November 7, 2023 • 14 mins
Tom and Matt break down the 3-5 Green Bay packers who come to town Sunday
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We got some work to do. This is the advanced
Scout with Tom Opperman and Mac Williamson. The Steelers are
five and three, looking down the barrel of a six
and three record before heading to Ohio for two games
with Cleveland and Cincinnati. But to do that, you got
to get this six to win. Green Bay comes to town.
They are three and five on the season, coming off
a win against the La Rams last week. Pittsburgh is
(00:22):
three and two at home. Green Bay is one in
three on the road and have lost four of their
last five games Pittsburgh and their last seventeen games. Matt
is twelve and five. Yeah, record through seventeen games group
together in one season probably gets your division title most times.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
See and definitely playoff of birth.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
No doubt. Steelers have a minus thirty point differential. I'm
surprised to find out, Matt that Green Bay has outscored
their opponents by a point this year.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah. I want to start there because well, not necessarily
with point differential. They beat up on a Rams team
without Stafford that quickly decided today we gotta go get
Carson Wentz. Yeah, yeah, I mean like their quarterback play.
It was a very easy opponent for green Bay is
all I'm going to say, Like, hey, it's good win,
any win matters in this league. But that Rams team
(01:08):
is a shell of the one Steelers saw. And if
you look at their schedule, Detroit's like the only team
it's any good that they've played. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
According to EPA, the Saints are the only team that
has played an easier schedule, right, green Bay Packers so
far this year, so.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
They still aren't really being five Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Steelers generate This is an interesting stat. Steeers generates just
two point six points on average in the first quarter
of games, which just terrible, great, terrible, But green Bay
produce is just one point six points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter. Pittsburgh sits at four point three
points per quarter and the Packers at two point nine,
which is worse than the league. Steelers give up just
eight point one points in the second halfs of games,
(01:45):
but green Bay scores fifteen point five points on average
in the second half.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So I mean, these are two teams that really turn
it on second half, fourth quarter, take the second half over.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Could just be like three to two at the.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Half and then explode to like twenty to seven fourth
quarter one. Interesting, we know two on the Packers before
we move on here, fifteen rookies are on their roster
mat at our lads. I know not all of them play.
Some of them do, though, I know a lot of
youth just being incorporated into this roster.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That is interesting because I knew when opening day broke,
when final rosters came out, they had the youngest roster
in the league. You know that changes throughout the rows
of the year. But to your point verse, fifteen rookies
maybe even got younger. I mean all their skill position guys.
Basically all the receivers are super young.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
The series history between these two storied franchises, they've combined
to win ten Super Bowls, including green Bay's victory over
the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Including that one postseason matchup,
Pittsburgh and the Packers have played thirty six times, with
green Bay coming out on top of twenty of those occasions.
The series began in nineteen thirty three, green Bay shut
out the Steelers in both of their first two matchups.
Green Bay won the first nine of these matchups. No
(02:53):
One was beating green Bay back then, though, so you
can't really blame the Steelers. Steelers did not thirties. Yeah,
no one, no one could touch, no one could sniff Packers.
