January 9, 2025 • 41 mins
Mike, Matt, and Merril get you and Pittsburgh ready for the first round of the playoffs as the Steelers head to Baltimore for a Saturday night wild card game.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Steelers Preview show on wdv E Pittsburgh,
brought to you by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers
by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about the benefits
and by the Steelers Pro Shop. Get it to wreck
from the team at shop dot Steelers dot com. And
now here are your hosts, Merril Hodge, Matt Williamson and
(00:21):
Mike Persuda.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Good evening and welcome to a special two hour playoff
edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers Flagship
one O two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Mike Persuda and Matt Williamson with you. Our factor back,
Meryl Hodge, will be along directly, and because we have
more time tonight, we're gonna spend a little more time
(00:45):
with Meryl two segments instead of one as we get
things cranked up here in hour one. But Matt, Steelers
back in the playoffs, which you know they get there
with regularity. Yeah, no playoff wins in the last seven
seasons is the big elephant in this room or if
(01:05):
you're out there listening, whatever room you're in TJ. Watt
had some things to say about that today, which I'll
get to in a minute, but I wanted to start
by asking you who, if anyone, is carrying that baggage
and how heavy is it?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
But first off, it's Ravens week. How great is that?
It's playoff week? How great is that? I mean, that's Christmas.
I mean it's a phenomenal football game. I'm looking forward to.
And I know spirits are down around here, but I
give a better chance than a lot of people out there.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I'll be honest, I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
This is the matchup I actually wanted to see, Yeah,
because I didn't.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
Want to go to Houston and win a mediocre game.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
You know, cut to the chase, play a team that's
perceived as a contender.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
And eliminate them and let's see what you got.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, And frankly, I think Lamar in company are carrying
a lot of the baggage you mentioned. You know, you
don't have any you don't have a whole lot of
playoff success. You're hearing that like crazy. I'm sure the
last two Steeler games, he's been here. And why are
you great against thirty teams? Except for this one. You know, well,
you know this time it's man. You've had a great career.
(02:10):
La Maaro might win another MVP, but why aren't you
having the playoff success? You know, there's a lot of
weight on their shoulders, not that the Steelers don't have any,
but I don't think that I'm thrilled with this matchup.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
If I'm Harbaugh, you know, yeah.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
I might not be either.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I mentioned TJ. Watt had some things to say about Yeah.
I talked to him about this a couple of years ago.
He called it the drought, and of course we go
back to that. At the end of last season, Art
Rooney the Second said there's urgency to win in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
And all of that.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
TJ.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
Watt let everybody know today.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
From where I was standing, at least a more emotional
and a more emphatic manner than what usually displays when
he talks to the media.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
You said he's usually pretty calculated. Yeahah, yeah, and he
doesn't want.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
To make a lot of noise and make a lot
of headlines.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
But he let everybody know they in no uncertain terms
that he knows what he hasn't.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Won, say all the time that there's there's a big
difference between guys that come back that are Super Bowl
champions and guys that aren't. And that's not a slight
of the guys that aren't.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
I'm one of those guys right now.
Speaker 7 (03:15):
But there's definitely an aura in a a sense to
a guy that has won a Super Bowl and there's
a together that's a close knit group of guys that
when they come back for those alumni weekends, they hang
out and they bond and they talk about their successes
on and off the field and that super Bowl run, and.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
We want that.
Speaker 7 (03:34):
Every guy in here wants that. There's not a there's
not a don't confuse any of this lack of success
for lack of effort. Everybody's trying. We're turning over every stone,
every stone that we possibly can to be great.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
We want to be great. We just need to do
it together.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
And that's not saying that we haven't, but we just
need to do everything collectively and play complimentary football. Win
the time matters most, and there's definitely a sense of
urgency because it's the playoffs in the National FOOTBA League
is whatever what he plays the game for love it.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
There's an aura about those guys that have won it.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yeah, can you imagine, right, And he's been around a
lot of them to come back, right.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
You know, he wants to come back to Alumni Weekend
twenty years from now and talk about his Super.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Bowl ringer two on his finger.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
From in this with his guys. I mean, they want
it bad. They haven't gotten it.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
No playoff wins since the twenty sixteenth season, but as
Wat said, it's not because they're not trying. Watt also
maintained today Matt that he thinks this current Stealers addition,
despite the current four game losing streak, has what it
takes to flip the script.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
We've had a hell of a good year until these
last couple of weeks, honestly, and we know that we
have the talent, we have the coaching staff, we have
the scheme, we have everything that a good football team
requires to make a playoff push. It's just a matter
of playing good football collectively, and we haven't been doing
that lately. But that doesn't mean that we can't get
it back. And it's much easier to get something back
(04:57):
than it is to try to rebuild it or build
it from the starting. We've had a great week. But
I feel like I said that a lot this year.
It's all about XQT.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
You know, Russell Wilson.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Kind of went down a similar path a couple of
days ago at ten and three. This was a hell
of a football team. Oh yeah, after the last four,
they're never going to win another game.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
It's not how the league works, No, it really is.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
But I like them then, and I still like their potential.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Now we've seen it.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
It's not like boy never saw from this team. And frankly,
some of the offenses we've seen the last couple of
years weren't playoff worthy even close. And you know they
would back into the playoffs and go to Kansas City
or Buffalo and frankly not have a really good chance
to win that game. This is a better team than
what we've seen the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Ten point underdog.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
I think that's it seems a little I think that's
high a little strong.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I think it's a typical Raven Steelers matchup. You
mentioned at the outside of the show tonight. Just how
much we look forward to these games, right, my god,
we get.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
A third, be a third, and I love TJ being
enthusiastic and vocal and being a leader, the best player.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Let's take a look at the practice participation report. And
since the game's on Saturday, this is Friday in Steeler world,
so we actually have the game status. The big news
and it's not exactly a revelation, but no Zay Flowers.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Good for the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
We'll get into this in detail with Meryl Hodge, but
that's a big guy for Baltimore not to.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Have absolutely dynamic playmaker. The one thing, too, is a
lot of these quarterbacks my homes, but Burrow. They're attacking
the Steelers very early in the down. Ball's coming out quick.
Well that's there's I mean, that would go into Zay Flowers.
He's their instant open guy, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Also, wide receiver slash return specialist Deontay Hardy is questionable
with a knee slash personal problem. Everybody else is full
go for Baltimore. On the Pittsburgh side, things are pretty
optimistic as well. You've got guard Mason McCormick hand as questionable.
(07:08):
I got some faith in Spencer Anderson.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, oh yeah, I think he's fine.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Yeah, I mean it sounds like McCormick's probably gonna go
with a broken hand, but that doesn't mean he's gonna
finish with that broken hand either.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And then questionable Calvin Anderson in offensive tackle who was
on the return clock from the reserve physically unable to
perform list, and three guys still on the twenty one
day clock trying to get back from the reserve injured list,
wide receiver Roman Wilson, linebacker Cole Holcomb, and defensive lineman
(07:38):
Logan Lee. All those guys are out, but they're not
even on the roster yet. So other than the ir guys,
Matt shape.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Pretty good shape for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, and both teams are in pretty good shape. But
Flowers is a huge loss.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
One thing he didn't mention is they released Scotty Miller
a couple hours ago, and we were speculating on the
drive that maybe Calvin Anderson is activated just in case McCormick,
you know, can't go or struggles.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You know, Yeah, Scottie Miller one of the receivers that well,
I think that room's been a problem.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
It has.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I know everyone's thinking, well that that means opens the
door for Roman Wilson. I don't think that's the way
it'll probably go, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Steelers getting ready to play the Ravens on Saturday night
in Baltimore. Steelers Preview is brought to you in part
by the Steelers Pro Shop. Gear up with the latest
game day necessities. At the Official Steelers Pro Shops.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
You can get the.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Latest Sideline apparel, jerseys, terrible towels, authentic memorabilia, and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the Official Steelers Pro shops located at Akrosser Stadium,
the Grove City Premium.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Mountlets, and the Tanger Outlets.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You can also gear up online at shop dot Steelers
dot com. When we come back, we will welcome our
factor back, Merril Hodge to the show. Merrill is going
to be with us for two segments tonight. We've got
a two hour show planned for you tonight as we
get ready for the Steelers and the Ravens. So keep
it here because we are just getting warmed up. I
(09:10):
bet Merrill is going to be especially fired up.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
I would think should be.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
It's playoff time.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
If you're not fired up at this time, no matter
how your team got there, you're just not doing it right.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Everybody's zero zero right now let's go start over.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
With Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuit of Meryl Hodges. Next
right here on Steelers Preview on your Steelers Flagship one
o two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DVE.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Welcome back, Mike Pursuda and Matt Williamson with you on
our special two hour Steeler preview tonight right here on
your Steelers Flagship one of two point five DVE and
the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
We're getting ready for the playoff openers.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
How I've been putting it all a week, but it's
the first playoff game, because there's gonna be.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Another one and more and more.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
You know, maybe four of them. Who does time down
to welcome in? Are factor back, Meryll Hodge and Merril uh.
I wanted to.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Start with this despite my enthusiasm. The town is down,
or if I put it in proper Pittsburgh Eaese, that
time is down. People are not real fired up. From
what I can tell. Ravens have won four in a row,
Steelers have lost four in a row. Ravens keeps scoring
(10:35):
over thirty points, Steelers can't score more than twenty.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
How big of a climb. Is this gonna be?
