December 4, 2025 • 35 mins
Mark talks about how College Football still crowns a flawed champion. Takes more calls and is joined by Gerry Dulac to talk some Steelers. Ask Mark Anything!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I posted a blog today about the college football playoff.
Oh this time, but bought was by eighty four Lomber
by the way, and I don't want to debate the
new rankings because they're dumb. It's incredible the college football
refuses to adopt an objective system to determine a national
champion on the field. And that's not because they can,
(00:22):
it's because they don't want to. They want duovers for
brand names.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I said for.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Years, it's my blog today at wxdx dot com. Take
your top forty four programs, four divisions of eleven, all
aligned geographically. You play each team in your division once
home and away alternates from year to year. You can
have your four division winners play semis and then a final.
You can have your top two in each each division
(00:50):
play quarters, then semis, then a final, a no conference
championship game. Whoever finishes first in the conference is that
you're conference champion. If you want to use all the
old timey conference names like SEC, Big ten, knock yourself out,
that's no problem. But my way is one hundred percent
fairing on the field. And people say, what about the
(01:11):
tradition of the SEC in Big ten? But those traditions
like you think have been dead for years with all
that realignment and all the nil and all the transferring.
Just put Alabama and Auburn in the same division, call
it the SEC, Michigan and Ohio State and the same division,
call it the Big Ten. And that's that. I know
(01:36):
what I'm saying is the right thing, but don't ever
do it. Let's go to Dan in the car. Dan,
you're all with Mark?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Mark, Hey, I got two friends, and I got two bets.
I bet my one body depends weren't gonna make the playoffs.
I bet my other friend the Steelers are gonna have
a losing record for the first time in Tomlin's reign.
Which bet am I gonna win?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Why?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I think both are like fifty to fifty. Which one
do you think is a better bet?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Definitely the Steelers. I think.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I don't know, eight and nine.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
I think this is going to be.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Eight and nine.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah, possibly seven and ten.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I think that the Penguins probably have a slightly.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Seven and ten. Boy, if they went seven and ten,
that'd be more glorious.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Than D Day. I don't know how much did you bet?
Speaker 1 (02:31):
How much did you bet a hundred bucks, hundred bucks
each bet.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
And who cares if you win or lose your chief skate.
Let's go to Don hundred bucks exactly what.
Speaker 7 (02:43):
Hey, we live in a world where there's a total
lack of logic with pretty much everything the ESPN. Let's
call it tom lenitis that they suffer from. Where I
can give you four four big names. Rex Ryan, eyes
in at times, stephen A Smith. They talk in complete
(03:03):
conflict with one another.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Even even stephen A thinks Tomlin's time is up, but
he won't acknowledge that he's not doing a good job,
that he's never been a good coach.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Tom has never been a good coach.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
But Rex Ryan, as part of the coaching fraternity, Eisen
and Tom what are well known friends. The best thing
you could do is not to trust anything said on ESPN.
It used to be the objective worldwide leader, and now
every single thing said comes with an agenda. And really
that's a trickle down from Pat. Pat's ruined it.
Speaker 7 (03:34):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Those those let's go to Randy. Randy, you're own with Mark.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Hey, you're in the deal now with all these Brian
backers forgetting how to tackle and all they're going to
do is punch the balls. If this is a high
speed team, they would be running laps. I'm tired of
saying that the runner gets an extra four or five.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I think, I think, I think coaches emphasized trying to
strip the ball because whoever wins the turnover battle wins
the game. Now, there's no reason why you can't wrap
up and try to strip the ball, which is not
which is not what we're seeing. You're right, we're seeing
guys just go slowly to strip the ball. What does
it all the time.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
He doesn't, and he's rather successful at it, but other
guys are, and it's just they're giving up. They're giving
up too many yards.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It looks well, that's another that's another damnation of Tom.
When here's this guy supposed to be this great defensive coach.
The Steelers are one of the worst tackling teams I've
ever seen.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Absolutely did Mark.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Let's good to Joe, Joe, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 8 (04:42):
Hey, Mark, I coach Tomlin.
Speaker 9 (04:46):
He said it a press, he said, fans twenty twenty
three fat sads. He spoiled. That's how he likes to
keep the fans.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That's a while ago. But okay, to keep himself.
Speaker 9 (04:58):
That way now, though I think it's focus the shift
that he's getting sassy with the press. There's an urgency
studies studies.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
He's never respected the press, especially the local variety, in
terms of in terms of expectations being low and there
being no urgency, I disagree with that. I think this
team went all in this year to win a playoff game.
I think the urgency is there. I just don't think
the talent or the acumen is in terms of coaching
(05:27):
the ladder, and they just don't know what to do.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Urgency dissipates when you don't know what to do.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
If there's no logical path to get to where you want,
then then what's the point being urgent?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You basically get confused.
Speaker 10 (05:41):
I think it's comfort, But do do do.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Dude, if you think there is any comfort in that
organization now beyond Tom Win knowing he can't lose his job,
and in terms of them knowing they look like the
biggest bunch of black and gold hypopsychloid dinks that they
look like their organization is falling apart.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
If you don't think there's pressure.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
On Art the second as much as there is on
the guy who can't get fired. If you don't think
there's pressure on Tomlin as much as there can be
on a guy who can't get fired.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Oh, you're not paying attention. Let's go to Paul.
Speaker 10 (06:14):
Hey Mark. How you doing today?
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Hi, Paul.
Speaker 10 (06:17):
Hey Mark. Did you happen to hear De Courcy's comments
talk with Tim Benz yesterday by any chance when you
were out?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Obviously? I did, not being out in all.
Speaker 10 (06:29):
I was just surprised because De Coursey was very, very
in defense of Tomlin.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
He's a Tomlin guy. He's a Tomlin guy. Mike's one
of the most knowledgeable people in sports. He's a great writer.
He's one thousand percent wrong on this.
Speaker 10 (06:42):
Yeah, that's what's the surprising part. Today He's pretty pretty
good objectively with the Steelers and most other talks.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, Mike, Mike is exemplary, and I should I should
really ask him about this next week. Mike is exemplary
of a certain group of media and fans too for
that matter, who have decided that Mike Tomlin is right
and everybody else is wrong. No matter what, they have
removed his level of success from the equation when evaluating him.
Speaker 10 (07:08):
Well, it was a lot of the same, you know,
things him saying about like how he won with picket
and a lot of the guardage that kind of comes
up when in defensive.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
What what did he win with picket? I find that
hard to believe that that was said.
Speaker 10 (07:21):
Well, that they, you know, were close to the playoffs
they won. I think was it nine games the picket
when Pickett was the primary start? I can't even remember
because there's been so many.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, let's go to a break. I don't want to
talk about Kenny effing Pickett. I mean, come on, that's
a bit passe a, not only at the Pittsburgh level,
but at the NFL level. At this point, he'll be
in the UFL soon enough.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
All right.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
We took a lot of calls that segment before calls
on the fifteen, So call now, extend the fun, fun,
fun till Daddy takes the phone number away.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
And that number is a.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Three three four one two w XDX bunch of pillows
and I saw the.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Exit one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
To repeat, the theme for the day is nobody has
ever been more at fault for anything than Mike Tomlin
is in fault for everything that's wrong with the Steelers.
