May 31, 2023 • 48 mins
The guys are live from day 5 of Steelers' OTAs from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this special edition of The Drive on Steelers days.
Obviously we're still having some minor technical difficulties. We're setting
the runner a second on that one. Yeah, yeah, I
can't even I flinched my head. He is Matt Williamson.
(00:20):
I am Dale. Lalla. You're listening to this special edition
of The Drive here from the upmc rooney Sports Complex
where the Steelers are partaking in OTA number five here
on the field in front of us at the upmc
roney Sports Complex. And one, Matt, lots of stuff happening
around the league, and well here with the Steelers as
(00:41):
well as guys get through this. The big thing that
you don't want to happen this time of year is
for somebody to get hurt.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, of course, most player news is bad player news. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I mean I always joke or you know, kind of
laugh to myself when you hear reports of this guy's
running with the two, this guy is going to be
the starter, this guy's in the best shape of his life.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Everybody's in the best shape, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
All the guys are coming back from injury full force
and all that kind of stuff makes me chuckle. But
the injury thing is really the headlines that I really
pay attention to around the league. You know, if somebody
went down, it's like, oh man. But that being said,
before we get into that kind of stuff, the environment
here today is rocket. I mean, it's I've been really
impressed with all the just the environment here. You know
(01:25):
that it's a lot of high energy. We've had great
weather and a lot of people around. It's buzzing. You know,
it's a fun place to be right now.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yeah, and you know the players seem to be enjoying themselves.
A lot of new faces here with the Steelers, a.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Lot of work getting done, but a lot of smiles too,
you know, I mean, you know, they're enjoying themselves.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Interesting thing about the Steelers this year, Matt eighteen returning.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Starters Okay, I haven't thought about this, Okay, but.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Not all eighteen of those starters are going to be starters.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So you're saying eighteen starters from last year are back
on the team, correct, But that doesn't mean Dann Moore
Junior is gonna be a starter.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Or Kevin Dotson or things like that.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, So that's the baseline though, right, and you assume
that if they lose their starting job.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
It's because somebody got better. Somebody better is here.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
An upgrade but made right. That's an interesting way of
looking at it. I mean that adds up. You know,
who knows what the cornerback situation will shakeout or exactly
how the O line will shake out, but chances are
it's going to be better.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, you're not. You're not putting somebody in there because
he's worse than the guy you're bringing back, who is
a starter for you.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
I mean, maybe cornerback's a bad example by me because
Sutton would be starting probably if he was back. You know,
he's one of those guys.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Let's talk about Levi Wallace because nobody ever does nobody.
People seem to just be coming with the idea that
somehow Joey Porter Junior is gonna start, He's gonna be
He's going to day one, he's gonna be outside opposite
Patrick Peterson, and that's the way it's going to be.
And I don't know that that's going to be the case.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I don't know what it is either. I mean, I
think it's probably safe to say at this stage of
his career, Ederson is going to be a starter when
there are two corners.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
He's going to be on the field. He's going to
be on the.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Field, which leaves one in a nickel and whatnot. So
to say Porter as good a prospect as he is,
I think he was better than the thirty second player
in this draft, and I think most.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
People would agree with that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That doesn't mean he's going to beat out the incumbent
who's been around the block. And I know fantasy football
doesn't apply to defense and especially corners, but those people
that play in like idp leagues, individual defensive players. You
want rookie corners because they they get a million tackles
because everyone attacks them like crazy. I mean, that's a
(03:37):
rough spot as a rookie if you're the fifth pick
in the draft.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
But Levi Wallace last year, if you look at what
he did, the reason why a Kello Weatherspoon wasn't playing
and then became a little bit obsolete obsolutely, yeah, it
was because Levi Wallace played pretty well last year.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, right, right right. I mean my thoughts on it.
When they made those two signings, they were basically they
were identical contracts. From what I remember, they both are
longer outside corners. It was kind of a one bone
two dogs mentality or really good backup for whoever.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Loses a job.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
But nobody seems to give Wallace any credit for having
a quality season. People want to give Witherspoon a hard
time for kind of falling out of the picture a
little bit, but no one wants to say, well, there's
a reason for that because Wallas played well.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
In Levi and Wallace. You're talking about a guy who,
over the last four seasons has ten interceptions at the
cornerback position, including four last year. Yeah, he had thirteen
pass defenses last year.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I don't think I would have got that trivia question,
you know, like how many interceptions as Wallace have last year.
I'd been like, yeah, I can think I'd come up
with two. Like he's just under the radar.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, and that seems like that's the story of his career.
You're right, right, wrote I wrote a big piece on
him on Steelers dot Com earlier this offseason. He had
no Division one, not just no no minor Division one offers.
He had no Division one offers, and I think he
had one Division two offer. Coming out of high school
(05:04):
was a small school. Oh it's it's in Tucson. Arizona.
It's like it's a hotbed. It's a big school in Tucsa.
Like so, but he had no offers. His family, his
dad was from Tuscaloose, Alabama, and they grew up Tide
fans and he grew up his dad actually worked at
the stadium. Yeah, and so he always wanted to go.
(05:27):
They were huge Alabama fans. They still had family there
his his both of his parents were in the military.
So that's that's why that's how they ended up in Tucson.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
You also love to hear his parents in the military,
both of them.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, not just one both, you know, mom and dad
were military formidable years. Yeah, and so they wind up
in Tucson, but they still would go back because they
had family in Tuscaloos. And so, you know, he went
to Alabama games. He had the Alabama posters on his wall. Yeah.
So because the parents were in the military, he had
(05:57):
some g I bill stuff and things of that nature,
so he could he could afford to get you know,
pay the out of state tuition. And after Smester, well,
first of all, you know, he goes to college and
right before he leaves for school, they find out his
dad as als oh I didn't know that part of
the story. Wow, yeah, okay, And so you know he
was He's like, I don't know if I want to
go to school, I might want to stay here with
(06:17):
my d he's the oldest son. Yeah. Dad's like, no,
you're going to go to school. You're gonna go you all,
you know, we've always wanted you to go to Alabama.
You're going to go to Alabama. And he's that freshman year.
He's not playing football, obviously.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Was he even on the team?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Student? Just a student, he's a civilian, and you know, obviously,
you know, there was concerns about the you know, his
dad and all that stuff. His dad talks him, you know,
he missed football, and his dad says, why don't you go,
Why don't you try to walk on the football team
at Alabama? Walk on the football team at Alabama. Let's
just go walk on to the team that you know,
we're talking about Alabama with make a Fitzpatrick in the
(06:58):
secondary this height, yeah, this this is a soup. I mean,
five star recruits across the board in the secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And real quick, you know, like my time next door
here at Pitt we maybe had two or three walk
ons during those three years that went on to eventually
on a scholarship and legit playing time, you know, and
it's easier to do it next door than it is.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
A bam bam yeah Bama. Right, So he goes out,
tries out for the team as a walk on, makes
the team.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
To be honest, those guys don't get a fair shake.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No, no, you're you're you're fodder.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Euros at Akron we needed walk ons. Yeah, and there
was like fifty kids and you know, I was in
charge of I couldn't scout fifty.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Kids in two hours your time and are here's here's
just look of for athletic traits.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I probably screwed a kid that didn't deserve it. You
got to put a kid on the team that did, didn't,
you know what I mean? Like, that's that's that's a
tough prost.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Somebody who showed up that was you know, six five
and three hundred pounds, you're on the team.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Has like we need some guys that are tackling dummies
during the week. Yeah, and there's not enough of them.
So that's a tough gig even in itself.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
The day before or the night before his first spring
game at Alabama, again, he's made the he's made the walk,
made it as a walk on.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
They haven't had a regular season, they have not. It's
his first time in pads play.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
His dad dies, wow, you know, and they didn't they
you know, He goes, he goes through with the you know,
the spring game and all that stuff, and lo and
Behold works his way up the depth chart to where
two years later he's starting games.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
At Alabama and became a scholarship.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Player, and became a scholarship player and was a starter,
a full time starter his senior year on a national
championship team.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So that's what folks to realize this. So for him
to become a scholarship player means you're not giving one
to a four or five star record.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, you know, and in your Alabama they all want
to come, yeah, play for you.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It's not like you have a hard time getting kids.
Yeah right, So I mean that's one, like it's like
giving up a second round draft.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
But he's lining up I like, you know, he's he's
lining up opposite of Maury Cooper, He's lining up against
Calvin Ridley in practice. You know, he and so because
he's the practice squad guy basically and he said that
made him. Yeah, that made him better, and he made
those guys better, and and just the coaching staff recognized that.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And and for people don't know, I mean, and this
goes back to Manka in particular why we love Brian
Brandt so much. Saban is notoriously very difficult on his
defensive back. I mean, his background was a defensive back coach,
then defensive coordinator, and then all time great head coach.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
But Saban called him the technician, Okay, I mean he's
like he said, he's one of the best walk ons
we've ever had at Alabama.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
You know, he didn't make mistakes. He didn't make mistakes.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
And his NFL career has been much the same. Yea,
he goes undrafted. He ran into the four six is
you know, coming out of the at the combine, and
he's a skinnier guy and he's a skinny He was
a lighter guy, but the length. Yeah, but obviously it's
a trade with the Steelers, right, I mean, his arms
don't stop, and so he goes, he goes undrafted, he
(10:05):
signs with the Buffalo Bills, comes a starter in Buffalo.
He started seven games as a true rookie, in.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Buffalo and that was a good defense his whole stint there.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, and then they couldn't get him out of the
starting lineup. Like all he's done is succeed everywhere he's gone,
and people are ready to say, oh, he's not going
to be a starter for the Steelers this year. There's
no way I'm saying that about that guy. Yeah, yeah,
no way.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
History shows another story which isn't a knock on Porter
at all or no those guys. But I mean he
might have three caliber starters instead of half.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Honestly, I mean if you if you look at Levi
Wallace and you look at Joey Levi and now he's
a shade over six to one Wallace. If well, if
he were six too, he would look like Joey Porter. Yeah.
But the arm length and those kind of those those
traits are are the same. You know. By the way,
(10:58):
he never misses any tackles. Yeah, despite technicians. Yeah, I
mean just he missed four tackles all of last season.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
And speed and size is great and he does have size,
but he doesn't have a lot of thickness to him. Yeah,
but if you are a really good technician at that position,
you can get away with average speed.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
You know. Again, with the longer arms and things, it
makes it harder for the quarterbacks to throw over you.
Even if you're behind by a step, you're really not
behind because you've got that.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Covered if you understand route recognition really well and those
type of things, and length goes a long way. And boy,
the Steelers aren't even hiding it. I mean, this goes
over a two year stint they want. I mean all
the corners can ride the ride. Yeah, they're all six
foot ish long, including Witherspoon. You know, it's including Grys,
you know. I mean, all these guys are king size corners.
(11:43):
It's no secret what's going on here. So here's the
thing with Levi Wallace. In his five seasons in the NFL,
he has allowed more than sixty more than a fifty
eight percent completion percentage once really for a season that
was his second year. Last year's fifty three point two percent. Really, Okay,
the passer rating against him was seventy three. That's a
(12:07):
number I can understand better. I'm a stat nerd, but
I don't know what fifty three completion percentage ranks against
the rest of the league. I know it's pretty good. Yeah,
but I can't. I don't know if it's great. They're
just really good. But I mean, if every time the throw,
every time the passer lets the ball go your direction,
you're giving up a passer rating a seventy three, that's
really hot, that's well above average. Not that the other
(12:30):
numbers wrong. I just don't quite understand it as well
as I should.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
I mean, so I just don't understand what makes no
sense at all. I just don't understand how people are like, well,
we got to get he's not gonna mean a starting
lineup again. Well, fifty three percent completion percentage last year,
four interceptions, a seventy three percent or seventy three passer rating.