Speaker 7 (10:44):
What?
Speaker 6 (10:45):
It's a bit of a climb.
Speaker 8 (10:46):
I'm not gonna surve coda or deny that it would be.
It's a big ask, but it can be done. Now,
the two areas that they would have to get bet.
Let's if we just hear the second matchup as an example.
There's two things that they they need to address and
get better at if they're going to win this one.
(11:08):
So if we start with the offensive side, how they
fubled the football and how Russell Wilson plays has to
be better.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I'm sorry, I thought I was talking to Merrill Hodge
and you said throw the football first. Yeah you didn't,
Derek Henriji Harris, We'll get.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
To Derrick Henry. Yeah, you're right, Calendar power right. But listen,
let's let's let's talk about first of all, what wins
a super Bowl or what wins the championship. Teams win
championships period, the area that must play the very best.
And this is I'm killing you. This is historically true
(11:50):
from when I played to them. Really became an emphasis
when I got the ESPN, because we used to wrap
up every super Bowl win with a Super Bowl Show.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
And it was.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
There was one thing that was consistent with every Super
Bowl winner. It wasn't the m v P. It wasn't
a receiver, it wasn't a dB, it wasn't the linebacker.
It was how well they played in the trenches defensively
and offensively the right but every Super Bowl winner, everybody,
(12:22):
I mean, you could have taken an m v P
from there.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
We could. You could throw me a super Bowl and
I say, okay.
Speaker 8 (12:27):
Yeah here, here's who wanted bry quarterback And I'll tell
you a pass rusher should have won it or they're
oft be blind as a whole should have won their
defensive time anyway. So let's just that's where it starts
and ends. That has to play better now from that
perspective where the Steelers have to play better and that
the ability to do this, they just haven't done it consistently.
(12:49):
They did a little bit of it in the first massive,
just not enough of it.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Like Russell Wilson has to play better early early in
the down.
Speaker 8 (12:58):
That boll has to come out like lit say this,
if the ball comes out, if you see topee drop
balls coming out and it's decisive, gets quick and it's short,
intermediate and they're taking shots.
Speaker 6 (13:08):
I'm telling you what, there's the hope.
Speaker 8 (13:10):
Okay, if it doesn't, then they're they're in deep trouble.
They're just there and they're done because there's not enough
phases to win. Like you've got to have a lot
of phases to your offense. That's how you win championships.
You can't be one dimensional because somebody's going to take
that away eventually on this run.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
So they have to find different ways to win.
Speaker 8 (13:32):
So the area that they have not been very good
in the last month is they haven't really been good
since the Cincinnati game and their ability to throw the
football in all phases, short, intermediate, and vertical, and Russell
just needs to be better. There's been good enough protection
at times now Obju Mine has to play better to
the right side as well.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
As a whole. They've struggled in critical moments.
Speaker 8 (13:56):
But from a passing perspective, if that's better, if Russell
Wilson's better and you see a rhythm and you see
different areas of the phil being attacked, they've solved the
one area they got to solve.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Now.
Speaker 8 (14:11):
The other area is how they handled Derrick Henry. They
did a really good job job with Lamar. They did
a great job with the line of scrimmage. They gave
him no escape routes vertically, they pushed him laterally, then
they made him make heart throws when he escaped, and
he didn't often make plays.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
But he did enough in the pocket to hurt you.
But you'll take that chance.
Speaker 8 (14:38):
But you don't want to do is let him kill
you with these legs too, because he can do it
with both.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
He doesn't both, it's over. But he didn't do it
with these legs.
Speaker 8 (14:45):
He did it with his a little bit with his arm.
But the other phase of that is Derrick Henry. There
were moments and then the past. Actually, even when he
was in Nashville, the Steelers defense played always played him well.
Aside from that that last batchup, they just were They
were not very good at their gap discipline.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
They got beat at the point of a tag.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
May want to shock you if I told you that
that last game December twenty first in Baltimore, Henry had
one hundred and sixty two yards rushing. That's the only
time he's gone over one hundred yards in five games
against the Steelers.
Speaker 8 (15:22):
That was not surprised me because this is the only
time I remember him just going off every other time.
You know they win the majority of them, You're not.
You're not gonna win every every stamp. I mean, that's
just a fact. Like we listened at the end of
the day, coaches will talk in these terms. Okay, there's
three phases to a team. Offense, defense, special teams. Cool,
(15:42):
those have to win. The one thing, the one we're
gonna win the special teams. That's what every team we'll
talk about. We're gonna win that, and then one of
these other two phases have to win. And we got
a really good chance if we went all three phases
and it's over. So you know, from from that perspective,
and then watching in that second going to your point
with Derrick Henry is I had not seen them lose
(16:07):
the line of scrimmage battle as many times as they
lost it. But they did enough good, they did enough,
they won enough times that you know can be done.
So those two areas, if they clean those two areas up,
if those two areas elevate themselves, we got a fistfight
at the fifty and it comes it'll come down to
(16:29):
last play.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Marian to go back to Russell Wilson, and he's had
a lot of drops. Protection hasn't been perfect, the running
game hasn't been ideal. But I don't think anyone's thrilled
with how he's played lately either. And a couple of
things I've noticed are the later in the down it goes,
the less effective he's become. He needs to be a
timing and rhythm, get it out on time type of player.
(16:53):
But I also see a defense is doing a lot
of late rotations and a lot of coverage changes up
right at the snap. It kind of delays that a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Yeah, well, listen Russell's history. Here's where he's really good.
Speaker 8 (17:06):
Okay, he's elite when I say good, that's actually probably
an understated He's elite when he picks it and sticks it.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
You know, an either or guy. You know.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
That's why he was so good in Seattle early on. Man,
it dominated the line of scrimmage. That fake the run
paralyzed the box and it's either I take my shot
or check it down or I run and wicked. Now,
if you ask him to read progressions, he's just never
been good at that. Yeah, you know, and he does
(17:38):
not process that very well. Just that's not his strength.
That's a big reason they ran him on Denver. I
mean John Oh, he Sean Payton was losing his mind,
I mean losing his mind, and he just went and tolerated.
And that's the area that teams to your point, I
(17:58):
forced him to They forced him to do that, and
they you know, but the Ravens did a good job conceptually.
Is they pushed the wall into his face with their
three down and then they spied on each side. So
and then that's the thing. He's five ten and there is.
People can say there isn't, but they're wrong. When you're
(18:19):
five to ten, those passing lanes get taken away from you,
and when that wall gets pushed in your face, you
lose your sight and you're I've stood in that pocket.
I'm six to one, okay, so I know the difference
between a five ten to six to one and a
six to three guy That pocket gets thirty. When you're
five to ten, you don't see a lot of things.
(18:40):
That's why he wants to escape. Well, they're prepared for that.
The spies on each side. They had different ways they
went about it. They rushed five to two and they
did the same thing conceptually, so you know, had a
really good game plan to force him into an area
that he's really not that's not his strength because he
doesn't go one, two, three and even work the backside.
(19:01):
It's like one or two and he's ready to go.
So you know, he's just not gonna get better at that.
You know they're not going to just go, oh, he's
gonna start reading progressions in this game. That's not gonna happen.
That's what I go back to. And you know how
they've got to throw the football early on. They got
to create you know, some either or matchups, and you
(19:22):
can do that off the run action the boot action.
To me, unless you create something that they haven't seen
and there's no tendency there, you can forget that because
that picks six, they were trying to get him out
of the pocket. They were trying to get you know,
they're trying to find something in the passing game at
that point.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Talking about the one in Baltimore on December.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
Twenty first, yes, and that pick six was off boot
action and had a guy sit in his face when
he came out here.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
There was they was waiting for it.
Speaker 8 (19:51):
They tried, they tried two boots in that game and
an epic fell on both of them, and after that
pick six they never did it again. So but you
can do some still. I'm not saying he can't do
boot action. You just better created. You better give them
something they haven't seen on Cape, or they'll be ready
for it. So you've got to come off some tendency
where you've never done it and catch them off guard
(20:12):
if you're going to get him outside the pocket.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
So what might that look like?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
How do they approach it other than maybe throwing on
first down and being less predictable that way.
Speaker 8 (20:20):
Well, well, it doesn't really matter what Well I shouldn't
say that for the down and distance when you do it, Yes,
that can matter because there might be a tendency.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
You know, I don't. I don't know their tendencies, but
you know.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I thought running on twelve consecutive first downs against Cincinnati
other than the two minute trialty and it was a
little bit predicted.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Yeah, well, there's there's true to that.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
I ain't gonna argue that, but you got to you
gotta break some of these tendencies, you know, and listen
with what they've been through, you know, I know I
understand the doom and gloom. I understand where there's no optimism,
and I've been in those environments and I went on
both sides. You know, I'm gonna tell you this is
a scary team. This is a scary matchup for Baltimore
(21:06):
because answer the divisional opponent. You've got four you've won
four games. You feel really good about yourself, You've playing
really good, and you feel good. You've been watching them
for a month. They're not playing good. And I'm telling
you from a coaching Now this from a coaching perspective.
