January 3, 2023 • 38 mins
Spanish voice of the Steelers Alvaro Martin joins Wolf and Wes to kick off the power hour.
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESPN Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your
neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nadi begins I apolo Apollo
(00:43):
apo por lagi Hi starts down Bang bang loss Friday.
Oh you know who that voice is. Let's bring an
Alvarro Martine from our Spanish broadcast team. Hey, buenas dis
(01:08):
Alvaro bueno z s. Greg does the s West. Uh,
it's a good day that we're talking to you. Last
night taught us as they always it always does, that
you cannot take anything for granted. It's a tough day
all around football. It's a tough day in Pittsburgh. Uh,
this is one of our our homeboys and um, but
(01:28):
happy that the team got to win. Lots of talk
about in terms of of what happened in that game
and and the season, how it's going. But obviously everybody's
thinking about one thing right now and wait waiting to
hear better news. Well, let me first ask you, Alvaro. Yes,
and we've been praying for um demorrow Hamlin and it
is just on our hearts constantly and we attend we
(01:51):
just go before God Almighty and just interceded on his
behalf asking for a healing and restoration for he and
his family and his friends. Uh, teammates. Wow, it's just
a it's a it's a tough moment. But I we
were hearing good things at least stable things. Have I
got that correct? Their wes? I believe so? Yes, so
(02:14):
so he would they they announced, Um, I guess it
would have technically been early this morning, right, Um that
that he his his his his his vitals are still
I'm not a medical professional, but that his his vital
signs are stable at this time. Um. You know they've
they've got him on the breathing tube and and everything,
and so hopefully here you know, sometime in the next
(02:34):
twelve hours or so, get another update that could you know,
certainly be a positive one hopefully. All right, there, there's
two there's there's just two quick things to hidelight there. Yes,
it's amazing to me how quickly the Buffalo trainers, as
soon as they just about got there, turn around and
told Cincinnati bring the equipment. In other words, they saw
something and immediately understood the seriousness of the event and
(02:58):
how quickly things moved. Some of the first dad he
received on the field may make a significant difference, let's hope.
So that's something that just to keep in mind. And
then it's amazing. I was talking to West about the
relationship now between Cincinnati fans and Buffalo fans. Remember, after
seventeen years of Buffalo not making the playoffs, it took
us Cincinnati win against another opponent in the last week
(03:21):
with Dalton being the hero, for Buffalo to finally make
the playoffs and they start giving if you remember fourteen
donations and the war number fourteen Buffalo fans in support
of foundations in Cincinnati, and last night Cincinnati fans you know,
showed there their true selves and it was it was
(03:44):
it was good to watch. Yes, it's good to know
that people that it touches the heartstrings and you know
they you're attempting to do what in the smallest way,
what you can do, you know what I mean, because
there's nothing any of us can do other than pray
and uh, you know, maybe make a donation there, but
you know, and hope for the best. But certainly I
got moving right along here. We've got to move to
(04:06):
what we've been talking about with Kenny Cool, Kenny Magic
or the Sun Dance Kid. What do you think this
This young man is starting to make a name for
himself in fourth quarter Magic and Uh, it's kind of
like wild, is it not? Alvaro, I mentioned Kenny Cool
last week. I think I think, I hope if he
hasn't done it, you and I run to the trademark
proper and get that trademark. It's coming, It's coming. Uh.
(04:32):
There's the thing that I think people need to to
sort of understand, if they haven't already seen that the
way he led the team against Baltimore was actually quite
radically different than the way he led the team against
Las Vegas. Maybe the weather had something to do with that,
the very cold weathering, right, and so he went. He
(04:56):
checked down a lot more, and he was a lot
more conservative in making the throws. Some of the throws
he made in that last drive, the throat to Sims,
the throat of Fireman, and the touchdown throw. Me, that
touchdown throw in Miami wasn't interception the same throw You're
not to be a pick, uh, it was. It's the
(05:17):
nature of the drive that tells you that you know,
this is moving. This train is moving, the station gathering
a little bit of speed. Um. So it's it's it's fantastic,
it really is. And again we're no, you know, he's
nowhere near where he needs to be. I'm sure where
he wants to be. But the sort of stuff he's
(05:39):
already pulling off under the under the dress and under
the situation and and what's face, what's he's facing is
pretty remarkable. He's getting a lot of help, of course, um,
but it's still remarkable. And you know, Bill Parcels used
to have that phrase that when you bring in rookies,
he says, you want the puppies not just a bark.
(06:00):
You want them to fight, even if you don't feel
the bite too much. Well, Baltimore felt some biting and
it wasn't just a little noods. It was a real,
you know, a real flesh eater. And so he really
just he did something very very special. Some of those
throws where I mean I can see top quarterbacks in
(06:21):
league going wow, you know that was that was a
good throw. That was a really good throw. I'm not
sure I can make that throw. That's the kind of
throw it was. I mean that throw to Sims, Did
you tell me what do you think? What was your
reaction when you saw that throw? Well, I think what
I said was, you know, they threw it the friar
mouth and I think he got up and Kenny look
(06:42):
and says, you think that's hot? Watch this, hold my
beer and watch this. You know that was a great throw.
There's no doubt about it. Yep. And I mean even
the throw two Pickings that got a first down where
Picks really literally had to stretch and sort of cross
(07:02):
the plane, so to speak, and land on the others
on the right side of the first down marker was
a very tough throw, a lot of traffic. And so
what I'm sensing and and and it's just my opinion,
my you know, my eyes tell me this it could
be wrong. Is that the timing of the throws, the
recognition and the timing of throw is just getting out
(07:24):
of just a take earlier. And that makes a difference
in ball placement, in the ball getting there before the
defender does, and possibly in the location of the throw
that allows the Steeler receiver to do something with it
or at least secure the catch. Literally is we're talking
about less than a tenth of a second. I just
(07:44):
see that ball come out and the decision making come
out quicker. When you look at Aaron Rodgers, for example,
sometimes Aaron Rodgers, it's like he just takes a ball
at a center on the shotgun and he's just he's
already throwing and you're like, how does he know that? Well,
that that's exactly his skill and some of those pastists
worked that way and the deepness cannot possibly be ready
(08:06):
by the time he throws the ball. Jenny's not there yet,
but he's quicker than he was. And what we saw
is a result of that quicker than he was. That
the small little difference means that instead of an interception
in Miami, it's a game saving and season saving touchdown
in Baltimore, I mean Baltimore here. Yeah, and that was
(08:28):
that was much needed. That is the growth and the
progression I think we've been talking about Alvaro. You know,
there's there's a lot of different reasons why since the
bye week the Steelers have gone six and two and
they and they look like a much different team. We
could talk about the return of t. J. Watt, the
health of the defense, their overall performance. We can talk
about Kenny Pickett and his growth that we've seen. I
think part of that too is the rushing attack, though,
(08:49):
isn't it, Alvaro, What we've seen from Nagy Harris, what
we've seen from Jaln Warren from that front five, and
what they've been able to do. I mean since the
bye week, these last eight games, the Steelers are a
ten rushing offense in the National Football League over the
last eight games. And man, I don't think any of
us would have guessed that early on in the season.
Since since the bye week their top ten in offense
(09:10):
and in defense. This is a top ten team. This
is a playoff team, and it is a playoff team
that if they keep that um, they can beat certain teams. Um,
you can, you can make that call. So that's what
I said at the end of the game. This is
a budding power in the NFL right now. Whether they
make the playoffs or not, we'll find out. But once
they get into the playoffs, this team has presently constituted.
(09:32):
Is that. But going back to your point West about
the physicality of the team, I present to you, Miles
Boykin MHM blocking outside shoving. Kenny passed the line to
gain I present to you Jalen Warren when he blocks
the protective quarter back practice pass. Bro I present to
(09:53):
you Nanty Harris, who's not just happy to get the yards.
He wants to grind you down. He wants to really
tell you get out of the way. And I you know,
I see that, and I realized by the way. I
also present to use Zack Gentry, who was a former
quarterbacktor turned tight end whose weakness was blocking right right,
(10:17):
well not anymore. How do you like him now? How
do you like him out on the players on the periphery?
