August 18, 2025 • 27 mins
Ed and Tom talk about some milestones coming up this year in Steelers franchise history and get into some X factors for both sides of the ball.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
This is the Steelers Standard with Ed Troop and Tom
Offerman on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network. Tom,
we're halfway more than halfway through the calendar year here
in twenty twenty five, but for football purposes, we're just
starting the twenty twenty five football season and this year will.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Mark, which really means the year just started. It's quite
honest with you, because doesn't really matter when football's not played.
D Well, there was baseball. We don't talk about that,
and I'm sorry, I just throw up. We don't talk
about that in this town.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
But football's all that matters in this in the world, really,
So you gotta have some hockey people out there. But
I'm with you, man, it's Steelers season, baby, asy. As
soon as they step onto that grass at Saint Vincent College,
that's when everything officially.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Pupils, dilate a little bit more. The hair stands up
on the back of your neck a little bit. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
If you notice, the last couple of mornings have been
a little cooler out too. It's getting darker earlier. We're
getting there.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Everything is starting to come together.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Go go pick some apples, and no, no, no, we
don't pick the apples.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
No, we watched the football. We don't pick the apples.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Oh, until you're married and you get pulled into that.
Let's talk about some milestones coming up. The twentieth anniversary
of Super Bowl forty. That was in two thousand and five. Damn,
just this past weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Now I'm feeling old, Like this is one of my
first moments of the you know, like you feel old
moments in life, Dude, I was eleven years old when
that happened.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I just got married two years after that, but I
was with my wife wife. That was the first super
Bowl I watched with my now wife. There.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
See, like you have the experience of seeing Super Bowls
as an adult, and I don't have that yet. Because
I saw my wins. Look at me, my wins. I
got my wins as an eleven year old, and then
it was a couple of years later, right, so thirteen,
which is cool, don't get me wrong, because that's like
the prime of sports fandom coming into your own, right, Like,
(01:53):
that's when you discover yourself as a sports fan and
you can really kind of start following it for real.
So I'm so free and blessed that I got to
see my favorite team win to zuer Bowls, go to
another then. But I do want to see it now
from this perspective of that adulthood perspective.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes, because you didn't have to go through your childhood
and teenage years.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Like I did, depressed, depressed to the.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Fact that I had friends that didn't even go to
school in high school. They didn't even go to school.
After the Steelers lost Super Bowl thirty, We'll get to
that one in a second, but let's talk about Super
Bowl forty. Yes, this is the twentieth anniversary. Just this
past weekend, they started a year long exhibit at the
Hall of Honor celebrating Super Bowl forty. In that run,
it was in vel. I think Art Rooney the second
was there, Big Bend was there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, really cool.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
The historic run. They were the sixth seed that year
and they were the first sixth seed to do that.
That went three straight road games. They beat Cincinnati, Indianapolis,
Denver before beating Seattle twenty one to ten. It was
the promise made to Jerome Bettis from the previous season
from Hines Ward come back Bussy one more season one
for the Thumb. That was such a historic run. It
(02:57):
started in Cincinnati when Carson palmerre get it's injured by
chemo Ahoffen to start the game right to remember that play,
and it was a big dramatic thing that he was
out and the Steelers man that started that run. And
then they go into Indianapolis the falling week they beat
Peyton Manning. Of course, the fumble by Jerome bettis the
big carper like two days ago. If Big Ben does
(03:20):
not make that ankle tackle, we're not even talking about
this right now, right the game's over. And then they
go into Denver, and Denver never had a chance at
that point. Joey Porter got shot in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
J was up Jake the Snake Plumber. But shout out
to Jake the snak Plumber for taking out Brady in
that playoff run, because Denver took out the Patriots in
that round beforehand. And I'm not saying the Steelers couldn't
have beaten them, but I'm glad that we didn't have
to go through them, ed, So shout out shout out
to Jake Plumber on that one and doing our dirty
work up in Foxboro there.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I think one of the coolest parts about that run.
And I agree we didn't want anything to do with
Tom Brady.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We'll take Ja Plumber. Absolutely was.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
The Steelers had lost to the Colts during the regular
season on a Monday night. They not only lost, they got.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
A bad way. They got and ed. The Bengals to
that year were good. Their offense was great. Hushman Zada,
Chad Johnson. That might have even been before Ocho Senko
when he was really becoming into Arizona as an all Pro.
Carson Palmer was a stud like and they were talking.
I didn't think they were were gonna win that game.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That was the terrible tale that that they told wiped off.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So many teams have done that. But yeah, I think so,
Hushman Zada, I think is the on that. Yeah, but
I didn't think they were gonna win that game. Like
I thought that your in Cincinnati. I was like, this
is not gonna go. Well. The Bengals are good good
this year. And I remember too, if I'm not mistaken,
that that Colts team went on a really hot run
at the beginning of the year that season. They were
undefeated for a while, and I think the Bengals might
(04:45):
have been the first team to pick them off. I
could be mistaken in that. All I know is the
Bengals had a lot of momentum and it was stuffed
out by Keimo von Olhoffen on that play first play.
But they were good. Colts were the best team in
the league that year. Like I know, technically we were
because we won the championship, but heading into the playoffs,
that was the team to beat. That was the crown
(05:06):
jewel of the NFL in that season. So to go
on the road and beat them in that playoff game
was that that to me? I know, the Super Bowl
and beating Denver in thestume that was the biggest win,
no doubt on that run, the most important game for them.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
So so such in a dramatic way too. And when
they played during the regular season, they dominated them on
that Monday night game and the Steelers were the old
fashioned Bill Cower run hard, right, un run, run, run
on offense, then set up the pass with Big Ben.
But they came out in that playoff game throwing I'll
never forget the first couple they threw the Heath Miller
the tight end. They went to Heath repeatedly and it worked,
(05:41):
it worked.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And they just salted the rest of the game. Away
or they did, they tried to, and then it got
a little harry down the stretch there. But yeah, like
I remember the palam Allo interception that wasn't but it
was so clearly an interception that should have ended the game,
should have been it. Yeah, but without having to go
through the vander Jack missfield goal. There's just so many
different wrinkles in that in that game that I will
(06:04):
just never forget. Such a such a remarkable run that
the team went on. You mentioned that they were the
first sixth seed to go on the road and make
it to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl.
Do you know who the second one was? I do not,
mister Aaron Rodgers is Green Bay Packer.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
They beat the Steeler here, they beat the Steers Steelers.
I'm gonna forget that, Mike.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
They were a sixth seed and went on the road
in all three NFC games.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Boy, and now he's here in the NFL full circle
in the NFL. Yeah, this is the twentieth anniversary of
Super Bowl forty. They'll be celebrated, as we said in
the Hall of Honor. Here's another one, the thirtieth anniversary
of Super Bowl thirty in nineteen ninety six. Bill Cowers
team AFC Central winner in nineteen ninety two, his first
(06:46):
season as coach. They lose a wild card game at
Kansas City in nineteen ninety three, then a horrible AFC
Championship loss in nineteen ninety four to three River Stadium
to the Chargers, and then there was nineteen ninety five.
They get the hell Mary win over the Colts in
a dramatic fashion, dramatic fashion. Everybody's crying, Bill Cowers crying.
