December 8, 2025 • 25 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht look at the stat sheet from Steelers at Ravens and point out the most glaring individual and team numbers.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Warreners did the wright Rodgers in the shotgun, gets a
snap back to pass Rose to Warn in the right flat,
wide open, scooting down the right sideline pass room. There
is nobody there and he's in for the score. Jail
and Warn a short pass out to the flat and
he goes thirty eight yards in for the touchdown. Welcome
back to the Steelers Standard. I am at Troop alongside
(00:27):
Jacob breckt here on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the
Steelers Audio Network. Yeah, Jacob, you hurt it right there.
That was a huge play in that foot. Lots of
huge plays in that football game yesterday as we recap
it here Week thirteen, Steelers twenty seven, Ravens twenty two.
It's victory Monday. But yeah, a bunch of plays yesterday
that could stand out. We talked about our key turning
point our first segment today with the likely overturned touchdown.
(00:48):
There was also the Rogers play in which he had
the football which the Ravens thought they had stripped and
gotten back in their favor when he had batted in
the air, caught it and tried to make a play happen,
but replay confirmed at his that he was down on
the before the ball was ripped out, so the Steelers
retained possession there. That was a key moment. And then
all these touchdowns. He's long plays from Aaron Rodgers hitting Metcalf,
hitting Austin spreading the field. Big day. Yesterday, eight different
(01:12):
players for the Steelers caught footballs for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now,
they did give Rogers a catch, by the way, on
that he really was on the stats seat for one
catch for one yard, and John new Smith had a
catch for no yards, and Valdez Scantling also had a
catch for no yards. How about that. Valdez Scantling sure
getting involved activated yesterday?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I aga it was his only catch right, just the one.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yep for no yards and also a feeling. Adam Thielen
made his stewer debut yesterday. We're gonna get to all
those stats in a second. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Someone pointed out yesterday if you were to tell a
Steelers fan two years ago, the Steers offense would have
looked like this. Aaron Rodgers, Kenneth Gainwell, John new Smith,
I'm sorry, Marquez, Valdez Scantling, Felin Adam Feeling he came
at CAF. They would have thought you were on drugs.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
It's crazy. It's almost like a few years ago. That's
an all start tame. That's a fantasy football team. A
few years it could have been, and you're probably potentially
winning some games with that lineup. We're gonna get into
our key stats now, Jacob. We're gonna look at total
yards first. The Ravens four hundred and twenty total yards
yesterday to the Steelers three hundred and eighteen, and a
lot of that four to twenty had to do with
the rushing attack two hundred and seventeen yards rushing yesterday
(02:25):
for the Ravens as they averaged five point four yards
per carry. And for the Steelers yesterday, they did not
get things going on the ground with only thirty four
yards rushing, But I will caution you when I say
that they only went seventeen carries for the thirty four yards,
averaged two yards per carry. But it was the passing
game yesterday that was the that was the game plan
for Arthur Smith in this Steeler offense yesterday with Mike Tomlin.
(02:47):
They wanted to attack the Ravens. They must have saw
something during the week on film to know that they
could take these deep shots, go out game momentum early
and it short worked in their favor, especially early on
in this football game.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, definitely, It's just things just seemed to go right
for the Steelers yesterday. They really got lucky. They had
a lot of great plays in their favor, and then
defensively they made like I said earlier, they made this
ops when it mattered most. The ball just never really
got away from them. The game never really got away
from them, despite like we mentioned earlier in our previous segment,
the Ravens having two hundred plus yards of rarning offense,
(03:19):
the Ravens winning because of that. As a result, they
won the time of possession battle as well. But one
thing they didn't win was the sack battle, and one
thing they didn't win it was the turnover battle as well.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
First downs Ravens twenty two to the Steelers thirteen yesterday.
Time of possession, Oh, it's better than last week for
the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, they still had It's hard to be worse than
it was last week.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah, with eighteen minutes in a second, I think last
week against the Bills. This week the Steelers go for
twenty six minutes and sixteen seconds for time of possessions.
Ravens though, more time of possession thirty three minutes and
forty four seconds, so they win that category. Penalty wise,
Steelers uncharacteristic. They had seven penalties, but only thirty three
yards for those seven penalties yesterday, so that's not awful.
(04:02):
Ravens five penalties for thirty nine yards. So the Ravens
win all those KEYCK categories, right, total yards, first downs,
time of possession. They had less penalties than the Steelers.
But here's where the Steelers start winning some categories in
this football game and ultimately results on the scoreboard. Third
down conversions Steelers forty three percent yesterday, not great, but
not horrible either six or fourteen. Ravens meanwhile, seven of
(04:25):
eighteen for thirty nine percent. Eighteen opportunities on third down
and they only converted seven of them. Not bad by
the Steelers defense to hold the Ravens the thirty nine
percent there yesterday.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, under fifty percent, that's what you like to see.
Under forty percent, you like that even more. Eighteen though,
plays that they have to go for and on third down,
that is a lot of drives that nearly stalled out,
and the Steelers give them credit, like you said, got
them off the field, exactly got him off the field
when it mattered.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
One opportunity they did not get them off the field.
And the Steelers have struggled with this all year. Was
fourth downy versions.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Right, I knew that's where you were going next.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Ravens three f yesterday it's seventy five percent. The Steelers
only one fourth down stop. Now, it was key. It
was after the likely overturn touchdown that they that they
stopped them on third and fourth down on those next
two plays. Meanwhile, the Steelers won for one on fourth down.
That was the Connor Heyward sneak push up the middle
early on in the football game. But yeah, you know, John,
we talked about this last week on the Standard as well, Jacob,
(05:19):
you and I did. Historically, John Harball always goes for
it on fourth down. I mean, I'm talking fourth and seven,
fourth and eight. They've always been aggressive on fourth down
and usually results in pretty good results for the Ravens
on fourth down. As far as getting first downs, yesterday
they tried four times three of four to seventy five
percent turnovers. The Ravens had one James Pierre's interception early
(05:42):
in the game. The Steelers no turnovers yesterday, so they
win the turnover battle. And as you already mentioned, the
sacks the Steelers had two yesterday, the Ravens had none.
So they lose total yards, first downs, time of possessions,
and penalties, but they have a better third down conversion
rate for the day. Fourth down kind of a wash.
