January 3, 2023 • 29 mins
The Steelers pulled off the upset victory over the rival Ravens in Baltimore this past week thanks in large part to Kenny Pickett leading his second straight game winning touchdown drive. Stan is joined by Brian Batko to discuss the win and gauge how much of a chance the Steelers have at making the playoffs and if they get there, how deep of a run they could make.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Steelers specifically are a team that was constructed this
year to compete by virtue of winning close, low scoring
games at supplicating other teams Offensers with a dominant Deebank.
This is Safean on Steelers. Hello and happy new year
to all in Steelers Nation, and welcome to the Savereigant
(00:24):
on Steelers podcast. I'm stand saving your host. Where we
are for you twice weekly complete Steelers coverage and content.
Thanks for joining us. You can get us at Steelers
dot com. If you enjoy the program, please let your
friends and neighbors, relatives, whomever know about that. Just go
to Steelers dot com and they're posted up there twice weekly.
(00:46):
Here we are beginning the new year, and here we
are with the Steelers very much involved in the possibility
of making the playoffs. I'll be honest, and it's not
like I'm admitting anything because it's for all there to
hear and see on a podcast on videotape. Any recording
(01:07):
that when the Steelers were two and six and fans
were calling into the postgame show, which I host on
the Steelers Radio Network along with Charlie Batch, and people
suggested that you know they're two and six, but don't
give up hope of making the playoffs. I said there's
no way. Well I was wrong, because apparently there's way.
(01:30):
There's a way for them to make the playoffs. It
begins and could end with their performance. I mean, they've
got a be Cleveland for any of this to be
even relevant to talk about. But they also need other help.
The Jets would have to beat Miami in Miami, and
(01:51):
I'd say, well, Jets aren't very good, but you know what,
neither's Miami. Right now, They're gonna start a third fourth
string quarterback. It looks like looks like two is definitely out,
and the Dolphins have been horrendous trying to break a
six game losing streak. Er will not exactly pointed up,
is it Bills and Patriots? Well, the monkey wrench here
(02:22):
is that, at least now, the Bills believe that they're
gonna need to win that game in order to maintain
a possibility of having home field advantage, But that could
evaporate if Kansas City wins their game Saturday night, so
(02:43):
Buffalo will pretty much know where they're going to be seated.
And does that mean home field advantage all the way through?
If Casey will lose their game against the Raiders, then
Buffalo would have a chance. But then again you've got
Cincinnati involved, and since their game is not going to
(03:06):
be replayed this week according to the NFL's release, there
are all kinds of question marks. How motivated will Buffalo
be to beat the Patriots? That's what the Steelers need.
And the other factor that we just don't know how,
(03:27):
if at all, will the Bills be affected by what
happened to their teammate Tomorrow Hamlin. Now maybe at that
point everybody will have received positive news. Here's hoping that's
the case. Not that tomorrow Hammond's gonna come out and play,
(03:48):
but that his health and his life is no longer
in danger. Maybe that would be enough for kind of
a win one for tomorrow hamblin routine. But what if
he's stole in limbo? How does that affect their psyche?
(04:08):
And I know we're going beyond the pale here, but
we just don't know the reality. So the Steelers not
only have to rely on themselves beating Cleveland, but they
also have to rely on Miami coming up with an effort,
with the Jets coming up with an effort with Buffalo
(04:35):
coming up with an effort. One assumes New England. We'll
give their best. May not be good enough to beat
the Bills in Buffalo, but that's what we'll have to
take place. Are the Steelers considered a team on the rise. Oh,
(05:00):
they've got a winning streak, even though one of the
three victories came against the five team, that being the
Ravens Sunday night. Anybody who knows Steelers Ravens knows it's
a big win. Even if both teams are two and
fourteen and the formula that they used was similar to
(05:27):
what they did the week before and beating the Raiders,
it's not an advisable path to follow. And for all
the excitement over Kenny Pickett leading a comeback like he did,
they're still not scoring points. There aren't many games where
(05:51):
you're gonna win with the offense producing one touchdown and
even even adding on with field goals. The great Chris Boswell,
I wouldn't say he's unreliable, but let's say he's not
been as reliable as he's been in the past. Can
(06:15):
you beat teams consistently like that? I mean, sooner or
later you're good fortune may run out I'm not gonna
go so far as to use the Juju Smith Schuster
line and say the Browns is the Browns, but recently
the Browns is the Browns. I saw them play and
(06:39):
lose to New Orleans at home, and I thought I
was watching Night of the Living Dead. They just went
through the motions. They were a little more animated as
they beat the Commanders on the road this past Sunday,
but if you're able to watch any of that game,
(07:00):
they didn't look terribly invested. And so when we talk
about the psyche of teams, the Browns are not heading
into the off season like the Steelers will be. Even
if the Steelers lose to Cleveland, or let's put it
this way, even if they do not make the playoffs,
(07:20):
whether they end the season at nine and eight or
eight or nine but don't qualify for the playoffs, I
think the offseason will have more of a positive feel
to it, only because they believe they found their quarterback.
George Pickens is going to be a real threat. Naji
(07:41):
Harris and Pat friar Muth the last month are playing
the best football their careers, and len for It's tremendous
promise going into and that also begs the question, if
they do get in, would they be one of those
proverbial teams that no one wants to play. If they
(08:05):
do get in, it will be as a seventh seed,
which means they would get the second seed, which means
and this is a real jumble, we don't know Cincinnati, Buffalo,
Kansas City. And again the cancelation, at least for the
time being, Let's put this way, the postponement of the
(08:26):
Buffalo Cincinnati game from Monday night. We may not know,
we may not know a kind of effect in the
city would have. But I'm really interested if they make
the playoffs, would they be considered a tough out because
(08:50):
they're a team not as good as Cincinnati was last year.
