November 27, 2023 • 44 mins
Max and Wolf are breaking down the win over the Bengals, and are joined by Rob King for the first hour.
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Speaker 1 (00:24):
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESP and Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation Radio, presented by
your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Here's the snap. He's back fires down the middle as
run the dead run. The moat is looth, and he's
across the fifty, across the forty and down to the
thirty three yard line.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
He's back looking left. Throws that pass intercepted at the
fifteen yard line. Trenton Thompson. He's out of bounds at
the twenty.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
But man Trenton, the one year man from San Diego State,
former Giant, picked it off in front of Jamar Chase
and the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I have denied the Bengals are scoring up.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
He goes left, runs for the goal line, touchdown, Pittsburgh
touch Steelers for.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
We gotta marker down, hold the phone, no foul for holding.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
E Yeah? How about that? Steelers whipped the Bengals in
Bengal Land. And you know it was just that was
just so much fun. It was just so nice to
see the escaloser in full what motion with people packed
down there? Oh Max, it was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
No, it was. It was an awesome sight.
Speaker 5 (01:47):
And to do the thing now two years in a row,
that's a nasty I mean, I don't.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I'm just over the Okay, we look, we lost you.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
They're a big guy, because it's okay, folks.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
As everybody knows, Max was was making his way back
to Phoenix yesterday after the game. So he got into
he got to the airport, and uh, sixteen hours ago his.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
His travel home began.
Speaker 6 (02:19):
It's like, where in the world is Max Starks? Do
you know that game Wolf that I'm talking the world
is Carmen san Diego absolutely used to play as kids.
That's like where we have with Max? Poor Max? Sometimes wait,
I think we might have him back.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
You got his Max? Do you have me now? We
got you? Yes, we got you now. I jumped in.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
So, so where is Max Starks?
Speaker 7 (02:43):
Yes exactly, I am finally back home.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Yes, I am still wearing the clothes that I wore
on the sidelines.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
Yesterday's anybody, how's the Avenger the Avenger Steelers shirt still
looking good?
Speaker 5 (02:57):
I mean, I mean, it's definitely it's avenging. I don't,
I don't know if they're happy as happy as they were.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I hope it's shirt buddy. We'll find out.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
We will find out. I wouldn't know.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
I've gone nose blind, like the Fabreeze commercial because going
on four plus hours. But no, I mean it was
it was awesome because you know, we fast forward, you know,
from last year to this year in Cincinnati. You know,
(03:37):
it was a question about what the office could do.
The defense exploded like themally do. Defense had its struggles,
and early on in this game, the Office was producing yards.
So we weren't out gained like everybody wants to talk about.
And now I can stop talking about the national media,
but we It wasn't translating to points.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
But it wasn't it strange?
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Yes, I never.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
Felt uncomfortable like I had been the previous six victories
and going into this, you know, some victory.
Speaker 9 (04:13):
I didn't feel uncomfortable about us. Oh my god, we're
about to lose this. It was just a different say.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
What not again? It was just a different what.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
A different sense about how the Steelers were in control
of this game, Like there was never like there wasn't
a lot of doubt in my mind because I was like,
because of the way they were moving the football, on.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Every drive exactly so, and we've got Rob King sitting
in with us, the King or the King is in
the castle.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Baby.
Speaker 10 (04:43):
I felt uncomfortable until Trenton Thompson at that interception, because
you know, you're up at and I don't even know
exactly what Max is saying, like you were they were
in complete control of that game, but you're down seven
to three, and now all of a sudden, Cincinnati puts
together one decent and drive that doesn't involve a long
kickoff returning a fluky deflected pass, and you're thinking, Uh,
(05:06):
is this really gonna happen? Can the Steelers come back?
I thought that was the turning point of the game,
then the drive that followed. But I'm with Max. I
had just had a moment of like it was like
when you eat too much at Thanksgiving, You're like, oh
that stomach, You're likeaziness in his stomach, And then it
went away when Trenton Thompson, When Trenton Thompson came up
with the interception.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
But let me tell you something first, right off the
top of my very flat head, all right, I think
the play in the game was was Connor Hayward tackling
the dude when Jalen Warren.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Fumbled the ball.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
If he doesn't make that tackle, sidelines and that's a touchdown,
and that was a that resulted in a punt that drive.
The Steelers shut off the water of Bengals on that
and I to this day, Connor Hayward, way to go, baby,
way to emulate big Brother and get it done, because
if you don't make that tackle, everybody else is kind
(05:58):
of like looking and did well was it a fumble
or not?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
And this dude is running and Connor tracked him down.
Nice job or Big Ben? He said, Big Brother.
Speaker 10 (06:06):
I can't big remember when Big Ben tripped it after
the Jerome fumble. But you know, so I'm jumping in
the middle of the conversation here, am I am? I?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Oh? You're good? Okay.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah, you're just going from one one radio station to another.
You go from DV now you're on with Max and me.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah. It's a good place to be, man, it's a
good place to be. You know.
Speaker 10 (06:27):
I uh, I agree with what Max is saying. Like this,
the Steelers felt in control of this game. And I
think the other thing too, is that you know, when
you continue to play one score games, right, And Mike
Tomlin's career record.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Speaks for itself.
Speaker 10 (06:40):
Usually, you know, the statistical people will tell you where
that's not sustainable. You'll come back to the mean your
record to be around five hundred in one score games.
When Mike Tomlin has blown the cover off of that.
I mean, he's shown throughout the course of his career
that he wins one score games. But I also think
that you know, he he coaches to what his strengths are.
A time earlier in his career where he was more aggressive,
(07:03):
I'm going for things and stuff like that. Well, he's
got a team now where you're trying to win it
with defense running the football, and you're looking across from
you in this game and saying, okay, is Jake Browning
gonna be the guy that's going to march the ball
up and down the field and hurt us?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
And are we at.
Speaker 10 (07:17):
An offense as an offense at a point in which
we can rely on picking up big plays or overcoming
deficits or that kind of thing. Well, you're not really
at this point, but I think it's you know, as
we look at this game, we're going to wonder, Okay,
what is this the beginning of something different? You know,
you break through the four underd yard category. And one
(07:37):
of the things that I looked at was the opening
drive of the game. You got the ball right around
the forty of Cincinnati and it's fourth in about a yard.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And a half, right, And what do the Steelers do?
Speaker 7 (07:47):
Well?
Speaker 10 (07:47):
They punt it. Why Because that's what you are right now.
You're you're a defensive team that runs the football and
you're facing a quarterback that you don't think is going
to hang twenty something points on you, So you kick it.
And I thought the special teams that was one of
the areas other than Boswell that wasn't great yesterday you
still overcame that.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
You know, you don't pin them deep there.
Speaker 10 (08:07):
But if you're if this offense three or four weeks
from now is playing maybe a more explosive team, and
you're starting to think, we need to possess the ball,
we need to be able to keep drives alive, we
need to play keep away, we need to score more points.
You might go for it there, you don't know. I'm
saying you might go, but you don't. Because so we're
looking at this team and saying, well, you only scored
(08:28):
sixteen points. Okay, we drop a touchdown, there's twenty three,
you know, and if you review it, it's probably a touchdown.
And you know you're still managing the game in such
a way that you're not gonna let it get away
from you.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
You know.
Speaker 10 (08:42):
So the naysayers will look at this and say, sixteen points.
You know, you got to do better than that. Sure,
you got to do better than that. But in my heart,
I'm thinking that's twenty three points to going back to
Max's point, this is an elliptical thing here, Sorry about that.
Going back to Max's point about feeling in control, you
had twenty three. Hey, if you think about this game differently,
maybe you are up to twenty seven points.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Maybe you do get to thirty points in this game.
Speaker 10 (09:06):
So for all that, I thought it was a very
positive game that the Steelers, you know, you just look
at the final statistics. They really controlled this game, even
though they only won by six points.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
No, And I think when you look at it like
like you were saying, Kanger, I mean, there was there
was some missed opportunities. You know, there was a couple
of molties that really killed the goal positions in the game,
especially in the was that it was in the second
quarter and I think the third quarter two big holds
(09:38):
that sent us back yep out of Bos's range that
could have been more attainable, you know, because a place
that actually have been different on third down to get
into fourth down situations. Kenny's efficiency was up, I mean
went twenty four to thirty three, and really you know,
a couple of them, you know, miss missed route pattern
(10:00):
between him and Deontay and then a couple a couple
of just like you know, crazy drops. I mean, Kenny
still had a couple of errant passes, but I mean
the seam routes with Pat Fryar mooth, Oh my gosh,
oh mg, I mean talk about missing how much you
(10:22):
You don't realize how much you miss something until you
get it back. My goodness, Pat Fryar moove on seam
routes yesterday the first play of the game to hit
him for that big twenty was it? Twenty four yarder
on the first play of the game. It was huge,
and they and he and he kept going back to
the to the mouth.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Well yeah, well I like that. I see what you're
doing here. That's that's very good. That's that's the way
to be light on your feet, big man. But you
know the thing about it was from the very get go.
You start off with play action. You have a little
banana bend in the cover two as we're talking about,
over them middle, and I think it's set Cincinnati back
(11:04):
on their heels. I think it really rocked them right away.
