May 23, 2023 • 36 mins
Matt and Dale are on the sidelines for day 1 of the Steelers OTAs.
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Speaker 1 (00:24):
Well, hello, I am Dale Lallie.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
He is Matt Williamson and this is a special edition
of the Drive here from the Steeler OTAs at the
upmc rooney Sports Complex of course, listening on Steelers Nation
Radio and.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
ESPN nine seventy and Matt football.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Is officially back.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah. There are big, strong, fast men right in front
of us with helmets on doing football stuff. I'll grow
with that football stuff absolutely. Yeah. So in George Shase
as well. Yeah, so he sort of doing football stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
But lots of stuff going on here, lots of stuff
happening around the league as well. Of course, the NFL
announcing this morning that the Steelers have now been awarded Ireland,
the island of Ireland as a as an international I
forget what's the exact global marketing So in addition to
(01:15):
the country of Mexico, they now have Ireland as well.
Game of risk, well, yeah, to apply for these things
and that gives you marketing rights in those countries, also
opens the door for you to play football games in
those countries.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Obvious correlation there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Of course, the Steelers have played in Ireland before. In
nineteen ninety seven they went over and played the Chicago
Bears in a preseason game. I went over with them
for that for that game. That was a lot of fun.
The game at Croke Park was well attended, and you know,
the fans were great over there.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Experienced be pretty cool. Just a tremendous experience.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I know they've they've had a lot of college football
games over the years in Ireland, but that's been the
only NFL.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Game, okay, and so I can't remember many of the
been there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So the NFL trying to grow the grow the markets there.
We had some other The Saints of got in France
now which okay, okay, French connection. In addition to the
Steelers getting the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the
Jaguars were also awarded. That's so they now have England
(02:22):
and Ireland. Okay, they're taking the whole island. Yeah, got
the island. Taking the islands by storm. And then the
Atlanta Falcons were granted became the fifth team to be
granted international marketing rates for Germany.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
For Germany, Yeah, interesting, I hear the German market is
really exciting.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well yeah, yeah, that's that's that's one that uh, you know,
there have been some German players who have played and
and you know you've also got a lot of military
bases there.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So you know there's some natural stuff developing, some smaller
leagues and things like that.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Right, Yeah, NFL euro was big there, and we'll see
that there's been some talk of some new professional football
in Europe that would I would assume include a lot
of teams in Germany, England or the United Kingdom, I should.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Say, right, right, so they have the stadiums to handle
it and the base is growing, and right.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I mean the league, the league definitely wants to grow
the fan base internationally.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Well, the thing that was telling to me is not
even know if we touched on it when the schedule
came out, but Jacksonville staying there for back to back games.
You know, they've never been done before. It's never been
done before, and they've always been sort of the Lions
on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Jags in London,
you know, and that's starting to be you know, the
Werewolves of London and you know the Jaguars of London.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, the interesting thing is so there, I don't know
if you've stayed up on this. So they're talking about
doing a refit of the stadium in Jacksonville, right right
right where it might be shut down for two years
when they when they do this refurbishing of the stadium there,
and they need somewhere to play, and the options are
Orlando has put in a bid to host the jack
(03:58):
be the home of the Jaguars. Well obviously the obvious
one as well will be to have then play, yeah,
play their games in London.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
So this is a bit of a test run for
them a little bit, you know, like, yeah, can the
facility handle us for two weeks and practice fields and
getting to and from and where do all the players
stay that? But the team's traveling in, you know, and
exactly and doing those things. So you know, I'm always
thinking about rosters and you know, game day and things
like that. So how does it work? Though, if let's
(04:24):
say even this year, you know, game one, your punter
gets hurt and you got to try out five punters
for the next week, I.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Guess you gotta fly them out. You better have your
list ready.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
And yeah, or do you keep I was thinking maybe
you keep half your staff in Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'm sure their staff in Yeah, I mean, I'm sure,
much like the Steelers do hear they've got their their
people who work here, then you also have people work
over at the stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And never between me and big big contingent in the
organization would still be in Jacksonville, and maybe in some
coaches scout.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
In your scouts are still gonna be over here scouting
college games and things of that nature. Your pro scouts
are going to be scouting the pro games.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, the program of the pro scouts don't don't have
to go over right, So yeah, you just put somebody
into it.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Here's here's the two guys we got, or here's the
one guy we got.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Plus if it's a kicker videos and you know, right too, if.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It's a kicker, you might have somebody on hand. Well
maybe over there, right, they do some kicking over there.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
The ball might just take an extra day to get
them there for game day or whatever. But no, that's
all feasible in today's world and zoom's and you know,
i mean, flights aren't as bad as it used to be.
I'm sure, so it's interesting. Yeah, I mean I often
think though, if I'm Seattle and the schedule comes out
and I got to go to London, like that's pretty
I mean it's a bit of a haul. The West
(05:33):
Coast travels more than anybody to begin with, and now
you're adding many, many miles to that.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But it could be worth it, No, there's no doubt.
I think it could be worth it. And I think,
you know, anytime you can grow the game. I know,
we love the game. You know, we wouldn't be doing
what we do. Uh, And you know I think that,
you know, the world is starting to catch on to Yeah,
how this is right, right, no question about it. You know,
it's still I mean, it's the number one sport in
the United States. There's no ifs about that. You know,
(06:01):
internationally it's still has a ways to go to catch Soccer.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Sure, I would say it reminds me when I was
a kid, and you know, soccer was starting to catch on,
you know, when I was ten years older.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I've been hearing I'm fifty four, I've been hearing for
fifty years. Soccer is really growing in the United States.
It's the next big sport.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Okay, well it was bigger than when I was a kid.
I mean, in the in the whole scheme of things,
I guess the era is pointing out. But I mean,
I'm just comparing it the football over there. You know,
the NFL or football in general is never going to
beat European soccer, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
And the thing is, I mean, you know anywhere where
you have big, fast guys mm hm. You know, and
you know, for cultures that have rugby, for example, I
mean there's a direct correlation there between rugby and football.
That's where football kind of came from, was rugby.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
And there's certainly some body types you know that don't
play that play football, that don't play soccer or basketball
or you know.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It gets a little bit like for example, Chucks of
kor for sure, when when he was a kid played soccer,
you know when he was in NI area, and you
know in the other countries that he lived in, well
you don't see too many six foot five.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Pounds running around in the seventy five or whatever. Right,
it's rotten all day and right.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, I can remember when the Steelers had Christian Scotland
Williamson here and no no relation to relation, right, but
he was he had been a you know, a soccer player.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
He was a big body, he was huge. Yeah. Yeah,
he sat down with us and it was an interesting
guy to talk to. It too.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, So I mean you do see that, you know
those So I think if you can continue to grow
the game internationally. There's a lot of untapped markets in
terms of fandom, but there's also a lot of untapped
markets in terms of potential players.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
That's what I was thinking too. I mean even when
we were a kid, the NBA wasn't drafted many kids.
How many guys out of Europe and China? Remember, like now,
ming was.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
A huge you know, the top three picks in this
year's draft or top two of the top four or
three of the top five or something like that could
be international players.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Like a big portion around one every year, ye from overseas, right, Yeah,
just imagine if you can find I don't know thirty
kids in every draft that are non Americans or for
you know, you know in Europe somewhere.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Well, I mean that thing is, you know, they do
still come here to play college football. True, true, true,
there was the kid Bernard Raymond was one that was
in not this year's draft, last year's lastys draft, last
year or left acklic Yeah, so you do find those guys,
and again, the body type is the body type, and
you know what you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Because I assume colleges now are more aware of overseas markets.
I mean when I was next door working, I mean,
we were watching VHS tapes and there was barely any Internet.
I mean, so you know, we know, one of the
budget to go over to recruit those guys or whatever.
But if they're going to come here and tour five colleges,
you know, because they're playing football, great, I mean, you
got all the tape on them and you can make
(08:45):
your judgments from there.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
One of the other things, of course, they awarded super Bowls.