Ravens were three or four to seventy five percent. Steeers
(06:03):
only went for it for one of one at one
hundred percent turnovers. Though Steelers win the turnover battle no turnovers,
Ravens turnover once and again. Sacks generated two Steelers sacks
on the day, five quarterback hits on the day on
Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, the Steeers offensive line kept Aaron Rodgers clean,
no sacks on the day and only one quarterback hit.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Winning formula winning forms absolutely, especially when your quarterback is
that old like Aaron Rodgers. You got to keep him
up right and you got to make sure you don't
turn the ball over. So the fact that you were
able to do that made it very easy for him
to have, like we said, one of his best days
and as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Looking at the individual stats, now, Derrick Henry twenty five
carries for ninety four yards yesterday, three point eight yards
per carry. Henry almost one hundred yard day. But he
also carried the ball twenty five times to get to
that ninety four yards. I thought the Steeers did a
pretty good job.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yes containing him. He had won that kind of broke
out for like fifteen or twenty toward the end of
the game, right at the middle of the field to
get him to about the fifty yard line, where I thought, okay,
maybe this is where the dan breaks. Because he had that.
It was his first burst of the day. Like I said,
it came late in the fourth quarter. But they did
a good job though overall containing him despite that one play.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Early on in the game. They set the toe with TJ.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Watt that tackle for loss. Yeah, absolutely, I think.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He did it twice. He got to him twice in
the backfield, and he also got to Lamar a couple
times yesterday too. So there's you know, when we go
through the stats defensively, which we'll do here in a
few seconds, Jacob, you know, TJ. Watt's not going to
jump out at you, but if you watch the game yesterday,
you'll see that he did jump out at you. He
made some key plays at key moments with some good
pressures on Jackson, and again, as you said, the tackle
(07:42):
for loss on Henry at the beginning of that game
set the tone for the rest of the time as
far as the Steeers were not going to let Henry
in this rushing offense defeat them as the Bills did
just a week prior. Mitchell six carries for seventy six yards.
He had that big fifty five yard burst that led
to most of that seventy six yards. Lamar yesterday seven
carries for forty three yards and the touchdown, only his
(08:02):
second rushing touchdown of the season. Again, they contained Jackson.
It looked like he was starting to build momentum a
couple different times, especially with the RPOs that he does
so well with Derrick Henry. But the Steeers they bent,
but they didn't break with Jackson or Henry yesterday. Much
like Henry, they did the same with Lamar Jackson. Yes,
he had the big nine yard run at one point,
(08:23):
but other than that, that was his longest run of
the day. Out of those seven carries, nine yards that
was it. But again, the Ravens forty total carries for
two hundred and seventeen yards five point four yards per carries.
When you look at that as a whole, that doesn't
feel too great. But when you break it down statistically
and you're watching the game yesterday, nothing really jumps out
you too much other than that big run that we
saw for Mitchell, and as you said, Henry, with that
(08:45):
one on the other side, not much to talk about
with running the football for the Steelers. Kenny Gamewell four
carries for fifteen yards and a touchdown. Jalen Warren eight
carries for thirteen yards, Caleb Johnson two carries for four yards.
He had a nice five run yard run in the
second half to start things out. He thought, hey, maybe
Caleb Johnson is going to show up now. Only his
other carrying the game didn't go for anything after that.
(09:07):
Aaron Rodgers twice kept the football resolved in no yards again.
The Steelers seventeen carries for thirty four yards yesterday and
just a two yard average throwing the football. Aaron Rodgers
great day twenty three of thirty four, two hundred and
eighty four yards passing, one touchdown, no interceptions, and one
hundred and three passing rating. No sacks on the day
(09:28):
as well. Lamar Jackson nineteen of thirty five for two
hundred and nineteen yards, sacked twice on the day, one touchdown,
one interception, a quarterback rating of seventy one receiving wise,
we talked about it already. Dk Metcalf twelve targets, a
season high for him, seven receptions a season high one
hundred and forty eight yards another season high for dk Metcalf,
(09:51):
including a big fifty two yard reception to open up
the game. No touchdowns, but Jacob he didn't have to yesterday.
Those numbers stood out in a big way. These one
of the numbers that we've been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Our season season high in targets, a season high in receptions,
and his season high in yards. I think we can
live without the touchdowns, considering they still him away with
the victory.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Kenny Gainwell six catches out of the backfield, was second
on the team yesterday for twenty seven yards. Jalen Moore
in three catches for forty nine yards. Friarm Youth two
catches for nine yards. Good to see him back out
there with after a very very limited snap count the
week before against the Bills. Austin Scronic, Washington, theeln they
all add at least one catch on the day. Again,
(10:33):
eight different receivers yesterday for the Steelers with a reception
that resulted in more than one yard. And I say
that because again John new Smith had a catch for
no yards, Valdez Scantling a catch for no yards, and
Aaron Rodgers again on the statute, I guess I should
add him to that and say nine different players because
his one reception did result in a yard or no
negative nine yards actually in the backfield. So yeah, I'll
(10:55):
stand by that statue, Jacob. The eight different players with
at least a yard or more receiving yesterday, that's the
Steelers really doing a good job spreading the football around.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean that's what Aaron Rodgers is capable
of doing. You remember in Green Bay, besides guys like
Jordan Nelson and DeVante Adams, it was always a random
cast of characters at the receivers in tight end positions
for them. But it didn't matter because Aaron Rodgers was
more than capable of distributing the football effectively. And that's
what he's doing here in Pittsburgh this season.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Looking at the Ravens receiving. One player that did have
a day Yesterday's a Flowers. They're talented wide receiver, their speedster.
Eight catches on eleven targets for one hundred and twenty
four yards, but no touchdown. So that's the key moment there.
There were a couple times he was breaking away that
looked like he could take it to the house, but
the Steelers responded by preventing him from getting into the
end zone. He had a big thirty five yard catch
(11:46):
at one point in the game, but again he goes
over one hundred yards likely four catches for twenty five yards.
Notice I didn't say five, I said four. We know
one came back for one touchdown Bateman. There are other
talented receiver opposite side of Flowers out him and check
yesterday only two catches for twenty three yards. And how
about this a Steeler killer. Over the years, Mark Andrews yesterday,
(12:07):
one catch YEP for nine yards. That was it by
Mark Andrews yesterday. There's been games in which him, you know,
and it's not just against the Steelers. Andrews can take
over a football game much like a lot of the
other Kelsey's of the world. Another big talented when Grinkowski
played back in the day. I mean, these guys, and
Andrews is one of them, can really take over a
football game, and yesterday the Steelers prevented that from happening.
