December 23, 2025 • 46 mins
Mike, Matt, and Merril are extremely merry and jolly with the Steelers' recent successes as the trio discuss how another victory could be obtained by the black and gold in Cleveland this upcoming Sunday.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Steelers Preview show on WDVE Pittsburgh, brought
to you by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F one
fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers by
Brian Patton and Associates. It's all about the benefits and
by the Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from the
team at shop dot Steelers dot com. And now here
are your hosts, Merril Hodge, Matt Williamson and Mike Persuda.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Good evening and welcome to a special Christmas Week Tuesday
edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers flagship
one of two point five DVE and Steelers Nation Radio.
Mike Pursuda and Matt Williamson with you. Merril Hodge will
be along shortly. We're gonna do our best to get
you ready for the Steelers and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
(00:44):
Just a little housekeeping before we get started. Number one,
Merry Christmas, Happy holidays to all who celebrate whatever you
might be celebrating. Hope you have a great holiday.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Week one thousand percent, and hey, times are good in Steelerland.
Things are good in everyone's personal life, and Christmas in
general or whatever you celebrate happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It is beginning to look a lot like the playoffs
as well. It's Christmas, although the job is not yet done.
As Mike Tomlin mentioned today, Matt, they're on a doorstep,
but they were on a doorstep of winning the AFC
North the year ago in Baltimore, and the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Never got won. Crazier things have happened than not, you know,
getting in the postseason. Still, I'm sure Cleveland wouldn't mind
ruining your holidays.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
The scenario for the Steelers, I'm sure everybody's aware, but
we'll just make our list and check it twice because
tis the season. If the Ravens lose to the Packers
in Green Bay on Saturday night.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
It's over the Steelers Division chaffs.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
If the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in
Cleveland in the wake of a Baltimore win.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It's over all right.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
If Baltimore wins and the Steelers lose, then it comes
down in the regular regular season finale. The last game
of the regular season will in fact be playoff game
number one. Since we are coming to you on a
Tuesday and not our usual Thursday time slot, we don't
have a practice report to go over, but Mike Tomlin
spoke today Matt, and we can kind of update people
(02:12):
on the highlights of that. At least.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
There's a lot of injury stuff to discuss as we
perceive them.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Now, another housekeeping note, as we are taping this for
air tonight, we have not heard anything on dk Metcalf's
appeal of his two games suspension. So for our purposes,
DK Metcalf is suspended for two games.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, we'll talk about it in that cont We preview
one game at a time. I think it's pretty safe
to say he's not gonna be there for the Browns game.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah. Yeah, But even before we go there, Matt, the
nature of that twenty nine to twenty four winning Detroit
on Sunday, we're still not that far removed. And what
a game. You don't see a lot of those. Now
when you see him, you feel fortunate to witness it.
What was your biggest take on why they won that
(02:58):
game or what it meant? Uh? What? What what did
you come out of twenty nine to twenty four at
Ford Field thinking about the most?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I mean, I think it's really interesting. Again, it's this game,
only it was two days ago from you know, usually
when we film this or record this, it's wayed later
in the week. You're you know, looking forward, but you're
still kind of looking back at this point. And if
game Well's unbelievable touchdown is like seventh most noteworthy thing
of the game, it's a remarkable, you know game that
(03:26):
you'll never type forget. Now. Two things really stand out
to me. It's just the running game differential, how well
they ran the ball and how incredibly well they shut
the run down.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Two thirty yards to fifteen.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, nuts, and just nothing to them to get free
a lot of negative yardage in terms of Detroit to
the point where they even abandoned it. And I stole
this from you. You know, they get down to the
one yard line with third and one I think it
was and one first, first and goal, first and goal.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
From the way, Yeah, twenty five seconds left, and they
had a timeout.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And had a timeout very usily could have run it.
You would think Montgomery behind Seul was a no brainer. Nope,
we don't feel like we can get that yard, you know.
I mean, it's said a lot to me. And the
other thing too is I'm pretty sure the Steelers have
a quarterback and it just makes such a ripple effect difference.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well you can't see this because you're we're on radio,
but yeah, just broke into an ear to ear, grin
right and I grinned right back down.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's been a long time doing this job, man, Aaron Rodgers. Yes,
all of eight year.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
It has been a long time since we've seen quarterback
play such as this.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, I mean before Ben's elbow surgery. I mean in
terms of boy, he's a real asset that elevates everybody
and he's a joy to watch, to say the least.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
You know, I agree with with everything you said, and
there's probably some stuff we left out, you know, the
early fourth down stop, uh, that the Lions went for it.
That that comes to mind. Mike Tomlins today mentioned before
the game we'll play they converted three third and longs
third and ten, third and eleven, third and ten.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But I just look at it more globally.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Since this is toml Tuesday, and the ability, as he
said in the immediate aftermath and again today, the ability
to not blink in tough circumstances.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
That's a tough circumstance.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then he added today quote, I think there is
individual and collective growth when you come through the other
side of tough circumstances like that, and.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Certainly there were a lot in that game.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And man, I think that's kind of win that turn seasons,
you know, not just because of what it means in
the stand, but the way you you had to dig
as deep as you could in all three phases to
get that done. Boy, I think that bodes well for
the Steelers. They've gone from questioning themselves regarding whether or
(05:49):
not they have enough fight in the wake of a
collapse at home against Green Bay to not blinking on
the road offense desperate team on the road December ball
all that.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I'm glad you mentioned, even all three phases. And I'm
not picking on the guy because I don't think it's
I mean, Boz hits the upright like that, that's not
gonna happen. Ever again, you know, like, boy, you thought
that was money in the bank. They overcame it, as
you mentioned, and they also.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
They Detroit has a real good return game. They kept
the lid on that.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That's good point too, Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
They put their hand in the pile even though he
missed that field goal.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Now, I didn't love the Steelers fourth quarter defense. I'm
sure nobody did. But that's like the best offense in
the league with serious firepower. That really was a desperate
team to save their season. That is just going to
throw it all over the field on you. And it
wasn't pretty, but they did survive it. As Tom I mentioned,
you know, you know, I thought.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
One of the elements involved there, Matt curious, what you
think the score dictated that Detroit throw the ball at
that point? True, but I also think they just took
the run out. Oh, they stopped trying to run the Lions. Yes,
so it's just it was just golfing his eligibles. They're
gonna throw it every down. That's hard to stop it is,
(07:04):
So kudos to the Steelers. They kept them out of
the end zone. They had, they had one yard to spare,
but they kept them out. They did and they won
the game.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
UH.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Regarding Sunday in Cleveland, Mike Tomlin did not have a
lot of injury updates he normally does not at this
UH for the week, no new update on t J Watt.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Tomlin is optimistic about Nick Herbig. Everybody else is kind
of waiting.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
To see up in the air, and so guys like
Ciamalu and Pierre and those type of guys. All right,
Calvin Austin, so Brandon Eckles. Uh, there was hopeful attached
to Brandon. Okay, I thought there was a couple of
adjtives like that, you know, but that stuff is just
kind of Tuesday talking. Gotta wait and see how the
practice plays out.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You know. It's like Tomlin likes to say, nobody cares
about your problems. In fact, they're glad you have them. Uh,
they're getting ready to play Cleveland team that started its
ninth different offensive line combination last Sunday against Buffalo. Four
of the five guys are supposed to be starting were not.
So they got the Browns have problems as well. Everybody's
(08:09):
got injuries. You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Then they're on their third quarterback and you have to
work around them. You just their star running back is
now off of the season two. I mean, Judkins is
a really impressive young player. Brown's have a lot of problems.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
They do have a defense. And this was almost from
Mike Tomlin's lips to your ears today. He said of
the Cleveland defense, they're the number one unit in the
AFC North quite frankly, and he's talking about yeah, every
I know you like to rate the offenses laying a game.
I'm not going to argue with him on that.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
No, I mean, of these four units, the Browns offense
is a distant fourth. I mean the whole division, I agree, Yeah,
and the defense is first. Yeah, I mean right, I
mean we know about Garrett, but it's not just him.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Also regarding Metcalf, Mike Tomlin had this to say, quote,
he did explain to me why he did what he did.
I certainly don't condone the behavior, but I support d K.
I really don't have a lot to add other than
what I just told you. So, uh, we'll just leave
it at that there that they're not going to have him, and.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah, that seems safe at this point.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
It was interesting that Mike Tomlin mentioned Roman Wilson. My
name is the guy with the powerhill to step up.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Okay, so rough down moment.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Yeah, we had a couple of weeks, Uh, healthy scratch
and uh there's gonna be a spot available now in
the lineup, maybe more than one, okay, and uh, Roman
Wilson gets another shot to show us what he's got.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Met Okay, I didn't quite see that coming. I thought
we might not see Roman again this year, even with
the Metcalf situation, because Millard did some good things, and
obviously Scornic and Valdez scantling or I assume they'll be
the starters, especially if Austin's banged up. I would as well.
But yeah, yeah, another body. I mean, yeah, an Austin
situation I forgot about too all of a sudden, you're
(09:59):
pretty thin.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Some other things that I found interesting. The only hint
of an update from TJ. Watt or regarding TJ Watt
from Tomlin uh he was asked Tomlin was if we're
at the point where he has recovered what has from
his procedure and this is just about getting back in
the football shape. Tomlin said, quote, I think that's a
(10:22):
fair estimation whether or not Wat would practice this week.
Tomlin said, I don't have that information as I sit
here today. I'm hopeful news.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
It doesn't cost anything to be hopeful. It doesn't anything's
gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It just means you're hopeful.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
And it's an odd football injury. It's not a football injury.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But I like the sound of that he's recovered from
the injury, and I'll work back into usable state, you
know shape. At least that's something.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Lastly, Uh, the game, as we mentioned, might not mean
anything because if the Packers beat the Ravens, the AFC
North Day is one and that would render Steelers Browns
relatively meaningless. Tomlin was asked if the results of that
Ravens game, if it goes the way the Steelers want,
will that alter any last minute decisions on personnel. Tomin said, quote,
(11:16):
you know, it may. I hadn't thought about it at all,
to be quite honest with you, and.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I don't believe the second part.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
But he added that he didn't even know the Ravens
were playing Saturday night until just recently.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Okay, I'm not sure I buy that. I'm not going
to buy that either, but I still would have expected
more coach speak along the lines of all, we're caring
about the Browns, We're not worried about those around us.