I believe the forty nine ers or I guess Northern
California will get one in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
I think I really don't pay much attention to wear
the Super Bowl. No, I don't either. But the big thing,
you don't even know, and I don't know where the
next one is, to be honest with.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
You, we'll figure it out, you know. But by the times,
you know, we get closer to the season, playoffs season.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
But the other big thing that fans will notice is
the third quarterback rule.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
It's back. I can't believe it ever left, Like I
didn't realize it left. And then a couple of times
this year it came up in a big way, especially
obviously in the NFC Championship game. I never understood the
logic of why I went away. It seems like a
very logical role at this point. Well, I get asked
this all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Why the league has roster limits on game days, and
it's to level the playing field. Yeah, because if I've
got fifty three guys on my roster and we're completely healthy,
and you've got forty six guys who are.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Completely healthy, right, I.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Got an advantage, right, I get seven extra bodies that
you don't. So you know, it allows you that opportunity
to do to have a guy who's hurt but not injured,
but not to have to put him on He's not
going to play, he's not gonna play this week, so
I don't have to put him on IR. He's only
going to miss a week and it's not going to
hurt me on game day.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
It's like hockey. I mean, those guys get hurt all
the time. They play so many games. Like we're gonna
put some guy in active today just while he heals
one game, so you put him on the an active
list or a healthy scratch or whatever too. Now you
have to you can't. You can't have to one team
play with more than the other.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
So the caveat to this whole thing with the third
quarterback possibilities is that roster exemptions that you now get
where you can increase your roster to fifty four or
fifty five players on game days call guys up from
your practice squad. If you do that and you're carrying
forty seven or forty eight players, you can't use the
(10:42):
emergency quarterback.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Oh okay, I missed that. Okay, so you either how much.
So there is a give and take. There is a
given take the yeah, necessarily going to have the third guy.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Because what would happen then because you're that you're expanding
and that's just something that they've done in the last
two years because of COVID. They allows you to bring
those two guys up off the practice.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Which I think is a good thing that came out
of COVID. Yeah, yeah, and the expanding practice squads.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
But if you do that that, you know, and then
you also have the emergency quarterback, in effect, you would
have a forty eight man game day roster.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
And so they're not gonna let teams do that Okay,
so there's still a limit of helmets you're gonna get. Yeah,
So I wonder is it more valuable now you at
least have the option. Is it more valuable to put
Mason Rudolph out there or a fifth safety who's a
killer on special teams? I mean, that's one probably doesn't
get a jersey dirty. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I wondered that, you know, in my five for Friday
last week on Steelers dot Com.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Will this.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Cause teams more teams to keep three quarterbacks on their
active roster? Yeah, everybody's gonna have a third quarterback on
their practical practice squad at the very least. Right, you're
not going to see teams with just two quarterbacks. Not
that a lot of teams did, but that was true
any standard. But I wonder if this now forces or
causes more teams to just keep three on the active roster.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think the answer is yes, And I think you
may even see a fourth on the practice squad it's
a guy, yeah, you know, potentially. So I was really
interested this offseason. I bring this up all the time
on the drive. You know, there were sixty nine starting
quarterbacks in the league this year, and several teams had
had four, which is ridiculous, you know, yeah, obviously, I mean,
and that's a bit of an anomaly. But I really
thought that the free agent market would be kinder to
(12:20):
backup types, you know, some of those guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And it was okay, but it wasn't great. But then
the draft rolled around and like that fourth fifth round,
Clayton crazy, they went like crazy. So I think the
league does value those guys more than ever, and they
might look at the dak Prescott's, and Brock parties and
hope they get somebody on Day three that can start
(12:40):
for them.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
But I see that's why that's where everybody was, Well,
everybody's looking for the next Rock Party.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
No, everybody.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
They probably knew this was coming down the pike and decided,
you know what, if I'm gonna have a third quarterback, A,
he's going to be cheap.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I'd say the cheap this is what was going with.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
And B, I might as well have a developmental guy
who might get better because he might become something and
to having a veteran guy there.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
This particular draft wasn't great in the six and sex
rounds either, so let's get a cheap backup. The Clayton
tunes of the world. You know, Harner or I was
just pronounce his name with the Saints, you know, and
especially because the quarterback contracts for the starters are going
crazy too. You know. The Browns are the perfect example.
Deshaun Watson's going to be a massive, massive cap hit.
(13:22):
They can't afford a Mason Rudolph or a Bitch Trubisky rights,
you know, and they need to have a rookie, cheap guy.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Well, the other side side of the equation one this
too as well, is because of the way, because of
what happened to the forty nine ers, Josh Johnson took
a big hit in that in that NFC change and
was immediately placed in the concussion protocol. The way that
the league is now is now handling concussion protocol. If
you take that hit, you're out of the game. You're
(13:49):
the game, right, it doesn't matter what position you play.
You know, they're gonna be They're gonna air on the
side of caution on in many cases on on you know,
the concussion stuff. So you may have that's why, in fact,
sixty nine quarterbacks played last year because some of that
was because you know, if Teddy Bridgewater for example.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
If you remember, took a hit and.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Then they came back and said he wasn't After the game,
he said, oh, he wasn't a cussed, but the hit
was such that we didn't want to put it take
a chance there, right, So in that case, you better
have three quarterbacks, ready, you better.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I mean, I'm gonna sound old school, and I'm not
ignoring player safety at all, but I have a hard
time pulling a player out when there isn't an injury,
you know, just because there's a large hit. If it's
Pat Mahomes and the Super Bowl, you know, I mean,
you don't want to see that, but I get it.
I would definitely get it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, And as I mentioned on our show last week,
I think there were only seven quarterbacks who played all
seventeen games.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Less it was seven or eight, It was something like that,
well under ten, you know, think about that. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
It used to be, you know, half the league would
play all sixteen games.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
And I mean there's seventeen games now, but that's not
enough for it to drop that dramatically. Obviously, maybe one
or two of them were Week eighteen six, right, that possible,
that's possible, But you would think. I mean, I'm sure
the league office wants that number to be fifteen. You
know what I mean. You know, you want your stars
out there, You want your your big dogs playing well.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Again, you mentioned the money part of you want the
guys who are making forty or fifty million, you want
them to play games. Sure, that's where the fans want
to come out and see.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I mean, if you take your kid to an NBA
game to see Lebron and he sits that day, it's like, wow,
that's not quite as fun.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
It's funny you say that because I remember when I
was a kid. Actually I wasn't here. I was fifteen
or sixteen. I guess I was a kid. My basketball coach,
we made a plans. We made plans as a team
to go up and watch the Cavaliers host the seventy
six ers.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Doctor J. It was truly servings last season.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And you go up to say we're gonna go watch
Doctor J play and lo and behold, he didn't play that.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Yeah. Uh so we get to see Andrew Tony and
World b Free go back and forth. Okay, yeah, game,
but I picked that game a reason. Yeah, you didn't
go to the Pacer game you know right, you wouldn't
say doctor.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Jack me being the jerk that I am, my buddy
Detroit Piston's pennant is.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
That when you became a fan officially, I was.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I was a Pistons fan before that, but you couldn't
exactly find NBA stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I guess that's true too. You didn't just county and
there's no such thing.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
And so I bought a Piston's pennant and I've waived
at the entire game.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And there find you.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
This is like nineteen eighty four, and this is before
they actually got good.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
And this wasn't load management back then too.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
I mean you just got um Lucky turned his ankle
or something to thirty six thirty seven years.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Old at the time too. They play a bunch of
regular season games, yeah, but I mean the NFL is
different that way, where if you're healthy, you're playing. You know,
there's such a small mound, but you still want to
see the stars.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
You want to see the stars play, and so that's
what the NFL is trying to do.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Here.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
We'll talk a little more about well, this particular team,
but I did want to touch on those couple of
things that are going on across the league. Uh, he
is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to
a special edition of The Drive.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
We're going to be here every day. Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
The Steelers have an O T A session. So Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday night a couple of weeks. Yeah, we'll have nine
of those in the next.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Here three three three, I believe, So I think Tuesday Thursday. Uh,
of course that's when they're here on the practice field.
We're here from eleven to one each day. That that happens,
we'll get some players coming off the field, so you
don't want to miss that. They'll be coming off the
field around noon. So sometime in that that noon hour,
we'll be getting a player. I don't want to promise
(17:29):
anybody today, but I do I have an idea. It's
just a matter of whether he is available or not.