I don't want to hear that it's not Tomlin's fault.
It's all Tomlin's fault, all Tomlin's fault.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Now, maybe the Steelers win in.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Baltimore and all this crap goes away, but I don't
think they will beat Baltimore, and I'm not sure this
goes away even if they do. This isn't a hiccup.
It's the decline and fall. We've been witnessing the decline
for a while, but it feels like it's finally gonna
go splats and that would be a good thing. You
(08:45):
may not think so, but it would be a good thing.
Time for calls on the fifteens dial. Now, I took
too many last segment, but you can still get a
line eight three three, four to one two WSDX.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Let's go to Matt. Matt, you're on with Mark.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
Hey, Mark, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Good night?
Speaker 6 (09:06):
So I was watching a clip, a YouTube clip from ESPN.
I'm not sure who it was that said it, but
she said she was blaming the quarterback situation, and she
said Tomlin was able to take the Steelers deep in
the playoffs every year when he had been which.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Was that's just not true. That's just not true.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Mike Tomlin's only won a playoff game in four of
his eighteen seasons today.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
Right, I mean he should have.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
No, No, you're right.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
But what said on the air and in particular on
ESPN about Tomlin and his tenure and his acumen is
like eighty percent lies, and nobody at the table on
like Get Up those shows ever calls out the lie
when it's told, right.
Speaker 6 (09:53):
And that one was completely false. And it's like you
can put somebody in the national It's like someone in
the national media can get hired into one of these
platforms and not know anything about Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
No, no, no, they know.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
They're just they're in a lot of cases willfully spreading
misinformation because they just think Tomlin's Like I said, there
is a great hesitation to criticize the NFL's pre eminent
black coach. That is maybe a bigger fact than I'm emphasizing.
But I'm the only person who bothers to say it
at all. Frankly, who has the guts.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Yeah, I mean, it's it's just a disappointing thing to
see happen to the season again.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Oh no, I think it's hilarious. But thank you for
the call.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And by the way, just to show you that it's,
you know, not all about race with me, and it's not.
But they got adam feelen, they got older, they got whiter. Obviously,
when your team's not playing well and it's two thirds
the way that through the season, and you're facing a
game you really gotta win this Sunday at Baltimore, so.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
What you need to do is get older and whiter.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
The answer is to bring in thirty five year old
white boy Roy and put them on the outside to
catch balls.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Of course I'm being sarcastic.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
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Gambling problem called one eight hundred Gambler Up Next, talk
football with Jerry Dulac of The Post Cazette. One oh
five nine Oh How.
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Speaker 2 (13:58):
Now the super genius Mark Madden.
Speaker 8 (14:01):
Double what's up? Hey?
Speaker 10 (14:02):
Are you doing?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Mark?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
A lot of gibberish, a lot of booze, a lot
of public relations.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
The exit one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Steelers in a very precarious position six and six going
to Baltimore with the AFC North lead on the line
this Sunday, joining me now to talk about it. He
covers the team for the Post Gazette. Always a pleasure
to chat with. Jerry Dulac Jerry. How can the Steelers
stop Baltimore's running game with Derrick Henry?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
And is that the number one order of the day?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Well, market better be, and certainly we haven't seen it.
The last two games in Baltimore within three weeks of
each other last year, Henry ran for three forty eight
of the Ravens five nineteen mark. That's a staggering total
in two games, five hundred and nineteen yards rushing, especially
when the larger amount came after they galled them the
(14:55):
first time. And you think they would say, wa ain't
letting that happen happen again? But they did it. Not
only happened again, they got pushed around, they got manhandled,
and that, of course is what spawned their offseason moves,
drafting two defensive lineman, a big outside linebacker like Jack Sawyer,
trading for Jalen Ramsey, a big, physical cornerback, and so
(15:19):
we'll see how it works. Not a good prelude to
Baltimore by giving up two forty nine rushing to the
Buffalo Bills. So you know, what happened was an example
of what can happen here, except that I think the
Ravens have a lot more weapons than the Bills, but TJ.
(15:41):
Watt said after the game that their ability to run
the ball affected the Steelers' ability to rush. Josh Allen,
who was sacked eight times a previous week, was chased
all over the field. In addition to that, Steelers didn't
get to them once and the Bills were playing without
two of their starting offensive tackles. That's how the run
(16:01):
game can affect the pressure. But so that's going to
be priority Number one is stopping Derrick Henry in the
run game. We don't see Lamar Jackson. We haven't this year.
I'm sure because of his injuries. He's just not running
as much. He doesn't look like the same player, but understandably, so.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yes, stay with that because it's it's now three games
in a row he's not rushed for over thirty yards,
which is the first time that's happened his career.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
What is wrong with him?
Speaker 1 (16:27):
It is still the hammy or they hasn't tend to
put it at risk to turn him loose. And when
will that end? I mean, might they try more? In
a game with such implications as Sundays.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
You know, Mark, you would think each week he goes
it probably gets whatever his injuries or whatever's bothering him,
probably gets a little better, maybe you would think. And
I know the wear and tear pair each week affects
you as well. Small example, he practiced yesterday, Well he
hasn't been. I think it's the first time he's practiced
on Wednesday all year. And maybe that's a sign that
(17:01):
he's feeling better. Maybe that's a sign that he knows
it's the Steelers and first place is up for grabs.
But yeah, he just hasn't been the same two time
MVP type of player. And what I saw against the
Bengals surprise me even more. His inaccuracy. One thing about
Lamar Jackson he doesn't get enough credit for. He's extremely
(17:23):
a high percentage passer and that's going down the field
seventy percent completion and you know his he makes. He
can make all the throws, whether he can drill it,
whether he can touch it. And what I saw against
Cincinnati was a guy who it just wasn't the same quarterback.
He hasn't looked the same for most of the year.
And the Bengals game was a prime example.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Where's the Baltimore defense at Jaron? What do you think
the Steelers approach will be come Sunday.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Offensively, Well, it's get Yeah, it's getting better. Mark and
I think getting to move Kyle Hamilton into the role
where they could use him whatever the case may be,
whether the line of scrimmage or whether dropping him, you know,
as a dime linebacker, the nickel slock guy. However, that
gives him the freedom to play. You know, they like
(18:09):
to say he's there, Troy Paula mala let me tell
you he's good, But he ain't Troy Paula Maler. But
and I think you know they've been without him Duque
all year and that's a big blow to their defensive line.
But they've gotten healthy. Rokwan Smith has been back now
four or five games. You know, you see their defense
(18:31):
getting better. At the beginning of the year, it was
certainly a defense that was very on Ravens like. But
they've gotten a little bit better. But they're still they're
not the shutdown defense that they used to be.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Marking Jerry, Uh, what's Rogers's status? I mean, we know
he's gonna play, should he what percents he at? Would
playing Rudolph on one hundred be more advisable? I know
they're gonna go with Rogers, but I thought he looked
like such a fraction in this lost is past week
against Buffalo.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, Mark, and he wasn't a whole lot better than
the previous week or his his previous game as well.
And I know he got hurt in that game, but
the first half wasn't terribly good either. But you know, yeah, Mark,
he's going to play, you know, each week. I'm sure
he'll feel more comfortable this week than he did last week.