You go and you drop that one into friar Mouth
like that. And I got to tell you something I
got done just watching probably three quarters of the game,
and he his blocking was as good, if not better
than his past receiving. I mean, he was at some
critical junctures in the running game making some pretty dead
(11:25):
gum fine blocks. I'm like going, Wow, this is part
and parcel of the kind of powerhouse offense I think.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
We can run.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
How do we ran thirteen personnel or twenty two if
you want to put Connor as the fullback. But the
fact is that, to me, that was great watching that unfold.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I love the personnel.
Speaker 10 (11:45):
I loved that they even had a play where Jalen
Warren and Note were in the backfield. They did it
last week. Yeah, yeah, so that was good to see,
you know. And I do think that attacking the middle
of the field. Look, there are a couple of caveats
with this, right, you know, you get the Forders, you
break the fifty eight game streak of not getting to that.
You only score fourteen points. So you know, we're we
(12:06):
we see this, and we see that there's more here
and there and more still needs to be done. You
did this against the Bengals defense. That shouldn't be confused
with the Browns defense. It's a defense that you can
attack in the middle of the field. Cleveland's difficult to
attack in the middlefield. San Francisco is almost impossible to
attack in the middle of the field. So you know,
is this gonna look like this every week? I'm not
(12:28):
sure it is. I mean, this is a Bengals team
that's weak at the safety position, so you attack. Yeah,
but I think that you know, and and we'll never
know unless somebody tells us what you know. The conversation
was with Matt Cannon and Kenny Pickett. Did he say, look,
when you see this look, I want you to throw
the ball the ball in the flat? And did Mike
(12:49):
Sullivan and Eddie Faulkner tell him we see this look,
I want you to throw the seam.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
I don't know, or was it just no one's gonna know,
No one's gonna know this is this is just just
put the whole thing on Matt Cannon. I've always said
from the very get go, when Mike says it's if
it's time, it's time, because no one understands the dynamics
of what's going on behind the scenes and the personal
conversations that are going on other than I mean, like
Mike does, and Mike's got more invested in Matt Canada.
(13:16):
And I know it had to be a tough decision.
I know a lot of people are out there, like
you know, say, well, you know it's about time to say, hey, listen,
you don't know what was going on. That's the thing
about it, right, And so that's where I stand with
all that.
Speaker 10 (13:31):
Well, I also think that you know this, what we
saw yesterday is what is missing between this team being
a nine to eight team trying to scrape their way
into the playoffs and a team that is capable of
more than that. When you look at over the last
four weeks of the best running football team in the NFL.
(13:52):
So you've got that going for you. They were at
the end of last year as well. You dominated in
time of possession. You have it, so that's going to
help out your defense. It's going to allow your defense
to be more opportunistic. Your front five is as good
as anybody in the NFL. Joey Porter Jr. Looks like
he's an emerging star. You got Minkah Fitzpatrick another star
on the back end coming back. Are there other areas
(14:15):
that are of concern? Sure, but no, there's not a
single team in the NFL running eleven Pro bowlers out
there on defense and eleven on offense. I look at
this team and I think, if they can pass the ball,
if you can get into a game in which you say, listen,
as good as we are at running the ball on
defensive and as good as we are defensively, we might
(14:36):
need to score twenty four, twenty seven, twenty eight points
to win a game. This is the first step towards
thinking that, Okay, well, if you get into a kind
of game like that, you're extrapolating a little bit. Sure
on one performance against the team that's not great defensively,
but maybe that's in there, right, so maybe you can
(14:56):
get in And then you take a step back and
look at the AFC playoff picture. Who scares you right now?
Still six weeks to play, and you're hoping that the
Steelers are going to be the team, you know, after
they beat Baltimore in Week eighteen and win the AFC North,
that is the team that nobody wants to play.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I'm extrapolating and yeah, yeah, and I know you're extract
but I will say this, what we saw this past week,
we can't expect to see the next two weeks because
of the teams we got.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
You know, I don't think they have to evolve too much.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Take their confidence within the construct of what they have
right now, as you got the Cardinals and then you
have the New Orleans Patriots on a short week right
after that. So I think there is a bit of
optimisity and now you can kind of start to tweak
a little bit out of those personnel group is like
you said, thirteen that that that look that that that's
(15:50):
that shapes out to be a twenty two personnel or
you use a twenty one as an eleven and you
split out friar move like you did yesterday. Like you
could start playing with those groups and you'll have two
additional weeks to really kind of hone in before like
you said, you get back into the meat. You know,
you'll have another Cincinnati matchup and we'll have battle and
(16:12):
we'll we'll see, like you said Baltimore at the end
of the year, to where yeah, there might be a
couple of higher scoring affairs later on, but for the
next two weeks, you can really build off of this
and get sound at what we call the bread and butter,
because I still don't know what our bread and butter is,
and I think they're ready with Sully and with and
(16:33):
with coach Falk. So those are those are two areas
where I feel like, Okay, it is right, it's the
it's the building block in the right direction. It's a
step up from what we had, and we've got a
we We've got a number of steps left to still
create as we make this more look like December football
and foot like Mike Tomlin said, uh last week.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Well, especially important is the fact December football you need
to run the ball and running the ball. And now
you've got four weeks in a row where you have
man handled fronts who've really put people on their heels.
You've done a very good you as an offensive line.
If you're I'm telling you what Naji's twenty yard run,
it was a perfect example. Roderick Jones was in the
(17:17):
front and he had bj Hill, who he is a
man eater. The dude is is he was rolling him
back and I'm like going, look at this.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
This is like Santa Sleigh. You got the dogs up front.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
You got Naji in the back somewhere staying on his
feet somehow some way, putting a.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Hand on the dirt, popping back up, and all of
a sudden he squirts out, you know, and you're like going, WHOA.
Was that great?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
But what a job of everybody joining in getting behind
him and getting that extra You had the brotherly shove.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
For twenty yards.
Speaker 10 (17:51):
Yeah, it was great. That was an impressive run. He
had a great game. And they both continue to run
the ball, he and Jalen Warren. You know, thirty three runs,
thirty three passes, just exactly the kind of balance you want.
And you know, I think Max brings up a couple
of really good points. So one, let's get some confidence
going now this. Look, the first thing you have to
(18:11):
do against Arizona this week is win. And again I
don't think Mike tomins sec but win right exactly, And
if it's three to two, you know, you kick a
field goal and give up a safety.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Mike Tom's not gonna care. The Steelers is not gonna care.
Speaker 10 (18:26):
But again, what what we want to see is, Okay,
you got four hundred yards, you only had sixteen points.
Can you continue to roll the offense? Can you get
can you continue to be more balanced with the passing
game and this running game that's come to life over
the last month. And then I also think that you know,
that's the confidence there. And then and then also the
(18:47):
last thing I would say is that I do think
that what is the identity in the passing game? One
week it's going to be Pat Freyermouth and I think
this was a team you can attack over the middle
of the field. Next week it might be you know, Pickens.
The next week it might be Deontay Johnson. I think
we're gonna see a variety. And if everybody's on the
same page, you talk about confidence building, But Wolf, you win,
(19:09):
and that brings everybody together and gets that sleigh Santa
Sleigh moving in the right thing.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
I hate to quote him, but El Davis had it right.
Just win j just win baby.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
All right, we're gonna take a break. We're in the
locker room. First lap has been completed. We are gonna
be back with more. We got The King is in
the Castle. It's Wolf starts in the Ninjas right here.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESPN Pittsburgh Again, Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your
neighborhood Forward Store. The F one point fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Alrighty back inside the locker room, Session.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
Two with the Kinger.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
I think is how how we should dub that this
is the official start of the segment. But Rob King
was so gracious to jump in and segment one and
continue the party into the second one, and you know
care one of the things I also wanted to kind
of point out and get your thoughts on the linebacking
(20:31):
corps Michael Walker, Treite, Carpenter, Landon Roberts kind of the
three man weave. I know that we have Blake Martinez
on the active roster, but not dressing of course, just
kind of talk about the job that you saw from
the linebackers, you know, as we're as we're retooling that position.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, it's a great question.
Speaker 10 (20:54):
And I think for the second consecutive week, I think
they just did a really good job, you know they.
I thought they did a great Landon Roberts was phenomenal
last week and I thought he was really solid again.
I mean, you know, he's opportunities created, right. You hate
to see injuries, You hate to see some of these
things happen, but you know, guys have an opportunity to
(21:17):
step up take an expanded role. Or Landon Roberts is
kind of a two down linebacker. Now he's you know,
being more of a three down linebacker. You're seeing Trenton
Thompson getting an opportunity to play because of the injury
to Kean O'Neil. So when there's injuries out there and
guys have an opportunity to play, you love to see
him step forward. And I think that, you know, again,
(21:37):
we're kind of outlining what this defense looks like. And
the front five, to me, I mean, tell me a
better one. Right, you got Cam Hayward, you had Ogin Jobi,
you got Benton. You have depth behind those guys. You
have two outstanding rushers.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
You have TJ.
Speaker 10 (21:51):
Watt, continues to make a push for another Defensive Player
of the Year award. High Smith's on the other end,
you have depth at those positions, at all five positions.
I mean that's they are in an enviable spot there.
Joey Porter Junior is doing an incredible job. That's freeing
up Patrick Peterson to play the role that they envisioned.
So it strengthens not just one position, but two positions.
