Steelers' Run Game Bullies Packers in 23-19 Win | Najee Harris/Jaylen Warren Help O-Line Find Groove

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I'm Chris Carter, host of the Lockdown Steelers Podcast, I'll take you into the Steelers locker room and we'll talk about how that happened, along with what the defense did in the second half to improve and why Kenny Pickett's still struggling all that here and more. On the Lockdown Steelers Podcast, I'm your host Chris Carter, let's get into it. You are Lockdown Steelers, your daily Pittsburgh Steelers podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. We're team every day. Hello, 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 this show on your favorite podcasting and networks and on YouTube. Like this video if you enjoyed, subscribe to this channel to get all of your daily Monday through Friday episodes as well as our bonus content. Thank you for making us your first listed everyday because we're your team every day in today's episode is brought to you by game time. Download the game time app, create an account and use code Lockdown NFL for $20 off your first purchase last minute tickets lowest price guarantee at game time. Now it was game time for the Steelers and that means it's a victory Monday for Steelers fans here on the Lockdown Steelers Podcast. Now the Steelers win 23 19 and the offense scores on its first three possessions of the game. Two of those to start off the game were touchdowns and much of it thanks to the ground game and the offensive line. Now you look at this game, I haven't had a chance to go over the all 22 yet or anything like that, but just watching from it live and looking at some of the plays just on the broadcast again, that offensive line got moving and it looked like one of the biggest differences was this offensive line was less zone block and unless they were outside and that was a little bit different. But this offensive line is playing better is one with broader Jones out there that needs to continue. He's playing very well, but also when they are on the move when they're when they're not worried about a zone as much when they're attacking when they're getting downhill faster, this offensive line is more aggressive. It's getting it's creating more space and it seems like that style of blocking is starting to gel with the Steelers running backs. Jalen Warren 15 carries 101 yards and a touchdown, Najia Harris 16 carries 82 yards and a touchdown, both phenomenal, both a one to punch and listen, Jalen Warren, he played better than Najia Harris in this game and there's been a few times you can say that about about him, but I think what the truth that value is here right here now is both of these guys together, they are weapons and the one to punch of them can be very dangerous because neither of them will let you kind of relax as a as a run defensive, if they're punishing you and the Steelers offensive line is moving you off the ball. So when I went into the Steelers locker room, I really wanted to talk to broader Jones, get his perspective on things, what he did in this game, but also what has been what is the offensive line been focusing on to change things moving forward? Here was broader Jones answering that talking about Najia Harris and Jalen Warren as a duo and giving us a little bit of insight into what is changing for the Steelers offense to help this run game get going. Here's broader Jones after the game. I feel like there's a community building with you guys on the line to win across the board board consistently. Not even just across the front, you know, with the running backs too, you know, like we're meeting with the running backs more, like we do that on Thursdays, you know, so they can they can get an insight on what we see, we can get an insight on what they see and you know, just us building that bond together, just being able to attack the run. Is that something new? The last couple of weeks, yes, probably like, I would say about like week, five or six we started on. What kind of feedback are you getting from them, what do you learn in that process? Just what they see, just being able to visualize what they're seeing, like the cuss they're trying to make, if like if they see a three tech stretching with us, they'll cut it back. If we get them sealed, they'll hit the hole. You know, just little things like that, linebacker play, all that plays a factor in. Everybody, you know, everybody gets to say so in those meanness, it's not just one specific person, so. What's the benefit of having that one to advise them on? It's a big benefit, you know, we've got two workhorses back there, so you know, it's no fall off between the two, so when wine comes out, when wine comes in, you know, we're not changing the game, game up, we're not changing the scheme of things, we're sticking to it and, you know, they get the job done at the end of the day, so. That's called a lot of pitches and sweep outside of what we thought going into that was going to be about how that was going to be open. Just because they're up front, they stunt so much, so just being able to get outside of them, you know, probably slow, slow them down with the science and stuff, so. That's a great job, you know, I like, you know, I'm down there blocking, but I can't hear the stances going crazy every time they break