SNR Drive with Matt & Dale (Pittsburgh Steelers)At least, he's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
And welcome to the Drive by and Dale Lowie. He is the Matt Williamson And it is a lovely Thursday here in Pittsburgh. Actually, for the Steelers today is Wednesday, right, because well they just had to put out their first practice report because they play Monday night, so everything kind of gets pushed an extra day. Yeah, you get the extra day in there. Wednesday's practice is kind of a bonus deal.
I always love the Monday night going into a bye because you get an extra day on the front.
Why is that if you care schedule well, with the way that the NFLPA now sets this up, you have to have four off days in a row on right, right, right, So what the Steelers used to do when they had a normal Sunday game on a high was they would practice Tuesday and Wednesday.
Let them go for the weekend, and then let them go for the weekend.
And those Tuesday Wednesday practices would be for all the young guys who haven't played a lot.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, like it always it was like our bowl game practices kind.
Of what it was right in this situation, because it's a Monday night game, they can't really practice on Tuesday. That's not going to happen, so they get one practice day. So yesterday's practice was really the bonus day.
Yes, I just like it from a rest perspective for the team as you get the extra day to prepare and then you lose one on the back end, but it cares you.
Get an extra day is one way or the other right here, you know, six one way, a half dozen the other. So anyways, speaking of today being a Thursday, Wednesday, on a Thursday, SIS put out their first practice report, as did the Giants. Roman Wilson did not participate in practice today with that hamstring injury, and I get so many questions about Roman Wilson and down that road. Mike Tomlin has never in his history as head coach played a rookie who missed practice time during the week of a game.
Yeah, okay, I mean even deep in the season if they're starters.
Or you got to if you're a young guy, even some second year guys. But if you're a rookie, you've got to get on the on the practice field. You've got to show him, the coaching staff, the quarterback in this situation, because you know he's a wide receiver that you know what you're doing out there, and if you can't do that, you're not going to play.
See.
I think a lot of fans were really excited about the draft pick and are frustrated, Hey, maybe you have your receiver answer in house and you're not giving him a chance.
Not giving him a chance. He missed all of training camp, right, and then he didn't practice for the first three weeks of the season. Then he hurt again, and then he got hurt again.
Right.
So that's what's not giving him a chance is health. Yeah, that's and he didn't practice today. They would have loved him to practice today, absolutely.
Uh. Demonte case might be good for him, and buy will be very good for him. Perhaps he's able to come back after the buyeh. Demante kaz was a full participant in practice with that ankle injury. Deshaun Elliott, with a back issue, did not practice today, so we'll see where that leads. Dante Jackson with the shoulder, a full participant.
Good. I was a little worrisome on game day.
Tyler Matakevich. They activated his practice window today. He was a limited participant in practice. Nick Herbig did not practice. Zach Fraser did not practice. It's safe to those two aren't gonna play yet. Uh. Dylan Cook, whose practice window also is open, was a full participant in practice.
Good mean seam Key could be active on game day.
Yeah, yeah, assuming he gets whether they activate him this week or whether they wait. They got twenty one days and they're about a week into that.
But he's not gonna go in permanent I are, I mean, no open, Yeah, he's playing.
Uh. Cordero Patterson with the ankle injury, was a limited participant today. That's kind of Keanu Benton has a calf issue. He was a limited participant today. And then Cam Hayward was resting today so he did not practice.
So no huge news, you know, I mean her Big and.
Frasier, you know, we kind of knew they weren't. Everything else seems pretty positive really.
Yeah, I mean, Elliott will see where that goes rest week. Here's the thing. They practice tomorrow and then they also practice Saturday.
A real practice, real practice, not a walk through.
Yeah, so they get the extra day there for the Giants.
I haven't seen any of those.
They get some concerns. Guys who did not participate in practice. Defensive back Cordell Flat he's got a groin.
Yeah, he's pretty much a starter.
Punter Jamie Gillen left hamstring.
Their special teams isn't very good, not very good.
I don't know if they have a punter on their practice squad or if they're going to have to sign somebody if he can't play.
I'll tell us everything we know if if they sign someone today or tomorrow or uh.
Defensive back Trey Hawkins with an ankle, defensive back adri Jackson with a neck, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence with a hip. Wow, and then linebacker Tie Summers with an ankle.
Okay, I mean again, they have an extra day too. I would think use all the caution in the world on Lawrence. If there's something bugging him at all, I think you'll be okay.
But some keep an eye on. Yeah. I know there was any injury designation with them.
Definitely worth watching. Limited participants. Linebacker Brian Burns with the groin slash achilles, Well, you're growing in your achilles, aren't anywhere really near each other? Leg right, So he's got a couple of things that could help with could hinder his get off.
