October 21, 2024 • 50 mins
A very satisfying win on Sunday night for the Steelers against the Jets. Dale and Matt share their takes and Rob King calls in to discuss his thoughts
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold cass In Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Man, Welcome to the Drive. I am Dale Lollly, and
it is a victory Monday here in Pittsburgh, the Steelers
beating the pants off the New York Jets on Sunhire Football,
Matt winning that one thirty to thirty seven, fifteen. And
I want to say, I told you so, but and
you as well, we told you so.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It's a quarterbacks matter. It's a big differcts matter. Yeah,
first off score still bothers me. I still think it
should be thirteen, not fifteen. That's his life. Yeah, at
the half I was upset about it. Then quickly that
got over it because the second half absolutely belonged to
the Steelers, both sides of the ball dominant. Wilson was
(00:59):
and I think will continue to be a difference maker
for this team in a lot of different ways. Not
everything that shows up, you know, to the naked eye,
you know. And I think the experience is a big,
big thing. Small example, you know, I mean, Steelers prepare
for Anthony Richardson and then Flacco who's not as good
as Russ comes in and has a lot of success
(01:20):
because he knows where to go with football and all
those things.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
You know, Yeah, it makes a huge difference. And we
saw it open up the running game as the game
went on. Once you started hitting some of those passes
down the field, you know, all of a sudden, now
the Jets safeties can't come crashing at the snap of
the football, and just it raises the level of all
the water across the board. I promise there was six
(01:46):
to ten plays. They kept harping on the TV copy
about all the stuff he was doing at the line
of scrimmage, and not that other quarterbacks don't do things
at the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
But I mean it was obvious. I mean there was
a play Warren all most scored. It was like a
twelve yard run. He comes down to the line of scrimmage,
checks out the play immediately. You get to see his
body language. It's real abrupt, and he kind of points
where there's a bubble where there's nobody over the right
guard hands at the warrant as they're adjusting on defense,
(02:18):
and right behind McCormick twelve yards you know, like, yeah,
that's out smarting the opponent, you know. I mean there's
a lot of those instances get out of bad plays.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
It's some of the stuff that you know, we talked
about with Aaron Rodgers going into last week's game with
you know, oh, he's gonna get you know, he'll get
you with pace, he'll get you the job, and were
chuckling each other about it. Yeah, you know, just the
little things like that. I thought it was as the
Steelers are going down to score their last touchdown, I
think they get the ball back. That was after the
(02:51):
Jets turned the ball over on downs in the fourth
quarter and there was still seven fifty three left, okay,
and the Steelers go on on a thirteen play seventy
five yard touchdown drive. Then he took seven minutes and
twenty seven seconds because every play the ball was snapped
with like two seconds left exactly. Fill things, you know,
(03:12):
small things that turned into big things now with nine
seconds left, two seconds right right right right exactly and
again fields might get to that point someday, but it
doesn't happen quickly at all, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
So no, I think experience and all that time in
stadiums and by all accounts you'd know better than I do.
But I mean, just like player interviews after he was
obviously struggling in the first half, but yeah, second third
drive in particular, I mean, it's bouncing balls on short throws.
But apparently he never his confidence never waned. I mean,
I'll get this will be fine, you know, realize he
(03:44):
wasn't playing great, and they did, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
And then he did and you know, it wasn't even
to me. Some of the throws that he made, some
of them weren't great throws right.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Right, right, He didn't look like damn Marino out there.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Right the chance to allow his guys to make plays,
and those are the things that you don't know. Again,
when you're watching justin fields play the position, you don't
know how many throws he turned down in which he
had George Pickens one on one and didn't give him
a chance, or he had a Pat Freyermouth, you know,
behind a safety and didn't make the throw because well,
(04:21):
I don't know if I can make that throw. I
don't want to turn the ball over. Yep.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
The fade the Pickens in the end zone so reminded
me of my days with Larry Fitzgerald because Wilson comes
the line, looks like he peeks out.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Of his right eye.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Oh, I got one over there with my guy, doesn't
look at him again, sits there, takes a snap, looks
left just for a second to take this safety out
of any possible thing, and knew exactly where.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
He was going to football. Boom boom boom.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Just go let him make a play. Doesn't have to
be the best row in the world.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
You know, We've said it all off season when they
acquired Russell. Wilson hit twenty eight touchdown passes last year,
twenty of them. We're in the red zone. To red
zone touchdown passes last year, you are allowed to throw
the ball into the end zone. It doesn't have to
be a run every time, and.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
He rarely turns the ball over down there. I mean
that's a really condensed area. I mean, red zone passing
is one of the absolute hardest things of quarterbacking, no
matter how talented you are. So I was really impressed,
and I think it had a massive ripple effect, even
more so than his final numbers.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, I thought, you know, it was a strong showing. Again,
he warmed up as the game went on, and I
think he warmed up when he started throwing the ball
down the field. I think they were trying to get
him some easy throws early to kind of shake the
rust off a little bit. Yeah, and that wasn't getting
it done. No, I thought the one that really it
wasn't a long pass, but he had a guy in
(05:50):
his face. He rolled to his left with a guy
in his face, and he flicked the ball out to
Friarmouth and Fararmoth turned it into a thirty yard gain.
I'm like, okay, yea.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, yeah, it was on time. I mean it was
you know right, it was crisp and you know, okay,
and take a take a hit. I made a play,
you know, good timing. I trust the guys around me.
And frankly, the old line was struggling in the first
half too. Oh yeah, they quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
I mean, back the Jets out of that attacking the
line of scrimmage stuff. That was what was going to happen,
because that's what's been happening to the Steelers over and
over again. Here.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I was even talk more of a pass rush perspective. Yeah,
I mean it got a lot better in the second half,
but I thought he was under a just slowed.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Them down a little bit to the point. Okay, now
he's starting to throw to the backs here and they
start to wear out that little pass out that they
did continually to Darnell Washington. That slows down the pass
rush some exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I mean, give Arthur Smith some credit to I mean,
you run play action, half roll out, hit the tight
end for an easy throw. Well, that neutralizes a pass rush.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, you're slowing those guys down. We see. We see
teams try to do with TJ. Watt all the time.
You try to suck him in and then throw the
ball over his head. You know this. So the Steelers
were averaging just over one hundred and sixty passing yards
per game coming into this game in the first six weeks.
They hit five passes of twenty or more yards in
(07:10):
this game. The total one hundred and sixty eight yards
by themselves. Yeah, just those plays, just those chunk plays.
And then you add the chunk runs in that they had.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
And they weren't fluky one play for eighty yards Kinvin
Austin run, mistackle or blown coverage. I mean they were
I think we can again one game, folks, I think
we can count on.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
More of that kind of stuff is going to be there,
and I think it's going to open up the running
game because now you're not going to I mean, I
go back to the last week's game against the Raiders
in the first two series and even into the third series,
the Raiders strong safety Trevor Mowring at the snap of
the football and it looked like he was Usain Bolton.
He had one intention. Yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm
(07:56):
going to try to blow up this running play because
Steel is going to run the ball here. Well, now,
when Russell Wilson gets to the line of scrimmage, you
don't know, right if your strong safety is crashing like that,
the ball might be going over his head. No, I
think a lot of that's true.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
And again, if you're gonna hit more deep balls and
more chunk plays, people might just start backing off and
cover to you to death and go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Who knows. Yeah, And you know again I think with
you know, everybody talked about, well, you know how they
going to replace the rushing that justin Fields gets you, Well,
Jalen Warren's back, or you're gonna throw for more, You're
gonna throw for more yards and j Warren's back. So
you got you got one hundred and two yards in
this game out of Naji Harris. You're not short on
ball carriers. You've got another forty four out of Jalen Warren. Well,
(08:42):
it's one hundred and forty six rushing yards right there.
And oh, by the way, Russell Wilson added three more
and could have had more if he wanted to run,
you know, run more.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
He's still capable. That made me crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
All right. If anybody who thinks that this guy's a
statue in the pocket, turn on the table last night's game,
right right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
He might as athletic as he was fifteen years ago
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
But yeah, he's not the athlete to Justin Fields is.
But he's a better quarterback.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah he is, he is. I mean, I think that's
one game to show it. But I think it's very obvious,
and especially if you go back to camp and as
much as we were able to see and its.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Career, you know, yeah, and the people who were talking
about him like he's washed up, he's this, he's that,
go back and look at Kurt Warner's career.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Oh yeah, he.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Was great early, you know, with the Rams. Then he
went to the Giants. Giants. Giants was bad because the
team around him was not good. It was a brutal situation.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Right then he goes to the Cardinals with Larry and
Bolden all of a sudden, right he knows really good
above the neck.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
You know, situations matter. And yes, the Steelers aren't you know,
oozing with with offensive skill player talent, but they have
more than what Broncos had last year.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
And yeah yeah, and he was picked to fit the system,
not the system thrust around you too.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I have I've seen the final play action numbers yet, Matt,
but I'll be I'll be interested to see what those
look like when they get everything gets tallied up. Yeah,
because I saw a lot.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Yeah, I bet it's a lot, and I bet it's good.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So somebody mentioned, well, you know, he he he took
over three seconds in the pocket to throw the football.
Well yeah, when you're running that much play action, yeah, yeah,
you're gonna hold the ball a little bit longer. But
you're also freezing the linebackers.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I mean on the flip side, and I'm not hooking
anything at Ben. An unbelievable career, but at the end
it was kind of like Rogers last night.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, you know, and you knew the ball is coming
out two two or two three, and what the team's
always better to hit it out that quick, you know.
Defenders immediately talked to people, talked about Ben's getting all
these balls batted down to the line of scrimmer. He's
six foot five. Why would he get all these balls
battered down, right? Because they're quick. He never used to rushing.
You're just getting their hands up.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
They know they can't get home, and they're attacking the catch.
And to me, the biggest turning point of the game, well,
not even turning point, it's just they tackled poorly in
the first half. They tackled great in the second half.
And I think part of its understanding that's the most
important thing. He's gonna get the ball all quick and
we're gonna have to tackle Breese Hall and Wilson and
these guys are really go with the ball in their hands.
We're gonna get our hands up and bad passes down.
(11:09):
They probably aren't going to sack them because he doesn't
like getting it anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
The first the first Beanie Bishop interception, which kind of
changed the game. Yeah, it's huge, was because if you
if you rewatch to play. Rogers was going to throw
to him earlier, but Cam Hayward got the hands up,
so you watch him and he kind of double clutched
it and then threw. Yeah. Yeah, Wilson was open when
he was a neatness. He throws it on time. It's
a yeah. That one extra half second, that millisecond that
(11:36):
he double clutched the ball allowed Beanie Bishop to get
the coverage back in and undercut the route and it's
an interception.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
So I know we're gonna have Rob on next. But
I did a show with him earlier and we were
talking a lot of hidden yardage on special teams.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
You know, Jeff, special teams was actually worse than what
I thought it was gonna do. It was a real problem,
that's for sure. In fact, I tweeted out during the
game that after the first two punts, they muffed the
first one and fumbled the second one out of bounds.
I'm like, I'm kicking the ball down the middle of
the field. Yeah yeah, Let's let's see what he can do.
