Week 11 vs Bengals

Mike Prisuta and Bob Labriola discuss Steelers topics ahead of the Bengals game on the show with the motto, I'm right, he's wrong!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Agree to Disagree With and Bob Labriola. The
NFL may have had the temerity, the audacity, and the
canis to flex the Steelers out of prime time for
the hosting of the Bengals this Sunday, but the powers
that be wouldn't think of messing with Agreed to Disagree,
the podcast with the motto I'm right, he's he's Bob Labriola,

(00:26):
Mike pursued it, and we are recording this should be
award winning edition of Agreed to Disagree on a Tuesday morning,
just after the completion of another should be award winning
edition of the dv E Morning Show. Because that's not
just how we roll, that's when we roll. And Roger
Goodell wouldn't even think of messing with that. Neither would

(00:47):
the TV executives. When we speak, they listen, and the
ratings never waver. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Run until they stop it. If you've been waiting all
day for Agree to Disagree, eight no more. We're here
and we aren't going anywhere. We will not be moved,
we will not be deterred, no matter when the next

(01:08):
game is or isn't played. This is our time, Mr hand,
don't forget it. Let's get to the particulars. What's the
pizza get delivered, having a little food, and learning about Cuba.
So what Jefferson was saying was we left this England. Okay,

(01:29):
let's get off the fast times of Bridgemont High. Let's
go get to what we're here for. Uh, Larry Ogan
Jovi is better than any defensive lineman the Steelers could
have drafted overall. Labs agree, I mean, and let's start
off by looking at what was available for the Steelers
at the overall pick last April, because you know, this

(01:52):
is not this is a real situation as opposed to
you know they could have had, you know whatever. Because
let's let's look at what they really could have had.
Because George Davis was gone, Fans, I'm not here to
tell you that he was gone. Okay, this would have yeah,

(02:14):
I mean, uh, you know, Jerry Rice would have been
nice and too, you know, but I mean it didn't happen.
The Niners picked him in front of the Steelers that year.
So anyway, what was left was Davante Wyatt, the stranded
fifteen pound fifteen pound the linement from Georgia, and then
a bunch of guys were more suited than being you know,

(02:36):
undersized ends in the four three George carlaftis the from Purdue,
Logan Hall from Houston, Arnold at A Katie from Penn State,
Boyya ma Fe from Minnesota. Way too many big ten
guys in there for me. Uh. And then the only
other guy really who would have fit in a three
four for Darien mathis from Alabama, but he's on I R.

(02:59):
And that pretty much takes us through the second round
in terms of who the defensive lineman who are drafted then.
And I like the Marvin Leale, the defensive lineman the
Steelers got from Texas A and M in the third round.
But you know, when you're looking at those other names
I mentioned, I'd rather have Ogan Job. I mean, he's big, powerful,

(03:22):
he's a run stuffer, interior defensive lineman six four three
oh five, and he has enough pass rush ability. He
has twenty two sacks on his NFL resumes only twenty
eight years old, So I mean, you look at it.
The defensive line was a problem for the Steelers last year,
no doubt. It was a contributing factor in the fact
the unit finished last in the NFL and rush defense,

(03:45):
no doubt. But this year also no doubt in my
mind is the defensive line isn't a problem. And going
into last Sunday's game two days ago against the New
Orleans Saints, UH, they were ranked sixteen against the run,
which is a significant improvement, and the Saints only rushed
for twenty nine yards on fifteen carries. So you know

(04:08):
that that that should even be a little bit better
looking at the stats this year or this week. Excuse
me and let me just say this. I know you're
a big watch the game over kind of guy, even
though I am not. But if you pop into video
from that game against the Saints, go to the fourth quarter,
they're back to back plays, third and one, fourth and one. Uh.

(04:31):
The Steelers uh stopped the run two times and took
over on downs. Check out number ninety nine in the
black jersey. I mean he's not Cam Hayward yet. I'm
not saying that he is, but he's a very nice sidekick.
And that guy is a pain in the butt to
move off the line of scrimmage when he doesn't want
to be moved. So UM, give me Larry oh and

(04:53):
I'll take picket too. I'm gonna agree with these statement
as well. It's interesting that the one guy you didn't
mention was Travi Jones, nose tackle from Yukon who ended
up going to Baltimore in the third round. I think
as the years go by, the Ravens are gonna find
out they got real value there. But it might have
been a bit of a reach in the first round