(12:28):
Only one catch for nine yards.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, absolutely, But it was the other tight end who
had the bigger day. Isaiah likely still did burn him,
but didn't get two touchdowns, which is what is most important.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Looking at the defensive stats yesterday for the Steelers, leading
the way, Cole Holcombe with eight total tackles. Alex high
Smith had the seven tackles for one sack, three tackles
for losses and two quarterback hits. High Smith big game yesterday.
Patrick Queen, big game yesterday. Only seven tackles on the
stat sheet, but he he was the spy yesterday for
(13:02):
Lamar Jackson and he held Jackson in checks throughout that
game and again made some key tackles, especially late in
that football game to help preserve this win for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. TJ. Watt as I said, also, these stats
won't jump out you. Two Big Jacob six tackles, one
tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, no sacks. But again,
if you watched that game yesterday. Much like Queen TJ.
(13:24):
Watt was in key places at key moments, whether it
was his pressures or making the tackles in the backfield
for the Steelers. James Pierre a good job yesterday as well,
opposite side of Joey Porter Junior five tackles, one interception
in the first half, two pass deflections, Peyton Wilson with
five tackles, Cam Hayward with five tackles, Joey Porter Junior
four tackles, a pass deflection, and then Brendan Eckles another
(13:47):
nice game to two tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss,
a quarterback hit and a pass deflection. How about that
from Brandon Necklins.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Absolutely, I mean that pass breakup early on and then
that that second blo he made. It was just an
incredible day for Brandon Eckles, the pass breakup especially, just
he's becoming more and more reliable in coverage, which is
why you were so comfortable, I guess moving on from
Darius Slay and saying we're gonna move forward with the
(14:16):
combination of Eccles and Pierre rather than go with the
guy who just won the Super Bowl Championship. On one
of the best defenses in recent history.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Again, the top storyline yesterday in Week thirteen, Steelers twenty
seven Ravens twenty two was why you bring Aaron Rodgers
into this team? Right, veteran, big game poise, ability to
lead this offense in critical times. It was his first
game in this Steeler raven matchup, and he made it
count yesterday. You can see he had that edge and
he was telling his teammates afterwards, Jacob and he talked
(14:46):
about this in his postgame comments that he was telling everyone,
I've seen this act before in the NFC North, his
Green Bay days. Those are how NFC Mors games have gone,
especially late in the season, cold weather, December, football, key
divisional games, and Rogers showed up yesterday in a big way.
Best game so far as a Steeler, right.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, and one of the most important games that we'll
have on the season. Season, kind of season and division
were kind of on the line here yesterday afternoon, going
into hostile territory on the road in Baltimore, first time ever.
You don't know how he's going to react to that,
how we'll respond, but he did so in a winning fashion.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
He needed this, He needed this game, I.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Think you're I think that's spot on. He needed this,
the offense needed this. It was a much just overall
needed performance by the team to really boost some confidence
heading into the like what, we have four games left
of the season.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Four games to go. Yeah, And it was a big
impact in the AFC North again the Steelers winning twenty
seven to twenty two, because they take sole possession of
first place in the AFC North. It's early December, but
the standings as far as where they sit right now,
they have a one game lead on the Ravens and
they have the tiebreaker and they'll meet him again in
early January to finish out the regular season. And they
(16:00):
also stopped their skit of losing five of their last
seven games as a team, so that was important to him.
We knew last week against the Bills was ugly right.
He had the chanting of fire. Tomlin, you had thenegadewing
of renegade. I mean it might have been the when
we look back at this season, that could be the
lowest point of the season that you'll look back that
game against the Bills. Who give credit to coach Mike
(16:22):
Tomlin and this coaching staff and the players and Aaron Rodgers.
Like I said last week, if you listened to his
sound bites throughout the week, you could tell his Hall
of Fame personality and his leadership in the Shining Row.
It really was. And you know he and he said
yesterday again in his postgame comments, we had a great
week of practice. Now you did not last week against
the Bills. He said the opposite. So obviously they responded
(16:42):
to him after that Bills game when he said, look,
leading up to the Bills game, we had a crappy
week of practice. Players were showing up late, they weren't
in team meetings. Well, this week, everybody showed up on time,
everybody was involved, and everybody bought into what he was
trying to lead, and it resulted in a big AFC
North win. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Huge. And I don't want to sound too up the
mystic here and getting ahead of myself, but now we
understand that Miami has won a lot of games, but
they've only beaten really, really bad teams. And it's not
like the same thing we're seeing in Chicago where the
Bears were legitimate and beating teams, like the Steelers are
going into Philadelphia beating them. I know, they just lost
in the package yesterday. But remember they were down by
(17:19):
two touchdowns in that game. They came back against Screen
Bay on the road in Lambeau. They'll have a shot
to get a revenge later this season when they play
each other in Chicago. But yeah, I don't think it's
gonna be the same case in Miami. We just saw
Cleveland lose to Tennessee yesterday and then the Ravens Silva
played the Bengals. That the Bengals do the Ravens as
solid by beating Baltimore in that game in Cincinnati at
(17:39):
pay Corse Stadium. You can now look at these last
four and say three of four winnable or against Miami,
even though it's on the road at Cleveland and against
Baltimore in Week eighteen. The only one that you can't
say for sure that the Steelers have a shot at
winning is that Detroit game in two weeks.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
The other big moment yesterday to Jacob, the run defense
finally stabilized, right, the Steelers run defense that has been
up and down throughout the season, more more down than up.
Baltimore did not control the game yester year on the
ground that they had in the previous three games against
the Steelers. They had six hundred and forty three yards
rushing in the last three games against the Steelers and
(18:17):
then the big game against Buffalo last week, right setting
a record against the Steelers. So that was all adding
up that this could have been early on in the game,
the Ravens taking things over with Henry on the ground
and Lamar Jackson in company, and they simply did not
allow that to happen. Again, I know they gave up
over two hundred yards total rushing, but those were mainly
on some big splash plays a couple times. For the
(18:39):
most part, they shut him down and the offense answer
to right. The Ravens open up with that field goal,
but Rogers comes right back with that eight play touchdown drive,
the big fifty two yard pass, the DK metcalf. They
had immediate answers all day long to the Ravens. And
again when you look back at these losses, especially against
the Bills last week, in the second half, they didn't
have any answers offensively, they came out and looked worse
(19:00):
than they did the previous series. Yesterday, they did not
do that. They answered in key moments.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Absolutely that that is the key to victory. Right, is
responding when you need to and not kind of showering,
shying away and letting a lead either disappear or letting
that you had, or letting a lead by the other
team grow substantially and and just get so to the
point where you just know the game is gonna be over.