But looks like every weather great weather. Yeah, and a
couple of them down here, Chili.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
This is what our fifth maybe fifth year, we least
maybe six. Uh, but we're gonna take a break. You're
listening to Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. He
is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lallie.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
We will be back right after this.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
When gold Football Talk SNR. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I am Dale Allie. He is Matt Williamson, and we
are live at the Steelers Ota Sessions here the first
one of the open sessions here at the upmc rooney
Sports Complex and Matt getting an opportunity. We've gotten to
see some of these draft picks early on. I've gotten
to see a few of the well, I've pretty much
(18:31):
seen all the free agent signings that just being.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Down here hanging out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
But they've had some press conferences with some of these
guys others that just didn't work out. Some of them
have been on zoom, some have been in person. So
I'm interested to see some of these guys for the
first time on the football field. And Steelers have done
some work this offseason.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
They sure have. I mean, I'll be honest. I mean
the thing I was looking forward to most is I
have not run into some of these guys. I mean,
you and I were down here when Washington was on
his UH I was called official visit, but his thirty visit,
you know, Porter sat down with us. I saw Jones
walk in after he get been drafted, and obviously what
stands out about those three as well is pretty much
every new edition is these guys are big, big and
(19:15):
body types and you know, but now looking at the
you know, the free agent additions. You know, those type
of dudes. I've seen them in other uniforms, but it's
great to be this close to them and get a
good looking body type them up. And I mean, body
types don't make you a great football player, but it
doesn't hurt. Doesn't hurt your length and how much way
are you carry in and how you're proportioned and all that.
(19:36):
But there's certainly a theme with all the new guys
and that size. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I'm just looking here at their offensive line grouping here
and uh.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Man, they look apart. I mean there's certainly do. They're
not fat guys. You know, they're not stumpy dudes, you
know them, and they all have some length to them.
They all can move really well. That left side now
with Jones, it's all them. Alho really stand out in
that regard to Daniels, I thought was a really good
mover that they added last year, and not that the
others aren't, but I mean it's the O line looks
(20:08):
athletic and lean and long, you know, but also deep
and also thick too, though they're not like a bunch
of wiry athletes. I mean, there's some power players. Well,
it leads me into the question.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
And we've talked, you know, kind of hashter and kicked
us around on our show regularly. But I saw something
on the nfl dot com came out over the weekend
about the ten most complete teams in the NFL, and
the Steelers were not listed among them.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
It's a little surprising. I mean you just ran reference
to the O line, which this time last year, I
looked at the starting five and thought, if they can
get close to league average, that would.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
The question was how long is it going to take
them to jail? Right now, that's not a question.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
But you know a year where I was going with
it though, is not only was that a question, but
a year ago I thought, man, the depth on this
line is real worrisome. I mean, you've got journeyman's or
young guys where now former starters. Right, You've got guys
you could they you know, many teams would be starting
or certainly in the mix. So you're a lot better
(21:12):
shape to deal with that. But an offense. That's now
true at every position. I mean, maybe not running back,
but I feel like the depth in what I know
about the wide outs, the quarterbacks, they're all one year older,
same group, definitely the tight ends is better. And part
of it's because they were unusually young last year or two,
so they're all one year older, which is huge.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Well, that's one of the one of the benefits of
having a younger team, is I mean, hey, we see
it as we get older, like any kind of knicker,
you know, you get banged up a little bit or something,
it takes longer to heal. No, of course, these young guys,
I mean, okay, they play a game on Sunday, maybe
they're a little fresher on a Monday or Tuesday than
(21:55):
a guy who's in his thirties.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
I think that's one hundred percent true. But I also
think there's a counter argo that too, is those young
guys don't know what they don't know yet either that
I mean, yeah, they don't know how to, you know,
handle the rigors of the season, and they were fortunate
that they stayed so injury free on offense. But you know,
I just read something about how the second half of
(22:17):
the season was so much better than the first. Well,
those young guys got better. Yeah, and help, as we
always say, the young guys are allowed to get better, right,
exactly imagine that. And where I'm kind of going with
this is the jump they made from the first half
of the season to the second half of the season. Now,
all almost all that returning young guys, you know, have
(22:38):
a whole off season. I mean, this is Kenny's first
year as a true off season starter, you know. I
mean that's that's what often when guys make their biggest jump.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, and you you have all that experience to fall
back on from last year, you know, if you make
that that same jump. That's why I'm I was kind
of surprised that the Steelers weren't listed. I what team
in the AFS, for example, has better depth than this one.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Not a lot. I mean there really aren't. And I
mean even quarterback depth now all of a sudden, Yeah,
and you know, defensive line, there's a lot more guys.
It was a really crowded cornerback room and they've thinned
that out a little, but it's still quite deep. I
mean maybe safety and linebacker. You don't look at her
edge and think you know, while they're loaded there in
terms of the backups and whatnot, but they've added a
(23:23):
lot more. Maybe how I would do that is if
you had like a spreadsheet of every team you lost
xxx y, and you added this. Well, the Steelers definitely
added a lot more than they lost. Yeah, absolutely far.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And what surprised me about the list on NFL dot
com is that the Bengals were listed in there.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I mean it's a really good team. Yeah, the Ravens
were listed in there. How complete, The Ravens and the Browns.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Were listed in there, all three, all three of the
other AFC North teams, and.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I like the Browns offseason.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
The Steelers have better depth than all of those.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I think so too. And if you really actually wrote
this article, I went to position by position, and hardly
any of them. Did I give the nod depth wise
over the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, you know, I mean there may be some areas
where obviously the the you know, the the Bengals wide
receiver room.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Might say the best in the NFL, right right. I'm
not saying Steelers position groups or tops across the board
of the division, but rarely were they at the bottom,
and always depth was one of their strengths.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Yeah, you know, I mean they have guys on the bench,
And we've talked about this all offseason, Like you know,
when you roll into November and you're you're playing the
game on Thursday night game against the Patriots. The guys
that you know, if somebody's hurt, you're missing a starter
or two. The guys you're bringing into play are guys
who played a lot of.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
NFL games, right and now they'll have, you know, this situation. Obviously,
training camp all that to get acclimated to their new team.
But it's a heck of a lot easier I think
for a Solomlu to get you know, acclimated to his
team than a rookie ar or you know those type
of things.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
He's going to step right in it, you know, and
not miss a beat. And you know, all we've heard
about him is you know how intelligent he is. Yeah, right,
the football intelligence is off the charge again, son.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Of a coach, much like James Daniels. I don't see
the transition being difficult for them a year ago or
you know. Yeah, so I just I like the status
of the roster. And I'm not just saying that because
they're right in front of me and we're on SNR.
You know. I mean, I like what they have, and
I like the moves they make, and they there's an
obvious plan here. There's a theme, as we mentioned, of
physicality and size, but I don't think they're sacrificing speed
(25:29):
to do it, you know, or athleticism. So they had
a lot of professionals too.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Yeah, That's why I just don't get the idea that
you know, he keeps seeing this team and that you know,
these other teams thrown out there and this I think.
I feel like the Steelers are flying under the radar.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I do too. I think part of it's because the
division is very strong and there are big name quarterbacks,
and I can see why the Bengals are a hot team,
and you know, Lamar just got locked up after that
being one of the main lines, and who knows what's
going on with Watson. And also the conference is really
really hard, you know. I mean, like, if you're doing
predictions and whatnot, if the Steelers are on the NFC side,
(26:10):
I think every analyst out there would be counting them
as a pretty I don't want to say a sure fire,
but a certain play, you know, certainly in the playoff mix.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, I think they're going to be in the playoff mix.
And then I look at the schedule and I know they're.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Going to be in the play Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Is there any spot on this team where if somebody
got injured you look at it and go, oh, that's devastating, right,
I mean maybe if Hayward gets hurt.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
We saw that last year. I mean, these are some
of the best players in the league, and they would
be you know, you could say that on every team.
I mean Aaron Donald or Jamar Chase quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
You're like, if Joe Burrow goes down, the pals are cooked.
It's over right, right right, we saw We've seen it
with the Ravens the last two years. You know, when
Lamar Jackson's not out there, they are a completely different team.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And there are some teams that take that strategy that
I'm not going to invest in my backup because if
Aaron Rodgers goes down the sea and shot anyways, and
we'll wait till he gets back and get a better
draft pick and go from there. Not that they're tanking,
but it's like the drop off so massive, and hopefully
the drop off is you know the pick it becomes
that good and the drop off is unbelievable. But I
(27:15):
think this team could absolutely win games, not only with
Trubisky but with Mason Mason Rudolph.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah, And I think a part of that is because
of how they're built up front and how they won
games last year.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They've created a good nest. They're really good. Yeah. So
your running game and your defense travel without question. Yeah.
I think what we were saying last week that a
really good running game gives you a high floor. Yeah.