And I'm sitting here thinking if I'm an offensive lineman
wearing a Pittsford uniform, I look at that. I'm like, man,
I gotta keep up around here. You know, I told
Zack Gentry Igo, Zack, you know, if you get retired,
(10:38):
get tired of this, you know, tight end business, catching passes,
scoring a touchdown here and there, that sort of thing,
you know, fan adulation, you could be an all Pro tackle.
I'm serious. You could put on thirty pounds and you
could be a Pro Bowl caliber tackle. I mean he
is with his athleticism, his coordination and his strength, and
(10:59):
he's developed. I mean this. This dude is strong. I
mean I was standing here on the other day. This
is they gonna go, Wow, you've really packed your frame. Dude.
You know he's he's really buckled down and gotten on it.
But the fact of the matter is one of the
things that I love what this team is doing. Now.
There suddenly finding the chunk plays, the explosive place, the
fifteen yard naj run, the fifteen yard pickings, monster catch,
(11:24):
the moth catch at twenty Deonte right, the the Sims
catch that we're told Jalen Warren, how about Gunner Oshusky
just getting a trifecta of Ravens on one block? He
gets three guys on one block. Well, and we I
forgot to mention one more name that I think you
know these are peripheral players, but they set a tone,
and that's uh Connor Hayward. In that play with the
(11:47):
Kenny pass, he blocks JPP and then he had thought.
He goes, wait a minute, I gotta hunt here, who's
the who's the stone that decays? Oh it's Patrick Quinn.
Let me go hit him, let me go block him.
So he blocks JPP out of the play. Then he
blocks Patrick Queen out of the play in one play. Now,
going back to your point about the explosive place, and
and this is where I need to get pick your
(12:08):
brain right. No, No, there's a lot in there. Trust
me when I when I go in there, I'm a
young guy and I got a block. I'm thinking just
brute force. I'm just gonna try to shove the guy
and create space. But many times for these explosive place
to happen, you have to be much more of a technician.
(12:29):
You have to just do enough to move the first
level over here, not to have to go be over there,
just over here, so that you can slip and go
down and block the second level just enough. And then
the running back or whoever's got the ball has to
time it perfectly so that they make the most out
of those almost like pseudo blocks or minor blocks, because
(12:53):
it's all about technique. And I talked about presenting cases here,
I'm gonna present to you Kevin Dobson. I'm sure he's
had great games, but I think Baltimore was one of
the better games he's played. And what I saw when
I look at the tape is not a guy who
clearly has power to just shove you a bunch of yards,
but it was more of a technician, was more of
(13:15):
a let me just shove the defensive um interior alignment
just so that I can get through. And if I
can get through, my guy can get through. And then
let me go to the linebacker and just engage him
just enough take him out of the play. I don't
have to bankcake him. I don't have to shove him.
You know, we do like the pancakes. I know, I know,
(13:38):
but I'm saying, just get out of the way, and
that's just enough. And I think that's what we're seeing.
I also think that there's been something happening with Pittsburgh
that's been very, very subtle and effective. They are beginning
to use nagy in more concentrated, judicious moments. I guess
(13:58):
what Mike townment caused the weight of your moment. They're
giving Jylan Warren many more snaps in a higher proportion
of snaps, and what you see is a fresher and
much more powerful nagi when you need them, and you're
seeing Jaylan Warren be the same spark plug you know,
I need a first down, Jalen go get it player
(14:22):
that he is. And the other subtle tweak of that
if you began to see something you saw a little
bit before, if you're beginning to see them both on
the field at the same time, where one of them
typically lines up as a receiver and the other ones
in the backfield. You never see them typically both in
the backfield. That would be that would be the split
(14:42):
backs from my era. We don't see that anymore exactly.
So it's it's a it's a very interesting twist, subtle
twist to how they're being used. And I think it's
been a great effect. In other words, you have two
players that make a big difference, you have a chance
to give one a small breather. And I think that
Carolina game, remember that that drive where Jalen stuck and
(15:03):
stuck and stuck and stuck and he scored his first touchdown.
I felt at the time that was a bit of
a reward to the guy because he had done so
many good things for the team. And I think that's
when they realized, wait a minute, we can use nag
him arrest and then we used not at the end
of the game and he's rested, he's a little bit
more just sort of vibrant, yes and sharp, and I
(15:24):
think you're seeing that too. And that's that's a nice
little twist here that we may have missed. But I
think it's it's stroke of genius here. Well, the good
part about it is I think Nagy got his beach
mode on. You know, he's got power and strength. He
had power to push the pile and he had strength
to pick Kenny pick it up and shove him over
the first town marker on that one, that one short
(15:46):
yard and it was the third and one and fourth
and one when Kenny stuck it in. I you know,
the thing about it is, I love the fact that
Kenny is just quarterbacks sneaking at times, and he's doing
it at a high rate. And then you got Derek
Watt too. That makes a nice It does a nice job.
But taking those off angle offset uh you know, handoffs
and slash into the line, it's beautiful, nice job, you
(16:10):
know when you put him in motion. But anyhow, regardless, Alvara,
we gotta run. Thank you so much for joining us,
my friend. As always, we appreciate you. Hey, next week
we could be talking something great. Yes, dreaming. Dreaming is
for free Spanish, please, uh doesn't cost you. I love it.
(16:35):
Thank you so much, Alvaro, looking forward to seeing you
in the berg brother. Thank you all right, thank you
so much. It's Alvara Martin. He is our from our
Spanish broadcast team, and we're gonna be back with more
because you know what we're gonna talk lest We're gonna
talk a little young guns. Yeah, young guns. We're not
talking about Amelia Estevez and th rest of those guys.
(16:57):
We're talking about the young guns on the Pittsburgh's they're
making their mark and they're making themselves noticed from all
that more right here SNR. This is in the locker
(17:38):
room with Wolf and Starks on ESPN Pittsburgh against Steelers
Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The F
one is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and
it is form and getting the call. But they stuffed
the run and cause a loss again. They tried to
angle right tackle, but Mark Bbbinson active for the first time,
(18:01):
I believe this year, the rookie out of Old miss
the seven eight pick was there to stop him. Nazi
the lone setback. They give it to Warren on the
sweep to the nearest side. He turns it up field
sit on his feet inside the inside the twenty, inside
the fifteen, and he's knocked out abound at the thirteen
yard line. The jet sweep right there left Marcus Williams
(18:22):
a free safety kept him out of the end zone.
Fix the hand off screen past broken up. That is
de Marvin Leel almost part of the play intended for
tight end John hu Smith. Oh, there's a man getting
off the field late, wide open. Here comes Connor Hamward
down the field thirty five twenty five. He's at the fifteen.
(18:43):
He's tackled at the chats. Too many men on the
field for Tampa Bay. Who cares? You gotta love? I
love listening to Billy, but yeah, it's just he does
such a great job. He's got the voice of an angel. Yes,
he's got the voice, no doubt of out and certainly
you know he's describing all four of those guys, the
(19:04):
young guns. The young guns are so important to the
lifeline to the Steelers. Young Blood has always needed the
infusion of young guys bringing that energy, that positivity, that uh,
that little you know, extra juice that comes out. Thank you, Yes,
that's exactly it, because you got you get a de
Marvin Wreckett Ralph Leale, you know, coming in and blowing
(19:27):
up the screen. He's not I'm sure. I don't even
think sometimes he knows what he's doing. But he's around
the ball and blowing things out. That's what he knows
to do. Go out and hit somebody, you know. Chuck
Noll always used to say, you know the thing about it,
don't over analyze. If you're gonna hit somebody, make it good,
make it a good hit. And that's what that kid does.
Or you got Mark Bam Bam Robinson right now. You
(19:49):
love the fact you can drop some people with those hits.
I love the fact he's got he's got bounced back
in him. I think Mike Tomlin coined that. You know,
he when he hits somebody, that's they bounced back, you know,
and go backwards. We got counter Meat Ball Express Heyward.