I mean, the fact that he says it might alter
things makes me think it's gonna alter. It's got to, right,
I mean, I would assume it would be. I mean,
all the dudes you mentioned, yeah, they're on the injury report.
I would just say take it out a break and
(11:47):
you can play DJ Watt coming off a collapse long
in that game, No way.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So we'll see what happens Saturday and we'll see how
that affects Sunday. Up next to Merrill Hodge, our Factor
back will be joining the program, So keep it here.
Steelers Preview presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Comes to you here on Steelers Nation Radio and your
Steelers Flagship one or two point five dve.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DV.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Welcome back Mike Pursuda, Matt Williamson getting you set for
the Steelers and the Browns on Sunday in Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Time now to welcome our Factor back to the show.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Merril Hodge joining us on a special Tuesday night edition
of Steelers Preview and Merril. Normally we talk about the
upcoming game, not the game that was five days ago,
but since Steelers twenty nine Lions twenty four is still
fresh in everyone's memory, Matt and I opened the first
segment talking about the impact of that game from our perspective,
(12:52):
this was worth more than one win in the standings.
How did you interpret it and what it might mean
going forward. Well, I'll just tell you this.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I mean, obviously, we've we've studied them the entire year.
There's never been a time where there was that I
can remember throughout this season where one week, really good
week was followed up by another good week. You know,
the only time, you know, a couple of bad weeks
had flowed together. I hadn't seen this much improvement and
(13:27):
this much consistency in the last two weeks. The way
they played as a team, you know, not to get
into all the weeds, but I thought defensively they were
spectacular in a variety of ways. You know, people will
talk about the fourth quarterly and listen, those guys are
smart over there too. They did some great call play
calling based on the main coverages that we were running,
(13:47):
you know, and they take so you know, it isn't
like they fell apart offensively.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The way they're playing in the trenches is actually impeccable.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
You know, that's Aaron Rodgers has time.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
You know, when you have running backs, that HiT's a
forty five yard touchdown run and is not touched. That's
rare in the National Football League. It just that usually
does doesn't happen. But as a whole, like it's just
a team, I'm like, holy cow, many they are playing
the way you want to play in December and they
keep getting better. And I thought it was probably their
(14:22):
best performance as a team that we've seen all year.
But it was building up from how they played Baltimore,
how they played against the Ravens, and then how they
played against Detroit. You know that th obviously keep that going.
It's the perfect timing.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
So you mentioned the old line. You know, Seeamalu was out.
Both those long runs are to the left side. I've
contended that the last two weeks have been the best
left tackle play they've gotten all year. Do you agree
with that?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Question?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah? O question?
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Okay, I haven't heard anybody say we're seventy seven, right right,
I haven't. I mean, I honestly that I haven't heard
anybody talk about it from you know, coaching, playing opponent,
you know, which you know, when you hear when you're
missing somebody of significance, that's what happens. But then when
you know it's interesting about that left side, you know,
(15:15):
you know, both guards rotated. You know, you're they're rotating
in and out. Sixty has been rock solid. It just
this is actually where you know, like he's a football player,
you know, my measurable guy. I don't know what these
measurables are, but this is where I look at You know,
there's two ways to look at things. Oftentimes, there's measurable
(15:36):
evaluators and there's a lot of those actually, and then
there's football evaluators. And you know, when you look at
those two tackles, sixty and seventy seven, you know, seventy
seven is athletically immeasurably incredible, but fundamentally he just he's
just yet to put it all together. You know, maybe
it's time off because sometimes when you sit, you know,
(15:57):
and you get to reflect, boy, you can really you know,
have a moment of truth to come back and really
play better football.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
But it's not really just how.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Fundamentally he where he's struggling. It's all the assignments that
he was missing, not blocking people. I mean, that's just
unacceptable in the professional level. It's just unacceptable. And sixty seventy,
I mean, seventy four, ninety one, seventy one. I mean,
whoever you got those, the three that rotate in there,
they've been unbelievable. I mean as a whole they've been playing,
(16:30):
you know, like and that's what I always focus on.
The first It's like, yes, Aaron Rodgers has more time,
you know, if they run the ball better, man, what
they're doing up front is really where it starts and ends.
And they have been terrific.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Meryl.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
I just want to make sure I heard you correctly.
You're talking about the Steelers offensive line and you use
the word impeccable and unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yeah, correct, you got that right, brother, And wow, and
I could give you one play after one play. You know,
they get on people, they stay on people. They don't
make mistakes, you know, they work together, they pass things off.
I mean, just all these things that just weren't happening.
You can't and you can't deny that. You're like, listen,
I can't make that up, you know, I mean tape
judge of that, you know, yeah, back, this thing smart
(17:19):
enough to make that up. Just but the way they are, Okay,
that run, I think it was the second run. I
don't know which one it was where Jalen's head and
go post didn't touch anybody.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Now credit to him.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
His touchdown runs on which he wasn't touched. We're trying
to figure out which was.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Yeah, I think it was the second one because that
was more just kind of off the off. But what
he did, first of all, the way they combled the
block number one was terrific and as a runner, Like
from a runner perspective, I really appreciated how he ran
because he helped set up those blocks. You know, there
was a gaping hole of the left. He didn't hit
the hole of the left.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
He kept going like straight.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
When you go right, when you go downhill, you pull
defenders in, you know. And when you stay in the
middle of the field, you pull defenders in, even though
the hole may be slightly to the left or to
the right. And then when you get in the hole
and you've pulled everybody in to help your blockers, then
you get to the hole, you know, you don't just
take the hat off and try to get there because
you're not going to help your blockers. And he set
(18:19):
them up perfectly. You know, he didn't just he didn't
just run to an open hole. He helped create that hole.
But then everybody made the proper block, adjusted to the
proper guy, and stayed on the guy. And let me
just actually, since you give me another second, these tight
ends have been unbelievable too, you know, they they have
been terrific.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
The tight ends have done great job. Receivers have done
a great job.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
But I'm telling the way they're blocking up front. You know,
you can play every Sunday and you go on the
road and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
All right, so this is something you can build on.
This isn't while they played a bad front or Team
X had a bunch of injuries. You're going into Cleveland
to play a pretty badass defense.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, you think the Steelers can run the ball, all
of these guys.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I don't think there's any question. After you watch how
they've played the run the last couple of weeks. You know,
if this is the last week against Buffalo, they were vulnerable,
they got yeah, they you know, they had problems on
the perimeter, they had problems weak side, they had problems
strong side.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
They've had problems in the heart of their defense. You know,
they they.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Listen I said this before. You know, it's never underestimated
professional after they've been embarrassed, you know, and that's kind
of a couple of weeks in a row. I don't
think there there will be anything. I don't think they're
in their day studying the Steelers right now going I
wonder if they're gonna run it out of you know,
I don't think they're don't you know what do you think?
(19:41):
I'm like, Oh, they're coming coming now off the bus
and they're coming. And you've got to know that too,
you know, but you got to listen. That's what makes
it great. That's what makes this type of this type
of year so great, because now it comes comes down
to real like discipline in your game and you're committment
and your passion. You know that that's where it lies,
(20:03):
especially in this rivalry, and you know they'll try to
button things up and you've got to be committed to
it and you've got to have the same type of
consistency that you have in production that you're having because
it permeates to.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
The whole team.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't know if anything on offense that permeates or
defense that permeates the entire team more than when you
run the ball successfully successfully. I don't know if any
other phase of a team that is more potent to
the entire team than when you run the football.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I know of no other phase.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
So that's extremely encouraging. I mean words like impeccable and
thrown in the tight ends and the run game and
all this stuff is sustainable. But what if DK Metcalf's
not in the equation, you know, I mean, how does
that affect? I mean there has to be a ripple
effect from that.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Sure.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Now, one thing, I think that they're able to offset that. Okay,
that's why I see even more pertinent at that running
game is dominant, because because now we've got to shoulder
the load of you know, our dominant guy, our explosive guy.
But you know, they've had a lot of guys, you know,
feeling coming in.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
You know, all these.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
Experienced guys that are disciplined, you know the tight ends
even you know you this.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
Where you go get onto your tight end pool. You
developed that a little better.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
But you have guys that have experience now that have
some rhythm with this system. And Aaron's getting a feel
for them too and has you know, has different options.
Now let's say this week happened week four. I think
he's probably in a bigger issue than now. You know
it's missing is a problem. He's a matchup guy. You know,
I'm not denying that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
But I probably.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
You're, well, here's what that you know you're not going
to have.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
You know, he he's occupies people, you know, he he
tell you, and he's a matchup guy. You know you
make a mistake on him. You know you got a
chance for a big play with him. And but I
think you know scantly and guys that are developing, and
Rogers has a feel for them, and you could see
that he's.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Using them more trusting.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
The more I still think that you can, you know,
dilute the passing game to still be really effective and explosive.
I still think you got guys that you could create
explosive plays on this.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
I think the tight ends will have to be leaned
on a little more.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
You know, the backs are already I have already, you know,
shouldered quite a bit of the passing game, and I
think that continues to happen.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
And I would imagine you don't prepare for this game
like last game where you thought it was a race
to thirty or thirty five and a dome. I mean,
you're not going to need that kind of point totals
to win this game, I would imagine.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
No, like they you know, their best runner just got hurt,
which is you know, it's awful, but they have a
couple thumpers man that you just can't sleep on it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
And now you know they're just you know them.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Their quarterback is Is who.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Was in college. He's a you confuse.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
You give him you're dirty up any area of the
game and he completely loses it. Now, if you're just
going to keep clean and say here, here's how we are,
it's first and ten, we'll play cover two, he'll make.
Speaker 5 (23:13):
Some throws for you.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
But he is so rattled right now. I mean he
goes to check the ball down before they've even got
to the top.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Of their routes.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
And that might be a slant route, Like he's ready
to check that ball down because he doesn't know what
he's seeing.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Now, you know, teams have you know, he doesn't.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Take long and most guys are a leg I think
he's probably the most inexperienced guy seen quite some time
with understanding. You know, they're they're aligned one way, but
they change to something else.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
What's the NFL is notorious for?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Okay, they did that.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
In college occasionally and not bothered him in the canvas game.
They I mean, he didn't know what was going on.
