January 6, 2023 • 43 mins
Mike Prisuta and Matt Williamson break down the Steelers and Browns matchup in the regular season finale. The duo is joined by Merril Hoge as always.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Steelers Preview show on w d v
E Pittsburgh, presented by UNIBT. The only thing better than
a Steelers win is the Steelers win that pays double
down on your team. With UNIVET, proud partner of the
Pittsburgh Steelers, here are your hosts, Mike Pursuita, Matt Williamson,
and Meryl Hodge. Good evening, and welcome to another Thursday
night edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers
(00:22):
Flagship one or two point five d V and s
n R. Mike Pursuita and Matt Williamson with you once again.
Merril Hodge will be along directly, and we are still
talking about meaningful football. The Steelers are not in control,
but they're not out of it yet. They've got the
Cleveland Browns coming up Sunday at Acquishire Stadium, and if
(00:43):
they can win that game, and if the New England
Patriots cannot defeat the Buffalo Bills, and if the Miami
Dolphins cannot defeat the New York Jets, then the Steelers
are going to the playoffs, at least according to order
the current format. There's been some discussions, some scuttle Butts.
Some rumors uh various uh noise in the air Matt
(01:06):
about maybe adding an eighth team because of Cincinnati Buffalo situation.
I have no comment really on all that. I mean,
that's still up in the air. I'm sure no matter what,
you have to beat the Browns and some other things
probably have to go your way. I like their chances.
I mean hitting Parlays is tough, you know, getting all
three of them right. But I think I would probably
(01:28):
pick the Bills to win. I would probably pick the
Jets to win, and I'd probably pick the Steelers to win. Uh.
I'll lead us into our what to expect segment, which
is brought to you by Brian Patton and associates. It's
all about the benefits. Elaborate for me on why you
would pick the Jets or why you would expect the
Jets to win, because I see two teams, each of
them have lost five games in a row, and I
(01:49):
don't know if they have a quarterback between them, So
how do your handicap that? But the Dolphins are on
their third quarterback, the Jets are on their best quarterback
of the year. That it's not wonderful praise, It ain't No,
it's not. I mean, it's not Richard Todd, it's not
you know, Mark Sanchez. Um. But I do think the
Jets defense is the best unit of the group. I
(02:11):
think their corners can sort of hang with Tyreke and Waddle,
who's questionable for this game as well. Neither team runs
the ball at all. I think the Jets will be motivated,
but I don't know that as a fact. But I
think they're trying to build something there and they're gonna
give their all. You hope the Bills are motivated. I
think they should be, but that's it's always hard things
(02:31):
to guess. I just say Miami's in a bad spot.
Do you think the NFL figures out what it's going
to do before the Saturday games? Yes? I mean I
don't know how you can't. I mean, some of these teams,
I need to know this stuff. You know, am I
gonna play these guys or not? Who am I practicing?
What's this game mean to me? Um? So, I would
think in the next twenty four hours we'll get that,
(02:53):
you know, the playoff format or any major changes would
be in by then. I'm hoping let's get to the
practice participation reports from today, as we like to do
here on the Preview and Segment number one, things are
looking relatively good for the Steelers. H James Pierre second
consecutive day of full participation today as he tries to
(03:13):
bounce back from a concussion. I think he's turned into
a valuable uh, you know, contributor in that time real quick.
I mean, in some ways, the Browns are constructed a
lot like the Raiders, where they have a star back
that gets all the attention, and I must say he's
Avante Adams, but Mary Cooper is clearly their one and
has a very high percentage of their production. Um. I
(03:34):
wonder if Pierre will get some of the responsibilities like
he did against Adams, you know, third down outside, you know,
CAZy over the top, something like that. So I think
he's important. Miles Jack not participating for a second consecutive day,
he is limping to the finish. It's growing this time.
Same for Larry Ogan Job, who's been battling at toe.
(03:55):
I expect Ogan Job to play. Not so sure about
Jack or if he does play, how long he'll last.
He started but didn't finish. For people don't know. Blans
played every snap the last two weeks. That's three and
it's been three right, and now Robinson is getting a
little bumped too, So we'll see. Um. Everything else looking
relatively good. Makea Fitzpatrick not playing but not practicing. Excuse me,
but Mike Tomlin had said back on Tuesday that they
(04:19):
weren't too concerned about his availability for the game, and
a veteran guy like that doesn't really need practice. Uh,
some concerns on the Cleveland side of things, Matt Uh.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin, two time All Pro ankle didn't
practice again today. She block as a right tackle. That
what fella, that's a big deal. Conklin got hurt against
(04:40):
Washington last Sunday, came back in the game very briefly
and then had to exit again. I couldn't finish it.
And Denzel Award, for my money, their best cornerback uh shoulder.
He left the Washington game and did not return. Before leaving,
he was traveling with Terry McLaurin, and for target to
McLaurin ended up in the hands at Denzel Ward. He's
(05:03):
a really good player. They get both those guys big
contracts just recently. I think Ward was this offseason. Conklin
was like two weeks ago. Um, their secondaries quite good
in my opinion, their old line is quite good. But
they would miss those two dramatically, especially in a matchup
like this where that's watch responsibility or if you plan
on traveling in with Deonte or Pickings, probably Deonte. So
(05:25):
I wonder, I know, Miles Garrett comes out and I
want to we want to end the Steelers season and
we're going all in. But if these guys are questionable,
do you play conklind and thats going to? Do you
play them your stars? If their borderline I lean towards no.
It's an interesting, uh interesting question. Um, James Hudson's the
guy who took over for Jack Conklin. To me, he's
(05:48):
just a guy. Yeah, he's a midround pick veteran. He's okay, okay,
And uh what they ended up doing when Denzel Ward
couldn't go. He wound up being replaced by Martin Emerson,
first year corner, third round, third round pick out of
Mississippi State. He gave up a seventeen yard excuse me,
a twenty yard completion to John Dotson on third and seventeen. Matt.
(06:13):
This was part of a drive the Browns releading three
nothing early in the second quarter, and Washington went twenty
one place ninety six yards eleven minutes and twenty seven seconds,
five third down conversions, and then a fourth and goal
from the one touchdown. Uh Still, Cleveland still ended up
(06:33):
winning the game and three Carson Wentz picks. Yeah, I
mean quite a bit. Carson Wentz was really bad, and
I think he was one. I think you could stick
a fork in him because I think he's done. I
don't know who takes another chance on him. But you
give up a drive like that screams defensive vulnerability. I mean,
I don't know if you saw this, but in the
first half of that game that you're referencing, the Browns
(06:56):
had nine yet met passing yards. I mean, just a struggle.
But in their run defense might be the worst in
the league. I mean, when the season started, let's go
back a second here, there maybe the most analytically driven
team in the league. So as analytics is telling everyone nowadays,
stop the pass off the past. So they've invested crazy
(07:17):
in their two edge guys and their secondary fine, but
as a result, they're probably the worst run defense in
the league and not not helping that three guys who
are on I R. Jeremiah Owassu Cormoa, Sna Taki Taki,
and Anthony Walker. Those are the three and they ain't
(07:37):
there anymore. And now they're playing a lot of at
least against Washington, played a lot of single high and
really crowded the box. They kind of hung in there
and I think I think Washington about hundred thirty six
yards on the ground average three seven to carry. It
wasn't obscene and it kept him out of the end
zone in part because Carson Wentz kept throwing the ball
to the wrong team. But yeah, this Cleveland team looks
vulnerable and the Steelers ground game seems to be hitting
(08:00):
it's stride right yeah, and um, they're playing guys like
Reggie Ragland that have been out of the league and
or you know, flops basically. And to add to that,
I mean, when the season started, well, is he a
statue sue kind of? He's a Yeah, it looks like
Levon Kirkland out there. I mean, if you run at him,
he'll tackle you, but he'll hit you hard if you
run into him, right, yeah, but he doesn't move real
(08:21):
while I wonder if they can also have success throw
into backs against those linebackers. But when the season opened,
I looked at the Browns defensive tackle group and thought,
is this really what they're going to roll out for
the season. I mean, I thought it was one of
the worst position groups in the entire league at any position.
And it's they don't protect those bad linebackers either, So
it's right up the middle is very vulnerable unless I
(08:44):
saw this a couple of times on third downs. Myles
Garrett lined up a couple of times as a stand
up nose tackle. Yeah, and one time he got a
running start and he got a sack out of it.
He was sort of like at the linebacker any time
to snap and went right through the A gap. So
he is uh, you know, he's a force. He's who
he is. But uh, I think this defense can be had.
(09:06):
We'll continue kicking that around, particularly when our next guest,
Meryl Hodge joins us. You can, uh, I've read that
preview already, all right, here's the one I wanted. Steelers
preview on DV is brought to you by a univet.
The only thing better than the Steelers win is the
Steelers win that pays double down on your team with Univet,
proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, that was the promo
(09:26):
was looking for their back, Merrill. As I mentioned, coming
up next with Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuit, We're gonna
be here until eight o'clock tonight, So keep it here.
You're listening to the Steelers Preview right here on your
Steelers Flagship one or two point five d V and
s n R. Back to the Steelers Preview Show presented
by Univet on dv E. Welcome back to the preview,
(09:48):
Mike Pursuit and Matt Williamson with you until eight o'clock tonight,
right here on your Steelers Flagship one or two point
five d V. WE we are still doing shows, and
we are still talking about meaning full football, and there's
no better guy to talk about that than our next guest,
Meryl Hodge, who joins us now as he always does. Meryl,
I have been anticipating this ever since the Ravens game ended,
(10:11):
and I knew that the Steelers would have a meaningful
game coming up, because, uh, you are the guy to
answer the question of the day, the question of the season,
really the only question that's worth asking this week. What
are the Steelers gonna do about number ninety for the
Cleve Brownies, the great Jadeveon Clowney. Well, they probably are
(10:33):
a couple of r p o s to him, and
he'll be confused a helmet. He's one of your favorite players, isn't. Yeah,
he does make splash plays, but if you watch all
the game, you watch all the plays, he hurt his
team more than he helps him. But because he makes
flash plays, you gotta be you gotta be somewhat um
(10:55):
but kennet to where he is at times. But sure
not the game record that people thought he was gonna
be when he came out of uh South Carona. You
know he remember that it is because he blew up
that guy from Michigan in a bowl game. That's your favorite.
