October 6, 2025 • 28 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht break down the top ten moments/performances of the Steelers season through their first four games of the season.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
It is the Steelers standard with that trip and Jacob
brect here on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network. Week five wrapping up tonight with a Monday
night football matchup of the Kansas City Chiefs at the
Jacksonville Jaguars. And for the AFC North, everything wrapped up
yesterday with the Steelers on a bye week, Cincinnati, Baltimore,
and Cleveland all losing, which means the Steelers now have
(00:28):
a three game lead on Baltimore and Cleveland and a
two game lead on the Cincinnati Bengals. Steelers three and
one at their bye week, and they will face the
Cleveland Browns coming out of their by week this upcoming
Sunday at Akushore Stadium and Jacob, it's time to take
a look at the state of the standards. Some top
moments from the Steelers twenty twenty five seasons so far
through their first four weeks. These are no order. We're
(00:51):
just going to point out some of the moments that
we think are the top moments throughout the first four games.
I'm going to start with Aaron Rodgers' debut and Chris
bosse well Week one against the New York Jets, Rogers
first touchdown pass as a Steeler goes to Ben Scronic.
He finishes the game twenty two of thirty for two
hundred and forty four yards and four touchdowns, no interceptions,
(01:12):
and bo Is hitting a fifty six yard field goal
in that game and a personal best sixty yard field
goal which turns out to be the game winner as
the Steelers knock off the New York Jets thirty four
to thirty two in a close back and forth game
in Meadowlands to start out the twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, I mean, talk about a fast start, something they
never did in the entirety of the twenty twenty four season.
They were able to do the first week of the
of the twenty twenty five season, getting that opening drive,
and of course, you know when you break that streak,
it happens to be with Aaron Rodgers to ben' skronick.
Two games you never associate with the Pittsburgh Steelers, no
(01:48):
offense to either guy. I mean Aaron Rodgers in his
first year here and ben' scronic was a free agent
acquisition last year, so really unfamiliar names.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
But what a way to start the year.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And it happened to be necessary and very important that
you did make that opening drive touchdown because you saw
how big of a shoot at that game became.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Pretty pretty incredible too. I mean it was. It was
a back and forth type of game, and there were
moments in that opener in New York against the Jets
that I don't know necessarily know if you thought the
Steelers were going to pull that one out, you did
feel confidence you had a veteran quarterback with Aaron Rodgers
that could possibly lead the way later on. Justin Fields
didn't burn him in the air, but he burned him
with his legs in the running game. Gave up a
(02:33):
lot of yards in that first week. It was a
little alarming at times. Our next key moment of the
season so far is the same game, Jalen Ramsey's game
sealing hit at the end the free I want to
say free agent they traded for him. The newer Steeler
that was acquired via trade this past summer and one
of the best defensive backs in the NFL, made his
debut with the Black and Gold in a big way
(02:53):
as he hits Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson in the
fourth quarter on that critical fourth down play. Breaks up
the pass with the big hit and that seals the
Steelers first victory of the season in New York. Jalen Ramsey,
much like Aaron Rodgers his Steeler debut, he did it
in fashion, and he did it in a big way.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah huge.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I mean, Jalen Ramsey's made his presence felt in pretty
much every game so far for the Steelers in his
first year with the team, and that one play really
set the tone for a season at least so far.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
That was an incredible hit.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I mean, I think we all kind of jumped out
of our chairs were when we saw it happen in
live time. Really laid the ground on Garrett Wilson, and
like you said, it sealed the win something that they
were really struggling to do. They they weren't getting stops
on third downs. They were just kind of overall struggling
on defense. Justin Fields looked like an all Pro quarterback
at that point. But by the end, you remember the
(03:48):
drive before that, they actually came up with a stop
that led to excuse me, the Seelers getting into field
position to get let Chris Boswell kick the sixty yard
field goal, and then the next drive they stepped up
for the second time in a row and it resulted
with that Jalen Ramsey hit on Garrett Wilson to steal
the win. So after a really rocky start and really
(04:10):
just rocky game overall for the defense, they really came
out big at the very end and came up in
the biggest way possible with that Garrett Wilson hit done
by Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
The biggest other takeaway of Jalen Ramsey in that game
was he was barking back and forth all game with
Garrot Wilson.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You remember going into halftime they got into that little skirmish.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Yeah, and you know, the Steelers defense has missed that talker,
if you will. He looked back at Joey Porter Senior
and he was the ultimate the talk door in the game,
and he backed it up. Jalen Ramsey the same way. Right,
He's gonna talk, but he's also going to back it up.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
You can't have that guy. He's just chirping for no
reason and getting burned every play.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
But he brings that edge to the Pittsburgh Steeler defense
that I don't want to say they've been missing, but
it certainly will help them as they continue to move
forward and Ramsey has been one of the biggest impacts.
I said on Friday when we discussed our defensive end
so far this season, I think, I said, Jalen Ramsey
in my opinion, has been the defensive MVP so far
and again leading that defense. Speaking of defense, our next
(05:09):
top moment of within the first four games of the
Pittsburgh Steelers season that they've played with their bye week
this week has been the defense forcing five turnovers with
four fumbles, one interception in five sacks in a big way.
In Week three at New England when the Steelers beat
the Patriots twenty one to fourteen, the Steelers defense dominated,
forcing four fumbles from the Patriots and then playing a
(05:31):
key role at the end again the interception, the five sacks.
They got home. They were struggling to get home through
the first couple games of the season and that was
a concern. Well, against New England, they got home and
they got home in a big way. That was TJ.
Watt also finally breaking out of his sackless streak in
that game at New England. But overall, the defense showed
what they could possibly do this season. They followed it
(05:51):
up with a nice effort at least the first three
quarters against the Vikings. We'll get to that a little
bit later, but so far the last two games, the
defense is starting to show signs of what we thought
they would be when we were watching them in training
camp in La Trobe and again been there's been a
lot of expectations in him between this defense Jacob to
perform at a high level this year. But again I
thought that game against New England they should their first
(06:12):
glimpse of what they could be here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, definitely, And I think that they don't win that
game if they don't get all five of those turnovers.
