December 10, 2025 • 26 mins
Matt Williamson and Tom Opferman break down Steelers upcoming matchup with the Miami Dolphins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is the advanced scout with Tom Opperman and Mac Williamson.
Steelers took care of the Ravens in Baltimore and took
firm control of the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
But now you gotta keep control of that division.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
And it starts Monday night when they welcome the Miami
Dolphins to Town matt It's a Miami team that's pretty
hot right now. Yeah, the four game win streak as
they head into Akroscher Stadium. They started the season one
and six. They are now six and seven, but they
are two and four on the road. And I gotta
be honest with you. When the schedule was released in April,
(00:38):
I looked at this game or May whatever it is. Yeah,
I looked at this game, and I said, that's a
win for the Steelers. Oh yeah, Miami Dolphins so soft,
twenty degree weather. I don't care how great the Dolphins are.
They could be fifteen to zero heading into that game.
The Steelers are gonna win that one. And I still
steel that way. But it is a little uneasy seeing
the way the Dolphins are.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Oh yeah, I mean certainly.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
When the schedule came out, you know, Steelers at home
Monday night is like a lock almost knock on wood.
Miami and the cold that's almost a lock knock on wood.
And really you go week six into the season and
be like, oh, they're even worse than I thought. And
they're trade you know, Tyreeks out and they've traded Phillips
(01:19):
and some other guys you know, and it's like, man,
but now they're playing their best football the year by far,
and I think they're saving jobs there right now.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No question, there is a bit of a jekylin high
doct going on with the Miami Dolphins season this year.
Fire their GM earlier this year, Chris Career, keep the
head coach.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yea.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I think they like the head coach.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
And this was kind of like a if you can
make sure this locker room doesn't quit on you over
these next couple of months, you have a job still
next year, we're going to move forward with you.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
And he's done that and more.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I mean, he is selled in that area to the
point where I don't even think he's going to be
on the hot seat. You know, come Black Monday, the
last Sunday of the season, we yeah, concludes.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I think you're a hundred percent right, and they play
a very certain way, you know, I mean in terms
of offense, and he's a really good offensive mind. Ball
comes out quick after the catch. I've made the joke
over the years that they have too many ferraris and
not enough thumb trucks, you know.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
I mean, they're all about speed, speed, speed. Everyone runs
a four to two. Now they've gotten a little better.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
They went and drafted a nose tackle and a guard
in their first two rounds and got some bigger bodied people.
But still they are built a certain way. You mentioned
the GM getting let go. That's when the change happened. Like,
I can't believe that would matter. It's not like he's
hands on with the players.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The coach gets right right, right, right GM. He's just
in the building. You just say hi to him everyone.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I think the left guard knows the difference, not really,
you know. Right.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah, So that was surprising that they got a little
bit of a jolt, But to be fair, that is
a lightning bolt through the room where they're like, well
somebody did get fun, right, I mean, things are on
the chopping block as far.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
As ownership's concerned.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
We're all at notice.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
We like Mike McDaniels.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, so we're gonna keep the job for him, and
I think two will probably kept a job.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, they kind of are forced to do that because
he's getting the contract. The contract, they backed themselves into
a corner there. Here's a great stat. It means everything
when it comes to beating the Dolphins. They're six and
zero when they allow twenty one or fewer points. This season,
They're zero to seven in games when they allow twenty
two points or more.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I mean there's a literally point delineation of a win
or a loss is twenty two points or more.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, And I would be shocked if the Steelers can't
get the twenty two plus. I mean, I know the
defense is playing better. We were talking about this off the
air a minute ago.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Why.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I'm not quite sure, other than they've played really bad
offenses lately, with the exception the Bills.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
But the Bills were in such a bad spot they
were Dolphins started this streak. That was the first win
that kind of launched the Dolphins on this four game
winning streak beating Buffalo a month ago. You mentioned the
Monday Night Football angle. To this, Mike Tomlin is twenty
one and three on Monday Night football, and the Steelers
have won twenty two straight.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Home games on Monday Night. It's almost hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
It's almost hard to live right, Like people get sick
that Tomlins.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I don't want to hear about the non losing season streak,
blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
That's an amazing stat It's insane.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
To win that many games at home on Monday Night football.
Like in that one specific spot, the one is a
little bit of flukiness to it, Matt, But there's also
something to that, like there has to be once you
have that.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Much of a sample size, there's something to that.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And when they make the schedules, no one knows what
you're gonna get, what product you'll get when it actually happens.
But they don't put two crappy teams on Monday night
or Sunday Night or you know, I mean, they put
feature events absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Here's the series history between these two teams before we
really dive in deep on the Dolphins. Steelers and Dolphins
have met twenty nine times. Pittsburgh has won fifteen of
those twenty nine. In the playoffs, Miami and Pittsburgh have
done battle only four times, but not since nineteen eighty five.
They played in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Remember back in Pittsburgh, Matt Moore got to Capitol.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, a little bit of you got to fix that
on your sheet there, Oh okay, because that's when their
most recent meeting was. They're tied in playoff meetings. Dolphins
went on a five game winning streak after Miami won
in nineteen seventy one the first three games of the series.
Steelers quickly countered winning three in a row after that.
So there's a bit of a back and forth nature
between these two. The Dolphins were a power back when
(05:23):
the Steelers were a power as well.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Like these two teams had monster clashes.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I mean, I was born in seventy three and grew up,
you know, obviously a Steeler fan, and they were awesome
when I was very very little, of course, but it
was like the Raiders and Dolphins were in their league.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You know, they were.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You're talking about two probably for sure Mount Rushmore coaches here,
at least, if I had to go with Noel and Shula, you.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Know, oh yeah, that era in particular, they were competitive
every year and then Danny em shows up in eighty three.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
You know, most recent meeting went to Miami.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Mike Tomlin is five and three in his career against
the Miami Dolphins, So, uh, some familiarity with these teams,
a back and forth nature between them as well. But
getting the win against the Dolphins on Monday night. You know,
when you look at their defense, Matt, I think it
starts there because I was so shocked to find out
(06:15):
that during their four game winning streak, they're giving up
just thirteen point three pence per game, the fewest in
the league during that time. Yeah, you know, and then
you pull up their defensive depth chart and you're like,
there's no one here, but I think if yeah, and
so I'm shocked to see them playing that well, I
think you you just mentioned it a little bit has
(06:35):
to do with the offenses that they're playing against.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Especially Jets last week, Tyrod Taylor gets hurt really early
on and some guy named Cook that I had never
heard of as a quarterback, and you know, but.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Still despite the form of that defense, not intimidated at
all by them, I think the Steelers can attack them
and have.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A pretty easy go of it.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Yeah, I mean, just in terms of who are their
good players on defense. You got squint a little, you know,
I mean Siler, Kenneth Graham at the edge, guys Brooks,
the linebacker Minca for sure. But other than Manca, none
of them are like Pro Bowl caliber guys, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
No, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
The Dolphins blitz at a thirty two point four percent clip.