It's it's out of reach for you at that point.
(19:26):
But like you said, they responded when they needed to.
They responded via a touchdown after the Ravens scored a
touchdown in the third quarter. They responded in the fourth
quarter late when their defense needed to step up. Like
I mentioned, two back to back drives of a turnover
on downs fourth down failed conversion. I'm sorry, was it
(19:47):
just just the one? I guess because was the final
play of the game a fourth down play or is
it just second or a third down?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Regardless they fourth, they forced the force.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Fourth down in the end zone after the Isaiah likely
touchdown was overruled, and then the last drive of the game.
Whether regardless of what play it was, they so were
able to sack Lamar Jackson as time expired and end
the game.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Effectively, that was the final play of the game. I
don't know if it was third or fourth down, though
Jacob it was one or the other, but it ended
the game because right there was no time Lefe.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
They came up with the fourth down stop in the
red zone the drive prior, and then they got the
game winning sack and that'll final play of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
The Steeers first four drives yesterday, touchdown, punt, phild goal, touchdown,
not pat halftime, they had the seventeen to nine lead,
and the Steelers in the first half, just looking at
that first half yesterday, more total yards, forty two percent
on third down, two for three in the red zone.
Baltimore forced to abandon what their comfort zone is with
running the football and can no longer just lead on
(20:44):
Derrick Henry in that first half, so they start getting
away from it and getting Lamar trying to make plays
with his arm, and that's not his strength over the years, right,
it's his legs, and he's banged up a little bit,
and that showed, and that continued into the early portions
of the second half. No third quarter letdown like we've
seen the last few weeks. From the Steelers kickoff goes
out of bounce. The Steelers get good field position at
the forty first play of the half, again Rodgers hits
(21:06):
DK deep for forty one yards down to the Baltimore
nineteen yard line, and then Jalen Warren later on in
the quarter a thirty eight yard touchdown reception. Warren untouched
thirty one yards as well. Big pass play later on
from Rogers the Calvin Austin on a third and fifth
at flip field position. The Steelers made these key plays
(21:26):
at key moments when they had to. And you know, afterwards,
Rogers he praised Art Smith, Arthur Smith by saying, once
DK got going, I just had to keep feeding him.
They knew they wanted to get DK out in this game,
and they sure did.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Absolutely. I mean, that's that should be the key moving forward.
It's funny because the last couple of weeks you and
I have been talking about the best player on offense.
We've been saying, oh, it's Jelan Warren, and is Jelan
Warren simply because he produces when he gets the football,
But he also gets the football a lot more than
DK Metcalf was getting. You remember there were games where
DK finished the game with like three catches to catches,
(22:03):
very little yards, and we were thinking to ourselves. What
was the point of bringing this guy in for five
years on a max deal like that if you're not
going to get him involved on offense. Well, here's the
example of what an offense can look like when you
have DK Metcalf on it and you actually get into football.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
And on a side note, Dk, we didn't know this
until this morning, don't know if you notice, he didn't
take the team playing back yesterday. He was having a
stomach pain, so as a precaution, just as a precaution,
the Steelers held him back in Baltimore last night. He's
supposed to fly back here to Pittsburgh today on Monday,
they'll have to reevaluate him here today. I guess he
took a shot late in the game in his abdom
(22:39):
stomach area. Still was able to play and finish out
the game, so that's the good news. But they held
him back as a precaution. He didn't fly home with
the team last night, supposed to come back today. So
we'll get more word on him tomorrow to see if
that'll be an issue as we move forward this week
with DK Metcalf, hopefully not for Steeler Nation. We'll find
out more tomorrow. During the Mike Tomlin weekly press conference.
Some other individual highlights. Speaking of d K two chunk plays,
(23:01):
A fifty two and forty one yards huge yesterday that
changed field position and set the tone for the game.
Jalen warn that big thirty eight yard touchdown catch. He
was reliable once again out of the backfield. Maybe not
so much rushing the football, but a good pass catcher.
And we know his blocking abilities. And how about Calvin Austin,
big thirty one yard third down conversion in this game too,
enstride in stride, good pass by Rogers and Calvin Austin
(23:24):
shows you. You know, Roman Wilson didn't get a hat yesterday.
And you know, hey, look they elevated theeln. They elevated
Valdez Scantling, two veteran receivers, two taller receivers. I think
they start figuring out that they need some height advantages
on this offense. Hence why Roman Wilson didn't get a
hat yesterday, being a shorter receiver with Calvin Austin. You
got to play Austin right. You know, he has shown us,
(23:46):
you know, his size, his speed, his abilities not only
in the offense but also in special teams. He's a
key player on special teams and hence why he got
the look yesterday or continued to get the look and
Roman Wilson didn't. As Thielen steps into this offense, you know,
made a little bit of an impact. Again, a veteran
option out there for Aaron Rodgers and as well as Valdez.
Scantly they don't show up on the stat sheet, but
(24:08):
just having them out there too, veteran options for Aaron Rodgers,
I'm sure settled him into place as well. So again,
as you mentioned, Jacob, the Steelers next up Miami on
Monday Night Football at ACU sure Stadium a week from tonight,
the Dolphins averaging one hundred and ninety two yards rushing
over the last four games. Then they go to Detroit
to face an eight to five lines team which has
the highest scoring offense in the NFL. They'll be inside
(24:30):
in that game in a dome, loud atmosphere, tough place
to play in Detroit, especially as of late with how
good the lines have been. And then they go to
Cleveland to face an elite defense in a late December game,
and then the finale against the Baltimore Ravens, which could
be for the AFC North. We'll have to wait and see.
The Ravens have a couple challenges coming up, right, They
got the Patriots and the Bills on their schedule, so
(24:53):
I'm sorry the Packers. They got the Packers coming up
on their schedule, do the Ravens. So yes, a couple
games for the Ravens. We'll have to see how they
play out. Steelers got to take care of business too
these next few games.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Absolutely, it's crucial. We're here four games left. Like I mentioned,
three of those four games, though, are winnable. Now you
have the chance to say you're the favorite in that
game and rather three of those four games and if
you're seven and six right now, to get the ten
wins we talked about this last week. Ten wins pretty
much locks of the division as a no brainer.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
When Jacob and I come back, we'll get into our
renegade review around the AFC North, AFC and NFL for
Week thirteen. It's victory Monday here on the Steelers Standard.