(22:13):
You get Minca back in there. So now your question
is Okay, well, maybe you know the other safety, the
other corner, and the inside linebackers, and the inside linebackers
have answered the bell the last couple of weeks. I
think they've been very good.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Go ahead, Max, Yeah, yeah, No, I think you're absolutely right.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
I think this has been something that a landing when
given the opportunity to lead.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And he kind of alluded to this leading up to
the week.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Before, just saying, hey, you know, we all had different
skill sets and you know we were assigned different responsibilities.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
But it's not like we had to stick to those roles.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
Like I've I've been I've done the different things like
I've done being I've been a green dot, I've been
a cover guy before it's just when we looked at
the role divvying up those responsibilities, this is where I
fell in the responsibility tree because I had two other
guys to lean on.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
But it's not like I'm new to this, and.
Speaker 5 (23:13):
I thought that was something I think kind of rings
true as I think back about it and what we've
seen over the last two weeks with the land in
just making some tremendous coverage plays in the flat on
those swing routes and just neutralizing and eating up grass
to make sure that a play that looked seemingly uncovered
(23:36):
and was going to be a big play got neutralized
really quickly. And Michael Walker, I mean jumping up and
tipping that first pass in the air, you know, just
wish you would have.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Came down with it.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
And Jamar Chas, I'm like, gosh, this is making any
circus catches. But that was very instinctive and a heads
up play by him to get and distort the path
of the football because nine times out of ten that
ball go as just a PBu are a pass defense
and not a catch and run like it was. It's just,
(24:07):
you know, just freaky situations for Jamar Chase in.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
That game yesterday. But I just think about that.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
I mean, a young guy getting an opportunity right step
up to the big stage and the light's not being
too bright for him.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Well, think about this.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
You know we were talking earlier about feeling comfortable, you know,
all through the game or not feeling comfortable.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
For the game.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Where I got to quiver was the second time Jamar
Chase came down with a with a tip goodness, you know,
and then you saw the big catch along the sidelines.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
With Joey Port. Joey Porter covered him like a quilt
on a cot.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
There was no room to put the ball, but somehow
Browning found the room to put the ball in there.
And he's still and he caught the ball. There's nothing
Joey could have done more except to follow him, you know,
just completely follow him. But I mean, seriously, when you
saw Chase come down with two tip balls, I should
have gone, Dad, that's not good.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
That's not good. You're feeling like the mojo's move went
away from you. Yeah, and you get there again.
Speaker 10 (25:02):
I go back to getting you know, the one score
games that Mike Tomlin. It feels perfectly comfortable in Steelers
fans don't feel quite as comfortable right there. You get
that churning in the belly like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
That fans want to party the fourth quarter. That's what
it is. They want to be able to relax and
have at it.
Speaker 10 (25:20):
Yeah, and there were you know, and we're jumping around
a little bit here, I'm jumping around a little bit.
You guys are keeping it on beam. But there are
a few things that I really liked in this game.
You know, the defense, to me, did what you would
expect him to do. I mean, look, you think about
a forty six yard kickoff return, a fluky batted pass
(25:41):
that Chase winds up catching, that keeps that drive alive,
and they wind up scoring a touchdown really their only
drive of substance of the game before the one that
Thompson had the interception on.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
But you know, again, looking for.
Speaker 10 (25:52):
Signs of this offense to come alive and the way
Kenny Pickett played and the way that they attack. They
had a third and eighth and then a third and
nine followed by a third and eight on the the
second to last scoring drive of the game, and they
were able to pick that up early in the fourth
I believe, and they were able to pick up those
(26:12):
first downs. You know, they didn't check down to the
flat and and punted away. They were a little more aggressive.
Kenny made a really aggressive throw, the one to Deontay
Johnson down the sideline. He had Pickens on a third
down running a drag and the right flat was completely
abandoned because Deontay Johnson, his man was in man coverage
(26:33):
and so he could have Kenny could have thrown the
ball to Pickens, and Pickens actually was like throwing his
hands up there like here, I am he makes the
aggressive throw down the field. Again, it's not a completed
puzzle yet. But when you think about and and I again,
I didn't think the Special Teams, I don't think that
was their best game. I mean, two punts that you
failed to down inside the five too, holding penalties on returns.
(26:57):
The forty six yard return wasn't their best game. No
game is going to be perfect. There's always going to
be something to overcome. Hopefully in the next game out the
Special Teams. By the way, I'm i'm discounting Boswell, who's phenomenon.
Of course the Special Teams player. Maybe the next game
the Special Teams wins you the position battle or what
have you, But it just feels like that's the missing element,
(27:19):
right to complimentary football. Hit some third downs, hit a
third and eight, hit a third and nine, and all
of a sudden you look up time and possession, you're
still running the football thirty seven seventeen to twenty two
forty three. That just is so helpful, not only for
your offense and hopefully scoring more points, but your defense.
(27:39):
I just thought there was a lot of complimentary football
being played, and Max, to get back to your point, yeah,
I like the way the defense played, but I also
think this worked more hand in hand than we've seen
in a while, even though it was only a six
point victory.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
Well yeah, and I think like you said, I mean,
you know, how often could you can you anticipate that
Miles killer Brew is going to jump in the end
zone and then think that I could jump in the
air and bat the ball Miles boykin Oh, I'm sorry,
boykom Yeah, it was well, it was it was one
of it was one of the.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
One the Miles, one of the Miles I can see Miles.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, very nice, A little who rest, yes, but but yeah, jeez, sorry, Max.
Speaker 11 (28:24):
Sorry, It's just so everyone knows the last thing Max
Ne's right now with his lack of sleep, because he
is not slept in about twenty four hours, is the
fact that we can started playing goofy games here, Albert.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah, who's it? Who's it?
Speaker 10 (28:43):
Who's the Castello town? Yeah, that's that's not the way,
that's the way the morning needs to go.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Sorry, Max, Sorry, Max continued, Please, no, no.
Speaker 7 (28:55):
It's all good. No, you're right, you're right. Delirium is
starting to set in at some point.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
But but you know, like those are so fluky because
I thought the ball was placed perfectly, you know, Bi Pressley,
and then you look at it, you just like, come on, guys,
like like some of the some of the knowledgeable things,
or the one where I forgot who.
Speaker 7 (29:16):
It was if it was it's a new guy. I'm
not sure if it was to Reek.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
That that also down the one ball like at the
eleven when it could have probably rolled down a little
bit because they had they had the safety got the
safety plugging on the goal line to make sure that
he could be like a like a you know, like
an infielder. Like yeah, there was just some little small
tactical things that they could have done better in the game.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
But you're right, I mean defense.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
I mean how about Nate Herbig with the coverage sack, right,
He's playing in coverage and then just absolutely turns on
the after burners to smoke Jake Browning, Like those were
the most where you're like, man, okay, the guys are
starting to get it, like in their roles, and you
really saw the defense be stingy.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
And dynamic in this game.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
And I know, yes it's not Joe Burrow, but hey,
who would have thought that? You in the AFC North?
You know where it was quarterback central and where was
can he Pikett gonna fit in that? Can you pick
will be the number two quarterback to the AFC North.
Speaker 10 (30:17):
I think Max may have come up with the new
phrase dynamically stingy.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yea, I love it.
Speaker 10 (30:23):
That's that's a great descript dynamically stingy.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
But you gottingly dynamic.
Speaker 7 (30:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (30:35):
No, that's great though, because that's exactly what That's exactly
what they were. They were stingy, and they were dynamic
enough to make place.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
But you know, to go back to Miles Boyk and
that makes me laugh because the first thing I thought
of him, he's in the end zone. He jumps up
in the air and I'm not in the end zone
saying you know what, I'm thinking, that's what you're doing
in elevator. You think, you know what do your kids?
We're going, well, what if the elevator gives away, Well,
you jump before you head, You'll.
Speaker 7 (31:01):
Be feah exactly, You'll be fine.
Speaker 5 (31:04):
No, it doesn't work that way. Oh my goodness. Yeah,
it was. It was one of those things where I
looked at it and I was just like wow. But
I mean, but this is what football is, and especially
when you're talking about wanting to get where you want
to go. It's never gonna be perfect, it's never gonna
be beautiful every single time. But if you can get
(31:26):
to a point where you feel confident in what you're doing,
like like you were saying, King Heer, like you know,
having having a Mike tomlin Field utterly comfortable in one
score games where you know the vast majority would be
very would be squirmy.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
At best when those situations arise.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
But they've done it so much this year that you
never really blink an eye or bat an eye at
it because it's like, this is what we've seen all season, right,
I mean, they've been an averaging sixteen points game type
of team that has that has whittled its way into
seven wins already this season. And that's where I think
(32:07):
it is something that you can lean on and say
that this team knows how to play.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
Bully ball, because that's essentially.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
What it is, king right, when you are a ball
possessing offense that doesn't necessarily put points up, but you're
chewing up time for the other team to make those
plays and get on the field and sustain these drives.
And then you have, like you said, you have a
fresh defense that's going to attack you, that's going to
make splash plays, whether it's sacks, tackles for loss, key breakups,
(32:38):
or interceptions. Because you also have to think about we're
still plus ten in the turnover differential.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Game, right, Like I think that that's crazy.
Speaker 10 (32:46):
You know, I've brought this up before, Like, this isn't
going to be a team that's suddenly going to start
scoring thirty forty points a game, right, It's just not.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
That's not the way they're made up.