And then you've got Jalen Juice Warren, because Jalen puts
the juice in there. You know, he gives you a
little bit of that fresh juice with those legs coming
(20:12):
in and does a nice job. All these young guys,
this is what you need. This is what you gotta
have West, You gotta have these young guys coming along
and pulling their their share of the snaps. You absolutely
do well. If that's you know, that's the balance of
any successful team is you've got your savvy veterans, you've
got your kind of middle class and then and then
(20:33):
you've got the rookies, the young guys who were able
to contribute and make no mistake about it. You know,
we've spent a lot of the first what ninety minutes
of the show talking about why the Steelers are six
and two since the bye week, and we've talked about coaching,
We've talked about the quarterback, we talked about the offensive
line of the run game, we've talked about the defense.
These young guys deserve a shout out in that regard
to um you and Kenny Pickett is one of those guys.
(20:57):
George George Pickens is one of those guys. And we've
got you talk a lot about those guys rightfully so.
But from Connor Hayward and Jalen Warren on the offensive
side of things to to wreck it Ralph and Bam
Bam on the defensive side of things, they're a big
part of the reason. Their contributions are a big part
of the reason why this Steelers team is is playing
their best football by far right now and again has
(21:18):
that six and two records since the bye week. You've
seen touchdowns from Connor Hayward. You've seen huge plays uh
and touchdowns from Jalen Warren. You've seen the Marvin Lee
Ao and Mark Robinson putting their hand in the pile
and contributing and offering that vital uh, you know, depth
and and and and good quality snaps that these defenses
need in the National Football League. Um, the young guys
(21:41):
are are not so young anymore, right by by this point,
will if they've played more games in a season than
they ever have before, it's you know, it's not even
close if you include the preseason games. They're about to
play their twentieth game of the year upcoming. These guys
maybe played thirteen or fourteen in college, you know, uh,
the ones that you know with the Georgia Alabama, right,
you might play fourteen or fifteen games because you're making
(22:01):
it to the national championships so often. But this is
now game eighteen, nineteen twenty. For these guys, they're not
rookies anymore. You know, they're they're they're expected to to
have I'm sorry. Okay, right there. Still they're still rookies,
but you know, at this point, they've they've they've played
more in a season than they ever had before. I
(22:22):
think your expectations, rightfully so for them at this point
should be higher than they ever have before. None of
them look like they're hitting a rookie wall. I think
the Steelers have done a good job of managing that.
And uh, and that's encouraging, right because I think of
the old well, if you know, you know, John wouldn't
of course, the legendary U c l A basketball coach,
you know, won like fifty seven national championships or something
(22:43):
like that with U c l A. Back in the day.
He once said he's got the famous quote. Uh, someone
asked him, what's the what's the best thing about freshman
and he said that they become sophomores, you know, or
something like that was that was the line. You know,
these these rookies right now, they're you know, they're they're
growing out of that. They're they're becoming established players and
you gotta love seeing that. And like I said, they
(23:03):
deserve credit because they've been a big part of this
turnaround as well. Too. They have very much so. And
you know, it's that growing up experience. You know, back
in the day, they really they still vet's thought of you.
You were in a VET until you got you were vested,
you know what I mean. That's that's like that was
our fourth years. It was actually it was technically it
was like the third or fourth game of your fourth year.
(23:25):
I mean they go on, she's Louise. You know, at
what time do you get a little over respected on here?
You're not quite the rookie anymore. Like that'd be like
if we're calling Zach Gentry the young guys still, Yeah,
that's about where he is at his career. Yeah, but
that's that's change. It certainly has. It really has. And
it's to their credit that the Steels have been able
to develop these guys and get them contributing. I mean,
(23:47):
you take a look at it. Before this game, I
think Mark Robinson had seven snaps, you know, and here
he had what twenties now six In the game he
had twenty six snaps. That's a lot. Now. I like
the fact that they were using him in a special
prepackaged type of deal, knowing that he's gonna be in
the heavy you know, against the heavy set, you know,
(24:08):
when you had Baltimore come out and they're going with
their big guys, and and going with Patrick um Ricard,
you know, the the pseudo full fullback h back nose
tackle three. That guy is such a unique animal. It's
like wild you'll watch him, but he's certainly you know
that that's one of the reasons you had to count
(24:29):
with these big guys, because you gotta come out big
on big. You can't just let them roll over the
small guys. And I thought the fact that they came
out with that six to configuration something I call it
six to some for through it as a four or
four however you want to look at it. It was
very much like goal line base type of stuff, you know,
I mean where everybody's cramming into the box. The boxes
(24:51):
tackled the tackle five yards deep on each side of
the line. And that was really as I said, that
was like a pure six brawl in there, as Billy
likes to call him. And um, you know, you look
at these young guys, they're they're moving along and they're
all contributed. And it started earlier with Connor, and Connor
is one of those guys. He is in my mind,
he's got a unique set, very much like Patrick Ricard
(25:12):
to that Steelers can use his attributes to their advantage. Yeah, yeah, no,
they absolutely can. And and that's again, that's that's the
point that these guys have have played themselves into, you
know what I mean, where you're starting to think, where
can we use this guy to our advantage? You know,
not just what can he contribute, but maybe how can
he contribute? And you know, I like the example you
(25:34):
just gave with Mark Robinson there too, will if he
played seven snaps against Carolina and then now he's in
the twenties against the Ravens, it was clear they had
a game plan for him on Sunday night. And you
go back and you watch that, and you know, Tuesday
afternoons or my rewatch day. So I had it. I'll
do that this afternoon. Maybe I can get back to
you on this tomorrow. Let me ask you, you get
chips when you're doing that? I think, to get some chips,
(25:56):
get some snacks. You can here's the thing. We know
what happens if I don't get snacks. Cantankerous. No, I'm
watching the film and it's the first quarter and I'm
a little startup and also looking, oh it's a fourth quarter.
What happened? So I gotta keep snacks. Well, if I
get some, I I I PLU. I go downstairs in
(26:18):
the basement on the big screen TV. Right. I really
sounded like a nineties kid there on the big screen TV.
I get my snacks. Uh, maybe even a beverage shore two. Yeah,
just depending on what we got going on for the
rest of the day. Hey, that beverage could be coffee,
could be could be something, could be something else. Um,
and Tuesday is my is my rewatch day. I'll go
(26:39):
I'll go home from here after you and I do
the Mike tom and press conference. I'll pick up my daughter,
I'll put her down for a nap, and I'll rewatch
the game and take some notes. But one of the
things I'm excited to see, because I felt this on
Sunday night, and and Moates talked about this yesterday too,
like they deployed Mark Robinson in very specific situations against Baltimore.
It was like, when the Baltimore offense was showing one thing,
(27:02):
they wanted Mark Robinson on the field. Uh. And that's
how you get those numbers in the twenties. So again
going back to it's not just that you're hoping, let's
put this guy out there in some fill in situations
and hoping he can hold his own. No, it's evolved
and it's grown to the fact with Connor Heyward, with
Mark Robinson that you're you're putting in specific packages for
these guys. You know, you're you're installing specific things where
(27:24):
you're going to use these guys on offense and on defense,
and that speaks to their girl. I mean they you know,
it's one thing for Kenny Pickett and George Pickens, right Wolf.
I mean, those those guys were drafted in the first
and second rounds. You expect your first and second round
picks to have impact their rookie season. Connor Hayward seventh
round pick, Mark Robinson, seventh round pick. That is, I mean,
to be getting what you're getting from these guys now
(27:46):
is fantastic. It really is, you know. I mean, yeah
that I forgot that. Uh you know they were both
seventh seventh round picks. Yeah, zukes man, you know, because
those specific situations and again I look at I look
at Connor. Connor can block. Connor is very good in
in uh in pass pro he's does a good job.
But he's very good in the passing game, you know.
(28:08):
I mean he's just I don't know, it's like he
sneaks up on you somehow, and I don't know how
to say that, you know, in a way that you know,
technically speaking, but he has this ability where I think
you underestimate his ability to get open. But he he
does some all some amazing things he does. He is
he's kind of look at Ninja and maybe maybe that's
(28:29):
a better name than Meatball. Maybe we call him the
Ninja Express because he does sneak up on you, do
things that I sit there and go, wow, you know,
that's that's pretty impressive that young man. Yeah, I agree.
The athleticism is there, the skill set is there, and
you're right, I mean, he's he's catching some people by surprise.
