September 4, 2025 • 46 mins
The Drive opens Thursday discussing how the Steelers can succeed this season, and where things could go wrong if they struggle.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? It is the Drive
here on s n R West. Shooler and Matt Williamson
with you on your twenty four to seven Home of
the Black and the Gold. As we get closer and closer, Matt,
We've got real football here tonight. Yeah, baby, man, I'm excited.
I'm very excited for for everything that that we got,
(01:05):
I guess coming down the pipeline here very quickly.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean we got games. We got a
game to night game from Brazil tomorrow all day Sunday,
and the slate is really good, by the way, just
across the league, Yes it is, and then a Monday
nighter and that Sunday nighter is Bill's Ravens. I mean, like,
how fun is that? I mean, we're just gonna get
great football. Let alone, we're gonna see the Steelers in action.
(01:28):
I think it's kind of funny. Wes, like a lot
of our listeners, I mean we've seen it a lot.
Have not seen Aaron Rodgers in a Steeler uniform or
DK metcalf.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It's a great point, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I mean, like some of these big name dudes, including
the starting quarterback, they've never seen him throw football as
a Steeler. We have, but others are probably on the
other seat.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Absolutely, that's a great point. Unless you made the trek
the on hillside, unless you unless you made the pilgrimage
to the hillside. Yeah, I would. I would venture to
say that it is going to be the first time
you've seen Aaron Rodgers dk metcalf in stadium. Been very
minimal looks at guys like Jalen Ramsey as well too,
that everybody is excited about. So yeah, it's gonna start
(02:12):
happening very quick here tonight, obviously with the opening of
the NFL season. By the way, I went back and
looked that up for you. We were talking yesterday about
how hard it is for road teams to win that.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think it's only been one.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Since two thousand and four, so they started it was
when it started. Since that time period, there's been five
w by the the kind of a little hastily done
research that I did this morning, but I could I
could find five in.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
There where the road team won, where the road.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Team won, and then there were a couple of years
where like one where one year when the Ravens won
the Super Bowl, when they won the Hardball Bowl, they
weren't able to host a home game that weekend because
some conflict with the Baltimore Orioles. And then one of
the years I think it was that the Chiefs or
the Patriots won it was the NFL one hundred, and
maybe the year the the Broncos won it against the
(03:01):
Panthers was the NFL one hundred celebration and they had
the Bears and the Packers kick off the season that
year for the NFL one hundred. But obviously we will
have success, not a great success rate, and as we
talked about yesterday, Dallas probably not loving uh loving their
chances in the in the absence of Michael Parsons certainly,
(03:23):
But we will get to UH two more from that
more looking ahead to Friday's game, I'm sure tomorrow as
well too. We got the UH the Chargers and the
Chiefs tomorrow night, which will be two back to back
fun division games. Here. Yeah, to get us started, but
I wanted to start with the practice report here today,
Matt injury updates the latest kind of moving and shaking
(03:43):
in terms of player availability for the Steelers. Derek Harmon
has not yet practiced this week d NP Wednesday, d
MP Thursday. I don't think that's surprised for anybody, pretty
I mean, Mike Tomlin has has said as much. Nick
Herbig has been limited the last two days, so limited Wednesday,
limited again today on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I didn't love Mike Tomlin's tone when he mentioned it.
I'm like, that doesn't sound wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
It doesn't sound it doesn't sound wonderful. And you know,
limited limited today is you know, full participant today would
have been great to see, but he was limited. And
then Cam Hayward was listed as non injury related resting
veteran today as a did not practice on Thursday. Okay,
I continue to think that we're going to see him Sunday,
(04:27):
but I also continue to know that that question is
not going to go away until we get there.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, exactly, And now I will tell people last year
Tomlin used to joke, you know that Cam's taking up
swimming because he's always like in the pool during practice.
I like him having a an off day is not
uncommon at all. And that's all I can say about it.
I mean, I don't know what his reasoning is for
(04:52):
not being out there. If there's any more to it.
I bet there's not, because this is a usual Thursday
thing for him throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, that's a that's actually a very good point that
you bring up there.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And they've had some practices behind us, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Correct? Correct?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
They maybe did a lot. I don't know for.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
The Jets side of things here, Matt Elijah Vera Tucker
been ruled out season done. It's a bummer for him.
That's a tough one for him, tough one for them, certainly,
not how they wanted to start the year, losing one
of their more experienced, one of their better offensive linemen.
Chuokes a Corps for formerly of this parish, and he's
(05:31):
got a hand injury and he's one of the guys
who's been in line potentially, uh to get some of
that replacement to maybe even fill in for Elijah Vera Tucker.
They've got a couple people, according to the you know,
the Jets reporters and things like that, that have been.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
That I'm not sure who that the options would be. Yeah,
Tipman the center could also play guard.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
That was one of the other guys that they mentioned
Chukes did not practice on Wednesday with a hand injury,
but was limited today, so I guess we'll see what
his status is tomorrow. But still limited on a Thursday
is not the greatest for his availability either. Sauce Gardner
was limited on Wednesday, he was a full practice participant
today for the Jets, and Tyrod Taylor was limited on Wednesday.
(06:11):
He was a full participant for New York today as well.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Thy Rod's a number two. But it doesn't sound like
we have to worry about either one of those guys
at all, in Sauce, and yes, they should be fine.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I think I think you are correct in there. So
there's your practice report. I don't think there's any surprises
on there for the Steelers. Still a pretty short list,
a light list for Pittsburgh. You will absolutely take that
all day and hopefully that'll be the same. That'll be
the same next week when we're getting ready for the
home opener against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I would imagine there's local reporters or people are practice
making a big deal about Cam not being out there,
but I would not look too far into that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Guys, Like I said, I'm assuming that he is going
to play Sunday, and until we get the answer to that,
I don't think that there's a ton of speculation needed
around it at this point, Matt. Can we get into
some preview stuff here that sounds Steelers specific, Jets specific.
I want to get into a lot of your stats
(07:07):
as we roll along today, but I wanted to just
start with some bigger picture questions for you.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
All right, are you ready for this, man?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
This season goes well for the Pittsburgh Steelers, if.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Like, what would you deem a success? Is that what
we're going to say?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, that's a good point. Maybe we should preface that
as well too. My kind of success this season goes well.
If I would say going well, I would see going
exactly right, exactly right, And I think that that would
kind of the parameters of that could be another double
(07:46):
digit win season and back in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
To me, if the season would be a success, if
they want a playoff.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Game, this season goes well, if.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I mean, that's that's more like the result. If we
talk about like the season goes well, if I would
say things like Roderick Jones earns a fifty year option,
you know, things like that running game, some things come
to mind running game can't be I just posted this.
They were thirtieth in success rate, which is how often
you have a successful run. We've talked about yards per carry.
(08:20):
That's got to be middle of the road, you know,
things like that. Big plays on defense continue, but it
doesn't fall apart late late in the year and the
sack numbers go up beginning of games. Have to be better,
I mean, have to have to have to. Oh yeah,
(08:40):
now they've gotten over some of that. I mean they've
had winning records despite being the worst first quarter team
in the league last year. I don't know how to
look at the quarterback position, you know, Like I guess
i'd say something like Rogers doesn't look washed, you know
what I mean, Like, I don't expect him to be
(09:01):
an MVP. Sure, yeah, I mean that's crazy, But I
expect him to stand in there and take hits and
orchestrate the offense and be smart with the football and
be efficient and throw more touchdowns than we're used to
seeing around here. I mean, to me, that's what he's
brought in to, do. You know.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
I really like your Broder Jones answer there. If the
Steelers pick up Roger Jones fifth year option, I think
that's a that's a great one.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It's a big one.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That makes a ton of sense. That means he protected
Aaron Rodgers. That means the offensive line took a step
forward together. That means the run game is probably where
we need it to be. Probably right, That's a great one.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
The thing about that too, and you and I have
talked about this a little, and maybe I'm totally wrong,
but I think next year's first round pick is and
more is pigeonholed for a quarterback. Totally. Now, the draft
could tell you that's not a good move. All these
guys were all excited about could stink or they could
all go in the top three picks and the Steelers
pick twenty or whatever. And hey, I don't know where
(10:04):
the Steelers are going to pick, but I expect that
pick and maybe a future first and maybe more is
dedicated to a quarterback. And deep down, I think that's
their plan. That's how they've built this. The problem is,
if you need a left tackle, that almost has to
be a first round pick, correct, You know what I mean? Like,
I can't just be.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
It's kind of in that same quarterback vein of yeah
to go, you need to go shopping at the high
end stores to find that guy.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
If it was any other position, like, well take on
the second round or day two, they are all they
got all these picks. I'm like, yeah, I don't want
to throw a third and fourth round pick at it
and hope one of them sticks or what. I really
don't want to be And I think it's a good
move for the Titans because as us the first overall
pick on a quarterback, I do not want to be
the team that gives the equivalent of Dan Moore twenty
(10:49):
two million on the open market just so I have
a guy, you know what I mean, Like, that's the
worst aisle ever to shop it.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Absolutely So that's.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Why the Brodger Jones stuff is so important for these
next seventeen games as well as really big picture of
the organization.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
It's it's there's a real trickle down effect there. There's
a real ripple effect there, however you want to put it.
And I think that that's brilliantly said by you, because
it does feel like that first round draft pick is
earmarked for a quarterback. Yeah, we know how touted this
QB class has been by people who who live in
that you know that environment and make make their living
scouting and around this.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Usually in September. I mean, like, there's a lot of
guys that are pretty enticing.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I think a lot of people in the in the
Steelers media realm have been doing that, paying more attention
to college football and particularly the quarterbacks than they would
especially this early, uh, in in the in the in
the season, in the fall. That is very well said,
because you know, you do not want to need a
left tackle as well with your court and then it
becomes a conversation of how do we get both? Do
(11:55):
we go free agency shopping? It could potentially change your
plans at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Yeah, that's and I forget how it a brilliant I mean,
don't give roder Sjones a fifth year option just so
you don't have to fight that the lemma, even though
he's only sure seventy five percent earned it, you know
what I mean. I want it to be like, oh,
he's earned a fifth year option. That's an easy one,
stamp it done, Yes, exactly, go a long way towards
the health of the organization and probably had a decent
(12:20):
year this year too.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
If they're offense, if they're willing to guarantee his money
for two years after this. Yeah, I think that means
that he had a very, say a lot, very strong year.
