A Deep Dive Into The Steelers’ First 4 Games w Nick Farabaugh | Scouting Report Bye Week

A Deep Dive Into The Steelers’ First 4 Games w Nick Farabaugh | Scouting Report Bye Week

Hey everybody, what’s going on? This your man Big Brian Hanley. Welcome back to Steelers Almighty. Today we got a special guest, our main man Nick Farball. He is everywhere covering the Pittsburgh Steelers, ladies and gentlemen. So, we wanted to bring him in, talk a little bit about what’s going on the first four games and a little bit about what can happen the rest of the season. So, appreciate Nick giving us our time today. Uh before we even get started, remember everybody, remember to like, follow, subscribe, continue to get in the comments section, and hit the notification bell so you know exactly when Steelers Almighty content comes out. First off, Nick, how are you doing, my man? I’m doing really well. It’s nice to have some downtime. I just came back from Ireland on Monday, so have recovered over the week and so I’m I’m doing well. I’m doing well. Absolutely, man. Appreciate you coming on. So, let’s get into this. First thing, the Steelers are at three and one. Um, how they got here, I mean, we can argue back and forth with people that want to say it’s I heard today people saying it was luck. I’m like, Steeler causing turnovers is luck, but whatever. I I don’t know that I hear that that often, guys turnovers is luck, but whatever. They’re three- one. It hasn’t been the best looking three in one, but it could be 0 and4. So, we’re sitting here at 3 and one. I I got to believe that that’s a positive sign, Nick, that they didn’t lose these football games that were close. I think it is positive. I I also think there’s definitely things that are concerning, right? It this doesn’t look like a three in one team. It looks like a team that could have lost to the Jets. Certainly could have lost to the Patriots. Should have easily blown out the Vikings. I don’t even know why that game was close. They dominated that game from bell to bell, darn near it, except for the last four minutes. Um, so really to me this team, you know, I I don’t want to say luck. I don’t think that’s right because the way they have practice, you know, punching at the football and forcing fumbles, getting their hands up and tipping balls and getting picks, right? Those are skills. Like a lot of teams just don’t do those well. And so those are skills and that’s ways to create turnovers. Now turnovers aren’t sticky. They’re kind of volatile and week to week you’re not going to be able to turn the everyone over two, three, four times like the Steelers have the past two weeks. Um, but what I think you can do is you can look at some positives and I do think this team has kind of rounded into form a little bit and you know the defense has kind of found a formula with the blitz stuff and a little bit of the backend rotations now coming in. There’s still miscommunications but it’s getting there and they have the personnel to do it and the offense has its own little way of going about it which is you know the quick game, the yak stuff, the running game come along like there’s there’s positives here. So, it’s an interesting team. They are not a perfect team by any means, but they’re also they also feel like a team that’s kind of figuring themselves out and maybe are rounding into what could be a really solid team. And if that happens, well, you won while you were at your worst, right? And that’s kind of the where I’m at with that. I’m usually I’m super down when they when they lose and I’m pretty negative, but when they win, I seem to be a little lenient on what I see out there. Uh, but let’s start with the defense, man. Um, look, it at the beginning of the year, Nick, I said, “Look, as much money as we’re spending, I was pretty bullish on we need to be a top five defense or bust, and we are nowhere even remotely close to a top five defense right now. You start out with the run defense, it just not, it has not looked good, and teams are literally just running up the middle against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean, against the Patriots, it wasn’t even off tackle. They were just running in between the guards. Uh Keano Bittton, obviously, he’s the name that comes to mind because that’s what everybody wants to talk about. He’s too little, not doing the job. And and we’ve seen it. I mean, it’s we can’t just say that he hasn’t done the job. Now, against the Vikings, it was better, but I mean, you got to give him credit there. There may have been some reasons for that, but the linebacker play too hasn’t been great. Nick, what is there anything that you’re seeing differently that maybe a lot of us are seeing out there with the middle of this Steelers defense? Well, Queen and Wilson are are guys that need to be kept clean. They’re not stacking shed linebackers. So, if the if the D line’s getting cratered, then they’re naturally, I think, not going to be great. Like Pton Wilson has best game of the year when Keano Bettton had a really good game. And I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Pton Wilson was clean and was able to kind of go and flow to the football. I think Patrick Queen has really played a really good last two weeks. I think he’s been very good in the run game. Um, I believe he is kind of starting to understand like, hey, if these linebackers get their hands on me, I’m screwed anyways. So, why not just fly downhill and try to wreck this anyways? And it’s worked. Um, they’ve sent a lot of run blitzes. I think that’s been something the last two weeks like this was really bad against the Seahawks and the Jets. And the last two weeks, the Steelers have been much better about their run defense in terms of running backs. I guess the Patriots may got out of the gate a little too many times around the edge, but the actual running backs didn’t kill them in those games. So, I think that’s positive. And I think part of it is they’re sending these blitzes and just blowing it up. They’re letting the linebackers play downhill. And