Kenny Pickett, what he was able to do their DN.
You know, he moved his group, he played situational football,
he had a, he displayed a competitive Spirit,
a lot of good things to build on for my first performance
standpoint. The first two quarterbacks,
I thought I could say the same thing about all three, to be
honest with you,
they moved their units,
they did the informal things associated with position from
a leadership and communication standpoint.
They were engaged. It was a good first time out for all
three. Obviously will comb through it tomorrow and
and
evaluate it in that way.
The first game post Ben Roethlisberger, not a regular
season game, but a preseason game at Heinz Field. The last
time we saw the Steelers and their, that was the night. The
clouds, parted and Ben Roethlisberger ascended into
heaven.
Now, they've got Kenny, Pickett, Mitch true Biscay, and
Mason Rudolph. Let's start with Kenny pick at the 20th.
Overall, pick the first year we rookie who knows a thing or two
about playing in Heinz Field because he played for pit.
Give me your word association with picot based on his
Saturday night debut. Chris matter of time
I mean wow. He like he belongs I Let you know
that that was. That was impressive.
You know, again I know he got in there with a lot of third
stringers but it's just the way he looked how he orchestrated
the offense, the
decisiveness and the decision making and knowing where to go
with the football, you know,
the athleticism to move a little bit and the control of
the football with accuracy and the little tight windows and
yeah, again, you know, you heard me through the Trap
processes. Arm doesn't necessarily pop off the screen.
No, but it's plenty good and it's perfect. Spirals
catchable. Footballs, I was really impressed with, with
the way. Kenny Pickett look, look good for him and, you know, he
can continue to build on that. They got
something going there in Pittsburgh.
I'm gonna go with the words that caught my attention in
the sound from Tom and competitive spirit. And I say that because
at some point in the offseason, my Tom and talking about what
he's looking for in a quarterback. He Words like that
when he was describing picket it tracked with what I've heard
from Tom and before about what he wants. Now he later said,
all the quarterback
showed that, but he specifically said it in
reference to Kenny pick it. He is not looking for
a gunslinger. He is looking for a leader, he is looking for a guy
who is going to run the offense, he's looking for a guy
who's going to lead
the team? Who's got the right mindset and competitive spirit
is a big part of of it. And I think that makes it inevitable
that we see him. Now, he may just be until Mitch. True
Biscay gets injured or maybe Kenny pick, it can climb
the ladder. Maybe this is a Ryan Tannehill situation where they
install them at number 3. Like the Dolphins did a decade ago
just so he can climb to 2 and then 2 1
and everyone can say this kids earned and he's not being
handed anything. Maybe that's still possible in the next four
weeks. Yeah, I'm your right. If he continues to make decisions
like that and put the ball in the right spot and
you know, take care.
The football
Pittsburgh's. Got a lot of things to like about their
football team there. Now, Mitchell too risky look, very
good too, and I'll stand by what I've said all along to me
Mitchell. True Biscay and pick it and they're, they're,
they're, they're clearly more talented
and better at the position to me than Mason Rudolph too.
Risky, look good. You're right. We'll see where that goes. But
that this is one where,
you know, I don't know. I don't know how this goes. I mean,
even if true Biscay is like 2 + 2 or 3 and 3 and the offense
isn't working that well,
Well, this could be one of those where you just go, you
know what? Let's get the guy in here. He's not going to be any
worse than mature Biscay. And in fact, maybe he'll have some
competitive spirit that raises the rest of the football team,
and we
know the fanbase will get behind them. To,
he certainly going to put some pressure on this situation. If
he keeps doing that, my Tom has never had a losing record, but
he's always had Ben Roethlisberger. So that
decision is going to be critical and he will surely
want to go with the guy who gives the team. The best chance
to win.
I'm looking at when they're by is,
it's not until Week nine. So that's not going to be
a natural spot to make the change. If a change is going to
be made, I think it would
be made before then Callen Monde
his preseason debut year to for the Minnesota Vikings 94, 1419
yards, two touchdowns against the Raiders a passer rating in
excess of 130. What's your word association with
the second-year quarterback from Texas A & M? Who you really like
coming out in the draft? Guys, got a chance,
he's got a chance,
you know, he's not the biggest guy, but he has starting
caliber traits to me. That's what I look at and I think it's
hard not to see that when you watch him out there and I'll he
94, 14, should have been 10 for 14 through a nice out. Route to
the left one time when the ball
went right through the receivers hands.
