Week 3

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Good evening and welcome to another edition of Steelers Preview right here on your Steeler slagship one of two point five dve and the Steelers Audio Network on Mike Persuda joined us always on these Thursday night parties by Matt Williamson of the Steelers Audio Network at Steelers dot Com. Our buddy, Merril Hodge, our factor back. We'll be joining us for segment number two as we get you ready for the home opener the Steelers and the Chargers Sunday

Yeah, and I don't think this should come as a huge shock. They definitely are not rushing him back. I get the impression next week has a pretty strong chance to get Wilson back in the lineup, and if it were me, I would immediately insert him when he was ready. We'll get another game of Fields and we'll see. I think Fields has played well. I mean, I don't think he's swept anyone off their feet though.

Nor do I, but he's not turned the ball over and he has walked off the field a winner both times, which is the oh yeah right right of the exercise. He certainly sounded today like a guy who is expecting to start on Sunday. Justin Fields asked after practice today if he came to Pittsburgh to kind of reboot or restart his career, and if he did, how that's been going so far.

I think it's definitely a blessing being here. You know, it's kind of bittersweet when I first got here that, you know, I was happy to come to an organization like this, and you know, I couldn't even be more happier now. So I just got to get the opportunity to go out there Sunday and meet my teammates onto the field and help it come on to.

Be glad I get the opportunity to go out there Sunday and lead my teammates. This will be the third such opportunity, and uh, it's got a lot of people wondering if this might get to the point where Fields gets a whole bunch of opportunities. Is there any concern that the longer you're inactive, the depth chuck could change. Now, I'm just focused on on me every day.

Just focus on me being fully healthy, and I have full confidence in our football team, and that's really what really matters to me.

Russell Wilson, Uh not worried that he could lose this through in activity. You said a moment ago, Matt, you would play him when he's healthy. I would. I would play him when he's healthy. But at what point? Is there a point where they get to four and oh, five and oh and you start righting? You know what, it's a.

Good problem that has working the way it's working. It's working the way it's working. I mean when I was saying that just a minute ago, I was saying in the back of my mind. Well, what would Fields have to do Sunday to change that opinion? You know, if Wilson's ready to roll during practice post chargers, what would Fields have to do to say, well, maybe we'll go back to you and probably something that not that he's incapable of, but is out of the stratosphere would be

And it's only been one touchdown in two games. And there's that for the offense. And you're right, you know penalties, Hey, they're penalties, Yeah, yeah, a lot of times they're critical to the result of the play. Oh, that would have been a touchdown if there wasn't holding. It also might have been a.

Side fumble return for a touchdown.

I'm saying specifically the fifty one yard touchdown to George Pickens, which was a gorgeous throw.

Oh, that was a heck of a play. Like, it's a shame that didn't count.

It was, no doubt. But if there's not holding there, I think he's getting.

Tackled potentially, or he doesn't get the ball off, or he scrambles or whatever, or you know the other pickings. One, well, if he doesn't pick two players, he probably isn't wide opening the end zone.

It might have been at least right, Yeah, coverage right. The rest of the practice participation report for today, Roman Wilson gets upgraded from limited to full. That also occurred last week. Yeah, he didn't get in the lineup yet. Do you have any hope that he sees the lineup? He said he wants to play. You know, it's not his call. I'm starting to wonder on him. The other receivers aren't exactly lighting it up. No, but how much

Of weeks because you know, coaches are about trust and how to trust. You know, that's gonna be a hard thing to gain.

That's a tough one there. And the Isaac say Moula did not practice for the second consecutive day, So it doesn't appear as if he's going to be getting a helmet on Sunday. You never know because he's a veteran, but.

That sounds highly unlikely. But maybe next week. I mean that sounds out of the question from what I understand. Yeah, for the Chargers, much different story for them.

Quarterback Justin Herbert Ankle didn't practice yesterday, limited today. Sounds like he's trending toward playing, But I wonder will he be affected.