(19:24):
And what you know, what level of comfort that is,
I can't quantify, but I don't think there's any question
for that first half. He just looked uncomfortable to me,
and probably because you know he's he's you know, focusing
worried about his wrisk. What happens when I take a hit,
what happens when I fall? Well you found out in
the third quarter when Joey Bosa jumped on him from
(19:45):
behind and and out came the ball. So you know
he has to protect himself when he goes to the
ground because you know that risk is fractured. So I
think he'll feel because he came through the game. Okay,
not a question of pain with them, you know, Mark,
They tell me that he is one tough ombre and
I believe it, you know, so that you know, is
(20:07):
he afraid of the risk? Is he feeling the pain? No,
but I'm sure he's very much aware of it, and
I think some of that will subside. We heard Mike
Tomlins say the other day that you know him if
you won't see him solely in the pistol and the shotgun.
So you might even see him behind center. Well I'll
wait to see that, but maybe he will be. But
(20:29):
the other thing, you notice, all his pitch plays and
toss plays were all to the right with his right hand.
Nothing went to the left. So you know, we'll see.
But you know there are instances where that makes a difference.
You know when some of those third and four, third
and threes, you know where it's run or passed, and
you know where he could turn his back to the
line of linus scrimmage from under center. Well, not being
(20:51):
under center limits them in that regard. There's no question
they're limited by That doesn't mean it's it's, you know,
something you can't overcome, but it's certainly had to limit
them and him, especially in some form.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
We're talking to Jerry Dulak. He's brought this by bud Light.
Easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Jerry, can you venture
a guess where Rogers's head is at? Because when he
speaks now, he looks like a pow like like maybe
a ward time president. He just looks like he hasn't
gotten what he bargained for.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Well, Mark, I think a lot of that is. You know,
he's wearing the tossle cap. The beard's coming in now
pretty full. You know, he has a cut on his nose.
He looks like a war torn vet, you know, right
out of the battlefield, if you will. But you know
it's that time of year, and I can't speak to
his psyche or where he is in terms what he
(21:45):
feels about the team. I think I haven't gotten any
sense that whatever he thought before has wavered. But you
know what, Mark, it has to have wavered. He'll never
say it, and I know, you know, I know everybody
wants to. He threw John O'smith, John Who Smith under
the bus last week, which effectively he did saying he
changed the call. John who didn't get it. He ran
(22:07):
one way and he threw it the other. And so
you know, with guys, maybe not being able to get open.
You know, when you get to the scrambled drill, how
about guys finding some way to get open. You just
don't see that. So, yeah, there's probably some amount of
disgust in there, but I don't think he's really showing it.
I think when he shows disgust, Mark, I honestly believe it.
(22:29):
It's some of the questions he keeps getting asked, because
I know he's not a fan of It's not so
much he's not a fan of the questions. I think
he thinks a lot of the questions are kind of stupid.
So I think some of the disgust you see isn't
reflective of what he's seeing on the field, but rather
in the postgame interview.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Session, Jerry, why did the secondary turn out so bad?
With Slay now gone and Thornhill haven't departed earlier? It
was supposed to be a strength and here we are
after twelve games. It's still a work in progress.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Yeah, Mark, First of all, I always thought Thornhill was
an add on. I don't think he was a big
part of their plan. When when they kind of stated that,
you know, okay, one hit Thornhill back there, I thought
it was a bit of a reach Darius Slay. You know,
Tarol Austin had him in Detroit, and so Darius Slay
(23:21):
is a good corner, But Darius Slay in Detroit was
twenty eight and twenty nine, not thirty four. And at
some point in your career, mark your ability to run
isn't as good as it used to be. And you know,
Darius Slay was looking like a thirty four year old corner.
So the plan to bring in Slay ten million dollars
(23:42):
for a year, which still amazes me, trade for Jalen
Ramsey and pair them with Joey Porter, the plan to
quote run and cover with anyone, which are Mike Tomlin's words.
That's all out the window now because Slay's gone and
Ramsey's at safety. And so the test for their off
(24:02):
season plan from Sunday in Baltimore when they made all
the all the you know, the decision in the off
season to draft big two defensive linemen, a big outside
linebacker in Jack Sawyer, trade for Jalen Ramsey, a big
physical cornerback, and you do all that because of the
way you got pushed around and manhandled by the Ravens
(24:22):
in the playoff game. So now we'll see if test
number two because test number one failed. We saw that
in Cincinnati in the first game. Now we'll see if
you know their off season plan to get bigger and
more physical because of the Ravens, We'll see how that
works out.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Jerry DJ Watt isn't terrible.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Just for a guy making forty one mil on his
new deal, has he lost a step? I mean, I
just would not have given him that deal, and I
feel like he's done nothing but prove me right.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Mark.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
You know, they knew at the time that it could
be a bad business decision because they know what they
were getting locked into. But when you're paying a guy
that much money and guaranteeing him one hundred eight million dollars, Look,
I'm not going to sit here and say TJ. Watt
is awful, because he's not. But when you're paying a
guy that much money, you better be getting at least
fifteen sacks a year. And he's thirty one years old.
(25:17):
Now you're seeing what Miles Garrett does. The money he's gotten,
he's worth it. He's been worth every penny with nineteen
sacks already and terrorizing backfields, and it just hasn't been
the same TJ.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Watt.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Is he terrible by no stretch, But is he playing
like he's worth one hundred and eight million guaranteed or
is he producing like he's worth a hundred and eight
million guarantee. They're paying him because of his ability to
sack and disrupt the quarterback, and you know, seven sacks,
we're not seeing it, Mark, And so you know, that's
(25:51):
kind of I don't want to say that's what they
were worried about, but they knew when they made that deal.
It's kind of like, you know, you're almost topped between
the rock and a hard place. It's TJ Wat, your
defensive former defensive player of the year, the star of
your defense. And so they give them the money based
on not only probably more so on what he had
done than maybe on what they thought he could do
(26:12):
or would do going forward. But yeah, it was a
big time commitment and they're not getting they're not getting
the bang for their buck. And that's been to me,
it's been a problem with the defense.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
What kind of snap does Adam Thielen get on Sunday
And why not just finally throw to Pat fryar.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Mood Well, Mark, my feeling is is you identify first
of all the best players on your offense. Who are they?
Dk Metcalf, Pat fryar move Jalen Warren if you feel
he's your top running back, and nothing against Kenny Gamewell,
who's been really good. But if they're your best players,
then you play them predominantly and you sprinkle everybody else
(26:54):
in around them. How Pat Fryermuth plays only seventeen snaps
at this point of the season, And don't tell me
it's you know, it depends week the week on the
game plan, not when you're in week fourteen, Mark, it doesn't.
And so to me, you make sure Pat fryer moose
on the field. He doesn't go out in past formation
nine times for those measly seventeen snaps. Don't tell me
(27:16):
it's because you only had forty three offensive snaps. I
don't care. He should be playing thirty four or thirty
five of them and rotate all the other guys. I
get all about situational football, Mark, I'm well aware of
the game today with substitution packages and personnel packages. But
you put your best players on the field and sprinkle
(27:37):
in the others and tell the other team Okay, you
come stop us. If they're your best players, use them.