Let's see what Let's see if this guy puts another
one on the ground somewhere where he can recover it,
Like getto right. Yeah, and they're every you know, even
(12:14):
the return guys on the kickoffs were bad.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
We're bad, Like you should kneel, dude. But where I
was going with it was actually the swatted passes. It's
like another area of the team you could easily ignore,
but it is a lot of plays. I mean, only
the Chiefs swatted down more passes than the Steelers last year,
and they have to be near the top of the
league this year.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And one of them came by bent on a fourth down. Yeah, right,
you know, Watt had one and if if you know,
he didn't swat that down, he was going to kill
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Yeah, that's like the only player I remember them single
blocking him, and he has two hands swat where he
was about to come off the top rope on him,
right right, right right, And people think he's haid. He's
been kind of having a down couple of games.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And Rogers getting baught rid of the ball in two
point four seconds.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
You're it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He's getting doubled every Yeah, you're you're you're gonna doubled
and tripled. You're not going to get there.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, Laurence Taylor or Superman wouldn't have got there. I
mean and like, and I still hear. Man, imagine when
Watt and Minka start playing, well, I'm like, they're playing great.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You can't you can't just look at the stats. You
just can't. You know, the impact somebody put out that,
you know, Watt only had one pressure in forty six
pass drop backs or whatever it was forty two or
whatever it was in the game a bunch And I'm like,
first of all, the ball was coming out ridiculously fast.
Second of all, he was credited with credited with two
(13:35):
quarterback hits. So how do you get a quarterback one pressure, right,
and only one pressure?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Pressure is a made up stat. I never quoted in
my stat pack. It's just too gray for me. Yeah,
you know, somebody, somebody tell me what it is. You
got to define it for me before I'm going to
start going, oh, yeah, that's a real stat.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I've heard some people say if you're within X amount
of feet of the ball when it's released, and I'm
I'm like, I still don't buy that. I'm I mean,
I look at pressure rate and things just to see
who was.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
At the top and who's at the bottom.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
But it's not like I quote it or like totally
by it, you know, or which quarterbacks are better under pressure?
Those things are real over a big sample.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Technically, you could say guys like TJ. Watt or Miles
Garrett or Nick Bosa, and they put pressure on the
quarterback on every single drop back because I guarantee you
the quarterback knows where they're at.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, I have to play nine on ten because that
guy's on the field. That's a lot of pressure. That's
a lot of pressure on my shoulders, right.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
And you know, to to say that those guys don't
affect games even when they're not getting sacks. I know
I've joked about Miles Garrett not you know, having no
tackles and those but they affect a game massive. You
have to. You have to account for those guys massively, massively, massively,
usually with more than one player, it's usually two and
sometimes three, and that affects how you operate as an offense,
(14:56):
no doubt.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
And side notes, I want to make sure I get
it out there is they allowed a lot of holding
in this They did, and I thought more so favoring
the Jets and the Steelers. But I am looking at
it through black and gold colored glasses a little.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
But there are a couple of guys who got tackled
on the way to the quarterback, and Tyron Smith versus
high Smith could have been a lot uglier, is all
I'm saying. Yeah, you know, yeah, no, I thought the
defense other than you know, again the mistackles on Brisaw
in the first half was really good. Again, another shutout
in the second half of a game. They went into
that game allowing five point seven points per game in
(15:32):
the second half over the course of the season. That's
only going to go lower. And if you can do
that with this offense, you know, it's it's often like
I can't remember who the you know, the sprinter was,
But if it's even I'm leaving, that's just a receiver thing.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Turn two like Randy Moss almost that's a receiver term too.
They're plus sixty eight point differential in the second half.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I mean it's i know, over the course of seven years, yeah,
seven games now yeah, yeah, so basically ten points. You're
winning the second half of games by ten points every week,
every week.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
And some of it's physicality, some of it's do we
everyone to give the coaches any credit that they're always
getting all coached in the first half. Why are they
always so flat? Maybe they make really good adjustments in
the second too, you know what I mean. There's a
couple of ways to look at that, but I think
a lot of it's how physical they are, and Tomlin
practices those guys hard. Colin's Worth kept talking about it
last night. He's like, you know, they do the pre
(16:28):
meetings with the coaches and he's like, coach t are
their players you don't get in free agency because you
guys work harder than other teams. Like absolutely, He's like,
that's no secret at all. And then we realize we
don't want them anyway, because the right.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Right football you want to play, you want to be
you want to There's a difference between being a football
player playing football and yeah, yeah you want to be
you want to be an NFL player because you like
the money, yeah, or do you like the game, which one.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Is catching touchdowns? But I don't really like on when
day being in the weight room, a little longer shootout
or you.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Know, we're tackling during training camp and things like that, right,
taking the iPad home, But I like walking and walking
around and going into a restaurant and everybody comes over
and yeah, maybe they give me a free dinner, right
and all that. Of course I love that. Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
One goes hand in hand with the other sometimes.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
And it's why sometimes you see guys who are uber
talented that don't work out because.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
They don't love it. They don't love it. You get
a lot their fault. No, no, they love It's not
the piano or whatever they like doing, and they're not
good as good at it as a football player.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it's just see what to do because.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
They're good at it.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Yeah, just that mentality. But let's get to a break.
We'll continue talking about last night's thirty seven fifteen win
over the Jets uh here with Rob King next, but
we'll also continue talking about it over the course of
the show. Here. He is the Matt Williamson. I am
Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on the
Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will be back with
more right after this.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
He's Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your
twenty four to seven home of the Black and Golds
in Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And welcome back. I am Dale Lolly. He is the
Matt Williamson and we're joined on the phone line by
the Rob King. Although Kinger, I'm a little ticked off
at you because I banged my leg really hard against
the when I was walking down the steps into the
booth last night to do the show. I was trying
to step around you. I didn't right on the kneecap,
(18:34):
right on the kneecap. I looked at it today when
I woke up, because I was I didn't think about
it until I woke up this morning. I got like
a nice knot there right on my kneecap, right where
I banged the knee.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
It's all your fault here, It's all Ker's fault.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
He was in the zone.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Though.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I didn't want to be like he's studying his paperwork,
you know, going over everything mature. Everything is right going
into the game. So I didn't want to like tap
him on the shoulder and say, hey, brob, I got
to get around you here. So I just kind of
slide around him and banged my knee on the on
the corner of the wall. But Ginger, how you going,
It's one of the only bad things that happened last night. Yeah,
it really was the only bad thing that happened, and
(19:09):
of course it happened to me.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, we admire your we admire your body to play
through pain.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Well, he's toughing it out today, though. I think he's
going to survive.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Those knee contusions. They can, they can put you out
for a while. But King, Yeah, thirty seven to fifteen
win last night, the seventy four team honored at halftime. Uh,
the building was electric and the Steelers put on a
good show.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
They did impressive. You know, so many little things leading
to the big victory.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Every had every know, defense, special teams, offense, you everyone
wants to talk about Russell Wilson, and rightly so a
lot to be enthusiastic about him. But you know, on
all guys, I just thought everything contributed to a really
really dominating Steelers win.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah, let's just stig into Wilson. I mean, how much
different did the offense look and feel to you live?
You know, how crisp the plays were coming in him
at the line of scrimmage, know when where to go
with football, put in touch on the ball, all those things.
And again this is no knock on justin fields.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
You know, no, no, no for and no. And I'm
a big Justin Fields fan. I really like Justin Fields.
I think there's a lot of things that he can do,
and you know, and I love his approach and his attitude,
a lot of things that you know's some things that
he needs to do a little bit better, and I
think he understands that. But I mean there's I think
there's you know, I don't think his his story is
(20:33):
finished being.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Written by any means.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But you know, when you go out and acquire a
nine time Pro bowler, a Super Bowl champion, there is
going to be a difference.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
There aren't that many guys like that in the league.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
Well, nine time Pro bowlers, but I mean guys who
are you know, number one type of quarterbacks at.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
This point, rob There aren't that many quarterbacks who've actually
won a Super Bowl in the league, right, right, that's right,
Rady Mahomes, Yeah, and Brady and Mahomes had been open
on him. Roethlisberger, you know, Manning a flack o snuck
one in there. But it's you know, lately, it's it's
it's been Mahomes and some of the other guys, and
nobody else gets a chance to win these things, right,
And this.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Is a little bit of a reminder of what that
difference is between this and I'm not even just talking
about justin fields, who's the best we've seen in a
while for me at this year, this quarterback position. But
when you take that type of a player and there
aren't that many and you insert him in doing offense,
it makes a big difference.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
It just does. You know.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
That's why quarterbacks, top quarterbacks make you know, fifty million
dollars a year. And this was a reminder that, oh, yeah,
he is that guy because we needed a reminder, some
of us did, because of how things went for him
the last couple of years in Denver. You know, everybody thought, wow,
what a what a tremendous you know, pick up for Denver,
and this is going to take them, you know, they
(21:58):
thought it was going to take him to the next
level and yet had to give up a lot to
get him. But this is the bright guy. And then
it just didn't work. I mean it just you had
a coordinator, a coach in the first year who just
got demoted again as a coordinator, so that was a mess.
And then you bring in another coach who wants to
go in a different direction, and uh, you know, I
(22:19):
think I just said the direction as opposed to direction
moving a little different direction. So you know, all of
a sudden, now you're you're looking at a guy whose
legacy is a little bit tarnished, and then you know,
you see him in practice.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
We saw him.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Guys, everything is always the word that always comes to
mind for me is just crisp.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Everything just looks crisp. The way the ball throws to the.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Air, the way he moves in and out of the huddle,
the way he seems to be in charge of everything.
It's just crisp, crisp, crisp, crisp with everything. And you
know we saw that last night. This is a crisply
run offense. Crisp throws to his receivers. Just a lot
to like about what he can bring. And you know,
(23:00):
I think about when I look back at you know,
what they were able to accomplish with quarterbacks who frankly
are now backups and lucky to be in the league
and to be able to win games and get to
the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
With quarterbacks of that ilk.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
And then you bring in Russell Wilson and you realize
it and that's not a knockout anybody that's been here
it's just a different level. It's a rare level that
he's been able to achieve. And on top of that,
I just think that and this is always was always
my concern, and it kind of manifested itself the last
couple of years. What happens when you're in a game
which Joe Burrow's on fire and the defense is that
(23:37):
got a hard time stopping them, and your running game
really isn't going. What's happened in the last couple of
years is you've suffered some rare blowouts. You haven't been
able to match them punch for punch. Now, I think
with a quarterback like Russell Wilson, when the inevitable game
comes along and the other team scores, you know, twenty
eight points, can you score thirty? And I think now
(23:59):
you feel like, yeah, we can.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
No, I agree completely, And I mean you start looking
at things like point differential. You know, the Steelers are
now plus sixty and I understand, you know Baltimore hasn't
played yet, but that plus sixty is three points behind
the Bills for second most in the AFC. The Ravens
right now would have to they'd have to win by
thirty two points. Tonight to get to that plus sixty.
(24:25):
They're plus twenty eight right now. You know, you look
over at the Detroit is plus sixty two. The commanders
of all teams are plus sixty six. Minnesota is at
plus sixty one. Those that's the that's the Those are
the teams that you're right there with right now, because
you do you've shown the ability now in back to
back weeks, and it's been a different ways that you've
done it, but you've blown out two teams in a row.
(24:48):
And that's just something we haven't seen a lot of
here in Pittsburgh probably since the twenty twenty season, when
when you know, Roethlisberger was coming back from the the
elbow injury.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Right and I think there were a number of things
to like, and one of them, you know, and I
don't want to gloss over any of them.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
There's so many to talk about.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
And one of the things that I haven't really talked
about yet was just that final drive. I mean, you know,
you're the Jets. You've got a couple of timeouts left
to thinking, Okay, if we can get it three and out,
we still got a chance. There's still a chance in
that game with seven and a half minutes or thereabouts
left in the game to maybe pull a rabbit out
of the hat. You march down the field. You know,
Rogers gets you a score with a quick three minute offense.
