January 7, 2026 • 15 mins
Tim Benz Joins Previewing Texans vs Steelers Playoff Matchup
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Matt and Ross with you here on seven ninety. I'm
here in Portland Rockets and the Blazers. Tonight we'll have
the broadcast for are You're beginning at eight o'clock with
the launch Pad Network pregame at eight thirty doll on
the call at nine o'clock. We are joined now by
man who's been with us a few times over the years.
We don't do a lot of Houston Pittsburgh talk because, frankly,
the Astros and Pirates don't play in the World Series
(00:21):
I don't believe ever, and the Texan Steelers don't have
not played a whole lot over the years. But Tim
Ben's with us Breakfast with Ben's columnists for the Pittsburgh
Tribune Sports is also found on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. He's
a he's got a bigger resume than I do.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Is that right? Tim Ben's how were you this morning?
By the way, Nice to hear from you again.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah. The other issue, while we don't talk too much,
is because no NBA team here, which a lot of
people would still love to see happen. I'm not holding
my breath, but yeah, maybe someday, But I think Pittsburgh
has to figure out how to make its other two
teams competitive again besides the Steelers and the Penguins and
the Pirates. So though the Penguins are overachieving so far
(00:59):
this year, see what the Steelers can do against the
Texans to make this a thumb's up for thumbs down season.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
On Monday Night, I swear to God Tim when the
Houston hockey team plays the Penguins, We're gonna You're gonna.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Have you own for like a whole half hour. I promise.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Hey, there's a lot to talk about there, there's a
lot of history to go over in a half an hour.
But I'll do my best.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Hey, let me ask you this. If that kick is made,
what's Mike Tomlin doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Maybe holding his season ending press conference? Or maybe he
would have done that yesterday and we'd be at lock
or clean out, And I don't think much else would
change with Tomlin. I think it would take consecutive sub
five hundred seasons before Art Rooney, the second ever, actually
listened to the outside noise and the calls for his job.
(01:49):
I wrote a column about it not too terribly long ago,
when the Bills came in here and whooped the Steelers
and you know, people were chanting fire Tomlin throughout the
course of the second half, And I said words the
effect that there were sixty seven thousand and fifty people
at Akroscher Stadium and sixty seven forty nine of them
(02:11):
heard the chance and the only one who didn't was
Art the second So I just think that's where his
headspace is versus everybody else in Pittsburgh. We can talk
about it, but it's not going to happen. A lot
of people have made that analogy. If Tyler Luke doesn't
push that field goal, well wide right, does that mean
Tomlin is out of a job and hardball is getting
(02:33):
ready for a playoff game? Well, the second part would
be true, but I don't think Tomlin would have gone
anywhere anyway. I think it would take consecutive sub five
hundred seasons before that happens.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Okay, Tim, So not to be rude, but we don't
follow the Pittsburgh Steelers all that much. Now, Look, Aaron's
been on TV a lot, and the Steelers of a
national fan base, but the Texans Steelers have not played
in a while. Before we get into what has been
a mediocre season for that entire division, tell me.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
What's right? I mean TJ.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Watt coming back from his ailment and stepping them back
on the football field. What are the things do Pittsburgh
Steeler fans? And they travel well, so we've got Steeler
fans listening to us all over the country.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
What do the Steelers do right? What got them to
where they are right now? Well?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
With what out they kept at a float with good
outside linebacker depth, you know, I think they're legit for
deep at that position this year they haven't been in
the past. They have gotten around secondary injury issues better
than expected. Joey Porters started to live up to reputation.
They found a home for Jalen Ramsey by cource of
(03:41):
necessity at safety. The run defense has actually been good
in games where they haven't had to worry about a
mobile quarterback. If there's a mobile quarterback out there and
they've got to make decisions to stop the mobile quarterback
or stop the big time running back. Time running backs
have gotten loose. Henry's had a couple of good games,
(04:04):
better statistically than actual imprint, but good statistically against them.