The entire city of Pittsburgh is crying. They go to
(07:06):
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Did you think they caught it? Jim Harbazz, He absolutely
thought it was good.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That was the call. That was the they scored the
NBC broadcast. It was Dick Edinburgh, I believe, and Dick
saying he caught it, he caught the ball, and then
you hear I think it was Phil Simms coming at
the end of the call saying no, he didn't, he
didn't catch it. The Steelers won.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Dramatic fashion, in god because there's no replay back then,
so like, oh thank god, they called it right on
the field. When you see the replay though, it's clear
he did not catch it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And here is another little factoid for you, Tom that
not a lot of people know the Colts were trying
to put that game away when they had the lead
late in the fourth quarter, and if they pick up
a first down, it's like, I think it's a third
in one play. If they pick up a first down,
the game's over. Then they're gonna run out the clock
and they're gonna win. Willie Williams, the corner comes in
on a corner blitz and trips up the running back
(07:52):
in the backfield and he's short of the first down
and they got to give the ball back to the Steelers.
After the game, Willy Williams said, that wasn't he That
was the wrong play call. That was the wrong defensive
play call. He was not supposed to blitze off the
quarter and boy, Steeler Nation's glad he did because if
he does not make that tackle in the backfield, they
potentially get a first out and that game's over.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
So you're what you're saying this, I don't know if
this is what you mean or not, but like so,
it was not like an instinctual thing where he was
like I'm just gonna go blitz here. I'm gonna go
on my Troy Polamalu game. He misheard what he was
supposed to do and failed the task successfully. That's great.
It's awesome too that he was willing to come out
and be like I did the wrong thing there instead,
(08:32):
because some guy could just be like, I just knew,
you know what I mean, Like I sniffed it out,
I knew that that was gonna be the play and
I blew it up. I'm great. He was like, I
was doing the wrong thing, and thank god the ball
just kind of landed in my lap right in front
of me, because war we would have been screwed.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And on the Steeler go ahead drive in that ninety
five ABC Championship game against the Colts, they faced a
fourth and three that they they faced on that drive
they had to keep the drive going, and the year
prior that was that was the theme. It was fourth,
fourth down and goal from the three yard line when
Neil O'Donnell tried to hit Barry Foster in the back
of the end zone against the Chargers and Dennis Gibson
(09:07):
knocked down the pass and they were upset. They didn't
go on to the Super Bowl that year, but fourth
and three they were able to convert on it. I
think it was Andre Hastings and one of the Steelers
wide receivers that caught the ball and the rest is history.
They go down Bam, Morse puts in the touchdown, they
take the twenty to sixteen lead, and then they knock
down the hell MARYA.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
The beautiful thing about this Super Bowl and remembering super
Bowl thirty and it's twenty five or was it thirty
year anniversary of it right now, we don't have to
do that as the Steelers organization because you have six rings.
Some organizations might be like, will really honor the year
that we got to the super Bowl but just fell
a little bit short, And you're right, like the AFC
Championship game, that was the beautiful part of it, because
(09:44):
you obviously lose the Super Bowl. With an organization like
the Steelers were greedy, right, we'd be like, yeah, super
Bowl thirty happened thirty years ago. Whatever he really cared
you're going to talk about it doesn't matter. That Cowboys
team was loaded obviously, and I was two years old.
I don't remember it, but I mean I remember going
back and kind of seeing what happened in the game.
Cowboys team was loaded Dion Sanders. They had a chance
(10:05):
if Neil o'donnald played a better game, if he was
just more buttoned up, didn't throw those interceptions, two interceptions,
and they rallied too before he threw the second interception.
So like that Cowboys team was really good that year,
but the Steelers were no slash like they could play
with them. They just you turn them all over in
the Super Bowl edge You're just not gonna win.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
One of the cool things for me, and I was
fifteen at the time, that was my first Steelers You
lost when you were in high school.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I won mine. Yeah, you won your one line, buddy.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But well, here's the other thing. I thought I had
jinked Steeler Nation because I was born on my birthday's
February twentieth, nineteen eighty. The Steelers won their last Super Bowl, number.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Four since came onto the Earth.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Well, they won their fourth Super Bowl in January twentieth,
nineteen eighty, so a month later, and I chased them right.
But during that Super Bowl, I'll never forget one of
the coolest things that I remember seeing on the end
I believe NBC broadcast of the game, was when they
had hit Yancey Thigpen on a touchdown rip before halftime.
I think they make a thirteen to seven at half,
and that really gone back into the game, got them
the momentum going into the half. I'm Lockerley got off
(11:00):
the mat. Yeah, there was a stat that came up
on the screen that said first Steeler Super Bowl touchdown
by a wide receiver since Lynn Swanners. Yeah right, and
I remember thinking to myself, Oh my goodness, we have arrived.
Here we are baby, let's back, let's go.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
We're but Kings are back where they belong a.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Little bit more dramatic is another fiftieth anniversary. We just
celebrated this past football season, the fiftieth anniversary of the Steelers'
first Super Bowl team and Super Bowl nine back in
nineteen oh.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
When you go back to back, then I guess the
next year's another fiftieth. Huh. There you go. It is.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Ironically, we were just talking about the Cowboys that was
against the Cowboys, the Super Bowl ten team in January
of nineteen seventy six, but it was the seventy five
team that won Super Bowl ten. This will mark the
fiftieth anniversary. That's Bradshaw, frank O Harris Me and Joe Green,
Jack Lambert, the Steel Curtain defense. That was a big
win against Dallas twenty one to seventeen. It was the
second of four Super Bowl wins during the nineteen seventies. Tom,
(11:55):
but they went back to back twice during the seventies.
This was the first time. And a lot of those guys,
or a lot of them have left us unfortunately, but
a lot of them are still around. I know I
talked to Mel Blunt not too long ago, and you know,
he was excited about Super Bowl nine, but he was
even more excited about this Super Bowl ten team because
it was the second Steeler Super Bowl during that timeframe.
(12:15):
We knew what happened. Just a couple of years later,
they went back to back a second time.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yeah, and the start of really the biggest Super Bowl rivalry.
And I can just cite the fact that it's the
most frequently played matchup in Super Bowl history. They're the
only teams that have met three times in the Big Game,
Dallas and Pittsburgh. And that was the start of it
all two to one Pittsburgh. Of course, if you're keeping scores,
I have to make sure about that. A lot of
(12:40):
teams there's a ton of teams that have met twice,
like the Dolphins in Washington, Patriots and Eagles, Patriots and Giants,
you know what I mean, Like there's a lot of
those Patriots. Patriots and Patriot, there's a lot of Patriots
on there. But yeah, just such a such a start
of something historic between those two franchises, between those two
kind of cornerstones of the NFL there, and I mean
(13:05):
really the establishment of the Steelers being the team now
back then, you know what I mean, Like, Steelers are
so bad for years and years and years before me
and Joe Green got there and things turned around in
the seventies, and then you win that first Super Bowl
and it's like, Okay, you're a real team. Now you've arrived.
Then you win that second super Bowl and it's like,
oh crap, you kind of run this thing now, don't you.