(25:27):
You kick it back, and you kick it off, you
use your timeouts, you have the two minute warning to
get the ball back.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
You still have a chance. Yeah, you need a two.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
Point conversion in there, but you still got a chance.
Well then they just marched the ball down the field
and punch it in the end zone with thirty seconds left.
I mean, that is beautiful. Remember that the Steelers weren't
winning now. Again, they had a one play touchdown drive
after the beating Bishop interception, but they were not winning
the time of possession battle. That's a very encouraging sign
(25:57):
for me to be able to you know, it doesn't
always have to be your defense that finishes it off
and wins it for you. I think the hope now
is that the offense can do that.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
The offense can go.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
On this long, time consuming drive that just puts the
game away, which is what they did last night.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
It's funny you mentioned that because I asked, you know,
Cam Heyward about that last night after the game and
I said, you know when the offense scores thirty one
unanswered points like that and dominates the time of possession
in the second half, you know, as a defense, you know,
how does that?
Speaker 4 (26:28):
How does that?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
You know, what's that do for you guys on defense?
Because it's funny me and TJ were talking about We're like, well,
I sure hope the offense gives them the ball back
here at some point or we score here or something,
because we want to go out there and try to
eat a little bit here. You know they're gonna be
in desperation, you know, you want to try to go
do some stuff. With thirty seconds left, they weren't going
back in the game.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
And Robert along those lines before you answer something Dale
and I have talked about now for years on the
drive are how many opportunities in TJ. Watts's career have
they had a ten point lead with three and a
half minutes on the clock. Towels fly in loud as
can be, and everyone on the planet knows you're rushing
the passer and you can't get the ball out in
(27:07):
two point two seconds. You know, like, imagine the production
this pass rusher would have with more of those situations.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I totally agree.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
And you know, you think about the great pass rushers
and you know, you can think of that in terms
of clutch you know, Joey Porter, James Harrison. You know,
you're up seven and there's four and a half minutes
left or whatever. They've got to throw the ball, and
here you come and you come up with you know,
Lawrence Taylor, you come up with these well, you know, yes,
(27:37):
that it is the ability to rise to the occasion,
but it's also the ability to you know, at home
with a home crowd, making you maybe have to go
to a silent count and eliminating some of that advantage
the offensive line has and that great pass rusher knowing
that you've got to throw that helps too. Yes, it's
a clutch team, but it's also a you know, we've
(27:59):
got an advantage type of gene.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
And I do agree. I think that that's it would be.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
It would be wonderful to see Cam Hayward and to
see TJ. Watt not have to worry about the run,
not even have to think about the run. What would
that do to their production? Because both guys are such
great all a round players. Now what happens when they
have to throw the ball.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
I think their numbers could could certainly would certainly elevate
under those circumstances.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
So Rob, you and I were talking on a different
show about hidden yardage, some of the stuff that isn't
on the box score to the naked eye or fantasy
points or the back of your football card, you know,
special teams, all these different areas they're winning, and I
think it just needs to be talked about more. I mean,
(28:48):
that's just comes from top down coaching.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
You know.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
Well, I think that you know, at some point here
and again, it's one game, right, we know that, and
you're going to play another game against team that's that's you.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Know, hopefully you'll be able to take care of.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Business on Monday Night football against the Giants team that's
that's struggling. But uh, you know, we'll see as the
season wears on and you get to play tougher and
tougher opponents.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
But I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
I think that we're going to I think that this
offense is gonna, you know, hopefully be an improvement. I
still go back to, you know, what happened when Mason
Rudolph came in. We're not talking about Kenny Pickett. Uh,
you know with Kenny Pickett and and Mason Rudolph quarterback
and your team, I will was too bits you own
three or zero and four last year. If he's not
(29:36):
quarterback in your game, you've got a winning record. That
is a reflection to me on to to circle back
to your point on great coaching and understanding what your
assets are and how you can win a game. So,
I mean, and I've said this before, like, I don't
care if you imagine you're playing pick up in the
why you know, and you pick up teams, what is
(29:57):
the first thing you should be thinking? Well, how do
what assets do we have? How can our team win
this game? Well, that's what great head coaches are doing,
you know, not just saying this is what we do
and we're gonna do.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Put to the floor. Here we go.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
We're playing you know, ninety miles an hour. Okay, great,
When that doesn't work, what are you doing then?
Speaker 4 (30:13):
You know? And so Mike Tomlin, I think in.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
His staff have had the capability to go in and
yes they've had a very good defense. Yes they've been
able to do some things on special teams, but they
also he's also managing with the assets he has to
win the game at hand, which is why when.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
A team, you know, starts blowing you out, you just.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Don't have the assets to match that. That's what excites
me about getting a quarterback that can do this. But yeah,
I mean we talked about this back in camp that
you know, the addition of Cam Johnston would add twenty
five yards per game net punning to your total, which
is enough to improve you from twenty fourth to twenty
fifth whatever the number was. If the Silers were in
total yardage last year to the seventeen to eighteen almost
(30:56):
averaged just by that hidden yardage and the block kicks
and even little things like you know, uh so that
the students had a punt safe on last night, they
had the defense out there worried that the Jets around midfield,
we're going to go for it. They kicked it Calvin
Austin and he picks up nine yards. Now is that
a Is that the a team you know a league
(31:16):
leading return yardage? No, it isn't, but is it almost?
It's practically a first down. It's nine yards that he
picked up on a punt return. When you were in
punt safe, it.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Was also nine yards been getting the ball. It was
also nine yards where you've been getting the ball inside
your own twenty, which affects how how you call plays
at that point one twelve.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
That's right, you're not in the twelve, You're now in
the twenty one, and that opens things up considerably. So, Yeah,
a lot of those factors, you know, understandably, can go
unheralded and go you know, sort of unnoticed by fans,
which is why it's our job to help bring them
up and say, hey, listen, you know, consider this aspect
of the game. Of course, a lot of fans have
considered it already, but some fans, newer fans may not have. Oh,
(32:00):
I didn't really quite consider it that way. There's a
lot of things that the Steelers have done over the
last couple of years. The block kicks more than anybody
in the NFL since the beginning of the twenty twenty
two seasons. Those those are real things. Those are factors
that help you win, you know. I know, Matt, you've
used the expression winning the margins. Well, I think great
(32:23):
teams can do both. They can win in the margins
and then they can they can also you know, beat
you by outscoring you. Or out defending you. You know,
I know I number in Uh.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Jay Coffield, my my friend and former co host with
on the Penguins, used to talk about, you know, when
the when the Penguin seems are great here with Crosby
and Malcolm and when they were great back in uh,
you know, the early Marrio days. They can beat you
any way you want it. Do you want to play
low scoring? Won't beat you low scoring? You want to
open it up?
Speaker 4 (32:54):
Well? Great, but good line, you know.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
And I and I think that there's you know, hopefully
if you can get war going with this year's offense,
I think that's something.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
They'll be able to do. They've already proven with.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
Their incredible what is it eleven and four and one
score game since the beginning of last year something like that,
that they can win that way, right, And that means
that the little things you're talking about, Matt, Now, isn't
it kind of fun to be able to win thirty
seven to fifteen on Sunday Night football?
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
It's it's you know, and that goes to coaching. And
you talked about Russell Wilson being in Denver under two
different offensive systems. The first one didn't fit. The first
one was designed. It was it was, you know, Hackett's
system for Aaron Rodgers. Oh yeah, you know they were
they were bringing the Green Bay offense there because they
thought they were getting Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
While he got higher.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
That's why he got high, the only reason he got hired, right,
And he's now since been fired from two different jobs
in the last two years. And then the second year
you got Sean Payton coming in and saying, no, we
got to run my offense. It's got to be my offense,
not what best suits my team. And that's you're absolutely right.
That is coaching. That's the difference between you know, you know,
(34:06):
you see so many times, especially in football, we got
to run my system. But you see it in other
sports too bad, particularly football, basketball, hockey, baseball. That's not
really such a system. But if I've got a bunch
of home run hitters as a baseball manager, we're not
going to try to steal a bunch of bases.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Right, there's ex ingredients in the fridge. You got to
make something out of it to feed the fam. You know,
whether it's delicacy or if it's slopped.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make this spam no
offense to spam and try to tell you that it's
you know, it's filame mignon. No, that's not how this works.
You got to you know, work with what you got.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
Well, you know, I totally one hundred percent agree with that.
And then the other thing is too let's not forget
you know, Russell Wilson, and I think some of that
was was financially based that a move last year. I
don't remember exactly.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
He didn't fit Peyton's system and Peyton wanted to move on,
and so they didn't play in the last two games,
so we didn't get and then he would have had
to pay him right.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
Right, And then you also missed the playoffs when you
had an opportunity to make the playoffs too, because I
think they lost those last two games. Rust didn't play
if I'm not mistaken. But regardless, you know, he was
eighth in the league in passer rating last year. I
know passer rating is not everything, but you got to
pick a statistic. I like passer rating. It emphasizes you know,
touchdowns touchdown interception ratio. But he was eighth in the league.
(35:25):
You're not it isn't like he was a failure. He
was eighth in the league, had a winning record, I believe.
I think he was eight and seven as the starting
quarterback last year and and had that the good quarterback rating.
And so it's not like you're taking, you know, someone
broken and trying to rebuild them. I mean, this isn't
humpty dumpty. Here We're talking about how a guy who
(35:46):
had a great year and is a nine time pro bowler.
And the other thing that I've been thinking about a
lot lately is that, you know, when Mike Tomman is
talking about turnover margins with Bob Labriola on that outstanding
pregame show.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Lab such a phenomenal job of that interview.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
You know, he brought up turnover ratio and and Mike
Common was talking about that, and I just looked up,
you know, turnover ratio and there's Russell Wilson.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
Third in NFL history.
Speaker 5 (36:12):
Yeh at a touchdown to interception ratio. Well, doesn't that
fit like a glove what the studers are trying to do? So,
you know, and again, but it fits in with what
the students have been trying to do. What Justin Fields
did so well, what other quarterbacks have.
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Been trying to do for this team.
Speaker 5 (36:30):
You know, don't turn the ball over, okay, But it's
like a boxer who can also punch. That's what I
think you have. It's not just a boxer. It's not
just a slugger. Now, hopefully with Russell Wilson you have somebody. Yeah,
he can box, but guess what, here comes the right
hand too. He can hit you with that. So I
just you know, it's one game. You know, it is
only one game. But when you think about how different
(36:52):
of a feel that was last night, it's hard not
to get excited.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Well, the boxer, the right overhead, right hand right now
now has been nausey Harris, And I think that this,
you know, this opens everything up for him and makes
the Steelers a much more dangerous team because you know
they want to run the football. But you also now
know that they have a quarterback capable of beating your
defense over the top. So how do you defend this team?
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Right? It's a great question.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
And you know, Matt was were you talking about the
second half point differential on that show?
Speaker 4 (37:25):
We were doing plus sixty eight?
Speaker 5 (37:27):
Yeah, plus sixty eight, and you know it is something
and I and I don't know. You know, proponents of
the run will tell you it's absolutely this way. There's
a reason the running game is better in the second
half of the season because you're stuck with it. There's
a reason that's better later in the game because you're
stuck with it. To go to the boxing analogy, those
were body blows you landed earlier. You know, Now later
(37:49):
in the match, you know, the the body gets tired,
the hands come down a little bit to protect the body,
and now and now you could you can finish them off. Okay,
well that might be true. Maybe that is part of
the reason, you know, for everyone saying, oh.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
And then they're sticking with a run too long? Yeah,
are you?
