Hr2: Injury Report, Twitter Thursday

The Drive goes over the latest Steelers injury report and gets to your questions of the day.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tune to About Drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Good Evening, Steeler Nation, Back on the drive here on
the Steelers Audio Network, West Shooler Matt Williamson. I'm going
to continue to say good evening and hour number two
because in the next few weeks, Matt, it's going to
be dark by this five o'clock point anyways, and it
really will walking out.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Of here at six when it's dark, it's a little miserable,
a little miserable. Yah.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, I am liking now starting my days a little
bit slower in this new time slot.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
You know.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
In the past, like I would drop my kids off
a daycare and I'd be rushing in here to get
ready for our morning show in the locker room and
Steelers Blitz and all those things. Now I got some
more time in the mornings, which isn't the worst thing
ever to kind of take my time and prep the
show and you know, get stuff done whatever that I
need to get done. But yeah, as soon as it's
dark at five o'clock, that is going to be depressing

(01:20):
driving home in the darkness every single night. But we
still do have a little a few weeks tow week.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
My first hour or two is research time. I go
to all my sits. I started a lot of the
stat packet ends up in that guy in Oh I
like that one.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah see, I thought you did that like exclusively in
the evening.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Well, then it also happens after ten pm too.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
I can always tell. I can always tell all the
night we go out and the tweets. That's how I
used to tell, was the tweets. But you know, sometimes
at like twelve thirty, like a little bit after midnight,
I'll get a text from you about something.

Speaker 3 (01:54):
Get an email, or.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I'll wake up in the morning and I'll have a
text from you that you send it to my email.
You sent me at one fifteen am. And I'm like,
Matt was in his bag last night. It was up late.
He was doing his research.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
After Thursday football, I'll probably do something, you know.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Right, yep, And that's actually to after.

Speaker 3 (02:15):
Thursday football, I started putting.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Next week's past, start putting on the am right.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
I'll start looking Patriots stuff.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know, he is in the groove. Don't stop him.
He's on a roll at much much much like Animal
House and Matt. And with that I want to go
back to something that stuck out to me that you
sent last night in your Seattle Seahawks edition of Matt's Stats.
We've talked a lot about the Steelers in twelve and

(02:40):
thirteen personnel usage, multiple tight end sets. How difficult that
could be for teams to defend this year when you
have Pat Fryermouth and his skill set, John new Smith
and his skill set, Darnell Washington and his body type
and his skill set. Seattle defense only faced twelve personnel
season sixteen point seven percent of the time, fourth lowest

(03:04):
in the league.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, for the whole year.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
The Steelers last week were in twelve personnel nearly fifty
four percent of the time, first, right first in the league. Now,
that number for Seattle is from last year and this
is a new season, new personnel, like we just we
talked about at the start of the show.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
So there's a lot overlap. I mean, only one game
into twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
But is how much is that something that could really
be a wrinkle for the Steelers this year a Seahawks defense,
and they saw.

Speaker 3 (03:34):
Very little of it last week because the Niners are
a heavy twenty one team, twenty one team, and then
Kittle got hurt and they still allowed two touchdowns to
tight ends. Last year, Kittle caught one and then the
dude no one ever heard of came in the game
and caught one late too, So tight ends gave them problems.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
Last week we saw Pat Fryermuth have a couple big
catches on Sunday. We saw John new Smith with the
pop pass touchdown on Sunday. Does this feel like a
week where again kind of building upon that what we
do from week to week in September, what we want
to establish, what we want to be our identity.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, is a lot of twelve personnel and how the
Steelers deploy that going to be part of a big
part of the story of the offense on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
I think so. And maybe even more thirteen than we saw. Yeah,
I mean, I think that's certainly a possibility as well. Again,
Seattle has not seen a ton of it over this
coaching staff's regime, which is now eighteen games long, you know. So,
And not to mention, I think one of the things
that they went out of their way to do is,

(04:38):
like all four teams de Steelers playing to start the season,
their first round pick was an O lineman, which their
O line was horrendous, and then they got a toy
for their head coach in n U Area in the
second year, in the second round, the safety out of
South Carolina that has a lot of Kyle Hamilton overlay
to them. And why I say that is as someone

(04:59):
like that, now he's missing this game. It sounds like
and I've not seen today's.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
I'm still looking for today we sit here, but yesterday's
wasn't great for Seattle.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
I was chatting with Rob King earlier. He thinks that
you are as probably not going to play. But why
I bring him up is he's a combined freak early
second round, two hundred and twenty pound safety that can
handle the John News well it's projected to. I mean,
he's a rookie, so who knows what he can do.
But I like his chances against Darnell Jean, who Friarmouth

(05:34):
better than what Seattle had last year. You know, I
think Seattle recognized these teams are so smart. I mean
we saw very little twelve last year. Well we're probably
gonna see a lot because we're not accomplished against it yet,
you know what I mean, So get used to it.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
You know, that's a very good point. I mean, all
you know, the NFL teams, they've got these these numbers
and analytics and breakdowns as well too, And it's all
about just finding that one little crease or one little
wrinkle where you think you can have a leg up.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
Big Godfather thing, And I'll bring this up all the time, Godfather,
learn learn to think. Is those around you think? So
gold rule of life. But anyway, there's so many things.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
To learn from godf You're sure that wasn't the Rolling Stones.