That's all I remember. And you know what, you know,
that's exactly right. And that was a disservice because that's
(11:18):
all we did at ESPN as we played a thousand times,
so people thought that that's exactly how he played every right,
And you know what, and actually if you go back
and watch that play, actually it was probably it was
probably the perfect aligning of all of the stars and
moons and planets that exists in the universe at one time.
It will never happen again. That's exactly like the numdated.
(11:41):
He did that all the time, and that's what was
his signature. Moved when he would slam inside and just
a rond cliff and they missed the block. They were
on the play to that exact hole. He actually hits
the back. He didn't realize he hit the back and
the ball falls out right and he laughed. You know,
it's like he couldn't nothing. It would never happen again.
It will never happen again, never happened again in his
(12:01):
in his career, everybody thought that's how he played um
and you had got okay first of all all but
people may not remember who was also available, clil Mac,
which which it wasn't even it wasn't even a discussion.
I mean from a football perspective. I mean, if you're
if you know football and you want a football player,
(12:22):
you would you would be you toil cliar Mac out
there twenty before the draft started and go work good
so Meryl. The guy on the other side. The other
first overall pick, Miles Garrett is obviously a force to
reckon with but the rest of this front seven for
the Browns is very unimpressive to me and can be
run on repeatedly. And people have done that to them.
(12:44):
They don't have, you know that in all layers and
the defense they they have not evolved like you know,
I think that they were expecting them themselves too, you know, um,
and that's why you know, if the Steelers can do
what they did against the Right, they you know, they
have yet to have two consecutive games where they have
really you know, dominated and been effective as far as
(13:07):
pushing people around, moving people, complimenting that from a running perspective,
you know, they do that and they have they have
the ability to do that. They you know, they just
displayed that last week. Um, there's your game, you know
at the end of the day. I mean that that
that that's gonna be your game if they can do that,
because you know the other side they're gonna come, They're
(13:28):
gonna be committed to that, you know, and the reverse
is gonna have to be done as well. You know.
There the Stevens will have to come up with. You know,
they're a little different. They there a pin and pull
um offense, like they pull and trap and move people,
probably more than most teams. Um, the Ravens do their power.
Oh so they pulled people as well, but you know, Cleveland,
(13:50):
that's that is their true signature that they like. They
like to pull, pin and pull people. Um, they're good
at their backs, are good at it. They gotta find ways. Yeah, yeah,
you don't see much. I mean they still run a
little bit of it, but that's I mean, if they
want to, they want to damage it. It's that pinpole
program that they have that they're so good at it,
(14:12):
and they can do it in a variety of ways,
different different sides. So they're gonna have to handle that
and listen to the the Steelers came out with some different
personnel grouping and the Browns will have two and three
tight ends on the field that time. So most times,
I wouldn't yeah, I wouldn't suggest I would not doubt that,
you know what they have kind of implemented against the Ravens.
(14:33):
Rather they change some wrinkles up or or whatnot, I
would expect them to try to match up in the
same type of way versus just regular people like they
did the first time with the Ravens. Well, Meryl, we
got a little Uh. I don't know quite how to
describe it. It's not all gonna be uh blocking and tackling.
The players are gonna have to deal with some uncertainty
as well. You can't be scoreboard watching while you're playing
(14:56):
a game, I would assume, and since you can. Okay,
yea yea yeak okay, I think we did it. We
did it. Wait we were Tampa. Well that's I want
to get back. I want to get back to our
other running theme of this program, and that's that every
one is that you like to rip your daveon clowney.
The second one is everything comes back to So what
(15:17):
was that? Like? I mean, were you just apparently you
were not just focused on the Buccaneers. You had you
had your eyes and ears open. Huh and you can
you can do both, huh? Right right now. You may
not remember this. It ends up being one of the
coldest days in Florida. I remember, remember, right, Okay, Like
I think it was like, yeah, okay, so now listen,
(15:39):
so this all comes out of the blue. We weren't
really prepared for it, so we don't bring any winter stuff, right,
So we walked out of the time. We walked out
of our locker room. We got nothing. I mean everybody
had short sleeves. I mean because we didn't bring any
winter stuff. We're on to Tampa, so nobody packed it.
And this weather was a big shift. But we were
already packed and heading that way. Well when we came out, Listen,
(16:01):
the bucks had everything like they had long sleeve they had.
They watched us come walking out of there, and we
would I knew we'd won it right there. They're like,
oh my gosh, They're like those guys don't even just
about it, doesn't bother him. We're trying to stay work
on this isline. That was actually uh one of the
big factors in that game. But um, I remember that
(16:21):
for some reason. I know the Raiders were a part
of it because that was a big game that ended
up being close on that day, even though it was
gonna take Monday night football was going to be the
deciding games. They have a got there, so we but
we kept watching the two games that were going on
and then and because of those scores and the way
they were going, I mean that did um add an
(16:44):
element of of juice to that to that day. Um,
we uh, we were focused on the game, but we
watched the board. I watched the board. I remember the
Raiders all for some reason. I know the Raiders had
a factor in that on that particular day, and we
couldn't believe that they were losing because I believe all
three teams were favor two and favored significantly. That's why
it was so um, you know, such a miraculous season
(17:06):
and how it ended up turning out so Meryl. You
referenced the Browns running game a little bit in for
my money, I might take Chubb as my favorite best
ball carrier on the planet right now. Do you think
he's in that stratosphere? Well, okay, well he's surely, he's surely. God.
I mean he's a pro. I mean when you say
a pro, I mean he is. He's got dynamic feed,
(17:30):
He's he's awesome vertically and lad only. But he is
so powerful, um and he's a decisive runner. He's a
smart runner. You know. And let me back up just
a little bit. You know the counter game. You know,
there's not a back that can't run counters. I was
kind of it. I'll tell you who struggled with it.
They quit running. It was James Conner. James Conner struggle.
I mean they they quit running counter because most times
(17:54):
encounters you pull two people. Okay, think there's times when
you can you can pull one, but mostly that's called
like a G block. So but counter usually two people
are coming and he would always get a hand of
the second blocker, you know, I mean that his time,
and they could actually quit running him for whatever reason.
He struggled with that his last year. You know that
he was with the Steelers not not being said. There's
(18:14):
a arn't to that. There's a patience and there's an
understanding and you got to see a lot of things
like fulls and just a lot of back struggle with that.
And he does not I mean he doesn't. I mean
he's powerful, he breaks tackles, he's got great speed. I mean,
it would be hard to find somebody better than him.
(18:34):
You know, I gotta give a guy who who is
who was coming on and I've always I loved him
in college and he is he could be Their difference
exudes matchup this week is uh Travis E t n.
He can is a a dynamic runner. I think it's
people got to get to see how he when he evolves.
He's a special type of runner. Um, but Chub, there's
(18:56):
there's nobody that with trump job. I would agree with you.
You know, I'm um talking with Dale Lally, one of
our colleagues here who does the Drive on s n
R with with Matt Williamson, and he brought the same
thing up as Chubb the best. To me, he's certainly
the uh the most versatile. You mentioned the speed and
the patients and the power and how shifty he is.
(19:20):
Marshallreth was doing the game Cleveland's Game of Washington last
week on Fox, and he came up with a description
that I've never heard about a running back. He said,
he presents a narrow silhouette. Yeah, that's elegant, which I
thought was kind of cool. But I think what I'm
the point I'm laboring to make is he can be
he can run you over, or he can make you
(19:40):
look bad by making you miss. Yeah. Well he is
not just a power guy. That that is very true.
I'm gonna have to I'll have Sting is a good
friend of mine. Um, we played against each other in college.
He was actually deeper than Lament in college. So I'm
gonna I know, I know stink, Okay, So I'm gonna
have to call him. I'm gonna ask you a gun.
I listen, Dave Us, We've just we've just quoted you,
(20:02):
and this quote does not fit you at all? So
who helped you with it? How did you figure out
how to do it? When were you going to present it?
Hold that for a while. I pulled it right out
pretty early, first or secondary. He couldn't wait to get
to it. That tells you right there, somebody helped you
with that. I to tell you, I'm gonna have to
find out who who help you? But I guess you know,
(20:23):
you gotta you gotta gang tackle this guy and you
have to get him before he gets started, or you've
got very little chance, right and you can't let Yeah,
you're the long ones. Yeah, yeah, he is. He's you know,
like you see Derrick Henry. You know, I mean, Derrick
Henry does have flaws and like he doesn't have great feet.
If he has to reset his feet and restart, he's
(20:46):
really done. Um that's you know that don't That's not easy?
You know, but that is your ultimate goal with him.
And if you can do that, you can neutralize. But
I got like Chubb that doesn't, which is always why
when I look at a back track existing to from
the college to the NFL. They must have that element
to them to have a chance to survive because in
(21:07):
the National Football League, the running game the game the
running games played in the middle of the field, whereas
college is played in the prim on the perimeter. So
if you don't have that ability to start, stop, redirect,
you have power to you and you're not decisive. You
just gotta struggle, you know, until you learn how to
play that. That's actually why Derrick Henry really struggled for
(21:27):
a couple of years. So you know he Um, Actually
it was Jeddie George who you know, ended golfing one
day and he was talking about how he just said, hey, listen,
I told him like, you just gotta go downhill, make
a decision and go gets wrong, so be it go
And once he started to run like that, you know
he ended up in obviously, um, the dynamic runs of
(21:49):
the years that he has had speaks for itself. But
some facts just never learned that either, and some don't
have it at all, so they can never That's why
they struggle transitioning even though they played well in college.