Speaker 5 (38:06):
Or is that part of the manifestation to the point
of the second half. I don't think there's a clear
concrete answer to that. I don't think there's a scientific
formula where you say, oh, yes, that's absolutely the run.
But I don't think it can be dismissed either that
you know, you land some blows early if you get
the running game going, you know, play action pass is
(38:27):
part of this offense and part of something that Russell
Wilson does well. So I agree, But even in its
own right, perhaps this this running game, which took a
couple of weeks longer last year to get going, is
going now. And think about two guys, five different offensive
line combinations that the Steelers have used and to still
(38:49):
be able to get over one hundred yards in back
to back weeks for Naji and to get the running
game going really well in back to back weeks, when
teams knew you wanted to run the ball, I think
that says something about everything. It says something about the
offensive line, It says something about Arthur Smith, and it
certainly says something about Najie Harris.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Yeah, I wanted to expand on the O line conversation
a little bit. Like I thought the first half was rough,
you know, I mean that they were getting the short
you know, they weren't winning that battle for the majority
of the first half. But they stuck with it and
I thought it improved. I didn't think it was ever
going to be the best line in the league is
currently constructed, and that's a good group quinnin Williams as
(39:30):
a force and McDonald off the edge. But I did
think it got better as the night went on.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I agree with that and I think it's yes, I'm right,
And you have to ask about that too. Now this
is the unit. And again there's no scientific way to answer.
This is the unit.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
You know it. Did it take a half of football
to gel? I don't know.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
I don't know the answer to that. I don't think
any of us can possibly know the answer to that.
It's probably like everything else, a little bit of everything,
a little bit of this, a little bit of that,
a little bit of uh Russ getting more comfortable, being
more effective. You know, Quinn Williams is a force, and
and and you know that Steve's old line in the
middle they're gonna have to deal with. I mean, Dexter
Lawrence has nine has a nose tackle.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
I'm thinking about that's it.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
That might be the best pass rushing team in the league.
On the on the agenda coming up.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
Yeah, yes, that's right. And I think Dan Moore has
been really good. But they got guys on both sides,
They got a guy up the middle.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
This is gonna be a big test for him.
Speaker 5 (40:27):
But yeah, I think that the offensive line got better
as the game war on. I think Dan Moore, you know,
people have been you know, paying a little more attention
to his game. I think he's he's really had himself
a very very solid season. You know, these young guys
are getting some time, they're getting some exposure. This is
the kind of game. You know, you'd love to have
(40:48):
Zach Frazier back. This is the kind of game he's
built for, you know, as was the Jets game going
against these these troublesome characters in the middle. And uh,
and but I don't I'm not sure he's going to
be back. I don't think he you know, we.
Speaker 4 (41:02):
Don't know for sure.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Maybe after the bye they did call him week to week,
but you know, they'll continue to be doll or they'll continue.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
No, that is good, that, no doubt about it.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
He could be back, But you know, these are the
these are the challenges this group has risen to him.
How many times did we sit up in the trope
and watch a group and think, man, what an incredible,
deep group of offensive line. And now you're like, man,
I hope nobody else gets hurt because you can only
have so many of those guys. But yeah, I thought
they settled in And again, why you know, again, maybe
(41:34):
it is continuity, maybe it is success, Maybe it is
a little bit of some of those things.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Our guest has been Rob King, Steelers play by play announcer.
Steelers off to a five and two start, coming off
of last night's thirty seven fifteen win over the New
York Football Justs, a game in which they were underdogs
by three points by the time the game kicked off,
and well that didn't quite turn out that way. But Rob,
(42:00):
we got to get going here. We'll let you go.
We'll see you down at the facility there sometime this
upcoming week, I'm sure. If not, we'll definitely see On Thursday,
we do our show for Steelers dot Com. If you
haven't checked out the matchup on Steelers dot com, you
need to do that. But he is Matt Williamson. I
am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on
the Steelers Audio Network. We'll be back with more right
(42:21):
after this.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
And we are back. I'm Dale LOLLI he is the
Matt Williamson and this is the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. And of course you can listen to the
Drive every Monday through Friday from four to six pm
right here on Steelers Nation Radio and also download the
Steelers Mobile app and the show will be available to
be right on there, and you can watch it on
(42:59):
YouTube well, and please leave your comments. I will answer
any questions on there. If you just want to call
us idiots or whatever, feel free have at it. I
might reply to those two, but you know whatever, it's
all good. But Matt, looking here at FTN Fantasy uh
(43:19):
in their d v o A stats at five and two,
the Steelers mean wins for the season is now nine
point eight.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Seems low.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
It seems low. The Ravens right now are four and
two going into tonight's game. Their their mean wins is
eleven point nine.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Okay, I do know Steelers remaining schedules considered by any
metric one of the five most difficult. Not anymore, not
like it was. I was looking at because the Browns
now stink Browns are bad.
Speaker 2 (43:50):
Right, that's changed. Steel Underwater Eagles are not, are not
very good. You get the Giants coming up, but aren't
very good. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
I was looking at Pro football focuses today. They had
them third hardest remaining schedule.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
I mean, when I looked at the DVOA stuff last week,
it was like fourteenth. Okay, now that and also makes
more sense. That also included the game against the Jets
this past week.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
Okay, but I mean they was a two win team too.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yeah, I mean that's what I'm saying, right, that pulled
your you know in their d v O A wasn't great, right.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Even the Bengals win doesn't make me think they're better
than I thought they were. By the way, that's a
side note.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
Yeah, I mean there's they still got some issues. Oh
they got issues.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah, No, but that seems low and mean, it seems low.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
But there are chances to make the playoffs seventy two
point eight percent.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
Okay, is that five and two or is that there
that's at.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Five and two? Okay? Yeah. The Ravens right now are
at ninety five point three percent. You got Buffalo at
ninety six point eight, uh, Houston at ninety five point one,
and Kansas City at ninety nine point four. So right now,
as things stand, the Steelers have the fifth best if
chance to make the playoffs according to their metrics. I
(45:03):
think the.
Speaker 3 (45:03):
North, aside the division winners are pretty clear in the
other three divisions. I mean, something crazy could change.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Something, something would have to happen, right, you know. Right now,
Buffalo's got essentially a three game lead.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
Yeah, I don't think you make much money if you're
betting on Buffalo, Houston or Kansas City Winter Division.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
Houston's only up one game though, after the loss yesterday.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
I just say, if I think they play Indie next week,
if they lose that one, they're trying to fight through
some things too. Yeah, that they kind of need to
win that one to keep that.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Give themselves a cushion to They did beat Indy earlier
this year already, but you can't split that. No, no, No.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
Their offense hasn't played great, yeah, I mean, and some
of it's Niko being out for a while there. They
couldn't run the ball, but then they could run the ball.
Offensive line has been real hit or miss, to be
honest with you. I mean Diggs caught like five or
six balls for like twenty seven or yesterday.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
I think they threw for like ninety eight yards really low.
I mean it was ridiculous. You know, so that division?
Do I think Indianapolis? I don't think so. Yeah, I
don't think so. But right now, Houston's mean wins is
eleven point three, which seems like it might be a
little high.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
Yeah, it seems a little high. I think they got
more issues than that. Like, I don't think that'd be shocked.
There a twelve win team.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
Kansas City's at thirteen point eight, that's the best in
the AFC, undefeated. Yeah, then you got Baltimore at eleven
point nine, Buffalo at eleven point six, and the Steelers
at nine point eight. Nine point eight might even seem
low to me. Do we think this get the double
digit Yeah? Do we think the Steelers are only going
to win five more games? Or they're going to they
might struggle to get to five more wins. I don't
(46:43):
feel that way. I don't feel that way either.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
I strongly think that they're a double digit win team. Yeah,
you know, maybe eleven, maybe twelve. I mean I mentioned
the point differential. They're right behind Buffalo in point differential
in terms of for second in the AFC, and that's
not going to change tonight. Right and they have six
division games left. Do we really think they're gonna go
own six?
Speaker 5 (47:05):
No?
Speaker 3 (47:05):
I mean, series could be winless right now. I'd say
they won't go own six, you know what. I mean,
they're five and one in the division last year, right,
they do well against those teams, I mean they do.
They played Baltimore better than anyone. Frankly, I would have
rather had two games against the Browns early by now.
Then they might get harder to play against them.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
I don't change.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
They don't have Mary Cooper. Yeah, but I mean they
still have their issues too. They're terrible, but least kind
of ding dong. The Witch is dead at least in
there a little bit. They're they're least different. I mean,
there's nowhere to go but up. Yeah, Cincinnati is dangerous,
but and they could end up in the playoffs. But
I don't think they're great.
Speaker 4 (47:40):
No.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I mean, given week, Burrow could could go off. But
their defense is a problem. It is.
Speaker 3 (47:47):
And I think the line is okay, running games okay,
you know, And I don't think Burrow is one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
I don't think he is either. So I mean this
is why when when Mike Tomlin talked about we want
to be we want to be great, not good. You
look at it, the Steelers are right there with some
of the best teams in the AFC in terms of
the record for sure. Yeah, but are they Are they
that different from Buffalo? Are they that different from Houston?
(48:13):
Are they that different from Baltimore? Are they beaten seven
of the last eight times they played? I know, Kansas City's,
you know, a different animal, but if you look at it,
the Steelers have scored more points this season than the
Chiefs after seven weeks, and they've given up fewer points.
Speaker 3 (48:29):
Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. It will do power ranks tomorrow,
but I would bet that have them in my top ten.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Yeah, I mean I think they I think they have
a puncher's chance of beating anybody on a given day
as currently constructed. And once they get some of the
offensive lineman back, That's a great thing about this is
you're gonna get Cam Sutton back coming out of the
bye week. You're probably gonna get Zach Fraser beck coming
out of the bye week. We'll see about some of
the other you know, Dylan Cook might not sound like
a big thing, but you're gonna get him back coming
(48:58):
out of.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
The you know, did they lose anyone yesterday?
Speaker 2 (49:06):
Not? Nothing? Long nothing long term.
Speaker 3 (49:08):
Because the coverage was pretty rough on injury information. I
knew Jackson was in out of the lineup. Adams got
injured early, and then I didn't know that till today.
I mean I noticed he wasn't out there, but no
one ever told me who was injured. But so nothing
that's taking him a big step backwards at that now,
or I didn't think so.
Speaker 2 (49:26):
And when you look around the league at some of
the injuries that did happen this weekend, and like a time, Yeah, yeah,
you know, so you've avoided that another week, you know,
knock on for Mico, but sure, you know, you just
keep just keep winning games, stacking wins and see where
it goes.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
You get one more and going into the bye bye,
you're in great shape, really good shape. And the other
thing is they only have one conference loss. They even
played in division games. Yeah, but they're four and one
in the conference.
Speaker 2 (49:51):
And I can't harp on this one enough, Matt too,
is that they're three and one on the road. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
you basically played half your road schedule already. Now you
play nine this year. Yeah, but still you've shown the
ability to go win on the road, and you know
that's not easy to do in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
No, and they'll be well equipped to win their road
Division games, which is three of the remaining five. You
know they've done that every year.