once or, you know, it feels good. Do you say 266 wasn't enough for you, you said that's right. No, yeah. 200 plus every time for me, you know, that's just me honestly, honestly paying so. So if you don't, if you didn't catch that last part there, Broderick Jones said in the locker room last week, he wanted 200 yards every time the Steelers ran the ball in the game, so he wants 200 yards again and the Steelers got it, 205 rushing yards, and that was something we talked about with Peter Bukowski going this week, Peter Bukowski of course, from locked on Packers was about the chance for the Steelers run game to really come alive. It looked like it might have against the Titans that ran for the most yards that it had all season at 166. They do it. They do reach, they increase that to 205 against the Packers and Nigel Harrison, Jalen Warren, a big part of that. And you heard Broderick Jones talking about it, them being in meetings with the offensive line and not just, and they thought they're always in meetings like that, like I think that there's some people when they heard that, when they heard that quote, they hear that quote, they might think, Oh, they weren't in meetings before. That's silly. No, they've been in meetings. But I think what they've done is they've increased the frequency of those meetings and in those meetings, there's a lot of talking back and forth that appears from both sides. The running backs let them know what they like, the linemen like them know what they like, and they find ways to collab together and put their ideas together so they can say, OK, with the things that we know that the defense likes to do, these are the runs that we're going to combine for. We're going to ask for this week and look for and practice and that kind of stuff helps out met Canada helps out Pat Meyer helps out Eddie Faulkner, all the position coaches. That's helping them is if the players are going through the things that they like invocalizing it to the coaches and to the game plan, saying, Hey, let's install this or let's, let's make sure we highlight this in our playbook this week to do these things this way. And I think that's helping the Steelers. Like, for example, the writer Jones said, Hey, they're going to, you know, they knew that the Packers want to pack up the middle, they want to use a lot more stunts and twists to kind of confuse you, confuse you in the middle of your offense. So they wanted to get it out wide a little bit more and give the Steelers some space and kind of neutralize what the Packers did there. That's smart football. That's smart game planning. That's smart stuff on the part of the, on the part of the offense. And I think there's a lot that goes into that. We talked to Nanji Harris as well. He had a lot of interesting things to say. And in fact, and initially, when we asked him the same question as broader, Nanji Harris didn't want to let it out until I brought up that, you know, broader, broader Jones started talking about some things. And so Nanji Harris kind of was like, Oh, okay, I guess, I guess so the cats out of the bag with some of the things that they're doing. But listen to Nanji Harris talk about what the Steelers are trying to do to boost this run game right now. Here was Nanji Harris also after the Steelers went over the Packers. It's all on. Nanji, you're talking about, you know, aligns them, BP two weeks in a row. What do you feel like is the biggest change or what evolved in the run game recently that allowed you guys to open things up here? I have an idea, but it's not for the public to say. I think I know what it was, but is this something that's kept in the family in the, in the luck room that, that I think that is a big reason why that we're turning around. So that was one of actually the things that, but it was something to happen in there. It was something to happen in there that kind of really sparked a lot. So I think that that was a big, I think it was good. Really? I know last game we talked about, we'll tell you that. Oh, okay. Broke issue. You guys called a lot more sweeps than tosses than I think you guys normally call, but there's something that you guys wanted to take advantage of in the game? Yeah, I mean, it was situational things and they packed the box inside a lot. So it was a better for us to have a better opportunity to run outside, you know, you'd be one one on one. But some of my pitches, but they're like, they're the red and it's a pitch and it's like, it's not really a pitch though. It's not like supposed to get the edge, supposed to read it out inside out in a way. So I will go in a detail, but I mean, I don't think you'll have a time for that. Thanks. Two more. Do you feel like the run game gets more flow once you got via why I'm pulling and getting more move on the stage? Well, I think the, the old line likes that. You know, when we talk about, when we have one project, say, you know, talk about the meetings and stuff, really, I just will, will play as they like. So they like pulling. They do. So we like pulling. We like pulling to it. You know what I mean? They like running outside zone. We like running outside zone. So, you know, they like it. So we like it. So I guess they like it. We like it. You know what I mean? I don't know. Now, you have to watch two weeks. You feel like the grind game is established. Do