But a team is playing its best football now. If
you're playing at Buffalo or Kansas City, they're best may
not nearly be good enough, but I would imagine it
would give it an opponent pause and saying, look, these
guys are believing in themselves, and that can go a
long ways. Brian Backo covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh
(09:15):
Post Gazette. He joins us now is great to have him.
Happy New Year, Brian and I'm wondering if the Steelers
do get to the playoffs, would they be considered a
quote tough out and maybe a team that an opponent,
whoever that may be, won't be real thrilled about playing
in the first game. I don't know about tougher out because,
(09:38):
like you said, I don't think they're in the same
tier as some of those teams you just mentioned. And
you know, we kind of saw that take place last
year when they found a way to sneak into the
playoffs and then really, you know, we're out classed by
the Chiefs in that first round game. But I'll put
it this way, uh stand, I think they're a team that, uh,
those those upper echelon squads wouldn't really want to see
(10:01):
right now. I mean, if the if the Dolphins sneak in,
they sneak in as a team with a lot of
warts and one that had to end what a six
game losing streak to to even get in there. If
the Patriots get in, you know, they'll do so as
a team that I don't think really scares anybody, a
team that has a lot of question marks surrounding them.
(10:22):
But if the Steelers get in, um, you know, they'll
they'll do so on a long winning streak and with
a bunch of rookies and young players who are hitting
their strides and playing well. And they will do so
with a defense that you know has always had this
in them, didn't always show it at times this year,
but has always had top tier talent, top tier coaching.
(10:44):
So h yeah, that's that's how I would say. And
I wouldn't necessarily predict they'd be a tough out, but
I think they're exactly the kind of team that you
wouldn't want to see, uh, if you're a divisional winner. Yeah,
when they were two and six, uh, And I was
doing the postgame show, there's always some people are optimistic
by the future. Um. I thought that they were foolhardy
(11:07):
but optimistic. Don't give up. Think it's still um I said,
I don't see any way, and maybe I'll be proven right,
but I never expected to get to this point to
begin with. Did you think they were dead and buried
the two and six Well, no, because we've seen them
in those dire straits before, and we've seen them pull
out of it, albeit with Ben Roethlisberger generally at quarterback,
(11:31):
and that certainly was a main factor, but also Mike
Tomlin has presided over these types of turnarounds over the years,
so that was kind of the intangible factor. But the
tangible one was the schedule. Well, we knew was gonna
get a lot lighter in the second half, and you're
you're seeing the opposite effect of that for some of
these other teams like Miami, like the Jets, like New England.
(11:52):
You know they've they've they've gone in the tank for
a lot of reasons, but the biggest one probably the
level of competition that they've played. Improving for the Steelers
the second half of the season meant, you know, playing
more NFC South teams, playing the cold suit who weren't
going anywhere, And yeah, I mean they lost to the Bengals.
You give them credit for beating the Ravens twice, Um,
(12:14):
excuse me, beating the Ravens once and then the Raiders
who were still in it at that point when they
came to Aftershire Stadium. So I didn't think that they
were certainly going to cash in on this season and
bottom out. Uh, it seemed possible, but I was one
of those saying that you know, they're gonna kind of
come back to the mean here when they play some
(12:35):
some lesser teams, and that's exactly what they've done. I
still give them credit for doing it, because it's it's
one thing to say that you can win six of
eight games on paper. It's a whole lot different thing
to do it, especially when they hadn't achieved really any
kind of consistency or complimentary football over the first half
of the year. I don't know that anybody would predict
(12:55):
Brian's this was the way they expected the season to go.
But from this perspective, um, they knew it was going
to take a while for the offense to gell if
at all. Um, they thought they'd have to rely on
their defense to carry them as best they could. Um.
That turned out to be not good enough for any
number of reasons, including not having t J. Watt around.
(13:18):
Um if it's the biggest word in the English language.
But if they had played then as they're playing now,
it's reasonable to assume they might already have a wildcard
locked up. Yeah. Absolutely. And you know, I go back
and forth on the t J. Watt injury. I mean,
on one hand, you know every team deals with injuries. Uh,
(13:40):
you know, look at the Chargers and what Brandon Staley
has had to do to to keep them together. They're
just now getting the Joey Bosa back, so they they've
they've dealt with a lot to The Ravens have dealt
with a lot. Honestly. The Titans for the second year
in a row have kind of been a walking wounded
group and and this this year it might actually get
away from them. So yeah, I mean every coach has
(14:02):
to deal with that. However, you know, only one guy
was Defensive Player of the Year in the league last season.
The Steelers specifically are a team that was constructed this
year to compete by virtue of winning close, low scoring
games and suffocating other teams offenses with a dominant defense
(14:23):
that is sparked by one of the best pass rushers
in the league. And you know, they they lost what
in Week one, so clearly that through the entire formula
out of whack. Now, should they have been able to
respond better to that? Probably? But you know, if if
there's any conversation about what was the most significant injury
(14:44):
in the first half of this NFL season, I think T. J.
Watt would be right up there, just as the you know,
the catalyst that he is for this unit, and you
know he's just now starting to kind of look like
himself again. But yeah, I mean it's sometimes excuse is
are also just reasons. And I think that's all, uh,
(15:04):
you know, a a nuance kind of way to look
at why things went south as early as they did.
And you know that losses to the Jets and the
Patriots that might still cost them a playoff spot. I
think those are games that could easily go the other
way if you have number ninety out there at full strength.
You know, it's interesting Bobby tweets one of our listeners,
(15:25):
um about the defense have been terrific. He has, but
the ten play plus drives is a major reason for
the defensive improvements. They're on the field much less, and
they're fresher in the fourth quarter, and I think there's
some some you know, that's a valid statement. Yeah, and
this offense, I mean earlier on in the season, when
they were struggling these long drives, they weren't finishing. I
(15:47):
mean you look at the the Jets game when Kenny
Pickett came in and uh through some of those interceptions,
pressing trying to play from behind. But even more so
the Dolphins game where he threw a couple there in
the fourth quarter. He's not making the same mistakes now.