And I think that's I think that's a great one
by you. And I think one of my kind of
this season goes well if was if that rushing yards
per attempt number's big goes from the bottom of the
(12:43):
barrel to sixteenth, fourteenth, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I would take that all day long for fourteenth or sixteenth.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Right anywhere in the twelve to sixteen range. I think
we're cooking. I think we're in good shape. I think
that that means a lot for the offense, for Aaron Rodgers,
for the pass game as well too, and for a
defense that would suddenly be on the field a few
less plays a game, get to rest on the sideline
a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Is such a ripple effect.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
And I think it would make life obviously much easier
on the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Yep. And this offense, Arthur Smith's scheme is reliant on
the running game being good first. And then you know,
not all of them in the league, now, are you know.
I mean they're all built differently. But if the running
game is not adequate, I mean I it doesn't have
to be the best. It makes everything else that comes
off it less, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Potent totally. That makes a ton of sense, makes a
ton of sense. From the defensive side of the football, Matt.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
The expectations are super high, but super high. But they
don't have to be top three in defense for it
to be a successful year on that side of the
ball either, you know, But I think they can be.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I don't think they have to be, but I think
you better be top five at least.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Top ten for sure. For sure. You spend a lot
of money there, and you gotta good players.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
To me, this season goes well from a defensive perspective
if you remain in the top three or four in
turnovers forced and you climb back into the top five
and sacks there were sixteenth second in turnovers, keep that up.
Staying in that area sixteen.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Other big play stuff is great except for the sacks.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Sixteenth in the league in sacks, dead average right in
the middle. Get up into the top five, and that
is going to make a world of difference.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, I mean, as long as the run defense isn't
horrific in the process, those two things would go a
real long way because I'm to the point now. I
know it's not much, but they've been the top, the
very top of the league at batting down passes now
two years in a row, you know, maybe even further back.
I didn't even used to look. I mean, it's not
an easy stat to find. That's not an accident. No,
(14:46):
it's not there at the top of the league. And
they were doing a lot of that in training camp too,
by the way, and Black is great at it too,
he's the new guy. You know, they're always the top
of league since TJ has been around. In forced fumbles like,
those things will probably hold up. I mean most teams
it's fluky, like why they forced ten fumbles this year,
they probably won't next year. This team's really good at it,
(15:07):
or they batted down a lot of passes, they probably
won't next year. I'm to the point where those things
are going to be a constant, and I tend to
think the takeaways shouldn't be deficient. I mean, I don't
know if they'll be second in the league in takeaways,
but that's a hard thing to maintain year to year.
But I like their chances as much or more as
(15:27):
any other defense out there to take the ball away
because of the force fumbles, because the pressure they create
batting passes, ball coming out quick. The players they have,
you know, I.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Think they're in line to take the ball away potentially
even more this year. Maybe throw Ramsey in the mix,
You throw a sleigh into the mix. Yeah, those guys
each give you two interceptions, and again you.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Can get their hands on the ball in any way,
shape or form.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
You know, forty sacks last year, if that gets closer
to fifty.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
You know, which isn't that much, which we're not asking
for crazy extra sack every other game.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, put you puts you forty eight. Uh,
you know, in in that in that kind of range,
forty nine, you get there eight or nine extra sacks.
That's gonna be another fumbler too.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
TJ is gonna punch one of those out when he
gets his hands on Joe Burrow an extra time.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Absolutely, And so I don't want to hurt anyone, but
maybe a quarterback doesn't finish the game or is less
likely to stand in there for the next play. The
things that don't show up on the statch.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Maybe they got to bring an extra protector in right,
and then all of a.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Sudden concept instead of three or three.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Exactly right, you know, right, exactly right. And so those
were kind of, uh some things that were at the
forefront of my mind. I think we're on the same
page there for a lot of those. I like you
bringing up Roderick Jones. I think that is that's a
sneaky good one. That's a sneaky good one for how
well this season goes from an offensive perspective, if they
are if they're picking up Roderick Jones' contract extension ahead
(16:53):
of next season.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Another one that might seem small is and I'm getting
to the point here with Boswell and Danny Smith that I
bet they'll be in the top half of the league.
And special teams, I mean, special teams really varies year
to year. I mean that's just a fact. But if
you've got a top five kicker, this special teams coach
sure schemes things up for blocking kicks and punts. And
(17:17):
the Steelers do spend I think as much time or
more than any in practice on special teams and roster construction.
You know, I mean not just Killer Brew but four
or five core teamers. I mean not every team does that.
So you should be at least in the top half
of the league again across the board.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Special teams, and that's a good place to be.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, yeah, Yah.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
It's one of those things that nobody talks about until
it ends up costing you a game.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
They're not going to beat people thirty to three, folks.
I mean, I think we know that over the years.
You know that all these like fine margins and things
are where they've been winning. How does this team always
have a winning record. Well, they don't miss field goals,
they don't turn the ball over, you know. I mean,
it's little things, and that's big things.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
That to me is the exciting part about the offense.
If they if they can just take a step forward,
they don't even have to be elite, they don't even
have to be great, if they can just be good
as an offense. If they can just I know, we'll
talk about this an hour two when I want to
dive deep into some Matt stats. But I've read your stats,
I've heard you talk about it, we talked about it
at training camp. An average of almost nearly four points
(18:18):
a game. They were down at the end of every
first quarter. It's three point nine points over the season.
They were down at the essentially four points at the
end of the first quarter. If you stabilize that, you
know what I mean, if your offense starts better the
average be average on average, B zero on average.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Sometimes sometimes you lose.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Exactly exactly right. Like that to me is where you
could start to really get excited if we see that
from the offense start to develop throughout the season. The
defense is what we think it is, and you can
really start to get excited.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
To the defense left the most points in the league
in the first quarter. Can't happen.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Can't happen?
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Right, It can't happen. And there's there's one thing I
will say is I was curious how often did the
stealer kick off first? Like is it one more possession?
But it's not. It wasn't seventeen games.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
That they were kicking off first every single time.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
I mean maybe it's eleven verse six or something, but
other teams did too. You shouldn't be last. I don't
want to hear it, no matter what you know.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
And that's what so many of those underlying statistics with
the run game, with the offense, with with first quarter
point differential point to a team that would have a
losing record and be picking in the top twelve.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Where the Steelers have found a way despite that to
continue to go to the playoffs, continue to win double
digit games, just get that back to league average, and
keep doing Keep having special teams be the net success
that it's been, Keep having defense be the net success
that it's been. And and that's where I think you
start to get excited.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
And here's one I think will happen. First off, I
think they'll have more sacks. Okay, we've talked about that.
I expect them, and I'll be disappointed if they don't
generate more sacks or higher in the sack pecking order
in the league. But it's been a while, so I'll
go quick. When you look at who wins and loses
(20:03):
in the NFL, the most predictive stat is turnover to turnovers.
Everyone the planet knows that this is The next two
are sacked differential and big play differential, you know, and
they're sacked the big play differentials. Actually it was quite good,
very good. Nobody threw deep against them. They didn't allow
a lot of big plays and they created a lot
of big plays. So they're plus and the explosive world.
(20:25):
But they're like at the bottom of the league in
sack differential it's nine nine, right, So they were average
at producing them, and I expect them to have more.
But I know, I know, Aaron Rogers.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
This is one of the things you've been preaching since June.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Right. I mean, it might come out too quick, maybe
that might be the complaint, but it's not gonna be
Rogers is sitting there patting the ball taking sacks left
and right. That ain't gonna happen, and Fields does, and
Wilson does, and they have their whole careers.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
It's a great, great way for you to kind of
to wrap this up. That's another one of those This
season goes well if they get that sack differential number
back in the back in the in the positive.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Because I do believe we get a d pass rushing
team in the league, and some of the other metrics
show that hurries and hits and all those type of things.
If you're the best pass rushing team in the league,
you should not have a negative factor.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
No, you should absolutely absolutely no, let's get that back
in the black and uh and and have that be
a positive for this team certainly. Uh there's some the
season goes well if unfortunately, Matt, when we return, we
have to do the other side of this equation now
as well too, the season disappoints. If we'll discuss that
when we return on the other side, Well, Shuler, Matt Williamson,
(21:34):
it's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network, your teams.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
About drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Driving along here on an NFL game day, Matt Williamson,
you got to love it as we are, Uh, we are, Yes,
we are getting closer and closer to the real thing.
You got Eagles and Cowboys tonight. We'll give some thoughts
on that before we get out of here today and
then obviously tomorrow Friday night lights down in Brazil with
(22:36):
with another juicy Division matchup between the Chiefs and the Chargers.
There certainly are including Steelers jets of course, which in
the second hour, I want to get into some specific
some Matt's stats, uh glorious uh information and number pools
and nuggets and all that great stuff.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Word document.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
It's like your h it's like your dissertation in there,
Matt almost he's writing his thesis here, folks, uh, Matt,
let's now kind of turn where we started around here.
The season disappoints for the Steelers. If I would.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Say, we can't ignore that the age of some of
these starters and mother nature, you know, father Tom is undefeated.
You know, if it's probably safe to say one or
two of the older generation on this team will take
(23:39):
a notice, we'll step back this year. But if it's
more than that, if it's like man, see, the nice
thing about what Omar has done though, is none of
those dudes are in the long term plans. Like, it
doesn't destroy your future seasons. If Gray, Rogers even cam
are turning the bad players all of a sudden, they
all want to or there. You know, it's not like
(24:02):
when two it hung it up or Shazier got injured.