I'm not looking to necessarily move that guy out of
the starting lineup now.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And the way I look at it is, well, if
he's in the starting lineup, that certainly is not an
indictment on Porter or anyone else.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
No, he's gonna be a hard guy to get off
the front. This guy is just survived.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
He's like a cockroach, and much like Saban, coach Tomlin
has a big time defensive back background, and he's gonna
love the technicians and the trustworthy guys, and I bet
they don't want the the Marcus Peters or the.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Big chance takers.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah yeah, I mean I don't need the mistakes, you know.
I mean, we'll make big plays on our own. But
if he isn't in the lineup.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That makes Porter did really win.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah, because there's a constant here, you know. I mean,
there's a guy that you know what you're gonna get
from him, and he has a baseline. And if Porter
beats that baseline, you're really in good shape. But if
he doesn't, it's not like you're not in good shape, right,
I mean.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah, so I just look at that. I think people
are completely discounting Levi Wallace. Yeah, he's an easy guy
to forget.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, it's been forgotting since he was sixteen year right.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
It still overcomes he just he just keeps finding a
way to persevere. You know. By the way, he's twenty
eight years old. It's not like he's over the hill
or anything of that nature. But he's playing a lot
of football. He started like he has started basically. Yeah. Yeah,
he has been a starter basically since day one in
the NFL, and you can't get him out of the lineup.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
I don't know this, and I should. I think the
answer is no. But he's not a heavy special team er,
I don't think. But he almost had to be at Bama.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Well he played, so yeah, he he played sixty five
special team snaps last year. Okay, so that's not very many,
seventeen percent of the special team So he did some,
but not your starting he's starting quarterback. I mean, you're
not gonna throw him at I mean he may have
him gone out there and a kick return or kick
kick off every once in a while, or you may
send him out there and I'm.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Sure he could be a gunner or whatever. Yeah, I
just didn't know off the top of my head how
much he had played. I knew it was not a
core you know, every snap type of dude, no games.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
You know, But you try not to do that with
you know, some of those starters, especially at a premium
quarterbacks of premium position, it is you. They're not easy
to find. No, you don't want you don't want to
put your starters out there at risks. Now that being said,
do I expect Joey Porter to play special teams this year? No?
I don't know. I think I think I think I think, yes,
(15:06):
you sent him out there. I think you're picking your
spots with him. M hmm.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
You bet he is not very I mean, I'm totally guessing,
but I bet he has very little experience out it too,
you know, just in state run.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
And I'm not I'm not positive of what Levi Wallace's snapcot.
My guess would be coming off the edge on field
goals and yeah, okay, yeah, extra points. That's that's probably
where he's at. Yeah, I mean, because I want those
long arms.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's a good point. I was trying
to sit here and wrack my brain, like where does
sixty five snaps come from?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
It? Probably is field goal block? Yeah's out there in those,
ye Joe Hayden was always out there in those like.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
You know, I mean, and there is a skill to it,
don't get me wrong. Or punt block you know, some
of those guys. But I don't think he's going to
be on the punt team or the kickoff teams. Probably
maybe neither one of them. Because contrary to popular belief,
this is you know, something I was always super impressed with,
like Betty Snell, these guys that learn how to become
core special teamers that never did it. People think that's easy,
just run down the field and blow somebody up. No,
(16:05):
there's you have.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
A job the deal. Yeah, you have a job to dealer.
You have a stay in your lane. You can't just
go find the football.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right, I mean, it's it's not just we'll throw a
porter out there because he's a better athlete than Wallace
or whomever. You gotta be good at it, yea. And
experience helps.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And in some cases you're kind of like you're it's
you're like a red shirt on Star Trek.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I don't know what that means.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
You're Lieutenant expendable. Okay, I'm not a Trek guy, believe
it or not. You know, the guy whoever beams down
to the planet with Kirk and Spock, he's wearing the
red shirt. In trouble, he's gonna die. He's a pot now, Yeah,
he's in trouble. You're gonna hear. You're gonna hear the
forest Buckers say he's dead.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Jim, it's not hard to figure out the Star Trek script. No, no, no,
it's the same thing, and somebody else goes down.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
About seventy percent of the time that guy dies he's
in trouble. I think Spock's safe, yeah, right, right right,
not killing Spock, except they did it in the in
the one movie, and then he came back so he
could do that. But you know, you know those guys
are expendable. Yeah, the Red Shirts are expendable. I got it.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
But Wallace, to me, is a great story. I'm glad
you brought him up because we have hardly talked about him.
No one talks about him.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
I see people just automatically assuming he's not going to
be in the starting lineup. I'm like, I'm not going
on that assumption at all.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
No, I mean selling him out, selling him short is
obviously a mistake. History shows at time and time again,
and I think they're really happy with him. But I
do think it was we have to get better than
that guy.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
If they weren't happy with that guy, if they weren't
happy with him, or they thought there was something they
thought he might not be that guy, they don't cut
a kellow weatherspoon. Right, you take that to the camp
and you okay, we got two again, much like they
did last year. You got one spot here for two guys, right,
and you let those two fight it out. Well that's
(17:48):
not what they did. They they know, we're just gonna
cut Witherspoon.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
And there were some cap ramifications that were helping, but
you could.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Have waited down the road to do that. It was
only like four million, four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Needed Dart a second. No, and by no means so
I think that they went into the draft saying we
have to draft two outside corners.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
No.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I think there was a guy with had a fourth
round grade in the seventh round, like.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, you had lead to you had to take Corey Trumps.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, I mean we have a really big, really
full cornerback room, but this guy's way beyond the best
guy on our board.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lallie. You're
listening to a special edition of The Drive here on
Steelers Nation Radio. We are live from the Steelers Ota
session here at the upmc rooney Sports Complex, and we
will be back with more right after this. Welcome back.
(18:38):
I am Dale Lalli. He is Matt Williams, and this
is a special edition of The Drive here live from
the upmc rooney Sports Complex here on Steelers Nation Radio
and ESPN nine seventy The Steelers taking part in OTA
number five. That means we're half time. We're halfway through the.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
OTA set halftime.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah, they'll have ninety three next week Monday, I'm sorry, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Uh.
Then they'll break up for that weekend and come back
for the mandatory mini camp and that.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Will be it a nice little break, but little.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Break, and then it's on the training camp. As we
mentioned yesterday yesterday show, we're one hundred days out from
n N ninety nine from the start of the regular season,
so it is within range.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
That's the Thursday night or right ninety nine.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
In wall start drinking them. Yep, yeah, absolutely, come quick.
I wanted to do a little a little project here, Matt.
All right, let's power rank the AFC. Okay, we got
some stuff going on here in front of us, like
distractions that is in my brain a little bits making
me a little crazy.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
But I can't comment on it.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
It's making me nuts. So we'll do we'll do.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I think the easiest way to do it is start
the boss starts the bottom. Okay, So who's your sixteen.
I think there's three candidates for it, Okay. I think Tennessee,
Houston and the Raiders I think you're lower on the
Colts than I am.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
I know who I have at sixteen.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Though, Okay, who's your sixteen.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Sixteen for me is the Titans. I think they're going
to be awful. I do too.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I think I'm gonna go with Houston though. I think
the Titans defense is the best unit of the group.
And I think for Able wins two that he shouldn't.
I mean, it's a tough he.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Gets that team the six wins this year, he should
be coaching coach of the Year. He really should. I
just think they're going to be awful.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I also think a very underrated player that I never
give enough credit is Ryan Tannehill. I mean I think
he's I think he's shot. I mean, I think he's
better than Garoppolo. I think we'll have a better year
than Stroud.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
You know, let me just call it their depth chart.
It's brutal. You tell me rule, you tell me how
they do anything, especially the offense.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I mean the offense is it's alm as bad as
the Rams defense, but it's really bad.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Like they bought this wide receiver group, like they need
Burks to be a guy and Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook
atkinne Kyle Phillips. That's their starting three. Oh my god,
Racy McMath, Colton Dollwell, Chris. They signed Chris Moore. Chris
Moore is their big offseason sign.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
He's gonna play for them, He's gonna play a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Yeah. Uh that offensive line. You got Andre Dillard.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
At left tack, who they vastly overpaid.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Peter Scaranski at left guard.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Nice pick, that's one of Yeah, if they finally got
a building.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Block, Aaron Brewer at center mm hmm, Daniel Brunskill at
right guard, and Nicholas Petite free Air at right tack.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
He had a rough rookie year two.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
That's a bad offensive bad offensive line, it really is.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I do like chick a lot, okay, and like he'll
be on my fantasy teams because everybody else is.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Somebody else is gonna have somebody has ketch the.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Ball, somebody sketch a ball. I don't know Derek Henry
last season. I mean, if I'm the Bills, I'm calling
about him or the Chiefs or somebody like that.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I didn't love Will Levis coming out, and if they
turned things over to Levis at some point, where are
the wins coming at I.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Know, I know, but the defense is respectable. I mean
we're splitting hairs. I mean, Titans. I don't think the
Texans are good, you know, I mean.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Yeah, so they get Jeffrey Simmons, was like, yeah, yeah,
Harold Andry Off an injury, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
They have a couple of defections though too.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Yeah. I mean I just like that secondary Christian Fulton, cornerback,
Sean Murphy Bunning. They still Rodger McCreery, Byard is still there. Byard,
he could be it. He's older than you think.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
He could be a trade candidate too. Yeah, I think
you could get him with not super expensive. But that's
just a bad football it is.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I just think their offense there are the one team
I just saw this stat so the Ravens. We know,
we see the Ravens twice a year, of course, how
how little they throw the football. This is the one
team that throws it fewer times than the Ravens over
the last two or three years.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
And they're gonna be playing from behind too.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
A lot, a lot a lot. I think it's a
bad football team. Oh I do too. I mean, I'm
not really bad football team. I think, like, is it
worse than Houston.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Well, you might have convinced.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Let's call up Houston's.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Houston's offenses looks good on paper. Yeah, their defenses.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
So they're their skill position players on offense. Robert Woods, I.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Mean, he's like the Titans could use Robert Woods.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yeah, I mean, and they went down that road with
John Maychie, who was a washed last year.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Yeah, but there's been really good news about him. Yeah,
back to full clear apparently.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah. Nico Collins, who he's.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Kind of a breakout guy for me.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah, I like Nico. You got Noah Brown from Dallas
who did some did some stuff last year. They drafted
Dell pretty high, the little tank Dell. Yeah, Steven Simms
is there.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Okay, he might not make that team. I mean they
have good receiver guys. Yeah, they don't have a star,
but they have NFL receivers.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah. Their offensive line. To me, I look at their
offensive line, it is far better, far better, far better.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's it's a mediocre offensive line.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You got Laramie Tuns at left tack, Kenyon Green at
left guard.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
He struggled, but the first round. Picking a second year,
you know, you have high, high hopes.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You're looking at Juice Scruggs probably at center. I thought
they drafted him too high, but it's it's starting center,
Shack Mason at right guard, and Titus Howard at right tackle.