That touchdown in Atlanta. Nobody was really was really given
(28:50):
in their respecting that jet SUITEP against the Raiders. No
one's really eyeballing up Connor Heyward. And that helps now
that you know, when those situations manifest Wolf and he's
able to make plays in those situations. This is another
one of those you know, everything in football, it's like
its own ecosystem, right, everything affects everything. Every decision, every play,
(29:11):
every action affects what follows it. Now that opposing defenses
have to pay attention to Connor Heyward from a playmaking
threat to that affects everything else. That opens up things
for for your wide receivers and for Pat friar Muth
and for the run game. When you just have one
more additional element to that offense that opposing defenses and
defensive coordinators have to respect and have the game plan for.
(29:32):
That's all part of again, this ecosystem of everything affecting everything.
That's part of the reason why you're six and two.
That's part of the reason why your offense is hitting
it an over seventy clip in the red zone these
last three games. That's part of the reason why your
offense has the seventh most rush yards in the league
over the last eight games since the bye week. Um,
all these things chip away at that progress and everybody,
(29:55):
you know, everybody deserves their credit, I think for for uh,
you know, if it's if it's a boat analogy, right, well,
if everybody's rowing the boat, you don't. You don't just
have one or two big guys who are pulling the
oars and everybody else's everybody else is sitting there admiring.
You've got everybody grabbing an oar and doing their part
to row that thing. And that's why you've got it
moving in the right direction. Now, and before we go
(30:17):
to break the last thing I'm gonna do, and we
give a shout out to the tight end room because
muth asked me, he goes, you gotta give it. Zach
Gentry goes, you gotta give us a shout out. I
did it the other day on on Steelers dot Com
like the TV, and I pointed at the wrong camera. Dudes,
I blew it right. So to Alfredo Roberts and your
room brother, you got the move, you got the six twelve,
you got the meat, Paul, you guys are doing a
(30:38):
great job. Well, if that's why you're going to do
a radio partner, a camera, cameras, and I got a
face for radio. We'll be back with more SNR. This
(31:03):
is in the locker Room with Wolf and Starks on
EESPN Pittsburgh against Steelers Nation Radio presented by your neighborhood
Forward Store. The F one is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers Beckett's gonna hand it up. Nagy through
the whole out the right side, turns it up field
thirty thirty five and he gets the first down to
the forty one yard line. Needed ten, got sixteen. Patrick
(31:27):
Queen ended the player with a tackle. And that's what
I love when you got extra yardage going over and
above the call of duty. And certainly Nagy just performed
brilliantly this game against Baltimore. And I love the fact
that you've got power, you've got speed. He's stiffed armed,
just ad a little stiff arm and the guy's left
and right. I love that when he just pile drives
(31:48):
guys and slams him to the ground. And certainly, here's
the thing about it. During the bye week. Up to
the bye week, Nagy was head rushed for three sixty
one yards eight carry three point four yards per carry.
Button eight games. Since the break, he's gone a buck
forty one and carries eight three in yardage and four
(32:08):
point one three in his yards per carry. West He's
got five rushing touchdowns versus one before the bye. And
of course that hundred nine yard rush performance by Naji
and by Jalen Warren was the most since nineteen seven. Um,
there's there's running games coming along. We're talking about the
fat guys up front. They're doing a great job, but
(32:31):
probably help if I turn my microphone on there. Oh
you know I was sitting there. What happened? Wait? Did
I lose West? Wait a second, he's not. He's not
on remoter andy thing. He's right next to me in
the studio. Lose West? What happened? Hello? You're absolutely right.
It's it's everything we want to see, you know. That's
that's been the run game from Najy Harris, the compliment
of Jalen Warren, and I think that's part of it
(32:52):
as well to Wolf. You know, Najy Harris had I
believe twenty two carries and two receptions on Sunday night.
That sound correct to you? Of course I don't have
my statute. Twenty two carries and two receptions for Nagy
on Sunday night, right, I'm pretty I'm pretty sure, pretty
sure that's the number um touches. That's that's about the
(33:14):
sweet spot, right. We want we want Nagy maybe in
the mid maybe sometimes to hide twenties in terms of touches,
and that is possible when you have a guy like
Jalen Warren as well too, you know, because you're confident.
Jalen Warren had seven carries and I believe two receptions,
so that would be nine touches for him. Don't mistake
for Najy Harris, there was a massive difference between having
(33:34):
twenty four touches and having thirty three. That's why he's
so fresh in the fourth quarter. That's why he's playing
his best, That's why he's running with tenacity and physicality
and energy and asserting his will down the line. Part
of that is certainly because I think he's healthier now
than he was in the first half of the season.
But make no mistake too, Jalen Warren being able to
(33:57):
give Nagy enough, you know, to take seven, eight, nine
touches off his plate a game. I think that's making
all the difference too, because Nazi staying fresher and both
of those guys are able to contribute and they're still
strong down the stretch. And I think perfectly said and
I agree with that, and I also say, you know what,
it's that Yoda line, Yoda Yeah, do or do not?
(34:18):
There is no trying or do not? There is no
trying we're just we are getting our stuff together here. Hey,
we're we are, We're in post. We're ready for the post.
We're ready. Well, you and I know this show here
in the locker room. We had some new moving parts.
Max is in Arizona. We got this new this hot
(34:39):
shot guy west Uler coming in here producing the show
for you, telling you what to do right. It took
us some time, but now we're in good form too. Baby,
I'll tell you what. We're ready for the crunch rund here.
That's it, and it's we're getting Yoda out. I mean,
this is a line truly that is do or do not.
There is no trying. They're doing right. Move the guy
or don't move the guy. It's not about trying to
(35:01):
You gotta do it. There's just a significance to doing it.
And right now. One of the things that was spectacular
watching this offensive line run the stretch, run the outside
zone where you got you get turned your bucket step
and you go on an angle like a chorus line.
Right boom. And they when they stretched that defensive line,
(35:21):
they stretched them, they got their shoulders turned. They made
them one dimensional. They made those guys one one dimensional
hoofers running sideways to the sidelines, and then you got
Nagy just ripping up through there. And it was a
great job. I loved it this line. You know, it
took a lot of heat. There was a few you know,
dns and bruises and cuts and scratches and everything else.
(35:44):
But they have persevered, they have stayed strong, and they
have kept working. And I love it because we're seeing
the fruits of all that work. I completely agree with you,
and especially wolf Right as a as for you a
former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman, for me a lifelong Steelers fan.
There there's just something special about when the Stillers are
running that football right. It feels right, it feels like
(36:07):
the way it's supposed to be. And uh, going out
there asserting their will and like I said, particularly late
in game situations where they've been able to wear those
guys down over the course of sixty minutes, you absolutely
love to see it. Absolutely. Hey, well, before we go
real quick, uh, just in the last ten fifteen minutes here, Uh,
Damar Hamlin's family just put out a statement. You mind
(36:27):
if I read this real quickly from the family of
Damar Hamlin, and I'm quoting here from their statement on
behalf of our family. We want to express our sincere
gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during
this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers,
kind words, and donations from fans around the country. We
also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare
(36:48):
professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have
provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to
be a part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to
have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor
and the Bengals for everything they've done. Your generosity and
compassion me in the world to us. Please keep them
are in your prayers. We will release updates as soon
as we have them. Thank you. The Hamlin family beautifully said,
(37:10):
beautifully worded. Night's job and one of the significant moments
that I failed to mention about last night was the
meeting of the two coaches, Zach Taylor and Sean McDermott together.
I thought that was very significant and very poignant, and
their decision making process and how they went about going
doing conducting themselves just just excellent, completely agree professional as
(37:34):
you can get yes, yes, and needed in such a
time as this. Uh, there's no doubting that. You know,
leadership helps in these really tough, trying moments. And for
Damar and for what's going on here, you know, that's
the whole thing. We're gonna keep praying, just keep praying
for dam um this. He's not through it yet. Uh.
There's some positive signs that we can look to, Um,
(37:58):
but the most important of all is the ability to
keep interceding on behalf of demorrow with the most powerful
force in the universe, and that's God Almighty. Amen, We'll amen. Alright,
let's see we down to it, buddy, we are. We
got coach t coming up next. Alright, stay tuned. We'll
be back after this.