You're trying to tell your guys Listen, they're not gonna
be this bad when they come in here. You're gonna
(21:27):
get their best. Okay, you can talk to your boom
in the face.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I'm buying this hole. Yeah, I'm all in on either
and players.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Players go, you know, and listen. Okay. Now now I'm
gonna flipping around them, the player listening to this, and
I'll be ready.
Speaker 8 (21:42):
And then you're in a halftime You're like, oh my gosh,
what a fist fight the fifty I mean, oh my gosh,
what are we?
Speaker 6 (21:47):
I mean, like, where did that? How did this happen?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
All those lines I kept trying to get in Harbaugh's head,
like they played that Saturday early game before the Steelers
and they won the division. Good for them, and every
one's cheering. But I'm sitting there thinking in the back
of his head, he's going, oh great, I'm either going
to get Tomlin or my brother showing up here. You know, like,
who knows me better than these two great and with
big expectations.
Speaker 8 (22:12):
You know, yeah, you're you're spot on, and there's that
that human element to it that is real.
Speaker 6 (22:19):
Yeah, you know. And it is the NFL.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
Okay, this is not colleage where teams are drastically measurably
just lopsided.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
I mean, it's still the NFL.
Speaker 8 (22:30):
I remember, in twenty two years of football, there was
only one game that I ever walked out on the field.
By time I got to the other end zone. When
I walked on the field for the very first time,
I'm like, we're not going to win. And keep in mind,
we were so much better than them. It was scary.
And it was Chicago's last game. Excuse me, it was
(22:50):
the Bears last home game, Mike Singletary's last home game,
and when I walked on the field, I was like,
the only time, I was like, win and we were
so much better for the better best record in football,
I believe at the time, I know it's the best
in the nfcast day at Soldier Field.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
And nobody was beating the Bears that day. Is that
your point, crowd, I remember that one.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
Amen. It was not, I mean and I was. It's
the only time I've ever felt like it happed.
Speaker 8 (23:17):
So listen, these things can happen, you know, and you
can you can get a vibe going and you can
like I'm just standing the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
They have the harder job.
Speaker 8 (23:29):
Yeah, you know, they got to keep them buttoned up
and sharp and like, hey, listen, still the Steelers don't
sleep on these guys.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
And a week you know, why haven't you had playoff success?
Why haven't you had playoff success? You know, I mean
that's all Lamar is here.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
And then yeah, and you know what there then there's
a tendency to press that and push that and force that,
and you know, it's there's a lot of things that
can go awry here, you know, in the favor of
the Steelers, you know, aside from them just getting better
in smaries to make this a much moose game. That
people are thinking there's other elements to this game of
(24:03):
pressure and expectations and standards.
Speaker 6 (24:05):
And and you can't deny the eye.
Speaker 8 (24:08):
I just what I'm getting at is the Ravens are
watching the students play the last month.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
That's what you do. You go back to look at
their last month and you're like, I'm not in one
of those.
Speaker 8 (24:19):
Is your game, it's your and your then your coach day,
and I got to play better.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
You're like, what that was good enough? You know?
Speaker 8 (24:29):
You think I'm just telling you that's just not saying
that's going to happen. But it happens more than it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Meryl Uh, your points about Russell Wilson and the schematics
are really well taken. What's bothered me and I say,
this is a guy who was all in favor of
him being the starter when they signed him. I wanted
to see if he could still do it. I wanted
to see what it would look like with a veteran,
been there, done that guy.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
And for a while it was working. For seven games,
it was working great.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
And now it's not a couple of the decision making
is starting to really irritate me. Uh, And I'll go
back to the December twenty first game in Baltimore when
he didn't slide and he tried to score and fumbled
the pick six that you mentioned that the upside of
that play was a two yard out to Michael Pruitt.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Like the risk the risk reward thing didn't add up there.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And then in that Bengals game, as bad as that was,
for as long as it was, they got the ball back.
There plenty of time to get Bosol in position and
he throws a little out to Najie Harris. That's not
gonna go anywhere. It ended up being a catch for
a four yard loss. It's first down, throw it into
his feet.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Not much reward there.
Speaker 5 (25:40):
Stop the clock.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Then the run he got outside, you know he put
his shoulder down and he got three yards. Yeah, you're
a tough guy, but throw that out of bounds. The
time is more precious. And then I think on that
double move by Pickings, I think he threw a back
shoulder and Pickens ran a go ball, and that that
was either a touchdown of the game winning field goal.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
I think his.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Uh decision gyroscopes a little offt How do you get
that back?
Speaker 8 (26:09):
Well, well, let's put it this away. I actually don't
know other than you work on it in practice. I'm
just thinking through experiences I've had where you go work
on it.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
But here's the good thing about it.
Speaker 8 (26:22):
They are correctable, you know, all those decision making things
are correct Now, keep in mind part of.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
The reason that they they started him too, was because
his experience.
Speaker 5 (26:30):
Right, he's not supposed to be that guy.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
If Kenny Pickett does that two years ago, yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You haven't been there and done that. You learned from it.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Yeah, maybe Russ hasn't been there and done that in
a while, So maybe that was a learning experience, shocking
or a reminder for him.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Yeah, but there was.
Speaker 8 (26:48):
But those are all well documented of just like head scratchers,
because he's like, boy, you know, and this is and
then you know, you still had almost an opportunity to
be and get chances hiogal, you know, even with all
those the bossles. So you know, the three things that
you did mention, see, they're all fixable, you know. And
(27:08):
so there's there's a theory like, let's not stress over
things that are fixable, okay, and if they're not fixable,
let's not stress over those because you can't fix them.
So you know, let's not waste our energy on stuff
that's irrelevant. Let's just fix them. So, you know, the one,
the George Fixens one, I don't know, you know, I
know that. I don't know why he missed it either,
(27:29):
even though it may not have unfolded like they had
practiced it.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
They may have had him a little wider.
Speaker 8 (27:35):
Maybe they're expected the defensive bad the dB to respond
a little differently, But there was no pressure on him
do not do not pompensate for that and instinctively do that.
I mean, that's another thing he's been pretty good at
the past, is he's he's an instinctive player, and he's
done pretty good job of that. But he was he
(27:55):
did not put down on display on the on the
last drive by any means, with any of the plays.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
So it's not just pick on Russell Wilson hour here.
I mean, but I do think a lot of the
press I want.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
To size too.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
I want to see him play this game. I mean,
I still believe he can do it. Maybe a little
less certain about whether he can do it or not
that I was a month ago.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
But this is the this is why you brought this.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
But I'm about to pick on Russell Wilson again, I
just think sacks are equally on the quarterback and the
O line, and lately I think it's been trending a
little bit more on Wilson, and I'm not excusing the
O line more has really come back to earth. Jones
hasn't really developed as a pass protector. I think McCormick
might be hidden somewhat of a rookie wall. But it's
(28:43):
a group effort on these sacks. I don't want to
just say the O line stinks and they can't block anybody.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
You know, No, you know, I would agree, you know
everything you documented.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
All those players have their inconsistencies in their moments. The
Cincinnati game was probably a bigger display of a quarterback
that should have got rid of football and end up
taking sacks because he didn't. And that's where I think
you're you're talking to m He gets sacked and you know,
everybody's like Off'm like, whoa, Hey, the pocket was clean.
(29:16):
There's plenty of time for him to work to progression
and there are people open and he didn't throw it,
And that does happen a lot. And I would agree
with you that, you know, Russell was a contributor moreking
to his sacks than the officie line to their failure
to get their job done. And you know, listen to
all these things. I know this is not a Russell
(29:36):
Wilson Bassing show. That's not what we're going And I
think what all of this means is these things can
be fixed. And like we have not talked about anything. Yes,
and you know, and I think you know. I think
you guys are really I think it's a great opportunity
for a guy who likes to compete and has the
(29:57):
experience and has played a long time and won a
lot to you know what, to show people.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
He'll run. He'll run to the pressure, not away from it.
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Yeah, I completely agree. I would expect you. I would.
Speaker 8 (30:09):
Now I'm I go back to what the raven I'm
the coaching they're doing. Okay, this is not going to
be who they are. Okay, I know you what you
saw too a few weeks ago. I know what you're
looking at for a month. That's not who you're going
to see. You're telling them right that, and and and
then you're just you're praying that they're listening, and you're
praying that they can respond to it, and they seem
to be a mature team too, So I'm like, I'm
(30:31):
not saying they're going to get caught their pants down.
I'm just telling you it can in the most experienced,
the most prepared, the most you know, uh ready team,
they can still get you know you, and you.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
Don't know it till it's halftime.
Speaker 8 (30:46):
It's just just like, oh my gosh, because I've been
on both sides of that arena and it's you know, I.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
Just see that coming. Man.
Speaker 8 (30:53):
I thought we were prepared, you know, And I was
not overlooking because I know who they are, but I
guess my eyes just were telling either not as good
as I thought they were.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
And here we are, Meryl, let's take a quick break
and then pick it up on the other side with
Meryl Hodge and Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuda. This is
Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers slag Ship, one
of two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DVE.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Welcome back to Steelers Preview, a special two hour edition
of Steelers Preview. As we continue getting you ready for
the Steelers and the Ravens Saturday night in Baltimore, the
playoff opener for both the openers.
