Week 14 Ravens at Steelers

Mike Prisuta and Matt Williamson preview the Ravens and Steelers matchup this Sunday at Acrisure. The duo is joined by Merril Hoge as always.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Steelers Preview Show on w d v
E Pittsburgh, presented by UNI Bet. The only thing better
than a Steelers win is the Steelers win that pays
double down on your team with UNI Bet, proud partner
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here are your hosts, Mike Pursuda,
Matt Williamson, and Meryl Hodge. Good evening and welcome to
another Thursday night edition of Steelers Preview right here on

(00:21):
your Steelers Flagship one or two point five d v
E and s n R. Mike PURSUITA and Matt Williamson
with you tonight until eight o'clock. We will be joined
as always by Meryl Hodge for our middle segment, which,
thanks to uh Meryll's loquaciousness usually becomes an extended segment.
The meat and potatoes are in the middle. We're giving
you the appetizer right now, and Matt, let's cut right

(00:45):
to the chase with what to expect, brought to you
by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about the benefits.
I'm gonna take the low hanging fruit on this one, okay.
The Steelers have won four in a row, five of
seven and eight of eleven in this series. John harbor
Law does have a fifteen and thirteen all time record
against Mike Tomlin. Of those last four victories registered by

(01:07):
the Steelers, all four have been achieved by five or
fewer points. So I expect Steelers Ravens knockdown, drag out,
low scoring, hit you in the mouth, and we'll see
who's standing at the end of the game. Yeah. And
the way these teams are constructed right now too, I mean,
the Steelers have rededicate themselves to the run game. That's
how the Ravens are played during the whole Lamar era.

(01:27):
And now we know Lamar's not playing, his backup is
a a similar version and an ideal backup. They don't
have to change what they're doing. Oh. By the way,
the Steelers run defense is really good. The Ravens run
defense is really good. I mean it might be first
one to ten wins. Yeah, and that, uh would fall
right in line with what we usually see from these

(01:47):
two teams. Let's take a look at the participation reports,
the practice reports from today. Biggest news on the Pittsburgh
and it's probably that Chris Boswell was activated from the
right not activated from the brasive of injured list, but
he practiced and the block started. They have twenty one
days to in fact activate him. Uh. Deonte Johnson did

(02:07):
not practice today after being limited yesterday. He's dealing with
a hip. Nag Harris limited after not working yesterday. Oblique
Malik read full participant after not practicing yesterday. Back Say
limited for Chuck A Core four. He didn't work yesterday.
He's dealing with his shoulder. T J. Watt limited Wednesday,
didn't work Thursday Ribs and Larry Ogan job hasn't practiced yet.

(02:31):
To some of these veteran guys, they massage him through
and uh, probably the same thing at play in Baltimore,
although real quick before you do. Does the Deonte thing
scary at all? I mean, he's the only one that
thoughts a little alarming on the list. I'm gonna throw
him in that veteran category, but hey, who knows. Stay tuned. Uh.

(02:51):
Lamar Jackson didn't work for a second consecutive day. He
has not been officially ruled out, but John Harball had
said at the outside of the week it's less likely.
He called Jackson week the week and said it's less
likely this week, and then after that we'll see, but
added not impossible. I think we're gonna see Tyler Huntley exactly.
Um some of the other Ravens of note, they're outstanding guard.

(03:12):
Kevin Zeiler hasn't practiced yet this week. Knee might be
the same thing going on there, just breasting a veteran.
UM Ronnie Stanley tackle ankle full participant Wednesday limited today.
That one's really interesting to me. It's not the direction
you'd like to see that go if you're Baltimore. No,
but boy, he's If people don't know that Stanley story

(03:33):
is kind of interesting. In two thousand, two thousand twenty
in November Area, they give him a huge contract right
around this time of year, come here to the Steeler game,
blows out his ankle and has never been the same
for two years. And now he's trying to get back
and he's flirted with it a couple of times, but
he's never been the same. Was he gonna be right?
And uh left? And then Juan Jones was gonna be

(03:54):
the Stanley's a pure left tackle. Early pick from Notre
Dame maccary fills in for him. Moses is the right
tackle right now. Um Juwan James is a guy I'm
thinking of who's also more of a right Yeah, so
he probably He started it left in week one and
then Stanley came back and then got hurt again. They've
had four different guys play the best back up and

(04:17):
he kind of was like a Strells I swing guy.
You know, he can play all five spots. But Stanley
has a huge cap it and was great before he
got hurt. McCary was limited today after not practicing yesterday
with the toe. He actually split left tackle in the
Denver game last Sunday with Daniel Yeah, about three eight
man from Minnesota. McCary played of the snaps and percent

(04:45):
that's been their only wonderful car. Did they go? I
didn't notice the unit did. Did he get hurt and left?
None of them are true left tackles. Yeah, only left
tackle on the team. That's been their only position up
front that has had any sort of change. It's been
a revolving door there. Everybody else left right, Ben Power's
left guard, Tyler Linderbaum, the rookie center, Zeitlert right guard,

(05:09):
and Morgan Moses at right tackle. I would assume if
Juwan James and Stanley were both healthy, healthy he'd be
the odd guy out. But I don't know if James
would play over Moses or not. To be honest with you, yeah,
I mean Stanley's franchise left tackle, but that was two
years ago, so we shall see. I do know that
when Stanley plays this year, Matt, the Ravens are five
on one, and when he doesn't play their three and

(05:30):
three he hasn't played particularly well though. I mean you
could tell this ankle is an issue that adds up
to eight and four. Uh. One guy not on the
Ravens injury report that I think is still injured? Is
there outstanding tight end? Mark Andrews? And I'll throw some
more stats at here, since you're the stat man. Oh,
I got some Andrew's stats. Our buddies in NFL research

(05:53):
came up with this little nugget. Andrews first appeared on
an injury report in week seven with a knee injury. Uh,
and we can when everything changed. In week nine they
added a shoulder injury. Now again nothing nothing this week.
He is clean and practicing unimpeded, at least according to
what the Ravens are passing onto the leg. But in

(06:14):
weeks one through six, Mark Andrews averaged six and a
half receptions per game, seventy five point eight receiving yards
per game, and he had five receiving TVs since Week seven,
three point four catches a game, thirty nine point eight
yards and zero touchdowns. Against Denver, it was four catches

(06:34):
for fifty three yards on seven targets and no scores.
He did draw a defensive pass interference penalty. Well, I
don't know if he drew it. He was interfered with
by the defense on a ball that well, that was
gonna be a tough catcher, Hull. He was trying to
back shoulder and I think the defensive back got a
little too aggressive. That was the stats I was gonna
site too. I mean, the season has basically been cutting

(06:56):
half for warm and the second half hasn't gone well.
Um hunt, he's when, but he's he's appeared. I think
in six career games he targets Andrews like crazy. I
do think there's some injuries still involved with Andrews and
he's trying to fight through. But the other thing is,
and this is kind of Steeler related, He's really their
only weapon that anyone fears. Their their wide receivers have

(07:17):
the fewest catches of any wide receiver room in the league.
And Andrews is the focal point. They traded Markus Brown.
They were counting on Bateman to be the number one receiver.
He's been hurt, he's out, and so everyone focuses on
Andrews to a heavy degree. I might put make on
in a high percentage of the time, would you I'm
thinking about? I mean, CAZy can be that deep middle
guy with that, because what we've seen the last couple

(07:40):
of games in Indianapolis with the Jonathan Taylor threat and
then with that Falcon offense, which all we did was
talk about the running game and then they refused to
run the ball in the first half. Nice job, Falcons. Uh,
we saw him running in the second half. But we
have seen a lot more single high out of Pittsburgh,
and more getting Menca Fitzpatrick out in the box, more

(08:00):
getting Tarrell Edmonds down in the box. Case's played some
center field. Edmonds has played a little center field, He's
played a littlelot, he's played a little linebacker. But they've
gotten a little creative based on the opposition. I would
not think this Baltimore attack is dissimilar to what they've
seen from Atlanta, and the Colts agreed. I mean it's

(08:21):
take away the run first. Um, this tight end is scarier.
This is why I brought up the make a thing.
Who's the best cover guy I can get on their
their on their number one weapon? Like him better than Edmonds?
Do you? I think ye? Edmonds has played well this
year and done a variety of things, but make a
special Yeah, if somebody else can cover instead of him,

(08:42):
I'm not opposed to that. And that's the beauty to
me of Kzy being healthy. Is this three safety package.
He's fine in deep middle. He's spent a lot of
time there with the Falcons, and it gives you more
versatility and he can still come up and hit if
he has to get a guy on the ground. That
might be their best eleven those you know? I think so.
And Uh, it's a shame they didn't have KZ for
as long as they did not have them, But that's

(09:05):
life in the big leagues. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food
Bank reminds you to sack hunger and good food, volunteer
or donate at Pittsburgh Food Bank dot org. UM A
couple other stats for you. Since I went down this road,
and uh, these are Steelers related Kenny Pickett. His first
four starts weeks four through eight, just before the bye,

(09:28):
one in three record Steelers average thirteen point two points
per game. He threw two touchdowns and eight picks, and
his passer rating with sixty six eight last four games
after the by three and one, averaging twenty three point
three points per game, two touchdowns, note picks, and the
passer rating is eighty five point nine. Now, this is

(09:48):
not all Kenny Pickett life going on there. They're playing
a little different and they're improving across the board offensively,
But is that more who they're playing against or just
that they're goner. I mean, it's a factor. I mean,
I have respect for the Colts, d um. I think
the Saints these defense decent. I mean, I think you're
not playing with huge deficits on the scoreboard. Is a
huge key, of course, and certainly slows down the opposing

(10:11):
pass rush a little bit. But I think it's pretty
clear the Pickets a better player and maturing than where
he was at the beginning the season, you know, and
I'm not making excuses for him early in the year,
but he couldn't have been. Those interception numbers are a
little misleading, I think. I think they're very misleading. I
don't I don't think we hit that point enough. I know,
out of the aid, I'd say at least five of
them were circumstantial. Yes, right, I mean a tip of

(10:34):
hail Mary Claypole fell down on the one, right, I
mean the one and a couple of them were playing
from a big deficit. I gotta really risk this thing,
you know. I never looked at him garbage time at
the end of the game in Philly, haile to try
to get this to friarm right, And I never looked
at pick it even then and thought, boy, this guy
doesn't know where to go with the football or is
too risky, you know, I mean it was a little

(10:56):
bit circumstantial, and uh, you know, continuing that discussion, that
offense has improved dramatically. Now still not the greatest show
on turf, but by Steeler standards, they're way better. I
spent a fair amount of time this week trying to
find out if there was any sort of incident or
development or occurrence that kind of sparked it, and uh,

(11:17):
the answer I got from everybody is no, Umah, Zach Gentry, uh,
Kenny Pickett, even Mack Cannada talked about it today. It's
just the consensus opinion is gradual maturation and understanding and
better play. I think that's very true. Um. I think
the by came at a good time as well, you know,
regroup and count at the buy. Yeah, exactly. I mean

(11:41):
that's this team was in trouble. That was a bad
first half. They needed to get in the locker room
and figure some stuff out. Exactly exactly. Um. I also
think level competition is decreased that that's helpful. Um. They've
been knock on wood quite healthy since to buy as well.
I mean the old lines missed like no time. UM.
I don't think it was an addition and by a
subtraction thing, but I do think the Claypool trade factors

(12:04):
in because you pretty much had the same five out
there all the time. And sure they mixed Gentry in,
but now it's a rotation of the Gunners and Sims
and Watts and Haywards and those guys all auditioning for
future playing time. And again Claypool's not a bad player,
but it was a shift and you know that strength
and numbers thing, you mentioned the tight end position by

(12:25):
the way. I was surprised. I didn't just didn't occur
to me when I was watching the game. But Zach
Gentry played the snaps. Fried and Friarmouth talked this week
about how Gentry is helping him with his blocking, which
Friarmouth acknowledged needs a lot of work. Sure, but they

(12:45):
are running the ball more now and then you sneak
in little Connor Hayward here and there for a steam route,
and snaps are going up a little bit too. Yeah,
they've got they've got a collection there, and they've got
a collection at running back. They do. It was kind
of by necessity initially, but all of a sudden have
their fresh legs and you know, right, you know, like this,

(13:06):
But I think Hayward should play more and more. I mean,
him and Gentry are both tight ends by nature, but
they're nothing alike, you know, It's just a different package
for these guys. My only issue though, is friarm is
too good to only be out there fifty of snaps.
When I when I saw that, I'm like, did I
miss an injury or something? And I asked around Dale

(13:26):
and whoever else, and like, no, he just that's just
the way that game went. I went him out there
all the time. I think he's a star. Yeah, And
even if if you're not gonna throw it to him,
they're certainly gonna notice when he's out there. He's a
better blocker than sims Um. I mean, he might not
be the killer, you know, he might not be Mark Brunner,
but he's an adequate blocker, which leads us to Sunday.
When I look at that Ravens defense, I think you're

(13:50):
gonna see a lot of five man front, yeah, especially
early three down, and then the two edge guys standing up,
it's either oh Way or Houston. And then on the
other side it's Tius Bowser, who's technically a linebacker, but
he plays more as a line of scrimmage player. And
you have Patrick Queen and ro Kuan Smith in the

(14:10):
middle and front seven. I like both of those guys,
but I think both of those guys would just as
soon move forward then backwards. And I think there's a
whole on the other side of the backers and in
front of the safeties. And and is that is that
Friarmouth Land? Now it is friar Mouth Land. I mean
teams are throwing a lot against the Ravens because they're

(14:32):
so stout against the run. They do use a variety
of D line players at front five. They go three
deep with their safeties as well. They're a little Kyle
Hamilton's their Nickels. He's their slot now. So I'm thinking
kind of along a Minca Andrews level are we're gonna
see a lot of Hamilton's on Friarmouth. Who wins that matchup?

(14:55):
I think Fireman's gonna hang with anybody, but sure body
type in athletics him is. It isn't a bad matchup
for the Ravens, you know, I would explore that a
lot fire with the lines in this slot quite a bit.
By the way, Uh we mentioned Queen a moment ago.
If you saw a highlighter watch that Ravens Broncos game Sunday.
He got carted off in the fourth quarter. But uh,

(15:17):
he's just been limited this week with a thigh. Looks
like he's gets a bad bruise. Okay, relatively speaking, that
look it looked bad and then you see that cart
and you start thinking, yeah, that's a problem. But this
was kind of stepped up this year to the beginning
of his career was pretty rocky. Is a lot of
these high pedigree linebackers are. And then having Roquan next,
I was gonna say, you might argue that he stepped
it up once they got ro Quan. R Right, it's

(15:38):
a nice pairing because I think that was part of
the motivation to get ro Quan. It was probably right.
We don't. We're not thrilled with Queen, right right, right, Absolutely,
We've got a lot more to get to tonight. We
are just getting started. When we come back, we're gonna
be joined by Merril Hodge, the third member of our team.
He will complete our full house backfield, and we're gonna
start talking about Tyler Huntley, the quarterback we expect to

(15:59):
see order backing the Ravens Sunday at Acquasher Stadium. Steelers
Preview on DV is brought to you by Univet. The
only thing better than the Steelers win is a Steelers
win that pays double down on your team with Univet,
proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Matt Williams and
Mike pursued A. You're listening to Steelers Preview right here
on your Steelers Slag Ship one or two point five

(16:21):
DV and s n R. Back to the Steelers Preview
Show presented by Univet on d V. Welcome back Mike
Pursuit and Matt Williamson with you tonight until eight o'clock
here on your Steelers slag Ship one or two point
five DV, E and s n R. Time now to
welcome Merrill Hodge to the program. And Merrill, we have

(16:41):
a lot to unpack. Another edition of the Steelers Ravens rivalry,
but some new faces, including a guy we got a
glimpse of last year for Baltimore in the regular season
finale down in Baltimore. Tyler Huntley, a quarterback. What do
you make of this kid? Yeah, I guess the way
the best way to put it. Guy watch him all

(17:03):
and when he was in Utah, I mean Utah, he
was predominantly a runner um through the ball, very limited um.
Something that he has developed a little better is you'll
throw the ball on time a little better than Lamar.
Now that's just I just say a little better. You know,
he doesn't quite have the arm. It doesn't have the
arm of the Lamar. He's like a low grade version
of Lamar Jackson to be honest with you, he can

(17:24):
still hurts with his legs, but he's not gonna You're
not gonna spin around like a top and go eat
on you. Um, like like Lamar could do. I think
he really as you're watching him, he does want to
throw it from the pocket. He's just not the best
from there. But he'll make some throws, you know, in
a timely fashion that Lamar doesn't make. Um. And here's

(17:46):
the one thing is they don't have to change anything
at the end of the day, you know. I I
say all that, but you can't hunt handle their power.
Oh and I use the power because that is one
of the staple runs. I just do it in a
variety of ways. If you can't hand all that, you
can't handle them. So you gotta you gotta handle that. Um.
And if you handle that, and then you get them uncomfortable. UM,

(18:09):
and then you force them into what their strength is
or their weakness, which is the ability to throw the
football in a consistent Basicsly, they just can't do that.
So UM, it doesn't like you can sleep on him. Um.
He does some really good things. UM. In fact, I
think he throws the ball says so much better now
than he ever did you talk He's never I mean

(18:30):
we used to play with It's like, okay, this just
cantle if your kid run because you really wanted to
throw it, because you throw it to you. Um. But
he he's developed where he'll throw it a little on time,
a little more and a little more consistent then Lamar will.
But he still makes mistakes within that. UM and I
go back to that power. Oh and the way they
run the football, like you can't deal with that, then

(18:52):
you got your handsful. If you can neutralize that, then
you really have them in control, because now you're gonna
force them into things that they they they're forced to
do when they would rather do when they want to
do it, if that makes sense to Merril. When they
as passers, the one difference I've really noticed these guys

(19:13):
is where they throw the football. Lamar likes to throw
between the numbers. He's a lot more vertically inclined, where
Huntley is a lot more sideways stuff. I mean, you
just think that's because he's not quite as good a passer,
or he's more comfortable. I mean a lot of short
stuff to the to the flags. I think it's uh
like I think his arm strength is part of that.
You know, there's no doubt, you know, you know, our

(19:36):
strength becomes um a factor. You know, there's a bunch
of things I think are far more important than arm strength, um,
you know, like accuracy. Well, first of all, decision making
is number one. You've got to be a quick, good
decision maker within a system on a consistent basis. I'd
be able to identify, I recognize and get really football
and then be accurate with your throw and have some

(19:57):
anticipation with it in good pocket presence. And then are
you really good at that? You know? Then you start
looking at degrees of arms strength. And here's where to
your point, um, where arm strength does matter. If all
of those things are equal with two guys, but one
guy just can't push it down the field or outside
the numbers, that's gonna be a problem eventually in the

(20:18):
National Football League, at some point, it's gonna be I'll
take example for this. It's too in Miami. Okay. What
San Francisco did to him was they really just exposed
what his weaknesses he has. If you imagine a fifteen
yards square box from the line of scrimmage out to
the numbers that up the inside of the numbers and
back in that fifteen yards square box. That is where

(20:39):
he is deadly in Alabama, deadly in their system. You
force him outside those that box, outside the numbers, and
vertically down the field, especially past three seties feet. Fred
Warner lives in that box. Well, Fred Warner and Rights,
not that we're talking about them, but here here's time
of an example. You know of what you're talking about

(20:59):
that you can clearly um. I mean, not that their
passing game is so lethal like Miami's is in that box,
but what the forty Niners did. They basically put a
majority of their coverage guys in the box. I can't
tell you the last time I saw safety's lining up
at ten and twelve yards deep with their speed. Yeah,
like you would normally, they all that. What they did too,

(21:23):
is they did actually know that thing. They took a
little bit of what Cincinnati and Pittsburgh did to him.
You know, Steelers did a great job, and you know
they didn't beat them. I get up sixteen points. They
pressed them. They didn't they didn't do what everybody else did,
give them free access. That's what you don't want to
do with those guys. Instead, like a lot of teams.
Soon as the bosson afty all are bailing. You know,
safety is a fifty start trying to get the twenty

(21:44):
five linebackers around the guys, you know, sus Bollson out
there getting another ten or twelve will shoot all these
doings going at eight yards right under you. So what
forty did. They didn't even draw their safety, stood around
ten and twelve yards at the stand of the ball.
One guy would oftentimes be the rest of them just
stood there and we get back into coverage. Now you

(22:05):
could play now that's a similar concept where you take
that area away from him, you know, and you just
try to help force him to pump it outside those
numbers and downfield. It's a different game, you know, because
he doesn't throw that, he doesn't do that well. It
becomes a hell mary for him, you know. So that's
why I think if you look at the pecking order,

(22:26):
I go back to if you don't I can't handle
their power oh and their power running game and all
the stuff that they do. Um, then it's you're gonna
have a long day. And now Steen does have done
well in the past. You know, they've done some schematic
things that they had five linebackers on the field at times.
They have a package that's handled the ravens. You know,
they understand their running game. You know that they've handled

(22:47):
about as good as anybody I have seen um. And
then you neutralize that strength of his passing attack and
you have that's the two things you gotta do. That's
not easy. Their running game is not easy to defend them.
So but that's got to be your your priorities. Well,
who specifically is that designed to attack Merril the power?
Oh what are they trying to do? Well, I would

(23:10):
tell you this based off formation. They try to get
the Steves. And I remember talking to their office coordinator
and his name is Escape. We were right now for
the abans um Um. I was at jaws As golf tournament.
I ran into him. We had a long conversation about
running attack and how they Yeah, Greg Roman, there you go.
Greg Roman, you know, and he's just and he has
a great history of been around a lot of really

(23:33):
great minds about the running game, you know, and he's
got a good mind in his own because he's now
he's created all these things, you know, like this is
a three or four. You know, there's areas that I
forget specific. This is almost two years ago, so the
personnel has changed. You know, there's personnel that he liked
to a target, you know, bubbles, he liked to target
formations he liked to create so that he could get

(23:55):
the look that he wanted. Um. And that's why I
think the students have done a good job, is they
have changed up those looks. Yeah, that's why you see p. J.
Watts stand up sometimes. If you remember a couple of
years ago, they had five linebackers on the field into
a lot of their packages, their heavy packages. They didn't
just line up with the base personnelity throw the DV
off and through five linebackers on the field. High Smith

(24:16):
got the interception on a drop in the second half
down in Baltimore. Right. So they've they've had you know,
but every you know, tendencies changed. I mean, they're they're
pretty consistent as far as um the staple runs are
gonna see. They just haven't been as good. You know,
They're runners have been all over the place. They had
a lot of injuries. You know, they haven't really well.

(24:36):
You know, Denver handled them really well. You know, Denner
did a hector job shutting down there and they're gonna
get anything from their offense or not from their offense,
we should say so um um, it's the chess match
with there. That's what makes the NFL just like. That's
why it's pro football, and that's why I like, I
don't care what college conference you're playing, it's nothing like
the National Football I get people say, what about the SEC. Okay, SEC?

(25:00):
First of all, start with the field. SEC plays on
a different field than the National Football League plays on.
Right there, I'll start with that. And if you take
any SEC team and you want to play NFL rules
and bring them to an NFL game, they'll get destroyed.
I don't care who you pick, they will get absolutely destroyed.
And we'll pick the team that has the worst record
in the NFL would destroy you in an NFL environment.

(25:21):
Hash marks are narrow playing games played in the middle.
It's not as wide as they are in college. Of
the whole host of things you couldn't even do schematically.
And then when you think about all the coverages and
what's that you're gonna see in just one game. Some
colleges don't see that an entire year. What goes on
in the National Football League? So just the schematics of

(25:41):
this though, and how they match up from a running
game perspective, it is always intriguing, you know, And it's
that's why after the game and to watch it on
tape and see how it unfolds is just always you know, informative,
you know, and very interesting to see, you know, you know,
the skinest games that worked. And then still the end
of the day, I got to play fundamental football, no

(26:02):
matter the steam of it all will be a pivot
run and the power oh is I keep performing to
that because they do a bunch of different ways, a
bunch of different polers and duffered, a bunch of different looks,
and but that's kind of their staple run, even though
they run counter and you know inside his old masside
and don't string strongside weeks and they do all those

(26:23):
other runs. But as kind of they're like this how
we will play today. And that's a man's run too,
by the way, I mean, that's teams that run, that
are committed to run the football. Not many people run
a power Oh that's not it. That's not something that
everybody runs, especially with Patrick card pound full back. When
you see forty two now forty two brings you to

(26:45):
the ball a lot or the ball is gonna He's
gonna bring it to the ball eventually, you know, if
he's in in the game, because there's no doubt they
used him as a polar two and he's a he's
a wicked guy. Let's flip it over. The steel was
running game has gotten some traction in the last month
or so. Do you expect that continue against a pretty

(27:06):
stout front. Listen, I the Denver actually ran the Paul
on him pretty well. I mean that that's the one
thing actually they did well. They just couldn't compliment in
passing attack. You know, they didn't have some runs and
all right, will pay this from an overall perspective, you've
had to be happy with how they ran the ball.
They just couldn't do anything to finish on top of that.

(27:27):
So it isn't like you can't run on this team. Um,
but go that being said, the way they have played
offensively the trenches the last say, almost three or four weeks,
the consistency that you have seen there, I mean, I'm
telling you this, it should give. I mean we talked
about in the morning on the morning show. Um, I

(27:50):
thought I got done watching the Atlantic game like gosh,
dang it. I mean they're just getting good enough they
might do something, you know, and they're playing that they're
almost ready to do something. There we go, Yeah, let's Gocember.
What I what I'm doing is like I'm watching the
entire entire league, so I get to compare it, you know,

(28:12):
like what are other teams doing that are equivalent to
or equal to this team meeting the Steelers and is
that up to part? Okay, what's pretty big getting pretty close?
Like I even mention the Denver Broncos. I mean the
erosion of Russell Wilson is almost like I'm buggling to
watch it. They I watched team go under center, Like

(28:33):
the time they're running heavy formation, they look like he's
back in Wisconsin. To be honest, they're they're running the football.
Then they're trying to run run action throws off of
it with two man routes. That's they're passing attack. And
that's if they do that right when they empty it out,
this train wreck. I being said, when you see what
they're doing from an offensive phase perspective, passing game has

(28:58):
gotten better. They're running game is becoming legitimate now, so
you have some phases in a lot of different ways.
You can move the ball and you can win games
with and that's ultimately I'll give you a great actually,
I think one of the great offenses. Stopping your stories
this are thus far this season, there's really Detroit Lions.
They have one of the best offenses in all of

(29:19):
football and their whole foundational purpose from the day um
they started UM a year ago when they got that
staff in, because we're gonna run the football. That's the
one thing we're gonna do and we're gonna be and
Dan Campbell committed to that. I think there's open one
game since she's been there for a year half that
they haven't done that. Now, all the compliments, I mean,

(29:41):
Jared Goffa to this, Jared golf never played quarterback like
he's playing in Detroit right now. All the phases, so
like they're another team that pops out, like they could
get on a roll and they could be they could
be in the playoffs in the NFC. Okay, well, you're
starting to see what the steveos on both sides of
the ball, like they really the championship type team being built,

(30:02):
you know, coming around they're doing all the things and
having all the phases that you need to see twetly
compete against everybody, you know, not massive weaknesses like we
have seen for the first you know, say eight weeks,
where there was just so many consistencies of dogs wine
and even you know, the defense wasn't what the way
they are right now. But as a team, I'm telling you,

(30:25):
they you know, they continue to get better. They're gonna
have to They're gonna have to get better in all
these phases that we just mentioned. But they're ready to
knock on the door. You know. And I don't know
that any of us would have thought that a month ago.
You know, you probably just like listen, just just gotta
fight to the finish on this one, right. I mean,
well now you might find I would not have thought
that a month ago. I'm with you, I'm just saying you,

(30:48):
but I'm just telling you the sampling that I've seen. Um,
if they continue to grow, then they got to continue
to grow. You know, you can't have any setback. It
is amount of time to have a setback. This is
what you got to continue to grow. UM any ball
as a team, they are going in the right direction.
I told Johnathan morn was just like I swearing at
tape win out, they might do it, I mean, not

(31:10):
win the thing. They know I get the playoffs. I'm like,
that's in the month. Two weeks A wouldn't even have
thought that. So to follow that up, Meryl is the
offensive line in place, and now you just let it
keep growing? Or are you still looking at some of
these guys and wondering if they're gonna be playing those
positions next year? I wouldn't turn my nose up in

(31:31):
a left tackle. Okay, well, well there's there's true truth
on that right tackle struggle to some mightily. I don't
never think you for day. You make a prediction without
five games left, you know a lot of things UH
could materialize. They're getting materializes. They're gonna be I think
it's gonna be clear clarity after five weeks. You know

(31:55):
how you feel about that group. M You're always trying
to upgrade and get you know. That's remember my rookie
year when I was in the locker and we were
playing forty times. That was gonna be our first game.
I got two players come marching in and they had
changed the are going out to work, come out, and
they were both running backs and like what ain't doing?

(32:16):
And they're like, oh yeah, there something. I think Mike Wester,
I think he said, oh man, you kidding me. They're
looking for somebody bigger, strong and fasting you right now
every minute of every day, every day, You're right, you
feel like like I'm like, I'm like, so my year

(32:36):
was so stressful. I can't even tell you. I'm telling you.
I was like, I'm like, but what I just like
it could wrap my head around. That's how it is, though,
It's just how it is. Well, that's why you know
you got to play at a high level all the
time to be consistent. Well, yeah, we certainly would have
had a different opinion five weeks ago, so we might
as well let it play out the last five weeks.

(32:59):
The deck o'kay this they're control line screamage um. They
are moving people, they're accounting for people, they're sustaining blocks.
I think we talked about how you sustain the block
that never happened in the first you know, five to six,
seven weeks, and now you're starting to see that on
consistent basis, and they're malling people there. I mean, I'm
talking about rolling people out of there. Digging people out.

(33:23):
Nag has gotta be as happy as can be. You
know that he's finally got an option. You know he's
not being you know, penetration is the number one running
game and that get kids fought back. I said at
the time he's been the NFL so far, he's starting
to get some some day light and some running room
and the ability to create. And that's very when you

(33:45):
dynamicat you know, he's um. He had to run against
Atlanta game. I'm telling you you talk about like how
you have to be a pro runner UM helping these blockers.
Like when you double team, the runner's responsibility is to
hold that linebacker onto that double team as long as
you can. Called pressing the hole. You keep him there,

(34:05):
even though there's a whole development elsewhere, don't vacate that
double team until you get the last scream. He's forcing
that linebacker to stay there and make it easier on
your offtip line. And he's done such a beautiful job
of that. But he didn't have that chance to do that.
So it's complimenting. You know, it was off to the line,
and when it works together like that, it's it's a

(34:27):
powerful thing and it's hard to defend, and you know,
you can sense they're getting a lot of confidence now
in that, and uh, I keep doing it. It could
be a fun five weeks. Yeah, it's certainly. Uh there's
a lot more percolating here than I thought there would
be about I don't know, middle of October. So I'm
thankful for that, and I am really curious to see

(34:49):
what happens on Sunday. Mary. I appreciate it as always,
will bring you up again next week when hopefully we're
talking about the Steelers having won a third game in
a row going into Carolina. Man can't wait. Take care
of gentlemen talking Merril Hodgman. He gets fired off talking
about that running game. But right, really that it might

(35:11):
be we're all saying the offensive lines playing better and
writing at the offensive lines playing better. We might be
under selling it. I think so too. I mean, when
when the season started, I was petrified that we weren't
gonna be able to figure out if Trabinsky Pickett pickings
nausey or legit players because the blocking might be that bad,

(35:31):
you know that they could really derail the season. And
on the drive with Dale would often say, if this
could be the twenty third best line in the league.
I'll take it right now. It's better than that. I mean,
it's middle of the road at least right now, and
I guess might not have stars. But where I was
going with the you know what about next year projection?
You mentioned left tackle, But boy, I'd sure like to

(35:54):
invest those high picks in a corner and an inside
linebacker and a young stud defensive lineman. I'd love to
get cams replacement. I think those are all higher priorities
than tackle. I don't know. I mean, I think tackle
and corner are my two spots. I don't like linebacker
in the draft anymore. I'd rather go spend money on
that position. Yeah, it's yeah. I mean there's too many

(36:15):
first round, second round bus or they just take too long.
You know, we kind of talked to me. Yeah, I
mean it was an example of that. Who got a
few more eyes to dot and tease the cross before
we get out of here? So keep it here. Uh.
This is also the point of the program where I
remind you that you can gear up with the latest
sideline of peril hats or jerseys of your favorite players,

(36:38):
authentic memorabilia, custom items, and exclusives you can only find
directly from the team at one of the official Steelers
pro shops. Those are located at Akershuer Stadium, Grove City,
Premium Mountlets, or Tanger Outlets. You can also visit us
online at shop dot Steelers dot com. With Matt Williamson
on Mike Pursuita, You're listening to Steelers Preview right here

(36:59):
on your steel the Flagship one or two point five
d V and sent r back to the Steelers Preview
Show presented by Uni bet on DV. Welcome back, my
Consuder and Matt Williamson with you until eight o'clock tonight
here on Steelers Preview. Yians Chat is the Steelers predictive
and trivia game. Answer questions, make picks and win prizes.

(37:20):
Play on your own against Steeler Nation in our new
public group, or create your very own private group and
compete against family and friends. You can play gains Chat
exclusively in the Steelers official mobile app. Matt the over
under four yains Chat tonight, Pat Friarmouth receiving yards over
under fifty five and a half. Pretty good number. We

(37:42):
did mention there might be a sweet spot there, but
they have a talented rookie. That's gonna be on him
quite a bit. I think his snap count goes up.
Lemna go over. I think the Steelers throw a little
more in this game. I agree, and I agree. I'm
gonna I'm gonna go over on both of those. By
the way, if I'm looking for a player prop, yeah,
I haven't seen any of those pop up yet, but

(38:03):
um catches for George Pickens, I'm going over whatever it
is because I think that squeaky wheel is gonna get
some grease. Yeah, and he's just a very talented player.
I mean it can't be in the cards too, you know,
one catch for two yards, I mean that's just not
gonna be not gonna cut it. And I'm sure he's
gonna bring it. So yeah, I'm gonna I've seen this
movie before. This is usually how it ends exactly. Uh

(38:25):
maybe the best stat of the year that just tells
you what the NFL is all about this season. I
want to bounce this off. I started throwing some numbers
actually at the start of the show. I'm gonna do
it here to close things out. The Ravens are the
fourth team in NFL history to have had a two
score lead in each of their first eleven games, which

(38:46):
is amazing season. The only other people to do it
were the nineteen two Bears, the two thousand and nine
New Orleans Saints, and the two thousand and eleven Green
Bay Packers. Okay, all three of those teams win eleven
and oh in those first eleven games in which they
achieved at least a two score lead at some point,
the Ravens went seven and four. Yeah, amazing, isn't They

(39:08):
didn't have a big lead in the Denver game. They've
given away what three or four double digit leads, three
double digit before to score leads. Uh. Against Miami, they
were up thirty five to fourteen after three, lost forty
two to thirty eight. Against Buffalo, they were up twenty
to ten at a half, lost twenty three to twenty.
Against the New York Football Giants, they were up twenty

(39:29):
to ten in the fourth quarter, lost two to twenty one.
And against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they were up nineteen ten
and the fourth quarter lost. And what I can't put
a finger on is if you told me that blank slate,
I would say, well, maybe that team just doesn't run
the football well enough to close teams out or that
ain't it. Maybe that team doesn't rush the pastor well

(39:51):
enough to close teams out anymore. Maybe they have a
bad kicker, bad on special teams. I don't quite know.
It's kind of flukey. Don't look at the Ravens and
we be like, boy, they should be undefeated. I mean
they have a lot of holes. You're capable, but fallible,
like like a whole bunch of tea. Yeah. I kind
of feel like the offense has been crumbling for weeks, Like, yeah,

(40:12):
so what happens Sunday first one of thirteen wins? Yeah?
I really think so. I mean the Tucker thing is
all those games you look at Tucker and be like,
I don't want to play against him, but I like
to see your chances. I kind of do too, And
I think, uh, you know, God help me for saying it. So.
I think Kenny Picketts the better quarterback. I think so too.
I think he was the better quarterback last week. He's
better than Matt Ryan too. I think it was better

(40:34):
in India. Did you kick it back to Maybe next
week gets Carolina too. There you go, things are changing. Uh,
thank you for finding us, however, and wherever you found
us tonight. Matt and I, along with Merrill, will be
back at it next Thursday as we get you ready
for the Steelers at the Carolina Panthers, and uh until

(40:57):
then for Matt Williamson, for Meryll Odgen for I U
Jake are outstanding producer who keeps us on the air
and sounding as good as we do. You have been
listening to Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers flagship
one or two point five d v E and S
n R. I'm Mike PURSUITA goodnight everyone,