Speaker 3 (06:15):
So I was sitting here thinking, well, when you mentioned
that with Seattle, I'm like, well, did they not see
a lot of twelve because their division doesn't play a
lot of twelve? And the answer is yes on San
Francisco because they play a lot of twenty one. But
then I'm sitting here thinking the only team that played
more thirteen than the Steelers was Arizona. Arizona is a

(06:35):
huge multiple tight end team too, and the Rams they're
a heavy eleven team, but their first draft pick was
a tight end. Like all this stuff adds up, you know, Yeah, again,
think is those around you think?

Speaker 2 (06:49):
And as you and I know, the league is cyclical.

Speaker 3 (06:52):
Yeah, how are they going to attack us?

Speaker 2 (06:54):
Offense is spread it out, Defenses go more Nickel and
don Defenses go more nickel and don. Offs want to
start pounding the football, playing with tight ends in middle
of the field and closer to the.

Speaker 3 (07:04):
Line of screen. Paye Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley exactly right,
and then you go to Super Bowls and win a
lot of games.

Speaker 2 (07:09):
You know, right, And you know, nobody wanted to pay
running backs a few years ago, and now they're making
a difference for a lot of these teams.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
But no, I would expect heavier. I don't think the
Steelers are going to do a lot of eleven. I
don't think that they have a pretty deep secondary. Their
corners aren't household names. I don't think that you're going
to go deep into you don't want these guys in
dime a ton. I think you're going to see a
lot of tight ends on the field. To your original question,
and maybe more Washington than we saw. I think they

(07:38):
No one's told me this, but.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
A little lighter than I thought it would be.

Speaker 3 (07:42):
Yeah, And I didn't realize this till last night. I
did a night show with Tom and Tim Bens, and
I think it was Ben's that mentioned that at one
point Washington kind of limped off, and the announcers never
mentioned it. So I wonder if there was something during
the game bugging him, and I'd have to go back
can find the spot, But there was something that he'd
looked tight or whatever. But my point was, I bet

(08:06):
if he gave the coaches true serum on Monday, they
would say, probably should have used Washington to hire more snaps,
especially on Roger Jones's side and protection.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
You know, makes a ton of sense.

Speaker 3 (08:16):
And now they make that mistake twice.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Kind of sticking with that and some tendency stuff there.
Week one one Week one data point, but still eighty
four point two percent of the Steelers running play were
zone runs, highest in the NFL. Yeah, we know that
that's the ultimate goal of the Arthur Smith offense. Is
this this zone run scheme, outside zone runs in particular.

(08:41):
We talked a ton about that when they drafted Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 3 (08:44):
Right, much better fit than Nausey for that scheme.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
But do you think that maybe in.

Speaker 3 (08:48):
The preseason runs were like all zone which they've won practice.
They just want practice and they don't care if they
know they're all look for the results for practice.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
Now. We're looking for results now, obviously, and the highest
own run percentage in the league over eighty four percent
of the time in week one? What's that look like
in week two? Is there some Okay? Obviously this is
what we're trying to build towards, but it's not working
the way we need it to right now. Where do
we go from here?

Speaker 3 (09:12):
So I've really mixed feelings about this, and frankly, it's
gonna be my first question. I asked Merrill Hodge when
we do our night show tonight, because run get runs.
I mean, it's a running back any smart. So this
is a longer conversation.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
Wow, Hey, we got nothing with me. We got nothing
but time Matthew.

Speaker 3 (09:33):
I thought, say we wanted about Matt Canada wasn't good.
We know the results he got. Let go. That's uncharacteristic
of an in season move. Nobody was thrilled with that era.
Coordinating wise, I think that's fair at this point. Yes, However,
as that last season went on, their man blocking stuff

(09:54):
got better and better. And if you can remember, and
that's a while back, they weaponize some of their athletic
linemen pulling them. Rodert Jones in particular, I thought was
really good at it. Designed movement from your lineman as
opposed to zone blocking, where it's like synchronized swimming. For hippos,

(10:14):
it's like five of them all moving is one, you
know what I mean. And frankly, that takes more time
than man blocking time. Yeah, I mean, if Wolf was
sitting here'd be like anymore.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
He said. He used to talk about this all the time.