what actually it’s doing is when you send Peyton Wilson and Patrick Queen down like that, it actually keeps people off Keanu Benton, which is the opposite of what you would think it it should weigh, but that’s what they’ve been doing is they’ve been making Keanu Benton kind of free. I also think the the big thing has obviously been Derek Harmon kind of coming in. Yep. He’s been a nice boost for them. Just such a big upgrade over Isaiah Louderdermilk. Um it really is that. So I think that’s been part of it. Getting Deshawn Elliot back last week, very good for it as well. Um and Herb is, you know, Nick Herbig is not nearly as bad of a run defender as everyone tries to make him out to be. I don’t know why that ever became a thing. He’s never been a terrible run defender, but he’s much better this year than he was last year. he’s taken a leap there. So, I think they’ve kind of figured it out. And and I do think the the first two weeks, a lot of it was alignment based stuff, too. They just weren’t lined up in the right gaps. They were losing before the snap. It was like the same communication stuff we’re we’re talking about in the secondary, but up front, I think that stuff has been hashed out for the most part. So, I think the run defense is kind of moving in the right way. I will say, you know, the Patriots and Vikings offensive lines, uh, not exactly great. Um, I I understand the Jets and the Seahawks like aren’t top O lines either, but they were healthy and the Vikings had three of their five starters out by the middle of the game. Um the Patriots O line, different story, but the Steelers did kind of work them for the most part. So, um I do think things are working in the right area there. I also think the Steelers have been kind of privileged in a few of those games where they got out to leads early, right? They got out to the early 14 nothing lead in New England. They got out to a 21-6 lead in Ireland. So running the ball wasn’t as big of a factor. You kind of had to step back pass the ball. So you had to air it out. So that’s something too. So there’s tests that are going to be kind of met here for the Steelers in terms of their rushing defense. But it does look much better, I think, over the last few weeks. So I think that’s moving in the right direction. It does. And that’s the thing is that, you know, the Steelers want to play with a lead. I mean, that’s how this defense is kind of built. You know, you get those outside pass rushers. want those guys to be able to do that. Something that they did last game, Nick, that that I picked up on and and some other people did too is, you know, everybody knows they double and triple team TJ Watt. I mean, teams have just decided we’re going to block him aggressively with the tight end, you know, and when they’re passing or even in passing situations, they’re going to aggressively block them. Well, the Steelers unfolded their linebackers and you know against New England they were doing that and then the linebackers would run eight, nine yards, turn around, be wide open underneath the zone and catch the football and it was a problem. Well, they unfolded those linebackers this week and they said, “Okay, fine.” First off, Patrick Queen gambled on the first time that I saw it happen and he the guys didn’t block him. He was wide open for a sack. The next time he didn’t gamble, but they still had to account for, okay, he might blitz, but then he’s standing right there when the tight ends release. Something interesting that they did that I thought, you know, that changes things because instead of just giving away those eight yards on that, the Steelers took that away, Nick. Yeah, it’s something that they have started to do and I like that they are now using the attention TJ gets to kind of play off that Patrick Queen will come, you know, spliting off that side now. They’ll send a nickel, you know, they said Ramsay and and others off that edge now. And because of that, Herbig’s getting oneon- ons and we have seen over the past three weeks, Nick Herbick one-on-one, even against Christian Darasaw is a problem. Um, so I think that’s been something. And the Steelers also are trying to do some different things where they’re dropping guys in coverage while sending this guy and trying to take away your hot. Um, so, you know, when the blitz comes, you don’t have that outlet as much. And so, they’re doing different things up front. It’s fancier than that what they were doing last year for sure. I think they’re still kind of feeling that out, but TJ Watt has been super kind of indispensable in all of that. I mean, he gets chipped and double teamed or double teamed then chipped and you know there’s three guys allotted to him and so the Steelers are starting to say okay you want to do that we’ll send these guys here and then every once in a while teams start to focus on the other guys and you get TJ that one-on-one and then the TJ production comes why does he have three sacks over the past two weeks exactly it’s because they’re starting to focus on Patrick Queen and focus on these other guys and Dererick Harmon has been really good in his one-on- ones and Cam and and Herbig are still so productive um that every now and then TJ Watt gets a chance and he’s just uber productive when he does. Um still a great one-on-one rusher and he still has that. So um I I think you know the stats won’t look as pretty as you know the Miles Garretts of the world because um Miles Garrett is just a wizard with his kind of deep bag and different things like that, but what TJ does for the Steelers’s defense is invaluable. He’s the most important player on their defense. I mean there’s no question about it. And so working him, you can work him in tandem with your coverage now and you can do so many different things um with him kind of there. Absolutely. So, let’s move to the secondary. I mean, the secondary is beat up. Uh guys are going to be out. Jaylen Ramsay is going to be out. Um you’re finally I Well, we I suppose that JPJ is going to be back. Um you know, it’s we’ll see as far as everybody