He's he's taking the team down the field and he's
finding a way to finish. So that's all good progress
(16:07):
that you want to see from him, and it's lending
itself to that complementary football with the defense. And you know,
I think there's still, like we talked about at the top,
there are still teams who are better and more talented
than the Steelers on both sides of the ball. And
you know, they can score on a quick strike just
as easily as they can a methodical drive. But that's
(16:29):
probably another reason why if you are a team with
Super Bowl aspirations, you'd much rather the Steelers be sitting
at home in January, because not just that, you know,
they have been winning, but it's the way they win. Um,
you know, the margin for error is slim with them.
We know that they could certainly, uh, they could certainly
lose to the Browns based on the way that they've
(16:50):
been grinding out some of these victories. But they're a
team that, yeah, on offense, they don't mind running the football,
limiting possessions on defense, you know, mucking up the game
and uh and and forcing you to beat them through
the air, which when the weather turns is is kind
of an asset for them. So uh yeah, I mean
that's that's been the recipe. I think long term, if
(17:12):
if you're Mike Tomlin and Omar Cohn and company, you
feel like you've got the pieces in place to be
a more explosive offense that raises your ceiling as a
as a group overall. But right now they are, they're
they're winning the way that it was drawn up. It
might just be too a little too late. Um. Yeah,
it's I think it's fair to say that whatever happens
(17:34):
Sunday or beyond that they'll have a better feeling about
what they are, who they are, and who they have
heading into the offseason than they did a year ago
when they knew the quarterback was going to be an
issue and so on. Sobarth, it seems like they've solved
a lot of problems, although not all of them. Brian, Um,
would you imagine that Sunday against Cleveland or if they
(17:57):
make the playoffs at some point we've seen the last
of Devin Bush in the Steelers uniform. Yeah, that's that's
a good question, I think. So. I mean, I thought
that coming into the season two and you know, there
was a flicker of of solid play here and there
from him, maybe enough to to get you to talk
to yourself into bringing him back on a one year
(18:18):
deal or something like that. But the way that they
just cast him aside in their biggest game of the
season to date Sunday Night, tells me that, no, that
that ship has sailed, and I suppose that will be
somewhat of a storyline this week. You know, Mike Combin
has talked a lot about the reason for why Mark
Robinson was was more involved, but you know, he wasn't
(18:40):
really asked about, well, what's the plan for Bush? How
was he taking it? So maybe uh Tarall Austin can
speak to that on Thursday, Maybe maybe teammates can address it.
Bush himself doesn't. You know, he doesn't really do a
lot of interviews, if any, throughout most weeks, so I
don't know if you'll hear from him about it. I
can't imagine, you know, he he doesn't really want to
(19:02):
talk when he's playing, okay, so I can't imagine he's
gonna talk when he uh, essentially gets benched. But yeah,
I mean, I think they're they're starting to put their
eye on the future. But as Mike Tomlin kind of
alluded to today, they also have learned more about Mark
Robinson and now are confident or at least somewhat comfortable
that that he can also help them in the presence.
(19:22):
With all that being said, not only in terms who
they planned to do it with, meaning Splane played every
snap and Robinson played half the snaps at that position,
do you expect the game plan to be pretty similar
from what they did against Baltimore to what they plan
to do against Cleveland, given out Cleveland generally relies on
(19:43):
the run, although they've got a more of a quarterback
they have to deal with. Yeah, I mean I think
in some ways yes, But that's that's the thing right there.
Standard I believe the Steelers are gonna be a lot
more fearful of the Shawn Watson in that passing game
then they were Tyler Huntley and the Ravens and you know,
(20:04):
beyond Mark Andrews. Even the the skill position players didn't
scare you at all in Baltimore. So I think that
was really a situation where they just completely sold out
to stop the run and said, we'll just dare you
guys to to hit some passes on us and if
if that's how you beat us, then so be it.
And it almost was. They almost did do just enough
(20:24):
through the air, but in the end it was a
Tyler Huntley throw that gets picked off. I think it
Fitzpatrick and that's that's exactly why you basically challenge them
to do that. So I think if you challenge the
Browns in a similar way, Deshaun Watson and Marii Cooper
can can hurt you a little bit more. Um, you know,
(20:45):
it's it's gonna be difficult to stop Nick Chubb if
if you don't stack that box and do some of
the similar schematic things. But I don't think you can
do the exact same. The Browns are are well coached,
they would have a counter for that, and they have
a quorderback who can do it. So they're gonna just
you know, they're they'll need to take some of the
(21:05):
characteristics of what they did against the Ravens playing physical. Um,
you know, they improved their tackling in the second half.
They need to continue to do that. But I don't
know that they can. You know, carbon copy the XS
and o's and still expect to hold down the Browns. Well.
One of the things I think it is markedly different, um,
(21:27):
is the emotional state of the Browns. They're playing for
nothing again. Um, it's a hugely disappointing season, uh for them.
Predicted by many to win the division. Um, given all
the talent they assemble, the problem they have, it seems
to me, is they they like to put together an
all star team, but all star teams in a sport
like this don't always win. Uh. And I'm just wondering
(21:51):
one of the variables. We won't know how investor will
the Browns be. I saw a part of their game
against New Orleans. I thought I was watching Night of
the Living corpse is moving around even the Washington game
and they won. But you know, and I just wonder
how they'll react. One would expect the Steelers to bring
their absolute best. Yeah, They're a hard team to figure out.
(22:15):
I mean, they beat the Ravens one week and then
they lose the Saints. Then, like you said, they bounced
back and they win at the Commander's. So, I mean,
it was always going to be a strange year for
Cleveland with the Deshaun Watson situation looming over them. They
are now, you know, they're three and two with him,
but they've hardly been an offensive juggernaut since making that move.