It's I mean they got they used there's draft capital
used there there.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Yeah, they build a little bit of an s for Shroud.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Yeah they really have. You got Dalton Schultz at tight end. No,
I know you don't love him.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Well, he's better than I mean, he's he's a quality starter.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yeah. You got Damian Pierce at running.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Back and they signed what's his face?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
They singletary as well, So I mean that's a nice
one too, bunch. And he got Mike Boone there, who's
I forgot. He's not bad.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And frankly, Davis Mills is a pretty good backup too.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Yeah, and you got CJ. Stroud on defense? He added,
Will you got Sheldon Rankins? Yeah, okay, Malie Collins at
the other defensive tackle spot, and Jonathan Greenard at the
right defensive.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Starting to get some bodies in front. Greener's not a
bad player, no, no, And what they want to do
is have a Niner like rotation there. Yeah, they're gonna
I bet next year there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Of d line linebacker. It's uh Christian Harris who was
the third round pick last year, Denzel Perryman in the middle,
and uh Corey Littleton on on the strong side.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
That group really worries me, but more so for this
team than most because Damiko Ryans has asked more of
his linebackers than anybody. I mean, he wants Red Warner
and yeah, they don't have anything close to that.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
You know they did. They did draft Henry too too though. Yeah,
maybe he's gonna play facts.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Him and Harris are gonna have to show themselves.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Cornerback, he got Steven Nelson, who's okay. Yeah, with Derek Stingley,
Stingley and Petrick that's and then you got Petrie and
Jimmy Ward at the safety positions.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I'll definitely give you Ward's gonna be their leader. He's
their niner bring over. You know, he's a glue guy.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
I mean, Petre is a good young player. They had
aie year two, and I think Stingley has a chance
to be a star.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
I'll definitely give you it's a better roster than Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, it just depends on the rookie quarterback. But I'm
not sure that. You know, five games into the season,
the Titans aren't starting a rookie quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh, I think he's gonna play and play early. Yeah,
and I think Tannahill might end up in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Right, you know? Yeah, So I mean I that I'll
put the Titan sixteen. Who else you're talking about? The Raiders.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I think the Raiders are in contention.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Let's look at that Raiders roster. The d is rough. Yeah.
So you get DeVante Adams, you gets you Kobe Myers,
you got Hunter Renfro wide receiver. That's fine.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, that's a good group. And Mayer looks like a
good young tight end.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah. Okay, so the skill position guys are okay, you
got Austin Hooper there as well, or too right, right, Yeah,
so they've got guys, but you're counted on Jimmy g
We don't know if.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
He plays quarterback situation.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yeah, with Brian Hoyer behind him, right, and Aiden o'connor'connell.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Ye, it's one of the worst in the league. To me,
I don't think it's much different than Tampa's.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah. The offensive line, Colton Miller, who's a good player.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
They like some of these linemen more than the general
public realizes. There's some not household names here, but they
seem pretty content with them, so it's not quite as
bad as it sounds.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
But it's not good. Dylan Parham is at the left
guard spot, Andre James at center, Alex Bars at right guard,
and Jermaine Iluminare.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
That's one of the dudes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Right. It's not a great line. I mean the Texans
have a better line. Yeah, the Texans have a better
line now. On the defensive side of things, this is
where it's right. You got Max Crosby, who's a star.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
In the first round pick from yeah what we call.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
But they're counting on Jerry Jerry Tillery and Balal Nichols
on the interior.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Tillary has been a total wash out.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Yeah, not good. You have Chandler Jones. We'll see what
they get out of him this year. And they drafted
Tyree Wilson.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I said the edge guys are good. Yeah. Uh. At
the linebacker weak side linebackers, Robert Splain, Yeah, yeah. The
middle linebacker is Divine Diablo who was a strong safety
in college, and then Duke Shelley at left. Uh. They're
only listing two linebackers here in the corner. Yeah. So
(27:56):
the corners, they.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
I guess they're.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Listening to Nickel. They have Rubbins splain out there is
their nickel. Y ikes. Yeah. So cornerback you get Duke Shelley,
he got David Long and then the Nichols Nate Hobbs
not good with Marcus Evans, Marcus Epsen, Trayvon Mowrigg as
your safety tandem.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Mo Rigg's one the only guy I like on the defense.
It's not at the end. Yeah, put them fourteen.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Though, I like I like some of the offensive pieces,
Like the skill position guys aren't bad. You get Josh
Jacobs at running back. You could run them football.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
H Yeah, depending their skill guys are way better than
the Texans are tight.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
I think Tannehill's noticeably better than Garoppolo, especially if a
factor and durability.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I don't know, I mean Ryan Tannehills last couple of
years have not been.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
I don't know he's the problem there. I kind of
feel like he's a bit of a scapegoat. I'm not
saying he's the answer either, but.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
He's also older, a lot older than people.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
He came in a league older. Yeah, and he was
he's from the Andrew Luck class.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
I mean, but to me, they're clearly the bottom three teams.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Yeah, I think so. Looking at Tanney Hills, he started
twelve games last year. They were six and six in
the twelve games.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
I did a lot better when he was in as
opposed to but I mean they were also playing Patrick Willis. Yeah,
with all respect of Josh Dobbs, he's a journeyman in the.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
You know, but he had thirteen touchdown passes, six interceptions
the year before that, twenty one touchdown passes, fourteen interceptions,
thirty seven hundred yards. Like if Kenny Pikett had thirty
seven hundred yards with twenty one touchdown passes and fourteen interceptions,
I'm gonna pass on that. That's his number door number two. Yeah. Yeah,
But somehow they went twelve and five in news games.
(29:33):
Well not somehow, Derrick Henry was otherworldly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yeah, And I think Vrabel's a good coach, and they
were good on defensive special teams and winning the margins.
And they're not beating people thirty to nothing though.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
No, No, I just look at it. I got I
gotta put them last. I agree to me.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
You convinced me. I mean I was torn between them
and the Texans. I think one team's going.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, I think they're going opposite directions, and this might
be the year that they passed each pass passing the night.
Could we agree on the Raiders at fourteen? I think
we can. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would. I would put
the Raiders on the next.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
See to me, though, this is how the AFC really
gets impressive, because I think there's thirteen good teams. Yeah,
I mean good. I'm not saying the Super Bowl content.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Like if they were in the if they were in
the NFC.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I might pick they would be they would be a
car team.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Yeah, they would be the Denvers and Patriots and even
the Colts and these type of teams that we're gonna
be talking about soon. They're not bad bad though, So
we're putting the Raiders and then the Texans. Yeah, Texans
are fifteen, Raiders are fourteen. Okay, Texans and Raiders.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Right, Are we gonna fight over Texans?
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Raiders? Do that? Okay? Okay? So yeah, I don't have
a problem with put making two teams from the same
division the worst. No.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
It also wouldn't blow my doors off of the Raiders
end up the first overall pick.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
I mean no, no, I mean they might feel bad.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
O'Connell, you know, right, yeah if if they the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Situation, Uh, to me, then the next team, and you're
gonna fight me on this, I know it. I mean
it's the Colts.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I don't know that I will fight you, but I
think they can win that division.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
It's either the Cults or the Patriots or Denver or Denver.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Yeah, yeah, it's not an AFC North team to me. See,
I don't know that I'll fight you. I just think
they're better than you think they are. But that in
this conference, that doesn't mean they're not thirteen.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Right, Like if they were in the if they were
in the NFC South, I.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Might pick them to win the division.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, they would be. They would be a contender.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
My case for the Colts is you get Leonard back.
It's still a high quality defense. You know that's not great,
but they don't make a lot of mistakes Buckner. They
have some young edge guys. Some of their defensive backs
are good players. Leonard was a big loss for them
last year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I think the.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Defense will be middle of the pack, maybe slightly better.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
I mean, we're talking about a team that's probably going
to be the second place team in the AFC South.
That wouldn't be would you put them? Maybe they're battling
for the fourth spot or the third, but in the West.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Right right, I mean that's where they are. I mean
I could see them winning seven or eight games. And
I also think they're running game in a Bears like
fashion last year.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
It could be really hard to play against.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Like imagine if the Bears said Jonathan Taylor, you know,
and and I don't dislike their weapons, that they're not great,
but Pittman, Piers Downs, it's okay. I'm cool with them
at thirteen though. It's also I'm always gonna give a
rookie head coach the non benefit.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Of the That's the thing we just don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, I'm not always going to vote against them.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
So which team is in above them? Or just about
a Denver or New England? I think I'm going to
give two good head coaches.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Yeah, where do you give the quarterback edge? I think
I give to Denver and speculation.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
I think Wilson and the skill position guys, and I
think they have they haven't. Their defensive pieces are better overall.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Now, I'll fight you on that. I think the Patriots
defense is going to be elite this year.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Elite, elite, elite, elite.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
That's my fantasy target defense.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
My last year one was the Packers. Last year it
was horrible. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Now, I just think they have a ton of dudes
and a lot of versatility and guys like are way
better than people realize because they're part time players. I
love their defense, and I bet their special teams won't
be the worst in the league again, there's no chance
of that. And I don't think their offense will be
the worst in the league again because of the coaching
and but Denver I think is would be noticing better too.
(33:25):
They're gonna run the football, They'll play good. D Peyton's
a great coach. I mean, I think people think he's overrated,
but I think they're nuts. I can flip a coin
on that. If you want to go Patriots below them,
I'm cool, I think so. I mean, there's not a
lot of star power there, that's sure.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
There really isn't. So Broncos. Yeah, now is where it
gets really difficult.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Right, These are good teams. So it's just when I
do these things, I start from the bottom and then
I get in a bind like this.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
And who's the best team.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
I think you have to see the Chiefs, right, Yeah,
I mean from Mahomes you the super Bowl champs. They
have holes in the roster, but that quarterback is unbelievable
and it's coming off his best year and could be
only getting better.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Who's number two is Cincinnati?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I think I'm willing to say since he's ahead of Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I think I think I'm there too. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
I mean it's been two pretty extremely impressive seasons back
to back, and I don't see a lot of holes
on that roster either.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I mean, if we're gonna talk about coaching and things,
I think Cincinnati falls a little short.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
But Bill's three. Yeah, are we sold on that? No?
I can see it's being a slightly down year for them.
You could see a step backwards. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
But I also I think you have to remember.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Alan had that elbow injury.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
I think it was on national TV. Yeah, in the
world saw it and thought his season might be over,
and he really gutted it out and was not quite
the same.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
And he's not the only one too played through injuries
last year. I mean, like Herbert was another one, and
a lot of these guys, but Allen and when he's
healthy is okay.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
We got nine teams on the board here that are left, No,
we have nine on our on our board ranked, So
who's four for you? Four for me?
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I think this is where we're gonna fight.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Yeah, I mean this is this is where the grouping
gets into. Like these next five teams are like, there's
six teams whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Would you put these if we tiered these?
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Would you say there's the top three? I don't know
if the Bills are still in that tier.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I don't either. One thing that's really fun about the AFC, though,
is the Bills, Bengals, Chiefs, and the Jags to some extent,
they have a fun quarterback. We're all first place teams,
so they're gonna have a round robin tournament. They're all
gonna play each other. So that makes for a lot
of fun viewing for us.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Uh, I think the Bills are clearly three though, whether
we want to put them.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Into I would put my I would put Miami in
that group right there. I think if I trusted to.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
I think Miami is my four. I thought that's where
we're gonna fight, would you? I think I have Miami
over the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Yeah, I do too.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
I have much better defense, have them over the Jets.