Right and Damn and I had a really good conversation to Drive about this because don't forget he had planned or fasciitis.

I don't know if it's the same foot or not. I have no idea, but.

That's something I bet he still feels as well.

Kept him out of camp about three weeks.

Yeah, and there was a lot of takers he can be ready for week one. He hasn't looked great despite being two and ozer. He's missed some throws and I wonder if his lower body is bugging him.

Safety Alloyd Gilman, one of their starters on the back end, limited for a second consecutive day, and edge rusher Joey Bosa hip limited for a second consecutive day. Gilman didn't play last Sunday against Carolina Bosa did Bosa probably, you know, working through what he's got to work through.

Gilman's a quality player, though, I mean he's a legit starting safety.

That would be loss. The remarkable thing about this game, Matt, is that Jim Harbaugh has arrived in Los Angeles and taken over, and to me, the Chargers look like what you might expect if the Baltimore Ravens in the University of Michigan. Yea had a kid, Yeah, I mean Herbert as a quarterback. There's a lot of ex Ravens coaches. There's a lot of ex Ravens players. Yes, they are running the ball way more than they are throwing it. They are running it with great frequency and success as

Uh.

He averaged seven point seven yards to carry against the Panthers and his average went down.

Went down to nine point nine for the season.

I mean, he looks like the guy he was coming out of Ohio State, which is my favorite back in that class.

And I'm happy for him because he was a really good player that injuries were just the only negative on the guy. I don't know if you know this, but anyone with five hundred carries in the history of the game.

He now has the best yards per carry average. I did not know that.

Yeah, just these two games have put him over that. I mean playing for the Ravens helps because lamar Gus Edwards had a nice yards per carry out average too, And he's kind of just a guy. But he's another former raven We're gonna see a lot of They feel like the Ravens a lot.

So they have Justin Herbert. But I mean, yeah, he hasn't thrown for one hundred and fifty yards yet. No, his stat lines look like Justin Fields or Kenny Pickett's did last year. Yes, Now, this is a guy who averaged two hundred and seventy five passing yards and change. Yeah in his first four seasons.

Yeah, I mean like even his attempts are down from hat almost fifty percent, almost from what he's used to his whole career.

Up till now.

Now, I think what we have to acknowledge for the Saints and for the Chargers is they got to play the Panthers. I mean, the Panthers are not an NFL team right now, and really bad, I mean like really bad, like hard to imagine that.

They made never look competitive exactly exactly.

So that being said, I'm sure the Chargers could have dropped more points on him at the end too, but that was not a challenge that team.

We've got a lot more to get to.

Uh.

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Back to the Steelers preview you show on DV.

Welcome back my pursuiter and Matt Williamson getting you ready for the Steelers and the Chargers Sunday Actorschuer Stadium right here on your Steelers flagship one of two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network. Time now to welcome in our Factor back. Merril Hodge joining us as he always does. And Merrill, Uh, I know we got a lot to talk about as it relates to the Steelers and the Chargers, but I gotta start with my tape review of the Chargers and the Carolina Panthers. Oh Man.

Y, I love at you.

They actually later in the game, did you see they just start dropping him into coverage. I'm like, that's how I'm like that. Geam's a mass already.

We too, have you see just reaching memory? Yeah?

No, no, no, it's really if I racked my brain, not competitive my brain.

Yeah, it's and they had they've only had a year to well that.

Well, listen, we we do a whole show on that, on that team and what they've done and the decisions they've made.

But that that's gonna hot in for for years.

All right, So before we let that go. Should I be wary of Carolina now this week because you always worry about a professional who's been embarrassed or are there some professionals who are just destined to continue being embarrassed? Yeah?