And I think that that that was the concrete that
was poured on the house in the second half of
the season last year.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
But there's there seems to be this idea out there
that you just have to go out and outscore the.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Other the opposing team. I just don't.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I think defense still matters. I did too, And I
think a running game more than ever, maybe not more
than ever, it's certainly more so than in the last
decade has showed.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
It showed last year that. Yeah. I have mixed feelings
on that because I do think the league is transitioning
in last year was a strange year. Is at the
start of something to come or was it a bit
of a one off? And the scoring was really down.
Run games were very important. I mean not all these
teams ended up with great records, but like the Giants
(28:24):
in Atlanta and Chicago, I mean this time last year,
I thought they might be the three worst teams in
the league, you know, I mean just rosters, and they
were very competitive. The Wheels came off on the Bears
the second half of the season, and they just ran.
I mean how many times I say the word voluminous running?
You know, just running and running and running against two
high shells keeps you in games, and you know, keeps
(28:45):
you know, really cute. You know, it gives you a
narrows a playing field a little bit.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, it shortens the game a little bit. You know,
it's almost like playing a four corners offense in basketball.
I'm going to shorten the game. We're going to play
this game in the thirties and muck it up in hockey. Yeah,
we're gonna you know, we're gonna yeah, same same idea,
Like you may be more skilled at certain positions, but
I'm not gonna let you.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Have the ball. I'm gonna make a tough on you. Yeah,
eat clock, and all I need to do is get
a few stops. I don't know enough about your basketball analogy,
but I assume you're not shooting right as soon as
shot clock hits, I mean, you're like, you're you're eager
to run it down. We're gonna make We're gonna make
some passes. I want layups, win time at possession, and
you know, right.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
And we're gonna we're not gonna let you just run
up and down the floor, and we're gonna, you know,
we're gonna force you into playing our style game. And
I think that's what when you start running the football
and eating up clock, I think that's that becomes the
It puts pressure. I can remember Tom Brady talking about
this before. You almost certainly start looking at the clock
as the opposing quarterback when the when the other team
is out on the field eight or nine. All right,
(29:46):
so you start doing the math in your head. Okay,
I'm gonna we're only gonna have three more possessions, you
know in this football game. I gotta make everyone count.
And then you start to press.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
A little bit. Yeah, without question, and yeah, if you
can limit the ma Homes of the world and give
them one less possession, yeah, chances are that's four points difference,
you know. I mean, I don't know what they average
per possession, but it's the top of the league, you know.
I Mean the reason I mixed feelings though, is I
mean still to me, the formula is having an elite quarterback.
(30:13):
I mean, there's no time about it. I mean, that's
the cheat code. But they're six of them. Yeah, well
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I mean, if you start looking around the league at
the quarterbacks, I mean, who's really quote unquote elite, right?
Speaker 1 (30:25):
I mean I think it's Mahomes, Allen Burrow. Herbert's knocking
on that door heavy. I don't know if he's there yet.
Lawrence isn't there yet. And those guys aren't elite. I'm
not sure I could would give it to Hurts who
had an MVP type season. Could he take a game
over like a Mahomes or Brady in his prime or Ben?
And you know when age thirty two, it's five of
(30:46):
them as sure so and some are knocking on the door,
you know. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
So you know, again, if if you protect your quarterback,
if you're only gonna ask Kenny Pickett and I say, only, hey,
go out and make us five to ten big time
throws every game.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, that's what you're looking for.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
And if you can do that, if you play good defense,
if you run the football and shorten the game, you
got a A. You're gonna be in a lot of games,
and B you're probably gonna win something. You're gonna win
the war of attrition, Yeah, fourth quarter. You know, the
opposing defense is a little worn out. We talked about,
you know two years ago with the Steelers. Well, the
the defense is on the field too much first half
of last season. That's right, defense is on the field.
(31:25):
I don't I don't care how good your defense is.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
That's definitely true. On the other side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
If it's out there for seventy five plays and your
offense is running.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Fifty too much, defense is a killer. I mean, it
just flat out is if you're and that really really
hurt this team to start the season, and to me,
it was maybe one of the most impressive transformations. And
it's a simple number, but I might even do this
when I get home. It's just chart their time and
possession each and every game, because the second half of
the season was like best in the league. Yeah, first
(31:55):
half of the season was worst of the league, you know, right,
You're just completely described right, right, right, and this narrows
the playing field. And all the analytics are great, and
I like analytics, don't get me wrong. And they'll say
passing is more valuable than running, and it is. But
there's also an aspect to I've had to stop Nausey
Harris and Jalen Warren in a thick offensive line now,
(32:17):
and it's.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
This guard has pulled the last year right seven in
the last ten plays, has smacked me in the face.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And it's late in the third quarter and I'm starting
to go backwards instead of forwards on defense and the
missing tackles I used to make. And there's still a
physicality in a you know, a stamina aspect of the
game that will always.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Always builds a mentality too with your offense, Like hey, right,
you know, you talk to any offensive lineman, they want to.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Come go grab wolf and say do you want to
come out and you want to come out run the football?
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Do you want to come out and pass block yeld
you want to take you want to deliver the blow
or do you want to take.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
The play right? Do you want to start in a
two point stance or do you want to come out
and maul the guy in front of you time and
time again. And it doesn't always work, you know, the
initial time. But that's why they call it pound the rock.
I mean, just keep pounding on that rock and eventually
it cracks.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Yeah, So that's what that's what you're looking to do here.
That was the formula when Bill Kower was here with
with you know, Jerome Bettis.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
They've got a two hundred and forty.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Pound running back that you know he's going to run downhill,
you know, is he going to break a bunch of
long runs. No, But if you keep pounding the rock
like that in the fourth quarter, and now all of
a sudden, those those those four or three or four
yard games become eight or nine yard gains. Yeah, somebody
falls off a tackle that that that has that that
that pays dividends in late in the game.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
And I think the next step is, well, now, how
do we create explosives off of that? You know, I
mean if if we're going to bludgeon teams and we
now have this reputation which every defensive coordinator is preparing
for the Steelers now is gonna watch second half games
not the first half? Ye you know, like we know
what they are. They're gonna come out in twelve personnel
with a big back and a stable offensive line, and
(33:47):
they're going to run the football and their defense will
probably allow them to do that. Even if there's a
series or two that you know, it's quick punt, you know,
it doesn't go great. But Kenny showed that he's really
really good on third downs? Is that fluky? Is that sustainable?
I don't know, you know, we'll see. I mean maybe
he does have a collectionist to him, and his ability
(34:08):
to scramble and make plays with his legs certainly helps
that as well. But now if strong safeties are in
the box, if it's you know, and you're seeing single
high and Calvin Austin runs by, you, you.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Know, like George Pickens is opened twenty yards down the field,
but right he always is.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
And then I mentioned the article I wrote this week too,
was they played a lot of the same offensive skill
guys last year, you know, I mean when Claypool left,
Gentry's snaps went up and all added up and it worked.
But now you start playing the game of what five
do I want to put out there? It's a fun game,
you know, like do I like to play that game.
(34:45):
I love to play that game. And you know, before
last year, the Steelers are always near the top of
the league in a sixth offensive lineman and it's not
a high percentage, but it's like three or four percent
where the league is at one or two. Right. Well,
last year they hardly did that because I don't think
they trusted their sixth offensive lineman. But that changes, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Or you've drafted essentially a guy who license plates a sixth.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Offensive your tight end room now is gigantic, and you
have three slash Hayward, all of whom that deserve touches.
And you hope Alan Robinson's an upgrade over Claypool or
whoever your third receiver was, and Austin's back, and I mean,
you can just mix and match a great deal, yeah,
and get mismatches all over the field, all over the field,
(35:29):
and those guys stay fresher, you know, and instead of
running three go routes in a row and huffing and puffing,
you run two, come off, Austin comes on in and
runs one. Then you come back out the next you
know what I mean. Like you can just keep you
can rotate play to play team, the team, you can
be more specific in a Belichick kind of way of
this opponent loves to stay and nickel. Well, we're gonna
(35:50):
bludgeon you. Yeah, you're what they you know. Okay, you
want to do that, here's what we're gonna do. Now,
you've got to change. You either got got out of
your nickel that you're not comfortable doing or live with
the consequences.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Absolutely, and we're gonna take a break here as Matt Williamson,
I am Dale Lollie. We are live here from the
Steeler OTAs on the South Side at the upmc rooney
Sports Complex. We are here until one o'clock today and
we'll be back with more right after.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
This some time.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
The Black and Gold live here twenty four to seven.
