have come the conclusions that sacks are even more
important than you think.

Speaker 5 (08:44):
I mean, like turnovers are, which still the biggest thing
of it.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
Which is wild because I think a lot of people
think need pass happy NFL now sacks mean less than
ever before, right because Okay, Joe Burrow can get you
out of a third and thirteen better than you know,
just about any time period quarterback could in this league. Yes,
But as you say, when you look at the underlying numbers,
the analytics, it tells a different story.

Speaker 4 (09:06):
It really really does, and what ends up in wins
and winning drives and successful drives. I mean they're massive
drive killers. They can result in fumbles. I mean, obviously
quarterback hits is not what you want for your team.
And the Steelers we talked about this heavy yesterday too,
spinning off the yards for Kerry Deal. Steelers quarterbacks, not

(09:27):
their protection, took too many sacks last year and that
hurt drives quite a bit, and I don't think the defense,
despite playing well for most of the year and creating
turnovers and having a lot of havoc, but they didn't
create enough sacks for where they are in terms of players,
you know, let alone investments, you know in first round

(09:47):
picks and big contracts and what's about to get another
So you need to be the top of the league
and hits in sacks and pressures, and I expect them
to be they should be.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
I think you are absolutely spot on. I think that's
a really good place to kind of start this show
in this conversation last year.

Speaker 4 (10:05):
I mean real quick, Wes, I mean like it's easy,
that's the end goal. The people behind us have to
figure out how you get there, how you get there
on that journey, Like it's easy for me and you
to say, well, they got to get the four point
three yards per carry instead of four point one. Okay,
well that's why they're paying all those coaches to figure
out what can we do to get there?

Speaker 2 (10:24):
They they got to get the sixty percent red zone
efficiency instead of forty nine, right, right right?

Speaker 4 (10:29):
And I have ideas, I'm sure you have ideas too,
of how how you could help with that I mentioned
more blitz, more man coverage, varying coverages, you know, and
try to get what maybe move him to the right
or left a little bit more. He's even said he's
more open to that. That's a small thing to me.
But again back to like EPA, sacks are massive and
it's really become a thing in the scouting community. This

(10:51):
is a huge knock, like on Caleb Williams when first overall,
and like I said, quarterbacks, sacks are a quarterback stat
that man, this guy takes too many sets and I
mean it really really hurts things. And the former quarterbacks
here took too many sacks. But the defense is capable
of forcing opposing quarterbacks.

Speaker 5 (11:10):
Yes, a lot of sacks.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yes, And like you said, they were league average at
it last year, sixteenth I mean literally right right in
the middle. But here is And again I think this
plays to the similar like when you lay out over
the course of a season with high four hundred's low
five hundreds rushing attempts with the difference between four point
one and four point three means Steelers had forty sacks

(11:32):
last year, right, tied them with the Bears for sixteenth
most in the league.

Speaker 3 (11:35):
It's not horrible.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
But you know, with just six more sacks, they would
have been sixth best in the league, right on the
edge of the top five. With nine more sacks they
would have been in the top five, they would have
been tied for fourth.

Speaker 5 (11:45):
Okay, So going knocking on the door.

Speaker 2 (11:47):
Going from forty to forty six, forty seven, forty eight,
forty nine puts you in the top five, top six.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
Yeah, and that's that's.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
I think a very reasonable that's not even to say
sixty three led the league last year for the Denver Broncos.
But even if you can just get close to fifty,
you're gonna be in the top five. You're gonna be
right on that edge of top three territory.

Speaker 4 (12:07):
And this group should be there a lot now. Again,
when we started unpeeling it. One of the issues, and
I've said this so much about Watt's career, which makes
it even more impressive to me is over these last
five years, when Watt is always at the top of
league in sacks, winning you know, defensive awards, you know,
Player of the Year, that type of.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
Stuff, all pros.

Speaker 4 (12:27):
How many times have the Steelers had a ten point
lead at home with four and a half minutes on
the clock, tows waven renegade. Everyone on the planet knows
the quarterbacks dropping back the.

Speaker 3 (12:42):
Pass, not as much as they did when they helped.

Speaker 4 (12:46):
Quarterbacks, not as often as Chris Jones gets to do that,
or you know what I mean, Like, they haven't been
in a lot of advantageous where the planet knows the
passes coming. The other thing I did want to touch on, though,
is that yards or time to throw metric because during
the season, I mean certainly, as the season went on,

(13:07):
these teams start to play differently, you know, you start
to get a book on the deep sense, of course,
and during that stretch, frankly Rogers did it against Steelers
as a Jets Mahomes was uncommonly fast getting the ball
out of his hands. And there are times if you're
down in the low two seconds, you could almost be

(13:27):
unblocked and not be able to get a sash. Sure,
you know what I mean? Sure, And so I totally
recognize that. So that's why I keep going back to coverage,
is how can I make this guy pat the ball
a little bit more, Maybe a little bit of blitz,
a little bit of pressed man varied coverages just so
he taps the ball, and if Jamar Chase beats me
over the top here and there more but burrows on

(13:49):
his back six more times, I'll take it. And even
over the course of the year, they're time to throw against.
Numbers were like in the bottom third, but they weren't
at the bottom of the league where it's a vaster
far that it was like impossible to get sacks. But
it was a contributing factor. And as the season went

(14:11):
on and you played great quarterbugs.

Speaker 3 (14:15):
That ball out, yeah home seconds, it's gone, it's gone.

Speaker 5 (14:19):
You won't get sacks that way.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
So I definitely recognized that, and that was something I
talked about a lot week to week. Was like, boy,
the Chiefs game, they almost didn't have to block Wade.
He couldn't get home.