(05:14):
to take that guy. So I don't have a problem
with the way they handled that in retrospect the way
things played out, based on our multiple references to fast
times at Ridgemont High in the open, I wish the
Steelers would have taken the safety from Notre Dame that way.
After the pick, I could have responded with a all right, Hamilton's,
but you know, Kyle Hamilton's went uh to Baltimore fourteenth overall,

(05:36):
so that wasn't happening either. Now. The only thing that's
curious to me, Labs, I don't know if you have
any insight intel on this or not. I never was
able to come up with any ogan. Joe had signed
with the Bears and then got released allegedly because of
a failed physical on March eighteenth. Uh. The word I
got from around the league was Chicago just had a

(05:56):
little buyer's remorse and figured they could get two guys
forty and a half million instead of one, and then
I decided to go that route. But I don't know
if the Steelers knew they had Ogan Job in their
back pocket at the time of the draft, but they
did what they did, and they took pickens on the
second round. Uh, they eventually got the defensive line help
that I was convinced they had to have either in

(06:18):
free agency or the draft, and they didn't get it
initially in free agency. Then it didn't look like they
were going to get it into draft. I like Leale
as well, but in terms of immediate impact and you know,
being the kind of player you described Ogan Job as being,
Leale is not that yet. He's probably gonna be that someday.
But it all kind of worked out, didn't it. Yeah,
it did. And um, you know, the one uh potential

(06:41):
flying the ointment is you know, Ogen Job was only
signed to a one year contract and so excuse me,
he can be an unrestricted free agent next March, and
so you know, there is a little bit of work
to be done there. But um, you know, you look
at this team this year. I think that, uh, you know,
based on the the way things worked out in terms

(07:04):
of the defensive lineman available and the guy that they
ended up signing in June. Uh, they're ahead of the game.
Topic number two. Maybe Kenny Pickett didn't turn the ball
over against New Orleans, but he didn't play well either. Well,
let me say this. I mean, you know, didn't play well.
I agree with that, but I'm sure but he wasn't awful.

(07:28):
If you're gonna argue this, you gotta maybe see somebody
because well, I mean, split personality thing going here. A
lot of a lot of times I write things that
I that I don't agree with because I know that
you will, you know, because that's the kind of guy
you are. I am not that predictable. Oh man, don't

(07:52):
start with that. I've known you way too long for
you to say to me you're not predictable. But anyway, Um,
he didn't he wasn't awful. I mean the or no turnovers.
He managed the game pretty well. You know, he's a rookie.
Those are positives. Um, he completed six mathematically, Uh, and
that's a you know that looks okay on the statueet.

(08:14):
But I didn't think it was really accurate. And it
started with that first pass of the game. First play
of the game, it was behind George Pickens. Um they
pick it? Also, can you pick it? Also rushed for
fifty one yards. I thought he was bailing out of
the pocket maybe a little too early on in some instances.
And I won't say he had happy feet, but you know,

(08:37):
he was a little helter skelter with his movement in
the pocket. And you know, I think maybe that could
have contributed, uh to some of the six sacks. So, um,
there's those things. And again, um, you know, a game
with no turnovers in an average per attempt of under
seven yards, which was you know, a d nine nine

(08:59):
yards on thirty attempts. His was six point six against
New Orleans. I mean that's the kind of resume that
contributed to Mitch Trobinsky being on the sideline. Now, so
you know, I'm not calling for a quarterback change. I'm
not saying, you know that that there's anything really um
awful about the way Pickett played. And again I understand

(09:20):
he didn't turn it over and I understand he's a rookie.
Uh and so those are you know, you've gotta those
growing pains associated with us, and I think that you know,
Sunday's game was an example of some growing pains. But
I think he's gonna have to play better on Sunday
if this winning streak is going to grow to two. So,
to summarize, he didn't play well. You agree, Yes, I agree,

(09:43):
he did not play well. Okay, I just wanted to
make sure I was clear on that because this just
in HERM Edwards. You play to win the game, and
Kenny Pickett was the winning quarterback. He played well enough
to win. That is well enough for me. I agree
with what you said about the happy feet. I also
thought he uh was not situationally sound. There was one

(10:04):
time where they were down near the goal line on
the ten yard line and they're in an empty set,
and he takes a three step drop and then doesn't
throw the ball for whatever reason on first and goal,
holds it and ends up getting sacked for an eleven
yard lost. You can't lose eleven on first and ten,
throw the thing into the cheap seats and live to
fight another down. Uh. There were some misses on open guys,