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESPN Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your
neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nadi begins I apolo Apollo
(00:43):
apo por lagi Hi starts down Bang bang loss Friday.
Oh you know who that voice is. Let's bring an
Alvarro Martine from our Spanish broadcast team. Hey, buenas dis
(01:08):
Alvaro bueno z s. Greg does the s West. Uh,
it's a good day that we're talking to you. Last
night taught us as they always it always does, that
you cannot take anything for granted. It's a tough day
all around football. It's a tough day in Pittsburgh. Uh,
this is one of our our homeboys and um, but
(01:28):
happy that the team got to win. Lots of talk
about in terms of of what happened in that game
and and the season, how it's going. But obviously everybody's
thinking about one thing right now and wait waiting to
hear better news. Well, let me first ask you, Alvaro. Yes,
and we've been praying for um demorrow Hamlin and it
is just on our hearts constantly and we attend we
(01:51):
just go before God Almighty and just interceded on his
behalf asking for a healing and restoration for he and
his family and his friends. Uh, teammates. Wow, it's just
a it's a it's a tough moment. But I we
were hearing good things at least stable things. Have I
got that correct? Their wes? I believe so? Yes, so
(02:14):
so he would they they announced, Um, I guess it
would have technically been early this morning, right, Um that
that he his his his his his vitals are still
I'm not a medical professional, but that his his vital
signs are stable at this time. Um. You know they've
they've got him on the breathing tube and and everything,
and so hopefully here you know, sometime in the next
(02:34):
twelve hours or so, get another update that could you know,
certainly be a positive one hopefully. All right, there, there's
two there's there's just two quick things to hidelight there. Yes,
it's amazing to me how quickly the Buffalo trainers, as
soon as they just about got there, turn around and
told Cincinnati bring the equipment. In other words, they saw
something and immediately understood the seriousness of the event and
(02:58):
how quickly things moved. Some of the first dad he
received on the field may make a significant difference, let's hope.
So that's something that just to keep in mind. And
then it's amazing. I was talking to West about the
relationship now between Cincinnati fans and Buffalo fans. Remember, after
seventeen years of Buffalo not making the playoffs, it took
us Cincinnati win against another opponent in the last week
(03:21):
with Dalton being the hero, for Buffalo to finally make
the playoffs and they start giving if you remember fourteen
donations and the war number fourteen Buffalo fans in support
of foundations in Cincinnati, and last night Cincinnati fans you know,
showed there their true selves and it was it was
(03:44):
it was good to watch. Yes, it's good to know
that people that it touches the heartstrings and you know
they you're attempting to do what in the smallest way,
what you can do, you know what I mean, because
there's nothing any of us can do other than pray
and uh, you know, maybe make a donation there, but
you know, and hope for the best. But certainly I
got moving right along here. We've got to move to
(04:06):
what we've been talking about with Kenny Cool, Kenny Magic
or the Sun Dance Kid. What do you think this
This young man is starting to make a name for
himself in fourth quarter Magic and Uh, it's kind of
like wild, is it not? Alvaro, I mentioned Kenny Cool
last week. I think I think, I hope if he
hasn't done it, you and I run to the trademark
proper and get that trademark. It's coming, It's coming. Uh.
(04:32):
There's the thing that I think people need to to
sort of understand, if they haven't already seen that the
way he led the team against Baltimore was actually quite
radically different than the way he led the team against
Las Vegas. Maybe the weather had something to do with that,
the very cold weathering, right, and so he went. He
(04:56):
checked down a lot more, and he was a lot
more conservative in making the throws. Some of the throws
he made in that last drive, the throat to Sims,
the throat of Fireman, and the touchdown throw. Me, that
touchdown throw in Miami wasn't interception the same throw You're
not to be a pick, uh, it was. It's the
(05:17):
nature of the drive that tells you that you know,
this is moving. This train is moving, the station gathering
a little bit of speed. Um. So it's it's it's fantastic,
it really is. And again we're no, you know, he's
nowhere near where he needs to be. I'm sure where
he wants to be. But the sort of stuff he's
(05:39):
already pulling off under the under the dress and under
the situation and and what's face, what's he's facing is
pretty remarkable. He's getting a lot of help, of course, um,
but it's still remarkable. And you know, Bill Parcels used
to have that phrase that when you bring in rookies,
he says, you want the puppies not just a bark.
(06:00):
You want them to fight, even if you don't feel
the bite too much. Well, Baltimore felt some biting and
it wasn't just a little noods. It was a real,
you know, a real flesh eater. And so he really
just he did something very very special. Some of those
throws where I mean I can see top quarterbacks in
(06:21):
league going wow, you know that was that was a
good throw. That was a really good throw. I'm not
sure I can make that throw. That's the kind of
throw it was. I mean that throw to Sims, Did
you tell me what do you think? What was your
reaction when you saw that throw? Well, I think what
I said was, you know, they threw it the friar
mouth and I think he got up and Kenny look
(06:42):
and says, you think that's hot? Watch this, hold my
beer and watch this. You know that was a great throw.
There's no doubt about it. Yep. And I mean even
the throw two Pickings that got a first down where
Picks really literally had to stretch and sort of cross
(07:02):
the plane, so to speak, and land on the others
on the right side of the first down marker was
a very tough throw, a lot of traffic. And so
what I'm sensing and and and it's just my opinion,
my you know, my eyes tell me this it could
be wrong. Is that the timing of the throws, the
recognition and the timing of throw is just getting out
(07:24):
of just a take earlier. And that makes a difference
in ball placement, in the ball getting there before the
defender does, and possibly in the location of the throw
that allows the Steeler receiver to do something with it
or at least secure the catch. Literally is we're talking
about less than a tenth of a second. I just
(07:44):
see that ball come out and the decision making come
out quicker. When you look at Aaron Rodgers, for example,
sometimes Aaron Rodgers, it's like he just takes a ball
at a center on the shotgun and he's just he's
already throwing and you're like, how does he know that? Well,
that that's exactly his skill and some of those pastists
worked that way and the deepness cannot possibly be ready
(08:06):
by the time he throws the ball. Jenny's not there yet,
but he's quicker than he was. And what we saw
is a result of that quicker than he was. That
the small little difference means that instead of an interception
in Miami, it's a game saving and season saving touchdown
in Baltimore, I mean Baltimore here. Yeah, and that was
(08:28):
that was much needed. That is the growth and the
progression I think we've been talking about Alvaro. You know,
there's there's a lot of different reasons why since the
bye week the Steelers have gone six and two and
they and they look like a much different team. We
could talk about the return of t. J. Watt, the
health of the defense, their overall performance. We can talk
about Kenny Pickett and his growth that we've seen. I
think part of that too is the rushing attack, though,
(08:49):
isn't it, Alvaro, What we've seen from Nagy Harris, what
we've seen from Jaln Warren from that front five, and
what they've been able to do. I mean since the
bye week, these last eight games, the Steelers are a
ten rushing offense in the National Football League over the
last eight games. And man, I don't think any of
us would have guessed that early on in the season.
Since since the bye week their top ten in offense
(09:10):
and in defense. This is a top ten team. This
is a playoff team, and it is a playoff team
that if they keep that um, they can beat certain teams. Um,
you can, you can make that call. So that's what
I said at the end of the game. This is
a budding power in the NFL right now. Whether they
make the playoffs or not, we'll find out. But once
they get into the playoffs, this team has presently constituted.
(09:32):
Is that. But going back to your point West about
the physicality of the team, I present to you, Miles
Boykin MHM blocking outside shoving. Kenny passed the line to
gain I present to you Jalen Warren when he blocks
the protective quarter back practice pass. Bro I present to
(09:53):
you Nanty Harris, who's not just happy to get the yards.
He wants to grind you down. He wants to really
tell you get out of the way. And I you know,
I see that, and I realized by the way. I
also present to use Zack Gentry, who was a former
quarterbacktor turned tight end whose weakness was blocking right right,
(10:17):
well not anymore. How do you like him now? How
do you like him out on the players on the periphery?
