00:00:01
Speaker 1: I've given you my big-picture take on what happened Sunday at Akershire Stadium, why I'm so high on that Browns win. It wasn't just getting revenge on Cleveland for what happened in Cleveland a month earlier. It wasn't just the Jared Verst situation. It wasn't just the fact that they won 27-6 and have won four in a row and managed to avoid a pitfall for an entire month, which pretty much never happened in the Mike Tomlin era. All those things were really good, and if you want to talk about them, you can at 833-412-7000. 99 39 but it was also the manner in which the Steelers won they won being the kind of team that they are built to be right now and they won being the kind of team they've tried to be for so many years It's been forever since the Steelers were really about running the football, stopping the run, and getting after the quarterback. They fancied themselves as such for the past month. That's been exactly what they've been, and it's turned their season around to the point now that they're in solid playoff position and may be looking at an 11 or 12 win season and a two or three seed in the AFC. I can't believe I'm saying all that out loud, but it is all possible, and it's all good. However, there were a few things from the game yesterday against the Browns that did drive me a little bonkers. Yeah, some of it was the officiating, and we can talk about that some more if you like.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: But let me give you three.
00:01:24
Speaker 1: Things that I think need to be talked about coming out of that game against Cleveland that were areas of concern, emphasis for improvement, or just generally things that got under your skin watching the game.
00:01:38
Speaker 2: Number one.
00:01:39
Speaker 1: I agree with all the fans who booed the offense off the field when it flubbed that goal line sequence in the second quarter. You were right to do so. If I was allowed to do it in the press box, I would have done the same thing. Rodgers threw an ill-fated fade pass to DK Metcalf for an incompletion on first down. He threw another incompletion on second down, and Jalen Warren got stuffed on third down.
00:02:04
Speaker 2: The Steelers had to settle for a.
00:02:06
Speaker 1: Field goal to make it 10-0 to end a drive that consumed 86 yards over 7 minutes and 13 plays.
00:02:13
Speaker 2: They deserved more than that. They cut themselves off you-know-where. And they deserve more than that.
00:02:20
Speaker 1: They did it to themselves, the offense did. And by the offense, I mean the collective offense. McCarthy, Rogers, whoever's in charge, they want to share blame. They want to share credit.
00:02:30
Speaker 3: Go ahead.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: Well, this is blame here on this one. The Steelers were running it down Cleveland's throat. No need to throw on first and second down. They did it anyway. Bad choice. I hated that sequence. Pittsburgh also stalled out in the red zone on its next possession and relied on another Boswell field goal from 37 yards. That kept the Browns to the 10 points instead of it being 17-3 with just over three minutes left in the half. Number two, I thought the defense got a little too soft too soon at one point. I hated the defensive sequence immediately after that second Boswell field goal, the one that started with 319 left in the first half. The defense had a chance to get off the field on Cleveland's 32 at the two-minute warning, but Watson completed a 24-yard attempt to Casey Concepcion on a third and three. Watson moved the Browns to the Pittsburgh 32. Then he got sacked by Watt for an eight-yard loss. But the Steelers let that Harold Fannin tight end, who occasionally seems to drive them crazy, he got nine yards on the next snap, and they kicked a field goal from 49 yards out, and that pulled Cleveland within 13-6. I don't have a lot of bad things to say about the defense after yesterday. That sequence made me a little bonkers. And the third thing is, I talked about this with Matt Williamson. I'm sure some Steelers fans are going to disagree with this. The Pat Bush touchdown worked at the end of the first half, but just because they scored doesn't make it the right move. You know, sometimes that happens. Something can work out. It doesn't mean it was smart to do. That was too heavy of a bet to make with no timeouts remaining and only five seconds of the clock. Just kick the field goal there and make it a two-score game. Not only do the Steelers gamble those three surefire points, but the Browns would have gone in the locker room with a ton of momentum, and had they stuffed that play, who knows how things go from there. The risk-reward for that decision just was not worth it. No one's talking about it because it worked out and it seems so simple, but, If you don't even walk away with three there after having allowed yourself to only settle for three the last two times in the red zone, I think we're all pulling our hair out at halftime and that third quarter has a very different tone.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: So if you agree with.
00:04:51
Speaker 1: Any of those points to complain or you think that I missed some, let me hear it at 833-412-9939. There are a couple other big picture things that are talking points coming out of that game. Like, I know some people are upset about how Fannin went off. People worried about covering the tight end. I don't think it's that big of a deal. You can't take away everything. They were much better against Judkins this time around. They were much better against the rookie wide receivers. They attacked the line of scrimmage and got after Watson better. The pass rush was significantly better. You can't stop everything all the time. It felt to me that like at times last year, The Browns are really reliant on Fannin. He's a good tight end. He's not going to make me forget about Travis Kelsey. So if they've got to start with him as the best option, and he gets you for 154, you can live with that.
00:05:45
Speaker 2: He had a good game.
00:05:46
Speaker 1: I don't see it as a chronic problem that's going to kill the Steelers down the line. The other thing that was brought up, and this is a much bigger question, and this is something that does concern me, is the wide receiver stuff. The DK Metcalf dropped the bobble that turned into an interception.
00:06:02
Speaker 2: That was maddening.
00:06:03
Speaker 1: And of course, the lack of wide receiver production is something that isn't just a one-off against Cleveland. This has been a problem for a while now. The passing game doesn't look particularly dynamic. Their chunk plays seem to be all about what Jalen Warren gets or what Rico Dowdle gets or what Darnell Washington gets because people get so enamored of just looking at how big he is, they forget to actually cover him, and you get what you get yesterday. You know, Washington had a great day. Friermuth made some big plays. And, of course, the running backs were there to swing for the fences. You can't count on huge chunk plays from the running backs all the time in every game.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: It's just.
00:06:44
Speaker 1: Not something you can rely on, even though Warren seems to keep making it happen and good for him. Now, I asked this question online because I put out a poll earlier to start the show and we've gotten some response on it. Let me load it back up here and give you an update on where it stands. I asked, the Steelers have nine games left after their bye. How many will they win? 46% of you, so almost half of you said they'll win five. 32% of you said they'll win six.
00:07:10
Speaker 2: I think it's five.
00:07:11
Speaker 1: I get why some of you might say six at this point, because the back half of the schedule has gotten soft. And then it's equal balance when it comes to those who are on the lunatic fringe, optimist, lunatic fringe, pessimist.
00:07:24
Speaker 2: Those of you saying that they're going to win at least seven games.
00:07:27
Speaker 1: 11%, those of you saying that they're going to only win four games or fewer, 10%.
00:07:34
Speaker 2: It's funny how that works out, that there's just as many.
00:07:37
Speaker 1: There's 10% of people in each way saying it's going to be really, really bad from this point on, or it's going to be even better than what we just saw. I can't imagine it being much better than what we just saw. They needed to get to six. They got to six. I don't necessarily feel like this is a team on the ascent of I feel like this is a team where it's supposed to be. We all said at the bye, they better have five or six wins. They got their six wins. They won these four games in a row that they had to win after the drop of a game in Cleveland, which has just become an annual horror show for them.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: So, like, I look at what they did as a positive correction.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: I don't see it as portending like they're going to keep winning and go on a 9-10-11 game win streak going up towards Christmas.
00:08:22
Speaker 2: What do you think?
00:08:23
Speaker 3: Again, 833-412-9939.
00:08:23
Speaker 2: And I followed up that question by also asking.
00:08:29
Speaker 1: If you're somebody who thinks, if you're in that minuscule percentage, if you're someone who thinks that they're going to only win maximum four games and they're going to be a 10-win team again at the end of the year, what is concerning you the most?
00:08:42
Speaker 2: Is it the lack of wide receivers?
00:08:44
Speaker 1: Do you think that the second half schedule is actually harder than it appears right now on paper? Is it the past reliance in the red zone that's driving everybody crazy? Is it that this team is going to age poorly into December? Are you mad that they didn't play Renegade? Like, if you are of the mind that you want to have some unfettered, unrestricted optimism, but something's holding you back, what is it? Is it something I just mentioned, or did I miss it? So I'll get to some of the responses here. This guy actually says he's glad the Steelers went for it at the end of the half. Tomlin never would have gone for it. Rather see them take a risk, unlike for the last 20 years. Generally speaking, I agree with that sentiment. I just felt like that one was too much, given the circumstances. And the fact that the defense was playing well enough that you could trust them if you just got three, that things weren't going to go haywire. This guy, Yinzergear, says if they stop throwing exclusively and lean on the run game inside the 10, I can see it. If they keep throwing, I'll take the under. Yeah, I'm not thrilled with their goal line performance either. I don't like what their approach is in the red zone. I'm counter to the notion of run, run, run all the way down the field and then let Rogers try to throw in the end zone to get his or try to force DK Metcalf into having some sort of imprint or impact on the game by way of trying to get him a six yard touchdown. Like he should be impacting the game more by catching balls 41 yards down the field. Like the one that was well-crafted for him yesterday that he dropped and bobbled into an interception. This guy, Ed, says it's the receiver's 100%. The defense went into a positive step yesterday.