(22:37):
I think they even brought in Jacobe Set for a
quarterback sneak on Sunday when it was short yardage, So
I mean even that, there's still sort of some weirdness
going on there. It always felt like to me that
for them was kind of a whatever season and they
kind of see what they get out of Watson in
the last six games and then reset expectations this off
(23:00):
season and basically decide what are they going to be?
How high is the bar gonna be raised there with him? Uh?
Did he knock off the necessary ross that. I still
think they're a dangerous opponent because you know, like you
kind of mentioned them, and they do have talent. They
they certainly go out and you know, they spend to
the cap. They get good players. Miles garrett Is is
(23:22):
still one of the best defensive players in the league.
Nick Chubb is one of the best offensive players in
the league. Watson, when he's playing well, is absolutely a
a quarterback who can win a lot of games in
the NFL and not not to mention rack up stats.
So I wouldn't say that they are going to be
hugely motivated in this one. But you know, I'm sure
(23:43):
they'd like the sweet Steelers, Like you know, Myles Garrett
said he'd like to play spoiler. They got punched in
the mouth when they came here last year and Ben
Roethlisberger's final home games, So I don't think it's gonna
be a walkover. But I don't think the Dolphins are
gonna have that against the Jets either. I think the
Jets are uh a young, building team that would want
to end the season on a high note. So that's
(24:05):
that's kind of you know there there aren't any of
these games in the a f C that make me say, Okay,
this team is checked out. Uh, you know, the Steelers
or the team that the Steelers need to win, are
just gonna have a walkover. I don't. I don't really
see any scenarios like that. Okay, last thing for you, Brian,
will let you go. I've asked people and we're gonna
get to this in the next segment. Um. Watching what
(24:27):
transpired last night was difficult for everybody. Um, but the
post analysis Um, ESPN was dealt a very difficult hand.
I've been in situations like that, not exactly like that
where there's a life and death issue before, but um,
you know, describes, you know, something that happens in in
(24:48):
in five seconds and then asking you to spend an
hour and a half talking about it. So I'm wondering,
as you watched what unfolded, how do you think ESPN
handled it? Yeah? I mean I thought they handled it
about as well as they could. I mean, that's just
such a difficult situation where you know, nobody knows really
(25:10):
what to say. You don't want to say the wrong thing. Um,
saying the right thing doesn't even really seem important or
significant in that moment. All anybody wants is an update,
a positive update on Tamar Hamlin, because this is you know, this,
This isn't like when we would follow a major news
(25:30):
event at times where it impacts hundreds thousands of lives
when something tragic happens. This is just one man in
one man's family. So, UM, you know you respect the
privacy while also knowing that you know, I found it
hard to sleep last night when you don't have any clarity.
But you know, as everybody who was on that set
can can kind of a test. I mean, there's there's
(25:53):
really nothing you can do. You try to keep people
updated as much as you can, but I mean, there's
so much that has to go on behind the scenes
to uh, to have a full picture of the information.
And you know, since i've been on this call with
you stand, I don't know if you've seen it since
we've been chatting, but you know, the NFL just announced
that the game will not be resumed this week. They
(26:14):
haven't decided what, you know, what they'll do about maybe
resuming it at a later date. It sure seems like
it's possible that this is just gonna be a no contest,
So um yeah, I mean it seems like that's kind
of the the logical way to handle it. And again,
it's just it's it's hard to fathom or process any
(26:36):
outcomes related to football when you're you're just waiting on
the outcome of of Damar Hamlin's life. And obviously that's
heavier and a lot more meaningful to everybody who's watching, listening, tweeting,
following from home and trying to read about this situation.
So I thought everything last night was it was tricky
(26:57):
and hard to deal with, but they did about as
as well and uh, you know, as as understated as
you could hope. Yeah, I see the NFL statement. I'll
go over that fully. UM. I would imagine that the
only option they would have, UM is if that game
after Sunday, because they're not gonna make any changes the
(27:20):
Sunday's schedule, UM, and there's no plans to resume it
this week, that they would wait and see, UM, they
play their scheduled game UM as it is now for
on Sunday, and then they see does this game have
a the potential of a meaningful ah impact on the
(27:41):
playoffs schedule? And if so, would they move the playoffs
back and get rid of the two weeks in between
the Converse championship games and the Super Bowl, which they've
done before. They don't like to do that, but it
is an option. Yeah, And that's kind of what I
was thinking, even in the moment last night when it
was obvious that this was really really bad for Hamblin.
(28:02):
I mean, do you just give give both teams a
tie or yeah, I mean no contest and it just
doesn't you know, they have one less game in the standings.
I don't know. Um No, that's that's for the NFL
to figure out. And in the meantime, you know, you
just you just hope for the best. You hope for
some sort of good news from from the hospital in Cincinnati,
(28:24):
because I mean, I covered de Mar Hamblin when when
I covered pit and you know, he was always a
low key but polite young man, and everybody I think
it's listening is probably pretty familiar with his story by
this point, and hopefully this this story has a you know,
another positive chapter to be written here even as he's
down there fighting. All right, Brian, great stuff. Thanks for
(28:48):
being with me. I really appreciate the time, uh and
all your thoughts and insights. We'll talk again soon. Thanks,
no problem, Stane. You can follow the Steelers if you
follow Brian batgo at Brian Bato on Twitter, and just
in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, you can follow me at
Stan Love the Show on Twitter. You can hear my
(29:09):
daily radio show that's on nine seventy ESPN in Pittsburgh.
And all you have to do that is listen over
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Heart media app. Very simple and it's free, I Heart
Medio app, I Heart Radio app is free and I'm
on every day from noon until to eastward again. The
(29:33):
podcast can be found at Steelers dot com. Tell your friends.
