October 10, 2025 • 36 mins
Mark talks about the Steelers and Browns games as he and Tommy Radio search for storylines with the matchup. They also talk some Penguins after the team won the home opener last night
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Mark Maddon Show. You like it, you
love it, you want more of it? You can follow
me on Twitter at Mark Madden x uh. We are
going to talk a lot of Steelers and Brons today.
We got Tim Benz at three point thirty former Steelers
quarterback Charlie Batch at four pm. A few interesting developments
occurred during Thursday Night football. Actually, the New York Football
(00:26):
Giants killed Philadelphia, killed him.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Beat their ass up and knocked their ass out. Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Thirty four seventeen and Scatterbo, that rookie back for the Giants,
got ninety eight yards and three touchdowns on nineteen carries.
And the injured Twitter and the usual suspects. You're like,
they should have drafted Scattabo. Imagine that Steelers offense was Scatterbo.
If the Steelers offense at Scattabo, it'd be riding the
(00:55):
effing bench, just like Caleb Johnson. The Steelers should not
have drafted Scatabo. Caleb Johnson is a superior talent. He
went to the third round, scatabow in the fourth. The
Steelers should give Caleb Johnson more carries, a lot more carries.
(01:16):
Scatterbow in New York. It's like Judkins in Cleveland. The
Giants and Browns are playing rookie running backs and both
are succeeding the backs anyway, and the teams to me
seemed to be getting better. New York did just kill
Philadelphia last night. The Steelers are playing career backed upstick
running back and leaving their rookie running back on the bench.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Johnston is better than Scattabo, you know how. I know that.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Every team passed on Johnson two times, some three, every
team passed on Scattabo three times some four. H Johnson
is better than Scattabo, I have no but not if
you don't play him.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Not with you people.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I do know Scatabo has one thing to offer, and
that's these whites. And let's not kid ourselves in terms
of the way you knit. Would think that is a
big factor. Let's talking out of Tommy Radio. Tom do
you see my point? I'd play Johnson, not bitch about
not drafting Scatabo.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
You talked all week about the Browns have juice now
because they're playing rookies, not just the running back. The
rookie quarterbacks in there now, and they got a couple
of good rookies on the defensive side.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Of the ball. Giants are the same way.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Like the Giants have some juice, The fan base is excited,
the team is pointed in the right direction. I think
even more so than the Browns are, because their rookies
are better than the Browns rookies, not Scatabo and Judkins.
But Dart looks like he's got something as a quarterback.
I don't know exactly what his ceiling is, but he's good.
At least he's doing okay. I like his legs. He
scored that great running touchdown. And they got Abdul Carter,
(02:56):
the kid from Penn State on the defensive side of
the ball, who is just a phenomenal rookie as well.
Like just there is so many examples around the NFL
where you look at teams just playing their rookies and
they see great success out of them.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
They're giving themselves a chance to improve.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
The Steelers in Week eighteen will be the same as
the Steelers right now in Week six.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
They won't get better, They'll only get tired and injured.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And it's not just teams that are at the bottom
of the league right like the Giants and Browns that
have nothing to do this year but build for the future.
Look at the Buccaneers in a Mecca. Agbuca comes in
immediately their number one receiver, I mean Mike with.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Some pretty big names on that depth that receiver.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Like when Mike Evans was healthy, Baker was still going
to Egbuca more. And now with Evan's sidelines, that relationship
in chemistry is just gonna grow between the two of them.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
The best thing could happen for the Steelers would be
if either Warren or Gainwell suffered a season ending injury.
Not wishing it on them, but if one did and
the other one got hurt so he couldn't play in
a game and they had to play Caleb Johnson and
I bet he'd come through.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think he would have come through against me Minnesota.
I mean the way that that offensive line was moving
the Minnesota Vikings, and he had the big jumbo package
in there to help in the run game. I think
Caleb Johnson would have had a really good game there,
would have had his coming out party.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I will say Scabow is a very powerful running back.