You know, I mean, like those were devastating, right, So
despite being old, they're Reynolds, you know they're not You're
not married to these guys. You don't have a lot
of future money involved. So it doesn't destroy you, but
it would destroy the season. Yeah, I mean in terms
of me, you're counting on a lot of older dudes.
Like if slave falls off a Cliff you know, turns
(24:24):
into Patrick Peterson's year here, it's like, oh no, you know,
I thought he might be a step worse, but not unplayable.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, right, exactly right, exactly right, And I think listen first.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
See them all. I'm just trying to think of some
of the guys that are ten years what guys are
like ten year vets or more? Yeah, I mean right right,
rights one you are invested in was an All Pro
last year.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
You know, like, what if he's just good instead of great?
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Collectively, if all those guys go backwards.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
You I think mad that you can It's it's the
National Football League, right almost for every team. If you
were going to make a list of how could things
go souths injuries or number one would be an injury.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I mean it's it's Josh Allen gets hurt. Well, yeah,
it's gonna hurt.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Not a matter of if, it's a matter of when
guys get banged up. In the National Football League, we
know that it's one of the oldest strategies, but it
is that way because it's true. But I think especially
true for this team a little bit because there's just
there's so many veterans, particularly on defense, at at key positions.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Now, I do think they were smart, and I think
they have better defensive depth across the board, maybe not safety,
but every other position. Yeah, I can live with cool hulkum,
you know I can. You know, we're gonna see some
of the D line depth being tested now herbig would
start for a lot of teams. You got four corners
that I can live with.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
I was gonna say, I think Brandon Eckles would have
a bigger role with a lot of teams.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, yeah, no question, you would be fourth. You know,
they've gotten to Pierre a lot quicker in the past,
or guys like that, or and the other thing with injuries.
Cluster injuries can destroy you. What was that two years
ago when like.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Every and every safety we're out and you're just like
calling people off, signing guys off the street, literally.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Michael Walker, anyone like that. I mean, that can destroy
any season. But I would say, oh, line is the
one that if you get cluster injuries, I don't know
you could overcome it.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You know, it's a very good point because while.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Start playing a lot of the sharpings of the world,
one or two sharpings of the world's okay, but five
of them or four of them.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's a it's an interesting juxtaposition with that group where
last year there was a lot of questions about the
starting five, but we felt good that you've got eight
guys who can who can play on Sundays.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
And a lot of them are young that hadn't gotten
in yet the.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Reform, right, and then the other kind now though it's
it's kind of shoe on the other foot, whereas you
feel pretty confident in the starting five, especially like we
talked about if Roger Jones can you know, continue to
look the part like he has as of late.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
But even he's your weakest link, I mean, and he's
still okay starter.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
As your weakest link, he's a B level player, right yeah,
I mean this level player.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
That wouldn't be unacceptable, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
But if you start having like you did last year,
you lose Herbig, You lose Daniels, you know, you lose
Troy Foutanu, like three of those guys, and then all
of a sudden you're kind of looking around like, man,
we thought we had some real depth year and now
we're a little light in the wallet. You can't have
that happen this.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Year, No, And I think there's two different ways of
look at this, and we did this last segment too,
is what could derail the season in your win loss
record this year? What could really set the franchise back?
And a lot of times they are gonna be the same.
You know, Roger Jones is terrible. Well that's a double whammy. Yes, yes,
But I do think there's some really promising guys that
(27:43):
Omar has drafted. You know, we're to start with that
line of demarcation of new GM the Bentons. It looks
like Black is one of those guys. McCormick porter that
maybe they're not Hall of famers, but they look like
long term starters, second contract guys. What if they don't
(28:04):
progress the way you want to, you know, like that
would be bad, you know what I mean, Like is
going to be a star, agreed, But like even if
like the guys that I'm just looking at, like I
think he's going to be a real solid starter, Like
McCormick's like the poster boy for what I'm talking about,
Like if he goes backwards and be like, oh, you
know as a young player.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
You know, that's a great point too, And because again
I mean that's the biggest people talk about the sophomore slump.
They talk about that first a second year step for
a reason. Yeah, and we have seen a lot of
guys that have had very good rookie seasons and then
it never quite clicked the way you thought it was
going to. I think with a lot of the conversation
around Roger Jones, you're right, I expect Mason McCormick to
(28:47):
be a good player. But if he doesn't grow like
we expect, if he, you know, even maybe takes it backward,
takes a step back at that, that would be had
a guard for eight years, certainly.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, another he just popped up.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, I think this season disappoints if the offense doesn't
take a noticeable step forward, because if the offense doesn't
take a noticeable poor for five years, if they don't
take a noticeable step forward, and again we could all
debate what that means, but in clear cut, this offense
is better than it's been for a while. It's it's
it's it's going to be more of the same. It's
(29:22):
going to be another nine or ten wins season where
maybe you get into the playoffs, but then you and
everything's hard. Yeah, you got to you gotta win low
scoring games and really tight games, and you only have
one way to win. And then you got to go
on the road in the opening week of the playoffs
and be overmatched.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
So of all the things like we requested last segment,
the one I'm least confident about, though, is the running
game getting to mediocre, you know, in the yards for
carry stuff. Like I'm not saying we've seen it's been.
This looks bad, but we've seen nothing since last year
for me to say, oh, that's fixed. I mean, I
(29:57):
haven't seen it yet, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Very little of it in training camp, very little of
it in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, and it looks like it's gonna
be the same scheme, the lines basically the same, although
Foulton's an upgrade in my opinion, I think what you
played with in a big way. The ball carriers are similar.
You know. I do think Rogers always getting them in
the right play helps, but that's three times a game
(30:21):
or something like that. I mean, are they going to
be able to consistently I mentioned success rate, consistently have
successful runs, which success rate is on first down if
you get four yards or more four more that's a
successful play.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Craig Wolf, four more on first down, then we're winning back.
We used to talk about that all the time. If
we get four yards on first down, we're ahead of schedule.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Well, the analytic Geeks wants have stolen it from Wolf.
And then on second down, you have to get half
the down and distance. If it's second and eighth, if
you get four, that's a successful play. Third down, you
gotta convert. If it's third and three, hunt and thirty,
it's not play. If right, that guy speaks for itself.
(31:05):
So if they can get that success rate up and
that yards per carry up, I'm just not certain that
it's a slam dunk. Like I trust the sacks to
come up in the sack differential to go be much better,
much more than I trust a running game and be like,
oh it's fixed.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I completely agree. And I that's another one, like, I
think a this season disappoints if failure to establish the
run game. Yeah, yeah, because I am fully convinced and
I think you are too, that Aaron Rodgers is going
to be an upgrade at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I'm shocked if he isn't.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
How big of an upgrade. Again, we'll wait and see.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Yeah, he might be like, yeah, that was a little better,
or be like, oh.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Jeez, exactly right. But even if it's an old g's
I mean, even if you clearly level up at quarterback, yeah,
you still need a run game for that guy to
lean on.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
You do. He can't be He's got a sling in
forty five times a game.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
They led, They led the league in pass attempts last
year with the Jets, you know, like over five hundred
and had a bad year and had a bad and
had a bad year.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
And he was throwing to Wilson and Adams who are
better than Metcalf and the other guys.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Exactly right, exactly right, And so I want to be
able to lean on that run game and then let
Rogers do Rogers things in the moment when it requires.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
The end of career Manning.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
I was just gonna say end of career Peyton Manning.
But I don't even think it doesn't even have to
be that ugly, because that was end of the career
Peyton Manning was was miserable, But it was that same
kind of concept that Broncos had a very solid run game,
they had a great defense, and Manning made just enough plays.
Aaron Rodgers can make more plays than that. Your defense
doesn't have to be that elite. Your run game doesn't
(32:39):
have to be that good as Denvers was, but you
need to at least be in the stratusphere.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
It needs to be the baseline. It needs to be
the raise the floor too. Yes, you're too young, but
end of career Lway is really the best example.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Well that was my that was my team growing up. Okay,
I got John Elway and Terrell Davis jerseys in my
closet still, they're in the attic in boxes somewhere. So,
I mean, I was like nine and ten years old,
but I.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Was.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I loved those Broncos teams.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I mean, like, he took four of the Broncos I
think it was forty four to the Super Bowl and
people would be like, oh many, he can't win the
big one. I'm like, well, who's he have a round them?
And they're like, wow, the three Amigos, Like who the
three Amigos? I don't know. I guess they're good, but
I never heard of them. They're not Randy Moss, you
know right. I mean, so he he was let them
further than he.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Was like Lebron with the Cavs for a lot of
those years, just dragging them to.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
The championship, them those further as they could possibly go,
and then they get beat bad in the Super Bowl
or whatever, and then I can still make the five
to ten throws, which I still think Rogers can. But
the driving force is the run game and the defense.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You know, those those Lway teams. Terrell Davis was maybe
the best running back in the NFL. They had a
great offensive line, They had guys like McCaffrey and Rod
Smith that could still make the plays sharp, you know
what I mean. Like they surrounded him with with real
talent on that offense and a real run game to
lean on.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
And a couple times a game he'd rip one be like,
oh I remember John at right in.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
The Super Bowl against the Falcons, He'd find Rod Smith
for like a seventy yard touchdown to really break that game.
See I was only like nine, but I was. I
was locked in, baby. I think that that that makes
a ton of sense. Is this too extreme? This last
one I've got for you is the season disappoints if
the defense isn't one of the best in the National
(34:22):
Football League?
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean I think that.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
I'm not saying they have to be clearly number one
or even clearly number two, but you got to be
top five.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Yeah, I would even say top eight. Yeah, I mean yeah,
I mean, if you're the seventh best defense in the league,
I'd have a hard time saying, boy, that's really terrible,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
There's some good defense other guys make money too.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I lean that way. It needs to
be one of the best. You know, let's just put
it that one. Yeah, because I can't paint the picture
where they're the fifteenth best defense and somehow they they
eleven games. There's no way that would happen. I mean, like,
because the offense can't. They wouldn't be like, oh, and
(35:06):
this is one of the best offense in the league.