This is SNN Steelers Stationwide Pittsburgh Traffic
Well, hello, I am Dale Lallie.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
He is Matt Williamson and this is a special edition
of the Drive here from the Steeler OTAs at the
upmc rooney Sports Complex of course, listening on Steelers Nation
Radio and.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
ESPN nine seventy and Matt football.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Is officially back.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah. There are big, strong, fast men right in front
of us with helmets on doing football stuff. I'll grow
with that football stuff absolutely. Yeah. So in George Shase
as well. Yeah, so he sort of doing football stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
But lots of stuff going on here, lots of stuff
happening around the league as well. Of course, the NFL
announcing this morning that the Steelers have now been awarded Ireland,
the island of Ireland as a as an international I
forget what's the exact global marketing So in addition to
(01:15):
the country of Mexico, they now have Ireland as well.
Game of risk, well, yeah, to apply for these things
and that gives you marketing rights in those countries, also
opens the door for you to play football games in
those countries.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Obvious correlation there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Of course, the Steelers have played in Ireland before. In
nineteen ninety seven they went over and played the Chicago
Bears in a preseason game. I went over with them
for that for that game. That was a lot of fun.
The game at Croke Park was well attended, and you know,
the fans were great over there.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Experienced be pretty cool. Just a tremendous experience.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I know they've they've had a lot of college football
games over the years in Ireland, but that's been the
only NFL.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Game, okay, and so I can't remember many of the
been there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So the NFL trying to grow the grow the markets there.
We had some other The Saints of got in France
now which okay, okay, French connection. In addition to the
Steelers getting the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the
Jaguars were also awarded. That's so they now have England
(02:22):
and Ireland. Okay, they're taking the whole island. Yeah, got
the island. Taking the islands by storm. And then the
Atlanta Falcons were granted became the fifth team to be
granted international marketing rates for Germany.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
For Germany, Yeah, interesting, I hear the German market is
really exciting.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well yeah, yeah, that's that's that's one that uh, you know,
there have been some German players who have played and
and you know you've also got a lot of military
bases there.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So you know there's some natural stuff developing, some smaller
leagues and things like that.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Right, Yeah, NFL euro was big there, and we'll see
that there's been some talk of some new professional football
in Europe that would I would assume include a lot
of teams in Germany, England or the United Kingdom, I should.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Say, right, right, so they have the stadiums to handle
it and the base is growing, and right.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I mean the league, the league definitely wants to grow
the fan base internationally.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Well, the thing that was telling to me is not
even know if we touched on it when the schedule
came out, but Jacksonville staying there for back to back games.
You know, they've never been done before. It's never been
done before, and they've always been sort of the Lions
on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Jags in London,
you know, and that's starting to be you know, the
Werewolves of London and you know the Jaguars of London.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, the interesting thing is so there, I don't know
if you've stayed up on this. So they're talking about
doing a refit of the stadium in Jacksonville, right right
right where it might be shut down for two years
when they when they do this refurbishing of the stadium there,
and they need somewhere to play, and the options are
Orlando has put in a bid to host the jack
(03:58):
be the home of the Jaguars. Well obviously the obvious
one as well will be to have then play, yeah,
play their games in London.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
So this is a bit of a test run for
them a little bit, you know, like, yeah, can the
facility handle us for two weeks and practice fields and
getting to and from and where do all the players
stay that? But the team's traveling in, you know, and
exactly and doing those things. So you know, I'm always
thinking about rosters and you know, game day and things
like that. So how does it work? Though, if let's
(04:24):
say even this year, you know, game one, your punter
gets hurt and you got to try out five punters
for the next week, I.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Guess you gotta fly them out. You better have your
list ready.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
And yeah, or do you keep I was thinking maybe
you keep half your staff in Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'm sure their staff in Yeah, I mean, I'm sure,
much like the Steelers do hear they've got their their
people who work here, then you also have people work
over at the stadium.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And never between me and big big contingent in the
organization would still be in Jacksonville, and maybe in some
coaches scout.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
In your scouts are still gonna be over here scouting
college games and things of that nature. Your pro scouts
are going to be scouting the pro games.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, the program of the pro scouts don't don't have
to go over right, So yeah, you just put somebody
into it.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Here's here's the two guys we got, or here's the
one guy we got.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Plus if it's a kicker videos and you know, right too, if.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It's a kicker, you might have somebody on hand. Well
maybe over there, right, they do some kicking over there.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
The ball might just take an extra day to get
them there for game day or whatever. But no, that's
all feasible in today's world and zoom's and you know,
i mean, flights aren't as bad as it used to be.
I'm sure, so it's interesting. Yeah, I mean I often
think though, if I'm Seattle and the schedule comes out
and I got to go to London, like that's pretty
I mean it's a bit of a haul. The West
(05:33):
Coast travels more than anybody to begin with, and now
you're adding many, many miles to that.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But it could be worth it, No, there's no doubt.
I think it could be worth it. And I think,
you know, anytime you can grow the game. I know,
we love the game. You know, we wouldn't be doing
what we do. Uh, And you know I think that,
you know, the world is starting to catch on to Yeah,
how this is right, right, no question about it. You know,
it's still I mean, it's the number one sport in
the United States. There's no ifs about that. You know,
(06:01):
internationally it's still has a ways to go to catch Soccer.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Sure, I would say it reminds me when I was
a kid, and you know, soccer was starting to catch on,
you know, when I was ten years older.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I've been hearing I'm fifty four, I've been hearing for
fifty years. Soccer is really growing in the United States.
It's the next big sport.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Okay, well it was bigger than when I was a kid.
I mean, in the in the whole scheme of things,
I guess the era is pointing out. But I mean,
I'm just comparing it the football over there. You know,
the NFL or football in general is never going to
beat European soccer, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
And the thing is, I mean, you know anywhere where
you have big, fast guys mm hm. You know, and
you know, for cultures that have rugby, for example, I
mean there's a direct correlation there between rugby and football.
That's where football kind of came from, was rugby.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
And there's certainly some body types you know that don't
play that play football, that don't play soccer or basketball
or you know.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It gets a little bit like for example, Chucks of
kor for sure, when when he was a kid played soccer,
you know when he was in NI area, and you
know in the other countries that he lived in, well
you don't see too many six foot five.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Pounds running around in the seventy five or whatever. Right,
it's rotten all day and right.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, I can remember when the Steelers had Christian Scotland
Williamson here and no no relation to relation, right, but
he was he had been a you know, a soccer player.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
He was a big body, he was huge. Yeah. Yeah,
he sat down with us and it was an interesting
guy to talk to. It too.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, So I mean you do see that, you know
those So I think if you can continue to grow
the game internationally. There's a lot of untapped markets in
terms of fandom, but there's also a lot of untapped
markets in terms of potential players.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
That's what I was thinking too. I mean even when
we were a kid, the NBA wasn't drafted many kids.
How many guys out of Europe and China? Remember, like now,
ming was.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
A huge you know, the top three picks in this
year's draft or top two of the top four or
three of the top five or something like that could
be international players.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Like a big portion around one every year, ye from overseas, right, Yeah,
just imagine if you can find I don't know thirty
kids in every draft that are non Americans or for
you know, you know in Europe somewhere.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Well, I mean that thing is, you know, they do
still come here to play college football. True, true, true,
there was the kid Bernard Raymond was one that was
in not this year's draft, last year's lastys draft, last
year or left acklic Yeah, so you do find those guys,
and again, the body type is the body type, and
you know what you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Because I assume colleges now are more aware of overseas markets.
I mean when I was next door working, I mean,
we were watching VHS tapes and there was barely any Internet.
I mean, so you know, we know, one of the
budget to go over to recruit those guys or whatever.
But if they're going to come here and tour five colleges,
you know, because they're playing football, great, I mean, you
got all the tape on them and you can make
(08:45):
your judgments from there.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
One of the other things, of course, they awarded super Bowls.