So if you cloud up the look for him, let's say,
bring up the line of scrimmage. You give a bunch
of people and then it's just snap your bell and
you do something different, he's he has gonna be problems,
(24:06):
the real problems with that.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
You pressure him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It seems like showing a lot more looks lately too well.
They're doing yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Correct, they're bringing their linebackers, they're scraping there. You know
I ought to do this is you know, when Wat's
not in there, you've got to design some other pressure sometimes.
And I think they've done a good job with like
scraping line back even though've done a lot of stunts
and twists, if they haven't really done the past.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
And they're really actually good at it, you know.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
I sometimes you fall into something, you're forced to do something,
and you're like, oh, gosh, we're pretty good at this
because you've got great speed at linebackers.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
You know.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
So they'll come up hover, hover and then scrape or
you know, the lineup one way and then loop back
around and you know, Queen has come free forty one
has come from I mean every I think everyone linebacker
has has had an influence in those type of pressures.
And they're still still doing a good job with some
of our edge pressures just don't have the depth and
the consistency that you.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Have, so you have to kind of do that.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
But the more you change things up and you're not
static and you move things, they'll have a hard time
throwing the football consistently. You know, they just and they're
gonna try to stay on the ground because they got
a quarterback that's really rattle right now, I mean the
Buffalo game, and.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
They might be without their best ree ball carriers Samson
four let alone Judkins.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
You know.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yeah, so you know their depth is not there.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
You know it was thirty five to thirty five get hurt.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
No, not to my knowledge. There's quick Raheem Sanders.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Oh he came in yet, but their original three to
start the season.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah, Ford is on ir Judkins just had his season
ended and Samson's been dealing with a hand injury. He
didn't play against Buffalo. But it was interesting, Maryly, you
said they kind of stayed with it anyway, and they
did when Judkins wasn't playing in the second half. They
were still running the ball. They were down twenty three
to ten late third quarter, they were still running the ball.
(25:58):
Third and four was a running down for Cleveland. And
they do it with multiple tight ends. They got their
extra offensive lineman number seventies zact zinter. He comes in
a lot for the number seventies eligible stuff. They'll put
a tight end at full back, They'll put a d
lineman at full back.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
They even lined up their rookie tight end, Harold Fannin
as a full back and Gay McCarry on the goal
line and he swore a touchdown. Yeah. I think Cleveland's
going to try to run the ball too. Is what
the Steelers did to Detroit. The defense of the run
is that transferable? Now? There was maybe an asterisk because
(26:34):
the Lions were down their top two centers and they
had a revolving door going there. But Cleveland's offensive line
is a mes a mess health wise as well.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah, So okay, I say yes and yes to that,
because they've done this for two weeks in a row.
I think again, you fall in, you start doing something
because you kind of forced to, and you're like, oh wow,
we're pretty good at that. So go back to the
problems that they had as an OFFENSI glyne like or
defensively our defensive line.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
You know, they really struggled with double teams.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
You know, they're just were getting blown off the ball,
they're getting dominant, they're back in the linebacker's lap two
three yards. Once that happens, you know, it's just over.
I mean at this level, it's over. So to neutralize that,
you know, they've done a great job of sometimes getting
the linebacker walk up with the line of scrimmage just
for the snaps and that it can't double. Now everybody's singled,
and now when you single up our guys, our guys,
(27:26):
you'll have a ninety nine back was a big help
to ninety five played so much better, but they freed
him up a lot, and you only had a lot
of single blocks. When he's single. He I like him.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
You know, he's just struggling with the doubles.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Right, you're talking about ninety five. Yeah, he wins on
a one. He doesn't handle doubles well, right.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
So why no, Luckily they'll walk a linebacker up there,
you know, on the guard to now that can't doubling
you know or though as soon as they see it. Man,
they hit that line of scrimmage and run through and
not even like they're not even blocked.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
They're just more aggressive up front.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I think they've done a better you can call it
a run type of blitz. I just think it's more
of a wrinkle than a real blitz at times. But
getting those guys up at the line of scrimmy takes
away those double teams and when you have single blocks,
we've just been so much better. And you challenge them too.
You do that the last second.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Man.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
You may make them read things, you make them adjust
to things, and that's hard for any offensive line, and
we've done a good job of challenging that. I don't
think there's any question because Cleveland, you can just they're
play calling you just you just explained it. Okay, that's
a product of hiding your quarterback, no question.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It looked like and all the passes were sideways, checked down, screened,
balls coming out quick. When they got when they were
behind late, they were almost out of time and they
had to do the dropback thing.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
He went backwards.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
He just kept getting sacked because he holds the ball
and the protection breaks down.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
That's where I was going to go with the two.
Like the scripted stuff and the Stefanski designer stuff and
all the misdirection and window dressing. Key's them viable. But
when it turns into a drop back passing game, forget
about it, you know.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
So you know, see here's where they did a good
jobs leading up to this. You know, he couldn't hand okay,
people are coming after him because he just doesn't he
completely He just you could tell his body language. Why
even watch his head from the ends on angle he
has listen, I know when he's he probably sees one
hundred people out there, but he has no clarity whatsoever.
(29:27):
Cleveland did a great job of putting those screen elements
in there for those pressures, and Buffalo did an awful
job of defending him. You know, I don't know who's
responsible for the back, but you can't blitch your quarterback
if your back leaks out. In fact, you should hug
up on your back and not allow him to go
out because you got enough people to get there, you know,
so you can. The Steelers will have an answer for that.
(29:48):
You only have so many answers for a guy who's
struggling like that. And the more pressure you bring him,
the more confused you make him. Even when he gets
to the drop back. You know, when they got him
back at the one yard line and they like third
and thirty three, he threw it to the only area
of the field that they were doubling a guy they
let the They gave him the fifteen yard crawl route
(30:08):
in the middle of the field, and he threw it
out of bound six yards because he didn't see anything.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
He has no.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Idea he was trying to.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Chance.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
That was sort of like it even in.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
The ballpark, and he was covered. They had help over
the top and the corner underneath on him, and he's
the only guy doubled. The rest of the guys were
single to the left, and he didn't even look over there,
and they lined up like that, which was you know,
the one thing he kind of was doing well is
like if you give him a first and ten and
you don't change the Titans, he played fairly well, make
(30:41):
some good thrills. Actually, when they lined up in first
and ten and they're like, okay, here's what we are.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
We didn't change anything, he made a throw.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Then when they started to change things, he didn't know
he was like, oh boy, this and that was the
same thing that he had in He struggled like that
in college.
Speaker 5 (30:57):
You know, they blamed up and blind.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
But I'm like, you can't bland off of your blind
and then say the guy holds the ball longer than
anybody else because you don't have time to hold the
ball off your office life bad. Like one of those
things don't work. You've seen it now, he just he
just he just doesn't. Then the Steelers will take advantage
of that.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
You have to just to.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Kind of summarize here, meryll, Uh, what what we're talking
about here in the conclusion we have reached on the
offensive and defensive line.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
The Steelers look like they have some good people. They
look like.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
They know what they're doing, and they are executing at
a high.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Level, very high.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
All those things are all those things true.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Yes, and well, And that's the foundation of your teams
right there. When that's going well, everything else goes well.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
See.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I thought I felt good after Detroit.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I think I feel like we had many of these
shows where.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
It feels like Christmas morning all of a sudden, MARYL
I'm unwrapping a president of your analysis here and I'm
getting excited. Uh listen, I I at least we have
evidence of this building up. You know, we haven't had
it into that all year. You know, there's moments like
the Colts, so I come time. If you refer back
to the Colt games, you're like, well, a lot we haven't.
They played like that a little bit over in Ireland
(32:09):
against Minnesota, you know, but not to these degrees now.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
I'm just they are and man and there's an coverage.
They're back and they're tackling people too. That I'm glad
I didn't forget that.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
The tackling.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
I think this league is about hitting people, and the
people who tackled win championships. Everybody who's hitting people, you're
not gonna win a championship. But people who tackle, defenses
that tackle teams that tackle, you're gonna win.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
You can win, you have a chance to win.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
I don't remember one guy in Detroit that broke a
tackle and made a big run. None of their backs
did that I can think of. There was no significant
plays where somebody missed the tackle, which has happened a lot.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
But we got people tackling now.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
And I wa defense and offensive lines. I was like, ye,
this a different team than they were, you know, the
first fourteen weeks.
Speaker 5 (33:03):
They have really they really come around.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
We're seeing all this praise. We even brought up Aaron Rodgers,
which is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Watching that Bills Browns game, though, I mean I got
the impression Buffalo thought, we're not gonna let Miles Garrett
wreck this game. We're gonna run the ball a ton.
Their offense isn't gonna hurt us too bad. Nineteen passes, yeah,
I mean that's what Josh Allen, you know, and they
don't have the best group of receivers either. The thirty
yards one hundred thirty yards right, didn't make it an
(33:32):
Allen centric game. This might not even be a Rogers
centric game, especially without Metcalf. But that formula against this opponent,
I think gives you a really good chance to win.
I didn't think the Bills played that great, but he did.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
They they want their okay what they ran the ball
though with authority.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
They just they.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
They had a ton of success with that.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
You know, they were kind of like the Times, Yeah, exactly,
you know, So that's why I go back to it.
I don't know of anything that permeates through the team
more than that it just doesn't.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
There's no phase of footballs it does. But you could
take the play.
Speaker 4 (34:08):
All the playoff teams are in the playoffs and clinched
right now, A high percentage of them are all under center.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
I mean all all of them under centered about a
high percentage.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
All right now, or all of them, all of them the.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Way they run the ball under center, and they run
the football period and the story.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
You know, it's not a big secret.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
This is and this is not like, oh, I can't
believe the league change isn't changed. Back when the Steelers
won the Super Bowls, I mean, their ground game was
San Francisco when they were on a run. Grand game
was pow Boys when they were a ground game with
everything foundationally is built that way if you want to
be consistent and you want to win the championship. So
(34:51):
I don't think there's any doubt that you go into
this one and feel very good about you know, but
you can't sleep. I think you take advant you know,
don't let their quarterback get even somewhat comfortable. You don't
want to build his confidence back up at any point.