I am at true. He is Jacob Brect here on
Steeers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Warreners did the wright Rodgers in the shotgun, gets a
snap back to pass Rose to Warn in the right flat,
wide open, scooting down the right sideline pass room. There
is nobody there and he's in for the score. Jail
and Warn a short pass out to the flat and
he goes thirty eight yards in for the touchdown. Welcome
back to the Steelers Standard. I am at Troop alongside
(00:27):
Jacob breckt here on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the
Steelers Audio Network. Yeah, Jacob, you hurt it right there.
That was a huge play in that foot. Lots of
huge plays in that football game yesterday as we recap
it here Week thirteen, Steelers twenty seven, Ravens twenty two.
It's victory Monday. But yeah, a bunch of plays yesterday
that could stand out. We talked about our key turning
point our first segment today with the likely overturned touchdown.
(00:48):
There was also the Rogers play in which he had
the football which the Ravens thought they had stripped and
gotten back in their favor when he had batted in
the air, caught it and tried to make a play happen,
but replay confirmed at his that he was down on
the before the ball was ripped out, so the Steelers
retained possession there. That was a key moment. And then
all these touchdowns. He's long plays from Aaron Rodgers hitting Metcalf,
hitting Austin spreading the field. Big day. Yesterday, eight different
(01:12):
players for the Steelers caught footballs for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now,
they did give Rogers a catch, by the way, on
that he really was on the stats seat for one
catch for one yard, and John new Smith had a
catch for no yards, and Valdez Scantling also had a
catch for no yards. How about that. Valdez Scantling sure
getting involved activated yesterday?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I aga it was his only catch right, just the one.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yep for no yards and also a feeling. Adam Thielen
made his stewer debut yesterday. We're gonna get to all
those stats in a second. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Someone pointed out yesterday if you were to tell a
Steelers fan two years ago, the Steers offense would have
looked like this. Aaron Rodgers, Kenneth Gainwell, John new Smith,
I'm sorry, Marquez, Valdez Scantling, Felin Adam Feeling he came
at CAF. They would have thought you were on drugs.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
It's crazy. It's almost like a few years ago. That's
an all start tame. That's a fantasy football team. A
few years it could have been, and you're probably potentially
winning some games with that lineup. We're gonna get into
our key stats now, Jacob. We're gonna look at total
yards first. The Ravens four hundred and twenty total yards
yesterday to the Steelers three hundred and eighteen, and a
lot of that four to twenty had to do with
the rushing attack two hundred and seventeen yards rushing yesterday
(02:25):
for the Ravens as they averaged five point four yards
per carry. And for the Steelers yesterday, they did not
get things going on the ground with only thirty four
yards rushing, But I will caution you when I say
that they only went seventeen carries for the thirty four yards,
averaged two yards per carry. But it was the passing
game yesterday that was the that was the game plan
for Arthur Smith in this Steeler offense yesterday with Mike Tomlin.
(02:47):
They wanted to attack the Ravens. They must have saw
something during the week on film to know that they
could take these deep shots, go out game momentum early
and it short worked in their favor, especially early on
in this football game.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, definitely, It's just things just seemed to go right
for the Steelers yesterday. They really got lucky. They had
a lot of great plays in their favor, and then
defensively they made like I said earlier, they made this
ops when it mattered most. The ball just never really
got away from them. The game never really got away
from them, despite like we mentioned earlier in our previous segment,
the Ravens having two hundred plus yards of rarning offense,
(03:19):
the Ravens winning because of that. As a result, they
won the time of possession battle as well. But one
thing they didn't win was the sack battle, and one
thing they didn't win it was the turnover battle as well.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
First downs Ravens twenty two to the Steelers thirteen yesterday.
Time of possession, Oh, it's better than last week for
the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, they still had It's hard to be worse than
it was last week.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah, with eighteen minutes in a second, I think last
week against the Bills. This week the Steelers go for
twenty six minutes and sixteen seconds for time of possessions.
Ravens though, more time of possession thirty three minutes and
forty four seconds, so they win that category. Penalty wise,
Steelers uncharacteristic. They had seven penalties, but only thirty three
yards for those seven penalties yesterday, so that's not awful.
(04:02):
Ravens five penalties for thirty nine yards. So the Ravens
win all those KEYCK categories, right, total yards, first downs,
time of possession. They had less penalties than the Steelers.
But here's where the Steelers start winning some categories in
this football game and ultimately results on the scoreboard. Third
down conversions Steelers forty three percent yesterday, not great, but
not horrible either six or fourteen. Ravens meanwhile, seven of
(04:25):
eighteen for thirty nine percent. Eighteen opportunities on third down
and they only converted seven of them. Not bad by
the Steelers defense to hold the Ravens the thirty nine
percent there yesterday.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, under fifty percent, that's what you like to see.
Under forty percent, you like that even more. Eighteen though,
plays that they have to go for and on third down,
that is a lot of drives that nearly stalled out,
and the Steelers give them credit, like you said, got
them off the field, exactly got him off the field
when it mattered.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
One opportunity they did not get them off the field.
And the Steelers have struggled with this all year. Was
fourth downy versions.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Right, I knew that's where you were going next.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Ravens three f yesterday it's seventy five percent. The Steelers
only one fourth down stop. Now, it was key. It
was after the likely overturn touchdown that they that they
stopped them on third and fourth down on those next
two plays. Meanwhile, the Steelers won for one on fourth down.
That was the Connor Heyward sneak push up the middle
early on in the football game. But yeah, you know, John,
we talked about this last week on the Standard as well, Jacob,
(05:19):
you and I did. Historically, John Harball always goes for
it on fourth down. I mean, I'm talking fourth and seven,
fourth and eight. They've always been aggressive on fourth down
and usually results in pretty good results for the Ravens
on fourth down. As far as getting first downs, yesterday
they tried four times three of four to seventy five
percent turnovers. The Ravens had one James Pierre's interception early
(05:42):
in the game. The Steelers no turnovers yesterday, so they
win the turnover battle. And as you already mentioned, the
sacks the Steelers had two yesterday, the Ravens had none.
So they lose total yards, first downs, time of possessions,
and penalties, but they have a better third down conversion
rate for the day. Fourth down kind of a wash.