Speaker 3 (10:26):
No, yeah, I need a lot of reps with the
guy to my right and left to know. It's not
synchronized swimming. He's not easy, let alone if you're three
or thirty pound hippo.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
You know. And Wolf used to have six preseason games
where they would drill that stuff.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah, those guys why they did it so much in.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
The quarters in the preseason zone run, zone run, zone run.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
So I guess my point with the Canada stuff was,
and the numbers bear it out, but I thought this
running game was more effective with man than zone pre
Arthur Smith higher. Now, that doesn't mean that's a bad hire.
You knew he was going to implement zone stuff. You
knew nause these days here were numbered. It was only

(11:05):
one year overlap that they were going to get a
zone runner, that all the linemen they draft are going
to be really good athletes that can do this stuff
on the move, But they were better at the man's
stuff to begin with. So I had mixed feelings of
going so strong zone with the coordinator higher. You knew
it was coming, and it has now where I will

(11:26):
be critical and again I can't wait to talk to
Meryl about this. Eighty four percents too much to me.
You know, like when you when you talk about a
man heavy running game or a zone heavy running game,
it's usually like two to one. Yeah, it's sixty percent,
it's sixty five percent, maybe.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
Maybe seventy percent. The teams that do it most successful.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
I think at this point everyone's saying I'm going to
line up as if you're running outside zone, and a
lot of that stuff's alignment, you know what I mean.
Like McVeigh is, I think McVay is the best head
coach in the league. There's a lot of great ones.
But when remember in the Super Bowl against Belichick, when
that was an awesome offense and I think the Patriots
won like six to three. I mean, it was insanely low.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
Yeah, and Belichick put a seven or thirteen to ten,
whatever it was. It was a.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
Belly McVeigh in that game. The defense, I'll coach both offense.
It was six or three, but they did a six
man front and said, try to get wide on our
six man front. And at that point the Rams were
like the heaviest zone team in the league. There's a
defense for everything. I guess it's my point.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
They also had Jared goff To who at that time
it wasn't I think even as highly regarded as Jared
goff is now. No, No, Belichick was like, make that
beat right, beat.

Speaker 3 (12:40):
Me, but I'm not going to allow Gurley get into
the outside on zone runs. Over and over and over
and over and over.

Speaker 2 (12:46):
Thirteen to three was the finale that New England.

Speaker 3 (12:50):
And crazy low. But they led up three points in
that game. It was great offense.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
Three. That game was three to three going into the
fourth quarter, okay, into the fourth.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
Quarter, okay. And but anyway, to mcveigh's credit, now they're
one of the most diverse run games in the league.
You know, like Kevin Dotson was not a zone guard,
but he goes there as a big masher and they mash.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
And now like a massive contract to.

Speaker 3 (13:15):
Show it right, right, So he's adapted and and again
I think he's like the best offensive mind in the league.
Now I'm not saying Smith's incapable of adapting or I
only know how to do one thing, but it's one game.
Eighty four percent seems a lot, and I think defenses
are gonna key on that, you know, and especially if

(13:36):
you're not good at it yet into the season. Back
to the Wolf point, Yes it is.

Speaker 2 (13:40):
It is one thing. And you know, to use another
one of our uh Steelers Audio Network offensive lineman colleagues
as an example.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
Here, Yeah, I'm sure Max told the same thing.

Speaker 2 (13:50):
Max. Max talks about that all the time, and it's
it's one thing to know as an offense and an
offensive line in a run game, they know what's and
they can't stop us.

Speaker 3 (14:01):
Oh there's a lot of that too.

Speaker 2 (14:02):
That's the greatest. That's what those guys live for. Hey,
you know the zone runs coming right here, try and
stop us. Good luck.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh yeah, but it's another tmes Jerome.

Speaker 2 (14:12):
You know, it's right right, that's great when you are
elite at it and when you can excel at it,
and when you can demoralize a defense with it. But
that's just not where they're at right now. No, no,
And it's hard to get to that point, very hard
to get to that point.

Speaker 3 (14:25):
I mean the Shanahan Terrell Davis led here comes outside
zone again. You know, we're a lot.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
Of offensive linemen and going to the Hall of Fame
on those teams in the trenches.

Speaker 3 (14:36):
So this is a side note, but it makes me smile.
Denver plays in high altitude. It's hard to play there,
so they don't want three hundred and fifty pounds fat
guy lineman. They want dudes that can move, you know,
that don't get tired in the fourth quarter while the
d lineman's huffing and puffing that only plays there once
a year. We play nine plus playoff games here. I

(14:56):
think that's why Shanahan not devised it. He's on the
first one, came his zone, but we're gonna be his
zone team. In the altitude, we're gonna have a lot
of and those days, two hundred ninety pound guys that
aren't fat, that don't get tired, that can move all
day long.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
They're just gonna out leverage you and out move you,
and ye're going to be gassed by the fourth quarter,
and it's different.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
But I use this example because it hits home. When
we had Larry Fitzgerald, I could we could put on
the scoreboard, here comes a fade the Larry in the
red zone. Doesn't mean you're gonna do anything about it.
And that's when you're humming.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
Hey, we're going to Antonio Brown on this red zone.
Play here, right, all right, try and stop them.

Speaker 3 (15:32):
Right, here's a fade to Larry. Good luck.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
That's another one of those numbers that I'm excited to
see what that looks like after Sunday's home opener against Seattle.

Speaker 3 (15:40):
What's up?

