Steelers Podcast - The Terrible Podcast

Welcome back. This is the first of several special edition episodes of The Terrible Podcast that are being posted nightly after the Pittsburgh Steelers wrap up their 2019 training camp practices. It’s Friday night and Alex Kozora joins me to discuss what he observed at Saint Vincent College earlier in the day. As per usual, Alex and I go through all of the position groups and try to give you the rundown on as many players possible in the shortest amount of time. In case you missed it, you can read Alex’s Friday report right here.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!The new message hotline is (814) 429-YINZ.

Season 10, Episode 1 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I get right to discussing all of the comings and goings from Thursday that included the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the start of training camp.We have a long conversation about the Steelers signing head coach Mike Tomlin to a contract extension on Thursday and how that was the right move. We also discuss what all Tomlin had to say during his first training camp press conference and go over the team’s injury situation.Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt will begin training camp on the team’s Active/PUP list so Alex and I go over that news and what that means. We also make sure to explain how PUP works.There was some contract talk about a few Steelers players on Thursday so Alex and I make sure to discuss those topics in addition to the camp arrival of wide receiver Eli Rogers.We make sure to preview how the daily course of action will be on the site and the podcast during training camp and briefly go over a few key choices that Alex and I both had on our pre training camp 53-man roster predictions.As usual, we end the show by reading a few emails we received from our listeners.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 131 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing the start of the annual Top 100 Players series on the NFL Network and the 93rd overall ranking of Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt. we also discuss which other Steelers players are likely to land in the Top 100 throughout the remainder of the offseason.It was announced on Monday that the Seattle Seahawks will lose staring defensive tackle Jarran Reed for the first six games of the 2019 regular season due to a suspension so Alex and I discuss how they won’t have him for their Week 2 road game against the Steelers and what a big blow that might ultimately be for them.Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith had some interesting comments about rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson in regard to him possibly being a return man in 2019 during the offseason that are just now surfacing so Alex and I go over those.Steelers cornerback Joe Haden had quite a few interesting things to say during his Monday interview on The Rich Eisen Show and Alex and I recap all that he said that stuck out to both of us.Alex and I close out our training camp positional group previews with a look at the Steelers secondary. We go over the expectations of this year’s starting cornerbacks and safeties, where the unit ranked in the latest Pro Football Focus offering and also discuss the bottom of the depth chart at both positions.As usual, we end the show by reading a few emails we received from our listeners.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 130 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing an Instagram post made Thursday by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Vince Williams in regard to the start of this year’s training camp and arrival day potentially being very low key.Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talked to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN this past weekend so Alex and I go over a few things he said. We also discuss Tomlin being ranked 9th overall on a recent NFL.com head coach list.How will Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster do in 2019 without Antonio Brown being part of the offense? We go over Smith-Schuster’s stats to date without Brown on the field and how the Steelers use him on offense. we also discuss how opposing defenses might try to contain and if such tactics can be used consistently enough to make a difference.Will the Steelers miss Brown much inside the red zone in 2019? Alex and I discuss some interesting stats related to the red zone and the touchdown passes thrown last season by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.Alex and I move on to give our updated thoughts on the expectations of the Steelers 2019 draft class ahead of training camp getting underway next week. We ind things down in this show with Alex’s recent post on quarterback pressure.As usual, we end the show by reading a few emails we received from our listeners.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 129 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing a few things said about the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers by a few well respected ESPN NFL analysts. Is addition by subtraction the new narrative when it comes to the 2019 Steelers? Both Merril Hoge and Louis Riddick appear to be very bullish on the 2019 Steelers so we review what all both said this past week.Alex and I go over the latest reported 18-game proposal the NFL apparently has for the NFLPA and what a few players such as defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and guard Ramon Foster seemingly think about it.I recently named three underrated Steelers offensive players to watch the remainder of the summer so Alex and I review those names and more. We also talk more about Steelers wide receiver Ryan Switzer and what his prospects og making this year’s 53-man roster are.Pro Football Focus had a few stats on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this past week that got our attention so Alex and I discuss his end zone throws and throws behind the line of scrimmage. We also review the stats from 2018 related to true wide receiver screens.As part of our positional reviews ahead of Steelers training camp getting underway, Alex and I discuss linebackers during this Tuesday show. We go over the outside linebackers first and then move on to the inside linebackers.We close this show by reading a few emails we received from listeners.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