you guys know what you're having now? Yeah. For sure. Yeah. We kind of know our identity as a run team now. We know what that is. I don't want to say it. So obviously, Nigel Harris is in the reveal and everything. But he's kind of letting and letting you know right there. Like, hey, we're listening to the offensive line. We're listening to us. We're having this come together. And they're like, hey, if they like to block a certain way, we like that. Because that's going to create more space for us as running that. I think that's such a big factor as far as what happened in this game. Why the run game starting to wake up? Robert Jones saying that this started back in week five. And I think if you look at the game since then, you could kind of see a little bit of a growth. Week five was Robert Jones's first start when they played when they played against the Ravens. They only got 87 yards on the ground that game. But you remember that that's a tough Ravens defense. They started to put things together. The Rams game. They ran for 86 yards, but they were better in that game than Jaguars game. They had their dip. They went back down to 70 yards. Offens of line got their butts handed to them a little bit in that game. But the Titans game, they kind of that this was kind of a step forward. And this game wasn't even bigger step forward for the run game. And that's what this stealers offense was always supposed to be. This stealers offense was not supposed to be a pass happy team. The way that they looked in the preseason when they were scoring on every drive. And Kenny Pickett couldn't miss in those drives. They were supposed to be a teammate. Karma came out, punched you in the mouth, knocked you off the ball. Najie Harris, Jalen Warren, one two punch, get you down the field. And then the passing game came in and things were easier for Kenny Pickett. And it looks like Najie Harris is at the center of that because he's the one. It seems like he's the one that's kind of pushing the whole meetings thing. We heard about that way, way back at the start of the season when these meetings did start to have. We heard rumors about these meetings from broader Jones and other stealers lineman who were talking about them. And Najie Harris remember if you remember on this very show leading up to I believe it was the Ravens game that week five. He said we cannot afford to be soft. And then we were too soft against the Texans. That's leadership. That's Najie Harris taking the horns there. And also again, a lot of people responded because it wasn't just broader Jones. I like to say a model. I thought block this, but Mason Cole had a good game. James Daniels had a good and Dan Moore looked like he was he was good. And again, Jalen Warren just continuing to do the things that he does. I think the more that this kind of stuff takes a hold on the offense, the more will open up for every one else. And that's a very good sign for the direction of this offense. We'll get the Kenny Pickett in a little bit. But I want to talk about the defense because if you haven't seen the video that I posted on Twitter, we're going to show you Joey Porter and Demonte KC just being hilarious in the Steelers locker room. But also talk about what the secondary needs to do to be to have a more complete game than giving up the two touchdowns early and how they change things over in the second half. All that and more here on the Lockdown Steelers podcast. I'm your host Chris Carter. Stick with us. We still have a lot to discuss about this big Steelers win that advanced in the six and three by beating the Green Bay Packers. But first, we want to remind you this show is brought to you by gametime.co. Buy and take us to your favorite event shouldn't be stressful. Game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all your sports music, comedy and theater events near you. 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Post Brian peacock and Matt Williamson's give hardcore football enthusiasts everything they need daily football talk in 30 minutes or less available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast part of the locked on podcast network your team every day. Back here in the locked on Steelers podcast. I'm your host Chris Carter. We keep talking about the Steelers 23 19 win over the green Bay Packers and then advancing to six and three on the season. Let's talk about this defense a little bit and this was a mixed bag yet again, but it's also a mixed bag of there's some reasonable factors to it. The Steelers defense suffering another rough injury. They lost Col Holcomb for the season last week. They've now lost Quant Island sander for the season this week. That's two of their starting linebackers gone when they brought in three new guys and the three of them were starting to be a really important part of this team because they were helping over the middle and stopping the run and they were covering better. Alan Roberts played a fantastic game. I still have to go through the all 22, but he might get a three star grade for me when we do our grades episodes on on for Tuesday. But he played phenomenal, but you could tell when Mark Robinson had to come into game there's a few slower steps there. It's natural second player seventh round pick like it's not going to just come overnight. He's just he's still has to grow