Speaker 2 (14:29):
Right right, Yeah, No, that's that is That's a great
point as well too. And I think another you know
another piece of this as well, Matt, because you kind
of mentioned the turnover element as well.

Speaker 5 (14:40):
It leads the turnover lead.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
Despite not being the typical pass rushing sack number fource
that we've seen them be a lot in the past
decade or so, and even bigger picture, they still did
force the second most turnovers in the NFL last year,
only Buffalo had more.

Speaker 5 (14:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:56):
So if you get that number for forty sacks up
into the fifties, right, imagine what that does for your
turnover numbers as well too.

Speaker 5 (15:02):
Well, there's two aspects of that that you have to
dig deeper too. That they are.

Speaker 4 (15:06):
Exceptional at is forcing fumbles, which probably surprises nobody.

Speaker 5 (15:11):
Wats at the top of the league by far, right.

Speaker 4 (15:15):
And her BIG's really really good at it. High Smith's
good at it. So they are when they get their
hands on quarterbacks ball carriers, especially quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (15:24):
Patrick Queen had a couple of last year.

Speaker 4 (15:25):
Yeah, they get the ball out better than anyone. And
sometimes turnover numbers are fluky, you know, but no doubt,
I don't think that aspect is fluky at all, especially
with Watt. I mean, what causes fumbles and he has
every year and.

Speaker 3 (15:38):
You know, will continue to right right right, and.

Speaker 4 (15:40):
He even watches a game that's not shocked by that,
and he watches the game probably isn't shocked by this either.
But for this year they also led the league in
swatted passes at the line of scrimmage, Yes, and last
year they were second, and Hayward was first in the
league both years.

Speaker 3 (15:57):
He's awesome of the best.

Speaker 4 (16:00):
And we know tips and overthrows lead the interceptions too.
I mean, if he's gonna be swatting down passes, and
part of that is if you're playing my homes and
you're like balls coming out in two point zero seconds,
I'm the least getting.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
In my ears back right, I'm gonna I'm gonna get
up like a power forward here.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
Yes, So they definitely recognize this situation and have done
some really really good things to still.

Speaker 5 (16:21):
Create the turnovers.

Speaker 4 (16:22):
And they do or they have a very good pressure
rate and they've created a lot of pressures. But in
the end, I still want more sax.

Speaker 3 (16:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I mean all these things considered.

Speaker 5 (16:32):
That's all great. You know, a lot of the good.

Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yeah, get up to the top five and sacks again,
and it's kind of like their birthright for.

Speaker 3 (16:40):
A while, exactly. It was a it was a long streak, absolutely,
and uh yeah.

Speaker 5 (16:44):
This is my favorite. By the way, I'm on a roll.

Speaker 3 (16:46):
Sorry, so stop them. He's on a roll over the.

Speaker 5 (16:48):
Last five.

Speaker 4 (16:52):
Over the last five years, the Falcons have the fewest
sacks in the league. The Steelers have the most over
the last ten years, the Falcons have the fewert sacks
in the league. The Steelers have the most. Over the
last twenty years, the Falcons have the few assacks. There's more,
and the Steelers have the most. This team is out
a rushed quarterback and it's super important, and I mean

(17:12):
anyone listening understands that. And their guys now are as
good or as better as they've been at any point.
It's twenty point years, you know, So get more sacks.

Speaker 3 (17:19):
Get more sacks.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
Yeah, Matt Williams onus hashtag get more sacks.

Speaker 5 (17:25):
Get more sacks, more yards per carry.

Speaker 2 (17:27):
Terrell Austin did speak yesterday. We'll bring you some of
that audio here on the program today. We've we've got
a I think a lot of things to get to.
Tom Arth spoke to the media yesterday as well too,
the Steelers quarterback coach. We'll hear some stuff from him
as well. And it sounds like we could be joined
by Dale Lallie at some point this afternoon.

Speaker 5 (17:47):
Yeah, feeling a lot better go text on that'd be great.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, So a lot of moving and shaking here.

Speaker 2 (17:51):
Maybe we even grab some some Rob Kings or some
Bob Labriola's.

Speaker 5 (17:55):
As today's hopping.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
As we roll along today is going to be hopping.
It's another hot, one nice day out here. The backyard
looks fantastic, it really does. And uh and and ready
for a big fund and.

Speaker 5 (18:05):
Calm here today.

Speaker 4 (18:06):
But I always do get a kick, And especially at
Latrobe is watching the groundskeepers.

Speaker 3 (18:11):
It's awesome.

Speaker 5 (18:11):
It's awesome. It's awesome.

Speaker 4 (18:12):
And the field gets so beat up in Latrobe, but
they do so much work and they're so on top
of it. I mean, it's a pretty cool situation just
to sit back and watch them work.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
I completely agree. It's like in the mornings at Latrobe,
I love just sitting there with a coffee and just
and just coming watching that, watching them work. There's a
like where we're we in the background. Yeah, you and
I think we were talking about this yesterday. How you know,
our families both go to Hilton Head often for vacation
during the summers.

Speaker 3 (18:38):
One of the places that we stay there.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
You can it's kind of like not right on the
golf course, but you can see the golf course type thing.
And like say, I love sitting there in the morning
with a coffee and just the grounds crews out there.
You know, cutting, the cutting, the rough and and all that.

Speaker 3 (18:51):
Stuff it is.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
Imagine, Oh goodness, they've probably been at it since late
last night. I would imagine, getting getting everything ready perfect.
They're probably all sleeping in the cap fteria or something
for the next for the next three or four days.
But yes, a great day here to round out Mini
camp week for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Our final broadcast here
on location for this offseason phase at the upmc rooney

(19:13):
Sports Complex, West Ruler Matt Williamson Special edition of The
Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (19:25):
This is The Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and GOLDNR. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Back on the Drive here on a beautiful morning in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania at the upmc rooney Sports Complex. And one of
the co hosts, the architects, the builders of this show,
The Drive, of course, none other than Dale Lolly, is
with us here now day all what's up, how we
do and how we feeling.