Speaker 10 (32:56):
I want them to be a little bit more capable
of scoring more points. And they've been scoring you know,
the Dolphins put up seventy points on the suddenly improved
Denver Broncos seventy to twenty or whatever it was.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
That's a blowout.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
But I've made this shout out to the Broncos beating
the Browns yet.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, there go.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
I've made this analogy before the Steelers, and I think
they're they're they're not quite the Steelers of the early
two thousands, but they lean more that way. They lean
more in that direction. And the Steelers of those team,
they didn't win seventy to twenty. They would blow you
out sixteen to six, if you know what I mean.
Like that, They'd get out, they'd get up and it
was just you just knew it was over. You're up
(33:34):
ten and this game is it might as well be
sixty points. You're not coming back against that defense. And
when they get it back, they're gonna jam it down
your throat and there's nothing you can do about it.
They might kneel it down at the end of the
game at your six yard line with the knowledge that
they could have put more points on top of you.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
The Steelers are going to lean more in that direction in.
Speaker 10 (33:55):
My opinion, But I would love to see them have
a couple of two score victory, show that capability of
scoring more points. But to Max's point, do you want
to dance in the.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Fourth quarter thing?
Speaker 10 (34:06):
Or that's what it is, and I want to see
but this having this in your hip pocket in say
the second game of the playoffs, where you're gonna get
a tight one, and you're like, uh, you know, we've
done this a lot. We're perfectly comfortable here, you know.
I think that's I think that's good. And you see
a team like Baltimore, you see a team like the Bills,
(34:26):
they've lost a lot of close games, those teams that
might cost the Bills a playoff Berth, No.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
You're absolutely right, and that's what I think we're gonna
need come this next month.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Right.
Speaker 7 (34:37):
You know what we were able to get away with.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
In September, October, and November doesn't necessarily correlate in December,
and it's going to.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Take a better effort.
Speaker 5 (34:48):
But like you said, there were some hidden scores there
that were just missed opportunities. I think as they get
more confidence, they will be in that in that mid
twenty range, if not the higher end of twenty. I'm
not expecting a forty point game out of the Steelers,
even though, Hey, I'm gonna be welcome to it, but
that's not in the expectation. I don't think this team
plays like that, you know, because I think you sacrifice
(35:10):
some when you are getting into those higher echelons, whether
it's wearing out your defense a lot faster because you're scoring,
I means you're scoring quickly and turning your defense back
onto the field a lot sooner. All similar to what
we were doing earlier in the year with the three
and outs on our four losses. Big difference this is
gonna be, Yeah, a big.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Difference between three and outs and scoring and turn it
quickly scoring.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Right, Yes, yeah, there is a big difference, and I'm
sure people would welcome that. But you know what, we
do have to let Rob King go. We're we're at
the forty five more, We're at the very end of that. Kinger,
we appreciate it, of course, get to your appointment on
time and say, hopefully there's a good, good, good report
with that, and we appreciate you coming on the show
(35:54):
every Monday. Here inside the locker room, you can hear
Rob King right in that, if not a little bit earlier,
we got bonus time.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Today we're rocking.
Speaker 10 (36:02):
I'm going to the dentists and I'm doing a show
with Wolf in a couple hours.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
So Wolf's exist.
Speaker 7 (36:12):
Yeah, Now a dentist, not the bar. Okay, there's other
doctors at the bar, you know.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Right, Well, we're gonna step aside and we'll be back
with more inside the locker room here at ESPN SNR Radio.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
This is in the Locker Room with Wolf and Starks
on esp and Pittsburgh Again, Steelers Nation Radio, presented by
your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Store.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
He Steelers show glitz Man. The pocket collapses, he rolls out,
he's being chased, he stops, He's.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
Headed A wow, Wow, what a hit by Nick Herbick
Back at the fifteen.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Yard line, Brownie pinches the left receiver Big Rush.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Hey is crust by TJ. Watt.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
What what was that?
Speaker 3 (37:20):
A freak train?
Speaker 7 (37:21):
No?
Speaker 4 (37:21):
It was number ninety, you know, And that's about all
I could say. Wow, But TJ. Watt, you take a
sack and how I was breaking it down on film
this morning. He beat two men, two guys, a tight
end and the tackle and if you watch carefully. You'll
see TJ execute the exact arm drag trap that he
(37:43):
warms up with in pregame. You watch in pregame, he's
out there and he's warming up with one of the
assistant coaches and he's doing the trap, the thing and
all that stuff. Well, it's exactly what he got Jonah
Williams on and I thought that was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
And then you got Nick Herbig and he was like,
you know.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
Watching watching that whole play on fold Max was like
watching a road Runner cartoon.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Jake Browning was like Wiley Coyote, and Herbig was like
the train, you know, Herbig. He literally came from fourteen
I counted it on the film, almost fifteen yards deep
in the secondary to make that hit. And he's right
in her in Brownie's eyesight, right in his vision, you know,
right in front of him. And I kept thinking, Brownie's
gonna throw brown He's gonna throw and Nick never slowed
(38:29):
up and Browning never threw. It was like you could
you could run that that video with a soundtrack underneath.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
The be Erosmith train kept a rolling all night long,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (38:40):
That boom, yeah, or I forgot what song they played
at at Disney World for the rock and Roller coaster
over there in Hollywood. Yeah, well you know, and he's
like yeah, and then it goes into the soundtrack.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
Isn't it an Aerosmith song?
Speaker 3 (38:58):
I feel it is if I recall is it walked
this way? Mate? Could be there?
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Yeah, I mean it could be. I don't remember the.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Well. Max is a big aero Smith fan.
Speaker 5 (39:12):
You know, I mean huge, huge Now listen, listen. I
have had moments where you know, I could sing a
couple of Aerosmith songs and uh a couple.
Speaker 7 (39:24):
Of karaoke nights. You know, we've all been there. We've
all been there. We've got our go tos guys.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
Okay, so you're being honest Wolf, what's that? Is Max
actually a big Aerosmith fan?
Speaker 3 (39:32):
No?
Speaker 7 (39:33):
Okay, I'm an Aerosmith fan, though I am. I am
a big Steven Tyler fan.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I mean I am, I am that's your go to
karaoke fan.
Speaker 7 (39:43):
There is a song.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
You're a big fan, that's all.
Speaker 7 (39:47):
You're always whatever I'm a fan of.
Speaker 5 (39:49):
I will always be a big fan. But literally, yes, Max,
all right, I can't get you guys.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
You guys thinking about Max. Think about this though. You
watch TJ. Watt the reason, one of the reasons, one
of the keys to his success is his incredible technical
efficiency that he works on like a karate master. I mean,
if you watch him and practice, he's working on his
past rush moves, his hand traps, his arm drags, all
(40:20):
those things. And then you watch him in pregame, he
warms up with it and it's no mistake. It's not
just you know, he doesn't just fall into these sacks.
There's a plan, there's a method, there's an execution, and
there is that internal drive in him to be great
and it all comes together. Man, you just watch it.
You can't believe it. Sometimes, Well he's like.
Speaker 7 (40:43):
Mister Miyagi with the chopsticks and the flies right there
you go, know.
Speaker 5 (40:46):
I mean that's because he's just he's that he's that patient,
and he's he's that in tuned and very focused. And
I think that's that's that's how you can hit, how
you can look at TJ. Wid like, there's there's always
a purpose, there's always a point to whatever he does.
(41:07):
And he's very meticulous and very particular about how he
warms up. You know, we always talk about the ritualistic
nature right of of what you do the pregame routine.
Shall we say all those things because just like for me, Wolf, like,
I go through my routine and you know, every game,
no matter what, since I've been in high school, right
(41:30):
the way that I align my pads, the way that
I listen to music at certain points that give me
those keys on what I need to be doing when
I go out for pregame, it's the same warm up
routine that I do. You know, when I do jog
around the field, the first time is spinning at every
(41:50):
pylon you know around you know, for bounds, because that's
what I've always done. And then you go into your routine.
How I take my sets, how I think in visualize,
how I want the game to unfold for me, and
that's the same thing. So when you warm up, you're like,
in this situation, this is what I do, so that
(42:10):
when you get into that situation, guess what It's called
a reflex and an instinct versus a thought and a
movement that must be made. It's just it's second nature
for me because I've rehearsed and choreographed this specific thing
to happen, so that when I see it, I can
identify it immediately and react and catch the other guy
(42:32):
off guard.
Speaker 7 (42:33):
And that's the beauty of this.
Speaker 12 (42:35):
You know, people always think, man, is this amazing, you know, athleticism,
and they're so smart, but really it comes down to,
you know, you have to fall in love with practice
and the process.
Speaker 7 (42:51):
Those who can fall in love with doing.