But you could convince me either way.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
I mean, if Rogers was a dolphin, I don't know
if I'm ever going to trust the Jets.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Yeah, they don't win many games.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
They just the whole winning of the game thing is
a problem. It's an issue. They build some teams, they
don't they take the they take the reservation.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Right right, That's the important part is keeping it. Yeah,
I think you can't discount the Ravens. I mean, there's
some turmoil there and we're hard on him, on them
on these airways.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Think the defense, Like, if I'm looking at these teams,
I can't put Like we talked about it yet yesterday,
the Ravens defense is the worst defense in the ANFC North.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I agree with that too. So I think Miami is
my four.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Okay, we'll go with Miami. I don't I don't have
a problem with that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Would you pick Jets versus Ravens. I'm not saying that
has to be the five, But if you had to
compare those two are Georgia just those two in their
own vacuum.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
I would probably go They're like polar opposites. They really are.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
You know, I don't trust the Jets, but I like
their roster. Their defense is better, The quarterbacks couldn't be
any different. Coaching staffs can be any more different.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
You don't trust the Chargers in that group.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I was gonna that was gonna be. The next question
is where do you put the winner of that conversation
versus Chargers.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
I'm gonna be pretty low in the Chargers. I think
I am too. I'm gonna be low. I'm lower on Jacksonville.
I think they're gonna win that division by default. But
I don't know they're great. They're not a great football
About this people putting the cart before the horse with
them and making them a top ten overall team, I
don't see it.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
We talk a lot, obviously, I think I'm not trying
to speak for you, but I bet we could put
the Jags as the lowest remaining slot right there. Yeah,
like the Patriots and Denver. Yeah, I mean, I don't
care if they're the best team in their division. Yeah,
I think of the open slots, they go in the
worst spot.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Yeah, that makes I have no issue.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
I think you pull them out of the equation then
for this middle tier.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
And after the I think I think Cleveland's in that
conversation as well.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
You think Cleveland's right ahead of Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Yeah, yeah, because again that the trust factor is just
not right. I don't trust them to get it right.
I'm gonna really hold that against the Chargers, like right
if they I mean, I mean they did go to
Jacksonvill last year and completely blow that football. They've had
a three touchdown lead and.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Blew it Adore Herbert and they were really hit hard
with injuries Slater, Bosa, j C. Jackson, who they gave
huge money. But it just seems like it's always the
same story thing.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, there's always something. It's gone back to Rivers, Special
Towns or whatever. Yea, they always have a great quarterback
and they don't ever win anything, can't keep Bosa on
the field or whatever it may be. Right, Yeah, So
Browns are Chargers, Chargers me too, Yeah, Chargers. Chargers are Steelers.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Steelers, but I think they're next. I'm gonna put the Steelers,
I think behind the Ravens and Jets. Okay, Dolphins, Okay,
so that so let's go. Let me go Ravens, Jets,
that's a tough one for me though.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
It's it's splitting hairs, There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Jets probably have the better roster.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Yeah, I think they do. Do they have the better quarterback?
I mean again talk I mean we're gonna say no,
we're talking apples and oranges, right, But.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
I think they have better weapons even though the Jets
or the Ravens did all the stuff. Yeah, pretty equal lines.
Jets have the better defense, Ravens have a much stronger
trust factor.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Taking the Steelers over the Chargers. I am okay, Chargers
and then Steelers. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
That's the only thing that's up in the air for me,
and is it's splitting hairs. Is Jets versus Ravens?
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah? Well, what we came up with here from top
to bottom Chiefs, Spangles, Bills, Dolphins, Ravens, Jets, Steelers, Chargers, Browns, Jaguars, Broncos, Patriots, Colts, Raiders, Texans,
and Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Question. Yes, if let's say let's say the Niners, Eagles,
and Cowboys are out of the equation, there's thirteen remaining
teams in the NFC. How many of those AFC teams
would be Number one? I think most like, I think
the Browns would.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Be better than they'd be certainly that Steelers.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Would be, the Jags would be I mean certainly Miami
and the Jets and teams like that.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
Yeah, so are ten of them according to our rankings?
You're one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. We have
the Steelers as the seventh team seventeen. That would be
a playoff team.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Real quick, who's number ten on our list? Or where's
the Jagson ten? The Jags come in at ten. So
to my point, if I power ranked the top thirteen
teams in the league, I think ten of them would
be AFC teams be pretty dark.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Quitters, I mean pretty dark. Close. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Let alone, if you power ranked quarterbacks, I bet ten
of them are in the top thirteen.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah. We are way over. I'm sure break here, so
we'll continue talking about this when we come back. He
has Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lalli. We are live
from the upmc rooney Sports Complex, where the Steelers are
completing OTA Session number five, and we will be back
with more here on ESPN nine seventy and Steelers Nation
Radio right after this. Welcome back. I'm Dale Ali. He
(41:19):
is Matt Williamson. This is a special edition Up the
Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy.
We are live from the Steelers Ota Sessions here at
the upmc rooney Sports Complex, and Matt just to follow
up on some of the things we were just talking
about there with ranking the AFC and one of the
reasons why I you know, I think, you know, the
(41:41):
Steelers are certainly going to be in things this year,
certainly in the mix. I'm looking here at Warren Sharp
Sharp Football Analysis dot Com the twenty twenty three strength
of schedule.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Right, And I've explained this to people before, but he
doesn't do this off of last year's winning percentage, which
is so dumb to me.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Green Bay doesn't have Rogers anymore together, they're a little different.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
This is all based off of what Vegas's win totals
are for next year and then you figure out the average. Yah,
just smart.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Uh. He is the Steelers at number eight schedule.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yeah, that's up.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Going down that list, you have the Saints at one,
the Falcons at two.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
That whole divisions the play each other.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Carolina at four, San Francisco at five, Chicago at six,
Houston at seven. Okay, Pittsburgh at eight, Tennessee at nine,
the Seahawks at ten.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
I heard a lot of bad teams in there, Yeah,
you know what I mean, And some of it's because
the South all play each other and they're all bad.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
A lot of teams helps a lot of teams. The
Steelers also happened to play. They also happened to play. Yeah,
so I'm sure this is where you're going with this.
But we just did this exercise where we power ranked
the AFC and we had the Steelers seventh, right.
Speaker 2 (42:50):
Eight eight, we have seven, we have seven seven. They
could end up as the tenth best team, but be
a playoff team. Yeah, you know what I mean, because
like I'm saying, like maybe the Bills, Jets, Dolphins are
better football teams than the Steelers. And I'm sure you'll
get to this.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
It's not much like the Giants last year, right right right?
Nobody thought that, I mean, outside of New York, nobody
thought the Giants were any good.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
No, and it's not.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
They got a good matchup in the first round and
they went out and they beat the Vikings, and the
Vikings they were waiting to be beaten.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Yeah, yeah, they were ripe.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
But they weren't a great football team, no, but they
stacked a bunch of wins because of the schedule.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
So I'm sure this is where you're going with this.
But the teams with the hardest schedule, Like, I can't
imagine three teams coming out of the afcast.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
And here's why.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
Here's why.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Right, The toughest schedule in the league this year belongs
to the New England Patriots brutal. The second toughest schedule
the Raiders. Okay, maybe we should have figured the factor
dead and when we were talking about.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Her, Yeah, but we were just talking about how good
they are. We weren't predicting, you know, win lost record.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
At thirty are the Dolphins. Yeah, At twenty nine are
the Bills. At twenty eight are the Chiefs. Twenty seven
is the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
So one thing I know for sure is the AFC
East has to play the NFC East, which would be
my least favorite NFC team or division to play. Yeah,
there's two really tough games teams.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Yeah, the two teams that are not easy to play.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Yeah, and the AFC East has to play the NFC East,
which are probably the two. I mean, AFC North would
be bad too, but that's eight very difficult non division games,
and your division's awful.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
And because if you finished higher, you have to play
you know, as you mentioned the Chiefs, the Bills, they
all play each other.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
All the top goals do. Right, if I'm just talking
about the AFC East in general has two really difficult
divisions that they have to play, not to mention their
own division is awful.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Yeah, the twenty six schedule is the Jets, and you
get the Vikings and you get Commanders. The Broncos are
at twenty three, the Cardinals are at twenty two, which
is really bad for them, and then you get the
Ravens and the Bengals are twenty and twenty one.
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Okay, So I'm just pulling up the schedule grid now
and I didn't realize this, but the same thing is true.
And I'm talking about this for AFC playoffs. Picture is
the AFC East and the AFC West both have to
play the NFC East.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
That doesn't happen. That can't be true.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
That's not true because Denver plays.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Watch that might be there, that might be their extra
game this year is against those teams. Yeah, they play.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Okay, the AFC East plays the NFC East. Yes, the
AFC or AFC West plays the NFC North, which is
better than the East in my opinion. I know this,
it's confusing.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
And the East and West and the AFC play each other,
so their non conference games are easier for the AFC
West teams, but they're still not easy. No.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
And plus your division games are really tough in both
those divisions.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
No, By the way, the Steelers have by far the
easiest schedule of any of the AFC teams, right right,
right right, Like Cleveland comes in at sixteen, directly in
the middle of the pack, the Steelers are at eight.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
And Warren doesn't put numbers on this sharp. This is
just strictly the teams you're playing. Like this was before
the schedule even was released. But when you look at
the schedule, as we've broken down many times, there's.
Speaker 1 (46:19):
A lot of fuel pockets are.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
Really impressive too. Like I know, the one thing he
does is he goes by you know, how many games
are you at a rest advantage or a rest disadvantage.
And the Steelers are like eight or ninth best in
terms of have more rest than their opponent.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
For example, I've already seen things that Baltimore is going
to go to Europe. They're going to be going to England,
I believe, to play the Titans the week after they
play the Steelers. They're already talking about leaving sooner this
time around than they did the last I think they
went on Thursday. That's probably small last time. So how
many of those guys. It's going to be a big
divisional game against the Steelers. But you're thinking, Okay, we
(46:59):
got to get back. I got to get everything packed
because we're going to Europe for a week and it's
just and added distract is one more thing that's unusual,
you know.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
Or if I have a questionable guy for the Steeler game,
maybe I rest them because I know I'm gonna be
demanding on them the week after, you know, I mean
things like that.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
But and then they're playing the week the when they
come back like they're not, there's no buy right. That's
hard on them.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
So, you know, back to the power ranks in the AFC,
I think the Steelers have the things that they can't control.
You know, your schedule, who you play when you play
them is as favorable as anyone they're going to compete
against for wild card spots. Absolutely, and I'm not saying
they can't win a division, but you know, tie breakers
come down to wild all those things. Conference record, I mean,
(47:40):
the conference record killed them last year.
Speaker 1 (47:42):
Yeah, and they lost a lot of the tiebreakers to
those teams because they was the teams they were fighting with.
They don't play a bunch of those teams this year.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Like that's what be the like be the Jets thing.
The Jets are really really good, but man, they were
under five the conference record, or you know, they beat
the NFC teams, but you know they can't win tie breakers,
or it might be true for Miami as well or whomever.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Yeah, we gotta take another break here at the top
of the hour. He is Matt Williams and I am
dal Lallie. You're listening to a special edition of The
Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy.
We are live from the upmc roney Sports Complex, where
the Steelers are getting ready to wrap up their fifth
OTA session. We'll be joined us soon here thereafter by
a player supposed to be Isaac Samalu, the Steelers new
(48:24):
guard that they added from the Philadelphia Eagles. Here we'll
sit down and talk with him for a little bit
here looking forward to that. Don't you go anywhere. You're
here on your home for the best Steelers coverage ESPN
nine seventy and Steelers Nation Radio
Welcome to this special edition of The Drive on Steelers days.