You remember they jumped out to that early fourteen or
nothing lead and they didn't score a single point into
the very last drive on offense at the end of
the game. Excuse me, so, yeah, I think that, considering
how much they stalled out for what eighty percent of
that football game on offense, if you don't get all
(06:36):
five of those turnovers. You remember, two of them came
in the red zone for with the Patriots driving into
the red zone. One came at the goal line. You
remember that force fumble, but I believe it was Cole
Holcom and or maybe Packwayn that was recovered by Peyton
Wilson on the goal line.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I mean, that's seven points right there.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I think if you don't get a single, if you
don't get all five of those turnovers by the defense,
you probably lose that game against New England, which isn't
a good sign because to say you needed all five
turnovers to win one football game, I mean a team
could get three turnovers and that's typically enough, right to
be that's usually the difference maker, not even four, but
(07:18):
let alone five turnovers is what you needed to win
that football game. So I'm with you that's it was
a huge moment for the defense. I really get right
moment for them. I think they needed. They needed not
just a defensive dominant performance, but something that really was an.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Exclamation point they could walk away from.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And that's what they had it out of New England
and it seemed to carry over into that next game
against Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
What's not on our list is them not being able
to convert on offense off those turns, as you mentioned.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, zero points off of turnovers.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's gonna change as the season goes on.
They got to get better at doing that, that's for sure,
when especially when the defense gives you a gift like
that multiple times, and hey give credit where credits due.
The defense made plays when they had to. They were
pushed up against the backs, against the wall, a few
of those turnovers in their own red zone, and they
were able to come up with a turnover and keep
New England off the scoreboard. Our next moment is Aaron
(08:14):
the same game against the New England Patriots in Week three,
Aaron Rodgers the Calvin Austin, which turns out to be
the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter at Rogers
connects with Austin on a seventeen yard touchdown pass to
put the Steelers ahead late against New England. We know
the defense holds, they keep them to the twenty one
to fourteen victory. But you know, facts are facts. Aaron
Rodgers has led the Steelers to game winning drives. You
(08:37):
know he did it against the Jets, he did it
against the Patriots. That's what you thought you had in
a veteran quarterback back, Aaron Rodgers. It's something that Big
Ben did so many times in his career, especially early
on in the first ten years, when Ben Roethlisberger was
the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback if he had the ball under
three or four minutes left in the game, the Steelers
were trailing or they needed a game tying drive or
(08:58):
a game winning drive. Every time there was confident. Now
later in his career, not as much, but he still
got it done later in his career too. That's what
I think is an X factor in Aaron Rodgers that
they now have Jacob that they didn't have the last
few years with whoever was under center. They now have
that with Aaron Rodgers. There's confidence in this offense and
this team to go down and potentially win a game totally.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I mean, like I've said so many times before on
the show all year long, is that I don't think
you get to a four earth rather three to one
record to start the year without Aaron Rodgers. I think
you're probably looking down the barrel of a one to
three record.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
If not, I mean you.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Could argue zero to four because I don't think Mason
Rudolph wins that game that shootout against New York in
Week one. They lose the game with Aaron Rodgers against Seattle,
so I assume they would lose it without him. Against
New England, I don't think, as we just mentioned, they
were barely the defense was barely helped by the offense
(09:56):
in that game. So I think Mason Rudolf gets you
even less. So I think you end up losing that game.
And then Minnesota, it came down to a close call
at the very end. I don't think you get out
to that early twenty one to six lead that you
were able to maintain for pretty much the whole game.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Until the fourth quarter.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
So without that lead, I think you end up losing
that game again too. So not unlikely, not unfair to
say that this team could easily be zero to four
without Aaron Rodgers. But like you mentioned that that play,
excuse me, huge defining moment for him, just to like
you said, he has that winning culture, right, he has
(10:32):
that winning ability, He has that winning mindset, and that's
what you need most in a quarterback is the confidence
to win, to win a football game, to say I'm
gonna put the ball in your hands and you're gonna
go win this game for us on offense and that
something like you said, it has been lacking really ever
since Ben Roethlisberger retired. They haven't had that guy who
(10:52):
can really put the helmet on and say I'm gonna
lead my guys out there and we're gonna we're gonna win.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
This game for us. So yeah, it was a huge
moment for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
And one thing, and I don't want to get off
the subject of our top moments, but just to kind
of piggyback off of what you're saying about Aaron Rodgers
while we're talking about Rodgers is I think one good
thing he's done for the first four games. Two is
spreading the football round. There are ten different receivers that
have caught receivers or running backs that have caught footballs
from Aaron Rodgers through only four games. We're only four
games in and there's ten different receivers that he has
(11:24):
targeted or running backs for the first four games. And
Dk Metcalf, Jalen Warre, and Calvin Austin, John news Smith,
Pat Fryarmuth, Kenny Gainwell, Ben Scerronick Darnell Washington, Roman Wilson,
and even Connor Hayward has been targeted a couple times
for one catch for six yards. So and out of those, Jacob,
when you look at it, they have one to six
(11:44):
different receivers that have are in double figures as far
as targets go and reception. So not only is he
spreading the ball around early and often, he's doing it
on a regular basis. And that just makes this offense
that much more unpredictable. Right, that was always the biggest
thing between this offense predictability. The defense knows what's coming.
They were calling out your plays. Well, when you're spreading
the ball around that much, that was many different personnel players,
(12:09):
it's gonna be unpredictable.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, I think the one pushback on that is the
fact that besides DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin, even though
it's unpredictable who's going to get the ball, it's not
much of a threat.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
The opposing team still look at his saying, oh, I
have no idea where the ball is going. Can it
go to the the huge offensive threat by Ben's goronic? No,
they're not intimidated by that guy. No offense to Ben's ironic,
But that's just he is not a illegitimate wide receiver
in the NFL. Maybe one day he develops into that,
but right now he's certainly not at that level. So
(12:44):
I get the point about the unpredictability and the by
the offense overall, and the ability by Rogers to spread
the ball around. But I just still think to me,
it's it's not much of a threatening offense.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Well it's a good point well too, because out of
those ten different receivers slash running backs, I should have
said slash tight ends because four of them are tight ends, right, Hayward,
Washington for our youth, and John's.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
If you really want to call it, Connor Hayward on
a tight end.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, if you really would call even John Smith a
tight end too, Right, he's more of your.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
High right in like a different way because he is
more of a receiver. I'm saying Connor hay where it's
just what is he?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
We don't really know?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Pull back tight end special teams guy, you know. Yeah,
he has a lot of different hats, that's for sure.
So yeah, you're right. Other than DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin,
Ben Scerniic and Roman Wilson, you know, not very much
activity there. But he still spreading the ball around. Yeah,
and again hopefully that'll continue as the season goes on. Okay,
back to our key moments through the first four games.
We could spend the whole segment just talking about Aaron
(13:43):
Rodgers and what he's done so far, but we'll get
back to this. How about that A lot of a
lot of highlights from that New England game, because I
thought that was a very solid In the Minnesota game,
those were the two games I thought that the Steelers
played their most complete games. The Jets game was a
back and forth game Seattle. I didn't pull anything from
I've looked at over last night. There was nothing that
really jumped out of me in that Seattle Seahawks loss.