Speaker 5 (31:37):
We'll see who advances to play another one.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Meryl, we talked a lot about the Steelers last segment.
I wanted to open this segment getting your take on
the impact of Zay Flowers absence the Ravens announcing today
that he is not going to play and they still
got some other weapons. But that's a pretty big guy
not to have.
Speaker 6 (31:59):
His Not the only other guys bigger than that is Lamar.
Speaker 8 (32:06):
Matchup because he is so explosive and he we really
there's no one that can cover him, you know, and Jude,
I mean, and not many teams have a guy that
can cover him. Okay, So that's not just the Steelers.
I mean they have not covered him well. And he's
a problem.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
Oh he's so quick.
Speaker 8 (32:29):
Yeah, he's so dynamic, and he finishes, he's tough, and
he catches, he makes good, big catches, and.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
You know that's okay.
Speaker 8 (32:37):
So we talked about like the more phases you have,
the harder it is to defend a team.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Well, that's a big phase.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
Gone, I mean, that is a big phase in the
equation of attacking these guys and handling these guys.
Speaker 6 (32:49):
That's not a concern anymore.
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Now your biggest concerns are probably in this order, Lamar
Henry and then the tight end, and that's that's your
order of business.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
So Shawn Elliott, the Steelers safety, talked about those guys today.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
And he was out in last game, don't forget right.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah, we talked to him after practice about Flowers being
out and he said, well, you probably can see more
to tight end. And he talked about and wide. He
talked about Mark Andrews and Lamar Jackson Merrill having the
same kind of chemistry as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelson.
He said, at times when it when it breaks down,
(33:31):
they just play backyard ball.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
They grow together.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
How do you defend that, particularly when you're so keyed
in on tendencies and formations and tape study and all
of that stuff. Uh when when how does the defense
react to backyard brawl ball?
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Excuse me?
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Well, backyard ball still has rules, probably maybe more like listen,
most of these guys aren't just freelancers run all over places.
There rules, you know, and there are scramble rules you know,
based on where you are on the field.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
You know, you're coming back to him or you're leaving
them and those type of things.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
The quicker that you can do that and respond to
that is what I think when you say backyard ball
is what they do such a good job of is
launce you have scave. They instinctively do what they're supposed
to do based on their rules. You know, leave or
go and then find voids. That's what they do a
really good job of. And so from a defensive perspective,
(34:28):
is you got to play backyard ball just as fast,
you know, because it isn't like you're a mysterious you're
a mystery to their rules. You know their rules because
almost everybody has the same type of rules. You know,
if you've got a receiver that is in a flat
and the guy who's deep, the guy in deep come back,
the guy in the flat go go deep, you know,
you try to separate and get out of spaces, you know,
(34:50):
and move around like still scramble rules are still like
what the passing game is about spacing, you know.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
That's why you know, good passing teams have great spacing.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
And then quarterback that truly accurate and can throw into
spaces you know, can tear zones apart. So, but that's why,
you know, I think they did such a good job
of not allowing him, you know, to really get in
the backyard ball, and if he did, he always was
in a bad position to throw it. I just I
(35:20):
don't I can't recall maybe he did. I just don't
recall many big throws that Lamar had outside the pocket
in the last time. He did some good jobs in
the pocket, you know now, but there was nothing wicked
with his legs or where you're holding to the final.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
Second and then he throws a dart and kills you.
You know, I don't remember any of that.
Speaker 8 (35:41):
So they they did what they wanted to do against
Lamarmo in the second matchup up in Baltimore, where they failed,
as Derrick Henry sure.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
So I know it's not that simple. It absolutely isn't.
And their coaches get paid and they're going to scheme
guys up. But the way I see this matchup without
Fly is, Hey, Joey, you've got Bateman. You know, we
think we have an advantage there. You got You're gonna
follow him all day long. Maka Elliott. You have these
two really good tight ends, you know, But we like
(36:11):
our matchup there and therefore, you know, the Ravens are
not gonna be an eleven personnel. They're gonna have two
tight ends, three tight ends recard, they're gonna be big.
You're gonna be in your base three four all day,
you know, maybe even heavier than that at times. And
I'm gonna run blitz of the the Ravens on early
downs as they have over and over, and I'm gonna
(36:33):
have a lot of people near the line of scrimmage.
And if they beat you over the top, because we're
being aggressive with these coverage situations, so be it. But
there's no Flowers.
Speaker 8 (36:42):
Yeah, and there's less chance of that mm hm, you know,
to get to get up that explosively play. Yeah, I know,
I don't argue with anything if we're sitting a game
plan meeting, and that's how we all, that's what the
all our views are. Be comfortable as a coordinary, well,
that's that we want to play it.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
You know.
Speaker 8 (37:02):
You know, listen the Steelers, you know times you know
they they play that that personal matchup. You know, they'll
put five linebackers on the field play.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
Did you think that was.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
A particularly effective last game of Cincinnati when they had
the three outside out there.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
Because the blue too, it was part of it.
Speaker 8 (37:22):
Yeah, I'm I'm reflecting more on the Raven game with
them doing it.
Speaker 6 (37:26):
They had a good and bad.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
Play, so they've traditionally done it a lot against the race.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
I think that's where they broke it up years ago.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
Red Zone.
Speaker 5 (37:34):
I think high Smith's got an interception.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Yeah, there's a history there.
Speaker 6 (37:38):
They're big people. It's not the first.
Speaker 8 (37:41):
Yeah, you're exactly right that it's not the first time
they did it, and that that's what I'm saying there.
But that's that's speaking to the priority. We're not letting
them run. Okay, you know, let's take it if they
wanted to. They got a match up because we're on
a single up around here, and they beat it, well,
that's you know, we have that.
Speaker 6 (38:00):
That's how we go out.
Speaker 8 (38:01):
But we're not going to go out with with them
doing something that they want to do to us.
Speaker 6 (38:07):
We're going to stop that. Meryl.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Did you like the defense overall in that Bengals game.
I know the time of possession was out of whack,
but you know, they certainly had their problems in the
first three games of the losing streak. But given Joe
Burrow one touchdown in four field goals, getting to stop
in the second half, holding into a field goal, and
keeping it a two score game, getting the three and
(38:31):
out after the offense had to settle for a field
goal late. I thought they did a really nice recovery
effort and looked a lot more like the defense I
expect them.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And I think it made Chuck No proud because they
tackled so much better, so much better.
Speaker 8 (38:46):
You know, you're true story by both of you. Actually,
I'm glad you brought I'm so I'm trying to rough
rerun my brain and go, Okay, when did I watch
that tape? Like seem like a year.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Ago, But opening drive was rough? But then they made plays.
Speaker 8 (39:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah because after that, because I wanted to
see what happened in the opening drive?
Speaker 6 (39:05):
What changed?
Speaker 8 (39:06):
Well, remember going into that game, we were talking so
much about how they're going to create confusion and do
mismatch and could they clean that up.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Okay, here's a great example.
Speaker 8 (39:16):
For about a month, that defense has struggled with bunches
a man matching up, passing people off, identifying who's got who,
and then covering. I mean, because they leave the people
around all wide open. All over the place, scoring territory,
critical downs, long yarded situations. After that first drive. You
never saw that, and you saw great communication. You saw
(39:39):
people buttoned up, covering people in the way in the
manner that they should you but they needed to. But
they hadn't done the the or four weeks previously. So
that's just evidence right there. You know, the two things
we talked about offensively or the thing offensively we need
they need to get done. It can be done, you know,
and you could definitely shit this week, but they they
(40:00):
were very good on the back end. Their pressures were incredible,
and it was the kind of defense that you know,
I think in the history of the Steelers franchise you
used to seeing.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
And uh, you think that's obviously gotta They're gonna get
some more of the same stuff that they struggled with
prior to the second Cincinnati game. But uh, do you
feel like it's fixed? Do you trust this defense?
Speaker 6 (40:28):
Well?
Speaker 8 (40:28):
I always go by the evidence, you know, I'll go
back to, you know, playing that doesn't help this, that
I'm trying that that helps it. Beyond I don't know
if I have quiet words to describe the burden that
has been lifted he did not have to deal with
somebody that dynamic with the lands crews an explosive, but
(40:49):
it's got to do some big targets and good targets.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
You know.
Speaker 8 (40:52):
And then I did the wounds you both ways, legs
and on them. So that's not a handful of itself,
but that one element that you and I have to
you know, it's not weighing on you.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
Every time they put him in motion and every time
the ship where is he?
Speaker 8 (41:08):
You know that doesn't that's not gonna that's not gonna
be troublesome in this matchup, and that is a that's
a big relief.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
Meryl, great stuff. Appreciate you doubling up on the segments tonight.
Speaker 4 (41:21):
And at week let's do it again.
Speaker 6 (41:24):
You got one more that would be very nice. I
would love I'd love to keep doing them all February.