else, but the guys are are beat up. Darius Slay, I just feel like he’s gonna play all season hurt. He just keeps getting beat up, but that’s I mean, it’s football. It’s what happens. Um, so here’s a a name to throw out there. Cory Trice coming back. I Nick, I have been high on Corey Trice for the last two years, but the man unfortunately just cannot stay on the football field. I assume that he’s going to be coming back this following week. If that’s the case, is this kind of the the last draw for him? Because the team has kind of said, “Okay, we would rather have you than Beanie Bishop.” Okay. Is this kind of the last draw like, “Okay, you got to stay healthy or we just got to move on?” I think so. I mean, it kind of has to be, right? We Every single time this guy gets a modicum of success, momentum, he gets hurt. I mean, it really does happen, right? He has a great he has a great start to his rookie campaign um in training camp, tears his ACL, boom, he’s done for the year. He comes back, has a really strong start, gets the pick in Denver. Next week he pulls his hamstring, he’s out for eight eight to 10 weeks. Um you know, this this summer, all right, he’s back. He he looks good. It seems like he’s going to make the team. He might even be the corner four. Pulls his hamstring again. Like it’s just every time with this guy. And so he can’t be trusted because he he gets hurt too much. But he’s obviously talented. Um, and you know, I mean, the one game he actually played and started in, he was singled up on Jamar Chase about 60% of the games. So, uh, that’s not exactly an easy assignment in your first NFL start. And as the game went on, he got better and better. Um, I really do think he’s a good player. So, it kind of just depends on where things go there. But, this is this is his chance, right? And so, he’ll probably come off IR and the Steelers will say, “All right, let’s see what you got, Corey. Like, it’s it’s your time.” And you know, especially if Jaylen Ramsay’s hurt and is going to be out for a few weeks and it seems like he probably will be. Um, you know, you’re gonna have Eckles more so in the slot. So, you’re gonna have Trace probably outside more. So, you’re just going to have a lot of options there. And if Cory Trace doesn’t stay healthy or gets hurt again, it’s hard to trust him again. I would imagine that would be the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh. That’s kind of what I was thinking, too. And it’s too bad because I think he does have talent. I mean, he’s he’s tall, he’s long, he’s kind of quick twitchy, but maybe that the quick twitchy is part of the problem is that he keeps getting hurt, unfortunately. Uh, but like I said, it seems like they they want him to win an opportunity and win a maybe not the job, but a job, but at some point, you got to stay healthy. Uh, it’s just and nobody blames them. Can’t help getting injured, but at the same time, the Steelers can’t help it either. So, uh, having said all of that, I think Beanie Bishop, any thoughts on him moving up? I mean, is Dante, first off, is Dante Kent coming back and Beanie Bishop, it kind of seems like the Steelers are just content to leave him on the practice squad. Well, it depends. If Ramsey’s out there going to need a backup slot, so either Beanie’s coming up or you’re going to bring Dante Ken off IR. Now, bring Dante Ken off IR makes sense. He can also be the punt returner if Calvin Austin’s going to miss time. So, there’s possibilities there, but I don’t think you can bring both him and Trice off IR. And I they’ve already designated Trace to return. So, Trace probably going to be the likelier option of the two. So, my guess is it’s probably Beanie’s time to come up from the practice squad for a little bit, maybe have a shot. So, we’ll see cuz Eckles is right now the only slot on the roster if Ramsey misses time. I mean, the Steelers got into such a bad spot on Sunday. Yeah. When they lost Eckles and Ramsay at one point led to the blown 81 yard play for Jordan Addison because Deshun Elliott was playing slot at that point. And so, you know, you need a backup slot corn. And so, I don’t think Kent’s going to come back. He could. He’s healthy. I think he’s ready to, but this feels to me like the Logan Lee situation last year where he’ll be on Iowa for most of the year unless the Steelers just need him back. Um, and I think Trice is going to be the one to come back, not him. So, my guess is, you know, Scotty Miller is probably just a punt returner and that’s that. Got it. So, moving to the other side of the football, look, um, you know, Nick, I don’t know you very well. I listen to your stuff all the time, my man. So, I don’t know what your thoughts are on PFF. Having said all of that, um, Aaron Rogers, 36 rate rating quarterback according to PFF. I have no idea how that’s humanly possible. Look, I’ve been around football my entire life, my man. I I’ve watched it. I understand it. I have no clue how you could possibly think that he is the 36 ranked quarterback in the National Football League at this time. I I just don’t know where they’re getting that. So, I mean, I like PFF stats. I I don’t really weigh their grades and Right. I I don’t um So, it’s it’s kind of a double-edged sword there. They don’t know what all the responsibilities are and it’s tough. And listen, I I mean, I think part of it is that Rogers has kind of been a point guard all year. He really hasn’t had to put the team on his metaphorical back and make 20 yard throw, 20 yard throw, and just dot him up down the field. Um, it’s been a lot of, you know, quick game, screens, yak. And I mean, I don’t think anyone has I don’t I think in relative to his yards, I don’t think there’s anyone in the NFL that has a higher percentage of their yards be yards after the catch than Rogers. So, they’re thinking he’s a yak merchant. Basically, what you know what I mean? they think he’s getting carried by DK and Jaylen and the those guys in that when he throws the ball down the field things bad things happen and it’s kind of been true to a degree um