James Cook went off in a situation like that Breese
Hall game one where he had justin fields flank and them.
Those things they've done well on defense. On offense, they've
had good second halves in the passing game out of Rogers.
The Rodgers to Metcalf connection is sometimes good. The offensive
(04:27):
line play has been better than anticipated, especially after Broderick
Jones got hurt. This Dylan Cook at left tackle has
been a stunning revelation out of nowhere. We've seen that
along the offensive line before with guys here in Pittsburgh.
So those are some of the things that they do well.
The checkdown game to the running backs is good. They
have a good dual threat thing going on with Jalen
(04:49):
Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. But they do not throw the
ball well down the field or over the middle of
the field consistently. Whatsoever.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
You mentioned TJ wat coming back in some of the
depth on defense. How did he look in your eyes
in his return?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Pretty active?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It's a tough read with the way they play against
the Ravens. Those outside edges crashed down so much, and
they've always had a script of whether Lamar has the
ball or not hit him, just go after him and
hit him. So it looks like what or high Smith
in certain games, maybe making more of an imprint than
(05:27):
they really are because you just see him in the
backfield so often because they're crashing so hard. I did
think he looked okay. He had the interception off of
a bat ball that high Smith and Hayward really made
the playoff. I didn't mention Hayward before. He's been great
in the second half the season. I should have brought
him up to but he's part of that run defense
I was speaking of. So I thought TJ was first
(05:49):
game back ish. Yeah, but I also thought that that
was a pretty high platform, even if it didn't show
up a ton statistically. I thought he did enough good things,
and the outside linebackers behind him, particularly Herbig and Jack Sawyer,
you don't see the dip when TJ goes out as
(06:11):
much as you used to.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Tim binns with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety
and you talked a lot about the offense, the offensive
line looking pretty good. Just overall, how do you see
this matchup? Because I mean, maybe I've got my Texans
colored glasses on, Tim, but it it just feels like
it's going to be difficult for them to score points.
Obviously against a very good Texans defense. But I just
(06:34):
don't feel like there's much of a dynamic element with
the the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
There isn't, you know, when we're looking at the prospects
the potential team's going into the weekend with of course
the Steelers playing last, who would be coming here to Aker?
Sure if they beat the Ravens. I was kind of
playing the game with myself where if this team came
how much would it be fair about if this team
came out? I said three points for the Tech. Since
it's been at three and a half most of the week,
(07:02):
they are very worthy favorites by that much. At home
for the Steelers, you know, the Monday night thing. Everybody
always says it means nothing, it's just a historical fluke.
It must mean something that's been going on since nineteen
ninety one. They haven't lost a home Monday night game
that spanned three coaches. You know, the Texans without a
road playoff win. You know, there's something to think about there.
(07:24):
But I do think that if you went unit by unit,
if you took like the four units of the teams
and you did Steelers defense, Steelers offense, Houston defense, Houston
offense by far and away the best unit of the fours.
The Houston defense. I do worry that for as good
as this offensive line has been over the last five
(07:46):
or six weeks, that Houston's defensive front is going to
cause them problems. And for as slow as the Steelers
have been to start in some games of late, it's
it's going to be harder for them to come back
in a hurry like they did against the Ravens, like
their most success throwing the ball down the field all
(08:11):
season long, basically has come in two games against Baltimore,
and that's because their secondary has been pretty banged up
at times and they don't have much of a pass
rush threat. I do get concern when I think about
the Steelers offensive line, as much as it's gotten better,
and it's been arrow up throughout the second half the season,
trying to stop two good pass rushers at once, especially
(08:34):
if they're not in advantageous down in distant situations to
begin with. So that's why I give the Texans the edge.