Ravens were three or four to seventy five percent. Steeers
(06:03):
only went for it for one of one at one
hundred percent turnovers. Though Steelers win the turnover battle no turnovers,
Ravens turnover once and again. Sacks generated two Steelers sacks
on the day, five quarterback hits on the day on
Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, the Steeers offensive line kept Aaron Rodgers clean,
no sacks on the day and only one quarterback hit.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Winning formula winning forms absolutely, especially when your quarterback is
that old like Aaron Rodgers. You got to keep him
up right and you got to make sure you don't
turn the ball over. So the fact that you were
able to do that made it very easy for him
to have, like we said, one of his best days
and as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Looking at the individual stats, now, Derrick Henry twenty five
carries for ninety four yards yesterday, three point eight yards
per carry. Henry almost one hundred yard day. But he
also carried the ball twenty five times to get to
that ninety four yards. I thought the Steeers did a
pretty good job.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yes containing him. He had won that kind of broke
out for like fifteen or twenty toward the end of
the game, right at the middle of the field to
get him to about the fifty yard line, where I thought, okay,
maybe this is where the dan breaks. Because he had that.
It was his first burst of the day. Like I said,
it came late in the fourth quarter. But they did
a good job though overall containing him despite that one play.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Early on in the game. They set the toe with TJ.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Watt that tackle for loss. Yeah, absolutely, I think.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He did it twice. He got to him twice in
the backfield, and he also got to Lamar a couple
times yesterday too. So there's you know, when we go
through the stats defensively, which we'll do here in a
few seconds, Jacob, you know, TJ. Watt's not going to
jump out at you, but if you watch the game yesterday,
you'll see that he did jump out at you. He
made some key plays at key moments with some good
pressures on Jackson, and again, as you said, the tackle
(07:42):
for loss on Henry at the beginning of that game
set the tone for the rest of the time as
far as the Steeers were not going to let Henry
in this rushing offense defeat them as the Bills did
just a week prior. Mitchell six carries for seventy six yards.
He had that big fifty five yard burst that led
to most of that seventy six yards. Lamar yesterday seven
carries for forty three yards and the touchdown, only his
(08:02):
second rushing touchdown of the season. Again, they contained Jackson.
It looked like he was starting to build momentum a
couple different times, especially with the RPOs that he does
so well with Derrick Henry. But the Steeers they bent,
but they didn't break with Jackson or Henry yesterday. Much
like Henry, they did the same with Lamar Jackson. Yes,
he had the big nine yard run at one point,
(08:23):
but other than that, that was his longest run of
the day. Out of those seven carries, nine yards that
was it. But again, the Ravens forty total carries for
two hundred and seventeen yards five point four yards per carries.
When you look at that as a whole, that doesn't
feel too great. But when you break it down statistically
and you're watching the game yesterday, nothing really jumps out
you too much other than that big run that we
saw for Mitchell, and as you said, Henry, with that
(08:45):
one on the other side, not much to talk about
with running the football for the Steelers. Kenny Gamewell four
carries for fifteen yards and a touchdown. Jalen Warren eight
carries for thirteen yards, Caleb Johnson two carries for four yards.
He had a nice five run yard run in the
second half to start things out. He thought, hey, maybe
Caleb Johnson is going to show up now. Only his
other carrying the game didn't go for anything after that.
(09:07):
Aaron Rodgers twice kept the football resolved in no yards again.
The Steelers seventeen carries for thirty four yards yesterday and
just a two yard average throwing the football. Aaron Rodgers
great day twenty three of thirty four, two hundred and
eighty four yards passing, one touchdown, no interceptions, and one
hundred and three passing rating. No sacks on the day
(09:28):
as well. Lamar Jackson nineteen of thirty five for two
hundred and nineteen yards, sacked twice on the day, one touchdown,
one interception, a quarterback rating of seventy one receiving wise,
we talked about it already. Dk Metcalf twelve targets, a
season high for him, seven receptions a season high one
hundred and forty eight yards another season high for dk Metcalf,
(09:51):
including a big fifty two yard reception to open up
the game. No touchdowns, but Jacob he didn't have to yesterday.
Those numbers stood out in a big way. These one
of the numbers that we've been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Our season season high in targets, a season high in receptions,
and his season high in yards. I think we can
live without the touchdowns, considering they still him away with
the victory.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Kenny Gainwell six catches out of the backfield, was second
on the team yesterday for twenty seven yards. Jalen Moore
in three catches for forty nine yards. Friarm Youth two
catches for nine yards. Good to see him back out
there with after a very very limited snap count the
week before against the Bills. Austin Scronic, Washington, theeln they
all add at least one catch on the day. Again,
(10:33):
eight different receivers yesterday for the Steelers with a reception
that resulted in more than one yard. And I say
that because again John new Smith had a catch for
no yards, Valdez Scantling a catch for no yards, and
Aaron Rodgers again on the statute, I guess I should
add him to that and say nine different players because
his one reception did result in a yard or no
negative nine yards actually in the backfield. So yeah, I'll
(10:55):
stand by that statue, Jacob. The eight different players with
at least a yard or more receiving yesterday, that's the
Steelers really doing a good job spreading the football around.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean that's what Aaron Rodgers is capable
of doing. You remember in Green Bay, besides guys like
Jordan Nelson and DeVante Adams, it was always a random
cast of characters at the receivers in tight end positions
for them. But it didn't matter because Aaron Rodgers was
more than capable of distributing the football effectively. And that's
what he's doing here in Pittsburgh this season.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Looking at the Ravens receiving. One player that did have
a day Yesterday's a Flowers. They're talented wide receiver, their speedster.
Eight catches on eleven targets for one hundred and twenty
four yards, but no touchdown. So that's the key moment there.
There were a couple times he was breaking away that
looked like he could take it to the house, but
the Steelers responded by preventing him from getting into the
end zone. He had a big thirty five yard catch
(11:46):
at one point in the game, but again he goes
over one hundred yards likely four catches for twenty five yards.
Notice I didn't say five, I said four. We know
one came back for one touchdown Bateman. There are other
talented receiver opposite side of Flowers out him and check
yesterday only two catches for twenty three yards. And how
about this a Steeler killer. Over the years, Mark Andrews yesterday,
(12:07):
one catch YEP for nine yards. That was it by
Mark Andrews yesterday. There's been games in which him, you know,
and it's not just against the Steelers. Andrews can take
over a football game much like a lot of the
other Kelsey's of the world. Another big talented when Grinkowski
played back in the day. I mean, these guys, and
Andrews is one of them, can really take over a
football game, and yesterday the Steelers prevented that from happening.