Speaker 5 (42:53):
The same thing over and over and over again and
not get bold with it and get inspired by it
the more that you do it. That's really what sets
that separates a professional athlete from just a regular and
good athlete. It's that process and how you fall in
love with it and how you develop your ritual for
(43:17):
the routine.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
Absolutely couldn't have said it better. It is really a
mister Miagi thing. It really is, you know, wax on,
wax off until you know it's go time, because if
you got to think out there, it's too late. I
mean it literally is. I try to tell people. When
you know, guys talk about playing fast when they're young,
you know that they start to emerge into that veteran
(43:40):
You can start to play fast now because you don't
have to think it's there and it's just you call
on it and it's there. So having said that we
are going to take a break now, we're going to
move into the power hour because Max will get back
right after this. Don't you turn that dial. We'll be
back with more. In the locker room, he rather still
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESP and Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation Radio, presented by
your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Here's the snap. He's back fires down the middle as
run the dead run. The moat is looth, and he's
across the fifty, across the forty and down to the
thirty three yard line.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
He's back looking left. Throws that pass intercepted at the
fifteen yard line. Trenton Thompson. He's out of bounds at
the twenty.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
But man Trenton, the one year man from San Diego State,
former Giant, picked it off in front of Jamar Chase
and the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I have denied the Bengals are scoring up.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
He goes left, runs for the goal line, touchdown, Pittsburgh
touch Steelers for.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
We gotta marker down, hold the phone, no foul for holding.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
E Yeah? How about that? Steelers whipped the Bengals in
Bengal Land. And you know it was just that was
just so much fun. It was just so nice to
see the escaloser in full what motion with people packed
down there? Oh Max, it was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
No, it was. It was an awesome sight.
Speaker 5 (01:47):
And to do the thing now two years in a row,
that's a nasty I mean, I don't.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I'm just over the Okay, we look, we lost you.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
They're a big guy, because it's okay, folks.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
As everybody knows, Max was was making his way back
to Phoenix yesterday after the game. So he got into
he got to the airport, and uh, sixteen hours ago his.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
His travel home began.
Speaker 6 (02:19):
It's like, where in the world is Max Starks? Do
you know that game Wolf that I'm talking the world
is Carmen san Diego absolutely used to play as kids.
That's like where we have with Max? Poor Max? Sometimes wait,
I think we might have him back.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
You got his Max? Do you have me now? We
got you? Yes, we got you now. I jumped in.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
So, so where is Max Starks?
Speaker 7 (02:43):
Yes exactly, I am finally back home.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Yes, I am still wearing the clothes that I wore
on the sidelines.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
Yesterday's anybody, how's the Avenger the Avenger Steelers shirt still
looking good?
Speaker 5 (02:57):
I mean, I mean, it's definitely it's avenging. I don't,
I don't know if they're happy as happy as they were.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I hope it's shirt buddy. We'll find out.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
We will find out. I wouldn't know.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
I've gone nose blind, like the Fabreeze commercial because going
on four plus hours. But no, I mean it was
it was awesome because you know, we fast forward, you know,
from last year to this year in Cincinnati. You know,
(03:37):
it was a question about what the office could do.
The defense exploded like themally do. Defense had its struggles,
and early on in this game, the Office was producing yards.
So we weren't out gained like everybody wants to talk about.
And now I can stop talking about the national media,
but we It wasn't translating to points.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
But it wasn't it strange?
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Yes, I never.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
Felt uncomfortable like I had been the previous six victories
and going into this, you know, some victory.
Speaker 9 (04:13):
I didn't feel uncomfortable about us. Oh my god, we're
about to lose this. It was just a different say.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
What not again? It was just a different what.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
A different sense about how the Steelers were in control
of this game, Like there was never like there wasn't
a lot of doubt in my mind because I was like,
because of the way they were moving the football, on.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Every drive exactly so, and we've got Rob King sitting
in with us, the King or the King is in
the castle.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Baby.
Speaker 10 (04:43):
I felt uncomfortable until Trenton Thompson at that interception, because
you know, you're up at and I don't even know
exactly what Max is saying, like you were they were
in complete control of that game, but you're down seven
to three, and now all of a sudden, Cincinnati puts
together one decent and drive that doesn't involve a long
kickoff returning a fluky deflected pass, and you're thinking, Uh,
(05:06):
is this really gonna happen? Can the Steelers come back?
I thought that was the turning point of the game,
then the drive that followed. But I'm with Max. I
had just had a moment of like it was like
when you eat too much at Thanksgiving, You're like, oh
that stomach, You're likeaziness in his stomach, And then it
went away when Trenton Thompson, When Trenton Thompson came up
with the interception.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
But let me tell you something first, right off the
top of my very flat head, all right, I think
the play in the game was was Connor Hayward tackling
the dude when Jalen Warren.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Fumbled the ball.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
If he doesn't make that tackle, sidelines and that's a touchdown,
and that was a that resulted in a punt that drive.
The Steelers shut off the water of Bengals on that
and I to this day, Connor Hayward, way to go, baby,
way to emulate big Brother and get it done, because
if you don't make that tackle, everybody else is kind
(05:58):
of like looking and did well was it a fumble
or not?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
And this dude is running and Connor tracked him down.
Nice job or Big Ben? He said, Big Brother.
Speaker 10 (06:06):
I can't big remember when Big Ben tripped it after
the Jerome fumble. But you know, so I'm jumping in
the middle of the conversation here, am I am? I?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Oh? You're good? Okay.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah, you're just going from one one radio station to another.
You go from DV now you're on with Max and me.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah. It's a good place to be, man, it's a
good place to be. You know.
Speaker 10 (06:27):
I uh, I agree with what Max is saying. Like this,
the Steelers felt in control of this game. And I
think the other thing too, is that you know, when
you continue to play one score games, right, And Mike
Tomlin's career record.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Speaks for itself.
Speaker 10 (06:40):
Usually, you know, the statistical people will tell you where
that's not sustainable. You'll come back to the mean your
record to be around five hundred in one score games.
When Mike Tomlin has blown the cover off of that.
I mean, he's shown throughout the course of his career
that he wins one score games. But I also think
that you know, he he coaches to what his strengths are.
A time earlier in his career where he was more aggressive,
(07:03):
I'm going for things and stuff like that. Well, he's
got a team now where you're trying to win it
with defense running the football, and you're looking across from
you in this game and saying, okay, is Jake Browning
gonna be the guy that's going to march the ball
up and down the field and hurt us?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
And are we at.
Speaker 10 (07:17):
An offense as an offense at a point in which
we can rely on picking up big plays or overcoming
deficits or that kind of thing. Well, you're not really
at this point, but I think it's you know, as
we look at this game, we're going to wonder, Okay,
what is this the beginning of something different? You know,
you break through the four underd yard category. And one
(07:37):
of the things that I looked at was the opening
drive of the game. You got the ball right around
the forty of Cincinnati and it's fourth in about a yard.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And a half, right, And what do the Steelers do?
Speaker 7 (07:47):
Well?
Speaker 10 (07:47):
They punt it. Why Because that's what you are right now.
You're you're a defensive team that runs the football and
you're facing a quarterback that you don't think is going
to hang twenty something points on you, So you kick it.
And I thought the special teams that was one of
the areas other than Boswell that wasn't great yesterday you
still overcame that.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
You know, you don't pin them deep there.
Speaker 10 (08:07):
But if you're if this offense three or four weeks
from now is playing maybe a more explosive team, and
you're starting to think, we need to possess the ball,
we need to be able to keep drives alive, we
need to play keep away, we need to score more points.
You might go for it there, you don't know. I'm
saying you might go, but you don't. Because so we're
looking at this team and saying, well, you only scored
(08:28):
sixteen points. Okay, we drop a touchdown, there's twenty three,
you know, and if you review it, it's probably a touchdown.
And you know you're still managing the game in such
a way that you're not gonna let it get away
from you.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
You know.
Speaker 10 (08:42):
So the naysayers will look at this and say, sixteen points.
You know, you got to do better than that. Sure,
you got to do better than that. But in my heart,
I'm thinking that's twenty three points to going back to
Max's point, this is an elliptical thing here, Sorry about that.
Going back to Max's point about feeling in control, you
had twenty three. Hey, if you think about this game differently,
maybe you are up to twenty seven points.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Maybe you do get to thirty points in this game.
Speaker 10 (09:06):
So for all that, I thought it was a very
positive game that the Steelers, you know, you just look
at the final statistics. They really controlled this game, even
though they only won by six points.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
No, And I think when you look at it like
like you were saying, Kanger, I mean, there was there
was some missed opportunities. You know, there was a couple
of molties that really killed the goal positions in the game,
especially in the was that it was in the second
quarter and I think the third quarter two big holds
(09:38):
that sent us back yep out of Bos's range that
could have been more attainable, you know, because a place
that actually have been different on third down to get
into fourth down situations. Kenny's efficiency was up, I mean
went twenty four to thirty three, and really you know,
a couple of them, you know, miss missed route pattern
(10:00):
between him and Deontay and then a couple a couple
of just like you know, crazy drops. I mean, Kenny
still had a couple of errant passes, but I mean
the seam routes with Pat Fryar mooth, Oh my gosh,
oh mg, I mean talk about missing how much you
(10:22):
You don't realize how much you miss something until you
get it back. My goodness, Pat Fryar moove on seam
routes yesterday the first play of the game to hit
him for that big twenty was it? Twenty four yarder
on the first play of the game. It was huge,
and they and he and he kept going back to
the to the mouth.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Well yeah, well I like that. I see what you're
doing here. That's that's very good. That's that's the way
to be light on your feet, big man. But you
know the thing about it was from the very get go.
You start off with play action. You have a little
banana bend in the cover two as we're talking about,
over them middle, and I think it's set Cincinnati back
(11:04):
on their heels. I think it really rocked them right away.
You go and you drop that one into friar Mouth
like that. And I got to tell you something I
got done just watching probably three quarters of the game,
and he his blocking was as good, if not better
than his past receiving. I mean, he was at some
critical junctures in the running game making some pretty dead
(11:25):
gum fine blocks. I'm like going, Wow, this is part
and parcel of the kind of powerhouse offense I think.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
We can run.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
How do we ran thirteen personnel or twenty two if
you want to put Connor as the fullback. But the
fact is that, to me, that was great watching that unfold.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I love the personnel.
