January 11, 2023 • 26 mins
The Steelers won their 2022 season finale against the Browns, for the sixteenth straight season under Mike Tomlin they finished over .500, but they came up just short of making the playoffs. Stan is joined by Max Starks to get his final thoughts on the Steelers season, and they discuss the team's postseason hopes for next year.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
But it paid up from happened we got to the
point where we did because I think for next year
it's gonna be that much more rewarding it that much tweeter,
I believe that you do next playoffs. This is Saban
on Steelers. Hello and welcome to all from Steelers Nation.
Thanks for joining us on the Sabran on Steelers podcast.
I am your host, stand Sabran. We post up new
(00:24):
editions twice weekly. You can get it at Steelers dot com.
Very easy to go to Steelers dot com, click on
it and the podcast will be there. If you enjoy
the content. To all the Steelers content we have for you,
please let your friends, relatives, neighbors know about it. Again
just at Steelers dot com. You can also listen to me,
by the way, on a daily basis on my show
(00:46):
on ESPN Pittsburgh. We're on live from noon until to
Eastern time each weekday money through Friday. Or you can
download the I Heart Media app and it's free and
you can get the show every day that way, or
check out on my podcast. I retweet them out every day.
You can get an ESPN Radio dot com or on
(01:08):
my Twitter account at stand Love the show Steeler season
comes to an end disappointing. I'm sure whenever you have
to rely on other teams, your chances are going to
be limited. There's just so many variables. For a long time,
it looked like Miami was not going to be able
(01:30):
to beat the Jets, not because the Jets were better,
just they were equally inept. But one bad play, one
bad sack, one long fifty yard field goal, and you're out.
And so it raises the question, was this season of disappointment?
(01:52):
And I say, if you're looking at it individually, just
forgetting everything outside of nine thousand and two, then yes,
I think you can characterize it as a disappointment, just
as the seventeen games this year nine and eight, even
if they came from a two and six record to
(02:14):
achieve that, going seven and two down the stretch, I
think you could say say that it was a disappointment,
certainly for the coaches, the players, the executives, fans. But
if you look at that season, this past season as
(02:36):
a building block more globally in where the franchise is at,
I've always felt you've heard me say they are in
a rebuild mode. And while it is true that once
in a great while, you'll see a four and thirteen
team become a twelve and five team. It's more likely
(03:00):
than a team that is under five. It will take
some time. Maybe they'll get to five hundred, then maybe
they get to three games over five, and then they
get to be a playoff team and be a legitimate
championship contender. And I'm not saying that that necessarily is
going to happen for the Steelers. There's a lot of
(03:23):
water to swim through to get to that point. But
if you look at this year as part of the
rebuilding process, then no, I don't think it's a disappointment.
It's been nice to make the playoffs and coaches and
players perspective, but larger views of the situation indicates that
(03:51):
even though their record was about the same as last
year one, which got them barely into the playoffs, record wise,
you'd think is maybe a slight step back. Certainly starting
out two and six is a good way to ensure
that you're not going to be better than last year.
But in terms of part of the process, and I
(04:15):
know Steeler fans wi't like to hear that, because in general,
there haven't been many occasions like this, but that doesn't
mean there haven't been any. I take you back to
the late nineties. They lose the a f C Championship
game to Denver. They're out of the playoffs in and
(04:37):
two thousand, out of the playoffs three years in a row,
and yet they came back in two thousand one and
got to the a f C Championship Game, which they
lost at home to New England. Sorry to remind you.
So there have been processes like this before, and if
(05:02):
you're looking at what happened and what transpired in two
thousand and twenty two, then this is part of that process.
When we hear the standard is the standard, what does
that really mean? Well, I think Mike Tomlin uses that
(05:23):
for two reasons. He's talking about players who are called
upon the perform when a guy at their position is
injured and they have to step up and play. From
his perspective, talking about coach Tomlin's perspective, you're probably a
(05:45):
second string player for a reason. The guy had to
you is better. But when you are called upon the
step in and play in replacing that guy, you need
to play up to his level. That I think is
part of what he means by the standard being the standard.
But I think from a franchise standpoint, standard being the
(06:08):
standard is not just eking into the playoffs at nine
one or nine and eight. It's entering the playoffs with
a real chance to do some serious damage. Not only
one team wins the Super Bowl, but the standard around
here in Steeler's Nation is that you step into the
(06:31):
playoffs and you're center of the ring. You're you're playing
King of the Mountain. You're standing there and saying, you're
shouting it. Who wants to take me on? Anybody want
to take me on? And obviously they're not there yet.
(06:52):
You have to first make the playoffs where you can
do that. Are they well on their way? M debatable.