(12:28):
Only one catch for nine yards.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, absolutely, But it was the other tight end who
had the bigger day. Isaiah likely still did burn him,
but didn't get two touchdowns, which is what is most important.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Looking at the defensive stats yesterday for the Steelers, leading
the way, Cole Holcombe with eight total tackles. Alex high
Smith had the seven tackles for one sack, three tackles
for losses and two quarterback hits. High Smith big game yesterday.
Patrick Queen, big game yesterday. Only seven tackles on the
stat sheet, but he he was the spy yesterday for
(13:02):
Lamar Jackson and he held Jackson in checks throughout that
game and again made some key tackles, especially late in
that football game to help preserve this win for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. TJ. Watt as I said, also, these stats
won't jump out you. Two Big Jacob six tackles, one
tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, no sacks. But again,
if you watched that game yesterday. Much like Queen TJ.
(13:24):
Watt was in key places at key moments, whether it
was his pressures or making the tackles in the backfield
for the Steelers. James Pierre a good job yesterday as well,
opposite side of Joey Porter Junior five tackles, one interception
in the first half, two pass deflections, Peyton Wilson with
five tackles, Cam Hayward with five tackles, Joey Porter Junior
four tackles, a pass deflection, and then Brendan Eckles another
(13:47):
nice game to two tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss,
a quarterback hit and a pass deflection. How about that
from Brandon Necklins.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Absolutely, I mean that pass breakup early on and then
that that second blo he made. It was just an
incredible day for Brandon Eckles, the pass breakup especially, just
he's becoming more and more reliable in coverage, which is
why you were so comfortable, I guess moving on from
Darius Slay and saying we're gonna move forward with the
(14:16):
combination of Eccles and Pierre rather than go with the
guy who just won the Super Bowl Championship. On one
of the best defenses in recent history.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Again, the top storyline yesterday in Week thirteen, Steelers twenty
seven Ravens twenty two was why you bring Aaron Rodgers
into this team? Right, veteran, big game poise, ability to
lead this offense in critical times. It was his first
game in this Steeler raven matchup, and he made it
count yesterday. You can see he had that edge and
he was telling his teammates afterwards, Jacob and he talked
(14:46):
about this in his postgame comments that he was telling everyone,
I've seen this act before in the NFC North, his
Green Bay days. Those are how NFC Mors games have gone,
especially late in the season, cold weather, December, football, key
divisional games, and Rogers showed up yesterday in a big way.
Best game so far as a Steeler, right.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, and one of the most important games that we'll
have on the season. Season, kind of season and division
were kind of on the line here yesterday afternoon, going
into hostile territory on the road in Baltimore, first time ever.
You don't know how he's going to react to that,
how we'll respond, but he did so in a winning fashion.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
He needed this, He needed this game, I.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Think you're I think that's spot on. He needed this,
the offense needed this. It was a much just overall
needed performance by the team to really boost some confidence
heading into the like what, we have four games left
of the season.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Four games to go. Yeah, And it was a big
impact in the AFC North again the Steelers winning twenty
seven to twenty two, because they take sole possession of
first place in the AFC North. It's early December, but
the standings as far as where they sit right now,
they have a one game lead on the Ravens and
they have the tiebreaker and they'll meet him again in
early January to finish out the regular season. And they
(16:00):
also stopped their skit of losing five of their last
seven games as a team, so that was important to him.
We knew last week against the Bills was ugly right.
He had the chanting of fire. Tomlin, you had thenegadewing
of renegade. I mean it might have been the when
we look back at this season, that could be the
lowest point of the season that you'll look back that
game against the Bills. Who give credit to coach Mike
(16:22):
Tomlin and this coaching staff and the players and Aaron Rodgers.
Like I said last week, if you listened to his
sound bites throughout the week, you could tell his Hall
of Fame personality and his leadership in the Shining Row.
It really was. And you know he and he said
yesterday again in his postgame comments, we had a great
week of practice. Now you did not last week against
the Bills. He said the opposite. So obviously they responded
(16:42):
to him after that Bills game when he said, look,
leading up to the Bills game, we had a crappy
week of practice. Players were showing up late, they weren't
in team meetings. Well, this week, everybody showed up on time,
everybody was involved, and everybody bought into what he was
trying to lead, and it resulted in a big AFC
North win. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Huge. And I don't want to sound too up the
mystic here and getting ahead of myself, but now we
understand that Miami has won a lot of games, but
they've only beaten really, really bad teams. And it's not
like the same thing we're seeing in Chicago where the
Bears were legitimate and beating teams, like the Steelers are
going into Philadelphia beating them. I know, they just lost
in the package yesterday. But remember they were down by
(17:19):
two touchdowns in that game. They came back against Screen
Bay on the road in Lambeau. They'll have a shot
to get a revenge later this season when they play
each other in Chicago. But yeah, I don't think it's
gonna be the same case in Miami. We just saw
Cleveland lose to Tennessee yesterday and then the Ravens Silva
played the Bengals. That the Bengals do the Ravens as
solid by beating Baltimore in that game in Cincinnati at
(17:39):
pay Corse Stadium. You can now look at these last
four and say three of four winnable or against Miami,
even though it's on the road at Cleveland and against
Baltimore in Week eighteen. The only one that you can't
say for sure that the Steelers have a shot at
winning is that Detroit game in two weeks.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
The other big moment yesterday to Jacob, the run defense
finally stabilized, right, the Steelers run defense that has been
up and down throughout the season, more more down than up.
Baltimore did not control the game yester year on the
ground that they had in the previous three games against
the Steelers. They had six hundred and forty three yards
rushing in the last three games against the Steelers and
(18:17):
then the big game against Buffalo last week, right setting
a record against the Steelers. So that was all adding
up that this could have been early on in the game,
the Ravens taking things over with Henry on the ground
and Lamar Jackson in company, and they simply did not
allow that to happen. Again, I know they gave up
over two hundred yards total rushing, but those were mainly
on some big splash plays a couple times. For the
(18:39):
most part, they shut him down and the offense answer
to right. The Ravens open up with that field goal,
but Rogers comes right back with that eight play touchdown drive,
the big fifty two yard pass, the DK metcalf. They
had immediate answers all day long to the Ravens. And
again when you look back at these losses, especially against
the Bills last week, in the second half, they didn't
have any answers offensively, they came out and looked worse
(19:00):
than they did the previous series. Yesterday, they did not
do that. They answered in key moments.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Absolutely that that is the key to victory. Right, is
responding when you need to and not kind of showering,
shying away and letting a lead either disappear or letting
that you had, or letting a lead by the other
team grow substantially and and just get so to the
point where you just know the game is gonna be over.