A little bit. Yeah, he's got great get off too, that's the name of his game.
Uh.
And then wide receiver Bryce Ford Wheaton with an achilles.
Okay, so Burns and Lawrence are the ones to watch. Yeah, I mean then they might be their two best players. I mean certainly two of.
In that conversation. Yeah, yeah. An n wide receiver Jalen Hyatt with a rib injury, was a full participant in practice.
I don't think he played last week. Yeah, he's at number four now, so interesting.
He's something to keep an eye on there for the Giants. And some things just don't add up to me about their defense. Dexter Lawrence is their nose tackle. Yes, he's very good. He's very good, and yet they give up five point three yards per carry between the tackles.
I know, it's bad.
That doesn't add up.
It's really one of the worst run defenses in the league. Yeah, and we said that with Dallas, we said that with the Colts, but this one's particularly worrisome. I think a lot of it is just so many splash plays. I mean, a really high percentage of the rushing yards allowed are on long runs, so I think they're back seven is tremendously poor tackling, you know, it is kind of what it sums up to be. And watching them that kind of adds up. I mean against Philly in particular, against Barkley in particular. Right, you would think a no's in himself doing a really good job would limit the between the tackle stuff. Yeah, you know, I mean that doesn't add up all that much. I unless there's a lot of long runs that went through the B gap or you know, weren't his department.
You know, but you're you're a guy that demands he's I think he's double team that like sixty three percent of the time for.
Those ESPN rates, he's like number one.
Yeah, like makes sense. He's a noose tackle. You always doubled the those tackle.
I mean, Donald is going to be higher than wat you know like that too, you know, but yeah, he's that dangerous and they get know, they get doubled a lot anyway, So I'm almost positive he's the most doubled defender in all football. Like Burns is a good player, Ojelari's a good player, but they're both a little light in the pants leaner speed guys too. I think you can run at them. I mean that doesn't account for the between the tackle stuff. Yeah, but they're there to rush the passer.
Yeah, there's just I mean because typically if you've got a three four defense, as they do, yeah, you got five guys on the on the front line. Makes it more difficult. That's why you run a three four defense.
Yeah yeah, yeah, right, So I mean bog up some of.
Those run lanes and they don't do it.
They don't do it.
So imagine if they didn't have Wara, you know, like we just talked about having being on the run the list, you know, I mean, it's not great at all. And I do think some of it also is they're not a real deep defense. They're the youngest defense in the league. I think they have mental errors a lot, both in coverage and gap responsibilities things like that. And I think they get worn down pretty easy too, you know, just late in games because they're not real deep.
Yeah, it's just something that didn't make sense. And then you look at the other side of it, and they allow us seventy two point seven completion percentage in one hundred and fifty four point four passer rating on deep balls, which is considered anything beyond twenty yards. So they don't play the run real well, right, and they haven't rush the pass and they give up deep passes.
Yeah, you would think if you have dexter lawrence, you should be able to plug the run. Yeah, if you have maybe the best pass rush in the league, you shouldn't allow deep balls.
Well, they do, but they do, right.
I think the back seven is very unreliable, and particularly I mean like their best two the best free defensive backs are all in their rookie year or second year, you know, and they play a ton Nuben and Phillips.
I assume they make mistakes.
I mean, Phillips has been really good.
He has been good. Nuban's been fine. Yeah. The corner from Maryland just his name was Banks, Banks, yet called it Burns. Banks has been good. I mean, he's his career is going along well. The rest of the group not so much.
Yeah.
It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense with this team.
And you know you don't.
Stealing run between tackles. Well when they throw deep well, i mean they're built to do those things.
You don't necessarily want your strong safety being your leading tackler. I understand when it happens if he's really good strong safety, sure, or if he's a really good safety in general. But you think about a couple of years ago, the Steelers were having some trouble with stopping the run and MIKEA. Fitzpatrick was their leading tackler. That's not ideal.
It just shows that your average gain is gonna be pretty far down for you. Yeah, you know, I mean rarely is he making plays at the line of scrimmage or one yard past the.
Line of scrimmage. Sure, you're free safety, right right.
So now there's a lot of issues with this team both sides of the ball. There are some good players. I mean, there's a lot of guys you'd love to have, and there's some building blocks, but there's definitely stuff missing.
The other thing that stands out to me is that if you look at it, their their second leading receiver really and actually he's their leading receivers one Del Robinson, who is you know, he's a good little everything's close to the line of scrims. He's averaging seven yards per catch. Somehow, they're only completing sixty four percent of their passes to them.
