The Pomp And Joe Show
11AM - Steelers fans react to the awful loss in Cleveland; College Football Playoff, Pitt loses to East Carolina, Lamar or Huntley
29 Dec 2025
Chapter 1: What were the Steelers' key mistakes in the loss against Cleveland?
Bob went up, and then he did a good job of playing through me. I thought I should have got a call, but no call was made, so that's what it was. Can't rely on the referees, Marquez, Valdez, Scantley. Can't rely on them on that situation. It would take an egregious act for that to happen. Was it pass interference?
I guess by the letter of the law, you could have made that play, but they're not going to call a flag on that play. They're just simply not. Although back in Detroit last week, we saw a couple of plays that were called that fit the bill, and they called them. They didn't have to call, especially the one... They went to Amara St. Brown.
It didn't look like that was that egregious, but they called it. Steelers benefited by it, so it all evens out. That's why I said about this conspiracy theory, these games are fixed. They're not fixed. Officials make calls. It's a tough thing to do. And Scantling was targeted nine times. So this is what I put out before the game yesterday, Austin. Tell me if you agree, because before the game,
Without your two top receivers, and you knew you had no depth there, I tweeted this out and I thought this is how it's going to be. If not more tight ends in this opportunity, which I thought they would target tight ends a whole bunch, then more Kenny Gainwell. Yes. Because last week in Detroit, nine carries 50 yards.
He had five receptions, which led the team, with 78 yards of receiving, which led the team. 100-yard scrimmage games in two straight, four out of six that way, and when he scores a touchdown in a game this year, the Steelers are 5-0. So I thought the way it was going to go, and we had a little contest about targets, I thought Friermuth would get the most, Gainwell will get the second.
Not even close to being right, as it turned out. And this is on the heels of the Steelers outrushing the Lions in the previous week, 230-15. Why wouldn't they double down more on that and just do what kind of Baltimore did? Say we're just going to let our offensive line, and they were operating at a 5.5 per rush clip against Cleveland yesterday.
To me, against the number one ranked defense with no receivers, you're going to throw the ball 39 times? Why? Kenneth Gainwell only touched the ball, Bob, nine times. Seven carries for 26 yards, and he had two receptions for 14.
Nine times for the guy that has been arguably, and I think it's a winnable argument, your most dynamic weapon all season long that has done things that no one else on this team has been able to do with their versatility. And you don't try to exploit Cleveland with Gainwell? Right, or Friermuth. Again, he's the most sure-handed guy.
Right before halftime, middle of the field, they throw to him, he makes a catch, they get a field goal out of it. End of the game, couple of catches down the field, he's open. I know that they're trying to keep the play in front of them, Cleveland is, but still, he makes those plays, and yet he only had three receptions.
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Chapter 2: Why is Kenneth Gainwell's limited usage a concern for the Steelers?
So it did not work. That's a 38.1 rating with passing to wide receivers. And, again, with no DK Metcalf, that's a critical loss and a critical mistake that he made in Detroit. And I know we have a Metcalf caller, too, so let's get right to it. The phone line is 412-928-9370. Yeah, here is Dave in Morgantown to chime in. Go ahead, Dave. What's going on? Hi, Bob. I'm in the car.
I just want to know two things. Metcalf seems like a hothead if you look back in the year, how many times he got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct or personal fouls. Number two, why wasn't Fryerman targeted more? in the game instead of with a minute and 40 second club. It seemed like ā and thanks, Dave. First of all, I'll get to your Metcalf point. I don't know if he's a hothead.
I think he's ā maybe early in his career he was more of that. I thought he's ā I had no problem with that signing, none whatsoever. Did I expect him to get suspended? No. A lot of people thought George Pickens would get suspended. He didn't. Metcalf was the one who did it and could very well cost them their season.
With regard to Friermuth, it seems like in the most critical parts of that game yesterday, who did they go to more? At the end of the first half when they needed a field goal, it was 88. At the end of the game when they needed to move into range to get a touchdown, who was it? 88. Yeah, and then when they needed to score a touchdown in a goal-to-go situation, who did they go to?
