ESPN is now picking the Steelers to win the AFC North. Do the Steelers have a Top 5 defense in football right now? Is that a better formula than what the Bengals are doing? Joe Burrow has been awesome, but Cincy is purely reliant on the QB being great. If the Steelers get good enough play out of Aaron Rodgers, can they outlast the Bengals? At what point will the teams slip up?
Former Steelers OC Todd Haley joined the show. Todd reacted to the Steelers win over the Browns and how Aaron Rodgers performed. He laughed about Rodgers throwing another end zone fade to DK Metcalf before changing things up and the Steelers getting in on the ground. Todd talked about how so many of the Ben Roethlisberger touchdown passes to Antonio Brown started as run calls before the QB (and WR) switched it up. Todd was personally annoyed that Rodgers tried to work in another TD pass on the goal line. Todd understands that Metcalf is going through a rough patch this season, but the team is simply too effective running the ball to go away from that. He said the key to getting Metcalf going is to find easy ways to give him confidence. He wants the Steelers to find some simple routes that are the best ways to get DK open. Todd told us about his mantra when he coached receivers specifically and how it helped simplify what they were doing. Todd said he drew up plays with a paper and pencil – nothing on a computer. Did AB give Todd a lot of trouble at a bad time? On the defensive side, Todd likes how the unit is working together and is intrigued by some of the chess pieces that are coming into place. What did Todd like to do during the bye week? He may or may not have visited Vegas a time or two. Which player in Pittsburgh was Todd most worried about during the bye week? Martavis Bryant. Todd called Bryant a ‘freak’ and said he was a gigantic version of Terry Glenn.
Donny Football Debrief – The NFL schedule makers haven’t batted 1.000 this year – it’s impossible to do. But the Thanksgiving & Christmas slate looks phenomenal.