Obviously we're still having some minor technical difficulties. We're setting
the runner a second on that one. Yeah, yeah, I
can't even I flinched my head. He is Matt Williamson.
(00:20):
I am Dale. Lalla. You're listening to this special edition
of The Drive here from the upmc rooney Sports Complex
where the Steelers are partaking in OTA number five here
on the field in front of us at the upmc
roney Sports Complex. And one, Matt, lots of stuff happening
around the league, and well here with the Steelers as
(00:41):
well as guys get through this. The big thing that
you don't want to happen this time of year is
for somebody to get hurt.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, of course, most player news is bad player news. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I mean I always joke or you know, kind of
laugh to myself when you hear reports of this guy's
running with the two, this guy is going to be
the starter, this guy's in the best shape of his life.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Everybody's in the best shape, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
All the guys are coming back from injury full force
and all that kind of stuff makes me chuckle. But
the injury thing is really the headlines that I really
pay attention to around the league. You know, if somebody
went down, it's like, oh man. But that being said,
before we get into that kind of stuff, the environment
here today is rocket. I mean, it's I've been really
impressed with all the just the environment here. You know
(01:25):
that it's a lot of high energy. We've had great
weather and a lot of people around. It's buzzing. You know,
it's a fun place to be right now.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yeah, and you know the players seem to be enjoying themselves.
A lot of new faces here with the Steelers, a.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Lot of work getting done, but a lot of smiles too,
you know, I mean, you know, they're enjoying themselves.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Interesting thing about the Steelers this year, Matt eighteen returning.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Starters Okay, I haven't thought about this, Okay, but.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Not all eighteen of those starters are going to be starters.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So you're saying eighteen starters from last year are back
on the team, correct, But that doesn't mean Dann Moore
Junior is gonna be a starter.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Or Kevin Dotson or things like that.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, So that's the baseline though, right, and you assume
that if they lose their starting job.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
It's because somebody got better. Somebody better is here.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
An upgrade but made right. That's an interesting way of
looking at it. I mean that adds up. You know,
who knows what the cornerback situation will shakeout or exactly
how the O line will shake out, but chances are
it's going to be better.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, you're not. You're not putting somebody in there because
he's worse than the guy you're bringing back, who is
a starter for you.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
I mean, maybe cornerback's a bad example by me because
Sutton would be starting probably if he was back. You know,
he's one of those guys.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Let's talk about Levi Wallace because nobody ever does nobody.
People seem to just be coming with the idea that
somehow Joey Porter Junior is gonna start, He's gonna be
He's going to day one, he's gonna be outside opposite
Patrick Peterson, and that's the way it's going to be.
And I don't know that that's going to be the case.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I don't know what it is either. I mean, I
think it's probably safe to say at this stage of
his career, Ederson is going to be a starter when
there are two corners.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
He's going to be on the field. He's going to
be on the.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Field, which leaves one in a nickel and whatnot. So
to say Porter as good a prospect as he is,
I think he was better than the thirty second player
in this draft, and I think most.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
People would agree with that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That doesn't mean he's going to beat out the incumbent
who's been around the block. And I know fantasy football
doesn't apply to defense and especially corners, but those people
that play in like idp leagues, individual defensive players. You
want rookie corners because they they get a million tackles
because everyone attacks them like crazy. I mean, that's a
(03:37):
rough spot as a rookie if you're the fifth pick
in the draft.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
But Levi Wallace last year, if you look at what
he did, the reason why a Kello Weatherspoon wasn't playing
and then became a little bit obsolete obsolutely, yeah, it
was because Levi Wallace played pretty well last year.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, right, right right. I mean my thoughts on it.
When they made those two signings, they were basically they
were identical contracts. From what I remember, they both are
longer outside corners. It was kind of a one bone
two dogs mentality or really good backup for whoever.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Loses a job.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
But nobody seems to give Wallace any credit for having
a quality season. People want to give Witherspoon a hard
time for kind of falling out of the picture a
little bit, but no one wants to say, well, there's
a reason for that because Wallas played well.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
In Levi and Wallace. You're talking about a guy who,
over the last four seasons has ten interceptions at the
cornerback position, including four last year. Yeah, he had thirteen
pass defenses last year.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I don't think I would have got that trivia question,
you know, like how many interceptions as Wallace have last year.
I'd been like, yeah, I can think I'd come up
with two. Like he's just under the radar.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, and that seems like that's the story of his career.
You're right, right, wrote I wrote a big piece on
him on Steelers dot Com earlier this offseason. He had
no Division one, not just no no minor Division one offers.
He had no Division one offers, and I think he
had one Division two offer. Coming out of high school
(05:04):
was a small school. Oh it's it's in Tucson. Arizona.
It's like it's a hotbed. It's a big school in Tucsa.
Like so, but he had no offers. His family, his
dad was from Tuscaloose, Alabama, and they grew up Tide
fans and he grew up his dad actually worked at
the stadium. Yeah, and so he always wanted to go.
(05:27):
They were huge Alabama fans. They still had family there
his his both of his parents were in the military.
So that's that's why that's how they ended up in Tucson.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
You also love to hear his parents in the military,
both of them.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, not just one both, you know, mom and dad
were military formidable years. Yeah, and so they wind up
in Tucson, but they still would go back because they
had family in Tuscaloos. And so, you know, he went
to Alabama games. He had the Alabama posters on his wall. Yeah.
So because the parents were in the military, he had
(05:57):
some g I bill stuff and things of that nature,
so he could he could afford to get you know,
pay the out of state tuition. And after Smester, well,
first of all, you know, he goes to college and
right before he leaves for school, they find out his
dad as als oh I didn't know that part of
the story. Wow, yeah, okay, And so you know he
was He's like, I don't know if I want to
go to school, I might want to stay here with
(06:17):
my d he's the oldest son. Yeah. Dad's like, no,
you're going to go to school. You're gonna go you all,
you know, we've always wanted you to go to Alabama.
You're going to go to Alabama. And he's that freshman year.
He's not playing football, obviously.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Was he even on the team?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Student? Just a student, he's a civilian, and you know, obviously,
you know, there was concerns about the you know, his
dad and all that stuff. His dad talks him, you know,
he missed football, and his dad says, why don't you go,
Why don't you try to walk on the football team
at Alabama? Walk on the football team at Alabama. Let's
just go walk on to the team that you know,
we're talking about Alabama with make a Fitzpatrick in the
(06:58):
secondary this height, yeah, this this is a soup. I mean,
five star recruits across the board in the secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And real quick, you know, like my time next door
here at Pitt we maybe had two or three walk
ons during those three years that went on to eventually
on a scholarship and legit playing time, you know, and
it's easier to do it next door than it is.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
A bam bam yeah Bama. Right, So he goes out,
tries out for the team as a walk on, makes
the team.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
To be honest, those guys don't get a fair shake.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No, no, you're you're you're fodder.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Euros at Akron we needed walk ons. Yeah, and there
was like fifty kids and you know, I was in
charge of I couldn't scout fifty.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Kids in two hours your time and are here's here's
just look of for athletic traits.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I probably screwed a kid that didn't deserve it. You
got to put a kid on the team that did, didn't,
you know what I mean? Like, that's that's that's a
tough prost.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Somebody who showed up that was you know, six five
and three hundred pounds, you're on the team.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Has like we need some guys that are tackling dummies
during the week. Yeah, and there's not enough of them.
So that's a tough gig even in itself.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
The day before or the night before his first spring
game at Alabama, again, he's made the he's made the walk,
made it as a walk on.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
They haven't had a regular season, they have not. It's
his first time in pads play.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
His dad dies, wow, you know, and they didn't they
you know, He goes, he goes through with the you know,
the spring game and all that stuff, and lo and
Behold works his way up the depth chart to where
two years later he's starting games.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
At Alabama and became a scholarship.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Player, and became a scholarship player and was a starter,
a full time starter his senior year on a national
championship team.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So that's what folks to realize this. So for him
to become a scholarship player means you're not giving one
to a four or five star record.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, you know, and in your Alabama they all want
to come, yeah, play for you.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It's not like you have a hard time getting kids.
Yeah right, So I mean that's one, like it's like
giving up a second round draft.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
But he's lining up I like, you know, he's he's
lining up opposite of Maury Cooper, He's lining up against
Calvin Ridley in practice. You know, he and so because
he's the practice squad guy basically and he said that
made him. Yeah, that made him better, and he made
those guys better, and and just the coaching staff recognized that.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And and for people don't know, I mean, and this
goes back to Manka in particular why we love Brian
Brandt so much. Saban is notoriously very difficult on his
defensive back. I mean, his background was a defensive back coach,
then defensive coordinator, and then all time great head coach.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
But Saban called him the technician, Okay, I mean he's
like he said, he's one of the best walk ons
we've ever had at Alabama.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
You know, he didn't make mistakes. He didn't make mistakes.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
And his NFL career has been much the same. Yea,
he goes undrafted. He ran into the four six is
you know, coming out of the at the combine, and
he's a skinnier guy and he's a skinny He was
a lighter guy, but the length. Yeah, but obviously it's
a trade with the Steelers, right, I mean, his arms
don't stop, and so he goes, he goes undrafted, he
(10:05):
signs with the Buffalo Bills, comes a starter in Buffalo.
He started seven games as a true rookie, in.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Buffalo and that was a good defense his whole stint there.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, and then they couldn't get him out of the
starting lineup. Like all he's done is succeed everywhere he's gone,
and people are ready to say, oh, he's not going
to be a starter for the Steelers this year. There's
no way I'm saying that about that guy. Yeah, yeah,
no way.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
History shows another story which isn't a knock on Porter
at all or no those guys. But I mean he
might have three caliber starters instead of half.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Honestly, I mean if you if you look at Levi
Wallace and you look at Joey Levi and now he's
a shade over six to one Wallace. If well, if
he were six too, he would look like Joey Porter. Yeah.
But the arm length and those kind of those those
traits are are the same. You know. By the way,
(10:58):
he never misses any tackles. Yeah, despite technicians. Yeah, I
mean just he missed four tackles all of last season.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
And speed and size is great and he does have size,
but he doesn't have a lot of thickness to him. Yeah,
but if you are a really good technician at that position,
you can get away with average speed.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
You know. Again, with the longer arms and things, it
makes it harder for the quarterbacks to throw over you.
Even if you're behind by a step, you're really not
behind because you've got that.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Covered if you understand route recognition really well and those
type of things, and length goes a long way. And boy,
the Steelers aren't even hiding it. I mean, this goes
over a two year stint they want. I mean all
the corners can ride the ride. Yeah, they're all six
foot ish long, including Witherspoon. You know, it's including Grys,
you know. I mean, all these guys are king size corners.
(11:43):
It's no secret what's going on here. So here's the
thing with Levi Wallace. In his five seasons in the NFL,
he has allowed more than sixty more than a fifty
eight percent completion percentage once really for a season that
was his second year. Last year's fifty three point two percent. Really, Okay,
the passer rating against him was seventy three. That's a
(12:07):
number I can understand better. I'm a stat nerd, but
I don't know what fifty three completion percentage ranks against
the rest of the league. I know it's pretty good. Yeah,
but I can't. I don't know if it's great. They're
just really good. But I mean, if every time the throw,
every time the passer lets the ball go your direction,
you're giving up a passer rating a seventy three, that's
really hot, that's well above average. Not that the other
(12:30):
numbers wrong. I just don't quite understand it as well
as I should.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
I mean, so I just don't understand what makes no
sense at all. I just don't understand how people are like, well,
we got to get he's not gonna mean a starting
lineup again. Well, fifty three percent completion percentage last year,
four interceptions, a seventy three percent or seventy three passer rating.