One of the reasons that I say that this was
a positive year when you look at the grand scheme
of things, is because they managed to answer some significant questions.
(07:15):
They believe justifiably now they have the quarterbacks that they need.
We finally saw flashes of what Nausea Harris can be
and what the Steelers saw in him when they drafted
him in the first place. They know now that they
(07:43):
have a wide receiver who can to be an absolute
game breaker in George Pickens. I think they've known for
quite some time that Pat Fryar move can be a
devastating weapon and needs to be used more than he was.
(08:10):
They've got a serviceable offensive line. That doesn't mean it
can't get better. They need to add to that. They
need to add to the defense. Certainly, they've got some
(08:31):
proven performers, their performance performers there. I think that they
now know that Alex Highsmith can play, whether t. J.
Watts on the other side or not, if he's healthy.
So they made strides and that's what two was all about,
to make the playoffs great. Even if you make the
(08:53):
playoffs and get blown out like last year in Kansas City,
it's another step. And that's why I say that this
was a successful season. When you moderate your expectations. If
your expectations were they're gonna win the division and play
(09:14):
in the a f C Championship game, then your expectations
were frankly ridiculous. Wasn't gonna happen that way. But if
you look like they got their footing and the equilibrium
and they'll start oute in better position and in better
shape than what they were in, then that's why I
(09:36):
labeled a success. Max Starks has won Super Bowls with
the Pittsburgh Steelers. He really saw them up close and
personal as the sideline reporter on the Steelers radio network.
Max joins us now and Max, I'm gonna assume that
you were among those, um, who were disappointed that the
(09:58):
season ended where it did. How anxious were you to
see them get a playoff game, to see exactly where
they were in terms of their progress? You know, there
I was, you know what I'm saying. I was on
the fence, um, just because knowing where we came from
(10:20):
at the first half of the season to where we
ended up progressing. And you remember we had that conversation
stand right about that midpoint about how do I assess
this offensive line? And you know for the and even
as optimistic because I might have been in those moments,
(10:40):
I had no idea that it would be this good
at this point. So to know where they came from
and where we ended, Yeah, I'm a little upset that
we didn't we didn't get the opportunity, But I also,
you know, realized that we dug our own grave. Um.
You know, there was some winnable games in that two
(11:01):
and six start that that we're in our control. There
was at least three of them, you know, and that's
the Jets game. You're up, the Patriots game, you know,
before you figure out how to stop the run. UM,
we're probably the two most notable. And then you know,
even after that, like beating Baltimore, UM the first time around, UM,
(11:25):
that hiccup in this offensive run game, the one blemish,
you know, in this last stretch of about six games.
So I think that's where you know, I'm like, I'm
a little okay with it, just because I know that,
you know, progress has to have some type of finality,
UM for a season. But at the same time, I'm
(11:47):
happy we got to the point where we did because
I think for next year it's gonna be that much
more rewarding and that much sweeter. UM. I believe when
we do make the playoffs. When you look at the improvements,
obviously people talk about Kenny Pickett, but I want to
start with the offensive line, because you and I have
discussed that so frequently. UM. Clearly the past protection and
(12:09):
certainly the running game. The offensive line arguably it was
the best most improved unit, I should say, from start
to the midway point of the season to the end
of the season. Um, as you watch them up close
perform in what particular areas did they get better? Was
it a matter of each individual getting better, or as
we talked about for most of the season, they finally
(12:30):
reached that level of cohesion that's necessary. Yeah, I think
I think you have to take the ladder and apply
it to the to the former, right, I think you
have to look at it and say, you know, if
they did not jell, I don't think anybody could have
gotten better, um as a unit, or at least that
we could have told uh, you know, by by by
(12:52):
by by looking at it. So I think the unit
got better because they jelled and they literally spent every
snap together just about um. It was the only unit
to start every game this season together, um, of all
the offensive line units in the league. I thought that
was that that was one of the most impressive things.
Is their durability to go through the season. And yeah,
(13:14):
that we're bumps and bruises. Guys had to come out
of certain points. But you're starting five was your starting
five this whole year. UM. So I think that is
what lent itself to guys getting better individually, because when
you can trust the guy to your left or your right.
That makes you that much more confident, and that allows
you to play more more loose and free, and you
(13:35):
know what they're what they're shortcomings are, what their strings are,
and you guys could play off of those things together,
you know. And as far as individuals, I think James
Daniels probably had the biggest jump just because there was
an expectation but we didn't really know what to expect
what James d and he just got better and better
as the season progressed. You know, training camp, he was
falling down everywhere and I was like, oh my gosh,
(13:56):
I'm like, what what where we get him from? What
did he do? Um Man he became a staple And
I think that's that's probably one individual point too. I
feel like Chucks is always solid. Then he had another
fine year. Um Mason cold became became just steady Eddie
in the middle. You know, he's not gonna sit there
(14:17):
and gore you, but he but he has he does
a good job setting up on the double team, blocks
great you know, good intelligence or what I call FBI
football intelligence. And and then of course Kevin Dotson brought
the physicality, right. I mean, that's you need that one
guy who was the enforcer he was. He was more
of the physical enforcer of that offensive line than Dan Moore.