Well, based on well, you know, I say this the one bright spot they you know, bention Bryceyeng is a good move. They mean, that gives them some hope offensively, you know, they can do some things. They're not going to be as limited And what's unfortunate for Bryce Jong and you didn't bring this on itself. Anybody would want to be the first round overall pick in the National Football League. But he's just limited skill set is just it just it doesn't transition to the National football It

To win, to win and win consistently, let alone a championship.

Does watching that game make it difficult to really get a good bead on the Chargers a little bit?

Yeah, you know, a little bit. Yeah, you know.

I you know, I watched the first two games, and you know, and the Raiders weren't, you know, the Juggernaut. You know, they played so much better against Baltimore. So they they haven't played two great offenses. And I'm not saying the Steelers are a great offense right now, either.

You know, they they are I think a.

Little better than the two that we just talked about. Other than the Raiders, I think they get better. They got better quarterback play there, you know, than the other two. I mean the two they got the best quarterback play. And you know he does he knows how to play in the game. You know, he's not elite, but he knows how to play and he knows how to play that position.

So between the the both.

Of them, though, I think I got a good feel for what it comes down to. I think they're the box players. Listen their edge players, and we talked about this on the morning show. I think this game could be like a an edge game. I mean, if you want to watch the best edge players, you can give them all in one arena. I mean combination. I can't beat two better, I mean a combination of four better. I guess for me that you don't see that often. You know where those dynamic things enter entering game. But

Then they got a better chance of you know, dealing with them and you know, keeping them up bathing the first two opponents.

Well, let's talk about that. I agree with that. I think that's a highly compelling matchup. I'll be at the game Sunday. I may have my binoculars trained on the two offensive edges no matter who has the ball, and just watch it that way. But is there a favorable matchup TJ. Watt against anybody both against Troy Utan who making his second career start, Khalil Mack against anybody who's got the edge edge.

Well, listen, either one of those guys, you know, can give a rookie a problem Platanu. I will say this though, you know, he's fundamentally so much better than Jones, just something you know, from deep pits to hands, just so much better. You know, he gets a little nodicon, you know. I didn't realize he had not played right tackle. So that's a big ask for a kid who's never played right tackle and just make that transition in the NFL.

Left doesn't mean you can play right. Just because he played right doesn't mean you can play left.

You know, It's it's like linebacker, It's like but Khalil Mack is the most incredible player.

I've ever evaluated. Coming out of college.

He could play inside, outside and defensive end, and he looked like all world at all three, which was just like incredible. But he'll open his hips up a little bit at times and ill him the corner a little bit. And with these guys, you can't give anything. I mean, you got to be your most buttoned up against these two because they're so good. They have so many different ways to attack you. So but you know, I'm sure that from a scheme wise, Arthur Samathy in that idiot,

Now, there's gonna be times you gotta ask guys to block.

I'm not saying that, but you can do some stuff scheme wise and play calling wise that can hold those.

Guys at bay a little bit.

But there's going to be those times where you've got a block and you didn't have to make that happen.

So obviously, these edge players, they are really really good. And I'm really impressed with the Chargers tackles but staying out a third and long is going to be pivotal for both these teams. Which team is more better equipped to stay out a third and long?

I think the Chargers are them, you know, and I've just kind of watched them, you know, their running game, they you know, they built on the running and you know, their first week they were just inside zone, inside zone.

You know. Then they brought.

Some some whams stuff and that might have been specifically for what the Panthers had.

I don't know. That one's hard to tail, you know, but they added a little to their running game. But they're very versatile.

You know, they do seem to want to attack you inside zone wise, seems to be their their strength and what they like right now. It's worly lead too, and they're passing game.

You know. The week one it was a really a quick.

Contective and almost I almost thought that they're treating a quarterback like he was a rookie the.

Way that they had dialed stuff up. Now that evolved. Then they then they opened it.

Up a little more against the Panthers and they started doing half field reads, a little some more explosive stuff, a little more run action stuff and taking shots.

Down the field with the Steelers, I think they will.