Steelers not getting their first win in this series until
nineteen forty seven. But danning back to the nineteen ninety
eight season, Pittsburgh has won five of the last seven
against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the most
recent meeting, however, in twenty twenty one in Green Bay,
(03:14):
twenty seven to seventeen. Now, let's start with the Packers
defense today, four point nine yards per play. They're eleventh
in yards per game, give up three hundred twenty yards,
ninth in the pass defense one hundred ninety six yards allowed,
twenty third against the run. So maybe that's their weakness
right there, one hundred and twenty four yards. They're tenth
in points per games. But they don't take the ball
away at all, fifth least in the NFL. Five picks
(03:37):
three fumbles for eight total takeaways on the season. They
do get two and a half sacks per game, which
is an overwhelming either. So it's a pretty good defense.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
That's a pretty good defense. You know, like Rashaun Garry
is a really good player, Jarry Alexander, they have good
players but I just wanted to double check this so
I'm not out of line. It's it should be so
much better. And it makes me crazy because since two
thousand and eleven, I'm sorry, since twenty twelve, with the
(04:06):
exception of Jordan Love, every first round pick they've used,
including multiples at times, like two years ago they took
two Georgia guys in the first round, have been all
on defense. Could you imagine drafting defense first round every
year but one since twenty twelve and us going, yeah,
they're pretty good on d you know, like.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You should be a leade aesome.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, you should be awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yeah, exactly, you should be one of the best in
the NFL. And they are towards the top half of
the league, but they're kind of closer to the middle
of the pack as far as defense is concerned, as
opposed to getting towards the top of the league. A
couple of guys that you did not mention there though,
that I think have been good but are on the
injury report and didn't play last week against the Rams,
or quay Walker and Rudy Ford. Quay Walker, one of
(04:48):
his first round draft picks last year. Quai Walker leads
the team and tackles. Rudy Fords two interceptions missed them
last week against the Rams. They're questionable this week against
the Steelers. It would be good for the Steelers if
they aren't able to go. There are difference makers on
the defense.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yes, and Walker is one of those most recent first
round packs we've talked about. He's great physical specimen. Ford's
a good story and throw one more in there. Their
best d lineman. They're big guys, not Gary like the
you know, the Cam Hayward types, three hundred pounders. Clark
Kenny Clark left the game last week and when we're
recording this, I haven't heard if he's playing or what
(05:23):
his situation is, but he would be a huge loss
for them, especially against a run.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yeah, no doubt. Significant players are injured for the Packers.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Last week, they helped Brett Ripe into just one hundred
and thirty yards passing no Rams skill position player more
than fifty scrimmage yards. None of none of their drives
went for more than twenty eight yards, and they only
rushed for sixty eight yards total against Screen Bay. That
is probably the defense that you think the Packers would
be boasting every week with all those draft picks, like
you mentioned, you would hope you gotta flush that game out.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah. I mean, hey, if we were on Packers Nation radios,
I like to say sometimes maybe like oh they're turning
the corner, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, and be a little
more optimistic. But know who you played against. I mean
they've replaced their backup quarterback right after that game.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Three players for the Packers have four sacks or more.
Preston Smith and Kenny Clark have four and four and
a half too. Rashawn Gary And you were mentioning Rashaun
Gary before we turned the mics on Matt and he's
such a force. It's maybe the best player on the
defense probably has a say in that.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Jerry Alexander is definitely one of the top corners in
the league. They just gave Gary massive money. Thought in
your eyes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I mean he was
like the top recruit in the country. I mean he's very,
very gifted.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
And we talked about kway Walker. What about his partner,
Devondre Campbell. They signed him out of Arizona. I mean
they're similar, they're both they worked together well long, big
can run. They gave Campbell good money as well. He
was kind of a slow start to his career, but
since he's been in Green Bay, he's been quite good.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's a good pairing now.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
They traded Rajual Douglas one of their corners. According to
Arles Carrington, Valentine, a seventh round pick, is slated to
start at one of the corners, and then with Rudy
Ford being questionable, another seventh round pick and Anthony Johnson
Junior is going to see more snaps at the safety position.
Two seventh round picks in your secondary right, should be
right for the picking Kenny Pickett, right.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Right, right, And you don't trade Douglass if you think
you're a contender. I mean not that he's a mel Blunt,
but I mean he's you know.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Our seventh round pick.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, right, right, right, And I think they want to
see more of those guys, but that doesn't mean that
they're good.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Turning our attention to the Packers offense. It's an offense
that averages five yards per play. It's twenty fourth in
total offense three hundred yards per game, twenty second through
the air, one hundred and ninety nine yards per game,
twenty second on the ground, with one hundred yards per game,
and they're twentieth in points per game with twenty points
per game scored. They have ten giveaways, which is the
tenth fewest in the NFL. Eight of those are picks,
(07:46):
and they only allow two point three sacks per game,
which is eighth best in the league. Jordan Love, you know,
at the beginning of the season, he gets his chance
and he looked okay, but I mean the wheels have
just kind of fallen off on him. He is eight
of those interceptions have come in their past six games,
and he's throwing just six touchdowns over that stretch. One
I thinks it was a little foolish in the fools
(08:08):
gold in the beginning of the season. I tend to
believe more like he is now.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
But it's a little like Picket in that he was
great in the preseason, maybe got ahead of ourselves of
where he's at developmental wise, and man, that part's the same.