Yeah, I mean it's seven yards, right, and they're short stuff.
And he's good at he is a true slot machine.
I mean he is good. I don't know how you know what he's forty time is. It's not going to be a burner burner, but he is really really quick. He's explosive, comes in out of his brakes well, good lateral agility, not big, not a tackle breaker. But you should have a high completion percentage to him.
It should be like over seventy percent. Those are basically extended handoffs.
Yeah, they don't throw, they don't use the tight ends at all. They don't run the ball particularly. Well, it's Neighbors and Robinson and neighbors is really exciting Robinson. It's should be your he should be like your third leading receiver.
Yeah, in a perfect world, you know, yeah, ideally, but you know, you look at it and Daniel Jones is completing sixty two point five percent of his passes if if well, he's throwing two hundred and forty balls and so, and he's targeted Robinson sixty seven times, He's targeted Tyrone Tracy seventeen times, Singletary twelve times. You know you're looking at about not quite half the passes that you've thrown there to these guys who are none of them are averaging more than seven point seven yards per catch. No, they're all easier, those easier throws. So about half of your throws are going to those guys and you're still only completing sixty two point five percent of your pass.
Yeah, you would think Tracy and certainly Robinson, all that stuff will be near the line of scrap.
Yeah, just looking at it, it's not.
I mean, I think Jones having his worst year as a pro.
Yeah, I mean, he just is. You know, he's completing eighty two point four percent of his passes to Tracy, in ninety one point seven percent to Singletary, He's at sixty four point two percent to Robinson.
Which is too low.
There and everybody else. You know, if he's under he's at sixty two and a half percent, which is well below average in today's NFL. Oh, yeah, he's not throwing the ball down field boil.
No, No, he absolutely is not. He's not making a lot of difficult throws. He's not making a lot of tight window throws. He doesn't. He rarely looks comfortable to me. He takes a lot of punishment, some of it by design, some of it because he doesn't slide and things like that too. And you know when Neighbors was out it was worse. And now protection is a huge, huge issue, you know, especially with al Thomas. It hasn't been great all year. But without Thomas the left tackle, it has to be in his head too.
You know, I can't. I mean, I forget.
It's sacked eight times last week. He can't trust anything right now. I don't think he trusts himself.
Yeah, and in last week Neighbors return, he's starting right, Yeah, he's still he said that. Yeah, Neighbors last week had eight targets. He's low since the opener. He had seven in the opener, targets, four catches, forty one yards.
I mean, all these stats reflect what you see on tape is don't let Neighbors beat you. Yeah, I mean if they wan del Robinson you to death. He's still gonna have twelve catches for seven.
At some point, somebody's gonna have a holding penalty. Yeah, Yeah, Jones is gonna overthrow him or something's gonna happens. It's a classic Dicklabo type. Make them matriculate the ball down the field on ten or twelve place.
And if neighbors getting a better reporter, then help them, you know, I mean, like, don't let neighbors be explosive.
But I don't seeing me of being able to do that to dial neighbors up to get him deep stuff where he's where he's at his best because they can't protect.
I can't protect, and the quarterback's not very accurate, and it's a multitude of problem.
Like the left tackle is a problem, but you can't help the left tackle and leave the right tackle illumin or on his own against DJ Watt, that's just asking.
For it, right.
That's the big issue is when they had Thomas kind of like, no, he's not as good as Trent Williams, but he's Trent Williams and the Pips. It's arms and the Pips, you know what I mean, Like didn't matter who it was. Like when they played the Bengals, he had hendrickson every snap. Okay, you win some, you lose some, but we're not helping you. That's why we're paying you the big bucks. Yeah, these other four will get help. We'll try to take away their most dangerous dudes. Which of course would be TJ. And the right guard's not very good either. But now I'm sure their tight ends will block a lot because they're not very involved in the passing game anyway.
But still they're gonna play twelve and just.
It is not even on the field.
Yeah, I mean, it would just be seven man protections all day. I mean, I don't think you're going to do that. Then you start blitzing, you know.
I just don't understand what this team, given the way that it's constructed, why it didn't why they didn't keep Saquon Barkley.
Well, if you watch the Hard Knocks, they kind of explained it. A way of running the guard in alumin or the right tackle is where the money went as opposed to Barkley.
I'd still rather have Barkley, I get it. But their line was like this all last year. So they at least added two starters that are below average starters, but they're starters, as we've seen, Matt. They could have drafted a couple of starters, yeah, in this particular draft, and not even in the first round, but they you know, they took neighbors, so they're trying to basically replace Saquon Barkley as a big playmaker with neighbors, but you have to be able to block it up.
Oh, I know.