Like I can't. You can't tell me that that's the
path though eleven wins, you know, the defense isn't really
really good. I am.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I am on the same page with you on that one.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
I go one for you. Hit me the season is
a disappointment or unsuccessful. If they go ten and seven,
I don't know how to get there. I don't care
who they win and lost too they don't fall apart
at the end. It's not like the end of the
season's worse than the beginning. It's a consistent year where
you win to you lose one, you lose another one,
(35:40):
you win three. You know, like it's you know, it's
not like these Pats.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
You don't go from ten to three to losing four
straight and then and then the fifth playoff game.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Like last year, I actually broke it down. Semi side
note here, there were really three Steeler seasons. There was
the Fields year Fields yep, there was the good Russ
and the bad Rush totally and it's not all un
ross all Fields or whatever, but those games there was
lines where this is when it all fell apart. This
(36:09):
is when life was good. This is when life was
really good.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
In the middle life was really good there, and uh
in Washington or Maryland, the Commanders.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Play forty some up against the Bengals or whatever, like
times were really good. You forget those. But anyway, I
don't know how you get to ten and seven, but
it's not a lopsided early middle whatever. And then you
go to Buffalo and you lose by thirty in the playoffs.
Is that an unsuccessful year? Yes? We've seen that story
a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I think if I think.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
You're driven close in the playoff game, I.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Think, no matter what the regular season record is, even
if the Steelers were to improve and twelve games, yeah,
if they go to the first round of the playoffs
and are non competitive.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Again, yeah, if this is over at halftime.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
It's d Day for Steelers Nation, right.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
I mean that they could handle another year like that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
I don't think it's one thing to go to Baltimore,
go to Buffalo and you lose by four points and
I'm back and forth game, But it's another to lose
by multiple scores and never really be it. Yes, absolutely, Matt,
good stuff. I enjoyed that. I've got a couple predictions.
I guess if you will that I want to run
past you to close down the end of the first hour.
(37:15):
Do that when we return on the other side, Matt Williamson,
It is the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network, your tuns.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Down the home stretch here of the first hour of
the Drive on a Thursday, the Thursday that NFL football
is finally back and Matt, I've got some I don't
know if calling them season predictions is the right way
to put it, but a couple of things here that
I want to get your thoughts on, and then one
over and under. Okay, bring it on. Let's start here,
(38:16):
because I think I know the answer and you just
kind of touched on it when we were talking about
the offensive line. But one of my predictions for twenty
twenty five for the Steelers is that by the end
of this year, we're all calling Zach Frasier and Troy
faltonus stars.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
True. If it's a true false test, I'm definitely a yes,
no false, Yeah, I really think so. And durability is
really the only thing that would scare me. But that's
true for all everybody. I mean, that's that's not fair.
I mean, we just haven't seen a year of Troy already.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Sure, sure I would.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
It would break my heart if his first two years
got derailed by injuries. It's such a horrible way and
few people return from that, so knock on wood. But
I mean, I think those two will be I would
even say, and stars qualifies two of the best players
at their respective position. That's a good way to put
right tackle in center.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Yeah, like perennial Pro bowlers and a couple couple all protest.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Yeah yeah, like, oh, you're not shocked that he got
a Pro Bowl vote?
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, okay, number two. So that's a good that's a
that's a positive one.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
All right. That's a nice position to be in. I
mean if those I mean absolutely have you the Castro
and Pouncy for ten years. That are two of the
best at their respective position on the line.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
And imagine if the Casher would have been a tackle.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
That's like, that's that's a You're in a real good spot.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
It's great to have an elite guard. It's even better
to have an elite tackle. Yeah, and yeah, I think
that is something that when we're talking about the nest,
when we're talking about the next era, all these things.
At the end of this season, I think that's going
to be the building blocks that were very excited encouraged by.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
It kind of reminds me about it was a little
while back, but the Jets coincidentally use the first round
pick on the brickishaw Ferguson. He's like the seventh or
eighth pick and really good left tack prospect, and then
later in the first round they to first they take
Nick Mangle, Nick Mangles, both of them are just fixtures
at left tackle and center for twelve years.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Like, oh, babe, and this isn't saying much, but that
was also the best era of Jets football since.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Joe Namath, Joy time they ever been really competitive.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Back to back AFC Championship game, I mean, right right, yeah,
that's the best football they've played since Broadway Joe, And
I think you're right. I think you can draw a
direct correlation there to how they nailed both of those
guys in that draft.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Second one, let's go to a I guess a nod
as encouraging one here. I think the lack of wide
receiver depth is going to bite again at some point. True,
I'm worried about it, true, and I think even.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Deaf they don't. But I still think they could add
something today, you know what I mean, or or week
three or four, right right, yeah, I mean not like
Gabe Davis that went to the Bills, like that's not
a huge needle mover, or Amari Cooper who retired again.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Yeah, how crazy was that? You know?
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Right right right?
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Just signed with Buffalo like last week. Sorry, it's part
of me. Sorry.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
Yeah, He's like, and he's hung out there forever, which
is probably why you hung out there forever. People thought
maybe it's the injury. He's probably like, I don't know
if I'm a player or not. Okay, I'm in.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
That strikes me as the classic, like if you're thinking
about retirement, I probably already.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Are, right. But no, if they if they keep this
group of receivers, there will be a stretch this year.
I think it bites them.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I yes, yeah, subject to change. Everything is is new
information you know, arises, or they go out and make
a trade or something like that. But I think right now,
I think at some point we're going to be talking
about how that's that's costing them.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
I think there's a chance on Monday we're talking about it.
We're like, man Sauce won that, Matt that battle and
who else. It doesn't mean they would even lose that game.
But if you're playing Denver with you know, certain or
Houston with Stingley and they're better teams than the Jets,
you might be like, man, a one receiver lost his
(42:01):
one on one more often than usual because he's playing
a stud and no one else could capitalize, like.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
In our run game. Where is our run game where
we needed to be when that situation happens arises?
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Yeah, can you beat good teams if DK is not winning.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
A lot, or god forbid, he misses a couple of
games injury like we saw with George Pickens last year.
More positive one here again, back to the back to
the good. I think the Steelers are going to be
a top three defense in sacks and turnovers forced. Second
in turnovers force last year, sixteenth in sacks, but eight
more sacks would have put them like fourth in the
(42:39):
in the NFL, top three in turnovers forced and in sacks.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
If I had to pick one of the two, I'd
take sacks, just because turnovers are a little more it.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Can be unpredictab, a little more unpredictable.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Tip balls overthrows. You know what quarterbacks? Did you play?
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Football is not a perfect circle.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
It bounces funny, and the ball maybe force the fumble
and the other team falls on at nine times like
you know that that could happen. If you're right, and
I'm not saying you're wrong, the top three is lofty
a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
If you're right, I should have made it a top five,
but if you're.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
Right, even if it is top five, they could win
a lot of games. I mean, that's a great place
to start, absolutely, you know, right, right, And that's not
crazy to.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Ask, No, it is not. And that's another one of
those when you look at so many of the Steelers
underlying offensive statistics and how they've been able to win
games despite that. Pointing to that turnover ratio, as you mentioned,
the biggest indicator of wins and losses. Just keeping that
is a very nice baseline to start working with.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
They don't have it in front of me. Maybe you
do have Matt's stats, but it's in that first group.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
You're talking about their record. When they don't throw an interception,
it's nuts. I will get to that in the next hour. Okay, yeah,
seventeen and one, I think in their last eighteen games
and they don't throw an interception. And guess what Aaron
Rodgers doesn't do.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I'd say the next line there is and Aaron Rodgers
is the least interception prone guy, like in history.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
We're on the same page. We're gonna get there real soon,
in fact, when we return on the other side, but
before we go to break so This one isn't necessarily
a true or false or a yes or no. This
is maybe more of an over under. Okay, Mason Rudolph
over under one and a half starts or I should
(44:17):
say one and a half in game legitimate.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
Appearances, Yeah, not just comes into niels that for something.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Or it's not the final week of the season and
the Steelers have already locked up a playoff spot and
so they decide to arrest Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah, or Rogers hits his hand on the helmet, comes
out for one play and then he's fine. That doesn't
count meaningful snaps.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Like at least a quarter or a half, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Over And I don't think Rogers gets binged. I just
think most teams I would bet the backup sees two
games or more.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Correct. It's just it's the nature of the.
Speaker 3 (44:50):
Beastature the beast, and the age is a factor.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
The age is absolutely a factor. Yeah, And I think
if there was a scenario where Aaron Rodgers was questioned,
they would be They would be confident saying, hey, Aaron,
take an extra week wherever we can win this game
with Mason. We can, we can, we can keep we
could keep the boat afloat with with Mason.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
It's a great point. I mean, if you're seven and
three seasons going pretty well, but you got a lot aheady,
let's give you two weeks here, you know, yes, and
we'll roll the dice with Rudolph. Yeah, I could see that.
I bet that. I actually bet that pops up.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
I think so too.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
And then the last one I had on here that
I had to strike from the list because I put
this together a few weeks ago was the Kenny Pickett
will start a game for the Browns against the Steelers,
but unfortunately that ship has sailed.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
No. I bet three or four Browns start games this here.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
I bet you the two games against Cleveland. They're starting
different quarterbacks in both of those games.
Speaker 3 (45:45):
Yeah, and I don't think I bet Flacco is already benched.
By the time the Steelers playing.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
In Week six, they could be zero to five.
Speaker 3 (45:52):
I think they'll be going five. I mean, I can't
talk of enough about the Browns for six games.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
Their schedule is brutal, right, brutal.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And we saw last year I hate the word like
give up or you know, cash it in. But they
could they did last year, and they could be their
season could be shot a month in.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
Yeah, no doubt, the you know Matt one hour in
the books, our number two. What do you say we
dive into these Matt's stats, all right and get into
some of the juicy numbers behind Steelers jets. Here in
our number two. We'll do all that and more when
we return. Got a couple of tweets rolling in as
well too, if you guys want to get involved. At
Williamson NFL at Wesley Yuler is where you can find us. Questions, comments, concerns, reactions,
(46:32):
all that good stuff. Halfway home, it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? It is the Drive
here on s n R West. Shooler and Matt Williamson
with you on your twenty four to seven Home of
the Black and the Gold. As we get closer and closer, Matt,
We've got real football here tonight. Yeah, baby, man, I'm excited.