Speaker 5 (41:30):
Boys, we'll see what we can do. Thanks a lot,
Meryl Hodge.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Guys are fast fact a lot more to come tonight,
so you're gonna want to keep it here with Matt
Williamson on Mike Persuda. This is a special two hour
edition of Steelers Preview as we get you ready for
the playoff opener. Saturday night in Baltimore, right here on
the Steelers flagship, one of two point five d ve
(41:55):
E and the Steelers Audio Network
Welcome to the Steelers Preview show on wdv E Pittsburgh,
brought to you by your neighborhood Ford Store. The F
one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers
by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about the benefits
and by the Steelers Pro Shop. Get it to wreck
from the team at shop dot Steelers dot com. And
now here are your hosts, Merril Hodge, Matt Williamson and
(00:21):
Mike Persuda.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Good evening and welcome to a special two hour playoff
edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers Flagship
one O two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Mike Persuda and Matt Williamson with you. Our factor back,
Meryl Hodge, will be along directly, and because we have
more time tonight, we're gonna spend a little more time
(00:45):
with Meryl two segments instead of one as we get
things cranked up here in hour one. But Matt, Steelers
back in the playoffs, which you know they get there
with regularity. Yeah, no playoff wins in the last seven
seasons is the big elephant in this room or if
(01:05):
you're out there listening, whatever room you're in TJ. Watt
had some things to say about that today, which I'll
get to in a minute, but I wanted to start
by asking you who, if anyone, is carrying that baggage
and how heavy is it?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
But first off, it's Ravens week. How great is that?
It's playoff week? How great is that? I mean, that's Christmas.
I mean it's a phenomenal football game. I'm looking forward to.
And I know spirits are down around here, but I
give a better chance than a lot of people out there.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I'll be honest, I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
This is the matchup I actually wanted to see, Yeah,
because I didn't.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
Want to go to Houston and win a mediocre game.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
You know, cut to the chase, play a team that's
perceived as a contender.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
And eliminate them and let's see what you got.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, And frankly, I think Lamar in company are carrying
a lot of the baggage you mentioned. You know, you
don't have any you don't have a whole lot of
playoff success. You're hearing that like crazy. I'm sure the
last two Steeler games, he's been here. And why are
you great against thirty teams? Except for this one. You know, well,
you know this time it's man. You've had a great career.
(02:10):
La Maaro might win another MVP, but why aren't you
having the playoff success? You know, there's a lot of
weight on their shoulders, not that the Steelers don't have any,
but I don't think that I'm thrilled with this matchup.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
If I'm Harbaugh, you know, yeah.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
I might not be either.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I mentioned TJ. Watt had some things to say about Yeah.
I talked to him about this a couple of years ago.
He called it the drought, and of course we go
back to that. At the end of last season, Art
Rooney the Second said there's urgency to win in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
And all of that.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
TJ.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
Watt let everybody know today.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
From where I was standing, at least a more emotional
and a more emphatic manner than what usually displays when
he talks to the media.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
You said he's usually pretty calculated. Yeahah, yeah, and he
doesn't want.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
To make a lot of noise and make a lot
of headlines.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
But he let everybody know they in no uncertain terms
that he knows what he hasn't.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Won, say all the time that there's there's a big
difference between guys that come back that are Super Bowl
champions and guys that aren't. And that's not a slight
of the guys that aren't.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
I'm one of those guys right now.
Speaker 7 (03:15):
But there's definitely an aura in a a sense to
a guy that has won a Super Bowl and there's
a together that's a close knit group of guys that
when they come back for those alumni weekends, they hang
out and they bond and they talk about their successes
on and off the field and that super Bowl run, and.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
We want that.
Speaker 7 (03:34):
Every guy in here wants that. There's not a there's
not a don't confuse any of this lack of success
for lack of effort. Everybody's trying. We're turning over every stone,
every stone that we possibly can to be great.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
We want to be great. We just need to do
it together.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
And that's not saying that we haven't, but we just
need to do everything collectively and play complimentary football. Win
the time matters most, and there's definitely a sense of
urgency because it's the playoffs in the National FOOTBA League
is whatever what he plays the game for love it.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
There's an aura about those guys that have won it.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yeah, can you imagine, right, And he's been around a
lot of them to come back, right.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
You know, he wants to come back to Alumni Weekend
twenty years from now and talk about his Super.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Bowl ringer two on his finger.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
From in this with his guys. I mean, they want
it bad. They haven't gotten it.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
No playoff wins since the twenty sixteenth season, but as
Wat said, it's not because they're not trying. Watt also
maintained today Matt that he thinks this current Stealers addition,
despite the current four game losing streak, has what it
takes to flip the script.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
We've had a hell of a good year until these
last couple of weeks, honestly, and we know that we
have the talent, we have the coaching staff, we have
the scheme, we have everything that a good football team
requires to make a playoff push. It's just a matter
of playing good football collectively, and we haven't been doing
that lately. But that doesn't mean that we can't get
it back. And it's much easier to get something back
(04:57):
than it is to try to rebuild it or build
it from the starting. We've had a great week. But
I feel like I said that a lot this year.
It's all about XQT.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
You know, Russell Wilson.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Kind of went down a similar path a couple of
days ago at ten and three. This was a hell
of a football team. Oh yeah, after the last four,
they're never going to win another game.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
It's not how the league works, No, it really is.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
But I like them then, and I still like their potential.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Now we've seen it.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
It's not like boy never saw from this team. And frankly,
some of the offenses we've seen the last couple of
years weren't playoff worthy even close. And you know they
would back into the playoffs and go to Kansas City
or Buffalo and frankly not have a really good chance
to win that game. This is a better team than
what we've seen the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Ten point underdog.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
I think that's it seems a little I think that's
high a little strong.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I think it's a typical Raven Steelers matchup. You
mentioned at the outside of the show tonight. Just how
much we look forward to these games, right, my god,
we get.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
A third, be a third, and I love TJ being
enthusiastic and vocal and being a leader, the best player.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Let's take a look at the practice participation report. And
since the game's on Saturday, this is Friday in Steeler world,
so we actually have the game status. The big news
and it's not exactly a revelation, but no Zay Flowers.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Good for the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
We'll get into this in detail with Meryl Hodge, but
that's a big guy for Baltimore not to.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Have absolutely dynamic playmaker. The one thing, too, is a
lot of these quarterbacks my homes, but Burrow. They're attacking
the Steelers very early in the down. Ball's coming out quick.
Well that's there's I mean, that would go into Zay Flowers.
He's their instant open guy, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Also, wide receiver slash return specialist Deontay Hardy is questionable
with a knee slash personal problem. Everybody else is full
go for Baltimore. On the Pittsburgh side, things are pretty
optimistic as well. You've got guard Mason McCormick hand as questionable.
(07:08):
I got some faith in Spencer Anderson.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, oh yeah, I think he's fine.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Yeah, I mean it sounds like McCormick's probably gonna go
with a broken hand, but that doesn't mean he's gonna
finish with that broken hand either.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And then questionable Calvin Anderson in offensive tackle who was
on the return clock from the reserve physically unable to
perform list, and three guys still on the twenty one
day clock trying to get back from the reserve injured list,
wide receiver Roman Wilson, linebacker Cole Holcomb, and defensive lineman
(07:38):
Logan Lee. All those guys are out, but they're not
even on the roster yet. So other than the ir guys,
Matt shape.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Pretty good shape for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, and both teams are in pretty good shape. But
Flowers is a huge loss.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
One thing he didn't mention is they released Scotty Miller
a couple hours ago, and we were speculating on the
drive that maybe Calvin Anderson is activated just in case McCormick,
you know, can't go or struggles.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You know, Yeah, Scottie Miller one of the receivers that well,
I think that room's been a problem.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
It has.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I know everyone's thinking, well that that means opens the
door for Roman Wilson. I don't think that's the way
it'll probably go, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Steelers getting ready to play the Ravens on Saturday night
in Baltimore. Steelers Preview is brought to you in part
by the Steelers Pro Shop. Gear up with the latest
game day necessities. At the Official Steelers Pro Shops.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
You can get the.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Latest Sideline apparel, jerseys, terrible towels, authentic memorabilia, and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the Official Steelers Pro shops located at Akrosser Stadium,
the Grove City Premium.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Mountlets, and the Tanger Outlets.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You can also gear up online at shop dot Steelers
dot com. When we come back, we will welcome our
factor back, Merril Hodge to the show. Merrill is going
to be with us for two segments tonight. We've got
a two hour show planned for you tonight as we
get ready for the Steelers and the Ravens. So keep
it here because we are just getting warmed up. I
(09:10):
bet Merrill is going to be especially fired up.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
I would think should be.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
It's playoff time.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
If you're not fired up at this time, no matter
how your team got there, you're just not doing it right.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Everybody's zero zero right now let's go start over.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
With Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuit of Meryl Hodges. Next
right here on Steelers Preview on your Steelers Flagship one
o two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DVE.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Welcome back, Mike Pursuda and Matt Williamson with you on
our special two hour Steeler preview tonight right here on
your Steelers Flagship one of two point five DVE and
the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
We're getting ready for the playoff openers.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
How I've been putting it all a week, but it's
the first playoff game, because there's gonna be.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Another one and more and more.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
You know, maybe four of them. Who does time down
to welcome in? Are factor back, Meryll Hodge and Merril uh.
I wanted to.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Start with this despite my enthusiasm. The town is down,
or if I put it in proper Pittsburgh Eaese, that
time is down. People are not real fired up. From
what I can tell. Ravens have won four in a row,
Steelers have lost four in a row. Ravens keeps scoring
(10:35):
over thirty points, Steelers can't score more than twenty.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
How big of a climb. Is this gonna be?
