November 17, 2022 • 23 mins
Stan gives his perspective on the Steelers season as well as the Cincinatti Bengals while breaking down how the two seem almost polar opposites from last year's performances. Stan is joined by former NFL offensive lineman and current Bengals broadcaster Dave Lapham to break down what has gone wrong with the Bengals this season when comparing to last year.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You know, they realized they had not won a division game,
and that's a very very uh significant typewreak. This is
Safeing on Steelers. Hello to all in Steeler Nation, and
welcome to the Saverian on Steelers podcast. I'm your host,
Stan Saverean. Glad you're tuning in. If you enjoy the
content that you're hearing on our podcast, Please let your
(00:22):
friends and neighbors the relatives. Notice I said friends and
relatives and two different categories. Let them know that we're here.
All you have to do is go to Steelers dot com.
We post twice weekly, so please let them know that
we're available to them and to you. And thanks for
being here today. The Steelers with a very important game
Sunday against Cincinnati coming up, and it's important, not necessarily
(00:48):
whether they make the playoffs or not. I think that's
still a built of a laun shot, although it would
be a less of a long shot if they're able
to win on Sunday. But I also think that it
may show some progress towards becoming a better football team overall.
And the question that I want to raise today are
the Steelers getting better now? It's not going to be
(01:10):
this magical turnaround and all of a sudden it's going
to be two thousand eight all over again. That's unrealistic
and it's not going to happen. And there would be
some who argue that not making the playoffs and getting
as high a draft choice as you can, not just
number one, but in rounds two and three and so on,
that's that's more important this time than merely struggling to
(01:33):
make the playoffs getting another at mid round or you know,
late teens draft picks, something like that. And I understand that, Um,
I don't expect people in Steeler Nation, those of you
listening to root against your team. I look at it
this way. You go to a game, you get set
to watch a game, and hoping your team wins. There
your team after all, and rooting against them, we just
(01:56):
be counterintuitive, and it's it shouldn't be expect. But if
a loss is on the horizon, the better draft pick
becomes a consolation. Doesn't make you feel any better about
them losing, but it's somewhat of a consolation. So the
question becomes, especially coming off a win, are they getting
(02:17):
better as a team. A separate issue is Kenny Pickett
getting better? And we'll get to that momentarily. Are they
getting better as a team or are we running the
risk of being misled by the win over the Saints?
Are we being misled or allowing ourselves to be misled
(02:37):
because whatever improvements we saw on Sunday this past Sunday,
is that because the Saints are a bad team, Although
it could be said the Steelers are on their level,
and there were some things working against the Saints. You know,
some of their best players are out, they were playing
on a short week after are being physically and beaten
(03:00):
on the side on the field by the Baltimore Ravens.
They had to travel, All those things worked against him.
Playing on a Monday the previous week, having to come
to Pittsburgh, uh in colder weather, and just having to
travel on a bye week. It makes it difficult. It
(03:21):
indeed makes it difficult. And are we to look at
what the Steelers were able to accomplish and say, well, yes,
they look better, but there were reasons for it. So
let's keep in the back of our minds the Saints
aren't a very good football team. I think that's fair.
Although they're probably seeing down in New Orleans, you lots
of that Steelers team. They're a lousy team, and they
(03:43):
might be, but at this point of the season, if
we're being realistic, somehow making the playoffs, which then put
them in a position maybe to get blown out again
in the first round of a playoff game. I don't
know how valuable that is. But let's just look at
the Steelers themselves. Are they getting better? There were some
(04:07):
things certainly to like, first and foremost the run game.
Two seventeen yards, they're most in six seasons. That tells
us that the offensive line is continuing to prove against slowly.
But it was predicted at the beginning of the season
that they would be a work in progress, largely because
(04:30):
they're basically an all new offensive line. Yes, Chokes O.
Car four was coming back. Yes, Dan Moore Jr. Was
coming back, and they stayed in their same positions. Kevin
Dotson was coming back, although he hadn't played a whole
lot because of injuries. And then your center and your
(04:51):
right guard who worked together a lot. We're brand new
coming in talking about Mason Cole and James Daniels respectively.