00:10:28
Speaker 2: And I don't think it was just yesterday.
00:10:30
Speaker 1: I think the defense started with that game against Indy when they mimicked what they did the year before and they took one of the best running backs in the league and shut him down in Jonathan Taylor. So I think it started there, and then the pass rush came back a little bit against Tampa. It was hard to generate a pass rush while shutting down the run against New Orleans, but they did it enough to hold them to 10 points. And then yesterday, they crushed Deshaun Watson, and it looked like that game a couple years ago where they had seven sacks and they could have had 17. This guy, Rich, apparently thinks that the second half of the schedule is going to be more difficult than I'm giving it credit for. He says there will be losses to the Bengals, Denver, Jacksonville, and at the Ravens.
00:11:18
Speaker 2: I could see it. Sure, they could lose all those games.
00:11:21
Speaker 1: If there's one, though, that I swing out of that to say that they only have three losses on the back half, it's the Broncos game. I know the Broncos are winning enough as it is right now. They're leading their division. Jacksonville is playing pretty well. In the South, I think it's going to be a tough game to win on the road on Monday Night Football. Regardless of the situation, you know, they lost to DTR and the Browns for crying out loud. They could lose at the Ravens just because it's Baltimore and you can still split there. And this Bengals return game is going to be tough, just like it was a tough return game for Cleveland to try to win here. The Denver game, they really should win. And I know Denver's a good team. I know you're worried about the coaching matchup with Peyton, but it's going to be a short week.
00:12:05
Speaker 2: A road game for the Broncos. It's Black Friday.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: Do you really want to spend Thursday Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh and then have to play a game on Black Friday in Pittsburgh? That feels like a way to soften up the Broncos. If you get that game one o'clock on a Sunday or 425 on a Sunday or a Sunday night or something like that. Yeah, I could see that being a really tricky putt.
00:12:30
Speaker 2: Them coming here.
00:12:31
Speaker 1: On a Friday after not getting to spend Thanksgiving with your family or in the cozy confines of your home, that strikes me as an.
00:12:41
Speaker 2: Advantage for the Steelers.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: So if I'm going to pick one game out of those four and say they really should win it, even though we're looking at the road Ravens game with potentially no Lamar Jackson, I'm still going to say it's that Bronco game. Again, you can call 833-412-9939 or tweet me like all of them did. At Tim Benz, PGH. Still to come here in the 4 o'clock hour, we talk Penguins hockey with Phil Bork. And before the top of the hour, you think Jaquan Brisker and Jalen Warren are giving it to Jared Verse here. You should hear what he's getting at home back in Cleveland. We'll have some of those clips for you before the top of the 5 o'clock hour.
00:13:19
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00:13:45
Speaker 1: 4 o'clock hour, the Mark Madden Show with Phil Bork.
00:13:52
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00:13:52
Speaker 1: We're going to talk to Borky about Penguins hockey. Everybody is a Twitter about the Steelers situation going into the bye and we'd love to see the same level of excitement over some Penguins wins too. Hopefully they get back to that. Thought they were on the way there with that Utah game. Yeah, what a gut punch that was. We'll talk to Borky about that and the Halloween game against Montreal and much, much more surrounding.
00:14:16
Speaker 2: The world of hockey. My God, you see that goal that McDavid scored. Oh, that was filthy. Man, that speed.
00:14:23
Speaker 1: It's like he skates on rails, and he's just moving at a different speed than everybody else. Jeff is calling from Virginia to talk about Stiller optimism.
00:14:31
Speaker 2: Hi, Jeff. You're on 105.9 The X.
00:14:34
Speaker 6: Hey, Tim. How you doing?
00:14:36
Speaker 2: I'm good.
00:14:38
Speaker 3: All right.
00:14:38
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think the big thing with the optimism of the football team, and I'll tell you what, just moving forward, when they're going to have to go to a young quarterback is the offensive line. They have really, I think from the first two weeks when they were really struggling, they have really made some tremendous strides. With that in defensive line as well, I mean, if you can run the football and stop the run like they are, you're going to keep yourself afloat. One thing I'd like to see moving forward, though, and they did this a couple of times yesterday, they need to start using play action a lot more. If you're going to be able to run the football like that, you've got to really take advantage with some play action shots. You hit Friar Muth a wide open down the seam. I should have had a huge play with DK. That's the recipe for success.
00:15:19
Speaker 3: Yeah. You know what?
00:15:19
Speaker 2: And that's, that's a good point.
00:15:21
Speaker 1: That's something I talked about a lot going into the saints game that the Steelers, despite the fact that their run game was starting to blossom and nobody except, I think it was two teams that had play action run against them more than new Orleans. The Steelers were a team that was third from the bottom and, when it came to trying play action passes.
00:15:47
Speaker 2: And I don't know why that is. I don't know what the numbers have been the last two weeks.
00:15:51
Speaker 1: I know they tried it once or twice against the Saints, but I'm with you.
00:15:56
Speaker 2: That should be more of a part of their game.
00:15:59
Speaker 1: And if they're having trouble beating man coverage, maybe it makes people wait, think, stop for a second, and just create some confusion in the secondary game.
00:16:10
Speaker 2: For the opposing team. I'm with you. I'd like to see more play action.
00:16:13
Speaker 1: I've said that for years, but I think because the run game is as effective as it is, you've got that element to it baked in, so use it.
00:16:21
Speaker 2: You're right on that.
00:16:23
Speaker 6: Yeah, I just think the– I know McCarthy has background in West Coast offense, but that is just not with the receivers that they have. I mean, DK already is a train wreck to begin with. you have got to start trying to exploit him down the field because him running slants and all this underneath stuff is just not a part of his game. I'm not even really sure what his part is.
00:16:44
Speaker 1: Well, and the frustrating thing is, and thanks for the call, Jeff, because the frustrating thing is, for how many years do we sit around and say, oh, the Steelers can find a wide receiver anywhere. The Steelers can find a wide receiver anywhere. Look at where they got Heinz Ward. Look at where they got Antonio Brown. You know, they got Cedric Wilson off the scrap heap to help him win a Super Bowl. They got this guy from this random spot, that guy from that random spot. You know, they got Martavis in the fourth round. They got Juju whenever it was. They used the second round, but it was however many wide receivers were taken before him. And He was supposed to be their third guy, and he got elevated to their one, basically, by the end of that season.
00:17:18
Speaker 2: Antonio flipped out about it.
00:17:21
Speaker 1: Every time he turned around, there was another narrative about how the Steelers were beating the system with their wide receivers. Actually, it was right around then when they overvalued Juju and what he was capable of being. that you know it felt like things started to take a turn chase claypool oh they didn't have a first round and they found claypool in the second round he scored eight touchdowns in the first nine weeks everybody thought they had their next great guy and he fell off a cliff so it's frustrating that you know i talked about reputation before that the reputation the steelers has always been they run the ball to stop the run they get after the quarterback and a lot over these last five, six years as part of the playoff drought, the playoff wind drought that they're on right now. We keep saying that, and it hasn't been as true nearly as often as we say it. And that's what makes these last four wins feel so good, is that they're winning the way we remember the Steelers winning, and they're winning in a manner that they have to win for the team in the way that it's assembled. Sure, like to that last guy's point, I'd love for them to be a little bit more space-age on offense. I'd love for them to be a little bit more dynamic on offense and not have to rely on Jalen Warren deking and juking and running around guys and spinning people like a top 30 yards down the field, because it's not going to happen against better teams and better defenses. You've got to find some more organic passing game designs, receivers getting open, and the quarterback finding them down the field to get your big chunk plays. It can't always be about hoping that your running back stays healthy for 17 weeks and can pop off 51 yarders or 8 yarders like he was doing a couple weeks ago against the Colts. That can't be a card you continually think you can play all the time. The offensive line thing you talked about, yeah, the strides that they've made running the ball, the run blocking has been fantastic compared.
00:19:15
Speaker 2: To where it was for the first two weeks.
00:19:17
Speaker 1: Take those first two weeks out of it, and this has been a fantastic year running the football. And it got a lot better when they made the changes on the right side. I don't think it's coincidence. And I was worried about what the pass protection might look like yesterday, but it got better in that department too, like what Matt Williamson was saying about Troy Foutownu. I thought, in general, the pass protection was a lot better. I think Rodgers got hit twice. Now, granted, he didn't drop back a lot, but more than he needed to. He still only got hit twice. And verse was quiet as a church mouse because of it so yeah credit to the offensive line and the development there the next thing that needs to develop is the passing game from the quarterback out phil bork next 105.9 the.