Speaker 7 (10:44):
What?
Speaker 6 (10:45):
It's a bit of a climb.
Speaker 8 (10:46):
I'm not gonna surve coda or deny that it would be.
It's a big ask, but it can be done. Now,
the two areas that they would have to get bet.
Let's if we just hear the second matchup as an example.
There's two things that they they need to address and
get better at if they're going to win this one.
(11:08):
So if we start with the offensive side, how they
fubled the football and how Russell Wilson plays has to
be better.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I'm sorry, I thought I was talking to Merrill Hodge
and you said throw the football first. Yeah you didn't,
Derek Henriji Harris, We'll get.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
To Derrick Henry. Yeah, you're right, Calendar power right. But listen,
let's let's let's talk about first of all, what wins
a super Bowl or what wins the championship. Teams win
championships period, the area that must play the very best.
And this is I'm killing you. This is historically true
(11:50):
from when I played to them. Really became an emphasis
when I got the ESPN, because we used to wrap
up every super Bowl win with a Super Bowl Show.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
And it was.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
There was one thing that was consistent with every Super
Bowl winner. It wasn't the m v P. It wasn't
a receiver, it wasn't a dB, it wasn't the linebacker.
It was how well they played in the trenches defensively
and offensively the right but every Super Bowl winner, everybody,
(12:22):
I mean, you could have taken an m v P
from there.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
We could. You could throw me a super Bowl and
I say, okay.
Speaker 8 (12:27):
Yeah here, here's who wanted bry quarterback And I'll tell
you a pass rusher should have won it or they're
oft be blind as a whole should have won their
defensive time anyway. So let's just that's where it starts
and ends. That has to play better now from that
perspective where the Steelers have to play better and that
the ability to do this, they just haven't done it consistently.
(12:49):
They did a little bit of it in the first massive,
just not enough of it.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Like Russell Wilson has to play better early early in
the down.
Speaker 8 (12:58):
That boll has to come out like lit say this,
if the ball comes out, if you see topee drop
balls coming out and it's decisive, gets quick and it's short,
intermediate and they're taking shots.
Speaker 6 (13:08):
I'm telling you what, there's the hope.
Speaker 8 (13:10):
Okay, if it doesn't, then they're they're in deep trouble.
They're just there and they're done because there's not enough
phases to win. Like you've got to have a lot
of phases to your offense. That's how you win championships.
You can't be one dimensional because somebody's going to take
that away eventually on this run.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
So they have to find different ways to win.
Speaker 8 (13:32):
So the area that they have not been very good
in the last month is they haven't really been good
since the Cincinnati game and their ability to throw the
football in all phases, short, intermediate, and vertical, and Russell
just needs to be better. There's been good enough protection
at times now Obju Mine has to play better to
the right side as well.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
As a whole. They've struggled in critical moments.
Speaker 8 (13:56):
But from a passing perspective, if that's better, if Russell
Wilson's better and you see a rhythm and you see
different areas of the phil being attacked, they've solved the
one area they got to solve.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Now.
Speaker 8 (14:11):
The other area is how they handled Derrick Henry. They
did a really good job job with Lamar. They did
a great job with the line of scrimmage. They gave
him no escape routes vertically, they pushed him laterally, then
they made him make heart throws when he escaped, and
he didn't often make plays.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
But he did enough in the pocket to hurt you.
But you'll take that chance.
Speaker 8 (14:38):
But you don't want to do is let him kill
you with these legs too, because he can do it
with both.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
He doesn't both, it's over. But he didn't do it
with these legs.
Speaker 8 (14:45):
He did it with his a little bit with his arm.
But the other phase of that is Derrick Henry. There
were moments and then the past. Actually, even when he
was in Nashville, the Steelers defense played always played him well.
Aside from that that last batchup, they just were They
were not very good at their gap discipline.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
They got beat at the point of a tag.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
May want to shock you if I told you that
that last game December twenty first in Baltimore, Henry had
one hundred and sixty two yards rushing. That's the only
time he's gone over one hundred yards in five games
against the Steelers.
Speaker 8 (15:22):
That was not surprised me because this is the only
time I remember him just going off every other time.
You know they win the majority of them, You're not.
You're not gonna win every every stamp. I mean, that's
just a fact. Like we listened at the end of
the day, coaches will talk in these terms. Okay, there's
three phases to a team. Offense, defense, special teams. Cool,
(15:42):
those have to win. The one thing, the one we're
gonna win the special teams. That's what every team we'll
talk about. We're gonna win that, and then one of
these other two phases have to win. And we got
a really good chance if we went all three phases
and it's over. So you know, from from that perspective,
and then watching in that second going to your point
with Derrick Henry is I had not seen them lose
(16:07):
the line of scrimmage battle as many times as they
lost it. But they did enough good, they did enough,
they won enough times that you know can be done.
So those two areas, if they clean those two areas up,
if those two areas elevate themselves, we got a fistfight
at the fifty and it comes it'll come down to
(16:29):
last play.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Marian to go back to Russell Wilson, and he's had
a lot of drops. Protection hasn't been perfect, the running
game hasn't been ideal. But I don't think anyone's thrilled
with how he's played lately either. And a couple of
things I've noticed are the later in the down it goes,
the less effective he's become. He needs to be a
timing and rhythm, get it out on time type of player.
(16:53):
But I also see a defense is doing a lot
of late rotations and a lot of coverage changes up
right at the snap. It kind of delays that a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Yeah, well, listen Russell's history. Here's where he's really good.
Speaker 8 (17:06):
Okay, he's elite when I say good, that's actually probably
an understated He's elite when he picks it and sticks it.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
You know, an either or guy. You know.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
That's why he was so good in Seattle early on. Man,
it dominated the line of scrimmage. That fake the run
paralyzed the box and it's either I take my shot
or check it down or I run and wicked. Now,
if you ask him to read progressions, he's just never
been good at that. Yeah, you know, and he does
(17:38):
not process that very well. Just that's not his strength.
That's a big reason they ran him on Denver. I
mean John Oh, he Sean Payton was losing his mind,
I mean losing his mind, and he just went and tolerated.
And that's the area that teams to your point, I
(17:58):
forced him to They forced him to do that, and
they you know, but the Ravens did a good job conceptually.
Is they pushed the wall into his face with their
three down and then they spied on each side. So
and then that's the thing. He's five ten and there is.
People can say there isn't, but they're wrong. When you're
(18:19):
five to ten, those passing lanes get taken away from you,
and when that wall gets pushed in your face, you
lose your sight and you're I've stood in that pocket.
I'm six to one, okay, so I know the difference
between a five ten to six to one and a
six to three guy That pocket gets thirty. When you're
five to ten, you don't see a lot of things.
(18:40):
That's why he wants to escape. Well, they're prepared for that.
The spies on each side. They had different ways they
went about it. They rushed five to two and they
did the same thing conceptually, so you know, had a
really good game plan to force him into an area
that he's really not that's not his strength because he
doesn't go one, two, three and even work the backside.
(19:01):
It's like one or two and he's ready to go.
So you know, he's just not gonna get better at that.
You know they're not going to just go, oh, he's
gonna start reading progressions in this game. That's not gonna happen.
That's what I go back to. And you know how
they've got to throw the football early on. They got
to create you know, some either or matchups, and you
(19:22):
can do that off the run action the boot action.
To me, unless you create something that they haven't seen
and there's no tendency there, you can forget that because
that picks six, they were trying to get him out
of the pocket. They were trying to get you know,
they're trying to find something in the passing game at
that point.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Talking about the one in Baltimore on December.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
Twenty first, yes, and that pick six was off boot
action and had a guy sit in his face when
he came out here.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
There was they was waiting for it.
Speaker 8 (19:51):
They tried, they tried two boots in that game and
an epic fell on both of them, and after that
pick six they never did it again. So but you
can do some still. I'm not saying he can't do
boot action. You just better created. You better give them
something they haven't seen on Cape, or they'll be ready
for it. So you've got to come off some tendency
where you've never done it and catch them off guard
(20:12):
if you're going to get him outside the pocket.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
So what might that look like?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
How do they approach it other than maybe throwing on
first down and being less predictable that way.
Speaker 8 (20:20):
Well, well, it doesn't really matter what Well I shouldn't
say that for the down and distance when you do it, Yes,
that can matter because there might be a tendency.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
You know, I don't. I don't know their tendencies, but
you know.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I thought running on twelve consecutive first downs against Cincinnati
other than the two minute trialty and it was a
little bit predicted.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Yeah, well, there's there's true to that.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
I ain't gonna argue that, but you got to you
gotta break some of these tendencies, you know, and listen
with what they've been through, you know, I know I
understand the doom and gloom. I understand where there's no optimism,
and I've been in those environments and I went on
both sides. You know, I'm gonna tell you this is
a scary team. This is a scary matchup for Baltimore
(21:06):
because answer the divisional opponent. You've got four you've won
four games. You feel really good about yourself, You've playing
really good, and you feel good. You've been watching them
for a month. They're not playing good. And I'm telling
you from a coaching Now this from a coaching perspective.
You're trying to tell your guys Listen, they're not gonna
be this bad when they come in here. You're gonna
(21:27):
get their best. Okay, you can talk to your boom
in the face.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I'm buying this hole. Yeah, I'm all in on either
and players.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Players go, you know, and listen. Okay. Now now I'm
gonna flipping around them, the player listening to this, and
I'll be ready.