And then a couple of years later you go back
(13:26):
to back again and it's like, yeah, you undoubtedly run
this thing.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
So it is hard to believe, you know, and especially
for you know, the older listeners, our parents generation. And
I use that lightly with you because my goodness, I'm
I'm I can't be your parent, But I'm not.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Far from it, not far from the old man.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
But the fiftieth anniversary is remarkable. And then the thirtieth
anniversary of Super Bowl thirty. For a lot of us
listening out there, that was our first taste at a
super Bowl. And then the twentieth of the first win
in the One for the Thumb. These are mouses that
are going to start hitting out.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
These bare us been of riches. This franchise provides you.
We have three, well really two that you're going to
focus on, the winning ones twenty and the fiftieth, but
three milestones in the same season that have to do
with getting into a super Bowl. There's four or five
teams that have never even played in the damn Super Bowl. Ed,
it's never even got there. You're so looking born as
Steeler fans, we were born into it. It's lucky. But
(14:20):
you're spoiled, man, you are. You're spoiled as a Steeler fan.
This team spoils the hell out of you in a
good way.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Tom, It's time to get those metal lunch boxes out.
I have some Steelers food for thought for you, okay,
and this week we're gonna talk from Steelers food for
Thought about x factors for the twenty twenty five season.
I know you're excited. You love your X factors, right,
I am just.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Thinking about food now, thinking about like what are we compared?
Maybe make players a piece of food on a on
a plate.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
No, we're just we're just working. Like the off thought
like some food for.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
The offensive line is the meat and potatoes of the team.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Like that, that's good? Continue on, I know what you
it's the dessert. The corners that can desert are not
supposed to?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Maybe or is that cherry on top of somebody like
a Jalen Ramsey that comes in and just makes it
everything extra sweet?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
There you go. I like that part. But did you
bring your metal lunch pal You know what I mean?
You're in the steel mill.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I never had metal lunch pails. I did have a
lunch box I think at some point, but it really
turned fast ed into brown paper bag. I mean that
was just the way to bring your lunch. I was
a by lunch kid too, like I would buy from
the school cafeteria a lot of times too.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I have a fourteen and eleven year old and they're split.
The older one buys, the younger one still takes. So
I was with you. I always bought, I always.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, and high school it was all brown paper bag
though if I took.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
You are taking any of those Like Transformer.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Didn't have the Ghostbuster lunch box.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Now, offensive X factors this season, we already talked about
Aaron Rodgers staying healthy, being positive again. We're in a
honeymoon period right now. Jalen Warren, the rookie, Caleb Johnson
being that two headed monster, the tight end room, the
number two wide receiver, the offensive line. To me, that
those are all your X factors for a successful season,
(15:59):
and let's to a successful season here in twenty twenty five.
You know, win the division outstanding. We love that Ravens.
That's gonna be hard, but just make the playoffs and
win a playoff game. The franchise has not won a
playoff game since twenty sixteen.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, that's success to me.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
That's a successful season for me and all those guys
I just mentioned On offense, in my opinion, are X
factors that are gonna lead them there.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Yeah, no doubt. I'll give you a couple more too.
I think the big X factors are those tackles. I
think that they don't do really much or are able
to do much with some of those other guys that
you listed if the tackles are kind of blowing everything
up and they can't get protection or they can't get
good run blocking. So I think they're definitely factoring into
this equation. I don't know why, but I think Kenneth
(16:41):
Ganwell is a big X factor. I think Kenneth Ganiwell
is going to have just again, not every down back
kind of impact, not a guy that's going to be,
you know, like a Fantasy Football All Star, But I
just think that the dude is going to have a
couple of games here there where you're just gonna be
sitting back on the post game or you're gonna be
having a couple of cold ones and reminiscing on that
(17:03):
great Steelers victory that you just saw unfold and be
like Man fourteen was everywhere in that game. He was
catching balls out of the backfield, He had a couple
of nice runs out of note and like a nice
draw that he took for like fifteen yards, got the
ball in the ends. Like he was just a menace.
And I just for some reason, I can't not wrap
(17:23):
my head around him having such a great impact last year,
the third running back, Cordill Patterson got on my nerves
so damn much he wanted to pull my hair out.
This year, I I look at Kenneth Gainwell on a
different light. I think that he's gonna be a big
time factor on this offense, a big contributor.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
They need him to be that key third down running back.
If that can pick up the blitz, help protect Rogers
in addition to those tackles, and as you said, be
an impact in the passing game out of the backfield.
And for everything we saw him do in Philadelphia with
the Eagles, I agree with you. I think he can
be that guy that's a great X factor for the
Steelers on offense. Whoever that number two wide receiver is
opposite side of DK Metcalf. Maybe it's Roman Wilson, maybe
(18:00):
it's a Scottie Miller. Maybe Robert Woods pops in there.
Maybe they still make a move to get that other
second wide receiver. What you said earlier in our shows
today ed about Robert Woods, I'm not there. That wasn't
a quote from you. You didn't go Robert Woods. I
I'm gonna do it now though, because I'm trying to
be nice.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I'm open to it, though, man like, I don't think
he has to make this team. I really don't. I
really would be more on board with the Johnson a
Brandon Johnson, a younger guy getting a shot. Ed. You
have enough special teamers, you have enough big bodies. You
don't need that one at wide receiver, at tight end,
you don't need Robert Woods. And then to your point,
(18:38):
you have enough leadership too with the kicka you.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Just don't need them, and you don't need that receiver
that's going to only give you thirty catches for two
hundred some yards and maybe a touchdown. Like, I don't
need that in my number two receives. I'd rather these
younger guys.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Sure, he play special teams, but I think a younger
guy can be more of an impact on special teams.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
And I'd rather see a younger guy that opposite side
wide receiver put up those type of statistics because you
know there's upside with him down the road. Robert Woods
is towards the end.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Of his last gasp.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Let's talk about X factors on defense this year. TJ.
Watt is probably your biggest Again, I said, it doesn't
take a football genius. Earlier in one of our segments
that Aaron Rodgers needs to see Watt a huge limb
with TJ. Watt. He has to be your X factor
on defense. But here, here, here's the thing that let's
let's pivot a little bit on the TJ Watt talk.
(19:27):
We were talking earlier about moving him around, giving him
different looks. That's probably more the key now and now
you have the defensive players in and around a TJ.
Watt that you can maneuver him a little bit and
actually do what you've wanted to do the last couple
of seasons because they were weaker on the defensive line,
weaker in the secondary, they could really do that. Now
this year they'll be able to move TJ around and
let him be more of an X factor and more
(19:48):
of an impact player.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yes to all that, I think X factor in general
can be applied to that just entire ed rushing room
because that's where the team that's the life blood of
the defense, of the engine of the defense, and the
sack numbers haven't been good the past couple of years,
especially last year, you got to get towards the top,
if not the top of the league again there, So
(20:10):
I think that whole room is a collective and how
they move them around, as you were mentioning, especially with Watt,
I think that's a big key. High Smith's been hurt
through this whole preseason process. He knows what time it
is when it's it's regular season. I'm not worried about
him as long as he gets healthy. Her Big come
up a little bit gimpy on the hamstring in the
game against Tampa, but they seem to be really downplaying
(20:33):
that one. Ed Mike Tomlin didn't even mention it at
the podium when he did his first initial injury report.