Speaker 2 (15:41):
What what that zone? The zone?

Speaker 3 (15:43):
The zone? Right?

Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah, right, even if if it goes from being over
eighty four percent to seventy.

Speaker 3 (15:48):
Percent, yeah, okay, and maybe it is eighty four percent,
but they're better at it. It doesn't mean you stop
doing it. That would that would be great. Certainly we're
on the scoreboard, run zone right.

Speaker 2 (15:58):
More to get to in this regard. We are going
to get to your tweets here as we roll along
as well, too. We've got a few of those. Continue
to get those in before our last segment when we
will do a little Twitter Thursday at Williamson, NFL at
Wesley Yuler, Wes Schuler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
Steelers Nation Radio. Back on the Drive here on a
Thursday evening, Matt, we do want to talk a little

(16:53):
bit about this big NFC game tonight at lambeau Field
between the Packers and the Commanders. Are still hoping that
we're going to get today's injury report before we get
up out of here at six o'clock, So can I
call an audible? Can I do an Aaron Aaron Rodgers
at the line of scrimmage thing here and check into
something different?

Speaker 3 (17:11):
I mean, I didn't know eighty percent of what we
were going to talk about when it was Dale and
I the last couple of years. So feel free to
audible anytime you want dig it.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
You are an expert in free form jazz.

Speaker 3 (17:24):
Yeah, yeah, we're in the key of B minor here
about football. If you ask me to talk about like
baseball or something, I'm not gonna have any clue I'm
talking about or like you who president.

Speaker 2 (17:32):
Is very good. Will Chamberlain reference that you though, by
the way, and led Zeppelin. You can, of course always
talk led Zeppelin, as long as I don't mix them
up with the rolling Stone things. I know, like a
JABBRONI and he tweets us and says, what is a
reasonable time period for a developmental draft pick to develop?
How big of a risk is it that a team
will give up on somebody too soon and see them

(17:54):
develop elsewhere? Seems like Fields is having much more success
since he left the Bears as an exit ample. Thank you. Yeah,
a good question. I think it varies obviously, but.

Speaker 3 (18:05):
First round picks different than a seventh round pick, quarterbacks
different than a running back. Yeah, I mean, so there's
a lot of variance to that question. But I do
think this isn't what she asked. Here comes the stuff.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
Here comes the good stuff, but will be on the
test write this down.

Speaker 3 (18:19):
I think the league is showing us though that Donald Mayfield,
maybe Field some of these highly picked dudes that go
to bad situations, maybe we shouldn't flush them quite yet,
you know what I mean? Like I wonder if Mariota
wentz Winston, all these highly picked dudes that kind of
washed out, serbiskya my doubts about But what if they

(18:42):
would have went to a better situation than where the
first or second overall pick goes and like this is terrible. Yeah,
I mean the bare situation Fields went to was bad,
Baker's was bad, Arnold's was bad, you know what I mean,
Zach Wilson, and it's really being obvious, you know, take
it to a new level. And this goes back to
like Parcels, the quarterbacks that have more experience at the

(19:04):
college level, Pennix, Nicks, Daniels, those are six of your
guys have come in the league much more, paid.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
For multiple programs in college as well too.

Speaker 3 (19:12):
So Bill Parcels was saying, who probably, like I've been
telling you this for thirty years, these guys need all
the experience they can get, you know, don't dis expect
them to be good in year one, you know, so quarterback,
I think the league might be starting to be not
more patient, but more open to the idea of Anthony
Richardson is the next place could be really good. You

(19:33):
know what I mean. It doesn't look at now it's
you say, ah, he stakes you know. Yeah, the labs
were saying that everyone just wants to fire everybody and
move on, and you know good positions and you know correct.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
So yeah, it is obviously on a case by case basis.
But I think you're right. I think teams are getting
more willing to take second chances on guys. H I
think there's a clear cut of you're patient with somebody,
and you give them the opportunity. Uh maybe a Nach
type example, yeah, yeah, or clearly this isn't working out,
let's move on. Maybe the Kenny Pickett type example that

(20:06):
is as well too. So again it's it's all case
by case.

Speaker 3 (20:09):
But but the other thing too, And this isn't new,
but now it's a lot different. If I'm on a
rookie contract, then okay, you're not a first round pick.
I didn't pick up your option. Any anyone else's doesn't
have that fifth year option even available. Okay, I like
you as a safety for third round money. Do I

(20:31):
like you as a safety for eight million a year?

Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (20:34):
Not so much. Yeah, you know what I mean? And
those four years go by pretty quick. I mean the
move the league moves fast. I mean it's amazing. Proder
Jones's fifth year option time is now already.

Speaker 2 (20:45):
You don't really even know the sixteen more games to
make a decision on his age.