So that immediately dawned on me are you seeing similar
change from nausea recently post by as opposed to early
in the season just hitting. Yeah, well, listen, and I
(22:13):
think people forgetting I think are young back, you know.
I mean he's still learn it, um on how to
do things, you know. And I think that injury had
something to do with him. I don't know that he's
ever used it as a crutch and there's no reason
to do that because lines, yeah, and that him and
I would I would doubt he's he's listening. That the
(22:33):
kid is a class acts and he's a very mature
kid for for his years in this league, which aren't many,
but um he is. He ran us authority and decisiveness
in him and an energy. Now that will being said,
they've done a better job up front two, because I
would argue, I don't know if there's been a back
(22:54):
that has had less help from their office. The one
they've been more considered one of the most of because
they're groups in football in the last two years, you know,
last year, you would argue that they might have been
the worst in football for a long period. Um, I
don't know if you could argue that. I think everybody
would agree with it. Well, Okay, Now there's always there's
(23:15):
I think I'm going Brandon did right now, but like
to think of a couple of teams that would would
arrival them um last year that the struggles she can
actually be one of them might have been Jacksonville, to
be honest with you, although they were slightly better. Now
that being said, you know, when those guys played the
way they played, and then you have to have that compliment,
you know, Naga complimented what they had done up front.
(23:35):
That was just that was a beautiful effort for everybody.
You know, Jayla Warren, he he ran hard too. I
mean he you know, he's a the psychic cat and
he's a powerful guy. And that's a luxury that they have.
And I think that's gonna help Nag too, and in
the lengthening his career when you don't have to have
as many carries as he had last year, well the
(23:56):
balance that he had this year. Are you at all
surprised at what Kenny Pickett has been able to do
the last two weeks? Uh? These these fourth quarter, beat
the clock, beat the other team in the last minute drives.
And by the way, I asked him about what you
had said on the DV morning show Wins about how
he drifted into that pressure on what became the game
(24:19):
winning touched on passing. He he beat himself up for
that a little bit. He said, what you said that
he should have stayed in the pocket. Uh, well, but
see that's that. I mean, I listened, I actually did
the playbook on it this week, and and and it
really is. Okay, it's a win win, And here's why
it's a win win. And I'll answer your question Mike too.
I mean, I'm not surprised at Kenny because of the
(24:39):
way he played college football and how he managed things.
He never blamed, he never showed. That's why I say
pocket presidents when I say talked to president, there's a
lot of a lot to that. You know, there's there's
a field and patience in there. Joe Burrows the best
of football at it. Okay, Joe Burrow's best. You want
to know about pocket presidents? Walk at um? Can you
(25:01):
think it has that makeup that he can do that?
That's why when you think about the trans so I
know he can do it. So when I see when
I see that play that happened, and keep in mind,
nobody saw what what I really get to see our
players get to see because nobody sees the end zone angle.
Like I used to tell um all the producers of ESPN,
(25:21):
I'm like, you know, if you would shoot more of
the game of the game from the end zone or
from behind, fans would get a better view, especially with
a runners perspective and often times a passers perspective. That's
why when you go into in the meetings on our tunesday,
when you watch the film, you watch the play twice
all twenty two, and then the end zone, you just
(25:41):
there's a different view. There's different things that happened. So
when I got that, I looked at the play, I
was like, gosh, that was that was really a ridiculous
instinctive play. Nag did a great job. I got the
linebacker or vulnerable because he's looking in the backfield in
the throw. He makes a lot of incredible throws off
the move. Well, then I went to the end zone,
I'm like, oh my, like, this ain't good. Now, It's
(26:03):
it's not good because it's really not Kenny from a
characteristic perspective, but it's Kenny from a rookie perspective and
every reason I know, Like I know what it was
like as a rookie. I'm gonna tell you this. Every
snap I had my rookie year, it was like somebody
like blurred my eyes. I'm just telling it was like
where did everybody go? You know, It's like just everything
(26:24):
was so fast, and I was like, geez, man, next year,
the next year, I can I am telling you this.
I could see things before they even happened. I mean,
that's why you see your best of an a ployer
usually in their second year. Kenny Pickett will be just
fine from the pocket. Eventually he will not get himself
in trouble like he did um um against the Ravens
(26:49):
next year. But out of that problem I think helps him.
I mean, he could win in both ways. I've been
describing it as unnecessary movement from the poet. I mean,
is that just gonna be his style or do you
think that calms down? Is that kind of what you're
getting at? Yeah, well, I don't think he wanders like
he did. You know, like said he the batch snap
(27:10):
kind of threw him off, so he didn't get a
bad snap, but he just kept you know, he kept
falling that way in the left town. Everybody's doing a
good job. Actually, everybody the pocket was perfect, I deal um,
and it was perfect for him to step up. And
he you know, he ruined the pocket by how he
drifted so far outside. And I think the bad snap
(27:32):
initiated him to go there. But what I'm well, I'm
getting as I don't. I think next year, with things
much slower, keep on your scoring, territory to the field
has shrunk. Things are so much faster and quicker there.
So what I'm saying, you're already blurred out in the
middle of field, Well, you get really blurred when he
gets down there. I mean it looks like there's fifty
people on the field sometimes, you know, as a rookie
(27:54):
bums telling you this next year, you're not gonna see that.
You're not gonna see a kid who who gets himself
into trumble. Um, he would be much better from the
pocket and from a structural aspect, he won't. They won't
be self inflicted wounds like you see now as well.
I'm getting that you'll see less of that. So have
you seen have you seen enough that you're convinced he's
the guy? Yes? Oh no, there's not even questions there.
(28:18):
There was not his skill set was worthy of where
he got drafted. And he does possess things that transition
to our league at an elite level, you know, from
processing an accuracy, you know, and that means decision making
and I kind of group of most one and one A.
But you've got to have bad even a remote shot.
(28:40):
He has got that at a pristine level, his pocket
awareness and his anticipation. Like, if you have those things
and he hasn't at a very high level, you've got
a great chance. And he's put that on display. You know,
he has put that on display, and he will get
better and better and look so much better. Um when
we see him next year's Mari. I don know how
(29:01):
much you've watched the Shawn Watson, but after the seven
day layoff, he looks like he is a fish out
of water to me, and he's holding the football a
very long time, not processing quickly, not going through his reads.
Is that what you're seeing as well? You know something
I thought was lost in that whole process. You know,
you just meant she has played for two years, Okay,
(29:23):
and everybody, um, he doesn't played for two years. I
haven't played for two years. Well, um, he got older
in two years and that's that's thirty six games to
say forty games depending up, you got playoffs a kick
that you don't get the season as a player, you
don't get to grow. I mean that is that was
two years are devastating and you were for twelve weeks
(29:45):
or eleven weeks. It isn't right. It isn't like that
you were you were getting some type of work elsewhere.
You got nothing. I mean that, I don't know. You know.
The only guy really that I know that had something
like that was my Vic. You know, Michael came back
and you know, he had a really good run towards
the end. So I'm saying it can't happen. Um, but
(30:07):
he wasn't the same as he was as he wants.
Was that being said? You know? Against it when his
first game against Houston, Oh my gosh, it was terrible.
It was like, oh it was and he's not gotten.
They try to keep it pretty simple too for him.
You know, they look like they're trying to bring him
along to when I stay simple. I mean, they do
a lot of screens, they do half field reads, and
(30:29):
he is willing and ready to run more than he
was in the past. So and then you know the
place that they have gotten. Yeah, yeah, and he's and
he's leaning back on that where at this point in
your career that should have beenned like gone, you know,
you should have converted with everything you did in your
legs to your arm by now to where he is
and the plays they're make in the passion game or
are a product of really what the receivers do on
(30:51):
their own individual efforts. You know, they haven't. He hasn't
really been sharp from the pocket, and I don't expect that,
you know, I don't expect that ain't gonna change this week.
You know, he'll be inconsistent. Um well, because you know
he has his ability to run, there's always that potential
danger and um I think he becomes less efficient. Well,
(31:13):
he does, he becomes less efficient, and he becomes because
that's of a concern. The more you can control that
running game, you know, if you can do that, then
you can put them in a bad spot where Amen, Meryl,
hope we're doing this again next week. If not, great,
we'll talk to you soon. Al Right, gentlemen, go Steelers, baby.
That was Meryl Hodge here on Steelers Preview. You can
(31:36):
get up with the latest sideline apparel, hats or jerseys
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(31:58):
go here, so keep it right here with Matt Williamson
on Mike Pursuit of You're listening to Steelers Preview right
here on your Steelers flagship one or two point five
d V and s n R. Back to the Steelers
Preview Show presented by Univet on DV. Welcome back, Mike
the Suitor and Matt Williamson with you here until eight
o'clock tonight. So just one more segment to go here
(32:19):
on the preview. But uh, there's still a lot to
get to before we do. Want to remind everyone that
the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reminds you to sack hunger,
good food, volunteer or donate at a Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Food Bank dot org. Man I wanted to pick up
at the outside of this segment where you and Meryl
kind of left off with Deshaun Watson. UM. I watched
(32:42):
the first half of Cleveland Washington, and I agreed with
everything he said. I was appalled, like, boy, this guy's
just he's a he's a step slow. Everything he's doing,
it's not there. And the way the game ended, Cleveland
only target and wide receivers seven times. Wide receivers only
(33:03):
had four catchers, three of them by a Marii Cooper,
but three of them got in the end zone. And
I want to tell you the second half of that game, Uh,
I saw a little spark out of Watson here. There
were three passes down the end going down the field
all day. And there was because the one touchdown that
Cooper scored was a nine yard out that UH Kendall Fuller,
(33:24):
the cornerback for Washington, just completely misplayed. Should have been
should have been a short game. Shove them out of
the out of bounds and you know, line up again
and he somehow missed him. But uh, there was a
twenty six yards strike to Cooper on third and nine,
twenty two yard passed to the tight end. UH David
the joke, who guy, who boy, I think he's under
(33:44):
achieved in his career um and then a thirty three
yard touchdown past the Cooper kind of a twenty yards
across the middle h There were also a couple of
read options, one of them went for twenty one yards,
and when he got into the open field, Watson started
doing the Dion Sanders state little bit, big smile on
his face. You know, stuff started happening in that second half,
(34:05):
and he looked to me like a guy who was
starting to feel it, and he reminded me he ain't.