eason 9, Episode 128 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing a few early things to be on the lookout for once the Pittsburgh Steelers open their 2019 training camp in two weeks from now. This topic includes us discussing if head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert will both get contract extensions later this summer.ESPN analysts Matt Bowen had an interesting post on Wednesday about the Steelers heavy usage of 00 and 22 personnel groupings during the 2018 season so Alex and I dive into his findings to show why more context is needed. We discuss if we think the Steelers will once again use both of those personnel groupings heavily in 2019 and if tight end Vance McDonald needs to see more snaps in 22 personnel plays than he did last season.In the middle of this episode, Alex and I are joined once again by John Eisenberg, who covers the Baltimore Ravens for the team’s official website, and he fills us in on all that has transpired with that organization since the 2018 season ended. We go over with John the Ravens free agency losses and additions, several of their draft picks and offensive and defensive expectations for the 2019 season. John gives us his thoughts on how many games he thinks the Ravens might win in 2019 and if he believes they can win the AFC North a second consecutive year. In total we talk to John about the Ravens for 31 minutes so make sure to tune in for his great information and thoughts on the team he’s covered for several years.If not already doing so, please follow John on Twitter at @BMoreEisenberg and read his work online here. Additionally, make sure to check out the numerous great books that John has written over the years here on Amazon.Alex and I close out this show with a preview of the Steelers 2019 defensive line depth chart before answering a few more listener emails we have received since Tuesday.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 127 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing the recent comments made by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster during his recent interview on the Adam Schefter Podcast. Smith-Schuster talked some about second-year wide receiver James Washington and that part of the interview gets all of our attention.Tom Mead recently conducted a few tape breakdowns on Steelers rookie draft picks Isaiah Buggs and Benny Snell Jr. so Alex and I discuss his findings in addition to talking more about potential playing time each might receive in 2019.Alex and I review and attempt to rank several past Steelers wide receivers, quarterbacks and running backs past the most obvious top choices. This leads to a few quick discussions about Kent Nix, Neil O’Donnell, Yancey Thigpen, Roy Jefferson and a few others.With the start of Steelers training camp now a little more than two weeks away, Alex and I discuss the team’s offensive line depth chart from top to bottom.We cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 126 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing the deeper 2017 tape study of Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson. We go over if Johnson’s 2017 tape was better than 2018’s and also rank his college tape to that of the other few Steelers wide receivers drafted the last few years.Will the Steelers use more four and five wide receiver personnel groupings on offense in 2019? Alex and I discuss that topic after he wrote about it this past week. We also talk about how many times we’re likely to see the Steelers use empty set formations in 2019.The Steelers certainly need to run the football better in 2019 and especially on first downs and in the first quarter. Alex and I go over some successful play stats related to that topic during this show. We also discuss the Steelers defense ranking fourth overall in the NFL last season when it comes to defensive play success rates and why we’re not big fans of using that stat.While the Steelers aren’t likely to participate in the upcoming annual NFL supplemental draft, Alex wonders if a safety eligible for it this year might be a good fit in Pittsburgh and worth a deeper look.Alex and I thoroughly break down the Steelers tight end depth chart during this show with there now being just three weeks remaining until the start of training camp.We cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 125 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing how players post their video workouts on Instagram.The Steelers expect a big jump out of second-year players Terrell Edmunds and James Washington in 2019 so we spend a little time on that topic and especially talking about the latter of the two players. What kind of production should we expect out of Washington in 2019 and will he wind up being the No. 2 wide receiver like Reggie Wayne believes he’ll be?Alex and I move on to discuss some recent tape study that I did on Steelers rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson. That leads to us talking some about all the good we observed out of one specific route that he ran last season against Nevada.Steelers running back James Conner made the media rounds on Monday so Alex and I recap what all that he said that we deem was important.Alex recently looked back at the 2018 season that Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton had so we discuss his findings as well as the touchdown he gave up late in the loss to the Oakland Raiders last season.Alex and I go over a few Steelers players that might sign new contract between the end of the 2019 season and this same time next year. We also go over the priority/probability list of Steelers players that might sign extensions before the start of the 2019 regular season.We cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 125 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I open things up by discussing the latest news concerning Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier and his recovery from the serious spinal injury he suffered a few years ago.The Steelers 2019 Hall of Honor class will be announced at the start of this year’s training camp so Alex and I attempt to come up with several names that should have a shot at being elected this year.Midway through this episode, Alex and I are joined once again by Paul Dehner Jr., who now covers the Cincinnati Bengals for The Athletic. Paul brings us both up to date on the Bengals offseason to date, expectations for the 2019 season and much more. We spend roughly 40 minutes with Paul talking about the Bengals offense, defense, new additions and much, much more.If not already doing so, please follow Paul on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pauldehnerjr and make sure to read all of his work online at https://theathletic.com/author/paul-dehner-jr/.After finishing up with Paul, Alex and I review a few things he told us. We then close out the final 30 or so minutes of the show by discussing the sacks registered last season by Steelers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and if he’ll ultimately get a new contract later this summer. We also talk about PFF’s recent 2019 predictions for rookie outside linebacker Sutton Smith.We cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 124 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I get into a deep discussion about new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Donte Moncrief and his expectations for the 2019 season. We review Moncrief’s top 5 plays from the 2018 season, his average depth of target stats from not only last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but from his playing time with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck during his first three seasons in the league. We review Moncrief’s strength and weaknesses, his 2019 stat expectations and more.2019 is setting up to be a huge season for Steelers safety Sean Davis and especially if he doesn’t get a contract extension later this summer. Alex and I discuss Davis’ situation and what we’re looking for out the Steelers free safety in 2019.Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt was the subject of a recent pass-rushing instruction video that caught the eye of Alex and myself so we discuss what the former first-round draft pick had to say in it and what his tape has shown to date. We also discuss the Steelers other outside linebackers as part of this talk about Watt.We move on to discuss what might be forthcoming in regard to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and how the recent news might result in some former Steelers players and organization members getting enshrined sooner rather than later.Alex and I move forward to discuss the Steelers running back depth chart ahead of training camp getting underway.We cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with question