Speaker 3 (20:49):
A league is flawed with that stuff. It's to have
to pick up a fifth year option before their fourth year,
I think is so dumb.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
I do too, you know, and it a lot of time.
The kind of parameters around it are just like we
I know, we've discussed the Tyler Linderbaum fifth year, right,
it's like a it's like elite tackle money that you're
gonna have to pay a center to pick. Why why
are you getting punished for drafting somebody successfully in the
first round. Yeah, Like, there's there's a lot there that

(21:18):
that is. Like, I know, people non copasetic people were shocked.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
I guess it's like May a year ago that the
Steelers didn't pick up Nausey, but if they would have,
they're basically guaranteeing two years your's fourth year and his
fifth year. The guy took more punishment than like any
back in the league. What if he gets hurt in
Week two of twenty twenty four and then you're on

(21:43):
the hook and then you still have him around, you know,
like it doesn't make a lot of sense, you know.

Speaker 2 (21:47):
It doesn't you be on the hope even if you
like him a lot. Yeah, if he gets hurt in
a couple games in the season, you're still on the
hook for thirty some more games of him.

Speaker 3 (21:55):
Yeah, over the next two years, and he's taking a pounding,
you know.

Speaker 2 (21:58):
And that's an important thing to consider with Proger Jones
decision as well too. Yeah, you pick up that option.
It guarantees their contract for two years basically, right right,
thirty four games. Yeah, and that fourth year. You weren't
going to cut them anyway if you pick them up.
It's not like like I always found that funny, like Lamar,
but they gave him all this guaranteed money. I'm like, well,
they're not going to cut him. He's the only way
he's not gonna get his money is if he gets cut.

(22:20):
He's not gonna get cut. You know, he's Lamar Jackson. Correct,
he does right.

Speaker 3 (22:25):
I'm sick of that guy. You know.

Speaker 2 (22:26):
Steelers Nation nine to twenty tweets us how likely is
a Tyreek Hill trade? What's your favorite stadium and field
that you've ever visited.

Speaker 3 (22:35):
I can't answer the field stuff. I've been to so
few it would chockview.

Speaker 2 (22:38):
Yeah, because you're You're background was right. I mean, I
guess you probably did a decent amount of college stadiums
when you were with Pittnakron or were you still.

Speaker 3 (22:47):
In their amount? But even my acron stint, I was
never on We never had a game. I I set
up the opening day travel to Penn State, but I
was a Brown at that point, so I was only
there months and I was never during the season. Maybe
it was only eight months the Browns. I had no
reason to travel with the team. I did when they

(23:08):
came to Pittsburgh, but I drove myself. If it's a close,
stayed at home with my wife. Yeah, you know, but
I had no reason to travel the team. But I
did go to like preseason games, Like I went to
a Panther game as a Brown scout in the preseason.
But otherwise I didn't have much reason to go to
other stadiums.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
It's a good point.

Speaker 3 (23:26):
Weird, you've been to way more. Man now, Dale's been
to like.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
All of them, probably more than thirty two.

Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yeah, the ones that don't exist anymore. Absolutely, he has
a long list. I mean, it's crazy.

Speaker 2 (23:36):
I'll give you both ends of the spectrum. So far
is incredible out in La and we'll be there in
November again. Yeah, Okay, it's like nothing else I've ever
seen him out. The whole stadium is open air, so
this looks so the ball is built and then the
overhang is detached, so the so the bowl of the
stadium is not connect It looks like a sting ray
hovering over a massive stadium bowl. Okay, it's so cool,

(24:00):
and obviously the Southern California weather them lets them get
away with that. But the JumboTron in there is like
the whole hundred yard length of the field. It feels
like it's impressive. It's very cool. And then the opposite
end of the spectrum. There's a part of me, the
sports dorking me and growing up as a nineties kid.

(24:21):
I still love the old stadiums, the old barns, the
old arenas that are dumps and people just go there
for the sport. In the atmosphere. It's not a fancy
night out. It's not. I'm taking a bunch of Instagram
pictures with my friends. Buffalo, I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Their stadium is it's bleacher seats. There's barely any suites

(24:42):
in there. It's seventy thousand people right on top of
the stadium, and they don't care about the Wi Fi,
they don't care about the amenities, they don't care about
the concession stand. They're there for the Buffalo bills. Those old,
dumpy stadiums and arenas still have a soft spot in
my heart. So those are kind of the two ends
of the spectrum that I love.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
The one thing I'll throw in. And I have so
many great memories at three Rivers Stadium, I mean tailgateing
with my buds, concerts, terrible town. I went to a
million Steeler games and Pirate games and whatever, and I
don't even know if any of them even exist. But
like Riverfront, the ones that were baseball and football stadiums
made sense at the time. You'd move the seats and

(25:21):
blah blah blah. That's that's tough that that ship, is it.

Speaker 2 (25:25):
That's a tough way to live. It certainly is. Certainly
is in terms of how likely Tyreek, Yeah, I like,
I don't know if if he means here in Pittsburgh
specifically or just in general.

Speaker 3 (25:38):
I guess I've been told I've been asked about Tyrek
at Tom Valley, and I guess Vegas odds his next team,
the Steelers are second in terms of Matt you can
battle on everything. I just believe people have told me
that because they're gonna be a link to every wide receiver.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
That that that, and I also he's now got some
investigation stuff going on.