And I'm sitting here thinking if I'm an offensive lineman
wearing a Pittsford uniform, I look at that. I'm like, man,
I gotta keep up around here. You know, I told
Zack Gentry Igo, Zack, you know, if you get retired,
(10:38):
get tired of this, you know, tight end business, catching passes,
scoring a touchdown here and there, that sort of thing,
you know, fan adulation, you could be an all Pro tackle.
I'm serious. You could put on thirty pounds and you
could be a Pro Bowl caliber tackle. I mean he
is with his athleticism, his coordination and his strength, and
(10:59):
he's developed. I mean this. This dude is strong. I
mean I was standing here on the other day. This
is they gonna go, Wow, you've really packed your frame. Dude.
You know he's he's really buckled down and gotten on it.
But the fact of the matter is one of the
things that I love what this team is doing. Now.
There suddenly finding the chunk plays, the explosive place, the
fifteen yard naj run, the fifteen yard pickings, monster catch,
(11:24):
the moth catch at twenty Deonte right, the the Sims
catch that we're told Jalen Warren, how about Gunner Oshusky
just getting a trifecta of Ravens on one block? He
gets three guys on one block. Well, and we I
forgot to mention one more name that I think you
know these are peripheral players, but they set a tone,
and that's uh Connor Hayward. In that play with the
(11:47):
Kenny pass, he blocks JPP and then he had thought.
He goes, wait a minute, I gotta hunt here, who's
the who's the stone that decays? Oh it's Patrick Quinn.
Let me go hit him, let me go block him.
So he blocks JPP out of the play. Then he
blocks Patrick Queen out of the play in one play. Now,
going back to your point about the explosive place, and
and this is where I need to get pick your
(12:08):
brain right. No, No, there's a lot in there. Trust
me when I when I go in there, I'm a
young guy and I got a block. I'm thinking just
brute force. I'm just gonna try to shove the guy
and create space. But many times for these explosive place
to happen, you have to be much more of a technician.
(12:29):
You have to just do enough to move the first
level over here, not to have to go be over there,
just over here, so that you can slip and go
down and block the second level just enough. And then
the running back or whoever's got the ball has to
time it perfectly so that they make the most out
of those almost like pseudo blocks or minor blocks, because
(12:53):
it's all about technique. And I talked about presenting cases here,
I'm gonna present to you Kevin Dobson. I'm sure he's
had great games, but I think Baltimore was one of
the better games he's played. And what I saw when
I look at the tape is not a guy who
clearly has power to just shove you a bunch of yards,
but it was more of a technician, was more of
(13:15):
a let me just shove the defensive um interior alignment
just so that I can get through. And if I
can get through, my guy can get through. And then
let me go to the linebacker and just engage him
just enough take him out of the play. I don't
have to bankcake him. I don't have to shove him.
You know, we do like the pancakes. I know, I know,
(13:38):
but I'm saying, just get out of the way, and
that's just enough. And I think that's what we're seeing.
I also think that there's been something happening with Pittsburgh
that's been very, very subtle and effective. They are beginning
to use nagy in more concentrated, judicious moments. I guess
(13:58):
what Mike townment caused the weight of your moment. They're
giving Jylan Warren many more snaps in a higher proportion
of snaps, and what you see is a fresher and
much more powerful nagi when you need them, and you're
seeing Jaylan Warren be the same spark plug you know,
I need a first down, Jalen go get it player
(14:22):
that he is. And the other subtle tweak of that
if you began to see something you saw a little
bit before, if you're beginning to see them both on
the field at the same time, where one of them
typically lines up as a receiver and the other ones
in the backfield. You never see them typically both in
the backfield. That would be that would be the split
(14:42):
backs from my era. We don't see that anymore exactly.
So it's it's a it's a very interesting twist, subtle
twist to how they're being used. And I think it's
been a great effect. In other words, you have two
players that make a big difference, you have a chance
to give one a small breather. And I think that
Carolina game, remember that that drive where Jalen stuck and
(15:03):
stuck and stuck and stuck and he scored his first touchdown.
I felt at the time that was a bit of
a reward to the guy because he had done so
many good things for the team. And I think that's
when they realized, wait a minute, we can use nag
him arrest and then we used not at the end
of the game and he's rested, he's a little bit
more just sort of vibrant, yes and sharp, and I
(15:24):
think you're seeing that too. And that's that's a nice
little twist here that we may have missed. But I
think it's it's stroke of genius here. Well, the good
part about it is I think Nagy got his beach
mode on. You know, he's got power and strength. He
had power to push the pile and he had strength
to pick Kenny pick it up and shove him over
the first town marker on that one, that one short
(15:46):
yard and it was the third and one and fourth
and one when Kenny stuck it in. I you know,
the thing about it is, I love the fact that
Kenny is just quarterbacks sneaking at times, and he's doing
it at a high rate. And then you got Derek
Watt too. That makes a nice It does a nice job.
But taking those off angle offset uh you know, handoffs
and slash into the line, it's beautiful, nice job, you
(16:10):
know when you put him in motion. But anyhow, regardless, Alvara,
we gotta run. Thank you so much for joining us,
my friend. As always, we appreciate you. Hey, next week
we could be talking something great. Yes, dreaming. Dreaming is
for free Spanish, please, uh doesn't cost you. I love it.
(16:35):
Thank you so much, Alvaro, looking forward to seeing you
in the berg brother. Thank you all right, thank you
so much. It's Alvara Martin. He is our from our
Spanish broadcast team, and we're gonna be back with more
because you know what we're gonna talk lest We're gonna
talk a little young guns. Yeah, young guns. We're not
talking about Amelia Estevez and th rest of those guys.
(16:57):
We're talking about the young guns on the Pittsburgh's they're
making their mark and they're making themselves noticed from all
that more right here SNR. This is in the locker
(17:38):
room with Wolf and Starks on ESPN Pittsburgh against Steelers
Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The F
one is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers and
it is form and getting the call. But they stuffed
the run and cause a loss again. They tried to
angle right tackle, but Mark Bbbinson active for the first time,
(18:01):
I believe this year, the rookie out of Old miss
the seven eight pick was there to stop him. Nazi
the lone setback. They give it to Warren on the
sweep to the nearest side. He turns it up field
sit on his feet inside the inside the twenty, inside
the fifteen, and he's knocked out abound at the thirteen
yard line. The jet sweep right there left Marcus Williams
(18:22):
a free safety kept him out of the end zone.
Fix the hand off screen past broken up. That is
de Marvin Leel almost part of the play intended for
tight end John hu Smith. Oh, there's a man getting
off the field late, wide open. Here comes Connor Hamward
down the field thirty five twenty five. He's at the fifteen.
(18:43):
He's tackled at the chats. Too many men on the
field for Tampa Bay. Who cares? You gotta love? I
love listening to Billy, but yeah, it's just he does
such a great job. He's got the voice of an angel. Yes,
he's got the voice, no doubt of out and certainly
you know he's describing all four of those guys, the
(19:04):
young guns. The young guns are so important to the
lifeline to the Steelers. Young Blood has always needed the
infusion of young guys bringing that energy, that positivity, that uh,
that little you know, extra juice that comes out. Thank you, Yes,
that's exactly it, because you got you get a de
Marvin Wreckett Ralph Leale, you know, coming in and blowing
(19:27):
up the screen. He's not I'm sure. I don't even
think sometimes he knows what he's doing. But he's around
the ball and blowing things out. That's what he knows
to do. Go out and hit somebody, you know. Chuck
Noll always used to say, you know the thing about it,
don't over analyze. If you're gonna hit somebody, make it good,
make it a good hit. And that's what that kid does.
Or you got Mark Bam Bam Robinson right now. You
(19:49):
love the fact you can drop some people with those hits.
I love the fact he's got he's got bounced back
in him. I think Mike Tomlin coined that. You know,
he when he hits somebody, that's they bounced back, you know,
and go backwards. We got counter Meat Ball Express Heyward.