Tyler Huntley right well, said I'm glad you went down
that road because one of my big notes for this
game is which the Sean do you get? You know,
I mean, the the one for his Brown's career has
been miserable, awful, but that second half is clearly the
best he's played in the Brown's uniform. He's immensely talented,
(34:29):
sins in the hourglass and okay, now you're back and
and he might be getting him at the wrong time.
This guy used to terrify me watch watching him on television.
He was breathtaking in his hey day. I mean, honestly,
the last we saw him in Houston. I thought he
was easily a top five quarterback, maybe third, you know,
like I mean, superstardom was within his grasp and he
(34:53):
had a great feel for the game. Um. You can
see on the field, you know what they loved about
him and why they gave him everything they did. You
hope it doesn't come back ever, to be honest, but
or at least wait until next year. But there were
certainly glimpses in the second half, and like you said,
the comfort level was better, you know, I mean he
was enjoying it again. It looked like yeah, and he
(35:15):
didn't carry the ball a ton no, but we saw
read options quarterback draws um and then had a good
point that that there's been using a little bit as
a crotch. I mean he's not he is a good runner,
but he's not Lamar. You know. It's it's it's a
peripheral thing for him. Um. And even to read options stuff.
I don't think Chubb loves it that much. I mean
(35:36):
it was starting to work a little bit more. I
think he wants more the tradition. I think Chub just
figures give me the damn ball. Yeah exactly, But that's
probably a running theme in Cleveland. I mean, yeah, they
still don't run him enough. For my money. As good
as he is, he still was a little underused. And uh,
but if it all hits, I mean, that could be
a dangerous offense with a very dangerous quarterback. Yeah. I
(35:58):
almost think you go into this one and clearly the
Steelers were playing the Ravens game very conservatively. Let's not
make mistakes. If we get a chance to kick one,
let's kick one. Let's not throw three interceptions this time.
And actually in the second half when they knew the
Ravens weren't moving on, and let's not give them any
easy ones because they are clearly limited. I think you
might have to open it up a little earlier. I
(36:19):
tend to agree. I mean, I just think the explosive
element of the Browns potential offense is different than the Ravens.
I mean, yeah, the Browns are struggling, but they have
better weapons, you know. I mean, chob is better than Dobbins.
They actually have real receivers, you know, I mean the
the Ravens zone of real receivers and playing a backup
quarterback and there, you know. So I'm not saying the
(36:42):
Browns can make the thing twenty nothing before you know it.
But they have more explosive traits. You know, you missed
one tackle one job. He's going eighty, you know, so
that's worrisome. We talked with Tarrell Austin, the Steelers defensive
coordinator today. It was coordinator Thursday on the South Side,
and I was asking him specifically about Mark Robinson, who
played fifty of the defensive snaps. He shows up, started
(37:05):
hits like a truck. I don't know if you can
do anything else, and Tarall Austin, to paraphrase his comments,
good job, but that was a pretty raven specific plan
for all the reasons you just mentioned front of him.
You know, it was. I don't know, I'm sticking with
this guy. I mean, you look, go back to the
Indianapolis game at the end of November, Devin Bush played
a percent of the snaps. Ever since then, his snap
(37:27):
counts dwindled, dwindled, dwindled, dwindle. I don't think he was
gonna play in Baltimore until Myles Garrett got hard. He
certainly didn't come in a game before then, only ended
up with five defensive snaps between him and Jack. They
hardly played no tarall. Austin said, you know, we'll see
if we're gonna need Devon again, and you'll probably see
him more this week. I don't know. If I'm the Steelers,
I'm sticking with Robinson, and if he blows the coverage,
(37:48):
he blows the coverage, it won't be the first time.
At least you give you a fighting chance against a
really good running back. He's super intriguing to me Robinson
for next year, and I'm glad that he's actually his
coach says, getting in stadiums and understanding what it takes.
And he's probably raw on special teams. I'm not a
special team's champion, but I mean learning that stuff as well.
(38:10):
I would bet you know. As Merrill said, this is
a pretty complex running game that they throw at you,
and they won't protect them as well as they did
against the Ravens. About that six man front and who
knows tackles on the field and stuff like that. He'll
make mistakes, but he's gonna show up good and bad,
and I'm fine with that. That was the splash player.
It was really interesting to watch that unfolding. Another really
(38:32):
productive game. Beyond the statistics for de Marvin Leel. Yeah,
just because of how often they use them in the
different spots they use him in. Rookie class is shaping up,
and it's not just picking pickings. This is uh, you know,
getting way ahead of ourselves. But as you look to
next year, they struggle to have two good inside linebackers
and they seem to have some depth up front, so
(38:53):
they just go ahead and become a four three team.
They kind of are anyways. I mean they play so
much Nickel. I mean it's a four man front a
high percentage of the time. I mean four three three
four is kind of a not a conversation anymore. But
there's gonna be two linebackers on the field, an awful lot,
and I don't know who those two are going to be.
(39:14):
I think one probably is playing for another team right now.
Next year. You know, I would spend some money on
the second level guy was the other one, Robinson? I
would I could live with. I think you tell Jack
and Bush, sorry, but this just didn't work out. I
think you go in with Yeah. I think I think
Miles is just breaking down physically and he's had he had,
you know, stuff going back to college, and that's why
(39:35):
it wasn't the first round pick, and but the complete
lack of splash at that position is just mind boggling remarkable.
I mean, it's zeros across the board for all of them.
I don't know how feasible this is, but I would
spend good money on a linebacker that Edmund's fella who's
got some relations here would be a target. You know,
I wouldn't like that. I would drive up seventy nine
(39:57):
and pick him up and bring him down from Buffalo. Yeah,
may make a group deal on the brothers, you know,
I kind of like that. Call Spillane Robinson an expensive dude.
And then maybe latent free agency, some veteran that's been
around the block that wants to sign a one year
deal for two million. That's you know, a professional still
is defense, warts and all. And you know we've kind
(40:18):
of carved on at the fair amount this year. But
since Week ten, Matt, you're a big stats guy. Yeah,
fourth in the NFL and points allowed at sixteen point nine,
first in yards per game at two sixty eight point six,
second an opponent passer rating at seventy eight point two,
and fifth in opponents third down at thirty four point
one that from our buddies in NFL research, can't do
(40:39):
it a whole lot better. Net. No, it's been phenomenal
since then. I don't even know if all of our
listeners realize this. They lead the league in interceptions to
you know, they don't ever cover a fumble for whatever reason,
but so be it. So this defense is really shaping up.
I know we're here to talk about the Browns, but
they're gonna have some interesting decisions this offseason on that
side of the ball too that they are. Uh, we
got just a little bit of time I'm left, and
(41:00):
not for Kenny Pickett to get it in the end zone,
and enough for me to ask you, are we doing
this again next week? Leaned towards yes, especially with the
lingering thought that maybe eight teams will go That was
sure helpless. Are our chances are returning next Thursday? Yeah.
If if it's eight, I think they're in. If it's seven,
I don't think they even get there. I can't. Then again,
I didn't think Miami would lose to New England, but
(41:23):
I just the Jets. Uh. I know Jacksonville built him
out last year, but boy, you're really pressing your luck.
If you're asking for the Jags one year and then
the Jets the next year. Really really difficult stuff. But
I do think the Steelers are pretty buttoned down. And
I'm gonna call this this season a successful one playoffs
(41:44):
or no playoffs. There's a foundation, mostly because of Kenny Pickett.
But but I love your word foundation. The bricks and
mortar have been the wheels didn't come off. There's still
the Steelers to me. Yeah, and the defense rebounded huge.
There's a an article I wrote this week was is
this a sustainable foundational run game? Sports? Yeah? Yeah, um,
(42:08):
but I think that that is something I am counting
on for the future, for them to have a solid
or more solid run game than we've had in recent
memory around here, for sure, and that's a good start.
Is a line less of a offseason priority for you
than it was, and there's no way that there will
be this lucky With injuries on the O line. I mean,
they missed like ten snaps and I have no faith
on any of the backups. Maybe they're better than they thought,
(42:30):
we thought, but I haven't seen them. I'm gonna side
on the side that they're the backups aren't good enough.
If you told me these five are playing every snap
next year. Cool, but I think you still need to
bring into you know, a center and a tackle and
at least not for at least or move more to
a depth piece or cold to a depth piece, or
you know, adding two more prospects. I think is wise.
(42:54):
Steel's preview on DVS brought to you by Unit. But
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Bed proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's gonna do
it for us tonight. Thanks to you, Jake for staying
behind the glass and getting us on the air tonight.
You know he's got Indiana, Iowa tonight on the hardwood.
He's gonna he's gonna go deal with that. Thanks to
(43:15):
you for finding us, however and wherever you found us.