But I have Brandon Eckles game ceiling tackle against New
(14:07):
England again. Eckles makes a critical tackle on the Patriots
wide receiver to Mario Douglass at the end of that game,
stopping him short of a first down and securing the
victory with just a minute six left. Brandon Eckles has
played very good through the first four games. Mike Tomlin
several times, not just once, multiple times in his postgame
(14:27):
press conference this season. Through the first four games, Jacob
has pointed out Eccles and his play and his big
playability that he has stepped in a lot in that
slot receiver role too. As far as defending the defending
slot receiver on the on the defensive side, Eckles has
done a nice job.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah. I don't know if you have this coming up
in your list. Also, but another shout out for Eccles
is I failed to mention in the in the game
against the Patriots that the force fumble on the goal line.
But you remember also going into right before halftime, Eckles
was one that came up with the interset should end
the end zone did so. He had that game saving
(15:03):
tackle later in that game, but also made a huge
play in the end zone because if the Patriots scored there.
Like I said earlier, Sewers probably lose that game with
that interception.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
That's not on my list, but we need to add it.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, I mean that was a big play.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
But I mean, like he just said, Echoes overall is
making his impact felt his first year with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, he's really come on strong, and like I said,
when you have your head coach multiple times in his
postgame press conference talking about him, that's gonna lead to
good things. Okay. Next on our list TJ. Watt's big
day versus the Patriots in Week three Watt, after six
sackless games, gets two sacks against the Patriots, five tackles,
(15:41):
two tackle for losses, two quarterback hits, a force fumble,
and a fumble recovery. As we talked about it after
that New England game, Jacob, that's the TJ. Watt we're
used to seeing. He was absent there through the first
couple games of the season. Still make a few splash
plays here or there, but on the stat sheet not
so much. That game was huge at New England, and
I feel like it went over into New England. I'm
(16:02):
sorry I went into Minnesota. He had some splash plays
there as well. But you know, TJ. Watt is your
is your guy on defense. You need this type of
day out of TJ. Watt if your defense is going
to be dominant.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I mean, this is what you paid him for, right
He needs to be that splash player. He needs to
be your best player on defense because he is the
highest paid member of your defense. So I'm one hundred
percent with you, Ed. You needed that performance out of him.
You need you needed this turnaround right from the first
two weeks to the last two weeks of the year
(16:34):
or the season so far.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
You needed what you got out of.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Him these last two weeks, because if you if you
didn't get that, then we'd be very concerned because all
of a sudden, you wouldn't be asking, oh, was it
worth it? Debate tg Watt it was. The conversation would
be what the hell happened?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
That's a good point. Whats for his stats going into
the bye week nineteen total tackles. He's out now up
the resacks on the season, So back to back games
with sacks against New England and in Dublin, Ireland against
the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
I think last week I was saying credit to him
for giving the interception and knocketting the sack where you
know that's his usual Brendan butter, but I forgot that
he had the one early sack in that game.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
So he's not just doing other things.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
He's also getting back to sacking the quarterback, which is
what you want to see.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Five tackle for losses for TJ Watt, two pass deflections,
the interception you just mentioned, one force fumble and one
fumble recovery against the Patriots. That's TJ. Watt for the
first four games of the season. Okay, moving along, we
got four more to get to here in this segment,
Kenneth Gainwell two touchdown performance against the Vikings. You were there,
Jacob in Dublin, Ireland to see it in week four,
(17:47):
just last week, last Sunday, filling in for the injury
Jalen Warren. Gainwell goes for ninety nine yards rushing another
thirty five yards receiving, so one hundred and thirty four
total yards on offense, scores the two touchdowns in the
Steelers twenty four to twenty one win against Dublin Ireland.
Not saying he's taken over for Jalen Warren, but a
lot of us are now turning our heads and raising
our eyebrows a little bit at Kenny Gainwell, thinking that
(18:09):
he has been a big part of this offense, but
maybe he should be even have a bigger ring with
this offense as we move forward again, I don't think
he replaces Jalen Warren, but is there a fifty to
fifty split maybe on carries going forward? I think Jalen
Warren's play will probably dictate that as we go throughout
the rest of the seam.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
I mean, you could honorously argue ed that they already
had the split carries right, because you remember in Week one,
the biggest surprise for everyone was why the hell is
getting in the game, well, getting more carries, and it's
right Warren. So I don't even know that it would
look much different from what we've already seen, but I think,
do you know how excuse me? On Monday Night Football
they give out the It's him or I'm Him Award.
(18:47):
The hmmy I think is what they call it.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yeah. Yeah, that was definitely the biggest.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I'm him moment of any Steeler I think this season
so far an individual game because everyone woke up for
that game early nine thirty kickoff local time here in Pittsburgh,
and seeing the breaking news by Jeremy Faller, seeing all
of a sudden, Jayleen Warren is out for this game,
you thought, okay, well, what the hell of the Sea
was gonna do without Jaalen Warren because at the time
(19:13):
he was the team's leading receiver and the team's leading rusher.
Of course, we know that dk metcalf is now after
that huge performance against Minnesota one hundred and twenty some yards,
he's now the leading receiver, but Jayalen Warren was, by
the way, right, Dylan Warre was a huge part of
your offense, and you thought, without him, what chance do
you have against Minnesota's defense led by Brian Flores as
(19:37):
the DC and Kenneth Gamewell stepped up two touchdown performance,
nearly one hundred yards on the ground, got over the
century mark with the catches he had to boot.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Like I said, I think it was the biggest I'm
him moment or individual performance in a single game so
far this year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Speaking of DK Metcalf, he's next on our list. His
eighty yard touchdown rec in that game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Metcalf again the most yards after catch, the yacht categories
we like to call it in the NFL, leads that
category and you see why. On that play from Aaron
Rodgers he finds Metcalf, he goes eighty yards, showcasing his
speed and his ability is physical ability all the way
(20:19):
downfield as the Steelers go on to score that touchdown
and have complete control of the game. He has five
catches for one hundred and twenty six yards and a
touchdown in that game against Minnesota, and again just for
the season, they've targeted him twenty two times through the
first four games for fifteen receptions, two hundred and sixty
one yards, three touchdowns. Three straight games for Metcalf with
(20:39):
touchdowns against Seattle is old team here at home, the
home opener for the Steelers, then at New England, and
then in Dublin, Ireland against the Vikings. Forget about the yardage.
If he scores touchdowns, that's all we really care about.