If they're your guns, you shoot them. And so to me,
that's been a failure of this offense to develop the
consistency that they're looking for. And you know what, time's
running out, Mark, no more time. Just keep playing those games,
(27:59):
you know, take advantag into the best players you have
and use them and try and win that way.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Finally, Jerry, I know Baltimore struggling too, and we've talked
about Lamar not being one hundred percent. The Steelers really
feel like they're gonna have to upgrade themselves quite a
bit to even hang.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
In this game.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
You know, Mark, they have had. The funny thing is,
despite what happened last year in those two games of
Baltimore again, their success in Baltimore in big games has
been really good. Now, look, I know that's the past,
and the past doesn't necessarily have anything to do with
what goes on Sunday. But every week, everybody, including myself,
we keep waiting for those bounce back games because we've
(28:40):
seen it from the Steelers before. We thought it would
be a Green Bay, and we thought it would be Chicago,
and we thought it would be Buffalo, and maybe everybody's thinking, Okay, well,
this is a game that they're going to be the
team that we saw against Indy, the team that we
saw against Minnesota. And you look at some of their
first half sta'ven pretty good four halftime lead marks, leads
(29:04):
mark and they have blown them all three of which
were at home, so you know, first and foremost. And
I think it's gonna morph back into one of those
old Steeler Ravens games. I don't think it's thirteen to ten,
but I don't think it's thirty four to twenty eight either.
But I think if they're gonna win the game, it's
gonna have to be like what we saw the Bengals
(29:24):
do on Thanksgiving Night. And I know the Ravens gave
them two touchdowns back with dropping it at the goal
line and the penley did negated the touchdown. But that's
the way they're gonna.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Have to win.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
It's gonna have to be with their defense, and it's
gonna have to be with some timely turnover takeaways.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Jerry, I can't decide is Aaron Rodgers when he's doing
interviews and looking more like a pow or award time president.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
Yeah, it might be somewhere in between, Mark, but yeah,
it's And you see, he doesn't change expression a whole lot,
and his voice doesn't vary a whole lot. So yeah,
he's He's an interesting case study, there is no question
about it. But I will say all in all, he's
been He's been very cooperative with the media, even though
I know he's not a big fan of some of
(30:11):
the questions he's asked.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Jerry, great stuff, enjoy the game. We'll do it next week.
Speaker 4 (30:16):
All right, Mark, you got it, man.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Jerry, do you like broadcast by bud Light, Easy to drink,
easy to enjoy, don't forget I'm Adinos tonight in Latrobe
to watch the Penguin game. Stop on not and enjoy
the Penguins and Tampa. Right now, it's time to ask
Mark Anything. Eight three three four one two wxdx eight
three three four one two WXDX. Call now and ask
Mark anything eight three three four one two wxdx or
(30:40):
leave a talkback via the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia
app one oh five nine.
Speaker 13 (30:45):
Time now to send in your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Use the talkback mike on your free iHeartRadio app and
record your question for the super genius.
Speaker 14 (30:58):
Tonight the Pens face the Lightning. Game time is seven.
Our coverage starts at six here every game and the
best coverage right here on your home of the Pens
one five nine d X.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
This.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
He just knows how to win.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Proud.
Speaker 7 (31:17):
He is horrible.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
He is terrible. The X at one.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Congratulations again to the Pittsburgh River Haunts USL champions and
their owner Tuffy Shallenberger. There was a celebration down town
today that a lot of people attended. I was doing
a radio show, but I was certainly there in spirits.
Now it's time to ask Mark anything brought to you
by People's Natural Gas, People's Hyphengas dot Com. Uh, let's
(31:46):
go to Manny Manny, ask Mark anything.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Hey, Mark.
Speaker 15 (31:50):
So, I'm actually expecting the Steelers to finish eight to nine,
and I don't anticipate that the fire Tom and Chance
are going to go away anytime soon.
Speaker 8 (32:02):
And I can actually see it happening at the.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Draft, and I know they're just not firing him though,
I mean, I agree with you. There's a very real
potential that if this team doesn't write itself dramatically, that
the draft is going to be ruined by irate Steeler
fans who do chance fire Tomlin and maybe even sell
the team. And to be honest, if you want to
hit Art where it hurts, that's the way to do it.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Because this draft was his dad's dream. It's been his dream.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
If you're dissatisfied, the way to show it is to
ruin the draft.
Speaker 8 (32:36):
I agree with that, but that's what I was going
to ask you if he would much rather, you know,
suffer through that humiliation or or break family tradition and
actually fire the coach.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
But he's not going to fire the coach. Let's go
to Greg. Hey, Doublem, good afternoon, Good afternoon.
Speaker 16 (33:00):
I just wanted to ask how people in Pittsburgh are
steel Steelers fans and after almost ten almost ten years
of no playoffs, not.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Winning a playoff game, you got it incorrect? Oh, I'm sorry, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Because that's what they do. That that's a Pittsburgh tradition.
It's And to be honest, being a fan of a
team has never been about winning.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
Not to me.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I support the team no matter what, but I also
express my dissatisfaction and I also expect my team to
change things when things have gone wrong for significant period.
And that's the most frustrating part about the Steelers. Things
have gone wrong for an extended period, but they show
no sign of changing even a little bit, not even
in the most minor way.
Speaker 16 (33:50):
Absolutely, and I love the Steelers. That just sucks to
see them at this state under the Tomlin regime.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
I don't love the Steelers, and I find this hilarious.
Let's go to Ben Ben ask Mark anything, I said,
good day?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Hey, if Tom would happen to go coach.
Speaker 15 (34:11):
At college team, He's not going.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
To He's not going to Goodbye. Do I think Tom
would be a good college coach. No, He's never recruited
at that level. I mean, was he a college assistant
for a while. I think he might have been. But
you know, this is a big time different ballgame with
n I L and whatnot. It'd be a terrible college coach.
(34:32):
I mean, my god, look at the way he coaches now.
He's lazy af It'd be an awful college coach. Let's
go to Eric Eric Askmark anything.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
Super genius?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
What did you think of Eddie Money?
Speaker 1 (34:45):
He was a really good half pop star, half rock star.
Does that make any sense? I Mettie interviewed Eddie I
liked Eddie a great deal, that's one thing. And I
thought he had some real good songs, really good songs.
Speaker 10 (34:58):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
He wasn't like the hardcore you know, metal or really
hardcore anything, but I thought he was delightful and a
fun guy and enjoyable to listen to.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
N see live. Let's go to Paul Paul ask Mark anything.
Speaker 10 (35:11):
Hi, Mark, just wanting to know how you got your
start in radio.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
They were hiring. Thank you for the call. Let's go
to a talkback, Hey, Mark.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
If the Steelers lose this Sunday, is it time to
admit this season is a lost cause.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
That guy calls all the time and he sounds either
constipated or self important, or constipated because he's self important.
This season's a lost cause now, Brov, and he got
nothing to do with winning or losing on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
It's a lost cause. Now, don't forget.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
You could join me tonight to watch the Penguin game
at Dino's and Latrobe with michelob Ultrap What oh five
ninety x
I posted a blog today about the college football playoff.
