Steelers Need New Defensive Plan w/Jalen Ramsey, Run Defense? | Feed Jaylen Warren More Carries

Steelers Need New Defensive Plan w/Jalen Ramsey, Run Defense? | Feed Jaylen Warren More Carries

Do the Steelers need to restructure their defense after these first two rough outings? We’ll talk about that in the Locked On Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. Let’s get into it. [Music] You are Locked On Steelers, your daily Pittsburgh Steelers podcast, part of the Locked On Network. Your team every day. Hello and welcome to the Locked On Steelers podcast. I’m your host Chris Carter. We give you your daily dose of all things on the Pittsburgh Steelers. As always, you can find the show on your favorite podcasting apps and on YouTube. Like this video if you enjoyed. Subscribe to this YouTube channel to get all of your daily Monday through Friday episodes as well as our bonus content. We thank you for making us your first listen every day because we’re your team every day. And today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel right now. New customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to you across the app. Only on FanDuel. More on them later. It’s Tuesday, so that means we’re joined by the man himself, Alan Sunders. You know him. Allan, we’re here to talk about the defense. I talked about this briefly in sort of an overarching way when talking about the Seahawks loss, but this is now back-to-back games. They’ve given over 300 yards. Back-to-back games, they’ve given up at least three touchdowns. And this defense has not shown the hype or the reason or the substance behind the hype that have been built up for it and including by us because of what we saw in training camp and what we’ve seen how this team could look on paper and theoretically. And the the question that I had coming out of watching more of the all 22, which we’ll get to our stars and skulls grades later, by the way, is does this defense need a restructuring of how of where they place the biggest emphasis of their plays and how and who they’re putting the most pressure on to deliver on certain plays. It might, but I don’t know that they have the players left to do that. Like I just I I mean they’re running out of buttons to push. Like what I I just I I look at this defense and look I don’t I’m not making an excuse for the injuries, but when you look at a defense that doesn’t have Derk Harman, doesn’t have Alex Highmith, doesn’t have Joey Porter, doesn’t have Deshawn Elliott, I mean don’t even have like Malik Harrison. Yeah. like like there I don’t know how much more you can do with the guys they had out there and then you’re looking at like okay Keun Benton’s struggling. Oh, is that L’s hurt? Yeah, I forgot about that one too. Uh like the guys behind him are not playing better. Peyton Wilson’s struggling. I don’t think the guys behind him are playing any better. Juan Thornnehill didn’t have a good game. There literally isn’t anybody behind him. Yeah, like I don’t I mean you can do some things differently and I expect that they will. Uh you got to stop the run first and foremost. You have to find a way to stop the run and I don’t know what that is because I Chris I watched that tape this morning and it’s ugly. It’s ugly. like it. And you know, the worst part about it is that it only can it’s not it’s not a total down in and down out domination. They had a lot of stops, but the bad reps are so bad. They’re so bad it makes it Yeah. that that you got guys making you got guys with reps so bad that the other guy that not only did they not make the play, they’re taking the ability of the guys around them out of the picture to make the play, too. You’re getting a defensive lineman blown up. He’s taking this the guy next to him and the linebacker behind him out of the play, too. It’s like, well, I mean, it’s like it’s like they’re throwing mortars into the the defense like just guy blowing up holes. You get like and it’s it’s weird because they they they you know, they’re focusing on it. It was an issue last year. They spent all offseason talking about it. It was an issue last week. They spent all this week talking about it. I don’t I don’t know what else there is to do about that. I think they probably do some things differently on the back end, but to me it all starts with stopping the run and their inability to do so. Their inability to keep Seattle on one-dimensional and uh I I don’t know that I have like a lot of good feelings about how that gets fixed quickly. So, here’s my question to you because I I hear you on the quickly part and the injury situation is rough. Alex Highmith, it does appear that they they dodged a bullet there. He won’t be out long term, but he’ll at least be out short term. Uh Nick Hervig was was already coming back from an injury. Uh maybe we see Derek Harmon soon. Uh maybe we see Deshawn Elliott in uh Dublin or or after the by-week. Um you know, and then maybe Joey Porter Jr. return. But there there’s so many question marks as far as who’s even going to be available. But I ask this to you. Let’s say after the bye-week they get back, everybody healthy. Harmon, everybody’s ready to go. Porter the the the start the real starting defense is out there. Even if that happens, does this team would this team still need