Speaker 6 (19:58):
I'm feeling much better now, sounded much better. Voice is
starting to come back. It's gonna be better by next week.
We should be back full swing.

Speaker 4 (20:09):
So you're more the like you said, the architect of
the drive. I assume we'll be Monday, Wednesday, Friday next week.
I think we're three days a week till.

Speaker 6 (20:16):
Three days a week until training cam starts. Yeah, and
then it's full steam ahead.

Speaker 5 (20:22):
Every day they practice will be on like crazy absolutely camp. Yeah,
can't wait, can't wait.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
We will have our full gambit of coverage out in
the trobe like we always do from dusk to dawn
for the most part, every single day that there's stuff
beyond and beyond exactly right, whether it's you know, whether
it's the afternoon, whether it's Friday night lights, all that
good stuff that is.

Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 5 (20:44):
Still, then we go to Sharkis and talk about football.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
Then we go Sharkis to talk about football or argue
about music, you know, whichever whichever one of those things
gets up on the docket there. First, Dale, we're talking
a little bit about the defense here to start the
show today. Like we had a conversation yesterday about marked
areas of improvement for the offense. You know, how you'd
like to see the run game up their average yards

(21:08):
per carry, How we'd like to see them be a
little more.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
Efficient in the red zone.

Speaker 2 (21:11):
And you know how over the course of a seventeen
game season those things can make a huge difference. I asked,
fewer sacks taken, and it was something that we discussed
as well too, and so we kind of started this
hour today having a similar conversation just on the defensive
side of the football, and sacks was what Matt brought
up as where he would like to see marked improvement

(21:32):
from this Steelers defense this year. Forty of those last
year Dale, which tied them for sixteenth in the league,
right right in the middle of the pack average, but
with just six more they would have been sixth, right
the precipice.

Speaker 6 (21:43):
Of the time conversation. And here's something that goes hand
in hand with that, the run defense.

Speaker 5 (21:53):
Absolutely, it's a good third and four.

Speaker 6 (21:56):
Much different than third and six or seven, and that
leads to the sacks. So the run defense has to
be better.

Speaker 3 (22:03):
More wins on first and second.

Speaker 4 (22:05):
Yeah, yeah, right, And you probably heard I mentioned it.
You know, over Watt's career, you and I have talked
about this thousand times too. It'd be nice to have
a lead late in Yes, absolutely, dealer nation behind you.
That type of thing which stopping the run. All this
stuff goes hand in hand. I mean, if you could
get your run, if you're better in the red zone,
you take fewer sacks. If you run, you run the
ball more efficiently. If your run defense has more third longs, well,

(22:28):
then you're gonna be leading the leading in games more too.

Speaker 6 (22:31):
Well conversely as well, if your offense challenges the opposing
offense more. Yeah, two years ago, seventeen point nine points
a game not good enough. Last year was twenty two
and a half. If you can get that to twenty four, Yeah,
twenty five.

Speaker 5 (22:49):
Doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a ton. It's
a ton. That's a ton.

Speaker 6 (22:52):
It just puts more pressure on the opposing offense to say, hey,
we're gonna score a little bit here, no doubt. You know,
we can't just keep running and running and running.

Speaker 5 (23:03):
So and all.

Speaker 4 (23:04):
Again, it's such a complimentary game. It's you know, in
another aspect of it that all would go hand in
hand is time of possession. I mean they would never
admit it, but as a seat during the losing streak
to finish the season, the defense looked pretty warned down. Yeah,
definitely know they're out there too much.

Speaker 5 (23:22):
That Eagles game. I think they were out there for
like forty minutes from what I remember. Yeah, and at
the end of the year or two at the end
of the year.

Speaker 3 (23:28):
I mean they were out there almost the entire third quarter, right,
and it was.

Speaker 5 (23:31):
It's not an accident. And now all of a sudden,
the d line looks super deep.

Speaker 4 (23:34):
You know, if you can pull these guys off the
practice squad, like they recognize that stuff, you draft two
of them. You know that the big guys are out
there way too much because really, before the losing streak,
they were like one of the best time possession teams
in the league, right, you know, and then that one
really fell off that and you're just asking too much.

Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, without a doubt.

Speaker 2 (23:52):
And again, like when you are a football team that
is predicated upon what the Steelers are predicated on, right,
running the football, winning the turnover battle, getting after quarterbacks
like that entire ECO system.

Speaker 3 (24:06):
Better you better, you better not be league average at
those things. Yeah, but you you know, it is one
of those and.

Speaker 5 (24:11):
We made good points last time too.

Speaker 4 (24:12):
But you know, they they did force fumbles, they did
create turnovers, they swatted down passes.

Speaker 5 (24:18):
Their kicker doesn't miss kids.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
You know, like there's some other periphery things that they
are really really good at.

Speaker 3 (24:22):
That got you out of a lot of stadiums this year.

Speaker 4 (24:24):
And I don't only get too excited, but I am
fanboying Aaron Rodgers a little lately. And he's, you know,
the way he's throwing the football around the last couple
of days, like this guy might.

Speaker 5 (24:32):
Still have a humping that that just jump out of his hands.
It's so different.

Speaker 4 (24:37):
But you still don't have Burrow, Allen Lamar or Mahomes,
you know, and you're you're not going to have a
quarterback advantage against those four teams.

Speaker 5 (24:46):
And do you have to be great at the other stuff?

Speaker 3 (24:49):
Right?