Be somewhere closer to the Raiders just because of their head dressers. You know, you know on that quarterback in that in that pocket too long, you know, the ball's got to come out.

And you know when they do.

Like they were, the run action stuff when they take their shots, I think that's what you'll see because you can get max protection and you can give either or see you can double both guys and just get a two receiver route, which the which I That's what I anticipate when they take shots they'll do.

Let's talk about the Chargers tackle, specifically Joel Up the rookie right tackle. Uh they call him control all the lead out there. That's pretty good. Uh handle Max Crosby? Can he handle? T? J? Watt?

Hey? Where was that kid from Notre Dame? Okay?

His dad was a.

Big, real good player in the league for ten years.

John, Oh yeah, okay, Okay, I was. There's actually so many good tackles. That's why I asked. I'm like, I get I get these these guys lost because the kid in Oregon State, which who was the right tackle? That's what I was I was thinking him actually who was a beef.

Yeah, had switch sides too. He was a left at Notre Dame. They're playing him at right.

Yeah yeah, because I was like, well he was a left, yeah name, So I was like, that's that's somewhat interesting.

But anyway, let's say it. CJ.

Watt is a special football player. I know you were talking about not me and not letting him hit the quarterback and sag quarterback. But he's gonna play every down. I mean, I'm love what TJ. What does when he doesn't get a sack.

Quite honestly, the plays.

He makes when he doesn't make the tackle, the things that he does that helps, that's just good sound football.

That's what I love about him. That he's gonna set the edge, he's gonna.

Make tackles, he's gonna blow things up, he's gonna constantly penetrate, he's gonna be He's just a constant.

He's a disruptor on.

Every play and that will be even now, I'm jarge rookie is that that's a lot to ask, you know, you know, that's why you know he's got to say. But both guys, you know, from a skill set in college to the NFL was pretty unique and special, and you can see how they've played now there's not a lot of.

I can't tell how how young they.

Are unless you really study him hard and you just see little things that they will get clearly better on.

There'll be interesting, though, which guy breaks down.

It.

Fundamentally, because I think that's probably where it comes down to, is in those moments you have to block a guy, you don't have to help, you don't have a chip, and you just don't break down fundamentally against those pass rushers because you do, they're giving you chip.

Well, I think people might be surprised the way the Chargers are playing. They have Herbert, who is a perceived franchise caliber quarterback average close to three hundred yards a game is first couple of years to seventy five and changed his first four seasons this year under one hundred and fifty both games. But this team has been built

No true story, you know, and you can is it Roman, I forget their offensive coordinating with the offense.

Yeah heavy the least.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Just just so people know.

I mean, they got their office coordinator from the Ravens and so, and I got talked to him many times, and he is just you talk about a guy who knows the running game in depths. That is just like I was just sitting there in aug going while and we just and then we start talking about Chuck Noll in the.

Trap game and you know, could you bring that back?

And we started going, we started going off off the charts where you'd be like most people probably bored, but I was like, you know, the guy's fascinating. You know, that's why they're running game is I could they're committed to it. You could tell they're committed to it. They decided that a.

Long time ago, that staff game together.

That's why you know, I'm sure that they're gonna have something for the Steelers and the things that we I just mentioned I saw, I clearly expect you know what I did not see, which I was actually surprised.

Not long he was foundationally a power. Oh guy, you know, the power was like the one.

Of the most physical runs that exists in football. Okay, and in fact, in Chicago when I was there, we were committed to that. And when somebody's committed that, I'm not to me, that means they mean business. That means they're gonna run the football. They even just putting this in just to put it in, and putting it in because they're like, this is who we are. I didn't see much of that, you know, and I don't know why that is. You know, now that could be the thing you see this week.

You know, I'm sure they have more than they're gonna add to because they do a lot. You know.

I like they run the strong side on the weak side too. You know, they're not They're not heavy on right or left. They're not heavy on stronger a week, especially after two weeks, they probably have very few tendencies that you can really put your finger on, which makes it harder against a team, a team like that that's going to bring out more wrinkles in their running game.