You neutralize that run, You put him in bad down
in distances, and then you bring the heat, you know,
strategically when you have you mix those coverages up when
(35:12):
you're not bringing the heat, and it'll be hard for
them to score points.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
God bless us everyone, Meryl, great stuff.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
Merry Christmas, Harry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Boys love you. Gear up with the latest game day
necessities at the Official Steelers Pro Shops. Get the latest
Sideline apparel, jerseys, Terrible towels, authentic memorabilia and custom exclusives
you can only find directly from the team. Is it
one of the official Steelers Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
I was actually down there today getting some last minute
getting that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Uh. Grove City Premium Outlets and the Tanger Outlets also
house official Steelers Pro shops. You can also gear up
online at shop dot Steelers dot com. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com. One more segment to go, so
keep it here with Matt Williamson and Mike Persuda. This
is Steelers Preview present presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
(36:05):
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers. Right here on Steelers Nation Radio, and your
Steelers flagship one o two point.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Five DV back to the Steelers preview show on DVE.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Wow, he was merry and jolly, wasn't he.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Oh yeah, we live. We let Merrill carry the ball
there for a while because he was fired up. But
I'll tell you that that is he addressed. I think
what everybody has been wondering because we've all watched this team. Yeah,
be inconsistent most of the year.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
He used that word a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
All right, have they turned the corner? Has the light
bulb gone on? It sounds like, well, it doesn't sound
like Merrill was emphatic. He thinks the light bulb has
gone on on the offensive and defensive lines. And it's
defensive front, not just the line.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I'm glad you mentioned tackling too. That's something I haven't
brought up enough since the Lions game. But I mean,
those are hard guys attacked. This team is, including Henry
and Lamar in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
You know, throw the tight ends in and you can
win the trenches. You can win the game. Right, it
doesn't matter where, it doesn't matter who.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Especially this upcoming opponent, Like there's not going to be
a fourth quarter explosion by Shadoor Sanders and Jerry Judy
and you know those type of dudes. I mean, if
there is not if the Steelers are in jeopardy, it's
because it's a low scoring rock fight mess of a game.
And maybe Weather's involved.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Because they dropped the ball when throws it to them
something like a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
He probably will, right, And I love the Steelers doing
a lot more defensively. That will confuse shoudor too.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Uh. Tonight's injury report is presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One injury from the Detroit game. I wanted to highlight here, Matty.
When Brandon Eckles went out, they lost. They lost their
slock corner, right, so they initially tried Chuck Clark touchdown Detroit.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
They adjusted in the second half. Jalen Ramsey comes up
and plays slock corner and Chuck Clark is back at
deep safety and I think it worked really well.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
Yeah, Clark could have had three interceptions, so he got this.
I mean there was he was awfully close to hitting.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
The ball, but it was at least around the ball,
and I know they gave up some yards and some points,
but Ramsey was really impactful corner, just highlighting again that
guy's versatility. I know it didn't work out. They wanted
him playing there a lot more initially, and he had
to go back to safety for a number of reasons.
But they had an answer when the secondary got depleted.
(38:29):
That was really encouraging.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Yeah, and I'm curious about the Echos injury for this week, like,
and Pierre's also obviously missed the time too, So I
don't think if all you have at corner is Samuel
Pierre Porter, I don't know that they'll make one of
those guys play the slot. Would Ramsey probably be the
full time slot? And I would make I would, yeah,
(38:50):
because I would think so that would be my guest,
would be my guess, because but if you did that
against Detroit, which is a Ferrari passing game, beating at Pierre,
that is my point, all right, Yeah, at least you
have one more good corner, but they're all outside guys.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Yeah, I still think you'd do what you did and
then again, and Ramsey can impact the game. Yeah, from
the line of scrimmage from the.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Slot, A little wrinkle with Ramsey too, is and I
hope people don't think that he can't he's impossible to
line up outside and play outside corner. I still think
he can do that, not at all, and I absolutely
think he can be a great slot. But boy, he
solidified things and the past defense got extremely different when
he became a full time safety. But the way they
(39:32):
use Fannin if we had another hour, I was gonna
get into this with Meryl. We were flying along there,
but they scheme up all sorts of things for him.
You mentioned all the different alignments. I remember, I wonder
if Ramsey's just your your fan and guy.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Well, I mean it's not as if you're scared of
these receivers.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
No, or the quarterbacks, you know, but they do. They
go out of their way to feature fan and they
really have an infinity for this guy. And they're also
playing a ton of Rooks the building for his future.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Now I would expect fight out of this Cleveland team. Yeah,
particularly against pittsburghsday this, but it's it's there's so many
young guys and they're all learning on the job and
also they're excited to play. I thought they I thought
the Browns competed against Buffalo. Yes, just didn't play particularly well.
Speaker 3 (40:20):
And it's about as well as I thought they could
play to the Browns.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah, and you mentioned it during the Merrill segment. Buffalo
just game planned away from Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yeah, we haven't brought him up much, but he's somebody
to worry about it.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
He was mostly on the right side in that game,
and Allan was just bootleg right and run away from him.
The backs ran away from him. Yeah, they just they
weren't going to let him wreck the game.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
No, and I would think the Yeris take a real
similar approach, especially because you just know the Browns aren't
going to put up thirty points on you.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
Garrett did get a half sec. He was awarded a
half sector. Was a play where Alan Alan was retreating
and then he tried to turn and he slipped and
he was near the goal line and he just stuck
the ball out so it would be a safety, and
then it was a race for defenders to get there
and touch them down and who was going to get
the sad Initially they awarded it to Graham and then
after further review, they did half and a half half
(41:09):
sacks are beginner. So Miles Garrett, he's got twenty two sacks.
The record is twenty two and a half, TJ. Watt
and Michael Strahan. Garrett's gonna get it.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
I'm sure he will.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
He's a tremendous player. But really it's it's hard for
that guy, you know, the one defensive monster, to be
your only chance to win.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Yeah, you know what I mean, No matter how great
you are, if your Lawrence Taylor, you can still kind
of scheme away from those guys or double them or
like you said, Josh Allen rolling away or running away,
you know, and the rest of their front's not bad
by any stretch.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
No, it's pretty good defense, but just the offense is limited.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
That's the thing is, there's only one way they can win,
you know. I mean, I know you're not huge on
like advanced stats, but since Jim Schwartz took over as
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
When you say I'm not huge on them, I mean
I despise them.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Yeah, kind it's like the holiday season, but they've had
the best.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
EPA in the league. Wow, Yeah, i'p changing my toon here,
but the worst extensive.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
So, like, if you're Schwartz and Garrett.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Like, you know what is E p A. I don't
even know what it is.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Yeah, well I'm not getting down that whole road. But
I mean, like, can just give me like a like
a expect expect you expected points added? Okay, Okay, I
mean it's basically breaking it down by play. Actually I
figured he had a clue on that one. My question
to that is always expected by whom. I don't love the.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Word expected either.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
You'll notice I don't put them in Matt's stats because
who's expecting what? You know what I mean? But needless
to say, since Schwartz has been there, they've basically been
the best defensive league and the worst offense. It's a
miserable way to live. Jim Swartz knows his stuff. Yeah,
and Garrett helps, no problem.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
You mentioned young. This team is Yeah. The leader in
passing yards is a rookie Sanders. The leader in rushing
yards is a rookie quinch On Jenkins.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
And he's not going to play. I think Sanders their
second leading rush.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
The leader in receiving yards is a fan at the
tight end seven hundred and one. The leader in tackles
is Swettinger.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
The room rookie the year, by the way, he's a
good player, and they have a rookie kicker. Oh, I
didn't think of that. Okay, And their first overall pick
or the first pick was Mason Graham, who's playing a
ton too.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
I didn't get a lot of stats on the D line,
but I didn't like that pick, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Rookie snaps pre Buffalo Hi eighty that was eight hundred
and thirty two more than any other team.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
Yeah, I knew they were number one. I didn't know
it was that big.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
I mean they're lapping the field that way. So that
this is why you have a three win team that
off a team that won three games a year ago.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
Well, they I mean they had actually the first year,
I mean during the Deshaun Watson stretch there, they had
the least amount of draft picks in draft capital because
they used it all on Watson. This is the first
year they actually had the most. And then they trade
out of the Hunter pick and get even more and
they got two first round picks next year. So this
draft and next year's draft will be absolutely instrumental for
(44:02):
these guys, and they realize it. So they're playing all
their dudes, but doesn't mean they're good.
Speaker 2 (44:06):
I will say this about she Sanders and again, the
passing game was so rudimentary, and try to protect the
quarterback and don't ask him to do anything difficult, and
just try to move it along three, four or five
yards at a time. He did. In my notes, it
appeared to me he's getting a better feel for how
to use his legs in the pocket. There was one
(44:29):
there was a third long where he actually stepped up
and climbed and then saw a gap and ran. There
was another one where he got outside but he stumbled
and fell and didn't convert it. I wrote down he's
learning not to just run backwards and take a set backwards. Yeah. Yeah.
And then on the last two possessions, I wrote, never
mind because he still makes it. When the pressure got on,
(44:51):
you know, they were running out of time and they
needed to go get a field goal to tie the game,
and they had to try it the traditional dropback pass
way and it did not work.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
And I'm not saying he's a bad athlete, but people
that haven't watched him know who Daddy is. Yeah, Daddy's
a much better athlete. I mean, he's an average quarterback athlete.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Honestly, Matt, if his name was Joe Smith, right and
you watched him play, you'd say, yeah, that guy's a
fifth rom fififth he's got backup potential.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
Yeah, maybe he's their long term backup maybe right right, right.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
I don't know where they're going with him, but I
think that's who's playing now. I'm excited about the Steelers,
I know.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
I like that are the best point they've been all year.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Light has gone on, corner has been turned, however you
want to phrase it. The only thing I could see
money in the works would be if the Green Bay
Packers get the job done Saturday night and Mike Tomlin
decides to give a bunch of guys some rest.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
That wouldn't be a bad problem to have, though, No, no, absolutely,
and I think that could happen.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
That's gonna do it for us. I hope everybody is
enjoying their holiday season. I want to thank Justin Miller
here in studio for keeping things running. Thanks to Brian
law Martine of Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio
Network for all that he does. I hope everybody's having
a great week. We'll talk to you again next week
before the Steelers take on the Ravens to conclude the
(46:11):
regular season. Until then, for Merrill Hodge and Matt Williamson,
a Mike Pursuer, this has been Steelers Preview, presented by
your neighborhood Ford Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers, right here on Steelers
Nation Radio and your Steelers flagship one O two point
five d VEE
Welcome to the Steelers Preview show on WDVE Pittsburgh, brought
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fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers by
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team at shop dot Steelers dot com. And now here
are your hosts, Merril Hodge, Matt Williamson and Mike Persuda.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Good evening and welcome to a special Christmas Week Tuesday
edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers flagship
one of two point five DVE and Steelers Nation Radio.