That is the third most in the least there was
a blitzing get a thirty two percent clip this year,
that's fourth highest. But so Dolphin's gonna send a lot
of blitzer your.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Way, I think so.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I'm gonna see a lot of extra pressure in The
Steelers are.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Like the least blitz team in the league, though, too.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Are you surprised by that?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
No, because it ball comes out so quick and it
picks it up. Yeah, and he's gonna be on top
of it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Right that being said, looks like Dylan Cook's probably gonna
have to play left tackle if Andre's p can't clear
the concussion protocol. Yeah, if Pete's cleared the concussion protocol,
Pete's playing left tackle, They're gonna blitz.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think that left side a lot. They're going to
test that.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I was surprised Harba and Baltimore didn't more, especially when
Cook had to go in.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
That's a good point. Now, they also got a lot
of pressure against the Jets last week too. I mean
Chubb and Chop Robinson. They're not bad on the name. Yeah, yeah,
you know they traded Phillips. They still some edge guys
that are talented, you know, to say the least. I
don't know if he'll choose the blitz of Steelers or not.
Probably not heavy, just because it's not a great move.
(08:09):
But the left tackle situation's interesting. Right before we hit
record on this, it sounds like Calvin Anderson went the
injury reserve. Yeah, tufflow because I mean they gave him money.
They actually you know, he's a legit dude, and it's
one game. It's a small sample size. But I thought
Cook was better than Pete in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I really thought Cooke did well.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I think did great.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Again.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
When I'm watching a lot of the clips that get
to Twitter and people saying how good Cook did, it's
a lot of one on one stuff that he's facing,
a lot of easy, you know, just no stunt, no
nothing that he's got to pick up, nothing confusing, not.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Two guys trying to rush him.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yeah, it was very odd that they didn't attack that.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, you're one hundredercent right on that. I'm sure Baltimore
regrets that part of it, but he held up well.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
No, he definitely did, so there's encouragement there. You mentioned
the Dolphins trading Jalen Phillips away.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
He's a dude.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I mean, he is so grateful to have him.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
So that's even more surprising that they had that streak,
or they have that streak of giving up.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Just thirteen point three points per game. You mentioned the
pressure they got on the Jets.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
They had six sacks last week against New York, two
and a half of them came from Zack Syler.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
He's a good.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Player him, Chubb. I mean, these are just fail tough
guys get to the quarterback. They are definitely a threat
in that category. But I think just based on the
steelers own problems on the offensive line and your quarterback's
broken wrist, almost any pass rush is going to be
neutralized with how quick the offense is going to get
the ball out.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
And although against the Ravens they held the ball a
little longer, they drove the ball down the field, but
the Ravens were also like when we previewed them a
week ago. They're like, the best team in the league
had taken away the short passes where there's nothing really
to avoid in my opinion with this Miami defense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Now, what was great in the Baltimore game, of course,
was the Steelers finally pushing the ball downfield.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Saw the passing chart after the game, and hey, I'll
be honest with you, Matt could use a little bit
more intermediate.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Middle middle would be nice.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Say a lot more intermediate middle stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I think you're barking up the wrong tree.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Wasn't it great to see some dots twenty yards down
the field though, the Green Dogs that are completely if
they weren't on the outside. Yeah, you were finally connecting.
The Dolphins defense not that great against the pass. They
allow the highest completion percentage in the league sixty nine
zero point nine percent.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
So you can attack this Dolphins secondary.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah, and Matt, their corners are no name.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
And you know what, that's music to my ears because
what I thought was so great. And I know you're
gonna agree with this, because you've been telling me on
all these podcasts and shows we do together that you
need the Steelers to start using DK Metcalf like he's
DK Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Well, hello, finally finally did in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
He's just running by guys, yeah, and setting them up
and scheming things up to get him. The football designer
plays twelve targets.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Twelve targets. Now we're talking. You know, that's what you
got him for.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
You're paying him for it now that you're paying them
for it, right, So I think you can do that
with this Dolphin secondary. And again we just said that
they're gonna get the ball out quick, and there is
some pressure that you have to deal with, but hey,
we're we're talking some easy throws here.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Like you saw from Rodgers, there should be open guy, and.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
He's always going to recognize that he's got the one
on one outside matshup, it's gonna take it. I wouldn't
be surprised that if the first play was a run
play in Baltimore and he just saw Humphreys hugging DK
and oh the top, I'm just gonna check into this.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, maybe not. Maybe I think he does that quite
a bit.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
But maybe they said, you know what, we got to
hit a haymaker early in this one, so let's go
deep to DK and it was the actual play that
they wanted to run. And if that's the case, the
Ravens played right into their hands as far as their
defense is concerned. But either way, I'm a big fan
of it. Keep pushing that ball down the field. We
won't have to do the middle of the field if
you're not comfortable doing it. But the deep stuff on
the sidelines, keep that going.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You gotta hit those.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I mean, like the Bears, game goes difference if they
can even just complete one of the deep balls.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Now, an interesting thing that you noted in your staff
pack about the Dolphins is how garbage they are in
the second half, and that's on the offense and the
defensive side.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Of the ball.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
I think that's really noteworthy.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
No question.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Miami allows just three point seven points in the first
quarter of games. That's six best, but the Dolphins allowed
twenty they're twenty seventh and third quarter points allowed six
and they're twenty fourth and fourth quarter points allowed seven
point seven, so they're fourth best, and first half points
allowed they're thirtieth and second half.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Point You need to start keep pounding the rock and
beating on them and start taking advantage.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
As a game knows on.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Well, that's the problem that we keep getting to with
the Steelers offense. There's just not a commitment with running
the football.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Which makes me a little crazy. And they didn't work
work last week.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
They maye with the ball in the Ravens last week
and it worked.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
But did you see this sat in there about forty yards.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, they're the only team in the NFL to win two.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Games where they rushed for less than forty yards, and
no team's even done that once.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Happened twice in the whole year, and they're both.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Sailers, right both times.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Right, you got at least rush for forty yards to
get wins in the NFL in last.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Year the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have so many outlier stats.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
It certainly doesn't matter. But you're wearing down a defense
that has shown you through their stats this year they
get worn down.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, I just don't think they're deep. I mean, they're
not talented and they're not really cold.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, established that they're a soft team anyway as far
as their makeup.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So lean into that and then you can play a
long game.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You can also fix your time of possession problems, which hey,
they got washed again in Baltimore despite the win, you
would hope.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Although the big reason that Miami, which I'm sure we're
gonna get to, is.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Oh we are I know where you're going.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