Speaker 3 (25:56):
In abuse stuff. It just came up with a wife
that he was married to for like seventeen months.

Speaker 2 (26:01):
I think it's a non starter until that, until minimum
some kind of because you don't, right, the worst thing
in the world would be to trade for a guy
and then a week or two later he gets suspended
for four games, six games the rest of the year,
whatever it may be.

Speaker 3 (26:13):
I looked at it a little too. He's making thirty
million next he's got one more year a year in
the deal. He's making thirty million. I think he could
get traded. I mean, their season is a disaster, but
you got to get the off the field stuff at
least cleaned up. And even if that gets cleaned up,
he has an off the field reputation. I mean, he
went he went to say we want about the Chiefs.
They have taken character risks on people more than most teams. Yeah,

(26:36):
he was not on most guys draft boards. I know
Ito's one hundred years ago. They took him in the
fifth round and because you could everyone knew he was
a really talented player, but he was not I probably
was not on the Steelers draft board.

Speaker 2 (26:48):
At the time. Last tweet to get to here me
tweets us and says doctor Westman and football laureate Matt
are our inside linebackers missing assignments.

Speaker 3 (27:03):
I don't know about that. I've given them too much
of a pass this week because I've blamed the people
in front of them for getting pushed into their laps
more than maybe I should. But I really think that's
the number one problem is it's hard to operate when
someone's rolling up on your feet. That's your teammates, even though.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
Even if you're Patrick Willis dipped in Luke Keithley.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
You're right. I mean you're getting a lot of friendly
fire with Bent and Loudermok going backwards and even Cam
to some degree in that game. I'm not going to
quite go there.

Speaker 2 (27:35):
Not yet.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
Yeah, not yet, but I'm open to the fact that
it was an underwhelming performance by the second level.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
I think it was performance by most on that defense,
but particularly at the defensive front.

Speaker 3 (27:47):
We're talking about last night. I mean, I would say Watt, Ramsey, Echoles,
maybe high Smith can hold their head up high for
how they played in that game. And that's it's pretty
short list, you know. And then none of those guys
were perfect either, you know, but they all had high
quality individual performances where I'm not sure anyone else could

(28:08):
be like, wow, I was great in that game.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
Me also asks grande nachos or seven layer burrito? Whoa
seven layer burrito?

Speaker 3 (28:17):
That's that's think about all the layers.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
That seems a little intimidating. I try it though.

Speaker 3 (28:21):
Both The beauty of Mexican is it's just different shapes
and they're all the same stuff, you know, And I
like all this stuff, but I'm not huge. I like
dipping a chip in guac. I don't love guac on
my taco or burrito. I love it. My daughter gives
me hard time with that. She loves Mexican and we
give Mexican a bunch and she's like, why don't you

(28:43):
give guak on? I'm like, eh, takes away from what
I'm after and sour cream. I could take her leave
on nachos or burrito.

Speaker 2 (28:52):
I would choose to put it on on burritos, I'm
with you on nachos. I want it fully loaded. Give
me the give me the sausa, give me the sour cream.

Speaker 3 (29:01):
Yeah, because even more freedom to I got my chip.
I'm gonna give it a little bit of a black
ball over a little salt where the burrito is just
one bite. How about this move. We don't cook much
at home anymore, but on taco night, my whole family
gets their tacos and then when they're like, I've had
my filled. Not that they eat without me, but they

(29:22):
all get more than they need or whatever. And then
I get the big thing of refried beans that only
my daughter and I eat, and I take all the leftovers,
jump them in there and I just go brah. And
that's Matt's meximush And it goes right in the taco.
So we don't have layers, you know, Like that's phenomenal.

(29:44):
You can trademark that right anything. They gave it a name,
and it's all evenly spaced. Every bite is the same.
It's not pretty, but it gets a job done.

Speaker 2 (29:54):
Like a rice bowl that's loaded with beans and protein.
Another thing not a rice guy.

Speaker 3 (30:00):
It's filler that's less beef.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
Or Bean's a filler too.

Speaker 3 (30:05):
But no, they're they're they're not the star of the show,
but they're they're a quality player for you.

Speaker 2 (30:11):
That's fair, that's fair. Yeah, good questions by everybody, like.

Speaker 3 (30:14):
Burrito, Chipotle, no rice, just eating up space.

Speaker 2 (30:18):
Wow, Now all that this has done is I need
Chipotle or Mo by the way, Taco Bell or my goodness.

Speaker 3 (30:27):
Ye hope a text from my daughter comes by, Hey,
I'm stopping Chipotle. What do you want?

Speaker 2 (30:32):
Tell her I'll do Barbara Bowl.

Speaker 3 (30:35):
She's not listening.

Speaker 2 (30:37):
It wouldn't be funny if this was the one time
she was though, wasn't it.