I mean with Saquan, he was very effective last year with a bad offensive line.
I get it.
I don't know that I would have invested in him either, just because at his age, you're not winning the Super Bowl with or without them. Sure, I mean maybe you could have used the money better than below average left guard and right tackle. Because Neil is a problem. I mean that that's that's one of the things that comes back to.
The they missed on that one.
Right.
I think he was a six pick in the draft and he can't get in the game even when Thomas is out. Wow, you know, I mean, maybe he'll be the right tackle. Good luck lumin Or is the left because that makes you worse at two spots, you know what I mean? Like, there's no answer.
Well, they've already said they're not moving a lumin Or to left tack.
Okay, okay, So I'm just thinking about their off season. If we would have been GMS of the Giants when the twenty twenty three ended, you're stuck with Jones.
But they definitely kicked the.
Tires on May and those guys, I mean they were definitely interested.
In this particular draft. I would have gone offensive line heavy, like much like the Steelers did. Yeah, three and two of them are starting. They could be starting all three rookie offensive linemen at this point. If Aatanu hadn't gutten hurt.
Right, well, they probably would be.
Yeah.
I mean they signed those two before, but what's.
In the draft.
And I think I would have taken a Chargers like approach. Worry about weapons later. Yeah you know what I mean.
I mean, you're not running, you're not winning the Super Bowl, right, So if that's the case, then maybe you should have just let both guys, all those guys go sign just another back. Maybe go sign Derrick Henry yeah yeah, yeah, or some you know, he has to want to go there. But Josh Jacobs or one of those guys. Yeah maybe. Okay, we don't want to pay what Saquon making, like sixteen, probably a little less, but some number one, yeah he's number one. Okay, we don't want to pay that, but we'll give this guy.
Give me somebody that will help the quarterback a little bit too, I mean, something to help him out because Barkley too. Is he's a good receiver, that's the thing. Yeah, I mean he can get yards on his own. Yeah yeah, I mean they just have a multitude of problems. I mean, and they still could have gotten a veteran guard. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure one million rights, probably five million, and he's okay, but the right guard is still a problem. John Michael Schmidts is below average, I would say, but maybe at least he's improving. But like you'd one strength.
Yeah, And really the thing, I mean, if you're going to be in the market for a quarterback in the future, which they are, it's a bad nest. Why not build the offensive line now?
Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, because unlike the Steelers, the front office is worried about getting fired and the head coach is worried about getting fired, and I don't want to build an offensive line.
Actually, yesterday that she talked to them to I can't John Mayer, I believe, And he said they're not in any kind of trouble, neither the GM or the head coach or in any kind of trouble. This is a they understand, they're they're one there.
In a long time, I feel like they haven't won since Parcels.
Well, they made the playoffs two years ago, so they won a game. Yeah, okay, so they're in better shape than the Jets are.
So like, even when opening Day got here and everybody was healthy, the two strengths of your offense were Thomas and Neighbors. I mean there's everything else was like, maybe it'll get better. It's average. It's below average. It's below average. Really, I mean barely there a much average there. It wasn't garbage, but I think they wanted a lot. I'm not defending them. That's the opposite of the two.
Games that that Slayton that I'm sorry that Neighbors missed. Yeah, Darius Slayton had two good games. Yeah, like in a Chargers like fashion. Did you really need in the leak Neighbors right now?
You could take an alt right, you could take Latham, you could take either one right right, He went before any lineman. Yeah, they need everything, but I get it. Yeah, the lines in such bad shape right now too.
And you're in the same division as Philadelphia, and so you've seen the Eagles build the offensive line and then go get the pieces around the quarterback.
That's I wouldn't mind building from here, you know where they're at. They still need a lot because but at least they have some pieces the boy and trying to get in their head of how to fix the offense in one offseason would.
Have been really tough.
I just don't spending had.
Been probably wrong to get the quarterback because it'd been like May and.
What's what I'm saying, That's why they should in an offensive line rich draft. They should have built that first and then gone and where Because there's been receivers in every draft. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, and Neighbors is good especially Yeah, he's a great player. Is he better than Jamar Chase was a couple of years ago?
Is he? Like?
We can go down through the last few drafts and find plenty of good receivers, even great receivers where you.
Could argue another mistake is made though, Is they traded that early second for Burns. That's a win now move.
Yeah, a team that's not ready to win.
Now you had Thibodeaux and Ojeli, Yeah, is playing really well. Thibodeau's had a good year. If that could have been a tackle, I mean that could have been.
If hadn't gotten hurt. Now they got three of those guys, right, what are you doing with them all? Which is a real lovely thing to happen. I mean, their D line is the only thing that does well for them at the moment. But trading for Burns is that's a good team move. That could have been you should do. That would have been another offensive line I'm.