They're running the ball really well.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Yeah, I mean they've totally changed what they do and wisely,
he's a really good offensive coach. They're leaning heavy, heavy,
heavy into a chan who's having a huge year who's
not Jerome Bettis in terms of like style, but dangerous
as could be. And they're running the ball really well
and I like their own line. So I don't know
that the Steelers are going to correct their time possession problems,
so they can't solve the run.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, And the Dolphins had thirty one fifteen over their
past three games. As far as time of possession is concerned,
it's pretty solid. Yeah, I'm you're over thirty minutes.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Especially when your defense isn't helping a lot.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
You know, they held the ball for thirty six minutes
against the Jets too, so I mean, like they have
been possessing the football.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
You almost need to throw that Jets game out though,
I mean Tyrod got hurt early.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
They were really really terrible.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, no doubt Miami's defense gives up one hundred and
thirty one point nine rushing yards per game.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
That's the seventh most.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
They also allow the fifth highest yards per carry four
point seven to five in the third highest explosive run
rate at seven point five percent. We just said they
allow the highest completion percentage in the league. Then you
see their rush defense and it's not much better. So no,
it is such an anomaly that thirteen point three points
allowed over those four games. It doesn't make sense throw
that out, ignore that this is not a good defense.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
No, I totally agree, there's nothing to stay away from
on their defense. I have a little bit of respect
for their edge pass rushers and Brooks and Mink, but
they don't do anything specifically really really well. And boy,
it would be nice to get some explosive runs against
them too, let alone control them a clock with the running.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
No question, that's something that the Steers are so lacking offense,
explosive running game before we get to the offense.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Make a Fitzpatrick.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
It's hard not to ignore this kind of whopper of
a revenge game that's right in front of him, because
I don't think he wanted to leave Pittsburgh. I think
make if Fitzpatrick liked it here. He liked his role
on this team, he liked his relationship with the coaching stuff.
I remember at Hard Knocks last year, Matt, when we
got that peek inside. He's a coach basically, like he's
there in the Austin and Tomlin like kind of game
planning for the week of the defense. So I think
(15:13):
he was very comfortable here, probably saw himself maybe being
a Steeler for the rest of his career. Get shocked
by that trade and he's in Miami. He's playing pretty well, Yeah,
playing micka Fitzpatrick football.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
He's just a really good player.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
You know, he wants to make.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
His mark on this one coming back, I'm sure, and
I think you need to be aware of him. They
use them a little differently. I mean, he played so
much single high here, they they vary things up a
little bit more, and we know he's capable doing all
the above.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
But yeah, he's somebody to fear.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Speaking of things to fear, the offensive side of the
ball for Miami is the spot that you have some
trouble here. Yeah, you mentioned them running the football. Let's
just get right into that, because that they're relentless about it. Yeah,
that has been what the sauce has been. Over the
four game winning extrees. They're averaging like one hundred and
ninety yards. They were north of two hundred last week,
and not good news for a Steelers defense that has
(16:01):
given up two hundred yards rushing in two straight weeks.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
One thousand percent. And again they did that against the Jets,
and after a Chan got hurt, like right after the
first quarter, he had ninety yards on seven or eight
carry something like that, and then they bring the backups
in and just keep running and running and running and running.
And part of it's because Tua is not that good,
not that good that good. Limited throws a lot of picks,
(16:25):
not mobile, you know, I mean, he's a timing and
rhythm passer only. So they've hidden him well even though
the whole world now knows that they're running.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
But the steel run defense worries the heck out of me.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
How could it not?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
You mentioned it, Michael Harmon back, you mentioned, h yeah,
we're gonna get to that one. So you mentioned Chan
with the rib injury. You got to keep an eye
on him throughout the week. But that extra day is
going to help so many people on the injury report.
I bet you each in plays.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
They didn't need him to come back in the game.
There were a lot of reports that if it was
a playoff game, he to come.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Back many two yards already on like seven.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think it was twenty four to nothing at that point.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
But then as you mentioned, Jalen Wright comes in twenty
four carries racked up one hundred and seven yards against
the Jets. That's just Mike McDaniel, and that's the brain
that you're going up against. His run scheme is elite,
maybe the best in the NFL. And Matt you bought
a two back currently if I'm wrong here, but the
Niners in the Shanahan era were at their peak running
the football with McDaniel.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
That he's a big time Shanahan disciple that uses a
used check like full back a lot, really good at
creating angles, a lot of pre snap motion jet motion,
especially when they had Tyreek. I mean, they would freeze
those edge guys really well. Does some unorthodox stuff like
when when I thought that there was a chance they
were going to move on from him, I thought, man,
(17:41):
he's gonna get scooped up as an offensive coordinator. Oh man,
zero point two seconds.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Right, any team that even has like established offensive coordinators,
you're kind in the.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Middle, like this is the run, right, yea, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
I didn't want to say it, but hey, right, you
mentioned the motion motion on sixty eight point four percent
of their offensive snaps.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
That's the high in the league. So you're gonna have
to be disciplined as a defense.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
In a wide variety. They'll do orbit motion and jet motion.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That could backfire when you got a bunch of drunkens
ers waving that towel on Monday night football.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
You know, you got that big atmosphere going on, you.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Know, communication all going on. Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
It is deep into the season that you think the
Dolphins would be pretty dialed in as far as that's concerned.
Stopping the runs the biggest thing that you have to
do in this game and getting Harmon back I think
can go a long way, and that the splits are
just impossible to ignore. Now, Matt, ninety six rushing yards
allowed as a defense when Harmon's available, one hundred and
ninety when he's not there in the four games he's out,
I mean almost one hundred yards worse. You you want
(18:38):
to keep saying, and I will. You can't just say
it's all on the rookie. You can't just say almost
one hundred yards allowed more is because the rookie's not
out there. It keeps telling me and screaming in my
face that it's maybe because of the rookie not being
out there.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I think a lot of it is now.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I don't think Derek Harmon is such a good player
that he's worth one hundred yards of rushing per.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Game effect off of him though.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
That's the thing is they pay and they're putting guys
out there that shouldn't be out there. And I'll be honest,
I mean this shocks me to the degree that it's.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Happened the last two weeks.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
And they're they're they're the Ravens and the Bills are
very different run schemes, so it's not like it's a
scheme thing that was beating you. Almost all their all
their d linemen, frankly not named Cam Hayward, are just
going backwards in the run game. I mean they are
not holding the point there, not being not win the
leverage battle.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
All lines of scrimmages are being established two three yards
down the tame.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Yeah, and I forget who I was talking to today
there By boy Patrick Queen gets a lot of heat
for this, and yeah he misses his share of tackles,
but those linebackers have big people in their laps all
the time now, including Yi Black, who you wouldn't think
that's his game, But he's going backwards too.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
To your point, Pittsburgh's defense allows two point one nine
rushing yards before contact per attempt.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Only four defenses are worse than that.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
It's okay, it sums it up.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah, you're geting big holes right and then you got then.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
You know, most NFL running backs are going another yard
or two.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
When they have to eat it, let alone a chan
who could go eighty.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
It's a big concern in this game. Tua not so
much of a concern. During the Dolphins four game winning streak,
Tua is averaging just one hundred and fifty seven yards
on twenty one point twenty five pass attempts per game.