I'm very excited for for everything that that we got,
(01:05):
I guess coming down the pipeline here very quickly.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean we got games. We got a
game to night game from Brazil tomorrow all day Sunday,
and the slate is really good, by the way, just
across the league, Yes it is, and then a Monday
nighter and that Sunday nighter is Bill's Ravens. I mean, like,
how fun is that? I mean, we're just gonna get
great football. Let alone, we're gonna see the Steelers in action.
(01:28):
I think it's kind of funny. Wes, like a lot
of our listeners, I mean we've seen it a lot.
Have not seen Aaron Rodgers in a Steeler uniform or
DK metcalf.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It's a great point, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I mean, like some of these big name dudes, including
the starting quarterback, they've never seen him throw football as
a Steeler. We have, but others are probably on the
other seat.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Absolutely, that's a great point. Unless you made the trek
the on hillside, unless you unless you made the pilgrimage
to the hillside. Yeah, I would. I would venture to
say that it is going to be the first time
you've seen Aaron Rodgers dk metcalf in stadium. Been very
minimal looks at guys like Jalen Ramsey as well too,
that everybody is excited about. So yeah, it's gonna start
(02:12):
happening very quick here tonight, obviously with the opening of
the NFL season. By the way, I went back and
looked that up for you. We were talking yesterday about
how hard it is for road teams to win that.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think it's only been one.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Since two thousand and four, so they started it was
when it started. Since that time period, there's been five
w by the the kind of a little hastily done
research that I did this morning, but I could I
could find five in.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
There where the road team won, where the road.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Team won, and then there were a couple of years
where like one where one year when the Ravens won
the Super Bowl, when they won the Hardball Bowl, they
weren't able to host a home game that weekend because
some conflict with the Baltimore Orioles. And then one of
the years I think it was that the Chiefs or
the Patriots won it was the NFL one hundred, and
maybe the year the the Broncos won it against the
(03:01):
Panthers was the NFL one hundred celebration and they had
the Bears and the Packers kick off the season that
year for the NFL one hundred. But obviously we will
have success, not a great success rate, and as we
talked about yesterday, Dallas probably not loving uh loving their
chances in the in the absence of Michael Parsons certainly,
(03:23):
But we will get to UH two more from that
more looking ahead to Friday's game, I'm sure tomorrow as
well too. We got the UH the Chargers and the
Chiefs tomorrow night, which will be two back to back
fun division games. Here. Yeah, to get us started, but
I wanted to start with the practice report here today,
Matt injury updates the latest kind of moving and shaking
(03:43):
in terms of player availability for the Steelers. Derek Harmon
has not yet practiced this week d NP Wednesday, d
MP Thursday. I don't think that's surprised for anybody, pretty
I mean, Mike Tomlin has has said as much. Nick
Herbig has been limited the last two days, so limited Wednesday,
limited again today on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I didn't love Mike Tomlin's tone when he mentioned it.
I'm like, that doesn't sound wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
It doesn't sound it doesn't sound wonderful. And you know,
limited limited today is you know, full participant today would
have been great to see, but he was limited. And
then Cam Hayward was listed as non injury related resting
veteran today as a did not practice on Thursday. Okay,
I continue to think that we're going to see him Sunday,
(04:27):
but I also continue to know that that question is
not going to go away until we get there.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, exactly, And now I will tell people last year
Tomlin used to joke, you know that Cam's taking up
swimming because he's always like in the pool during practice.
I like him having a an off day is not
uncommon at all. And that's all I can say about it.
I mean, I don't know what his reasoning is for
(04:52):
not being out there. If there's any more to it.
I bet there's not, because this is a usual Thursday
thing for him throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, that's a that's actually a very good point that
you bring up there.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And they've had some practices behind us, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Correct? Correct?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
They maybe did a lot. I don't know for.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
The Jets side of things here, Matt Elijah Vera Tucker
been ruled out season done. It's a bummer for him.
That's a tough one for him, tough one for them, certainly,
not how they wanted to start the year, losing one
of their more experienced, one of their better offensive linemen.
Chuokes a Corps for formerly of this parish, and he's
(05:31):
got a hand injury and he's one of the guys
who's been in line potentially, uh to get some of
that replacement to maybe even fill in for Elijah Vera Tucker.
They've got a couple people, according to the you know,
the Jets reporters and things like that, that have been.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
That I'm not sure who that the options would be. Yeah,
Tipman the center could also play guard.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
That was one of the other guys that they mentioned
Chukes did not practice on Wednesday with a hand injury,
but was limited today, so I guess we'll see what
his status is tomorrow. But still limited on a Thursday
is not the greatest for his availability either. Sauce Gardner
was limited on Wednesday, he was a full practice participant
today for the Jets, and Tyrod Taylor was limited on Wednesday.
(06:11):
He was a full participant for New York today as well.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Thy Rod's a number two. But it doesn't sound like
we have to worry about either one of those guys
at all, in Sauce, and yes, they should be fine.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I think I think you are correct in there. So
there's your practice report. I don't think there's any surprises
on there for the Steelers. Still a pretty short list,
a light list for Pittsburgh. You will absolutely take that
all day and hopefully that'll be the same. That'll be
the same next week when we're getting ready for the
home opener against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I would imagine there's local reporters or people are practice
making a big deal about Cam not being out there,
but I would not look too far into that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Guys, Like I said, I'm assuming that he is going
to play Sunday, and until we get the answer to that,
I don't think that there's a ton of speculation needed
around it at this point, Matt. Can we get into
some preview stuff here that sounds Steelers specific, Jets specific.
I want to get into a lot of your stats
(07:07):
as we roll along today, but I wanted to just
start with some bigger picture questions for you.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
All right, are you ready for this, man?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
This season goes well for the Pittsburgh Steelers, if.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Like, what would you deem a success? Is that what
we're going to say?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, that's a good point. Maybe we should preface that
as well too. My kind of success this season goes well.
If I would say going well, I would see going
exactly right, exactly right, And I think that that would
kind of the parameters of that could be another double
(07:46):
digit win season and back in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
To me, if the season would be a success, if
they want a playoff.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Game, this season goes well, if.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I mean, that's that's more like the result. If we
talk about like the season goes well, if I would
say things like Roderick Jones earns a fifty year option,
you know, things like that running game, some things come
to mind running game can't be I just posted this.
They were thirtieth in success rate, which is how often
you have a successful run. We've talked about yards per carry.
(08:20):
That's got to be middle of the road, you know,
things like that. Big plays on defense continue, but it
doesn't fall apart late late in the year and the
sack numbers go up beginning of games. Have to be better,
I mean, have to have to have to. Oh yeah,
(08:40):
now they've gotten over some of that. I mean they've
had winning records despite being the worst first quarter team
in the league last year. I don't know how to
look at the quarterback position, you know, Like I guess
i'd say something like Rogers doesn't look washed, you know
what I mean, Like, I don't expect him to be
(09:01):
an MVP. Sure, yeah, I mean that's crazy, But I
expect him to stand in there and take hits and
orchestrate the offense and be smart with the football and
be efficient and throw more touchdowns than we're used to
seeing around here. I mean, to me, that's what he's
brought in to, do. You know.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
I really like your Broder Jones answer there. If the
Steelers pick up Roger Jones fifth year option, I think
that's a that's a great one.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It's a big one.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That makes a ton of sense. That means he protected
Aaron Rodgers. That means the offensive line took a step
forward together. That means the run game is probably where
we need it to be. Probably right, That's a great one.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
The thing about that too, and you and I have
talked about this a little, and maybe I'm totally wrong,
but I think next year's first round pick is and
more is pigeonholed for a quarterback. Totally. Now, the draft
could tell you that's not a good move. All these
guys were all excited about could stink or they could
all go in the top three picks and the Steelers
pick twenty or whatever. And hey, I don't know where
(10:04):
the Steelers are going to pick, but I expect that
pick and maybe a future first and maybe more is
dedicated to a quarterback. And deep down, I think that's
their plan. That's how they've built this. The problem is,
if you need a left tackle, that almost has to
be a first round pick, correct, You know what I mean? Like,
I can't just be.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
It's kind of in that same quarterback vein of yeah
to go, you need to go shopping at the high
end stores to find that guy.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
If it was any other position, like, well take on
the second round or day two, they are all they
got all these picks. I'm like, yeah, I don't want
to throw a third and fourth round pick at it
and hope one of them sticks or what. I really
don't want to be And I think it's a good
move for the Titans because as us the first overall
pick on a quarterback, I do not want to be
the team that gives the equivalent of Dan Moore twenty
(10:49):
two million on the open market just so I have
a guy, you know what I mean, Like, that's the
worst aisle ever to shop it.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Absolutely So that's.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Why the Brodger Jones stuff is so important for these
next seventeen games as well as really big picture of
the organization.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
It's it's there's a real trickle down effect there. There's
a real ripple effect there, however you want to put it.
And I think that that's brilliantly said by you, because
it does feel like that first round draft pick is
earmarked for a quarterback. Yeah, we know how touted this
QB class has been by people who who live in
that you know that environment and make make their living
scouting and around this.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Usually in September. I mean, like, there's a lot of
guys that are pretty enticing.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I think a lot of people in the in the
Steelers media realm have been doing that, paying more attention
to college football and particularly the quarterbacks than they would
especially this early, uh, in in the in the in
the season, in the fall. That is very well said,
because you know, you do not want to need a
left tackle as well with your court and then it
becomes a conversation of how do we get both? Do
(11:55):
we go free agency shopping? It could potentially change your
plans at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Yeah, that's and I forget how it a brilliant I mean,
don't give roder Sjones a fifth year option just so
you don't have to fight that the lemma, even though
he's only sure seventy five percent earned it, you know
what I mean. I want it to be like, oh,
he's earned a fifth year option. That's an easy one,
stamp it done, Yes, exactly, go a long way towards
the health of the organization and probably had a decent
(12:20):
year this year too.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
If they're offense, if they're willing to guarantee his money
for two years after this. Yeah, I think that means
that he had a very, say a lot, very strong year.