The guy that was on the practice squad for three weeks before you elevated him and is a journeyman wide receiver that has played for multiple teams. Right, and I think Aaron Rodgers has a history with him, and that's fine, except that's what it is, a history. It's not something that's relevant right now, and that's why he was cut twice.
And all due respect to Marquez Valdez-Scanley, he's had a nice NFL career. It's just that when he becomes your number one targeted guy, you've got problems against the number one defense
passing defense in the NFL well I have a take on this so MVS was obviously brought here because he is an Aaron Rodgers disciple and we have been very complimentary of Aaron Rodgers his ability to make changes at the line of scrimmage see things like what he did with the Gainwell play and say just run a go route throw it up to him and Gainwell made an incredible play
The freedom that Aaron Rodgers has had to be able to take over went to an excessive amount this last week, where he trusts... way too often the ability that MVS was just going to go up there and make a play. Where Kenneth Gainwell was wide open on the fourth down play, would he have scored? Who knows, but I think it's a better chance than a 50-50 ball to MVS.
Where Rodgers was having miscommunication with MVS on multiple occurrences in the end zone. It wasn't just one play, it was twice. And then they throw a very contested go ball to that guy? It just got way too out of hand with Rodgers' trust for MVS, where he should have been looking for other options, including Fryer.
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Chapter 3: How did Aaron Rodgers perform in the game without his top receivers?
So a lot of people are concerned that they won't be able to watch this game on Sunday night. I thought that might have been resolved, but apparently it isn't. If you have a take on it, let us know. And maybe I'm wrong on that. I thought it might have been resolved. But apparently, according to the texters, it's not resolved. And we'll see where that goes. 412-928-9370.
What are some of those texts about the Verizon thing? I thought it was over, but it's not over. Yeah, I guess there's still a dispute going on between Verizon and Cox Media where some people might not be able to watch the game. Wow. This Sunday, unless they get that entirely worked out. They'll get enough pressure. They'll have it solved by then, I believe.
It's like the YouTube TV discussion with ESPN earlier this year. I mean, it eventually goes away and they get a deal done. A couple of questions to throw out to you guys calling at 412-928-9370 as part of this conversation. Who's your NFL coach of the year? I think it's going to be as hotly contested as ever with guys like Liam Comham in Jacksonville.
Cohen's done a great job, Mike Vrabel in New England, and Ben Johnson in Chicago. All big-time turnarounds in the first year. And then who is your MVP of the NFL? All that, part of this. So if you have a thought when you call in, let us know. Back to the lines we go. All right, here is Donald. He's in Atlanta. ATL, they still have a chance to cause some problems.
Everyone thinks it's just going to be a showdown between the Buccaneers and Panthers, but if Atlanta wins the next two and force a three-way tie, that impacts how this thing is going down. What's up, Donald? Hey, number one never happened. Atlanta can't beat Los Angeles tonight. That won't happen. L.A. could rest some people.
They're not going to get the number one seat, so I'm not sure how that goes. Yeah, but Atlanta, even if they do rest them, Atlanta, with Kirk Cousins, you either get the good or you get the bad. All right. What's up? What I want to text or talk about is why is it that we continue to, I understand that we're trying to get Garrett not to have the sack record. That's fine.
But why not try to run at him instead of away from him all the time? Every play was run away from Garrett instead of running at him. Force them to make the play running the ball. Second of all. But it's the same concept that teams run away from T.J. Watt in the run game. They do. They go in the other direction.
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Chapter 4: What are the implications of the Steelers' playoff chances after the loss?
They go in the other direction, but they also have success with it. We have three great big tight ends that we can run at Garrett and make him make the plays. But, okay, let's go back and talk about the ā The play where he missed. Why didn't he just go to Friar Moose down the middle? Two straight plays, they went maybe 50 yards. On two straight plays, why not continue going to the primers?
I don't even know. Was he on the field for those final four plays? I think one of the four. Maybe two. He should have been not only on the field but targeted, again, option-wise. Although, again, Gainwell was open on the one. Rodgers never saw him. Gainwell was wide open. He was wide open on that side. I don't understand the play calling.