I mean, coming into the season, I kind of looked
at him like Pickett coming off a great preseason, and
it hasn't gone to plan. He's been a better fantasy
(08:35):
player than real life player. You know, He's thrown some touchdowns,
he's run blah blah blah. But his accuracy is at
the bottom of the league, and he's a little overmatched
to say the least. He's thrown to a bunch of
young guys. But one thing they did is past week,
to their credit, really focused. The entire offense is now
going through Aaron Jones, and that's when he was out,
(08:57):
they were really struggling. He's their stabilizing force as a
runner and receiver, So that's the one thing you kind
of worry about, or at least it's trending the right
direction for them.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
We'll get to Jones in the running game in just
a little bit, but as far as the passing game
is concerned, you mentioned the wide receivers. Christian Watson and
Romeo Dubes were picks last year's second round pick for Watson,
fourth round pick for Dubes, and then Jayden Reid was
a second round pick this year, so it's a ton
of youth. Seven players on the team have at least
ten receptions against the Rams. Nine different packers were targeted.
(09:27):
Aaron Jones led the little lay with six targets, which
was as high as so far this season. Watson played
forty two if possible forty seven snaps in Week nine,
but he left with injury in Week nine, and then
last week Watson was just targeted one time against the Rams.
So Christian Watson has shown flashes, but oh yeah, do
you think he's a wide receiver one kind of in
the same round some of them that have tortured the
(09:49):
Steelers this year, although Hopkins did not because of Joey
Porter Jr.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
He's very fast, tall, He's been in and out of
the lineup. Like his fantasy umbers aren't great, But I
don't know that I blame him because of injuries and
quarterback play and all the issues. I have a lot
of respect for him. I don't even know if we'll
playing this game, but he's their most dangerous guy, without question.
I also like Musgrave, the young, young tight end.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Great transition. Yeah, career high of fifty one receiving yards
last week. He also caught his first touchdown. He averaged
two point four yards per route run against the Rams,
which is pretty good, really tight end. So Musgrave maybe
starting to find himself in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah, He's a long strider, opens it up deep speed.
He has a crazy background. He was like a six
athlete or six sport athlete, including like downhill skiing, Like
things come easy to him and he's adjusting very well.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Now. Last week they ran for one hundred and eighty
four yards. Jones led the way with seventy three rushing yards.
Four different packers got at least four rushing attempts. This
was the first time Jones received twenty plus carry since
Week ten of last year, in the first time in
twenty twenty three that Jones had gotten to double digit
carries on his day. Him being healthy, I think just
transforms that offense. But it's important to note that it's
(11:06):
not just him that you have to stop. Aj Dillon
leads the team in rushing yards, obviously having to step
in more when Aaron Jones went out, and then Jordan
Love also a threat to run.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, he has about one hundred and sixty four rushing
yards on the season.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So certainly, a fully healthy back to himself Aaron Jones
is a huge upgrade for them. We kind of mentioned
that is in all facets, Dylan was very underwhelming.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Is the top guy.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I mean he gets very little after contact, looks sluggish.
I know he's not old, but he looks like he's
kind of run into a wall.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Career wise, two point three sacks allowed per game, which
is eighth best in the league. Is that offensive line
getting that job done or is that a little bit
of a weird statistic. I know, No, yet another year
without David Bakjari out there, who just has just run
into terrible jury luck towards the end of his career.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Unfortunately, I can see his career being over just.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Because it's back to back years now Matt where he
just can't play.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, so that's a problem. They've always done a good
job drafting and developing offensive lineman, Like no one knows
who Zach Tom is, but he's a quality right tackle
that's young and as sending centers, good player. I think
most of that might just be because they've played bad teams.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Just no one else pass rush against them.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I haven't given it a lot of thought, but I
wonder if you scan their schedule, have they faced great
pass rushes. I tend to think probably not.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I just in my brain. I remember watching the Lions
game against them in it I think Aiden Hutchinson was
having a hell of a time there. So I think
when they do step up in class, yeah, you can
get to Jordan Love, you can create a lot more havoc.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
And their left tackle I think was also injured this
past week as well, so that's not great for them.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Not great. Packers have a lot of injury problems they
getting into this game against the Steelers. Some key matchups
that we want to highlight before we get out of here.