Speaker 2 (50:14):
Absolutely so, but let's get to a break that's going
to do it for our number one of the drive
here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will
be back with our number two right after this
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold cass In Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Man, Welcome to the Drive. I am Dale Lollly, and
it is a victory Monday here in Pittsburgh, the Steelers
beating the pants off the New York Jets on Sunhire Football,
Matt winning that one thirty to thirty seven, fifteen. And
I want to say, I told you so, but and
you as well, we told you so.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It's a quarterbacks matter. It's a big differcts matter. Yeah,
first off score still bothers me. I still think it
should be thirteen, not fifteen. That's his life. Yeah, at
the half I was upset about it. Then quickly that
got over it because the second half absolutely belonged to
the Steelers, both sides of the ball dominant. Wilson was
(00:59):
and I think will continue to be a difference maker
for this team in a lot of different ways. Not
everything that shows up, you know, to the naked eye,
you know. And I think the experience is a big,
big thing. Small example, you know, I mean, Steelers prepare
for Anthony Richardson and then Flacco who's not as good
as Russ comes in and has a lot of success
(01:20):
because he knows where to go with football and all
those things.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
You know, Yeah, it makes a huge difference. And we
saw it open up the running game as the game
went on. Once you started hitting some of those passes
down the field, you know, all of a sudden, now
the Jets safeties can't come crashing at the snap of
the football, and just it raises the level of all
the water across the board. I promise there was six
(01:46):
to ten plays. They kept harping on the TV copy
about all the stuff he was doing at the line
of scrimmage, and not that other quarterbacks don't do things
at the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
But I mean it was obvious. I mean there was
a play Warren all most scored. It was like a
twelve yard run. He comes down to the line of scrimmage,
checks out the play immediately. You get to see his
body language. It's real abrupt, and he kind of points
where there's a bubble where there's nobody over the right
guard hands at the warrant as they're adjusting on defense,
(02:18):
and right behind McCormick twelve yards you know, like, yeah,
that's out smarting the opponent, you know. I mean there's
a lot of those instances get out of bad plays.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
It's some of the stuff that you know, we talked
about with Aaron Rodgers going into last week's game with
you know, oh, he's gonna get you know, he'll get
you with pace, he'll get you the job, and were
chuckling each other about it. Yeah, you know, just the
little things like that. I thought it was as the
Steelers are going down to score their last touchdown, I
think they get the ball back. That was after the
(02:51):
Jets turned the ball over on downs in the fourth
quarter and there was still seven fifty three left, okay,
and the Steelers go on on a thirteen play seventy
five yard touchdown drive. Then he took seven minutes and
twenty seven seconds because every play the ball was snapped
with like two seconds left exactly. Fill things, you know,
(03:12):
small things that turned into big things now with nine
seconds left, two seconds right right right right exactly and
again fields might get to that point someday, but it
doesn't happen quickly at all, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
So no, I think experience and all that time in
stadiums and by all accounts you'd know better than I do.
But I mean, just like player interviews after he was
obviously struggling in the first half, but yeah, second third
drive in particular, I mean, it's bouncing balls on short throws.
But apparently he never his confidence never waned. I mean,
I'll get this will be fine, you know, realize he
(03:44):
wasn't playing great, and they did, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
And then he did and you know, it wasn't even
to me. Some of the throws that he made, some
of them weren't great throws right.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Right, right, He didn't look like damn Marino out there.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Right the chance to allow his guys to make plays,
and those are the things that you don't know. Again,
when you're watching justin fields play the position, you don't
know how many throws he turned down in which he
had George Pickens one on one and didn't give him
a chance, or he had a Pat Freyermouth, you know,
behind a safety and didn't make the throw because well,
(04:21):
I don't know if I can make that throw. I
don't want to turn the ball over. Yep.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
The fade the Pickens in the end zone so reminded
me of my days with Larry Fitzgerald because Wilson comes
the line, looks like he peeks out.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Of his right eye.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Oh, I got one over there with my guy, doesn't
look at him again, sits there, takes a snap, looks
left just for a second to take this safety out
of any possible thing, and knew exactly where.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
He was going to football. Boom boom boom.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Just go let him make a play. Doesn't have to
be the best row in the world.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
You know, We've said it all off season when they
acquired Russell. Wilson hit twenty eight touchdown passes last year,
twenty of them. We're in the red zone. To red
zone touchdown passes last year, you are allowed to throw
the ball into the end zone. It doesn't have to
be a run every time, and.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
He rarely turns the ball over down there. I mean
that's a really condensed area. I mean, red zone passing
is one of the absolute hardest things of quarterbacking, no
matter how talented you are. So I was really impressed,
and I think it had a massive ripple effect, even
more so than his final numbers.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, I thought, you know, it was a strong showing. Again,
he warmed up as the game went on, and I
think he warmed up when he started throwing the ball
down the field. I think they were trying to get
him some easy throws early to kind of shake the
rust off a little bit. Yeah, and that wasn't getting
it done. No, I thought the one that really it
wasn't a long pass, but he had a guy in
(05:50):
his face. He rolled to his left with a guy
in his face, and he flicked the ball out to
Friarmouth and Fararmoth turned it into a thirty yard gain.
I'm like, okay, yea.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, yeah, it was on time. I mean it was
you know right, it was crisp and you know, okay,
and take a take a hit. I made a play,
you know, good timing. I trust the guys around me.
And frankly, the old line was struggling in the first
half too. Oh yeah, they quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
I mean, back the Jets out of that attacking the
line of scrimmage stuff. That was what was going to happen,
because that's what's been happening to the Steelers over and
over again. Here.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I was even talk more of a pass rush perspective. Yeah,
I mean it got a lot better in the second half,
but I thought he was under a just slowed.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Them down a little bit to the point. Okay, now
he's starting to throw to the backs here and they
start to wear out that little pass out that they
did continually to Darnell Washington. That slows down the pass
rush some exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I mean, give Arthur Smith some credit to I mean,
you run play action, half roll out, hit the tight
end for an easy throw. Well, that neutralizes a pass rush.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, you're slowing those guys down. We see. We see
teams try to do with TJ. Watt all the time.
You try to suck him in and then throw the
ball over his head. You know this. So the Steelers
were averaging just over one hundred and sixty passing yards
per game coming into this game in the first six weeks.
They hit five passes of twenty or more yards in
(07:10):
this game. The total one hundred and sixty eight yards
by themselves. Yeah, just those plays, just those chunk plays.
And then you add the chunk runs in that they had.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
And they weren't fluky one play for eighty yards Kinvin
Austin run, mistackle or blown coverage. I mean they were
I think we can again one game, folks, I think
we can count on.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
More of that kind of stuff is going to be there,
and I think it's going to open up the running
game because now you're not going to I mean, I
go back to the last week's game against the Raiders
in the first two series and even into the third series,
the Raiders strong safety Trevor Mowring at the snap of
the football and it looked like he was Usain Bolton.
He had one intention. Yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm
(07:56):
going to try to blow up this running play because
Steel is going to run the ball here. Well, now,
when Russell Wilson gets to the line of scrimmage, you
don't know, right if your strong safety is crashing like that,
the ball might be going over his head. No, I
think a lot of that's true.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
And again, if you're gonna hit more deep balls and
more chunk plays, people might just start backing off and
cover to you to death and go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Who knows. Yeah, And you know again I think with
you know, everybody talked about, well, you know how they
going to replace the rushing that justin Fields gets you, Well,
Jalen Warren's back, or you're gonna throw for more, You're
gonna throw for more yards and j Warren's back. So
you got you got one hundred and two yards in
this game out of Naji Harris. You're not short on
ball carriers. You've got another forty four out of Jalen Warren. Well,
(08:42):
it's one hundred and forty six rushing yards right there.
And oh, by the way, Russell Wilson added three more
and could have had more if he wanted to run,
you know, run more.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
He's still capable. That made me crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
All right. If anybody who thinks that this guy's a
statue in the pocket, turn on the table last night's game,
right right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
He might as athletic as he was fifteen years ago
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
But yeah, he's not the athlete to Justin Fields is.
But he's a better quarterback.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah he is, he is. I mean, I think that's
one game to show it. But I think it's very obvious,
and especially if you go back to camp and as
much as we were able to see and its.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Career, you know, yeah, and the people who were talking
about him like he's washed up, he's this, he's that,
go back and look at Kurt Warner's career.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Oh yeah, he.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Was great early, you know, with the Rams. Then he
went to the Giants. Giants. Giants was bad because the
team around him was not good. It was a brutal situation.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Right then he goes to the Cardinals with Larry and
Bolden all of a sudden, right he knows really good
above the neck.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
You know, situations matter. And yes, the Steelers aren't you know,
oozing with with offensive skill player talent, but they have
more than what Broncos had last year.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
And yeah yeah, and he was picked to fit the system,
not the system thrust around you too.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I have I've seen the final play action numbers yet, Matt,
but I'll be I'll be interested to see what those
look like when they get everything gets tallied up. Yeah,
because I saw a lot.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Yeah, I bet it's a lot, and I bet it's good.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So somebody mentioned, well, you know, he he he took
over three seconds in the pocket to throw the football.
Well yeah, when you're running that much play action, yeah, yeah,
you're gonna hold the ball a little bit longer. But
you're also freezing the linebackers.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I mean on the flip side, and I'm not hooking
anything at Ben. An unbelievable career, but at the end
it was kind of like Rogers last night.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, you know, and you knew the ball is coming
out two two or two three, and what the team's
always better to hit it out that quick, you know.
Defenders immediately talked to people, talked about Ben's getting all
these balls batted down to the line of scrimmer. He's
six foot five. Why would he get all these balls
battered down, right? Because they're quick. He never used to rushing.
You're just getting their hands up.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
They know they can't get home, and they're attacking the catch.
And to me, the biggest turning point of the game, well,
not even turning point, it's just they tackled poorly in
the first half. They tackled great in the second half.
And I think part of its understanding that's the most
important thing. He's gonna get the ball all quick and
we're gonna have to tackle Breese Hall and Wilson and
these guys are really go with the ball in their hands.
We're gonna get our hands up and bad passes down.
(11:09):
They probably aren't going to sack them because he doesn't
like getting it anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
The first the first Beanie Bishop interception, which kind of
changed the game. Yeah, it's huge, was because if you
if you rewatch to play. Rogers was going to throw
to him earlier, but Cam Hayward got the hands up,
so you watch him and he kind of double clutched
it and then threw. Yeah. Yeah, Wilson was open when
he was a neatness. He throws it on time. It's
a yeah. That one extra half second, that millisecond that
(11:36):
he double clutched the ball allowed Beanie Bishop to get
the coverage back in and undercut the route and it's
an interception.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
So I know we're gonna have Rob on next. But
I did a show with him earlier and we were
talking a lot of hidden yardage on special teams.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
You know, Jeff, special teams was actually worse than what
I thought it was gonna do. It was a real problem,
that's for sure. In fact, I tweeted out during the
game that after the first two punts, they muffed the
first one and fumbled the second one out of bounds.
I'm like, I'm kicking the ball down the middle of
the field. Yeah yeah, Let's let's see what he can do.