I don't like the wide receiver screen with only one receiver out there, a small receiver at that, trying to make a block on the number one corner of the league. It just doesn't make sense. I don't understand the play calling at times. I just want to know, what are we going to do? Are we going to keep Are we going to keep Smith or are we going to let Smith go? I say let him go and let's get a 5-0.
I don't know what they're going to do at the end of this season. I think if they lose this, this will be the second straight year of a collapse down the stretch. It could result in multiple changes. Thanks, Donald, for the call in ATL, 412-928-9370. We're going all across the country here. We've got callers from all over, don't we?
Yeah, Ken is in Cleveland, the scene of the crime this past weekend. As a Browns fan or a Steelers fan, Ken? Both. Both. I got to be honest. I think, you know, DK Midcalf was one of the situations that should have not taken place, and he screwed them. And, you know, everybody in the stands was chanting DK, DK. And then the Steelers fans started chanting, my fire move, fire move. You know what?
They're done. I mean, I don't know how they're going to get any further from Baltimore is going to kick their ass. Yeah, because Baltimore has lost a lot of games and underachieved in bigger games too. I mean, you've got two teams that have done a lot of that lately. Yeah, but Baltimore has got the running back that is tough to stop.
You know how you stop him, since you brought it up here, Ken, is you get him to fumble. Last year they played a game where he fumbled early and was taken out and wasn't the same. When he fumbles, he becomes more hesitant. He did this again this year when he has, but if he doesn't fumble, he'll run you right over like a roadkill.
I think the other thing, too, is that everybody's taking it for granted when they went to Cleveland.
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Chapter 5: How does the coaching strategy impact the Steelers' performance?
And they just ā Cleveland's got a good defense, and people in Pittsburgh just don't want to admit it. Well, they have an awful offense, and there's no excuse to losing given what was on the line. To me, that was just incomprehensible, but yet it was comprehensible based on some of the games that have happened in the past. Pittsburgh, two field goals? You can't win ballgames.
Even if they make the playoffs, who the hell are they going to beat? Well, listen, they beat Detroit in Detroit where the Lions were desperate, and I thought three-quarters dominated them in that game, and that's what made people believe maybe this is a little bit of a roll. They're going on late season opposite of last year. Thanks for the call, Ken.
But, you know, this loss just takes all the wind out of the sails. They've got to regain that at home on a Sunday night where they have not done well this season. All right, let's move along. Where are we going to next, Sir Limits? All right, let's move along to Brandon. He's in Youngstown. Hey, Brandon, what's up? Hey, Bob. How you doing? I hope you had a good Christmas. You too. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Just a few quick things. I mean, it kind of seems like it's all the same, you know, phone calls. So I'm probably hitting on stuff that you guys are probably over by now. Henry coming to town after, you know, that Madden-like performance definitely worries me, even though I don't think he'll replicate that in Pittsburgh. I just don't. I think we...
I think we'll scheme well against him. I really do. But I just think that, you know, the fact that we're even in the spot shows that that three-game win streak really just masked what we all know. Changing in coaching and culture are overdue. And with yesterday, play calling, you know, just overall. But then, Bob, why does this offense only look ā
aggressive in in desperation you know like on that last drive rogers is pushing the ball using fire moves moving down the field no timeouts yeah i get it and why didn't they like change this go go no huddle move it up quick in the pace do anything they're it's just so reluctant to do that kind of stuff and i don't understand it all throughout that game i was saying speed things up you know rogers is good about noticing substitutions and just make it chaos if you have to exactly and and i understand there's two minute drills and there's moments that you know
You can't stay at that pace the whole game. I understand how it works, but for most of the game, we're dinking and dunking. I think we, it seems to me, we throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage more than any other football team. And, and all season long, this trend, it's a tiny one, but I just, and then I'll, I'll end here, but DBs and linebackers dropping interceptions has been all season.
Herb, they kind of picked six. I understand the conditions, you know, he gets a pass for that. But the rain was a factor. But it's just exhausting, Bob. I mean, it's been all year. That would have changed the game. I know it doesn't matter now. It's a what-if thing, and it was raining.
But it's just these tiny little things that are just so ā it just comes back to the undisciplined football team. It's just, like, opportunities that are in front of us that we just don't capitalize on. Two interceptions, we get no points.