You mentioned they're kind of hiding him there, limiting in
the defense, but he does play into the Steelers' hands
in the Steelers defense because fourteen interceptions thrown this year,
(20:27):
that's tied with Gino Smith for the most in the NFL.
That's what the Steelers defense thrives on is the splash.
So let's imagine Monday Night Football, eight chains running like
crazy on the Steelers defense. But when Tua does have
to pass, because they will eventually eventually, you need to
big splash in the red zone. And the Steelers have
been really good in the red zone as the defense.
(20:47):
So I could see this playing out like a typical
Steelers defensive performance where we look at the box score
after and it's like, man, Dolphins gained a lot of yards.
Steelers got the splash and had good moments that help
them have a good defensive performance.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yep. And not mention.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
And you may have even said this earlier or implied
it that there isn't a worst quarterback in any kind of.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Weather than to either.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
You know, he's a Hawaiian kid that played at Bama
and went to Miami. I mean, like you can't have
it any warmer than that. You know, he just isn't
accustomed to cutting the wind or the snow or any
of the elements you have to deal with. And if
you can get him into some kind of dropback pass game,
that's when they're in real trouble.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Yeah, no question, Jalen Waddle easily his.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Number one phenomenal. Yeah, he has.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
At least hit a thirty percent target chair in four
straight games and has at least a twenty percent target
share in eight of his last nine games. See, that's
the thing about Mike McDaniel in this offense, like he
knows where to go. Oh heh knows that I got
to get a thirty percent target chair for Jalen Waddele.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
He know it may be like when Tyreek was, when
it was a year or two ago. He's lighting the
league on fire, that hey are.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
He gets the best players of ball and our running
game is working right now. We're winning a lot of games.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
So eight Chang's going to be the feature now as
far as the offense is sprinkling a little Jalen Waddle
when you have to with the passing game, so you
gotta recognize him. I don't know how the Steelers go
about taking him away. I wouldn't hate Joey just taking
him on.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Joey's been playing pretty All three of the corners been
playing well.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Started to let them get more physical as of late
and get a little bit more man up. Joey's really
been thriving, still getting some flags. But I can live
with that, honestly, right.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
A thousand and I think I've said that like five times. Yeah,
I'm just smart, You're just dead on. I like how
Eccles is playing. I love how Pierre's playing. I want
to see Samuel, but you never get there because the
other three are playing.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Songs and Pierre keeps Samuel on the bench with their
outstanding Right.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
It's a good problem to have.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
It's kind of like the opposite of the wide receiver
situation where they're looking for somebody here, they got too
many now here.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I might Why I say I might just go with
Joey Porter Junior on Jaylen Watto in this one is
because like Cedric Wilson, Malik Washington, like, they don't really
have anybody else in the past catching game now that
Tyreek hills down. And that makes sense, to be honest
with you, because when you have two horses like that,
you're not deep. So when you lose one for the season,
you'll be exposed.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
The one wild card is Waller, the tight end, because
they sign him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Off the couch.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
He does a lot of really good things, gets hurt,
comes back last week in like a part time capacity.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
So he worries me a little.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Bit because, as you mentioned, McDaniel so good at getting
his best players of the ball. That's gonna be Waddle
and a Chan for sure, but Waller might be three
and maybe this week they're gonna even you know, develop
that more.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
No, I'm really shocked to see how Waller has come
on this year.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
I even thought that he might beat some trade.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Candidacy and the trade deadline, and then he got hurt
right around the trade deadline. I think that kind of
cooled off. But I bet you there's interest with him
in the offseason. Teams are gonna be like a great story.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Yeah, it's very talented.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
I'm not sure I'm ready to bury the Dolphins yet either.
I know as far as next year is concerned, and
like moving forward with this Mike McDaniel two a era
you're gonna have to hide to a going forward. He
might be the best person to do that job.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Oh they're built with that job for I mean again,
that's another mcdai and you'll feather in his cap as
he built this quick strike offense around his quarterback that
he inherited.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
All right, Before we wrap up, Matt let's take a
look at key matchups in this game. Uh, Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers versus Dolphins safety Minka Fitzpatrick. You know, we
so often on this podcast, on the shows, we do
highlight Aaron Rodgers and his ability cerebral. Yeah, and that's
(24:27):
a great one that you bring up, Flores, because that
was really when it shined, like he ate that Flora's
defense apart in Ireland, just.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Everything that they were thrown at him.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Rodgers had the answers for, well, makea Fitzpatrick's like that
on the defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
We mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
You know, he's a coach brain back there on the
back end of the defense. So this is a lot
of this is a you know, a heavyweight fight as
far as the brains are concerned defensively and offensively.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Yeah, he just does have as many good chess pieces
around him, make.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
A no doubt. And you know, I'm still not seeing
them much of the splash from make a Fitzpatrick.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Hy No, that might be a thing of the past.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I mean he might just be that align everybody on
the chess board right now.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, and a solid, solid player, But maybe he's not,
you know, pick six and people left and right, but
who does.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
And then the last matchup that we have here is
Steelers linebackers versus Steven h Chan the superstar. I think
it's fair to say running back of the Dolphins. It's
just been a couple of years now. Not that he
keeps being top five in the league when he's healthy. Absolutely,
so he keeps delivering these great performances. It's going to
be tough for the Steelers once again. They played some
great running games and great running backs.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
This year, and several of them they've shut down really,
really well, except for these last two weeks. Again, so
it's again it's kind of been popcorn, as coach used
to say. Last thing I wanted to note about the
run game is I don't know that it's one of
the most athletic offensive lines in the league. They're super
quick off the ball. They really get to the second
level quickly. When you mentioned those linebackers against the Chan,
(25:52):
it's also can you keep the linebacker or kind of
clean in the run game.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Steelers Dolphins Monday Night Football and I will get it
started on DVE at four o'clock Monday, and then we'll
talk to you next week
Speaker 3 (26:05):
On our next edition of The Advanced Scout.