So you were talking off running scheme there, and I think it's noteworthy that through two games we've seen very very maybe none pulling lineman for the Steelers, and I thought that was a real weapon the second half of last year. It's not really an Arthur Smith thing. I mean, do we think that's a thing of the past. Do you have mixed feelings about that? Or you know what do you think of the Steelers stramatically?

Actually yeah, I actually was surprised at that too, because they did it so well and the guys are so listen pinning and Poland. I think some I go back to the trapping system. I'm telling you, I've always felt that there was an advantage. I love the counter game, I think I think you know, I mentioned the power runners like that, I mean a missleaning business. But I still think the counter is the most dorsal run in football and give you inside outside I mean physical. It

It was one of the one of.

My the things I like the most to run because it gave there's so many options in it, and the timing in it that had to be from a running perspective had to go along with the blocking. I love that aspect of it, but I love to just just have all the versatility in it.

But I don't know.

I actually thought that they would. I thought they would look at and we really did this.

Let's keep those things. Now that this artist doesn't mean that he.

Doesn't build on stuff too, you know, and had stuff that happens all the time, you know, as you get going on in the year and you need to add somewhere, an opponent does something that they're struggling with, and you're like, let's add it this weekend. You do it so well, you just keep it. That does happen too.

But I was too.

I surprised that they didn't do a little because of the athletes that they have, and they're obviously lying. You know, as a whole has played so good. I've been really impressed with them. And now they played, you know, guard two rookies. I felt like I've been outstanding as a whole.

They played well together and done well in.

The running game. So it's gonna have to build on that because this will be their best test.

We don't have a huge sample size, only a couple of games, but the Chargers are number one in scoring defense. The Steelers are number two in scoring defense. They're both allowing less than ten points a game, which even in a small sample size is pretty impressive. Sure, if you're Arthur Smith of the Steelers Merril, or if you're Greg Roman and the Ravens and you're coordinating an offense against defenses of this caliber, does that change how you go

A lot? I mean I'm telling you a lot, but I would just say this.

Both of them have a formula to new plays pass rushers.

I mean, you know the best.

I remember when when the Bears came in and they still had that eighty five defense.

But we knew this. We knew that.

We knew that you're going to have to if you want if you don't want these pass rushers, Richard Dan specifically, we don't want Richard Dan to have a day and get going, then we're gonna go around the ball at him like four five straight times, which we did and Richard Dan was so we started getting angry after three and you can tell he just started losing his mind.

He was like he didn't want to play that.

I'm not saying all these guys don't want to play it, but that's the best way you got to keep those guys.

That day number one a great way to do it.

And then those run action plays I'm telling you about, And what makes that different than play action is one line Nalvsey line attacks the line of scrimmage and they play on the other side for like a yard. That's run action and when you do that, you paralyze the box.

And then you can take shots down the field.

And I just think both teams will try to generate their shots that way versus the drop back and nothing.

So I look at this defense and they're playing really well. They haven't had real, you know, stiff tests, especially Carolina who's totally dysfunctional, but they're big guys on defense. For the Chargers to me, are a real liability. Like I'm not sure how many of their true defensive linemen would even.

Make this team.

No, are you talking about the Panthers or No.

I'm talking about the Chargers defensive tackles. Those tackles big guys on the Charger d I should have been more specific.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, Well, I'm gonna tell you like their box players, you know, I.

The whole, you know, the first you know, I'll just say that I like the.

Steelers rotation and their box players better than the Chargers. If we're talking about depth and rotation and and versatility of everything.

You know, if I had to take the box, I would take the Steelers box.

Meryl, do you think there is a path to justin fields turning the tables on the depth chart and uh, you know, winning enough games and playing well enough to still be the starter when Russell Wilson is deemed healthy.