Mike Pursuda and Matt Williamson with you. Merril Hodge will
be along shortly. We're gonna do our best to get
you ready for the Steelers and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
(00:44):
Just a little housekeeping before we get started. Number one,
Merry Christmas, Happy holidays to all who celebrate whatever you
might be celebrating. Hope you have a great holiday.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Week one thousand percent, and hey, times are good in Steelerland.
Things are good in everyone's personal life, and Christmas in
general or whatever you celebrate happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It is beginning to look a lot like the playoffs
as well. It's Christmas, although the job is not yet done.
As Mike Tomlin mentioned today, Matt, they're on a doorstep,
but they were on a doorstep of winning the AFC
North the year ago in Baltimore, and the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Never got won. Crazier things have happened than not, you know,
getting in the postseason. Still, I'm sure Cleveland wouldn't mind
ruining your holidays.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
The scenario for the Steelers, I'm sure everybody's aware, but
we'll just make our list and check it twice because
tis the season. If the Ravens lose to the Packers
in Green Bay on Saturday night.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
It's over the Steelers Division chaffs.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
If the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in
Cleveland in the wake of a Baltimore win.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It's over all right.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
If Baltimore wins and the Steelers lose, then it comes
down in the regular regular season finale. The last game
of the regular season will in fact be playoff game
number one. Since we are coming to you on a
Tuesday and not our usual Thursday time slot, we don't
have a practice report to go over, but Mike Tomlin
spoke today Matt, and we can kind of update people
(02:12):
on the highlights of that. At least.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
There's a lot of injury stuff to discuss as we
perceive them.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Now, another housekeeping note, as we are taping this for
air tonight, we have not heard anything on dk Metcalf's
appeal of his two games suspension. So for our purposes,
DK Metcalf is suspended for two games.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, we'll talk about it in that cont We preview
one game at a time. I think it's pretty safe
to say he's not gonna be there for the Browns game.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah. Yeah, But even before we go there, Matt, the
nature of that twenty nine to twenty four winning Detroit
on Sunday, we're still not that far removed. And what
a game. You don't see a lot of those. Now
when you see him, you feel fortunate to witness it.
What was your biggest take on why they won that
(02:58):
game or what it meant? Uh? What? What what did
you come out of twenty nine to twenty four at
Ford Field thinking about the most?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I mean, I think it's really interesting. Again, it's this game,
only it was two days ago from you know, usually
when we film this or record this, it's wayed later
in the week. You're you know, looking forward, but you're
still kind of looking back at this point. And if
game Well's unbelievable touchdown is like seventh most noteworthy thing
of the game, it's a remarkable, you know game that
(03:26):
you'll never type forget. Now. Two things really stand out
to me. It's just the running game differential, how well
they ran the ball and how incredibly well they shut
the run down.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Two thirty yards to fifteen.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, nuts, and just nothing to them to get free
a lot of negative yardage in terms of Detroit to
the point where they even abandoned it. And I stole
this from you. You know, they get down to the
one yard line with third and one I think it
was and one first, first and goal, first and goal.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
From the way, Yeah, twenty five seconds left, and they
had a timeout.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And had a timeout very usily could have run it.
You would think Montgomery behind Seul was a no brainer. Nope,
we don't feel like we can get that yard, you know.
I mean, it's said a lot to me. And the
other thing too is I'm pretty sure the Steelers have
a quarterback and it just makes such a ripple effect difference.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well you can't see this because you're we're on radio,
but yeah, just broke into an ear to ear, grin
right and I grinned right back down.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's been a long time doing this job, man, Aaron Rodgers. Yes,
all of eight year.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
It has been a long time since we've seen quarterback
play such as this.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, I mean before Ben's elbow surgery. I mean in
terms of boy, he's a real asset that elevates everybody
and he's a joy to watch, to say the least.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
You know, I agree with with everything you said, and
there's probably some stuff we left out, you know, the
early fourth down stop, uh, that the Lions went for it.
That that comes to mind. Mike Tomlins today mentioned before
the game we'll play they converted three third and longs
third and ten, third and eleven, third and ten.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But I just look at it more globally.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Since this is toml Tuesday, and the ability, as he
said in the immediate aftermath and again today, the ability
to not blink in tough circumstances.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
That's a tough circumstance.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then he added today quote, I think there is
individual and collective growth when you come through the other
side of tough circumstances like that, and.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Certainly there were a lot in that game.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And man, I think that's kind of win that turn seasons,
you know, not just because of what it means in
the stand, but the way you you had to dig
as deep as you could in all three phases to
get that done. Boy, I think that bodes well for
the Steelers. They've gone from questioning themselves regarding whether or
(05:49):
not they have enough fight in the wake of a
collapse at home against Green Bay to not blinking on
the road offense desperate team on the road December ball
all that.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I'm glad you mentioned, even all three phases. And I'm
not picking on the guy because I don't think it's
I mean, Boz hits the upright like that, that's not
gonna happen. Ever again, you know, like, boy, you thought
that was money in the bank. They overcame it, as
you mentioned, and they also.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
They Detroit has a real good return game. They kept
the lid on that.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That's good point too, Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
They put their hand in the pile even though he
missed that field goal.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Now, I didn't love the Steelers fourth quarter defense. I'm
sure nobody did. But that's like the best offense in
the league with serious firepower. That really was a desperate
team to save their season. That is just going to
throw it all over the field on you. And it
wasn't pretty, but they did survive it. As Tom I mentioned,
you know, you know, I thought.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
One of the elements involved there, Matt curious, what you
think the score dictated that Detroit throw the ball at
that point? True, but I also think they just took
the run out. Oh, they stopped trying to run the Lions. Yes,
so it's just it was just golfing his eligibles. They're
gonna throw it every down. That's hard to stop it is,
(07:04):
So kudos to the Steelers. They kept them out of
the end zone. They had, they had one yard to spare,
but they kept them out. They did and they won
the game.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
UH.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Regarding Sunday in Cleveland, Mike Tomlin did not have a
lot of injury updates he normally does not at this
UH for the week, no new update on t J Watt.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Tomlin is optimistic about Nick Herbig. Everybody else is kind
of waiting.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
To see up in the air, and so guys like
Ciamalu and Pierre and those type of guys. All right,
Calvin Austin, so Brandon Eckles. Uh, there was hopeful attached
to Brandon. Okay, I thought there was a couple of
adjtives like that, you know, but that stuff is just
kind of Tuesday talking. Gotta wait and see how the
practice plays out.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You know. It's like Tomlin likes to say, nobody cares
about your problems. In fact, they're glad you have them. Uh,
they're getting ready to play Cleveland team that started its
ninth different offensive line combination last Sunday against Buffalo. Four
of the five guys are supposed to be starting were not.
So they got the Browns have problems as well. Everybody's
(08:09):
got injuries. You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Then they're on their third quarterback and you have to
work around them. You just their star running back is
now off of the season two. I mean, Judkins is
a really impressive young player. Brown's have a lot of problems.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
They do have a defense. And this was almost from
Mike Tomlin's lips to your ears today. He said of
the Cleveland defense, they're the number one unit in the
AFC North quite frankly, and he's talking about yeah, every
I know you like to rate the offenses laying a game.
I'm not going to argue with him on that.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
No, I mean, of these four units, the Browns offense
is a distant fourth. I mean the whole division, I agree, Yeah,
and the defense is first. Yeah, I mean right, I
mean we know about Garrett, but it's not just him.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Also regarding Metcalf, Mike Tomlin had this to say, quote,
he did explain to me why he did what he did.
I certainly don't condone the behavior, but I support d K.
I really don't have a lot to add other than
what I just told you. So, uh, we'll just leave
it at that there that they're not going to have him, and.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah, that seems safe at this point.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
It was interesting that Mike Tomlin mentioned Roman Wilson. My
name is the guy with the powerhill to step up.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Okay, so rough down moment.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Yeah, we had a couple of weeks, Uh, healthy scratch
and uh there's gonna be a spot available now in
the lineup, maybe more than one, okay, and uh, Roman
Wilson gets another shot to show us what he's got.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Met Okay, I didn't quite see that coming. I thought
we might not see Roman again this year, even with
the Metcalf situation, because Millard did some good things, and
obviously Scornic and Valdez scantling or I assume they'll be
the starters, especially if Austin's banged up. I would as well.
But yeah, yeah, another body. I mean, yeah, an Austin
situation I forgot about too all of a sudden, you're
(09:59):
pretty thin.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Some other things that I found interesting. The only hint
of an update from TJ. Watt or regarding TJ Watt
from Tomlin uh he was asked Tomlin was if we're
at the point where he has recovered what has from
his procedure and this is just about getting back in
the football shape. Tomlin said, quote, I think that's a
(10:22):
fair estimation whether or not Wat would practice this week.
Tomlin said, I don't have that information as I sit
here today. I'm hopeful news.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
It doesn't cost anything to be hopeful. It doesn't anything's
gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It just means you're hopeful.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
And it's an odd football injury. It's not a football injury.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But I like the sound of that he's recovered from
the injury, and I'll work back into usable state, you
know shape. At least that's something.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Lastly, Uh, the game, as we mentioned, might not mean
anything because if the Packers beat the Ravens, the AFC
North Day is one and that would render Steelers Browns
relatively meaningless. Tomlin was asked if the results of that
Ravens game, if it goes the way the Steelers want,
will that alter any last minute decisions on personnel. Tomin said, quote,
(11:16):
you know, it may. I hadn't thought about it at all,
to be quite honest with you, and.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I don't believe the second part.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
But he added that he didn't even know the Ravens
were playing Saturday night until just recently.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Okay, I'm not sure I buy that. I'm not going
to buy that either, but I still would have expected
more coach speak along the lines of all, we're caring
about the Browns, We're not worried about those around us.