And I think that's I think that's a great one
by you. And I think one of my kind of
this season goes well if was if that rushing yards
per attempt number's big goes from the bottom of the
(12:43):
barrel to sixteenth, fourteenth, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I would take that all day long for fourteenth or sixteenth.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Right anywhere in the twelve to sixteen range. I think
we're cooking. I think we're in good shape. I think
that that means a lot for the offense, for Aaron Rodgers,
for the pass game as well too, and for a
defense that would suddenly be on the field a few
less plays a game, get to rest on the sideline
a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Is such a ripple effect.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
And I think it would make life obviously much easier
on the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Yep. And this offense, Arthur Smith's scheme is reliant on
the running game being good first. And then you know,
not all of them in the league, now, are you know.
I mean they're all built differently. But if the running
game is not adequate, I mean I it doesn't have
to be the best. It makes everything else that comes
off it less, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Potent totally. That makes a ton of sense, makes a
ton of sense. From the defensive side of the football, Matt.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
The expectations are super high, but super high. But they
don't have to be top three in defense for it
to be a successful year on that side of the
ball either, you know, But I think they can be.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I don't think they have to be, but I think
you better be top five at least.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Top ten for sure. For sure. You spend a lot
of money there, and you gotta good players.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
To me, this season goes well from a defensive perspective
if you remain in the top three or four in
turnovers forced and you climb back into the top five
and sacks there were sixteenth second in turnovers, keep that up.
Staying in that area sixteen.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Other big play stuff is great except for the sacks.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Sixteenth in the league in sacks, dead average right in
the middle. Get up into the top five, and that
is going to make a world of difference.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, I mean, as long as the run defense isn't
horrific in the process, those two things would go a
real long way because I'm to the point now. I
know it's not much, but they've been the top, the
very top of the league at batting down passes now
two years in a row, you know, maybe even further back.
I didn't even used to look. I mean, it's not
an easy stat to find. That's not an accident. No,
(14:46):
it's not there at the top of the league. And
they were doing a lot of that in training camp too,
by the way, and Black is great at it too,
he's the new guy. You know, they're always the top
of league since TJ has been around. In forced fumbles like,
those things will probably hold up. I mean most teams
it's fluky, like why they forced ten fumbles this year,
they probably won't next year. This team's really good at it,
(15:07):
or they batted down a lot of passes, they probably
won't next year. I'm to the point where those things
are going to be a constant, and I tend to
think the takeaways shouldn't be deficient. I mean, I don't
know if they'll be second in the league in takeaways,
but that's a hard thing to maintain year to year.
But I like their chances as much or more as
(15:27):
any other defense out there to take the ball away
because of the force fumbles, because the pressure they create
batting passes, ball coming out quick. The players they have,
you know, I.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Think they're in line to take the ball away potentially
even more this year. Maybe throw Ramsey in the mix,
You throw a sleigh into the mix. Yeah, those guys
each give you two interceptions, and again you.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Can get their hands on the ball in any way,
shape or form.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
You know, forty sacks last year, if that gets closer
to fifty.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
You know, which isn't that much, which we're not asking
for crazy extra sack every other game.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, put you puts you forty eight. Uh,
you know, in in that in that kind of range,
forty nine, you get there eight or nine extra sacks.
That's gonna be another fumbler too.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
TJ is gonna punch one of those out when he
gets his hands on Joe Burrow an extra time.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Absolutely, And so I don't want to hurt anyone, but
maybe a quarterback doesn't finish the game or is less
likely to stand in there for the next play. The
things that don't show up on the statch.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Maybe they got to bring an extra protector in right,
and then all of a.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Sudden concept instead of three or three.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Exactly right, you know, right, exactly right. And so those
were kind of, uh some things that were at the
forefront of my mind. I think we're on the same
page there for a lot of those. I like you
bringing up Roderick Jones. I think that is that's a
sneaky good one. That's a sneaky good one for how
well this season goes from an offensive perspective, if they
are if they're picking up Roderick Jones' contract extension ahead
(16:53):
of next season.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Another one that might seem small is and I'm getting
to the point here with Boswell and Danny Smith that I
bet they'll be in the top half of the league.
And special teams, I mean, special teams really varies year
to year. I mean that's just a fact. But if
you've got a top five kicker, this special teams coach
sure schemes things up for blocking kicks and punts. And
(17:17):
the Steelers do spend I think as much time or
more than any in practice on special teams and roster construction.
You know, I mean not just Killer Brew but four
or five core teamers. I mean not every team does that.
So you should be at least in the top half
of the league again across the board.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Special teams, and that's a good place to be.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, yeah, Yah.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
It's one of those things that nobody talks about until
it ends up costing you a game.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
They're not going to beat people thirty to three, folks.
I mean, I think we know that over the years.
You know that all these like fine margins and things
are where they've been winning. How does this team always
have a winning record. Well, they don't miss field goals,
they don't turn the ball over, you know. I mean,
it's little things, and that's big things.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
That to me is the exciting part about the offense.
If they if they can just take a step forward,
they don't even have to be elite, they don't even
have to be great, if they can just be good
as an offense. If they can just I know, we'll
talk about this an hour two when I want to
dive deep into some Matt stats. But I've read your stats,
I've heard you talk about it, we talked about it
at training camp. An average of almost nearly four points
(18:18):
a game. They were down at the end of every
first quarter. It's three point nine points over the season.
They were down at the essentially four points at the
end of the first quarter. If you stabilize that, you
know what I mean, if your offense starts better the
average be average on average, B zero on average.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Sometimes sometimes you lose.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Exactly exactly right. Like that to me is where you
could start to really get excited if we see that
from the offense start to develop throughout the season. The
defense is what we think it is, and you can
really start to get excited.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
To the defense left the most points in the league
in the first quarter. Can't happen.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Can't happen?
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Right, It can't happen. And there's there's one thing I
will say is I was curious how often did the
stealer kick off first? Like is it one more possession?
But it's not. It wasn't seventeen games.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
That they were kicking off first every single time.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
I mean maybe it's eleven verse six or something, but
other teams did too. You shouldn't be last. I don't
want to hear it, no matter what you know.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
And that's what so many of those underlying statistics with
the run game, with the offense, with with first quarter
point differential point to a team that would have a
losing record and be picking in the top twelve.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Where the Steelers have found a way despite that to
continue to go to the playoffs, continue to win double
digit games, just get that back to league average, and
keep doing Keep having special teams be the net success
that it's been, Keep having defense be the net success
that it's been. And and that's where I think you
start to get excited.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
And here's one I think will happen. First off, I
think they'll have more sacks. Okay, we've talked about that.
I expect them, and I'll be disappointed if they don't
generate more sacks or higher in the sack pecking order
in the league. But it's been a while, so I'll
go quick. When you look at who wins and loses
(20:03):
in the NFL, the most predictive stat is turnover to turnovers.
Everyone the planet knows that this is The next two
are sacked differential and big play differential, you know, and
they're sacked the big play differentials. Actually it was quite good,
very good. Nobody threw deep against them. They didn't allow
a lot of big plays and they created a lot
of big plays. So they're plus and the explosive world.
(20:25):
But they're like at the bottom of the league in
sack differential it's nine nine, right, So they were average
at producing them, and I expect them to have more.
But I know, I know, Aaron Rogers.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
This is one of the things you've been preaching since June.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Right. I mean, it might come out too quick, maybe
that might be the complaint, but it's not gonna be
Rogers is sitting there patting the ball taking sacks left
and right. That ain't gonna happen, and Fields does, and
Wilson does, and they have their whole careers.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
It's a great, great way for you to kind of
to wrap this up. That's another one of those This
season goes well if they get that sack differential number
back in the back in the in the positive.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Because I do believe we get a d pass rushing
team in the league, and some of the other metrics
show that hurries and hits and all those type of things.
If you're the best pass rushing team in the league,
you should not have a negative factor.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
No, you should absolutely absolutely no, let's get that back
in the black and uh and and have that be
a positive for this team certainly. Uh there's some the
season goes well if unfortunately, Matt, when we return, we
have to do the other side of this equation now
as well too, the season disappoints. If we'll discuss that
when we return on the other side, Well, Shuler, Matt Williamson,
(21:34):
it's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network, your teams.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
About drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Driving along here on an NFL game day, Matt Williamson,
you got to love it as we are, Uh, we are, Yes,
we are getting closer and closer to the real thing.
You got Eagles and Cowboys tonight. We'll give some thoughts
on that before we get out of here today and
then obviously tomorrow Friday night lights down in Brazil with
(22:36):
with another juicy Division matchup between the Chiefs and the Chargers.
There certainly are including Steelers jets of course, which in
the second hour, I want to get into some specific
some Matt's stats, uh glorious uh information and number pools
and nuggets and all that great stuff.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Word document.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
It's like your h it's like your dissertation in there,
Matt almost he's writing his thesis here, folks, uh, Matt,
let's now kind of turn where we started around here.
The season disappoints for the Steelers. If I would.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Say, we can't ignore that the age of some of
these starters and mother nature, you know, father Tom is undefeated.
You know, if it's probably safe to say one or
two of the older generation on this team will take
(23:39):
a notice, we'll step back this year. But if it's
more than that, if it's like man, see, the nice
thing about what Omar has done though, is none of
those dudes are in the long term plans. Like, it
doesn't destroy your future seasons. If Gray, Rogers even cam
are turning the bad players all of a sudden, they
all want to or there. You know, it's not like
(24:02):
when two it hung it up or Shazier got injured.
You know, I mean, like those were devastating, right, So
despite being old, they're Reynolds, you know they're not You're
not married to these guys. You don't have a lot
of future money involved. So it doesn't destroy you, but
it would destroy the season. Yeah, I mean in terms
of me, you're counting on a lot of older dudes.