a restructuring on defense? When I mean by restructuring to our listeners and viewers, I mean, what does Chris mean by that? The way the Steelers are playing right now, they’re being aggressive. They’re they’re people say, “Oh, they should do more stunts and twists.” They’re doing stunts and twists. They’re they they five and blitz rate, I think. Like they they’re bringing football anyway. Exactly. And they are trying so many different things right now. It is it is not it is not for a lack of experimentation or imagine. Someone said, “Oh, the there’s no imagination in this defense.” There’s a lot of imagination. It’s just not the execution. And this was why I said the biggest problem for this loss wasn’t that they were out schemed. It was that their matchups that they thought they could win, they did lost. Jaylen Ramsay getting beat over the middle by Jackson Smith and Jigawa on a third and long. uh you know Keo Benton just getting blown off the ball consistently. Third and 19 Pton Wilson has Kenneth Walker dead to rights and just takes a terrible angle and just key moments like you said there’s there’s plenty of play they held Zack Charbanet to less than a yard per carry but then they were just giving up gashes of plays and it’s that that’s where I’m talking about is saying they’re putting pressure on these corners to live on these islands to be when they’re being aggressive this way. Do they need to back off, reassess and say, you know what, we got to approach this a different way. Jaylen Ramsey is a playmaker, but maybe we put we we we have him play in more of a structured scheme where he’s more of just a really good quarterback than we’re trying to make him this this superstar guy that’s just going to create turnovers because he’s that good. I mean, I think the Steelers defensive philosophy is the yards don’t matter, get turnovers, and hold teams to field goals. I mean, that’s basically the whole idea. And there’s another whole idea here, too, that I think is actually more important than maybe the structure of the defense. I think they could probably do some things differently once they get everybody back. Um, but I think if they stop the run and get a team on one-dimensional, this plan works. You know what I mean? Like, yeah. How many snaps has the Steelers defense been on the field where you knew it was a pass in two games? Not too many times. The last three against the Jets and that was probably the only three against the Jets. Yeah. And maybe what But here’s the Seattle was still even running the ball on third and long. They ran on third and 19. Like they they were because when you’re when you’re giving up big plays in the running game, you don’t get people onedimensional. They still feel like they can run the ball. I don’t I’m not sure there was ever a snap. There was one. They were way backed up and Seattle called a timeout and TJ was gonna they left him one-on-one and that was the funniest time out. Already past the time. I sitting in the press box. It’s a sack. They lined up. I said it’s a sack. Mhm. Well, apparently uh Mike McDonald saw it too. He was like the franticness that they were like no no no no no. Don’t let that happen. He almost sacked him before they called timeout. That’s how fast he was going to. But so like there are very few of those plays. I think what they’re doing can work if they can make teams onedimensional, but they have to stop the run first. And I I don’t know how they do that. But I’ll go a little like a layer higher. Okay. This team, this defense was supposed to be the reason this team is good. Yeah. So far, it’s been a a detriment to their success. Mhm. But, uh, two games in a row, Mike Tman deferred the opening kickoff. He, uh, punted, uh, fourth and one at the 50 yard line. Mhm. At some point, if it doesn’t change, oh, and by the way, Steelers uh, go into Monday Night Football eighth in points scored in the NFL. Mhm. You got to coach it a little differently if the defense doesn’t come around. You you you got to acknowledge the facts of the situation and say, “This is not an elite defense.” Uh, this is not the kind of team Mike Tomlin’s been coaching close games for five years with an elite defense and winning a lot of them, more than anybody ever has any business winning. He also from 2015 to 2018 coached an elite offense and a terrible defense. He can do it both ways, but he has to recognize what’s happening in front of him if this trend continues. I agree. And that’s where I’m talking about the changing of the structure where, you know, maybe you’re saying, “Hey, we’re not going to send all these crazier blitzes. we’re going to we’re going to say, “Hey, Ben, but don’t break. We’re going to” and that’s kind of what they do now, but in a sense that maybe they’re not sending as many crazy blitzes. They’re keeping everything in front of them and they’re eventually going to trust that you’re going to make the small mistake and then that’s where things are going to happen. Uh but I just wonder how this is going to play out because like you said, this defense, the the idea of the Steelers being good this year with it, the defense was going to be a top five unit. They they’ve been top 10 the last three years, but they were going to be top five, top of the top of the list, and their offense