Season 9, Episode 123 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I first discuss the players who have worn No. 79 for the Pittsburgh Steelers with there now being 79 days remaining before the start of the team’s 2019 regular season.With the Steelers annual offseason practices now completed, the team is still likely to add players to their roster between now and the start of the regular season and there’s a good chance one or two such players might ultimately be on the team’s Week 1 53-man roster. Alex and I discuss the recent history of the Steelers related to that topic and which positions stand the best shot of late offseason additions occurring.Alex spent time this week examining the Steelers kickoff returns from the 2018 season so we review his findings and suggestions as to what needs to be fixed in that phase of special teams this upcoming season.We move on to talk a little bit more about Steelers safety Marcus Allen potentially being the primary dimebacker in 2019 based on recent comments that he made.Midway through this episode, Alex and I are joined once again by Scott Petrak, who covers the Cleveland Browns for The Chronicle-Telegram and Medina Gazette. Scott brings us both up to date on the Browns offseason to date, expectations for the 2019 season and much more. We spend roughly 30 minutes with Scott talking about the Browns offense, defense, new additions and much, much more.If not already doing so, please follow Scott on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ScottPetrak and make sure to read all of his work online at http://BrownsZone.com.After finishing up with Scott, Alex and I review a few things he told us. We also discuss where we both currently stand in regard to the Browns 2019 win total. We close things out by talking some about running back success rates and the use of analytics by teams in the AFC North division.Alex and I cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 122 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I immediately begin discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 offseason to date and go over the seven key things we took away from it one-by-one.How bad will the Steelers miss the ultra-deep pass receptions that former wide receiver Antonio Brown contributed in previous seasons? Alex and I discuss that topic some and go over the several players who will need to help fill the void.What will the Steelers division of labor at the running back position look like in 2019? We discuss that topic a little more and preview my upcoming post on success rates from the Steelers running back position the last few seasons.The Steelers had a recent change in their analytics department recently so Alex and I cover that news and what we take away from it.How did Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster perform last season with just two total wide receivers on the field? Alex and I recap some of that topic during Tuesday’s show.Alex has found another sickening stat when it comes to the Steelers defense and lack of turnovers over the recent years so we dig into that nugget for a little bit.Alex and I cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 121 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Friday show, Alex Kozora and I immediately begin discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 mandatory minicamp that ended on Thursday.Alex and i discuss the Steelers overall health as they exit their offseason practices and what the team’s Reserve/PUP list might ultimately look like six weeks from now when they start training camp in Latrobe. We go over said training camp special early in the show as well.Steelers tackle Jerald Hawkins reportedly received some work at guard during the team’s offseason practices so Alex and discuss that topic and his path to this year’s 53-man roster.A lot of positives this week surfaced when it comes to wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Diontae Spencer, so we review what was said about both players and what it means. We also discuss the possibility of the Steelers having a more committee-like approach to their running back workload in 2019 and what that might ultimately mean for the three players we think will be involved in that.We go over what Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had to say this week during mandatory minicamp and also cover a few items that a few of the team’s position coaches and coordinators touched on.Steelers cornerbacks Joe Haden and Mike Hilton both briefly touched on their contract situations this past week so Alex and I recap what both players said.The Steelers defense is discussed later in this show based on what all has been said and reported this week during mandatory minicamp. We also go over what all quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said this week about the team’s defense.Alex and I cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!

Season 9, Episode 120 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can and in this Tuesday show, Alex Kozora and I immediately begin discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers mandatory minicamp that gets underway on Tuesday and how they should have everyone in attendance and fairly healthy. We talk about who we are looking forward to hearing from this week as well.Former Steelers outside linebacker Arthur Moats retired from the NFL on Monday so we discuss his NFL career briefly and what the future might hold for him.Alex and I talked quite a bit about the Steelers wide receiver depth chart last week and on Tuesday were turn our focus to the team’s defensive backs. We talk more about cornerback Artie Burns and his immediate future and if safety Jordan Dangerfield can stick on the 53-man roster once again. We also talk about cornerback Brian Allen and where the team might be at with him entering mandatory minicamp.After talking some about the defensive backs, Alex and I talk more about Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree and why their should potentially be some optimism attached to him ahead of the season. We discuss his past injuries and go over his “missed sacks” from 2018.The Steelers offensive line was ranked in the top 5 overall on Monday by two national NFL analysts so we go over that tidbit and why we agree with them being listed that high. We talk quite a bit about the path Matt Feiler has taken to date and if the Steelers might even be able to trade a backup of theirs closer to the start of the regular season.Alex and I cover a few more items and then proceed to answer a few listener emails we have received recently to close out this episode.As always, several other smaller talking points are mixed in throughout the show that are not highlighted here in this post.Thanks for listening and don’t forget to call or email with questions or comments and please pass us along to your friends!