It's it's out of reach for you at that point.
(19:26):
But like you said, they responded when they needed to.
They responded via a touchdown after the Ravens scored a
touchdown in the third quarter. They responded in the fourth
quarter late when their defense needed to step up. Like
I mentioned, two back to back drives of a turnover
on downs fourth down failed conversion. I'm sorry, was it
(19:47):
just just the one? I guess because was the final
play of the game a fourth down play or is
it just second or a third down?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Regardless they fourth, they forced the force.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Fourth down in the end zone after the Isaiah likely
touchdown was overruled, and then the last drive of the game.
Whether regardless of what play it was, they so were
able to sack Lamar Jackson as time expired and end
the game.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Effectively, that was the final play of the game. I
don't know if it was third or fourth down, though
Jacob it was one or the other, but it ended
the game because right there was no time Lefe.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
They came up with the fourth down stop in the
red zone the drive prior, and then they got the
game winning sack and that'll final play of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
The Steeers first four drives yesterday, touchdown, punt, phild goal, touchdown,
not pat halftime, they had the seventeen to nine lead,
and the Steelers in the first half, just looking at
that first half yesterday, more total yards, forty two percent
on third down, two for three in the red zone.
Baltimore forced to abandon what their comfort zone is with
running the football and can no longer just lead on
(20:44):
Derrick Henry in that first half, so they start getting
away from it and getting Lamar trying to make plays
with his arm, and that's not his strength over the years, right,
it's his legs, and he's banged up a little bit,
and that showed, and that continued into the early portions
of the second half. No third quarter letdown like we've
seen the last few weeks. From the Steelers kickoff goes
out of bounce. The Steelers get good field position at
the forty first play of the half, again Rodgers hits
(21:06):
DK deep for forty one yards down to the Baltimore
nineteen yard line, and then Jalen Warren later on in
the quarter a thirty eight yard touchdown reception. Warren untouched
thirty one yards as well. Big pass play later on
from Rogers the Calvin Austin on a third and fifth
at flip field position. The Steelers made these key plays
(21:26):
at key moments when they had to. And you know, afterwards,
Rogers he praised Art Smith, Arthur Smith by saying, once
DK got going, I just had to keep feeding him.
They knew they wanted to get DK out in this game,
and they sure did.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Absolutely. I mean, that's that should be the key moving forward.
It's funny because the last couple of weeks you and
I have been talking about the best player on offense.
We've been saying, oh, it's Jelan Warren, and is Jelan
Warren simply because he produces when he gets the football,
But he also gets the football a lot more than
DK Metcalf was getting. You remember there were games where
DK finished the game with like three catches to catches,
(22:03):
very little yards, and we were thinking to ourselves. What
was the point of bringing this guy in for five
years on a max deal like that if you're not
going to get him involved on offense. Well, here's the
example of what an offense can look like when you
have DK Metcalf on it and you actually get into football.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
And on a side note, Dk, we didn't know this
until this morning, don't know if you notice, he didn't
take the team playing back yesterday. He was having a
stomach pain, so as a precaution, just as a precaution,
the Steelers held him back in Baltimore last night. He's
supposed to fly back here to Pittsburgh today on Monday,
they'll have to reevaluate him here today. I guess he
took a shot late in the game in his abdom
(22:39):
stomach area. Still was able to play and finish out
the game, so that's the good news. But they held
him back as a precaution. He didn't fly home with
the team last night, supposed to come back today. So
we'll get more word on him tomorrow to see if
that'll be an issue as we move forward this week
with DK Metcalf, hopefully not for Steeler Nation. We'll find
out more tomorrow. During the Mike Tomlin weekly press conference.
Some other individual highlights. Speaking of d K two chunk plays,
(23:01):
A fifty two and forty one yards huge yesterday that
changed field position and set the tone for the game.
Jalen warn that big thirty eight yard touchdown catch. He
was reliable once again out of the backfield. Maybe not
so much rushing the football, but a good pass catcher.
And we know his blocking abilities. And how about Calvin Austin,
big thirty one yard third down conversion in this game too,
enstride in stride, good pass by Rogers and Calvin Austin
(23:24):
shows you. You know, Roman Wilson didn't get a hat yesterday.
And you know, hey, look they elevated theeln. They elevated
Valdez Scantling, two veteran receivers, two taller receivers. I think
they start figuring out that they need some height advantages
on this offense. Hence why Roman Wilson didn't get a
hat yesterday, being a shorter receiver with Calvin Austin. You
got to play Austin right. You know, he has shown us,
(23:46):
you know, his size, his speed, his abilities not only
in the offense but also in special teams. He's a
key player on special teams and hence why he got
the look yesterday or continued to get the look and
Roman Wilson didn't. As Thielen steps into this offense, you know,
made a little bit of an impact. Again, a veteran
option out there for Aaron Rodgers and as well as Valdez.
Scantly they don't show up on the stat sheet, but
(24:08):
just having them out there too, veteran options for Aaron Rodgers,
I'm sure settled him into place as well. So again,
as you mentioned, Jacob, the Steelers next up Miami on
Monday Night Football at ACU sure Stadium a week from tonight,
the Dolphins averaging one hundred and ninety two yards rushing
over the last four games. Then they go to Detroit
to face an eight to five lines team which has
the highest scoring offense in the NFL. They'll be inside
(24:30):
in that game in a dome, loud atmosphere, tough place
to play in Detroit, especially as of late with how
good the lines have been. And then they go to
Cleveland to face an elite defense in a late December game,
and then the finale against the Baltimore Ravens, which could
be for the AFC North. We'll have to wait and see.
The Ravens have a couple challenges coming up, right, They
got the Patriots and the Bills on their schedule, so
(24:53):
I'm sorry the Packers. They got the Packers coming up
on their schedule, do the Ravens. So yes, a couple
games for the Ravens. We'll have to see how they
play out. Steelers got to take care of business too
these next few games.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Absolutely, it's crucial. We're here four games left. Like I mentioned,
three of those four games, though, are winnable. Now you
have the chance to say you're the favorite in that
game and rather three of those four games and if
you're seven and six right now, to get the ten
wins we talked about this last week. Ten wins pretty
much locks of the division as a no brainer.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
When Jacob and I come back, we'll get into our
renegade review around the AFC North, AFC and NFL for
Week thirteen. It's victory Monday here on the Steelers Standard.
I am at true. He is Jacob Brect here on
Steeers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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