We got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is the advanced scout with Tom Opperman and Mac Williamson.
Steelers took care of the Ravens in Baltimore and took
firm control of the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
But now you gotta keep control of that division.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
And it starts Monday night when they welcome the Miami
Dolphins to Town matt It's a Miami team that's pretty
hot right now. Yeah, the four game win streak as
they head into Akroscher Stadium. They started the season one
and six. They are now six and seven, but they
are two and four on the road. And I gotta
be honest with you. When the schedule was released in April,
(00:38):
I looked at this game or May whatever it is. Yeah,
I looked at this game, and I said, that's a
win for the Steelers. Oh yeah, Miami Dolphins so soft,
twenty degree weather. I don't care how great the Dolphins are.
They could be fifteen to zero heading into that game.
The Steelers are gonna win that one. And I still
steel that way. But it is a little uneasy seeing
the way the Dolphins are.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Oh yeah, I mean certainly.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
When the schedule came out, you know, Steelers at home
Monday night is like a lock almost knock on wood.
Miami and the cold that's almost a lock knock on wood.
And really you go week six into the season and
be like, oh, they're even worse than I thought. And
they're trade you know, Tyreeks out and they've traded Phillips
(01:19):
and some other guys you know, and it's like, man,
but now they're playing their best football the year by far,
and I think they're saving jobs there right now.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No question, there is a bit of a jekylin high
doct going on with the Miami Dolphins season this year.
Fire their GM earlier this year, Chris Career, keep the
head coach.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yea.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I think they like the head coach.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
And this was kind of like a if you can
make sure this locker room doesn't quit on you over
these next couple of months, you have a job still
next year, we're going to move forward with you.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
And he's done that and more.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I mean, he is selled in that area to the
point where I don't even think he's going to be
on the hot seat. You know, come Black Monday, the
last Sunday of the season, we yeah, concludes.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I think you're a hundred percent right, and they play
a very certain way, you know, I mean in terms
of offense, and he's a really good offensive mind. Ball
comes out quick after the catch. I've made the joke
over the years that they have too many ferraris and
not enough thumb trucks, you know.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
I mean, they're all about speed, speed, speed. Everyone runs
a four to two. Now they've gotten a little better.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
They went and drafted a nose tackle and a guard
in their first two rounds and got some bigger bodied people.
But still they are built a certain way. You mentioned
the GM getting let go. That's when the change happened. Like,
I can't believe that would matter. It's not like he's
hands on with the players.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The coach gets right right, right, right GM. He's just
in the building. You just say hi to him everyone.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I think the left guard knows the difference, not really,
you know. Right.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah, So that was surprising that they got a little
bit of a jolt, But to be fair, that is
a lightning bolt through the room where they're like, well
somebody did get fun, right, I mean, things are on
the chopping block as far.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
As ownership's concerned.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
We're all at notice.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
We like Mike McDaniels.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, so we're gonna keep the job for him, and
I think two will probably kept a job.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, they kind of are forced to do that because
he's getting the contract. The contract, they backed themselves into
a corner there. Here's a great stat. It means everything
when it comes to beating the Dolphins. They're six and
zero when they allow twenty one or fewer points. This season,
They're zero to seven in games when they allow twenty
two points or more.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I mean there's a literally point delineation of a win
or a loss is twenty two points or more.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, And I would be shocked if the Steelers can't
get the twenty two plus. I mean, I know the
defense is playing better. We were talking about this off the
air a minute ago.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Why.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I'm not quite sure, other than they've played really bad
offenses lately, with the exception the Bills.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
But the Bills were in such a bad spot they
were Dolphins started this streak. That was the first win
that kind of launched the Dolphins on this four game
winning streak beating Buffalo a month ago. You mentioned the
Monday Night Football angle. To this, Mike Tomlin is twenty
one and three on Monday Night football, and the Steelers
have won twenty two straight.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Home games on Monday Night. It's almost hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
It's almost hard to live right, Like people get sick
that Tomlins.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I don't want to hear about the non losing season streak,
blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
That's an amazing stat It's insane.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
To win that many games at home on Monday Night football.
Like in that one specific spot, the one is a
little bit of flukiness to it, Matt, But there's also
something to that, like there has to be once you
have that.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Much of a sample size, there's something to that.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And when they make the schedules, no one knows what
you're gonna get, what product you'll get when it actually happens.
But they don't put two crappy teams on Monday night
or Sunday Night or you know, I mean, they put
feature events absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Here's the series history between these two teams before we
really dive in deep on the Dolphins. Steelers and Dolphins
have met twenty nine times. Pittsburgh has won fifteen of
those twenty nine. In the playoffs, Miami and Pittsburgh have
done battle only four times, but not since nineteen eighty five.
They played in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Remember back in Pittsburgh, Matt Moore got to Capitol.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, a little bit of you got to fix that
on your sheet there, Oh okay, because that's when their
most recent meeting was. They're tied in playoff meetings. Dolphins
went on a five game winning streak after Miami won
in nineteen seventy one the first three games of the series.
Steelers quickly countered winning three in a row after that.
So there's a bit of a back and forth nature
between these two. The Dolphins were a power back when
(05:23):
the Steelers were a power as well.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Like these two teams had monster clashes.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I mean, I was born in seventy three and grew up,
you know, obviously a Steeler fan, and they were awesome
when I was very very little, of course, but it
was like the Raiders and Dolphins were in their league.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You know, they were.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You're talking about two probably for sure Mount Rushmore coaches here,
at least, if I had to go with Noel and Shula, you.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Know, oh yeah, that era in particular, they were competitive
every year and then Danny em shows up in eighty three.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
You know, most recent meeting went to Miami.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Mike Tomlin is five and three in his career against
the Miami Dolphins, So, uh, some familiarity with these teams,
a back and forth nature between them as well. But
getting the win against the Dolphins on Monday night. You know,
when you look at their defense, Matt, I think it
starts there because I was so shocked to find out
(06:15):
that during their four game winning streak, they're giving up
just thirteen point three pence per game, the fewest in
the league during that time. Yeah, you know, and then
you pull up their defensive depth chart and you're like,
there's no one here, but I think if yeah, and
so I'm shocked to see them playing that well, I
think you you just mentioned it a little bit has
(06:35):
to do with the offenses that they're playing against.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Especially Jets last week, Tyrod Taylor gets hurt really early
on and some guy named Cook that I had never
heard of as a quarterback, and you know, but.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Still despite the form of that defense, not intimidated at
all by them, I think the Steelers can attack them
and have.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A pretty easy go of it.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Yeah, I mean, just in terms of who are their
good players on defense. You got squint a little, you know,
I mean Siler, Kenneth Graham at the edge, guys Brooks,
the linebacker Minca for sure. But other than Manca, none
of them are like Pro Bowl caliber guys, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
No, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
The Dolphins blitz at a thirty two point four percent clip.