He had to be asked about him, and he's like, yeah,
there's nothing to worry about. So I wonder if it
was more like a ah, like a cramp or something like that,
and they were just like you're done, Like that's it.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
They're not going to mess around.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
But you noticed her Big in that game, like right
away the first possession, he was an animal, just attacking
the quarterback, making Bridgewater flush out and have to throw
the ball. So I think that whole edge rushing room
in general can be a big X factor on the defense,
and the other.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
X factor is producing turnovers. Again, I think that's another
area that this defense. You mentioned the sack numbers that
they got to get the.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Turnovers up to. They were good last year at turnovers,
like that's the thing about them, Like they were good
in that aspect, but the sacks were just so far
behind what they're used to. They forced the hell of
a lot of fun. I mean tej Want led the
league in forced fumbles last year. Like they were still
getting the ball out, they were getting interceptions. It just
wasn't on or it wasn't In addition to a team
(21:34):
that gets to the quarterback a lot and sacks the
quarterback a lot, that was kind of I think the
missing piece there and it's so big this year. I
think Peyton Wilson's a big X factor on the defense.
I think that he is a confident young man and
he has to really become that player that I think
the Steelers saw his potential being when they drafted him
(21:56):
a couple of years ago in the fourth round, taking
a bit of a risk with his injury history. You know,
there's a ceiling on this guy that could be a
pro bowler and he's got the talent to do so.
And so far, ed the biggest question was his durability
and he's never missed a snap for the Steelers, so,
like the NFL good as far as that's concerned. I
just keep gravitating towards him as far as again, I'm
(22:17):
not splitting an at him here, but that's kind of
my obvious breakout candidate on this defensive So well, it's
hard to find breakout candidates though, because they're all already
broke out, most of them, and sure the rookies, I guess,
but they all have to break out.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
So but that was the biggest thing about Peyton Wilson
when they drafted him last season. Could he stay healthy?
Could he be that guy? And man, he's fine. He
looked the role last year and so far he looks
to be the role now as the starter inside linebacker
opposite Patrick.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
And I'll throw HLKM in there too, like that Wilson
hulk them tandem rotatum. I don't think it'll be much
of a tandem, much of a rotation, but holkme, we're
going to play. And if God forbid, Wilson does come
up a little as to miss a couple of games,
you're fine with your depth there. Williamson actually brought up
a good point when we were doing the pregame show
on DVE when it comes to the inside linebackers, is
(23:06):
there a point where you get so comfortable as the
Steelers and Peyton Wilson that you take the green dot
from Patrick Queen. And I don't mean that in a
bad way. Give it to Wilson. Let Wilson be the quarterback,
let him kind of be like the guy who dictates
everything the car, and then just tell Queen to be
that heat seeking Just be the guy. Just go fly
around the field, don't think, text the pressure, don't have
(23:27):
to think. And again, Queen can do it. Queen can
be the quarterback and the play caller of the defense
and communicate to everybody. But maybe you just decide, hey,
Peyton can do this too, and you're the all pro Queen.
Let's just free up your mind, man, just go play linebacker.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Just be that guy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Do that, yeah, and we'll have Peyton handle all the
other kind of schematic stuff. I think that's something that
is interesting to toy with because when Patrick Queen got
the green dot taken from him in Baltimore and given
to Roquan Smith, that's when he was able to thrive.
When he just able to play linebacker, he was free.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
The other X factor on defense, Jalen Ramsey comes in
via the trade. He's gonna be your guy in that secondary.
He's gonna be again matched up against the top wide
receivers every week. He's the guy I think that when
we talk about turnovers and pressure in that secondary, I
think he's gonna be that guy along with Darius Slay
and Joey Porter Junior. But you know, when you look
(24:22):
at Jalen Ramsey and what he can bring to that
secondary and lead that secondary this year, really shutting down
a lot of the offensive talent he's going to see
throughout the season. He's another X factor on the defensive. Yeah,
for sure, right, that's without question. Again, It's kind of
like in the TJ. Watt category, But the difference is
is that this guy is going to have to bring
(24:43):
an X factor, an element that you haven't had to
the defense in the past couple of years in that secondary.
Because let's be just quite honest with each other, Minka
wasn't creating the splash.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
That you need in the past couple of seasons. So
you change him out, you bring in somebody that you
hope will provide a lot of splash.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
The final X factor is the coach, Mike Tomlin. I'm
gonna throw this out there, and I think this is
actually where Tomlin thrives. Is this environment. He has to
mix together a locker room of veterans, future Hall of famers,
returning players, younger players. Let's do that every year, but
this year it's a little bit extra special. I mean
they brought in a lot, They flipped this roster a
lot during the offseason. Now he has to navigate and
(25:22):
coach and manage all these different personalities. Who's getting the ball,
who's not getting the ball, the rotation at linebacker, the
rotation of these corners. I think this is where Mike
Tomlin though thrives tom in my opinion, as far as
what he's able to do in that locker room and
control all those different personalities.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
And I think he's definitely playing the chords of oh yeah,
you really want this to be how you remember Daron
in New York with the Jets that was bad, Like
you know, like he comes into the room with a
couple of coffee in his hand and he's like, hey,
and I was watching some Jets games last night. It's
bad buddy, it looked bad, do you know what I mean?
But in a good way, like not in like a
(26:00):
I'm nagging you like that strategy, but just to motivate.
And I'm sure DK's Seattle didn't want to give you
that money. Huh. Hey, we were happy to give you
that money, but Seattle didn't want to give you that money.
How when do we play Seattle? DK? Oh, that's right,
Week two, they're coming to our house. That's right. Like,
I just think he's probably hitting those notes a lot
with these guys. To Jalen Ramsey too, like you kind
of ever forgotten in Miami, Bud, Right, you had that
(26:21):
big win in La You want a super with the Rams,
and then Miami you just fizzled out. Right, Let's not
fizzle out at the end of our career, Jalen. Let's
let's go out with a bang here. But I just
think that to your point, like he has enough of
a reputation in Cachet to do that, Like not every
like a young coach could come up to Aaron Rodgers
and be like, you kind of sucked last year with
the Jets, not to say that that's what Mike Tomlin says,
(26:42):
but you know what I mean, like to frame it
from them, to play those notes. It might not hit
from everybody, but it hits from him and Mike Tomlin's
got a little bit to prove too. He's already got
his ring. Don't get me wrong. He's going to Canton
one day. But he's got to get a playoff winning game.
And he knows it, and he said it. He's been
very open in this offseason, in this train and he
can't even answering that and being like, I gotta win a
playoff game. I don't really care about my non losing
(27:03):
season streak. Blah blah blah. He's got a little bit
of pressure on him. He's got a little bit of
prove it with him, and all these guys that they
brought in have a little bit of a Hey, I'm
gonna prove that what you saw last year wasn't me.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
He's a player's coach. Like I said, of course, this
is definitely his strength being able to manage all this. Hey, Tom,
thank you so much for joining me here this week.
We had a lot of fun. Well let's do it
against so the checks in the mail right, Oh you're maybe.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Wait that was under the table because you're gonna bribe me,
that's right. Yeah, we'll strike this from the record. That
was fun, dude, came me. This was a blast.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
It started with that good intro. So up to keep Now,
I set the standard. The standard is the standard, right,
the standard is the standard.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
It's easy right, look at you.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It's just just got to have it all ready to go.
My friend, this is the Steelers standard. He is Tom Offerman.