Each good players in their own right, but fitting into
the brand new system makes it a different story. They
expected slow progress and that's what they've gotten. And that's
(05:16):
been true for a few weeks now. Didn't always result
in a victory, but you can see that has become
a work in progress. Let's start with that. Nagy Harris
looked to be a different version of himself. He was
(05:38):
much more assertive than hitting the holes, and there have
been some holes throughout the course of the season. But
as you know, he has been dancing a little bit,
I think a product or byproduct of his injury, but
also a byproduct of what he had been enduring his
rookie season last year with the Steelers, and that's an
(05:59):
offensive blind that is much worse this year than it
or last year than it is this year. It's definitely
been a work in progress with him, and I feel
to think he has flashbacks to last year when because
he was met so often in the backfield almost before
(06:23):
he got the handoff from the quarterback, whether it was
from utter center or in the eye formation direct snap
to the quarterback, or even when he ran a wildcat
on occasion, there was such a defensive penetration that he
had to start dancing. Well, that hasn't been the case
this year because the offensive line is improved and is
(06:44):
improving that he just reverted to old habits and old
experiences and not good experiences. As a matter of fact,
Sunday against the Saint, we saw less of that, and
maybe this is a sign of the offensive line getting better,
(07:08):
but also his maturity as a running back. Running back
is a very instinctual position. I mean, you have to
know the plays and all that, but once you get
the ball, it's your instincts, your site, your vision ONTs developing,
and maybe we're seeing great improvement in that area. They
(07:29):
possessed the ball for thirty nine of sixty minutes, another
very good sign, largely because of the running game, but
also because they did not turn it over, and that
brings us the topic Number two, Ken he pick it?
Is Kenny pick it? Improving? Now? The numbers were better,
(07:50):
mainly because he didn't throw a pick and he didn't
complete eighteen out of thirty a quarterback rating more suitable
than his average, which was down in the low sixties.
But is he getting better? Is he running too quickly?
Mike Tomlins seemed to think so, saying that oftentimes running
(08:14):
too fast or two early, Kenny was limiting his reads,
his progressions and running when they were still past plays open.
But a guy who has the mobility that he has,
maybe that's to be expected. In addition to that, I
think the Steelers are still calling on him to pass
(08:35):
too often. Yes, granted he only threw the ball thirty times,
but he had six other dropbacks and two were designed runs.
So all of a sudden, you're up near forty again,
and his average had been forty four dropbacks if you will,
too many. They got to rely more on the run game.
(08:57):
That will make Kenny Pickett a bit our quarterback. And
the third element of the Steeler's victory, the defense was dominant.
Now I know the Steeler brass Kenny uh Mike Tomlins
saying that they expected that their draft, that their draft,
but their defense would become dominant. I don't know that
(09:19):
they're at that level. It is certainly not without t J. Watt,
without Minka And let's remember what came back in Sunday,
but was playing on a pitch count. Miles Jack was
held out of the game. I think he's an integral
part of that defense, and of course Minko wasn't there. Well.
T J. Watt ought to be all the better Sunday
(09:39):
against the Bengals. Minco we're hearing is likely to play
remarkably eight days after an appendectomy. It's amazing to me,
but modern science and Minka is kind of a different cat.
Now they're gonna be able to incorporate demonte Caz. He
(10:01):
had a pick on Sunday. He was also all over
the field, and they're gonna be able to use that
big nickel package with the three safe is including Terrell Edmonds,
that they've been working on all training camp until Casey
got hurt in the preseason games. I think the defense
has a chance to be very good. Maybe not dominant.
(10:25):
It's not Steel Curtent time, but good enough to do
not only their job, but also lift up an offense
that's gonna be challenged. It may be getting better, but
they still don't score touchdowns. Their longest TV passed the
years still eight yards worse in the league. But I
(10:46):
think there's defense. By helping the offense control the ball
thirty nine minutes and by giving them two turnovers, they
can be good enough to do their job and take
on the added responsibility of propping up this offense. It's
a pivotal game if the Steelers are going to continue
(11:07):
playing well or better, I should say, and keep any
hope alive making the playoffs up again. I'm not so
sure that's a good idea to make the playoffs and
then get bounced out in the first round because your
draft position is submitted. But if they're going to continue progress,
they'll need to win on Sunday. But needing to win
(11:27):
even more are the Cincinnati Bengals. It's hard to imagine.
If they lose this game Sunday against the Steelers, they
will be oh and four against division foes. That makes
it almost impossible for them to win the division. I mean,
the Baltimore Ravens are on top of the division now.
I think it's become clearer that the best team in
(11:48):
the division. But if the Bengals want to go from
a team that made the a f C Championship Game
last year to a team that doesn't make the playoffs,
they're gonna have to win some against the Steelers. Expect
them to be very, very fired up. And how well
will they do without Jamaar Chase. They'll come in I
(12:11):
don't know about fired up. I think that the Bengals
are gonna come in trepidation is pardon the big board.
I think they're gonna be pretty nervous and on edge,
which means who scores the first touchdown will be big.
Dave Lapham has been a Pro Bowl guard in the NFL.
(12:31):
He's been a Pro Bowl style analyst on the Bengals
radio network for even longer than he played. He's still
part of the Bengals radio network crew as their analyst.
He joins us now on Savereigan on Steelers and Dave
looking at the Bengals there five and four, I mean
they're over five. But is there disappointment in Cincinnati's organization?