into his to his spot, but you could just see the struggles there. And then, you know, all the all the guys that they needed to have in the secondary because of make of Fitzpatrick's injury and things like that. Their start, you know, there's times where the communication is breaking down and and also with guys who are starters times were Keanu Neil and Levi Wallace are trying are trying to cover a guy and neither one does what they're supposed to do or some one of them doesn't do what they're supposed to do and it costs them a touchdown. I think both the touchdowns in the first half were about miscommunications. The first touchdown looked like Levi Wallace, you know, saw his man break on a corner out. He didn't run with them until it was too late and no one was there to help. So either Levi Wallace was supposed to run with him or there was someone he was he thought he was passing that guy off to and they weren't there and he realized that too late. Either way, huge mistake there sat on the second touchdown on the default third and 16. You should never give up third and 16, especially for a touchdown. But then Keanu Neil and Levi Wallace him being a factor on both of these. Whoever it was needed to be on that play and needed to be in a better position to make a play on that ball. Jordan love throws two good passes and it's two touchdowns and had you wondering early is the defense going to have a terrible day. Now, defense does what it's done a lot this year and when it makes mistakes early, it adjusts. And if there's one thing if you if you can criticize this defense about how it doesn't, you know, take away yards all the time, it does rely on turnovers does do this does do that. But there's one thing that you it you have to give this defense credit for outside of just TJ what and Alex highsmiths and creating turnovers is that they make adjustments in game and they did in this game. Part of it was I think figuring out ways to communicate and avoid some of the breakdowns that were happening to happening that allowed some of the big plays that they did during this game. We caught it with the Monte KZ who got the game clinching interception him and Keanu Neil both recording an interception in this game looking solid. Here was KZ after the game at his locker not only talking about the struggles that they had in communication and how they need to improve but also talking about hey, we're winning football games talking about the stealers there. And he's that he's not going to apologize for that. Here's the Monte KZ. Related to that, what is it about the secondary that you guys do seem to give up some chunk plays but then make timely interceptions, especially late in the fourth? We just I would never say the secondary just we're not on the same page right now. A lot of miscommunications giving communication a lot of people not receiving and stuff so we could do a whole lot better with that. We're just younger guys stepping up now making them more challenging but I mean that's what we live for the next round up. So let's take a minute. I won't say a lot. I won't say a lot. I mean a lot of communication come from the linebacker room. So you got to understand Kwan went down so why have to come and fill in certain gaps and stuff so it's a big job. So just feel like a win to you or like something you got a lot of work to clean stuff up. I've been in this league too long to just say that it's a win a win is a win. It's hard to win in this league man. I don't care if it's about a half a point point five none of that it's hard to win in this league. So I'm going to take this win and be grateful and be happy. I ain't got to be stressed this week. So I'm going to enjoy it. Thank you. So first of all really funny for the Monte KZ being like I'm going to enjoy any time you get out of a game game with a win. And that's a true NFL vet right there because too many of these games across the league. It's hard to win in the NFL man like it's it's crazy. But I think you can see there to Monte KZ pointing to the problem that the Steelers defense had. Especially throughout this game was the lack of communication when Mark Robinson came in. You know, it was give it reveals us that, you know, Atlanta, not at random. I'm excuse me. Kwan Alexander was going to handle green dot dude. He's not like Cole Holcomb's out for the season and with now with Kwan Alexander out for the season. That those duties passed to Atlanta and that's more that's another job he has to take on. But also the other linebacker Mark Robinson has to also be a communicator on top of being guy who plays downhill. He has to talk he has to relay information. Pat pass off switches to two guys and that's going to take time. That's not something that's easy. So. I really think that's part of what the Steelers were struggling with in this game. Now again, they made some really cord kill key adjustments to be able to keep keep the keep the Packers, you know, contained it in this game. You go back and you look at the second half. They allow two field goals in the third quarter, but their fourth quarter drives the Steelers. Once they once they got the lead back, the Packers had punt punt interception interception on the on their on their drives in the fourth quarter. The defense. I think this is not a fourth time that Steelers defense has been on the field