I mean, the yardage also helps too, Right, We're not
gonna do that. Yeah, yeah, you don't want Kenny Gamewell
being your lead receiver. Don't stand you know, don't let me.
I'm not saying that now.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I know I'm just ripped here, but I think you
have to applaud DK Metcalf. This is what you brought
him over to do, is what you paid him to do.
He's a five year contract. I mean, he's entering the
prime of his career. And you remember, it's so funny
revisionist history. Those first two weeks with those drops, we
(21:20):
were thinking, oh, what do we do by bringing over DK?
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Me?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
What is this catching issue? And that was never something
that popped up in Seattle for him. All of a sudden,
He's dropping multiple catches each week to start of the year,
but he quickly corrected that path. He hasn't had a
single drop in each of the last two games against
New England and Minnesota. And like you said, he's getting
yardage and he's finding the end zone, whether it's in
(21:48):
the red zone, short pass by Aaron Rodgers, or it's
a slant pass that Rogers throw for five yards and
DK takes it seventy five yards the rest.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Of the way.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Next on our list is Patrick Queen has a day
weeks against the New England Patriots, ten tackles, one tackle
for loss, two pass deflections, and makes key stops on
the field going sideline to sideline. We've talked a lot
about Patrick Queen so far this season, and again not
to downplay him last year, his first year with the Steelers,
but I think we all expected a little bit more
(22:17):
or at least to Patrick Queen that we saw in Baltimore,
the reason why the Steelers signed him last year in
twenty twenty four as a free agent. Well, this year,
at least through four games, he leads the team in tackles.
He leads the team in my opinion, off the stat
sheet of just being everywhere everywhere you look, it's Patrick Queen.
He's getting in number six is there making a tackle
and again, his speed to go from sideline to sideline
(22:37):
as something the Steelers have missed since Ryan Shazier at
that middle linebacker position. They're hoping Peyton Wilson can get
there as well, and he has also showed a glimpse
that he could do that too, covering sideline to sideline.
But man, by all means, Patrick Queen has had an
outstanding first four games of the season for the Steelers
at that defensive middle linebacker spot.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, I think Patrick Queen has gotten off to a
great start this year. This is what you wanted to
see out of him last year, and it took some
time for him to get there, right.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I think as the season was progressing.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
In twenty twenty four, you saw more and more, but
you were really hoping he could just take it to
the next level. But he never really got there. He
was improving as the year went on, but like I said,
never made that big leap to when he was the
All Pro second team caliber player that he was in his.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Final year in Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But it looks like he's doing much better this year
and it's a huge help because I don't think I
don't know how you can manage having Pat not necessarily
not necessarily being a liability, but just not being that
all Pro caliber inside linebacker alongside Peyton Wilson, who's been
(23:47):
a liability in pass coverage, in a liability with the mistackles,
and then having Cole holgumb be a question mark is
because you didn't know what kind of Cole Holcomb you
were in a get coming back from his injury that
he had two years years ago that keeps him out
all of last season. So it's a huge asset to
have Patrick Queen play at the level he's he's shown
(24:08):
through the first four weeks, and I think if he
continues to play at this level and like other players,
even get even better from where he is right now,
you couldn't maybe see him get that second team All
Pro nod for a second time of his career.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Patrick Queen through four games, thirty five total tackles, one sack,
five tackle for losses, two pass deflections, and again making
a big impact with that Pittsburgh Steeler defense, the leader
in the middle and playing at a high level. That's
for sure through the first four games. Okay, our last
key moment of the first four games is to Shawn
Elliott's retard against the Vikings in Dublin, Ireland. Again, Jacob
(24:45):
was there to see this performance. Elliott's six tackles, one sack,
one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits, one interception, two
pass deflections and he wasn't done yet a force fumble
as well. How about that stat line we talked about TJ.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
TJ.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Wattson line in New England. That's another one for Deshaun Elliott.
This defense really missed Elliott there for a couple of
weeks when he was out injured, and he made a
huge impact against the Vikings. That's a big, big day,
that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think it's a huge sigh of relief because you
remember in Week one when he went out with that injury.
You were seeing him kind of hobbling off the field
and you were thinking, oh man, this could be a
long term thing and it could be a really big
liability for the Steelers to have to play without him
for an extended period of time. Lo and behold, I
(25:32):
know he doesn't finish that game against the Jets and
then he misses the two weeks against Seattle to New England.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
The fact that you got him back before the bye week.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I mean, we were talking about how it was an
asset for the Steelers to have that bye week early
on in the season to maybe give him that extra
rest and maybe you could get him back after that
or maybe even a week after the bye week. Lo
and behold, he comes back the week before the bye
week and as you said, makes an impact immediately, has
that interception, one of the most relied upon in sound
(26:04):
of tacklers that you have across the board on defense too.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
So yeah, huge, huge, huge.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Asset to have back on your defense is getting DeShawn
back and like you said, making that impact immediately, and
I expect them to continue to do more as the
season progresses.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
The Shaun Elliott only those two games played you mentioned
the Jet game, the game against the Jets and then
against the Vikings. Twelve total tackles in those two games,
a sack, a tackle for lost, two pass deflections, an interception,
and a forced fumble. Again, that's good through just two games.
And he's another free agent acquisition that they brought in
(26:42):
from Baltimore, another ex raven that the Steelers brought in
here a couple of seasons ago, and by all indications
he's played at a very high level, played next to
Minca the last couple of years. Now he's back there
trying to lead that defense.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I think, and I think just I know there's a
lot of names there, and I know we give Tomlin
credit for kind of managing a pretty wild locker room
with a lot of loud voices, right, but I do
think that he could be the leader that this secondary
needs because even though there are guys who are veterans,
like Ramsey and like Sleigh, I think you.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Could look to.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
I think you could look to Deshaun as being the
guy who's just that sound, calm voice that really keeps
everyone in check. And like you said, without Mika there,
who was the longest tenured Steeler in that secondary. I
know Toshawan is only in his second year, but I
really do think he could be that leader that that
unit needs and looks to as the person that is
(27:39):
going to be in charge of keeping everyone in check
and also just stepping up on an individual level.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So those are our biggest moments of the first four games.