He's white. I mean he's like a bowling ball dart.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That rookie quarterback threw for butt ninety five and a
touchdown rush for fifty eight and a really nice running touchdown. Again,
It's just good to play rookies. Now, Tom, did you
watch Philadelphia lose to the New York Football Giants?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Did you watch what I'm talking about? I did?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I mean that was a convincing win by the Giants
and a really unconvincing performance by the Eagles. Here's a
great stat Jalen Hurts is twenty seven years old.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I would call him a running quarterback in particular.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He's good at it, but like that's not his bread
and butter, right, But because the tush push, he has
sixty rushing touchdowns already sixty And what did you.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Think of the four straight tush pushes to get into
the well?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
That has everybody now rallying to the side of the
bush push.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
We got some sound later from Steven A. Smith that
will play.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
But what if, like you threw a slant to aj
Brown for four consecutive big plays? What if you ran Barkley,
you know, wide, on four consecutive plays. Are you going
to ban plays that are used repetitively to succeed.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's a great point.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
This one looks a little bit more ugly than those
ones though, because it's just that scrum of bodies moving
forward a yard at a time. But you're right, like
people go to the well all the time on things
that are successful.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
So why ban the Eagles for something? They're more successful
than anybody? See?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
To me, it's power football, it's physical football. Do you
hear people asking about physical football?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Well, this is it. It's a bunch of men in
a pole. What's not like about that?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Now?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
What if you change the rule where you can allow
the defense to get leverage too and kind of push back,
because that's the disadvantage they have right now, Like a
linebacker can't go up on a d tackle and push
him back.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Ah, that's too bad.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
You don't.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
You don't change your rule because you know a play
on one side of the ball is working, you don't
even it up for the other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And no other team can do it. It's just one
team because they try, Yeah, and they always fail.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
H Philadelphia four and two and they looked bad. There's
zero undefeated teams right now, Tom, who's the best team
in the NFL?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Right this second? I got my ideas, let's hear right
this second, it's Detroit.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I know that They got beat pretty badly by the
Packers in Week one, but I think that's just week one.
They're my best team in the NFC. They've looked awesome,
but I don't trust them. So AFC is at Buffalo
for you.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, yeah, even.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Though they've not you know, got to where you know
what I agree with. We talked yesterday about potential MVP candidates,
right and Josh Allen's stats right now aren't great, but
by the end of the season he's gonna, you know,
have MVP stats and probably get another MVP.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Boy if he's the number one overall seed in the AFC,
like say they win fourteen games this year, and yeah,
he has stats that are commiserate with an MVP. It
will be hard for them to not go back to
back with him and give it to like a Baker
or a Jared Goff. Yeah, but they might do it
anyway to Golfer Baker, No, no, to ask That's what
I'm saying, and I'm saying it'll be hard for them
(07:01):
to not get.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
It right on. Yeah, I mean they like giving it
to name exactly.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
And then it would be the back to back thing too,
so they could be like Lamar's back to back, Allen's
back to back.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
You know what's greting about MVP conversation, Tom, whenever we
do it, whenever anybody on any platform does it, nobody
mentions anybody but quarterbacks. Is there anybody in the league
right now? Not a quarterback that should be in the
conversation besides Scatabo.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Right this second, besides scatterbo nothing comes to top of mind.
Last year's no other white guys, no other white guys.
Last year's Saque had a real good shot at it.