I'm not looking to necessarily move that guy out of
the starting lineup now.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And the way I look at it is, well, if
he's in the starting lineup, that certainly is not an
indictment on Porter or anyone else.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
No, he's gonna be a hard guy to get off
the front. This guy is just survived.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
He's like a cockroach, and much like Saban, coach Tomlin
has a big time defensive back background, and he's gonna
love the technicians and the trustworthy guys, and I bet
they don't want the the Marcus Peters or the.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Big chance takers.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah yeah, I mean I don't need the mistakes, you know.
I mean, we'll make big plays on our own. But
if he isn't in the lineup.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That makes Porter did really win.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah, because there's a constant here, you know. I mean,
there's a guy that you know what you're gonna get
from him, and he has a baseline. And if Porter
beats that baseline, you're really in good shape. But if
he doesn't, it's not like you're not in good shape, right,
I mean.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah, so I just look at that. I think people
are completely discounting Levi Wallace. Yeah, he's an easy guy
to forget.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, it's been forgotting since he was sixteen year right.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
It still overcomes he just he just keeps finding a
way to persevere. You know. By the way, he's twenty
eight years old. It's not like he's over the hill
or anything of that nature. But he's playing a lot
of football. He started like he has started basically. Yeah. Yeah,
he has been a starter basically since day one in
the NFL, and you can't get him out of the lineup.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
I don't know this, and I should. I think the
answer is no. But he's not a heavy special team er,
I don't think. But he almost had to be at Bama.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Well he played, so yeah, he he played sixty five
special team snaps last year. Okay, so that's not very many,
seventeen percent of the special team So he did some,
but not your starting he's starting quarterback. I mean, you're
not gonna throw him at I mean he may have
him gone out there and a kick return or kick
kick off every once in a while, or you may
send him out there and I'm.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Sure he could be a gunner or whatever. Yeah, I
just didn't know off the top of my head how
much he had played. I knew it was not a
core you know, every snap type of dude, no games.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
You know, But you try not to do that with
you know, some of those starters, especially at a premium
quarterbacks of premium position, it is you. They're not easy
to find. No, you don't want you don't want to
put your starters out there at risks. Now that being said,
do I expect Joey Porter to play special teams this year? No?
I don't know. I think I think I think I think, yes,
(15:06):
you sent him out there. I think you're picking your
spots with him. M hmm.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
You bet he is not very I mean, I'm totally guessing,
but I bet he has very little experience out it too,
you know, just in state run.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
And I'm not I'm not positive of what Levi Wallace's snapcot.
My guess would be coming off the edge on field
goals and yeah, okay, yeah, extra points. That's that's probably
where he's at. Yeah, I mean, because I want those
long arms.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's a good point. I was trying
to sit here and wrack my brain, like where does
sixty five snaps come from?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
It? Probably is field goal block? Yeah's out there in those,
ye Joe Hayden was always out there in those like.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
You know, I mean, and there is a skill to it,
don't get me wrong. Or punt block you know, some
of those guys. But I don't think he's going to
be on the punt team or the kickoff teams. Probably
maybe neither one of them. Because contrary to popular belief,
this is you know, something I was always super impressed with,
like Betty Snell, these guys that learn how to become
core special teamers that never did it. People think that's easy,
just run down the field and blow somebody up. No,
(16:05):
there's you have.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
A job the deal. Yeah, you have a job to dealer.
You have a stay in your lane. You can't just
go find the football.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right, I mean, it's it's not just we'll throw a
porter out there because he's a better athlete than Wallace
or whomever. You gotta be good at it, yea. And
experience helps.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And in some cases you're kind of like you're it's
you're like a red shirt on Star Trek.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I don't know what that means.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
You're Lieutenant expendable. Okay, I'm not a Trek guy, believe
it or not. You know, the guy whoever beams down
to the planet with Kirk and Spock, he's wearing the
red shirt. In trouble, he's gonna die. He's a pot now, Yeah,
he's in trouble. You're gonna hear. You're gonna hear the
forest Buckers say he's dead.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Jim, it's not hard to figure out the Star Trek script. No, no, no,
it's the same thing, and somebody else goes down.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
About seventy percent of the time that guy dies he's
in trouble. I think Spock's safe, yeah, right, right right,
not killing Spock, except they did it in the in
the one movie, and then he came back so he
could do that. But you know, you know those guys
are expendable. Yeah, the Red Shirts are expendable. I got it.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
But Wallace, to me, is a great story. I'm glad
you brought him up because we have hardly talked about him.
No one talks about him.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
I see people just automatically assuming he's not going to
be in the starting lineup. I'm like, I'm not going
on that assumption at all.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
No, I mean selling him out, selling him short is
obviously a mistake. History shows at time and time again,
and I think they're really happy with him. But I
do think it was we have to get better than
that guy.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
If they weren't happy with that guy, if they weren't
happy with him, or they thought there was something they
thought he might not be that guy, they don't cut
a kellow weatherspoon. Right, you take that to the camp
and you okay, we got two again, much like they
did last year. You got one spot here for two guys, right,
and you let those two fight it out. Well that's
(17:48):
not what they did. They they know, we're just gonna
cut Witherspoon.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
And there were some cap ramifications that were helping, but
you could.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Have waited down the road to do that. It was
only like four million, four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Needed Dart a second. No, and by no means so
I think that they went into the draft saying we
have to draft two outside corners.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
No.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I think there was a guy with had a fourth
round grade in the seventh round, like.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, you had lead to you had to take Corey Trumps.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, I mean we have a really big, really
full cornerback room, but this guy's way beyond the best
guy on our board.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lallie. You're
listening to a special edition of The Drive here on
Steelers Nation Radio. We are live from the Steelers Ota
session here at the upmc rooney Sports Complex, and we
will be back with more right after this. Welcome back.
(18:38):
I am Dale Lalli. He is Matt Williams, and this
is a special edition of The Drive here live from
the upmc rooney Sports Complex here on Steelers Nation Radio
and ESPN nine seventy The Steelers taking part in OTA
number five. That means we're half time. We're halfway through the.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
OTA set halftime.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah, they'll have ninety three next week Monday, I'm sorry, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Uh.
Then they'll break up for that weekend and come back
for the mandatory mini camp and that.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Will be it a nice little break, but little.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Break, and then it's on the training camp. As we
mentioned yesterday yesterday show, we're one hundred days out from
n N ninety nine from the start of the regular season,
so it is within range.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
That's the Thursday night or right ninety nine.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
In wall start drinking them. Yep, yeah, absolutely, come quick.
I wanted to do a little a little project here, Matt.
All right, let's power rank the AFC. Okay, we got
some stuff going on here in front of us, like
distractions that is in my brain a little bits making
me a little crazy.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
But I can't comment on it.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
It's making me nuts. So we'll do we'll do.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I think the easiest way to do it is start
the boss starts the bottom. Okay, So who's your sixteen.
I think there's three candidates for it, Okay. I think Tennessee,
Houston and the Raiders I think you're lower on the
Colts than I am.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
I know who I have at sixteen.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Though, Okay, who's your sixteen.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Sixteen for me is the Titans. I think they're going
to be awful. I do too.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I think I'm gonna go with Houston though. I think
the Titans defense is the best unit of the group.
And I think for Able wins two that he shouldn't.
I mean, it's a tough he.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Gets that team the six wins this year, he should
be coaching coach of the Year. He really should. I
just think they're going to be awful.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I also think a very underrated player that I never
give enough credit is Ryan Tannehill. I mean I think
he's I think he's shot. I mean, I think he's
better than Garoppolo. I think we'll have a better year
than Stroud.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
You know, let me just call it their depth chart.
It's brutal. You tell me rule, you tell me how
they do anything, especially the offense.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I mean the offense is it's alm as bad as
the Rams defense, but it's really bad.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Like they bought this wide receiver group, like they need
Burks to be a guy and Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook
atkinne Kyle Phillips. That's their starting three. Oh my god,
Racy McMath, Colton Dollwell, Chris. They signed Chris Moore. Chris
Moore is their big offseason sign.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
He's gonna play for them, He's gonna play a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Yeah. Uh that offensive line. You got Andre Dillard.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
At left tack, who they vastly overpaid.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Peter Scaranski at left guard.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Nice pick, that's one of Yeah, if they finally got
a building.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Block, Aaron Brewer at center mm hmm, Daniel Brunskill at
right guard, and Nicholas Petite free Air at right tack.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
He had a rough rookie year two.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
That's a bad offensive bad offensive line, it really is.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I do like chick a lot, okay, and like he'll
be on my fantasy teams because everybody else is.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Somebody else is gonna have somebody has ketch the.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Ball, somebody sketch a ball. I don't know Derek Henry
last season. I mean, if I'm the Bills, I'm calling
about him or the Chiefs or somebody like that.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I didn't love Will Levis coming out, and if they
turned things over to Levis at some point, where are
the wins coming at I.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Know, I know, but the defense is respectable. I mean
we're splitting hairs. I mean, Titans. I don't think the
Texans are good, you know, I mean.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Yeah, so they get Jeffrey Simmons, was like, yeah, yeah,
Harold Andry Off an injury, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
They have a couple of defections though too.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Yeah. I mean I just like that secondary Christian Fulton, cornerback,
Sean Murphy Bunning. They still Rodger McCreery, Byard is still there. Byard,
he could be it. He's older than you think.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
He could be a trade candidate too. Yeah, I think
you could get him with not super expensive. But that's
just a bad football it is.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I just think their offense there are the one team
I just saw this stat so the Ravens. We know,
we see the Ravens twice a year, of course, how
how little they throw the football. This is the one
team that throws it fewer times than the Ravens over
the last two or three years.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
And they're gonna be playing from behind too.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
A lot, a lot a lot. I think it's a
bad football team. Oh I do too. I mean, I'm
not really bad football team. I think, like, is it
worse than Houston.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Well, you might have convinced.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Let's call up Houston's.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Houston's offenses looks good on paper. Yeah, their defenses.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
So they're their skill position players on offense. Robert Woods, I.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Mean, he's like the Titans could use Robert Woods.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yeah, I mean, and they went down that road with
John Maychie, who was a washed last year.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Yeah, but there's been really good news about him. Yeah,
back to full clear apparently.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah. Nico Collins, who he's.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Kind of a breakout guy for me.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah, I like Nico. You got Noah Brown from Dallas
who did some did some stuff last year. They drafted
Dell pretty high, the little tank Dell. Yeah, Steven Simms
is there.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Okay, he might not make that team. I mean they
have good receiver guys. Yeah, they don't have a star,
but they have NFL receivers.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah. Their offensive line. To me, I look at their
offensive line, it is far better, far better, far better.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's it's a mediocre offensive line.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You got Laramie Tuns at left tack, Kenyon Green at
left guard.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
He struggled, but the first round. Picking a second year,
you know, you have high, high hopes.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You're looking at Juice Scruggs probably at center. I thought
they drafted him too high, but it's it's starting center,
Shack Mason at right guard, and Titus Howard at right tackle.