(10:27):
But I also want to give pick It a little credit.
He had too almost touchdowns labs. Uh No, I know
you don't get any points for those. But a beautiful
throw to Nagy Harris on on a wheel right wheel
wheel route out of the backfield and Harris had to
extend for it, but he also got two hands on
it and didn't catch it. And then there was another

(10:49):
slant to Deontae Johnson on which pick it correctly read
the Saints in zero coverage, and there was a defensive
pass interference on the play, more than likely because the
d back realized he was getting b and it was
gonna be a touchdown from the Steeler side of the
fifty if the past was completed. So at times he's
really seeing it and throwing it, not often enough to

(11:09):
be great, but I like what he's doing with his
legs way more often than not. I think that's got
to continue. He seems to have a feel for when
to run more often than not. Got to get better
in the red zone. That's where he's had his problems
more than any place else. But keep stacking w's That
is good enough for me, uh, particularly right now given

(11:31):
the circumstances of where the team is and where Picket
is in his career. Okay, seem head, let me riddle
me this. Um. You know, starting pitcher might get the win,
but that doesn't mean he pitched a good game, means
he got to win. I had understand that somebody wins,
somebody loses. Okay, all right, that was little Gordon getck

(11:58):
go for you there. I'm going all over the place
with the movie references here. Last, but certainly not least.
Their only chance on Sunday against Cincinnati. And hey, if
you haven't heard, it's not a primetime game anymore. They're playing. Uh,
their only chance is if Najy Harris rushes for more
yards than Joe Mixing. Okay, I agree, and let me

(12:21):
explain myself a little bit here. Um, I'm looking at
Nasey Harris rushing for more yards than Joe McK mixon
on Sunday being a function of the Steelers winning the
battle along the line of scrimmage on both sides of
the ball, because I don't think it happens without that, Okay,
And so you know, the statistical um outcome is to

(12:45):
meet is going to be a reflection of what I
just described, which was, you know, winning the battle on
the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,
and I believe that's what needs to happen, Uh, if
the Steelers are gonna have a chance to beat the Bengals.
I mean, you know, we know from last September eleven,
this past September eleven, which was the day to the opener,

(13:07):
that the Bengals offensive line is a mess. Okay, Uh,
I don't I don't think even you would argue with that.
That was the game the Steeler sacked just to be
a little combative, but the Steeler sacked Burrows seven times
in that game. Okay. The Bengals have played nine games,

(13:28):
only twice have there been games when Burrow wasn't sacked
multiple times. And he's been sacked in every game at
least once, but only two games when he wasn't sacked
multiple times. That was against Miami and then that then
the Bengals previous game they were off, you know, this
past Sunday. The previous game was against Carolina and that
was when Mixing rushed for a hundred and fifty three

(13:49):
yards and four touchdowns. So clearly there is a correlation
between you know, Joe Mixon's rushing stats and a performance
of the Bengals offensive line. Now, also going back to
earlier this season, I thought the Steelers defense was handled
late in the loss in New England when the Patriots
ran out the clock, and then also in Cleveland. Um,

(14:13):
and that started up front, okay, But since then the
defensive line has been better formidable. As a matter of fact,
and if you look at the statistics, because I don't
watch Cincinnati every week, um, the run Steelers run defense
is ranked higher against the run than Cincinnati's okay. And
then also six uh for you mathematically charged challenge big

(14:38):
ten graduates. Uh, sixteen is a lot better than thirty
second Okay, So it's been a significant improvement there year
over year. Now flipping it around, I understand the Steelers
offensive line will never be confused with the seven blocks
of granted, okay, but the unit has shown some I think,

(14:58):
some steady improvement over the course of this season. Uh.
And Nausey Harris has as well. And who knows, maybe
the coordinator learned a couple of things about run pass
ratio last Sunday against the Saints, because let's hope so.
Because even though the Bengals are expected to be without
Jamar Chase, Steelers cannot afford to get into a Burrow

(15:21):
versus Pickett shootout on Sunday, just as back they could
not afford to get in a A l Way versus
Cordell Stewart shootout in the a f C Championship game.
But the Steeler's offensive coordinator that day, Chan Gaily, wasn't
so quick to realize that, and so that game ended

(15:44):
with a big l. What always comes back to the coordinator,
doesn't it. I appreciate what you did there. You made
relatively simple, all encompassing statement, and you used it to
kick start a detailed discustion of what needs to happen,
and you made a lot of good points. But back

(16:04):
to the statement, their only chance to win as if
Nag Harris rushes from more yards than Joe Mixing. No,
I disagree, Maybe the Bengals will miss an extra point
on what should be the game winning extra point. And
uh more specifically, uh yeah, Joe Mixon had a huge
day against Carolina buck fifty three on the ground and

(16:24):
five count them, five touchdowns. That's five overall, though, is
one more than uh the Al Bundy in East Lansing, Michigan.
We call that the Kenneth Walker to the third. Okay,
it's pretty good. But you look at some of the
games this year. He had twelve carries Mixing did for
twenty four yards against the Jets, Bengals still won. Uh.

