October 30, 2022 • 12 mins
Steelers Digest Editor Bob Labriola sits down with Head Coach Mike Tomlin ahead of the Steelers Week 8 matchup in Philly
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's the Mike Tomlin Game Day Podcast with Steelers Digest
editor Bob Labriola. Okay, coach, and your assessment of the
game in Miami, you said that it took your defense
sometime to acclimate and get a feel for what was
an unfamiliar group of players, one of whom was, as
you described it, a left handed quarterback and some of
the things they do. What were you referring to in
(00:22):
terms of a left handed quarterback and some of the
things that they do, you know, just the things that
happened offensively with the left hand handed quarterback. UM. A
lot of the misdirection passes are to the defenses right,
they're they're strong side route combinations are to the defenses right. UM,
and so the defensive right corner and people like that,
(00:43):
or the defensive right in or the defensive right outside linebacker.
We're seeing things that normally left corners and left edge
players see and and so, UM. It probably takes a
little time to get acclimated to that. In the understanding
of that, UM and that's just football UM. To replicate
some of those skills and talents, sometimes quarterback mobility in
(01:04):
the form of a left hander. There's this scarcely scarcity
of that talent combination, and sometimes it takes an in
stadium experience to get acclimated to the realities of it.
Another point you made is that quote we've got to
get more pressure on the quarterback. What qualifies as pressure,
you know, making them operate in an uncomfortable circumstance. Sometimes
(01:25):
you know it's not sacks. And I just wanted to
make that point. The function of Miami's offense kind of
reduces the potential for sacks. Everything is r P O
and misdirection passes and changing of the launch point and so,
um you understand it from that component. But the pressure
component is is being disruptive, not allowing the offense to
function uh in a normal pace. Uh that makes them comfortable.
(01:49):
And that's about beating blocks and beating blocks quickly and
in affecting the normal flority offense. So pressure, I mean
to determine whether you've got it people to stop watch
to it. I mean, that's it depends on the play concept.
You know, if there if it's a play action pass,
quarterbacks hold hold those balls from three point two five
to three point seven five seconds, and so the standard
(02:10):
of disruption under those scenarios are different than the standard
of disruption if they're throwing rhythm quick passing or or
rollouts and things of that nature. And so it's more
than just beating the guy. It's about having an intelligent
rush to understand the components of their attack into and
too rush accordingly. Pressure sometimes versus rhythm passing. It's just
being aware that that they're in a rhythm passing situation
(02:33):
and you got your hands up and your batting balls down,
or you're making the quarterback trying to find a throwing
lane in between hands that are in the air, and
then maybe someone else gets home. And so that's what
I mean when I'm talking about pressure. Pressure comes in
many forms, and it's not just putting the quarterback on
his back. So when you're playing a running quarterback, because
the concept of pressure change against somebody like that, no question,
(02:55):
Because most of the time with a running quarterback comes
different forms of offense, mr and passes, getting them on
the perimeter, changing the launch point um. Those are things
that come with mobility, and so oftentimes it's one and
the same. In terms of the discussion. Another term that's
often used in football these days chunk play. What qualifies
as a chunk play. I think global definition is a
(03:17):
ten plus yard run and a twenty plus yard pass.
If you look at analytically speaking, all the scouting services
and things of that nature, I think it's becoming global
to define those plays as runs of ten yards or
more and passes of twenty yards and more. Okay, So
besides fast receivers running deep down the field and the
quarterback throwing the ball for Howard, chunk plays created run
(03:39):
after you know, guys winning individual matchups and getting chunks
of space after you know it is probably the more
probable and the more consistent way that those plays are made,
uh than the ones that you mentioned. Um, a guy
breaks a tackle, guy makes a routine play, breaks a tackle,
tax on ten or twelve more yards, and and that's
(03:59):
quiet LEA chunk play, a field flipping play, a play
that changes the trajectory of the game because of the
field positioning component of it. So that's just something that
has happenstance. Though, whether a guy makes somebody miss or
a guy misses on his own a I wouldn't call
it happenstance. It's the game. You know. You want guys
that can make open grass tackles. You want guys that
(04:20):
can make people miss under them circumstances. Is a value
on that, and there's nothing mystical about it. Is very
tangible in terms of a basic job description. What are
the qualities the NFL expects of punters when it comes
to location, distance, and hang time, And then probably last
is holding for the place kicker. You know, um, I
think four point five seconds and forty five yards. It's
(04:43):
kind of a global standard of of varsity, if you will.