when you look at kind of him targeting between 10 to 20 yards five turnover worthy plays two picks like it has been great um but I also think I don’t understand why him just being a good point guard gives him 36 overall um yeah that doesn’t make much sense to me He’s certainly been better than the 36 best quarterback in the league. And I also don’t think it grades what he’s been doing from a mental standpoint. I think he’s been such a great wizard at the line of scrimmage. There were m multiple times in that Vikings game he caught Ryan Flores’s defense mid shift and they just got a free play because someone was wide open. Um it it happened multiple times. He’s caught them in, you know, offsides, 12 men on the field, different teams in that area. He he does a great job kind of hot routing, sliding protections, doing different things. He’s just been so good at the line of scrimmage. So, he’s kind of in this veteran point that has just been really smart. It’s like, you know, it’s like when in like the later stages, you know, in those Kobe years when you had Derrick Fischer as your point guard or something like that, like when you have those top guys that even if he’s not what he once was, he’s very effective at what he does. Now, is there going to come a time where he’s probably going to have to air the ball out and is going to have to to do that? I think so. But, I mean, they have him, I think, out of like I think out of the qualified quarterbacks, I think he is literally dead last. He’s behind Jake Browning. He’s behind Carson Wentz. Y he’s behind Spencer Rattler. Like, he’s behind all these guys. He’s behind both Brock Pie and M. Jones. He’s behind literally every CJ Young, right? JJ McCarthy, he’s behind. I mean, are you telling me seriously right now based off the play you’ve seen, you would take any of those guys I named Aaron Rogers? I mean, I can only imagine not like we watched M. Jones play really well last night. I can only imagine what Kyle Shanahan would think if he had Aaron Rogers to run that. Exactly. I’m just saying. So, yeah, I think Aaron Rogers has been very solid in what he’s been asked to do. I don’t think he’s been a top 10 quarterback or anything. He’s just been a really good point guard and that’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers need right now. So that that is what he’s done and certainly I think he’s done that quite well. Well, and you know, I mentioned this last game is that he just did a good job of playing quarterback, you know, of being good at the position. It’s not always, and I know people, they always look at quarterback and think, well, if he didn’t throw for 275 yards, what did you really do? Well, as you just pointed out, there are so many other things that you can do at the quarterback position that he’s doing that I don’t know that we’ve seen that in a while, Nick, out of the quarterback position from the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s been a minute since we’ve seen somebody just play the position that way. Having said that, I know he’s getting a little beat up, you know, early on in the season. What are the chances that we get another year out of him? And this is just a hypothetical obviously and again the the hits are going to have to stop. He can’t continue to get beat up like the way he’s getting beat up. Having said that, is there a chance we get another year from Aaron Rogers? I mean, I can’t rule it out, but because I think he’s really having fun and I think that’s something I think the Jets organization kind of beat him down a little bit and it is that organization and it beats a lot of people down, but I think it really did beat Rogers down. I think he if he was going to play this year, it was only going to be for a place where he felt he could find that joy, right? And I think he feels like he has found it in Pittsburgh. He’s having fun. You see him doing all those celebrations and the pointing on the tush push and different things like that. And I I think he he feels like he is wanted. He’s respected. He loves playing for Mike Tomlin. I think there’s a chance. I also think, you know, maybe he’s 41 going to be 42 some point. you got to call it a career. If he feels like this is his last two RAW and he feels satisfied with that, go for it and he might call it a career. Um, so we’ll kind of see where things go, but I do think he’s found some renewed rejuvenated energy, which is maybe it’s almost like a rebirth of of Aaron Rogers having fun. And I I mean, every time you would watch him in Green Bay, obviously he was having fun. You know, the championship belt celebrations, taunting Bears fans. I mean, he loved those teams, and I think, you know, he’s found some peace here, some football peace, if you will, with the Steelers. So, I can’t rule it out. I don’t think it’s the likely option right now, but certainly, if they have a really good year, win a playoff game, and he feels like he has another year in him and he wants to do it, sure, I can’t rule it out. Absolutely. So last weekend um or last week we saw Kenneth Gainwell step in for for Jaylen Warren and play well you know and not just running the football catching the football pass prote played the position very well Having said that, is this just going to be a year with the way that he played, are the Steelers going to just say, you know what, will if Caleb Johnson, if we have an opportunity to get him a carry or two here or there, we will. But as long as we’re still in this thing and we got an opportunity, it’s Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell and we’ll just fit in Caleb Johnson where he fits in. I mean, yeah, we’ve seen all three of them play and he’s been clearly the third back. Yeah. I mean, Gainwell has been I I know a lot of people give Kenny Grief um because of how much he’s played compared to Warren and and I think you know the absurd week one snap count where he played 29 snaps and Jaylen played 24. It’s just absurd. Yeah, Warren is a star. I really think Jaylen Warren I think to be quite frank with you, if I had to name