Oh this time, but bought was by eighty four Lomber
by the way, and I don't want to debate the
new rankings because they're dumb. It's incredible the college football
refuses to adopt an objective system to determine a national
champion on the field. And that's not because they can,
(00:22):
it's because they don't want to. They want duovers for
brand names.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I said for.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Years, it's my blog today at wxdx dot com. Take
your top forty four programs, four divisions of eleven, all
aligned geographically. You play each team in your division once
home and away alternates from year to year. You can
have your four division winners play semis and then a final.
You can have your top two in each each division
(00:50):
play quarters, then semis, then a final, a no conference
championship game. Whoever finishes first in the conference is that
you're conference champion. If you want to use all the
old timey conference names like SEC, Big ten, knock yourself out,
that's no problem. But my way is one hundred percent
fairing on the field. And people say, what about the
(01:11):
tradition of the SEC in Big ten? But those traditions
like you think have been dead for years with all
that realignment and all the nil and all the transferring.
Just put Alabama and Auburn in the same division, call
it the SEC, Michigan and Ohio State and the same division,
call it the Big Ten. And that's that. I know
(01:36):
what I'm saying is the right thing, but don't ever
do it. Let's go to Dan in the car. Dan,
you're all with Mark?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Mark, Hey, I got two friends, and I got two bets.
I bet my one body depends weren't gonna make the playoffs.
I bet my other friend the Steelers are gonna have
a losing record for the first time in Tomlin's reign.
Which bet am I gonna win?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Why?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I think both are like fifty to fifty. Which one
do you think is a better bet?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Definitely the Steelers. I think.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I don't know, eight and nine.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
I think this is going to be.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Eight and nine.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah, possibly seven and ten.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I think that the Penguins probably have a slightly.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Seven and ten. Boy, if they went seven and ten,
that'd be more glorious.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Than D Day. I don't know how much did you bet?
Speaker 1 (02:31):
How much did you bet a hundred bucks, hundred bucks
each bet.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
And who cares if you win or lose your chief skate.
Let's go to Don hundred bucks exactly what.
Speaker 7 (02:43):
Hey, we live in a world where there's a total
lack of logic with pretty much everything the ESPN. Let's
call it tom lenitis that they suffer from. Where I
can give you four four big names. Rex Ryan, eyes
in at times, stephen A Smith. They talk in complete
(03:03):
conflict with one another.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Even even stephen A thinks Tomlin's time is up, but
he won't acknowledge that he's not doing a good job,
that he's never been a good coach.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Tom has never been a good coach.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
But Rex Ryan, as part of the coaching fraternity, Eisen
and Tom what are well known friends. The best thing
you could do is not to trust anything said on ESPN.
It used to be the objective worldwide leader, and now
every single thing said comes with an agenda. And really
that's a trickle down from Pat. Pat's ruined it.
Speaker 7 (03:34):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Those those let's go to Randy. Randy, you're own with Mark.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Hey, you're in the deal now with all these Brian
backers forgetting how to tackle and all they're going to
do is punch the balls. If this is a high
speed team, they would be running laps. I'm tired of
saying that the runner gets an extra four or five.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I think, I think, I think coaches emphasized trying to
strip the ball because whoever wins the turnover battle wins
the game. Now, there's no reason why you can't wrap
up and try to strip the ball, which is not
which is not what we're seeing. You're right, we're seeing
guys just go slowly to strip the ball. What does
it all the time.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
He doesn't, and he's rather successful at it, but other
guys are, and it's just they're giving up. They're giving
up too many yards.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It looks well, that's another that's another damnation of Tom.
When here's this guy supposed to be this great defensive coach.
The Steelers are one of the worst tackling teams I've
ever seen.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Absolutely did Mark.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Let's good to Joe, Joe, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 8 (04:42):
Hey, Mark, I coach Tomlin.
Speaker 9 (04:46):
He said it a press, he said, fans twenty twenty
three fat sads. He spoiled. That's how he likes to
keep the fans.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That's a while ago. But okay, to keep himself.
Speaker 9 (04:58):
That way now, though I think it's focus the shift
that he's getting sassy with the press. There's an urgency
studies studies.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
He's never respected the press, especially the local variety, in
terms of in terms of expectations being low and there
being no urgency, I disagree with that. I think this
team went all in this year to win a playoff game.
I think the urgency is there. I just don't think
the talent or the acumen is in terms of coaching
(05:27):
the ladder, and they just don't know what to do.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Urgency dissipates when you don't know what to do.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
If there's no logical path to get to where you want,
then then what's the point being urgent?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You basically get confused.
Speaker 10 (05:41):
I think it's comfort, But do do do.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Dude, if you think there is any comfort in that
organization now beyond Tom Win knowing he can't lose his job,
and in terms of them knowing they look like the
biggest bunch of black and gold hypopsychloid dinks that they
look like their organization is falling apart.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
If you don't think there's pressure.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
On Art the second as much as there is on
the guy who can't get fired. If you don't think
there's pressure on Tomlin as much as there can be
on a guy who can't get fired.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Oh, you're not paying attention. Let's go to Paul.
Speaker 10 (06:14):
Hey Mark. How you doing today?
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Hi, Paul.
Speaker 10 (06:17):
Hey Mark. Did you happen to hear De Courcy's comments
talk with Tim Benz yesterday by any chance when you
were out?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Obviously? I did, not being out in all.
Speaker 10 (06:29):
I was just surprised because De Coursey was very, very
in defense of Tomlin.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
He's a Tomlin guy. He's a Tomlin guy. Mike's one
of the most knowledgeable people in sports. He's a great writer.
He's one thousand percent wrong on this.
Speaker 10 (06:42):
Yeah, that's what's the surprising part. Today He's pretty pretty
good objectively with the Steelers and most other talks.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, Mike, Mike is exemplary, and I should I should
really ask him about this next week. Mike is exemplary
of a certain group of media and fans too for
that matter, who have decided that Mike Tomlin is right
and everybody else is wrong. No matter what, they have
removed his level of success from the equation when evaluating him.
Speaker 10 (07:08):
Well, it was a lot of the same, you know,
things him saying about like how he won with picket
and a lot of the guardage that kind of comes
up when in defensive.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
What what did he win with picket? I find that
hard to believe that that was said.
Speaker 10 (07:21):
Well, that they, you know, were close to the playoffs
they won. I think was it nine games the picket
when Pickett was the primary start? I can't even remember
because there's been so many.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, let's go to a break. I don't want to
talk about Kenny effing Pickett. I mean, come on, that's
a bit passe a, not only at the Pittsburgh level,
but at the NFL level. At this point, he'll be
in the UFL soon enough.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
All right.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
We took a lot of calls that segment before calls
on the fifteen, So call now, extend the fun, fun,
fun till Daddy takes the phone number away.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
And that number is a.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Three three four one two w XDX bunch of pillows
and I saw the.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Exit one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
To repeat, the theme for the day is nobody has
ever been more at fault for anything than Mike Tomlin
is in fault for everything that's wrong with the Steelers.
I don't want to hear that it's not Tomlin's fault.
It's all Tomlin's fault, all Tomlin's fault.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Now, maybe the Steelers win in.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Baltimore and all this crap goes away, but I don't
think they will beat Baltimore, and I'm not sure this
goes away even if they do. This isn't a hiccup.