at the end of the game and been the unit to close things out to give the Steelers the win this year. That's huge. And you know the and we you know that question was asked a lot to a lot of the players KZ to Peterson everybody's being like, hey, how are you guys so comfortable with being uncomfortable or with being on the edge like that. And they're like, we play to the last whistle. We play that's that's that's stealer football. That's what we focus on. So I think that these guys do kind of embrace that and that's healthy for a team is to understand that winning and losing is such a fine line that can be crossed easily or hard. You know, it's it across easily by the smallest thing, but it takes so much work to get one of those small things to happen and why it takes so much work throughout the week to get to even set up those opportunities. And that's where the Steelers are are coming through more and more often this season. But I want to get to you guys if you've seen the the partial clip that I put on Twitter of this, this was Joey Porter Jr. This was the highlight of the locker room for me when I was in the Steelers after the game. Well, everyone kind of rushed over from Demontae KZ to Patrick Peterson and then to Jalen Warren. I noticed everyone kind of just passed up Joey Porter Jr. And I'm like, well, it's very rare that I get a one on one with PZ. So let's let's let's talk with him. PZ come, you know, asked to hold my mic. And then it just goes from there from the Steelers locker room. Here was Joey Porter and there will be a guest appearance from Demontae KZ. Just just check this out. Oh, I can hold that. Okay. Can I? Perfect. Yes. You know, it just like like something that we always talk about just communication is key. And then we went, Quang going down. We knew a mark had to step up and just be a great communicator on the field. And we used news since he was down. We all had to communicate. So I feel like going into the second half, that's what we're really home doing. It sounds like you guys are doing this. Two touchdowns in the first half. They know touchdowns in two interceptions in the second half. It is part of it though. Veteran leaders, you guys have to help help all the younger guys who are coming in and just making them. Definitely. Um, I mean, I got so many OGs and best on this team, especially on the defensive side. It's crazy. The fact that I have TJ mostly on my side and Alex Iceman, Pat Pete, Minkum. But when he's out, like, I have too many guys around just with helping knowledge. So I feel like we just agree on that point. He was saying that he was saying all week he was going to get one all game. I was like, about time, like finally, you know, how many you got? Two. He got one more than me. So if he's happy, if he's happy about one more, they're like, come on now. I just my first year. Only played for real. This is my first year. You play safety, dog. You play safety. You play safety. No, you know, we play man. Now we only said shit. Come on. Let's talk. Let's talk. Let's cover two shit. Talk about. Okay. Z. Let's talk it. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. I'm not going to get back on for the past of the past. All I got to say now is just communicate. Thank you. And we're going to be good. That's all you need to see. And he got to just get a call. Just get a call. Just get a call. And we're going to be good. You know, he'd be hard headed. He'd be. He a man man out there. Check out his wagon. Check on my sweat. He coffee. Everything I do. I promise you. He copy everything. Yeah. It feels good. You know, I just got to keep stacking days and keep rolling. You know, it's a long season ahead of us. By this time around, by this time last year, I'll probably be done or have a couple games left. So I mean, we got a lot more football left. And I just got to keep keep working. That that was crazy. And you can feel like the brotherhood between that. Like those guys arguing that's like, you know, I got my dad's got got to got two brothers and a sister. And that was just like that was just like them arguing when when we get up over the holidays, just the way they were barking back at each other, the competitive nature. That was really cool to see. And it's not the first time it's happened either, you know, last last week, KZ was telling, you know, Joey Porter, June to give him his props for the communication part. And Joey Porter, June was like, all right, the monster. I'm giving you a props, man. It was, I thought that was actually a really cool moment. But stepping back again to the secondary, I think there's so many things that really work right now for the Steelers and that their communication. When it is on point, you see Patrick Peterson, not going away at pass, running real world with Christian Watson, you can see Keon and Neil being in the right place for the interception, but it has to be more consistent. Maybe with make up its Patrick back, it will get there. But if it does, but if he's not back, there's going to be some major questions moving forward, especially with the lineback opposition, the Steelers are becoming really thin with injuries on the defense at certain parts. They need answers and they need people to start stepping up in their in certain jobs. That's going to be a big question moving forward. But bottom line, this, this