I am at TRUP. Thank you for joining us here
on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
This is the Steelers Standard with Ed Troop and Tom
Offerman on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network. Tom,
we're halfway more than halfway through the calendar year here
in twenty twenty five, but for football purposes, we're just
starting the twenty twenty five football season and this year will.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Mark, which really means the year just started. It's quite
honest with you, because doesn't really matter when football's not played.
D Well, there was baseball. We don't talk about that,
and I'm sorry, I just throw up. We don't talk
about that in this town.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
But football's all that matters in this in the world, really,
So you gotta have some hockey people out there. But
I'm with you, man, it's Steelers season, baby, asy. As
soon as they step onto that grass at Saint Vincent College,
that's when everything officially.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Pupils, dilate a little bit more. The hair stands up
on the back of your neck a little bit. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
If you notice, the last couple of mornings have been
a little cooler out too. It's getting darker earlier. We're
getting there.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Everything is starting to come together.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Go go pick some apples, and no, no, no, we
don't pick the apples.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
No, we watched the football. We don't pick the apples.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Oh, until you're married and you get pulled into that.
Let's talk about some milestones coming up. The twentieth anniversary
of Super Bowl forty. That was in two thousand and five. Damn,
just this past weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Now I'm feeling old, Like this is one of my
first moments of the you know, like you feel old
moments in life, Dude, I was eleven years old when
that happened.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I just got married two years after that, but I
was with my wife wife. That was the first super
Bowl I watched with my now wife. There.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
See, like you have the experience of seeing Super Bowls
as an adult, and I don't have that yet. Because
I saw my wins. Look at me, my wins. I
got my wins as an eleven year old, and then
it was a couple of years later, right, so thirteen,
which is cool, don't get me wrong, because that's like
the prime of sports fandom coming into your own, right, Like,
(01:53):
that's when you discover yourself as a sports fan and
you can really kind of start following it for real.
So I'm so free and blessed that I got to
see my favorite team win to zuer Bowls, go to
another then. But I do want to see it now
from this perspective of that adulthood perspective.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes, because you didn't have to go through your childhood
and teenage years.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Like I did, depressed, depressed to the.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Fact that I had friends that didn't even go to
school in high school. They didn't even go to school.
After the Steelers lost Super Bowl thirty, We'll get to
that one in a second, but let's talk about Super
Bowl forty. Yes, this is the twentieth anniversary. Just this
past weekend, they started a year long exhibit at the
Hall of Honor celebrating Super Bowl forty. In that run,
it was in vel. I think Art Rooney the second
was there, Big Bend was there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, really cool.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
The historic run. They were the sixth seed that year
and they were the first sixth seed to do that.
That went three straight road games. They beat Cincinnati, Indianapolis,
Denver before beating Seattle twenty one to ten. It was
the promise made to Jerome Bettis from the previous season
from Hines Ward come back Bussy one more season one
for the Thumb. That was such a historic run. It
(02:57):
started in Cincinnati when Carson palmerre get it's injured by
chemo Ahoffen to start the game right to remember that play,
and it was a big dramatic thing that he was
out and the Steelers man that started that run. And
then they go into Indianapolis the falling week they beat
Peyton Manning. Of course, the fumble by Jerome bettis the
big carper like two days ago. If Big Ben does
(03:20):
not make that ankle tackle, we're not even talking about
this right now, right the game's over. And then they
go into Denver, and Denver never had a chance at
that point. Joey Porter got shot in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
J was up Jake the Snake Plumber. But shout out
to Jake the snak Plumber for taking out Brady in
that playoff run, because Denver took out the Patriots in
that round beforehand. And I'm not saying the Steelers couldn't
have beaten them, but I'm glad that we didn't have
to go through them, ed, So shout out shout out
to Jake Plumber on that one and doing our dirty
work up in Foxboro there.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I think one of the coolest parts about that run.
And I agree we didn't want anything to do with
Tom Brady.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We'll take Ja Plumber. Absolutely was.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
The Steelers had lost to the Colts during the regular
season on a Monday night. They not only lost, they got.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
A bad way. They got and ed. The Bengals to
that year were good. Their offense was great. Hushman Zada,
Chad Johnson. That might have even been before Ocho Senko
when he was really becoming into Arizona as an all Pro.
Carson Palmer was a stud like and they were talking.
I didn't think they were were gonna win that game.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That was the terrible tale that that they told wiped off.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So many teams have done that. But yeah, I think so,
Hushman Zada, I think is the on that. Yeah, but
I didn't think they were gonna win that game. Like
I thought that your in Cincinnati. I was like, this
is not gonna go. Well. The Bengals are good good
this year. And I remember too, if I'm not mistaken,
that that Colts team went on a really hot run
at the beginning of the year that season. They were
undefeated for a while, and I think the Bengals might
(04:45):
have been the first team to pick them off. I
could be mistaken in that. All I know is the
Bengals had a lot of momentum and it was stuffed
out by Keimo von Olhoffen on that play first play.
But they were good. Colts were the best team in
the league that year. Like I know, technically we were
because we won the championship, but heading into the playoffs,
that was the team to beat. That was the crown
(05:06):
jewel of the NFL in that season. So to go
on the road and beat them in that playoff game
was that that to me? I know, the Super Bowl
and beating Denver in thestume that was the biggest win,
no doubt on that run, the most important game for them.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
So so such in a dramatic way too. And when
they played during the regular season, they dominated them on
that Monday night game and the Steelers were the old
fashioned Bill Cower run hard, right, un run, run, run
on offense, then set up the pass with Big Ben.
But they came out in that playoff game throwing I'll
never forget the first couple they threw the Heath Miller
the tight end. They went to Heath repeatedly and it worked,
(05:41):
it worked.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And they just salted the rest of the game. Away
or they did, they tried to, and then it got
a little harry down the stretch there. But yeah, like
I remember the palam Allo interception that wasn't but it
was so clearly an interception that should have ended the game,
should have been it. Yeah, but without having to go
through the vander Jack missfield goal. There's just so many
different wrinkles in that in that game that I will
(06:04):
just never forget. Such a such a remarkable run that
the team went on. You mentioned that they were the
first sixth seed to go on the road and make
it to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl.
Do you know who the second one was? I do not,
mister Aaron Rodgers is Green Bay Packer.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
They beat the Steeler here, they beat the Steers Steelers.
I'm gonna forget that, Mike.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
They were a sixth seed and went on the road
in all three NFC games.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Boy, and now he's here in the NFL full circle
in the NFL. Yeah, this is the twentieth anniversary of
Super Bowl forty. They'll be celebrated, as we said in
the Hall of Honor. Here's another one, the thirtieth anniversary
of Super Bowl thirty in nineteen ninety six. Bill Cowers
team AFC Central winner in nineteen ninety two, his first
(06:46):
season as coach. They lose a wild card game at
Kansas City in nineteen ninety three, then a horrible AFC
Championship loss in nineteen ninety four to three River Stadium
to the Chargers, and then there was nineteen ninety five.
They get the hell Mary win over the Colts in
a dramatic fashion, dramatic fashion. Everybody's crying, Bill Cowers crying.
