Steelers Bully Browns as O-Line Shuts Down Myles Garrett, Run Game Improves | Derrick Harmon Rising?

Steelers Bully Browns as O-Line Shuts Down Myles Garrett, Run Game Improves | Derrick Harmon Rising?

The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line is stepping up and that’s what we’re going to talk about along with other elements of how they beat the Browns 23 to9. It’s 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 podcast network. your team every day. Hello and welcome to the Lockdown Steelers podcast. I’m your host Chris Carter bringing you your daily dose of all things in the Pittsburgh Steelers. As always, you can find the show on your favorite podcasting app on YouTube. Like this video if you enjoy it. 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 Mazda. Like our players, they sweat every detail because when you make every move count, pulling off the unexpected is only the beginning. Stay tuned later for highlights in this week’s Moving the Game Forward. Mazda moved and be moved. Steelers fans, it’s a victory Monday as the Pittsburgh Steelers have defeated the Cleveland Browns 23 to9. The Steelers advanced to 4-1 all top alone the AFC North. And we’ll get to division stuff later, but let’s talk about how the Steelers won this game. Now, if you read my work in the Pittsburgh Postgazette, which by the way, you should post-gazette.com. I I wrote about this because I was that was the thing that I wanted to like investigate the most as far as asking questions, talking to people, you know, getting getting sense of what happened in this game plan. But if you were watching this game, this offensive line went to work against a defense that was supposed to be the best defense in in the NFL and at least having the best defensive front in the NFL, but they made none of that matter. And I talked about it going into this game last week. The Browns had allowed the second fewest total yards per game. They allowed the fewest. They number one rushing defense in yards. Yards per game allowed. Yards per carry allowed number one. And then overall yards per play around. They they were number one in the NFL. They got they got after. They did not let anybody run the ball. And the Steelers coming into this game ranked 31st in running the ball in total in yards per game, 30th in yards per carry. And you would not be able to tell that by the way this team ran the ball, especially in the second half. And you had Jaylen Warren averaging 4.7 yards per carry on 11 runs. Lieutenant Gainwell, six for 22. Even Caleb Johnson had a had a nine yard run. They were able to move the ball. And on top of that, Miles Garrett in his first game going up against Brick Jones at left tackle had finishes the game with two assisted tackles. Not a solo tackle, two assisted tackles. I think he had three pressures, no tackles for losses, no quarterback hits, no sacks, no forced fumbles, no bettered passes. He was a footnote on the game for simply not being able to impact the game. And it wasn’t just all Brick Jones by himself because the Steelers put in a concerted plan to stop Miles Garrett. They uh when I talked to players on the team, they said the plan part of the plan was you got to have four hands on him. You got to make sure that there’s someone there’s someone helping to get him. But man, they that plan worked because how many and how many times have we seen teams do that to TJ Watt, but they negated Miles Garrett, Mason Graham, Malik Collins. Malik Collins made a couple plays, but by and large, this this defensive front for the Browns that was known to wreck games, beat the Packers earlier this year did not wreck anything. And in fact, the Steelers could neutralize them with their offensive line. And then in the second half, I thought was when I started to see that the the Browns starting to break. And if you remember, as I broke down for you guys, I said, “The Steelers are going to win this game.” I said, “It’s going to be close in the first half.” And what’s going to I said, “What’s going to happen?” Third quarter, they’re going to start to pull away. They’re going to start to develop the things that get them the distance. And then you’ll see the defense get more aggressive and get the sacks. That’s what you saw Nick Herbing and other guys getting getting more heat on Dylan Gabriel. They finished the game with six sacks, at least their second game now with six sacks in an NFL game this season. Um, but again, when you look at their uh their their third their quarter, the third quarter, they had one whole drive in the third quarter. Uh, the other drive, they they they got the ball twice in the third quarter, but they the other drive took so long it took them into the fourth quarter. Uh, but the Steelers getting two touchdowns to open the second half. And if you look at what they did in the in those drives, they ran the ball well and they based the and they were able to pass off of the run. And how many times we talked about earlier this season where they were passing to set up the run, they ran to set up the pass and against what was the best running rushing defense in the NFL coming into this week. That was a big that was a really big sign for the Steelers