Let's see what Let's see if this guy puts another
one on the ground somewhere where he can recover it,
Like getto right. Yeah, and they're every you know, even
(12:14):
the return guys on the kickoffs were bad.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
We're bad, Like you should kneel, dude. But where I
was going with it was actually the swatted passes. It's
like another area of the team you could easily ignore,
but it is a lot of plays. I mean, only
the Chiefs swatted down more passes than the Steelers last year,
and they have to be near the top of the
league this year.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And one of them came by bent on a fourth down. Yeah, right,
you know, Watt had one and if if you know,
he didn't swat that down, he was going to kill
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Yeah, that's like the only player I remember them single
blocking him, and he has two hands swat where he
was about to come off the top rope on him,
right right, right right, And people think he's haid. He's
been kind of having a down couple of games.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And Rogers getting baught rid of the ball in two
point four seconds.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
You're it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He's getting doubled every Yeah, you're you're you're gonna doubled
and tripled. You're not going to get there.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, Laurence Taylor or Superman wouldn't have got there. I
mean and like, and I still hear. Man, imagine when
Watt and Minka start playing, well, I'm like, they're playing great.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You can't you can't just look at the stats. You
just can't. You know, the impact somebody put out that,
you know, Watt only had one pressure in forty six
pass drop backs or whatever it was forty two or
whatever it was in the game a bunch And I'm like,
first of all, the ball was coming out ridiculously fast.
Second of all, he was credited with credited with two
(13:35):
quarterback hits. So how do you get a quarterback one pressure, right,
and only one pressure?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Pressure is a made up stat. I never quoted in
my stat pack. It's just too gray for me. Yeah,
you know, somebody, somebody tell me what it is. You
got to define it for me before I'm going to
start going, oh, yeah, that's a real stat.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I've heard some people say if you're within X amount
of feet of the ball when it's released, and I'm
I'm like, I still don't buy that. I'm I mean,
I look at pressure rate and things just to see
who was.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
At the top and who's at the bottom.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
But it's not like I quote it or like totally
by it, you know, or which quarterbacks are better under pressure?
Those things are real over a big sample.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Technically, you could say guys like TJ. Watt or Miles
Garrett or Nick Bosa, and they put pressure on the
quarterback on every single drop back because I guarantee you
the quarterback knows where they're at.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, I have to play nine on ten because that
guy's on the field. That's a lot of pressure. That's
a lot of pressure on my shoulders, right.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
And you know, to to say that those guys don't
affect games even when they're not getting sacks. I know
I've joked about Miles Garrett not you know, having no
tackles and those but they affect a game massive. You
have to. You have to account for those guys massively, massively, massively,
usually with more than one player, it's usually two and
sometimes three, and that affects how you operate as an offense,
(14:56):
no doubt.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
And side notes, I want to make sure I get
it out there is they allowed a lot of holding
in this They did, and I thought more so favoring
the Jets and the Steelers. But I am looking at
it through black and gold colored glasses a little.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
But there are a couple of guys who got tackled
on the way to the quarterback, and Tyron Smith versus
high Smith could have been a lot uglier, is all
I'm saying. Yeah, you know, yeah, no, I thought the
defense other than you know, again the mistackles on Brisaw
in the first half was really good. Again, another shutout
in the second half of a game. They went into
that game allowing five point seven points per game in
(15:32):
the second half over the course of the season. That's
only going to go lower. And if you can do
that with this offense, you know, it's it's often like
I can't remember who the you know, the sprinter was,
But if it's even I'm leaving, that's just a receiver thing.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Turn two like Randy Moss almost that's a receiver term too.
They're plus sixty eight point differential in the second half.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I mean it's i know, over the course of seven years, yeah,
seven games now yeah, yeah, so basically ten points. You're
winning the second half of games by ten points every week,
every week.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
And some of it's physicality, some of it's do we
everyone to give the coaches any credit that they're always
getting all coached in the first half. Why are they
always so flat? Maybe they make really good adjustments in
the second too, you know what I mean. There's a
couple of ways to look at that, but I think
a lot of it's how physical they are, and Tomlin
practices those guys hard. Colin's Worth kept talking about it
last night. He's like, you know, they do the pre
(16:28):
meetings with the coaches and he's like, coach t are
their players you don't get in free agency because you
guys work harder than other teams. Like absolutely, He's like,
that's no secret at all. And then we realize we
don't want them anyway, because the right.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Right football you want to play, you want to be
you want to There's a difference between being a football
player playing football and yeah, yeah you want to be
you want to be an NFL player because you like
the money, yeah, or do you like the game, which one.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Is catching touchdowns? But I don't really like on when
day being in the weight room, a little longer shootout
or you.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Know, we're tackling during training camp and things like that, right,
taking the iPad home, But I like walking and walking
around and going into a restaurant and everybody comes over
and yeah, maybe they give me a free dinner, right
and all that. Of course I love that. Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
One goes hand in hand with the other sometimes.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
And it's why sometimes you see guys who are uber
talented that don't work out because.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
They don't love it. They don't love it. You get
a lot their fault. No, no, they love It's not
the piano or whatever they like doing, and they're not
good as good at it as a football player.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it's just see what to do because.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
They're good at it.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Yeah, just that mentality. But let's get to a break.
We'll continue talking about last night's thirty seven fifteen win
over the Jets uh here with Rob King next, but
we'll also continue talking about it over the course of
the show. Here. He is the Matt Williamson. I am
Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on the
Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will be back with
more right after this.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
He's Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your
twenty four to seven home of the Black and Golds
in Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And welcome back. I am Dale Lolly. He is the
Matt Williamson and we're joined on the phone line by
the Rob King. Although Kinger, I'm a little ticked off
at you because I banged my leg really hard against
the when I was walking down the steps into the
booth last night to do the show. I was trying
to step around you. I didn't right on the kneecap,
(18:34):
right on the kneecap. I looked at it today when
I woke up, because I was I didn't think about
it until I woke up this morning. I got like
a nice knot there right on my kneecap, right where
I banged the knee.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
It's all your fault here, It's all Ker's fault.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
He was in the zone.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Though.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I didn't want to be like he's studying his paperwork,
you know, going over everything mature. Everything is right going
into the game. So I didn't want to like tap
him on the shoulder and say, hey, brob, I got
to get around you here. So I just kind of
slide around him and banged my knee on the on
the corner of the wall. But Ginger, how you going,
It's one of the only bad things that happened last night. Yeah,
it really was the only bad thing that happened, and
(19:09):
of course it happened to me.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, we admire your we admire your body to play
through pain.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Well, he's toughing it out today, though. I think he's
going to survive.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Those knee contusions. They can, they can put you out
for a while. But King, Yeah, thirty seven to fifteen
win last night, the seventy four team honored at halftime. Uh,
the building was electric and the Steelers put on a
good show.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
They did impressive. You know, so many little things leading
to the big victory.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Every had every know, defense, special teams, offense, you everyone
wants to talk about Russell Wilson, and rightly so a
lot to be enthusiastic about him. But you know, on
all guys, I just thought everything contributed to a really
really dominating Steelers win.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah, let's just stig into Wilson. I mean, how much
different did the offense look and feel to you live?
You know, how crisp the plays were coming in him
at the line of scrimmage, know when where to go
with football, put in touch on the ball, all those things.
And again this is no knock on justin fields.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
You know, no, no, no for and no. And I'm
a big Justin Fields fan. I really like Justin Fields.
I think there's a lot of things that he can do,
and you know, and I love his approach and his attitude,
a lot of things that you know's some things that
he needs to do a little bit better, and I
think he understands that. But I mean there's I think
there's you know, I don't think his his story is
(20:33):
finished being.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Written by any means.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But you know, when you go out and acquire a
nine time Pro bowler, a Super Bowl champion, there is
going to be a difference.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
There aren't that many guys like that in the league.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
Well, nine time Pro bowlers, but I mean guys who
are you know, number one type of quarterbacks at.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
This point, rob There aren't that many quarterbacks who've actually
won a Super Bowl in the league, right, right, that's right,
Rady Mahomes, Yeah, and Brady and Mahomes had been open
on him. Roethlisberger, you know, Manning a flack o snuck
one in there. But it's you know, lately, it's it's
it's been Mahomes and some of the other guys, and
nobody else gets a chance to win these things, right,
And this.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Is a little bit of a reminder of what that
difference is between this and I'm not even just talking
about justin fields, who's the best we've seen in a
while for me at this year, this quarterback position. But
when you take that type of a player and there
aren't that many and you insert him in doing offense,
it makes a big difference.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
It just does. You know.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
That's why quarterbacks, top quarterbacks make you know, fifty million
dollars a year. And this was a reminder that, oh, yeah,
he is that guy because we needed a reminder, some
of us did, because of how things went for him
the last couple of years in Denver. You know, everybody thought, wow,
what a what a tremendous you know, pick up for Denver,
and this is going to take them, you know, they
(21:58):
thought it was going to take him to the next
level and yet had to give up a lot to
get him. But this is the bright guy. And then
it just didn't work. I mean it just you had
a coordinator, a coach in the first year who just
got demoted again as a coordinator, so that was a mess.
And then you bring in another coach who wants to
go in a different direction, and uh, you know, I
(22:19):
think I just said the direction as opposed to direction
moving a little different direction. So you know, all of
a sudden, now you're you're looking at a guy whose
legacy is a little bit tarnished, and then you know,
you see him in practice.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
We saw him.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Guys, everything is always the word that always comes to
mind for me is just crisp.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Everything just looks crisp. The way the ball throws to the.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Air, the way he moves in and out of the huddle,
the way he seems to be in charge of everything.
It's just crisp, crisp, crisp, crisp with everything. And you
know we saw that last night. This is a crisply
run offense. Crisp throws to his receivers. Just a lot
to like about what he can bring. And you know,
(23:00):
I think about when I look back at you know,
what they were able to accomplish with quarterbacks who frankly
are now backups and lucky to be in the league
and to be able to win games and get to
the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
With quarterbacks of that ilk.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
And then you bring in Russell Wilson and you realize
it and that's not a knockout anybody that's been here
it's just a different level. It's a rare level that
he's been able to achieve. And on top of that,
I just think that and this is always was always
my concern, and it kind of manifested itself the last
couple of years. What happens when you're in a game
which Joe Burrow's on fire and the defense is that
(23:37):
got a hard time stopping them, and your running game
really isn't going. What's happened in the last couple of
years is you've suffered some rare blowouts. You haven't been
able to match them punch for punch. Now, I think
with a quarterback like Russell Wilson, when the inevitable game
comes along and the other team scores, you know, twenty
eight points, can you score thirty? And I think now
(23:59):
you feel like, yeah, we can.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
No, I agree completely, And I mean you start looking
at things like point differential. You know, the Steelers are
now plus sixty and I understand, you know Baltimore hasn't
played yet, but that plus sixty is three points behind
the Bills for second most in the AFC. The Ravens
right now would have to they'd have to win by
thirty two points. Tonight to get to that plus sixty.
(24:25):
They're plus twenty eight right now. You know, you look
over at the Detroit is plus sixty two. The commanders
of all teams are plus sixty six. Minnesota is at
plus sixty one. Those that's the that's the Those are
the teams that you're right there with right now, because
you do you've shown the ability now in back to
back weeks, and it's been a different ways that you've
done it, but you've blown out two teams in a row.
(24:48):
And that's just something we haven't seen a lot of
here in Pittsburgh probably since the twenty twenty season, when
when you know, Roethlisberger was coming back from the the
elbow injury.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Right and I think there were a number of things
to like, and one of them, you know, and I
don't want to gloss over any of them.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
There's so many to talk about.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
And one of the things that I haven't really talked
about yet was just that final drive. I mean, you know,
you're the Jets. You've got a couple of timeouts left
to thinking, Okay, if we can get it three and out,
we still got a chance. There's still a chance in
that game with seven and a half minutes or thereabouts
left in the game to maybe pull a rabbit out
of the hat. You march down the field. You know,
Rogers gets you a score with a quick three minute offense.