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Chapter 6: What changes are needed for the Steelers to improve their offensive play?
Boswell struggled, I understand. But we just aren't opportunistic, and it's so exhausting. Where do we go from here? I'm just over it. Thanks, Brandon. A lot of people have the same sentiment at this point, and they can at least put you in a situation if they win that game impressively on Sunday night. They give you some hope in the first round.
As I said before, sports has a weird way of changing the dynamics on things. Just when you think you have it figured out and then everything changes... If they can win the game and do it in a good fashion, get a home game against somebody, who knows? It could go in that direction too. So we'll see what happens at the end of the year. But, yes, I agree that this has become too much of a trend.
They need to do something different here. In that game, I would have done anything different, moved the ball at a quicker pace. I would have taken more shots. I would have been creative with some of these play calls. You saw the tush push that was their best play of the day. It was a 29-yard thing. That was it. Nothing else came close to that, to be honest. And that should not be the case.
They should scheme things better. The scheming, was it a result of the talent not there? Or was the result of the scheming was just not that good? It's probably both, but scheming to me has always been an issue when they lose like yesterday. Well, and I think another problem with this, Bob, is they gave us hope again.
Based on what they showed over the last three weeks, it's the same old Steelers at the end of the season, up and down, on the seesaw, not knowing what you're going to get. And you think that they turn a corner with Aaron Rodgers winning against Baltimore, winning against Detroit, taking care of business handily against Miami, where they have a quarterback. They played that game not to lose.
They didn't play that game to win. They played it not to lose. They were very conservative, and they should have been the team coming out there, especially in that first quarter, doing everything to try to get a lead in that team and make it so that Shadur Sanders had to come at them. You would have seen potentially six interceptions in that game because I don't think he's that good.
All right, Coach of the Year, call us with this, too. I want to change up the dynamic a little bit. If you had three choices, you can make other guys available to your two, but those three I mentioned, Liam Cohen in Jacksonville, massive turnaround in a first year.
Mike Vrabel in New England, massive turnaround, but he's also made Drake May an MVP candidate who had a 90% completion percentage yesterday on five touchdown passes against the ridiculously low New York Jets. And then Ben Johnson, what he's done in Chicago. If you had those three to choose from, who would you give the vote to?
Well, and I would also throw Dave Canales of what he's doing in Carolina in there in the discussion as well. Maybe so, but not so much. He's on top three, but he's also somebody I think should be in the discussion. What about Kyle Shanahan? If you look at the injuries they've sustained over the course of their season, Brock Purdy, their starting quarterback, out for eight games.
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Chapter 7: How did the college football landscape shift after Pitt's loss to East Carolina?
He may not be available. All their key players have been injured, and yet here they are fighting for the number one seat. I'm throwing it in there just because I think he's done a hell of a coaching job. Yeah, McCaffrey's been surprisingly healthy this year, and yes, he has done a really good job. I would say Liam Cohen. It's either between him and Vrabel. Why not Ben Johnson?
Ben Johnson's done an incredible job there too. I just feel like Jacksonville being Jacksonville, where many people were writing off Trevor Lawrence as just being completely broken and them not having any skilled players and their defense being... Liam Cohen completely flipped... the Jaguars on its head. Now, you could say the same thing for Vrabel. You could say the same thing for Ben Johnson.
But I think it was just a little bit more unexpected with expectations coming into the season for Jacksonville, where a lot of people were picking the Bears and a lot of people were picking New England to take a big jump and potentially be wildcard teams where they're ultimately division winners.
nobody was thinking jacksonville was going to make the playoffs this year no i agree with that and even though they had a guy they you know number one overall pick but the two coaches couldn't get the best out of him uh and they have struggled he's been an outstanding guy down there so when you call in give us your choice on that and i'll throw out mvp of the league i'm still going matt stafford a lot of people think drake may would be that guy back to the lines we go so a lot of things on the table for you to talk about give us a call who we're going to next
All right, let's move along here to Corey to talk about the Steelers. Or Cody, I should say. Cody's in Minneapolis. What's up, Cody? How are you? I'm good. How about yourself? Good, thanks. Good. So, first of all, I will talk a little bit about the game. But as far as Coach of the Year, you know, I got to go Ben Johnson because people worry right off Caleb Williams is a bust.