We've got ten of them. There's probably more that we
had have missed. You could go through each game. I again,
the Seattle game. I didn't see too much for her
in that loss, unfortunately, but the other three there were
plenty of moments for sure, the pull for when Jacob
and I come back, we will go around the NFL,
including the AFC and the AFC North again again a
(28:06):
great day for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who did not play
a game yesterday, but with the Ravens, the Bengals, and
the Browns all losing, the Steelers increased third lead in
the AFC North. It is the Steelers standard with Ed
Troop and Jacob Brett here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
It is the Steelers standard with that trip and Jacob
brect here on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers
Audio Network. Week five wrapping up tonight with a Monday
night football matchup of the Kansas City Chiefs at the
Jacksonville Jaguars. And for the AFC North, everything wrapped up
yesterday with the Steelers on a bye week, Cincinnati, Baltimore,
and Cleveland all losing, which means the Steelers now have
(00:28):
a three game lead on Baltimore and Cleveland and a
two game lead on the Cincinnati Bengals. Steelers three and
one at their bye week, and they will face the
Cleveland Browns coming out of their by week this upcoming
Sunday at Akushore Stadium and Jacob, it's time to take
a look at the state of the standards. Some top
moments from the Steelers twenty twenty five seasons so far
through their first four weeks. These are no order. We're
(00:51):
just going to point out some of the moments that
we think are the top moments throughout the first four games.
I'm going to start with Aaron Rodgers' debut and Chris
bosse well Week one against the New York Jets, Rogers
first touchdown pass as a Steeler goes to Ben Scronic.
He finishes the game twenty two of thirty for two
hundred and forty four yards and four touchdowns, no interceptions,
(01:12):
and bo Is hitting a fifty six yard field goal
in that game and a personal best sixty yard field
goal which turns out to be the game winner as
the Steelers knock off the New York Jets thirty four
to thirty two in a close back and forth game
in Meadowlands to start out the twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, I mean, talk about a fast start, something they
never did in the entirety of the twenty twenty four season.
They were able to do the first week of the
of the twenty twenty five season, getting that opening drive,
and of course, you know when you break that streak,
it happens to be with Aaron Rodgers to ben' skronick.
Two games you never associate with the Pittsburgh Steelers, no
(01:48):
offense to either guy. I mean Aaron Rodgers in his
first year here and ben' scronic was a free agent
acquisition last year, so really unfamiliar names.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
But what a way to start the year.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And it happened to be necessary and very important that
you did make that opening drive touchdown because you saw
how big of a shoot at that game became.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Pretty pretty incredible too. I mean it was. It was
a back and forth type of game, and there were
moments in that opener in New York against the Jets
that I don't know necessarily know if you thought the
Steelers were going to pull that one out, you did
feel confidence you had a veteran quarterback with Aaron Rodgers
that could possibly lead the way later on. Justin Fields
didn't burn him in the air, but he burned him
with his legs in the running game. Gave up a
(02:33):
lot of yards in that first week. It was a
little alarming at times. Our next key moment of the
season so far is the same game, Jalen Ramsey's game
sealing hit at the end the free I want to
say free agent they traded for him. The newer Steeler
that was acquired via trade this past summer and one
of the best defensive backs in the NFL, made his
debut with the Black and Gold in a big way
(02:53):
as he hits Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson in the
fourth quarter on that critical fourth down play. Breaks up
the pass with the big hit and that seals the
Steelers first victory of the season in New York. Jalen Ramsey,
much like Aaron Rodgers his Steeler debut, he did it
in fashion, and he did it in a big way.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah huge.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I mean, Jalen Ramsey's made his presence felt in pretty
much every game so far for the Steelers in his
first year with the team, and that one play really
set the tone for a season at least so far.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
That was an incredible hit.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I mean, I think we all kind of jumped out
of our chairs were when we saw it happen in
live time. Really laid the ground on Garrett Wilson, and
like you said, it sealed the win something that they
were really struggling to do. They they weren't getting stops
on third downs. They were just kind of overall struggling
on defense. Justin Fields looked like an all Pro quarterback
at that point. But by the end, you remember the
(03:48):
drive before that, they actually came up with a stop
that led to excuse me, the Seelers getting into field
position to get let Chris Boswell kick the sixty yard
field goal, and then the next drive they stepped up
for the second time in a row and it resulted
with that Jalen Ramsey hit on Garrett Wilson to steal
the win. So after a really rocky start and really
(04:10):
just rocky game overall for the defense, they really came
out big at the very end and came up in
the biggest way possible with that Garrett Wilson hit done
by Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
The biggest other takeaway of Jalen Ramsey in that game
was he was barking back and forth all game with
Garrot Wilson.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You remember going into halftime they got into that little skirmish.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Yeah, and you know, the Steelers defense has missed that talker,
if you will. He looked back at Joey Porter Senior
and he was the ultimate the talk door in the game,
and he backed it up. Jalen Ramsey the same way. Right,
He's gonna talk, but he's also going to back it up.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
You can't have that guy. He's just chirping for no
reason and getting burned every play.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
But he brings that edge to the Pittsburgh Steeler defense
that I don't want to say they've been missing, but
it certainly will help them as they continue to move
forward and Ramsey has been one of the biggest impacts.
I said on Friday when we discussed our defensive end
so far this season, I think, I said, Jalen Ramsey
in my opinion, has been the defensive MVP so far
and again leading that defense. Speaking of defense, our next
(05:09):
top moment of within the first four games of the
Pittsburgh Steelers season that they've played with their bye week
this week has been the defense forcing five turnovers with
four fumbles, one interception in five sacks in a big way.
In Week three at New England when the Steelers beat
the Patriots twenty one to fourteen, the Steelers defense dominated,
forcing four fumbles from the Patriots and then playing a
(05:31):
key role at the end again the interception, the five sacks.
They got home. They were struggling to get home through
the first couple games of the season and that was
a concern. Well, against New England, they got home and
they got home in a big way. That was TJ.
Watt also finally breaking out of his sackless streak in
that game at New England. But overall, the defense showed
what they could possibly do this season. They followed it
(05:51):
up with a nice effort at least the first three
quarters against the Vikings. We'll get to that a little
bit later, but so far the last two games, the
defense is starting to show signs of what we thought
they would be when we were watching them in training
camp in La Trobe and again been there's been a
lot of expectations in him between this defense Jacob to
perform at a high level this year. But again I
thought that game against New England they should their first
(06:12):
glimpse of what they could be here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, definitely, And I think that they don't win that
game if they don't get all five of those turnovers.