Aaron Jones the first against Steelers inside linebackers. Big blow
for that unit with Cole HULKMB going out for the year.
I thought co hulkem was playing the best of a
unit of three that all three have been playing pretty well.
So you lose that guy, your top dog in my eyes,
(13:08):
Kwan Alexander, as Tomlins said today, he slides right into
that spot. It's gonna be maybe Mark Robinson sees some
increased playing time, but I think it's a two horse
race now when it comes to that unit. Great test
right off the bat for those two with very versatile back.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
As you just laid out. I mean, the inside linebackers
clearly got weaker because of that injury, you know, and
there's less versatility. Your leading snapcount guy there is gone,
and the strength of the offense is peaking for the
Packers and Jones.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And then defensively, Rashan Gary mentioned he leads the team
in sacks with four and a half. He is a
force to be reckoned with. He'll probably line up across
from Broderick Jones for the most part. So a stiff
test for the rookie who we assume is going back
in at right tackle this week, having to deal with Gary.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah. Gary's a tremendous player. He's definitely a top ten
edge pass rusher, if not better. He's also coming off
a big injury from a year ago, but he looks
absolutely fine. They wouldn't given him money if they didn't,
So Jones is going to have a real test in protection,
and I assume Jones will be the right tackle as
you said should be.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Steelers finish off their three game homestand this Sunday at
Acrossure Stadium. It's a one o'clock kick against the Green
Bay Packers. Their coverage on DV starts at nine a m.
From Matt Williamson on Tom Opferman. Thanks has always for
giving us a listen. We'll be back again next week
with another edition of the Advanced Scout
We got some work to do. This is the advanced
Scout with Tom Opperman and Mac Williamson. The Steelers are
five and three, looking down the barrel of a six
and three record before heading to Ohio for two games
with Cleveland and Cincinnati. But to do that, you got
to get this six to win. Green Bay comes to town.
They are three and five on the season, coming off
a win against the La Rams last week. Pittsburgh is
(00:22):
three and two at home. Green Bay is one in
three on the road and have lost four of their
last five games Pittsburgh and their last seventeen games. Matt
is twelve and five. Yeah, record through seventeen games group
together in one season probably gets your division title most times.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
See and definitely playoff of birth.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
No doubt. Steelers have a minus thirty point differential. I'm
surprised to find out, Matt that Green Bay has outscored
their opponents by a point this year.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah. I want to start there because well, not necessarily
with point differential. They beat up on a Rams team
without Stafford that quickly decided today we gotta go get
Carson Wentz. Yeah, yeah, I mean like their quarterback play.
It was a very easy opponent for green Bay is
all I'm going to say, Like, hey, it's good win,
any win matters in this league. But that Rams team
(01:08):
is a shell of the one Steelers saw. And if
you look at their schedule, Detroit's like the only team
it's any good that they've played. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
According to EPA, the Saints are the only team that
has played an easier schedule, right, green Bay Packers so
far this year, so.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
They still aren't really being five Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Steelers generate This is an interesting stat. Steeers generates just
two point six points on average in the first quarter
of games, which just terrible, great, terrible, But green Bay
produce is just one point six points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter. Pittsburgh sits at four point three
points per quarter and the Packers at two point nine,
which is worse than the league. Steelers give up just
eight point one points in the second halfs of games,
(01:45):
but green Bay scores fifteen point five points on average
in the second half.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So I mean, these are two teams that really turn
it on second half, fourth quarter, take the second half over.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Could just be like three to two at the.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Half and then explode to like twenty to seven fourth
quarter one. Interesting, we know two on the Packers before
we move on here, fifteen rookies are on their roster
mat at our lads. I know not all of them play.