It's I mean they got they used there's draft capital
used there there.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Yeah, they build a little bit of an s for Shroud.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Yeah they really have. You got Dalton Schultz at tight end. No,
I know you don't love him.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Well, he's better than I mean, he's he's a quality starter.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yeah. You got Damian Pierce at running.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Back and they signed what's his face?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
They singletary as well, So I mean that's a nice
one too, bunch. And he got Mike Boone there, who's
I forgot. He's not bad.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And frankly, Davis Mills is a pretty good backup too.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Yeah, and you got CJ. Stroud on defense? He added,
Will you got Sheldon Rankins? Yeah, okay, Malie Collins at
the other defensive tackle spot, and Jonathan Greenard at the
right defensive.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Starting to get some bodies in front. Greener's not a
bad player, no, no, And what they want to do
is have a Niner like rotation there. Yeah, they're gonna
I bet next year there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Of d line linebacker. It's uh Christian Harris who was
the third round pick last year, Denzel Perryman in the middle,
and uh Corey Littleton on on the strong side.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
That group really worries me, but more so for this
team than most because Damiko Ryans has asked more of
his linebackers than anybody. I mean, he wants Red Warner
and yeah, they don't have anything close to that.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
You know they did. They did draft Henry too too though. Yeah,
maybe he's gonna play facts.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Him and Harris are gonna have to show themselves.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Cornerback, he got Steven Nelson, who's okay. Yeah, with Derek Stingley,
Stingley and Petrick that's and then you got Petrie and
Jimmy Ward at the safety positions.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I'll definitely give you Ward's gonna be their leader. He's
their niner bring over. You know, he's a glue guy.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
I mean, Petre is a good young player. They had
aie year two, and I think Stingley has a chance
to be a star.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
I'll definitely give you it's a better roster than Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, it just depends on the rookie quarterback. But I'm
not sure that. You know, five games into the season,
the Titans aren't starting a rookie quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh, I think he's gonna play and play early. Yeah,
and I think Tannahill might end up in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Right, you know? Yeah, So I mean I that I'll
put the Titan sixteen. Who else you're talking about? The Raiders.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I think the Raiders are in contention.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Let's look at that Raiders roster. The d is rough. Yeah.
So you get DeVante Adams, you gets you Kobe Myers,
you got Hunter Renfro wide receiver. That's fine.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, that's a good group. And Mayer looks like a
good young tight end.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah. Okay, so the skill position guys are okay, you
got Austin Hooper there as well, or too right, right, Yeah,
so they've got guys, but you're counted on Jimmy g
We don't know if.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
He plays quarterback situation.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yeah, with Brian Hoyer behind him, right, and Aiden o'connor'connell.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Ye, it's one of the worst in the league. To me,
I don't think it's much different than Tampa's.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah. The offensive line, Colton Miller, who's a good player.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
They like some of these linemen more than the general
public realizes. There's some not household names here, but they
seem pretty content with them, so it's not quite as
bad as it sounds.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
But it's not good. Dylan Parham is at the left
guard spot, Andre James at center, Alex Bars at right guard,
and Jermaine Iluminare.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
That's one of the dudes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Right. It's not a great line. I mean the Texans
have a better line. Yeah, the Texans have a better
line now. On the defensive side of things, this is
where it's right. You got Max Crosby, who's a star.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
In the first round pick from yeah what we call.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
But they're counting on Jerry Jerry Tillery and Balal Nichols
on the interior.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Tillary has been a total wash out.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Yeah, not good. You have Chandler Jones. We'll see what
they get out of him this year. And they drafted
Tyree Wilson.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I said the edge guys are good. Yeah. Uh. At
the linebacker weak side linebackers, Robert Splain, Yeah, yeah. The
middle linebacker is Divine Diablo who was a strong safety
in college, and then Duke Shelley at left. Uh. They're
only listing two linebackers here in the corner. Yeah. So
(27:56):
the corners, they.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
I guess they're.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Listening to Nickel. They have Rubbins splain out there is
their nickel. Y ikes. Yeah. So cornerback you get Duke Shelley,
he got David Long and then the Nichols Nate Hobbs
not good with Marcus Evans, Marcus Epsen, Trayvon Mowrigg as
your safety tandem.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Mo Rigg's one the only guy I like on the defense.
It's not at the end. Yeah, put them fourteen.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Though, I like I like some of the offensive pieces,
Like the skill position guys aren't bad. You get Josh
Jacobs at running back. You could run them football.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
H Yeah, depending their skill guys are way better than
the Texans are tight.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
I think Tannehill's noticeably better than Garoppolo, especially if a
factor and durability.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I don't know, I mean Ryan Tannehills last couple of
years have not been.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
I don't know he's the problem there. I kind of
feel like he's a bit of a scapegoat. I'm not
saying he's the answer either, but.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
He's also older, a lot older than people.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
He came in a league older. Yeah, and he was
he's from the Andrew Luck class.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
I mean, but to me, they're clearly the bottom three teams.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Yeah, I think so. Looking at Tanney Hills, he started
twelve games last year. They were six and six in
the twelve games.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
I did a lot better when he was in as
opposed to but I mean they were also playing Patrick Willis. Yeah,
with all respect of Josh Dobbs, he's a journeyman in the.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
You know, but he had thirteen touchdown passes, six interceptions
the year before that, twenty one touchdown passes, fourteen interceptions,
thirty seven hundred yards. Like if Kenny Pikett had thirty
seven hundred yards with twenty one touchdown passes and fourteen interceptions,
I'm gonna pass on that. That's his number door number two. Yeah. Yeah,
But somehow they went twelve and five in news games.
(29:33):
Well not somehow, Derrick Henry was otherworldly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yeah, And I think Vrabel's a good coach, and they
were good on defensive special teams and winning the margins.
And they're not beating people thirty to nothing though.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
No, No, I just look at it. I got I
gotta put them last. I agree to me.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
You convinced me. I mean I was torn between them
and the Texans. I think one team's going.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, I think they're going opposite directions, and this might
be the year that they passed each pass passing the night.
Could we agree on the Raiders at fourteen? I think
we can. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would. I would put
the Raiders on the next.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
See to me, though, this is how the AFC really
gets impressive, because I think there's thirteen good teams. Yeah,
I mean good. I'm not saying the Super Bowl content.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Like if they were in the if they were in
the NFC.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I might pick they would be they would be a
car team.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Yeah, they would be the Denvers and Patriots and even
the Colts and these type of teams that we're gonna
be talking about soon. They're not bad bad though, So
we're putting the Raiders and then the Texans. Yeah, Texans
are fifteen, Raiders are fourteen. Okay, Texans and Raiders.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Right, Are we gonna fight over Texans?
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Raiders? Do that? Okay? Okay? So yeah, I don't have
a problem with put making two teams from the same
division the worst. No.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
It also wouldn't blow my doors off of the Raiders
end up the first overall pick.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
I mean no, no, I mean they might feel bad.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
O'Connell, you know, right, yeah if if they the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Situation, Uh, to me, then the next team, and you're
gonna fight me on this, I know it. I mean
it's the Colts.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I don't know that I will fight you, but I
think they can win that division.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
It's either the Cults or the Patriots or Denver or Denver.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Yeah, yeah, it's not an AFC North team to me. See,
I don't know that I'll fight you. I just think
they're better than you think they are. But that in
this conference, that doesn't mean they're not thirteen.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Right, Like if they were in the if they were
in the NFC South, I.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Might pick them to win the division.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, they would be. They would be a contender.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
My case for the Colts is you get Leonard back.
It's still a high quality defense. You know that's not great,
but they don't make a lot of mistakes Buckner. They
have some young edge guys. Some of their defensive backs
are good players. Leonard was a big loss for them
last year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I think the.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Defense will be middle of the pack, maybe slightly better.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
I mean, we're talking about a team that's probably going
to be the second place team in the AFC South.
That wouldn't be would you put them? Maybe they're battling
for the fourth spot or the third, but in the West.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Right right, I mean that's where they are. I mean
I could see them winning seven or eight games. And
I also think they're running game in a Bears like
fashion last year.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
It could be really hard to play against.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Like imagine if the Bears said Jonathan Taylor, you know,
and and I don't dislike their weapons, that they're not great,
but Pittman, Piers Downs, it's okay. I'm cool with them
at thirteen though. It's also I'm always gonna give a
rookie head coach the non benefit.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Of the That's the thing we just don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, I'm not always going to vote against them.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
So which team is in above them? Or just about
a Denver or New England? I think I'm going to
give two good head coaches.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Yeah, where do you give the quarterback edge? I think
I give to Denver and speculation.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
I think Wilson and the skill position guys, and I
think they have they haven't. Their defensive pieces are better overall.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Now, I'll fight you on that. I think the Patriots
defense is going to be elite this year.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Elite, elite, elite, elite.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
That's my fantasy target defense.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
My last year one was the Packers. Last year it
was horrible. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Now, I just think they have a ton of dudes
and a lot of versatility and guys like are way
better than people realize because they're part time players. I
love their defense, and I bet their special teams won't
be the worst in the league again, there's no chance
of that. And I don't think their offense will be
the worst in the league again because of the coaching
and but Denver I think is would be noticing better too.
(33:25):
They're gonna run the football, They'll play good. D Peyton's
a great coach. I mean, I think people think he's overrated,
but I think they're nuts. I can flip a coin
on that. If you want to go Patriots below them,
I'm cool, I think so. I mean, there's not a
lot of star power there, that's sure.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
There really isn't. So Broncos. Yeah, now is where it
gets really difficult.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Right, These are good teams. So it's just when I
do these things, I start from the bottom and then
I get in a bind like this.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
And who's the best team.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
I think you have to see the Chiefs, right, Yeah,
I mean from Mahomes you the super Bowl champs. They
have holes in the roster, but that quarterback is unbelievable
and it's coming off his best year and could be
only getting better.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Who's number two is Cincinnati?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I think I'm willing to say since he's ahead of Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I think I think I'm there too. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
I mean it's been two pretty extremely impressive seasons back
to back, and I don't see a lot of holes
on that roster either.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I mean, if we're gonna talk about coaching and things,
I think Cincinnati falls a little short.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
But Bill's three. Yeah, are we sold on that? No?
I can see it's being a slightly down year for them.
You could see a step backwards. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
But I also I think you have to remember.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Alan had that elbow injury.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
I think it was on national TV. Yeah, in the
world saw it and thought his season might be over,
and he really gutted it out and was not quite
the same.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
And he's not the only one too played through injuries
last year. I mean, like Herbert was another one, and
a lot of these guys, but Allen and when he's
healthy is okay.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
We got nine teams on the board here that are left, No,
we have nine on our on our board ranked, So
who's four for you? Four for me?
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I think this is where we're gonna fight.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Yeah, I mean this is this is where the grouping
gets into. Like these next five teams are like, there's
six teams whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Would you put these if we tiered these?
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Would you say there's the top three? I don't know
if the Bills are still in that tier.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I don't either. One thing that's really fun about the AFC, though,
is the Bills, Bengals, Chiefs, and the Jags to some extent,
they have a fun quarterback. We're all first place teams,
so they're gonna have a round robin tournament. They're all
gonna play each other. So that makes for a lot
of fun viewing for us.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Uh, I think the Bills are clearly three though, whether
we want to put them.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Into I would put my I would put Miami in
that group right there. I think if I trusted to.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
I think Miami is my four. I thought that's where
we're gonna fight, would you? I think I have Miami
over the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Yeah, I do too.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
I have much better defense, have them over the Jets.