You remember they jumped out to that early fourteen or
nothing lead and they didn't score a single point into
the very last drive on offense at the end of
the game. Excuse me, so, yeah, I think that, considering
how much they stalled out for what eighty percent of
that football game on offense, if you don't get all
(06:36):
five of those turnovers. You remember, two of them came
in the red zone for with the Patriots driving into
the red zone. One came at the goal line. You
remember that force fumble, but I believe it was Cole
Holcom and or maybe Packwayn that was recovered by Peyton
Wilson on the goal line.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I mean, that's seven points right there.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I think if you don't get a single, if you
don't get all five of those turnovers by the defense,
you probably lose that game against New England, which isn't
a good sign because to say you needed all five
turnovers to win one football game, I mean a team
could get three turnovers and that's typically enough, right to
be that's usually the difference maker, not even four, but
(07:18):
let alone five turnovers is what you needed to win
that football game. So I'm with you that's it was
a huge moment for the defense. I really get right
moment for them. I think they needed. They needed not
just a defensive dominant performance, but something that really was an.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Exclamation point they could walk away from.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And that's what they had it out of New England
and it seemed to carry over into that next game
against Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
What's not on our list is them not being able
to convert on offense off those turns, as you mentioned.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, zero points off of turnovers.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's gonna change as the season goes on.
They got to get better at doing that, that's for sure,
when especially when the defense gives you a gift like
that multiple times, and hey give credit where credits due.
The defense made plays when they had to. They were
pushed up against the backs, against the wall, a few
of those turnovers in their own red zone, and they
were able to come up with a turnover and keep
New England off the scoreboard. Our next moment is Aaron
(08:14):
the same game against the New England Patriots in Week three,
Aaron Rodgers the Calvin Austin, which turns out to be
the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter at Rogers
connects with Austin on a seventeen yard touchdown pass to
put the Steelers ahead late against New England. We know
the defense holds, they keep them to the twenty one
to fourteen victory. But you know, facts are facts. Aaron
Rodgers has led the Steelers to game winning drives. You
(08:37):
know he did it against the Jets, he did it
against the Patriots. That's what you thought you had in
a veteran quarterback back, Aaron Rodgers. It's something that Big
Ben did so many times in his career, especially early
on in the first ten years, when Ben Roethlisberger was
the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback if he had the ball under
three or four minutes left in the game, the Steelers
were trailing or they needed a game tying drive or
(08:58):
a game winning drive. Every time there was confident. Now
later in his career, not as much, but he still
got it done later in his career too. That's what
I think is an X factor in Aaron Rodgers that
they now have Jacob that they didn't have the last
few years with whoever was under center. They now have
that with Aaron Rodgers. There's confidence in this offense and
this team to go down and potentially win a game totally.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I mean, like I've said so many times before on
the show all year long, is that I don't think
you get to a four earth rather three to one
record to start the year without Aaron Rodgers. I think
you're probably looking down the barrel of a one to
three record.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
If not, I mean you.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Could argue zero to four because I don't think Mason
Rudolph wins that game that shootout against New York in
Week one. They lose the game with Aaron Rodgers against Seattle,
so I assume they would lose it without him. Against
New England, I don't think, as we just mentioned, they
were barely the defense was barely helped by the offense
(09:56):
in that game. So I think Mason Rudolf gets you
even less. So I think you end up losing that game.
And then Minnesota, it came down to a close call
at the very end. I don't think you get out
to that early twenty one to six lead that you
were able to maintain for pretty much the whole game.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Until the fourth quarter.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
So without that lead, I think you end up losing
that game again too. So not unlikely, not unfair to
say that this team could easily be zero to four
without Aaron Rodgers. But like you mentioned that that play,
excuse me, huge defining moment for him, just to like
you said, he has that winning culture, right, he has
(10:32):
that winning ability, He has that winning mindset, and that's
what you need most in a quarterback is the confidence
to win, to win a football game, to say I'm
gonna put the ball in your hands and you're gonna
go win this game for us on offense and that
something like you said, it has been lacking really ever
since Ben Roethlisberger retired. They haven't had that guy who
(10:52):
can really put the helmet on and say I'm gonna
lead my guys out there and we're gonna we're gonna win.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
This game for us. So yeah, it was a huge
moment for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
And one thing, and I don't want to get off
the subject of our top moments, but just to kind
of piggyback off of what you're saying about Aaron Rodgers
while we're talking about Rodgers is I think one good
thing he's done for the first four games. Two is
spreading the football round. There are ten different receivers that
have caught receivers or running backs that have caught footballs
from Aaron Rodgers through only four games. We're only four
games in and there's ten different receivers that he has
(11:24):
targeted or running backs for the first four games. And
Dk Metcalf, Jalen Warre, and Calvin Austin, John news Smith,
Pat Fryarmuth, Kenny Gainwell, Ben Scerronick Darnell Washington, Roman Wilson,
and even Connor Hayward has been targeted a couple times
for one catch for six yards. So and out of those, Jacob,
when you look at it, they have one to six
(11:44):
different receivers that have are in double figures as far
as targets go and reception. So not only is he
spreading the ball around early and often, he's doing it
on a regular basis. And that just makes this offense
that much more unpredictable. Right, that was always the biggest
thing between this offense predictability. The defense knows what's coming.
They were calling out your plays. Well, when you're spreading
the ball around that much, that was many different personnel players,
(12:09):
it's gonna be unpredictable.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, I think the one pushback on that is the
fact that besides DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin, even though
it's unpredictable who's going to get the ball, it's not
much of a threat.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
The opposing team still look at his saying, oh, I
have no idea where the ball is going. Can it
go to the the huge offensive threat by Ben's goronic? No,
they're not intimidated by that guy. No offense to Ben's ironic,
But that's just he is not a illegitimate wide receiver
in the NFL. Maybe one day he develops into that,
but right now he's certainly not at that level. So
(12:44):
I get the point about the unpredictability and the by
the offense overall, and the ability by Rogers to spread
the ball around. But I just still think to me,
it's it's not much of a threatening offense.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Well it's a good point well too, because out of
those ten different receivers slash running backs, I should have
said slash tight ends because four of them are tight ends, right, Hayward,
Washington for our youth, and John's.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
If you really want to call it, Connor Hayward on
a tight end.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, if you really would call even John Smith a
tight end too, Right, he's more of your.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
High right in like a different way because he is
more of a receiver. I'm saying Connor hay where it's
just what is he?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
We don't really know?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Pull back tight end special teams guy, you know. Yeah,
he has a lot of different hats, that's for sure.
So yeah, you're right. Other than DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin,
Ben Scerniic and Roman Wilson, you know, not very much
activity there. But he still spreading the ball around. Yeah,
and again hopefully that'll continue as the season goes on. Okay,
back to our key moments through the first four games.
We could spend the whole segment just talking about Aaron
(13:43):
Rodgers and what he's done so far, but we'll get
back to this. How about that A lot of a
lot of highlights from that New England game, because I
thought that was a very solid In the Minnesota game,
those were the two games I thought that the Steelers
played their most complete games. The Jets game was a
back and forth game Seattle. I didn't pull anything from
I've looked at over last night. There was nothing that
really jumped out of me in that Seattle Seahawks loss.