I've been saying twenty three to twenty Houston in overtime
all week, and I'm not moving off of that.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Tim dk Metcalf has been reinstated. What is his mind
going to be like going into this game. I mean,
tell me forgetting about the situation that involved in Detroit,
But I mean, is he got his blank together or
is he going to be Is he highly emotional guy?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You don't know what you're getting from one week to
the next.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like I didn't even realize the depths of how many
times he had been fined prior to what happened to Detroit,
but he had like sixteen fines, you know, for celebrations
or in game face mask incidents or fights with various players.
Like he's always been a hot head. I knew that
was the case with him coming here. But he's literally yes, sir, no,
(09:29):
sir to any question that he's ever asked by the media.
He gets a little prickly at some questions, but he's
always politically correct in how he answers them, at least
on the record, and then he grumbles a little bit after.
But like to see him lose it like that in
Detroit not stunning based on his history, but it did
feel to be a departure based on what we had
(09:51):
seen the previous fourteen weeks here, he's been contrite, you know,
he was fourthright. In speaking with us earlier this week,
he said all the right things. He even thanked the
NFL for letting him practice, which was bizarre because I
thought they were a little heavy handed in their discipline,
and you didn't get with one of that from him.
(10:13):
I think he was tight lipped and how he talked
about the situation because there might be something legal pending there.
But he was even you know, tipping his hat to
the league that suspended him for two games, so he
would think that his head is in the right place.
But I never saw that coming against Detroit, so maybe
I should check myself on that. He has, you know,
(10:34):
gotten some post whistle penalties, and he's still barking at
guys all the time, and you know, you see a
wolf out there a lot during games, and sometimes he
does take it too far. So I don't know how
to answer that question. It feels like that answer should
be yes, but past history tells me probably not. And
if somebody gets under his skin, he could lose it
at any point.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, sure, all right, Tim, I got two last questions
for you. Aaron's pass rush the Texas were the best
pass rush he probably sees all So he's long, and
again I don't know all seventeen what can if you
were to give him a thirty seconds advice about going
against the Neil Hunter and Will Anderson. Is it getting
rid of the ball quickly? Is it's going through progressions?
(11:12):
Tell me what Aaron's thinking about this week, going against
a team that has really destroyed a lot of quarterbacks,
namely you know Josh Allen being one particular quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah. I think one piece of advice I would give is,
and this is maybe more to Arthur Smith than it
is Aaron Rodgers, is don't obsess with keeping Warren and
Gainwell back to chip, get him out in the flat
quickly and let Rogers be his own pass protector. That
worked out better against the Browns when they did it
(11:44):
that way the first time they played him, versus what
they did against Garrett and the Browns the second time
they played them, where they just obsessed over making sure
Garrett didn't get at Rogers and they kept Gainwell, who's
their team MVP, in to eat blocks the whole time.
And it didn't seem to make sense to me, and
I happen it's as good as Gainwell. Is it that
I still have to think Warren's better at it anyway,
(12:06):
because he's a little bowling ball and you know, as
a good blocker. So I would just they love using
those guys in the flat, they love checking it down
to them. But if they're so obsessed with holding off
those two pass rushers and keeping them in the you know,
offensive backfield to do so, they're not going to get
out in time. And by the time that they do,
the rest of the Texans defense is going to flow
(12:28):
over there and they're going to get very little, even
less than they do in the pass game. So that's
what I would say. I think the advice has to
go to Arthur Smith before it goes to Rogers and
just get those guys out in the flat and get
it out to them quick. All right.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
And last question, my good friend Chris Brown used to
kick for the Steelers. Chris Boswell Wright's kid has been
doing it for a long time for Pittsburgh. Chris tell
me many years ago, Tim, that's the worst place for
kickers to kick field goals is at your stadium. And
it's clearly Baltimore's special teams would probably agree with you
on that. Is it still as bad as it was
when Chris was playing. Is there a de sided advantage?
(13:02):
And the reason why I bring this up is because frankly,
Kimy Fairbarron has been as big of a part of
the Texans offense as any receiver or C. J. Strodd
it has been for Houston so far this year.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Oh, and that's been talked about this week. People are
aware of that here too. No, And I Chris great deal.