(14:38):
You know, as much as much craft as people want
to give Dan Um, I felt like Dan took a
step forward as well. I mean, only giving up one
sack to Miles Garrett in that last game when he
was given when they when they kept leaving him on
an island. Um was a hell of a job for
a young guy. And so I mean, Dan Moore definitely
grew up a lot this year, and he's only gonna
continue to get better. And I still maintain my position
(15:01):
that Dan is the guy that will be playing in
this league, you know, for for for for a decade,
if if he so chooses um, you know, but I
think all of them, all of them had a tremendous job,
that did a tremendous job this year really coming together
and then once it did, you know, creating something beautiful.
I mean, you played the highlight Nazi getting a thousand yards.
(15:22):
I mean at the beginning of it, we have ever
thought that probably not. We were like, oh well, talking
out maybe next year, but he pushed through and he
had to. He has some phenomenal game to finish out
the year to get him over that thousand yard mark.
All that hav't e been said. Um, if you're a
GM personnel guy and free agency is upon you, the
(15:45):
draft to follow, um as well as the offensive line jelled,
would you hesitate to add a better player or two
if they were available as part of your priority agenda?
I think you're always adding offensive linement. Stand I think
that's kind of one of the positions where you never
(16:06):
have enough offensive lineman. You're always planning for the inevitable.
I mean, think about this. Then I was drafted inn
O four in the third round. The following year they
drafted Trey Essex in the third round, to in the
sixth round, Um, Margaret Philip, and then the following year
(16:26):
after that we draft Willie Cologne. So you know that
they even though I became a tackle here, they draft
every year and those guys end up becoming players. So
you still have to plan for that depth so you
don't have the precipitous drop off like we did the
year before when de Castro, you know, is gone, and
(16:46):
Ramone retires and then Pouncey retires and then you don't
have bodies to fill that area and now you're reaching
to get guys. You want to always have a stock
polling guy so that you can plug and play guys,
and if anything does happen, you have somebody who's been
in the system making plug and play. How much of
(17:07):
the improvements do you attribute to the I'll put this
in quotes the Matt Canada offense. Um, is this what
we've been waiting to see? Um? Or is it the
same stuff just being executed better by the players we've
already decided cited as improving individually? I think I think
(17:28):
player improvement UM made made this made mccannon's offense look
look look a lot better. I mean, he still had
the same stuff right, still had the jet sweeps, still
have the horizontal game, but I felt Matt Canada also
kind of change changed a little bit because you think
about opening up the middle of the field. Um, he
(17:51):
actually started throwing in the middle of the field, and
you think about some of our touchdown drives. Where did
it come stand down the middle of the field? The
sea routes? Did George Pickens touched down on Sunday Steam
Route Raiders game to win it to George Pickens Steam
Route Pat pryor move big catch, Connor Heyward, big catch
the middle of the field between the hashes. Right, that's
(18:14):
what we didn't see earlier in the year. And I
think he kind of had to come off of that
realizing that he had guys with the skill that could
that could do that. So, you know, wasn't an admiration
to get through the year or is this what he
wants his offense to beat? That is the real question.
Then well it's interesting because, um, I always cite when
(18:36):
we've Ben took over in OH four, Bill Kawer went
to Ken wizzing and said, let's not put too much
on his plate. You know, he's a rookie, wasn't supposed
to play this year. Um, he came out early. He's
a younger guy. Um, that's not the case with Pickett.
But I'm wondering if that was the mantra of Mike
tom And going to Matt Canada and saying, let's keep
(18:59):
it well to really simple and that part of the
growth will be once he absorbs the basics, they can
add on. Better to add on than to take away.
Now now that that playbook was open stamp from training
camp on um and and it was indicative when you know,
(19:21):
even in the in the first start, I mean you're
making in a half of football. He threw the ball
over twenty times. Um. If you're trying to protect a rookie,
it's usually twenty five passes are less total UM in
a game. Um, Kenny, I believe it was twenty one
passes UM in in that first game. So and he's
(19:45):
thrown over thirty times multiple times this season, So there
was no holding back or you know, kind of giving
him easily digestible nuggets. Um. He came in day one
and it was a battle to see who's gonna be
the starter. And they threw everything after those guys, Mason,
Mitch and Kenny, and they wanted to see what they
could do. And UM, I think for Kenny, you know,
(20:09):
it was a trial by fire and he who he
got through it. Um. But I don't think. I don't
think they did the same thing that they did the bend,
because then you know, we had a we had a
great running game and and and the top five defense.