So I like K mon,
I really do. I think he actually needs to be a little
bit more aggressive and throw the the house are out there
a little bit more
just with the Ito. His pure arm power but you can see, he's got
touch with the football. He's really good and playing with in
the pocket. That's where I liked him. And he sees
the field. Well,
he knows where to go with the ball. That's what impressed me
coming out and oh my God, I don't know, you know, but we'll
see where, you know, Kirk Cousins, it's coming to an end
there, I think here in Minnesota at some point and you
might have your future quarterback in him. I'm excited
about what I saw yesterday. Your big concern about Trey,
Lance, he's got
one speed all the time
and we saw in the second touchdown, pass to Albert
Wilson who may resurrect his career in Minnesota. He was
very good in Kansas City promising. Kind of fell off
the radar Miami. Yeah I heard Year 8, and his career and he had
both touchdown catches Beth second one. It was nice little.
Nice little Rainbow. Yeah, wasn't that high speed fit it,
where you can throw some touch right. My word association is
chicken salad
because the great quarterbacks can make chicken salad on
the Fly And even though the play didn't work out, it was near
the end of the first half. I know. You saw a Vikings
quarterback, something do something. We haven't seen
since Case Keenum
where you can extend the play with your legs, and there was
some Nifty avoidance. Of defenders in the backfield and
then he broke out to the right now. Ultimately threw the ball
to the cameraman
who was standing behind the end zone, but I don't care about
the end result. All I care about is seeing a Vikings
quarterback for the first time in five years who doesn't just
collapse when the walls close
in. Yeah, that that here, huge. I have that. That's what
separates the great quarterbacks from the good.
Quarterbacks the ability to extend the play with your legs.
Exactly. Right. It's essential. It is. And I heard some
Um, I wanted to say, I can't want to quote a coach because
there was a quote, you know, coach this this this past
weekend who
talked about that, it just,
it's a necessity this day and age in the NFL,
it's a necessity.
Unless you have just an unbelievable offensive line
and you can not have to worry about that.
But you know, 99 98 percent of the NFL, they got to make plays
like that from time to time and even on that plane Mike you
know, I thought the the announcers were a little
critical first off. I mean like you said he made eight guys
miss,
he's running to the
Right. He's thrown across his body
and they didn't do him Justice. They didn't show a replay, he
threw the ball. High for a reason, there was people in
front. He couldn't. Just throw a laser and hit the guy right
in the head. There was a Defender covering, a receiver
underneath, who would
have picked it off or tipped in the air.
So I'm with you that was encouraging and that almost was
a magical moment.
Trey Lance 49ers quarterback, who is now clearly the guy in
San Francisco, 45 45 90 to 92. Yards and a touchdown against
the Packers on Saturday. What's your word association with him?
Whoa,
you see the potential, the potential of what that offense
and what he can be. I'm still not sold on that throwing
motion, you know, Shanahan and them made a very easy and there
still some throws.
He even threw an out, route to his right where,
you know, the guy made a nice catch. But
damn, I mean his arm was below his knee when he threw the ball
and I just do that, that is what scares me about him, but
with his ability to run
and the He can throw the ball, 70 yards down the field and
then you add Shanahan into it. That's where you go. Oh,
okay. Maybe it won't be
70 percent completion percentage in the highest
quarterback rating in football, but it can make their offense
extremely dangerous.
But again, the, you know, I leaned on The Telecast a little
bit. When I watch these things,
the biggest thing, Mike, and you and I know this and even,
you know, some of those throws ever complete.
All that all the announcers talked about. It was, can he
consistently be accurate? It's been an issue in training camp
and how can he fit balls and to tighten windows and hit
receivers on the Run appropriately. That's what it's
going to be about. I know he's going to be able to launch
the play-action 70 yard bomb and be able to run around the corner
for 20 yards and do all of that.
It's just it's the third and seven
where the team keeps them in
can he can he can he thread the needle and too tight coverage
in that? That's what I got to see. But either way, that was
a good start.