But the things that define quality punting is the is
the situational punting. Guys that are consistently capable of putting
the ball inside the ten yard line without it going
in the end zone. Guys that can directional punt and
and and keep a dangerous return man at bay by
making them cover horizontal distances to feel the ball in.
(05:05):
At times you might need to to eliminate the potential
of a return. Maybe you you punch the ball, you
get a penalty and you have to repunt. You gotta
fatigue punt covers group. Well, you want a punter that
can put that ball forty yards angled out of bounds
all net under those circumstances, and so forget the yardage
um as a standard. UM. All the guys that are
(05:27):
serious candidates to be NFL kickers can meet that four
point five and forty five yards standard. It's the specialization.
It's those moments and being able to deliver in those moments.
That's the difference between being an NFL punter and an
aspiring NFL punter. How fine do you cut the location thing?
I mean very fine. Give me an example on the
numbers on the sideline, UM, inside the ten, not in
(05:53):
the end zone? UM, very fine? Do you coordinate your coverage?
Just say there's a lot of open grass, it's not
a situation where the end zone is a factor. Do
you tell the coverage or does the coverage expect the
punt to be numbers to the sideline on the right side.
Every single kick and not just our unit. That's a
(06:13):
global deal, that's just NFL football. Every single kick that's
directional has a coordinated coverage associated with it, and that's
why it's so important to deliver intentions. UM. That's why
that component of the game determines who's good and who's not.
Because if you put a ball on the right if
you intend to kick the ball to the right and
you're covering to the right and that ball ends up
(06:34):
in the middle of the field on the left. Uh.
Those are those big returns where everybody looks a little
bit stupid and you're trying to figure out what happened.
It's probably ball placement. So it's never like in golf,
get on the tea with the driver and just did
it as far as you can. No, No, this is
not checkers. This is chess. Understanding that you don't grade
on a curve. But when it comes to grading and
(06:56):
in stadium performance, is the grade either an A or
an F bace on purely on the outcome of the
game in terms of bare necessity, Yes, because our business
is winning. Our game is football. Our business is winning.
But in terms of the things that are relevant to
us pushing this group forward, the maturation of this group
individually and collectively, we break down and analyze the game
(07:17):
and in their varying degrees of success. But those are
things that I prefer to keep in house because oftentimes
the public make too bigger story out of it, or
or not enough of a story out of it. And
so when I'm talking publicly, I talk about the things
that we expected we expect to win. Our business is winning,
and I try to leave some of the minutia, some
of the degrees of success and failure to in house,
(07:40):
because oftentimes when they get outside the house, it gets
away from it. It gets overblown, understated, misinterpreted. It just
depends on the agenda of the journalists. How would you
assess Arthur Mallett's development from two I like the trajectory
of it, and and really it can be analyzed and
measured just simply in the way that he communicates. His
(08:02):
level of communication is on another level here in two
relative and when when a guy is communicating, it displays understanding.
And he plays one of those interior positions where communication
is a muss. Nicola is no different than inside linebacker
or safety. There a hub of communication, and particularly in
possession down circumstances, he has to identify a lot of things.
(08:24):
He has to work with linebackers, he has to work
with corners, he has to work with safeties behind him.
He blitzes, he has the coordinators rush with those that
rushed the passer. And so it is a significant job
and understanding is a major component of it. And I
see tremendous growth in him in between year one and
year two. But it's a reasonable thing to expect. I
remember Mike Hilton took a similar leap in terms of
(08:48):
communication and then the quality plays came along with it,
and so I think it's reasonable to expect Arthur to
do the same. Are you doing more things with him?
We do what he can handle, um, and so we
we are doing more things than we did in twenty
Quarterbacks in the NFL who are good at using their
legs to buy time and then run when it's prudent
(09:09):
to do so? Is that something that those guys develop
or is that completely instinctual? Both? Um there, there's a
skill set there geared toward it. Um. But those that
are really good imprudent, uh, imprudent being the word um.
There there is a technical development in that area. How
many reads, like, if it's your quarterback, who's the guy
(09:32):
who is mobile, how many reads should he go through
before it's time to start looking for an escape lane?
Depends on the play concept. Misdirection passes if he's changing
the launch point usually to you know, wanted to read
if it's a possession down, a one dimensional possession down
and and in the line of gain is ten twelve
yards downfield. You might full feel read it and go
(09:52):
through four intended receivers before you take off, because you
gotta get a greater distance than an effort to move
the chains and so UM A out of it has
to do with situation and and play concept to dictate
how many reads he goes through in the possession before
he lets those natural instincts take over. UM. Any pocket
movement and things of that nature is never any more
(10:13):
than two reads. UM. The more one dimensional the circumstances
are like third and long, the more reads he's probably
gonna go to before he goes UM to to that tool,
if you will. When a quarterback breaks out of the pocket,
there are things that receivers are coached to do. What
are the offensive lineman or the ineligibles coach to do? UM.