I mean, the fact that he says it might alter
things makes me think it's gonna alter. It's got to, right,
I mean, I would assume it would be. I mean,
all the dudes you mentioned, yeah, they're on the injury report.
I would just say take it out a break and
(11:47):
you can play DJ Watt coming off a collapse long
in that game, No way.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So we'll see what happens Saturday and we'll see how
that affects Sunday. Up next to Merrill Hodge, our Factor
back will be joining the program, So keep it here.
Steelers Preview presented by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Comes to you here on Steelers Nation Radio and your
Steelers Flagship one or two point five dve.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DV.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Welcome back Mike Pursuda, Matt Williamson getting you set for
the Steelers and the Browns on Sunday in Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Time now to welcome our Factor back to the show.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Merril Hodge joining us on a special Tuesday night edition
of Steelers Preview and Merril. Normally we talk about the
upcoming game, not the game that was five days ago,
but since Steelers twenty nine Lions twenty four is still
fresh in everyone's memory, Matt and I opened the first
segment talking about the impact of that game from our perspective,
(12:52):
this was worth more than one win in the standings.
How did you interpret it and what it might mean
going forward. Well, I'll just tell you this.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I mean, obviously, we've we've studied them the entire year.
There's never been a time where there was that I
can remember throughout this season where one week, really good
week was followed up by another good week. You know,
the only time, you know, a couple of bad weeks
had flowed together. I hadn't seen this much improvement and
(13:27):
this much consistency in the last two weeks. The way
they played as a team, you know, not to get
into all the weeds, but I thought defensively they were
spectacular in a variety of ways. You know, people will
talk about the fourth quarterly and listen, those guys are
smart over there too. They did some great call play
calling based on the main coverages that we were running,
(13:47):
you know, and they take so you know, it isn't
like they fell apart offensively.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The way they're playing in the trenches is actually impeccable.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
You know, that's Aaron Rodgers has time.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
You know, when you have running backs, that HiT's a
forty five yard touchdown run and is not touched. That's
rare in the National Football League. It just that usually
does doesn't happen. But as a whole, like it's just
a team, I'm like, holy cow, many they are playing
the way you want to play in December and they
keep getting better. And I thought it was probably their
(14:22):
best performance as a team that we've seen all year.
But it was building up from how they played Baltimore,
how they played against the Ravens, and then how they
played against Detroit. You know that th obviously keep that going.
It's the perfect timing.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
So you mentioned the old line. You know, Seeamalu was out.
Both those long runs are to the left side. I've
contended that the last two weeks have been the best
left tackle play they've gotten all year. Do you agree
with that?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Question?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah? O question?
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Okay, I haven't heard anybody say we're seventy seven, right right,
I haven't. I mean, I honestly that I haven't heard
anybody talk about it from you know, coaching, playing opponent,
you know, which you know, when you hear when you're
missing somebody of significance, that's what happens. But then when
you know it's interesting about that left side, you know,
(15:15):
you know, both guards rotated. You know, you're they're rotating
in and out. Sixty has been rock solid. It just
this is actually where you know, like he's a football player,
you know, my measurable guy. I don't know what these
measurables are, but this is where I look at You know,
there's two ways to look at things. Oftentimes, there's measurable
(15:36):
evaluators and there's a lot of those actually, and then
there's football evaluators. And you know, when you look at
those two tackles, sixty and seventy seven, you know, seventy
seven is athletically immeasurably incredible, but fundamentally he just he's
just yet to put it all together. You know, maybe
it's time off because sometimes when you sit, you know,
(15:57):
and you get to reflect, boy, you can really you know,
have a moment of truth to come back and really
play better football.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
But it's not really just how.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Fundamentally he where he's struggling. It's all the assignments that
he was missing, not blocking people. I mean, that's just
unacceptable in the professional level. It's just unacceptable. And sixty seventy,
I mean, seventy four, ninety one, seventy one. I mean,
whoever you got those, the three that rotate in there,
they've been unbelievable. I mean as a whole they've been playing,
(16:30):
you know, like and that's what I always focus on.
The first It's like, yes, Aaron Rodgers has more time,
you know, if they run the ball better, man, what
they're doing up front is really where it starts and ends.
And they have been terrific.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Meryl.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
I just want to make sure I heard you correctly.
You're talking about the Steelers offensive line and you use
the word impeccable and unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yeah, correct, you got that right, brother, And wow, and
I could give you one play after one play. You know,
they get on people, they stay on people. They don't
make mistakes, you know, they work together, they pass things off.
I mean, just all these things that just weren't happening.
You can't and you can't deny that. You're like, listen,
I can't make that up, you know, I mean tape
judge of that, you know, yeah, back, this thing smart
(17:19):
enough to make that up. Just but the way they are, Okay,
that run, I think it was the second run. I
don't know which one it was where Jalen's head and
go post didn't touch anybody.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Now credit to him.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
His touchdown runs on which he wasn't touched. We're trying
to figure out which was.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Yeah, I think it was the second one because that
was more just kind of off the off. But what
he did, first of all, the way they combled the
block number one was terrific and as a runner, Like
from a runner perspective, I really appreciated how he ran
because he helped set up those blocks. You know, there
was a gaping hole of the left. He didn't hit
the hole of the left.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
He kept going like straight.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
When you go right, when you go downhill, you pull
defenders in, you know. And when you stay in the
middle of the field, you pull defenders in, even though
the hole may be slightly to the left or to
the right. And then when you get in the hole
and you've pulled everybody in to help your blockers, then
you get to the hole, you know, you don't just
take the hat off and try to get there because
you're not going to help your blockers. And he set
(18:19):
them up perfectly. You know, he didn't just he didn't
just run to an open hole. He helped create that hole.
But then everybody made the proper block, adjusted to the
proper guy, and stayed on the guy. And let me
just actually, since you give me another second, these tight
ends have been unbelievable too, you know, they they have
been terrific.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
The tight ends have done great job. Receivers have done
a great job.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
But I'm telling the way they're blocking up front. You know,
you can play every Sunday and you go on the
road and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
All right, so this is something you can build on.
This isn't while they played a bad front or Team
X had a bunch of injuries. You're going into Cleveland
to play a pretty badass defense.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, you think the Steelers can run the ball, all
of these guys.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I don't think there's any question. After you watch how
they've played the run the last couple of weeks. You know,
if this is the last week against Buffalo, they were vulnerable,
they got yeah, they you know, they had problems on
the perimeter, they had problems weak side, they had problems
strong side.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
They've had problems in the heart of their defense. You know,
they they.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Listen I said this before. You know, it's never underestimated
professional after they've been embarrassed, you know, and that's kind
of a couple of weeks in a row. I don't
think there there will be anything. I don't think they're
in their day studying the Steelers right now going I
wonder if they're gonna run it out of you know,
I don't think they're don't you know what do you think?
(19:41):
I'm like, Oh, they're coming coming now off the bus
and they're coming. And you've got to know that too,
you know, but you got to listen. That's what makes
it great. That's what makes this type of this type
of year so great, because now it comes comes down
to real like discipline in your game and you're committment
and your passion. You know that that's where it lies,
(20:03):
especially in this rivalry, and you know they'll try to
button things up and you've got to be committed to
it and you've got to have the same type of
consistency that you have in production that you're having because
it permeates to.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
The whole team.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't know if anything on offense that permeates or
defense that permeates the entire team more than when you
run the ball successfully successfully. I don't know if any
other phase of a team that is more potent to
the entire team than when you run the football.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I know of no other phase.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
So that's extremely encouraging. I mean words like impeccable and
thrown in the tight ends and the run game and
all this stuff is sustainable. But what if DK Metcalf's
not in the equation, you know, I mean, how does
that affect? I mean there has to be a ripple
effect from that.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Sure.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Now, one thing, I think that they're able to offset that. Okay,
that's why I see even more pertinent at that running
game is dominant, because because now we've got to shoulder
the load of you know, our dominant guy, our explosive guy.
But you know, they've had a lot of guys, you know,
feeling coming in.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
You know, all these.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
Experienced guys that are disciplined, you know the tight ends
even you know you this.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
Where you go get onto your tight end pool. You
developed that a little better.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
But you have guys that have experience now that have
some rhythm with this system. And Aaron's getting a feel
for them too and has you know, has different options.
Now let's say this week happened week four. I think
he's probably in a bigger issue than now. You know
it's missing is a problem. He's a matchup guy. You know,
I'm not denying that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
But I probably.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
You're, well, here's what that you know you're not going
to have.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
You know, he he's occupies people, you know, he he
tell you, and he's a matchup guy. You know you
make a mistake on him. You know you got a
chance for a big play with him. And but I
think you know scantly and guys that are developing, and
Rogers has a feel for them, and you could see
that he's.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Using them more trusting.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
The more I still think that you can, you know,
dilute the passing game to still be really effective and explosive.
I still think you got guys that you could create
explosive plays on this.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
I think the tight ends will have to be leaned
on a little more.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
You know, the backs are already I have already, you know,
shouldered quite a bit of the passing game, and I
think that continues to happen.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
And I would imagine you don't prepare for this game
like last game where you thought it was a race
to thirty or thirty five and a dome. I mean,
you're not going to need that kind of point totals
to win this game, I would imagine.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
No, like they you know, their best runner just got hurt,
which is you know, it's awful, but they have a
couple thumpers man that you just can't sleep on it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
And now you know they're just you know them.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Their quarterback is Is who.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Was in college. He's a you confuse.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
You give him you're dirty up any area of the
game and he completely loses it. Now, if you're just
going to keep clean and say here, here's how we are,
it's first and ten, we'll play cover two, he'll make.
Speaker 5 (23:13):
Some throws for you.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
But he is so rattled right now. I mean he
goes to check the ball down before they've even got
to the top.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Of their routes.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
And that might be a slant route, Like he's ready
to check that ball down because he doesn't know what
he's seeing.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Now, you know, teams have you know, he doesn't.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Take long and most guys are a leg I think
he's probably the most inexperienced guy seen quite some time
with understanding. You know, they're they're aligned one way, but
they change to something else.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
What's the NFL is notorious for?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Okay, they did that.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
In college occasionally and not bothered him in the canvas game.
They I mean, he didn't know what was going on.
So if you cloud up the look for him, let's say,
bring up the line of scrimmage. You give a bunch
of people and then it's just snap your bell and
you do something different, he's he has gonna be problems,
(24:06):
the real problems with that.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
You pressure him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It seems like showing a lot more looks lately too well.