It's the decline and fall. We've been witnessing the decline
for a while, but it feels like it's finally gonna
go splats and that would be a good thing. You
(08:45):
may not think so, but it would be a good thing.
Time for calls on the fifteens dial. Now, I took
too many last segment, but you can still get a
line eight three three, four to one two WSDX.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Let's go to Matt. Matt, you're on with Mark.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
Hey, Mark, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Good night?
Speaker 6 (09:06):
So I was watching a clip, a YouTube clip from ESPN.
I'm not sure who it was that said it, but
she said she was blaming the quarterback situation, and she
said Tomlin was able to take the Steelers deep in
the playoffs every year when he had been which.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Was that's just not true. That's just not true.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Mike Tomlin's only won a playoff game in four of
his eighteen seasons today.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
Right, I mean he should have.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
No, No, you're right.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
But what said on the air and in particular on
ESPN about Tomlin and his tenure and his acumen is
like eighty percent lies, and nobody at the table on
like Get Up those shows ever calls out the lie
when it's told, right.
Speaker 6 (09:53):
And that one was completely false. And it's like you
can put somebody in the national It's like someone in
the national media can get hired into one of these
platforms and not know anything about Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
No, no, no, they know.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
They're just they're in a lot of cases willfully spreading
misinformation because they just think Tomlin's Like I said, there
is a great hesitation to criticize the NFL's pre eminent
black coach. That is maybe a bigger fact than I'm emphasizing.
But I'm the only person who bothers to say it
at all. Frankly, who has the guts.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Yeah, I mean, it's it's just a disappointing thing to
see happen to the season again.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Oh no, I think it's hilarious. But thank you for
the call.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And by the way, just to show you that it's,
you know, not all about race with me, and it's not.
But they got adam feelen, they got older, they got whiter. Obviously,
when your team's not playing well and it's two thirds
the way that through the season, and you're facing a
game you really gotta win this Sunday at Baltimore, so.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
What you need to do is get older and whiter.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
The answer is to bring in thirty five year old
white boy Roy and put them on the outside to
catch balls.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Of course I'm being sarcastic.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
If there's ever a team that couldn't afford to get
any older and whiter, it's the Steelers. But right now
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Gambling problem called one eight hundred Gambler Up Next, talk
football with Jerry Dulac of The Post Cazette. One oh
five nine Oh How.
Speaker 11 (12:25):
It's the XES Kickass Christmas Show with Highly Suspect Tuesday,
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the season two The Jolly Party Rocking Something. It's the
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Speaker 2 (12:58):
D X Shuler here. Stay up to date with everything
happening in Steelers Nation. Join me and Matt Williamson for
the Drive weekday albums Like.
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Speaker 2 (13:58):
Now the super genius Mark Madden.
Speaker 8 (14:01):
Double what's up? Hey?
Speaker 10 (14:02):
Are you doing?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Mark?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
A lot of gibberish, a lot of booze, a lot
of public relations.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
The exit one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Steelers in a very precarious position six and six going
to Baltimore with the AFC North lead on the line
this Sunday, joining me now to talk about it. He
covers the team for the Post Gazette. Always a pleasure
to chat with. Jerry Dulac Jerry. How can the Steelers
stop Baltimore's running game with Derrick Henry?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
And is that the number one order of the day?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Well, market better be, and certainly we haven't seen it.
The last two games in Baltimore within three weeks of
each other last year, Henry ran for three forty eight
of the Ravens five nineteen mark. That's a staggering total
in two games, five hundred and nineteen yards rushing, especially
when the larger amount came after they galled them the
(14:55):
first time. And you think they would say, wa ain't
letting that happen happen again? But they did it. Not
only happened again, they got pushed around, they got manhandled,
and that, of course is what spawned their offseason moves,
drafting two defensive lineman, a big outside linebacker like Jack Sawyer,
trading for Jalen Ramsey, a big, physical cornerback, and so
(15:19):
we'll see how it works. Not a good prelude to
Baltimore by giving up two forty nine rushing to the
Buffalo Bills. So you know, what happened was an example
of what can happen here, except that I think the
Ravens have a lot more weapons than the Bills, but TJ.
(15:41):
Watt said after the game that their ability to run
the ball affected the Steelers' ability to rush. Josh Allen,
who was sacked eight times a previous week, was chased
all over the field. In addition to that, Steelers didn't
get to them once and the Bills were playing without
two of their starting offensive tackles. That's how the run
(16:01):
game can affect the pressure. But so that's going to
be priority Number one is stopping Derrick Henry in the
run game. We don't see Lamar Jackson. We haven't this year.
I'm sure because of his injuries. He's just not running
as much. He doesn't look like the same player, but understandably, so.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yes, stay with that because it's it's now three games
in a row he's not rushed for over thirty yards,
which is the first time that's happened his career.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
What is wrong with him?
Speaker 1 (16:27):
It is still the hammy or they hasn't tend to
put it at risk to turn him loose. And when
will that end? I mean, might they try more? In
a game with such implications as Sundays.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
You know, Mark, you would think each week he goes
it probably gets whatever his injuries or whatever's bothering him,
probably gets a little better, maybe you would think. And
I know the wear and tear pair each week affects
you as well. Small example, he practiced yesterday, Well he
hasn't been. I think it's the first time he's practiced
on Wednesday all year. And maybe that's a sign that
(17:01):
he's feeling better. Maybe that's a sign that he knows
it's the Steelers and first place is up for grabs.
But yeah, he just hasn't been the same two time
MVP type of player. And what I saw against the
Bengals surprise me even more. His inaccuracy. One thing about
Lamar Jackson he doesn't get enough credit for. He's extremely
(17:23):
a high percentage passer and that's going down the field
seventy percent completion and you know his he makes. He
can make all the throws, whether he can drill it,
whether he can touch it. And what I saw against
Cincinnati was a guy who it just wasn't the same quarterback.
He hasn't looked the same for most of the year.
And the Bengals game was a prime example.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Where's the Baltimore defense at Jaron? What do you think
the Steelers approach will be come Sunday.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Offensively, Well, it's get Yeah, it's getting better. Mark and
I think getting to move Kyle Hamilton into the role
where they could use him whatever the case may be,
whether the line of scrimmage or whether dropping him, you know,
as a dime linebacker, the nickel slock guy. However, that
gives him the freedom to play. You know, they like
(18:09):
to say he's there, Troy Paula mala let me tell
you he's good, But he ain't Troy Paula Maler. But
and I think you know they've been without him Duque
all year and that's a big blow to their defensive line.
But they've gotten healthy. Rokwan Smith has been back now
four or five games. You know, you see their defense
(18:31):
getting better. At the beginning of the year, it was
certainly a defense that was very on Ravens like. But
they've gotten a little bit better. But they're still they're
not the shutdown defense that they used to be.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Marking Jerry, Uh, what's Rogers's status? I mean, we know
he's gonna play, should he what percents he at? Would
playing Rudolph on one hundred be more advisable? I know
they're gonna go with Rogers, but I thought he looked
like such a fraction in this lost is past week
against Buffalo.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, Mark, and he wasn't a whole lot better than
the previous week or his his previous game as well.