Speaker 10 (11:45):
I loved that they even had a play where Jalen
Warren and Note were in the backfield. They did it
last week. Yeah, yeah, so that was good to see,
you know. And I do think that attacking the middle
of the field. Look, there are a couple of caveats
with this, right, you know, you get the Forders, you
break the fifty eight game streak of not getting to that.
You only score fourteen points. So you know, we're we
(12:06):
we see this, and we see that there's more here
and there and more still needs to be done. You
did this against the Bengals defense. That shouldn't be confused
with the Browns defense. It's a defense that you can
attack in the middle of the field. Cleveland's difficult to
attack in the middlefield. San Francisco is almost impossible to
attack in the middle of the field. So you know,
is this gonna look like this every week? I'm not
(12:28):
sure it is. I mean, this is a Bengals team
that's weak at the safety position, so you attack. Yeah,
but I think that you know, and and we'll never
know unless somebody tells us what you know. The conversation
was with Matt Cannon and Kenny Pickett. Did he say, look,
when you see this look, I want you to throw
the ball the ball in the flat? And did Mike
(12:49):
Sullivan and Eddie Faulkner tell him we see this look,
I want you to throw the seam.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
I don't know, or was it just no one's gonna know,
No one's gonna know this is this is just just
put the whole thing on Matt Cannon. I've always said
from the very get go, when Mike says it's if
it's time, it's time, because no one understands the dynamics
of what's going on behind the scenes and the personal
conversations that are going on other than I mean, like
Mike does, and Mike's got more invested in Matt Canada.
(13:16):
And I know it had to be a tough decision.
I know a lot of people are out there, like
you know, say, well, you know it's about time to say, hey, listen,
you don't know what was going on. That's the thing
about it, right, And so that's where I stand with
all that.
Speaker 10 (13:31):
Well, I also think that you know this, what we
saw yesterday is what is missing between this team being
a nine to eight team trying to scrape their way
into the playoffs and a team that is capable of
more than that. When you look at over the last
four weeks of the best running football team in the NFL.
(13:52):
So you've got that going for you. They were at
the end of last year as well. You dominated in
time of possession. You have it, so that's going to
help out your defense. It's going to allow your defense
to be more opportunistic. Your front five is as good
as anybody in the NFL. Joey Porter Jr. Looks like
he's an emerging star. You got Minkah Fitzpatrick another star
on the back end coming back. Are there other areas
(14:15):
that are of concern? Sure, but no, there's not a
single team in the NFL running eleven Pro bowlers out
there on defense and eleven on offense. I look at
this team and I think, if they can pass the ball,
if you can get into a game in which you say, listen,
as good as we are at running the ball on
defensive and as good as we are defensively, we might
(14:36):
need to score twenty four, twenty seven, twenty eight points
to win a game. This is the first step towards
thinking that, Okay, well, if you get into a kind
of game like that, you're extrapolating a little bit. Sure
on one performance against the team that's not great defensively,
but maybe that's in there, right, so maybe you can
(14:56):
get in And then you take a step back and
look at the AFC playoff picture. Who scares you right now?
Still six weeks to play, and you're hoping that the
Steelers are going to be the team, you know, after
they beat Baltimore in Week eighteen and win the AFC North,
that is the team that nobody wants to play.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I'm extrapolating and yeah, yeah, and I know you're extract
but I will say this, what we saw this past week,
we can't expect to see the next two weeks because
of the teams we got.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
You know, I don't think they have to evolve too much.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Take their confidence within the construct of what they have
right now, as you got the Cardinals and then you
have the New Orleans Patriots on a short week right
after that. So I think there is a bit of
optimisity and now you can kind of start to tweak
a little bit out of those personnel group is like
you said, thirteen that that that look that that that's
(15:50):
that shapes out to be a twenty two personnel or
you use a twenty one as an eleven and you
split out friar move like you did yesterday. Like you
could start playing with those groups and you'll have two
additional weeks to really kind of hone in before like
you said, you get back into the meat. You know,
you'll have another Cincinnati matchup and we'll have battle and
(16:12):
we'll we'll see, like you said Baltimore at the end
of the year, to where yeah, there might be a
couple of higher scoring affairs later on, but for the
next two weeks, you can really build off of this
and get sound at what we call the bread and butter,
because I still don't know what our bread and butter is,
and I think they're ready with Sully and with and
(16:33):
with coach Falk. So those are those are two areas
where I feel like, Okay, it is right, it's the
it's the building block in the right direction. It's a
step up from what we had, and we've got a
we We've got a number of steps left to still
create as we make this more look like December football
and foot like Mike Tomlin said, uh last week.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Well, especially important is the fact December football you need
to run the ball and running the ball. And now
you've got four weeks in a row where you have
man handled fronts who've really put people on their heels.
You've done a very good you as an offensive line.
If you're I'm telling you what Naji's twenty yard run,
it was a perfect example. Roderick Jones was in the
(17:17):
front and he had bj Hill, who he is a
man eater. The dude is is he was rolling him
back and I'm like going, look at this.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
This is like Santa Sleigh. You got the dogs up front.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
You got Naji in the back somewhere staying on his
feet somehow some way, putting a.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Hand on the dirt, popping back up, and all of
a sudden he squirts out, you know, and you're like going, WHOA.
Was that great?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
But what a job of everybody joining in getting behind
him and getting that extra You had the brotherly shove.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
For twenty yards.
Speaker 10 (17:51):
Yeah, it was great. That was an impressive run. He
had a great game. And they both continue to run
the ball, he and Jalen Warren. You know, thirty three runs,
thirty three passes, just exactly the kind of balance you want.
And you know, I think Max brings up a couple
of really good points. So one, let's get some confidence
going now this. Look, the first thing you have to
(18:11):
do against Arizona this week is win. And again I
don't think Mike tomins sec but win right exactly, And
if it's three to two, you know, you kick a
field goal and give up a safety.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Mike Tom's not gonna care. The Steelers is not gonna care.
Speaker 10 (18:26):
But again, what what we want to see is, Okay,
you got four hundred yards, you only had sixteen points.
Can you continue to roll the offense? Can you get
can you continue to be more balanced with the passing
game and this running game that's come to life over
the last month. And then I also think that you know,
that's the confidence there. And then and then also the
(18:47):
last thing I would say is that I do think
that what is the identity in the passing game? One
week it's going to be Pat Freyermouth and I think
this was a team you can attack over the middle
of the field. Next week it might be you know, Pickens.
The next week it might be Deontay Johnson. I think
we're gonna see a variety. And if everybody's on the
same page, you talk about confidence building, But Wolf, you win,
(19:09):
and that brings everybody together and gets that sleigh Santa
Sleigh moving in the right thing.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
I hate to quote him, but El Davis had it right.
Just win j just win baby.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
All right, we're gonna take a break. We're in the
locker room. First lap has been completed. We are gonna
be back with more. We got The King is in
the Castle. It's Wolf starts in the Ninjas right here.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
This is in the locker room with Wolf and Starks
on ESPN Pittsburgh Again, Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your
neighborhood Forward Store. The F one point fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Alrighty back inside the locker room, Session.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
Two with the Kinger.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
I think is how how we should dub that this
is the official start of the segment. But Rob King
was so gracious to jump in and segment one and
continue the party into the second one, and you know
care one of the things I also wanted to kind
of point out and get your thoughts on the linebacking
(20:31):
corps Michael Walker, Treite, Carpenter, Landon Roberts kind of the
three man weave. I know that we have Blake Martinez
on the active roster, but not dressing of course, just
kind of talk about the job that you saw from
the linebackers, you know, as we're as we're retooling that position.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, it's a great question.
Speaker 10 (20:54):
And I think for the second consecutive week, I think
they just did a really good job, you know they.
I thought they did a great Landon Roberts was phenomenal
last week and I thought he was really solid again.
I mean, you know, he's opportunities created, right. You hate
to see injuries, You hate to see some of these
things happen, but you know, guys have an opportunity to
(21:17):
step up take an expanded role. Or Landon Roberts is
kind of a two down linebacker. Now he's you know,
being more of a three down linebacker. You're seeing Trenton
Thompson getting an opportunity to play because of the injury
to Kean O'Neil. So when there's injuries out there and
guys have an opportunity to play, you love to see
him step forward. And I think that, you know, again,
(21:37):
we're kind of outlining what this defense looks like. And
the front five, to me, I mean, tell me a
better one. Right, you got Cam Hayward, you had Ogin Jobi,
you got Benton. You have depth behind those guys. You
have two outstanding rushers.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
You have TJ.
Speaker 10 (21:51):
Watt, continues to make a push for another Defensive Player
of the Year award. High Smith's on the other end,
you have depth at those positions, at all five positions.
I mean that's they are in an enviable spot there.
Joey Porter Junior is doing an incredible job. That's freeing
up Patrick Peterson to play the role that they envisioned.
So it strengthens not just one position, but two positions.