But I have Brandon Eckles game ceiling tackle against New
(14:07):
England again. Eckles makes a critical tackle on the Patriots
wide receiver to Mario Douglass at the end of that game,
stopping him short of a first down and securing the
victory with just a minute six left. Brandon Eckles has
played very good through the first four games. Mike Tomlin
several times, not just once, multiple times in his postgame
(14:27):
press conference this season. Through the first four games, Jacob
has pointed out Eccles and his play and his big
playability that he has stepped in a lot in that
slot receiver role too. As far as defending the defending
slot receiver on the on the defensive side, Eckles has
done a nice job.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah. I don't know if you have this coming up
in your list. Also, but another shout out for Eccles
is I failed to mention in the in the game
against the Patriots that the force fumble on the goal line.
But you remember also going into right before halftime, Eckles
was one that came up with the interset should end
the end zone did so. He had that game saving
(15:03):
tackle later in that game, but also made a huge
play in the end zone because if the Patriots scored there.
Like I said earlier, Sewers probably lose that game with
that interception.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
That's not on my list, but we need to add it.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, I mean that was a big play.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
But I mean, like he just said, Echoes overall is
making his impact felt his first year with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, he's really come on strong, and like I said,
when you have your head coach multiple times in his
postgame press conference talking about him, that's gonna lead to
good things. Okay. Next on our list TJ. Watt's big
day versus the Patriots in Week three Watt, after six
sackless games, gets two sacks against the Patriots, five tackles,
(15:41):
two tackle for losses, two quarterback hits, a force fumble,
and a fumble recovery. As we talked about it after
that New England game, Jacob, that's the TJ. Watt we're
used to seeing. He was absent there through the first
couple games of the season. Still make a few splash
plays here or there, but on the stat sheet not
so much. That game was huge at New England, and
I feel like it went over into New England. I'm
(16:02):
sorry I went into Minnesota. He had some splash plays
there as well. But you know, TJ. Watt is your
is your guy on defense. You need this type of
day out of TJ. Watt if your defense is going
to be dominant.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I mean, this is what you paid him for, right
He needs to be that splash player. He needs to
be your best player on defense because he is the
highest paid member of your defense. So I'm one hundred
percent with you, Ed. You needed that performance out of him.
You need you needed this turnaround right from the first
two weeks to the last two weeks of the year
(16:34):
or the season so far.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
You needed what you got out of.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Him these last two weeks, because if you if you
didn't get that, then we'd be very concerned because all
of a sudden, you wouldn't be asking, oh, was it
worth it? Debate tg Watt it was. The conversation would
be what the hell happened?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
That's a good point. Whats for his stats going into
the bye week nineteen total tackles. He's out now up
the resacks on the season, So back to back games
with sacks against New England and in Dublin, Ireland against
the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
I think last week I was saying credit to him
for giving the interception and knocketting the sack where you
know that's his usual Brendan butter, but I forgot that
he had the one early sack in that game.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
So he's not just doing other things.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
He's also getting back to sacking the quarterback, which is
what you want to see.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Five tackle for losses for TJ Watt, two pass deflections,
the interception you just mentioned, one force fumble and one
fumble recovery against the Patriots. That's TJ. Watt for the
first four games of the season. Okay, moving along, we
got four more to get to here in this segment,
Kenneth Gainwell two touchdown performance against the Vikings. You were there,
Jacob in Dublin, Ireland to see it in week four,
(17:47):
just last week, last Sunday, filling in for the injury
Jalen Warren. Gainwell goes for ninety nine yards rushing another
thirty five yards receiving, so one hundred and thirty four
total yards on offense, scores the two touchdowns in the
Steelers twenty four to twenty one win against Dublin Ireland.
Not saying he's taken over for Jalen Warren, but a
lot of us are now turning our heads and raising
our eyebrows a little bit at Kenny Gainwell, thinking that
(18:09):
he has been a big part of this offense, but
maybe he should be even have a bigger ring with
this offense as we move forward again, I don't think
he replaces Jalen Warren, but is there a fifty to
fifty split maybe on carries going forward? I think Jalen
Warren's play will probably dictate that as we go throughout
the rest of the seam.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
I mean, you could honorously argue ed that they already
had the split carries right, because you remember in Week one,
the biggest surprise for everyone was why the hell is
getting in the game, well, getting more carries, and it's
right Warren. So I don't even know that it would
look much different from what we've already seen, but I think,
do you know how excuse me? On Monday Night Football
they give out the It's him or I'm Him Award.
(18:47):
The hmmy I think is what they call it.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yeah. Yeah, that was definitely the biggest.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I'm him moment of any Steeler I think this season
so far an individual game because everyone woke up for
that game early nine thirty kickoff local time here in Pittsburgh,
and seeing the breaking news by Jeremy Faller, seeing all
of a sudden, Jayleen Warren is out for this game,
you thought, okay, well, what the hell of the Sea
was gonna do without Jaalen Warren because at the time
(19:13):
he was the team's leading receiver and the team's leading rusher.
Of course, we know that dk metcalf is now after
that huge performance against Minnesota one hundred and twenty some yards,
he's now the leading receiver, but Jayalen Warren was, by
the way, right, Dylan Warre was a huge part of
your offense, and you thought, without him, what chance do
you have against Minnesota's defense led by Brian Flores as
(19:37):
the DC and Kenneth Gamewell stepped up two touchdown performance,
nearly one hundred yards on the ground, got over the
century mark with the catches he had to boot.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Like I said, I think it was the biggest I'm
him moment or individual performance in a single game so
far this year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Speaking of DK Metcalf, he's next on our list. His
eighty yard touchdown rec in that game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Metcalf again the most yards after catch, the yacht categories
we like to call it in the NFL, leads that
category and you see why. On that play from Aaron
Rodgers he finds Metcalf, he goes eighty yards, showcasing his
speed and his ability is physical ability all the way
(20:19):
downfield as the Steelers go on to score that touchdown
and have complete control of the game. He has five
catches for one hundred and twenty six yards and a
touchdown in that game against Minnesota, and again just for
the season, they've targeted him twenty two times through the
first four games for fifteen receptions, two hundred and sixty
one yards, three touchdowns. Three straight games for Metcalf with
(20:39):
touchdowns against Seattle is old team here at home, the
home opener for the Steelers, then at New England, and
then in Dublin, Ireland against the Vikings. Forget about the yardage.
If he scores touchdowns, that's all we really care about.