moving forward that this young offensive line is is bringing it together. They’re getting better. And when I looked back through it and you look back through those uh those through those two touchdown drives, the Steelers ran the ball eight times for 52 yards. In those two drives, they averaged 6.5 yards per carry. They were getting chunks on this on this Browns team. And I think that’s a huge sign for Brick Jones, Zack Frasier, uh Troy Falanu, uh Mason McCormack, and Isaac Seamalu. But them as a unit, they are coming together and figuring it out. I want y’all to listen to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell answer questions about the offensive line and how proud they are of them and acknowledging what they did. And listen to Jaylen Warren what he said when we asked him about Miles Garrett and how this how the Steelers offensive line handle him. Here’s your Steelers running backs talking after the game. How they handled how you guys handled Miles Garrett. Oh, I mean, yeah, I mean, it was very quiet on that side and uh, you know, that just shows. Jaylen, you guys come out in the third quarter popping off several 9, 10, 11 yardd runs. What was clicking for you guys in the second half? Was there an adjustment or just things finally coming together for you? Everybody just doing the job consistently. You know, we knew if we if we don’t have no give up. So, what can you say about this young offensive line and how it’s finding its rhythm right now, run blocking for you and Kenny? Last week, he gets 99. This week you averaged four. I wouldn’t want to run behind them at the line. You know, they’re doing their they’re doing their thing. We knew that, you know, we love running behind them as running backs. Third quarter, you guys come out with back-to-back touchdown drives, some 8 n 10, 11 yardd runs. What was clicking in the in that in that third quarter that got that just got those big chunks against team was averaging the least rushing yards per carry in total? I mean, it was just a it was just great play calling, you know. Um, great play calling, great guys up front, you know, backs in there, you know, we went in there to do what we need to do. What do you see in developing this young offensive line? I think Miles Garrett only had a single tackle in this game. Yeah, I mean, those guys thought they ass off um, special group. Special group, I got to say. And, um, you know, I’m willing to have their back 100% um, throughout this journey. You know, we can just take this one game at a time, man. We going we going to do great things. You were talking about the great play calling. What is Arthur Smith developing or what do you what do you appreciate how he’s developing things with you guys as as a team to find the right run calls right now? I mean I I think he understand that he got a a great group of athletes around here and great group of guys that can do do a lot of things and um yeah he just put us in a great position to go out there and win the game. So, I think one, let’s go back to Jaylen Warren when as he said it was real quiet on that side when asked about Miles Garrett and man was it quiet and that was a heck of a statement there. Uh, and hey, you’re supposed to brag about your guys. You know, you always hear about, you know, when when a guy makes a great catch, you got to brag, oh man, TK Medaf so amazing. When your offensive line kicks butt, you got to give them credit. And man, they deserve credit in this game. And I think they also deserve credit from the fans because I I I was one sitting here saying, “Hey, they’re not playing well in certain weeks like in week one, week two when they were giving up pressures and certain guys, especially Brick Jones, uh, was was struggling at times.” I was like, “Hey, he’s he’s making mistakes here and there, but he’s getting better. He’s he’s he’s improving and I see the steps getting there and you just need to give him time to settle in at left tackle.” And people were saying, “Fire Pat Meyer, there’s no he’s not developing anything. No one’s getting any better.” The last two games they’ve looked a lot better. Honestly, every game they have taken a step forward. The Jets, they did struggle. The Seahawks, they struggled again, but struggled less. The Patriots, they were able to keep things contained. They did not let the Patriots defensive front really get after them. The Vikings defensive front, they basically neutralized. They almost made Kenneth Gainwell a 100 yard rusher in that game. And then yet this game where they were facing the Browns, I was coming in this game, man. I was like, they got to do prep. I thought I thought like, hey, they got to do pop passes. They got to hit hit hit the perimeter, force this defense to soften up, and then they’ll be able to run the football. And they did do a little bit of that. Aaron Rogers was really efficient in this game. We’ll get to the passing offense later in the show, but by and large, this this offensive line was able to bully the Browns when they wanted to. They made Miles Garrett irrelevant. They moved guys around. They created space. And then the running backs were getting nine, eight, 10 yards a pop at one point during that second half. And that’s