If you enjoy the content, you're glad to be here
bringing it to you. That's it for today's edition. I'm
Stan Saverean. Thanks for listening.
The Steelers specifically are a team that was constructed this
year to compete by virtue of winning close, low scoring
games at supplicating other teams Offensers with a dominant Deebank.
This is Safean on Steelers. Hello and happy new year
to all in Steelers Nation, and welcome to the Savereigant
(00:24):
on Steelers podcast. I'm stand saving your host. Where we
are for you twice weekly complete Steelers coverage and content.
Thanks for joining us. You can get us at Steelers
dot com. If you enjoy the program, please let your
friends and neighbors, relatives, whomever know about that. Just go
to Steelers dot com and they're posted up there twice weekly.
(00:46):
Here we are beginning the new year, and here we
are with the Steelers very much involved in the possibility
of making the playoffs. I'll be honest, and it's not
like I'm admitting anything because it's for all there to
hear and see on a podcast on videotape. Any recording
(01:07):
that when the Steelers were two and six and fans
were calling into the postgame show, which I host on
the Steelers Radio Network along with Charlie Batch, and people
suggested that you know they're two and six, but don't
give up hope of making the playoffs. I said there's
no way. Well I was wrong, because apparently there's way.
(01:30):
There's a way for them to make the playoffs. It
begins and could end with their performance. I mean, they've
got a be Cleveland for any of this to be
even relevant to talk about. But they also need other help.
The Jets would have to beat Miami in Miami, and
(01:51):
I'd say, well, Jets aren't very good, but you know what,
neither's Miami. Right now, They're gonna start a third fourth
string quarterback. It looks like looks like two is definitely out,
and the Dolphins have been horrendous trying to break a
six game losing streak. Er will not exactly pointed up,
is it Bills and Patriots? Well, the monkey wrench here
(02:22):
is that, at least now, the Bills believe that they're
gonna need to win that game in order to maintain
a possibility of having home field advantage, But that could
evaporate if Kansas City wins their game Saturday night, so
(02:43):
Buffalo will pretty much know where they're going to be seated.
And does that mean home field advantage all the way through?
If Casey will lose their game against the Raiders, then
Buffalo would have a chance. But then again you've got
Cincinnati involved, and since their game is not going to
(03:06):
be replayed this week according to the NFL's release, there
are all kinds of question marks. How motivated will Buffalo
be to beat the Patriots? That's what the Steelers need.
And the other factor that we just don't know how,
(03:27):
if at all, will the Bills be affected by what
happened to their teammate Tomorrow Hamlin. Now maybe at that
point everybody will have received positive news. Here's hoping that's
the case. Not that tomorrow Hammond's gonna come out and play,
(03:48):
but that his health and his life is no longer
in danger. Maybe that would be enough for kind of
a win one for tomorrow hamblin routine. But what if
he's stole in limbo? How does that affect their psyche?
(04:08):
And I know we're going beyond the pale here, but
we just don't know the reality. So the Steelers not
only have to rely on themselves beating Cleveland, but they
also have to rely on Miami coming up with an effort,
with the Jets coming up with an effort with Buffalo
(04:35):
coming up with an effort. One assumes New England. We'll
give their best. May not be good enough to beat
the Bills in Buffalo, but that's what we'll have to
take place. Are the Steelers considered a team on the rise. Oh,
(05:00):
they've got a winning streak, even though one of the
three victories came against the five team, that being the
Ravens Sunday night. Anybody who knows Steelers Ravens knows it's
a big win. Even if both teams are two and
fourteen and the formula that they used was similar to
(05:27):
what they did the week before and beating the Raiders,
it's not an advisable path to follow. And for all
the excitement over Kenny Pickett leading a comeback like he did,
they're still not scoring points. There aren't many games where
(05:51):
you're gonna win with the offense producing one touchdown and
even even adding on with field goals. The great Chris Boswell,
I wouldn't say he's unreliable, but let's say he's not
been as reliable as he's been in the past. Can
(06:15):
you beat teams consistently like that? I mean, sooner or
later you're good fortune may run out I'm not gonna
go so far as to use the Juju Smith Schuster
line and say the Browns is the Browns, but recently
the Browns is the Browns. I saw them play and
(06:39):
lose to New Orleans at home, and I thought I
was watching Night of the Living Dead. They just went
through the motions. They were a little more animated as
they beat the Commanders on the road this past Sunday,
but if you're able to watch any of that game,
(07:00):
they didn't look terribly invested. And so when we talk
about the psyche of teams, the Browns are not heading
into the off season like the Steelers will be. Even
if the Steelers lose to Cleveland, or let's put it
this way, even if they do not make the playoffs,
(07:20):
whether they end the season at nine and eight or
eight or nine but don't qualify for the playoffs, I
think the offseason will have more of a positive feel
to it, only because they believe they found their quarterback.
George Pickens is going to be a real threat. Naji
(07:41):
Harris and Pat friar Muth the last month are playing
the best football their careers, and len for It's tremendous
promise going into and that also begs the question, if
they do get in, would they be one of those
proverbial teams that no one wants to play. If they
(08:05):
do get in, it will be as a seventh seed,
which means they would get the second seed, which means
and this is a real jumble, we don't know Cincinnati, Buffalo,
Kansas City. And again the cancelation, at least for the
time being, Let's put this way, the postponement of the
(08:26):
Buffalo Cincinnati game from Monday night. We may not know,
we may not know a kind of effect in the
city would have. But I'm really interested if they make
the playoffs, would they be considered a tough out because
(08:50):
they're a team not as good as Cincinnati was last year.
But a team is playing its best football now. If
you're playing at Buffalo or Kansas City, they're best may
not nearly be good enough, but I would imagine it
would give it an opponent pause and saying, look, these
guys are believing in themselves, and that can go a
long ways. Brian Backo covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh
(09:15):
Post Gazette. He joins us now is great to have him.