And then you've got Jalen Juice Warren, because Jalen puts
the juice in there. You know, he gives you a
little bit of that fresh juice with those legs coming
(20:12):
in and does a nice job. All these young guys,
this is what you need. This is what you gotta
have West, You gotta have these young guys coming along
and pulling their their share of the snaps. You absolutely
do well. If that's you know, that's the balance of
any successful team is you've got your savvy veterans, you've
got your kind of middle class and then and then
(20:33):
you've got the rookies, the young guys who were able
to contribute and make no mistake about it. You know,
we've spent a lot of the first what ninety minutes
of the show talking about why the Steelers are six
and two since the bye week, and we've talked about coaching,
We've talked about the quarterback, we talked about the offensive
line of the run game, we've talked about the defense.
These young guys deserve a shout out in that regard
to um you and Kenny Pickett is one of those guys.
(20:57):
George George Pickens is one of those guys. And we've
got you talk a lot about those guys rightfully so.
But from Connor Hayward and Jalen Warren on the offensive
side of things to to wreck it Ralph and Bam
Bam on the defensive side of things, they're a big
part of the reason. Their contributions are a big part
of the reason why this Steelers team is is playing
their best football by far right now and again has
(21:18):
that six and two records since the bye week. You've
seen touchdowns from Connor Hayward. You've seen huge plays uh
and touchdowns from Jalen Warren. You've seen the Marvin Lee
Ao and Mark Robinson putting their hand in the pile
and contributing and offering that vital uh, you know, depth
and and and and good quality snaps that these defenses
need in the National Football League. Um, the young guys
(21:41):
are are not so young anymore, right by by this point,
will if they've played more games in a season than
they ever have before, it's you know, it's not even
close if you include the preseason games. They're about to
play their twentieth game of the year upcoming. These guys
maybe played thirteen or fourteen in college, you know, uh,
the ones that you know with the Georgia Alabama, right,
you might play fourteen or fifteen games because you're making
(22:01):
it to the national championships so often. But this is
now game eighteen, nineteen twenty. For these guys, they're not
rookies anymore. You know, they're they're they're expected to to
have I'm sorry. Okay, right there. Still they're still rookies,
but you know, at this point, they've they've they've played
more in a season than they ever had before. I
(22:22):
think your expectations, rightfully so for them at this point
should be higher than they ever have before. None of
them look like they're hitting a rookie wall. I think
the Steelers have done a good job of managing that.
And uh, and that's encouraging, right because I think of
the old well, if you know, you know, John wouldn't
of course, the legendary U c l A basketball coach,
you know, won like fifty seven national championships or something
(22:43):
like that with U c l A. Back in the day.
He once said he's got the famous quote. Uh, someone
asked him, what's the what's the best thing about freshman
and he said that they become sophomores, you know, or
something like that was that was the line. You know,
these these rookies right now, they're you know, they're they're
growing out of that. They're they're becoming established players and
you gotta love seeing that. And like I said, they
(23:03):
deserve credit because they've been a big part of this
turnaround as well. Too. They have very much so. And
you know, it's that growing up experience. You know, back
in the day, they really they still vet's thought of you.
You were in a VET until you got you were vested,
you know what I mean. That's that's like that was
our fourth years. It was actually it was technically it
was like the third or fourth game of your fourth year.
(23:25):
I mean they go on, she's Louise. You know, at
what time do you get a little over respected on here?
You're not quite the rookie anymore. Like that'd be like
if we're calling Zach Gentry the young guys still, Yeah,
that's about where he is at his career. Yeah, but
that's that's change. It certainly has. It really has. And
it's to their credit that the Steels have been able
to develop these guys and get them contributing. I mean,
(23:47):
you take a look at it. Before this game, I
think Mark Robinson had seven snaps, you know, and here
he had what twenties now six In the game he
had twenty six snaps. That's a lot. Now. I like
the fact that they were using him in a special
prepackaged type of deal, knowing that he's gonna be in
the heavy you know, against the heavy set, you know,
(24:08):
when you had Baltimore come out and they're going with
their big guys, and and going with Patrick um Ricard,
you know, the the pseudo full fullback h back nose
tackle three. That guy is such a unique animal. It's
like wild you'll watch him, but he's certainly you know
that that's one of the reasons you had to count
(24:29):
with these big guys, because you gotta come out big
on big. You can't just let them roll over the
small guys. And I thought the fact that they came
out with that six to configuration something I call it
six to some for through it as a four or
four however you want to look at it. It was
very much like goal line base type of stuff, you know,
I mean where everybody's cramming into the box. The boxes
(24:51):
tackled the tackle five yards deep on each side of
the line. And that was really as I said, that
was like a pure six brawl in there, as Billy
likes to call him. And um, you know, you look
at these young guys, they're they're moving along and they're
all contributed. And it started earlier with Connor, and Connor
is one of those guys. He is in my mind,
he's got a unique set, very much like Patrick Ricard
(25:12):
to that Steelers can use his attributes to their advantage. Yeah, yeah, no,
they absolutely can. And and that's again, that's that's the
point that these guys have have played themselves into, you
know what I mean, where you're starting to think, where
can we use this guy to our advantage? You know,
not just what can he contribute, but maybe how can
he contribute? And you know, I like the example you
(25:34):
just gave with Mark Robinson there too, will if he
played seven snaps against Carolina and then now he's in
the twenties against the Ravens, it was clear they had
a game plan for him on Sunday night. And you
go back and you watch that, and you know, Tuesday
afternoons or my rewatch day. So I had it. I'll
do that this afternoon. Maybe I can get back to
you on this tomorrow. Let me ask you, you get
chips when you're doing that? I think, to get some chips,
(25:56):
get some snacks. You can here's the thing. We know
what happens if I don't get snacks. Cantankerous. No, I'm
watching the film and it's the first quarter and I'm
a little startup and also looking, oh it's a fourth quarter.
What happened? So I gotta keep snacks. Well, if I
get some, I I I PLU. I go downstairs in
(26:18):
the basement on the big screen TV. Right. I really
sounded like a nineties kid there on the big screen TV.
I get my snacks. Uh, maybe even a beverage shore two. Yeah,
just depending on what we got going on for the
rest of the day. Hey, that beverage could be coffee,
could be could be something, could be something else. Um,
and Tuesday is my is my rewatch day. I'll go
(26:39):
I'll go home from here after you and I do
the Mike tom and press conference. I'll pick up my daughter,
I'll put her down for a nap, and I'll rewatch
the game and take some notes. But one of the
things I'm excited to see, because I felt this on
Sunday night, and and Moates talked about this yesterday too,
like they deployed Mark Robinson in very specific situations against Baltimore.
It was like, when the Baltimore offense was showing one thing,
(27:02):
they wanted Mark Robinson on the field. Uh. And that's
how you get those numbers in the twenties. So again
going back to it's not just that you're hoping, let's
put this guy out there in some fill in situations
and hoping he can hold his own. No, it's evolved
and it's grown to the fact with Connor Heyward, with
Mark Robinson that you're you're putting in specific packages for
these guys. You know, you're you're installing specific things where
(27:24):
you're going to use these guys on offense and on defense,
and that speaks to their girl. I mean they you know,
it's one thing for Kenny Pickett and George Pickens, right Wolf.
I mean, those those guys were drafted in the first
and second rounds. You expect your first and second round
picks to have impact their rookie season. Connor Hayward seventh
round pick, Mark Robinson, seventh round pick. That is, I mean,
to be getting what you're getting from these guys now
(27:46):
is fantastic. It really is, you know. I mean, yeah
that I forgot that. Uh you know they were both
seventh seventh round picks. Yeah, zukes man, you know, because
those specific situations and again I look at I look
at Connor. Connor can block. Connor is very good in
in uh in pass pro he's does a good job.
But he's very good in the passing game, you know.
(28:08):
I mean he's just I don't know, it's like he
sneaks up on you somehow, and I don't know how
to say that, you know, in a way that you know,
technically speaking, but he has this ability where I think
you underestimate his ability to get open. But he he
does some all some amazing things he does. He is
he's kind of look at Ninja and maybe maybe that's
(28:29):
a better name than Meatball. Maybe we call him the
Ninja Express because he does sneak up on you, do
things that I sit there and go, wow, you know,
that's that's pretty impressive that young man. Yeah, I agree.
The athleticism is there, the skill set is there, and
you're right, I mean, he's he's catching some people by surprise.