Speaker 2 (24:50):
You have to be to get really get where you
want to be. You have a lot of it's in place.
A lot of it is in place. You know, you
have the personnel. You've done these things recently, you know,
And and it I think, as you mentioned, there's a
history of it recently five years, ten years, twenty years,
right with the Steelers organization.

Speaker 5 (25:07):
In five years in Roadale, they led the league in sacks.
Yeah it was five.

Speaker 6 (25:10):
Nobody else's had ever done two, right, they did five?

Speaker 5 (25:14):
Right? Yeah, that's great.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
And then like, when you talk about the last five years,
the Atlanta Falcons have had the least amount of sacks
in the NFL. The last ten years, the Atlanta Falcons.
In the last twenty years, the Atlanta Falcons have had.

Speaker 3 (25:24):
How does that happen?

Speaker 5 (25:25):
It's insane.

Speaker 4 (25:26):
And therefore they drafted two edge rushers this year. But
it feels like they do it.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
It's like every couple of years they go all in
on some edge rushers.

Speaker 4 (25:32):
I definitely think that it's kind of like, why is
the Bears never had a quarterback?

Speaker 5 (25:38):
Sometimes it's it's not you, it's me and you guys.

Speaker 6 (25:41):
I'm watching this team over the last couple of weeks,
and I'm thinking, where are the holes? Yeah you know,
I mean, yeah, there's some depth is.

Speaker 3 (25:53):
I was just gonna say, you're there some depth stuff?

Speaker 6 (25:55):
But who doesn't have that?

Speaker 5 (25:56):
Yeah? Yeah, you know.

Speaker 6 (25:57):
I'm looking at this team and what they got. Good
running backs, the receivers, I think.

Speaker 5 (26:03):
Any other pass another one, but I bet that's coming,
it's coming. Yeah.

Speaker 6 (26:08):
Your offensive line, the starters should be good.

Speaker 3 (26:12):
Yep, now you'd better be. They better be good.

Speaker 6 (26:14):
Right now, you've had it. An upgraded quarterback. The defense
you know, should be.

Speaker 3 (26:22):
Should be one of the better units.

Speaker 4 (26:24):
Yeah, with all respect to the guys last year, in
the last couple of years you met, you might you
might have upgraded big quarterback.

Speaker 5 (26:31):
Yes, yeah, you might have like two tiers.

Speaker 6 (26:34):
I mean think think about what you put out there
two years ago, three years ago.

Speaker 5 (26:38):
Yeah, yeah, ye.

Speaker 6 (26:39):
Had twenty five combined touchdown passes. Yeah, two years two
years at the same Yes, it's an upgrade.

Speaker 3 (26:45):
It's an upgrade totally.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
I mean, he was what twenty eight last year I
think for Aaron Rodgers, right, and that was coming off
of major achilles injury, with a whole lot of changes
at coordinators and coach and all of that stuff as
well too. Uh yeah, I'm with you, Dale. I mean,
I think it's it's depth concerns. It's certain as certain places,
like I know Matt has talked a lot about how
you'd you'd like to have the luxury of feeling like

(27:07):
you had a few more pieces on the offensive line
this time like you did last year. You know, another
wide receiver, which we all think is is going to
happen here eventually.

Speaker 3 (27:18):
Maybe another Like on defense, people keeps.

Speaker 6 (27:24):
I keep hearing, well, they're just doing the same thing.
Over and over again.

Speaker 4 (27:28):
Those people arent paid attentions right right, quarterback, right, what
are we talking about.

Speaker 5 (27:37):
An entirely new quarterback room and ten stars, ten new starters. Yeah,
they're not doing the same things over and over.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
That's not at all.

Speaker 2 (27:45):
It's that is that is certainly significant when you when
you lay it out like that, and yeah, that listen.
I think to how we've just talked about all these
things that work in concert together on both sides of
the football going leveling up a tier or two, and
quarterback play is probably the number one kind of trickle
down economics thing you can have for everybody else.

Speaker 5 (28:05):
Yes, And these coaches.

Speaker 4 (28:08):
Like Tomlin, like Harbaugh, who Harbaugh was a special teams coach,
I mean like they very much. Belichick's the master of it.
These guys that are like Hall of Fame type coaches,
they so well understand how offense, compliments, defense, and special
teams sprinkled in absolutely, And I mean the guys here
are very aware of. But it's not a first time
head coach that doesn't realize that if you know, the

(28:31):
trickle down effect of getting your yards per carry up
a little could lead to mor sacks. They would think
it would but I mean it absolutely could you know, yea,
all this stuff compliments one another. And of course, like
every team, over the course of the seventeen regular season games,
some of your strengths are going to become weakness now,
or this guy's gonna get hurt, or I gotta adapt
on the fly.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
But it's a teams they are attacking you differently in
week twelve than they are Week two.

Speaker 5 (28:54):
But coaches that have been around the block, no, that's
coming too, you know.

Speaker 3 (28:58):
Right right, No, that.

Speaker 2 (29:01):
It's a fun type of conversations I think to have
this time of year, the bigger picture stuff in that regard, Matt.
When we sat down today, you also mentioned and I
kind of said, there maybe another piece to the secondary.
Are there any names out there that you're interested in
at this point or would at least maybe hope they're
having some conversations and kicking the tires on.

Speaker 4 (29:23):
I mean, Dale and I don't speculate on rumors things
like that, but I've been over the last twenty four hours,
I've been asked a million times on Twitter or any
legitimacy to this jarr Alexander or Jalen Ramsey rumors.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
And some big names.

Speaker 5 (29:37):
Frankly, I've mentioned Ramsey's name for three months.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
You know you're a fan.

Speaker 5 (29:42):
I love him.