Happy New Year, Brian and I'm wondering if the Steelers
do get to the playoffs, would they be considered a
quote tough out and maybe a team that an opponent,
whoever that may be, won't be real thrilled about playing
in the first game. I don't know about tougher out because,
(09:38):
like you said, I don't think they're in the same
tier as some of those teams you just mentioned. And
you know, we kind of saw that take place last
year when they found a way to sneak into the
playoffs and then really, you know, we're out classed by
the Chiefs in that first round game. But I'll put
it this way, uh stand, I think they're a team that, uh,
those those upper echelon squads wouldn't really want to see
(10:01):
right now. I mean, if the if the Dolphins sneak in,
they sneak in as a team with a lot of
warts and one that had to end what a six
game losing streak to to even get in there. If
the Patriots get in, you know, they'll do so as
a team that I don't think really scares anybody, a
team that has a lot of question marks surrounding them.
(10:22):
But if the Steelers get in, um, you know, they'll
they'll do so on a long winning streak and with
a bunch of rookies and young players who are hitting
their strides and playing well. And they will do so
with a defense that you know has always had this
in them, didn't always show it at times this year,
but has always had top tier talent, top tier coaching.
(10:44):
So h yeah, that's that's how I would say. And
I wouldn't necessarily predict they'd be a tough out, but
I think they're exactly the kind of team that you
wouldn't want to see, uh, if you're a divisional winner. Yeah,
when they were two and six, uh, And I was
doing the postgame show, there's always some people are optimistic
by the future. Um. I thought that they were foolhardy
(11:07):
but optimistic. Don't give up. Think it's still um I said,
I don't see any way, and maybe I'll be proven right,
but I never expected to get to this point to
begin with. Did you think they were dead and buried
the two and six Well, no, because we've seen them
in those dire straits before, and we've seen them pull
out of it, albeit with Ben Roethlisberger generally at quarterback,
(11:31):
and that certainly was a main factor, but also Mike
Tomlin has presided over these types of turnarounds over the years,
so that was kind of the intangible factor. But the
tangible one was the schedule. Well, we knew was gonna
get a lot lighter in the second half, and you're
you're seeing the opposite effect of that for some of
these other teams like Miami, like the Jets, like New England.
(11:52):
You know they've they've they've gone in the tank for
a lot of reasons, but the biggest one probably the
level of competition that they've played. Improving for the Steelers
the second half of the season meant, you know, playing
more NFC South teams, playing the cold suit who weren't
going anywhere, And yeah, I mean they lost to the Bengals.
You give them credit for beating the Ravens twice, Um,
(12:14):
excuse me, beating the Ravens once and then the Raiders
who were still in it at that point when they
came to Aftershire Stadium. So I didn't think that they
were certainly going to cash in on this season and
bottom out. Uh, it seemed possible, but I was one
of those saying that you know, they're gonna kind of
come back to the mean here when they play some
(12:35):
some lesser teams, and that's exactly what they've done. I
still give them credit for doing it, because it's it's
one thing to say that you can win six of
eight games on paper. It's a whole lot different thing
to do it, especially when they hadn't achieved really any
kind of consistency or complimentary football over the first half
of the year. I don't know that anybody would predict
(12:55):
Brian's this was the way they expected the season to go.
But from this perspective, um, they knew it was going
to take a while for the offense to gell if
at all. Um, they thought they'd have to rely on
their defense to carry them as best they could. Um.
That turned out to be not good enough for any
number of reasons, including not having t J. Watt around.
(13:18):
Um if it's the biggest word in the English language.
But if they had played then as they're playing now,
it's reasonable to assume they might already have a wildcard
locked up. Yeah. Absolutely. And you know, I go back
and forth on the t J. Watt injury. I mean,
on one hand, you know every team deals with injuries. Uh,
(13:40):
you know, look at the Chargers and what Brandon Staley
has had to do to to keep them together. They're
just now getting the Joey Bosa back, so they they've
they've dealt with a lot to The Ravens have dealt
with a lot. Honestly. The Titans for the second year
in a row have kind of been a walking wounded
group and and this this year it might actually get
away from them. So yeah, I mean every coach has
(14:02):
to deal with that. However, you know, only one guy
was Defensive Player of the Year in the league last season.
The Steelers specifically are a team that was constructed this
year to compete by virtue of winning close, low scoring
games and suffocating other teams offenses with a dominant defense
(14:23):
that is sparked by one of the best pass rushers
in the league. And you know, they they lost what
in Week one, so clearly that through the entire formula
out of whack. Now, should they have been able to
respond better to that? Probably? But you know, if if
there's any conversation about what was the most significant injury
(14:44):
in the first half of this NFL season, I think T. J.
Watt would be right up there, just as the you know,
the catalyst that he is for this unit, and you
know he's just now starting to kind of look like
himself again. But yeah, I mean it's sometimes excuse is
are also just reasons. And I think that's all, uh,
(15:04):
you know, a a nuance kind of way to look
at why things went south as early as they did.
And you know that losses to the Jets and the
Patriots that might still cost them a playoff spot. I
think those are games that could easily go the other
way if you have number ninety out there at full strength.
You know, it's interesting Bobby tweets one of our listeners,
(15:25):
um about the defense have been terrific. He has, but
the ten play plus drives is a major reason for
the defensive improvements. They're on the field much less, and
they're fresher in the fourth quarter, and I think there's
some some you know, that's a valid statement. Yeah, and
this offense, I mean earlier on in the season, when
they were struggling these long drives, they weren't finishing. I
(15:47):
mean you look at the the Jets game when Kenny
Pickett came in and uh through some of those interceptions,
pressing trying to play from behind. But even more so
the Dolphins game where he threw a couple there in
the fourth quarter. He's not making the same mistakes now.