I covered him when I first got on the beat
with the team back in one I think it was.
And yeah, the field was terrible. The field was awful
for the first five years or so, maybe even six
or seven beyond that. But I would say going back
(13:33):
the last handful of years, maybe five six, they've figured
things out with the turf a lot better, you know,
Like I would say, yeah, going back to about twenty
twenty or so, right around COVID, they started to figure
out the field better. And it's no coincidence that Boswell's
been great over the past few years. And there's been
(13:55):
more long kicks from opposing kickers here too. And they've
closed in the outs, as Chris would remember, the open
end of the stadium has been closed in a little
bit bigger scoreboard they've changed the seating so it's not
as windy coming in off the open end as when
Chris was kicking here. They did have some issues with
the field earlier in the season. I'm not sure they've
(14:17):
gotten all those right yet. It was an extraordinarily dry
fall here and a little warm late, and then we
had one rainy, cold weekend and that seemed to screw
everything up. And there's a lot of action from Pitt
here earlier in the season, and it's been very snowy
here in December two. So it's not great this year.
(14:38):
But Boswell for the most part, has navigated that. Okay,
I think his extra point miss was partially blocked. That
was the way it was in the scorebook. I think
that's right, and I don't know. Luke just pushed it.
So Chris has a great point. He's one hundred percent right.
But I would say in the long time since he's
been here, they've gotten that field much better. And Boswell's
(14:58):
career numbers if you look at he's got well over
the thirteen longest field goals in Akrosher Stadium history, and
that's in large part because the turf has gotten better
and it's easier plant for those kickers now.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
If you want to follow the Pittsburgh perspective of this game,
lean in next Monday, please go to at Tim Ben's
b E n zpg H. He will give you all
what you need from the Steeler advantage. Tim, thank you
for the time and I'll talk with you on Friday.
We appreciate the visit here this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It's awesome. Thanks for having me.
Matt and Ross with you here on seven ninety. I'm
here in Portland Rockets and the Blazers. Tonight we'll have
the broadcast for are You're beginning at eight o'clock with
the launch Pad Network pregame at eight thirty doll on
the call at nine o'clock. We are joined now by
man who's been with us a few times over the years.
We don't do a lot of Houston Pittsburgh talk because, frankly,
the Astros and Pirates don't play in the World Series
(00:21):
I don't believe ever, and the Texan Steelers don't have
not played a whole lot over the years. But Tim
Ben's with us Breakfast with Ben's columnists for the Pittsburgh
Tribune Sports is also found on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. He's
a he's got a bigger resume than I do.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Is that right? Tim Ben's how were you this morning?
By the way, Nice to hear from you again.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah. The other issue, while we don't talk too much,
is because no NBA team here, which a lot of
people would still love to see happen. I'm not holding
my breath, but yeah, maybe someday, But I think Pittsburgh
has to figure out how to make its other two
teams competitive again besides the Steelers and the Penguins and
the Pirates. So though the Penguins are overachieving so far
(00:59):
this year, see what the Steelers can do against the
Texans to make this a thumb's up for thumbs down season.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
On Monday Night, I swear to God Tim when the
Houston hockey team plays the Penguins, We're gonna You're gonna.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Have you own for like a whole half hour. I promise.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Hey, there's a lot to talk about there, there's a
lot of history to go over in a half an hour.
But I'll do my best.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Hey, let me ask you this. If that kick is made,
what's Mike Tomlin doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Maybe holding his season ending press conference? Or maybe he
would have done that yesterday and we'd be at lock
or clean out, And I don't think much else would
change with Tomlin. I think it would take consecutive sub
five hundred seasons before Art Rooney, the second ever, actually
listened to the outside noise and the calls for his job.