team, this defense continues to make adjustments mid game to find answers. And that's a big part of why they are six and three right now. We got to talk about Kenny Picket will do that on the other side of this break here on the lock down Steelers podcast. I'm your host Chris Carter stick with us. We still have a lot to discuss about this game. But first we better remind you this show is brought to you by Fandall Fandall sports, because the number one sports book in America and with the NFL season will underway, they have incredible offers from Fandall America's number one sports book. Right now, new customers can get $150 in bonus bets back with winning any $5 money line bet. That's 150 bucks. If your team wins, if you've been thinking about joining Fandall, there's no better time to get in on the action. The app is super easy to use and you can bet use the better on spreads, player props over unders and so much more visit fandall.com slash lock down and kick off the NFL season with an offer you won't want to miss. Fandall fish a partner of the NFL. CJ Stroud played hero again on Sunday as the Houston Texans edged out the Cincinnati Bengals. I don't think there has been a more valuable player in this league than CJ Stroud. Texas A&M is back on the hunt for a new football coach after firing Jim Bofischer. Coach Fisher was gifted one of the most talented teams in all college football. And he just wasn't winning football games. And the big 10 suspended Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh for three games. Michigan went out and got its most important win of the year, did it without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines. For more on all these stories, check out new episodes of Lockdown Texans, Lockdown Aggies and Lockdown Wolverines. Then listen to Lockdown's interview series Paving the Way where each episode highlights a different voice from across the network. A Lockdown host whose journey in the industry has helped pave the way toward creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape. That's Paving the Way presented by State Farm available now on the Lockdown Presents Podcast Feed. Back here on the Lockdown Steelers Podcast, I'm your host Chris Carter. We continue talking here. We cannot get away from this game without talking about Kenny Pigett. And I wanted to talk about the offense, the run game and the defense because those were the factors that won this game. But Kenny Pigett is still the force on this team today that needs that still needs to come around. The Steelers still need Kenny Pigett to develop into the quarterback that can at least be more consistent throughout a game. Now, we didn't see fourth quarter of Kenny Pigett come alive. Granted, he did throw a great pass to Deontay Johnson that was dropped. That if he catches, the Steelers might pull, might score another point in his game. Just to score another touchdown on this game in the red zone. And then this one isn't as close in the fourth quarter and it might be the first comfortable win of the season. But it didn't happen. But even so, there's still just plenty of times where Kenny Pigett is not seeing the field well and it's costing the Steelers. He finished this game 14 of 23 for 126 yards to the air. It's pass rating of 75.6. Now, not all that is his fault. So there was a drop from Deontay Johnson. Some of the times there he was under pressure and just had to get rid of the ball. But some of the times there were open guys and he just misread the play. There was a play on the third down. I want to say it was in the third quarter. I want to say, yeah, it was the third quarter. And he targets Conor Hayward over the middle. Now the Packers showed a simulated pass rush and basically it's fake a fake blitz. And everyone was pressed at the line of scrimmage. So it was showing like, hey, this could be this is going to be all out blitz with man coverage. But they backed off into a shallow zone. And Kenny Pigett didn't see it in time. He forced to pass that ended up being knocked down. What he didn't see was Deontay Johnson streaking past his man who was in that in that short zone and was wide open for a touchdown. Now, can you pick it? Is it going to always see everything? It's not about him seeing everything. But it's again kind of getting fooled in those moments and having those mistakes and they pile up and they pile up and they pile up and they pile up. And it's becoming reasonable to ask when or if if or when Kenny Pigett will figure this out in the NFL and be a quarterback that can help the Steelers win more consistently on offense with the passing game. Because we've seen again, we've seen the flashes even in this game, even some of the passes that he threw you through a 28 yarder George Pickens. I was like, whoa, that was you know, where's where's that was a backshort of pass right on the money. And got really good yards there solid, but you know, but again, it's not consistent enough. And I think people are starting to wise up to what I've been saying for a while about the Steelers offense, especially national media and even some local media are starting to realize this isn't all on that Canada. This isn't all about play calls is there's a lot that's that there's a lot that's there that's not being taken by Kenny Pigett in this offense that just needs to execute more