That is the third most in the least there was
a blitzing get a thirty two percent clip this year,
that's fourth highest. But so Dolphin's gonna send a lot
of blitzer your.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Way, I think so.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I'm gonna see a lot of extra pressure in The
Steelers are.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Like the least blitz team in the league, though, too.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Are you surprised by that?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
No, because it ball comes out so quick and it
picks it up. Yeah, and he's gonna be on top
of it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Right that being said, looks like Dylan Cook's probably gonna
have to play left tackle if Andre's p can't clear
the concussion protocol. Yeah, if Pete's cleared the concussion protocol,
Pete's playing left tackle, They're gonna blitz.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think that left side a lot. They're going to
test that.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I was surprised Harba and Baltimore didn't more, especially when
Cook had to go in.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
That's a good point. Now, they also got a lot
of pressure against the Jets last week too. I mean
Chubb and Chop Robinson. They're not bad on the name. Yeah, yeah,
you know they traded Phillips. They still some edge guys
that are talented, you know, to say the least. I
don't know if he'll choose the blitz of Steelers or not.
Probably not heavy, just because it's not a great move.
(08:09):
But the left tackle situation's interesting. Right before we hit
record on this, it sounds like Calvin Anderson went the
injury reserve. Yeah, tufflow because I mean they gave him money.
They actually you know, he's a legit dude, and it's
one game. It's a small sample size. But I thought
Cook was better than Pete in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I really thought Cooke did well.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I think did great.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Again.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
When I'm watching a lot of the clips that get
to Twitter and people saying how good Cook did, it's
a lot of one on one stuff that he's facing,
a lot of easy, you know, just no stunt, no
nothing that he's got to pick up, nothing confusing, not.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Two guys trying to rush him.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yeah, it was very odd that they didn't attack that.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, you're one hundredercent right on that. I'm sure Baltimore
regrets that part of it, but he held up well.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
No, he definitely did, so there's encouragement there. You mentioned
the Dolphins trading Jalen Phillips away.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
He's a dude.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I mean, he is so grateful to have him.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
So that's even more surprising that they had that streak,
or they have that streak of giving up.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Just thirteen point three points per game. You mentioned the
pressure they got on the Jets.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
They had six sacks last week against New York, two
and a half of them came from Zack Syler.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
He's a good.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Player him, Chubb. I mean, these are just fail tough
guys get to the quarterback. They are definitely a threat
in that category. But I think just based on the
steelers own problems on the offensive line and your quarterback's
broken wrist, almost any pass rush is going to be
neutralized with how quick the offense is going to get
the ball out.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
And although against the Ravens they held the ball a
little longer, they drove the ball down the field, but
the Ravens were also like when we previewed them a
week ago. They're like, the best team in the league
had taken away the short passes where there's nothing really
to avoid in my opinion with this Miami defense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Now, what was great in the Baltimore game, of course,
was the Steelers finally pushing the ball downfield.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Saw the passing chart after the game, and hey, I'll
be honest with you, Matt could use a little bit
more intermediate.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Middle middle would be nice.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Say a lot more intermediate middle stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I think you're barking up the wrong tree.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Wasn't it great to see some dots twenty yards down
the field though, the Green Dogs that are completely if
they weren't on the outside. Yeah, you were finally connecting.
The Dolphins defense not that great against the pass. They
allow the highest completion percentage in the league sixty nine
zero point nine percent.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
So you can attack this Dolphins secondary.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah, and Matt, their corners are no name.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
And you know what, that's music to my ears because
what I thought was so great. And I know you're
gonna agree with this, because you've been telling me on
all these podcasts and shows we do together that you
need the Steelers to start using DK Metcalf like he's
DK Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Well, hello, finally finally did in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
He's just running by guys, yeah, and setting them up
and scheming things up to get him. The football designer
plays twelve targets.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Twelve targets. Now we're talking. You know, that's what you
got him for.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
You're paying him for it now that you're paying them
for it, right, So I think you can do that
with this Dolphin secondary. And again we just said that
they're gonna get the ball out quick, and there is
some pressure that you have to deal with, but hey,
we're we're talking some easy throws here.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Like you saw from Rodgers, there should be open guy, and.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
He's always going to recognize that he's got the one
on one outside matshup, it's gonna take it. I wouldn't
be surprised that if the first play was a run
play in Baltimore and he just saw Humphreys hugging DK
and oh the top, I'm just gonna check into this.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, maybe not. Maybe I think he does that quite
a bit.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
But maybe they said, you know what, we got to
hit a haymaker early in this one, so let's go
deep to DK and it was the actual play that
they wanted to run. And if that's the case, the
Ravens played right into their hands as far as their
defense is concerned. But either way, I'm a big fan
of it. Keep pushing that ball down the field. We
won't have to do the middle of the field if
you're not comfortable doing it. But the deep stuff on
the sidelines, keep that going.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You gotta hit those.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I mean, like the Bears, game goes difference if they
can even just complete one of the deep balls.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Now, an interesting thing that you noted in your staff
pack about the Dolphins is how garbage they are in
the second half, and that's on the offense and the
defensive side.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Of the ball.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
I think that's really noteworthy.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
No question.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Miami allows just three point seven points in the first
quarter of games. That's six best, but the Dolphins allowed
twenty they're twenty seventh and third quarter points allowed six
and they're twenty fourth and fourth quarter points allowed seven
point seven, so they're fourth best, and first half points
allowed they're thirtieth and second half.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Point You need to start keep pounding the rock and
beating on them and start taking advantage.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
As a game knows on.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Well, that's the problem that we keep getting to with
the Steelers offense. There's just not a commitment with running
the football.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Which makes me a little crazy. And they didn't work
work last week.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
They maye with the ball in the Ravens last week
and it worked.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
But did you see this sat in there about forty yards.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, they're the only team in the NFL to win two.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Games where they rushed for less than forty yards, and
no team's even done that once.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Happened twice in the whole year, and they're both.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Sailers, right both times.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Right, you got at least rush for forty yards to
get wins in the NFL in last.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Year the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have so many outlier stats.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
It certainly doesn't matter. But you're wearing down a defense
that has shown you through their stats this year they
get worn down.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, I just don't think they're deep. I mean, they're
not talented and they're not really cold.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, established that they're a soft team anyway as far
as their makeup.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So lean into that and then you can play a
long game.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You can also fix your time of possession problems, which hey,
they got washed again in Baltimore despite the win, you
would hope.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Although the big reason that Miami, which I'm sure we're
gonna get to, is.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Oh we are I know where you're going.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