Like if we were ever gonna give it to a
non quarterback again, it was last year for Saque. It's
just a quarterback award.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I don't see them ever giving it to anybody else,
unless like a receiver pools of a two thousand yard season.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I don't see anybody getting it up.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Next, we're gonna talk about one of the most absurd
things I've heard proposed Bozo the columnist. You remember him,
Actually you probably don't. He thinks they should build a
statue of Cutch. Give me an effing break. X Okay,
Boso the columnists too wrote a sports column back in
(08:05):
the thirties. You've all forgotten that most of his readers
are dead, but he suggested on Twitter that the Pirates
should build a statue of Andrew McCutcheon when he retires.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I think that's absolutely absurd.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Being the best player of a generally crappy generation and
a non Hall of Famer, that should not get you
a statue. He's not Clemente, he's not Stargele, he's not Kinder,
he's not Wagner, he's not anything close to that. And
I understand you want to have events and you want to,
you know, make the best of what is a bad
and certainly thrifty situation in the Notting ownership era. But
(08:44):
I just would not do that now. To get back
to the Steeler game, it's difficult to come up with
Steeler storylines.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Steeler lines that actually is kind of catchy.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
It's difficult to come up with storylines for Sunday's home
game ninst Cleveland. Hopefully Shador plays now that he's confirmed
as the number two quarterback. I like Judkins, the rookie
running back for Cleveland. He could keep a minute with
a big game. His last three games have been one
hundred and ten, eighty two and ninety four yards.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Pretty good.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Dylan Gabriel isn't a savior. The rookie quarterback. He's okay.
Remember when Dick lebou was the Steelers defensive coordinator and
if the other team had a rookie quarterback, it was
game over, a death sentence, not no more. But this
high priced superstar defense the Steelers have, you can't lose
the rookie quarterback.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
At home, no way, when you can go to four and.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
One Garrett versus what is a storyline? How Garrett is
deployed against that seven minter offensive line is a storyline.
And maybe the Steelers offense changes it up a bit.
Maybe John New breaks out of Friarmouth, but more likely
John who I feel like Friarmuth is the number three
(09:59):
tight end. P Let's welcome now back to the microphone,
Tommy Radio. Tom what do you make of Bozo saying
cuts you get a statue? I mean, I'm trying not
to not Cutch what I say. No, but no, he's
just not in the class of the guys who have statues.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
It's why it's so absurd to say something like that,
because then you almost have to bash Cutch a little
bit unintentionally because it's it really It's hard to even
come up with the words to describe that kind of
idea going that far with it.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
To me, you either have to be Hall of Famer
to get a statue, or the best player in an
era where you won World Series, Stanley Cups, whatever, or
be just egregiously popular like Flurri.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I mean, flori fits the description of a bunch of
the above, all of the above. I mean, Cuts was popular,
but he wasn't like Florrie popular.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I think all statues need to fit the criteria almost
all of the above that you just laid out, Mark,
I don't think he can really be one or the other.
You got to be a Hall of Famer with championships
and just a genuine, you know, iconic figure as well
to be immortalized like that. I think the other things
that he said should happen to Cutch was retire his number.
That might even be a little bit too far, but
I get it. I'm cool with that. I can get
(11:11):
my head around it. Bug me, like a statue, would
they retire a lot of numbers? And then I guess
he said something about moving him into the front office.
McCutcheon doesn't want to do that, do you think he does.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Even if he does, what's any indication that he could could,
you know, be like an assistant GM. I mean, maybe
he could be like a glad hander. Maybe he could
be like Joe Lewis at the casino door.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I'm not saying that McCutchen, if that is the route
he would want to go post baseball, couldn't be a
good assistant GM. Just wouldn't be able to be a
good one here because no one's able to be a
good one here because you're handcuffed by the ownership.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Here's a stat de Fabo put out about the Steelers
using Spencer Anderson's the extra tackle. The Steelers are averaging
three point three yards per carry this season, which is crap.
It's absolute crap. When Anderson's out there, they're averaging four
point seven yards per carry, and that's being trumpeted, not
(12:01):
by the fab but by the usual suspects. Is justification
for using the extra tackle, for using the seven offensive linemen?
To me, it's okay, what do you expect with seven
offensive lineman out there? Of course the yards per carry
is gonna jump, But what else gets hurt?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, and I mean the sample size there has to
be so low right, because really only Spencer Anderson was
out there for one game as a big time role
player in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
That was n Yeah against the Vikings. And the Vikings,
I do see your point. The yards per carry should
go up.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Absolutely, It'd be a big problem if they were stuck
in neutral or not going up that dramatically. This week,
I'm interested to see how that run offense does against
that Browns rush defense, which you could argue is the
best rush defense in football.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I think that's another storyline.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Do the Steelers continue that momentum that they built in
the running game off of the Dublin win against the Vikings.