Speaker 8 (21:42):
And then you're in a halftime You're like, oh my gosh,
what a fist fight the fifty I mean, oh my gosh,
what are we?
Speaker 6 (21:47):
I mean, like, where did that? How did this happen?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
All those lines I kept trying to get in Harbaugh's head,
like they played that Saturday early game before the Steelers
and they won the division. Good for them, and every
one's cheering. But I'm sitting there thinking in the back
of his head, he's going, oh great, I'm either going
to get Tomlin or my brother showing up here. You know, like,
who knows me better than these two great and with
big expectations.
Speaker 8 (22:12):
You know, yeah, you're you're spot on, and there's that
that human element to it that is real.
Speaker 6 (22:19):
Yeah, you know. And it is the NFL.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
Okay, this is not colleage where teams are drastically measurably
just lopsided.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
I mean, it's still the NFL.
Speaker 8 (22:30):
I remember, in twenty two years of football, there was
only one game that I ever walked out on the field.
By time I got to the other end zone. When
I walked on the field for the very first time,
I'm like, we're not going to win. And keep in mind,
we were so much better than them. It was scary.
And it was Chicago's last game. Excuse me, it was
(22:50):
the Bears last home game, Mike Singletary's last home game,
and when I walked on the field, I was like,
the only time, I was like, win and we were
so much better for the better best record in football,
I believe at the time, I know it's the best
in the nfcast day at Soldier Field.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
And nobody was beating the Bears that day. Is that
your point, crowd, I remember that one.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
Amen. It was not, I mean and I was. It's
the only time I've ever felt like it happed.
Speaker 8 (23:17):
So listen, these things can happen, you know, and you
can you can get a vibe going and you can
like I'm just standing the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
They have the harder job.
Speaker 8 (23:29):
Yeah, you know, they got to keep them buttoned up
and sharp and like, hey, listen, still the Steelers don't
sleep on these guys.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
And a week you know, why haven't you had playoff success?
Why haven't you had playoff success? You know, I mean
that's all Lamar is here.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
And then yeah, and you know what there then there's
a tendency to press that and push that and force that,
and you know, it's there's a lot of things that
can go awry here, you know, in the favor of
the Steelers, you know, aside from them just getting better
in smaries to make this a much moose game. That
people are thinking there's other elements to this game of
(24:03):
pressure and expectations and standards.
Speaker 6 (24:05):
And and you can't deny the eye.
Speaker 8 (24:08):
I just what I'm getting at is the Ravens are
watching the students play the last month.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
That's what you do. You go back to look at
their last month and you're like, I'm not in one
of those.
Speaker 8 (24:19):
Is your game, it's your and your then your coach day,
and I got to play better.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
You're like, what that was good enough? You know?
Speaker 8 (24:29):
You think I'm just telling you that's just not saying
that's going to happen. But it happens more than it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Meryl Uh, your points about Russell Wilson and the schematics
are really well taken. What's bothered me and I say,
this is a guy who was all in favor of
him being the starter when they signed him. I wanted
to see if he could still do it. I wanted
to see what it would look like with a veteran,
been there, done that guy.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
And for a while it was working. For seven games,
it was working great.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
And now it's not a couple of the decision making
is starting to really irritate me. Uh, And I'll go
back to the December twenty first game in Baltimore when
he didn't slide and he tried to score and fumbled
the pick six that you mentioned that the upside of
that play was a two yard out to Michael Pruitt.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Like the risk the risk reward thing didn't add up there.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And then in that Bengals game, as bad as that was,
for as long as it was, they got the ball back.
There plenty of time to get Bosol in position and
he throws a little out to Najie Harris. That's not
gonna go anywhere. It ended up being a catch for
a four yard loss. It's first down, throw it into
his feet.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Not much reward there.
Speaker 5 (25:40):
Stop the clock.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Then the run he got outside, you know he put
his shoulder down and he got three yards. Yeah, you're
a tough guy, but throw that out of bounds. The
time is more precious. And then I think on that
double move by Pickings, I think he threw a back
shoulder and Pickens ran a go ball, and that that
was either a touchdown of the game winning field goal.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
I think his.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Uh decision gyroscopes a little offt How do you get
that back?
Speaker 8 (26:09):
Well, well, let's put it this away. I actually don't
know other than you work on it in practice. I'm
just thinking through experiences I've had where you go work
on it.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
But here's the good thing about it.
Speaker 8 (26:22):
They are correctable, you know, all those decision making things
are correct Now, keep in mind part of.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
The reason that they they started him too, was because
his experience.
Speaker 5 (26:30):
Right, he's not supposed to be that guy.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
If Kenny Pickett does that two years ago, yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You haven't been there and done that. You learned from it.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Yeah, maybe Russ hasn't been there and done that in
a while, So maybe that was a learning experience, shocking
or a reminder for him.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Yeah, but there was.
Speaker 8 (26:48):
But those are all well documented of just like head scratchers,
because he's like, boy, you know, and this is and
then you know, you still had almost an opportunity to
be and get chances hiogal, you know, even with all
those the bossles. So you know, the three things that
you did mention, see, they're all fixable, you know. And
(27:08):
so there's there's a theory like, let's not stress over
things that are fixable, okay, and if they're not fixable,
let's not stress over those because you can't fix them.
So you know, let's not waste our energy on stuff
that's irrelevant. Let's just fix them. So, you know, the one,
the George Fixens one, I don't know, you know, I
know that. I don't know why he missed it either,
(27:29):
even though it may not have unfolded like they had
practiced it.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
They may have had him a little wider.
Speaker 8 (27:35):
Maybe they're expected the defensive bad the dB to respond
a little differently, But there was no pressure on him
do not do not pompensate for that and instinctively do that.
I mean, that's another thing he's been pretty good at
the past, is he's he's an instinctive player, and he's
done pretty good job of that. But he was he
(27:55):
did not put down on display on the on the
last drive by any means, with any of the plays.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
So it's not just pick on Russell Wilson hour here.
I mean, but I do think a lot of the
press I want.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
To size too.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
I want to see him play this game. I mean,
I still believe he can do it. Maybe a little
less certain about whether he can do it or not
that I was a month ago.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
But this is the this is why you brought this.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
But I'm about to pick on Russell Wilson again, I
just think sacks are equally on the quarterback and the
O line, and lately I think it's been trending a
little bit more on Wilson, and I'm not excusing the
O line more has really come back to earth. Jones
hasn't really developed as a pass protector. I think McCormick
might be hidden somewhat of a rookie wall. But it's
(28:43):
a group effort on these sacks. I don't want to
just say the O line stinks and they can't block anybody.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
You know, No, you know, I would agree, you know
everything you documented.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
All those players have their inconsistencies in their moments. The
Cincinnati game was probably a bigger display of a quarterback
that should have got rid of football and end up
taking sacks because he didn't. And that's where I think
you're you're talking to m He gets sacked and you know,
everybody's like Off'm like, whoa, Hey, the pocket was clean.
(29:16):
There's plenty of time for him to work to progression
and there are people open and he didn't throw it,
And that does happen a lot. And I would agree
with you that, you know, Russell was a contributor moreking
to his sacks than the officie line to their failure
to get their job done. And you know, listen to
all these things. I know this is not a Russell
(29:36):
Wilson Bassing show. That's not what we're going And I
think what all of this means is these things can
be fixed. And like we have not talked about anything. Yes,
and you know, and I think you know. I think
you guys are really I think it's a great opportunity
for a guy who likes to compete and has the
(29:57):
experience and has played a long time and won a
lot to you know what, to show people.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
He'll run. He'll run to the pressure, not away from it.
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Yeah, I completely agree. I would expect you. I would.
Speaker 8 (30:09):
Now I'm I go back to what the raven I'm
the coaching they're doing. Okay, this is not going to
be who they are. Okay, I know you what you
saw too a few weeks ago. I know what you're
looking at for a month. That's not who you're going
to see. You're telling them right that, and and and
then you're just you're praying that they're listening, and you're
praying that they can respond to it, and they seem
to be a mature team too, So I'm like, I'm
(30:31):
not saying they're going to get caught their pants down.
I'm just telling you it can in the most experienced,
the most prepared, the most you know, uh ready team,
they can still get you know you, and you.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
Don't know it till it's halftime.
Speaker 8 (30:46):
It's just just like, oh my gosh, because I've been
on both sides of that arena and it's you know, I.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
Just see that coming. Man.
Speaker 8 (30:53):
I thought we were prepared, you know, And I was
not overlooking because I know who they are, but I
guess my eyes just were telling either not as good
as I thought they were.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
And here we are, Meryl, let's take a quick break
and then pick it up on the other side with
Meryl Hodge and Matt Williamson on Mike Pursuda. This is
Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers slag Ship, one
of two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Back to the Steelers Preview show on DVE.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Welcome back to Steelers Preview, a special two hour edition
of Steelers Preview. As we continue getting you ready for
the Steelers and the Ravens Saturday night in Baltimore, the
playoff opener for both the openers.
Speaker 5 (31:37):
We'll see who advances to play another one.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Meryl, we talked a lot about the Steelers last segment.