an offensive MVP through four games, it would be Jaylen Warren. I think he’s been that good. Um he has been so good in space. He’s having one of the best tackle breaking seasons in space by a running back in the last five years right now. I mean, that’s his pace, right? He broke nine tackles in that New England game. Like he had he only averaged like three yards per carry, but it was all him. Um and and so, you know, he’s played so well. Kenny G is just a really solid player. He he doesn’t he’s not a star, but he catches the ball well. You can align him out of the back field. He’s got good vision. He runs hard. He’s got good contact balance. He’s very smart in pass pro. He does everything well at a baseline level. And you saw that last week where it was just really solid good running back. And then K, you know, Caleb Johnson right now, everything’s just kind of going 100 miles per minute with him. He’s he’s all over the place and frazzled. He finally had some really nice runs against the Vikings and I think that will build his confidence. But until he showcases in practice and in games, you know, in those two carries, let’s pop a big one off one of those two carries every now and then. You know, Rome wasn’t built in the day. And I think that is kind of what you have to look at with Caleb Johnson is you have a a project here to work up with his confidence now after the kickoff snap um after what happened just in the preseason where it felt like he was overthinking everything. He just doesn’t feel like he’s playing naturally right now. And so I think naturally you will give him a few carries here and there just to make sure he’s still in there and adjusting the speed of the game, but he clearly is the running back three right now. He is not better than either Kenny Gainwell or Jaylen Warren, but I know he has talent to do that and be better than that. So hey, if by the end of the year, you know, we’re in December right now and all of a sudden he’s kind of the light goes on for Caleb Johnson. We start to see what we thought we were and we start we start to see what we saw at Iowa. Then you can I think cross that bridge. right now. Those are the two guys you have to utilize in the back. Yeah. I mean, they’ve clearly been the better guy. And I think I mean, you’re obviously right. You can see it on Caleb Johnson’s face. He just seems like everything is just moving way way too fast. Got to slow down for him. And and it happens. Some people think a lot of times we get caught up in, okay, as soon as you get in the NFL, it’s got to click. And it just doesn’t for everybody. Sometimes it takes a year or two for for guys to mature, just like anything else. I I I know we think football players are different, but I promise you that people that they’re not. They’re still human beings. Um where we go as far as wide receiver, Calvin Austin goes down. He’s going to miss some time. How much? We don’t know. Look, um Roman Wilson’s still around. I’ll be honest with you though, Nick, I mean, we saw it in the game now. Maybe with more practice time, uh, Roman Wilson will get the call. But when it happened, they went to Scotty Miller and Scotty Miller was the guy there in that spot. Is that going to be the case? Are they going to trust Roman Wilson or are they going to go get a guy? My guess is um, they probably end up going with Scotty Miller. I think he’s been the guy that’s kind of stood out to them, right? Mhm. Um I think when you look at it, this has been a guy that they have really been impressed by this summer and he had a great summer and there was no doubt about it. He was better than Roman Wilson. I think he’s the most natural route runner that they have outside of um Calvin Austin. So I think naturally he makes a lot of sense to be the guy. Now I look at the options on the market and I’ll be real with you ain’t that many. It’s not plush. Tyreek was the flashy option. Then obviously he gets hurt. So unless you’re waiting until the deadline and you’re trying to hope, you know, Chris Ol wants out of New Orleans or maybe the the Raiders keep going down this road and they trade you Kobe Meyers or something like that. Your options right now really are like Alan Lazard, Curtis Samuel, Alec Pierce, or you go on the free agency market, you try out the Fossil of Odell, Tyler Boyd, DJ Char, like none of these names are going to change this fortune. Samuel might be the one that I’d be interested in. Curtis Samuel, he’s a little bit of an interesting player, I think, because he is the same arc type as Calvin. So, if Calvin’s going to miss like a lot of time, I’m okay with going to get Curtis Samuel for right conditional seventh. Who cares? Um, so that’s fine, but I I kind of okay with just rocking, especially if he’s missing like one or two games or who knows, maybe he doesn’t miss any time. It’s possible. Um, if he misses like one game and is back, you know, Thursday night or even if he misses these two games and is back against the Packers, you don’t really need to spend draft capital. I think they’d be fine with Scotty Miller. Um, I think Scotty Miller’s pretty good and actually will be fine. Scorronic has his role. Um, and then Roman Wilson, we’ll see what can happen there. He has really not done a lot and has been asked to do a lot. Hasn’t been the subject of kind of getting plays drawn up for him. He kind of is not he’s not a well-rounded player right now and he does one thing really well, speed. And they just have so much speed in the room that they haven’t needed to utilize him, right? Um, so we’ll see where that goes. And then you can call up, you know, Keshan Williams who looked good in the preseason or Isaiah Hodins who’s had success in the past. So, I think they’re going to be fine. As long as Calvin’s not like going on IR, then I think you’re fine to just work with what you got. I I kind of think that’s what they’re going to do. And then they’ll reevaluate it closer to the deadline and say, “Hey, who’s out there? What do we need?” And maybe you can then swing a bigger name in there at that point when