I believe the forty nine ers or I guess Northern
California will get one in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
I think I really don't pay much attention to wear
the Super Bowl. No, I don't either. But the big thing,
you don't even know, and I don't know where the
next one is, to be honest with.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
You, we'll figure it out, you know. But by the times,
you know, we get closer to the season, playoffs season.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
But the other big thing that fans will notice is
the third quarterback rule.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
It's back. I can't believe it ever left, Like I
didn't realize it left. And then a couple of times
this year it came up in a big way, especially
obviously in the NFC Championship game. I never understood the
logic of why I went away. It seems like a
very logical role at this point. Well, I get asked
this all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Why the league has roster limits on game days, and
it's to level the playing field. Yeah, because if I've
got fifty three guys on my roster and we're completely healthy,
and you've got forty six guys who are.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Completely healthy, right, I.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Got an advantage, right, I get seven extra bodies that
you don't. So you know, it allows you that opportunity
to do to have a guy who's hurt but not injured,
but not to have to put him on He's not
going to play, he's not gonna play this week, so
I don't have to put him on IR. He's only
going to miss a week and it's not going to
hurt me on game day.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
It's like hockey. I mean, those guys get hurt all
the time. They play so many games. Like we're gonna
put some guy in active today just while he heals
one game, so you put him on the an active
list or a healthy scratch or whatever too. Now you
have to you can't. You can't have to one team
play with more than the other.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
So the caveat to this whole thing with the third
quarterback possibilities is that roster exemptions that you now get
where you can increase your roster to fifty four or
fifty five players on game days call guys up from
your practice squad. If you do that and you're carrying
forty seven or forty eight players, you can't use the
(10:42):
emergency quarterback.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Oh okay, I missed that. Okay, so you either how much.
So there is a give and take. There is a
given take the yeah, necessarily going to have the third guy.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Because what would happen then because you're that you're expanding
and that's just something that they've done in the last
two years because of COVID. They allows you to bring
those two guys up off the practice.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Which I think is a good thing that came out
of COVID. Yeah, yeah, and the expanding practice squads.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
But if you do that that, you know, and then
you also have the emergency quarterback, in effect, you would
have a forty eight man game day roster.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
And so they're not gonna let teams do that Okay,
so there's still a limit of helmets you're gonna get. Yeah,
So I wonder is it more valuable now you at
least have the option. Is it more valuable to put
Mason Rudolph out there or a fifth safety who's a
killer on special teams? I mean, that's one probably doesn't
get a jersey dirty. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I wondered that, you know, in my five for Friday
last week on Steelers dot Com.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Will this.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Cause teams more teams to keep three quarterbacks on their
active roster? Yeah, everybody's gonna have a third quarterback on
their practical practice squad at the very least. Right, you're
not going to see teams with just two quarterbacks. Not
that a lot of teams did, but that was true
any standard. But I wonder if this now forces or
causes more teams to just keep three on the active roster.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think the answer is yes, And I think you
may even see a fourth on the practice squad it's
a guy, yeah, you know, potentially. So I was really
interested this offseason. I bring this up all the time
on the drive. You know, there were sixty nine starting
quarterbacks in the league this year, and several teams had
had four, which is ridiculous, you know, yeah, obviously, I mean,
and that's a bit of an anomaly. But I really
thought that the free agent market would be kinder to
(12:20):
backup types, you know, some of those guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And it was okay, but it wasn't great. But then
the draft rolled around and like that fourth fifth round,
Clayton crazy, they went like crazy. So I think the
league does value those guys more than ever, and they
might look at the dak Prescott's, and Brock parties and
hope they get somebody on Day three that can start
(12:40):
for them.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
But I see that's why that's where everybody was, Well,
everybody's looking for the next Rock Party.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
No, everybody.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
They probably knew this was coming down the pike and decided,
you know what, if I'm gonna have a third quarterback, A,
he's going to be cheap.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I'd say the cheap this is what was going with.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
And B, I might as well have a developmental guy
who might get better because he might become something and
to having a veteran guy there.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
This particular draft wasn't great in the six and sex
rounds either, so let's get a cheap backup. The Clayton
tunes of the world. You know, Harner or I was
just pronounce his name with the Saints, you know, and
especially because the quarterback contracts for the starters are going
crazy too. You know. The Browns are the perfect example.
Deshaun Watson's going to be a massive, massive cap hit.
(13:22):
They can't afford a Mason Rudolph or a Bitch Trubisky rights,
you know, and they need to have a rookie, cheap guy.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Well, the other side side of the equation one this
too as well, is because of the way, because of
what happened to the forty nine ers, Josh Johnson took
a big hit in that in that NFC change and
was immediately placed in the concussion protocol. The way that
the league is now is now handling concussion protocol. If
you take that hit, you're out of the game. You're
(13:49):
the game, right, it doesn't matter what position you play.
You know, they're gonna be They're gonna air on the
side of caution on in many cases on on you know,
the concussion stuff. So you may have that's why, in fact,
sixty nine quarterbacks played last year because some of that
was because you know, if Teddy Bridgewater for example.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
If you remember, took a hit and.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Then they came back and said he wasn't After the game,
he said, oh, he wasn't a cussed, but the hit
was such that we didn't want to put it take
a chance there, right, So in that case, you better
have three quarterbacks, ready, you better.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I mean, I'm gonna sound old school, and I'm not
ignoring player safety at all, but I have a hard
time pulling a player out when there isn't an injury,
you know, just because there's a large hit. If it's
Pat Mahomes and the Super Bowl, you know, I mean,
you don't want to see that, but I get it.
I would definitely get it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, And as I mentioned on our show last week,
I think there were only seven quarterbacks who played all
seventeen games.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Less it was seven or eight, It was something like that,
well under ten, you know, think about that. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
It used to be, you know, half the league would
play all sixteen games.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
And I mean there's seventeen games now, but that's not
enough for it to drop that dramatically. Obviously, maybe one
or two of them were Week eighteen six, right, that possible,
that's possible, But you would think. I mean, I'm sure
the league office wants that number to be fifteen. You
know what I mean. You know, you want your stars
out there, You want your your big dogs playing well.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Again, you mentioned the money part of you want the
guys who are making forty or fifty million, you want
them to play games. Sure, that's where the fans want
to come out and see.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I mean, if you take your kid to an NBA
game to see Lebron and he sits that day, it's like, wow,
that's not quite as fun.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
It's funny you say that because I remember when I
was a kid. Actually I wasn't here. I was fifteen
or sixteen. I guess I was a kid. My basketball coach,
we made a plans. We made plans as a team
to go up and watch the Cavaliers host the seventy
six ers.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Doctor J. It was truly servings last season.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And you go up to say we're gonna go watch
Doctor J play and lo and behold, he didn't play that.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Yeah. Uh so we get to see Andrew Tony and
World b Free go back and forth. Okay, yeah, game,
but I picked that game a reason. Yeah, you didn't
go to the Pacer game you know right, you wouldn't
say doctor.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Jack me being the jerk that I am, my buddy
Detroit Piston's pennant is.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
That when you became a fan officially, I was.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I was a Pistons fan before that, but you couldn't
exactly find NBA stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I guess that's true too. You didn't just county and
there's no such thing.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
And so I bought a Piston's pennant and I've waived
at the entire game.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And there find you.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
This is like nineteen eighty four, and this is before
they actually got good.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
And this wasn't load management back then too.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
I mean you just got um Lucky turned his ankle
or something to thirty six thirty seven years.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Old at the time too. They play a bunch of
regular season games, yeah, but I mean the NFL is
different that way, where if you're healthy, you're playing. You know,
there's such a small mound, but you still want to
see the stars.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
You want to see the stars play, and so that's
what the NFL is trying to do.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Here.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
We'll talk a little more about well, this particular team,
but I did want to touch on those couple of
things that are going on across the league. Uh, he
is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to
a special edition of The Drive.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
We're going to be here every day. Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
The Steelers have an O T A session. So Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday night a couple of weeks. Yeah, we'll have nine
of those in the next.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Here three three three, I believe, So I think Tuesday Thursday. Uh,
of course that's when they're here on the practice field.
We're here from eleven to one each day. That that happens,
we'll get some players coming off the field, so you
don't want to miss that. They'll be coming off the
field around noon. So sometime in that that noon hour,
we'll be getting a player. I don't want to promise
(17:29):
anybody today, but I do I have an idea. It's
just a matter of whether he is available or not.