00:19:58
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00:20:13
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00:20:33
Speaker 1: Phil Bork joins us right now on 105.9 The X as we talk hockey on your home for the Pens. Tim Benz with you filling in for Mark Madden. All Penguin Games right here with Borky on the call on 105.9 The X. Next up, coming up for the Pens tomorrow night against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7 o'clock. Borky, before we start talking Pens, I gotta ask you about that Connor McDavid goal and his season so far to date. Have you ever seen a guy skate like him stylistically? I mean, his speed is something else, but the style with which he skates is so unique. And boy, did it manifest on that goal last night, 50 seconds into the game.
00:21:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, good to be on with you, Tim. And the answer is, to the first part of your question, no. To the second part of your question, no. I've never seen anybody skate like him or stylistically skate like him. You know, we used to marvel at the Russian rocket, right? Pavel Bure, right? Even Mike Gardner, it seemed like at times he had rockets coming out of his backside, right? Those were some of the elite players, you know, 30 years ago. This guy is different. And you can say what you want about Nathan McKinnon, but Nathan McKinnon is more like a.
00:21:53
Speaker 3: More like a stallion, right? He's a little more like a fast Clydesdale. He's so heavy, you can hear his blades cutting into the ice. He also goes Mach 1. And then there's McDavid, right? And you're right, he has such a skating style. it reminds me of some National Geographic shows I used to watch. Remember those frogs that used to just run on top of the water and they had kind of these big webbed feet and they would just go a million miles an hour on top of the water? If you don't know what I'm talking about, just Google it and you'll be like, oh yeah, that totally makes sense. Yeah, his skating style is so unique. He's not a big guy. He's kind of wiry, but the way he's able to snap his ankles and create so much speed because he's he's almost running. It's not like I took power skating, Tim. And it, it, it doesn't compute in my head as far as a power skating teacher showing you how to stride. It's not like Connor McDavid at all. And then when you have the mind in the hands going as fast as the feet, you've got what you've got. It's, it is, it's, it's, I watch it over and over again. I'm like, Oh, did they just speed that up? Did somebody like hit a, you know, times three button? No, it's normal speed. It's, Seriously, it's the closest thing we've ever had in the NHL to superhuman.
00:23:15
Speaker 1: I think you make a good differentiation there in how speed looks. Like, Sid and McKinnon, Sid at the height of his speed when he was first breaking into the league.
00:23:25
Speaker 2: McKinnon, like you described, is a stallion.
00:23:27
Speaker 1: I think that's a good way because there's a gallop to what McKinnon does. With McDavid, it's like rod hockey, except he changes direction. Like, you can just push the rod forward as fast as you want to, but he also changes direction. It's like a Porsche built really low to the ground that has all sorts of handling, can take every curve and bend in the road. It's bizarre. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. And then that self-pass to get himself going between to beat two guys.
00:23:57
Speaker 2: But what do I care about the goals? He's got 30 assists in 15 games. It's ridiculous.
00:24:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, he has definitely– and over the last– look at his numbers over the last couple of years. He's not twice as many, but almost twice as many assists as goals. I mean, he's at that point now. But I guess when you have a guy like Dreisaitl on the wing almost 90% of the time you're on the ice, you're looking for that guy because he's a pure goal scorer. But he's also an elite passer, too, on his forehand and backhand. But just real quick on McDavid, for most guys that can skate fast, it seems like the wires get a little bit crossed the closer they get to the net, right? And you see this great chance. And then once they're on top of the goalie, it like rolls off their stick or they shank their shot or it just doesn't manifest into a goal. For Connor McDavid, if he gets by that D-man, probably 90% of the time, it's in the back of the net. And that's what I'm talking about. Like, the mind and the hands can keep up with the feet, which that doesn't make sense to me. I get you can be fast with your feet, but for your hands to keep up with that is really something special.
00:25:07
Speaker 1: No, you're right, because, you know, there are some guys who are like that of Penguin's lore. Like, you know, Konstantin Koltsov, if the boards weren't there, he would have wound up on Fifth Avenue.
00:25:16
Speaker 2: You know, like he was.
00:25:19
Speaker 2: Marty Strzok at times just.
00:25:21
Speaker 1: he figured it out eventually, but especially when he was young, you know, he was a guy that could skate like, you know, a demon right up on top of the goalie. And then it took a little while for him to figure out and get the puck in the net. But, you know, eventually he did that. So I know the guys that you're talking about, but he's just a different breed right now, McDavid, and he's tons of fun to watch.
00:25:39
Speaker 2: Do you think this is their year, Edmonton?
00:25:44
Speaker 3: When you say their year, you must be talking about stealing the cup, right? Yeah.
00:25:48
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:25:49
Speaker 3: Um, Listen, it's the same equation in 1991-92 as it is in 2026. Do you have the star power? Yes. Do you have the foot soldiers that can dig their oars a little deeper in the water when games get really, really important? They've got some guys. I'm not convinced they have the guys. Here's the last part of the equation. Again, same as 35 years ago as it is right now. Do you have the goalie? Do you have the goalie that can win you a game? Not necessarily win you a series. but could win you a game to get you through a series. That's where the giant question mark is for me. Listen, you can play the wheels off of 97 and 29, Dreisaitl and McDavid. What, are you going to play these guys 25 minutes every single night, Tim? What the hell are they going to have left in May and June? So I guess that's a long-winded answer to your question that, no, I don't see him winning a Stanley Cup at Edmonton. As good as they've been so far... I just don't see it happening. And the biggest thing, they don't have the goalie.
00:26:52
Speaker 1: Do the Penguins have their goalie of the future in Murashov, or are you starting to question that?
00:26:56
Speaker 3: I'm not questioning it. I'm feeling for him. I feel it, you know, because I know how special of a talent he is. But not having a win this year, I'm sure weighs on him. And you've heard the interviews, Tim. You've interviewed him. He's a very smart guy. And I just think this is not something he's ever experienced. I mean, you can go on Hockey TV. You can go on Elite Prospects. Look at his numbers. Ever since he was a Bantam, his numbers are, his goals against is under two. His save percentage is over 930. And he just wins everywhere he's been, except for right now. And so it's really tough for me to give you comments and or a grade. on Sergey Maryshev, just because I feel like he's absolutely under siege. The amount of quality chances against him are just way too many. Now, with that being said, there's a lot of quality chances against Artur Shilov, too, and Shilov is just making one or two more saves right now. So, again, that's just a crappy answer to your good question, but I just feel like Patience is the key here, but also communication and making sure you keep the spirits up high. And at the end of the day, if I'm a player in front of Sergey Marashov, I'm looking myself in the mirror and going, damn it, I got to be way better. I got to motivate my guys, my teammates to be better in front of this guy. And let's get this guy a W.
00:28:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm more of the opinion that if there's an X factor right now, it's not that the quality of competition is too high for him. I think the quality of play in front of him has been so substandard that it just has to get better. And that's where the variance will eventually kick in.
00:28:52
Speaker 6: Exactly.
00:28:52
Speaker 3: Does he have the ability to win a game by himself?
00:28:57
Speaker 6: Yeah, he does.
00:28:57
Speaker 3: But again, now his confidence is little chinks. He's human. I know at times he seems not robotic, but he seems like he's just really... got everything together. And when you go through what he's going through right now, where, you know, I, I, I think it's what, 15 goals against 16 goals against in his last three games, something like that. Again, he's human. It's going to take a little bit of a chink out of your armor. And so, yeah, I, I think it's really important time. to keep him real then and keep him confident and keep him believing that there's better times coming. I know he's a guy that really believes in himself, a very confident without being cocky type of guy. But I think he needs to be surrounded by a lot of positiveness, if you will, because he's a special, special talent and you don't want to damage that with the way things have gone early on here as far as the Penguins defensive structure.
00:29:56
Speaker 1: Borky, the game against the Canadians, the calendar turning to November, a goal and two assists for Sid, is that the game that kind of gets him going this season?
00:30:08
Speaker 3: You always look for things like that, right? Because we've seen it before. Yeah, it's a puck drop, right? The way he put the puck in his skate and then laid out a big hit on Gooley. I mean, that's a monster shift. That's a statement shift. And so... We'll see tomorrow night. I mean, Vegas in town here tomorrow night. They're playing in Boston tonight. And so I think Sid sees where we are in the standings. We're not that far away from dead last in the Eastern Conference. We've got to figure this out really quick because with two more games in the regular season, 84 instead of 82, that means the number's going to go up as far as the wild cards, right? So in the past, it's been anywhere from 96 to 98. It might take 100 points now, Tim, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the math of how many points the Penguins have now, how many games, 70 games left, and how many points they're going to need to get at least 100 to get into the playoffs. Sid knows that. And so with that being said, they've got to start stringing some wins together. And you've got two tough games coming up against Vegas and Boston. And then you go on the road and you play the three California teams. And yeah, you're going to need Sid playing like you did in Montreal the other night. But at the end of the day, this isn't golf, tennis, or lawn darts. It's a team game, and they need a lot of other guys. It just can't be 39-year-old Sidney Crosby being the guy to carry the Penguins to a win. They need a lot more guys digging their oars in deeper.