And I know he got hurt in that game, but
the first half wasn't terribly good either. But you know, yeah, Mark,
he's going to play, you know, each week. I'm sure
he'll feel more comfortable this week than he did last week.
(19:24):
And what you know, what level of comfort that is,
I can't quantify, but I don't think there's any question
for that first half. He just looked uncomfortable to me,
and probably because you know he's he's you know, focusing
worried about his wrisk. What happens when I take a hit,
what happens when I fall? Well you found out in
the third quarter when Joey Bosa jumped on him from
(19:45):
behind and and out came the ball. So you know
he has to protect himself when he goes to the
ground because you know that risk is fractured. So I
think he'll feel because he came through the game. Okay,
not a question of pain with them, you know, Mark,
They tell me that he is one tough ombre and
I believe it, you know, so that you know, is
(20:07):
he afraid of the risk? Is he feeling the pain? No,
but I'm sure he's very much aware of it, and
I think some of that will subside. We heard Mike
Tomlins say the other day that you know him if
you won't see him solely in the pistol and the shotgun.
So you might even see him behind center. Well I'll
wait to see that, but maybe he will be. But
(20:29):
the other thing, you notice, all his pitch plays and
toss plays were all to the right with his right hand.
Nothing went to the left. So you know, we'll see.
But you know there are instances where that makes a difference.
You know when some of those third and four, third
and threes, you know where it's run or passed, and
you know where he could turn his back to the
line of linus scrimmage from under center. Well, not being
(20:51):
under center limits them in that regard. There's no question
they're limited by That doesn't mean it's it's, you know,
something you can't overcome, but it's certainly had to limit
them and him, especially in some form.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
We're talking to Jerry Dulak. He's brought this by bud Light.
Easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Jerry, can you venture
a guess where Rogers's head is at? Because when he
speaks now, he looks like a pow like like maybe
a ward time president. He just looks like he hasn't
gotten what he bargained for.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Well, Mark, I think a lot of that is. You know,
he's wearing the tossle cap. The beard's coming in now
pretty full. You know, he has a cut on his nose.
He looks like a war torn vet, you know, right
out of the battlefield, if you will. But you know
it's that time of year, and I can't speak to
his psyche or where he is in terms what he
(21:45):
feels about the team. I think I haven't gotten any
sense that whatever he thought before has wavered. But you
know what, Mark, it has to have wavered. He'll never
say it, and I know, you know, I know everybody
wants to. He threw John O'smith, John Who Smith under
the bus last week, which effectively he did saying he
changed the call. John who didn't get it. He ran
(22:07):
one way and he threw it the other. And so
you know, with guys, maybe not being able to get open.
You know, when you get to the scrambled drill, how
about guys finding some way to get open. You just
don't see that. So, yeah, there's probably some amount of
disgust in there, but I don't think he's really showing it.
I think when he shows disgust, Mark, I honestly believe it.
(22:29):
It's some of the questions he keeps getting asked, because
I know he's not a fan of It's not so
much he's not a fan of the questions. I think
he thinks a lot of the questions are kind of stupid.
So I think some of the disgust you see isn't
reflective of what he's seeing on the field, but rather
in the postgame interview.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Session, Jerry, why did the secondary turn out so bad?
With Slay now gone and Thornhill haven't departed earlier? It
was supposed to be a strength and here we are
after twelve games. It's still a work in progress.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Yeah, Mark, First of all, I always thought Thornhill was
an add on. I don't think he was a big
part of their plan. When when they kind of stated that,
you know, okay, one hit Thornhill back there, I thought
it was a bit of a reach Darius Slay. You know,
Tarol Austin had him in Detroit, and so Darius Slay
(23:21):
is a good corner, But Darius Slay in Detroit was
twenty eight and twenty nine, not thirty four. And at
some point in your career, mark your ability to run
isn't as good as it used to be. And you know,
Darius Slay was looking like a thirty four year old corner.
So the plan to bring in Slay ten million dollars
(23:42):
for a year, which still amazes me, trade for Jalen
Ramsey and pair them with Joey Porter, the plan to
quote run and cover with anyone, which are Mike Tomlin's words.
That's all out the window now because Slay's gone and
Ramsey's at safety. And so the test for their off
(24:02):
season plan from Sunday in Baltimore when they made all
the all the you know, the decision in the off
season to draft big two defensive linemen, a big outside
linebacker in Jack Sawyer, trade for Jalen Ramsey, a big
physical cornerback, and you do all that because of the
way you got pushed around and manhandled by the Ravens
(24:22):
in the playoff game. So now we'll see if test
number two because test number one failed. We saw that
in Cincinnati in the first game. Now we'll see if
you know their off season plan to get bigger and
more physical because of the Ravens, We'll see how that
works out.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Jerry DJ Watt isn't terrible.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Just for a guy making forty one mil on his
new deal, has he lost a step? I mean, I
just would not have given him that deal, and I
feel like he's done nothing but prove me right.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Mark.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
You know, they knew at the time that it could
be a bad business decision because they know what they
were getting locked into. But when you're paying a guy
that much money and guaranteeing him one hundred eight million dollars, Look,
I'm not going to sit here and say TJ. Watt
is awful, because he's not. But when you're paying a
guy that much money, you better be getting at least
fifteen sacks a year. And he's thirty one years old.
(25:17):
Now you're seeing what Miles Garrett does. The money he's gotten,
he's worth it. He's been worth every penny with nineteen
sacks already and terrorizing backfields, and it just hasn't been
the same TJ.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Watt.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Is he terrible by no stretch, But is he playing
like he's worth one hundred and eight million guaranteed or
is he producing like he's worth a hundred and eight
million guarantee. They're paying him because of his ability to
sack and disrupt the quarterback, and you know, seven sacks,
we're not seeing it, Mark, And so you know, that's
(25:51):
kind of I don't want to say that's what they
were worried about, but they knew when they made that deal.
It's kind of like, you know, you're almost topped between
the rock and a hard place. It's TJ Wat, your
defensive former defensive player of the year, the star of
your defense. And so they give them the money based
on not only probably more so on what he had
done than maybe on what they thought he could do
(26:12):
or would do going forward. But yeah, it was a
big time commitment and they're not getting they're not getting
the bang for their buck. And that's been to me,
it's been a problem with the defense.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
What kind of snap does Adam Thielen get on Sunday
And why not just finally throw to Pat fryar.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Mood Well, Mark, my feeling is is you identify first
of all the best players on your offense. Who are they?
Dk Metcalf, Pat fryar move Jalen Warren if you feel
he's your top running back, and nothing against Kenny Gamewell,
who's been really good. But if they're your best players,
then you play them predominantly and you sprinkle everybody else
(26:54):
in around them. How Pat Fryermuth plays only seventeen snaps
at this point of the season, And don't tell me
it's you know, it depends week the week on the
game plan, not when you're in week fourteen, Mark, it doesn't.
And so to me, you make sure Pat fryer moose
on the field. He doesn't go out in past formation
nine times for those measly seventeen snaps. Don't tell me
(27:16):
it's because you only had forty three offensive snaps. I
don't care. He should be playing thirty four or thirty
five of them and rotate all the other guys. I
get all about situational football, Mark, I'm well aware of
the game today with substitution packages and personnel packages. But
you put your best players on the field and sprinkle
(27:37):
in the others and tell the other team Okay, you
come stop us. If they're your best players, use them.