They're doing yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Correct, they're bringing their linebackers, they're scraping there. You know
I ought to do this is you know, when Wat's
not in there, you've got to design some other pressure sometimes.
And I think they've done a good job with like
scraping line back even though've done a lot of stunts
and twists, if they haven't really done the past.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
And they're really actually good at it, you know.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
I sometimes you fall into something, you're forced to do something,
and you're like, oh, gosh, we're pretty good at this
because you've got great speed at linebackers.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
You know.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
So they'll come up hover, hover and then scrape or
you know, the lineup one way and then loop back
around and you know, Queen has come free forty one
has come from I mean every I think everyone linebacker
has has had an influence in those type of pressures.
And they're still still doing a good job with some
of our edge pressures just don't have the depth and
the consistency that you.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Have, so you have to kind of do that.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
But the more you change things up and you're not
static and you move things, they'll have a hard time
throwing the football consistently. You know, they just and they're
gonna try to stay on the ground because they got
a quarterback that's really rattle right now, I mean the
Buffalo game, and.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
They might be without their best ree ball carriers Samson
four let alone Judkins.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
You know.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yeah, so you know their depth is not there.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
You know it was thirty five to thirty five get hurt.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
No, not to my knowledge. There's quick Raheem Sanders.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Oh he came in yet, but their original three to
start the season.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah, Ford is on ir Judkins just had his season
ended and Samson's been dealing with a hand injury. He
didn't play against Buffalo. But it was interesting, Maryly, you
said they kind of stayed with it anyway, and they
did when Judkins wasn't playing in the second half. They
were still running the ball. They were down twenty three
to ten late third quarter, they were still running the ball.
(25:58):
Third and four was a running down for Cleveland. And
they do it with multiple tight ends. They got their
extra offensive lineman number seventies zact zinter. He comes in
a lot for the number seventies eligible stuff. They'll put
a tight end at full back, They'll put a d
lineman at full back.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
They even lined up their rookie tight end, Harold Fannin
as a full back and Gay McCarry on the goal
line and he swore a touchdown. Yeah. I think Cleveland's
going to try to run the ball too. Is what
the Steelers did to Detroit. The defense of the run
is that transferable? Now? There was maybe an asterisk because
(26:34):
the Lions were down their top two centers and they
had a revolving door going there. But Cleveland's offensive line
is a mes a mess health wise as well.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah, So okay, I say yes and yes to that,
because they've done this for two weeks in a row.
I think again, you fall in, you start doing something
because you kind of forced to, and you're like, oh wow,
we're pretty good at that. So go back to the
problems that they had as an OFFENSI glyne like or
defensively our defensive line.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
You know, they really struggled with double teams.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
You know, they're just were getting blown off the ball,
they're getting dominant, they're back in the linebacker's lap two
three yards. Once that happens, you know, it's just over.
I mean at this level, it's over. So to neutralize that,
you know, they've done a great job of sometimes getting
the linebacker walk up with the line of scrimmage just
for the snaps and that it can't double. Now everybody's singled,
and now when you single up our guys, our guys,
(27:26):
you'll have a ninety nine back was a big help
to ninety five played so much better, but they freed
him up a lot, and you only had a lot
of single blocks. When he's single. He I like him.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
You know, he's just struggling with the doubles.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Right, you're talking about ninety five. Yeah, he wins on
a one. He doesn't handle doubles well, right.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
So why no, Luckily they'll walk a linebacker up there,
you know, on the guard to now that can't doubling
you know or though as soon as they see it. Man,
they hit that line of scrimmage and run through and
not even like they're not even blocked.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
They're just more aggressive up front.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I think they've done a better you can call it
a run type of blitz. I just think it's more
of a wrinkle than a real blitz at times. But
getting those guys up at the line of scrimmy takes
away those double teams and when you have single blocks,
we've just been so much better. And you challenge them too.
You do that the last second.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Man.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
You may make them read things, you make them adjust
to things, and that's hard for any offensive line, and
we've done a good job of challenging that. I don't
think there's any question because Cleveland, you can just they're
play calling you just you just explained it. Okay, that's
a product of hiding your quarterback, no question.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It looked like and all the passes were sideways, checked down, screened,
balls coming out quick. When they got when they were
behind late, they were almost out of time and they
had to do the dropback thing.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
He went backwards.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
He just kept getting sacked because he holds the ball
and the protection breaks down.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
That's where I was going to go with the two.
Like the scripted stuff and the Stefanski designer stuff and
all the misdirection and window dressing. Key's them viable. But
when it turns into a drop back passing game, forget
about it, you know.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
So you know, see here's where they did a good
jobs leading up to this. You know, he couldn't hand okay,
people are coming after him because he just doesn't he
completely He just you could tell his body language. Why
even watch his head from the ends on angle he
has listen, I know when he's he probably sees one
hundred people out there, but he has no clarity whatsoever.
(29:27):
Cleveland did a great job of putting those screen elements
in there for those pressures, and Buffalo did an awful
job of defending him. You know, I don't know who's
responsible for the back, but you can't blitch your quarterback
if your back leaks out. In fact, you should hug
up on your back and not allow him to go
out because you got enough people to get there, you know,
so you can. The Steelers will have an answer for that.
(29:48):
You only have so many answers for a guy who's
struggling like that. And the more pressure you bring him,
the more confused you make him. Even when he gets
to the drop back. You know, when they got him
back at the one yard line and they like third
and thirty three, he threw it to the only area
of the field that they were doubling a guy they
let the They gave him the fifteen yard crawl route
(30:08):
in the middle of the field, and he threw it
out of bound six yards because he didn't see anything.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
He has no.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Idea he was trying to.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Chance.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
That was sort of like it even in.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
The ballpark, and he was covered. They had help over
the top and the corner underneath on him, and he's
the only guy doubled. The rest of the guys were
single to the left, and he didn't even look over there,
and they lined up like that, which was you know,
the one thing he kind of was doing well is
like if you give him a first and ten and
you don't change the Titans, he played fairly well, make
(30:41):
some good thrills. Actually, when they lined up in first
and ten and they're like, okay, here's what we are.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
We didn't change anything, he made a throw.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Then when they started to change things, he didn't know
he was like, oh boy, this and that was the
same thing that he had in He struggled like that
in college.
Speaker 5 (30:57):
You know, they blamed up and blind.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
But I'm like, you can't bland off of your blind
and then say the guy holds the ball longer than
anybody else because you don't have time to hold the
ball off your office life bad. Like one of those
things don't work. You've seen it now, he just he
just he just doesn't. Then the Steelers will take advantage
of that.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
You have to just to.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Kind of summarize here, meryll, Uh, what what we're talking
about here in the conclusion we have reached on the
offensive and defensive line.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
The Steelers look like they have some good people. They
look like.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
They know what they're doing, and they are executing at
a high.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Level, very high.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
All those things are all those things true.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Yes, and well, And that's the foundation of your teams
right there. When that's going well, everything else goes well.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
See.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I thought I felt good after Detroit.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I think I feel like we had many of these
shows where.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
It feels like Christmas morning all of a sudden, MARYL
I'm unwrapping a president of your analysis here and I'm
getting excited. Uh listen, I I at least we have
evidence of this building up. You know, we haven't had
it into that all year. You know, there's moments like
the Colts, so I come time. If you refer back
to the Colt games, you're like, well, a lot we haven't.
They played like that a little bit over in Ireland
(32:09):
against Minnesota, you know, but not to these degrees now.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
I'm just they are and man and there's an coverage.
They're back and they're tackling people too. That I'm glad
I didn't forget that.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
The tackling.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
I think this league is about hitting people, and the
people who tackled win championships. Everybody who's hitting people, you're
not gonna win a championship. But people who tackle, defenses
that tackle teams that tackle, you're gonna win.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
You can win, you have a chance to win.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
I don't remember one guy in Detroit that broke a
tackle and made a big run. None of their backs
did that I can think of. There was no significant
plays where somebody missed the tackle, which has happened a lot.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
But we got people tackling now.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
And I wa defense and offensive lines. I was like, ye,
this a different team than they were, you know, the
first fourteen weeks.
Speaker 5 (33:03):
They have really they really come around.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
We're seeing all this praise. We even brought up Aaron Rodgers,
which is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Watching that Bills Browns game, though, I mean I got
the impression Buffalo thought, we're not gonna let Miles Garrett
wreck this game. We're gonna run the ball a ton.
Their offense isn't gonna hurt us too bad. Nineteen passes, yeah,
I mean that's what Josh Allen, you know, and they
don't have the best group of receivers either. The thirty
yards one hundred thirty yards right, didn't make it an
(33:32):
Allen centric game. This might not even be a Rogers
centric game, especially without Metcalf. But that formula against this opponent,
I think gives you a really good chance to win.
I didn't think the Bills played that great, but he did.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
They they want their okay what they ran the ball
though with authority.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
They just they.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
They had a ton of success with that.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
You know, they were kind of like the Times, Yeah, exactly,
you know, So that's why I go back to it.
I don't know of anything that permeates through the team
more than that it just doesn't.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
There's no phase of footballs it does. But you could
take the play.
Speaker 4 (34:08):
All the playoff teams are in the playoffs and clinched
right now, A high percentage of them are all under center.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
I mean all all of them under centered about a
high percentage.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
All right now, or all of them, all of them the.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Way they run the ball under center, and they run
the football period and the story.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
You know, it's not a big secret.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
This is and this is not like, oh, I can't
believe the league change isn't changed. Back when the Steelers
won the Super Bowls, I mean, their ground game was
San Francisco when they were on a run. Grand game
was pow Boys when they were a ground game with
everything foundationally is built that way if you want to
be consistent and you want to win the championship. So
(34:51):
I don't think there's any doubt that you go into
this one and feel very good about you know, but
you can't sleep. I think you take advant you know,
don't let their quarterback get even somewhat comfortable. You don't
want to build his confidence back up at any point.