So his job was just manage. Kenny was asked to
go out there and win the games and more than
one occasion and uh, and he responded in kind um
(20:32):
as the season progresses, he got more comfortable, but there
was never there was never you know, the bumpers up
like on a bowling alley, right, you know when the
kids come up, the bumpers come up. Uh, there was
no there was there was There was no bumpers, There
was no floaties, there was no child child preventative devices
attached to him. He was he was. He was sitting
out there with no seatbelt in the sixty five Corvette.
(20:57):
The last thing I start saying this about three weeks ago,
that the Steelers are in a better position today than
they were a year ago. Today some of the questions
have been answered, maybe not completely, but I just sensed
that Steeler fans can feel positive going into next year,
(21:19):
and more positive than they were a year ago when
you didn't know who your quarterback was going to be. Um,
I wonder if you concur I do I do second?
I do second that motion? Uh, and we can close
this out now, just joking, Uh, but no, I think
you're right. I think you're right. So I think we
(21:40):
are in a better place because last year we were
looking at the end and this season we're looking at
the next step. So it's a different mentality. Because at
the end of last year, like you said, you didn't
know what was going to be. We didn't know if
we were gonna bring in Mr Bisky and draft Kenny Pickett.
It was all pie in the sky speculation. And this
point last year, well actually technically last year, at this
(22:02):
point we were getting ready to get beat by Kansas City.
UM but I digress, um. But yeah, that was more
so how we kind of thought about it. Like, man,
the future is dark and different, and then you look
at it, you turn and you come back to it.
And this season we have just exactly the same amount
of wins as we did a year ago. Um And
(22:24):
and the team grew in front of us as opposed
to kind of flat line in front of us as
a year ago. Um And I think that's kind of
what makes this so specialist. It wasn't a rebuild. What
everybody was thinking was it was more of a retool.
And I'll steal the word from my good friend or
Varl Martine on the Spanish broadcast side, uh, reorient this team.
(22:48):
Um And that's what they did. Uh And And where
I look around the league and how many teams have
switched quarterbacks or the quarterback coming in after the Great
Quarter Act was just a tremendous letdown. We didn't have that,
right we we we didn't have the Sam Donald to
Zack Wilson like to Jets have, or you know, looking
(23:12):
like the Houston Texans who are just in complete disarray,
or the Denver Broncos who had to spend two million
dollars to find out you still suck, you know. I mean,
I'm looking at how that is or precipitous fall off
like the Rams from one year to the next with
the same exact guy. Um, those are things that we
(23:32):
didn't have to deal with, and those are things that hopefully,
as is looking, will continue to progress in a positive
direction to the upswing and it will kind of look
more like our line, our line of succession and coaches
versus h a Cleveland quarterback graveyard. Well, it'll be very
intriguing this offseason. I suspect for any number of reasons. Max,
(23:57):
I want to again, what's your happy birthday? But I
want to thank you for being with me all season long. Um,
it really adds so much to the show. It's a
pleasure to have you, to have known you all these years,
and then you get a chance to work directly. I
just wanted to stress my appreciation for your willingness to
be with me once a week throughout the entire season
(24:19):
is absolutely my pleasure. And like you said, through all
these years, you were my first interview and the first
person I saw when I stepped into Pittsburgh outside of
Ben Roethlisberger UM as a rookie when we came down
to fs N Pittsburgh Studios to be on the stand
Savage Show and get interviewed. So you know, I'm just
blessed and fortunate that, like you said, throughout all these years,
(24:41):
we've had the opportunity to UH to be and work
together in various capacities. Happy to be a colleague today.
So thanks for having me, and I look forward to
many more years to come. It sounds like a plan.
I've got a picture from that very first show with
me shaking hands with you on the set, shaking hands
with Ben. That was That was a great night. Got
(25:03):
pictures of that uh as as a memento. Max, take care,
We'll talk to you again soon. Thanks very much. Sounds good.
Take care staff, all right, Max, you two. Thanks to
Max Starks for being with us on the Savant on
Steelers Podcast. Thanks for being here, all of you and
Steeler Nations again. The podcast can be gotten at Steelers
(25:24):
dot com. Very easy to get that online. You can
also listen to my daily radio show talk a lot
of Pittsburgh Steelers there too. You can get that live
seventy AM on your am radio. We're there each day
noon until to an Eastern time, or you can get
(25:45):
it on the iHeart Media downloaded. It's free and I'll
be there for whenever you feel like listening to it.