Some of them do, though, I know a lot of
youth just being incorporated into this roster.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That is interesting because I knew when opening day broke,
when final rosters came out, they had the youngest roster
in the league. You know that changes throughout the rows
of the year. But to your point verse, fifteen rookies
maybe even got younger. I mean all their skill position guys.
Basically all the receivers are super young.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
The series history between these two storied franchises, they've combined
to win ten Super Bowls, including green Bay's victory over
the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Including that one postseason matchup,
Pittsburgh and the Packers have played thirty six times, with
green Bay coming out on top of twenty of those occasions.
The series began in nineteen thirty three, green Bay shut
out the Steelers in both of their first two matchups.
Green Bay won the first nine of these matchups. No
(02:53):
One was beating green Bay back then, though, so you
can't really blame the Steelers. Steelers did not thirties. Yeah,
no one, no one could touch, no one could sniff Packers.
Steelers not getting their first win in this series until
nineteen forty seven. But danning back to the nineteen ninety
eight season, Pittsburgh has won five of the last seven
against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the most
recent meeting, however, in twenty twenty one in Green Bay,
(03:14):
twenty seven to seventeen. Now, let's start with the Packers
defense today, four point nine yards per play. They're eleventh
in yards per game, give up three hundred twenty yards,
ninth in the pass defense one hundred ninety six yards allowed,
twenty third against the run. So maybe that's their weakness
right there, one hundred and twenty four yards. They're tenth
in points per games. But they don't take the ball
away at all, fifth least in the NFL. Five picks
(03:37):
three fumbles for eight total takeaways on the season. They
do get two and a half sacks per game, which
is an overwhelming either. So it's a pretty good defense.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
That's a pretty good defense. You know, like Rashaun Garry
is a really good player, Jarry Alexander, they have good
players but I just wanted to double check this so
I'm not out of line. It's it should be so
much better. And it makes me crazy because since two
thousand and eleven, I'm sorry, since twenty twelve, with the
(04:06):
exception of Jordan Love, every first round pick they've used,
including multiples at times, like two years ago they took
two Georgia guys in the first round, have been all
on defense. Could you imagine drafting defense first round every
year but one since twenty twelve and us going, yeah,
they're pretty good on d you know, like.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You should be a leade aesome.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, you should be awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yeah, exactly, you should be one of the best in
the NFL. And they are towards the top half of
the league, but they're kind of closer to the middle
of the pack as far as defense is concerned, as
opposed to getting towards the top of the league. A
couple of guys that you did not mention there though,
that I think have been good but are on the
injury report and didn't play last week against the Rams,
or quay Walker and Rudy Ford. Quay Walker, one of
(04:48):
his first round draft picks last year. Quai Walker leads
the team and tackles. Rudy Fords two interceptions missed them
last week against the Rams. They're questionable this week against
the Steelers. It would be good for the Steelers if
they aren't able to go. There are difference makers on
the defense.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yes, and Walker is one of those most recent first
round packs we've talked about. He's great physical specimen. Ford's
a good story and throw one more in there. Their
best d lineman. They're big guys, not Gary like the
you know, the Cam Hayward types, three hundred pounders. Clark
Kenny Clark left the game last week and when we're
recording this, I haven't heard if he's playing or what
(05:23):
his situation is, but he would be a huge loss
for them, especially against a run.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yeah, no doubt. Significant players are injured for the Packers.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Last week, they helped Brett Ripe into just one hundred
and thirty yards passing no Rams skill position player more
than fifty scrimmage yards. None of none of their drives
went for more than twenty eight yards, and they only
rushed for sixty eight yards total against Screen Bay. That
is probably the defense that you think the Packers would
be boasting every week with all those draft picks, like
you mentioned, you would hope you gotta flush that game out.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah. I mean, hey, if we were on Packers Nation radios,
I like to say sometimes maybe like oh they're turning
the corner, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, and be a little
more optimistic. But know who you played against. I mean
they've replaced their backup quarterback right after that game.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Three players for the Packers have four sacks or more.