If the Steelers are still playing, we'll still be talking
about it at this time next week. If not, it's
been a great season. We've really enjoyed bringing this to
you each and every week. That's gonna do it for us,
For Meryl and Matt Williamson and Mike. Pursuit of this
has been Steelers Preview on your Steelers Flagship one or
(43:35):
two point five d V and S n R. Goodnight everyone,
This is the Steelers Preview show on w d v
E Pittsburgh, presented by UNIBT. The only thing better than
a Steelers win is the Steelers win that pays double
down on your team. With UNIVET, proud partner of the
Pittsburgh Steelers, here are your hosts, Mike Pursuita, Matt Williamson,
and Meryl Hodge. Good evening, and welcome to another Thursday
night edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers
(00:22):
Flagship one or two point five d V and s
n R. Mike Pursuita and Matt Williamson with you once again.
Merril Hodge will be along directly, and we are still
talking about meaningful football. The Steelers are not in control,
but they're not out of it yet. They've got the
Cleveland Browns coming up Sunday at Acquishire Stadium, and if
(00:43):
they can win that game, and if the New England
Patriots cannot defeat the Buffalo Bills, and if the Miami
Dolphins cannot defeat the New York Jets, then the Steelers
are going to the playoffs, at least according to order
the current format. There's been some discussions, some scuttle Butts.
Some rumors uh various uh noise in the air Matt
(01:06):
about maybe adding an eighth team because of Cincinnati Buffalo situation.
I have no comment really on all that. I mean,
that's still up in the air. I'm sure no matter what,
you have to beat the Browns and some other things
probably have to go your way. I like their chances.
I mean hitting Parlays is tough, you know, getting all
three of them right. But I think I would probably
(01:28):
pick the Bills to win. I would probably pick the
Jets to win, and I'd probably pick the Steelers to win. Uh.
I'll lead us into our what to expect segment, which
is brought to you by Brian Patton and associates. It's
all about the benefits. Elaborate for me on why you
would pick the Jets or why you would expect the
Jets to win, because I see two teams, each of
them have lost five games in a row, and I
(01:49):
don't know if they have a quarterback between them, So
how do your handicap that? But the Dolphins are on
their third quarterback, the Jets are on their best quarterback
of the year. That it's not wonderful praise, It ain't No,
it's not. I mean, it's not Richard Todd, it's not
you know, Mark Sanchez. Um. But I do think the
Jets defense is the best unit of the group. I
(02:11):
think their corners can sort of hang with Tyreke and Waddle,
who's questionable for this game as well. Neither team runs
the ball at all. I think the Jets will be motivated,
but I don't know that as a fact. But I
think they're trying to build something there and they're gonna
give their all. You hope the Bills are motivated. I
think they should be, but that's it's always hard things
(02:31):
to guess. I just say Miami's in a bad spot.
Do you think the NFL figures out what it's going
to do before the Saturday games? Yes? I mean I
don't know how you can't. I mean, some of these teams,
I need to know this stuff. You know, am I
gonna play these guys or not? Who am I practicing?
What's this game mean to me? Um? So, I would
think in the next twenty four hours we'll get that,
(02:53):
you know, the playoff format or any major changes would
be in by then. I'm hoping let's get to the
practice participation reports from today, as we like to do
here on the Preview and Segment number one, things are
looking relatively good for the Steelers. H James Pierre second
consecutive day of full participation today as he tries to
(03:13):
bounce back from a concussion. I think he's turned into
a valuable uh, you know, contributor in that time real quick.
I mean, in some ways, the Browns are constructed a
lot like the Raiders, where they have a star back
that gets all the attention, and I must say he's
Avante Adams, but Mary Cooper is clearly their one and
has a very high percentage of their production. Um. I
(03:34):
wonder if Pierre will get some of the responsibilities like
he did against Adams, you know, third down outside, you know,
CAZy over the top, something like that. So I think
he's important. Miles Jack not participating for a second consecutive day,
he is limping to the finish. It's growing this time.
Same for Larry Ogan Job, who's been battling at toe.
(03:55):
I expect Ogan Job to play. Not so sure about
Jack or if he does play, how long he'll last.
He started but didn't finish. For people don't know. Blans
played every snap the last two weeks. That's three and
it's been three right, and now Robinson is getting a
little bumped too, So we'll see. Um. Everything else looking
relatively good. Makea Fitzpatrick not playing but not practicing. Excuse me,
but Mike Tomlin had said back on Tuesday that they
(04:19):
weren't too concerned about his availability for the game, and
a veteran guy like that doesn't really need practice. Uh,
some concerns on the Cleveland side of things, Matt Uh.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin, two time All Pro ankle didn't
practice again today. She block as a right tackle. That
what fella, that's a big deal. Conklin got hurt against
(04:40):
Washington last Sunday, came back in the game very briefly
and then had to exit again. I couldn't finish it.
And Denzel Award, for my money, their best cornerback uh shoulder.
He left the Washington game and did not return. Before leaving,
he was traveling with Terry McLaurin, and for target to
McLaurin ended up in the hands at Denzel Ward. He's
(05:03):
a really good player. They get both those guys big
contracts just recently. I think Ward was this offseason. Conklin
was like two weeks ago. Um, their secondaries quite good
in my opinion, their old line is quite good. But
they would miss those two dramatically, especially in a matchup
like this where that's watch responsibility or if you plan
on traveling in with Deonte or Pickings, probably Deonte. So
(05:25):
I wonder, I know, Miles Garrett comes out and I
want to we want to end the Steelers season and
we're going all in. But if these guys are questionable,
do you play conklind and thats going to? Do you
play them your stars? If their borderline I lean towards no.
It's an interesting, uh interesting question. Um, James Hudson's the
guy who took over for Jack Conklin. To me, he's
(05:48):
just a guy. Yeah, he's a midround pick veteran. He's okay, okay,
And uh what they ended up doing when Denzel Ward
couldn't go. He wound up being replaced by Martin Emerson,
first year corner, third round, third round pick out of
Mississippi State. He gave up a seventeen yard excuse me,
a twenty yard completion to John Dotson on third and seventeen. Matt.
(06:13):
This was part of a drive the Browns releading three
nothing early in the second quarter, and Washington went twenty
one place ninety six yards eleven minutes and twenty seven seconds,
five third down conversions, and then a fourth and goal
from the one touchdown. Uh Still, Cleveland still ended up
(06:33):
winning the game and three Carson Wentz picks. Yeah, I
mean quite a bit. Carson Wentz was really bad, and
I think he was one. I think you could stick
a fork in him because I think he's done. I
don't know who takes another chance on him. But you
give up a drive like that screams defensive vulnerability. I mean,
I don't know if you saw this, but in the
first half of that game that you're referencing, the Browns
(06:56):
had nine yet met passing yards. I mean, just a struggle.
But in their run defense might be the worst in
the league. I mean, when the season started, let's go
back a second here, there maybe the most analytically driven
team in the league. So as analytics is telling everyone nowadays,
stop the pass off the past. So they've invested crazy
(07:17):
in their two edge guys and their secondary fine, but
as a result, they're probably the worst run defense in
the league and not not helping that three guys who
are on I R. Jeremiah Owassu Cormoa, Sna Taki Taki,
and Anthony Walker. Those are the three and they ain't
(07:37):
there anymore. And now they're playing a lot of at
least against Washington, played a lot of single high and
really crowded the box. They kind of hung in there
and I think I think Washington about hundred thirty six
yards on the ground average three seven to carry. It
wasn't obscene and it kept him out of the end
zone in part because Carson Wentz kept throwing the ball
to the wrong team. But yeah, this Cleveland team looks
vulnerable and the Steelers ground game seems to be hitting
(08:00):
it's stride right yeah, and um, they're playing guys like
Reggie Ragland that have been out of the league and
or you know, flops basically. And to add to that,
I mean, when the season started, well, is he a
statue sue kind of? He's a Yeah, it looks like
Levon Kirkland out there. I mean, if you run at him,
he'll tackle you, but he'll hit you hard if you
run into him, right, yeah, but he doesn't move real
(08:21):
while I wonder if they can also have success throw
into backs against those linebackers. But when the season opened,
I looked at the Browns defensive tackle group and thought,
is this really what they're going to roll out for
the season. I mean, I thought it was one of
the worst position groups in the entire league at any position.
And it's they don't protect those bad linebackers either, So
it's right up the middle is very vulnerable unless I
(08:44):
saw this a couple of times on third downs. Myles
Garrett lined up a couple of times as a stand
up nose tackle. Yeah, and one time he got a
running start and he got a sack out of it.
He was sort of like at the linebacker any time
to snap and went right through the A gap. So
he is uh, you know, he's a force. He's who
he is. But uh, I think this defense can be had.
(09:06):
We'll continue kicking that around, particularly when our next guest,
Meryl Hodge joins us. You can, uh, I've read that
preview already, all right, here's the one I wanted. Steelers
preview on DV is brought to you by a univet.
The only thing better than the Steelers win is the
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(09:26):
was looking for their back, Merrill. As I mentioned, coming
up next with Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuit, We're gonna
be here until eight o'clock tonight, So keep it here.
You're listening to the Steelers Preview right here on your
Steelers Flagship one or two point five d V and
s n R. Back to the Steelers Preview Show presented
by Univet on dv E. Welcome back to the preview,
(09:48):
Mike Pursuit and Matt Williamson with you until eight o'clock tonight,
right here on your Steelers Flagship one or two point
five d V. WE we are still doing shows, and
we are still talking about meaning full football, and there's
no better guy to talk about that than our next guest,
Meryl Hodge, who joins us now as he always does. Meryl,
I have been anticipating this ever since the Ravens game ended,
(10:11):
and I knew that the Steelers would have a meaningful
game coming up, because, uh, you are the guy to
answer the question of the day, the question of the season,
really the only question that's worth asking this week. What
are the Steelers gonna do about number ninety for the
Cleve Brownies, the great Jadeveon Clowney. Well, they probably are
(10:33):
a couple of r p o s to him, and
he'll be confused a helmet. He's one of your favorite players, isn't. Yeah,
he does make splash plays, but if you watch all
the game, you watch all the plays, he hurt his
team more than he helps him. But because he makes
flash plays, you gotta be you gotta be somewhat um
(10:55):
but kennet to where he is at times. But sure
not the game record that people thought he was gonna
be when he came out of uh South Carona. You
know he remember that it is because he blew up
that guy from Michigan in a bowl game. That's your favorite.