Speaker 4 (29:42):
I mean, I think because he's he ate what he
used to be and he's not Revis Island and those
corners don't exist anymore. But he is an extreme power
slot that could have a Rod Woodson move the safety eventually.
He's a phenomenal talent. I don't know the there's any.

Speaker 5 (30:00):
It's probably unrelastic though. It's probably because you're.

Speaker 6 (30:03):
Gonna have to trade for him and take on that contract. Right,
It's just not gonna happen, right.

Speaker 3 (30:08):
If you got cut, it'd be a completely.

Speaker 4 (30:09):
Different Yeah, it'd be a twenty one million dollar cap hit.
He interests me more than Alexander. Alexander has been in
and out to line up a lot. He did play
with Rogers a.

Speaker 5 (30:18):
Little bit Green Bay. He's still really, really good.

Speaker 4 (30:21):
And Frankly, I say this a lot like I'm getting greedy,
you know what I mean, You're getting greed you know,
like these are big time Pro Bowl type guys at
their best day.

Speaker 5 (30:31):
Can you get them at the right deal, in the
right situation.

Speaker 4 (30:35):
Of course I'm interested, but I'm getting greek, you know,
I mean there's I think.

Speaker 6 (30:39):
The bigger the bigger issue those he's getting another pass catcher. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I mean that's completely agree Yeah, I mean that would
be a luxury.

Speaker 5 (30:47):
That would be a luxury.

Speaker 3 (30:48):
Yeah, getting greedy.

Speaker 4 (30:49):
Yeah, these defensive back things don't have to happen, right,
Grass catcher to me, probably has to happen.

Speaker 3 (30:54):
Right. I think I'm with you on that.

Speaker 4 (30:55):
But I also trust this team to juggle money around
if need be, and a WAT extension could open up
a lot of money. I mean, and I'm not saying
the cap doesn't matter. I just know they have a
lot of flexibility and the guy in the general man.

Speaker 2 (31:07):
The guy who's pulling the strings, knows what he's doing
in that regard certainly, and important to note too, like
like we have throughout this these three weeks, there will
be names that we aren't even on our radar that
you know when you get to camp and August, well,
you know Joe Hayne a great example of that, certainly,
And so yeah, obviously a tip years.

Speaker 4 (31:28):
Ago they grab Kawan, Alexander and Camp. I mean there's
always those guys.

Speaker 3 (31:31):
Didn't they did they charge for Vance McDonald during training
camp as well to.

Speaker 6 (31:34):
Dale I don't remember the time they want, I don't
remember that one in terms of the time.

Speaker 2 (31:39):
Sure, sure, but yeah, obviously still a lot of opportunity
to round out this roster. Gentlemen, let's take a break here,
will kind of continue or maybe put a bow on
some of this defensive conversation. On the other side, we've
also got some audio from defensive coordinator Terrell Austin that
we're going to play as well. To play to get
to an hour number one on the final day of

(31:59):
Mini camp coverage, Wes Schuler, Dale Lolly, Matt Williamson here
for a special edition of the Drive at the upmc
rooney Sports Complex on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (32:12):
Least is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (32:27):
Final day Here at the upmc rooney Sports Complex for
our Mini Camp coverage. In these special editions of the Drive,
West Schuler here with the l Capitan's Dale Lolly and
Matt Williams.

Speaker 6 (32:40):
Cheating on me for two.

Speaker 5 (32:42):
Eh I have two weeks. A little guilty about it.
I'm like to go to sleep night.

Speaker 3 (32:47):
They'll tell notes that I've been doing this.

Speaker 5 (32:49):
I mean, I won't tell you.

Speaker 2 (32:52):
A lot of defensive conversation here in the first hour,
and that will continue. But the the architect of this
Steelers defense, Tarrell Austin, defensive coordinator, spoke after yesterday's practice
or was it before yesterday's.

Speaker 5 (33:05):
Practice before Monday Tuesday?

Speaker 2 (33:08):
Yes, correct, Arrell Austin, Uh, speaking to the media and
you know, kind of setting the stage for this upcoming
season and then and what they're working on and what
their expectations are here is what t a had to say.

Speaker 5 (33:21):
They not have a lot here.

Speaker 6 (33:24):
Earlier year.

Speaker 7 (33:25):
No, now we're gonna keep preparing and moving ahead.

Speaker 8 (33:29):
You know, we expect him back at some point and uh,
he'll get caught up as fast. He'll be in great
shape like he always is, so no worries. It's I
think it's actually a great opportunity for young guys to
get more reps and see what they can do and
good on good competition.

Speaker 7 (33:42):
Who you interested in seeing most of and which, uh
all of them?

Speaker 8 (33:47):
I want to see all these young guys you have,
We're gonna make sure they get plenty of reps because
you know, we're not gonna overdo Cam in this time
of year. Uh, so you'll see a lot of Derek,
a lot of Yah, you'll see a.

Speaker 7 (33:57):
Lot of Jack.

Speaker 8 (33:58):
And so it's gonna be I think it's gonna be
a good offseason. It's been a good offseason so far. Uh,
but it's it's gonna be good. It's been really good
to get those guys a lot of reps.

Speaker 7 (34:06):
Are you still talking with TJ? Or staying in Preston
and you know he's not physically here, Yeah, we always do.

Speaker 8 (34:11):
But I mean, like, you know, he's handling his business,
he's doing his thing and and uh you know we've
we've touched base a few times this summer. But it's
never about it's not about the football stuff. I'm just
seeing how he's doing, how his family's doing, new baby,
all that good stuff.

Speaker 7 (34:23):
So you know when TJ shows up, he'll be ready
to go.

Speaker 3 (34:26):
Let me ask you about your new quarterback and you
game playing against some recent.