consistently. And I think people are starting to wise up that and that's not to say that Matt Canada is a genius and that he's fought it and he's without without blame for what's going on in the offense because he is not he is very much also part of the struggles that I'm going on. But we can we can see how the run game is evolving with Broderick Jones because they've gotten a presence and that it's helping with that and Nanji Harris and Jalen Warren are helping with that and there's there's cultivating something there. Something like that needs to happen for the past the game and it needs to be part of it needs to be Kenny Pigett finding ways to get the ball just to his playmakers reading defenses more consistently and taking what's there. And we just we haven't seen it for a full game yet in his career and I think this was game what 22 for him as a starter you need him to be able to show you that that's possible just even a flash of a game to show that that's possible and you know I think that that's very much part of things now. I remind everyone to be patient about things because sometimes it takes quarterbacks times to about I'm not doing Kenny Pigett to never being able to develop and I want to state this right here for the here and now for all the. There's there's the two insane camps one camp and Steelers fans thinks that Kenny pickets terrible and will never be good and you need to just move on from him and not give him any more chances there's the other camp that thinks that Kenny Pigett is infallible and then if you question him that you're a hater and that you're not part that you that you're not you don't really believe in him. And you're not giving him a fair shake there is a middle ground which says like hey certain things haven't worked out in Kenny Pigett's favorite there've been drop passes the offensive line hasn't been good and up until the last couple games you know the things that he's had to go through you know Matt Canada system hasn't been the best for him. But at the same time there's also plenty of plays where he's had the opportunity to make the play and again not crazy plays not in seeing 50 yard bombs that are threaded on the needle between two defenders but just taking the guy that's right in front of him and he's not done it consistently enough and if he's I'm telling you. If that simple step can be made if that if Matt Canada or whoever needs to get it through to Kenny Pigett can get him to take that one step up in his career in this season it makes this team so much more dangerous I'm just I'm not talking about being you know doing some of the stuff that CJ Strauss doing for the Texans I'm talking about when there's when there's a slant and it's open get it there when there's a shallow cross and you get the look there get it there when you're running layered routes over the middle. And if you get a two on one where there's one defender and two to two offensive players and he has to pick which one to guard because they're in a zone and he picks one Kenny pick it consistently picking the other those type of things have to become more regular occurrences for Kenny Pigett it's just a fact that the Steelers want to get there they are going to need that from him at some point this season consistently not just in the fourth quarter that's going to be huge but all that being said this Steelers team is sick. And right now they are tied for second in the AFC North they would stay are still they would still be the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs if things were to start today and they have a huge game against a six and three browns team that just upset the Ravens we got a lot to talk about this week I'll have my stars and skulls raised tomorrow thanks again for tuning into the lock down Steelers podcast I'm your host Chris Carter follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Carter critiques read my work at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and check me out here on the lock down Steelers podcast every day Monday through Friday sometimes with bonus episodes on your very podcasting apps and on YouTube we'll see you tomorrow with more on your Pittsburgh Steelers James Allen dot com is the online destination to easily design a customized engagement ring and save up to 50% compared to traditional stores you pick a diamond whether it's lab created or Earth created James Allen has over 200,000 conflict free stones then you pick your ring setting and metal and if you need some help they have real time diamond consultations available where an expert can walk you through it all get 25% off your order at James Allen dot com code locked on that's James Allen dot com code locked on CJ Stroud played hero again on Sunday as the Houston Texans edged out the Cincinnati Bengals I don't think there has been a more valuable player in this league than CJ Stroud Texas A&M is back on the hunt for a new football coach after firing Jim Bolfisher coach Fisher was gifted one of the most talented teams in all college football and he just wasn't winning football game and the big 10 suspended Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh for three games Michigan went out and got its most important win of the year did it without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines. 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