You neutralize that run, You put him in bad down
in distances, and then you bring the heat, you know,
strategically when you have you mix those coverages up when
(35:12):
you're not bringing the heat, and it'll be hard for
them to score points.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
God bless us everyone, Meryl, great stuff.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
Merry Christmas, Harry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Boys love you. Gear up with the latest game day
necessities at the Official Steelers Pro Shops. Get the latest
Sideline apparel, jerseys, Terrible towels, authentic memorabilia and custom exclusives
you can only find directly from the team. Is it
one of the official Steelers Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
I was actually down there today getting some last minute
getting that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Uh. Grove City Premium Outlets and the Tanger Outlets also
house official Steelers Pro shops. You can also gear up
online at shop dot Steelers dot com. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com. One more segment to go, so
keep it here with Matt Williamson and Mike Persuda. This
is Steelers Preview present presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
(36:05):
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers. Right here on Steelers Nation Radio, and your
Steelers flagship one o two point.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Five DV back to the Steelers preview show on DVE.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Wow, he was merry and jolly, wasn't he.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Oh yeah, we live. We let Merrill carry the ball
there for a while because he was fired up. But
I'll tell you that that is he addressed. I think
what everybody has been wondering because we've all watched this team. Yeah,
be inconsistent most of the year.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
He used that word a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
All right, have they turned the corner? Has the light
bulb gone on? It sounds like, well, it doesn't sound
like Merrill was emphatic. He thinks the light bulb has
gone on on the offensive and defensive lines. And it's
defensive front, not just the line.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I'm glad you mentioned tackling too. That's something I haven't
brought up enough since the Lions game. But I mean,
those are hard guys attacked. This team is, including Henry
and Lamar in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
You know, throw the tight ends in and you can
win the trenches. You can win the game. Right, it
doesn't matter where, it doesn't matter who.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Especially this upcoming opponent, Like there's not going to be
a fourth quarter explosion by Shadoor Sanders and Jerry Judy
and you know those type of dudes. I mean, if
there is not if the Steelers are in jeopardy, it's
because it's a low scoring rock fight mess of a game.
And maybe Weather's involved.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Because they dropped the ball when throws it to them
something like a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
He probably will, right, And I love the Steelers doing
a lot more defensively. That will confuse shoudor too.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Uh. Tonight's injury report is presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One injury from the Detroit game. I wanted to highlight here, Matty.
When Brandon Eckles went out, they lost. They lost their
slock corner, right, so they initially tried Chuck Clark touchdown Detroit.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
They adjusted in the second half. Jalen Ramsey comes up
and plays slock corner and Chuck Clark is back at
deep safety and I think it worked really well.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
Yeah, Clark could have had three interceptions, so he got this.
I mean there was he was awfully close to hitting.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
The ball, but it was at least around the ball,
and I know they gave up some yards and some points,
but Ramsey was really impactful corner, just highlighting again that
guy's versatility. I know it didn't work out. They wanted
him playing there a lot more initially, and he had
to go back to safety for a number of reasons.
But they had an answer when the secondary got depleted.
(38:29):
That was really encouraging.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Yeah, and I'm curious about the Echos injury for this week, like,
and Pierre's also obviously missed the time too, So I
don't think if all you have at corner is Samuel
Pierre Porter, I don't know that they'll make one of
those guys play the slot. Would Ramsey probably be the
full time slot? And I would make I would, yeah,
(38:50):
because I would think so that would be my guest,
would be my guess, because but if you did that
against Detroit, which is a Ferrari passing game, beating at Pierre,
that is my point, all right, Yeah, at least you
have one more good corner, but they're all outside guys.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Yeah, I still think you'd do what you did and
then again, and Ramsey can impact the game. Yeah, from
the line of scrimmage from the.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Slot, A little wrinkle with Ramsey too, is and I
hope people don't think that he can't he's impossible to
line up outside and play outside corner. I still think
he can do that, not at all, and I absolutely
think he can be a great slot. But boy, he
solidified things and the past defense got extremely different when
he became a full time safety. But the way they
(39:32):
use Fannin if we had another hour, I was gonna
get into this with Meryl. We were flying along there,
but they scheme up all sorts of things for him.
You mentioned all the different alignments. I remember, I wonder
if Ramsey's just your your fan and guy.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Well, I mean it's not as if you're scared of
these receivers.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
No, or the quarterbacks, you know, but they do. They
go out of their way to feature fan and they
really have an infinity for this guy. And they're also
playing a ton of Rooks the building for his future.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Now I would expect fight out of this Cleveland team. Yeah,
particularly against pittsburghsday this, but it's it's there's so many
young guys and they're all learning on the job and
also they're excited to play. I thought they I thought
the Browns competed against Buffalo. Yes, just didn't play particularly well.
Speaker 3 (40:20):
And it's about as well as I thought they could
play to the Browns.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah, and you mentioned it during the Merrill segment. Buffalo
just game planned away from Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yeah, we haven't brought him up much, but he's somebody
to worry about it.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
He was mostly on the right side in that game,
and Allan was just bootleg right and run away from him.
The backs ran away from him. Yeah, they just they
weren't going to let him wreck the game.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
No, and I would think the Yeris take a real
similar approach, especially because you just know the Browns aren't
going to put up thirty points on you.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
Garrett did get a half sec. He was awarded a
half sector. Was a play where Alan Alan was retreating
and then he tried to turn and he slipped and
he was near the goal line and he just stuck
the ball out so it would be a safety, and
then it was a race for defenders to get there
and touch them down and who was going to get
the sad Initially they awarded it to Graham and then
after further review, they did half and a half half
(41:09):
sacks are beginner. So Miles Garrett, he's got twenty two sacks.
The record is twenty two and a half, TJ. Watt
and Michael Strahan. Garrett's gonna get it.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
I'm sure he will.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
He's a tremendous player. But really it's it's hard for
that guy, you know, the one defensive monster, to be
your only chance to win.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Yeah, you know what I mean, No matter how great
you are, if your Lawrence Taylor, you can still kind
of scheme away from those guys or double them or
like you said, Josh Allen rolling away or running away,
you know, and the rest of their front's not bad
by any stretch.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
No, it's pretty good defense, but just the offense is limited.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
That's the thing is, there's only one way they can win,
you know. I mean, I know you're not huge on
like advanced stats, but since Jim Schwartz took over as
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
When you say I'm not huge on them, I mean
I despise them.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Yeah, kind it's like the holiday season, but they've had
the best.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
EPA in the league. Wow, Yeah, i'p changing my toon here,
but the worst extensive.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
So, like, if you're Schwartz and Garrett.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Like, you know what is E p A. I don't
even know what it is.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Yeah, well I'm not getting down that whole road. But
I mean, like, can just give me like a like
a expect expect you expected points added? Okay, Okay, I
mean it's basically breaking it down by play. Actually I
figured he had a clue on that one. My question
to that is always expected by whom. I don't love the.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Word expected either.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
You'll notice I don't put them in Matt's stats because
who's expecting what? You know what I mean? But needless
to say, since Schwartz has been there, they've basically been
the best defensive league and the worst offense. It's a
miserable way to live. Jim Swartz knows his stuff. Yeah,
and Garrett helps, no problem.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
You mentioned young. This team is Yeah. The leader in
passing yards is a rookie Sanders. The leader in rushing
yards is a rookie quinch On Jenkins.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
And he's not going to play. I think Sanders their
second leading rush.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
The leader in receiving yards is a fan at the
tight end seven hundred and one. The leader in tackles
is Swettinger.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
The room rookie the year, by the way, he's a
good player, and they have a rookie kicker. Oh, I
didn't think of that. Okay, And their first overall pick
or the first pick was Mason Graham, who's playing a
ton too.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
I didn't get a lot of stats on the D line,
but I didn't like that pick, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Rookie snaps pre Buffalo Hi eighty that was eight hundred
and thirty two more than any other team.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
Yeah, I knew they were number one. I didn't know
it was that big.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
I mean they're lapping the field that way. So that
this is why you have a three win team that
off a team that won three games a year ago.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
Well, they I mean they had actually the first year,
I mean during the Deshaun Watson stretch there, they had
the least amount of draft picks in draft capital because
they used it all on Watson. This is the first
year they actually had the most. And then they trade
out of the Hunter pick and get even more and
they got two first round picks next year. So this
draft and next year's draft will be absolutely instrumental for
(44:02):
these guys, and they realize it. So they're playing all
their dudes, but doesn't mean they're good.
Speaker 2 (44:06):
I will say this about she Sanders and again, the
passing game was so rudimentary, and try to protect the
quarterback and don't ask him to do anything difficult, and
just try to move it along three, four or five
yards at a time. He did. In my notes, it
appeared to me he's getting a better feel for how
to use his legs in the pocket. There was one
(44:29):
there was a third long where he actually stepped up
and climbed and then saw a gap and ran. There
was another one where he got outside but he stumbled
and fell and didn't convert it. I wrote down he's
learning not to just run backwards and take a set backwards. Yeah. Yeah.
And then on the last two possessions, I wrote, never
mind because he still makes it. When the pressure got on,
(44:51):
you know, they were running out of time and they
needed to go get a field goal to tie the game,
and they had to try it the traditional dropback pass
way and it did not work.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
And I'm not saying he's a bad athlete, but people
that haven't watched him know who Daddy is. Yeah, Daddy's
a much better athlete. I mean, he's an average quarterback athlete.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Honestly, Matt, if his name was Joe Smith, right and
you watched him play, you'd say, yeah, that guy's a
fifth rom fififth he's got backup potential.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
Yeah, maybe he's their long term backup maybe right right, right.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
I don't know where they're going with him, but I
think that's who's playing now. I'm excited about the Steelers,
I know.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
I like that are the best point they've been all year.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Light has gone on, corner has been turned, however you
want to phrase it. The only thing I could see
money in the works would be if the Green Bay
Packers get the job done Saturday night and Mike Tomlin
decides to give a bunch of guys some rest.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
That wouldn't be a bad problem to have, though, No, no, absolutely,
and I think that could happen.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
That's gonna do it for us. I hope everybody is
enjoying their holiday season. I want to thank Justin Miller
here in studio for keeping things running. Thanks to Brian
law Martine of Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio
Network for all that he does. I hope everybody's having
a great week. We'll talk to you again next week
before the Steelers take on the Ravens to conclude the
(46:11):
regular season. Until then, for Merrill Hodge and Matt Williamson,
a Mike Pursuer, this has been Steelers Preview, presented by
your neighborhood Ford Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers, right here on Steelers
Nation Radio and your Steelers flagship one O two point
five d VEE
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