Listen, I've always thought it was hard to venture winner. You know, he doesn't. Here's where his girlth has to happen. He misses some some throws, some throws from an anticipation aspect, you know, like a deep curl instead of sitting on it and waiting for him to get the girl completed too late. You know, bald needs to come out. You know,

He didn't see it.

And I'm just gonna tell you from experience, the Charger saw that. And don't think for one second the Chargers aren't going to dial that up and whatever else they can to see.

If they can handle it, you know.

And that that and you have to you have to show growth in that too, because you can't.

You can't miss those. You got to punish people to do that. You know.

Now, he got a out of trouble with these legs, but you're not always going to in that one with your legs, you know. So those are two things areas that if he got better at I would find it hard to pent you. You know, as long as he's better and you're winning, you know, it would be there would be a It would be as you know, those coaches in those meeting rooms no more than what we do, and that that's the advantage they have.

But I would find it hard to sitting down.

So Merril Justin Fields has been one of the most if not the most blitzed quarterback in the league since he's joined the NFL, and Denver came at him a very high percentage of the time, and he completed a really high percentage of his past first blitz I mean, is that something that everyone's gonna do. Do you assume the chargers I would imagine, right, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, Well I told you that they missed them too. I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah, were those those those are the.

Ones that there are, They're they're they're looking at So they're not gonna take it easy.

They're gonna the ratchet up.

And come on, be prepared for that. I you know, that could be the difference too. Listen, good or bad.

You know, they either get there and we don't clean it. He doesn't clean it.

Up, or he cleans it up and he makes them pay for doing it.

Maryl Last thing I got for you tonight. What's Broderick Jones going through? You know, he mentioned his technique, three penalties, getting yanked mid series, losing his job. He's a young guy, highly touted, highly drafted, and he's struggling right now. Yeah, what's his path here?

Well, Talent tells you what you can do. Motivation tells you.

What you will do.

I think they could need a moment of self reflection where he looks at himself and takes ownership.

If he wants to be really a.

Contributor and a really good player, and keep mind, he does have that potential. I saw him do a down block and literally smashed the tackle and destroy the linebacker, and I'm like, where's that man?

So I've seen enough of it, even though it's been glimpses. He knows how to play and play right, he just for whatever chooses not to. He is sloppy fundamentally. I mean he is. I can't tell you how many.

Times his feet, hips and hands pad level is atrocious, hands not existing.

You can't play like that.

In the NFL just to be successful, you just and he's it's almost like he's freelancing and you know, and he has no purpose and he has no passion about being a pro of a kid, you know, and only you can do whatever you know.

You can bench a kid.

You can do all these things until they take ownership and wake up.

There's nothing to do. I seen what you can do.

I've seen his feet get too close together or even cross and then rarely said yeah.

Yes, he said I stopped to play, And I'm like, okay, how.

In the world he I'm gonna hit his legs there and scissors okay, crossed? Well, yes, his his arms are beside his hips and he's straight up. I'm like, that is the most that is one of the most like what I'm saying awful, that's awful from every platform you can think of, feet, hips, hands, because that's how like.

You can't get much worse. Like that's the hardest way to block someone on the whole planet.

And he got stuck right back into the quarterback's lap and you know, and but then I've seen him do it, right, Like I'm telling then I've seen it, you know, and what here's what about me?

He came back and was he seemed to be jawing at the fireman.

That they had a double that's probably is Actually who's a guy who's actually improved his blocking by the way in his his credit, I mean, he is really playing like being a complete.

Tight end, by the way. But he the way that Comba block worked. He blocked the right guy. Fireman blocked the right right and did a good job.

He misses the linebacker who makes the tackle when he comes back, and it was John at Friars And I'm like, what what could.

He possibly be saying to him other than why could you block better than me? That's the only thing I'd be saying.

What is he doing?

But and I was like, why would he be yelling the farmers? He didn't do anything, he fired, just got to walk away like whatever. But I was like, the kid has obviously talent, but that just tells you what you can do. You know, he's got to he's gotta get he's got to change his approach to things and take ownership.