That's all I remember. And you know what, you know,
that's exactly right. And that was a disservice because that's
(11:18):
all we did at ESPN as we played a thousand times,
so people thought that that's exactly how he played every right,
And you know what, and actually if you go back
and watch that play, actually it was probably it was
probably the perfect aligning of all of the stars and
moons and planets that exists in the universe at one time.
It will never happen again. That's exactly like the numdated.
(11:41):
He did that all the time, and that's what was
his signature. Moved when he would slam inside and just
a rond cliff and they missed the block. They were
on the play to that exact hole. He actually hits
the back. He didn't realize he hit the back and
the ball falls out right and he laughed. You know,
it's like he couldn't nothing. It would never happen again.
It will never happen again, never happened again in his
(12:01):
in his career, everybody thought that's how he played um
and you had got okay first of all all but
people may not remember who was also available, clil Mac,
which which it wasn't even it wasn't even a discussion.
I mean from a football perspective. I mean, if you're
if you know football and you want a football player,
(12:22):
you would you would be you toil cliar Mac out
there twenty before the draft started and go work good
so Meryl. The guy on the other side. The other
first overall pick, Miles Garrett is obviously a force to
reckon with but the rest of this front seven for
the Browns is very unimpressive to me and can be
run on repeatedly. And people have done that to them.
(12:44):
They don't have, you know that in all layers and
the defense they they have not evolved like you know,
I think that they were expecting them themselves too, you know, um,
and that's why you know, if the Steelers can do
what they did against the Right, they you know, they
have yet to have two consecutive games where they have
really you know, dominated and been effective as far as
(13:07):
pushing people around, moving people, complimenting that from a running perspective,
you know, they do that and they have they have
the ability to do that. They you know, they just
displayed that last week. Um, there's your game, you know
at the end of the day. I mean that that
that that's gonna be your game if they can do that,
because you know the other side they're gonna come, They're
(13:28):
gonna be committed to that, you know, and the reverse
is gonna have to be done as well. You know.
There the Stevens will have to come up with. You know,
they're a little different. They there a pin and pull
um offense, like they pull and trap and move people,
probably more than most teams. Um, the Ravens do their power.
Oh so they pulled people as well, but you know, Cleveland,
(13:50):
that's that is their true signature that they like. They
like to pull, pin and pull people. Um, they're good
at their backs, are good at it. They gotta find ways. Yeah, yeah,
you don't see much. I mean they still run a
little bit of it, but that's I mean, if they
want to, they want to damage it. It's that pinpole
program that they have that they're so good at it,
(14:12):
and they can do it in a variety of ways,
different different sides. So they're gonna have to handle that
and listen to the the Steelers came out with some different
personnel grouping and the Browns will have two and three
tight ends on the field that time. So most times,
I wouldn't yeah, I wouldn't suggest I would not doubt that,
you know what they have kind of implemented against the Ravens.
(14:33):
Rather they change some wrinkles up or or whatnot, I
would expect them to try to match up in the
same type of way versus just regular people like they
did the first time with the Ravens. Well, Meryl, we
got a little Uh. I don't know quite how to
describe it. It's not all gonna be uh blocking and tackling.
The players are gonna have to deal with some uncertainty
as well. You can't be scoreboard watching while you're playing
(14:56):
a game, I would assume, and since you can. Okay,
yea yea yeak okay, I think we did it. We
did it. Wait we were Tampa. Well that's I want
to get back. I want to get back to our
other running theme of this program, and that's that every
one is that you like to rip your daveon clowney.
The second one is everything comes back to So what
(15:17):
was that? Like? I mean, were you just apparently you
were not just focused on the Buccaneers. You had you
had your eyes and ears open. Huh and you can
you can do both, huh? Right right now. You may
not remember this. It ends up being one of the
coldest days in Florida. I remember, remember, right, Okay, Like
I think it was like, yeah, okay, so now listen,
(15:39):
so this all comes out of the blue. We weren't
really prepared for it, so we don't bring any winter stuff, right,
So we walked out of the time. We walked out
of our locker room. We got nothing. I mean everybody
had short sleeves. I mean because we didn't bring any
winter stuff. We're on to Tampa, so nobody packed it.
And this weather was a big shift. But we were
already packed and heading that way. Well when we came out, Listen,
(16:01):
the bucks had everything like they had long sleeve they had.
They watched us come walking out of there, and we
would I knew we'd won it right there. They're like,
oh my gosh, They're like those guys don't even just
about it, doesn't bother him. We're trying to stay work
on this isline. That was actually uh one of the
big factors in that game. But um, I remember that
(16:21):
for some reason. I know the Raiders were a part
of it because that was a big game that ended
up being close on that day, even though it was
gonna take Monday night football was going to be the
deciding games. They have a got there, so we but
we kept watching the two games that were going on
and then and because of those scores and the way
they were going, I mean that did um add an
(16:44):
element of of juice to that to that day. Um,
we uh, we were focused on the game, but we
watched the board. I watched the board. I remember the
Raiders all for some reason. I know the Raiders had
a factor in that on that particular day, and we
couldn't believe that they were losing because I believe all
three teams were favor two and favored significantly. That's why
it was so um, you know, such a miraculous season
(17:06):
and how it ended up turning out so Meryl. You
referenced the Browns running game a little bit in for
my money, I might take Chubb as my favorite best
ball carrier on the planet right now. Do you think
he's in that stratosphere? Well, okay, well he's surely, he's surely. God.
I mean he's a pro. I mean when you say
a pro, I mean he is. He's got dynamic feed,
(17:30):
He's he's awesome vertically and lad only. But he is
so powerful, um and he's a decisive runner. He's a
smart runner. You know. And let me back up just
a little bit. You know the counter game. You know,
there's not a back that can't run counters. I was
kind of it. I'll tell you who struggled with it.
They quit running. It was James Conner. James Conner struggle.
I mean they they quit running counter because most times
(17:54):
encounters you pull two people. Okay, think there's times when
you can you can pull one, but mostly that's called
like a G block. So but counter usually two people
are coming and he would always get a hand of
the second blocker, you know, I mean that his time,
and they could actually quit running him for whatever reason.
He struggled with that his last year. You know that
he was with the Steelers not not being said. There's
(18:14):
a arn't to that. There's a patience and there's an
understanding and you got to see a lot of things
like fulls and just a lot of back struggle with that.
And he does not I mean he doesn't. I mean
he's powerful, he breaks tackles, he's got great speed. I mean,
it would be hard to find somebody better than him.
(18:34):
You know, I gotta give a guy who who is
who was coming on and I've always I loved him
in college and he is he could be Their difference
exudes matchup this week is uh Travis E t n.
He can is a a dynamic runner. I think it's
people got to get to see how he when he evolves.
He's a special type of runner. Um, but Chub, there's
(18:56):
there's nobody that with trump job. I would agree with you.
You know, I'm um talking with Dale Lally, one of
our colleagues here who does the Drive on s n
R with with Matt Williamson, and he brought the same
thing up as Chubb the best. To me, he's certainly
the uh the most versatile. You mentioned the speed and
the patients and the power and how shifty he is.
(19:20):
Marshallreth was doing the game Cleveland's Game of Washington last
week on Fox, and he came up with a description
that I've never heard about a running back. He said,
he presents a narrow silhouette. Yeah, that's elegant, which I
thought was kind of cool. But I think what I'm
the point I'm laboring to make is he can be
he can run you over, or he can make you
(19:40):
look bad by making you miss. Yeah. Well he is
not just a power guy. That that is very true.
I'm gonna have to I'll have Sting is a good
friend of mine. Um, we played against each other in college.
He was actually deeper than Lament in college. So I'm
gonna I know, I know stink, Okay, So I'm gonna
have to call him. I'm gonna ask you a gun.
I listen, Dave Us, We've just we've just quoted you,
(20:02):
and this quote does not fit you at all? So
who helped you with it? How did you figure out
how to do it? When were you going to present it?
Hold that for a while. I pulled it right out
pretty early, first or secondary. He couldn't wait to get
to it. That tells you right there, somebody helped you
with that. I to tell you, I'm gonna have to
find out who who help you? But I guess you know,
(20:23):
you gotta you gotta gang tackle this guy and you
have to get him before he gets started, or you've
got very little chance, right and you can't let Yeah,
you're the long ones. Yeah, yeah, he is. He's you know,
like you see Derrick Henry. You know, I mean, Derrick
Henry does have flaws and like he doesn't have great feet.
If he has to reset his feet and restart, he's
(20:46):
really done. Um that's you know that don't That's not easy?
You know, but that is your ultimate goal with him.
And if you can do that, you can neutralize. But
I got like Chubb that doesn't, which is always why
when I look at a back track existing to from
the college to the NFL. They must have that element
to them to have a chance to survive because in
(21:07):
the National Football League, the running game the game the
running games played in the middle of the field, whereas
college is played in the prim on the perimeter. So
if you don't have that ability to start, stop, redirect,
you have power to you and you're not decisive. You
just gotta struggle, you know, until you learn how to
play that. That's actually why Derrick Henry really struggled for
(21:27):
a couple of years. So you know he Um, Actually
it was Jeddie George who you know, ended golfing one
day and he was talking about how he just said, hey, listen,
I told him like, you just gotta go downhill, make
a decision and go gets wrong, so be it go
And once he started to run like that, you know
he ended up in obviously, um, the dynamic runs of
(21:49):
the years that he has had speaks for itself. But
some facts just never learned that either, and some don't
have it at all, so they can never That's why
they struggle transitioning even though they played well in college.