00:31:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, bring up the schedule. I was going to ask you about that. You know, looking at the Knights and seeing where they are in the Pacific, that makes sense to me. We just talked about how great the Oilers are to start the season.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: And maybe a little bit of an anomaly.
00:31:51
Speaker 1: I mean, one thing that I would imagine would come back to earth for them, they haven't lost on the road yet.
00:31:55
Speaker 2: They're 7-0.
00:31:56
Speaker 1: They got 14 out of 14 points, 7-0-0 on the road.
00:31:59
Speaker 2: So, like, that'll calm down. But what about Boston?
00:32:02
Speaker 1: Like, getting 21 points in 15 games, how has that come to be so far?
00:32:10
Speaker 3: Goaltending, number one. Jeremy Swayman is having an unbelievable year so far. Marco Sturm is a really, really good coach. In fact, as a broadcaster, I get a vote for the Jack Adams, which is coach of the year, and I gave a vote to Marco Sturm. I just think he's a hell of a coach, and when you look at that lineup, you're like, how are they doing it, right? Their star players are playing really, really good, and they're just really playing like a team, and when They need a goal from a third or fourth line guy, they're getting it. When they need a goal from one of their top guys, they're getting it. And when they need a save from their number one goalie, they're getting it. And even their number two goalie is– now there's a little bit of good vibes, right? There's a little bit of a mojo going on right now, and everybody's starting to say, oh, wait a minute here, this is something special. It reminds me a little bit of what the Penguins did early on last year, where they didn't blow people out of the water with their lineup, but everybody was chipping in when needed– and it gave them a pretty good record in the month of October last year, 8-2-2, and the Boston Bruins are doing the same. That's a well-oiled machine, and they're really tough on home ice, and Vegas will have all they can handle tonight against the Spoke B.
00:33:23
Speaker 1: What challenges, speaking of coaches, do you think are facing Dan Mews right now? He had the, I will say it this way, he had the advantage of being a new voice in his rookie season.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: There's something to that.
00:33:35
Speaker 1: Obviously, there was to an 8-2-2 start a season ago, What challenges most face him right now as a coach in his second year?
00:33:46
Speaker 3: How to get this team to buy in on defensive hockey on a consistent basis. How they get back to believing they can still generate offense from strong defensive play. How to make them have more urgency. When I say defense, I'm talking about in three zones because defense isn't just in the defensive zone. And defense isn't just in the neutral zone. Defense starts in the offensive zone. And part of defense is managing the puck and not turning the puck over when you don't have to or you're not forced to. There's just too much of that. And so he's in his handful right now because not only does he need everybody to start clicking in because it's not a good enough team. It's not a... a good enough constructed team to have four or five guys locked in. They need everybody locked in. And so that's a challenge not to motivate them, Tim, because if you've got to motivate players at the NHL level, then beat it, hit the bricks, you're in the wrong league. So it's not motivating guys, but it's getting them to all commit and buy in on a consistent basis. Number one, number two, I mentioned, there are some guys that are not, really close to their A or B game, and they're struggling with their C game right now. And how do you get those guys to get the confidence and get back to what got them to be a Pittsburgh Penguin? And so he's got his hands full right now. And Dan knows, and you can't deliver that message with any kind of panic in your voice, but you have to walk that tightrope of stroking that urgency without it being too over the top. It's very challenging right now for Dan Mews.
00:35:29
Speaker 2: Borky, I appreciate the time.
00:35:31
Speaker 1: Have a great call on Tuesday and Thursday here on The X for the home games against Vegas and Boston, and then enjoy the trip to California.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: This has been Good Hockey Talk.
00:35:42
Speaker 3: Thanks, Tim. Enjoyed our time together, and you're right. It was Good Hockey Talk.
00:35:47
Speaker 1: And by the way, Phil Bork brought to us here on 105.9 The X by People's Natural Gas, reminding you to call 811 before you dig. Even landscaping work requires you to call 811. More info at peoples-gas.com. Yeah, I brought up the 7-0-0 record for the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins right now, the opposite of that when it comes to their road performance, basically, almost. 1-6-1 away from home. They're actually 4-1-1 at PPG Paints Arena. It's how they gave away a couple of those games where you said to yourself, boy, those would have been a couple of extra nice points to have. But 1-6-1 away from home, and now they've got to go on the road after one West Coast trip already, to do it again against Los Angeles. Let me see if I got the order right on this. I want to make sure I get the order right. Los Angeles is the first game on Saturday. Edmonton, the second game on Sunday. Then San Jose on Wednesday the 11th. So two more home games Tuesday, Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Then they're not back at home again until Saturday the 14th against Ottawa.
00:36:52
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00:36:57
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00:36:59
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00:37:00
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00:37:22
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00:37:30
Speaker 1: We played for you all the soundbites from Jaquan Brisker and Jalen Warren ripping on Jared Verse. Brisker ripping on Deshaun Watson. Well, you know, Jared Verse, all things being equal, is probably getting it here in Pittsburgh less than he is in Cleveland right now. Like, he's getting skewered in Cleveland, and rightfully so, because, well.
00:37:58
Speaker 2: You talk like that, you don't come through.
00:38:00
Speaker 1: It's one thing for the fans in the other town to get on your back, but now you've got to go home and face everybody in your own hometown. Like, okay, here's what was said on ESPN in Cleveland with Tony Rizzo and what he had to say about Jared versus one tackle performance against the Steelers after all that yapping he did leading up to the game.
00:38:25
Speaker 5: Jared first got his ass body slammed. Yeah, keep talking, dude. I tell you kids this, I've done this a long time. Oh, I don't care that he talked. I don't care that he talked yet.
00:38:36
Speaker 2: How about now?
00:38:37
Speaker 5: Care that he talked now? No sex, and he got his ass body slammed.
00:38:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was courtesy of Mason McCormick.
00:38:46
Speaker 1: And by the way, I've seen this meme now that somebody has told me has been going around where it's somebody wearing number 66 in an AI generated photo slash painting of dumping verse on his head. I think that AI needs to be told that Alan Fanica retired a long time ago. because the photo is clearly fanica wearing number 66 it's not mccormick mccormick has a bald head this this photo this ai generated photo is 100 percent fanica i mean it's a good ai photo it's just the wrong 66 i'm surprised they didn't make it mario all right here's another guy from the same station, ESPN Cleveland, Emmitt Golden, ripping on Jared Verse and what he did.
00:39:32
Speaker 4: You got to match the attitude that you bring to Pittsburgh. Jared Verse was standing on business. We're going to make Pittsburgh ours. He said that, right? And then we heard from Hayward, and he said what he said. Who made the bigger plays yesterday, Jarrett versus Cam Hayward?
00:39:53
Speaker 2: Not even close. That's the difference.
00:39:56
Speaker 4: The difference is Cam said it, stood on it, and actually did.
00:40:00
Speaker 2: Something in the game.
00:40:01
Speaker 4: You know, where Jarrett said something, stood on it, and he did push down Rodgers once.
00:40:08
Speaker 2: He did that.
00:40:10
Speaker 3: Other than that, you didn't see.
00:40:11
Speaker 2: I barely even remember that, to be honest with you.
00:40:14
Speaker 1: And It's a good point that Cam was part of a defensive line that gave nothing to the Browns in terms of a run game and also provided the push for a lot of the linebackers to make plays, and Cam was involved in the sack as well. it was the guys who play versus position on the other side of the ball. When verse went out of his way to say, I don't care what cam says. And even mentioned, I go up against the offensive line. Well, is the guys who do your job on the other side of the ball that stood out yesterday while the Browns defensive front was shredded by the Steelers offensive line in the run game and couldn't get after an old man quarterback and make him the least bit uncomfortable thrown to his own receivers might've made him uncomfortable.
00:40:55
Speaker 2: I was uncomfortable watching it.
00:40:57
Speaker 1: Like I, That's a different form of elder abuse when an old man tries to be that nice to you, DK Metcalf, and you just throw it right back.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: Into his face and turn it into a turnover. 105.9 The X.