The entire city of Pittsburgh is crying. They go to
(07:06):
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Did you think they caught it? Jim Harbazz, He absolutely
thought it was good.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That was the call. That was the they scored the
NBC broadcast. It was Dick Edinburgh, I believe, and Dick
saying he caught it, he caught the ball, and then
you hear I think it was Phil Simms coming at
the end of the call saying no, he didn't, he
didn't catch it. The Steelers won.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Dramatic fashion, in god because there's no replay back then,
so like, oh thank god, they called it right on
the field. When you see the replay though, it's clear
he did not catch it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And here is another little factoid for you, Tom that
not a lot of people know the Colts were trying
to put that game away when they had the lead
late in the fourth quarter, and if they pick up
a first down, it's like, I think it's a third
in one play. If they pick up a first down,
the game's over. Then they're gonna run out the clock
and they're gonna win. Willie Williams, the corner comes in
on a corner blitz and trips up the running back
(07:52):
in the backfield and he's short of the first down
and they got to give the ball back to the Steelers.
After the game, Willy Williams said, that wasn't he That
was the wrong play call. That was the wrong defensive
play call. He was not supposed to blitze off the
quarter and boy, Steeler Nation's glad he did because if
he does not make that tackle in the backfield, they
potentially get a first out and that game's over.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
So you're what you're saying this, I don't know if
this is what you mean or not, but like so,
it was not like an instinctual thing where he was
like I'm just gonna go blitz here. I'm gonna go
on my Troy Polamalu game. He misheard what he was
supposed to do and failed the task successfully. That's great.
It's awesome too that he was willing to come out
and be like I did the wrong thing there instead,
(08:32):
because some guy could just be like, I just knew,
you know what I mean, Like I sniffed it out,
I knew that that was gonna be the play and
I blew it up. I'm great. He was like, I
was doing the wrong thing, and thank god the ball
just kind of landed in my lap right in front
of me, because war we would have been screwed.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And on the Steeler go ahead drive in that ninety
five ABC Championship game against the Colts, they faced a
fourth and three that they they faced on that drive
they had to keep the drive going, and the year
prior that was that was the theme. It was fourth,
fourth down and goal from the three yard line when
Neil O'Donnell tried to hit Barry Foster in the back
of the end zone against the Chargers and Dennis Gibson
(09:07):
knocked down the pass and they were upset. They didn't
go on to the Super Bowl that year, but fourth
and three they were able to convert on it. I
think it was Andre Hastings and one of the Steelers
wide receivers that caught the ball and the rest is history.
They go down Bam, Morse puts in the touchdown, they
take the twenty to sixteen lead, and then they knock
down the hell MARYA.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
The beautiful thing about this Super Bowl and remembering super
Bowl thirty and it's twenty five or was it thirty
year anniversary of it right now, we don't have to
do that as the Steelers organization because you have six rings.
Some organizations might be like, will really honor the year
that we got to the super Bowl but just fell
a little bit short, And you're right, like the AFC
Championship game, that was the beautiful part of it, because
(09:44):
you obviously lose the Super Bowl. With an organization like
the Steelers were greedy, right, we'd be like, yeah, super
Bowl thirty happened thirty years ago. Whatever he really cared
you're going to talk about it doesn't matter. That Cowboys
team was loaded obviously, and I was two years old.
I don't remember it, but I mean I remember going
back and kind of seeing what happened in the game.
Cowboys team was loaded Dion Sanders. They had a chance
(10:05):
if Neil o'donnald played a better game, if he was
just more buttoned up, didn't throw those interceptions, two interceptions,
and they rallied too before he threw the second interception.
So like that Cowboys team was really good that year,
but the Steelers were no slash like they could play
with them. They just you turn them all over in
the Super Bowl edge You're just not gonna win.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
One of the cool things for me, and I was
fifteen at the time, that was my first Steelers You
lost when you were in high school.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I won mine. Yeah, you won your one line, buddy.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But well, here's the other thing. I thought I had
jinked Steeler Nation because I was born on my birthday's
February twentieth, nineteen eighty. The Steelers won their last Super Bowl, number.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Four since came onto the Earth.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Well, they won their fourth Super Bowl in January twentieth,
nineteen eighty, so a month later, and I chased them right.
But during that Super Bowl, I'll never forget one of
the coolest things that I remember seeing on the end
I believe NBC broadcast of the game, was when they
had hit Yancey Thigpen on a touchdown rip before halftime.
I think they make a thirteen to seven at half,
and that really gone back into the game, got them
the momentum going into the half. I'm Lockerley got off
(11:00):
the mat. Yeah, there was a stat that came up
on the screen that said first Steeler Super Bowl touchdown
by a wide receiver since Lynn Swanners. Yeah right, and
I remember thinking to myself, Oh my goodness, we have arrived.
Here we are baby, let's back, let's go.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
We're but Kings are back where they belong a.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Little bit more dramatic is another fiftieth anniversary. We just
celebrated this past football season, the fiftieth anniversary of the Steelers'
first Super Bowl team and Super Bowl nine back in
nineteen oh.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
When you go back to back, then I guess the
next year's another fiftieth. Huh. There you go. It is.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Ironically, we were just talking about the Cowboys that was
against the Cowboys, the Super Bowl ten team in January
of nineteen seventy six, but it was the seventy five
team that won Super Bowl ten. This will mark the
fiftieth anniversary. That's Bradshaw, frank O Harris Me and Joe Green,
Jack Lambert, the Steel Curtain defense. That was a big
win against Dallas twenty one to seventeen. It was the
second of four Super Bowl wins during the nineteen seventies. Tom,
(11:55):
but they went back to back twice during the seventies.
This was the first time. And a lot of those guys,
or a lot of them have left us unfortunately, but
a lot of them are still around. I know I
talked to Mel Blunt not too long ago, and you know,
he was excited about Super Bowl nine, but he was
even more excited about this Super Bowl ten team because
it was the second Steeler Super Bowl during that timeframe.
(12:15):
We knew what happened. Just a couple of years later,
they went back to back a second time.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yeah, and the start of really the biggest Super Bowl rivalry.
And I can just cite the fact that it's the
most frequently played matchup in Super Bowl history. They're the
only teams that have met three times in the Big Game,
Dallas and Pittsburgh. And that was the start of it
all two to one Pittsburgh. Of course, if you're keeping scores,
I have to make sure about that. A lot of
(12:40):
teams there's a ton of teams that have met twice,
like the Dolphins in Washington, Patriots and Eagles, Patriots and Giants,
you know what I mean, Like there's a lot of
those Patriots. Patriots and Patriot, there's a lot of Patriots
on there. But yeah, just such a such a start
of something historic between those two franchises, between those two
kind of cornerstones of the NFL there, and I mean
(13:05):
really the establishment of the Steelers being the team now
back then, you know what I mean, Like, Steelers are
so bad for years and years and years before me
and Joe Green got there and things turned around in
the seventies, and then you win that first Super Bowl
and it's like, Okay, you're a real team. Now you've arrived.
Then you win that second super Bowl and it's like,
oh crap, you kind of run this thing now, don't you.
