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00:00:01
Speaker 1: So let's head to Pittsburgh, where the Steelers also didn't do anything at the trade deadline, and that's provided at least me with some solace based on what's happened this week. 93-7 the fans. Andrew Filippone knows more about the Pittsburgh Steelers and how we used to consume Monday Night Football more than anybody. So on Tuesday at 4 o'clock, Bengals don't do anything. All the other good teams in the AFC do, except the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watching from afar, I felt like they needed a receiver. Why didn't they get one?
00:00:29
Speaker 2: Because they, I guess, now specialize in mixed messages and double talk and saying one thing and doing something else, Mo. This has been a year that has, I think, really allowed for fans like myself to embrace this team post Mike Tomlin and believe that there might be a higher ceiling for them with the improved performance of this defense, which had gotten stale under Tomlin and really underachieved. Aaron Rodgers has played well. They've won four in a row. They're tied for first place. And you know, Aaron Rodgers is done after this year. He said that repeatedly. He also said over in Paris that he didn't come back to just go nine and eight or 10 and seven.
00:01:15
Speaker 3: So I thought, you know, everything was there for them to not be a reckless.
00:01:20
Speaker 2: I mean, you still have to be conscious of the fact that maybe there's a quarterback in next year's draft you want to take or pick, but giving up a future mid around selection is, that on this team who could end up being your number one or actually I thought was a move that they absolutely should have made.
00:01:35
Speaker 3: And it's left me very disappointed.
00:01:38
Speaker 2: And even though they're six and two going into this game, like I do find myself being more pessimistic about the Steelers than I thought I would be because of their lack of action.
00:01:48
Speaker 1: What about their six and two start to the season to you is most surprising?
00:01:53
Speaker 2: Well, I mean, it's basically the same cast of characters defensively, Mo.
00:01:58
Speaker 3: Sands, Joey Porter Jr.
00:01:59
Speaker 2: who was in Dallas after he faked an injury and got himself a one-way ticket out of town. And they're doing the things that Mike Tomlin professed and promised. And he made bold claims like this team could do historic things before last season. They did in terms of giving up, I think, the most passing yards in team history. But They're the highest paid unit in the league on defense, and they have been for a half decade. And we have very rarely seen them even come close to living up to that billing. And they have done that so far this year. They lead the NFL in sacks again. They have completely shut down the run. And they are currently, I think, the best run defense going in the NFL, even better than Minnesota. And a lot of these guys, we had questions about what do they have left?
00:02:48
Speaker 3: What did they have left TJ Watt? maybe to a lesser.
00:02:52
Speaker 2: Extent, Kim Hayward, definitely Jalen Ramsey. All of these guys have played great this year. And it's so weird that you subtract the so-called defensive genius in Tomlin. You bring in a guy in Patrick Graham who had nothing but mediocre defenses everywhere he's been. And now the Steelers are up there with the Vikings and Jaguars as possibly the best defense in the league.
00:03:15
Speaker 1: Mike McCarthy's an offensive guy. He's a Pittsburgh guy. Where has he made the biggest impact?
00:03:21
Speaker 2: Well, I think he has been really good about evolving and adjusting and adapting in season. And I think one of the things that would frustrate me about Tomlin would be he would be stubborn and it would be hard for him to admit a mistake and move on from someone or For example, Najee Harris, you take him in the first round, but if you have eyes and you're watching the running backs here, you've known for a number of years that Jalen Warren is the better player. And I think Mike McCarthy went into the year thinking that Rico Dowdle might be better than Warren. I think his plan initially was for Dowdle to be the number one guy and for Warren to be the guy who spelled him. And Warren has played so well. He leads the NFL in yards per carry. I think there's only one other guy in the league that has more yards after the catch than him, and that's Puka Nakua in L.A. And Mike is just like, screw it. I had one idea in my head, but I can't be married to that. And he's made Jalen Warren the focal point of their offense. Their offensive line, the right side, was a disaster against New England, Mo. They got blown out the second game of the year. He put the rookie Max Ahadachor in at right tackle. He put in Brock Hoffman, who he brought over from Dallas.
00:04:40
Speaker 3: At right guard. The whole line's played better. And the last one is this.
00:04:46
Speaker 2: The media and fans made a big deal about how ugly things got in Cleveland when they lost.