how you grind a team down. That’s something that the Steelers, I think, have not really had for years and what they’re trying to develop. And if this is another step along the way to getting to where this offensive line eventually can be. And as I said, this to me was the biggest objective of this year beyond, you know, what what Aaron Rogers, TK Medaf did, beyond even the addition of Jaylen Ramsay. They need this core of this offensive line to develop into this year an above average unit. So, but it’s to set the stage to to someday soon be an elite unit because that’s what they’re investing these first and second round picks in. You don’t want them to have to go double and triple dip to go get another offensive tackle or another guard or another center with a high pick. You want to say, “Hey, we’re sol we’re solid here. Maybe we get maybe we spend like a early day three pick on another on another guard or something it eventually. But no more first round picks here because you’re you found your tackles, you found your center, you found your your primary pieces and now you can start trying to draft correctly in other places. And I think that this game in this one, it’s not this doesn’t mean they figured it all out. doesn’t mean that they’ve arrived at the promised land, but this was a very big step for them to not allow Miles Garrett to wreck the game and for them to be the guys that set the pace of things. I think that deserves a lot more credit than people are I think people have given them credit for as a unit. They’re taking steps forward. Kudos to Broadick Jones, Frasier, Seamalu, McCormack, Falanu, and by the way, Falano, I think, also had a really, really strong game. Um, you know, he he he he talked about how they had they had certain plans to to make the to make things work. Pat Meyer putting it in the game plan and and and also a point for Arthur Smith because as you said, Kenneth, as you heard, Kenneth Gainwell said, I liked, you know, he he thought the play calls were right. When I asked Troy Falanu about the play calls and what what he liked about it, he said what Arthur Smith’s doing is he’s allowing them to play fast. He’s calling simpler plays where like the assignments are clear and they’re just able to go and attack and that’s helping them find their rhythm. And as we know, as Arthur Smith had said earlier in the year, this is a an athletic unit. This is a this is a quick fast offensive line that they can they can get off the ball quickly and beat guys with their speed and athleticism. And now the scheme they’re starting to do that now that they’re more they’re more they’re more centralized. They’re more used to the scheme. I think it’s a very good sign for where this Steelers team can be moving forward if they continue on the progress that they’re showing these past few weeks. I want to talk about that defense, too, because they had a heck of a game. Can’t overlook them. We’ll do that next here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. Stick with us. Be right back. But first, remind you this show is also brought to you by Mizen and Maine. You know the saying, look good, feel good. The problem is that most dress clothes only check one of those boxes. They look sharp but feel stiff, hot, and high maintenance. That’s why there’s Mizen and Maine. Miz and Maine makes classic men’s wear with performance fabrics. So, it’s effortless to look sharp and feel comfortable. They actually invented the performance fabric dress shirt over 10 years ago, and they perfected it ever since. Their shirts are stretchy, moisture wicking, wrinkle uh wrinkle resistant, and machine washable. No ironing, no dry cleaning. It’s the feel of athletic wear, but the look of professional men’s wear. Right now, Mizen and Maine uh is offering our listeners 20% off your first purchase at mizen and maine.com with promo code locked NFL 20. That’s mizen spelled m i zen and maine m a m a i n.com. Promo code locked on NFL 20 for 20% off. And if you’d rather shop in person, you can find Maine in stores in select states. Today’s episode is also brought to you by Mazda’s moving the game forward for those who believe it’s not just about playing the game. It’s about redefining it. There are moments that do more than put points on the board. They move crowds, move culture, and keep the moving the game forward. This week’s moment that moved the game forward was Aaron Rogers using his legs to buy time to get that lead in the third quarter and extend it with two touchdown drives. Rogers rolled to his left on a on a key third down being chased by Miles Garrett and flipped the in a very improbable pass to Jaylen Warren to convert a third down and keep a drive alive and would also scramble out to to his right and find Connor Hayward while he directed traffic in the back of the end zone for a for a touchdown pass. Aaron Rogers threw two touchdowns and he kept the Steelers moving forward. When you follow what moves you, the unexpected is only the beginning. And just like there’s more to every highlight, there’s more to a Mazda vehicle. Mazda, move and be moved. [Music] We’re back here on the Locked On Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. We continue our show