They're running the ball really well.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Yeah, I mean they've totally changed what they do and wisely,
he's a really good offensive coach. They're leaning heavy, heavy,
heavy into a chan who's having a huge year who's
not Jerome Bettis in terms of like style, but dangerous
as could be. And they're running the ball really well
and I like their own line. So I don't know
that the Steelers are going to correct their time possession problems,
so they can't solve the run.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, And the Dolphins had thirty one fifteen over their
past three games. As far as time of possession is concerned,
it's pretty solid. Yeah, I'm you're over thirty minutes.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Especially when your defense isn't helping a lot.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
You know, they held the ball for thirty six minutes
against the Jets too, so I mean, like they have
been possessing the football.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
You almost need to throw that Jets game out though,
I mean Tyrod got hurt early.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
They were really really terrible.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, no doubt Miami's defense gives up one hundred and
thirty one point nine rushing yards per game.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
That's the seventh most.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
They also allow the fifth highest yards per carry four
point seven to five in the third highest explosive run
rate at seven point five percent. We just said they
allow the highest completion percentage in the league. Then you
see their rush defense and it's not much better. So no,
it is such an anomaly that thirteen point three points
allowed over those four games. It doesn't make sense throw
that out, ignore that this is not a good defense.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
No, I totally agree, there's nothing to stay away from
on their defense. I have a little bit of respect
for their edge pass rushers and Brooks and Mink, but
they don't do anything specifically really really well. And boy,
it would be nice to get some explosive runs against
them too, let alone control them a clock with the running.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
No question, that's something that the Steers are so lacking offense,
explosive running game before we get to the offense.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Make a Fitzpatrick.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
It's hard not to ignore this kind of whopper of
a revenge game that's right in front of him, because
I don't think he wanted to leave Pittsburgh. I think
make if Fitzpatrick liked it here. He liked his role
on this team, he liked his relationship with the coaching stuff.
I remember at Hard Knocks last year, Matt, when we
got that peek inside. He's a coach basically, like he's
there in the Austin and Tomlin like kind of game
planning for the week of the defense. So I think
(15:13):
he was very comfortable here, probably saw himself maybe being
a Steeler for the rest of his career. Get shocked
by that trade and he's in Miami. He's playing pretty well, Yeah,
playing micka Fitzpatrick football.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
He's just a really good player.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
You know, he wants to make.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
His mark on this one coming back, I'm sure, and
I think you need to be aware of him. They
use them a little differently. I mean, he played so
much single high here, they they vary things up a
little bit more, and we know he's capable doing all
the above.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
But yeah, he's somebody to fear.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Speaking of things to fear, the offensive side of the
ball for Miami is the spot that you have some
trouble here. Yeah, you mentioned them running the football. Let's
just get right into that, because that they're relentless about it. Yeah,
that has been what the sauce has been. Over the
four game winning extrees. They're averaging like one hundred and
ninety yards. They were north of two hundred last week,
and not good news for a Steelers defense that has
(16:01):
given up two hundred yards rushing in two straight weeks.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
One thousand percent. And again they did that against the Jets,
and after a Chan got hurt, like right after the
first quarter, he had ninety yards on seven or eight
carry something like that, and then they bring the backups
in and just keep running and running and running and running.
And part of it's because Tua is not that good,
not that good that good. Limited throws a lot of picks,
(16:25):
not mobile, you know, I mean, he's a timing and
rhythm passer only. So they've hidden him well even though
the whole world now knows that they're running.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
But the steel run defense worries the heck out of me.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
How could it not?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
You mentioned it, Michael Harmon back, you mentioned, h yeah,
we're gonna get to that one. So you mentioned Chan
with the rib injury. You got to keep an eye
on him throughout the week. But that extra day is
going to help so many people on the injury report.
I bet you each in plays.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
They didn't need him to come back in the game.
There were a lot of reports that if it was
a playoff game, he to come.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Back many two yards already on like seven.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think it was twenty four to nothing at that point.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
But then as you mentioned, Jalen Wright comes in twenty
four carries racked up one hundred and seven yards against
the Jets. That's just Mike McDaniel, and that's the brain
that you're going up against. His run scheme is elite,
maybe the best in the NFL. And Matt you bought
a two back currently if I'm wrong here, but the
Niners in the Shanahan era were at their peak running
the football with McDaniel.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
That he's a big time Shanahan disciple that uses a
used check like full back a lot, really good at
creating angles, a lot of pre snap motion jet motion,
especially when they had Tyreek. I mean, they would freeze
those edge guys really well. Does some unorthodox stuff like
when when I thought that there was a chance they
were going to move on from him, I thought, man,
(17:41):
he's gonna get scooped up as an offensive coordinator. Oh man,
zero point two seconds.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Right, any team that even has like established offensive coordinators,
you're kind in the.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Middle, like this is the run, right, yea, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
I didn't want to say it, but hey, right, you
mentioned the motion motion on sixty eight point four percent
of their offensive snaps.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
That's the high in the league. So you're gonna have
to be disciplined as a defense.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
In a wide variety. They'll do orbit motion and jet motion.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That could backfire when you got a bunch of drunkens
ers waving that towel on Monday night football.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
You know, you got that big atmosphere going on, you.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Know, communication all going on. Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
It is deep into the season that you think the
Dolphins would be pretty dialed in as far as that's concerned.
Stopping the runs the biggest thing that you have to
do in this game and getting Harmon back I think
can go a long way, and that the splits are
just impossible to ignore. Now, Matt, ninety six rushing yards
allowed as a defense when Harmon's available, one hundred and
ninety when he's not there in the four games he's out,
I mean almost one hundred yards worse. You you want
(18:38):
to keep saying, and I will. You can't just say
it's all on the rookie. You can't just say almost
one hundred yards allowed more is because the rookie's not
out there. It keeps telling me and screaming in my
face that it's maybe because of the rookie not being
out there.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I think a lot of it is now.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I don't think Derek Harmon is such a good player
that he's worth one hundred yards of rushing per.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Game effect off of him though.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
That's the thing is they pay and they're putting guys
out there that shouldn't be out there. And I'll be honest,
I mean this shocks me to the degree that it's.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Happened the last two weeks.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
And they're they're they're the Ravens and the Bills are
very different run schemes, so it's not like it's a
scheme thing that was beating you. Almost all their all
their d linemen, frankly not named Cam Hayward, are just
going backwards in the run game. I mean they are
not holding the point there, not being not win the
leverage battle.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
All lines of scrimmages are being established two three yards
down the tame.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Yeah, and I forget who I was talking to today
there By boy Patrick Queen gets a lot of heat
for this, and yeah he misses his share of tackles,
but those linebackers have big people in their laps all
the time now, including Yi Black, who you wouldn't think
that's his game, But he's going backwards too.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
To your point, Pittsburgh's defense allows two point one nine
rushing yards before contact per attempt.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Only four defenses are worse than that.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
It's okay, it sums it up.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah, you're geting big holes right and then you got then.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
You know, most NFL running backs are going another yard
or two.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
When they have to eat it, let alone a chan
who could go eighty.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
It's a big concern in this game. Tua not so
much of a concern. During the Dolphins four game winning streak,
Tua is averaging just one hundred and fifty seven yards
on twenty one point twenty five pass attempts per game.