(10:35):
That's that's a general term. Oftentimes they don't have knowledge
of where the quarterback is UM once the place starts
to get extended UM and so a general rule is
opposed to head on a swivel trying to get a
sense of field where he is. If you keep working,
meaning the guy that you're blocking or intend to block,
If you stay focused on him, he'll tell you where
(10:56):
the quarterback is based on his movements, and then you
fight against it. And so the general coaching point is
to keep working and the guy that you're blocking oftentimes
give you an indication of where the quarterback is, and
it's your job is to fight that pressure and lean
on that pressure and stay between him and where you
think the quarter might quarterback might be based on his actions.
(11:17):
Four pm next Tuesday, the NFL trading deadline expires. Compared
to other professional sports, why is the trading deadline in
the NFL such a nothing event? You know? Um, I
don't know about the other sports, to be honest with you,
I you know, I don't study their culture enough. I
just know that team development and division of labor and
(11:38):
in the intangible quality in football make being on the
train when it leaves the station a significant thing. And
then oftentimes it's very difficult to find the right formula
when when you're adding people and things of that nature.
It's just the ultimate team sport. Um. It's an eleven
man game. Um. And there's so many moving parts in
(11:59):
chord aided moving parts that make continuity much more challenging
than maybe the other professional sports. N B, A, and
in UM in Major League Baseball? In your mind, is
it over acceptable to trade away current players for future picks? Sure,
they're their circumstances. You tell me the scenario, the value UM.
I think all those discussions come down to value. UM.
(12:22):
Their business decisions. UM. Oftentimes in season you're somewhat naturally
resistant to business like decisions. But I've been in it
long enough that I'm I'm gonna see the floor forests,
including the trees and so UM. You tell me the value.
I tell you if it's something worthy of considering. That's
the Mike Tomlin Game Day Podcast. Subscribe in, download new
(12:43):
episodes every week, and check out all of the other
shows we have to offer on the Steelers Podcast Network
that's available on the Steelers Mobile app, the I Heart
Radio app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
He's the Mike Tomlin Game Day Podcast with Steelers Digest
editor Bob Labriola. Okay, coach, and your assessment of the
game in Miami, you said that it took your defense
sometime to acclimate and get a feel for what was
an unfamiliar group of players, one of whom was, as
you described it, a left handed quarterback and some of
the things they do. What were you referring to in
(00:22):
terms of a left handed quarterback and some of the
things that they do, you know, just the things that
happened offensively with the left hand handed quarterback. UM. A
lot of the misdirection passes are to the defenses right,
they're they're strong side route combinations are to the defenses right. UM,
and so the defensive right corner and people like that,
(00:43):
or the defensive right in or the defensive right outside linebacker.
We're seeing things that normally left corners and left edge
players see and and so, UM. It probably takes a
little time to get acclimated to that. In the understanding
of that, UM and that's just football UM. To replicate
some of those skills and talents, sometimes quarterback mobility in
(01:04):
the form of a left hander. There's this scarcely scarcity
of that talent combination, and sometimes it takes an in
stadium experience to get acclimated to the realities of it.
Another point you made is that quote we've got to
get more pressure on the quarterback. What qualifies as pressure,
you know, making them operate in an uncomfortable circumstance. Sometimes
(01:25):
you know it's not sacks. And I just wanted to
make that point. The function of Miami's offense kind of
reduces the potential for sacks. Everything is r P O
and misdirection passes and changing of the launch point and so,
um you understand it from that component. But the pressure
component is is being disruptive, not allowing the offense to
function uh in a normal pace. Uh that makes them comfortable.
(01:49):
And that's about beating blocks and beating blocks quickly and
in affecting the normal flority offense. So pressure, I mean
to determine whether you've got it people to stop watch
to it. I mean, that's it depends on the play concept.