(01:49):
I wrote a column about it not too terribly long ago,
when the Bills came in here and whooped the Steelers
and you know, people were chanting fire Tomlin throughout the
course of the second half, And I said words the
effect that there were sixty seven thousand and fifty people
at Akroscher Stadium and sixty seven forty nine of them
(02:11):
heard the chance and the only one who didn't was
Art the second So I just think that's where his
headspace is versus everybody else in Pittsburgh. We can talk
about it, but it's not going to happen. A lot
of people have made that analogy. If Tyler Luke doesn't
push that field goal, well wide right, does that mean
Tomlin is out of a job and hardball is getting
(02:33):
ready for a playoff game? Well, the second part would
be true, but I don't think Tomlin would have gone
anywhere anyway. I think it would take consecutive sub five
hundred seasons before that happens.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Okay, Tim, So not to be rude, but we don't
follow the Pittsburgh Steelers all that much. Now, Look, Aaron's
been on TV a lot, and the Steelers of a
national fan base, but the Texans Steelers have not played
in a while. Before we get into what has been
a mediocre season for that entire division, tell me.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
What's right? I mean TJ.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Watt coming back from his ailment and stepping them back
on the football field. What are the things do Pittsburgh
Steeler fans? And they travel well, so we've got Steeler
fans listening to us all over the country.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
What do the Steelers do right? What got them to
where they are right now? Well?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
With what out they kept at a float with good
outside linebacker depth, you know, I think they're legit for
deep at that position this year they haven't been in
the past. They have gotten around secondary injury issues better
than expected. Joey Porters started to live up to reputation.
They found a home for Jalen Ramsey by cource of
(03:41):
necessity at safety. The run defense has actually been good
in games where they haven't had to worry about a
mobile quarterback. If there's a mobile quarterback out there and
they've got to make decisions to stop the mobile quarterback
or stop the big time running back. Time running backs
have gotten loose. Henry's had a couple of good games,
(04:04):
better statistically than actual imprint, but good statistically against them.
James Cook went off in a situation like that Breese
Hall game one where he had justin fields flank and them.
Those things they've done well on defense. On offense, they've
had good second halves in the passing game out of Rogers.
The Rodgers to Metcalf connection is sometimes good. The offensive
(04:27):
line play has been better than anticipated, especially after Broderick
Jones got hurt. This Dylan Cook at left tackle has
been a stunning revelation out of nowhere. We've seen that
along the offensive line before with guys here in Pittsburgh.
So those are some of the things that they do well.
The checkdown game to the running backs is good. They
have a good dual threat thing going on with Jalen
(04:49):
Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. But they do not throw the
ball well down the field or over the middle of
the field consistently. Whatsoever.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
You mentioned TJ wat coming back in some of the
depth on defense. How did he look in your eyes
in his return?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Pretty active?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It's a tough read with the way they play against
the Ravens. Those outside edges crashed down so much, and
they've always had a script of whether Lamar has the
ball or not hit him, just go after him and
hit him. So it looks like what or high Smith
in certain games, maybe making more of an imprint than
(05:27):
they really are because you just see him in the
backfield so often because they're crashing so hard. I did
think he looked okay. He had the interception off of
a bat ball that high Smith and Hayward really made
the playoff. I didn't mention Hayward before. He's been great
in the second half the season. I should have brought
him up to but he's part of that run defense
I was speaking of. So I thought TJ was first
(05:49):
game back ish. Yeah, but I also thought that that
was a pretty high platform, even if it didn't show
up a ton statistically. I thought he did enough good things,
and the outside linebackers behind him, particularly Herbig and Jack Sawyer,
you don't see the dip when TJ goes out as
(06:11):
much as you used to.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Tim binns with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety
and you talked a lot about the offense, the offensive
line looking pretty good. Just overall, how do you see
this matchup? Because I mean, maybe I've got my Texans
colored glasses on, Tim, but it it just feels like
it's going to be difficult for them to score points.