So that immediately dawned on me are you seeing similar
change from nausea recently post by as opposed to early
in the season just hitting. Yeah, well, listen, and I
(22:13):
think people forgetting I think are young back, you know.
I mean he's still learn it, um on how to
do things, you know. And I think that injury had
something to do with him. I don't know that he's
ever used it as a crutch and there's no reason
to do that because lines, yeah, and that him and
I would I would doubt he's he's listening. That the
(22:33):
kid is a class acts and he's a very mature
kid for for his years in this league, which aren't many,
but um he is. He ran us authority and decisiveness
in him and an energy. Now that will being said,
they've done a better job up front two, because I
would argue, I don't know if there's been a back
(22:54):
that has had less help from their office. The one
they've been more considered one of the most of because
they're groups in football in the last two years, you know,
last year, you would argue that they might have been
the worst in football for a long period. Um, I
don't know if you could argue that. I think everybody
would agree with it. Well, Okay, Now there's always there's
(23:15):
I think I'm going Brandon did right now, but like
to think of a couple of teams that would would
arrival them um last year that the struggles she can
actually be one of them might have been Jacksonville, to
be honest with you, although they were slightly better. Now
that being said, you know, when those guys played the
way they played, and then you have to have that compliment,
you know, Naga complimented what they had done up front.
(23:35):
That was just that was a beautiful effort for everybody.
You know, Jayla Warren, he he ran hard too. I
mean he you know, he's a the psychic cat and
he's a powerful guy. And that's a luxury that they have.
And I think that's gonna help Nag too, and in
the lengthening his career when you don't have to have
as many carries as he had last year, well the
(23:56):
balance that he had this year. Are you at all
surprised at what Kenny Pickett has been able to do
the last two weeks? Uh? These these fourth quarter, beat
the clock, beat the other team in the last minute drives.
And by the way, I asked him about what you
had said on the DV morning show Wins about how
he drifted into that pressure on what became the game
(24:19):
winning touched on passing. He he beat himself up for
that a little bit. He said, what you said that
he should have stayed in the pocket. Uh, well, but
see that's that. I mean, I listened, I actually did
the playbook on it this week, and and and it
really is. Okay, it's a win win, And here's why
it's a win win. And I'll answer your question Mike too.
I mean, I'm not surprised at Kenny because of the
(24:39):
way he played college football and how he managed things.
He never blamed, he never showed. That's why I say
pocket presidents when I say talked to president, there's a
lot of a lot to that. You know, there's there's
a field and patience in there. Joe Burrows the best
of football at it. Okay, Joe Burrow's best. You want
to know about pocket presidents? Walk at um? Can you
(25:01):
think it has that makeup that he can do that?
That's why when you think about the trans so I
know he can do it. So when I see when
I see that play that happened, and keep in mind,
nobody saw what what I really get to see our
players get to see because nobody sees the end zone angle.
Like I used to tell um all the producers of ESPN,
(25:21):
I'm like, you know, if you would shoot more of
the game of the game from the end zone or
from behind, fans would get a better view, especially with
a runners perspective and often times a passers perspective. That's
why when you go into in the meetings on our tunesday,
when you watch the film, you watch the play twice
all twenty two, and then the end zone, you just
(25:41):
there's a different view. There's different things that happened. So
when I got that, I looked at the play, I
was like, gosh, that was that was really a ridiculous
instinctive play. Nag did a great job. I got the
linebacker or vulnerable because he's looking in the backfield in
the throw. He makes a lot of incredible throws off
the move. Well, then I went to the end zone,
I'm like, oh my, like, this ain't good. Now, It's
(26:03):
it's not good because it's really not Kenny from a
characteristic perspective, but it's Kenny from a rookie perspective and
every reason I know, Like I know what it was
like as a rookie. I'm gonna tell you this. Every
snap I had my rookie year, it was like somebody
like blurred my eyes. I'm just telling it was like
where did everybody go? You know, It's like just everything
(26:24):
was so fast, and I was like, geez, man, next year,
the next year, I can I am telling you this.
I could see things before they even happened. I mean,
that's why you see your best of an a ployer
usually in their second year. Kenny Pickett will be just
fine from the pocket. Eventually he will not get himself
in trouble like he did um um against the Ravens
(26:49):
next year. But out of that problem I think helps him.
I mean, he could win in both ways. I've been
describing it as unnecessary movement from the poet. I mean,
is that just gonna be his style or do you
think that calms down? Is that kind of what you're
getting at? Yeah, well, I don't think he wanders like
he did. You know, like said he the batch snap
(27:10):
kind of threw him off, so he didn't get a
bad snap, but he just kept you know, he kept
falling that way in the left town. Everybody's doing a
good job. Actually, everybody the pocket was perfect, I deal um,
and it was perfect for him to step up. And
he you know, he ruined the pocket by how he
drifted so far outside. And I think the bad snap
(27:32):
initiated him to go there. But what I'm well, I'm
getting as I don't. I think next year, with things
much slower, keep on your scoring, territory to the field
has shrunk. Things are so much faster and quicker there.
So what I'm saying, you're already blurred out in the
middle of field, Well, you get really blurred when he
gets down there. I mean it looks like there's fifty
people on the field sometimes, you know, as a rookie
(27:54):
bums telling you this next year, you're not gonna see that.
You're not gonna see a kid who who gets himself
into trumble. Um, he would be much better from the
pocket and from a structural aspect, he won't. They won't
be self inflicted wounds like you see now as well.
I'm getting that you'll see less of that. So have
you seen have you seen enough that you're convinced he's
the guy? Yes? Oh no, there's not even questions there.
(28:18):
There was not his skill set was worthy of where
he got drafted. And he does possess things that transition
to our league at an elite level, you know, from
processing an accuracy, you know, and that means decision making
and I kind of group of most one and one A.
But you've got to have bad even a remote shot.
(28:40):
He has got that at a pristine level, his pocket
awareness and his anticipation. Like, if you have those things
and he hasn't at a very high level, you've got
a great chance. And he's put that on display. You know,
he has put that on display, and he will get
better and better and look so much better. Um when
we see him next year's Mari. I don know how
(29:01):
much you've watched the Shawn Watson, but after the seven
day layoff, he looks like he is a fish out
of water to me, and he's holding the football a
very long time, not processing quickly, not going through his reads.
Is that what you're seeing as well? You know something
I thought was lost in that whole process. You know,
you just meant she has played for two years, Okay,
(29:23):
and everybody, um, he doesn't played for two years. I
haven't played for two years. Well, um, he got older
in two years and that's that's thirty six games to
say forty games depending up, you got playoffs a kick
that you don't get the season as a player, you
don't get to grow. I mean that is that was
two years are devastating and you were for twelve weeks
(29:45):
or eleven weeks. It isn't right. It isn't like that
you were you were getting some type of work elsewhere.
You got nothing. I mean that, I don't know. You know.
The only guy really that I know that had something
like that was my Vic. You know, Michael came back
and you know, he had a really good run towards
the end. So I'm saying it can't happen. Um, but
(30:07):
he wasn't the same as he was as he wants.
Was that being said? You know? Against it when his
first game against Houston, Oh my gosh, it was terrible.
It was like, oh it was and he's not gotten.
They try to keep it pretty simple too for him.
You know, they look like they're trying to bring him
along to when I stay simple. I mean, they do
a lot of screens, they do half field reads, and
(30:29):
he is willing and ready to run more than he
was in the past. So and then you know the
place that they have gotten. Yeah, yeah, and he's and
he's leaning back on that where at this point in
your career that should have beenned like gone, you know,
you should have converted with everything you did in your
legs to your arm by now to where he is
and the plays they're make in the passion game or
are a product of really what the receivers do on
(30:51):
their own individual efforts. You know, they haven't. He hasn't
really been sharp from the pocket, and I don't expect that,
you know, I don't expect that ain't gonna change this week.
You know, he'll be inconsistent. Um well, because you know
he has his ability to run, there's always that potential
danger and um I think he becomes less efficient. Well,
(31:13):
he does, he becomes less efficient, and he becomes because
that's of a concern. The more you can control that
running game, you know, if you can do that, then
you can put them in a bad spot where Amen, Meryl,
hope we're doing this again next week. If not, great,
we'll talk to you soon. Al Right, gentlemen, go Steelers, baby.
That was Meryl Hodge here on Steelers Preview. You can
(31:36):
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(31:58):
go here, so keep it right here with Matt Williamson
on Mike Pursuit of You're listening to Steelers Preview right
here on your Steelers flagship one or two point five
d V and s n R. Back to the Steelers
Preview Show presented by Univet on DV. Welcome back, Mike
the Suitor and Matt Williamson with you here until eight
o'clock tonight. So just one more segment to go here
(32:19):
on the preview. But uh, there's still a lot to
get to before we do. Want to remind everyone that
the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reminds you to sack hunger,
good food, volunteer or donate at a Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Food Bank dot org. Man I wanted to pick up
at the outside of this segment where you and Meryl
kind of left off with Deshaun Watson. UM. I watched
(32:42):
the first half of Cleveland Washington, and I agreed with
everything he said. I was appalled, like, boy, this guy's
just he's a he's a step slow. Everything he's doing,
it's not there. And the way the game ended, Cleveland
only target and wide receivers seven times. Wide receivers only
(33:03):
had four catchers, three of them by a Marii Cooper,
but three of them got in the end zone. And
I want to tell you the second half of that game, Uh,
I saw a little spark out of Watson here. There
were three passes down the end going down the field
all day. And there was because the one touchdown that
Cooper scored was a nine yard out that UH Kendall Fuller,
(33:24):
the cornerback for Washington, just completely misplayed. Should have been
should have been a short game. Shove them out of
the out of bounds and you know, line up again
and he somehow missed him. But uh, there was a
twenty six yards strike to Cooper on third and nine,
twenty two yard passed to the tight end. UH David
the joke, who guy, who boy, I think he's under
(33:44):
achieved in his career um and then a thirty three
yard touchdown past the Cooper kind of a twenty yards
across the middle h There were also a couple of
read options, one of them went for twenty one yards,
and when he got into the open field, Watson started
doing the Dion Sanders state little bit, big smile on
his face. You know, stuff started happening in that second half,
(34:05):
and he looked to me like a guy who was
starting to feel it, and he reminded me he ain't.