(16:46):
You had twenty four for sixty one against Miami, the
Bengals still won. Eight for forty five against New Orleans,
seventeen for fifty eight against Atlanta. Bengals won all those games.
Those are not a bridge too far statistical totals that
Nagy Harris may not be able to reach. Uh, I
get where you went with that. You know, start pounding
the kid. He looked like the guy that he looked

(17:08):
like last year in that New Orleans game. He looked
like a number one pick worthy running back. He looked
like a guy that should be one of the bell
cows of the offense. I'm all for all of that continuing,
but you know, any means necessary come late Sunday afternoon.
I mean, if they got to miss another extra point,
I'll take that. If Kenny pick Itt can actually hit
a few of those red zone throws he's been missing on,

(17:30):
I'll take that. And hey, if you gotta pound Joe
Burrow another seven times and pick him off a couple
of times we didn't get to the defensive backs at
all in this discussion. But I just want to go
off script a little bit with you here, Labs. I
think we could both agree bonus topic if you will,
No makeer Fitzpatrick and the secondary played great. Yes in

(17:54):
that Saints game. Yes, Uh, And you know I was.
I was particularly impressed with Levi Wallace Uh crunch time,
you know, in in the fourth quarter. I mean, I
don't think you could, you know, put together a long
highlight film of all of the good things he did
in that game. But he certainly came up big in

(18:16):
a couple of critical instances in the fourth quarter when
it was, you know, a three point lead, the first
of those two plays that he made. And let me
another guy, I think who has been who played well
on Sunday and who has been playing better again as
the season has progresses Arthur Mollette. M Edmonds is pretty good? Yeah,

(18:37):
pretty good? Right that the defensive backfield you know has
been very good, was very good on Sunday. But again,
you know, I try to keep this stuff, you know,
in the actual real world, and I don't think you're
gonna have Minka on Sunday either and um, you know
the saying that Joe Mixon, you know, didn't rush for

(19:01):
many yards against um, you know, the Dolphins, and um,
the Bengals still one. I mean, though it's two different teams.
I mean, you can't compare. What you're doing is you're
saying that the Steelers are comparable to the Miami Dolphins
in their makeup on both sides of the line of scrimmage,

(19:23):
and so therefore, you know, the respective rushing totals don't matter.
You know. What I'm saying is Naga Harris may well
go for more than sixty one yards and they could
still lose. But okay, but what I'm saying is if
Nazi Harris goes for only sixty one yards and the
Steelers still lose, what I'm saying is Mixing will have

(19:44):
more than that. Yeah, well, I mean Borrow could have
four hundred. Let's not kid ourselves. I don't think it's
gonna without your mar Chase. But um, there there's the Bengals.
And this has surprised me about the Bengals all years.
They have not been a good rushing team. With Joe
Mixing and with all the his receivers and with that quarterback.
But hey, that's their problem. Uh, we'll see if the

(20:05):
Steelers can hopefully it's their problem on Sunday too. Yeah,
we'll see if the Steelers can solve more of theirs
and uh, you know, maybe generate a little momentum for
momentum sake. That's gonna do it for this edition of
Agree to Disagree, we will be coming at you again
next week, same bat time, same bat station. We record

(20:28):
at about ten ten am or so on Tuesdays and
then it gets posted. Lab. Do you do the posting
on this or do we have a staff of engineers
that handle that. Oh, it's an award winning staff headed
by Tom Offerman, who is sitting probably to my left
a couple of feet for yes, to your left. So
he he is the He is the staff, is what

(20:49):
you're telling me. He is the staff, And so anytime
there's a mess up, it's his fault. And anyone who
would like his cell phone number, I'll happily provide it.
So whenever he gets around and putting that up will
be up. And only then it's when we decide, not
when Roger Goodell decides. I think we've made that painfully
obvious for Shirtless Tom and Bob Labrielle, Mike, Pursuit of

(21:11):
Thanks for finding us on agree to disagree the podcast
with the motto I'm right, he's wrong. We will talk
to you next week.