Speaker 7 (34:30):
LEAs there, Uh huh what kind of quarterback is? Uh?

Speaker 8 (34:33):
Well, he's he's pain in the ass because uh he
can get rid of the ball quickly if you're if
you're bringing pressure, uh he knows if you're not bringing
pressure that he can hold it and he can wait
for some things to develop.

Speaker 7 (34:47):
Uh, really sharp.

Speaker 8 (34:48):
I remember, you know, going against him when I was
in Detroit for four years. It was you know all
the time, and it was it's it's always a challenge.

Speaker 7 (34:56):
He's a great player in terms of he can spin the.

Speaker 8 (34:59):
Ball, he can get he knows who to get it to,
and and so he always presents challenges that way.

Speaker 2 (35:04):
Sat on Detroit obviously gainst it against.

Speaker 3 (35:07):
Him last year And how much has his game.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Changed over that time.

Speaker 8 (35:11):
I think the only thing that's probably really changed is
he's not running as much in terms of trying to
get away.

Speaker 3 (35:16):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (35:16):
When he was younger, you could see him, Uh, you
would be be scared to play some some you know
man under defenses because he'd get out of the pocket
and he could beat you with his legs. R Probably
not as much. He's probably more selective in terms of
running that way. But in terms of I don't see
any drop off in terms of accuracy, in terms of
ball speed, in terms of how he spends it.

Speaker 5 (35:36):
What you mean some of the guys were talking about
shoring up some stramatic things.

Speaker 7 (35:40):
Maybe wasn't want to be in the last season.

Speaker 8 (35:42):
What kinds of things are you working on this FLM
summer picture that doesn't happen to be there? Well, yeah,
we're doing some We're gonna try to do some different
things and make sure we have the the the bodies
in the right place to to to help ourselves. Cause
obviously we we didn't like how we finished last year.

Speaker 7 (35:58):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (35:58):
Obviously the drafting of the big up front is also
a testament that what we needed to do.

Speaker 7 (36:03):
We need to get a little bit bigger and younger
up front. And so we're gonna.

Speaker 8 (36:06):
Try to put all those things together to to be
more solid down the stretch and and be better.

Speaker 5 (36:10):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (36:11):
You know, we just we had a Baltimore problem last year.
I mean, there's no other way to get around it.
They they ran the ball down our throats and and
we have to fix that if we wanna if we
wanna contend in this division.

Speaker 5 (36:20):
So yeah, you guys have had a pretty good history
against prior to that game.

Speaker 8 (36:24):
Cause was the statistical way out of whack for what
they usually or what you shouldn't best.

Speaker 7 (36:29):
It's which got our bus cap. I mean there's you
give them credit.

Speaker 8 (36:32):
Uh And and and we didn't do a bit enough
job and it started with me, and so you know,
the things we looked at and tried to address coming
into the off season was, uh, you know, making some
schematic changes that we'll do and making some some personnel
changes that we did. The how humbly there's a performance
like that, whatever you go against your.

Speaker 7 (36:48):
Drival like that a playoff.

Speaker 4 (36:50):
Game and they're able to older will like that.

Speaker 8 (36:52):
How much did that kind of maybe or maybe think,
maybe kind of rethink kind of you before doing.

Speaker 7 (36:58):
Before that we wanted to get buck sh It makes
you obviously, it makes you rethink.

Speaker 8 (37:01):
You hate it cause you don't ever want your rival
to kick your ass, But I think it makes us better.

Speaker 7 (37:06):
And that's what rivalries are there.

Speaker 8 (37:07):
There are two good teams usually going at it, and
uh sometimes the other the other side's gonna have.

Speaker 7 (37:12):
An upper hand.

Speaker 3 (37:13):
And so.

Speaker 8 (37:15):
Yeah, we had been ahead in that in that category
and and they did some catching up. So it's time
for us to adjust and and see if we can
get back on the tops on the right side of things.

Speaker 5 (37:24):
Does Peyton ho what a place to be a three
dollars a night?

Speaker 7 (37:27):
Absolutely? What the what about this game makes you think that?

Speaker 5 (37:30):
I know he wasn't you know, maybe for.

Speaker 7 (37:32):
Under bunch and call it.

Speaker 8 (37:34):
I I think his the his willingness to learn and
understand the areas that he was a little deficient in
in terms of coming downhill and taking on blocks. That
was he didn't really have to do that much in college.
And he's gotten better at that as we've as the year.
He got better at as the year went on last year,
and he knows that's an area to work on. So Uh,
I think you have a a really conscientious player uh
who has the work ethic and the drive to do it. Uh,

(37:56):
he'll get it done.

Speaker 7 (37:57):
So he at her.

Speaker 3 (37:59):
Yeah, the only keep getting up in here?

Speaker 5 (38:01):
What does getting invaluable?

Speaker 8 (38:04):
Well? It it is it It allows the younger guys
uh to get more work, more reps and actually you
know against the the the good guys uh so to
speak the first teams and and it and it just
it helps. I think it helps everybody because now you
have an opportunity to be in every down guy and
maybe not just a substitute on third down or something

(38:24):
like that. So you get first the second down reps,
you get situational football, you get all the things and
it should help you grow as a player.

Speaker 6 (38:30):
It's a very different situation that whole had when he
got bern and now would he get back?

Speaker 3 (38:36):
How does he get the.

Speaker 4 (38:37):
Doctor and how is that now with back?