more teams have clarity about where they’ll be. Right. And it’s just wild with Roman Wilson because you you heard all off seasonason how much they liked him, how how much better he was than last year. You see some flashes in preeason and then when the game start it’s like they don’t trust him. And I’ll be honest with you, Nick, I was like, you know what, let’s do all 22. Let’s break down what he’s doing. I couldn’t find enough plays that would even make it credible to say, you know what, he’s open a lot and they’re just not going to him. That is not the case. He he’s not open that often. There was a few times that Rogers just went a different way and okay, yeah, he was open, but I couldn’t get the 10 and I’m like, dang, man. What is going on? I mean, is it is it just not clicking for him, Nick, or or is it a case that maybe he’s just not as talented and this is what it is. He’s clearly their wide receiver five. Yeah, I mean, he is. Um, we are talking about somebody right now that is just not really polished. He doesn’t run route routes that well. Um, he runs them very rounded. He’s not really a natural outside receiver. He can block but you have a better blocker and skonic. So, he doesn’t bring that. And again, if he was like the only guy in this room with great speed that could win on crossers, I think it’s a different story. I think you have him in there and have him do what he did in the preseason. Right. Right. Why have him do that when DK Metaf exists? Met, you know, the touchdown that Metaf had, the 80 yard touchdown. Roman Wilson would have been asked to do that in the preseason, but when you have a 6’4 guy that runs a 433, just have him do it or have Calvin do it, right? Calvin pass, too. And Scotty’s just a better route runner and has better details that Rogers is going to like. So, he just doesn’t fill a void there. I do think if Calvin’s out, you can ask him to start doing some of the crosser stuff and start getting those chunk plays, but he just doesn’t what role does he bring that these other guys don’t do? And I think that’s the biggest thing. Like it’s the same thing when we talk about the tight end room and you know what does what do John Smith and Pat Far do that’s different from one the same guy in a lot of respects, right? And so one of them gets phased out or they both don’t get utilized the way they should. And that’s kind of what Roman Wilson is kind of facing right now is he’s just doesn’t bring any unique qualities to the room that they don’t already have. Right. Yeah. It just it’s unfortunate. Um third round pick. You’d like to see a third round pick from a year ago do more, but it just is what it is at this point. Uh shifting to the offensive line. Look, it’s been bad. Uh the first three games if Yeah. first three games, you could just say it’s it’s just been bad. Uh we do a all 22 breakdown of the O line every week and the fundamentals are Lord have mercy, they’re just all over the place. Sloppy, bad hand hand placement, footwork, out of out of this world. But it got better against Minnesota. That’s the thing that got better. And the most important look, I’m hard on Brick Jones, Nick. And the reason that I’m hard on him is because he’s so big and he’s athletic. If he just gives effort to the whistle on every play, he can block guys. Even when the technique is super sloppy, he can still block guys if he just gives the effort. And I think that’s been the biggest problem with him. But is there anything that you’re seeing that maybe not that I’m not because I talk about technique, hand placement, footwork constantly with these guys. Seems like they they don’t punch. They they grab a lot. Hands are on the outside. Defensive uh back or defensive ends and defensive tackles get into their chest constantly and it’s like we live on countering defensive guys because we aren’t first to punch. Is there something different that you might be seeing out there with that? They play like a group of individuals, not a collective. And that’s my biggest issue with them. I actually think individually there are some promising things. I’ve been very very very promis like I’ve been very intrigued by Troy Falano. I think in terms of advanced technique, there’s no one on that line Zack Frasier that’s better than him. Correct. If if you gave Falanu’s technique to Brick, you’re talking about a pro bowler. Like, you know what I mean? Um, yes. If Falano has like some natural physical limitations, he doesn’t have elite length and stuff like that, but when he just kind of goes in true passets one-on-one, he’s been pretty good. Like the issue is these guys can’t pass off stunts. I have been they the two sacks they allowed against Minnesota blown protections off stunts. They didn’t get whooped. They just let them go by because the protection was wrong. Miscommunications. And that’s been the one disappointing thing with Zack Frasier. You know, Frasier when he’s just whooping guys in front of him and blocking guys, still one of the best centers in football, but to be a great a truly elite center, you have to have great communication skills and be able to pass off stunts. He hasn’t been able to do it. Isaac Seamalo hasn’t done it. That’s the weird one. I don’t understand that. He’s the veteran of the group. If there’s one guy you shouldn’t be worried about passing off a stunt, it’s him. And it’s been all five of them at times really. It’s been kind of I think 54 and 66 have been the biggest issues on that front. But that’s been the big one to me in the run game. They don’t really work together as a duo. You know, on things like inside zone and duos where you have to combo block and climb timing is not right. The footwork isn’t in sync. So, they play like a group of five individuals. It’s not like a collective. For Brick, I don’t know what he’s doing half the time. Um it, you know, sometimes I think it’s effort, but I think most of the time he just has terrible technique. He ducks his head. Yep. He You talk about not being aggressive. He catches guys rather than getting his hands on them. He’s much better