I don't think they do. I still think you see
the big package out there, the seven linemen more in
a protection aspect though, trying to just put three bodies
on Garrett whenever you can won't be to move bodies
in the running game. I don't know if they can
do that against this Browns defense.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Defebo does good work. That was a great stat.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
At the stat I wish I had had my column
which I wrote today for the trip about the seven
offensive lineman and so tom at the commercial break, I
will take that stat and put it in my column.
Facts aren't plagiarism. A turn of a phrase is now.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I mean like, I think the Steelers will give losing
this game their best shot, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
It's a great way to put it. I don't think
a couple of rookies can beat the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
I don't think Dylan Gabriel and Judkins at running back
can do enough to beat the Steelers. I don't think
the Brons can score enough points on the Steelers defense,
which is overrated. Might be missing Ramsey, although he practiced today,
so we don't yet know.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But I don't think they can score enough.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Browns are the only team in football I think this
year that haven't scored more than eighteen points in a game.
I mean there are For as great as their defense is,
their offense has been just as bad. I don't think
they can score enough to beat the Steelers. I do
see this game and entering the fourth quarter in doubt,
and maybe Steelers down three up by three tie games
something like that, and then I think Rogers is just
gonna kind of be like f this, here's a touchdown
(14:05):
to put it in doubt, and we're gonna win.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
The game. You know, it's funny, Like I was trying
to figure out ways the Browns could win, and I
looked at Nadjoku, who's a real good tight end, real big,
real good.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah, underrated, And people tend to say that.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
I hear everybody on Twitter, on on the beat team,
they say that Nadjokho kills the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
He doesn't.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
In fourteen games, he has forty nine catches and four touchdowns.
That's not onerous. That seems a bit low in fact.
And I look at their receivers, Bond and Judy. I
like them, but I don't even see a real number
one there. I see two number twos, don't you. I
see two number two's. Bond has potential to be a
number one. He didn't get drafted because he had sexual
assault things off the field.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Though no, no I know, I know, but like but
his stats, he's not a number one yet.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Well no, he gets the occasional deep ball, but otherwise
he really isn't, isn't used up, isn't doesn't have many catches.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
He does not.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
He was targeted a lot by Gabriel last week, though
I think he got there was only ten targets to
receivers last time the Browns played, and six of them
went to Bond. Forty percent of where Gabriel was looking
in the passing game was the tight ends and Djoku
and Harold Fannon Junior. I feel like that is just
safety blanket stuff from Stefanski, right, Like just big targets,
easy throws, and that's going to carry over the Steers Scar.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
That's smart. It is is a smart coach. Do you
think Shador plays Sunday only if Gabriel gets hurt? Nope.
I think at some point he gets in. You think
the owner goes to the sidelines.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
And what it shows up on the side and I
then to be tremendous. Uh hasl Yeah, put him in?
Put him in, or maybe him and Dion will show
up in the sideline Dean like put my kid in.
Uh but uh well, no, I I think the only
way Gabriel plays every snap is if they lead, uh
not come you know what I mean, Like if they're
in control of the.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Game, not the whole way, but in the second half.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
So you think if they're down by like a touchdown
in the fourth quarter, they'll throw Shador out there.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
I give they're done by two scores from the third
quarter on. He will definitely play. I'll say definitely then too.
If it's a game that's over already, with still probably
a fourth quarter left to play, why not pool that switch?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
See what you got in Shadoor. But if it's close,
you know, if.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
It's a game that the Steelers mess around with losing,
I don't see him pooling him.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Who's good on that Cleveland defense? Besides Garrett, who's the threat,
It is a good unit.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I think a lot of them are threat at Mkhil Collins,
the other guy, MALIEK. Collins is his name. He had
three sacks last week. He's on the defensive front with Garrett.