was going to be just good enough so that they could balance that out and be a dangerous team. Right now, you have an offense that had a really good game, had a not so good game, and then you have a defense that’s had two bad games. And so, that’s who you have to figure out your identity. And we’ll talk more about that in the Stars and Skulls segment as we get out our grades for the Steelers week 2 performance in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It’s It’s the Locked On Steelers podcast. I’m Chris Carter. He’s Alan Saunders. Stick with us. We’ll be right back. But first, want to remind you this show is brought to you also by Mazda. Mazda crafts cars for those who do more than simply move. Mazda delivers confidence with every ride with more IHS Top Safety Pick Plus awards than anyone else. You can feel Japanese craftsmanship in every detail from the metallic accents to available Napa leather upholstery. With all-wheel drive standard in every crossover SUV, you can drive with confidence through almost any season. Like our players, we sweat every detail. Because when you make every move count, impossible becomes irrelevant. Mazda move and be moved. We’re also brought to you by Monarch Money. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth. Whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there’s Monarch Money. It’s an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop and on your phone. Monarch Money isn’t just a budgeting app. It’s a complete financial command center. You can mon you can Monarch does uh you can do things and have Monarch do the heavy lifting for you. You can link all your accounts in minutes. See clear data visuals, get smart categor categorization of your spending, and finally, feel free and control of your money without ever touching a spreadsheet. I linked all my accounts through through Monarch and immediately spotted a few subscriptions I wasn’t even using anymore. Cancel those and it saves me money every month. Monarch makes it simple to review my finances with my partner. We can look up budgets, goals, spending, activity, all in one place. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on NFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. That’s monarchmoney.com code locked on NFL for half off your first year only at MonarchMoney. [Music] We’re back here on the Lockton Steelers podcast. I’m Chris Carter. He’s Alan Saunders of Steelers.com. Allan, let’s get to our stars and skulls grades for the week. As always, our grades go from one to three stars to one to three skulls. There’s also neutral grades. If they’re not on here, that means we gave them a neutral grade and they didn’t have a significant impact left or right or you know, up or down. Um, you know, so, uh, one to three stars, one star is a good player slash a good day. Two stars means you had a great player, good day. Three stars elite performance and all pro put you in all pro considerations. in reverse. One skull is a bad play without redemption, but not a overall bad game, just a bad moment where you didn’t get get your get back. Two skulls, two games, two bad a bad games in the hole. And three skulls alltime terrible. And there’s also the dreaded bus ticket. And maybe there will be a bus ticket. Maybe there won’t be because, you know, some people ask about it every week. Every week someone wants a bus ticket. All you can’t just wheel it out all the time. Giving them out. The people giving them out, right? And it’s like, yeah. Anyways, because it’s a loss, we start with we start with the skulls. We go to the one skulls list here. One skull list. I have on the offensive line. Mason McCormick and Isaac Samalu. I got Patrick Queen, Isaiah Loudermil, Danquali, Logan Lee, Juan Thornnehill, and Calvin Austin. The offensive linemen. These guys in particular, I thought they gave up a few too many pressures and didn’t counterbalance it, but not terrible stuff from them needed to be better, but could have been better. Patrick Queen, and I want to ask you, Allan, I feel like maybe I’m being too lenient on him, but he made a lot of plays, but then he got beat in some real bad moments. That third and nine blitz where he had Sam Darnold dead to rights, that’s one of the biggest goof ups in the game, and he admitted it afterwards. He was like, I have to deliver on in that moment. But there were several of the runs where as long as he’s not having a a center right up in his face or a guard rushing up to him, he’s going and making plays. Do I was I too lenient on Patrick Queen in this with this one skull crate? No, I don’t think so. I mean, the dude spent like 15 minutes in the tent with that rib injury. I think that’s enough time to have a minor procedure in there. Like they might have had the bone saw out for all I know. I I think he was pretty messed up. Uh he didn’t look good in coverage. I think that was the thing that really stood out after that injury to me was that he he didn’t look great in space. Um he’s tough dude, but he’s tough. like, you know, he’s playing through it. Pton Wilson was playing through it. Um I I don’t know what was wrong with him. He got hit hard and then he was throwing up. I don’t know. I was thought I was watching semi-pro. Maybe somebody punched him in the junum. I I don’t know. Like he was it was uh it was ugly out there for linebacker. But when you got Carson Bruner, seventh round rookie out there playing reps. You got Logan Lee last year’s sixth rounder out there. You got W Black had like 40 snaps. Yeah. Like Yeah. This this what’s gonna happen thin. It’s getting thin. Um I put Louderm Milk, Aqual, and Lee. Louderm Milk really he was only out there for a few plays, but he just didn’t look good and his injury could be pretty pretty rough. I there was one play where I saw he got penetration. He didn’t finish in other plays where he just didn’t see him do enough. Logan Lee, not too harsh on him. Uh just thought he could have been better in a few spots. Uh, but Juan Thornnehill I thought could have helped a little bit more over the middle both in coverage over the middle and as as a run helper. I thought he had a good solid week one. Like for all the problems on defense, I did not think he was one of them. I I didn’t think he was terrible in this game, but he could have been better. And then I threw in Calvin Austin just because he only had that one catch and his his tipping the ball to Pat Fry who spoiled a touchdown and turned it into an interception, which I know Caleb Johnson’s play, which we will get to. I know Caleb Johnson play is like the the craziest one of the game, but that that play by itself also had a huge impact in the momentum. Yep. I think that’s more than fair for sure. So, we’re going to move on to I got I got two two scholars, Troy Falanu and Pton Wilson in this game. Fanu I felt it wasn’t just that he gave up the pressures he did. It was when he was giving them up because there were some plays when I look back at the all 22 Allen where Rogers has a dude lined up like there was a there’s a guy wide open and then Fanu’s guy is screaming in his face and he has to bail and he has to figure something out. One Frammouth has an easy touchdown as Rogers can find him and it’s and and he the guy’s around the edge and grabbing him on the back of the might have been a horse caller honestly. Uh right. So we we were debating this. Is it not Isn’t it not a horse collar if you’re in the pocket and you’re a quarterback? I know the play you’re talking about. Horse collar has to be out of the pocket. I don’t know. I couldn’t tell if he grabbed the pad or the jersey. Sometimes guys just get the jersey. You’re allowed to grab them by the jersey. Mhm. It’s hard to see from the all 22 angle. So zoomed out. That’s where I had Troy Falano. I threw in Pton Wilson. He did have a sack and there were some good plays, but the third and 19 play was just really I know. No, I I agree with this. I think the sack and there was another good pressure too on on top of the sack. He came free on a blitz in the fourth quarter. That was a nice play. Forced a punt I think. But yeah, I mean not enough to the good column and and too much to the bad for sure. I got two three scholars. Who are they? Keanu Benton and Caleb Johnson. Cash money records. This man knows me. I don’t I should never play poker against Allan Saunders because he will just take all my money. But um No, no, you should. Totally. It’s like wait like let’s do that like after this. What are you doing later? Do it. Caleb Johnson. I mean, we don’t need to dive. There’s no analysis for this. That was just a boneheaded stupid mistake. And listen, there was a part of me that did think this should be a bus ticket because it was bad. But bus ticket is literally get this guy off the team. Not that. No, I don’t want that. I got I gotta I gotta say, and I know you don’t grade coaches barely, I don’t think he should have ever been out there. At at no point did he appear to show any aptitude for that job. Like he wasn’t doing a good job in preseason. Looked like he was trying to get hurt. He just picked the nearest guy, ran as hard as he could at him, and created a violent collision. He fumbled against the Jets. I feel like this was a a situation that was waiting to happen. I don’t think he was put in a good position by the coaching staff and so like that’s he he had five kick returns in college. Like it’s not like this is like some specialty of his. Uh I understand that they’re trying to let Jaylen Warren be the starting running back and not overload him with a whole bunch of stuff, but get somebody else back there. I I I I just didn’t think he belonged from from from get-go. No, I I agree with your assessment on this particularly because I think and this is just speculation. This is not a source thing, but I think the that the Steelers were trying to get him just experience just running in the NFL and just getting out there be it active so he’s not just standing around on the sideline all game because he wasn’t going to be used early on in this offense because he still needs to improve as a pass protector and as involving himself in the passing game and honestly maybe even involving himself in the run game. And so I I think that they were trying to see, oh well, if we put him in kick return, as long as he doesn’t fumble the ball, we’re fine. Well, last week he fumbled. This week he literally let the ball bounce off of him, over his head, and then into the end zone, and it became a touchdown. And that was, you know, there were there were two plays that flipped this game