Saying, right, that's your starting right guard or a tackle. I mean, there was guys of.
It, but instead they chose to go to the free and you never want to buy an offensive line in free agency.
Oh I know, that just doesn't work, and they had to overspend. I mean it's a good example. Like again, Aluminers an ok right tackle, runions and okay.
Guard, but that's what you're paying for in the open market. But you're paying them like they're above average. Yeah, you know, like it's that's just how it goes. And I mean a lot of this is hindsight, but I mean, think of all those receivers that went in the first round, early second you know, Pierce All, Coleman, Leagett, all those guys. You can move up three spots and grab one of them and had Joe All. Yeah, you know, so they need everything, but they're in bad shape.
No.
Yeah, it's just not the to me, the smartest way to build this because you weren't you. They couldn't have thought they were going to win this year in half.
No, I couldn't have I'll be honest. There's there's been very few personnel moves they've made in the last three years. I've been put the stamp of approval. Yeah, I mean, given Jones the Contracy Act. Remember how they handled the whole Barkley Jones thing was kind of goofy. And I don't think they've drafted all that well either, you know.
Yeah, So it's it's you can see why they're not winning absolutely. I mean you could go back with any team and look at their drafts and say, well, that's why you're not winning the Raiders. That's why. To me, I don't want to give up a second round draft pick for a wide receiver right now, especially a thirty one or thirty plus year old wide receiver.
A third we can talk not doing anything the first.
I mean, think about your last few second round draft picks Kean U Benton and Joey Porter junior second round draft picks. Yeah, Zach Frazer second round draft pick, George Pickens second round draft pick.
Yeah.
Yeah, they're all more valuable than cup. Yeah they are. And especially at their age and their cost and all that stuff too. Second round picks are gold gold.
Yeah, especially I mean over the last five or six years. Yeah, there were some misses in there, you know, if you go back, everybody, well what about Limas Swede. Limas Swede was twenty freaking years ago.
Come on, people, and you're gonna miss on some here. Yeah right, yeah, But it's it's also a great spot to get a guard, a center, a.
Tight end and not premium whatever you need.
Even cornerbacks you know, fall into that second round and are good.
The best safety in the draft. I mean things like that too.
Yeah, non premium positions that are not first rounders are great players.
Yeah, absolutely. But uh yeah, So this Giants teams an interesting watch slash dichotomy. Here. Are they dangerous? Absolutely when you rush the passer like they rushed the passer, Yes, they can make bad things happen. You could have a strip sack, fumble return for a touchdown and things of that nature.
That's certainly my biggest fear is that d line takes over in this game. Is ten to nine in the end and you get a bounce go the wrong way right now, right, But but I can't believe that they're gonna put a lot of points.
They haven't the last two games, ten points in the last two games, and they're playing the team that's giving up the second fewest points in the league.
And they're rudderless at the moment too, like getting them after the Thomas injuries.
Like, yeah, they're very vulnerable.
Absolutely, I agree, So we'll see how this goes. Monday Night football, the Steelers host the New York Giants. We're gonna take a break. When we come back, we're expected to be joined by Steelers rookie guard Mason McCormick. Yeah, another guy that they could have had him fourth round.
Guy, take him in the third. You'd be thrilled if he had.
An Absolutely well, they would have had a higher fourth round pick in the Steelers. They could have waited taking them there, but they did not. They decided to go out and pay one in free agency. McCormick's been really good this year. Yes, we'll talk to him when we return. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale LOLLI you're listening to the drive you're on the Steelers Audio Network.
Is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold in Steelers Nation Radio.
And we are back. I am Dale, he is Dean Matt Williamson. We're still awaiting or trying to get Mason McCormick on the phone. But while we do that, Matt, let's talk a little offensive line stuff here. And I'm looking at the Pro Football Focus offensive line rankings. I'm a little surprised by some of these in that.
You mentioned last week's opponents where they're at. That's the other one I know. And it was a little too high up the board for my way.
Too high. So at thirty two are the Patriots.
They're bad?
Oh man, we'll get back to that because well, Mason McCormick is on the phone line here on the Justin Miller phone line. Can you hear us, Mason?
Yes, I can.
Oh great, Hey, you're here with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson, and this is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. We appreciate you calling in, and we're just looking at the Pro Football Focused stuff on offensive lines and they put out rankings on offensive line play every week. And one of the things that they said here was that rookie right guard Mason McCormick played in near only perfect game in pass protection last week. Was it perfect for you or was there still stuff that you want to you want to get better at.