But looks like every weather great weather. Yeah, and a
couple of them down here, Chili.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
This is what our fifth maybe fifth year, we least
maybe six. Uh, but we're gonna take a break. You're
listening to Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. He
is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lallie.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
We will be back right after this.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
When gold Football Talk SNR. Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I am Dale Allie. He is Matt Williamson, and we
are live at the Steelers Ota Sessions here the first
one of the open sessions here at the upmc rooney
Sports Complex and Matt getting an opportunity. We've gotten to
see some of these draft picks early on. I've gotten
to see a few of the well, I've pretty much
(18:31):
seen all the free agent signings that just being.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Down here hanging out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
But they've had some press conferences with some of these
guys others that just didn't work out. Some of them
have been on zoom, some have been in person. So
I'm interested to see some of these guys for the
first time on the football field. And Steelers have done
some work this offseason.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
They sure have. I mean, I'll be honest. I mean
the thing I was looking forward to most is I
have not run into some of these guys. I mean,
you and I were down here when Washington was on
his UH I was called official visit, but his thirty visit,
you know, Porter sat down with us. I saw Jones
walk in after he get been drafted, and obviously what
stands out about those three as well is pretty much
every new edition is these guys are big, big and
(19:15):
body types and you know, but now looking at the
you know, the free agent additions. You know, those type
of dudes. I've seen them in other uniforms, but it's
great to be this close to them and get a
good looking body type them up. And I mean, body
types don't make you a great football player, but it
doesn't hurt. Doesn't hurt your length and how much way
are you carry in and how you're proportioned and all that.
(19:36):
But there's certainly a theme with all the new guys
and that size. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I'm just looking here at their offensive line grouping here
and uh.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Man, they look apart. I mean there's certainly do. They're
not fat guys. You know, they're not stumpy dudes, you
know them, and they all have some length to them.
They all can move really well. That left side now
with Jones, it's all them. Alho really stand out in
that regard to Daniels, I thought was a really good
mover that they added last year, and not that the
others aren't, but I mean it's the O line looks
(20:08):
athletic and lean and long, you know, but also deep
and also thick too, though they're not like a bunch
of wiry athletes. I mean, there's some power players. Well,
it leads me into the question.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
And we've talked, you know, kind of hashter and kicked
us around on our show regularly. But I saw something
on the nfl dot com came out over the weekend
about the ten most complete teams in the NFL, and
the Steelers were not listed among them.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
It's a little surprising. I mean you just ran reference
to the O line, which this time last year, I
looked at the starting five and thought, if they can
get close to league average, that would.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
The question was how long is it going to take
them to jail? Right now, that's not a question.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
But you know a year where I was going with
it though, is not only was that a question, but
a year ago I thought, man, the depth on this
line is real worrisome. I mean, you've got journeyman's or
young guys where now former starters. Right, You've got guys
you could they you know, many teams would be starting
or certainly in the mix. So you're a lot better
(21:12):
shape to deal with that. But an offense. That's now
true at every position. I mean, maybe not running back,
but I feel like the depth in what I know
about the wide outs, the quarterbacks, they're all one year older,
same group, definitely the tight ends is better. And part
of it's because they were unusually young last year or two,
so they're all one year older, which is huge.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Well, that's one of the one of the benefits of
having a younger team, is I mean, hey, we see
it as we get older, like any kind of knicker,
you know, you get banged up a little bit or something,
it takes longer to heal. No, of course, these young guys,
I mean, okay, they play a game on Sunday, maybe
they're a little fresher on a Monday or Tuesday than
(21:55):
a guy who's in his thirties.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
I think that's one hundred percent true. But I also
think there's a counter argo that too, is those young
guys don't know what they don't know yet either that
I mean, yeah, they don't know how to, you know,
handle the rigors of the season, and they were fortunate
that they stayed so injury free on offense. But you know,
I just read something about how the second half of
(22:17):
the season was so much better than the first. Well,
those young guys got better. Yeah, and help, as we
always say, the young guys are allowed to get better, right,
exactly imagine that. And where I'm kind of going with
this is the jump they made from the first half
of the season to the second half of the season. Now,
all almost all that returning young guys, you know, have
(22:38):
a whole off season. I mean, this is Kenny's first
year as a true off season starter, you know. I
mean that's that's what often when guys make their biggest jump.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, and you you have all that experience to fall
back on from last year, you know, if you make
that that same jump. That's why I'm I was kind
of surprised that the Steelers weren't listed. I what team
in the AFS, for example, has better depth than this one.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Not a lot. I mean there really aren't. And I
mean even quarterback depth now all of a sudden, Yeah,
and you know, defensive line, there's a lot more guys.
It was a really crowded cornerback room and they've thinned
that out a little, but it's still quite deep. I
mean maybe safety and linebacker. You don't look at her
edge and think you know, while they're loaded there in
terms of the backups and whatnot, but they've added a
(23:23):
lot more. Maybe how I would do that is if
you had like a spreadsheet of every team you lost
xxx y, and you added this. Well, the Steelers definitely
added a lot more than they lost. Yeah, absolutely far.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And what surprised me about the list on NFL dot
com is that the Bengals were listed in there.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I mean it's a really good team. Yeah, the Ravens
were listed in there. How complete, The Ravens and the Browns.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Were listed in there, all three, all three of the
other AFC North teams, and.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I like the Browns offseason.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
The Steelers have better depth than all of those.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I think so too. And if you really actually wrote
this article, I went to position by position, and hardly
any of them. Did I give the nod depth wise
over the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, you know, I mean there may be some areas
where obviously the the you know, the the Bengals wide
receiver room.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Might say the best in the NFL, right right. I'm
not saying Steelers position groups or tops across the board
of the division, but rarely were they at the bottom,
and always depth was one of their strengths.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Yeah, you know, I mean they have guys on the bench,
And we've talked about this all offseason, Like you know,
when you roll into November and you're you're playing the
game on Thursday night game against the Patriots. The guys
that you know, if somebody's hurt, you're missing a starter
or two. The guys you're bringing into play are guys
who played a lot of.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
NFL games, right and now they'll have, you know, this situation. Obviously,
training camp all that to get acclimated to their new team.
But it's a heck of a lot easier I think
for a Solomlu to get you know, acclimated to his
team than a rookie ar or you know those type
of things.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
He's going to step right in it, you know, and
not miss a beat. And you know, all we've heard
about him is you know how intelligent he is. Yeah, right,
the football intelligence is off the charge again, son.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Of a coach, much like James Daniels. I don't see
the transition being difficult for them a year ago or
you know. Yeah, so I just I like the status
of the roster. And I'm not just saying that because
they're right in front of me and we're on SNR.
You know. I mean, I like what they have, and
I like the moves they make, and they there's an
obvious plan here. There's a theme, as we mentioned, of
physicality and size, but I don't think they're sacrificing speed
(25:29):
to do it, you know, or athleticism. So they had
a lot of professionals too.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Yeah, That's why I just don't get the idea that
you know, he keeps seeing this team and that you know,
these other teams thrown out there and this I think.
I feel like the Steelers are flying under the radar.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I do too. I think part of it's because the
division is very strong and there are big name quarterbacks,
and I can see why the Bengals are a hot team,
and you know, Lamar just got locked up after that
being one of the main lines, and who knows what's
going on with Watson. And also the conference is really
really hard, you know. I mean, like, if you're doing
predictions and whatnot, if the Steelers are on the NFC side,
(26:10):
I think every analyst out there would be counting them
as a pretty I don't want to say a sure fire,
but a certain play, you know, certainly in the playoff mix.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, I think they're going to be in the playoff mix.
And then I look at the schedule and I know they're.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Going to be in the play Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Is there any spot on this team where if somebody
got injured you look at it and go, oh, that's devastating, right,
I mean maybe if Hayward gets hurt.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
We saw that last year. I mean, these are some
of the best players in the league, and they would
be you know, you could say that on every team.
I mean Aaron Donald or Jamar Chase quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
You're like, if Joe Burrow goes down, the pals are cooked.
It's over right, right right, we saw We've seen it
with the Ravens the last two years. You know, when
Lamar Jackson's not out there, they are a completely different team.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And there are some teams that take that strategy that
I'm not going to invest in my backup because if
Aaron Rodgers goes down the sea and shot anyways, and
we'll wait till he gets back and get a better
draft pick and go from there. Not that they're tanking,
but it's like the drop off so massive, and hopefully
the drop off is you know the pick it becomes
that good and the drop off is unbelievable. But I
(27:15):
think this team could absolutely win games, not only with
Trubisky but with Mason Mason Rudolph.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah, And I think a part of that is because
of how they're built up front and how they won
games last year.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They've created a good nest. They're really good. Yeah. So
your running game and your defense travel without question. Yeah.
I think what we were saying last week that a
really good running game gives you a high floor. Yeah.