I wanted to open this segment getting your take on
the impact of Zay Flowers absence the Ravens announcing today
that he is not going to play and they still
got some other weapons. But that's a pretty big guy
not to have.
Speaker 6 (31:59):
His Not the only other guys bigger than that is Lamar.
Speaker 8 (32:06):
Matchup because he is so explosive and he we really
there's no one that can cover him, you know, and Jude,
I mean, and not many teams have a guy that
can cover him. Okay, So that's not just the Steelers.
I mean they have not covered him well. And he's
a problem.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
Oh he's so quick.
Speaker 8 (32:29):
Yeah, he's so dynamic, and he finishes, he's tough, and
he catches, he makes good, big catches, and.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
You know that's okay.
Speaker 8 (32:37):
So we talked about like the more phases you have,
the harder it is to defend a team.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Well, that's a big phase.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
Gone, I mean, that is a big phase in the
equation of attacking these guys and handling these guys.
Speaker 6 (32:49):
That's not a concern anymore.
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Now your biggest concerns are probably in this order, Lamar
Henry and then the tight end, and that's that's your
order of business.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
So Shawn Elliott, the Steelers safety, talked about those guys today.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
And he was out in last game, don't forget right.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah, we talked to him after practice about Flowers being
out and he said, well, you probably can see more
to tight end. And he talked about and wide. He
talked about Mark Andrews and Lamar Jackson Merrill having the
same kind of chemistry as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelson.
He said, at times when it when it breaks down,
(33:31):
they just play backyard ball.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
They grow together.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
How do you defend that, particularly when you're so keyed
in on tendencies and formations and tape study and all
of that stuff. Uh when when how does the defense
react to backyard brawl ball?
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Excuse me?
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Well, backyard ball still has rules, probably maybe more like listen,
most of these guys aren't just freelancers run all over places.
There rules, you know, and there are scramble rules you know,
based on where you are on the field.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
You know, you're coming back to him or you're leaving
them and those type of things.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
The quicker that you can do that and respond to
that is what I think when you say backyard ball
is what they do such a good job of is
launce you have scave. They instinctively do what they're supposed
to do based on their rules. You know, leave or
go and then find voids. That's what they do a
really good job of. And so from a defensive perspective,
(34:28):
is you got to play backyard ball just as fast,
you know, because it isn't like you're a mysterious you're
a mystery to their rules. You know their rules because
almost everybody has the same type of rules. You know,
if you've got a receiver that is in a flat
and the guy who's deep, the guy in deep come back,
the guy in the flat go go deep, you know,
you try to separate and get out of spaces, you know,
(34:50):
and move around like still scramble rules are still like
what the passing game is about spacing, you know.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
That's why you know, good passing teams have great spacing.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
And then quarterback that truly accurate and can throw into
spaces you know, can tear zones apart. So, but that's why,
you know, I think they did such a good job
of not allowing him, you know, to really get in
the backyard ball, and if he did, he always was
in a bad position to throw it. I just I
(35:20):
don't I can't recall maybe he did. I just don't
recall many big throws that Lamar had outside the pocket
in the last time. He did some good jobs in
the pocket, you know now, but there was nothing wicked
with his legs or where you're holding to the final.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
Second and then he throws a dart and kills you.
You know, I don't remember any of that.
Speaker 8 (35:41):
So they they did what they wanted to do against
Lamarmo in the second matchup up in Baltimore, where they failed,
as Derrick Henry sure.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
So I know it's not that simple. It absolutely isn't.
And their coaches get paid and they're going to scheme
guys up. But the way I see this matchup without
Fly is, Hey, Joey, you've got Bateman. You know, we
think we have an advantage there. You got You're gonna
follow him all day long. Maka Elliott. You have these
two really good tight ends, you know, But we like
(36:11):
our matchup there and therefore, you know, the Ravens are
not gonna be an eleven personnel. They're gonna have two
tight ends, three tight ends recard, they're gonna be big.
You're gonna be in your base three four all day,
you know, maybe even heavier than that at times. And
I'm gonna run blitz of the the Ravens on early
downs as they have over and over, and I'm gonna
(36:33):
have a lot of people near the line of scrimmage.
And if they beat you over the top, because we're
being aggressive with these coverage situations, so be it. But
there's no Flowers.
Speaker 8 (36:42):
Yeah, and there's less chance of that mm hm, you know,
to get to get up that explosively play. Yeah, I know,
I don't argue with anything if we're sitting a game
plan meeting, and that's how we all, that's what the
all our views are. Be comfortable as a coordinary, well,
that's that we want to play it.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
You know.
Speaker 8 (37:02):
You know, listen the Steelers, you know times you know
they they play that that personal matchup. You know, they'll
put five linebackers on the field play.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
Did you think that was.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
A particularly effective last game of Cincinnati when they had
the three outside out there.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
Because the blue too, it was part of it.
Speaker 8 (37:22):
Yeah, I'm I'm reflecting more on the Raven game with
them doing it.
Speaker 6 (37:26):
They had a good and bad.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
Play, so they've traditionally done it a lot against the race.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
I think that's where they broke it up years ago.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
Red Zone.
Speaker 5 (37:34):
I think high Smith's got an interception.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Yeah, there's a history there.
Speaker 6 (37:38):
They're big people. It's not the first.
Speaker 8 (37:41):
Yeah, you're exactly right that it's not the first time
they did it, and that that's what I'm saying there.
But that's that's speaking to the priority. We're not letting
them run. Okay, you know, let's take it if they
wanted to. They got a match up because we're on
a single up around here, and they beat it, well,
that's you know, we have that.
Speaker 6 (38:00):
That's how we go out.
Speaker 8 (38:01):
But we're not going to go out with with them
doing something that they want to do to us.
Speaker 6 (38:07):
We're going to stop that. Meryl.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Did you like the defense overall in that Bengals game.
I know the time of possession was out of whack,
but you know, they certainly had their problems in the
first three games of the losing streak. But given Joe
Burrow one touchdown in four field goals, getting to stop
in the second half, holding into a field goal, and
keeping it a two score game, getting the three and
(38:31):
out after the offense had to settle for a field
goal late. I thought they did a really nice recovery
effort and looked a lot more like the defense I
expect them.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And I think it made Chuck No proud because they
tackled so much better, so much better.
Speaker 8 (38:46):
You know, you're true story by both of you. Actually,
I'm glad you brought I'm so I'm trying to rough
rerun my brain and go, Okay, when did I watch
that tape? Like seem like a year.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Ago, But opening drive was rough? But then they made plays.
Speaker 8 (39:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah because after that, because I wanted to
see what happened in the opening drive?
Speaker 6 (39:05):
What changed?
Speaker 8 (39:06):
Well, remember going into that game, we were talking so
much about how they're going to create confusion and do
mismatch and could they clean that up.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Okay, here's a great example.
Speaker 8 (39:16):
For about a month, that defense has struggled with bunches
a man matching up, passing people off, identifying who's got who,
and then covering. I mean, because they leave the people
around all wide open. All over the place, scoring territory,
critical downs, long yarded situations. After that first drive. You
never saw that, and you saw great communication. You saw
(39:39):
people buttoned up, covering people in the way in the
manner that they should you but they needed to. But
they hadn't done the the or four weeks previously. So
that's just evidence right there. You know, the two things
we talked about offensively or the thing offensively we need
they need to get done. It can be done, you know,
and you could definitely shit this week, but they they
(40:00):
were very good on the back end. Their pressures were incredible,
and it was the kind of defense that you know,
I think in the history of the Steelers franchise you
used to seeing.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
And uh, you think that's obviously gotta They're gonna get
some more of the same stuff that they struggled with
prior to the second Cincinnati game. But uh, do you
feel like it's fixed? Do you trust this defense?
Speaker 6 (40:28):
Well?
Speaker 8 (40:28):
I always go by the evidence, you know, I'll go
back to, you know, playing that doesn't help this, that
I'm trying that that helps it. Beyond I don't know
if I have quiet words to describe the burden that
has been lifted he did not have to deal with
somebody that dynamic with the lands crews an explosive, but
(40:49):
it's got to do some big targets and good targets.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
You know.
Speaker 8 (40:52):
And then I did the wounds you both ways, legs
and on them. So that's not a handful of itself,
but that one element that you and I have to
you know, it's not weighing on you.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
Every time they put him in motion and every time
the ship where is he?
Speaker 8 (41:08):
You know that doesn't that's not gonna that's not gonna
be troublesome in this matchup, and that is a that's
a big relief.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
Meryl, great stuff. Appreciate you doubling up on the segments tonight.
Speaker 4 (41:21):
And at week let's do it again.
Speaker 6 (41:24):
You got one more that would be very nice. I
would love I'd love to keep doing them all February.
Speaker 5 (41:30):
Boys, we'll see what we can do. Thanks a lot,
Meryl Hodge.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Guys are fast fact a lot more to come tonight,
so you're gonna want to keep it here with Matt
Williamson on Mike Persuda. This is a special two hour
edition of Steelers Preview as we get you ready for
the playoff opener. Saturday night in Baltimore, right here on
the Steelers flagship, one of two point five d ve
(41:55):
E and the Steelers Audio Network
Popular Podcasts
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Decisions, Decisions
Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love. Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations. From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation!