Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Steelers Preview Show on w dB E Pittsburgh,
presented by Unibet. The only thing better than a Steelers
win is the Steelers win that pays double down on
your team. With Unibet, proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers,
here are your hosts, Mike Pursuita, Matt Williamson, and Meryl Hodge.
Good evening and welcome to another edition of Steelers Preview.
(00:22):
Mike Pursuita along with Matt Williamson, we will be joined
tonight by the third member of our team, Meryl Hodge
and Matt. The Dolphins have the audacity to celebrate their
nineteen seventy two undefeated season on a night when the
Steelers are coming to town. And I am old enough
to remember the game after the immaculate reception when the
(00:43):
Dolphins came to three of her stating for the FC
Championship game must have been some kind of rotational division thing.
Who got to host because Miami was understated defeated and
Pittsburgh wasn't And the game turned in part because a
punter by the name of Larry Sipal notice that the
Steelers were not rushing, they were running back to set
up a return. They just took off and ran the
(01:05):
ball for a huge play that sustained the drive. And
you know, they got to enjoy the immaculate reception for
a week, and then the Dolphins ended up going to
the super Bowl and going undefeated. I'm still a little
honked off about that. Okay, Well, the students have the
audacity to celebrate the immaculate reception here in a couple
of months. So what's the difference. I guess you know,
you think the Steelers come to town and something to
do with it because of that game. I can't believe
(01:26):
it's a coincidence, all right, all right, I mean there's
probably some people in Miami they're old enough to remember that.
I'm sure a lot of old people down there. There
are a lot of It just adds a little intrigue
to the Sunday night mix, and there's plenty of that already. Uh,
let's get to today's practice participation reports before we dig
into all of that. And uh, before we do that,
(01:50):
I'll remind you that what to expect is brought to
you by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about the benefits.
I guess we can expect to see Kenny Pickett because
for the second consecutive day, Kenny Pickett was a full
participant still in the concussion protocol. But pick It and
the other Steelers concussion guys, if we can, you gotta
go through a couple of days of practice and then
you know tomorrow will be revealing potentially and if not tomorrow,
(02:14):
Saturday before they get on the plane. But a whole
bunch of guys full participation Picket, Cam Sutton, Kello Witherspoon,
Levi Wallace, Minca Fitzpatrick Miles, Jack Mason Cole, James Daniels,
Pat Friar Muth, Chris Wormley, and Larry Ogan Jovi, Uh, Friar,
Muth and Wallace are in the concussion club, I guess,
(02:37):
along with pickt UH. The only UH guy who didn't
practice because of an injury Stephen Sims hamstring. He hasn't
practiced yet this week. That's a shame because he such
a spark in and return game. Cam Hayward got the
day off today and James Pierre limited. He showed up
(02:58):
for the first time with a hip. Now Miami is
not without its injury concerns. UH not working for the
Dolphins today. Cornerback Keon crossing knee. He's the guy who
initially replaced Nick need Him, the other starting corner opposite
Xavien Howard. Uh need Him went on i R this week,
so he should be Byron Jones. But he hasn't played
(03:20):
all year. Yeah, he's out of the picture. Uh. There.
Left tackle tarn Armstead was limited with a toe. He
didn't play last week against Minnesota, didn't practice Wednesday. He
may or may not be progressing toward availability. And the
other tackle, Greg Little uh was also limited today. That
(03:42):
is a downgrade uh for Little. So the Dolphins have
some issues at the two tackle positions and in the
secondary with apples and corners without need him to bump
everybody up. The sub package guy goes into the base
and the number six goes, the guy in the six
man goes in of the five man, and so on
and so on. The Minnesota Vikings, excuse me, really gave
(04:08):
Miami problems in terms of protection. Six sacks allowed, thirteen
quarterback hits. There are also eight tackles for a loss. Now,
Miami dominated that game statistically, but Minnesota in the game
ended up winning it. Um, what do you make of
the relative injury concerns. Did the Steelers proof to you
they can get by with anybody in the secondary. You know,
(04:30):
Chris Rock says you can drive a car with the
feet with your feet, That doesn't mean it's a good idea.
You know, you got They got away with it, and
they all played really well. They didn't make mistakes. Um,
But I think it's best that this group's coming back,
especially against Wattle and Tyreeke. Those are the straws, the
start of the drink. I mean, that is what the
team is all about. Um. I think these corner and
(04:52):
tackle injuries, though for Miami, are fascinating or very worrisome,
at least if you're Miami. I mean that defense really
Coach Flora's and you know, put this defense in and
they kept one of his assistant coaches as the defensive coordinator,
and it's blitz blitz, blitz, blitz blitz. Put your corners
on islands. Gives even Howard big money, Give Byron Jones
(05:14):
big money. Draft the U um the Wednay I always
got to kill his name in the first round two
years ago. And they're really getting nothing from all those guys,
let alone, like guys like need him that were even
lower on the list. Jones hasn't played all year. Howard's
out there, but he's getting picked on like crazy. I
can't believe he's a percent. And they don't have dominant
pass rushers. They're built the blitz and as the tackle
(05:37):
situation you kind of referenced it like I thought, they
were the worst offensive line in the league last year.
So they went out and they gave Armstead big money.
They gave Connor Williams a big contract to who's a guard.
They made him a center, which I have mixed feelings about.
But Armstead wasn't out there, and Little was the left
tackle just getting abused, and he was. He had probably
(05:58):
been the right tackle filling in for Austin Jazz, who's
on I R. At least the start of the Squeaky
was the guy you referenced in the secondary. By the way,
is Noah number nine, and he wound up struggling when
they first threw him in. In addition to losing need
Um mentioned they lost Crescent and h ig Banoggen. He
(06:20):
ended up playing a representative game. As the game progressed,
he got he kind of warmed to the task was
two years ago. And it was been in the doghouse
basically ever since. Yeah, and that's I mean, this is
the third year now and here in the first round
pick and you're still not on the field except when
injuries rise up. That is not not ideal for them.
A good sign. But you mentioned it was a strange
(06:42):
game Miami Minnesota last Sunday down in South Florida. The
Vikings had eleven first house. Yeah, they also had eleven
three and ounce, yeah, they went. They went two for
twelve on third down. They gained two hundred thirty four
total net yards, and they had ball for twenty four
minutes and thirty one seconds. They wound up getting twenty
(07:03):
four points and that was more than enough the Dolphins.
Yards for play, Dolphins were much better. I mean with
two different quarterbacks Scottie Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater. Uh two interceptions.
They also lost a fumble. They tried to fake punt
on fourth and one deep in their own territory on
(07:23):
the first series of the third quarter and didn't make it.
And oh, by the way, ten penalties for nine seven yards.
Five of them were offensive line penalties and you touched
on it. They are well, they've had some bad luck.
Obviously everyone knows what happened to to uh, but this
is four games in a row that they lost their
starting quarterback and had to bring the second guy in.
You know, obviously that's not how you draw it up,
(07:45):
let alone for a rookie head coach. Like wow, you
know things were going great, this league seems easy, and
then all of a sudden this hits. But you kind
of touched on some of it, like play after play,
Miami was better than Minnesota last week, and I assume
you agree with me. You You watched the question. I mean
it's pretty obvious, but the hidden yardage is killing this
team right now. You mentioned the special teams, gaff. They're
(08:07):
frankly the worst special teams in the entire NFL right now. Yeah,
And just to follow up on that real quick, the
kicker Jason Sanders missed a fifty two yard field goal.
He has not made a kick longer than forty nine
yards this year. The three misses, and he missed an
extra point too, and you know kicks in pretty good
conditions down there. I mentioned the fake punt, which it
was a wide run against an unblocked edge. I don't
(08:29):
know who threw that one. Up, but it really didn't
have a chance. And I know these coaches, they don't
just sit there after third down fails and say, oh,
let's try a fake punt here. Of course, obviously they
thought they were gonna get a look or they had
reason to do it, but it did not look good.
They gave up a twenty five yard punt return. Bad
(08:50):
day all around on teams, and they gave up a
long kickoff return to the Ravens early in the year.
Their punt coverage, their kickoff coverage is bad. I don't
watch special teams tape, but I go to certain sites
and I look at the rankings and to steal from
themwhere Yeah, they're there thirty second everywhere. You mentioned the penalties,
hundred and ninety nine yards of penalties over the last
(09:13):
two games. You know, hard to win that way. I
mean they started the season um in the plus column
for turnover differential. The last four weeks they consistently lose
the turnover battle. So yeah, you're you're producing things play
after play, and their quarterbacks haven't been the problem at all.
I mean, they's they have one combined interception. Scotlett Thompson
(09:33):
was he's all right, representative. Yeah. Absolutely. Then he hit
his hand on a helmet and he had to leave.
And Teddy Bridgewater came in and you know, came in
cold and the middle of the second quarter, and he
wound up with past Yeah, I mean like all of it,
the waddle and hill. Yeah, they had like two fifty
(09:54):
of it. And so the Miami moved up and down
at one stretch. I mentioned the ten penalties, Five of
them came in one series within a seven play stretch,
So most penalties on one drive by an NFL team
this season. And you know, they play a lot of
man coverage as I mentioned, so they can get grabby
and have some long defensive pass interferences. Um, they've had
(10:17):
a lot of shuffling on the offensive line, as we mentioned.
Sometimes they is flat out get beat. But what stood
out to me watching that game, so Darius Smith went
crazy on these guys, but mostly because they couldn't pick
up basic stunts and twists and things like that, just
free rushers. And I mentioned Connor Williams. He was a
guard for the Cowboys, kind of signed like a similar
(10:38):
contract to James Daniels. They plugg him in at center.
He's never played center before. I mean, I'm just guessing
that he doesn't know all the center smarten your stuff,
you know. I mean, you gotta have a smart center
to pick these things up. He's never done it before. Yeah,
between the games and then just getting beat off the edge. God,
one time, I didn't even try to block Smith. I
don't know. Well, they thought that was a good idea,
(11:00):
but that was that was one of the tackles for
a loss. But boy, you mentioned those two receivers and
they are attention getting a Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle.
You know, Miami moved up and down the field. It
wasn't a ton of splash. Had the ball all day
and they were just, you know, methodically moving. Then they
get a penalty methodically moved, they'd get a turnover. Uh. Defensively,
(11:24):
they gave a big past interference or Buddy Uhig monogamy
right after he came into game. That's set up Minnesota
first score. Uh gave up a fifty three yard run
to Dalvin Cook and then at the end of the
day they're behind. But the combined numbers for a Hill
and Waddle eighteen catches on twenty five targets, three hundred
(11:47):
and six yards six. I was thinking, I mean, that's ridiculous,
and they lost right twenty five targets between the two
of them. Is that what you said? Yeah, that's that's
the whole offense and that and when they get down close,
they like Mike Kisiki decided because he's a big body.
And that's the thing about Hill and Waddle is they
aren't great red zone boxing outcute guys. They're they're they're
(12:09):
they're Lamborghinis. That's too easy. They don't want to score
for they got a runt bit. But uh Seki doesn't
even start for them. I mean Durham Smice the starter,
he was just out last week. I bounced this off
of Terrell Austin, the Stealers defensive coordinator. Today. Is the
concern more just getting the top taking off the defense
on a go route? Or is it the crossers with speed?
(12:29):
Or is it the slants where the safeties take bad
angles because they just aren't used to dealing with guys
this quick. And the response from Austin was all of it.
That has to be yeah, I mean they just play
a game at a different speed. I frankly think Tyreek
kills the most terrifying wide receiver since Randy Moss. You know,
like that's exactly what defensive coordinators do not want to
(12:51):
play against, is someone that can just change the game
in point three seconds, you know what I mean. And
Waddle has the same wow speed too. I mean, if
there's any one in the league that compares to Tyreeke
in terms of speed and explosion with pads on or
ball in the air, ball in your hand, it's Wattle
And it's a rare combination they have. And I think
he'll you know, his speed is obviously his signature. But
(13:14):
this is not a track guy in a football steed
that just runs fast. This is a tough son of
a gun. He can take a hit, he can do
damage over the middle. He can break tackles if you
catch up to him. He is a football player, yeah,
I mean he's played some running back at the college
level as well. You can see that he has lateral agility,
he runs through arm tackles, toughness could be. He's a great,
(13:35):
great player. And then the Chiefs missile. But the only
thing Terrel Austin would concede today. Obviously He's not gonna
give the game plan out during his normal Thursday media briefing,
but uh, he acknowledged you cannot play man coverage against
these guys and run with them all day. You just can't.
You can't. So they're gonna have to come up with something,
and I'll be real interested to see what they do,
(13:57):
because the Steelers have not been a team that has
been shy about trying different stuff, particularly in response to injury.
I think in this case, you're getting some guys back,
but they're not just gonna throw their base stuff out there. Uh,
play it the way they regularly play it, and you
can't expect to have success. I mean, the whole offseason
for the Dolphins was geared around making two his life
(14:19):
as easy as possible, or at least putting enough around
him to say he's either our guy or not alishing
accomplish even most are one of the running backs is
boy in the past game. You get him in a
little space and get him cranked up. I mean, even
Gaseki runs really really well for tight end. I mean,
like their their skill. Guys can fly um, but to
(14:41):
it wasn't great against man coverage before this year, you know,
and so they go get these two guys, which kind
of dictates the coverages as you and you know, Coach
Austin said, you don't get as much man. So two
is really good with timing and rhythm, getting it out quick,
game um, getting in their hands in space. I mean,
this whole offense is built around after the catch, much
(15:02):
like the Niners. It's something I mean, and they've really
built a dangerous group here all of a sudden. I
got a lot more to get to is we continue
breaking down what's awaiting the Steelers in Miami on Sunday night.
When we come back. We'll be joined by Merril Hodge.
I also want to remind you that the Greater Pittsburgh
Community Food Bank wants you to sack hundred hunger, get food,
(15:24):
volunteer or donate at Pittsburgh Food Bank dot org. Mike
PURSUITO with Matt Williamson. We're gonna be here till eight
o'clock tonight. This is 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, Mike Pursuit and
(15:46):
Matt Williams. Sue with you tonight till eight o'clock getting
ready for the Steelers and Dolphins. Steelers preview on DV
is brought to you by Univert. The only thing better
than the Steelers win is the Steelers win That pays
double down on your team with Univet Rold partner of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Time now to welcome the third member
of our team, Merrill Hodgs, joining us as he always does.
(16:08):
Meryl a lot to chew on off of that, the
Steelers upset over Tampa Bay last Sunday, and I wanted
to start with you tonight in the trenches because I
thought the defensive line and uh, you know, the defensive
front really played well. Probably the d lines best game
since the opener at Cincinnati. And oh, by the way,
(16:31):
those are the two games the Steelers have won this season.
Can they keep this up? Uh? You do? Um, you
make an inter string point, well, and it's a critical point,
and you know you're defensive off of the lines if
they don't play well. And just you know, I don't
care how good you skill players are, because it all
skill players are good. You know, It's just hard to
win consistently in this league. Um, I think it's as
(16:54):
a as an entire defense. It was probably one of
the most complete games I had seen, especially what they
did on the back end, because it was so creative.
You saw some you saw them disguised coverage and get
into some other coverages in some very unique ways. I
I can't recall. I've been playing in this league and
(17:16):
studying this league for four or years almost I don't remember.
I'm sure it's happened, but I mean, I don't remember
schematically them disguising and converting to the type of coverages
that they did, um to to affect Brady in this
and the wide receiving group um you know, and then
obviously to your point that the defensive line was in
(17:38):
their pressures and their constant harassment of collapse in the
pocket was there, and all of that really works in unison.
You know, if you don't do that, the disguising thing
will work for a little bit. But it wasn't. Tom
Brady's seen about everything you could possibly see. He was
adjust adjust the things. You just didn't have time to
adjust to the game, to your point, and they did
(17:59):
great job of constantly collapse in the pocket, Meryl, did
it shock you that they didn't target Evans and Godwin
more or was it because of the coverages that you mentioned, Um,
you know, I think it was really probably because of
the coverage at least coverages that they did. Let me,
I'll be clear with them. They happen in critical moments
(18:22):
and scoring territory, like the third down. So there's they
forced field goals first, allowing them to be the first down, um,
you know, and have a chance for a touchdown. So
they they really did it at opportune times and it
was critical, um, and it paid off for you know,
almost very critical moment. They did something that was somewhat unique. Um,
(18:42):
I'll give you one a great example. Like we talked
about all the time, fans I think probably understand this
that a lot of times motion, especially on third down,
is to identify if you're in a manner zone and um,
you just move one guy just to get an assessed,
you know, on a US. But for everybody, what you're
about to see, well, so interesting. Umlet thirty five goes
(19:06):
at most I can't remember the number of the receiver
he lost. First of all, they have trips. He's on
the trip side, he's lined up head on him. Everybody's
pressed too by the way it looks man, my crossbook
preestaff it looks man. It looks like too man because
you have two safeties motion guy and let goes with
him snap the ball, what turns with him and starts running.
(19:27):
It looks like man. Tom Brady, um, you know, peaked
at death, but when he saw a man, he's like, well,
i'most gonna come back here and check it down. Well,
they're playing zone underneath. You know, they jumped out of
the man. Look who went to zone? So only one
guy played man and they ended up playing zone underneath.
He checks it down and they end up making a
tack a game tackle, you know, for a yard shore
(19:48):
force in the punt. So, um, yeah, they just really
a lot. They're very crative, you know, they just really
did some things and it was you know, I wouldn't
be as shocked if it was the same group playing.
Like half of them are like who's forty two? You know,
who's who's that guy? Who's this guy? You know, like
so it was a real tribute to you know, the team.
(20:10):
You know, those coaches put it in, players have to
execute it and and they really did and it was
um usund frustrated there they're receiving corps. You know, they
were struggling with gaps. You know, Tom Brady was throwing
in the dirt and he was uncertain. Um, you don't
have about let's say eight times in the game, you know,
(20:31):
um where they change something up and it made a difference,
you know, um in the game. So I think that
has something to do with it, with the lack of targets. Yeah.
You know, Brady came in twelve and three in his
career against the Steelers, and I think I've been to
every one of those games, and I gotta tell you
that is the most uncomfortable I can remember him looking
(20:53):
in the pocket. To your point, I don't know if
he was flustered. I tried to ask some guy is
in the locker room afterward if they thought they had
him rattled, and nobody would say that. But you know,
maybe he knows a lot, but he didn't quite know
at all. Well, listen, it would be the only time
I've ever had seen him truly rattled was on a
(21:14):
Monday night game in Kansas City near they end up
winning the Super Bowl. Quite honestly, it was like week four.