here today going over uh this Steelers 23 to9 win. I talked about the offensive line because I I I feel we got to give praise to this group for uh what they did in this game after all the all the rightful criticism that they had taken. But I was like, “Hey guys, with with the with the honest critiques of those things, let’s be patient. Let’s let the let’s see how they develop.” And they developed there. But this defense has also been developing because as we know, the defense also came out and wasn’t they weren’t playing at the standards that they really wanted. They wanted to be better. They wanted to be sharper, but they they hadn’t been there. But in this game, you saw more of it again. And I was wondering if the defense and how the how the run defense specifically played against the Vikings was a fluke and if they were like, “Okay, they just had a really good day against an offensive line that was really beat up.” Um, and uh, you know, maybe they was just like, “Oh, well, they the run game there, you know, they don’t have a prime running back. Jordan Mason’s good, but you know, but Quinn Sean Judkins, he is he’s really good right now. He has more rushing yards than Saquon Barkley going into this week.” Maybe this will be the the time that that this will show if they the Steelers can’t stuff the run here. Maybe that’s they they it was just a fluke. That was not the case. They shut the Browns run game down. Quinn Sean Juggins 12 carries, 36 yards. That’s a three yards per carry average. Uh they took really really took him out out of the game. U and they forced the Browns to have to throw the ball at a high volume. Dylan Gabriel was 29 of 52 for 221 yards. That’s that’s what you want. You want the rookie quarterback having to chuck the ball a lot and in doing so, he was getting he was just hitting barely hitting guys. I think he only completed four passes uh of 10 down 10 years uh further past 10 yards. And when you complete four passes beyond 10 yards on the line of scrimmage on 52 passes, you’re doing something right as a as a defense. Um and sure, they gave up a couple plays here and there, you you’d like to maybe get some of the turnovers. They dropped at least three interceptions, maybe even more. Um and they really could have had some turnovers in in this game. But, um, I do think it’s I do think it’s it’s really a good sign for the Steelers that this was the kind of game where you wanted to where you’re able to win at the line of scrimmage more often. You’re able to stuff the run. Uh, Patrick Queen I thought was really was really sharp. I think he continues to coordinate this defense very well with uh the way he directs things in the middle part of the field. Um, you saw Jaylen Ramsey getting after it again when they forced those third and longs. You saw the Steelers pinning their ears back, getting aggressive. Jaylen Ramsey getting two sacks. He bragged up to the game. He was like, “Hey, I get to tell my kids that I played in a game with TJ Watt and Miles Garrett and I had two sacks and that’s more than both of them had combined.” Um, that’s kind of funny on his part. But it wasn’t just Jaylen Ramsey on corner blitzes. Nick Herbig gets two sacks in in this game. TJ Watt gets half a sack in this game. And he would have had more if he wasn’t called for uh for lining up in the neutral zone on on one on a play where he had forced a strip sack and a fumble and was recovered by the Steelers. Uh, and that was a play that really could have broke the game open uh when when it happened. But uh TJ Watts splits a sack with Alex Highmith. Nick Herby gets two sacks. Jaylen Ramsay gets two sacks. And also Derek Harmon gets a sack in this game. And I’ll tell you what, you know, there were a lot of people saying, and I I was I understand where these people were coming from. I don’t think this was too this was being too cynical. But there were a lot of people saying I don’t know if if Dererick Harmon returning is going to make that much of a diff difference, you know, or not even returning, just playing because he he missed the first couple of games and the run defense was struggling and there were legitimate questions like, hey, I mean, if Derek Harman is healthy, it’s great, but like is the rookie really going to make that big of a difference? And boy, is he making that big of a difference right now? And again, that was a reasonable question because, you know, we hadn’t seen Derek Carman outside of the preseason and he’s young and he’s a rookie and the Steelers usually with the rookies, they’re very patient, but they’re pushing him. Nah, this dude is beasting. He is moving people around. He is playing so so well against the run. He is just striking with his hands, using his size, using his frame, and again, he’s just still figuring things out in the NFL. And he is a problem in the middle part of the line. He’s also getting after the quarterback. He’s also showing high motor effort plays. There was a play where I think it was a pop pass or a screen where a guy, you know, away away from the play away from him like got the ball and was getting downfield and there you see Dererick Harman, big 99 chasing him down and I’m like, “Okay, that looks that looks like a young