You know, if there if it's a play action pass,
quarterbacks hold hold those balls from three point two five
to three point seven five seconds, and so the standard
(02:10):
of disruption under those scenarios are different than the standard
of disruption if they're throwing rhythm quick passing or or
rollouts and things of that nature. And so it's more
than just beating the guy. It's about having an intelligent
rush to understand the components of their attack into and
too rush accordingly. Pressure sometimes versus rhythm passing. It's just
being aware that that they're in a rhythm passing situation
(02:33):
and you got your hands up and your batting balls down,
or you're making the quarterback trying to find a throwing
lane in between hands that are in the air, and
then maybe someone else gets home. And so that's what
I mean when I'm talking about pressure. Pressure comes in
many forms, and it's not just putting the quarterback on
his back. So when you're playing a running quarterback, because
the concept of pressure change against somebody like that, no question,
(02:55):
Because most of the time with a running quarterback comes
different forms of offense, mr and passes, getting them on
the perimeter, changing the launch point um. Those are things
that come with mobility, and so oftentimes it's one and
the same. In terms of the discussion. Another term that's
often used in football these days chunk play. What qualifies
as a chunk play. I think global definition is a
(03:17):
ten plus yard run and a twenty plus yard pass.
If you look at analytically speaking, all the scouting services
and things of that nature, I think it's becoming global
to define those plays as runs of ten yards or
more and passes of twenty yards and more. Okay, So
besides fast receivers running deep down the field and the
quarterback throwing the ball for Howard, chunk plays created run
(03:39):
after you know, guys winning individual matchups and getting chunks
of space after you know it is probably the more
probable and the more consistent way that those plays are made,
uh than the ones that you mentioned. Um, a guy
breaks a tackle, guy makes a routine play, breaks a tackle,
tax on ten or twelve more yards, and and that's
(03:59):
quiet LEA chunk play, a field flipping play, a play
that changes the trajectory of the game because of the
field positioning component of it. So that's just something that
has happenstance. Though, whether a guy makes somebody miss or
a guy misses on his own a I wouldn't call
it happenstance. It's the game. You know. You want guys
that can make open grass tackles. You want guys that
(04:20):
can make people miss under them circumstances. Is a value
on that, and there's nothing mystical about it. Is very
tangible in terms of a basic job description. What are
the qualities the NFL expects of punters when it comes
to location, distance, and hang time, And then probably last
is holding for the place kicker. You know, um, I
think four point five seconds and forty five yards. It's
(04:43):
kind of a global standard of of varsity, if you will.
But the things that define quality punting is the is
the situational punting. Guys that are consistently capable of putting
the ball inside the ten yard line without it going
in the end zone. Guys that can directional punt and
and and keep a dangerous return man at bay by
making them cover horizontal distances to feel the ball in.
(05:05):
At times you might need to to eliminate the potential
of a return. Maybe you you punch the ball, you
get a penalty and you have to repunt. You gotta
fatigue punt covers group. Well, you want a punter that
can put that ball forty yards angled out of bounds
all net under those circumstances, and so forget the yardage
um as a standard. UM. All the guys that are
(05:27):
serious candidates to be NFL kickers can meet that four
point five and forty five yards standard. It's the specialization.
It's those moments and being able to deliver in those moments.
That's the difference between being an NFL punter and an
aspiring NFL punter. How fine do you cut the location thing?
I mean very fine. Give me an example on the
numbers on the sideline, UM, inside the ten, not in
(05:53):
the end zone? UM, very fine? Do you coordinate your coverage?
Just say there's a lot of open grass, it's not
a situation where the end zone is a factor. Do
you tell the coverage or does the coverage expect the
punt to be numbers to the sideline on the right side.
Every single kick and not just our unit. That's a
(06:13):
global deal, that's just NFL football. Every single kick that's
directional has a coordinated coverage associated with it, and that's
why it's so important to deliver intentions. UM. That's why
that component of the game determines who's good and who's not.
Because if you put a ball on the right if
you intend to kick the ball to the right and
you're covering to the right and that ball ends up
(06:34):
in the middle of the field on the left. Uh.
Those are those big returns where everybody looks a little
bit stupid and you're trying to figure out what happened.
It's probably ball placement. So it's never like in golf,
get on the tea with the driver and just did
it as far as you can. No, No, this is
not checkers. This is chess. Understanding that you don't grade
on a curve. But when it comes to grading and
(06:56):
in stadium performance, is the grade either an A or
an F bace on purely on the outcome of the
game in terms of bare necessity, Yes, because our business
is winning. Our game is football. Our business is winning.