I think they were one in three. Can't see pounded
them early season blow and I remember I remember that. Yeah, yeah,
in fact, he was flinching every time and then sat
the ball, the jet back start flinching. I've never seen
it before. Well I never saw it again either. I
(21:35):
think I think I have. I think people are writing
he was done after that game. Yeah, I think Belichick
had Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's when it all started. You're
exactly right, that's actually it didn't start. Um. And so
I have had visuals of him exceptly every game that
he's played. I've almost every game he's played. I've never
(21:56):
seen like that before or since. And even though he
was not, he wasn't like that against the Stevens had
out of sync. That's probably better and he keep mind,
remember we talked about it coming in. They were kind
of like that already. You know that they haven't played.
There's not one game I could point out to you
this year that I would say, Man, they looked dangerous.
They look like that, they looked out of sync, and
(22:17):
all of these coverages and it's change is change up.
You just added to that frustration. Their second quarter against
it was pretty close. UM Tampa's there were new terms
of being off. They know they were. They were pretty
good against the Land. Yeah. Yeah, they came back. You're
right there. Um, that's about it. That's about it. And
(22:39):
I think that's the only time at any point this year,
you know, she's the Green Bay game, they were a
train wreck, you know, but I think they had just
a bunch of guys they pulled in kind of like
Steves did their back their back end, you know. Um,
but if he's been like that all year, actually, their
offense has been like that all year. It's as bad
as inconsistent as I have seen him. Mary, where are
(23:01):
you at on Devin Bush compared to last year? Well,
he's much better, He's he's much better, you know, he's um,
he's filtering things. He's he's at least getting to where
he's supposed to get, not just standing there. You know.
I mean that he definitely can't tell you how about
what a difference that makes, because for the longest time
(23:21):
you just had to shake your head, like I don't
get it. But he's as bad as he had has been,
there's been leaps and bounds of improvement. Um, getting to
where he's supposed to be, filling his gap where he
needs to be, you know, if you've made a good
play there on that two point conversions. You know, Miles
Jack did the same thing. Actually it was the ran
(23:41):
that play earlier. Miles Jack was in there at the time. Yeah,
because he was hurt, and both of them executed it well.
You know, they they caught the rob that they didn't
get caught up with the guy going the vertically. They
kept the guy going flat. And um, that's you know, listen,
that's what passing and tries to get. You know, we
(24:02):
call it jerk rouse. The jerk rout is that if
you can get a wide receiver on the lineback here,
you know he's gonna're probably gonn make a jerk of
him because you're gonna beat him. Um, they didn't do that,
you know, That's that's where we got the term jerk rout.
Um Um. And they tried to over team tries to
create those matchups and when you get that match you
usually when but they did a really good job with
with the matchup, the back end, the safety and the bush. Um.
(24:27):
But he has he flashed and he showed up and
playing with a lot of different energy. You know, Um,
your people go, well, he was hurting, that hurt hurt
doesn't If you gotta hurt meat, that doesn't mean you
make mental errors, all right, don't. Given there's all all
kinds right, I mean, and not being where you're supposed
(24:47):
to be. It has nothing to do with the bad
met all right, Playing with effort, getting into the getting
into your assignment has nothing to do but the bad
if it isn't get off the fill once you under
the white lines. I don't care what your injury is
that excuses gone. But he has played much better, much
much better. Just see if he continues that. You know,
(25:08):
a few games he's picked it up. Actually he wasn't
playing like this the first couple of weeks. He's kind
of the same bush. This is probably the last three
weeks that he has has really really changed. So we'll
have to see if it just keeps up. I mean
he needs to keep up, obviously, but show health the
team if he does. You know another guy that's getting
(25:29):
a lot of love back here and got some from
the defensive coordinator Tarrell Austin today is Terrell Edmonds, who
was the last guy standing in terms of recognizable players
in that secondary. I think Edmonds has been a guy,
He's been steady over the years. Not not splashy or spectacular,
but he's played a ton of snaps. He's he's done
(25:49):
his job. They gave him a lot of credit for
kind of managing everything on that back end. What did
you see out of him in relation to those disguised
coverages that you were talking about a moment ago. Well,
welliver to say this without really knowing all of the details. Um,
if he was the quarterback, he should have got a
game ball because I you know, somebody with all of
(26:11):
you know. Shoot, one time they did a too deep
look it was that was the third and ten. That's
when they forced the first field goal. They think, I
think that's done. I'll trying. I'm guessing see a seven dvs.
It might have had seven. I don't know, at least
had six. But anyway, they run one of the dbs
who's playing linebacker, who was a new number. I think
whatever is yes, okay, I was gonna go a thirty
(26:35):
seven's thirty seven. He runs in the middle of the field.
The two safeties dropped down and replaced the inside linebackers.
The inside linebacker explain and miles. They run out to
the quarter position, take the flat and the two corners safety.