Cam Hayward right there.” Granted, Cam Hayward was doing that when he was old too, but still, uh, when he is old, but you know, uh, Dererick Harmon showing all those features there. And I think that played a big that’s continues to play a big role in how the Steelers are able to play because now Patrick Queen can see more. He’s not you’re not seeing Patrick Queen getting hit up by guards and centers within the first two seconds of a play and so he can’t conduct what he do what he needs to do in the middle part of the defense. We got a chance to talk to Cam Hayward after the game. Uh Cam Hayward of course defensive captain uh you know didn’t have uh quite a quite a loud game on on his part. Uh he had two tackles in this game. Uh but he was part of a defensive effort that was helping shut down the run game and he had a pretty he had a pretty solid day. He t I asked him about uh about Derek Harmon and the progress of uh of him in this this run defense. Here was him Cam Hayward in the locker room after the Steelers win. Cam, what can you say about Derek and what he’s done so done so far, especially in this game? Seemed like he was making plays in the run and and against the pass. Also chasing guys downfield after the reception. Yeah, I thought you’re talking with Derek Arman, right, sir? Um you know, I just thought he’d uh you know, played with great hands. Uh got off the box. Um, you know, poor technique is not an easy job and you know, he’s he’s playing at a high level. Uh, and he’s just going to keep getting better. What’s up with you guys in the run fits right now? It’s back to back games where you guys have been very consistent in taking away the ground game from another team. I think it’s just ownership. Um, you know, it’s been subpar uh to start the season, but um we understand it’s a long season. Um, and we’re not going to pat ourselves on the back when it’s good. And, you know, we’re not going to, you know, go into taking when it’s bad. U, but you got to keep striving week in and week out. Um, and, you know, as we’ve given up some of those big runs early, we know we’re going to get challenged with that. And so, it’s about combating that and, you know, putting that putting that to bed. One thing I I like about Cam Hayward, he says here, he’s he talked about, you know, you’re not going to pat yourself on the back for the win. You’re not going to put your head down for the loss. like he is he he is that there’s a reason why that guy’s Mr. Steeler. There’s a reason why Cam Hayward is the leader. He sets the tone. He understands the temperament that’s needed for the Steelers uh to both to win games and to get through the long season and to and to make sure that they’re on the right trajectory. And hearing him say that, I think when he’s saying that, that’s that kind of stuff reverberates out throughout the locker room. No one’s no one’s saying like again, they’re celebrating their wins. You want to be excited. you want to make you you want to be happy that you’re making plays, but no one’s also no one’s saying that like, hey, you know, we’ve arrived. We’re we’re we’re here, guys. We don’t have to improve anymore. This is just we just have to keep playing exactly like this and we’re going to win. No, there’s always an adjustment to be made. There’s always something to improve. And I think that’s where this uh this defense is is looking right now that they continue to work to improve and they’re finding ways to improve. Uh Jaylen Ramsay also, I gota got to say this about Jaylen Ramsay. There was a lot of credit given around the the the the team almost like I think Mike Tomlin said it, Aaron Aaron Rogers said it, so many different players said like the the appreciation for Jaylen Ramsay to fight his way back to play this week where he suffered that hamstring injury injury two weeks ago and as we know hamstring injuries can be very tricky. They can be difficult to manage. Um you know but he he got right to his rehab, worked his butt off and made it so that he was ready to go for this game. They had him on a pitch count. they were pulling him out to make sure that he didn’t overextend himself. But Aaron Rogers talked about how like there’s there’s a lot of guys that, you know, would have that injury and they’d be like 80% to go and they’d be like, I don’t want to I don’t want to risk it because I want to be 100% when I play because they don’t want to look bad on tape. And he said Jaylen Ramsey showed no such fear. He was ready to go. He was he was he was pushing it and he was out there making plays. Finished the game with six tackles, two of those being sacks. Um big time big time stuff from him. uh even in a game where you could see he still wasn’t back to 100% but he was still out there bringing the fire. Uh and as a defense they brought the fire again. Six sacks on Dylan Gabriel. It’s a lot what you want. They they hit Dylan Gabriel 16 times in this game. Uh according to the the NFL stats. That is insane. That’s also the kind of stuff that ruins a rookie quarterback. That’s the kind of stuff that can really mess you up in in the long term because then you start to if if that starts to set into your psyche, then you start to not have confidence in your