That's it for today's Sevan on Steelers Podcast, and thank
you very much. We're listening
But it paid up from happened we got to the
point where we did because I think for next year
it's gonna be that much more rewarding it that much tweeter,
I believe that you do next playoffs. This is Saban
on Steelers. Hello and welcome to all from Steelers Nation.
Thanks for joining us on the Sabran on Steelers podcast.
I am your host, stand Sabran. We post up new
(00:24):
editions twice weekly. You can get it at Steelers dot com.
Very easy to go to Steelers dot com, click on
it and the podcast will be there. If you enjoy
the content. To all the Steelers content we have for you,
please let your friends, relatives, neighbors know about it. Again
just at Steelers dot com. You can also listen to me,
by the way, on a daily basis on my show
(00:46):
on ESPN Pittsburgh. We're on live from noon until to
Eastern time each weekday money through Friday. Or you can
download the I Heart Media app and it's free and
you can get the show every day that way, or
check out on my podcast. I retweet them out every day.
You can get an ESPN Radio dot com or on
(01:08):
my Twitter account at stand Love the show Steeler season
comes to an end disappointing. I'm sure whenever you have
to rely on other teams, your chances are going to
be limited. There's just so many variables. For a long time,
it looked like Miami was not going to be able
(01:30):
to beat the Jets, not because the Jets were better,
just they were equally inept. But one bad play, one
bad sack, one long fifty yard field goal, and you're out.
And so it raises the question, was this season of disappointment?
(01:52):
And I say, if you're looking at it individually, just
forgetting everything outside of nine thousand and two, then yes,
I think you can characterize it as a disappointment, just
as the seventeen games this year nine and eight, even
if they came from a two and six record to
(02:14):
achieve that, going seven and two down the stretch, I
think you could say say that it was a disappointment,
certainly for the coaches, the players, the executives, fans. But
if you look at that season, this past season as
(02:36):
a building block more globally in where the franchise is at,
I've always felt you've heard me say they are in
a rebuild mode. And while it is true that once
in a great while, you'll see a four and thirteen
team become a twelve and five team. It's more likely
(03:00):
than a team that is under five. It will take
some time. Maybe they'll get to five hundred, then maybe
they get to three games over five, and then they
get to be a playoff team and be a legitimate
championship contender. And I'm not saying that that necessarily is
going to happen for the Steelers. There's a lot of
(03:23):
water to swim through to get to that point. But
if you look at this year as part of the
rebuilding process, then no, I don't think it's a disappointment.
It's been nice to make the playoffs and coaches and
players perspective, but larger views of the situation indicates that
(03:51):
even though their record was about the same as last
year one, which got them barely into the playoffs, record wise,
you'd think is maybe a slight step back. Certainly starting
out two and six is a good way to ensure
that you're not going to be better than last year.
But in terms of part of the process, and I
(04:15):
know Steeler fans wi't like to hear that, because in general,
there haven't been many occasions like this, but that doesn't
mean there haven't been any. I take you back to
the late nineties. They lose the a f C Championship
game to Denver. They're out of the playoffs in and
(04:37):
two thousand, out of the playoffs three years in a row,
and yet they came back in two thousand one and
got to the a f C Championship Game, which they
lost at home to New England. Sorry to remind you.
So there have been processes like this before, and if
(05:02):
you're looking at what happened and what transpired in two
thousand and twenty two, then this is part of that process.
When we hear the standard is the standard, what does
that really mean? Well, I think Mike Tomlin uses that
(05:23):
for two reasons. He's talking about players who are called
upon the perform when a guy at their position is
injured and they have to step up and play. From
his perspective, talking about coach Tomlin's perspective, you're probably a
(05:45):
second string player for a reason. The guy had to
you is better. But when you are called upon the
step in and play in replacing that guy, you need
to play up to his level. That I think is
part of what he means by the standard being the standard.
But I think from a franchise standpoint, standard being the
(06:08):
standard is not just eking into the playoffs at nine
one or nine and eight. It's entering the playoffs with
a real chance to do some serious damage. Not only
one team wins the Super Bowl, but the standard around
here in Steeler's Nation is that you step into the
(06:31):
playoffs and you're center of the ring. You're you're playing
King of the Mountain. You're standing there and saying, you're
shouting it. Who wants to take me on? Anybody want
to take me on? And obviously they're not there yet.
(06:52):
You have to first make the playoffs where you can
do that. Are they well on their way? M debatable.
One of the reasons that I say that this was
a positive year when you look at the grand scheme
of things, is because they managed to answer some significant questions.
(07:15):
They believe justifiably now they have the quarterbacks that they need.
We finally saw flashes of what Nausea Harris can be
and what the Steelers saw in him when they drafted
him in the first place. They know now that they
(07:43):
have a wide receiver who can to be an absolute
game breaker in George Pickens. I think they've known for
quite some time that Pat Fryar move can be a
devastating weapon and needs to be used more than he was.
(08:10):
They've got a serviceable offensive line. That doesn't mean it
can't get better. They need to add to that. They
need to add to the defense. Certainly, they've got some
(08:31):
proven performers, their performance performers there. I think that they
now know that Alex Highsmith can play, whether t. J.
Watts on the other side or not, if he's healthy.
So they made strides and that's what two was all about,
to make the playoffs great. Even if you make the
(08:53):
playoffs and get blown out like last year in Kansas City,
it's another step. And that's why I say that this
was a successful season. When you moderate your expectations. If
your expectations were they're gonna win the division and play
(09:14):
in the a f C Championship game, then your expectations
were frankly ridiculous. Wasn't gonna happen that way. But if
you look like they got their footing and the equilibrium
and they'll start oute in better position and in better
shape than what they were in, then that's why I
(09:36):
labeled a success. Max Starks has won Super Bowls with
the Pittsburgh Steelers. He really saw them up close and
personal as the sideline reporter on the Steelers radio network.
Max joins us now and Max, I'm gonna assume that
you were among those, um, who were disappointed that the
(09:58):
season ended where it did. How anxious were you to
see them get a playoff game, to see exactly where
they were in terms of their progress? You know, there
I was, you know what I'm saying. I was on
the fence, um, just because knowing where we came from
(10:20):
at the first half of the season to where we
ended up progressing. And you remember we had that conversation
stand right about that midpoint about how do I assess
this offensive line? And you know for the and even
as optimistic because I might have been in those moments,
(10:40):
I had no idea that it would be this good
at this point. So to know where they came from
and where we ended, Yeah, I'm a little upset that
we didn't we didn't get the opportunity, But I also,
you know, realized that we dug our own grave. Um.
You know, there was some winnable games in that two
(11:01):
and six start that that we're in our control. There
was at least three of them, you know, and that's
the Jets game. You're up, the Patriots game, you know,
before you figure out how to stop the run. UM,
we're probably the two most notable. And then you know,
even after that, like beating Baltimore, UM the first time around, UM,
(11:25):
that hiccup in this offensive run game, the one blemish,
you know, in this last stretch of about six games.
So I think that's where you know, I'm like, I'm
a little okay with it, just because I know that,
you know, progress has to have some type of finality,
UM for a season. But at the same time, I'm
(11:47):
happy we got to the point where we did because
I think for next year it's gonna be that much
more rewarding and that much sweeter. UM. I believe when
we do make the playoffs. When you look at the improvements,
obviously people talk about Kenny Pickett, but I want to
start with the offensive line, because you and I have
discussed that so frequently. UM. Clearly the past protection and
(12:09):
certainly the running game. The offensive line arguably it was
the best most improved unit, I should say, from start
to the midway point of the season to the end
of the season. Um, as you watch them up close
perform in what particular areas did they get better? Was
it a matter of each individual getting better, or as
we talked about for most of the season, they finally
(12:30):
reached that level of cohesion that's necessary. Yeah, I think
I think you have to take the ladder and apply
it to the to the former, right, I think you
have to look at it and say, you know, if
they did not jell, I don't think anybody could have
gotten better, um as a unit, or at least that
we could have told uh, you know, by by by
(12:52):
by by looking at it. So I think the unit
got better because they jelled and they literally spent every
snap together just about um. It was the only unit
to start every game this season together, um, of all
the offensive line units in the league. I thought that
was that that was one of the most impressive things.
Is their durability to go through the season. And yeah,
(13:14):
that we're bumps and bruises. Guys had to come out
of certain points. But you're starting five was your starting
five this whole year. UM. So I think that is
what lent itself to guys getting better individually, because when
you can trust the guy to your left or your right.
That makes you that much more confident, and that allows
you to play more more loose and free, and you
(13:35):
know what they're what they're shortcomings are, what their strings are,
and you guys could play off of those things together,
you know. And as far as individuals, I think James
Daniels probably had the biggest jump just because there was
an expectation but we didn't really know what to expect
what James d and he just got better and better
as the season progressed. You know, training camp, he was
falling down everywhere and I was like, oh my gosh,
(13:56):
I'm like, what what where we get him from? What
did he do? Um Man he became a staple And
I think that's that's probably one individual point too. I
feel like Chucks is always solid. Then he had another
fine year. Um Mason cold became became just steady Eddie
in the middle. You know, he's not gonna sit there
(14:17):
and gore you, but he but he has he does
a good job setting up on the double team, blocks
great you know, good intelligence or what I call FBI
football intelligence. And and then of course Kevin Dotson brought
the physicality, right. I mean, that's you need that one
guy who was the enforcer he was. He was more
of the physical enforcer of that offensive line than Dan Moore.
(14:38):
You know, as much as much craft as people want
to give Dan Um, I felt like Dan took a
step forward as well. I mean, only giving up one
sack to Miles Garrett in that last game when he
was given when they when they kept leaving him on
an island. Um was a hell of a job for
a young guy. And so I mean, Dan Moore definitely
grew up a lot this year, and he's only gonna
continue to get better. And I still maintain my position
(15:01):
that Dan is the guy that will be playing in
this league, you know, for for for for a decade,
if if he so chooses um, you know, but I
think all of them, all of them had a tremendous job,
that did a tremendous job this year really coming together
and then once it did, you know, creating something beautiful.
I mean, you played the highlight Nazi getting a thousand yards.
(15:22):
I mean at the beginning of it, we have ever
thought that probably not. We were like, oh well, talking
out maybe next year, but he pushed through and he
had to. He has some phenomenal game to finish out
the year to get him over that thousand yard mark.
All that hav't e been said. Um, if you're a
GM personnel guy and free agency is upon you, the
(15:45):
draft to follow, um as well as the offensive line jelled,
would you hesitate to add a better player or two
if they were available as part of your priority agenda?
I think you're always adding offensive linement. Stand I think
that's kind of one of the positions where you never
(16:06):
have enough offensive lineman. You're always planning for the inevitable.
I mean, think about this. Then I was drafted inn
O four in the third round. The following year they
drafted Trey Essex in the third round, to in the
sixth round, Um, Margaret Philip, and then the following year
(16:26):
after that we draft Willie Cologne. So you know that
they even though I became a tackle here, they draft
every year and those guys end up becoming players. So
you still have to plan for that depth so you
don't have the precipitous drop off like we did the
year before when de Castro, you know, is gone, and
(16:46):
Ramone retires and then Pouncey retires and then you don't
have bodies to fill that area and now you're reaching
to get guys. You want to always have a stock
polling guy so that you can plug and play guys,
and if anything does happen, you have somebody who's been
in the system making plug and play. How much of
(17:07):
the improvements do you attribute to the I'll put this
in quotes the Matt Canada offense. Um, is this what
we've been waiting to see? Um? Or is it the
same stuff just being executed better by the players we've
already decided cited as improving individually? I think I think
(17:28):
player improvement UM made made this made mccannon's offense look
look look a lot better. I mean, he still had
the same stuff right, still had the jet sweeps, still
have the horizontal game, but I felt Matt Canada also
kind of change changed a little bit because you think
about opening up the middle of the field. Um, he
(17:51):
actually started throwing in the middle of the field, and
you think about some of our touchdown drives. Where did
it come stand down the middle of the field? The
sea routes? Did George Pickens touched down on Sunday Steam
Route Raiders game to win it to George Pickens Steam
Route Pat pryor move big catch, Connor Heyward, big catch
the middle of the field between the hashes. Right, that's
(18:14):
what we didn't see earlier in the year. And I
think he kind of had to come off of that
realizing that he had guys with the skill that could
that could do that. So, you know, wasn't an admiration
to get through the year or is this what he
wants his offense to beat? That is the real question.
Then well it's interesting because, um, I always cite when
(18:36):
we've Ben took over in OH four, Bill Kawer went
to Ken wizzing and said, let's not put too much
on his plate. You know, he's a rookie, wasn't supposed
to play this year. Um, he came out early. He's
a younger guy. Um, that's not the case with Pickett.
But I'm wondering if that was the mantra of Mike
tom And going to Matt Canada and saying, let's keep
(18:59):
it well to really simple and that part of the
growth will be once he absorbs the basics, they can
add on. Better to add on than to take away.
Now now that that playbook was open stamp from training
camp on um and and it was indicative when you know,
(19:21):
even in the in the first start, I mean you're
making in a half of football. He threw the ball
over twenty times. Um. If you're trying to protect a rookie,
it's usually twenty five passes are less total UM in
a game. Um, Kenny, I believe it was twenty one
passes UM in in that first game. So and he's
(19:45):
thrown over thirty times multiple times this season, So there
was no holding back or you know, kind of giving
him easily digestible nuggets. Um. He came in day one
and it was a battle to see who's gonna be
the starter. And they threw everything after those guys, Mason,
Mitch and Kenny, and they wanted to see what they
could do. And UM, I think for Kenny, you know,
(20:09):
it was a trial by fire and he who he
got through it. Um. But I don't think. I don't
think they did the same thing that they did the bend,
because then you know, we had a we had a
great running game and and and the top five defense.