I wouldn't necessarily say it was perfect. I feel like there's still areas to improve and you know, keep getting better and That's what I'm striving to do every week.
What it's been the most difficult adjustment for you. I mean, You've come from a somewhat smaller school, played a lot in the preseason. We're impressive there, and then unfortunately James got hurt and you got thrust in the right guard spot and doing really well.
Yeah, I mean obviously the speed of the game coming from SCS is a little bit different. Ye, confident myself and my abilities, and I feel like I've been growing every week and I'm just going to keep getting better week in and week out.
You started fifty seven consecutive games in college. Uh, there had to be at some point some kind of injury or something that was bothering you. But what just start fifty seven consecutive games? I mean that says a lot about your your kind of your intestinal fortitude.
Yeah, I mean, I feel like offensive line play. You know, your body's not always going to feel amazing. And we got guys counting on you to the left and to the r idea, and just to be able to go out there with them and trust in them and have them be able to trust in me, I think is crucial.
I don't want to harp too much on your college career, but I mean, just in today's college landscape, really good prospects like yourself usually end up transferring to Bama or Oregon or anything like that. Did you have those opportunities?
Yeah? I had. I had some schools reach out to me, and I turned them away pretty quickly. Tcota State did so much for me and in developing me and making me who I am. I just kind of thought, who am I? Who am I to leave these guys? You know, they poured so much into me, and I kind of owe it back to them. They helped build me into who I am.
And a couple of national championships don't hurt either.
That. Yeah, got pretty used.
To winning a bet so much fun, and you know, I just I just I wouldn't have traded it for anything, for sure.
Mason. You mentioned the fun. I don't know if there's anybody who I saw on the field Sunday night against the Jets who looked like they were having more fun out there than you were. You're wind milling after you guys get first downs, You're out there just having fun. I mean, it is still just a kid's game, isn't it.
It is at the end of the day. You know, football is a game that I've always loved and you know, enjoy playing and and so I'm going to celebrate celebrate small victories. And that's that's kind of the way offensive linemen are. You know, we do a lot of this behind the scenes work and stuff, and then to be able to get a fourth down and one on a four minute drill just kind of close the game out, it's pretty exciting.
I just got to get one of the one of the guys who score a touchdown to let you spike the ball, like Dan Moore got to spike the ball. I mean, that's that's an offensive line lineman's dream, right, you want to spike the football.
I mean, spike in the football would be fun. But just getting in the end zone is enough for me.
Mason. If I'm correct, you also have a center background. It's true.
Yeah, I've worked a lot of center in my career.
Okay, I thought so.
I was kind of our backup center. If anything were to happen to him, I would have moved over to center. And you know, it's as long as you keep you stay on top of it. It's kind of like riding the bike. You just you just get back into it.
Did NFL teams kind of cross check you that way as a prospect?
Yeah?
Absolutely. A lot of people want to be able to see me snap the ball and I did that a bunch.
And yeah, so you were what team captain three times in three years in a row at South Dakota State, Yes, sir, yep, you were named the most value or co co offensive most valuable player at South Dakota State. He won two national championships. You want a high school in that state championship? Super Bowl, right, that's the that's the next one you got to check off.
Yeah, I actually got second in high school.
Oh I thought it was first, Okay, but yeah, I.
Mean super Bowl is obviously the goal we're pising towards here, and I feel like we got the guys to do.
It makeson you guys have such a young offensive line room.
What does Isaac mean as kind of a leader in there?
He means a ton. No. He's seen so much football, and he's got such a high football IQ. And he's also a really really good player, and so being able to have him and be able to able to bounce questions off them is definitely crucial for a lot of us.
It's been really Uh. You guys have started now five different offensive line combinations in your first seven games. You've had four guys make their first career start already at this season. You're not supposed to be five and two. Do you ever take a step back at this point and go, this isn't supposed to be happening. It's supposed to be It's not supposed to be seamless. Does it kind of speak to the job that Pat Myer has done getting you guys ready to play like this?
I think it definitely does. He's done a tremendous job. I mean I can speak for myself, you know, coming from South Akota State, I had I had some things to learn, and he taught me exponentially quick. And I'm going to keep getting better and better and just having trust in him. But the tools and things he's given me has allowed me to grow into this player I'm becoming, and he's going to keep putting me in the future.
Mason, how much Dexter Lawrence have you watched this week and what kind of challenges does he provide?
Yeah, I mean I've watched. I watch a lot of tape every week, but Dexter Lawrence is one hell of a player and it's going to be a fun challenge and I look.
Forward to it.