when he’s not vertical setting. When he can kind of get up on you and jump set or 45 set, just get up on him. That’s when he’s at his best. When he is asked to kind of kickstep and get into a pocket, he gets blown back because he catches them. Um I I you know Samalo has had some really odd losses this year. Um I I do think McCormick Frasier and Fanu have been mostly fine when you isolate them as individuals, but they got to pass off stunts better. That’s the easiest thing they can do. If they can communicate and pass off these stunts, they will look so much better because it’s not like I feel like most of these guys are getting whooped. You know, I think a lot of the bad stuff when you see a guy get whooped, it’s mostly 77. Um, but I don’t feel like Fanu, McCormack, and Frasier and Samalo get beat that badly one-on-one. I feel like it’s more they just don’t have timing down in the run game. They don’t have, you know, communication up to snuff in the passing game where they pass off these stunts. It’s frustrating because that’s coaching to me. If you don’t have good timing, if you don’t have chemistry on the offensive line, I get they’re young, but you know, McCormack and Frasier have been playing together for a year now. Why can’t they communicate? That’s an issue to me. I understand say Amalo and Jones, okay, that’s a new duo. Fan who’s pretty new at right tackle because he missed most of last year, but what are we doing? It’s like, you know, it’s the same thing we were talking about in the secondary, too. I don’t What are they doing in training camp that is causing this? Cuz there are teams that can communicate in the secondary. There are teams that are good with their timing in week one and they’re new groups. It’s not like, you know, you have a bunch of continuity. What are what are they doing from a comm it’s like a communication is the story of the season defensively and offensively? What is going on in their methods of teaching communication among their players that isn’t clicking? What is what they need to deep dive into that because something’s not working in the secondary. It wasn’t working up front defensively for a while. They’ve now figured that out and something is not working on the offensive line right now. And so I just feel like that basic thing would make them so much better. The run blocking from 66 and 76 needs to improve. I think that is something I I’ve noticed. Falon has been really good in pass pro, not as great in my opinion in run blocking. Um but they need to play like a collective. They play like a group of individuals right now. And for a guy like Pat Meyer who is, you know, talk through things, talk about it more than like rep it, rep it, rep it, that should look better. That should look more seamless because otherwise you’re just talking and not getting through to your players and it doesn’t feel like there is a lot getting through to him. Correct. They’re they’re not it it’s cool that you said it because I say it all the time when you talk about working as a tandem because double team blocks inside zones. It’s McCormack is the worst at it is he refuses to just get movement on the three or the one. He is constantly just trying to get up to the linebacker and I keep screaming, “The linebacker, I promise you, he will run to you. If the play is going behind you, he is going to run to you. Just get the movement first.” And he just, they just, you’re right, they just can’t get that figured out. And then Camalu pass protection. He constantly drops that outside leg. And you’re not going to be able to pass off a stunt when you’re not square. When you drop the leg and the guy goes inside, you’re not going to be able to do it. I don’t know. It’s an ugly habit. He didn’t do that before. It seems like it’s it’s been really exaggerated this year, Nick, because that that was not something that he did before and now he is. Maybe he’s older. I don’t lost some power. I don’t know. And this is how he’s trying to keep guys out. But you can’t pass off stunts when you’re not when those guys when you’re not square. It It’s impossible literally to do that. And I’ve seen a ton of that. And And he drops his outside foot. McCormack brings his inside foot up. So then he’s not square. So it’s like, well, wow. This line instead of going straight across, it is a zigzag. Doesn’t look good. But they did play better against Minnesota. I I’ll give him credit. It it looked better. Some of the the stuff that they did, it wasn’t just always bringing in Spencer Anderson. Now granted, that helped, don’t get me wrong, being able to block better at the point of attack, but I think collectively they were better. And I know the excuse that a lot of people said as far as the the defensive front was, hey, they were playing against three backup offensive linemen. They were okay. Well, that wasn’t three backup, you know, Dlinemen. It wasn’t they didn’t have a bunch of guys hurt for Minnesota. And that’s a good run defense. And I thought they played well. It wasn’t perfect. Again, the third down, third and one trying to end the game. Brick completely whiffs. Let Jonathan Allen get out the back door. I’m like, if you just get in his way, it’s a first down and we win the game. But I mean, but they did play better collectively. At least they it looked better. It did. I will say, and I think I don’t think Spencer Anderson was the reason they ran the ball. Well, I think big number 80 was the reason they ran the football. There you go. I think Darnell Washington is the key to everything in this rushing offense. He cleared the CN D gaps all game. It’s one of the best run blocking performances I’ve ever seen from a tight end. I’m just going to put it straight out there. Darnell Washington was the engine behind the Pittsburgh Steelers run game. And he needs he played 90% of the snaps. He needs to play at least 75 every week. They can’t run the ball with John and Footh out there. They just can’t. They can’t. You need an inline blocker nowadays in the league to block guys. And they have one in Darnell and he’s not a