Preston Smith and Kenny Clark have four and four and
a half too. Rashawn Gary And you were mentioning Rashaun
Gary before we turned the mics on Matt and he's
such a force. It's maybe the best player on the
defense probably has a say in that.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Jerry Alexander is definitely one of the top corners in
the league. They just gave Gary massive money. Thought in
your eyes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I mean he was
like the top recruit in the country. I mean he's very,
very gifted.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
And we talked about kway Walker. What about his partner,
Devondre Campbell. They signed him out of Arizona. I mean
they're similar, they're both they worked together well long, big
can run. They gave Campbell good money as well. He
was kind of a slow start to his career, but
since he's been in Green Bay, he's been quite good.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's a good pairing now.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
They traded Rajual Douglas one of their corners. According to
Arles Carrington, Valentine, a seventh round pick, is slated to
start at one of the corners, and then with Rudy
Ford being questionable, another seventh round pick and Anthony Johnson
Junior is going to see more snaps at the safety position.
Two seventh round picks in your secondary right, should be
right for the picking Kenny Pickett, right.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Right, right, And you don't trade Douglass if you think
you're a contender. I mean not that he's a mel Blunt,
but I mean he's you know.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Our seventh round pick.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, right, right, right, And I think they want to
see more of those guys, but that doesn't mean that
they're good.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Turning our attention to the Packers offense. It's an offense
that averages five yards per play. It's twenty fourth in
total offense three hundred yards per game, twenty second through
the air, one hundred and ninety nine yards per game,
twenty second on the ground, with one hundred yards per game,
and they're twentieth in points per game with twenty points
per game scored. They have ten giveaways, which is the
tenth fewest in the NFL. Eight of those are picks,
(07:46):
and they only allow two point three sacks per game,
which is eighth best in the league. Jordan Love, you know,
at the beginning of the season, he gets his chance
and he looked okay, but I mean the wheels have
just kind of fallen off on him. He is eight
of those interceptions have come in their past six games,
and he's throwing just six touchdowns over that stretch. One
I thinks it was a little foolish in the fools
(08:08):
gold in the beginning of the season. I tend to
believe more like he is now.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
But it's a little like Picket in that he was
great in the preseason, maybe got ahead of ourselves of
where he's at developmental wise, and man, that part's the same.
I mean, coming into the season, I kind of looked
at him like Pickett coming off a great preseason, and
it hasn't gone to plan. He's been a better fantasy
(08:35):
player than real life player. You know, He's thrown some touchdowns,
he's run blah blah blah. But his accuracy is at
the bottom of the league, and he's a little overmatched
to say the least. He's thrown to a bunch of
young guys. But one thing they did is past week,
to their credit, really focused. The entire offense is now
going through Aaron Jones, and that's when he was out,
(08:57):
they were really struggling. He's their stabilizing force as a
runner and receiver, So that's the one thing you kind
of worry about, or at least it's trending the right
direction for them.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
We'll get to Jones in the running game in just
a little bit, but as far as the passing game
is concerned, you mentioned the wide receivers. Christian Watson and
Romeo Dubes were picks last year's second round pick for Watson,
fourth round pick for Dubes, and then Jayden Reid was
a second round pick this year, so it's a ton
of youth. Seven players on the team have at least
ten receptions against the Rams. Nine different packers were targeted.
(09:27):
Aaron Jones led the little lay with six targets, which
was as high as so far this season. Watson played
forty two if possible forty seven snaps in Week nine,
but he left with injury in Week nine, and then
last week Watson was just targeted one time against the Rams.
So Christian Watson has shown flashes, but oh yeah, do
you think he's a wide receiver one kind of in
the same round some of them that have tortured the
(09:49):
Steelers this year, although Hopkins did not because of Joey
Porter Jr.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
He's very fast, tall, He's been in and out of
the lineup. Like his fantasy umbers aren't great, But I
don't know that I blame him because of injuries and
quarterback play and all the issues. I have a lot
of respect for him. I don't even know if we'll
playing this game, but he's their most dangerous guy, without question.