around. It was the Calvin Austin tip that turned into an interception, and it was this and it was this play by Caleb Johnson. So, I give him three skulls. Bus tickets again are like he would have to do this like five more times. for it to be busted. If he’s out there again on the kickoff, somebody somebody else should be somebody else gets a bus ticket. I agree with that. And then my other bus ticket, Keanu Benton, which I mean, I think he’s hurt, Chris. There was a report the last week of training camp that he was dealing with something. Um, and he’s been wearing a elbow pad on one arm. I I don’t I don’t think he’s 100%. Uh, he hasn’t been talking to us. Fine, fair. He hasn’t been Well, but like I I just He doesn’t look like Keanu Benton from last year at all. Like it, you know, it’s one thing when like, okay, Brick Jones has struggled at times. Like there we’ve seen some bad in his tape. So when you see it again, you kind of go, “Oh, well that was that was Broadick Jones.” This don’t even look like Keanu Benton. I don’t even know. So I I don’t know. That’s some supposition by me. But that there was a report the last week of training camp he was dealing with an injury. He is wearing an elbow pad on only one side. I don’t know if you can keep playing him this way the way they’ve been playing him, but I there’s nobody else. So, I don’t know. I think that’s that’s the thing here. And there’s a question that goes around online. Should they move him out of nose tackle? Put that to white any difference if he’s getting driven five yards off the ball at end. It’s just as bad. Exactly. Because they’re still going to just run it right at wherever he is on the defensive. That’s like the people put up the run chart. It’s like, why don’t they move TJ Watt around? It’s like, you know, they can see where he goes. They’ll just be like, “Okay, we’ll go that way now.” Yeah, exactly. It’s not not like they’re just like in the huddle like this, like, “All right, we’re going to run right no matter what.” You know, like I’m right with you. But that’s that’s the one of the big issues I think the Steelers have right now is again the the way they are structured to play on defense. They can’t right now because Bettton’s getting blown off the ball so much. Um, you know, Loudermick was getting blown off the ball so much. Iqual I thought blown got blown off less which is why he got one skull. I thought he was good in the pass rush. Honestly, I think they need that from their interior defensive line, but I thought he was actually good at the pass rush. If he was better in the run, he would he wouldn’t have been on the Skulls list, but I agree. That’s why I didn’t penalize him too hard. They need guys to step up against the run. And whether it’s Bettton or someone else, it has to happen. We’ll see if Derrick Harmon is coming back this week or the Ireland or after the by-week. But uh we got to get to our stars because there were some stars in this game. Some guys that did their job pretty well. We’ll get to that next year on the Locked On Steelers podcast. Chris Carter, Alan Sanders. Stick with us. Be right back. But first, remind you this show is also brought to you by FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for all the big games with the can’t miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you get $300 back in bonus bets to use across the app. I love using FanDuel because it fits however you like to bet. Player props, building a same game parlay, or even jumping in live as the action unfolds. It makes every game more exciting. Whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup, it’s quick, easy, and the best way to add a little more energy to Sundays. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com to get started. That’s fuel.com to place your first $5 bet and get your shot at $300 in bonus bets to use all across FanDuel. only at FanDuel. FanDuel.com and download the FanDuel app today. [Music] We’re back here on the Locked On Steelers podcast. Chris Carter, Alan Saunders back on the show. It’s time to do some stars. I know that whenever the Steelers lose, people are like, “Chris, why does anyone get stars there? No one deserves stars after losses.” That’s not how this works. Um, we do give credit to people that make that make plays, but I want to see if Allen thinks I’m being too kind to some guys here because we do have a I do have a decent list of one stars. We started off Zack Frasier was my lone offensive lineman. Didn’t see him give up pressure. Thought he did solid. He was the one guy that really held things up. I I thought about giving Brick Jones a star, but then I saw some of the plays he gave up late. I gave him a neutral grade on the day. But hey, neutral grade for Brderick Jones might might as well be a star considering his his recent pass. But uh here Corus Wakeman solid punting got one inside the inside the 20. DK Metaf had a drop but also had that touchdown. Pat Fmouth uh did drop that that one deep ball, but the other catch he made was was pretty impressive. Cam Hayward uh tip pass for the interception was was big. They they’re trying to avoid him because he is the one defensive lineman that’s doing well. DJ Watt. I mean, I know a lot of people are mad because he doesn’t have a sack, but like Jack