offensive line. that could cause you problems down the line. But that’s another thing that the Steelers defense did very well. Uh, and then you still, and also, I want to break this down more when I do my film study, but I thought Joey Porter Jr.’s return to the lineup couldn’t have been better debut for him. He comes out, breaks up two passes. I think he maybe allowed one catch in this game, but he got under Jerry Judy’s skin so much in this game that Jerry Judy eventually I think he like slapped at him and got got a personal foul penalty that killed one of the Browns earlier drives. Uh and there were several times where he just outpositioned uh Judy entirely on his route and there was one that he almost pulled down with an interception. He boxed him out perfectly uh you know as far as positioning and he then he turned and looked for the ball. And that’s the thing that I’ve been waiting to see from Joey Porter Jr. he turn and look for the ball and play and make a play on the ball. Now granted, he didn’t finish that one, but he did those things. He avoided the penalties. I think Joey Porter Jr. might be figuring it out. And if this if he’s figuring it out and this D line’s figuring out and the run defense is figuring out and the linebacker is putting it together, man, this team is going to be dangerous, but they need this offense to to to put it together, I think, for more complete performances as they need the defense. We’ll talk more about that with comments from DK Metaf and Aaron Rogers next here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. Stick with us. Be right back. But first, want to remind you this show is also brought to you by Supply House. When the opening whistle blows on a new repair, get your crew moving with Supply House. Order today and you can see parts on your doorstep tomorrow with over 280,000 plumbing, HVAC, and electrical items from the most trusted brands in the business. 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Right now, FanDuel is making it so that you can enjoy all the NFL action and everything else with this 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 all across the app. I love using FanDuel because it allows you to play however you like. Whether you want player props, whe you want to build a same game parlay, or even jump 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 your Sunday. 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 chance to win $300 in bonus bets only on FanDuel. [Music] We’re back here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast. I’m your host, Chris Carter. We continue our episode here today. I want to go back to the offense and we’re going to get more into the defense. I got to do my film review and everything. I had a really busy day. I do apologize for this episode not coming out till like 4 in the morning uh um uh Monday, you know, Monday Eastern time. Uh but we had a lot to do. I did my postgame article for the post because that I had to be on channel 11 WPXI. I had to do get a lot of things done and uh it was a it was a busy evening after after this game. But uh you know, so we we’ll get we’ll get into more things when I have chance to go over things. We got a busy week this week also coming up uh with the short week. Uh you know, short week for the Steelers means they got to ramp things up, which means we got to ramp things up too. So, we’ll have a lot of stuff coming your way uh to later today and tomorrow as well. But anyways, I want to get back to this offense. And this was an encouraging performance from the Steelers across the board. They ran the ball. They protected Aaron Rogers. He didn’t get sacked one time. I think he got hit maybe twice. Um uh just wait looking at that. No, he got hit three times in this game. That’s if if that’s all he’s getting hit and then you’re fine there. Um, but look looking at how that you like that and you also like the fact that they did move the ball most of the game. The Steelers here the the results of their drives. Field goal, punt, field goal, field goal, touchdown, touchdown, punt, missed field goal, and the and then they kneled the game out at the end of the at the end of the game. That’s two punts in this entire game where that where they weren’t able to move move the ball and there was only three drives where they didn’t get a single first down on all throughout the game. Uh and one of those drives, of course, was the kneeling the ball at the end. The other drive was when they missed the field goal, uh after getting it from a turnover on downs, basically when the game was already over. Um you know, but they did have that they did punt after their after their back-to-back touchdown drives uh that got going got them going in the early part of the second half. Um but still the offense finding answers, they moved the ball. Um and uh when they got into the red zone, they were able to they were able to execute. They got one, but they only the problem is they only had one red zone possession. And you want them to have more. You if you’re as if you’re the Steelers, you want to be able to get better there. Still not great on third downs. Five of 13 on third downs for 38%. Uh you want to be a little bit sharper