Now it's covered three, you know, so that's the one
that they really got him. So you know, to do
(26:57):
all of those thing, you know, somebody's got to orchestrate
that and make sure nobody understands it, you know, and
then and then everybody is responsible for them. So um,
to get somebody if somebody has to run that ship.
So that's the guy that was doing it. Um, kudos
to kudos to him. And you know, to your point,
he's gotten like he's grown, he's gotten a little better,
(27:18):
you know, I know, And that's the problem when you know,
because I believe he's the first round draft pick. Everybody
would love him if the second round pick. Yeah, and
well because of expectations, right, I mean the expectation of
you know, like, well you're gonna come in and you're
gonna your first round and you're gonna be on the
best ever, you know, and there's a certain standard there.
You know, one of those forty three, another might be
(27:40):
thirty one, and you know, and when you're not quite
to that level, do you feel like it's it's um,
it's disappointing in a way that's expectations can hurt. But
to his credit, he has gotten better every year. He
has really grown as a pro um and help the
team more than he's hurt the team. Mary, how much
of you watched Mike McDaniel's offense in Miami. I know,
(28:03):
the big time tape heads like yourself just rave about
this guy's scheme and disguises and the angles they get
and sure helps to have Waddle and Hill too. No, yeah,
I mean I've watched them every week, you know. And
so but here's the first thing that they do a
really good job of is they do a lot of
(28:24):
misdirection and actions. So they'll pull a guard, you know,
hard fake the runner, you know, and even maybe jet
sweep a tight end or something something. So there's a
lot of traffy going on in the box, which you know,
always just trying just paralyzes people. They're like that front
seven to eight guys just get frozen up. And what
(28:44):
they're you know, they're seeing read initially and they're seeing
run initially. That Read is telling me run. You know.
The next thing, I know, Two has got the ball,
he's dropping back now. They do a really good job
of that, and then Two gets rid of it right away,
and that's where his strength is. What I seek has happened. Um,
as I've watched during the year, everybody scared the death
of that speed of wide receivers. So they all play off.
(29:07):
They just give it to him. They're like all they
run as a five seven yards slanting and he can
get rid of football because he's just done all of
that stuff I described. Got seven guys standard up for
a split second. They run a quick slant corners off
seven yards, they go five years. What's easy, which, as
you mentioned, he's a quick game, you know, right, that's
(29:27):
what he is. You make you making Risette steet, you
make you start pushing that ball down fifteen yards outside
the numbers. Very different player. Now Cincinnati actually did that
what he was when he was playing. Um, they pressed,
they got into some robber stuff. They got some quick
pressures that made him Risette and he wasn't the same. UM.
(29:47):
Now let's go to what they did against Tampa. Do
you have to be UM? Changed covers up like that
now because two of us not Tom Brady, you know,
you know they so what is it that they do
really well? I would think that I would make my
guys press. I mean I wouldn't be I wouldn't give
them free access, those those speedy guys, because that guy
(30:08):
back there, he wants to get as soon as he
plans to show it that ball comes out. When he
can't do that, it's a whole different game. So something
within the scheme if you can you know, this comes
down to the defensive lag comment early. You know, they
gotta have another big game where they're pushing the pocket
and getting a little pressure, just moving, just moving a
little bit. You know, Um, if you can do those
(30:29):
in critical moments, I can do that entire game. You know,
he's gonna he's still do Those guys are good to
their pros. They're gonna make plays. But if you can
do that and win the critical situations, there's where I
think they really got a chance to win the game.
If they can do that. He hasn't played for now,
you know, almost among to just you know, that's that's
hard to come in and and just be you know,
pick up your left off. It's hard. Last thing I
(30:52):
got for you tonight. Meryl nag Harris had another middling
game statistically, but the eight yard run he had at
the start of the last drive that they used to
grind the clock out, that was the first time to
me at least that I thought he looked like Nazy
Harris last year he actually got to the line of scrimmage.
I think first contact was two yards beyond the line
(31:14):
of scrimmage, and he ran through a couple of guys
and then he moved the pile to the end of
the run. Um, he's getting healthier, He's taking that steel
plate out of his shoe. Uh. Do you see him
as maybe ready ready to to start taking his game
to another level? You know? Mike Splane said that, you know,
I did see a little more juice in the guy,
(31:35):
you know, from start to finish, you know, and a
more explosiveness. Um, not nothing dramatic, but but just the
perceived difference, you know what I'm saying, Like he didn't
look like Jim Brown, but he didn't look like the
guy I've seen the first part of the season either. Yeah,
we we talked about you know, when I watched it,
I'm like, yass, Dan Jack. I always thought was I
(31:56):
don't know what funny it was like, you know, And
it appeared to me when the way he would run,
I was like, it looked like he's left foot. I
don't know if it's his left foot or it's his
right foot. It's just but there was a gate change
in him and he lacked a wiggle energy. You know
that you because you listen, you watch somebody over and
over and over and over. Your eyes get you know,
(32:17):
trained to that. You know, so it's very easy to
catch something and you're like, doesn't look right, you know,
better or worse, And even though you're right, very subtle,
there was something a little different and that little difference
though it was back um last week. So you know,
hopefully he can add to that because you know this team,
(32:39):
you know, you've got to be able to run the
ball every week. This team is just not good enough
to come out and try to win it all over
the park. But if he could, then you get the
graund game going here, you know, And this is a
three four this and you don't know how many teams
are running the three four in the NFL anymore. As
a runner, I used to love run against the three
four because there's two natural bubbles versus one in the
front um. And don't know why, I just I always
(33:01):
liked the three or four. I just always It doesn't
mean you can really gets the many easier, don't getting that.
She's like really us three four. So we'll see if
the thing get there and again going and more consistent,
you know, and this juice would help him subtle gag change.
I love that description. It's good. But he had because
(33:22):
you do you know what put you know what he
did did? He did hurt. I'm embarrassed to me, I
do not. You know my theory over the years, somebody
would ask me which need is it? I would say,
the one that doesn't work, It doesn't matter, you know,
it's the one that's got ice on. Yeah, yeah, that's true.
May I really enjoyed it as always tonight. We'll look
(33:43):
forward to talking to you next week before the Philadelphia game. Absolutely, guys,
thank you a lot man, Go stealers, baby. He almost
gave me a little optimism there. I have a lot
of optimism about this game. I don't think Miami is
a big bad wolf at all. I think they have
some issues going on right now. And he said it
great about two. It to like, I don't think he's
(34:05):
gonna walk right back. Yeah, you know what happened to
him and be perfectly fine. I think I fell in
that coaching trump. I see some stuff on tape. But
I think that's automatic, like it's a video game and
it's gonna happen. It's always gonna be this. But uh,
I don't know. I was very impressed with the defensive front.
I see to Merrill's knowledge about the coverage. I still
think Tampa Bay should have thrown more, but but that
was good coverage stuff by Merrow. For sure. There's no
(34:27):
question Brady was off his feet a little bit. And
and if Bush is playing better, and if Evans is ascending,
and if the offense right around the corner. We've been
asking this question for a year in six games now,
if the offense can get it in gear, you never
know a little bit of a run game would go
a long way that it would. Hey gear up with
(34:48):
the latest sideline apparel, hats or jerseys of your favorite players,
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(35:08):
are gonna be here until eight o'clock, So keep it here.
You're listening to Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers
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Uni bet on dB Welcome back to the preview. Mike
Pasuda and Matt Williamson with you until eight o'clock. But
(35:30):
that was fascinating stuff from Podgy tonight. Absolutely, I mean
coverage disguises and I don't want to say what Merrill
just said, but I mean they definitely you could see
Brady was rattled. I gave a ton of credit to
Ogan Job and Hayward. I mean, I think we sat
here a week ago and I said, you have any
chance in this game, Cam Hayward has to be the
best player in the field. I think you did. I
(35:52):
thought Isai Lottombroth played pretty well for his first shot.
I kind of felt bad for him earlier in the
year that he was shut out in terms of playing time,
but they were deeper and I don't think he did
anything wrong. But I think he's a bright future. I
talked to him this week. He is ready, he said,
he said, he stayed patient, he knew the chance was
gonna come, and he was gonna be ready when it came.
And you know, with Marvin leel out and I know
(36:15):
there's quite different positions, but I'm not thrilled with Howe
Tyson and Lua lou is playing. So I mean, I
think Louder Milks and Wormley's of the world a lot
of Milk plays some edge two in that game. That
that that kind of position they've invented. Watts maybe this.
You know, we talked a lot about Brian Flores and
the addition to the staff and what that would mean
(36:35):
and how you now have Tomlin, Austin and Flores and
how creative would they get defensively. I think Flora is
gonna have any input on this game, you think, but
we've seen some stuff and you know, some of it's
by necessity because the injuries. But they have not just
throwing the guys out there with next man up and
do the same stuff we always do and hope for
(36:56):
the best. And I would not expect that to be
the case Sunday. Either. They got something up their sleeves.
I mean, no one's gonna know this team better than Flora's. Yeah,
I mean, strengths, weaknesses, all that stuff, just personnel, what
they like to do, what they don't, and your point
to about the defense, I mean secondary in particular Jackson Pierre.
I mean they boost their stock, you know, like I
(37:17):
don't think they're throwaway guys, you know, especially Jackson. You know,
I'm not learning the officials that can't just yet. But
I don't putting them in forty seven or twenty six.
But I mean they got through it. Against Chat is
the Steelers predictive and trivia game. Answer questions to make
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(37:38):
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can play against Chat exclusively in the Steelers official mobile app.
Matt the question of the night, Total yards for the Steelers.
Total yards for the Steelers over under two ninety and
a half. I was sitting there thinking the over under
should be about three hundred, and I'm going over. I
(37:58):
am too. Yeah. I like the one on one matchups
of Steeler receivers versus Miami corners, and I'm assuming Kenny's
gonna play. He takes those one on ones, you know,
And I think if you have pickings one on one
against any of those corners or Deonte. I'm putting it
up there and that could be some big place. Well,
it wasn't hitting him with consistency against Tampa, though, was
(38:19):
he Yes, No, he wasn't. That was I think he
was eleven for eighteen and two of them were throwaways,
but the other five misses were all bad misses. There
was a combination of sideline balls where he was trying
to give the guy a chance. The one that's obvious
is the one right at the end of the drive
(38:39):
after the long kickoff returned by Steven Sims. He had
sidelined route that Deonte Johnson. Then there was a throwaway
because the play just wasn't there. And then he tried
to hit Pickens even in double coverage and just airmailed it.
And he kind of smacked his hands together a couple
of times after he was he was upset with himself.
And then there were multiple occasions where he was trying
to hit a comeback or at the stick and he
(39:01):
just threw away short. Yeah, that's not a trend, but
who he was more off with his accuracy than I
had seen him. Although I liked I liked his decision making.
I liked what he was trying to put the ball
the touchdown to Naji Harris. Everybody thinks that was a
simple throw, but he read a six man blitz and
uh keian O'Neil the safety was coming off the right
(39:24):
edge of the offense, left edge of the defense unblocked right.
He had to get rid of that ball and get
it over Vida Vea. So that was a real good play,
and my opinion to pick it hasn't changed negatively at
all after that game. No, but but there were some instances.
But my question is how ready is he? I see
the inspiration in his play. I don't see the consistent
(39:45):
productivity in his play, particularly getting the team in the
end zone. And I don't know if you can expect
that when he's, you know, getting ready to make his
third start. He's also played against two the top five
defenses in the league, and one of them in extreme
conditions and wins and down on the scoreboard, and then
total opposite defense. You know this one, um, in terms
(40:07):
of Tampa with a heavy blitz, you don't get a
lot of blitz this week as well, and then you
have a really difficult Eagles defense too. So I think
this four game stretch by go back and watch learn
what the games about at this level is really going
to pay off in the second half of the season.
I think that's what I went right back to him. Yeah,
I think the decision was I mean, they made a
play tectonic decision of putting Picket in the game, and
(40:29):
I don't think you go back from that. I mean
it would be different if Kenny could apparently not, because
Drabinsky played the best quarter of football a quarterback for
the Steelers has played all year, right. I mean it
took us too long to bring that up in the show.
I mean, Mitch deserves all the credit in the world.
I wanted to bring it up to Meryl's amost, only
so much time in the day. Though. Well, Mary will
just go back to the North Carolina faith and say,
(40:51):
but no, and I get who he is. I just
my theory is, you are desperate to try to get
out of stadiums with WS right now, as Mike Tomlin
likes to say. And if I don't go back to
Kenny Pickett right after he suffered a concussion, it doesn't
mean I'm messing with my long term plan. I don't
think it's gonna have any effect on hand. All my
(41:12):
confidence is shaking the hot hand. This guy, this guy,
finally we waited on this Mitch Robinski for a long
time and he finally got here. And now they're saying, hey,
thanks a lot, go sit down. And Mitch seemed unencumbered.
You know, I don't like that he was playing scared,
but if I intentative, absolutely, and he wasn't in this game.
He had nothing to lose, and you let it rip.
(41:33):
So uh, the aforementioned optimism. We got about a minute left.
You said you are optimistic. I am. I mean the
spread shocks me. I think these are pretty equal type teams,
especially from how we've seen Miami play the last couple
of weeks. Um, I'm really impressed with their head coach
X and those wise and all that stuff like we
talked about. But I think it's different leading a team,
(41:56):
and you know, the coaching advantage is massive in the
Steelers direction and turn terms of leadership in the Flores factor.
I was not optimistic, and I watched that Minnesota game
and I thought I saw Ferrari that just kept bumping
into the curb, ye blowing a tire. But I don't
know that the two uh rust. Let's say, maybe that
(42:19):
will be a factor, Maybe that D line we'll get
it done. Uh, maybe we'll get a ball game after
all worthy of a Sunday night. That's gonna do it
for us tonight on Thursday night. Uh, we appreciate you
joining us and finding us however you did and wherever
you did until next week for Merril Hodge, Matt Williamson
and on Mike Pursuing, you've been listening to Steelers preview
right here on your Steels Flagship one or two point
(42:40):
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