(22:13):
You get Minca back in there. So now your question
is Okay, well, maybe you know the other safety, the
other corner, and the inside linebackers, and the inside linebackers
have answered the bell the last couple of weeks. I
think they've been very good.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Go ahead, Max, Yeah, yeah, No, I think you're absolutely right.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
I think this has been something that a landing when
given the opportunity to lead.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And he kind of alluded to this leading up to
the week.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Before, just saying, hey, you know, we all had different
skill sets and you know we were assigned different responsibilities.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
But it's not like we had to stick to those roles.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
Like I've I've been I've done the different things like
I've done being I've been a green dot, I've been
a cover guy before it's just when we looked at
the role divvying up those responsibilities, this is where I
fell in the responsibility tree because I had two other
guys to lean on.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
But it's not like I'm new to this, and.
Speaker 5 (23:13):
I thought that was something I think kind of rings
true as I think back about it and what we've
seen over the last two weeks with the land in
just making some tremendous coverage plays in the flat on
those swing routes and just neutralizing and eating up grass
to make sure that a play that looked seemingly uncovered
(23:36):
and was going to be a big play got neutralized
really quickly. And Michael Walker, I mean jumping up and
tipping that first pass in the air, you know, just
wish you would have.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Came down with it.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
And Jamar Chas, I'm like, gosh, this is making any
circus catches. But that was very instinctive and a heads
up play by him to get and distort the path
of the football because nine times out of ten that
ball go as just a PBu are a pass defense
and not a catch and run like it was. It's just,
(24:07):
you know, just freaky situations for Jamar Chase in.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
That game yesterday. But I just think about that.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
I mean, a young guy getting an opportunity right step
up to the big stage and the light's not being
too bright for him.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Well, think about this.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
You know we were talking earlier about feeling comfortable, you know,
all through the game or not feeling comfortable.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
For the game.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Where I got to quiver was the second time Jamar
Chase came down with a with a tip goodness, you know,
and then you saw the big catch along the sidelines.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
With Joey Port. Joey Porter covered him like a quilt
on a cot.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
There was no room to put the ball, but somehow
Browning found the room to put the ball in there.
And he's still and he caught the ball. There's nothing
Joey could have done more except to follow him, you know,
just completely follow him. But I mean, seriously, when you
saw Chase come down with two tip balls, I should
have gone, Dad, that's not good.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
That's not good. You're feeling like the mojo's move went
away from you. Yeah, and you get there again.
Speaker 10 (25:02):
I go back to getting you know, the one score
games that Mike Tomlin. It feels perfectly comfortable in Steelers
fans don't feel quite as comfortable right there. You get
that churning in the belly like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
That fans want to party the fourth quarter. That's what
it is. They want to be able to relax and
have at it.
Speaker 10 (25:20):
Yeah, and there were you know, and we're jumping around
a little bit here, I'm jumping around a little bit.
You guys are keeping it on beam. But there are
a few things that I really liked in this game.
You know, the defense, to me, did what you would
expect him to do. I mean, look, you think about
a forty six yard kickoff return, a fluky batted pass
(25:41):
that Chase winds up catching, that keeps that drive alive,
and they wind up scoring a touchdown really their only
drive of substance of the game before the one that
Thompson had the interception on.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
But you know, again, looking for.
Speaker 10 (25:52):
Signs of this offense to come alive and the way
Kenny Pickett played and the way that they attack. They
had a third and eighth and then a third and
nine followed by a third and eight on the the
second to last scoring drive of the game, and they
were able to pick that up early in the fourth
I believe, and they were able to pick up those
(26:12):
first downs. You know, they didn't check down to the
flat and and punted away. They were a little more aggressive.
Kenny made a really aggressive throw, the one to Deontay
Johnson down the sideline. He had Pickens on a third
down running a drag and the right flat was completely
abandoned because Deontay Johnson, his man was in man coverage
(26:33):
and so he could have Kenny could have thrown the
ball to Pickens, and Pickens actually was like throwing his
hands up there like here, I am he makes the
aggressive throw down the field. Again, it's not a completed
puzzle yet. But when you think about and and I again,
I didn't think the Special Teams, I don't think that
was their best game. I mean, two punts that you
failed to down inside the five too, holding penalties on returns.
(26:57):
The forty six yard return wasn't their best game. No
game is going to be perfect. There's always going to
be something to overcome. Hopefully in the next game out the
Special Teams. By the way, I'm i'm discounting Boswell, who's phenomenon.
Of course the Special Teams player. Maybe the next game
the Special Teams wins you the position battle or what
have you, But it just feels like that's the missing element,
(27:19):
right to complimentary football. Hit some third downs, hit a
third and eight, hit a third and nine, and all
of a sudden you look up time and possession, you're
still running the football thirty seven seventeen to twenty two
forty three. That just is so helpful, not only for
your offense and hopefully scoring more points, but your defense.
(27:39):
I just thought there was a lot of complimentary football
being played, and Max, to get back to your point, yeah,
I like the way the defense played, but I also
think this worked more hand in hand than we've seen
in a while, even though it was only a six
point victory.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
Well yeah, and I think like you said, I mean,
you know, how often could you can you anticipate that
Miles killer Brew is going to jump in the end
zone and then think that I could jump in the
air and bat the ball Miles boykin Oh, I'm sorry,
boykom Yeah, it was well, it was it was one
of it was one of the.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
One the Miles, one of the Miles I can see Miles.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, very nice, A little who rest, yes, but but yeah, jeez, sorry, Max.
Speaker 11 (28:24):
Sorry, It's just so everyone knows the last thing Max
Ne's right now with his lack of sleep, because he
is not slept in about twenty four hours, is the
fact that we can started playing goofy games here, Albert.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah, who's it? Who's it?
Speaker 10 (28:43):
Who's the Castello town? Yeah, that's that's not the way,
that's the way the morning needs to go.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Sorry, Max, Sorry, Max continued, Please, no, no.
Speaker 7 (28:55):
It's all good. No, you're right, you're right. Delirium is
starting to set in at some point.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
But but you know, like those are so fluky because
I thought the ball was placed perfectly, you know, Bi Pressley,
and then you look at it, you just like, come on, guys,
like like some of the some of the knowledgeable things,
or the one where I forgot who.
Speaker 7 (29:16):
It was if it was it's a new guy. I'm
not sure if it was to Reek.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
That that also down the one ball like at the
eleven when it could have probably rolled down a little
bit because they had they had the safety got the
safety plugging on the goal line to make sure that
he could be like a like a you know, like
an infielder. Like yeah, there was just some little small
tactical things that they could have done better in the game.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
But you're right, I mean defense.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
I mean how about Nate Herbig with the coverage sack, right,
He's playing in coverage and then just absolutely turns on
the after burners to smoke Jake Browning, Like those were
the most where you're like, man, okay, the guys are
starting to get it, like in their roles, and you
really saw the defense be stingy.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
And dynamic in this game.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
And I know, yes it's not Joe Burrow, but hey,
who would have thought that? You in the AFC North?
You know where it was quarterback central and where was
can he Pikett gonna fit in that? Can you pick
will be the number two quarterback to the AFC North.
Speaker 10 (30:17):
I think Max may have come up with the new
phrase dynamically stingy.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yea, I love it.
Speaker 10 (30:23):
That's that's a great descript dynamically stingy.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
But you gottingly dynamic.
Speaker 7 (30:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (30:35):
No, that's great though, because that's exactly what That's exactly
what they were. They were stingy, and they were dynamic
enough to make place.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
But you know, to go back to Miles Boyk and
that makes me laugh because the first thing I thought
of him, he's in the end zone. He jumps up
in the air and I'm not in the end zone
saying you know what, I'm thinking, that's what you're doing
in elevator. You think, you know what do your kids?
We're going, well, what if the elevator gives away, Well,
you jump before you head, You'll.
Speaker 7 (31:01):
Be feah exactly, You'll be fine.
Speaker 5 (31:04):
No, it doesn't work that way. Oh my goodness. Yeah,
it was. It was one of those things where I
looked at it and I was just like wow. But
I mean, but this is what football is, and especially
when you're talking about wanting to get where you want
to go. It's never gonna be perfect, it's never gonna
be beautiful every single time. But if you can get
(31:26):
to a point where you feel confident in what you're doing,
like like you were saying, King Heer, like you know,
having having a Mike tomlin Field utterly comfortable in one
score games where you know the vast majority would be
very would be squirmy.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
At best when those situations arise.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
But they've done it so much this year that you
never really blink an eye or bat an eye at
it because it's like, this is what we've seen all season, right,
I mean, they've been an averaging sixteen points game type
of team that has that has whittled its way into
seven wins already this season. And that's where I think
(32:07):
it is something that you can lean on and say
that this team knows how to play.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
Bully ball, because that's essentially.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
What it is, king right, when you are a ball
possessing offense that doesn't necessarily put points up, but you're
chewing up time for the other team to make those
plays and get on the field and sustain these drives.
And then you have, like you said, you have a
fresh defense that's going to attack you, that's going to
make splash plays, whether it's sacks, tackles for loss, key breakups,
(32:38):
or interceptions. Because you also have to think about we're
still plus ten in the turnover differential.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Game, right, Like I think that that's crazy.
Speaker 10 (32:46):
You know, I've brought this up before, Like, this isn't
going to be a team that's suddenly going to start
scoring thirty forty points a game, right, It's just not.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
That's not the way they're made up.