(25:27):
You kick it back, and you kick it off, you
use your timeouts, you have the two minute warning to
get the ball back.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
You still have a chance. Yeah, you need a two.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
Point conversion in there, but you still got a chance.
Well then they just marched the ball down the field
and punch it in the end zone with thirty seconds left.
I mean, that is beautiful. Remember that the Steelers weren't
winning now. Again, they had a one play touchdown drive
after the beating Bishop interception, but they were not winning
the time of possession battle. That's a very encouraging sign
(25:57):
for me to be able to you know, it doesn't
always have to be your defense that finishes it off
and wins it for you. I think the hope now
is that the offense can do that.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
The offense can go.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
On this long, time consuming drive that just puts the
game away, which is what they did last night.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
It's funny you mentioned that because I asked, you know,
Cam Heyward about that last night after the game and
I said, you know when the offense scores thirty one
unanswered points like that and dominates the time of possession
in the second half, you know, as a defense, you know,
how does that?
Speaker 4 (26:28):
How does that?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
You know, what's that do for you guys on defense?
Because it's funny me and TJ were talking about We're like, well,
I sure hope the offense gives them the ball back
here at some point or we score here or something,
because we want to go out there and try to
eat a little bit here. You know they're gonna be
in desperation, you know, you want to try to go
do some stuff. With thirty seconds left, they weren't going
back in the game.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
And Robert along those lines before you answer something Dale
and I have talked about now for years on the
drive are how many opportunities in TJ. Watts's career have
they had a ten point lead with three and a
half minutes on the clock. Towels fly in loud as
can be, and everyone on the planet knows you're rushing
the passer and you can't get the ball out in
(27:07):
two point two seconds. You know, like, imagine the production
this pass rusher would have with more of those situations.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I totally agree.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
And you know, you think about the great pass rushers
and you know, you can think of that in terms
of clutch you know, Joey Porter, James Harrison. You know,
you're up seven and there's four and a half minutes
left or whatever. They've got to throw the ball, and
here you come and you come up with you know,
Lawrence Taylor, you come up with these well, you know, yes,
(27:37):
that it is the ability to rise to the occasion,
but it's also the ability to you know, at home
with a home crowd, making you maybe have to go
to a silent count and eliminating some of that advantage
the offensive line has and that great pass rusher knowing
that you've got to throw that helps too. Yes, it's
a clutch team, but it's also a you know, we've
(27:59):
got an advantage type of gene.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
And I do agree. I think that that's it would be.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
It would be wonderful to see Cam Hayward and to
see TJ. Watt not have to worry about the run,
not even have to think about the run. What would
that do to their production? Because both guys are such
great all a round players. Now what happens when they
have to throw the ball.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
I think their numbers could could certainly would certainly elevate
under those circumstances.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
So Rob, you and I were talking on a different
show about hidden yardage, some of the stuff that isn't
on the box score to the naked eye or fantasy
points or the back of your football card, you know,
special teams, all these different areas they're winning, and I
think it just needs to be talked about more. I mean,
(28:48):
that's just comes from top down coaching.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
You know.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
Well, I think that you know, at some point here
and again, it's one game, right, we know that, and
you're going to play another game against team that's that's you.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Know, hopefully you'll be able to take care of.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Business on Monday Night football against the Giants team that's
that's struggling. But uh, you know, we'll see as the
season wears on and you get to play tougher and
tougher opponents.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
But I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
I think that we're going to I think that this
offense is gonna, you know, hopefully be an improvement. I
still go back to, you know, what happened when Mason
Rudolph came in. We're not talking about Kenny Pickett. Uh,
you know with Kenny Pickett and and Mason Rudolph quarterback
and your team, I will was too bits you own
three or zero and four last year. If he's not
(29:36):
quarterback in your game, you've got a winning record. That
is a reflection to me on to to circle back
to your point on great coaching and understanding what your
assets are and how you can win a game. So,
I mean, and I've said this before, like, I don't
care if you imagine you're playing pick up in the
why you know, and you pick up teams, what is
(29:57):
the first thing you should be thinking? Well, how do
what assets do we have? How can our team win
this game? Well, that's what great head coaches are doing,
you know, not just saying this is what we do
and we're gonna do.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Put to the floor. Here we go.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
We're playing you know, ninety miles an hour. Okay, great,
When that doesn't work, what are you doing then?
Speaker 4 (30:13):
You know? And so Mike Tomlin, I think in.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
His staff have had the capability to go in and
yes they've had a very good defense. Yes they've been
able to do some things on special teams, but they
also he's also managing with the assets he has to
win the game at hand, which is why when.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
A team, you know, starts blowing you out, you just.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Don't have the assets to match that. That's what excites
me about getting a quarterback that can do this. But yeah,
I mean we talked about this back in camp that
you know, the addition of Cam Johnston would add twenty
five yards per game net punning to your total, which
is enough to improve you from twenty fourth to twenty
fifth whatever the number was. If the Silers were in
total yardage last year to the seventeen to eighteen almost
(30:56):
averaged just by that hidden yardage and the block kicks
and even little things like you know, uh so that
the students had a punt safe on last night, they
had the defense out there worried that the Jets around midfield,
we're going to go for it. They kicked it Calvin
Austin and he picks up nine yards. Now is that
a Is that the a team you know a league
(31:16):
leading return yardage? No, it isn't, but is it almost?
It's practically a first down. It's nine yards that he
picked up on a punt return. When you were in
punt safe, it.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Was also nine yards been getting the ball. It was
also nine yards where you've been getting the ball inside
your own twenty, which affects how how you call plays
at that point one twelve.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
That's right, you're not in the twelve, You're now in
the twenty one, and that opens things up considerably. So, Yeah,
a lot of those factors, you know, understandably, can go
unheralded and go you know, sort of unnoticed by fans,
which is why it's our job to help bring them
up and say, hey, listen, you know, consider this aspect
of the game. Of course, a lot of fans have
considered it already, but some fans, newer fans may not have. Oh,
(32:00):
I didn't really quite consider it that way. There's a
lot of things that the Steelers have done over the
last couple of years. The block kicks more than anybody
in the NFL since the beginning of the twenty twenty
two seasons. Those those are real things. Those are factors
that help you win, you know. I know, Matt, you've
used the expression winning the margins. Well, I think great
(32:23):
teams can do both. They can win in the margins
and then they can they can also you know, beat
you by outscoring you. Or out defending you. You know,
I know I number in Uh.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Jay Coffield, my my friend and former co host with
on the Penguins, used to talk about, you know, when
the when the Penguin seems are great here with Crosby
and Malcolm and when they were great back in uh,
you know, the early Marrio days. They can beat you
any way you want it. Do you want to play
low scoring? Won't beat you low scoring? You want to
open it up?
Speaker 4 (32:54):
Well? Great, but good line, you know.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
And I and I think that there's you know, hopefully
if you can get war going with this year's offense,
I think that's something.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
They'll be able to do. They've already proven with.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
Their incredible what is it eleven and four and one
score game since the beginning of last year something like that,
that they can win that way, right, And that means
that the little things you're talking about, Matt, Now, isn't
it kind of fun to be able to win thirty
seven to fifteen on Sunday Night football?
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
It's it's you know, and that goes to coaching. And
you talked about Russell Wilson being in Denver under two
different offensive systems. The first one didn't fit. The first
one was designed. It was it was, you know, Hackett's
system for Aaron Rodgers. Oh yeah, you know they were
they were bringing the Green Bay offense there because they
thought they were getting Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
While he got higher.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
That's why he got high, the only reason he got hired, right,
And he's now since been fired from two different jobs
in the last two years. And then the second year
you got Sean Payton coming in and saying, no, we
got to run my offense. It's got to be my offense,
not what best suits my team. And that's you're absolutely right.
That is coaching. That's the difference between you know, you know,
(34:06):
you see so many times, especially in football, we got
to run my system. But you see it in other
sports too bad, particularly football, basketball, hockey, baseball. That's not
really such a system. But if I've got a bunch
of home run hitters as a baseball manager, we're not
going to try to steal a bunch of bases.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Right, there's ex ingredients in the fridge. You got to
make something out of it to feed the fam. You know,
whether it's delicacy or if it's slopped.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make this spam no
offense to spam and try to tell you that it's
you know, it's filame mignon. No, that's not how this works.
You got to you know, work with what you got.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
Well, you know, I totally one hundred percent agree with that.
And then the other thing is too let's not forget
you know, Russell Wilson, and I think some of that
was was financially based that a move last year. I
don't remember exactly.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
He didn't fit Peyton's system and Peyton wanted to move on,
and so they didn't play in the last two games,
so we didn't get and then he would have had
to pay him right.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
Right, And then you also missed the playoffs when you
had an opportunity to make the playoffs too, because I
think they lost those last two games. Rust didn't play
if I'm not mistaken. But regardless, you know, he was
eighth in the league in passer rating last year. I
know passer rating is not everything, but you got to
pick a statistic. I like passer rating. It emphasizes you know,
touchdowns touchdown interception ratio. But he was eighth in the league.
(35:25):
You're not it isn't like he was a failure. He
was eighth in the league, had a winning record, I believe.
I think he was eight and seven as the starting
quarterback last year and and had that the good quarterback rating.
And so it's not like you're taking, you know, someone
broken and trying to rebuild them. I mean, this isn't
humpty dumpty. Here We're talking about how a guy who
(35:46):
had a great year and is a nine time pro bowler.
And the other thing that I've been thinking about a
lot lately is that, you know, when Mike Tomman is
talking about turnover margins with Bob Labriola on that outstanding
pregame show.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Lab such a phenomenal job of that interview.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
You know, he brought up turnover ratio and and Mike
Common was talking about that, and I just looked up,
you know, turnover ratio and there's Russell Wilson.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
Third in NFL history.
Speaker 5 (36:12):
Yeh at a touchdown to interception ratio. Well, doesn't that
fit like a glove what the studers are trying to do? So,
you know, and again, but it fits in with what
the students have been trying to do. What Justin Fields
did so well, what other quarterbacks have.
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Been trying to do for this team.
Speaker 5 (36:30):
You know, don't turn the ball over, okay, But it's
like a boxer who can also punch. That's what I
think you have. It's not just a boxer. It's not
just a slugger. Now, hopefully with Russell Wilson you have somebody. Yeah,
he can box, but guess what, here comes the right
hand too. He can hit you with that. So I
just you know, it's one game. You know, it is
only one game. But when you think about how different
(36:52):
of a feel that was last night, it's hard not
to get excited.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Well, the boxer, the right overhead, right hand right now
now has been nausey Harris, And I think that this,
you know, this opens everything up for him and makes
the Steelers a much more dangerous team because you know
they want to run the football. But you also now
know that they have a quarterback capable of beating your
defense over the top. So how do you defend this team?
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Right? It's a great question.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
And you know, Matt was were you talking about the
second half point differential on that show?
Speaker 4 (37:25):
We were doing plus sixty eight?
Speaker 5 (37:27):
Yeah, plus sixty eight, and you know it is something
and I and I don't know. You know, proponents of
the run will tell you it's absolutely this way. There's
a reason the running game is better in the second
half of the season because you're stuck with it. There's
a reason that's better later in the game because you're
stuck with it. To go to the boxing analogy, those
were body blows you landed earlier. You know, Now later
(37:49):
in the match, you know, the the body gets tired,
the hands come down a little bit to protect the body,
and now and now you could you can finish them off. Okay,
well that might be true. Maybe that is part of
the reason, you know, for everyone saying, oh.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
And then they're sticking with a run too long? Yeah,
are you?