He does that, you know, the kid could be a massive contributor.

You know, to that offensive line. But not playing like he is, he's killing. He's killing.

That's why I got credit him for for putting him down, because he was killing that team in the short period he was there.

Merrily. I'll tell you to enjoy the game, son, but I'm sensing about eighty combined rushing attempts. I think you got the popcorn already fired off your kind name. You're gonna be like DiCaprio, and I mean just pointing it to the screen. Look, they ran again, they ran again, We run the football.

Game might be over two hours, hours and thirty minutes.

Hey, Meryl, great stuff. Well we'll do it again next week.

Absolutely, go Stealers, Sea guys.

Meryl Hodge the factor back right here on Steelers Preview nobody in America is gonna enjoy this game. This rock fight at the fifty yard line. Yeah right, beautiful stuff coming up in the in the world of Hodge. We got one more segment to go here on the preview, so you're gonna want to keep it here with Matt Williamson a Mike Pursuda. This is Steelers Preview right here on your Steelers flagship one of two point five DVE and the Steelers Audio Network.

Back to the Steelers preview show on DVE.

Welcome back to the preview Mike Pursuit of Matt Williamson and h I don't think Merrill's calmed down yet. No, I think he's really looking forward to this one.

And this is right up his alley, and these two head coaches are going to be stubborn, tough.

I think it's gonna be a fun game.

You know.

I liking it. I think I've told you before. I try to go to the Army Navy game every year. Okay. And one of the things, now, this is not going to be triple option football, no no, but it's going to be run the football, and it's going to be first downs are important and field position is important. Fundamentally, and field goals are important, and they both have good field goal kickers. And you know, a good rock fight at the fifty, yeah, or fist fight at the fifty,

Of Ravens DNA, like you mentioned to start the show.

Chargers are trying to be the raven the Baltimore Wolverines or the you know, the the under pound fullback. I gotta love that. The University of Michigan Baltimore campus. I don't know, but it's I think it's gonna be fun.

I mean, he had a first round rookie and they only threw the ball what twelve thirteen times? Sometimes at Michigan.

Oh the pacer right right, they threw They attempted two passes in the second half and one because they were just running the ball. Yeah, and do that. Why would you stop if it's working on I don't know that either side is going to have consistent success because I think both these defenses are good, but hey, that's why they play the games. What to expect is brought to You by Brian Patton and Associates. It's all about the benefits, Matt.

Like that, especially against his front not necessarily dropping.

Back and just oh, I didn't see the safety or oh I sailed it, or oh the cornerback jumped the route like a goofy turnover on a goofy kind of play. And if Justin Field stays as disciplined as he has and the Steelers don't turn it over as they have not, maybe that's the difference. But I think Pittsburgh's gonna win takeaway giveaway at least plus one.

Okay, that's what I expect. Well, that almost always results in a Steeler win. I mean, the numbers are bonkers when they don't throw an interception. Even when they right, I mean, even when they tie the turnover battle, the Steelers win. They don't lose it. They're a really really hard team to beat. And say what you want about fields, they have not produced touchdowns with them. But that has

So you got an expectation. I think it's goun be a really physical game.

I think special teams favors the Steelers.

Yeah, that really is.

We didn't talk a lot about JK. Dobbins, but he scares me. I mean, I think limiting explosive plays by him is extremely, extremely important.

To do it.

I think this defense is the best in the league.

I really do. I really do.

I'm not trying to like get people all excited excited. I think it's the best in the league and I don't see a lot of weaknesses with it. I think the front is tremendous, the speed on the back end off in a big way, and I think Pickens has that breakout game that he shown. No kidding, yeah, I mean it's not certain. It's not Terrell. Their corners are okay, but I think Pickens' eyeball test has been a lot better than his numbers.