Speaker 3 (30:40):
Maybe maybe your boyfriend is or something she's with.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
We got to get to our last break of the day.
Some thoughts on Thursday night football. When we return, maybe
we'll get to one or two more tweets as well too.
You know where to get at us if you want
to get involved. West Shooler. Matt Williamson, It's the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (31:05):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (31:22):
Wrapping things up here on a Thursday and Matt, I
love it when a plan comes together. Because Tim right
right as we went to break there, the injury report
dropped for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Glad we got those tweets
in in the previous segment. Here is what we know.
Not great news on Joey Porter Junior. Did not practice
on Wednesday, did not practice again today.

Speaker 3 (31:43):
It's not great, but it doesn't break my heart for
this matchup. I mean, I really think there's one above
average receiver and they don't want to use a third
guy much. Cooper Cup is a shell of what he
used to be. So you're so deep at like this
was last year big oh.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
No oh, you would be like, oh, this is not good.

Speaker 3 (32:05):
If Eccles is your three for this game, I'm cool
with it. Yeah, it went in doubt. Keith Porter out
for another day, another.

Speaker 2 (32:11):
Week, of course. Deshaun Elliott, Derek Harman did not practice
yesterday or today. They've already been ruled out. Ellek Harrison
as well too, but he's moved to IR so he
will not be showing up on these practice reports. Good
news on the Nick Herbigfront good full participant today after
being limited on Wednesday. That's a good sign for his
availability on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (32:32):
Yeah, and it's not a huge deal. But with Harrison
out of the mix, Harrison did some outside linebacker stuff.
He did some of that. Ohio State did a little
bit of it at Baltimore. Now, he's not one tenth
the edge bender pass rusher Herbig is, But you don't
have that fourth guy unless you wanted to call up Leal.
It's a lot to ask a Sawyer. And plus the

(32:55):
offensive line for Seattle's not great. I like cross the
left tackle and I'm excited about it. Is able to
left guard. But I think Herbig could really pressure Donald.
And we'll talk more about this kind of stuff tomorrow.
But even as good as Donald was last year, his
numbers when pressured. Everyone's worse when they're pressure. Is going
to clean pocket, sure, but his gap is wider than most.

(33:15):
He doesn't handle pressure great.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
If I'm remembering correctly, two years ago, at that game
out in Seattle, must win for the Steelers the start
of that three game Mason Rudolph win streak that got
them out of play. Ye wasn't it Nick Herbig who
had the big strip sack on Gino Smith to turn
the tide of that game.

Speaker 3 (33:32):
I don't know I thought my head. I believe I
believe it was Herbig. Yeah, I believe he shocked me.
He is a game changer.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
I believe it was because there was that big strip
sack on Gino that turned the tide of that game.
And I do believe that it was Nick Herbig two
years ago. His rookie season like.

Speaker 3 (33:46):
A phenomenal asj As causing force fumbles and strip sacks.
Herbig might be better because he's got so much fewer
opportunities and his numbers are a little less, but he
also gets like a quarter of the opportunity. Yeah, you
know what I mean. And he learned from big brother,
you know, I mean he learned from TJ.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
Obviously certainly takes advantage of him. TJ was back in
practice at full today after getting a vest a rest
day yesterday. Cam Hayward got a rest day today, but clearly,
you know, he was part of practice on Wednesday. Good
last one here. Calvin Anderson didn't practice yesterday with an illness.
Full participant today, so hopefully that was cold bug something

(34:26):
like that. You know, just wasn't feeling the best. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
just a twenty four hour thing. Get some rest, dehydrated
and he was back to it today as well.

Speaker 3 (34:34):
Back up anyway, I mean, yeah, ideally he doesn't play
a snap in a perfect world. Maybe this is optimistic,
but sounds like Porter is the only one really of note,
you know, and maybe.

Speaker 2 (34:44):
That and again the three that they might have already
ruled out earlier in the week.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
It's not great that they're all on defense, but you know.

Speaker 2 (34:51):
I would agree with you on that. But yeah, looks
like good news and trending in the right direction for
Nick Herbig and you know, maybe gonna be an week
and a little bit longer for Joey Porter Junior.

Speaker 3 (35:04):
And we didn't mention any safeties, but now you have
Jabrill Peppers too, you've added something to the defense from
a week ago.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
Absolutely, absolutely. He spoke for the first time yesterday, talked
about how excited he is to you know, he said
he said he had a goal when he came into
the league that he wanted to play for Bill Belichick
and Mike Tomlin at some point in his career, and
that he got to play for Bill Belichick and now
gets to play for Mike Tomlin. And so yeah, I

(35:30):
have a feeling we will we'll see him get some spend.
He'll be wearing number forty for those of you that
are going to be looking for Peppers on Sunday afternoon
before we get out of here, Matt, a couple of
minutes left tonight at Lambeau Field in green Bay. Second,
I mean, in second massive game here at Lambeau in
the span of five days. Of course, Packers with a

(35:53):
division win comfortably over Detroit in their opener, Commanders with
a division win over the Giants, and there opener, Matt,
two of the and I think you and I both
agree the Packers are a step ahead, but two of
the contenders in.