there. Uh but you do appreciate what they’re a what they’re building there because now you’re seeing uh you’re seeing the run game come to life a little bit more and then building off of the run game. Yeah. And something I noted when I was looking back at it, especially those two touchdown drives after those runs, play action became wide open and it opened up a lot of space for guys like Darnell Washington, guys like DK Medav to to get to catch the ball and get in space and attack and and and do some really good things. And again, starts up front with building off of it. Uh here was uh DK Metav after the game talking about that run game and how it impacted them as a team. Where did you see click with that group, especially in the third quarter? had several 9, 10, 11 yardd runs and that seemed to open up more of those play action passes that came together for you guys. I think it’s just wearing the uh defenses down um whether they’re um you know the four handle in the fourth down line and then pushing up to the second level uh getting hands on linebackers to where you know we got strong running backs and Kenny G Caleb and um Jay Warren who can you know break tackles from one two three guys you know when they want to. So uh just kudos to you know our running backs and our old line. How exciting is it for you as a vet to see a line with three secondyear guys and a thirdyear guy playing this well against a team that was the number one run defense uh going into this game? Uh it’s no surprise that I see them and the way that they work and kind of their business throughout the throughout the course of a week. They’re always hang hanging around each other, always joking, always seeing the weight room early in the morning. Um and they’re they’re serious about their work when we step up and hit the field. So I commend them for that. Danny Will and Troy Fro Troy Falano who gave a lot of credit to Arthur Smith and his play calling. He said it’s helping them play faster and just play aggressive. What do you like about how Arthur Smith has coordinated you guys and and help help this group find his path? Uh I think he’s just calling court players that we rep since training camp since OTAA. So uh we got a lot of you know mileage on those plays. So you know we know what to do uh in our sleep when he calls those play. You heard DK Medaf use the use the phrase core plays. And so it’s something that I’ve talked about in this team. It’s like this team needs breadandbut plays. And that was something that we talked about a lot when Matt Canada was uh was offensive coordinator was that they needed plays that you knew you could call and you were getting six to eight yards on the ground. Great. You call we’re going to win this one. This is it. They going to have to work to stop us. Like if you go back to the Steelers of the 2010s with Le’Veon Bell, they would have those plays when they’d have like Maris Pouncy and David Diccastro pull and turn into lead blockers. and Le’Veon Bell, you knew he was getting five plus yards on those on those types of runs. Uh, and those those are the things that they’re starting to find as their c again their core plays where they can know they can get their chunks. And as they as they continue to put things together, uh, you know, one thing I I asked about uh about Zack Frasier about and Troy Fatu about about, you know, why they’re playing better now. They talk about finishing their blocks. They’re finishing their block. They know what they’re doing there. They they they’ve known where to be, but now they’re putting the exclamation point on their work. And to me, that’s a big part of what has to happen across the board, the offensive line’s figuring that out. And now they’re going there’s going to be more chemistry developing between them because also another thing that was uh said by the O line that they appreciated about about the running backs. You heard the running backs, especially they’re appreciating about the linemen. The lineman said this about the running backs. I said, “We appreciate them being patient to wait for our for their holes to develop because sometimes as a running back, you may just run full speed and you run right into a wall because you didn’t give your offensive line time to kind of create the space for you to attack.” And he said their understanding of what when and how to do that. And that’s a really good sign for the Steelers moving forward. Now, again, as an offense as a whole, you want to put it together a little bit more. But I think the truth is the Steelers are finding an identity uh right right now. And that’s something that we’ve talked about a lot in the past few years of can they find an identity? You know, with Russell Wilson, it was kind of like, well, the run game’s not really taken over, but can Russell Wilson be the identity guy that just, you know, he hits the deep ball and he may make some things happen. Uh, it was, it was cool for a bit, you know, it was working, but eventually when teams took those things away, they needed something else. And now they have that something else that that run game is starting to develop. And if that becomes a serious factor going into late the later part of the season and