So I'm gonna go with one. Justin Herbert turnover, You're gonna go with George Pickens gets a blowing up. Yeah, what to expect? Brought to you by Brian patt In Associates. It's all about the benefits, you know, we talk about these defenses and how low scoring it's gonna be. I mean, again, small sample size, but just consider this the last time two teams met in week three or later, that we're both allowing ten or fewer points in a game. Was

Little coincidental, okay matchup the irony there.

Ravens won the game sixteen to thirteen.

That's actually the score I'm picking for this game, is it?

Yeah?

I mean, if people are wondering when is the Steelers offense going to break out? And if you hear Arthur Smith through Troy Toda, we told a bunch of us yesterday. Coach Arthur told us, were like, a damn, that's about to break. You know. Some other guys have talked about that, and guys have referenced the first half in Denver and how close they were really putting up points there. I think it's not gonna look like it's looked the first two weeks eventually, but I don't think Sunday's gonna be

I still think the Chargers defense is good, not great. I mean I understand they have not I don't think they've been challenged all that much. And the two things I keep coming back to in this game. We talk about all the similarities, but of the four units, I think the Steelers defense stands alone as the best.

Of the four offenses are about to push. Yeah, but they also have a quarterback, you know who they're treating like a game manager, right, But they've also got some injury issues. They got the they got single early in that game, and he threw a twenty nine or thirty yard touchdown pass for a touchdown to his wide receiver Quinton Johnston, who was disappointing last year coming out of TCU, and he's already had two touchdowns against Carolina. He had

Oh and Johnston has had two very good games and he is a first round pick. But if Porter follows him like he did Sutton in London, I don't think we'll hear.

Much from Johnston.

I don't think he's nearly at the level of those two, especially London.

Here's a crazy observation, all right, for Joey Porter in this game, is it more important that he tackle well than shut down the other team's best receiver?

Their receivers are so light if you could play ten on ten with Johnston and Porter are just doing their own thing somewhere else. I think that favors the Steelers dramatically as opposed to tackling and all.

They'll tack the edge with Dobbins getting them outside. Oh, they definitely will.

I mean they love the run outside behind those tackles with tight ends and Dobbin's speed.

But that that's a that's a good point.

I mean he's going to have to tackle Dobbins in space and that's dangerous.

Terrell Edmunds, the Steelers defensive coordinator, was asked about that today. Has Porter improved his tackling? He said absolutely they. I don't see it as a problem right to the point. They've been working on it and it's way better than it was because we were talking last year. At times he ain't tackling anybody.

No, and that goes back to Penn State, because like his last nine or ten games of Penn State, they didn't even throw at them.

I think the other guy, uh Jackson, will be fine Steelers corner Jackson. Yeah, I'm impressed.

I think the secondary as.

A wholes of playing physical oh yea yeah yeah, gals stick his face in there. Yeah yeah.

I bet they challenged Beanie Bishop to tackle too.

Yeah. Run right at him, right, and you know that's a guy that h Well, the word coming out of West Virginia was, at least the word I got was he was a better physical player than you would think given his stature. He's made some tackles. I haven't looked at him as a I don't think he's been great.

But that's if that's your weakest link of the defense, I think you're in pretty good shape.

Anything like that. Just last thing I got tonight, the second touchdown drive for the Chargers against Carolina, I think pretty typical for them. Levin plays sixty five yards six minutes in one second. They ran it nine times for fifty five yards. They had one penalty on the defense for five yards. They were one for two passing for

It sounds like exactly what both these head coaches want to do. I mean, who can force the other team to play left handed?

That's the whole key. Here they coming, here we go. That's gonna do it. For the preview tonight. Thanks to Merrill for joining us as he always does and bringing the heat that we count on him to bring. Thanks to Justin Miller for keeping the board up and running and keeping us on the air. And thank you for finding us however and wherever you found us. We do this every week in advance of the Steeler game, So if you're new to the show, we'd love to have