(12:52):
Forget about the fan base. Is the Cincinnative organization disappointed
to be five and four at this one of the season. Well,
there's no question. I think the Owen three division record
is the biggest disappointment. You know, at the halfway point
of the season, they basically had their buy after nine
games in the seventeen game season, and you know, they
realized they had not won a division game. And that's
(13:15):
a very very uh significant tiebreaker. It's very very high
in the tiebreaker list. If you don't win the division outright,
so you gonna have to start playing better within the division.
That should be the first goal of very football team
going into the season is to is to win your
your respective division. And I think oh and three obviously
(13:36):
is a is a major disappointment. There's no question about it. Uh, Dave,
you could point and it's never just one thing. It
may not even be three. Um, but if you could
point to a couple of things as to the reasons why, um,
they're sort of you know, hanging around five. Yeah, as
as many coaches that I've been involved with and have
(13:58):
heard that I U two teams that I'm not really
involved with. You are what your record says you are,
you know, I mean, that's that's the bottom line. And
the Bengals have played like a basically a five hundred
football team. They've been wildly inconsistent. You know. It's like
North Pole one week, South Pole the next. And the
last two games are a great indicator, a great example
(14:18):
of it. They go up to Cleveland on a nationally
televised game and lay a dinosaur egg, not just an egg.
They play the worst game they've played all year, maybe
in a couple of years, and Cleveland plays one of
their better games and the Bankals get smoked by nineteen
points up in Cleveland. The very next week, Carolina comes
to town, who've been playing well. They just beat Tom
(14:40):
Brady the Buccaneers and helped them to three points, twenty
one to three, and you know, they're playing decently. It
was a heartbreaker to Atlanta. Anybody's football game. They're playing
well and the Bengals smoke them. I mean, thirty five
nothing at the half. The Bengals had a three in
fifteen yards offense and uh Caroline has thirty two, they
have one first down by penalty, thanks have nineteen first downs.
(15:02):
I mean, it was it was something I've never seen before.
They dominated them. So they go from four quarters of
football like they played in Cleveland too, you know, a
half of football that they played against Carolina and finished,
you know, finished the game. But I mean that first
half it was about as good as I've seen, and
it was. It was an amazing display of football in
(15:23):
terms of complimentary complete offense played well, defense played well,
um special teams supported the entire effort. I mean, it
was one of those days. So when you can go
from a terrible performance like that to a good one,
it's an indicator that you know, you can you certainly
can move on, you know, don't let one bad game
(15:43):
turn into two or three. They achieved that, But the
fact that you're in that mode where where the coaches
really don't know what to expect. You know, it's it's
up and down and up and down, a roller coaster ride,
and that's what it's been like a good part of
the season. I think the biggest word to describe the
seasons so far is inconsistency. How much it sounds like
(16:05):
an excuse, but it's not an excuse. It's a reason. Um,
when you're talking about a guy who was as explosive
and as big a game changer as Jamaar Chase is, Um,
how much at least the inconsistency on offense is attributable
to the fact that he's not been available. Yeah, for
those for those two games, Um, that was that was
(16:26):
a common denominator, you know, But to the other other
seven he was, you know, he was part of it
and and there was still inconsistencies in the in the
performance there. But losing Jamaar Chase to your offense is
kind of like losing T. J. Watt to your defense.
I mean, there's a ripple effect there not just that
you've got a great player that can make plays. You know,
(16:49):
one on he can, he can win his battle as such,
but he dictates that you have to do other things
to alleviate his impact. You know, you're gonna have to
put a tight end on t J. Watt with attack.
You don't have to slide the line in his direction,
you don't have to chip of the back of youn't
have to do any and all of it. And as
a result, other guys benefit and high Smith is a
(17:12):
great example of it. High Smith's get five sacks in
the two games that t J. Watter has played, and
he's got three and a half in the uh seven
games that he hasn't So you know, I think there's
a ripple effect there. Um. When t J. Watts not
in the game, high Smith is gonna get more attention.
When t J Wats in the game, high Smith faces
different kinds of of attacks against him. Same thing with you,
(17:35):
mar Chase. When you get your guy that takes the
top off the defense and is physical and make can
make catches in a crowd and run away from people.
I mean, now, coverage doesn't tilt towards him when he's
not there, it's gonna tilt elsewhere, and now your number
two receiver gets the attention the number one guy was getting,
and so on and so forth. So I think when
you lose people like that, there's a huge trickle down
(17:57):
effect that permeates the hire team. I mean t J. Watt,
when he's on the football field, it's it's easier for
the secondary to cover because the quarterbacksket less time when
he's on the field with Highsmith, you know, I mean,
and when when Jamar Chases on the football field, Te
Higgins and Tyler Board are gonna have you an easier
time because Jamar Chase is out there. I mean, it's
(18:18):
just it's not just what they do at their individual position,
it's how they affect the entire football game. Yeah, the
great players, um, you know lift the other players. Uh,
you know, a rising tide lifts all boats. To use
that cliche, I'm wondering if there's a benefit not I mean,
there's no benefit of having Jamar Chase out. But have
(18:38):
they leaned more heavily on Joe Mixon um and the
running game in general because they don't have Jamar Chase, Well, yeah,
I think they have. But a good example is the
is the first game against Pittsburgh, Joe ran it over
twenty times, but he wasn't efficient running the football. You know,
he ran it over twenty times against Carolina News very
(19:00):
efficient average seven yards to carry and ran for a
hundred and fifty three yards and four touchdowns and touchdown
receiving um. So, I do think they're at their best,
like any offense, when they're balanced. And you know, the
first drive of the game they go nine plays, ninety yards,
five passes, four runs. Their first first downs eleven were
(19:24):
by pass, eleven were by run. So you know, you
can't be more balanced than that. And I think that's
that's the h that's the elixir, knows, you know, get
that running game going and then all of a sudden
the pass rush slows down. They have to respect that
run and not just pin your ears back and get
after the quarterback. Linebackers and safeties have to at least
think about taking a step towards the line of scrimmage
(19:46):
before you know, dropping back into coverage, and you get
get more space, you get more holes to operate with,
and so there's a there's a big impact there. You know,
when you run the football effectively, It makes life a
lot easier for everybody. Uh. The offensive line can path
check the quarterback and I have time and envision to throw,
the space to throw the football, and the receivers have
(20:08):
more real estate to operate with down the football field.
Dave Lap, who is our guests from the Bengals Radio
working a long time Cincinnati Bengal player, Dave, I distinctly
remember us having this element of the conversation when you
were on the week before the opener, UH in Cincinnati. Um,
and that was the new newfound offensive line Bengals being
(20:30):
people in from the draft and also through free agency,
and we talked about the cohesive nature of that. Actually,
we're beginning to see a bit of that in Pittsburgh.
They seem to be getting incrementally better each week. Not great,
but they're getting better. Um. Has that been the case
as the Bengals pretty much faced the same thing and
they didn't play together in the preseason. Absolutely, Stan, There's
(20:52):
no no two ways about it. I mean time on task.
You know, repetition brings comfort level and you know you
can you can talk about it and you can sit
in a classroom and look at tape and you know,
drawn up on the board and do all those things
until you get under the field and actually physically go
through it and make sure that's you're on the same plane.
In terms of picking up a stunt, one can't be
(21:15):
close to the line of scream is another form a
natural increase for a defensive Li'm going to take advantage
of in a stunt. Get to kind of feel for
the guy next year and having unspoken you know communication,
just the nod, the wink of the eye kind of
thing is all you need sometimes when you played next
to each other for a long period of time, and
that does take time. So I felt like they were
(21:37):
gonna be better at the end of September than they
were in the beginning. They're gonna be better, you know,
in the middle of the season they were in the beginning,
and they are, they have been. They are getting better. Uh,
it's a there's the center of Carriss has there has
been part of two Super Bowl champions Cap of the
right guard has been a Super Bowl champion with Tampa Bay,
Harris uh with with New England Patriots a couple of times. So,
(22:01):
I mean, they know what it takes. Collins is getting
help more and more healthy when he played against T. J.
Watton at Oprah. He couldn't even stand up. I mean
he was falling all over the field. He couldn't stand
and speak. Had had back problems. Those have been alleviated.
He's playing a lot better. So they are. They're they're
playing better, There's no question about it. And I thought
(22:23):
they had their best game against the Carolina Panthers. The
running game was unbelievable. I mean they were fitting into
blocks and finishing blocks, and therefore past protection came became
much easier. Dynamic. For sure, they rushed it, you know,
if a tune yards, But I think that's the big
key stand Both teams rushed it in their last game
for a aternate yards. You know who's who's gonna be
(22:44):
able to sustain that? You know, that makes life easier
for you know, veteran quarterback, rookie quarterback, whatever the case
may be. Are many thanks to Dave Lapham. He's always
a willing guest. Nice to have mom who analyzed the game. Again,
as I mentioned before, we put Dave on the air.
Is this a pivotal game for both these teams? I
believe it is the Steelers to continue getting better and
(23:06):
very much the paint with the Bengals, their playoff lives
just might be at stake. We thank you today for
joining us on the Sabean Steelers Podcast. We hope you
enjoy it. Let everyone know that it's available. I'm also
available on a weekly basis a daily basis on ESPN
Radio in Pittsburgh. That's nine seventy am. You can get
it over the air, or you can just download the
(23:29):
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day from noon until to Eastern be back with more
Saverean on Steelers Podcast. Thanks for joining me today. I'm
(23:49):
Stan Saverean. Thanks for listening.
You know, they realized they had not won a division game,
and that's a very very uh significant typewreak. This is
Safeing on Steelers. Hello to all in Steeler Nation, and
welcome to the Saverian on Steelers podcast. I'm your host,
Stan Saverean. Glad you're tuning in. If you enjoy the
content that you're hearing on our podcast, Please let your
(00:22):
friends and neighbors the relatives. Notice I said friends and
relatives and two different categories. Let them know that we're here.
All you have to do is go to Steelers dot com.
We post twice weekly, so please let them know that
we're available to them and to you. And thanks for
being here today. The Steelers with a very important game
Sunday against Cincinnati coming up, and it's important, not necessarily
(00:48):
whether they make the playoffs or not. I think that's
still a built of a laun shot, although it would
be a less of a long shot if they're able
to win on Sunday. But I also think that it
may show some progress towards becoming a better football team overall.
And the question that I want to raise today are
the Steelers getting better now? It's not going to be
(01:10):
this magical turnaround and all of a sudden it's going
to be two thousand eight all over again. That's unrealistic
and it's not going to happen. And there would be
some who argue that not making the playoffs and getting
as high a draft choice as you can, not just
number one, but in rounds two and three and so on,
that's that's more important this time than merely struggling to
(01:33):
make the playoffs getting another at mid round or you know,
late teens draft picks, something like that. And I understand that, Um,
I don't expect people in Steeler Nation, those of you
listening to root against your team. I look at it
this way. You go to a game, you get set
to watch a game, and hoping your team wins. There
your team after all, and rooting against them, we just
(01:56):
be counterintuitive, and it's it shouldn't be expect. But if
a loss is on the horizon, the better draft pick
becomes a consolation. Doesn't make you feel any better about
them losing, but it's somewhat of a consolation. So the
question becomes, especially coming off a win, are they getting
(02:17):
better as a team. A separate issue is Kenny Pickett
getting better? And we'll get to that momentarily. Are they
getting better as a team or are we running the
risk of being misled by the win over the Saints?
Are we being misled or allowing ourselves to be misled
(02:37):
because whatever improvements we saw on Sunday this past Sunday,
is that because the Saints are a bad team, Although
it could be said the Steelers are on their level,
and there were some things working against the Saints. You know,
some of their best players are out, they were playing
on a short week after are being physically and beaten
(03:00):
on the side on the field by the Baltimore Ravens.
They had to travel, All those things worked against him.
Playing on a Monday the previous week, having to come
to Pittsburgh, uh in colder weather, and just having to
travel on a bye week. It makes it difficult. It
(03:21):
indeed makes it difficult. And are we to look at
what the Steelers were able to accomplish and say, well, yes,
they look better, but there were reasons for it. So
let's keep in the back of our minds the Saints
aren't a very good football team. I think that's fair.
Although they're probably seeing down in New Orleans, you lots
of that Steelers team. They're a lousy team, and they
(03:43):
might be, but at this point of the season, if
we're being realistic, somehow making the playoffs, which then put
them in a position maybe to get blown out again
in the first round of a playoff game. I don't
know how valuable that is. But let's just look at
the Steelers themselves. Are they getting better? There were some
(04:07):
things certainly to like, first and foremost the run game.
Two seventeen yards, they're most in six seasons. That tells
us that the offensive line is continuing to prove against slowly.
But it was predicted at the beginning of the season
that they would be a work in progress, largely because
(04:30):
they're basically an all new offensive line. Yes, Chokes O.
Car four was coming back. Yes, Dan Moore Jr. Was
coming back, and they stayed in their same positions. Kevin
Dotson was coming back, although he hadn't played a whole
lot because of injuries. And then your center and your
(04:51):
right guard who worked together a lot. We're brand new
coming in talking about Mason Cole and James Daniels respectively.
Each good players in their own right, but fitting into
the brand new system makes it a different story. They
expected slow progress and that's what they've gotten. And that's
(05:16):
been true for a few weeks now. Didn't always result
in a victory, but you can see that has become
a work in progress. Let's start with that. Nagy Harris
looked to be a different version of himself. He was
(05:38):
much more assertive than hitting the holes, and there have
been some holes throughout the course of the season. But
as you know, he has been dancing a little bit,
I think a product or byproduct of his injury, but
also a byproduct of what he had been enduring his
rookie season last year with the Steelers, and that's an
(05:59):
offensive blind that is much worse this year than it
or last year than it is this year. It's definitely
been a work in progress with him, and I feel
to think he has flashbacks to last year when because
he was met so often in the backfield almost before
(06:23):
he got the handoff from the quarterback, whether it was
from utter center or in the eye formation direct snap
to the quarterback, or even when he ran a wildcat
on occasion, there was such a defensive penetration that he
had to start dancing. Well, that hasn't been the case
this year because the offensive line is improved and is
(06:44):
improving that he just reverted to old habits and old
experiences and not good experiences. As a matter of fact,
Sunday against the Saint, we saw less of that, and
maybe this is a sign of the offensive line getting better,
(07:08):
but also his maturity as a running back. Running back
is a very instinctual position. I mean, you have to
know the plays and all that, but once you get
the ball, it's your instincts, your site, your vision ONTs developing,
and maybe we're seeing great improvement in that area. They
(07:29):
possessed the ball for thirty nine of sixty minutes, another
very good sign, largely because of the running game, but
also because they did not turn it over, and that
brings us the topic Number two, Ken he pick it?
Is Kenny pick it? Improving? Now? The numbers were better,
(07:50):
mainly because he didn't throw a pick and he didn't
complete eighteen out of thirty a quarterback rating more suitable
than his average, which was down in the low sixties.
But is he getting better? Is he running too quickly?
Mike Tomlins seemed to think so, saying that oftentimes running
(08:14):
too fast or two early, Kenny was limiting his reads,
his progressions and running when they were still past plays open.
But a guy who has the mobility that he has,
maybe that's to be expected. In addition to that, I
think the Steelers are still calling on him to pass
(08:35):
too often. Yes, granted he only threw the ball thirty times,
but he had six other dropbacks and two were designed runs.
So all of a sudden, you're up near forty again,
and his average had been forty four dropbacks if you will,
too many. They got to rely more on the run game.
(08:57):
That will make Kenny Pickett a bit our quarterback. And
the third element of the Steeler's victory, the defense was dominant.
Now I know the Steeler brass Kenny uh Mike Tomlins
saying that they expected that their draft, that their draft,
but their defense would become dominant. I don't know that
(09:19):
they're at that level. It is certainly not without t J. Watt,
without Minka And let's remember what came back in Sunday,
but was playing on a pitch count. Miles Jack was
held out of the game. I think he's an integral
part of that defense, and of course Minko wasn't there. Well.
T J. Watt ought to be all the better Sunday
(09:39):
against the Bengals. Minco we're hearing is likely to play
remarkably eight days after an appendectomy. It's amazing to me,
but modern science and Minka is kind of a different cat.
Now they're gonna be able to incorporate demonte Caz. He
(10:01):
had a pick on Sunday. He was also all over
the field, and they're gonna be able to use that
big nickel package with the three safe is including Terrell Edmonds,
that they've been working on all training camp until Casey
got hurt in the preseason games. I think the defense
has a chance to be very good. Maybe not dominant.
(10:25):
It's not Steel Curtent time, but good enough to do
not only their job, but also lift up an offense
that's gonna be challenged. It may be getting better, but
they still don't score touchdowns. Their longest TV passed the
years still eight yards worse in the league. But I
(10:46):
think there's defense. By helping the offense control the ball
thirty nine minutes and by giving them two turnovers, they
can be good enough to do their job and take
on the added responsibility of propping up this offense. It's
a pivotal game if the Steelers are going to continue
(11:07):
playing well or better, I should say, and keep any
hope alive making the playoffs up again. I'm not so
sure that's a good idea to make the playoffs and
then get bounced out in the first round because your
draft position is submitted. But if they're going to continue progress,
they'll need to win on Sunday. But needing to win
(11:27):
even more are the Cincinnati Bengals. It's hard to imagine.
If they lose this game Sunday against the Steelers, they
will be oh and four against division foes. That makes
it almost impossible for them to win the division. I mean,
the Baltimore Ravens are on top of the division now.
I think it's become clearer that the best team in
(11:48):
the division. But if the Bengals want to go from
a team that made the a f C Championship Game
last year to a team that doesn't make the playoffs,
they're gonna have to win some against the Steelers. Expect
them to be very, very fired up. And how well
will they do without Jamaar Chase. They'll come in I
(12:11):
don't know about fired up. I think that the Bengals
are gonna come in trepidation is pardon the big board.
I think they're gonna be pretty nervous and on edge,
which means who scores the first touchdown will be big.
Dave Lapham has been a Pro Bowl guard in the NFL.
(12:31):
He's been a Pro Bowl style analyst on the Bengals
radio network for even longer than he played. He's still
part of the Bengals radio network crew as their analyst.
He joins us now on Savereigan on Steelers and Dave
looking at the Bengals there five and four, I mean
they're over five. But is there disappointment in Cincinnati's organization?
(12:52):
Forget about the fan base. Is the Cincinnative organization disappointed
to be five and four at this one of the season. Well,
there's no question. I think the Owen three division record
is the biggest disappointment. You know, at the halfway point
of the season, they basically had their buy after nine
games in the seventeen game season, and you know, they
realized they had not won a division game. And that's
(13:15):
a very very uh significant tiebreaker. It's very very high
in the tiebreaker list. If you don't win the division outright,
so you gonna have to start playing better within the division.
That should be the first goal of very football team
going into the season is to is to win your
your respective division. And I think oh and three obviously
(13:36):
is a is a major disappointment. There's no question about it. Uh, Dave,
you could point and it's never just one thing. It
may not even be three. Um, but if you could
point to a couple of things as to the reasons why, um,
they're sort of you know, hanging around five. Yeah, as
as many coaches that I've been involved with and have
(13:58):
heard that I U two teams that I'm not really
involved with. You are what your record says you are,
you know, I mean, that's that's the bottom line. And
the Bengals have played like a basically a five hundred
football team. They've been wildly inconsistent. You know. It's like
North Pole one week, South Pole the next. And the
last two games are a great indicator, a great example
(14:18):
of it. They go up to Cleveland on a nationally
televised game and lay a dinosaur egg, not just an egg.
They play the worst game they've played all year, maybe
in a couple of years, and Cleveland plays one of
their better games and the Bankals get smoked by nineteen
points up in Cleveland. The very next week, Carolina comes
to town, who've been playing well. They just beat Tom
(14:40):
Brady the Buccaneers and helped them to three points, twenty
one to three, and you know, they're playing decently. It
was a heartbreaker to Atlanta. Anybody's football game. They're playing
well and the Bengals smoke them. I mean, thirty five
nothing at the half. The Bengals had a three in
fifteen yards offense and uh Caroline has thirty two, they
have one first down by penalty, thanks have nineteen first downs.
(15:02):
I mean, it was it was something I've never seen before.
They dominated them. So they go from four quarters of
football like they played in Cleveland too, you know, a
half of football that they played against Carolina and finished,
you know, finished the game. But I mean that first
half it was about as good as I've seen, and
it was. It was an amazing display of football in
(15:23):
terms of complimentary complete offense played well, defense played well,
um special teams supported the entire effort. I mean, it
was one of those days. So when you can go
from a terrible performance like that to a good one,
it's an indicator that you know, you can you certainly
can move on, you know, don't let one bad game
(15:43):
turn into two or three. They achieved that, But the
fact that you're in that mode where where the coaches
really don't know what to expect. You know, it's it's
up and down and up and down, a roller coaster ride,
and that's what it's been like a good part of
the season. I think the biggest word to describe the
seasons so far is inconsistency. How much it sounds like
(16:05):
an excuse, but it's not an excuse. It's a reason. Um,
when you're talking about a guy who was as explosive
and as big a game changer as Jamaar Chase is, Um,
how much at least the inconsistency on offense is attributable
to the fact that he's not been available. Yeah, for
those for those two games, Um, that was that was
(16:26):
a common denominator, you know, But to the other other
seven he was, you know, he was part of it
and and there was still inconsistencies in the in the
performance there. But losing Jamaar Chase to your offense is
kind of like losing T. J. Watt to your defense.
I mean, there's a ripple effect there not just that
you've got a great player that can make plays. You know,
(16:49):
one on he can, he can win his battle as such,
but he dictates that you have to do other things
to alleviate his impact. You know, you're gonna have to
put a tight end on t J. Watt with attack.
You don't have to slide the line in his direction,
you don't have to chip of the back of youn't
have to do any and all of it. And as
a result, other guys benefit and high Smith is a
(17:12):
great example of it. High Smith's get five sacks in
the two games that t J. Watter has played, and
he's got three and a half in the uh seven
games that he hasn't So you know, I think there's
a ripple effect there. Um. When t J. Watts not
in the game, high Smith is gonna get more attention.
When t J Wats in the game, high Smith faces
different kinds of of attacks against him. Same thing with you,
(17:35):
mar Chase. When you get your guy that takes the
top off the defense and is physical and make can
make catches in a crowd and run away from people.