Speaker 3 (36:09):
These Yeah, it's high expectations for both. Yes, rightfully. So
I think green Bay might be right there with the
Eagles as the best team in the NFC. Probably the
most impressive win of Week one considering who they played.
I mean, they kind of embarrassed the Lions, and I
still think the Lions are pretty aren't good. I like

(36:30):
green Bay. I think they're like three and a half
point favorites. I think they're I would lay the three
and a half. It sounds like green Bay might have
a few o line injuries. I don't think Parsons will
be a full time player yet, but he's still super
impactful and I can't wait to see him on primetime.
I'm sure he's gonna be phenomenal tonight and the Giants

(36:52):
couldn't really take advantage of it. But I still have
a lot of questions about Washington's defense. They're old, Yeah,
they're old. They're old. See a lot of difference makers.

Speaker 2 (37:02):
They certainly have them on offense, but I do think
that's a fair assessment of their defense. It is green
Bay favored by three and a half, so you like
to win, but the Commanders to cover no straight up
yeas I mean sorry, not straight up, but laying the
laying the points. Yeah, still win by four or more
green Bay tonight.

Speaker 3 (37:21):
I also think short week at home goes a long
way too. It definitely not making the trip.

Speaker 2 (37:28):
Yeah, Washington had to get on a plane yesterday. The
Packers got some some extra time at home. There uh
a lot to a lot to I think be excited
about for both of these offenses to watch too.

Speaker 3 (37:39):
Yeah, both quarterbacks are gonna be fun to watch too.
I'm a big Jordan love guy.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
Both quarterbacks. Absolutely. I know you're a big Jordan love guy.
I think everybody thinks that Jayden Daniels.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
You know, if.

Speaker 2 (37:50):
He takes a step forward this year, we could be
talking about him potentially as one of those Unicorn type,
truly elite quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
Very impressive.

Speaker 2 (37:58):
You've got two really intriguing running backs for different reasons too,
and Jacob's and Crosskey Merritt kind of at different points
in their career. And you know, Deebo Samuel was a
really good debut for for Washington as well. So a
lot of storylines to sink your teeth into in this one.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
Now, everyone get your popcorin ready for this. This should
be a good matchup.

Speaker 2 (38:19):
It is, and I I do like how they've started
to do that now. Like we all know, sometimes the
Thursday night football slot can be treated as like the
throwaway game.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
It used to be like Titans Jags when they both
stunk all the time. Or you'll you'll like and Derek
Henry run for two hundred yards against the Jags.

Speaker 2 (38:35):
You know you'll like, you like it, You'll like this story.
Arthur Motes, my former co host on The Blitz. Sure
we should. We will have to get him as a
guest a couple times throughout the season. That'd be fus
his first four years in the league. He played for
the Bills before he before he played four years for
the Steelers, and then his last year with the Cardinals.
And that was pre Josh Allen. Pre McDermott was in

(38:56):
the middle of Buffalo is like thirty years streak of
not going to the playoffs, whatever that was. And I
told you the joke before about how he said, like
we won seven games one year and they wanted to
throw us a parade, you know, like that's.

Speaker 3 (39:07):
How courgh and they want.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
To he you don't go to the super Bowl. It's
a free season. He would always laugh and tell me
my four years in Buffalo, every team in the league
is guaranteed at least one primetime game. And he's like,
that was the biggest adjustment for you when I got
the Pittsburgh is we're having five or six a year.
He's like, in Buffalo, we had won and it was

(39:30):
always a Thursday night we'd be playing Cleveland or Tennessee
or that was our only primetime game we had the
whole year. It was that kind of Thursday night throwaway.
I think Jeff Bezos and Amazon, you know, put a
put a word in, put.

Speaker 3 (39:42):
A call in, he's a little bit more attractive, and
at least.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
At the beginning, it always seems like the first handful
or very it's like they.

Speaker 3 (39:48):
Want people want to hear a quarterback injury or whatever
you do that kind of know what you're getting.

Speaker 2 (39:54):
Absolutely, absolutely, but these no good good Slay to Thursday
games to kind of get a started.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
All the primetime games are pretty awesome so far.

Speaker 2 (40:02):
Absolutely, and I think tonight eight p fifteen at lambeau
Field is certainly going to be another one of those.
Matt enjoyed today's show.

Speaker 3 (40:11):
Good stuff, dude.

Speaker 2 (40:12):
Tomorrow will be a lot of fun. We will completely
deep dive into the Seattle Seahawks, more of Matt's stats,
some scouting, some looking ahead. We will have Missy Matthews
join us on the show tomorrow as we as we
get ready for that Steeler's home opener Sunday one o'clock
against Seattle at Akroshuer Stadium. Big thanks to Bob Labriola
for joining us today and of course our video producer.

(40:33):
If you want to see our beautiful faces on YouTube,
mister t V for Matt Williams and I'm west Heuler.
Take care everybody. We'll talk to you tomorrow. You know
where to find us. As always, it's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. It's
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network