they can stay healthy, man, this Steelers def this Steelers offense can be can be a lot more of a force to be reckoned with. And if you have that offensive line and that run game working, then then the pass game comes into play. And Aaron Rodgers looks sharp. I I got to say, man, he’s going to get a high he’s going to get high marks for this game. 21 of 30 for 235 passing yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. That’s a pass rating of 115.3. Uh Metaf caught four of nine targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. Darnell Washington three of five targets for 62 yards uh no touchdown. Connor Hayward of course catching his his 12 yard touchdown pass. This was a game where the ball was spread around yet again by Aaron Rogers and did so efficiently. And I think that’s the that’s one thing to say about this one is it was efficient. It wasn’t excessive. wasn’t p piling on all the points, but it was a game where I felt the Steelers controlled from start to finish. And it’s a good sign that they could do that a few more times moving forward uh with with this with this season because it’s they got they got a long 13 weeks now 12 weeks uh to left to play for the regular season. They need to stay healthy. They need to keep making progress. But I think they can do both. And if they do both, uh maybe you’re talk maybe you’re talking about a much higher seated uh Steelers team than anyone gave them credit for because right now they’re looking pretty good in the AFC North. As it stands right now, they’re 4-1. Next’s team is the Bengals at 2 and four, who they play this Thursday night in Cincinnati in a road divisional uh Thursday Night Football game, something the Steelers have never won since Thursday Night Football became a thing in 2006. Uh but on top of that, the Ravens and Browns are tied right now at one and five. And uh the Browns take a tiebreaker right now because they’ve won their one divisional game against uh against the Browns. Uh so that there there’s that. But the Browns are 0 and three already in in the division, losing to all three of the teams. But um I I I look at that this opportunity here and the the Ravens did what I thought they would do. They lost to the Rams at 4-1. The Steelers have a real chance. You could break that Bengals curse. you can break that curse of losing in the division on Thursday Night Football when you’re on the road, man, you could put yourself in a position to be in a real driver’s seat being five and one. Uh while the Ravens are one and five, a full four game advantage uh still early in the season, it’ll be week seven by that time. Uh but man, it would be a huge step up for this team to continue to make progress. And then uh I think again what’s going to win make this team good or or better than good or better, you know, get to the great level is that offensive line and their ability to run the ball and their ability to set up other things with that. And in this in this game, I think they took a really big step in the right direction to do that. And if they can get that moving forward, man, this Steelers team could be a force to be reckoned with as long as the defense also stays healthy because they’re a big part of part of this, too. Uh but again, the offense finding an identity. If you want to read more about that, check it out in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette by going to post-ashgazette.com. You can click on the Steelers section, you’ll see my article uh you know, pretty, you know, article on that from yesterday uh yesterday’s game pretty high up there on the list for them. Uh from uh from Chris, my name’s Chris Carter. You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Blue Sky, same handle everywhere. It’s Carter Critiques. You can read my work in the Pittsburgh Postcazette by going to the postcet.com. You can find me here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast every Monday through Friday breaking down your Pittsburgh Steelers. Uh like this video if you enjoy it. Subscribe to this channel to get all of those Monday through Friday episodes as well as our bonus content. We’re back here tomorrow with Stars and Skulls Grades breaking things down here on the Lock Steelers podcast. [Music] [Music]

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 23-9 Sunday behind a strong effort from the offensive line that shut down Myles Garrett and got the run game going. Christopher Carter gives his reaction to the game after talking to players in the locker room, as Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell explain what Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu and the O-line did well and how they continue to grow in the offense.

Also, Chris looks at how the Steelers’ defense continues to sharpen against the run, how that played into their six sacks on Dillon Gabriel, and why Derrick Harmon’s presence has become a big boost for the unit. Are the Steelers close to becoming a serious contender?

Steelers Bully Browns as O-Line Shuts Down Myles Garrett, Run Game Improves | Derrick Harmon Rising?https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7JorgD8nGLtvvMy1ogFetg

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