Obviously against a very good Texans defense. But I just
(06:34):
don't feel like there's much of a dynamic element with
the the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
There isn't, you know, when we're looking at the prospects
the potential team's going into the weekend with of course
the Steelers playing last, who would be coming here to Aker?
Sure if they beat the Ravens. I was kind of
playing the game with myself where if this team came
how much would it be fair about if this team
came out? I said three points for the Tech. Since
it's been at three and a half most of the week,
(07:02):
they are very worthy favorites by that much. At home
for the Steelers, you know, the Monday night thing. Everybody
always says it means nothing, it's just a historical fluke.
It must mean something that's been going on since nineteen
ninety one. They haven't lost a home Monday night game
that spanned three coaches. You know, the Texans without a
road playoff win. You know, there's something to think about there.
(07:24):
But I do think that if you went unit by unit,
if you took like the four units of the teams
and you did Steelers defense, Steelers offense, Houston defense, Houston
offense by far and away the best unit of the fours.
The Houston defense. I do worry that for as good
as this offensive line has been over the last five
(07:46):
or six weeks, that Houston's defensive front is going to
cause them problems. And for as slow as the Steelers
have been to start in some games of late, it's
it's going to be harder for them to come back
in a hurry like they did against the Ravens, like
their most success throwing the ball down the field all
(08:11):
season long, basically has come in two games against Baltimore,
and that's because their secondary has been pretty banged up
at times and they don't have much of a pass
rush threat. I do get concern when I think about
the Steelers offensive line, as much as it's gotten better,
and it's been arrow up throughout the second half the season,
trying to stop two good pass rushers at once, especially
(08:34):
if they're not in advantageous down in distant situations to
begin with. So that's why I give the Texans the edge.
I've been saying twenty three to twenty Houston in overtime
all week, and I'm not moving off of that.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Tim dk Metcalf has been reinstated. What is his mind
going to be like going into this game. I mean,
tell me forgetting about the situation that involved in Detroit,
But I mean, is he got his blank together or
is he going to be Is he highly emotional guy?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You don't know what you're getting from one week to
the next.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like I didn't even realize the depths of how many
times he had been fined prior to what happened to Detroit,
but he had like sixteen fines, you know, for celebrations
or in game face mask incidents or fights with various players.
Like he's always been a hot head. I knew that
was the case with him coming here. But he's literally yes, sir, no,
(09:29):
sir to any question that he's ever asked by the media.
He gets a little prickly at some questions, but he's
always politically correct in how he answers them, at least
on the record, and then he grumbles a little bit after.
But like to see him lose it like that in
Detroit not stunning based on his history, but it did
feel to be a departure based on what we had
(09:51):
seen the previous fourteen weeks here, he's been contrite, you know,
he was fourthright. In speaking with us earlier this week,
he said all the right things. He even thanked the
NFL for letting him practice, which was bizarre because I
thought they were a little heavy handed in their discipline,
and you didn't get with one of that from him.
(10:13):
I think he was tight lipped and how he talked
about the situation because there might be something legal pending there.
But he was even you know, tipping his hat to
the league that suspended him for two games, so he
would think that his head is in the right place.
But I never saw that coming against Detroit, so maybe
I should check myself on that. He has, you know,
(10:34):
gotten some post whistle penalties, and he's still barking at
guys all the time, and you know, you see a
wolf out there a lot during games, and sometimes he
does take it too far. So I don't know how
to answer that question. It feels like that answer should
be yes, but past history tells me probably not. And
if somebody gets under his skin, he could lose it
at any point.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, sure, all right, Tim, I got two last questions
for you. Aaron's pass rush the Texas were the best
pass rush he probably sees all So he's long, and
again I don't know all seventeen what can if you
were to give him a thirty seconds advice about going
against the Neil Hunter and Will Anderson. Is it getting
rid of the ball quickly? Is it's going through progressions?