But in terms of the things that are relevant to
us pushing this group forward, the maturation of this group
individually and collectively, we break down and analyze the game
(07:17):
and in their varying degrees of success. But those are
things that I prefer to keep in house because oftentimes
the public make too bigger story out of it, or
or not enough of a story out of it. And
so when I'm talking publicly, I talk about the things
that we expected we expect to win. Our business is winning,
and I try to leave some of the minutia, some
of the degrees of success and failure to in house,
(07:40):
because oftentimes when they get outside the house, it gets
away from it. It gets overblown, understated, misinterpreted. It just
depends on the agenda of the journalists. How would you
assess Arthur Mallett's development from two I like the trajectory
of it, and and really it can be analyzed and
measured just simply in the way that he communicates. His
(08:02):
level of communication is on another level here in two
relative and when when a guy is communicating, it displays understanding.
And he plays one of those interior positions where communication
is a muss. Nicola is no different than inside linebacker
or safety. There a hub of communication, and particularly in
possession down circumstances, he has to identify a lot of things.
(08:24):
He has to work with linebackers, he has to work
with corners, he has to work with safeties behind him.
He blitzes, he has the coordinators rush with those that
rushed the passer. And so it is a significant job
and understanding is a major component of it. And I
see tremendous growth in him in between year one and
year two. But it's a reasonable thing to expect. I
remember Mike Hilton took a similar leap in terms of
(08:48):
communication and then the quality plays came along with it,
and so I think it's reasonable to expect Arthur to
do the same. Are you doing more things with him?
We do what he can handle, um, and so we
we are doing more things than we did in twenty
Quarterbacks in the NFL who are good at using their
legs to buy time and then run when it's prudent
(09:09):
to do so? Is that something that those guys develop
or is that completely instinctual? Both? Um there, there's a
skill set there geared toward it. Um. But those that
are really good imprudent, uh, imprudent being the word um.
There there is a technical development in that area. How
many reads, like, if it's your quarterback, who's the guy
(09:32):
who is mobile, how many reads should he go through
before it's time to start looking for an escape lane?
Depends on the play concept. Misdirection passes if he's changing
the launch point usually to you know, wanted to read
if it's a possession down, a one dimensional possession down
and and in the line of gain is ten twelve
yards downfield. You might full feel read it and go
(09:52):
through four intended receivers before you take off, because you
gotta get a greater distance than an effort to move
the chains and so UM A out of it has
to do with situation and and play concept to dictate
how many reads he goes through in the possession before
he lets those natural instincts take over. UM. Any pocket
movement and things of that nature is never any more
(10:13):
than two reads. UM. The more one dimensional the circumstances
are like third and long, the more reads he's probably
gonna go to before he goes UM to to that tool,
if you will. When a quarterback breaks out of the pocket,
there are things that receivers are coached to do. What
are the offensive lineman or the ineligibles coach to do? UM.
(10:35):
That's that's a general term. Oftentimes they don't have knowledge
of where the quarterback is UM once the place starts
to get extended UM and so a general rule is
opposed to head on a swivel trying to get a
sense of field where he is. If you keep working,
meaning the guy that you're blocking or intend to block,
If you stay focused on him, he'll tell you where
(10:56):
the quarterback is based on his movements, and then you
fight against it. And so the general coaching point is
to keep working and the guy that you're blocking oftentimes
give you an indication of where the quarterback is, and
it's your job is to fight that pressure and lean
on that pressure and stay between him and where you
think the quarter might quarterback might be based on his actions.
(11:17):
Four pm next Tuesday, the NFL trading deadline expires. Compared
to other professional sports, why is the trading deadline in
the NFL such a nothing event? You know? Um, I
don't know about the other sports, to be honest with you,
I you know, I don't study their culture enough. I
just know that team development and division of labor and
(11:38):
in the intangible quality in football make being on the
train when it leaves the station a significant thing. And
then oftentimes it's very difficult to find the right formula
when when you're adding people and things of that nature.
It's just the ultimate team sport. Um. It's an eleven
man game. Um. And there's so many moving parts in
(11:59):
chord aided moving parts that make continuity much more challenging
than maybe the other professional sports. N B, A, and
in UM in Major League Baseball? In your mind, is
it over acceptable to trade away current players for future picks? Sure,
they're their circumstances. You tell me the scenario, the value UM.
I think all those discussions come down to value. UM.
(12:22):
Their business decisions. UM. Oftentimes in season you're somewhat naturally
resistant to business like decisions. But I've been in it
long enough that I'm I'm gonna see the floor forests,
including the trees and so UM. You tell me the value.
I tell you if it's something worthy of considering. That's
the Mike Tomlin Game Day Podcast. Subscribe in, download new
(12:43):
episodes every week, and check out all of the other
shows we have to offer on the Steelers Podcast Network
that's available on the Steelers Mobile app, the I Heart
Radio app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.