00:04:53
Speaker 3: Rodgers screaming at McCarthy.
00:04:55
Speaker 2: Watt getting on the headset and going after Patrick Graham. Well, instead of Mike McCarthy doing the Mike Tomlin thing of saying, hey, we're competitive, this is okay, McCarthy said after the game to clean up our own house, and then he made Graham come down from the coach's box and onto the field.
00:05:14
Speaker 3: And the defense has played much better.
00:05:16
Speaker 2: And it was refreshing to hear a coach basically say, no, You guys are right.
00:05:21
Speaker 3: This isn't normal. We need to do something about it.
00:05:24
Speaker 1: I'm going to ask you a stupid question. So last year, Bengals play the Steelers in Pittsburgh. At one point, they throw the ball to Darnell Washington, ginormous tight end. He drags like nine guys down the field. Same thing happened in a game in September. Darnell Washington catches a pass. No Bengal can tackle him. He just leaves shrapnel all over the
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field. And here we ask like, well, why don't they just throw him the ball in every play? So why don't they just throw him the ball in every play?
00:05:50
Speaker 3: It's a good question.
00:05:51
Speaker 2: They've gotten him way more involved this year.
00:05:54
Speaker 3: He played a lot in.
00:05:56
Speaker 2: The offense last year because Arthur Smith fetishizes tight ends, as you know, watching him with Ohio State. If you told him Jeremiah Smith was Johnnie Smith, he'd throw it to him every play. But no, the bottom line is, you know, Washington is such a freak athlete. And for his Much of an advantage, as you might say, he is as a receiver because you're right.
00:06:22
Speaker 3: Like, who do you put on this guy?
00:06:25
Speaker 2: He's also such a great blocker. And there are still passing plays where he's left in to block because they want Aaron Rodgers to have a clean pocket.
00:06:35
Speaker 3: So that's part of it. I mean.
00:06:38
Speaker 2: I feel much better about Aaron Rodgers throwing Washington the ball, especially in the red zone down near the end zone or goal line than I do DK Metcalf, who they're paying $ 30 million a year or two. So he is an ascending player. He is an interesting player. I'm shocked he made it to the fourth round when the Steelers picked him. He's really been one of the cool weapons they have in their offense. And Yeah, I would like to see him get used more, especially against those Bengals linebackers who aren't very good in this game Sunday night.
00:07:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, that's well said. One more. You mentioned Mike Tomlin. He's going to be here for the game on Sunday. We don't like him. Like, when Steelers fans watch him commentating on NBC and he's talking about the Steelers, how are they going to react?
00:07:20
Speaker 3: Well, it depends. I mean, he.
00:07:22
Speaker 2: made a comment after the game Sunday night, the bears and bucks game about, this is the way you have to defend Joe burrow.
00:07:29
Speaker 3: And I'm thinking to myself, Mike, I've.
00:07:32
Speaker 2: Seen Joe burrow put 50 points on your defense before. Like I wouldn't exactly talk like you have this, you know, magic bullet theory, or you have this elixir that makes it impossible or makes it hard for Joe burrow to be effective.
00:07:45
Speaker 3: I've watched him carve up your defense. So it comes and goes.
00:07:49
Speaker 2: I think he's had some really good moments on TV and, I think he's had some moments, for example, Mo, he was talking about how John Harbaugh had to kill a flea with a hammer when he cut Najee Harris and benched him scataboo. And I'm like, this is the same guy that let Antonio Brown walk all over him, never disciplined him, you know, had guys basically blow off meetings or show up late for things.
00:08:15
Speaker 3: And there were no repercussions.
00:08:16
Speaker 2: So If you know Mike Tomlin intimately like we do here in Pittsburgh, you see a lot of those contradictions. But I think overall, he's done a pretty good job there. And it'll be interesting to see, like, is he going to just act like he's rooting for the Steelers the whole game? Does that bias come out? Does he call it more straight down the middle like? That will be a fascinating aspect of the way that game gets covered Sunday night.
00:08:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do think he's, I think he and Maria Taylor are good on TV. I admit that begrudgingly. I am interested in how things go from that perspective on Sunday. I know you got a lot going on, man. Can't thank you enough. Enjoy the game Sunday.
00:08:52
Speaker 3: You bet, Mo. Can't wait. See you, brother.