Hi, Lance Safety. First is mine? It was very encouraging
to see him slide in that game. And he said after the game,
that was my first time sliding in my whole entire life. I'm
sure guys were
happy. I'm pretty sure I can hear the whole entire
Sidelines, yelling to me to get down. Obviously, I'm a little
bit of a different position just trying to take care of
myself. I know, me being available, me not being
available, puts our team at a deficit,
that is music to the ears of everyone in the organization
because that was the ultimate problem with Jimmy G too
Reckless, with his body lost him in. E18 and week three in
Kansas City, because he decided to throw a shoulder at
the sideline and tore his ACL
Trey. Lance was injured a couple of times last year
making good decisions with your body. Chris, you've said it
before former safety who maybe isn't wired to avoid getting
hit or avoid the opportunity to deliver a hit. I think that's
very encouraging because
number one it's going to keep you healthy in the preseason
and number two. It's a habit that's going to help you stay
healthy in the regular. Yeah, stay healthy, please. That team
will drop dramatically if Nate's Odd Fellows
the quarterback
Trey Lance is going to open up the Playbook running game and
pass game for the 49ers. And that's yes. The you're exactly
right. Stay healthy. That's the number one thing here, through
preseason, next up on the docket. Jordan love the Packers
quarterback entering year. 313
424 176 yards, two touchdowns but three interceptions against
the 49ers. What do you got on him? Well, I'm just back off
everybody. You know, don't just read the stat line. Look at it.
First off really,
you know, he threw three interceptions. There's only one
that you look at to go. Oh, that was a horrible one. This
I mean it's he threw a dime right here,
guys. Got to catch the ball. That's why you got hands. Don't
let it hit you in the face. So that's not his fault. That was
a nice drive there and this one, this one was his fault.
Our know. This one wasn't that bad. It's behind
certainly. I understand that but it wasn't like egregious to
where you go. All my gosh this guy's horrible. That's the bad
one right there.
I think there's even encouraging things there,
though. The ball wasn't that. Target, you know, I
Jordan love that.
I feel for the guy because there's tremendous pressure on
them. I do.
I like the way he look there, the other night I did,
I thought he made some nice throws. He was he was good
going through reads and going with the putting the bar you
know going with the ball to the appropriate place as far as
where the coverage and the defense told them
so it wasn't perfect but again that's another one to where
I'd go. You know he got thrown out there
with Kind of a lot of backups on Green Bay and had a play,
you know, the 49ers who had some starters and some guys in
there on the defensive side of the ball and it wasn't
necessarily you know set up for him to just Dominate and kick
butt to
the best word. For me as relates to Jordan love is
always going to be hate. I hate what's happened to him? Yeah.
It's horrible. Put in this position, he's the only guy who
is completely blameless in this ongoing and and it's died down,
but the drama between Rogers and the team
and he didn't ask for it. He got drafted It into it.
And where would he be if he was with another team? What do you
be starting for? Some other team? Is he ever going to get
a chance
to really show what he can do anywhere? The Packers is going
to squat on a five years. How long is Aaron Rodgers? Going to
play mean, he's constantly in the dark. It takes extreme
patients, you're trying to get your career started. These are
years that you could be
contributing, you could be playing at a high level. You
could be the difference for a team between not playoffs and
playoffs or playoffs, and maybe Super Bowl you're losing
valuable.
He's to get better and so I agree with you. Let's back off
on what he does. When he finally gets a chance to play,
he's not getting any chance to play during the season.
Let's see what he can walk. No,
laughs Lord, defended him after the game 2 of
the interceptions, weren't his fault. That's what LaFleur
said. You know, I it's just, it's
a, it's just a, it's a bad situation for the kid.
And it's another reason why I think guys should be able to
pick their own spots coming out of school because there's no
way Jordan love would have picked that spot. If it was up
to him, not, no doubt it. Definitely want to pick that
spot. You're right about that. And
you know, I hear people, you know, look what he did last
year in the regular season. Oh great. He got thrown out there.
What was that week? 10 11 and the NFL season against
at the time the hottest defense in the sport on the road in
Kansas City and yeah it was a good. I get that but it wasn't
easy either to just thrown in that situation.
So you know, I Echo your point there,
there's some things he's got a clean up with his throwing as
well but I still thought overall, it was more positive
than negative in my opinion.
Justin Fields, the Bears, second-year quarterback for 47.