He's he's taking the team down the field and he's
finding a way to finish. So that's all good progress
(16:07):
that you want to see from him, and it's lending
itself to that complementary football with the defense. And you know,
I think there's still, like we talked about at the top,
there are still teams who are better and more talented
than the Steelers on both sides of the ball. And
you know, they can score on a quick strike just
as easily as they can a methodical drive. But that's
(16:29):
probably another reason why if you are a team with
Super Bowl aspirations, you'd much rather the Steelers be sitting
at home in January, because not just that, you know,
they have been winning, but it's the way they win. Um,
you know, the margin for error is slim with them.
We know that they could certainly, uh, they could certainly
lose to the Browns based on the way that they've
(16:50):
been grinding out some of these victories. But they're a
team that, yeah, on offense, they don't mind running the football,
limiting possessions on defense, you know, mucking up the game
and uh and and forcing you to beat them through
the air, which when the weather turns is is kind
of an asset for them. So uh yeah, I mean
that's that's been the recipe. I think long term, if
(17:12):
if you're Mike Tomlin and Omar Cohn and company, you
feel like you've got the pieces in place to be
a more explosive offense that raises your ceiling as a
as a group overall. But right now they are, they're
they're winning the way that it was drawn up. It
might just be too a little too late. Um. Yeah,
it's I think it's fair to say that whatever happens
(17:34):
Sunday or beyond that they'll have a better feeling about
what they are, who they are, and who they have
heading into the offseason than they did a year ago
when they knew the quarterback was going to be an
issue and so on. Sobarth, it seems like they've solved
a lot of problems, although not all of them. Brian, Um,
would you imagine that Sunday against Cleveland or if they
(17:57):
make the playoffs at some point we've seen the last
of Devin Bush in the Steelers uniform. Yeah, that's that's
a good question, I think. So. I mean, I thought
that coming into the season two and you know, there
was a flicker of of solid play here and there
from him, maybe enough to to get you to talk
to yourself into bringing him back on a one year
(18:18):
deal or something like that. But the way that they
just cast him aside in their biggest game of the
season to date Sunday Night, tells me that, no, that
that ship has sailed, and I suppose that will be
somewhat of a storyline this week. You know, Mike Combin
has talked a lot about the reason for why Mark
Robinson was was more involved, but you know, he wasn't
(18:40):
really asked about, well, what's the plan for Bush? How
was he taking it? So maybe uh Tarall Austin can
speak to that on Thursday, Maybe maybe teammates can address it.
Bush himself doesn't. You know, he doesn't really do a
lot of interviews, if any, throughout most weeks, so I
don't know if you'll hear from him about it. I
can't imagine, you know, he he doesn't really want to
(19:02):
talk when he's playing, okay, so I can't imagine he's
gonna talk when he uh, essentially gets benched. But yeah,
I mean, I think they're they're starting to put their
eye on the future. But as Mike Tomlin kind of
alluded to today, they also have learned more about Mark
Robinson and now are confident or at least somewhat comfortable
that that he can also help them in the presence.
(19:22):
With all that being said, not only in terms who
they planned to do it with, meaning Splane played every
snap and Robinson played half the snaps at that position,
do you expect the game plan to be pretty similar
from what they did against Baltimore to what they plan
to do against Cleveland, given out Cleveland generally relies on
(19:43):
the run, although they've got a more of a quarterback
they have to deal with. Yeah, I mean I think
in some ways yes, But that's that's the thing right there.
Standard I believe the Steelers are gonna be a lot
more fearful of the Shawn Watson in that passing game
then they were Tyler Huntley and the Ravens and you know,
(20:04):
beyond Mark Andrews. Even the the skill position players didn't
scare you at all in Baltimore. So I think that
was really a situation where they just completely sold out
to stop the run and said, we'll just dare you
guys to to hit some passes on us and if
if that's how you beat us, then so be it.
And it almost was. They almost did do just enough
(20:24):
through the air, but in the end it was a
Tyler Huntley throw that gets picked off. I think it
Fitzpatrick and that's that's exactly why you basically challenge them
to do that. So I think if you challenge the
Browns in a similar way, Deshaun Watson and Marii Cooper
can can hurt you a little bit more. Um, you know,
(20:45):
it's it's gonna be difficult to stop Nick Chubb if
if you don't stack that box and do some of
the similar schematic things. But I don't think you can
do the exact same. The Browns are are well coached,
they would have a counter for that, and they have
a quorderback who can do it. So they're gonna just
you know, they're they'll need to take some of the
(21:05):
characteristics of what they did against the Ravens playing physical. Um,
you know, they improved their tackling in the second half.
They need to continue to do that. But I don't
know that they can. You know, carbon copy the XS
and o's and still expect to hold down the Browns. Well.
One of the things I think it is markedly different, um,
(21:27):
is the emotional state of the Browns. They're playing for
nothing again. Um, it's a hugely disappointing season, uh for them.
Predicted by many to win the division. Um, given all
the talent they assemble, the problem they have, it seems
to me, is they they like to put together an
all star team, but all star teams in a sport
like this don't always win. Uh. And I'm just wondering
(21:51):
one of the variables. We won't know how investor will
the Browns be. I saw a part of their game
against New Orleans. I thought I was watching Night of
the Living corpse is moving around even the Washington game
and they won. But you know, and I just wonder
how they'll react. One would expect the Steelers to bring
their absolute best. Yeah, They're a hard team to figure out.
(22:15):
I mean, they beat the Ravens one week and then
they lose the Saints. Then, like you said, they bounced
back and they win at the Commander's. So, I mean,
it was always going to be a strange year for
Cleveland with the Deshaun Watson situation looming over them. They
are now, you know, they're three and two with him,
but they've hardly been an offensive juggernaut since making that move.