Speaker 1: I've given you my big-picture take on what happened Sunday at Akershire Stadium, why I'm so high on that Browns win. It wasn't just getting revenge on Cleveland for what happened in Cleveland a month earlier. It wasn't just the Jared Verst situation. It wasn't just the fact that they won 27-6 and have won four in a row and managed to avoid a pitfall for an entire month, which pretty much never happened in the Mike Tomlin era. All those things were really good, and if you want to talk about them, you can at 833-412-7000. 99 39 but it was also the manner in which the Steelers won they won being the kind of team that they are built to be right now and they won being the kind of team they've tried to be for so many years It's been forever since the Steelers were really about running the football, stopping the run, and getting after the quarterback. They fancied themselves as such for the past month. That's been exactly what they've been, and it's turned their season around to the point now that they're in solid playoff position and may be looking at an 11 or 12 win season and a two or three seed in the AFC. I can't believe I'm saying all that out loud, but it is all possible, and it's all good. However, there were a few things from the game yesterday against the Browns that did drive me a little bonkers. Yeah, some of it was the officiating, and we can talk about that some more if you like.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: But let me give you three.
00:01:24
Speaker 1: Things that I think need to be talked about coming out of that game against Cleveland that were areas of concern, emphasis for improvement, or just generally things that got under your skin watching the game.
00:01:38
Speaker 2: Number one.
00:01:39
Speaker 1: I agree with all the fans who booed the offense off the field when it flubbed that goal line sequence in the second quarter. You were right to do so. If I was allowed to do it in the press box, I would have done the same thing. Rodgers threw an ill-fated fade pass to DK Metcalf for an incompletion on first down. He threw another incompletion on second down, and Jalen Warren got stuffed on third down.
00:02:04
Speaker 2: The Steelers had to settle for a.
00:02:06
Speaker 1: Field goal to make it 10-0 to end a drive that consumed 86 yards over 7 minutes and 13 plays.
00:02:13
Speaker 2: They deserved more than that. They cut themselves off you-know-where. And they deserve more than that.
00:02:20
Speaker 1: They did it to themselves, the offense did. And by the offense, I mean the collective offense. McCarthy, Rogers, whoever's in charge, they want to share blame. They want to share credit.
00:02:30
Speaker 3: Go ahead.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: Well, this is blame here on this one. The Steelers were running it down Cleveland's throat. No need to throw on first and second down. They did it anyway. Bad choice. I hated that sequence. Pittsburgh also stalled out in the red zone on its next possession and relied on another Boswell field goal from 37 yards. That kept the Browns to the 10 points instead of it being 17-3 with just over three minutes left in the half. Number two, I thought the defense got a little too soft too soon at one point. I hated the defensive sequence immediately after that second Boswell field goal, the one that started with 319 left in the first half. The defense had a chance to get off the field on Cleveland's 32 at the two-minute warning, but Watson completed a 24-yard attempt to Casey Concepcion on a third and three. Watson moved the Browns to the Pittsburgh 32. Then he got sacked by Watt for an eight-yard loss. But the Steelers let that Harold Fannin tight end, who occasionally seems to drive them crazy, he got nine yards on the next snap, and they kicked a field goal from 49 yards out, and that pulled Cleveland within 13-6. I don't have a lot of bad things to say about the defense after yesterday. That sequence made me a little bonkers. And the third thing is, I talked about this with Matt Williamson. I'm sure some Steelers fans are going to disagree with this. The Pat Bush touchdown worked at the end of the first half, but just because they scored doesn't make it the right move. You know, sometimes that happens. Something can work out. It doesn't mean it was smart to do. That was too heavy of a bet to make with no timeouts remaining and only five seconds of the clock. Just kick the field goal there and make it a two-score game. Not only do the Steelers gamble those three surefire points, but the Browns would have gone in the locker room with a ton of momentum, and had they stuffed that play, who knows how things go from there. The risk-reward for that decision just was not worth it. No one's talking about it because it worked out and it seems so simple, but, If you don't even walk away with three there after having allowed yourself to only settle for three the last two times in the red zone, I think we're all pulling our hair out at halftime and that third quarter has a very different tone.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: So if you agree with.
00:04:51
Speaker 1: Any of those points to complain or you think that I missed some, let me hear it at 833-412-9939. There are a couple other big picture things that are talking points coming out of that game. Like, I know some people are upset about how Fannin went off. People worried about covering the tight end. I don't think it's that big of a deal. You can't take away everything. They were much better against Judkins this time around. They were much better against the rookie wide receivers. They attacked the line of scrimmage and got after Watson better. The pass rush was significantly better. You can't stop everything all the time. It felt to me that like at times last year, The Browns are really reliant on Fannin. He's a good tight end. He's not going to make me forget about Travis Kelsey. So if they've got to start with him as the best option, and he gets you for 154, you can live with that.
00:05:45
Speaker 2: He had a good game.
00:05:46
Speaker 1: I don't see it as a chronic problem that's going to kill the Steelers down the line. The other thing that was brought up, and this is a much bigger question, and this is something that does concern me, is the wide receiver stuff. The DK Metcalf dropped the bobble that turned into an interception.
00:06:02
Speaker 2: That was maddening.
00:06:03
Speaker 1: And of course, the lack of wide receiver production is something that isn't just a one-off against Cleveland. This has been a problem for a while now. The passing game doesn't look particularly dynamic. Their chunk plays seem to be all about what Jalen Warren gets or what Rico Dowdle gets or what Darnell Washington gets because people get so enamored of just looking at how big he is, they forget to actually cover him, and you get what you get yesterday. You know, Washington had a great day. Friermuth made some big plays. And, of course, the running backs were there to swing for the fences. You can't count on huge chunk plays from the running backs all the time in every game.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: It's just.
00:06:44
Speaker 1: Not something you can rely on, even though Warren seems to keep making it happen and good for him. Now, I asked this question online because I put out a poll earlier to start the show and we've gotten some response on it. Let me load it back up here and give you an update on where it stands. I asked, the Steelers have nine games left after their bye. How many will they win? 46% of you, so almost half of you said they'll win five. 32% of you said they'll win six.
00:07:10
Speaker 2: I think it's five.
00:07:11
Speaker 1: I get why some of you might say six at this point, because the back half of the schedule has gotten soft. And then it's equal balance when it comes to those who are on the lunatic fringe, optimist, lunatic fringe, pessimist.
00:07:24
Speaker 2: Those of you saying that they're going to win at least seven games.
00:07:27
Speaker 1: 11%, those of you saying that they're going to only win four games or fewer, 10%.
00:07:34
Speaker 2: It's funny how that works out, that there's just as many.
00:07:37
Speaker 1: There's 10% of people in each way saying it's going to be really, really bad from this point on, or it's going to be even better than what we just saw. I can't imagine it being much better than what we just saw. They needed to get to six. They got to six. I don't necessarily feel like this is a team on the ascent of I feel like this is a team where it's supposed to be. We all said at the bye, they better have five or six wins. They got their six wins. They won these four games in a row that they had to win after the drop of a game in Cleveland, which has just become an annual horror show for them.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: So, like, I look at what they did as a positive correction.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: I don't see it as portending like they're going to keep winning and go on a 9-10-11 game win streak going up towards Christmas.
00:08:22
Speaker 2: What do you think?
00:08:23
Speaker 3: Again, 833-412-9939.
00:08:23
Speaker 2: And I followed up that question by also asking.
00:08:29
Speaker 1: If you're somebody who thinks, if you're in that minuscule percentage, if you're someone who thinks that they're going to only win maximum four games and they're going to be a 10-win team again at the end of the year, what is concerning you the most?
00:08:42
Speaker 2: Is it the lack of wide receivers?
00:08:44
Speaker 1: Do you think that the second half schedule is actually harder than it appears right now on paper? Is it the past reliance in the red zone that's driving everybody crazy? Is it that this team is going to age poorly into December? Are you mad that they didn't play Renegade? Like, if you are of the mind that you want to have some unfettered, unrestricted optimism, but something's holding you back, what is it? Is it something I just mentioned, or did I miss it? So I'll get to some of the responses here. This guy actually says he's glad the Steelers went for it at the end of the half. Tomlin never would have gone for it. Rather see them take a risk, unlike for the last 20 years. Generally speaking, I agree with that sentiment. I just felt like that one was too much, given the circumstances. And the fact that the defense was playing well enough that you could trust them if you just got three, that things weren't going to go haywire. This guy, Yinzergear, says if they stop throwing exclusively and lean on the run game inside the 10, I can see it. If they keep throwing, I'll take the under. Yeah, I'm not thrilled with their goal line performance either. I don't like what their approach is in the red zone. I'm counter to the notion of run, run, run all the way down the field and then let Rogers try to throw in the end zone to get his or try to force DK Metcalf into having some sort of imprint or impact on the game by way of trying to get him a six yard touchdown. Like he should be impacting the game more by catching balls 41 yards down the field. Like the one that was well-crafted for him yesterday that he dropped and bobbled into an interception. This guy, Ed, says it's the receiver's 100%. The defense went into a positive step yesterday.
00:10:28
Speaker 2: And I don't think it was just yesterday.