Like if slave falls off a Cliff you know, turns
(24:24):
into Patrick Peterson's year here, it's like, oh no, you know,
I thought he might be a step worse, but not unplayable.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, right, exactly right, exactly right, And I think listen first.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
See them all. I'm just trying to think of some
of the guys that are ten years what guys are
like ten year vets or more? Yeah, I mean right right,
rights one you are invested in was an All Pro
last year.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
You know, like, what if he's just good instead of great?
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Collectively, if all those guys go backwards.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
You I think mad that you can It's it's the
National Football League, right almost for every team. If you
were going to make a list of how could things
go souths injuries or number one would be an injury.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I mean it's it's Josh Allen gets hurt. Well, yeah,
it's gonna hurt.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Not a matter of if, it's a matter of when
guys get banged up. In the National Football League, we
know that it's one of the oldest strategies, but it
is that way because it's true. But I think especially
true for this team a little bit because there's just
there's so many veterans, particularly on defense, at at key positions.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Now, I do think they were smart, and I think
they have better defensive depth across the board, maybe not safety,
but every other position. Yeah, I can live with cool hulkum,
you know I can. You know, we're gonna see some
of the D line depth being tested now herbig would
start for a lot of teams. You got four corners
that I can live with.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
I was gonna say, I think Brandon Eckles would have
a bigger role with a lot of teams.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, yeah, no question, you would be fourth. You know,
they've gotten to Pierre a lot quicker in the past,
or guys like that, or and the other thing with injuries.
Cluster injuries can destroy you. What was that two years
ago when like.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Every and every safety we're out and you're just like
calling people off, signing guys off the street, literally.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Michael Walker, anyone like that. I mean, that can destroy
any season. But I would say, oh, line is the
one that if you get cluster injuries, I don't know
you could overcome it.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You know, it's a very good point because while.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Start playing a lot of the sharpings of the world,
one or two sharpings of the world's okay, but five
of them or four of them.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's a it's an interesting juxtaposition with that group where
last year there was a lot of questions about the
starting five, but we felt good that you've got eight
guys who can who can play on Sundays.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
And a lot of them are young that hadn't gotten
in yet the.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Reform, right, and then the other kind now though it's
it's kind of shoe on the other foot, whereas you
feel pretty confident in the starting five, especially like we
talked about if Roger Jones can you know, continue to
look the part like he has as of late.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
But even he's your weakest link, I mean, and he's
still okay starter.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
As your weakest link, he's a B level player, right yeah,
I mean this level player.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
That wouldn't be unacceptable, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
But if you start having like you did last year,
you lose Herbig, You lose Daniels, you know, you lose
Troy Foutanu, like three of those guys, and then all
of a sudden you're kind of looking around like, man,
we thought we had some real depth year and now
we're a little light in the wallet. You can't have
that happen this.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Year, No, And I think there's two different ways of
look at this, and we did this last segment too,
is what could derail the season in your win loss
record this year? What could really set the franchise back?
And a lot of times they are gonna be the same.
You know, Roger Jones is terrible. Well that's a double whammy. Yes, yes,
But I do think there's some really promising guys that
(27:43):
Omar has drafted. You know, we're to start with that
line of demarcation of new GM the Bentons. It looks
like Black is one of those guys. McCormick porter that
maybe they're not Hall of famers, but they look like
long term starters, second contract guys. What if they don't
(28:04):
progress the way you want to, you know, like that
would be bad, you know what I mean, Like is
going to be a star, agreed, But like even if
like the guys that I'm just looking at, like I
think he's going to be a real solid starter, Like
McCormick's like the poster boy for what I'm talking about,
Like if he goes backwards and be like, oh, you
know as a young player.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
You know, that's a great point too, And because again
I mean that's the biggest people talk about the sophomore slump.
They talk about that first a second year step for
a reason. Yeah, and we have seen a lot of
guys that have had very good rookie seasons and then
it never quite clicked the way you thought it was
going to. I think with a lot of the conversation
around Roger Jones, you're right, I expect Mason McCormick to
(28:47):
be a good player. But if he doesn't grow like
we expect, if he, you know, even maybe takes it backward,
takes a step back at that, that would be had
a guard for eight years, certainly.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, another he just popped up.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, I think this season disappoints if the offense doesn't
take a noticeable step forward, because if the offense doesn't
take a noticeable poor for five years, if they don't
take a noticeable step forward, and again we could all
debate what that means, but in clear cut, this offense
is better than it's been for a while. It's it's
it's it's going to be more of the same. It's
(29:22):
going to be another nine or ten wins season where
maybe you get into the playoffs, but then you and
everything's hard. Yeah, you got to you gotta win low
scoring games and really tight games, and you only have
one way to win. And then you got to go
on the road in the opening week of the playoffs
and be overmatched.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
So of all the things like we requested last segment,
the one I'm least confident about, though, is the running
game getting to mediocre, you know, in the yards for
carry stuff. Like I'm not saying we've seen it's been.
This looks bad, but we've seen nothing since last year
for me to say, oh, that's fixed. I mean, I
(29:57):
haven't seen it yet, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Very little of it in training camp, very little of
it in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, and it looks like it's gonna
be the same scheme, the lines basically the same, although
Foulton's an upgrade in my opinion, I think what you
played with in a big way. The ball carriers are similar.
You know. I do think Rogers always getting them in
the right play helps, but that's three times a game
(30:21):
or something like that. I mean, are they going to
be able to consistently I mentioned success rate, consistently have
successful runs, which success rate is on first down if
you get four yards or more four more that's a
successful play.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Craig Wolf, four more on first down, then we're winning back.
We used to talk about that all the time. If
we get four yards on first down, we're ahead of schedule.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Well, the analytic Geeks wants have stolen it from Wolf.
And then on second down, you have to get half
the down and distance. If it's second and eighth, if
you get four, that's a successful play. Third down, you
gotta convert. If it's third and three, hunt and thirty,
it's not play. If right, that guy speaks for itself.
(31:05):
So if they can get that success rate up and
that yards per carry up, I'm just not certain that
it's a slam dunk. Like I trust the sacks to
come up in the sack differential to go be much better,
much more than I trust a running game and be like,
oh it's fixed.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I completely agree. And I that's another one, like, I
think a this season disappoints if failure to establish the
run game. Yeah, yeah, because I am fully convinced and
I think you are too, that Aaron Rodgers is going
to be an upgrade at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I'm shocked if he isn't.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
How big of an upgrade. Again, we'll wait and see.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Yeah, he might be like, yeah, that was a little better,
or be like, oh.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Jeez, exactly right. But even if it's an old g's
I mean, even if you clearly level up at quarterback, yeah,
you still need a run game for that guy to
lean on.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
You do. He can't be He's got a sling in
forty five times a game.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
They led, They led the league in pass attempts last
year with the Jets, you know, like over five hundred
and had a bad year and had a bad and
had a bad year.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
And he was throwing to Wilson and Adams who are
better than Metcalf and the other guys.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Exactly right, exactly right, And so I want to be
able to lean on that run game and then let
Rogers do Rogers things in the moment when it requires.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
The end of career Manning.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
I was just gonna say end of career Peyton Manning.
But I don't even think it doesn't even have to
be that ugly, because that was end of the career
Peyton Manning was was miserable, But it was that same
kind of concept that Broncos had a very solid run game,
they had a great defense, and Manning made just enough plays.
Aaron Rodgers can make more plays than that. Your defense
doesn't have to be that elite. Your run game doesn't
(32:39):
have to be that good as Denvers was, but you
need to at least be in the stratusphere.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
It needs to be the baseline. It needs to be
the raise the floor too. Yes, you're too young, but
end of career Lway is really the best example.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Well that was my that was my team growing up. Okay,
I got John Elway and Terrell Davis jerseys in my
closet still, they're in the attic in boxes somewhere. So,
I mean, I was like nine and ten years old,
but I.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Was.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I loved those Broncos teams.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I mean, like, he took four of the Broncos I
think it was forty four to the Super Bowl and
people would be like, oh many, he can't win the
big one. I'm like, well, who's he have a round them?
And they're like, wow, the three Amigos, Like who the
three Amigos? I don't know. I guess they're good, but
I never heard of them. They're not Randy Moss, you
know right. I mean, so he he was let them
further than he.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Was like Lebron with the Cavs for a lot of
those years, just dragging them to.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
The championship, them those further as they could possibly go,
and then they get beat bad in the Super Bowl
or whatever, and then I can still make the five
to ten throws, which I still think Rogers can. But
the driving force is the run game and the defense.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You know, those those Lway teams. Terrell Davis was maybe
the best running back in the NFL. They had a
great offensive line, They had guys like McCaffrey and Rod
Smith that could still make the plays sharp, you know
what I mean. Like they surrounded him with with real
talent on that offense and a real run game to
lean on.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
And a couple times a game he'd rip one be like,
oh I remember John at right in.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
The Super Bowl against the Falcons, He'd find Rod Smith
for like a seventy yard touchdown to really break that game.
See I was only like nine, but I was. I
was locked in, baby. I think that that that makes
a ton of sense. Is this too extreme? This last
one I've got for you is the season disappoints if
the defense isn't one of the best in the National
(34:22):
Football League?
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean I think that.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
I'm not saying they have to be clearly number one
or even clearly number two, but you got to be
top five.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Yeah, I would even say top eight. Yeah, I mean yeah,
I mean, if you're the seventh best defense in the league,
I'd have a hard time saying, boy, that's really terrible,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
There's some good defense other guys make money too.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I lean that way. It needs to
be one of the best. You know, let's just put
it that one. Yeah, because I can't paint the picture
where they're the fifteenth best defense and somehow they they
eleven games. There's no way that would happen. I mean, like,
because the offense can't. They wouldn't be like, oh, and
(35:06):
this is one of the best offense in the league.