(22:37):
I think they even brought in Jacobe Set for a
quarterback sneak on Sunday when it was short yardage, So
I mean even that, there's still sort of some weirdness
going on there. It always felt like to me that
for them was kind of a whatever season and they
kind of see what they get out of Watson in
the last six games and then reset expectations this off
(23:00):
season and basically decide what are they going to be?
How high is the bar gonna be raised there with him? Uh?
Did he knock off the necessary ross that. I still
think they're a dangerous opponent because you know, like you
kind of mentioned them, and they do have talent. They
they certainly go out and you know, they spend to
the cap. They get good players. Miles garrett Is is
(23:22):
still one of the best defensive players in the league.
Nick Chubb is one of the best offensive players in
the league. Watson, when he's playing well, is absolutely a
a quarterback who can win a lot of games in
the NFL and not not to mention rack up stats.
So I wouldn't say that they are going to be
hugely motivated in this one. But you know, I'm sure
(23:43):
they'd like the sweet Steelers, Like you know, Myles Garrett
said he'd like to play spoiler. They got punched in
the mouth when they came here last year and Ben
Roethlisberger's final home games, So I don't think it's gonna
be a walkover. But I don't think the Dolphins are
gonna have that against the Jets either. I think the
Jets are uh a young, building team that would want
to end the season on a high note. So that's
(24:05):
that's kind of you know there there aren't any of
these games in the a f C that make me say, Okay,
this team is checked out. Uh, you know, the Steelers
or the team that the Steelers need to win, are
just gonna have a walkover. I don't. I don't really
see any scenarios like that. Okay, last thing for you, Brian,
will let you go. I've asked people and we're gonna
get to this in the next segment. Um. Watching what
(24:27):
transpired last night was difficult for everybody. Um, but the
post analysis Um, ESPN was dealt a very difficult hand.
I've been in situations like that, not exactly like that
where there's a life and death issue before, but um,
you know, describes, you know, something that happens in in
(24:48):
in five seconds and then asking you to spend an
hour and a half talking about it. So I'm wondering,
as you watched what unfolded, how do you think ESPN
handled it? Yeah? I mean I thought they handled it
about as well as they could. I mean, that's just
such a difficult situation where you know, nobody knows really
(25:10):
what to say. You don't want to say the wrong thing. Um,
saying the right thing doesn't even really seem important or
significant in that moment. All anybody wants is an update,
a positive update on Tamar Hamlin, because this is you know, this,
This isn't like when we would follow a major news
(25:30):
event at times where it impacts hundreds thousands of lives
when something tragic happens. This is just one man in
one man's family. So, UM, you know you respect the
privacy while also knowing that you know, I found it
hard to sleep last night when you don't have any clarity.
But you know, as everybody who was on that set
can can kind of a test. I mean, there's there's
(25:53):
really nothing you can do. You try to keep people
updated as much as you can, but I mean, there's
so much that has to go on behind the scenes
to uh, to have a full picture of the information.
And you know, since i've been on this call with
you stand, I don't know if you've seen it since
we've been chatting, but you know, the NFL just announced
that the game will not be resumed this week. They
(26:14):
haven't decided what, you know, what they'll do about maybe
resuming it at a later date. It sure seems like
it's possible that this is just gonna be a no contest,
So um yeah, I mean it seems like that's kind
of the the logical way to handle it. And again,
it's just it's it's hard to fathom or process any
(26:36):
outcomes related to football when you're you're just waiting on
the outcome of of Damar Hamlin's life. And obviously that's
heavier and a lot more meaningful to everybody who's watching, listening, tweeting,
following from home and trying to read about this situation.
So I thought everything last night was it was tricky
(26:57):
and hard to deal with, but they did about as
as well and uh, you know, as as understated as
you could hope. Yeah, I see the NFL statement. I'll
go over that fully. UM. I would imagine that the
only option they would have, UM is if that game
after Sunday, because they're not gonna make any changes the
(27:20):
Sunday's schedule, UM, and there's no plans to resume it
this week, that they would wait and see, UM, they
play their scheduled game UM as it is now for
on Sunday, and then they see does this game have
a the potential of a meaningful ah impact on the
(27:41):
playoffs schedule? And if so, would they move the playoffs
back and get rid of the two weeks in between
the Converse championship games and the Super Bowl, which they've
done before. They don't like to do that, but it
is an option. Yeah, And that's kind of what I
was thinking, even in the moment last night when it
was obvious that this was really really bad for Hamblin.
(28:02):
I mean, do you just give give both teams a
tie or yeah, I mean no contest and it just
doesn't you know, they have one less game in the standings.
I don't know. Um No, that's that's for the NFL
to figure out. And in the meantime, you know, you
just you just hope for the best. You hope for
some sort of good news from from the hospital in Cincinnati,
(28:24):
because I mean, I covered de Mar Hamblin when when
I covered pit and you know, he was always a
low key but polite young man, and everybody I think
it's listening is probably pretty familiar with his story by
this point, and hopefully this this story has a you know,
another positive chapter to be written here even as he's
down there fighting. All right, Brian, great stuff. Thanks for
(28:48):
being with me. I really appreciate the time, uh and
all your thoughts and insights. We'll talk again soon. Thanks,
no problem, Stane. You can follow the Steelers if you
follow Brian batgo at Brian Bato on Twitter, and just
in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, you can follow me at
Stan Love the Show on Twitter. You can hear my
(29:09):
daily radio show that's on nine seventy ESPN in Pittsburgh.
And all you have to do that is listen over
the air nine seventy a M or download the I
Heart media app. Very simple and it's free, I Heart
Medio app, I Heart Radio app is free and I'm
on every day from noon until to eastward again. The
(29:33):
podcast can be found at Steelers dot com. Tell your friends.
If you enjoy the content, you're glad to be here
bringing it to you. That's it for today's edition. I'm
Stan Saverean. Thanks for listening.
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