And I think that that that was the concrete that
was poured on the house in the second half of
the season last year.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
But there's there seems to be this idea out there
that you just have to go out and outscore the.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Other the opposing team. I just don't.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I think defense still matters. I did too, And I
think a running game more than ever, maybe not more
than ever, it's certainly more so than in the last
decade has showed.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
It showed last year that. Yeah. I have mixed feelings
on that because I do think the league is transitioning
in last year was a strange year. Is at the
start of something to come or was it a bit
of a one off? And the scoring was really down.
Run games were very important. I mean not all these
teams ended up with great records, but like the Giants
(28:24):
in Atlanta and Chicago, I mean this time last year,
I thought they might be the three worst teams in
the league, you know, I mean just rosters, and they
were very competitive. The Wheels came off on the Bears
the second half of the season, and they just ran.
I mean how many times I say the word voluminous running?
You know, just running and running and running against two
high shells keeps you in games, and you know, keeps
(28:45):
you know, really cute. You know, it gives you a
narrows a playing field a little bit.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, it shortens the game a little bit. You know,
it's almost like playing a four corners offense in basketball.
I'm going to shorten the game. We're going to play
this game in the thirties and muck it up in hockey. Yeah,
we're gonna you know, we're gonna yeah, same same idea,
Like you may be more skilled at certain positions, but
I'm not gonna let you.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Have the ball. I'm gonna make a tough on you. Yeah,
eat clock, and all I need to do is get
a few stops. I don't know enough about your basketball analogy,
but I assume you're not shooting right as soon as
shot clock hits, I mean, you're like, you're you're eager
to run it down. We're gonna make We're gonna make
some passes. I want layups, win time at possession, and
you know, right.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
And we're gonna we're not gonna let you just run
up and down the floor, and we're gonna, you know,
we're gonna force you into playing our style game. And
I think that's what when you start running the football
and eating up clock, I think that's that becomes the
It puts pressure. I can remember Tom Brady talking about
this before. You almost certainly start looking at the clock
as the opposing quarterback when the when the other team
is out on the field eight or nine. All right,
(29:46):
so you start doing the math in your head. Okay,
I'm gonna we're only gonna have three more possessions, you
know in this football game. I gotta make everyone count.
And then you start to press.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
A little bit. Yeah, without question, and yeah, if you
can limit the ma Homes of the world and give
them one less possession, yeah, chances are that's four points difference,
you know. I mean, I don't know what they average
per possession, but it's the top of the league, you know.
I Mean the reason I mixed feelings though, is I
mean still to me, the formula is having an elite quarterback.
(30:13):
I mean, there's no time about it. I mean, that's
the cheat code. But they're six of them. Yeah, well
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I mean, if you start looking around the league at
the quarterbacks, I mean, who's really quote unquote elite, right?
Speaker 1 (30:25):
I mean I think it's Mahomes, Allen Burrow. Herbert's knocking
on that door heavy. I don't know if he's there yet.
Lawrence isn't there yet. And those guys aren't elite. I'm
not sure I could would give it to Hurts who
had an MVP type season. Could he take a game
over like a Mahomes or Brady in his prime or Ben?
And you know when age thirty two, it's five of
(30:46):
them as sure so and some are knocking on the door,
you know. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
So you know, again, if if you protect your quarterback,
if you're only gonna ask Kenny Pickett and I say, only, hey,
go out and make us five to ten big time
throws every game.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, that's what you're looking for.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
And if you can do that, if you play good defense,
if you run the football and shorten the game, you
got a A. You're gonna be in a lot of games,
and B you're probably gonna win something. You're gonna win
the war of attrition, Yeah, fourth quarter. You know, the
opposing defense is a little worn out. We talked about,
you know two years ago with the Steelers. Well, the
the defense is on the field too much first half
of last season. That's right, defense is on the field.
(31:25):
I don't I don't care how good your defense is.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
That's definitely true. On the other side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
If it's out there for seventy five plays and your
offense is running.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Fifty too much, defense is a killer. I mean, it
just flat out is if you're and that really really
hurt this team to start the season, and to me,
it was maybe one of the most impressive transformations. And
it's a simple number, but I might even do this
when I get home. It's just chart their time and
possession each and every game, because the second half of
the season was like best in the league. Yeah, first
(31:55):
half of the season was worst of the league, you know, right,
You're just completely described right, right, right, and this narrows
the playing field. And all the analytics are great, and
I like analytics, don't get me wrong. And they'll say
passing is more valuable than running, and it is. But
there's also an aspect to I've had to stop Nausey
Harris and Jalen Warren in a thick offensive line now,
(32:17):
and it's.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
This guard has pulled the last year right seven in
the last ten plays, has smacked me in the face.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And it's late in the third quarter and I'm starting
to go backwards instead of forwards on defense and the
missing tackles I used to make. And there's still a
physicality in a you know, a stamina aspect of the
game that will always.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Always builds a mentality too with your offense, Like hey, right,
you know, you talk to any offensive lineman, they want to.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Come go grab wolf and say do you want to
come out and you want to come out run the football?
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Do you want to come out and pass block yeld
you want to take you want to deliver the blow
or do you want to take.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
The play right? Do you want to start in a
two point stance or do you want to come out
and maul the guy in front of you time and
time again. And it doesn't always work, you know, the
initial time. But that's why they call it pound the rock.
I mean, just keep pounding on that rock and eventually
it cracks.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Yeah, So that's what that's what you're looking to do here.
That was the formula when Bill Kower was here with
with you know, Jerome Bettis.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
They've got a two hundred and forty.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Pound running back that you know he's going to run downhill,
you know, is he going to break a bunch of
long runs. No, But if you keep pounding the rock
like that in the fourth quarter, and now all of
a sudden, those those those four or three or four
yard games become eight or nine yard gains. Yeah, somebody
falls off a tackle that that that has that that
that pays dividends in late in the game.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
And I think the next step is, well, now, how
do we create explosives off of that? You know, I
mean if if we're going to bludgeon teams and we
now have this reputation which every defensive coordinator is preparing
for the Steelers now is gonna watch second half games
not the first half? Ye you know, like we know
what they are. They're gonna come out in twelve personnel
with a big back and a stable offensive line, and
(33:47):
they're going to run the football and their defense will
probably allow them to do that. Even if there's a
series or two that you know, it's quick punt, you know,
it doesn't go great. But Kenny showed that he's really
really good on third downs? Is that fluky? Is that sustainable?
I don't know, you know, we'll see. I mean maybe
he does have a collectionist to him, and his ability
(34:08):
to scramble and make plays with his legs certainly helps
that as well. But now if strong safeties are in
the box, if it's you know, and you're seeing single
high and Calvin Austin runs by, you, you.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Know, like George Pickens is opened twenty yards down the field,
but right he always is.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
And then I mentioned the article I wrote this week too,
was they played a lot of the same offensive skill
guys last year, you know, I mean when Claypool left,
Gentry's snaps went up and all added up and it worked.
But now you start playing the game of what five
do I want to put out there? It's a fun game,
you know, like do I like to play that game.
(34:45):
I love to play that game. And you know, before
last year, the Steelers are always near the top of
the league in a sixth offensive lineman and it's not
a high percentage, but it's like three or four percent
where the league is at one or two. Right. Well,
last year they hardly did that because I don't think
they trusted their sixth offensive lineman. But that changes, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Or you've drafted essentially a guy who license plates a sixth.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Offensive your tight end room now is gigantic, and you
have three slash Hayward, all of whom that deserve touches.
And you hope Alan Robinson's an upgrade over Claypool or
whoever your third receiver was, and Austin's back, and I mean,
you can just mix and match a great deal, yeah,
and get mismatches all over the field, all over the field,
(35:29):
and those guys stay fresher, you know, and instead of
running three go routes in a row and huffing and puffing,
you run two, come off, Austin comes on in and
runs one. Then you come back out the next you
know what I mean. Like you can just keep you
can rotate play to play team, the team, you can
be more specific in a Belichick kind of way of
this opponent loves to stay and nickel. Well, we're gonna
(35:50):
bludgeon you. Yeah, you're what they you know. Okay, you
want to do that, here's what we're gonna do. Now,
you've got to change. You either got got out of
your nickel that you're not comfortable doing or live with
the consequences.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Absolutely, and we're gonna take a break here as Matt Williamson,
I am Dale Lollie. We are live here from the
Steeler OTAs on the South Side at the upmc rooney
Sports Complex. We are here until one o'clock today and
we'll be back with more right after.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
This some time.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
The Black and Gold live here twenty four to seven.
This is SNN Steelers Stationwide Pittsburgh Traffic
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