tozero as a pass catcher. So, I think Darnell was part of that. But I also do just think the timing was better, specifically from the interior. Frasier had his best game of the year. That looked like the Zack Frasier I know and love, right? Sons the snaps, but whatever. Um, the snapping issues with Frasier, I think, whatever. If he’s Creed Humphrey, he’s Creed Humphrey. Creed Humphrey also can’t snap the football accurately, right? No one complains about that. Um, so, you know, I I think we’ll look and kind of see where that goes. I thought Falanu looked really good. McCormack had much better technique in terms of timing on the combos. Um, Seamalo lost his mind about two times, but other than that looked good. And Brick kind of I I feel like Brick in terms of the run game has been a net positive for the most part this year. You talked about the one play, but I actually think he’s kind of moved guys in in the run game more often than not. For as bad as he’s been in past pro, he’s made some really nice blocks in the run game. And the Steelers have just kind of simplified the run game for them. you know, they’re running some more counter stuff, so there’s more gap stuff. I don’t really understand why they don’t lean more into gap. I mean, I I this to me is an athletic line. And here’s the thing, you know, you say Samoa lost a step. Every time he goes in space, he looks good. He does. He does. Every time he’s on a screen, I’m like, Samoa is like 31 and he’s still moving. I I So, I don’t understand where, you know, why they don’t pull guys. When they pull guys, it looks way crisper. Um, I I think this is such a good in space offensive line that loves to play in space. Falanu in space looks great. I I would love to see him more in space. Um, so they just simplified things inside zone, outside zone, counter duo, things like that where they just jutted them up and I mean you’re talking some of those Armano Emano and they just cratered them. I mean Hargrave, Allen, Dallas Turner, Jonathan Grard could not stack up to them. So, really good stuff from the studios offensive line, but also I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention big number 80 cuz I think he is I truly think Darnell Washington is the reason the run game was off the ground and I think he needs to play way more. Yeah. Yeah. People on the channel and myself included just are screaming it. It’s like look, we love Jonnu, we love Pat, but they just can’t block and they I mean even when you run away, they can’t cut off the backside. And if you can’t cut off backside and we are so gap or or not gap but zone oriented when we run the football those guys are making the plays. It’s like you can’t run the football if those guys can’t do their job. I mean and and like you said at some point Darnell Washington just has to be out there more because again he can catch the football when you actually incorporate him into catching the football. Is he going to be as dynamic as those guys? No. But I don’t think he has to be number one. I go, “And he’s so big, he can catch the ball.” And let’s not kid ourselves. He’s light on his feet for 265 pounds. I I keep saying, I showed a clip, Nick, and of them lining up next to Brick. I’m like, he’s bigger than Brick. Now, you see him every day. He is a bigger man than Brick Jones. And Brick Jones is listed at 3:15. This 265 stuff, they just got to stop. They gotta stop. It’s crazy. He is legitimately um 300 pounds. Yeah, I truly believe that. Um I truly believe he is that big. Um and not only that, I really just kind of think he is so good as an inline blocker. It just changes the math. And listen, the Steelers are going to run 12 personnel way more than any other team. their 12 personnel this week was just seven offensive linemen with with a lot of uh with a lot of Spencer Anderson. Um I think in the future though if you start to see more man coverage which I think they naturally will see if they run the ball better because you’re going to force teams to roll down the extra safety. I can play 12 personnel with John and Pat split out and then when you see manto man that’s where I think John and Pat come in and you’re like okay I love John Smith on a nickel. I love him on a safety. I love him on a linebacker. I also like Pat on all three of those matchups. So Darnell opens the gate for those two. Everyone’s been asking where is Pat Fryouth. Well he’s what is one he doesn’t have a great connection with with Rogers. two, they haven’t set up the plays for him because it’s not hits is not his offense and and really, you know, John who’s been a glorified running back in a lot of ways. So, um, all of this kind of plays into this. Darnell Washington kind of unlocks Pat Fry and John Smith, too, in a lot of ways. So, just play play Darnell. That’s all I’m saying. Yeah. Play Darnell and you will be much better as an offense. Trust me. Absolutely. Well, Nick, man, I again, I can’t thank you enough for giving us your time today. For anybody that happens to not know all the good work that you do out there, let everybody know where they can find you at. Yeah, you can find me on Twitter at Farwell FB. Uh my YouTube channel, the Steelers Blitz on Penn Live, and then also check out the articles, penlive.com/steelers. Absolutely. We appreciate you, man. And thanks everybody out there again for listening. Talk to you guys soon. And aloha.

The Steelers head into their bye week at a pivotal point in the season, and we’re taking a deep dive into the first four games with special guest Nick Farabaugh. From Aaron Rodgers adjusting to Arthur Smith’s system, to Jalen Ramsey’s immediate impact on the defense, to the offensive line finally showing signs of life, there’s a lot to unpack about what we’ve learned so far. We break down the highs, the lows, and what it all means for the stretch run as Pittsburgh looks to solidify itself as a true contender in 2025. #pittsburghsteelers

Nick Farabaugh of @SteelersonPennLive joins Big B to share some insight on his Minnesota Vikings.

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