Sawyer’s sack is basically his sack cuz just due to Sam Darnold running away from 90 blindly into anywhere. It was just so funny like I I put that that play on Twitter like the night of the game. I was just looking back at the re at the replay and like you could see on the on the CBS or Fox, whoever was doing the games replay, the tackle, the tight end, the and the fullback all just look at TJ Watt. they just follow him and Jack Sawyer is like, “Okay.” And he just was just, “I’ll take that.” So TJ Watt is doing a lot. He’s also stunting and twisting and there were quite a few plays like the third and I forget how long it was. It was the first third and long conversion with for Jackson Smith and Jigba over the middle. TJ stunts up the middle and he is one step from Darnold. If Ramsay just holds down that spot, he is able to that’s probably a sack and that’s a that’s a that’s a third down stop. TJ is much closer than people realize. He’s I think team I think the the last two teams have done a good job trying to minimize him, but he’s also making plays out there and causing plays for other people. Other guys need to capitalize more. Also, Jaylen Ramsey received a neutral grade for all those are asking. So did Aaron Rogers. Um so uh that but going through my one one stars uh TJ Watt Darius Slay had a breakup wasn’t really picked on. Nick Herby with his interception had four pressures. Zack Sawyer actually had four run stuffs. Didn’t realize that live. uh and then had his sack. So, I gave him credit for for that. Not too big of a credit, uh but a credit. And then Darnell Washington for his two-point conversion. Allan, got any problem with my one stars? No, I mean this is a good list. Although Darnell’s uh two-point conversion was um definitely a push off, but I mean, sure, he was just like, we’ll we’ll we’ll allow him to get away with that one, I guess. Right. I that that I was I was looking at that like well you know sometimes there’s some there’s sometimes as referees I do wonder if they like I’m not giving him that flag you give him that flag you can talk to him if you want like that he didn’t need to do it I think that’s part of it too sometimes like he was going to catch it anyway right um but yeah so there’s there’s my one stars nothing crazy there um but uh but yeah I I think that it’s it’s interesting when I realized it in retrospect all three of the outside linebackers who were healthy actually did kind of Well, um, you know, not superbly, but well enough. They made some good plays. It was It wasn’t a defensive effort that was bad all throughout. There was just too many too much too much big negative and and so it’s very possible to have a lot of good grades in a game like that, even if the defense overall doesn’t perform very well. All right, cool. I have We’re gonna do this in backtoback. I have one two star and one three star. Who are they? Now, this is tough because you already kind of listed most of the best players. Chris Boswell two star. Nope. You don’t have Boss on here. Is he a three star? You Boswell is a three star. Three star. I think I might have give Jaylen Warren a three star for this game, but they’re both both certainly deserving. Jaylen gets the two. if he had finished that that insane 65 yard catch and run with a touchdown, he would have had the three. Um, but uh he he was a heck of a player. I think the only thing the other thing that held it back was just he he didn’t have four yards per carry. Uh, but Jaylen Warren, I I I I wrote this in my in my grades. By the way, if you want if you want to read these, if you’re listening to these, you want to read these in like a print format or in a digital format, go to post-ashcazette.com. It’s there in the Pittsburgh Postcazette uh today. Uh you can read my stars and skulls grades uh as well as what I thought of the college quarterback scene over the weekend at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. But Jaylen Warren, man, like it’s tricky because I do think that they are like people are saying, “Why don’t they just play him all the time?” And I think it’s because they don’t want to wear him out because I don’t care. He’s playing real good. Wear him out. He’s playing real good. But here’s the thing. You wear him out, he gets hurt mid-season. It’s just Kenneth Kenneth Gainwell and and Caleb. I I don’t care. Play him. I’m That sounds like living in your fears to me. He was the best player on offense the entire game and he only had I thought he was the best player overall from scridge. And he only had 36 snaps. 