00:10:30
Speaker 1: I think the defense started with that game against Indy when they mimicked what they did the year before and they took one of the best running backs in the league and shut him down in Jonathan Taylor. So I think it started there, and then the pass rush came back a little bit against Tampa. It was hard to generate a pass rush while shutting down the run against New Orleans, but they did it enough to hold them to 10 points. And then yesterday, they crushed Deshaun Watson, and it looked like that game a couple years ago where they had seven sacks and they could have had 17. This guy, Rich, apparently thinks that the second half of the schedule is going to be more difficult than I'm giving it credit for. He says there will be losses to the Bengals, Denver, Jacksonville, and at the Ravens.
00:11:18
Speaker 2: I could see it. Sure, they could lose all those games.
00:11:21
Speaker 1: If there's one, though, that I swing out of that to say that they only have three losses on the back half, it's the Broncos game. I know the Broncos are winning enough as it is right now. They're leading their division. Jacksonville is playing pretty well. In the South, I think it's going to be a tough game to win on the road on Monday Night Football. Regardless of the situation, you know, they lost to DTR and the Browns for crying out loud. They could lose at the Ravens just because it's Baltimore and you can still split there. And this Bengals return game is going to be tough, just like it was a tough return game for Cleveland to try to win here. The Denver game, they really should win. And I know Denver's a good team. I know you're worried about the coaching matchup with Peyton, but it's going to be a short week.
00:12:05
Speaker 2: A road game for the Broncos. It's Black Friday.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: Do you really want to spend Thursday Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh and then have to play a game on Black Friday in Pittsburgh? That feels like a way to soften up the Broncos. If you get that game one o'clock on a Sunday or 425 on a Sunday or a Sunday night or something like that. Yeah, I could see that being a really tricky putt.
00:12:30
Speaker 2: Them coming here.
00:12:31
Speaker 1: On a Friday after not getting to spend Thanksgiving with your family or in the cozy confines of your home, that strikes me as an.
00:12:41
Speaker 2: Advantage for the Steelers.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: So if I'm going to pick one game out of those four and say they really should win it, even though we're looking at the road Ravens game with potentially no Lamar Jackson, I'm still going to say it's that Bronco game. Again, you can call 833-412-9939 or tweet me like all of them did. At Tim Benz, PGH. Still to come here in the 4 o'clock hour, we talk Penguins hockey with Phil Bork. And before the top of the hour, you think Jaquan Brisker and Jalen Warren are giving it to Jared Verse here. You should hear what he's getting at home back in Cleveland. We'll have some of those clips for you before the top of the 5 o'clock hour.
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00:13:45
Speaker 1: 4 o'clock hour, the Mark Madden Show with Phil Bork.
00:13:52
Speaker 2: Coming up shortly.
00:13:52
Speaker 1: We're going to talk to Borky about Penguins hockey. Everybody is a Twitter about the Steelers situation going into the bye and we'd love to see the same level of excitement over some Penguins wins too. Hopefully they get back to that. Thought they were on the way there with that Utah game. Yeah, what a gut punch that was. We'll talk to Borky about that and the Halloween game against Montreal and much, much more surrounding.
00:14:16
Speaker 2: The world of hockey. My God, you see that goal that McDavid scored. Oh, that was filthy. Man, that speed.
00:14:23
Speaker 1: It's like he skates on rails, and he's just moving at a different speed than everybody else. Jeff is calling from Virginia to talk about Stiller optimism.
00:14:31
Speaker 2: Hi, Jeff. You're on 105.9 The X.
00:14:34
Speaker 6: Hey, Tim. How you doing?
00:14:36
Speaker 2: I'm good.
00:14:38
Speaker 3: All right.
00:14:38
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think the big thing with the optimism of the football team, and I'll tell you what, just moving forward, when they're going to have to go to a young quarterback is the offensive line. They have really, I think from the first two weeks when they were really struggling, they have really made some tremendous strides. With that in defensive line as well, I mean, if you can run the football and stop the run like they are, you're going to keep yourself afloat. One thing I'd like to see moving forward, though, and they did this a couple of times yesterday, they need to start using play action a lot more. If you're going to be able to run the football like that, you've got to really take advantage with some play action shots. You hit Friar Muth a wide open down the seam. I should have had a huge play with DK. That's the recipe for success.
00:15:19
Speaker 3: Yeah. You know what?
00:15:19
Speaker 2: And that's, that's a good point.
00:15:21
Speaker 1: That's something I talked about a lot going into the saints game that the Steelers, despite the fact that their run game was starting to blossom and nobody except, I think it was two teams that had play action run against them more than new Orleans. The Steelers were a team that was third from the bottom and, when it came to trying play action passes.
00:15:47
Speaker 2: And I don't know why that is. I don't know what the numbers have been the last two weeks.
00:15:51
Speaker 1: I know they tried it once or twice against the Saints, but I'm with you.
00:15:56
Speaker 2: That should be more of a part of their game.
00:15:59
Speaker 1: And if they're having trouble beating man coverage, maybe it makes people wait, think, stop for a second, and just create some confusion in the secondary game.
00:16:10
Speaker 2: For the opposing team. I'm with you. I'd like to see more play action.
00:16:13
Speaker 1: I've said that for years, but I think because the run game is as effective as it is, you've got that element to it baked in, so use it.
00:16:21
Speaker 2: You're right on that.
00:16:23
Speaker 6: Yeah, I just think the– I know McCarthy has background in West Coast offense, but that is just not with the receivers that they have. I mean, DK already is a train wreck to begin with. you have got to start trying to exploit him down the field because him running slants and all this underneath stuff is just not a part of his game. I'm not even really sure what his part is.
00:16:44
Speaker 1: Well, and the frustrating thing is, and thanks for the call, Jeff, because the frustrating thing is, for how many years do we sit around and say, oh, the Steelers can find a wide receiver anywhere. The Steelers can find a wide receiver anywhere. Look at where they got Heinz Ward. Look at where they got Antonio Brown. You know, they got Cedric Wilson off the scrap heap to help him win a Super Bowl. They got this guy from this random spot, that guy from that random spot. You know, they got Martavis in the fourth round. They got Juju whenever it was. They used the second round, but it was however many wide receivers were taken before him. And He was supposed to be their third guy, and he got elevated to their one, basically, by the end of that season.
00:17:18
Speaker 2: Antonio flipped out about it.
00:17:21
Speaker 1: Every time he turned around, there was another narrative about how the Steelers were beating the system with their wide receivers. Actually, it was right around then when they overvalued Juju and what he was capable of being. that you know it felt like things started to take a turn chase claypool oh they didn't have a first round and they found claypool in the second round he scored eight touchdowns in the first nine weeks everybody thought they had their next great guy and he fell off a cliff so it's frustrating that you know i talked about reputation before that the reputation the steelers has always been they run the ball to stop the run they get after the quarterback and a lot over these last five, six years as part of the playoff drought, the playoff wind drought that they're on right now. We keep saying that, and it hasn't been as true nearly as often as we say it. And that's what makes these last four wins feel so good, is that they're winning the way we remember the Steelers winning, and they're winning in a manner that they have to win for the team in the way that it's assembled. Sure, like to that last guy's point, I'd love for them to be a little bit more space-age on offense. I'd love for them to be a little bit more dynamic on offense and not have to rely on Jalen Warren deking and juking and running around guys and spinning people like a top 30 yards down the field, because it's not going to happen against better teams and better defenses. You've got to find some more organic passing game designs, receivers getting open, and the quarterback finding them down the field to get your big chunk plays. It can't always be about hoping that your running back stays healthy for 17 weeks and can pop off 51 yarders or 8 yarders like he was doing a couple weeks ago against the Colts. That can't be a card you continually think you can play all the time. The offensive line thing you talked about, yeah, the strides that they've made running the ball, the run blocking has been fantastic compared.
00:19:15
Speaker 2: To where it was for the first two weeks.
00:19:17
Speaker 1: Take those first two weeks out of it, and this has been a fantastic year running the football. And it got a lot better when they made the changes on the right side. I don't think it's coincidence. And I was worried about what the pass protection might look like yesterday, but it got better in that department too, like what Matt Williamson was saying about Troy Foutownu. I thought, in general, the pass protection was a lot better. I think Rodgers got hit twice. Now, granted, he didn't drop back a lot, but more than he needed to. He still only got hit twice. And verse was quiet as a church mouse because of it so yeah credit to the offensive line and the development there the next thing that needs to develop is the passing game from the quarterback out phil bork next 105.9 the.
00:19:58
Speaker 2: X From the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center. This report is sponsored by Lowe's. It's going to be cloudy tonight. Look for an overnight low of 53. Should be a pretty nice day tomorrow. Partly cloudy skies, warm. Look for a high of 75.
00:20:13
Speaker 6: Lowe's honors military members, veterans, and their spouses this Veterans Day.