For 48 yards against the Chiefs. He handled three
drives, no points. A couple of the drives though, one covered,
like, 30 to 40 yards. The other one went 50 yards, all three
ended in punts.
What was your one word or two? Or three assessment of field?
I just don't know. I just, I mean I know he's like he's
strong and can run
and I know his arm is powerful,
it's more than just him. I don't know about the Bears
offensively. And then, you know,
Again, I'm not into stats, I don't, I really don't give
a s*** about the stats. I'm going to look here in the preseason.
Its preseason football, you know? I just want to evaluate
the player and how it looks
and his big completion down the left sideline
and he under threw the ball by 15 yards. It should have been
a pic.
I mean this this
I don't look at this and go
damn that's a dime.
I mean that that that to me is, you know, not the greatest
throw in the world to really nice play by Darnell Mooney. He
throws a ball on the right.
Sideline, you know, that was the other big completion.
The ball was wobbly
and gonna be out of bounds in the guy makes an unbelievable
catch and gets to hand, you know, two feet down. So I'm
more into the look of all of it. And
yes, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a hater on the guy. I really
don't. I thought, I know I've already been put in that box
with them, but I'm just not, I'm not sold on,
you know, him or the Bears or anything about their offense,
quite yet.
I'm going to say flashes, right? Is there gas, flashes
that Express. Yeah he had a throat is Darnell Mooney.
That was kind of a back shoulder 50/50 ball and Mooney
went up and got it and it look good. He had another throw to
the sideline. Yeah. Cause a sharp. I believe it was
amazing. I strong, right? And great awareness to get up to
the line of scrimmage and get
the next play called before anybody could challenge even
though as a clean catch and and he just, you know, he moves.
Well does do that, it's like, it's like Superman surrounded
by kryptonite though he needs to know or he needs help. He
needs,
he needs players around him to reach his full potential and
then don't get me started on the whole field issue
that disaster how the hell does that happen? How the hell does
that happen idea? Like did they now know? There was going to be
preseason football coming up here in 2022.
The MLS team that plays they're already said, you know, we got
a game coming up on August 18, they said even before the Elton
John concert that apparently tore the place up. We're just
going to play somewhere else for our next home game because
we know how bad it's only only in the NFL.
It's just so ridiculous.
Messi and Ronaldo this. It would never even play they'd be
like nope I want my 40 million dollars. I'm never playing on
that field here in the NFL we go and we're going to invest
all this money on you
but we're going to throw you on some crap. s***** field.
Hope you don't get hurt. And you know if you do get hurt
it's actually going to hurt us because I gotta pay you and do
all this type of stuff. It makes no sense for a bunch of
businessmen who are so smart,
they don't protect their greatest asset sometimes and
I am makes no sense to me. That's what's astounding to me even if
You don't regard the human beings who work for you as
human beings. Even if you view them as interchangeable parts,
in
a football machine, you're still undermining your own
investment in these guys by putting them on this field,
right? It real? It's amazing. It's amazing and it's week one
of the preseason. All right, Trevor, Lawrence Jaguars first
overall pick last year six or 12, or 95 yards,
and a touchdown against the Browns, the quarterback. No one
was paying attention to because everybody was focusing on.
DeShaun Watson, what are your thoughts on Trevor Lawrence?
Well, it just You know the net now you're starting to see why
he was the number one pick that's my thoughts. I'm in it
just from
the first throw with the game down the right sideline, just
throwing a BB you know off a play-action. Just boom. 30
yards up to feel them in. These are impressive throws. This
wasn't like. Oh wow, yeah, hey, just a nice easy preseason
completion to get things going. How about a 40-yard dime up the
sideline and oh you saw the town. He's like we talked about
a little bit with the pre you know, the Hall of Fame game.
You can see there's more consistency in his motion. He
controlled the ball really well, and he's learning to work
the pocket now, where he was a little off. Is
he just hung on some receivers a few times? He had a chance
where it was a third down and he had a
threw the ball like in the goal line about, you know, one yard
line and was tied coverage, he had the corner route underneath
it. He was, you know, too quick to make decisions but that
comes with just seeing the field.
Just like all these young guys are kind of going through it.
But and I just think Jacksonville the way their team
looks what I saw last week on the field and what I saw there,
I just go, here we go. This guy is, he's the real deal and
I just be shocked if he doesn't have a good year.