Speaker 8 (38:39):
Well, it's it's been a long bounce back. That was
a really bad injury. Uh, he's bounced back. He's he's
an unbelievable worker. And so he's getting himself back into
uh football, you know, movements and shape and all those things.
And he's gonna have to fight his tail off cause
it is a different room than when he left. But
I think he'll be up for the challenge. And we'll
just see how that works out of camp and what

(39:00):
it takes us. Cause the bottom line is, uh, whoever
are the best players have to be on the field
and and if he's one of the best players, then
we'll find a way to get him on the field.
And you were talking about giving somatical in some areas,
so got betaking how much of you guys connections just
on what you know, punches and some punches at four
by one formations and get that bed. Oh yeah, those
are the things that are trending, Mike. I think that
that the four by one stuff, bunches and trying to

(39:21):
confuse you say you don't get right on the guys
right away. Uh, those are things that we're always trying
to perfect and get better and see what we can
do better at it. And so those are always studies
and and really the.

Speaker 7 (39:32):
Proof will be, you know, what do we do with
it this year? How do we how do we handle it?
We do we handle it better than we did last year?

Speaker 5 (39:38):
Well? We are U report trying to be on U
Sawyer at this point?

Speaker 2 (39:42):
Do you what you drop a foot farve.

Speaker 8 (39:44):
I'm not gonna give Jack a whole bunch, but I'll
say it to A. I like Jack, No, he is
a He's outstanding. He's got all the football qualities that
that that we like, uh, that we cherish around here,
and it'll be really nice. I really want to see
him once we get the pads on and how all
that stuff translate.

Speaker 7 (40:01):
But you know we're in short right now. I can
give everybody an A at this point. We all get
a's at this point. Sea. How have you see Cam
and engage with Hyya and Derek.

Speaker 5 (40:10):
And how have you see those guys?

Speaker 7 (40:12):
Kind of smark to the leadership that Cam.

Speaker 8 (40:14):
Wills I think, Uh, Cam is obviously he's an unbelievable leader.

Speaker 7 (40:19):
He's been here. I don't know Camp thirty years, yeah,
twenty seven years. I think Cam's been here. Uh, but
Cam is Uh, he's great for those guys. Uh.

Speaker 8 (40:28):
He he does a lot of really good things. He
has people into his home, he takes him under his wing.
And it'd be really, I think, not smart for a
young guy not to take that leadership when you look
at what he's done and and if you just look
at what he's done past the age of thirty, I
mean that is unbelievable, the way he's played. And so
that guy has something in in his process and what

(40:49):
he does, it's probably pretty valuable to a young guy.
And so I think those guys have done a good job.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
Have you seen Derek kind of you know, I know
herbig and walk were kind of like that BC there
kind of any ille a supper kind of mess.

Speaker 7 (41:00):
That's I don't I don't know, it's kind of early
for that right now.

Speaker 8 (41:03):
But I think you can see that those guys are
trying to get some information, trying to soak it up
the good things that he can give to them, and
so it'll it's always gonna be a work in progress,
but I think that that those guys.

Speaker 7 (41:17):
Are using him.

Speaker 8 (41:17):
They're using Cam in the right way, and I think
Cam is open to giving them anything that he's got,
everything that he's gone.

Speaker 6 (41:23):
He wasn't a Voicehyterius slave blocking corn doctors already.

Speaker 8 (41:28):
I don't know if he's brought a whole bunch yet
in the sense of, you know, we're just kind of
getting together.

Speaker 7 (41:33):
But I mean, I know Slay and I know he'll
be really good in that.

Speaker 8 (41:36):
Room, and and what he'll bring in terms of his
professionalism and his expectations and the things that he's gonna
the things that he does obviously that he'll he'll want
other guys to be and do what he does, and
so he'll he'll bring him along. I think that's gonna be, again,
a work in progress, and I think that'll really start
showing once we get into camp situations and go from there.

Speaker 9 (41:56):
Stratics Week, see Justice Submission, any of.

Speaker 4 (42:00):
Those of the ball trying to get bos Flash, try
to get the matter where you have to get your
center field of wolves.

Speaker 7 (42:06):
Well, I think it's it's a lot of things. But
you know, I'm not gonna tell you when the scheme
shiit like we always.

Speaker 9 (42:11):
Go through this absolutely so now there's uh, you know,
we're we're gonna do what we think is best to
get our guys in position to make Funa war.

Speaker 7 (42:22):
Absolutely, we'd love to. That's that's his calling card. And
you know, he.

Speaker 8 (42:25):
Hasn't had as much success as we'd like the last
couple of years, but uh, I think the way it
works and or or the way he works and the
way he prepares.

Speaker 7 (42:32):
Those things will come. It's just you know, it's just
had a dry year or so. Is there any of
them last till that you're explaining about or did you
want to be any position you're excited about?

Speaker 5 (42:45):
Well, I mentioned it.

Speaker 8 (42:46):
We've kind of you know, I I really like uh
when I first uh got in this position, I think
one of the areas we wanted to remake was our linebacker,
the off the ball linebacker corps. And I really like
the depth and the things that we've done in that
group in terms of the people we've added, the guys
we've drafted. I think that's a really competitive group now
and it's not like a given like, Hey, this guy's

(43:08):
gonna make it or that guy's gonna make it, or
you know, I mean at one point it was kind
of like, well, we knew who was who was doing
wet today. I don't know if we know that standing
here today, and so I think I'm excited.

Speaker 2 (43:23):
That was Steelers defensive coordinator Terrell Austin uh speaking to
the assembled media at the end of practice. Gentlemen, we've
got Justin. I don't know if you can back at
the ranch. We're getting kind of like a weird echo
in our in our headset here, but we heard what
TA had to say there. I think a lot of
discussion about personnel, perfect, thank you, Justin, you the man

(43:45):
that is always tough like you.

Speaker 3 (43:47):
It's just weird. It's like here, you're here and yourself
like a second after you say it's.