That touchdown in Atlanta. Nobody was really was really given
(28:50):
in their respecting that jet SUITEP against the Raiders. No
one's really eyeballing up Connor Heyward. And that helps now
that you know, when those situations manifest Wolf and he's
able to make plays in those situations. This is another
one of those you know, everything in football, it's like
its own ecosystem, right, everything affects everything. Every decision, every play,
(29:11):
every action affects what follows it. Now that opposing defenses
have to pay attention to Connor Heyward from a playmaking
threat to that affects everything else. That opens up things
for for your wide receivers and for Pat friar Muth
and for the run game. When you just have one
more additional element to that offense that opposing defenses and
defensive coordinators have to respect and have the game plan for.
(29:32):
That's all part of again, this ecosystem of everything affecting everything.
That's part of the reason why you're six and two.
That's part of the reason why your offense is hitting
it an over seventy clip in the red zone these
last three games. That's part of the reason why your
offense has the seventh most rush yards in the league
over the last eight games since the bye week. Um,
all these things chip away at that progress and everybody,
(29:55):
you know, everybody deserves their credit, I think for for uh,
you know, if it's if it's a boat analogy, right, well,
if everybody's rowing the boat, you don't. You don't just
have one or two big guys who are pulling the
oars and everybody else's everybody else is sitting there admiring.
You've got everybody grabbing an oar and doing their part
to row that thing. And that's why you've got it
moving in the right direction. Now, and before we go
(30:17):
to break the last thing I'm gonna do, and we
give a shout out to the tight end room because
muth asked me, he goes, you gotta give it. Zach
Gentry goes, you gotta give us a shout out. I
did it the other day on on Steelers dot Com
like the TV, and I pointed at the wrong camera. Dudes,
I blew it right. So to Alfredo Roberts and your
room brother, you got the move, you got the six twelve,
you got the meat, Paul, you guys are doing a
(30:38):
great job. Well, if that's why you're going to do
a radio partner, a camera, cameras, and I got a
face for radio. We'll be back with more SNR. This
(31:03):
is in the locker Room with Wolf and Starks on
EESPN Pittsburgh against Steelers Nation Radio presented by your neighborhood
Forward Store. The F one is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers Beckett's gonna hand it up. Nagy through
the whole out the right side, turns it up field
thirty thirty five and he gets the first down to
the forty one yard line. Needed ten, got sixteen. Patrick
(31:27):
Queen ended the player with a tackle. And that's what
I love when you got extra yardage going over and
above the call of duty. And certainly Nagy just performed
brilliantly this game against Baltimore. And I love the fact
that you've got power, you've got speed. He's stiffed armed,
just ad a little stiff arm and the guy's left
and right. I love that when he just pile drives
(31:48):
guys and slams him to the ground. And certainly, here's
the thing about it. During the bye week. Up to
the bye week, Nagy was head rushed for three sixty
one yards eight carry three point four yards per carry.
Button eight games. Since the break, he's gone a buck
forty one and carries eight three in yardage and four
(32:08):
point one three in his yards per carry. West He's
got five rushing touchdowns versus one before the bye. And
of course that hundred nine yard rush performance by Naji
and by Jalen Warren was the most since nineteen seven. Um,
there's there's running games coming along. We're talking about the
fat guys up front. They're doing a great job, but
(32:31):
probably help if I turn my microphone on there. Oh
you know I was sitting there. What happened? Wait? Did
I lose West? Wait a second, he's not. He's not
on remoter andy thing. He's right next to me in
the studio. Lose West? What happened? Hello? You're absolutely right.
It's it's everything we want to see, you know. That's
that's been the run game from Najy Harris, the compliment
of Jalen Warren, and I think that's part of it
(32:52):
as well to Wolf. You know, Najy Harris had I
believe twenty two carries and two receptions on Sunday night.
That sound correct to you? Of course I don't have
my statute. Twenty two carries and two receptions for Nagy
on Sunday night, right, I'm pretty I'm pretty sure, pretty
sure that's the number um touches. That's that's about the
(33:14):
sweet spot, right. We want we want Nagy maybe in
the mid maybe sometimes to hide twenties in terms of touches,
and that is possible when you have a guy like
Jalen Warren as well too, you know, because you're confident.
Jalen Warren had seven carries and I believe two receptions,
so that would be nine touches for him. Don't mistake
for Najy Harris, there was a massive difference between having
(33:34):
twenty four touches and having thirty three. That's why he's
so fresh in the fourth quarter. That's why he's playing
his best, That's why he's running with tenacity and physicality
and energy and asserting his will down the line. Part
of that is certainly because I think he's healthier now
than he was in the first half of the season.
But make no mistake too, Jalen Warren being able to
(33:57):
give Nagy enough, you know, to take seven, eight, nine
touches off his plate a game. I think that's making
all the difference too, because Nazi staying fresher and both
of those guys are able to contribute and they're still
strong down the stretch. And I think perfectly said and
I agree with that, and I also say, you know what,
it's that Yoda line, Yoda Yeah, do or do not?
(34:18):
There is no trying or do not? There is no
trying we're just we are getting our stuff together here. Hey,
we're we are, We're in post. We're ready for the post.
We're ready. Well, you and I know this show here
in the locker room. We had some new moving parts.
Max is in Arizona. We got this new this hot
(34:39):
shot guy west Uler coming in here producing the show
for you, telling you what to do right. It took
us some time, but now we're in good form too. Baby,
I'll tell you what. We're ready for the crunch rund here.
That's it, and it's we're getting Yoda out. I mean,
this is a line truly that is do or do not.
There is no trying. They're doing right. Move the guy
or don't move the guy. It's not about trying to
(35:01):
You gotta do it. There's just a significance to doing it.
And right now. One of the things that was spectacular
watching this offensive line run the stretch, run the outside
zone where you got you get turned your bucket step
and you go on an angle like a chorus line.
Right boom. And they when they stretched that defensive line,
(35:21):
they stretched them, they got their shoulders turned. They made
them one dimensional. They made those guys one one dimensional
hoofers running sideways to the sidelines, and then you got
Nagy just ripping up through there. And it was a
great job. I loved it this line. You know, it
took a lot of heat. There was a few you know,
dns and bruises and cuts and scratches and everything else.
(35:44):
But they have persevered, they have stayed strong, and they
have kept working. And I love it because we're seeing
the fruits of all that work. I completely agree with you,
and especially wolf Right as a as for you a
former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman, for me a lifelong Steelers fan.
There there's just something special about when the Stillers are
running that football right. It feels right, it feels like
(36:07):
the way it's supposed to be. And uh, going out
there asserting their will and like I said, particularly late
in game situations where they've been able to wear those
guys down over the course of sixty minutes, you absolutely
love to see it. Absolutely. Hey, well, before we go
real quick, uh, just in the last ten fifteen minutes here, Uh,
Damar Hamlin's family just put out a statement. You mind
(36:27):
if I read this real quickly from the family of
Damar Hamlin, and I'm quoting here from their statement on
behalf of our family. We want to express our sincere
gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during
this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers,
kind words, and donations from fans around the country. We
also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare
(36:48):
professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have
provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to
be a part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to
have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor
and the Bengals for everything they've done. Your generosity and
compassion me in the world to us. Please keep them
are in your prayers. We will release updates as soon
as we have them. Thank you. The Hamlin family beautifully said,
(37:10):
beautifully worded. Night's job and one of the significant moments
that I failed to mention about last night was the
meeting of the two coaches, Zach Taylor and Sean McDermott together.
I thought that was very significant and very poignant, and
their decision making process and how they went about going
doing conducting themselves just just excellent, completely agree professional as
(37:34):
you can get yes, yes, and needed in such a
time as this. Uh, there's no doubting that. You know,
leadership helps in these really tough, trying moments. And for
Damar and for what's going on here, you know, that's
the whole thing. We're gonna keep praying, just keep praying
for dam um this. He's not through it yet. Uh.
There's some positive signs that we can look to, Um,
(37:58):
but the most important of all is the ability to
keep interceding on behalf of demorrow with the most powerful
force in the universe, and that's God Almighty. Amen, We'll amen. Alright,
let's see we down to it, buddy, we are. We
got coach t coming up next. Alright, stay tuned. We'll
be back after this.
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