Speaker 5 (38:06):
Or is that part of the manifestation to the point
of the second half. I don't think there's a clear
concrete answer to that. I don't think there's a scientific
formula where you say, oh, yes, that's absolutely the run.
But I don't think it can be dismissed either that
you know, you land some blows early if you get
the running game going, you know, play action pass is
(38:27):
part of this offense and part of something that Russell
Wilson does well. So I agree, But even in its
own right, perhaps this this running game, which took a
couple of weeks longer last year to get going, is
going now. And think about two guys, five different offensive
line combinations that the Steelers have used and to still
(38:49):
be able to get over one hundred yards in back
to back weeks for Naji and to get the running
game going really well in back to back weeks, when
teams knew you wanted to run the ball, I think
that says something about everything. It says something about the
offensive line, It says something about Arthur Smith, and it
certainly says something about Najie Harris.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Yeah, I wanted to expand on the O line conversation
a little bit. Like I thought the first half was rough,
you know, I mean that they were getting the short
you know, they weren't winning that battle for the majority
of the first half. But they stuck with it and
I thought it improved. I didn't think it was ever
going to be the best line in the league is
currently constructed, and that's a good group quinnin Williams as
(39:30):
a force and McDonald off the edge. But I did
think it got better as the night went on.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I agree with that and I think it's yes, I'm right,
And you have to ask about that too. Now this
is the unit. And again there's no scientific way to answer.
This is the unit.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
You know it. Did it take a half of football
to gel? I don't know.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
I don't know the answer to that. I don't think
any of us can possibly know the answer to that.
It's probably like everything else, a little bit of everything,
a little bit of this, a little bit of that,
a little bit of uh Russ getting more comfortable, being
more effective. You know, Quinn Williams is a force, and
and and you know that Steve's old line in the
middle they're gonna have to deal with. I mean, Dexter
Lawrence has nine has a nose tackle.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
I'm thinking about that's it.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
That might be the best pass rushing team in the league.
On the on the agenda coming up.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
Yeah, yes, that's right. And I think Dan Moore has
been really good. But they got guys on both sides,
They got a guy up the middle.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
This is gonna be a big test for him.
Speaker 5 (40:27):
But yeah, I think that the offensive line got better
as the game war on. I think Dan Moore, you know,
people have been you know, paying a little more attention
to his game. I think he's he's really had himself
a very very solid season. You know, these young guys
are getting some time, they're getting some exposure. This is
the kind of game. You know, you'd love to have
(40:48):
Zach Frazier back. This is the kind of game he's
built for, you know, as was the Jets game going
against these these troublesome characters in the middle. And uh,
and but I don't I'm not sure he's going to
be back. I don't think he you know, we.
Speaker 4 (41:02):
Don't know for sure.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Maybe after the bye they did call him week to week,
but you know, they'll continue to be doll or they'll continue.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
No, that is good, that, no doubt about it.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
He could be back, But you know, these are the
these are the challenges this group has risen to him.
How many times did we sit up in the trope
and watch a group and think, man, what an incredible,
deep group of offensive line. And now you're like, man,
I hope nobody else gets hurt because you can only
have so many of those guys. But yeah, I thought
they settled in And again, why you know, again, maybe
(41:34):
it is continuity, maybe it is success, Maybe it is
a little bit of some of those things.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Our guest has been Rob King, Steelers play by play announcer.
Steelers off to a five and two start, coming off
of last night's thirty seven fifteen win over the New
York Football Justs, a game in which they were underdogs
by three points by the time the game kicked off,
and well that didn't quite turn out that way. But Rob,
(42:00):
we got to get going here. We'll let you go.
We'll see you down at the facility there sometime this
upcoming week, I'm sure. If not, we'll definitely see On Thursday,
we do our show for Steelers dot Com. If you
haven't checked out the matchup on Steelers dot com, you
need to do that. But he is Matt Williamson. I
am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on
the Steelers Audio Network. We'll be back with more right
(42:21):
after this.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
And we are back. I'm Dale LOLLI he is the
Matt Williamson and this is the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. And of course you can listen to the
Drive every Monday through Friday from four to six pm
right here on Steelers Nation Radio and also download the
Steelers Mobile app and the show will be available to
be right on there, and you can watch it on
(42:59):
YouTube well, and please leave your comments. I will answer
any questions on there. If you just want to call
us idiots or whatever, feel free have at it. I
might reply to those two, but you know whatever, it's
all good. But Matt, looking here at FTN Fantasy uh
(43:19):
in their d v o A stats at five and two,
the Steelers mean wins for the season is now nine
point eight.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Seems low.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
It seems low. The Ravens right now are four and
two going into tonight's game. Their their mean wins is
eleven point nine.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Okay, I do know Steelers remaining schedules considered by any
metric one of the five most difficult. Not anymore, not
like it was. I was looking at because the Browns
now stink Browns are bad.
Speaker 2 (43:50):
Right, that's changed. Steel Underwater Eagles are not, are not
very good. You get the Giants coming up, but aren't
very good. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
I was looking at Pro football focuses today. They had
them third hardest remaining schedule.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
I mean, when I looked at the DVOA stuff last week,
it was like fourteenth. Okay, now that and also makes
more sense. That also included the game against the Jets
this past week.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
Okay, but I mean they was a two win team too.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yeah, I mean that's what I'm saying, right, that pulled
your you know in their d v O A wasn't great, right.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Even the Bengals win doesn't make me think they're better
than I thought they were. By the way, that's a
side note.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
Yeah, I mean there's they still got some issues. Oh
they got issues.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah, No, but that seems low and mean, it seems low.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
But there are chances to make the playoffs seventy two
point eight percent.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
Okay, is that five and two or is that there
that's at.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Five and two? Okay? Yeah. The Ravens right now are
at ninety five point three percent. You got Buffalo at
ninety six point eight, uh, Houston at ninety five point one,
and Kansas City at ninety nine point four. So right now,
as things stand, the Steelers have the fifth best if
chance to make the playoffs according to their metrics. I
(45:03):
think the.
Speaker 3 (45:03):
North, aside the division winners are pretty clear in the
other three divisions. I mean, something crazy could change.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Something, something would have to happen, right, you know. Right now,
Buffalo's got essentially a three game lead.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
Yeah, I don't think you make much money if you're
betting on Buffalo, Houston or Kansas City Winter Division.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
Houston's only up one game though, after the loss yesterday.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
I just say, if I think they play Indie next week,
if they lose that one, they're trying to fight through
some things too. Yeah, that they kind of need to
win that one to keep that.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Give themselves a cushion to They did beat Indy earlier
this year already, but you can't split that. No, no, No.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
Their offense hasn't played great, yeah, I mean, and some
of it's Niko being out for a while there. They
couldn't run the ball, but then they could run the ball.
Offensive line has been real hit or miss, to be
honest with you. I mean Diggs caught like five or
six balls for like twenty seven or yesterday.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
I think they threw for like ninety eight yards really low.
I mean it was ridiculous. You know, so that division?
Do I think Indianapolis? I don't think so. Yeah, I
don't think so. But right now, Houston's mean wins is
eleven point three, which seems like it might be a
little high.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
Yeah, it seems a little high. I think they got
more issues than that. Like, I don't think that'd be shocked.
There a twelve win team.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
Kansas City's at thirteen point eight, that's the best in
the AFC, undefeated. Yeah, then you got Baltimore at eleven
point nine, Buffalo at eleven point six, and the Steelers
at nine point eight. Nine point eight might even seem
low to me. Do we think this get the double
digit Yeah? Do we think the Steelers are only going
to win five more games? Or they're going to they
might struggle to get to five more wins. I don't
(46:43):
feel that way. I don't feel that way either.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
I strongly think that they're a double digit win team. Yeah,
you know, maybe eleven, maybe twelve. I mean I mentioned
the point differential. They're right behind Buffalo in point differential
in terms of for second in the AFC, and that's
not going to change tonight. Right and they have six
division games left. Do we really think they're gonna go
own six?
Speaker 5 (47:05):
No?
Speaker 3 (47:05):
I mean, series could be winless right now. I'd say
they won't go own six, you know what. I mean,
they're five and one in the division last year, right,
they do well against those teams, I mean they do.
They played Baltimore better than anyone. Frankly, I would have
rather had two games against the Browns early by now.
Then they might get harder to play against them.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
I don't change.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
They don't have Mary Cooper. Yeah, but I mean they
still have their issues too. They're terrible, but least kind
of ding dong. The Witch is dead at least in
there a little bit. They're they're least different. I mean,
there's nowhere to go but up. Yeah, Cincinnati is dangerous,
but and they could end up in the playoffs. But
I don't think they're great.
Speaker 4 (47:40):
No.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I mean, given week, Burrow could could go off. But
their defense is a problem. It is.
Speaker 3 (47:47):
And I think the line is okay, running games okay,
you know, And I don't think Burrow is one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
I don't think he is either. So I mean this
is why when when Mike Tomlin talked about we want
to be we want to be great, not good. You
look at it, the Steelers are right there with some
of the best teams in the AFC in terms of
the record for sure. Yeah, but are they Are they
that different from Buffalo? Are they that different from Houston?
(48:13):
Are they that different from Baltimore? Are they beaten seven
of the last eight times they played? I know, Kansas City's,
you know, a different animal, but if you look at it,
the Steelers have scored more points this season than the
Chiefs after seven weeks, and they've given up fewer points.
Speaker 3 (48:29):
Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. It will do power ranks tomorrow,
but I would bet that have them in my top ten.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Yeah, I mean I think they I think they have
a puncher's chance of beating anybody on a given day
as currently constructed. And once they get some of the
offensive lineman back, That's a great thing about this is
you're gonna get Cam Sutton back coming out of the
bye week. You're probably gonna get Zach Fraser beck coming
out of the bye week. We'll see about some of
the other you know, Dylan Cook might not sound like
a big thing, but you're gonna get him back coming
(48:58):
out of.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
The you know, did they lose anyone yesterday?
Speaker 2 (49:06):
Not? Nothing? Long nothing long term.
Speaker 3 (49:08):
Because the coverage was pretty rough on injury information. I
knew Jackson was in out of the lineup. Adams got
injured early, and then I didn't know that till today.
I mean I noticed he wasn't out there, but no
one ever told me who was injured. But so nothing
that's taking him a big step backwards at that now,
or I didn't think so.
Speaker 2 (49:26):
And when you look around the league at some of
the injuries that did happen this weekend, and like a time, Yeah, yeah,
you know, so you've avoided that another week, you know,
knock on for Mico, but sure, you know, you just
keep just keep winning games, stacking wins and see where
it goes.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
You get one more and going into the bye bye,
you're in great shape, really good shape. And the other
thing is they only have one conference loss. They even
played in division games. Yeah, but they're four and one
in the conference.
Speaker 2 (49:51):
And I can't harp on this one enough, Matt too,
is that they're three and one on the road. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
you basically played half your road schedule already. Now you
play nine this year. Yeah, but still you've shown the
ability to go win on the road, and you know
that's not easy to do in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
No, and they'll be well equipped to win their road
Division games, which is three of the remaining five. You
know they've done that every year.
Speaker 2 (50:14):
Absolutely so, but let's get to a break that's going
to do it for our number one of the drive
here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will
be back with our number two right after this
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