Well, we'll let you get back to that, Mason. I know you got a busy work week here, but we appreciate you dropping by and talking to us on the drive. Let me just say this, So Beanie Bishop was on the show last week and Beanie goes out and gets two interceptions. So now that means you might get to spike the football on Sunday. I'm just said, I'm just throwing that out there.
I hope that's how it works.
I'm sure it is.
Absolutely Our guest has been Mason McCormick as Steelers rookie right guard starter at the right guard. We appreciate him stopping by. I'm Dale Lolly. He is the Matt Williamson. This is the drive on the Steelers Audio Network.
We'll be back with more right after this. At least.
He's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
And we are back. I am Dale Lolly, he is the Matt Williamson and we're before. We had our chat with the Mason McCormick there.
That was great. He's good.
He's a good guy to talk to. Most offensive lineman are don't tell you actually are don't tell Wolf and Starks I said that, right. You know they have the.
Pulse of the they absolutely do.
They do the dirty work their team guys, and you have to be smart at that position.
Yeah, you really do. Yeah. So the Patriots are thirty two, they're horrible. The Titans are thirty.
One, they're really bad too. The right side of the line has been a disaster this year. Yeah, at thirty or the Saints that are so hurt. Yeah, I mean that's where they're at right now, and it wasn't a real strength to begin with.
Twenty nine is Seattle?
Okay, Now we're getting in the ones you can live with a little bit, you know, their interior is pretty rough.
Twenty eight is Cleveland. That's actually up three spots. They have someone come back that has Willis and Conklin at the tackle positions, Buttonio and Michael Dunn at the guards, and Ethan Postic at center. So they're starting to.
Get there's two holes, yeah right now.
And Teller just started practicing, so they maybe getting closer.
I actually think that team's trending in the right direction a little bit.
The problem they were bottom, they were bottom by yeah. At twenty seven, this is down four spots is Cincinnati. They're starting Cody Ford and Amarius Mims at the tackle positions.
Yeah, I know.
So they're assuming the left tackles out now too, huh yeah, okay, kind.
Of Howards really a guard too.
I think he practiced yesterday Orlando, or at least they expected to practice yesterday. We'll get more into that maybe in the fantasy football focus. But even so, that line's not been good.
No, they've invested a lot in it too, like Kappa, and those guys aren't great, but they've went out and got them. At twenty six is the Rams, hmm, I know, there's been a lot of injury where they say they're.
Five are real quick?
Alaric Jackson, Justin Diditch Bolimmer, Kevin Dottson, Rob Havenstein.
Okay, there's three starters missing then, I mean the right side of the line is the only ones that should be out there.
The team the Steelers play this week. The Giants are at twenty five. That's down seven spots. Down seven spots, mind you, they were at eight tout eight sacks. I mean they should be at least that low.
Yeah, well they say about them, I think great, No, well I'm sure not right? Yeah nothing. Did they call the name? I can't pronounce that. There's the left hand do yeah? Yeah, yeah.
He played three snaps I think before getting thrust into action. At twenty four are the Steelers. So the Giants went into last week ranked considerably ahead of the Steelers, not just on a couple of spots. Right, they moved down seven spots. That's with Thomas that well they knew Thomas wasn't going to play last week? Yeah right, do whatever started the game? Right?
No, I had much of other Steelers than all those. Twenty three is Jacksonville. That's up four spots. It's getting a little better, but not great great. Twenty two is Dallas. There's some lines that are up like, don't make sense. Twenty one is the Raiders.
I'm not going to impress the Raiders line either.
Twenty is the Chargers. They should be higher. They should definitely be higher. They're healthy now too. Nineteen the Falcons. They should be higher. Run blocking is really good. Yeah, Eighteen is Chicago getting better. Seventeen is Arizona. That hasn't been their problem. I wouldn't say it's above average though. Sixteen is Minnesota. Minnesota really doesn't.
Their tackles are great.
Great, and the interior guys aren't bad. Right right, you're saying they should be higher, they should be higher. Yeah, I think they're more like a top ten. Fifteen is the Texans.
Oh, they should be wasting.
They should be lower. Like their name value is great, but collectively they're playing.
They've been stinking. Tul has been a I think he's hurt, yeah, because he must be holding penalties and he's he's the most penalized player in the league.
Yeah.
I would say they're like the most penalized team. I think they're the most penalized line. They only can run the ball of mixings around. The protection hasn't been great, and they're they're good.
They have some good players.
The best they put. They put best player down for you, seam, they put Tunsel down. Tunsall has always been among the most best pass blocking offensive tackles in the NFL. His two point two pressure rate this season is a career best. But he's got like ten.
Holding down left and right. I bet he would tell you he's not having a good year. Yeah, I mean he's I'm sure he's fighting through something. And I think they're ready to replace at guard, Kendrick Green taking over for the other they have.