I also like Musgrave, the young, young tight end.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Great transition. Yeah, career high of fifty one receiving yards
last week. He also caught his first touchdown. He averaged
two point four yards per route run against the Rams,
which is pretty good, really tight end. So Musgrave maybe
starting to find himself in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah, He's a long strider, opens it up deep speed.
He has a crazy background. He was like a six
athlete or six sport athlete, including like downhill skiing, Like
things come easy to him and he's adjusting very well.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Now. Last week they ran for one hundred and eighty
four yards. Jones led the way with seventy three rushing yards.
Four different packers got at least four rushing attempts. This
was the first time Jones received twenty plus carry since
Week ten of last year, in the first time in
twenty twenty three that Jones had gotten to double digit
carries on his day. Him being healthy, I think just
transforms that offense. But it's important to note that it's
(11:06):
not just him that you have to stop. Aj Dillon
leads the team in rushing yards, obviously having to step
in more when Aaron Jones went out, and then Jordan
Love also a threat to run.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, he has about one hundred and sixty four rushing
yards on the season.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So certainly, a fully healthy back to himself Aaron Jones
is a huge upgrade for them. We kind of mentioned
that is in all facets, Dylan was very underwhelming.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Is the top guy.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I mean he gets very little after contact, looks sluggish.
I know he's not old, but he looks like he's
kind of run into a wall.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Career wise, two point three sacks allowed per game, which
is eighth best in the league. Is that offensive line
getting that job done or is that a little bit
of a weird statistic. I know, No, yet another year
without David Bakjari out there, who just has just run
into terrible jury luck towards the end of his career.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Unfortunately, I can see his career being over just.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Because it's back to back years now Matt where he
just can't play.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, so that's a problem. They've always done a good
job drafting and developing offensive lineman, Like no one knows
who Zach Tom is, but he's a quality right tackle
that's young and as sending centers, good player. I think
most of that might just be because they've played bad teams.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Just no one else pass rush against them.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I haven't given it a lot of thought, but I
wonder if you scan their schedule, have they faced great
pass rushes. I tend to think probably not.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I just in my brain. I remember watching the Lions
game against them in it I think Aiden Hutchinson was
having a hell of a time there. So I think
when they do step up in class, yeah, you can
get to Jordan Love, you can create a lot more havoc.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
And their left tackle I think was also injured this
past week as well, so that's not great for them.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Not great. Packers have a lot of injury problems they
getting into this game against the Steelers. Some key matchups
that we want to highlight before we get out of here.
Aaron Jones the first against Steelers inside linebackers. Big blow
for that unit with Cole HULKMB going out for the year.
I thought co hulkem was playing the best of a
unit of three that all three have been playing pretty well.
So you lose that guy, your top dog in my eyes,
(13:08):
Kwan Alexander, as Tomlins said today, he slides right into
that spot. It's gonna be maybe Mark Robinson sees some
increased playing time, but I think it's a two horse
race now when it comes to that unit. Great test
right off the bat for those two with very versatile back.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
As you just laid out. I mean, the inside linebackers
clearly got weaker because of that injury, you know, and
there's less versatility. Your leading snapcount guy there is gone,
and the strength of the offense is peaking for the
Packers and Jones.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And then defensively, Rashan Gary mentioned he leads the team
in sacks with four and a half. He is a
force to be reckoned with. He'll probably line up across
from Broderick Jones for the most part. So a stiff
test for the rookie who we assume is going back
in at right tackle this week, having to deal with Gary.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah. Gary's a tremendous player. He's definitely a top ten
edge pass rusher, if not better. He's also coming off
a big injury from a year ago, but he looks
absolutely fine. They wouldn't given him money if they didn't,
So Jones is going to have a real test in protection,
and I assume Jones will be the right tackle as
you said should be.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Steelers finish off their three game homestand this Sunday at
Acrossure Stadium. It's a one o'clock kick against the Green
Bay Packers. Their coverage on DV starts at nine a m.
From Matt Williamson on Tom Opferman. Thanks has always for
giving us a listen. We'll be back again next week
with another edition of the Advanced Scout
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