I mean, now, coverage doesn't tilt towards him when he's
not there, it's gonna tilt elsewhere, and now your number
two receiver gets the attention the number one guy was getting,
and so on and so forth. So I think when
you lose people like that, there's a huge trickle down
(17:57):
effect that permeates the hire team. I mean t J. Watt,
when he's on the football field, it's it's easier for
the secondary to cover because the quarterbacksket less time when
he's on the field with Highsmith, you know, I mean,
and when when Jamar Chases on the football field, Te
Higgins and Tyler Board are gonna have you an easier
time because Jamar Chase is out there. I mean, it's
(18:18):
just it's not just what they do at their individual position,
it's how they affect the entire football game. Yeah, the
great players, um, you know lift the other players. Uh,
you know, a rising tide lifts all boats. To use
that cliche, I'm wondering if there's a benefit not I mean,
there's no benefit of having Jamar Chase out. But have
(18:38):
they leaned more heavily on Joe Mixon um and the
running game in general because they don't have Jamar Chase, Well, yeah,
I think they have. But a good example is the
is the first game against Pittsburgh, Joe ran it over
twenty times, but he wasn't efficient running the football. You know,
he ran it over twenty times against Carolina News very
(19:00):
efficient average seven yards to carry and ran for a
hundred and fifty three yards and four touchdowns and touchdown
receiving um. So, I do think they're at their best,
like any offense, when they're balanced. And you know, the
first drive of the game they go nine plays, ninety yards,
five passes, four runs. Their first first downs eleven were
(19:24):
by pass, eleven were by run. So you know, you
can't be more balanced than that. And I think that's
that's the h that's the elixir, knows, you know, get
that running game going and then all of a sudden
the pass rush slows down. They have to respect that
run and not just pin your ears back and get
after the quarterback. Linebackers and safeties have to at least
think about taking a step towards the line of scrimmage
(19:46):
before you know, dropping back into coverage, and you get
get more space, you get more holes to operate with,
and so there's a there's a big impact there. You know,
when you run the football effectively, It makes life a
lot easier for everybody. Uh. The offensive line can path
check the quarterback and I have time and envision to throw,
the space to throw the football, and the receivers have
(20:08):
more real estate to operate with down the football field.
Dave Lap, who is our guests from the Bengals Radio
working a long time Cincinnati Bengal player, Dave, I distinctly
remember us having this element of the conversation when you
were on the week before the opener, UH in Cincinnati. Um,
and that was the new newfound offensive line Bengals being
(20:30):
people in from the draft and also through free agency,
and we talked about the cohesive nature of that. Actually,
we're beginning to see a bit of that in Pittsburgh.
They seem to be getting incrementally better each week. Not great,
but they're getting better. Um. Has that been the case
as the Bengals pretty much faced the same thing and
they didn't play together in the preseason. Absolutely, Stan, There's
(20:52):
no no two ways about it. I mean time on task.
You know, repetition brings comfort level and you know you
can you can talk about it and you can sit
in a classroom and look at tape and you know,
drawn up on the board and do all those things
until you get under the field and actually physically go
through it and make sure that's you're on the same plane.
In terms of picking up a stunt, one can't be
(21:15):
close to the line of scream is another form a
natural increase for a defensive Li'm going to take advantage
of in a stunt. Get to kind of feel for
the guy next year and having unspoken you know communication,
just the nod, the wink of the eye kind of
thing is all you need sometimes when you played next
to each other for a long period of time, and
that does take time. So I felt like they were
(21:37):
gonna be better at the end of September than they
were in the beginning. They're gonna be better, you know,
in the middle of the season they were in the beginning,
and they are, they have been. They are getting better. Uh,
it's a there's the center of Carriss has there has
been part of two Super Bowl champions Cap of the
right guard has been a Super Bowl champion with Tampa Bay,
Harris uh with with New England Patriots a couple of times. So,
(22:01):
I mean, they know what it takes. Collins is getting
help more and more healthy when he played against T. J.
Watton at Oprah. He couldn't even stand up. I mean
he was falling all over the field. He couldn't stand
and speak. Had had back problems. Those have been alleviated.
He's playing a lot better. So they are. They're they're
playing better, There's no question about it. And I thought
(22:23):
they had their best game against the Carolina Panthers. The
running game was unbelievable. I mean they were fitting into
blocks and finishing blocks, and therefore past protection came became
much easier. Dynamic. For sure, they rushed it, you know,
if a tune yards, But I think that's the big
key stand Both teams rushed it in their last game
for a aternate yards. You know who's who's gonna be
(22:44):
able to sustain that? You know, that makes life easier
for you know, veteran quarterback, rookie quarterback, whatever the case
may be. Are many thanks to Dave Lapham. He's always
a willing guest. Nice to have mom who analyzed the game. Again,
as I mentioned before, we put Dave on the air.
Is this a pivotal game for both these teams? I
believe it is the Steelers to continue getting better and
(23:06):
very much the paint with the Bengals, their playoff lives
just might be at stake. We thank you today for
joining us on the Sabean Steelers Podcast. We hope you
enjoy it. Let everyone know that it's available. I'm also
available on a weekly basis a daily basis on ESPN
Radio in Pittsburgh. That's nine seventy am. You can get
it over the air, or you can just download the
(23:29):
High Art Media app. Very easy to do. It's free.
It's free, if it's me. If it's free, it's me.
All that stuff. Just go to iHeart media dot com
and downloaded and you can listen to my show every
day from noon until to Eastern be back with more
Saverean on Steelers Podcast. Thanks for joining me today. I'm
(23:49):
Stan Saverean. Thanks for listening.
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