00:20:17
Speaker 2: And every day with 10% off eligible purchases with no annual limit. Thank you. Genius, Mark Madden.
00:20:24
Speaker 6: Double M, huge fan.
00:20:25
Speaker 2: You're talking to the super genius.
00:20:26
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00:20:27
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00:20:29
Speaker 3: Ooh.
00:20:30
Speaker 2: The X at 105.9.
00:20:33
Speaker 1: Phil Bork joins us right now on 105.9 The X as we talk hockey on your home for the Pens. Tim Benz with you filling in for Mark Madden. All Penguin Games right here with Borky on the call on 105.9 The X. Next up, coming up for the Pens tomorrow night against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7 o'clock. Borky, before we start talking Pens, I gotta ask you about that Connor McDavid goal and his season so far to date. Have you ever seen a guy skate like him stylistically? I mean, his speed is something else, but the style with which he skates is so unique. And boy, did it manifest on that goal last night, 50 seconds into the game.
00:21:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, good to be on with you, Tim. And the answer is, to the first part of your question, no. To the second part of your question, no. I've never seen anybody skate like him or stylistically skate like him. You know, we used to marvel at the Russian rocket, right? Pavel Bure, right? Even Mike Gardner, it seemed like at times he had rockets coming out of his backside, right? Those were some of the elite players, you know, 30 years ago. This guy is different. And you can say what you want about Nathan McKinnon, but Nathan McKinnon is more like a.
00:21:53
Speaker 3: More like a stallion, right? He's a little more like a fast Clydesdale. He's so heavy, you can hear his blades cutting into the ice. He also goes Mach 1. And then there's McDavid, right? And you're right, he has such a skating style. it reminds me of some National Geographic shows I used to watch. Remember those frogs that used to just run on top of the water and they had kind of these big webbed feet and they would just go a million miles an hour on top of the water? If you don't know what I'm talking about, just Google it and you'll be like, oh yeah, that totally makes sense. Yeah, his skating style is so unique. He's not a big guy. He's kind of wiry, but the way he's able to snap his ankles and create so much speed because he's he's almost running. It's not like I took power skating, Tim. And it, it, it doesn't compute in my head as far as a power skating teacher showing you how to stride. It's not like Connor McDavid at all. And then when you have the mind in the hands going as fast as the feet, you've got what you've got. It's, it is, it's, it's, I watch it over and over again. I'm like, Oh, did they just speed that up? Did somebody like hit a, you know, times three button? No, it's normal speed. It's, Seriously, it's the closest thing we've ever had in the NHL to superhuman.
00:23:15
Speaker 1: I think you make a good differentiation there in how speed looks. Like, Sid and McKinnon, Sid at the height of his speed when he was first breaking into the league.
00:23:25
Speaker 2: McKinnon, like you described, is a stallion.
00:23:27
Speaker 1: I think that's a good way because there's a gallop to what McKinnon does. With McDavid, it's like rod hockey, except he changes direction. Like, you can just push the rod forward as fast as you want to, but he also changes direction. It's like a Porsche built really low to the ground that has all sorts of handling, can take every curve and bend in the road. It's bizarre. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. And then that self-pass to get himself going between to beat two guys.
00:23:57
Speaker 2: But what do I care about the goals? He's got 30 assists in 15 games. It's ridiculous.
00:24:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, he has definitely– and over the last– look at his numbers over the last couple of years. He's not twice as many, but almost twice as many assists as goals. I mean, he's at that point now. But I guess when you have a guy like Dreisaitl on the wing almost 90% of the time you're on the ice, you're looking for that guy because he's a pure goal scorer. But he's also an elite passer, too, on his forehand and backhand. But just real quick on McDavid, for most guys that can skate fast, it seems like the wires get a little bit crossed the closer they get to the net, right? And you see this great chance. And then once they're on top of the goalie, it like rolls off their stick or they shank their shot or it just doesn't manifest into a goal. For Connor McDavid, if he gets by that D-man, probably 90% of the time, it's in the back of the net. And that's what I'm talking about. Like, the mind and the hands can keep up with the feet, which that doesn't make sense to me. I get you can be fast with your feet, but for your hands to keep up with that is really something special.
00:25:07
Speaker 1: No, you're right, because, you know, there are some guys who are like that of Penguin's lore. Like, you know, Konstantin Koltsov, if the boards weren't there, he would have wound up on Fifth Avenue.
00:25:16
Speaker 2: You know, like he was.
00:25:19
Speaker 2: Marty Strzok at times just.
00:25:21
Speaker 1: he figured it out eventually, but especially when he was young, you know, he was a guy that could skate like, you know, a demon right up on top of the goalie. And then it took a little while for him to figure out and get the puck in the net. But, you know, eventually he did that. So I know the guys that you're talking about, but he's just a different breed right now, McDavid, and he's tons of fun to watch.
00:25:39
Speaker 2: Do you think this is their year, Edmonton?
00:25:44
Speaker 3: When you say their year, you must be talking about stealing the cup, right? Yeah.
00:25:48
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:25:49
Speaker 3: Um, Listen, it's the same equation in 1991-92 as it is in 2026. Do you have the star power? Yes. Do you have the foot soldiers that can dig their oars a little deeper in the water when games get really, really important? They've got some guys. I'm not convinced they have the guys. Here's the last part of the equation. Again, same as 35 years ago as it is right now. Do you have the goalie? Do you have the goalie that can win you a game? Not necessarily win you a series. but could win you a game to get you through a series. That's where the giant question mark is for me. Listen, you can play the wheels off of 97 and 29, Dreisaitl and McDavid. What, are you going to play these guys 25 minutes every single night, Tim? What the hell are they going to have left in May and June? So I guess that's a long-winded answer to your question that, no, I don't see him winning a Stanley Cup at Edmonton. As good as they've been so far... I just don't see it happening. And the biggest thing, they don't have the goalie.
00:26:52
Speaker 1: Do the Penguins have their goalie of the future in Murashov, or are you starting to question that?
00:26:56
Speaker 3: I'm not questioning it. I'm feeling for him. I feel it, you know, because I know how special of a talent he is. But not having a win this year, I'm sure weighs on him. And you've heard the interviews, Tim. You've interviewed him. He's a very smart guy. And I just think this is not something he's ever experienced. I mean, you can go on Hockey TV. You can go on Elite Prospects. Look at his numbers. Ever since he was a Bantam, his numbers are, his goals against is under two. His save percentage is over 930. And he just wins everywhere he's been, except for right now. And so it's really tough for me to give you comments and or a grade. on Sergey Maryshev, just because I feel like he's absolutely under siege. The amount of quality chances against him are just way too many. Now, with that being said, there's a lot of quality chances against Artur Shilov, too, and Shilov is just making one or two more saves right now. So, again, that's just a crappy answer to your good question, but I just feel like Patience is the key here, but also communication and making sure you keep the spirits up high. And at the end of the day, if I'm a player in front of Sergey Marashov, I'm looking myself in the mirror and going, damn it, I got to be way better. I got to motivate my guys, my teammates to be better in front of this guy. And let's get this guy a W.
00:28:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm more of the opinion that if there's an X factor right now, it's not that the quality of competition is too high for him. I think the quality of play in front of him has been so substandard that it just has to get better. And that's where the variance will eventually kick in.
00:28:52
Speaker 6: Exactly.
00:28:52
Speaker 3: Does he have the ability to win a game by himself?
00:28:57
Speaker 6: Yeah, he does.
00:28:57
Speaker 3: But again, now his confidence is little chinks. He's human. I know at times he seems not robotic, but he seems like he's just really... got everything together. And when you go through what he's going through right now, where, you know, I, I, I think it's what, 15 goals against 16 goals against in his last three games, something like that. Again, he's human. It's going to take a little bit of a chink out of your armor. And so, yeah, I, I think it's really important time. to keep him real then and keep him confident and keep him believing that there's better times coming. I know he's a guy that really believes in himself, a very confident without being cocky type of guy. But I think he needs to be surrounded by a lot of positiveness, if you will, because he's a special, special talent and you don't want to damage that with the way things have gone early on here as far as the Penguins defensive structure.
00:29:56
Speaker 1: Borky, the game against the Canadians, the calendar turning to November, a goal and two assists for Sid, is that the game that kind of gets him going this season?