And then a couple of years later you go back
(13:26):
to back again and it's like, yeah, you undoubtedly run
this thing.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
So it is hard to believe, you know, and especially
for you know, the older listeners, our parents generation. And
I use that lightly with you because my goodness, I'm
I'm I can't be your parent, But I'm not.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Far from it, not far from the old man.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
But the fiftieth anniversary is remarkable. And then the thirtieth
anniversary of Super Bowl thirty. For a lot of us
listening out there, that was our first taste at a
super Bowl. And then the twentieth of the first win
in the One for the Thumb. These are mouses that
are going to start hitting out.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
These bare us been of riches. This franchise provides you.
We have three, well really two that you're going to
focus on, the winning ones twenty and the fiftieth, but
three milestones in the same season that have to do
with getting into a super Bowl. There's four or five
teams that have never even played in the damn Super Bowl. Ed,
it's never even got there. You're so looking born as
Steeler fans, we were born into it. It's lucky. But
(14:20):
you're spoiled, man, you are. You're spoiled as a Steeler fan.
This team spoils the hell out of you in a
good way.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Tom, It's time to get those metal lunch boxes out.
I have some Steelers food for thought for you, okay,
and this week we're gonna talk from Steelers food for
Thought about x factors for the twenty twenty five season.
I know you're excited. You love your X factors, right,
I am just.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Thinking about food now, thinking about like what are we compared?
Maybe make players a piece of food on a on
a plate.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
No, we're just we're just working. Like the off thought
like some food for.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
The offensive line is the meat and potatoes of the team.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Like that, that's good? Continue on, I know what you
it's the dessert. The corners that can desert are not
supposed to?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Maybe or is that cherry on top of somebody like
a Jalen Ramsey that comes in and just makes it
everything extra sweet?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
There you go. I like that part. But did you
bring your metal lunch pal You know what I mean?
You're in the steel mill.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I never had metal lunch pails. I did have a
lunch box I think at some point, but it really
turned fast ed into brown paper bag. I mean that
was just the way to bring your lunch. I was
a by lunch kid too, like I would buy from
the school cafeteria a lot of times too.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I have a fourteen and eleven year old and they're split.
The older one buys, the younger one still takes. So
I was with you. I always bought, I always.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, and high school it was all brown paper bag
though if I took.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
You are taking any of those Like Transformer.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Didn't have the Ghostbuster lunch box.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Now, offensive X factors this season, we already talked about
Aaron Rodgers staying healthy, being positive again. We're in a
honeymoon period right now. Jalen Warren, the rookie, Caleb Johnson
being that two headed monster, the tight end room, the
number two wide receiver, the offensive line. To me, that
those are all your X factors for a successful season,
(15:59):
and let's to a successful season here in twenty twenty five.
You know, win the division outstanding. We love that Ravens.
That's gonna be hard, but just make the playoffs and
win a playoff game. The franchise has not won a
playoff game since twenty sixteen.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, that's success to me.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
That's a successful season for me and all those guys
I just mentioned On offense, in my opinion, are X
factors that are gonna lead them there.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Yeah, no doubt. I'll give you a couple more too.
I think the big X factors are those tackles. I
think that they don't do really much or are able
to do much with some of those other guys that
you listed if the tackles are kind of blowing everything
up and they can't get protection or they can't get
good run blocking. So I think they're definitely factoring into
this equation. I don't know why, but I think Kenneth
(16:41):
Ganwell is a big X factor. I think Kenneth Ganiwell
is going to have just again, not every down back
kind of impact, not a guy that's going to be,
you know, like a Fantasy Football All Star, But I
just think that the dude is going to have a
couple of games here there where you're just gonna be
sitting back on the post game or you're gonna be
having a couple of cold ones and reminiscing on that
(17:03):
great Steelers victory that you just saw unfold and be
like Man fourteen was everywhere in that game. He was
catching balls out of the backfield, He had a couple
of nice runs out of note and like a nice
draw that he took for like fifteen yards, got the
ball in the ends. Like he was just a menace.
And I just for some reason, I can't not wrap
(17:23):
my head around him having such a great impact last year,
the third running back, Cordill Patterson got on my nerves
so damn much he wanted to pull my hair out.
This year, I I look at Kenneth Gainwell on a
different light. I think that he's gonna be a big
time factor on this offense, a big contributor.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
They need him to be that key third down running back.
If that can pick up the blitz, help protect Rogers
in addition to those tackles, and as you said, be
an impact in the passing game out of the backfield.
And for everything we saw him do in Philadelphia with
the Eagles, I agree with you. I think he can
be that guy that's a great X factor for the
Steelers on offense. Whoever that number two wide receiver is
opposite side of DK Metcalf. Maybe it's Roman Wilson, maybe
(18:00):
it's a Scottie Miller. Maybe Robert Woods pops in there.
Maybe they still make a move to get that other
second wide receiver. What you said earlier in our shows
today ed about Robert Woods, I'm not there. That wasn't
a quote from you. You didn't go Robert Woods. I
I'm gonna do it now though, because I'm trying to
be nice.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I'm open to it, though, man like, I don't think
he has to make this team. I really don't. I
really would be more on board with the Johnson a
Brandon Johnson, a younger guy getting a shot. Ed. You
have enough special teamers, you have enough big bodies. You
don't need that one at wide receiver, at tight end,
you don't need Robert Woods. And then to your point,
(18:38):
you have enough leadership too with the kicka you.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Just don't need them, and you don't need that receiver
that's going to only give you thirty catches for two
hundred some yards and maybe a touchdown. Like, I don't
need that in my number two receives. I'd rather these
younger guys.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Sure, he play special teams, but I think a younger
guy can be more of an impact on special teams.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
And I'd rather see a younger guy that opposite side
wide receiver put up those type of statistics because you
know there's upside with him down the road. Robert Woods
is towards the end.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Of his last gasp.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Let's talk about X factors on defense this year. TJ.
Watt is probably your biggest Again, I said, it doesn't
take a football genius. Earlier in one of our segments
that Aaron Rodgers needs to see Watt a huge limb
with TJ. Watt. He has to be your X factor
on defense. But here, here, here's the thing that let's
let's pivot a little bit on the TJ Watt talk.
(19:27):
We were talking earlier about moving him around, giving him
different looks. That's probably more the key now and now
you have the defensive players in and around a TJ.
Watt that you can maneuver him a little bit and
actually do what you've wanted to do the last couple
of seasons because they were weaker on the defensive line,
weaker in the secondary, they could really do that. Now
this year they'll be able to move TJ around and
let him be more of an X factor and more
(19:48):
of an impact player.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yes to all that, I think X factor in general
can be applied to that just entire ed rushing room
because that's where the team that's the life blood of
the defense, of the engine of the defense, and the
sack numbers haven't been good the past couple of years,
especially last year, you got to get towards the top,
if not the top of the league again there, So
(20:10):
I think that whole room is a collective and how
they move them around, as you were mentioning, especially with Watt,
I think that's a big key. High Smith's been hurt
through this whole preseason process. He knows what time it
is when it's it's regular season. I'm not worried about
him as long as he gets healthy. Her Big come
up a little bit gimpy on the hamstring in the
game against Tampa, but they seem to be really downplaying
(20:33):
that one. Ed Mike Tomlin didn't even mention it at
the podium when he did his first initial injury report.