(11:12):
Tell me what Aaron's thinking about this week, going against
a team that has really destroyed a lot of quarterbacks,
namely you know Josh Allen being one particular quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah. I think one piece of advice I would give is,
and this is maybe more to Arthur Smith than it
is Aaron Rodgers, is don't obsess with keeping Warren and
Gainwell back to chip, get him out in the flat
quickly and let Rogers be his own pass protector. That
worked out better against the Browns when they did it
(11:44):
that way the first time they played him, versus what
they did against Garrett and the Browns the second time
they played them, where they just obsessed over making sure
Garrett didn't get at Rogers and they kept Gainwell, who's
their team MVP, in to eat blocks the whole time.
And it didn't seem to make sense to me, and
I happen it's as good as Gainwell. Is it that
I still have to think Warren's better at it anyway,
(12:06):
because he's a little bowling ball and you know, as
a good blocker. So I would just they love using
those guys in the flat, they love checking it down
to them. But if they're so obsessed with holding off
those two pass rushers and keeping them in the you know,
offensive backfield to do so, they're not going to get
out in time. And by the time that they do,
the rest of the Texans defense is going to flow
(12:28):
over there and they're going to get very little, even
less than they do in the pass game. So that's
what I would say. I think the advice has to
go to Arthur Smith before it goes to Rogers and
just get those guys out in the flat and get
it out to them quick. All right.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
And last question, my good friend Chris Brown used to
kick for the Steelers. Chris Boswell Wright's kid has been
doing it for a long time for Pittsburgh. Chris tell
me many years ago, Tim, that's the worst place for
kickers to kick field goals is at your stadium. And
it's clearly Baltimore's special teams would probably agree with you
on that. Is it still as bad as it was
when Chris was playing. Is there a de sided advantage?
(13:02):
And the reason why I bring this up is because frankly,
Kimy Fairbarron has been as big of a part of
the Texans offense as any receiver or C. J. Strodd
it has been for Houston so far this year.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Oh, and that's been talked about this week. People are
aware of that here too. No, And I Chris great deal.
I covered him when I first got on the beat
with the team back in one I think it was.
And yeah, the field was terrible. The field was awful
for the first five years or so, maybe even six
or seven beyond that. But I would say going back
(13:33):
the last handful of years, maybe five six, they've figured
things out with the turf a lot better, you know,
Like I would say, yeah, going back to about twenty
twenty or so, right around COVID, they started to figure
out the field better. And it's no coincidence that Boswell's
been great over the past few years. And there's been
(13:55):
more long kicks from opposing kickers here too. And they've
closed in the outs, as Chris would remember, the open
end of the stadium has been closed in a little
bit bigger scoreboard they've changed the seating so it's not
as windy coming in off the open end as when
Chris was kicking here. They did have some issues with
the field earlier in the season. I'm not sure they've
(14:17):
gotten all those right yet. It was an extraordinarily dry
fall here and a little warm late, and then we
had one rainy, cold weekend and that seemed to screw
everything up. And there's a lot of action from Pitt
here earlier in the season, and it's been very snowy
here in December two. So it's not great this year.
(14:38):
But Boswell for the most part, has navigated that. Okay,
I think his extra point miss was partially blocked. That
was the way it was in the scorebook. I think
that's right, and I don't know. Luke just pushed it.
So Chris has a great point. He's one hundred percent right.
But I would say in the long time since he's
been here, they've gotten that field much better. And Boswell's
(14:58):
career numbers if you look at he's got well over
the thirteen longest field goals in Akrosher Stadium history, and
that's in large part because the turf has gotten better
and it's easier plant for those kickers now.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
If you want to follow the Pittsburgh perspective of this game,
lean in next Monday, please go to at Tim Ben's
b E n zpg H. He will give you all
what you need from the Steeler advantage. Tim, thank you
for the time and I'll talk with you on Friday.
We appreciate the visit here this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It's awesome. Thanks for having me.
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