But he's looked pretty good this year with a competent coach. Yeah, I agree with that, but I still, three good choices, but go ahead. As far as the game, you know, I think people calling it fixed, that's nothing more than a cop-out to me. That loss was nothing more than an embarrassment, pure and simple.
And if the Steelers game yesterday and the Ravens game on Saturday are anything to go off of, I wouldn't be shocked if we got a flashback to the Bills game on Sunday night. Henry rushing all over us, Renegade getting booed, the fire Tomlin chance, if that's the case, Steelers don't have a chance to turn around and win three in a row.
But I don't think Tomlin's going to be fired because he's got his winning season. And it's, you know, I love this team. But yesterday was the first time in a long time I skipped over frustrated after a loss to just disgusted. Yeah, I think that was embarrassing. Just because of what was on the line, I agree with you, Cody. That can't happen.
I don't care what the circumstances are, and yes, we've discussed a lot of them. No DK, no Calvin Austin, this, that, and the other. Other teams have the same problems. Look at what Cleveland had to endure on their offense. You know, Quinshawn Judkins is their best runner. He got messed up his leg last week. He wasn't even available. They were down to a free agent ā
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Chapter 8: What are the expectations for the upcoming game against Baltimore?
Pure and simple, they didn't. It's the way they lost. It takes a lot of the wind out of the sails. Thanks for calling from Minneapolis, though, Cody. Appreciate that. You know, we'll see on Sunday night. I think it's going to be heavily watched and it could change your opinion about if the Steelers come out and just dominate. I don't think we'll see that.
But if they dominate Baltimore, I don't care who plays for Baltimore. If they dominate them and win impressively, you may have different thoughts moving forward. How about Dallas, Texas? We've got people from all over the country calling here, Austin. Yeah, here's Dan to chime in. Hey, Dan, what's up? Hey, fellas.
Yeah, kind of along the same lines, but I want to throw out a dark horse for Coach of the Year. First of all, what about Sean Payton in Denver? He's done a heck of a job. He has. I think a lot of people have Denver. Yeah, I mean, they're looking for a one seed, right? But I think people thought going into this season with their defense and with a second-year Bo Nix, they were going to be a factor.
Maybe not number one seed, but they thought they were going to be a factor. Yeah, dethroning the Chiefs is a big deal, right? I mean, you know, that's a heck of a coaching job. Let me ask you something before you go on, and that's about George Pickens. What is the view in Dallas, since he's going to be an unrestricted free agent with George Pickens? You know, it's like I told everybody.
He's one heck of a player when he's dialed in, but then he takes these weird kind of manic games off. Right, and we saw that this year. Yeah, he seems disinterested. So, I don't know. They've got a heck of a decision to make there. But, man, he's freaking ā when he's on, he's so hot.
I mean, it's almost like I would sign him if I was the Cowboys because when that sucker's on and you've got CeeDee Lamb on the other side, that's post. And, you know, Prescott. You've got Prescott to throw the ball. So, I mean, I think they sign him. You know, he's just George. What was your original point about the Steelers, Dan?
Original point about the Steelers is it would be better off, I feel like, if they just went ahead and lost. And maybe it'll trigger true change, which we've needed for quite some time. Going along at 9-8, 10-7, whatever, with this sort of top-of-the-middle view of the NFL. What does that get you? Nothing. I mean, have we wasted T.J. Watt as a Hall of Famer's career? Have we wasted Cam Hayward?
Yeah, I mean, they're getting to the point. That's been a conversation piece we've had many times on this show, that these guys are getting to the point where you try to win when they're here, and so far that hasn't happened. I think Cam has played really well this year. He's been there every single game, and yet they may not be in a position to do that. Yeah. Thanks, Dan.
I think they start off, and there's nothing wrong with Aaron Rodgers. He's a Hall of Famer. But, I mean, going in with a 41-year-old quarterback, now 42, it doesn't give you much hope when you look at the landscape of the AFC and the other young, vibrant quarterbacks that everybody seems to have. And then this stubborn refusal, game after game, year after year, to utilize the middle of the field.
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