He had to be asked about him, and he's like, yeah,
there's nothing to worry about. So I wonder if it
was more like a ah, like a cramp or something like that,
and they were just like you're done, Like that's it.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
They're not going to mess around.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
But you noticed her Big in that game, like right
away the first possession, he was an animal, just attacking
the quarterback, making Bridgewater flush out and have to throw
the ball. So I think that whole edge rushing room
in general can be a big X factor on the defense,
and the other.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
X factor is producing turnovers. Again, I think that's another
area that this defense. You mentioned the sack numbers that
they got to get the.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Turnovers up to. They were good last year at turnovers,
like that's the thing about them, Like they were good
in that aspect, but the sacks were just so far
behind what they're used to. They forced the hell of
a lot of fun. I mean tej Want led the
league in forced fumbles last year. Like they were still
getting the ball out, they were getting interceptions. It just
wasn't on or it wasn't In addition to a team
(21:34):
that gets to the quarterback a lot and sacks the
quarterback a lot, that was kind of I think the
missing piece there and it's so big this year. I
think Peyton Wilson's a big X factor on the defense.
I think that he is a confident young man and
he has to really become that player that I think
the Steelers saw his potential being when they drafted him
(21:56):
a couple of years ago in the fourth round, taking
a bit of a risk with his injury history. You know,
there's a ceiling on this guy that could be a
pro bowler and he's got the talent to do so.
And so far, ed the biggest question was his durability
and he's never missed a snap for the Steelers, so,
like the NFL good as far as that's concerned. I
just keep gravitating towards him as far as again, I'm
(22:17):
not splitting an at him here, but that's kind of
my obvious breakout candidate on this defensive So well, it's
hard to find breakout candidates though, because they're all already
broke out, most of them, and sure the rookies, I guess,
but they all have to break out.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
So but that was the biggest thing about Peyton Wilson
when they drafted him last season. Could he stay healthy?
Could he be that guy? And man, he's fine. He
looked the role last year and so far he looks
to be the role now as the starter inside linebacker
opposite Patrick.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
And I'll throw HLKM in there too, like that Wilson
hulk them tandem rotatum. I don't think it'll be much
of a tandem, much of a rotation, but holkme, we're
going to play. And if God forbid, Wilson does come
up a little as to miss a couple of games,
you're fine with your depth there. Williamson actually brought up
a good point when we were doing the pregame show
on DVE when it comes to the inside linebackers, is
(23:06):
there a point where you get so comfortable as the
Steelers and Peyton Wilson that you take the green dot
from Patrick Queen. And I don't mean that in a
bad way. Give it to Wilson. Let Wilson be the quarterback,
let him kind of be like the guy who dictates
everything the car, and then just tell Queen to be
that heat seeking Just be the guy. Just go fly
around the field, don't think, text the pressure, don't have
(23:27):
to think. And again, Queen can do it. Queen can
be the quarterback and the play caller of the defense
and communicate to everybody. But maybe you just decide, hey,
Peyton can do this too, and you're the all pro Queen.
Let's just free up your mind, man, just go play linebacker.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Just be that guy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Do that, yeah, and we'll have Peyton handle all the
other kind of schematic stuff. I think that's something that
is interesting to toy with because when Patrick Queen got
the green dot taken from him in Baltimore and given
to Roquan Smith, that's when he was able to thrive.
When he just able to play linebacker, he was free.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
The other X factor on defense, Jalen Ramsey comes in
via the trade. He's gonna be your guy in that secondary.
He's gonna be again matched up against the top wide
receivers every week. He's the guy I think that when
we talk about turnovers and pressure in that secondary, I
think he's gonna be that guy along with Darius Slay
and Joey Porter Junior. But you know, when you look
(24:22):
at Jalen Ramsey and what he can bring to that
secondary and lead that secondary this year, really shutting down
a lot of the offensive talent he's going to see
throughout the season. He's another X factor on the defensive. Yeah,
for sure, right, that's without question. Again, It's kind of
like in the TJ. Watt category, But the difference is
is that this guy is going to have to bring
(24:43):
an X factor, an element that you haven't had to
the defense in the past couple of years in that secondary.
Because let's be just quite honest with each other, Minka
wasn't creating the splash.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
That you need in the past couple of seasons. So
you change him out, you bring in somebody that you
hope will provide a lot of splash.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
The final X factor is the coach, Mike Tomlin. I'm
gonna throw this out there, and I think this is
actually where Tomlin thrives. Is this environment. He has to
mix together a locker room of veterans, future Hall of famers,
returning players, younger players. Let's do that every year, but
this year it's a little bit extra special. I mean
they brought in a lot, They flipped this roster a
lot during the offseason. Now he has to navigate and
(25:22):
coach and manage all these different personalities. Who's getting the ball,
who's not getting the ball, the rotation at linebacker, the
rotation of these corners. I think this is where Mike
Tomlin though thrives tom in my opinion, as far as
what he's able to do in that locker room and
control all those different personalities.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
And I think he's definitely playing the chords of oh yeah,
you really want this to be how you remember Daron
in New York with the Jets that was bad, Like
you know, like he comes into the room with a
couple of coffee in his hand and he's like, hey,
and I was watching some Jets games last night. It's
bad buddy, it looked bad, do you know what I mean?
But in a good way, like not in like a
(26:00):
I'm nagging you like that strategy, but just to motivate.
And I'm sure DK's Seattle didn't want to give you
that money. Huh. Hey, we were happy to give you
that money, but Seattle didn't want to give you that money.
How when do we play Seattle? DK? Oh, that's right,
Week two, they're coming to our house. That's right. Like,
I just think he's probably hitting those notes a lot
with these guys. To Jalen Ramsey too, like you kind
of ever forgotten in Miami, Bud, Right, you had that
(26:21):
big win in La You want a super with the Rams,
and then Miami you just fizzled out. Right, Let's not
fizzle out at the end of our career, Jalen. Let's
let's go out with a bang here. But I just
think that to your point, like he has enough of
a reputation in Cachet to do that, Like not every
like a young coach could come up to Aaron Rodgers
and be like, you kind of sucked last year with
the Jets, not to say that that's what Mike Tomlin says,
(26:42):
but you know what I mean, like to frame it
from them, to play those notes. It might not hit
from everybody, but it hits from him and Mike Tomlin's
got a little bit to prove too. He's already got
his ring. Don't get me wrong. He's going to Canton
one day. But he's got to get a playoff winning game.
And he knows it, and he said it. He's been
very open in this offseason, in this train and he
can't even answering that and being like, I gotta win a
playoff game. I don't really care about my non losing
(27:03):
season streak. Blah blah blah. He's got a little bit
of pressure on him. He's got a little bit of
prove it with him, and all these guys that they
brought in have a little bit of a Hey, I'm
gonna prove that what you saw last year wasn't me.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
He's a player's coach. Like I said, of course, this
is definitely his strength being able to manage all this. Hey, Tom,
thank you so much for joining me here this week.
We had a lot of fun. Well let's do it
against so the checks in the mail right, Oh you're maybe.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Wait that was under the table because you're gonna bribe me,
that's right. Yeah, we'll strike this from the record. That
was fun, dude, came me. This was a blast.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
It started with that good intro. So up to keep Now,
I set the standard. The standard is the standard, right,
the standard is the standard.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
It's easy right, look at you.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It's just just got to have it all ready to go.
My friend, this is the Steelers standard. He is Tom Offerman.
I am at TRUP. Thank you for joining us here
on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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