So his job was just manage. Kenny was asked to
go out there and win the games and more than
one occasion and uh, and he responded in kind um
(20:32):
as the season progresses, he got more comfortable, but there
was never there was never you know, the bumpers up
like on a bowling alley, right, you know when the
kids come up, the bumpers come up. Uh, there was
no there was there was There was no bumpers, There
was no floaties, there was no child child preventative devices
attached to him. He was he was. He was sitting
out there with no seatbelt in the sixty five Corvette.
(20:57):
The last thing I start saying this about three weeks ago,
that the Steelers are in a better position today than
they were a year ago. Today some of the questions
have been answered, maybe not completely, but I just sensed
that Steeler fans can feel positive going into next year,
(21:19):
and more positive than they were a year ago when
you didn't know who your quarterback was going to be. Um,
I wonder if you concur I do I do second?
I do second that motion? Uh, and we can close
this out now, just joking, Uh, but no, I think
you're right. I think you're right. So I think we
(21:40):
are in a better place because last year we were
looking at the end and this season we're looking at
the next step. So it's a different mentality. Because at
the end of last year, like you said, you didn't
know what was going to be. We didn't know if
we were gonna bring in Mr Bisky and draft Kenny Pickett.
It was all pie in the sky speculation. And this
point last year, well actually technically last year, at this
(22:02):
point we were getting ready to get beat by Kansas City.
UM but I digress, um. But yeah, that was more
so how we kind of thought about it. Like, man,
the future is dark and different, and then you look
at it, you turn and you come back to it.
And this season we have just exactly the same amount
of wins as we did a year ago. Um And
(22:24):
and the team grew in front of us as opposed
to kind of flat line in front of us as
a year ago. Um And I think that's kind of
what makes this so specialist. It wasn't a rebuild. What
everybody was thinking was it was more of a retool.
And I'll steal the word from my good friend or
Varl Martine on the Spanish broadcast side, uh, reorient this team.
(22:48):
Um And that's what they did. Uh And And where
I look around the league and how many teams have
switched quarterbacks or the quarterback coming in after the Great
Quarter Act was just a tremendous letdown. We didn't have that,
right we we we didn't have the Sam Donald to
Zack Wilson like to Jets have, or you know, looking
(23:12):
like the Houston Texans who are just in complete disarray,
or the Denver Broncos who had to spend two million
dollars to find out you still suck, you know. I mean,
I'm looking at how that is or precipitous fall off
like the Rams from one year to the next with
the same exact guy. Um, those are things that we
(23:32):
didn't have to deal with, and those are things that hopefully,
as is looking, will continue to progress in a positive
direction to the upswing and it will kind of look
more like our line, our line of succession and coaches
versus h a Cleveland quarterback graveyard. Well, it'll be very
intriguing this offseason. I suspect for any number of reasons. Max,
(23:57):
I want to again, what's your happy birthday? But I
want to thank you for being with me all season long. Um,
it really adds so much to the show. It's a
pleasure to have you, to have known you all these years,
and then you get a chance to work directly. I
just wanted to stress my appreciation for your willingness to
be with me once a week throughout the entire season
(24:19):
is absolutely my pleasure. And like you said, through all
these years, you were my first interview and the first
person I saw when I stepped into Pittsburgh outside of
Ben Roethlisberger UM as a rookie when we came down
to fs N Pittsburgh Studios to be on the stand
Savage Show and get interviewed. So you know, I'm just
blessed and fortunate that, like you said, throughout all these years,
(24:41):
we've had the opportunity to UH to be and work
together in various capacities. Happy to be a colleague today.
So thanks for having me, and I look forward to
many more years to come. It sounds like a plan.
I've got a picture from that very first show with
me shaking hands with you on the set, shaking hands
with Ben. That was That was a great night. Got
(25:03):
pictures of that uh as as a memento. Max, take care,
We'll talk to you again soon. Thanks very much. Sounds good.
Take care staff, all right, Max, you two. Thanks to
Max Starks for being with us on the Savant on
Steelers Podcast. Thanks for being here, all of you and
Steeler Nations again. The podcast can be gotten at Steelers
(25:24):
dot com. Very easy to get that online. You can
also listen to my daily radio show talk a lot
of Pittsburgh Steelers there too. You can get that live
seventy AM on your am radio. We're there each day
noon until to an Eastern time, or you can get
(25:45):
it on the iHeart Media downloaded. It's free and I'll
be there for whenever you feel like listening to it.
That's it for today's Sevan on Steelers Podcast, and thank
you very much. We're listening
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