Speaker 10 (32:56):
I want them to be a little bit more capable
of scoring more points. And they've been scoring you know,
the Dolphins put up seventy points on the suddenly improved
Denver Broncos seventy to twenty or whatever it was.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
That's a blowout.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
But I've made this shout out to the Broncos beating
the Browns yet.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, there go.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
I've made this analogy before the Steelers, and I think
they're they're they're not quite the Steelers of the early
two thousands, but they lean more that way. They lean
more in that direction. And the Steelers of those team,
they didn't win seventy to twenty. They would blow you
out sixteen to six, if you know what I mean.
Like that, They'd get out, they'd get up and it
was just you just knew it was over. You're up
(33:34):
ten and this game is it might as well be
sixty points. You're not coming back against that defense. And
when they get it back, they're gonna jam it down
your throat and there's nothing you can do about it.
They might kneel it down at the end of the
game at your six yard line with the knowledge that
they could have put more points on top of you.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
The Steelers are going to lean more in that direction in.
Speaker 10 (33:55):
My opinion, But I would love to see them have
a couple of two score victory, show that capability of
scoring more points. But to Max's point, do you want
to dance in the.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Fourth quarter thing?
Speaker 10 (34:06):
Or that's what it is, and I want to see
but this having this in your hip pocket in say
the second game of the playoffs, where you're gonna get
a tight one, and you're like, uh, you know, we've
done this a lot. We're perfectly comfortable here, you know.
I think that's I think that's good. And you see
a team like Baltimore, you see a team like the Bills,
(34:26):
they've lost a lot of close games, those teams that
might cost the Bills a playoff Berth, No.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
You're absolutely right, and that's what I think we're gonna
need come this next month.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Right.
Speaker 7 (34:37):
You know what we were able to get away with.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
In September, October, and November doesn't necessarily correlate in December,
and it's going to.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Take a better effort.
Speaker 5 (34:48):
But like you said, there were some hidden scores there
that were just missed opportunities. I think as they get
more confidence, they will be in that in that mid
twenty range, if not the higher end of twenty. I'm
not expecting a forty point game out of the Steelers,
even though, Hey, I'm gonna be welcome to it, but
that's not in the expectation. I don't think this team
plays like that, you know, because I think you sacrifice
(35:10):
some when you are getting into those higher echelons, whether
it's wearing out your defense a lot faster because you're scoring,
I means you're scoring quickly and turning your defense back
onto the field a lot sooner. All similar to what
we were doing earlier in the year with the three
and outs on our four losses. Big difference this is
gonna be, Yeah, a big.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Difference between three and outs and scoring and turn it
quickly scoring.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Right, Yes, yeah, there is a big difference, and I'm
sure people would welcome that. But you know what, we
do have to let Rob King go. We're we're at
the forty five more, We're at the very end of that. Kinger,
we appreciate it, of course, get to your appointment on
time and say, hopefully there's a good, good, good report
with that, and we appreciate you coming on the show
(35:54):
every Monday. Here inside the locker room, you can hear
Rob King right in that, if not a little bit earlier,
we got bonus time.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Today we're rocking.
Speaker 10 (36:02):
I'm going to the dentists and I'm doing a show
with Wolf in a couple hours.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
So Wolf's exist.
Speaker 7 (36:12):
Yeah, Now a dentist, not the bar. Okay, there's other
doctors at the bar, you know.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Right, Well, we're gonna step aside and we'll be back
with more inside the locker room here at ESPN SNR Radio.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
This is in the Locker Room with Wolf and Starks
on esp and Pittsburgh Again, Steelers Nation Radio, presented by
your neighborhood Forward Store. The F one fifty is the
official truck of the Pittsburgh Store.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
He Steelers show glitz Man. The pocket collapses, he rolls out,
he's being chased, he stops, He's.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
Headed A wow, Wow, what a hit by Nick Herbick
Back at the fifteen.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Yard line, Brownie pinches the left receiver Big Rush.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Hey is crust by TJ. Watt.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
What what was that?
Speaker 3 (37:20):
A freak train?
Speaker 7 (37:21):
No?
Speaker 4 (37:21):
It was number ninety, you know, And that's about all
I could say. Wow, But TJ. Watt, you take a
sack and how I was breaking it down on film
this morning. He beat two men, two guys, a tight
end and the tackle and if you watch carefully. You'll
see TJ execute the exact arm drag trap that he
(37:43):
warms up with in pregame. You watch in pregame, he's
out there and he's warming up with one of the
assistant coaches and he's doing the trap, the thing and
all that stuff. Well, it's exactly what he got Jonah
Williams on and I thought that was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
And then you got Nick Herbig and he was like,
you know.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
Watching watching that whole play on fold Max was like
watching a road Runner cartoon.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Jake Browning was like Wiley Coyote, and Herbig was like
the train, you know, Herbig. He literally came from fourteen
I counted it on the film, almost fifteen yards deep
in the secondary to make that hit. And he's right
in her in Brownie's eyesight, right in his vision, you know,
right in front of him. And I kept thinking, Brownie's
gonna throw brown He's gonna throw and Nick never slowed
(38:29):
up and Browning never threw. It was like you could
you could run that that video with a soundtrack underneath.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
The be Erosmith train kept a rolling all night long,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (38:40):
That boom, yeah, or I forgot what song they played
at at Disney World for the rock and Roller coaster
over there in Hollywood. Yeah, well you know, and he's
like yeah, and then it goes into the soundtrack.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
Isn't it an Aerosmith song?
Speaker 3 (38:58):
I feel it is if I recall is it walked
this way? Mate? Could be there?
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Yeah, I mean it could be. I don't remember the.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Well. Max is a big aero Smith fan.
Speaker 5 (39:12):
You know, I mean huge, huge Now listen, listen. I
have had moments where you know, I could sing a
couple of Aerosmith songs and uh a couple.
Speaker 7 (39:24):
Of karaoke nights. You know, we've all been there. We've
all been there. We've got our go tos guys.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
Okay, so you're being honest Wolf, what's that? Is Max
actually a big Aerosmith fan?
Speaker 3 (39:32):
No?
Speaker 7 (39:33):
Okay, I'm an Aerosmith fan, though I am. I am
a big Steven Tyler fan.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I mean I am, I am that's your go to
karaoke fan.
Speaker 7 (39:43):
There is a song.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
You're a big fan, that's all.
Speaker 7 (39:47):
You're always whatever I'm a fan of.
Speaker 5 (39:49):
I will always be a big fan. But literally, yes, Max,
all right, I can't get you guys.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
You guys thinking about Max. Think about this though. You
watch TJ. Watt the reason, one of the reasons, one
of the keys to his success is his incredible technical
efficiency that he works on like a karate master. I mean,
if you watch him and practice, he's working on his
past rush moves, his hand traps, his arm drags, all
(40:20):
those things. And then you watch him in pregame, he
warms up with it and it's no mistake. It's not
just you know, he doesn't just fall into these sacks.
There's a plan, there's a method, there's an execution, and
there is that internal drive in him to be great
and it all comes together. Man, you just watch it.
You can't believe it. Sometimes, Well he's like.
Speaker 7 (40:43):
Mister Miyagi with the chopsticks and the flies right there
you go, know.
Speaker 5 (40:46):
I mean that's because he's just he's that he's that patient,
and he's he's that in tuned and very focused. And
I think that's that's that's how you can hit, how
you can look at TJ. Wid like, there's there's always
a purpose, there's always a point to whatever he does.
(41:07):
And he's very meticulous and very particular about how he
warms up. You know, we always talk about the ritualistic
nature right of of what you do the pregame routine.
Shall we say all those things because just like for me, Wolf, like,
I go through my routine and you know, every game,
no matter what, since I've been in high school, right
(41:30):
the way that I align my pads, the way that
I listen to music at certain points that give me
those keys on what I need to be doing when
I go out for pregame, it's the same warm up
routine that I do. You know, when I do jog
around the field, the first time is spinning at every
(41:50):
pylon you know around you know, for bounds, because that's
what I've always done. And then you go into your routine.
How I take my sets, how I think in visualize,
how I want the game to unfold for me, and
that's the same thing. So when you warm up, you're like,
in this situation, this is what I do, so that
(42:10):
when you get into that situation, guess what It's called
a reflex and an instinct versus a thought and a
movement that must be made. It's just it's second nature
for me because I've rehearsed and choreographed this specific thing
to happen, so that when I see it, I can
identify it immediately and react and catch the other guy
(42:32):
off guard.
Speaker 7 (42:33):
And that's the beauty of this.
Speaker 12 (42:35):
You know, people always think, man, is this amazing, you know, athleticism,
and they're so smart, but really it comes down to,
you know, you have to fall in love with practice
and the process.
Speaker 7 (42:51):
Those who can fall in love with doing.
Speaker 5 (42:53):
The same thing over and over and over again and
not get bold with it and get inspired by it
the more that you do it. That's really what sets
that separates a professional athlete from just a regular and
good athlete. It's that process and how you fall in
love with it and how you develop your ritual for
(43:17):
the routine.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
Absolutely couldn't have said it better. It is really a
mister Miagi thing. It really is, you know, wax on,
wax off until you know it's go time, because if
you got to think out there, it's too late. I
mean it literally is. I try to tell people. When
you know, guys talk about playing fast when they're young,
you know that they start to emerge into that veteran
(43:40):
You can start to play fast now because you don't
have to think it's there and it's just you call
on it and it's there. So having said that we
are going to take a break now, we're going to
move into the power hour because Max will get back
right after this. Don't you turn that dial. We'll be
back with more. In the locker room, he rather still
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