If they're your guns, you shoot them. And so to me,
that's been a failure of this offense to develop the
consistency that they're looking for. And you know what, time's
running out, Mark, no more time. Just keep playing those games,
(27:59):
you know, take advantag into the best players you have
and use them and try and win that way.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Finally, Jerry, I know Baltimore struggling too, and we've talked
about Lamar not being one hundred percent. The Steelers really
feel like they're gonna have to upgrade themselves quite a
bit to even hang.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
In this game.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
You know, Mark, they have had. The funny thing is,
despite what happened last year in those two games of
Baltimore again, their success in Baltimore in big games has
been really good. Now, look, I know that's the past,
and the past doesn't necessarily have anything to do with
what goes on Sunday. But every week, everybody, including myself,
we keep waiting for those bounce back games because we've
(28:40):
seen it from the Steelers before. We thought it would
be a Green Bay, and we thought it would be Chicago,
and we thought it would be Buffalo, and maybe everybody's thinking, Okay, well,
this is a game that they're going to be the
team that we saw against Indy, the team that we
saw against Minnesota. And you look at some of their
first half sta'ven pretty good four halftime lead marks, leads
(29:04):
mark and they have blown them all three of which
were at home, so you know, first and foremost. And
I think it's gonna morph back into one of those
old Steeler Ravens games. I don't think it's thirteen to ten,
but I don't think it's thirty four to twenty eight either.
But I think if they're gonna win the game, it's
gonna have to be like what we saw the Bengals
(29:24):
do on Thanksgiving Night. And I know the Ravens gave
them two touchdowns back with dropping it at the goal
line and the penley did negated the touchdown. But that's
the way they're gonna.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Have to win.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
It's gonna have to be with their defense, and it's
gonna have to be with some timely turnover takeaways.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Jerry, I can't decide is Aaron Rodgers when he's doing
interviews and looking more like a pow or award time president.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
Yeah, it might be somewhere in between, Mark, but yeah,
it's And you see, he doesn't change expression a whole lot,
and his voice doesn't vary a whole lot. So yeah,
he's He's an interesting case study, there is no question
about it. But I will say all in all, he's
been He's been very cooperative with the media, even though
I know he's not a big fan of some of
(30:11):
the questions he's asked.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Jerry, great stuff, enjoy the game. We'll do it next week.
Speaker 4 (30:16):
All right, Mark, you got it, man.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Jerry, do you like broadcast by bud Light, Easy to drink,
easy to enjoy, don't forget I'm Adinos tonight in Latrobe
to watch the Penguin game. Stop on not and enjoy
the Penguins and Tampa. Right now, it's time to ask
Mark Anything. Eight three three four one two wxdx eight
three three four one two WXDX. Call now and ask
Mark anything eight three three four one two wxdx or
(30:40):
leave a talkback via the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia
app one oh five nine.
Speaker 13 (30:45):
Time now to send in your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Use the talkback mike on your free iHeartRadio app and
record your question for the super genius.
Speaker 14 (30:58):
Tonight the Pens face the Lightning. Game time is seven.
Our coverage starts at six here every game and the
best coverage right here on your home of the Pens
one five nine d X.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
This.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
He just knows how to win.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Proud.
Speaker 7 (31:17):
He is horrible.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
He is terrible. The X at one.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Congratulations again to the Pittsburgh River Haunts USL champions and
their owner Tuffy Shallenberger. There was a celebration down town
today that a lot of people attended. I was doing
a radio show, but I was certainly there in spirits.
Now it's time to ask Mark anything brought to you
by People's Natural Gas, People's Hyphengas dot Com. Uh, let's
(31:46):
go to Manny Manny, ask Mark anything.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Hey, Mark.
Speaker 15 (31:50):
So, I'm actually expecting the Steelers to finish eight to nine,
and I don't anticipate that the fire Tom and Chance
are going to go away anytime soon.
Speaker 8 (32:02):
And I can actually see it happening at the.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Draft, and I know they're just not firing him though,
I mean, I agree with you. There's a very real
potential that if this team doesn't write itself dramatically, that
the draft is going to be ruined by irate Steeler
fans who do chance fire Tomlin and maybe even sell
the team. And to be honest, if you want to
hit Art where it hurts, that's the way to do it.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Because this draft was his dad's dream. It's been his dream.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
If you're dissatisfied, the way to show it is to
ruin the draft.
Speaker 8 (32:36):
I agree with that, but that's what I was going
to ask you if he would much rather, you know,
suffer through that humiliation or or break family tradition and
actually fire the coach.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
But he's not going to fire the coach. Let's go
to Greg. Hey, Doublem, good afternoon, Good afternoon.
Speaker 16 (33:00):
I just wanted to ask how people in Pittsburgh are
steel Steelers fans and after almost ten almost ten years
of no playoffs, not.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Winning a playoff game, you got it incorrect? Oh, I'm sorry, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Because that's what they do. That that's a Pittsburgh tradition.
It's And to be honest, being a fan of a
team has never been about winning.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
Not to me.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I support the team no matter what, but I also
express my dissatisfaction and I also expect my team to
change things when things have gone wrong for significant period.
And that's the most frustrating part about the Steelers. Things
have gone wrong for an extended period, but they show
no sign of changing even a little bit, not even
in the most minor way.
Speaker 16 (33:50):
Absolutely, and I love the Steelers. That just sucks to
see them at this state under the Tomlin regime.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
I don't love the Steelers, and I find this hilarious.
Let's go to Ben Ben ask Mark anything, I said,
good day?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Hey, if Tom would happen to go coach.
Speaker 15 (34:11):
At college team, He's not going.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
To He's not going to Goodbye. Do I think Tom
would be a good college coach. No, He's never recruited
at that level. I mean, was he a college assistant
for a while. I think he might have been. But
you know, this is a big time different ballgame with
n I L and whatnot. It'd be a terrible college coach.
(34:32):
I mean, my god, look at the way he coaches now.
He's lazy af It'd be an awful college coach. Let's
go to Eric Eric Askmark anything.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
Super genius?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
What did you think of Eddie Money?
Speaker 1 (34:45):
He was a really good half pop star, half rock star.
Does that make any sense? I Mettie interviewed Eddie I
liked Eddie a great deal, that's one thing. And I
thought he had some real good songs, really good songs.
Speaker 10 (34:58):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
He wasn't like the hardcore you know, metal or really
hardcore anything, but I thought he was delightful and a
fun guy and enjoyable to listen to.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
N see live. Let's go to Paul Paul ask Mark anything.
Speaker 10 (35:11):
Hi, Mark, just wanting to know how you got your
start in radio.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
They were hiring. Thank you for the call. Let's go
to a talkback, Hey, Mark.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
If the Steelers lose this Sunday, is it time to
admit this season is a lost cause.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
That guy calls all the time and he sounds either
constipated or self important, or constipated because he's self important.
This season's a lost cause now, Brov, and he got
nothing to do with winning or losing on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
It's a lost cause. Now, don't forget.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
You could join me tonight to watch the Penguin game
at Dino's and Latrobe with michelob Ultrap What oh five
ninety x
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