Speaker 4 (43:55):
You wouldn't think it's an occupational hazard, but anyone anyone
listening is probably like, I'm sure you can overcome that.

Speaker 5 (44:00):
It's so really can't because.

Speaker 2 (44:01):
Because you're trying to think about the next thing you're saying,
you're like two seconds behind talking to yourself there. But
I think like some of the things that he discussed
there were some of the things that we've discussed throughout
the first hour. Yeah, getting getting hands on football's creating turnovers,
creating more pressures and you heard them even joking there
with our buddy Mike Persuda about I'm not going to

(44:21):
get into the schemes with you, Pursuda, but that again,
that's what they're spending the time right now doing.

Speaker 4 (44:27):
Absolutely, And I knew he wasn't going to answer stuff
about schemes, but I wanted to talk a little bit
about schemes. And I don't have a problem with the
current way that they've deployed their guys and the schemes
they've used. But I also don't think it's an accident
or will be ignored that they're three to four deep.

Speaker 5 (44:43):
Now it off the ball linebacker. You mentioned that position specifically.

Speaker 4 (44:46):
Yep, might you see some true four to three stuff?
You know, rarely do you see three true linebackers on
the field at the NFL level. Remember Mike Tomlin came
from Tampa to you know. I mean, that's what they
ran with the Bucks. I'm just saying, sprinkled in. Sure,
you also have three starting caliber safeties. Yes, are you
gonna see more big nickel with those guys? You know,
maybe one of the safeties plays more slot day. When

(45:08):
I talk about this, a lot Thornhill or Minca, but
a big thing I would wanted to distress too, is
we talked about in the first segment. More pressman coverage.
I would love to see just to make quarterbacks not get.

Speaker 5 (45:19):
The ball out in two point one seconds. And this
is actually a really good thing.

Speaker 4 (45:25):
But they are at the very top of the league
in aligning in a single high safety as opposed to
a split safety look. And that's the beauty of MENCA.
I mean, like everyone would like to be able to
do more of that. I mean, if you have Earl
Thomas ed Reed patrolling deep middle, people are jealous.

Speaker 3 (45:41):
It's a great centerfielder, right.

Speaker 5 (45:42):
So they play a lot of.

Speaker 4 (45:43):
Cover one, They play a lot of Cover three with
a single high safety, top of a league in both basically,
and that's great, But do more, you know, like i mean,
mix in some quarters, some fangio stuff. And some of
the guys they have, particularly Slay, have a lot more
coverage flexibility with you than the guys last year mentioned
the safety's mentioned the linebackers. I'd like to see a

(46:05):
more expanded group of coverages. But the make of thing
is a wonderful fallback you know, or foundation, you know,
single high guy.

Speaker 3 (46:14):
Yeah, no, without a doubt, the idea that.

Speaker 6 (46:19):
He stinks because he never takeaways last year, he's ridiculous.

Speaker 4 (46:23):
Ridiculous, the trickle down effect he has to everyone in
front of him. I think you've heard this analogy. I mean,
it's Grant Fe're with the oilers allows Paul Coffee to
be aggressive on.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
To be the fourth attacker in the offensive zone.

Speaker 4 (46:37):
I mean, the Legion of Boom is the best example.
Earl Thomas was just the eraser. He's the goalie back there.
So Sherman and Chancellor and those guys.

Speaker 3 (46:45):
You can play more chess. Everybody else just.

Speaker 5 (46:47):
Be more aggressive. They could take more chances.

Speaker 4 (46:49):
I mean, Okay, if I come up to make this
play and I I don't get there in time, Earl's
got my back, you know, Martin Patrick wahb back there.

Speaker 5 (46:57):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (46:58):
Right, Yeah, No, that's that's a that's great analogy. That's
a great example. That makes a lot of sense. And
you know, I it's it allows you to be creative
with what you're doing elsewhere. And yeah, a big luxury
to have in that regard. And I know, listen, everyone
loves to harp on the turnovers.

Speaker 3 (47:15):
I get it. And Minca had an insane stretch when
he first got here, of like every game it felt
like that's what I have a pick six today, you know, right, Like.

Speaker 2 (47:24):
I think his first seven games, if I remember correctly,
he had an interception or forced a fumble, and he
had like two I think two pick sixes in those
seven games as well too, And I think everybody just
thought that that was going to continue in perpetuity. Like
a other offensive coordinators weren't gonna start game planning around
that as well too.

Speaker 4 (47:41):
But yes, certainly along those lines. Yeah, like Dale and
I talk about this a lot too. There's no stat
for the past. The quarterback doesn't attempt right because it's
at menca you know, Like remember Game one, Arthur Smith said,
we're trying to stay away from baits. He's a great
safety for the Falcons. That's worse where I came from.
He's an awesome player. We don't want to throw at him.
If you watch all twenty two, every Steeler opponent feels

(48:05):
the same way about me, right, Yeah, you.

Speaker 2 (48:07):
Know, Yes, it's the context clues or not even context please,
it's just laid out right in front of you pretty clearly.

Speaker 5 (48:12):
He also doesn't get a lot of targets because he's good.

Speaker 2 (48:15):
Right, That's how those that is how those things tend
to work. One hour of the books, two more hours
to go here. I do want to, you know, we'll
hear a little bit from some key offensive power players
in the Steelers organization.

Speaker 3 (48:29):
DK metcalf spoke. We'll hear some of what he had
to say as we roll.

Speaker 5 (48:31):
Along practice in an hour.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Practice in about an hour.

Speaker 2 (48:35):
You have Tom Arth, the Steelers quarterback coach, spoke yesterday
as well too, So plenty to get to as we
roll along here, West Schuler with Dale Lawley and Matt Williamson.
It's a special edition of The Drive on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.