First round they have Kenyon Green in there.
No, I mean Kendrick taking over Kenyon, Yeah, the first round pick because he's been bad too.
Fourteen is San Francisco.
Man that they're right in the middle.
Thirteen is Miami.
Oh, I'd be waiting on, I'd be wading come on. I think Steelers are Miami.
Without a doubt.
Twelve is the Eagles, m hm, not where they used to be. A Malata is out to so you're done. Have Kelsey doing Milata.
Eleven is the Commanders.
Oh, they're playing way better than that they don't have name value, but like Cosmey is one of the best guards noone's ever heard of. They're nastiest, could be too. There'll be a fun team to preview because Washington plays hard in the trenches.
Ten is the Broncos.
I'm fine with that. They're heavy mashers, you know, run guys.
That's the thing though, what I'm seeing here with the with these rankings, or that the teams that do a lot of sideways passing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, their their offensive lines are pushed way up on this because they don't give up any pressures.
That's I often refer to Brandon Thorne when we talk out line stuff, and he'll always weigh protection more than run, but particularly longer developing pass play. Yeah, you know, like if all you do is quick game, I'll.
Be in no line.
They could put us right a big deal at nine. The Ravens, it's getting better and better. Stanley's back. Stanley's back, Yeah, McCarry's helped. He's bad and Rose and Garten still yeah, probably the right side of that line is still not good.
Agreed, that's that's too high, but it's better than it was at the beginning of the season. Here's where I really Eight is the g Yes, oh we just saw that.
Like they have names, but there are good picks and they allow a lot of pressure and the ball comes out super quick.
They didn't run the ball well. They didn't run the ball at all all year. Really.
Yeah, Breece Hall is still hours in like three point seven yards of carry.
It's not his fault.
You see. You saw Breeze Hall, right.
Right, right. No, I have a real problem with that one.
Uh.
Seven is the Bills. Okay, they play a lot of six zero line. They've been healthy from what I remember. It might be a little high, but it's I mean they're top ten probably. Six is Carolina. That's actually fine.
I mean that's they run the ball well for a team.
That yeah, very good. No, I mean that's not their problem. Five is the Packers. Yeah, a lot better in protection than the run game. And they're the perfect example of the whole being better than each part.
Yeah, you know, like they don't have a pro bowler.
Four is the Colts.
I would probably have them in the top two.
Three is Kansas City. Kansas City cannot be in the top three. Line starting Wanya Morris and Jawan Taylor tackle I'm sorry.
They just can't be right.
They're the anti viabilities, They're the anti vikings.
You can't have your your offensive tackles cannot be complete liabilities.
It's a big reason Mahomes isn't having the Mahomes years.
He's getting the ball's coming out the edge for direction at all, and the interior is.
Great, but the edges are bad.
Two is Tampa Bay.
They've really gone a long way, Graham Barton, and.
They ran the ball well last.
Week at Baltimore and Worf's stud Yeah, they're a top five for sure.
And then one is Detroit.
Yeah, I think we agree on that. I have the Colts probably too.
There's no way in God's green earth that the Jets offensive line is number eight.
That's one of the worst. I would have it like twenty two. Yeah.
I mean like they I liked all their players at one point of their process, but you watch them. We studied them, we saw the game live. They allow a lot of pressure and they don't run block well.
And they don't hold the ball like they're getting the ball out quickly. And Rogers. The Steelers have more hits on Rogers last week than the Jets did against the Steelers.
Yeah, and Rogers. I mean again, sacks or quarterback things too. He knows where it's coming from, not like this is new to him. Rookie running around like a chicken on his head cut off. Now you know the line's not doing him any favors.
Yeah, and once again I'm questioning the Pro Football Focus grading system. Go to the surprise, their.
O line and coverage are the ones I always great, which it brings me.
To They put out a Pro Football Focus tweeted this out today, their top three cornerbacks in the league in terms of not allowing separation. Joey Porter was number two. Okay, but when you look on their grading system, Joey Porter's the eighty ninth graded cornerback in the league and the third of the three Steelers cornerbacks who play. You know, he's number three of them. He's number three of between Beanie Bishop and Dante Jackson. He is last among those guys.
But he doesn't create any doesn't allow.
Does allow any separation. Nobody throws at him.
Yeah, and he regards about the opponent's best receiver.
Everybody other than that he sucks.
There's eight other terrible yeah, terrible. Yeah.
Coverage stuff and O line stuff to me, I have a heart heart. Procious, yeah, atrocious. Anyways, let's get to a break. That's going to do it for our number one of the drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will be back with our number two right after this