Tyler Huntley right well, said I'm glad you went down
that road because one of my big notes for this
game is which the Sean do you get? You know,
I mean, the the one for his Brown's career has
been miserable, awful, but that second half is clearly the
best he's played in the Brown's uniform. He's immensely talented,
(34:29):
sins in the hourglass and okay, now you're back and
and he might be getting him at the wrong time.
This guy used to terrify me watch watching him on television.
He was breathtaking in his hey day. I mean, honestly,
the last we saw him in Houston. I thought he
was easily a top five quarterback, maybe third, you know,
like I mean, superstardom was within his grasp and he
(34:53):
had a great feel for the game. Um. You can
see on the field, you know what they loved about
him and why they gave him everything they did. You
hope it doesn't come back ever, to be honest, but
or at least wait until next year. But there were
certainly glimpses in the second half, and like you said,
the comfort level was better, you know, I mean he
was enjoying it again. It looked like yeah, and he
(35:15):
didn't carry the ball a ton no, but we saw
read options quarterback draws um and then had a good
point that that there's been using a little bit as
a crotch. I mean he's not he is a good runner,
but he's not Lamar. You know. It's it's it's a
peripheral thing for him. Um. And even to read options stuff.
I don't think Chubb loves it that much. I mean
(35:36):
it was starting to work a little bit more. I
think he wants more the tradition. I think Chub just
figures give me the damn ball. Yeah exactly, But that's
probably a running theme in Cleveland. I mean, yeah, they
still don't run him enough. For my money. As good
as he is, he still was a little underused. And uh,
but if it all hits, I mean, that could be
a dangerous offense with a very dangerous quarterback. Yeah. I
(35:58):
almost think you go into this one and clearly the
Steelers were playing the Ravens game very conservatively. Let's not
make mistakes. If we get a chance to kick one,
let's kick one. Let's not throw three interceptions this time.
And actually in the second half when they knew the
Ravens weren't moving on, and let's not give them any
easy ones because they are clearly limited. I think you
might have to open it up a little earlier. I
(36:19):
tend to agree. I mean, I just think the explosive
element of the Browns potential offense is different than the Ravens.
I mean, yeah, the Browns are struggling, but they have
better weapons, you know. I mean, chob is better than Dobbins.
They actually have real receivers, you know, I mean the
the Ravens zone of real receivers and playing a backup
quarterback and there, you know. So I'm not saying the
(36:42):
Browns can make the thing twenty nothing before you know it.
But they have more explosive traits. You know, you missed
one tackle one job. He's going eighty, you know, so
that's worrisome. We talked with Tarrell Austin, the Steelers defensive
coordinator today. It was coordinator Thursday on the South Side,
and I was asking him specifically about Mark Robinson, who
played fifty of the defensive snaps. He shows up, started
(37:05):
hits like a truck. I don't know if you can
do anything else, and Tarall Austin, to paraphrase his comments,
good job, but that was a pretty raven specific plan
for all the reasons you just mentioned front of him.
You know, it was. I don't know, I'm sticking with
this guy. I mean, you look, go back to the
Indianapolis game at the end of November, Devin Bush played
a percent of the snaps. Ever since then, his snap
(37:27):
counts dwindled, dwindled, dwindled, dwindle. I don't think he was
gonna play in Baltimore until Myles Garrett got hard. He
certainly didn't come in a game before then, only ended
up with five defensive snaps between him and Jack. They
hardly played no tarall. Austin said, you know, we'll see
if we're gonna need Devon again, and you'll probably see
him more this week. I don't know. If I'm the Steelers,
I'm sticking with Robinson, and if he blows the coverage,
(37:48):
he blows the coverage, it won't be the first time.
At least you give you a fighting chance against a
really good running back. He's super intriguing to me Robinson
for next year, and I'm glad that he's actually his
coach says, getting in stadiums and understanding what it takes.
And he's probably raw on special teams. I'm not a
special team's champion, but I mean learning that stuff as well.
(38:10):
I would bet you know. As Merrill said, this is
a pretty complex running game that they throw at you,
and they won't protect them as well as they did
against the Ravens. About that six man front and who
knows tackles on the field and stuff like that. He'll
make mistakes, but he's gonna show up good and bad,
and I'm fine with that. That was the splash player.
It was really interesting to watch that unfolding. Another really
(38:32):
productive game. Beyond the statistics for de Marvin Leel. Yeah,
just because of how often they use them in the
different spots they use him in. Rookie class is shaping up,
and it's not just picking pickings. This is uh, you know,
getting way ahead of ourselves. But as you look to
next year, they struggle to have two good inside linebackers
and they seem to have some depth up front, so
(38:53):
they just go ahead and become a four three team.
They kind of are anyways. I mean they play so
much Nickel. I mean it's a four man front a
high percentage of the time. I mean four three three
four is kind of a not a conversation anymore. But
there's gonna be two linebackers on the field, an awful lot,
and I don't know who those two are going to be.
(39:14):
I think one probably is playing for another team right now.
Next year. You know, I would spend some money on
the second level guy was the other one, Robinson? I
would I could live with. I think you tell Jack
and Bush, sorry, but this just didn't work out. I
think you go in with Yeah. I think I think
Miles is just breaking down physically and he's had he had,
you know, stuff going back to college, and that's why
(39:35):
it wasn't the first round pick, and but the complete
lack of splash at that position is just mind boggling remarkable.
I mean, it's zeros across the board for all of them.
I don't know how feasible this is, but I would
spend good money on a linebacker that Edmund's fella who's
got some relations here would be a target. You know,
I wouldn't like that. I would drive up seventy nine
(39:57):
and pick him up and bring him down from Buffalo. Yeah,
may make a group deal on the brothers, you know,
I kind of like that. Call Spillane Robinson an expensive dude.
And then maybe latent free agency, some veteran that's been
around the block that wants to sign a one year
deal for two million. That's you know, a professional still
is defense, warts and all. And you know we've kind
(40:18):
of carved on at the fair amount this year. But
since Week ten, Matt, you're a big stats guy. Yeah,
fourth in the NFL and points allowed at sixteen point nine,
first in yards per game at two sixty eight point six,
second an opponent passer rating at seventy eight point two,
and fifth in opponents third down at thirty four point
one that from our buddies in NFL research, can't do
(40:39):
it a whole lot better. Net. No, it's been phenomenal
since then. I don't even know if all of our
listeners realize this. They lead the league in interceptions to
you know, they don't ever cover a fumble for whatever reason,
but so be it. So this defense is really shaping up.
I know we're here to talk about the Browns, but
they're gonna have some interesting decisions this offseason on that
side of the ball too that they are. Uh, we
got just a little bit of time I'm left, and
(41:00):
not for Kenny Pickett to get it in the end zone,
and enough for me to ask you, are we doing
this again next week? Leaned towards yes, especially with the
lingering thought that maybe eight teams will go That was
sure helpless. Are our chances are returning next Thursday? Yeah.
If if it's eight, I think they're in. If it's seven,
I don't think they even get there. I can't. Then again,
I didn't think Miami would lose to New England, but
(41:23):
I just the Jets. Uh. I know Jacksonville built him
out last year, but boy, you're really pressing your luck.
If you're asking for the Jags one year and then
the Jets the next year. Really really difficult stuff. But
I do think the Steelers are pretty buttoned down. And
I'm gonna call this this season a successful one playoffs
(41:44):
or no playoffs. There's a foundation, mostly because of Kenny Pickett.
But but I love your word foundation. The bricks and
mortar have been the wheels didn't come off. There's still
the Steelers to me. Yeah, and the defense rebounded huge.
There's a an article I wrote this week was is
this a sustainable foundational run game? Sports? Yeah? Yeah, um,
(42:08):
but I think that that is something I am counting
on for the future, for them to have a solid
or more solid run game than we've had in recent
memory around here, for sure, and that's a good start.
Is a line less of a offseason priority for you
than it was, and there's no way that there will
be this lucky With injuries on the O line. I mean,
they missed like ten snaps and I have no faith
on any of the backups. Maybe they're better than they thought,
(42:30):
we thought, but I haven't seen them. I'm gonna side
on the side that they're the backups aren't good enough.
If you told me these five are playing every snap
next year. Cool, but I think you still need to
bring into you know, a center and a tackle and
at least not for at least or move more to
a depth piece or cold to a depth piece, or
you know, adding two more prospects. I think is wise.
(42:54):
Steel's preview on DVS brought to you by Unit. But
the only thing better than the Steelers win is the
Steelers win. Paced double out on your team with Uni
Bed proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's gonna do
it for us tonight. Thanks to you, Jake for staying
behind the glass and getting us on the air tonight.
You know he's got Indiana, Iowa tonight on the hardwood.
He's gonna he's gonna go deal with that. Thanks to
(43:15):
you for finding us, however and wherever you found us.
If the Steelers are still playing, we'll still be talking
about it at this time next week. If not, it's
been a great season. We've really enjoyed bringing this to
you each and every week. That's gonna do it for us,
For Meryl and Matt Williamson and Mike. Pursuit of this
has been Steelers Preview on your Steelers Flagship one or
(43:35):
two point five d V and S n R. Goodnight everyone,
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