Like I can't. You can't tell me that that's the
path though eleven wins, you know, the defense isn't really
really good. I am.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I am on the same page with you on that one.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
I go one for you. Hit me the season is
a disappointment or unsuccessful. If they go ten and seven,
I don't know how to get there. I don't care
who they win and lost too they don't fall apart
at the end. It's not like the end of the
season's worse than the beginning. It's a consistent year where
you win to you lose one, you lose another one,
(35:40):
you win three. You know, like it's you know, it's
not like these Pats.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
You don't go from ten to three to losing four
straight and then and then the fifth playoff game.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Like last year, I actually broke it down. Semi side
note here, there were really three Steeler seasons. There was
the Fields year Fields yep, there was the good Russ
and the bad Rush totally and it's not all un
ross all Fields or whatever, but those games there was
lines where this is when it all fell apart. This
(36:09):
is when life was good. This is when life was
really good.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
In the middle life was really good there, and uh
in Washington or Maryland, the Commanders.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Play forty some up against the Bengals or whatever, like
times were really good. You forget those. But anyway, I
don't know how you get to ten and seven, but
it's not a lopsided early middle whatever. And then you
go to Buffalo and you lose by thirty in the playoffs.
Is that an unsuccessful year? Yes? We've seen that story
a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I think if I think.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
You're driven close in the playoff game, I.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Think, no matter what the regular season record is, even
if the Steelers were to improve and twelve games, yeah,
if they go to the first round of the playoffs
and are non competitive.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Again, yeah, if this is over at halftime.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
It's d Day for Steelers Nation, right.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
I mean that they could handle another year like that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
I don't think it's one thing to go to Baltimore,
go to Buffalo and you lose by four points and
I'm back and forth game, But it's another to lose
by multiple scores and never really be it. Yes, absolutely, Matt,
good stuff. I enjoyed that. I've got a couple predictions.
I guess if you will that I want to run
past you to close down the end of the first hour.
(37:15):
Do that when we return on the other side, Matt Williamson,
It is the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network, your tuns.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Down the home stretch here of the first hour of
the Drive on a Thursday, the Thursday that NFL football
is finally back and Matt, I've got some I don't
know if calling them season predictions is the right way
to put it, but a couple of things here that
I want to get your thoughts on, and then one
over and under. Okay, bring it on. Let's start here,
(38:16):
because I think I know the answer and you just
kind of touched on it when we were talking about
the offensive line. But one of my predictions for twenty
twenty five for the Steelers is that by the end
of this year, we're all calling Zach Frasier and Troy
faltonus stars.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
True. If it's a true false test, I'm definitely a yes,
no false, Yeah, I really think so. And durability is
really the only thing that would scare me. But that's
true for all everybody. I mean, that's that's not fair.
I mean, we just haven't seen a year of Troy already.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Sure, sure I would.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
It would break my heart if his first two years
got derailed by injuries. It's such a horrible way and
few people return from that, so knock on wood. But
I mean, I think those two will be I would
even say, and stars qualifies two of the best players
at their respective position. That's a good way to put
right tackle in center.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Yeah, like perennial Pro bowlers and a couple couple all protest.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Yeah yeah, like, oh, you're not shocked that he got
a Pro Bowl vote?
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, okay, number two. So that's a good that's a
that's a positive one.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
All right. That's a nice position to be in. I
mean if those I mean absolutely have you the Castro
and Pouncy for ten years. That are two of the
best at their respective position on the line.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
And imagine if the Casher would have been a tackle.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
That's like, that's that's a You're in a real good spot.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
It's great to have an elite guard. It's even better
to have an elite tackle. Yeah, and yeah, I think
that is something that when we're talking about the nest,
when we're talking about the next era, all these things.
At the end of this season, I think that's going
to be the building blocks that were very excited encouraged by.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
It kind of reminds me about it was a little
while back, but the Jets coincidentally use the first round
pick on the brickishaw Ferguson. He's like the seventh or
eighth pick and really good left tack prospect, and then
later in the first round they to first they take
Nick Mangle, Nick Mangles, both of them are just fixtures
at left tackle and center for twelve years.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Like, oh, babe, and this isn't saying much, but that
was also the best era of Jets football since.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Joe Namath, Joy time they ever been really competitive.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Back to back AFC Championship game, I mean, right right, yeah,
that's the best football they've played since Broadway Joe, And
I think you're right. I think you can draw a
direct correlation there to how they nailed both of those
guys in that draft.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Second one, let's go to a I guess a nod
as encouraging one here. I think the lack of wide
receiver depth is going to bite again at some point. True,
I'm worried about it, true, and I think even.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Deaf they don't. But I still think they could add
something today, you know what I mean, or or week
three or four, right right, yeah, I mean not like
Gabe Davis that went to the Bills, like that's not
a huge needle mover, or Amari Cooper who retired again.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Yeah, how crazy was that? You know?
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Right right right?
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Just signed with Buffalo like last week. Sorry, it's part
of me. Sorry.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
Yeah, He's like, and he's hung out there forever, which
is probably why you hung out there forever. People thought
maybe it's the injury. He's probably like, I don't know
if I'm a player or not. Okay, I'm in.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
That strikes me as the classic, like if you're thinking
about retirement, I probably already.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Are, right. But no, if they if they keep this
group of receivers, there will be a stretch this year.
I think it bites them.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I yes, yeah, subject to change. Everything is is new
information you know, arises, or they go out and make
a trade or something like that. But I think right now,
I think at some point we're going to be talking
about how that's that's costing them.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
I think there's a chance on Monday we're talking about it.
We're like, man Sauce won that, Matt that battle and
who else. It doesn't mean they would even lose that game.
But if you're playing Denver with you know, certain or
Houston with Stingley and they're better teams than the Jets,
you might be like, man, a one receiver lost his
(42:01):
one on one more often than usual because he's playing
a stud and no one else could capitalize, like.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
In our run game. Where is our run game where
we needed to be when that situation happens arises?
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Yeah, can you beat good teams if DK is not winning.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
A lot, or god forbid, he misses a couple of
games injury like we saw with George Pickens last year.
More positive one here again, back to the back to
the good. I think the Steelers are going to be
a top three defense in sacks and turnovers forced. Second
in turnovers force last year, sixteenth in sacks, but eight
more sacks would have put them like fourth in the
(42:39):
in the NFL, top three in turnovers forced and in sacks.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
If I had to pick one of the two, I'd
take sacks, just because turnovers are a little more it.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Can be unpredictab, a little more unpredictable.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Tip balls overthrows. You know what quarterbacks? Did you play?
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Football is not a perfect circle.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
It bounces funny, and the ball maybe force the fumble
and the other team falls on at nine times like
you know that that could happen. If you're right, and
I'm not saying you're wrong, the top three is lofty
a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
If you're right, I should have made it a top five,
but if you're.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
Right, even if it is top five, they could win
a lot of games. I mean, that's a great place
to start, absolutely, you know, right, right, And that's not
crazy to.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Ask, No, it is not. And that's another one of
those when you look at so many of the Steelers
underlying offensive statistics and how they've been able to win
games despite that. Pointing to that turnover ratio, as you mentioned,
the biggest indicator of wins and losses. Just keeping that
is a very nice baseline to start working with.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
They don't have it in front of me. Maybe you
do have Matt's stats, but it's in that first group.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
You're talking about their record. When they don't throw an interception,
it's nuts. I will get to that in the next hour. Okay, yeah,
seventeen and one, I think in their last eighteen games
and they don't throw an interception. And guess what Aaron
Rodgers doesn't do.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I'd say the next line there is and Aaron Rodgers
is the least interception prone guy, like in history.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
We're on the same page. We're gonna get there real soon,
in fact, when we return on the other side, but
before we go to break so This one isn't necessarily
a true or false or a yes or no. This
is maybe more of an over under. Okay, Mason Rudolph
over under one and a half starts or I should
(44:17):
say one and a half in game legitimate.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
Appearances, Yeah, not just comes into niels that for something.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Or it's not the final week of the season and
the Steelers have already locked up a playoff spot and
so they decide to arrest Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah, or Rogers hits his hand on the helmet, comes
out for one play and then he's fine. That doesn't
count meaningful snaps.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Like at least a quarter or a half, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Over And I don't think Rogers gets binged. I just
think most teams I would bet the backup sees two
games or more.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Correct. It's just it's the nature of the.
Speaker 3 (44:50):
Beastature the beast, and the age is a factor.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
The age is absolutely a factor. Yeah, And I think
if there was a scenario where Aaron Rodgers was questioned,
they would be They would be confident saying, hey, Aaron,
take an extra week wherever we can win this game
with Mason. We can, we can, we can keep we
could keep the boat afloat with with Mason.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
It's a great point. I mean, if you're seven and
three seasons going pretty well, but you got a lot aheady,
let's give you two weeks here, you know, yes, and
we'll roll the dice with Rudolph. Yeah, I could see that.
I bet that. I actually bet that pops up.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
I think so too.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
And then the last one I had on here that
I had to strike from the list because I put
this together a few weeks ago was the Kenny Pickett
will start a game for the Browns against the Steelers,
but unfortunately that ship has sailed.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
No. I bet three or four Browns start games this here.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
I bet you the two games against Cleveland. They're starting
different quarterbacks in both of those games.
Speaker 3 (45:45):
Yeah, and I don't think I bet Flacco is already benched.
By the time the Steelers playing.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
In Week six, they could be zero to five.
Speaker 3 (45:52):
I think they'll be going five. I mean, I can't
talk of enough about the Browns for six games.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
Their schedule is brutal, right, brutal.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And we saw last year I hate the word like
give up or you know, cash it in. But they
could they did last year, and they could be their
season could be shot a month in.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
Yeah, no doubt, the you know Matt one hour in
the books, our number two. What do you say we
dive into these Matt's stats, all right and get into
some of the juicy numbers behind Steelers jets. Here in
our number two. We'll do all that and more when
we return. Got a couple of tweets rolling in as
well too, if you guys want to get involved. At
Williamson NFL at Wesley Yuler is where you can find us. Questions, comments, concerns, reactions,
(46:32):
all that good stuff. Halfway home, it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
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