But you could convince me either way.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
I mean, if Rogers was a dolphin, I don't know
if I'm ever going to trust the Jets.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Yeah, they don't win many games.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
They just the whole winning of the game thing is
a problem. It's an issue. They build some teams, they
don't they take the they take the reservation.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Right right, That's the important part is keeping it. Yeah,
I think you can't discount the Ravens. I mean, there's
some turmoil there and we're hard on him, on them
on these airways.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Think the defense, Like, if I'm looking at these teams,
I can't put Like we talked about it yet yesterday,
the Ravens defense is the worst defense in the ANFC North.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I agree with that too. So I think Miami is
my four.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Okay, we'll go with Miami. I don't I don't have
a problem with that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Would you pick Jets versus Ravens. I'm not saying that
has to be the five, But if you had to
compare those two are Georgia just those two in their
own vacuum.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
I would probably go They're like polar opposites. They really are.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
You know, I don't trust the Jets, but I like
their roster. Their defense is better, The quarterbacks couldn't be
any different. Coaching staffs can be any more different.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
You don't trust the Chargers in that group.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I was gonna that was gonna be. The next question
is where do you put the winner of that conversation
versus Chargers.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
I'm gonna be pretty low in the Chargers. I think
I am too. I'm gonna be low. I'm lower on Jacksonville.
I think they're gonna win that division by default. But
I don't know they're great. They're not a great football
About this people putting the cart before the horse with
them and making them a top ten overall team, I
don't see it.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
We talk a lot, obviously, I think I'm not trying
to speak for you, but I bet we could put
the Jags as the lowest remaining slot right there. Yeah,
like the Patriots and Denver. Yeah, I mean, I don't
care if they're the best team in their division. Yeah,
I think of the open slots, they go in the
worst spot.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Yeah, that makes I have no issue.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
I think you pull them out of the equation then
for this middle tier.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
And after the I think I think Cleveland's in that
conversation as well.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
You think Cleveland's right ahead of Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Yeah, yeah, because again that the trust factor is just
not right. I don't trust them to get it right.
I'm gonna really hold that against the Chargers, like right
if they I mean, I mean they did go to
Jacksonvill last year and completely blow that football. They've had
a three touchdown lead and.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Blew it Adore Herbert and they were really hit hard
with injuries Slater, Bosa, j C. Jackson, who they gave
huge money. But it just seems like it's always the
same story thing.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, there's always something. It's gone back to Rivers, Special
Towns or whatever. Yea, they always have a great quarterback
and they don't ever win anything, can't keep Bosa on
the field or whatever it may be. Right, Yeah, So
Browns are Chargers, Chargers me too, Yeah, Chargers. Chargers are Steelers.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Steelers, but I think they're next. I'm gonna put the Steelers,
I think behind the Ravens and Jets. Okay, Dolphins, Okay,
so that so let's go. Let me go Ravens, Jets,
that's a tough one for me though.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
It's it's splitting hairs, There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Jets probably have the better roster.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Yeah, I think they do. Do they have the better quarterback?
I mean again talk I mean we're gonna say no,
we're talking apples and oranges, right, But.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
I think they have better weapons even though the Jets
or the Ravens did all the stuff. Yeah, pretty equal lines.
Jets have the better defense, Ravens have a much stronger
trust factor.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Taking the Steelers over the Chargers. I am okay, Chargers
and then Steelers. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
That's the only thing that's up in the air for me,
and is it's splitting hairs. Is Jets versus Ravens?
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah? Well, what we came up with here from top
to bottom Chiefs, Spangles, Bills, Dolphins, Ravens, Jets, Steelers, Chargers, Browns, Jaguars, Broncos, Patriots, Colts, Raiders, Texans,
and Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Question. Yes, if let's say let's say the Niners, Eagles,
and Cowboys are out of the equation, there's thirteen remaining
teams in the NFC. How many of those AFC teams
would be Number one? I think most like, I think
the Browns would.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
Be better than they'd be certainly that Steelers.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Would be, the Jags would be I mean certainly Miami
and the Jets and teams like that.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
Yeah, so are ten of them according to our rankings?
You're one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. We have
the Steelers as the seventh team seventeen. That would be
a playoff team.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Real quick, who's number ten on our list? Or where's
the Jagson ten? The Jags come in at ten. So
to my point, if I power ranked the top thirteen
teams in the league, I think ten of them would
be AFC teams be pretty dark.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Quitters, I mean pretty dark. Close. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Let alone, if you power ranked quarterbacks, I bet ten
of them are in the top thirteen.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah. We are way over. I'm sure break here, so
we'll continue talking about this when we come back. He
has Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lalli. We are live
from the upmc rooney Sports Complex, where the Steelers are
completing OTA Session number five, and we will be back
with more here on ESPN nine seventy and Steelers Nation
Radio right after this. Welcome back. I'm Dale Ali. He
(41:19):
is Matt Williamson. This is a special edition Up the
Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy.
We are live from the Steelers Ota Sessions here at
the upmc rooney Sports Complex, and Matt just to follow
up on some of the things we were just talking
about there with ranking the AFC and one of the
reasons why I you know, I think, you know, the
(41:41):
Steelers are certainly going to be in things this year,
certainly in the mix. I'm looking here at Warren Sharp
Sharp Football Analysis dot Com the twenty twenty three strength
of schedule.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Right, And I've explained this to people before, but he
doesn't do this off of last year's winning percentage, which
is so dumb to me.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Green Bay doesn't have Rogers anymore together, they're a little different.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
This is all based off of what Vegas's win totals
are for next year and then you figure out the average. Yah,
just smart.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Uh. He is the Steelers at number eight schedule.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yeah, that's up.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Going down that list, you have the Saints at one,
the Falcons at two.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
That whole divisions the play each other.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Carolina at four, San Francisco at five, Chicago at six,
Houston at seven. Okay, Pittsburgh at eight, Tennessee at nine,
the Seahawks at ten.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
I heard a lot of bad teams in there, Yeah,
you know what I mean, And some of it's because
the South all play each other and they're all bad.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
A lot of teams helps a lot of teams. The
Steelers also happened to play. They also happened to play. Yeah,
so I'm sure this is where you're going with this.
But we just did this exercise where we power ranked
the AFC and we had the Steelers seventh, right.
Speaker 2 (42:50):
Eight eight, we have seven, we have seven seven. They
could end up as the tenth best team, but be
a playoff team. Yeah, you know what I mean, because
like I'm saying, like maybe the Bills, Jets, Dolphins are
better football teams than the Steelers. And I'm sure you'll
get to this.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
It's not much like the Giants last year, right right right?
Nobody thought that, I mean, outside of New York, nobody
thought the Giants were any good.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
No, and it's not.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
They got a good matchup in the first round and
they went out and they beat the Vikings, and the
Vikings they were waiting to be beaten.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Yeah, yeah, they were ripe.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
But they weren't a great football team, no, but they
stacked a bunch of wins because of the schedule.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
So I'm sure this is where you're going with this.
But the teams with the hardest schedule, Like, I can't
imagine three teams coming out of the afcast.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
And here's why.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
Here's why.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Right, The toughest schedule in the league this year belongs
to the New England Patriots brutal. The second toughest schedule
the Raiders. Okay, maybe we should have figured the factor
dead and when we were talking about.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Her, Yeah, but we were just talking about how good
they are. We weren't predicting, you know, win lost record.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
At thirty are the Dolphins. Yeah, At twenty nine are
the Bills. At twenty eight are the Chiefs. Twenty seven
is the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
So one thing I know for sure is the AFC
East has to play the NFC East, which would be
my least favorite NFC team or division to play. Yeah,
there's two really tough games teams.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Yeah, the two teams that are not easy to play.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Yeah, and the AFC East has to play the NFC East,
which are probably the two. I mean, AFC North would
be bad too, but that's eight very difficult non division games,
and your division's awful.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
And because if you finished higher, you have to play
you know, as you mentioned the Chiefs, the Bills, they
all play each other.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
All the top goals do. Right, if I'm just talking
about the AFC East in general has two really difficult
divisions that they have to play, not to mention their
own division is awful.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Yeah, the twenty six schedule is the Jets, and you
get the Vikings and you get Commanders. The Broncos are
at twenty three, the Cardinals are at twenty two, which
is really bad for them, and then you get the
Ravens and the Bengals are twenty and twenty one.
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Okay, So I'm just pulling up the schedule grid now
and I didn't realize this, but the same thing is true.
And I'm talking about this for AFC playoffs. Picture is
the AFC East and the AFC West both have to
play the NFC East.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
That doesn't happen. That can't be true.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
That's not true because Denver plays.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Watch that might be there, that might be their extra
game this year is against those teams. Yeah, they play.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Okay, the AFC East plays the NFC East. Yes, the
AFC or AFC West plays the NFC North, which is
better than the East in my opinion. I know this,
it's confusing.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
And the East and West and the AFC play each other,
so their non conference games are easier for the AFC
West teams, but they're still not easy. No.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
And plus your division games are really tough in both
those divisions.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
No, By the way, the Steelers have by far the
easiest schedule of any of the AFC teams, right right,
right right, Like Cleveland comes in at sixteen, directly in
the middle of the pack, the Steelers are at eight.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
And Warren doesn't put numbers on this sharp. This is
just strictly the teams you're playing. Like this was before
the schedule even was released. But when you look at
the schedule, as we've broken down many times, there's.
Speaker 1 (46:19):
A lot of fuel pockets are.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
Really impressive too. Like I know, the one thing he
does is he goes by you know, how many games
are you at a rest advantage or a rest disadvantage.
And the Steelers are like eight or ninth best in
terms of have more rest than their opponent.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
For example, I've already seen things that Baltimore is going
to go to Europe. They're going to be going to England,
I believe, to play the Titans the week after they
play the Steelers. They're already talking about leaving sooner this
time around than they did the last I think they
went on Thursday. That's probably small last time. So how
many of those guys. It's going to be a big
divisional game against the Steelers. But you're thinking, Okay, we
(46:59):
got to get back. I got to get everything packed
because we're going to Europe for a week and it's
just and added distract is one more thing that's unusual,
you know.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
Or if I have a questionable guy for the Steeler game,
maybe I rest them because I know I'm gonna be
demanding on them the week after, you know, I mean
things like that.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
But and then they're playing the week the when they
come back like they're not, there's no buy right. That's
hard on them.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
So, you know, back to the power ranks in the AFC,
I think the Steelers have the things that they can't control.
You know, your schedule, who you play when you play
them is as favorable as anyone they're going to compete
against for wild card spots. Absolutely, and I'm not saying
they can't win a division, but you know, tie breakers
come down to wild all those things. Conference record, I mean,
(47:40):
the conference record killed them last year.
Speaker 1 (47:42):
Yeah, and they lost a lot of the tiebreakers to
those teams because they was the teams they were fighting with.
They don't play a bunch of those teams this year.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Like that's what be the like be the Jets thing.
The Jets are really really good, but man, they were
under five the conference record, or you know, they beat
the NFC teams, but you know they can't win tie breakers,
or it might be true for Miami as well or whomever.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Yeah, we gotta take another break here at the top
of the hour. He is Matt Williams and I am
dal Lallie. You're listening to a special edition of The
Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy.
We are live from the upmc roney Sports Complex, where
the Steelers are getting ready to wrap up their fifth
OTA session. We'll be joined us soon here thereafter by
a player supposed to be Isaac Samalu, the Steelers new
(48:24):
guard that they added from the Philadelphia Eagles. Here we'll
sit down and talk with him for a little bit
here looking forward to that. Don't you go anywhere. You're
here on your home for the best Steelers coverage ESPN
nine seventy and Steelers Nation Radio
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