You mentioned they're kind of hiding him there, limiting in
the defense, but he does play into the Steelers' hands
in the Steelers defense because fourteen interceptions thrown this year,
(20:27):
that's tied with Gino Smith for the most in the NFL.
That's what the Steelers defense thrives on is the splash.
So let's imagine Monday Night Football, eight chains running like
crazy on the Steelers defense. But when Tua does have
to pass, because they will eventually eventually, you need to
big splash in the red zone. And the Steelers have
been really good in the red zone as the defense.
(20:47):
So I could see this playing out like a typical
Steelers defensive performance where we look at the box score
after and it's like, man, Dolphins gained a lot of yards.
Steelers got the splash and had good moments that help
them have a good defensive performance.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yep. And not mention.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
And you may have even said this earlier or implied
it that there isn't a worst quarterback in any kind of.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Weather than to either.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
You know, he's a Hawaiian kid that played at Bama
and went to Miami. I mean, like you can't have
it any warmer than that. You know, he just isn't
accustomed to cutting the wind or the snow or any
of the elements you have to deal with. And if
you can get him into some kind of dropback pass game,
that's when they're in real trouble.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Yeah, no question, Jalen Waddle easily his.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Number one phenomenal. Yeah, he has.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
At least hit a thirty percent target chair in four
straight games and has at least a twenty percent target
share in eight of his last nine games. See, that's
the thing about Mike McDaniel in this offense, like he
knows where to go. Oh heh knows that I got
to get a thirty percent target chair for Jalen Waddele.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
He know it may be like when Tyreek was, when
it was a year or two ago. He's lighting the
league on fire, that hey are.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
He gets the best players of ball and our running
game is working right now. We're winning a lot of games.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
So eight Chang's going to be the feature now as
far as the offense is sprinkling a little Jalen Waddle
when you have to with the passing game, so you
gotta recognize him. I don't know how the Steelers go
about taking him away. I wouldn't hate Joey just taking
him on.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Joey's been playing pretty All three of the corners been
playing well.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Started to let them get more physical as of late
and get a little bit more man up. Joey's really
been thriving, still getting some flags. But I can live
with that, honestly, right.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
A thousand and I think I've said that like five times. Yeah,
I'm just smart, You're just dead on. I like how
Eccles is playing. I love how Pierre's playing. I want
to see Samuel, but you never get there because the
other three are playing.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Songs and Pierre keeps Samuel on the bench with their
outstanding Right.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
It's a good problem to have.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
It's kind of like the opposite of the wide receiver
situation where they're looking for somebody here, they got too
many now here.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I might Why I say I might just go with
Joey Porter Junior on Jaylen Watto in this one is
because like Cedric Wilson, Malik Washington, like, they don't really
have anybody else in the past catching game now that
Tyreek hills down. And that makes sense, to be honest
with you, because when you have two horses like that,
you're not deep. So when you lose one for the season,
you'll be exposed.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
The one wild card is Waller, the tight end, because
they sign him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Off the couch.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
He does a lot of really good things, gets hurt,
comes back last week in like a part time capacity.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
So he worries me a little.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Bit because, as you mentioned, McDaniel so good at getting
his best players of the ball. That's gonna be Waddle
and a Chan for sure, but Waller might be three
and maybe this week they're gonna even you know, develop
that more.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
No, I'm really shocked to see how Waller has come
on this year.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
I even thought that he might beat some trade.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Candidacy and the trade deadline, and then he got hurt
right around the trade deadline. I think that kind of
cooled off. But I bet you there's interest with him
in the offseason. Teams are gonna be like a great story.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Yeah, it's very talented.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
I'm not sure I'm ready to bury the Dolphins yet either.
I know as far as next year is concerned, and
like moving forward with this Mike McDaniel two a era
you're gonna have to hide to a going forward. He
might be the best person to do that job.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Oh they're built with that job for I mean again,
that's another mcdai and you'll feather in his cap as
he built this quick strike offense around his quarterback that
he inherited.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
All right, Before we wrap up, Matt let's take a
look at key matchups in this game. Uh, Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers versus Dolphins safety Minka Fitzpatrick. You know, we
so often on this podcast, on the shows, we do
highlight Aaron Rodgers and his ability cerebral. Yeah, and that's
(24:27):
a great one that you bring up, Flores, because that
was really when it shined, like he ate that Flora's
defense apart in Ireland, just.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Everything that they were thrown at him.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Rodgers had the answers for, well, makea Fitzpatrick's like that
on the defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
We mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
You know, he's a coach brain back there on the
back end of the defense. So this is a lot
of this is a you know, a heavyweight fight as
far as the brains are concerned defensively and offensively.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Yeah, he just does have as many good chess pieces
around him, make.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
A no doubt. And you know, I'm still not seeing
them much of the splash from make a Fitzpatrick.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Hy No, that might be a thing of the past.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I mean he might just be that align everybody on
the chess board right now.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, and a solid, solid player, But maybe he's not,
you know, pick six and people left and right, but
who does.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
And then the last matchup that we have here is
Steelers linebackers versus Steven h Chan the superstar. I think
it's fair to say running back of the Dolphins. It's
just been a couple of years now. Not that he
keeps being top five in the league when he's healthy. Absolutely,
so he keeps delivering these great performances. It's going to
be tough for the Steelers once again. They played some
great running games and great running backs.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
This year, and several of them they've shut down really,
really well, except for these last two weeks. Again, so
it's again it's kind of been popcorn, as coach used
to say. Last thing I wanted to note about the
run game is I don't know that it's one of
the most athletic offensive lines in the league. They're super
quick off the ball. They really get to the second
level quickly. When you mentioned those linebackers against the Chan,
(25:52):
it's also can you keep the linebacker or kind of
clean in the run game.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Steelers Dolphins Monday Night Football and I will get it
started on DVE at four o'clock Monday, and then we'll
talk to you next week
Speaker 3 (26:05):
On our next edition of The Advanced Scout.
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