00:30:08
Speaker 3: You always look for things like that, right? Because we've seen it before. Yeah, it's a puck drop, right? The way he put the puck in his skate and then laid out a big hit on Gooley. I mean, that's a monster shift. That's a statement shift. And so... We'll see tomorrow night. I mean, Vegas in town here tomorrow night. They're playing in Boston tonight. And so I think Sid sees where we are in the standings. We're not that far away from dead last in the Eastern Conference. We've got to figure this out really quick because with two more games in the regular season, 84 instead of 82, that means the number's going to go up as far as the wild cards, right? So in the past, it's been anywhere from 96 to 98. It might take 100 points now, Tim, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the math of how many points the Penguins have now, how many games, 70 games left, and how many points they're going to need to get at least 100 to get into the playoffs. Sid knows that. And so with that being said, they've got to start stringing some wins together. And you've got two tough games coming up against Vegas and Boston. And then you go on the road and you play the three California teams. And yeah, you're going to need Sid playing like you did in Montreal the other night. But at the end of the day, this isn't golf, tennis, or lawn darts. It's a team game, and they need a lot of other guys. It just can't be 39-year-old Sidney Crosby being the guy to carry the Penguins to a win. They need a lot more guys digging their oars in deeper.
00:31:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, bring up the schedule. I was going to ask you about that. You know, looking at the Knights and seeing where they are in the Pacific, that makes sense to me. We just talked about how great the Oilers are to start the season.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: And maybe a little bit of an anomaly.
00:31:51
Speaker 1: I mean, one thing that I would imagine would come back to earth for them, they haven't lost on the road yet.
00:31:55
Speaker 2: They're 7-0.
00:31:56
Speaker 1: They got 14 out of 14 points, 7-0-0 on the road.
00:31:59
Speaker 2: So, like, that'll calm down. But what about Boston?
00:32:02
Speaker 1: Like, getting 21 points in 15 games, how has that come to be so far?
00:32:10
Speaker 3: Goaltending, number one. Jeremy Swayman is having an unbelievable year so far. Marco Sturm is a really, really good coach. In fact, as a broadcaster, I get a vote for the Jack Adams, which is coach of the year, and I gave a vote to Marco Sturm. I just think he's a hell of a coach, and when you look at that lineup, you're like, how are they doing it, right? Their star players are playing really, really good, and they're just really playing like a team, and when They need a goal from a third or fourth line guy, they're getting it. When they need a goal from one of their top guys, they're getting it. And when they need a save from their number one goalie, they're getting it. And even their number two goalie is– now there's a little bit of good vibes, right? There's a little bit of a mojo going on right now, and everybody's starting to say, oh, wait a minute here, this is something special. It reminds me a little bit of what the Penguins did early on last year, where they didn't blow people out of the water with their lineup, but everybody was chipping in when needed– and it gave them a pretty good record in the month of October last year, 8-2-2, and the Boston Bruins are doing the same. That's a well-oiled machine, and they're really tough on home ice, and Vegas will have all they can handle tonight against the Spoke B.
00:33:23
Speaker 1: What challenges, speaking of coaches, do you think are facing Dan Mews right now? He had the, I will say it this way, he had the advantage of being a new voice in his rookie season.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: There's something to that.
00:33:35
Speaker 1: Obviously, there was to an 8-2-2 start a season ago, What challenges most face him right now as a coach in his second year?
00:33:46
Speaker 3: How to get this team to buy in on defensive hockey on a consistent basis. How they get back to believing they can still generate offense from strong defensive play. How to make them have more urgency. When I say defense, I'm talking about in three zones because defense isn't just in the defensive zone. And defense isn't just in the neutral zone. Defense starts in the offensive zone. And part of defense is managing the puck and not turning the puck over when you don't have to or you're not forced to. There's just too much of that. And so he's in his handful right now because not only does he need everybody to start clicking in because it's not a good enough team. It's not a... a good enough constructed team to have four or five guys locked in. They need everybody locked in. And so that's a challenge not to motivate them, Tim, because if you've got to motivate players at the NHL level, then beat it, hit the bricks, you're in the wrong league. So it's not motivating guys, but it's getting them to all commit and buy in on a consistent basis. Number one, number two, I mentioned, there are some guys that are not, really close to their A or B game, and they're struggling with their C game right now. And how do you get those guys to get the confidence and get back to what got them to be a Pittsburgh Penguin? And so he's got his hands full right now. And Dan knows, and you can't deliver that message with any kind of panic in your voice, but you have to walk that tightrope of stroking that urgency without it being too over the top. It's very challenging right now for Dan Mews.
00:35:29
Speaker 2: Borky, I appreciate the time.
00:35:31
Speaker 1: Have a great call on Tuesday and Thursday here on The X for the home games against Vegas and Boston, and then enjoy the trip to California.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: This has been Good Hockey Talk.
00:35:42
Speaker 3: Thanks, Tim. Enjoyed our time together, and you're right. It was Good Hockey Talk.
00:35:47
Speaker 1: And by the way, Phil Bork brought to us here on 105.9 The X by People's Natural Gas, reminding you to call 811 before you dig. Even landscaping work requires you to call 811. More info at peoples-gas.com. Yeah, I brought up the 7-0-0 record for the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins right now, the opposite of that when it comes to their road performance, basically, almost. 1-6-1 away from home. They're actually 4-1-1 at PPG Paints Arena. It's how they gave away a couple of those games where you said to yourself, boy, those would have been a couple of extra nice points to have. But 1-6-1 away from home, and now they've got to go on the road after one West Coast trip already, to do it again against Los Angeles. Let me see if I got the order right on this. I want to make sure I get the order right. Los Angeles is the first game on Saturday. Edmonton, the second game on Sunday. Then San Jose on Wednesday the 11th. So two more home games Tuesday, Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Then they're not back at home again until Saturday the 14th against Ottawa.
00:36:52
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00:36:57
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00:36:59
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00:37:00
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00:37:02
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00:37:03
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00:37:22
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00:37:30
Speaker 1: We played for you all the soundbites from Jaquan Brisker and Jalen Warren ripping on Jared Verse. Brisker ripping on Deshaun Watson. Well, you know, Jared Verse, all things being equal, is probably getting it here in Pittsburgh less than he is in Cleveland right now. Like, he's getting skewered in Cleveland, and rightfully so, because, well.
00:37:58
Speaker 2: You talk like that, you don't come through.
00:38:00
Speaker 1: It's one thing for the fans in the other town to get on your back, but now you've got to go home and face everybody in your own hometown. Like, okay, here's what was said on ESPN in Cleveland with Tony Rizzo and what he had to say about Jared versus one tackle performance against the Steelers after all that yapping he did leading up to the game.
00:38:25
Speaker 5: Jared first got his ass body slammed. Yeah, keep talking, dude. I tell you kids this, I've done this a long time. Oh, I don't care that he talked. I don't care that he talked yet.
00:38:36
Speaker 2: How about now?
00:38:37
Speaker 5: Care that he talked now? No sex, and he got his ass body slammed.
00:38:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was courtesy of Mason McCormick.
00:38:46
Speaker 1: And by the way, I've seen this meme now that somebody has told me has been going around where it's somebody wearing number 66 in an AI generated photo slash painting of dumping verse on his head. I think that AI needs to be told that Alan Fanica retired a long time ago. because the photo is clearly fanica wearing number 66 it's not mccormick mccormick has a bald head this this photo this ai generated photo is 100 percent fanica i mean it's a good ai photo it's just the wrong 66 i'm surprised they didn't make it mario all right here's another guy from the same station, ESPN Cleveland, Emmitt Golden, ripping on Jared Verse and what he did.
00:39:32
Speaker 4: You got to match the attitude that you bring to Pittsburgh. Jared Verse was standing on business. We're going to make Pittsburgh ours. He said that, right? And then we heard from Hayward, and he said what he said. Who made the bigger plays yesterday, Jarrett versus Cam Hayward?
00:39:53
Speaker 2: Not even close. That's the difference.
00:39:56
Speaker 4: The difference is Cam said it, stood on it, and actually did.
00:40:00
Speaker 2: Something in the game.
00:40:01
Speaker 4: You know, where Jarrett said something, stood on it, and he did push down Rodgers once.
00:40:08
Speaker 2: He did that.
00:40:10
Speaker 3: Other than that, you didn't see.
00:40:11
Speaker 2: I barely even remember that, to be honest with you.
00:40:14
Speaker 1: And It's a good point that Cam was part of a defensive line that gave nothing to the Browns in terms of a run game and also provided the push for a lot of the linebackers to make plays, and Cam was involved in the sack as well. it was the guys who play versus position on the other side of the ball. When verse went out of his way to say, I don't care what cam says. And even mentioned, I go up against the offensive line. Well, is the guys who do your job on the other side of the ball that stood out yesterday while the Browns defensive front was shredded by the Steelers offensive line in the run game and couldn't get after an old man quarterback and make him the least bit uncomfortable thrown to his own receivers might've made him uncomfortable.
00:40:55
Speaker 2: I was uncomfortable watching it.
00:40:57
Speaker 1: Like I, That's a different form of elder abuse when an old man tries to be that nice to you, DK Metcalf, and you just throw it right back.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: Into his face and turn it into a turnover. 105.9 The X.