I mean, the yardage also helps too, Right, We're not
gonna do that. Yeah, yeah, you don't want Kenny Gamewell
being your lead receiver. Don't stand you know, don't let me.
I'm not saying that now.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I know I'm just ripped here, but I think you
have to applaud DK Metcalf. This is what you brought
him over to do, is what you paid him to do.
He's a five year contract. I mean, he's entering the
prime of his career. And you remember, it's so funny
revisionist history. Those first two weeks with those drops, we
(21:20):
were thinking, oh, what do we do by bringing over DK?
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Me?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
What is this catching issue? And that was never something
that popped up in Seattle for him. All of a sudden,
He's dropping multiple catches each week to start of the year,
but he quickly corrected that path. He hasn't had a
single drop in each of the last two games against
New England and Minnesota. And like you said, he's getting
yardage and he's finding the end zone, whether it's in
(21:48):
the red zone, short pass by Aaron Rodgers, or it's
a slant pass that Rogers throw for five yards and
DK takes it seventy five yards the rest.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Of the way.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Next on our list is Patrick Queen has a day
weeks against the New England Patriots, ten tackles, one tackle
for loss, two pass deflections, and makes key stops on
the field going sideline to sideline. We've talked a lot
about Patrick Queen so far this season, and again not
to downplay him last year, his first year with the Steelers,
but I think we all expected a little bit more
(22:17):
or at least to Patrick Queen that we saw in Baltimore,
the reason why the Steelers signed him last year in
twenty twenty four as a free agent. Well, this year,
at least through four games, he leads the team in tackles.
He leads the team in my opinion, off the stat
sheet of just being everywhere everywhere you look, it's Patrick Queen.
He's getting in number six is there making a tackle
and again, his speed to go from sideline to sideline
(22:37):
as something the Steelers have missed since Ryan Shazier at
that middle linebacker position. They're hoping Peyton Wilson can get
there as well, and he has also showed a glimpse
that he could do that too, covering sideline to sideline.
But man, by all means, Patrick Queen has had an
outstanding first four games of the season for the Steelers
at that defensive middle linebacker spot.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, I think Patrick Queen has gotten off to a
great start this year. This is what you wanted to
see out of him last year, and it took some
time for him to get there, right.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I think as the season was progressing.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
In twenty twenty four, you saw more and more, but
you were really hoping he could just take it to
the next level. But he never really got there. He
was improving as the year went on, but like I said,
never made that big leap to when he was the
All Pro second team caliber player that he was in his.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Final year in Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But it looks like he's doing much better this year
and it's a huge help because I don't think I
don't know how you can manage having Pat not necessarily
not necessarily being a liability, but just not being that
all Pro caliber inside linebacker alongside Peyton Wilson, who's been
(23:47):
a liability in pass coverage, in a liability with the mistackles,
and then having Cole holgumb be a question mark is
because you didn't know what kind of Cole Holcomb you
were in a get coming back from his injury that
he had two years years ago that keeps him out
all of last season. So it's a huge asset to
have Patrick Queen play at the level he's he's shown
(24:08):
through the first four weeks, and I think if he
continues to play at this level and like other players,
even get even better from where he is right now,
you couldn't maybe see him get that second team All
Pro nod for a second time of his career.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Patrick Queen through four games, thirty five total tackles, one sack,
five tackle for losses, two pass deflections, and again making
a big impact with that Pittsburgh Steeler defense, the leader
in the middle and playing at a high level. That's
for sure through the first four games. Okay, our last
key moment of the first four games is to Shawn
Elliott's retard against the Vikings in Dublin, Ireland. Again, Jacob
(24:45):
was there to see this performance. Elliott's six tackles, one sack,
one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits, one interception, two
pass deflections and he wasn't done yet a force fumble
as well. How about that stat line we talked about TJ.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
TJ.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Wattson line in New England. That's another one for Deshaun Elliott.
This defense really missed Elliott there for a couple of
weeks when he was out injured, and he made a
huge impact against the Vikings. That's a big, big day,
that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think it's a huge sigh of relief because you
remember in Week one when he went out with that injury.
You were seeing him kind of hobbling off the field
and you were thinking, oh man, this could be a
long term thing and it could be a really big
liability for the Steelers to have to play without him
for an extended period of time. Lo and behold, I
(25:32):
know he doesn't finish that game against the Jets and
then he misses the two weeks against Seattle to New England.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
The fact that you got him back before the bye week.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I mean, we were talking about how it was an
asset for the Steelers to have that bye week early
on in the season to maybe give him that extra
rest and maybe you could get him back after that
or maybe even a week after the bye week. Lo
and behold, he comes back the week before the bye
week and as you said, makes an impact immediately, has
that interception, one of the most relied upon in sound
(26:04):
of tacklers that you have across the board on defense too.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
So yeah, huge, huge, huge.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Asset to have back on your defense is getting DeShawn
back and like you said, making that impact immediately, and
I expect them to continue to do more as the
season progresses.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
The Shaun Elliott only those two games played you mentioned
the Jet game, the game against the Jets and then
against the Vikings. Twelve total tackles in those two games,
a sack, a tackle for lost, two pass deflections, an interception,
and a forced fumble. Again, that's good through just two games.
And he's another free agent acquisition that they brought in
(26:42):
from Baltimore, another ex raven that the Steelers brought in
here a couple of seasons ago, and by all indications
he's played at a very high level, played next to
Minca the last couple of years. Now he's back there
trying to lead that defense.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I think, and I think just I know there's a
lot of names there, and I know we give Tomlin
credit for kind of managing a pretty wild locker room
with a lot of loud voices, right, but I do
think that he could be the leader that this secondary
needs because even though there are guys who are veterans,
like Ramsey and like Sleigh, I think you.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Could look to.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
I think you could look to Deshaun as being the
guy who's just that sound, calm voice that really keeps
everyone in check. And like you said, without Mika there,
who was the longest tenured Steeler in that secondary. I
know Toshawan is only in his second year, but I
really do think he could be that leader that that
unit needs and looks to as the person that is
(27:39):
going to be in charge of keeping everyone in check
and also just stepping up on an individual level.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
So those are our biggest moments of the first four games.
We've got ten of them. There's probably more that we
had have missed. You could go through each game. I again,
the Seattle game. I didn't see too much for her
in that loss, unfortunately, but the other three there were
plenty of moments for sure, the pull for when Jacob
and I come back, we will go around the NFL,
including the AFC and the AFC North again again a
(28:06):
great day for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who did not play
a game yesterday, but with the Ravens, the Bengals, and
the Browns all losing, the Steelers increased third lead in
the AFC North. It is the Steelers standard with Ed
Troop and Jacob Brett here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
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