36 snaps. That’s half. They had 62 offensive snaps. It’s a little more than half. But I like it. Get him in the game more. Okay. I I don’t I don’t I’ve been of the opinion you don’t even have to run him. Leave him in like I just I don’t know. He 65 yard and he’s out of the game for the three plays at the goal line. I’m like I I don’t know. I don’t I kind of got I kind of got the the goal line, but I thought that their plan should have been hey Darnell you go that way. Hey DK, you go that way. We’re picking a jump ball somewhere. And yeah, I mean they tried to get cute with the little reverse screen thing that didn’t work. I don’t think cute is in this offensive line playbook right now, right? Not yet. Not not yet. But uh I thought Jaylen Warren was really good. The the whole offense like I mean they didn’t have a great game, but they played good enough that if the other two units played the way we expected them to play, they should have won. I agree. And like here’s the thing. If if the defense take take off about 10 points from the from from the defense like not say 14 you just take off 10 points they allow 14 points on the game uh and then you don’t have the Caleb Johnson gaff that’s right in their wheelhouse and on top of that you know I you know Aaron Rogers you know brought this up when I asked him about the red zone because I said like hey like you know you guys use DK medaf and Darnell Washington do you want to do that more when you get closer to the end zone? He was like, he basically gave me an RE Lax response because he was like, “Look, we were perfect in the red zone last week. We were one or two this week and the one was the one that got tipped by Calvin by accident and we were throw we were throwing a touchdown.” And so I was like, “Hey, touche. That’s a good point. Um, just kick a field goal there, field the kickoff, and you’re probably doing okay. Probably going to win the game. Might even win the game. But probably win the game. I would say if they kick a field goal there and they and they’re just able to to field the kickoff on the next drive, they’re probably gonna win the game. There you have it. But Jaylen Warren, to your point, should they play him more? I’m still I’m I’m over the camp. I’m like, you got to protect this guy because I’m I’m worried that he gets he gets I don’t know why people don’t believe that he I don’t know why people everybody is feels like he needs protected. Like I know he’s I don’t I don’t care. Well, I don’t I don’t care. Okay. I don’t All right. Willie Parker was small. He’s smaller actually because he was William Parker’s smaller, huh? I didn’t think about that. Skinnier. Skinnier. I mean, short, but he was That’s where I’m at. Skinnier. Like, he’s sturdy. He’s a sturdy dude. Like, there’s a lot of muscle on that 5’8. Like, I I’m not I’m not scared of him. Play him. All right. Play Jaylen Warren more. Hey, he’s the best player they had on offense and really on the whole team from scrimmage on uh on Sunday. Maybe that is the answer. Then of course Chris Boswell, the Wizard of Oz, three stars. Uh, another note that I had, that dude put every kickoff in play and he’s done that for two straight weeks. I love how like he just Have you watched him on those? No. He He doesn’t even look like he’s trying. It sort of looks like a golfer’s warm-up swing, you know? Like like he’s just like up there like just a little like a little boop chip shot. There you go. He’s got it. like it he’s like, you know, before when they’re trying to kick it out of the end zone, those kickoffs were a lot of effort. He’s just up there like stink. All right, there we go. That that’ll that’ll work. He He’s the Wizard of Oz. He does. It’s ridiculous how consistent he is on all fronts. But there were stars and skulls grades. Let us know if you agree, disagree with any of them in the comments. I totally won’t read them. uh you know but uh if you want to read them read them in person and comment with the at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette go to post-cazette.com to read my stars and skulls grades. Allan thank you so much for joining us here on the lockdown steelers podcast. Let people can find you follow you and get more your work. Hey Saunders_p on social media steelersow.com is where you can find my written work and my podcast Steelers morning rush and Steelers afternoon drive or on the Steelers Now YouTube page or anywhere you find podcasts. Check him out. He’s amazing. He is Alan Saunders. Allan, thanks for joining us. Thank you all for joining us here on the Locked on Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Blue Sky, wherever you get social media, Carter Critiques, is always my handle. You can read my work at the Pittsburgh Postgazette postpost-gazette.com. And you can find me here every day, Monday through Friday, breaking down this the Pittsburgh Steelers right here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast. Mike Tomlin talks at noon today. We’ll talk we’ll be talking about what he said on the Wednesday episode here, the Lockdown Steelers podcast. [Music] [Music]

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense struggled against the Seattle Seahawks and continue to underwhelm. Could it be time for Mike Tomlin to restructure the defensive plan? Christopher Carter and Alan Saunders discuss how the Steelers’ defense is currently based on Jalen Ramsey and a trust that they’ll stuff the run to set up their aggressive schematics for one of the most blitzing defenses in the NFL, and if things need to change after two games.

Also, Chris and Alan review the Locked on Steelers’ Stars and Skulls grades for the Steelers week two loss to the Seahawks. Jaylen Warren was the highest graded player from scrimmage, which begs the question; should he be getting a lot more carries?

Steelers Need New Defensive Plan w/Jalen Ramsey, Run Defense? | Feed Jaylen Warren More Carries https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7JorgD8nGLtvvMy1ogFetg

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