Mason Graham's awesome, the the tackle for Michigani.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
He's good.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I always say this. He's good enough that you notice
him on the network fee He's awesome. You see him
throwing guys around.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
I think Harmon is going to be very good. But
that was the class of d tackles. In this class
was Mason Graham. I mean he's the instant star. I mean, no,
no knocking Harmon because it's early doors. But I don't
notice him. I see every Steeler game, every snap.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I don't notice Harmon, you know, since he got in
the lineup like I have Mason Graham and my limited
exposure watching.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
The Browns, and honestly, that's how it should be. Mason
Gram's a top five pick and was a great player
in college. Not to say Harmon wasn't Dell not to
out put Denzel Ward, obviously a really good corner. They
traded Greg Newsom, but their number one corners Denzel Award
and this rookie linebacker on the inside, Schwezinger. He's been
playing awesome for the Browns this year. Ano they're kind of,
you know, let's trust a rookie and see if it
(17:11):
pays off. And it's been paying off. So there's a
lot of dudes on this defense. It really is one
of the best defenses in football.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
I hope Mason Rudolph plays so Garrett can try to
brain him again with his own helmet.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I think there's a chance this might be the best chance.
You see Rogers get hurt so far this year. Although
the Steelers are gonna throw the ball.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Quick, Oh no, no, no, that moment's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Rogers goes down and stays down, and Rudolph got to
come in it's gonna happen sooner or later. Rodgers ain't
gonna play seventeen games. I said before the season, it'd
be great if he played fourteen.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yeah, and this is yeah, And this is just a
game where you have to kind of worry about it
because of Garrett and Graham and the elite Collins, the
guys up front like they hit hard and put weight
of body on the quarterback. I would love to see
the Rudolph versus Garrett rivalry play out one more time.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
I'd do the longest jarct thing. I'd drill him bright
and nots. If I were Rudolph, I would too. Yes,
it worked once, it should work again. One oh five nine,
the X.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
One O five nine, the X as your shot at eggs.
Drink cash money like that Lucho Dinero. I'm rich, rich, rich,
gim listen all day for your chance as some extra
cash on one oh five nine, it's the X time
now for your.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Doublem.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Talking to Tommy Radio tom Jalen, Ramsey did participate in
practice today, but when asked by the media afterwards if
he'd be playing Sunday against Cleveland, he said, quote unquote.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
We'll see. Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I feel if Ramsey doesn't play, the Steelers defense will
probably be vanilla.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
And I disagree with that.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I understand, but I think you should try to confuse
Dylan Gabriel him being a rookie quarterback for Cleveland and
I harke him back to the days where Dick Lebo
I mean a rookie quarterback. I figure what the record was,
but almost never beat him, like like it was like
three and thirty rookie quarterbacks against Dicklebou as the Steelers
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I agree with that, and with that in mind, when
you just like put Eckles in the Ramsey role and
just say be Ramsey today. You're not like, we don't
expect you to be that impactful, but just you know.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
What, it'd be a good beck because he's played all
over the secondary. No, I think would be great to
do it, but probably unprepared to do it. Is Joey
Porter junior coming back, but not now.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I just kind of want to stick Joey on the
outside too, Like, let's let Joey find his way as
an outside corner and maybe even for the entire season,
just get get him comfortable doing that before you really
start expanding his role. Eckles, I think, is the guy
that you just kind of plug in for Ramsey. Now,
the thing is, I don't think Eckles can play safety though,
so you have to do something else there where Ramsey
could drop back into the safeties.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
But but I'm fine with the thought thorn Hill or Clark.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
But if Eckles can't play safety, then you're asking guys
to do different things from snap to snap all over
the secondary. So so in a way, we've made the
argument for it it remaining vanilla, and like, maybe you
don't need to be anything bun vanilla to beat this
quarterback unless he has a real good game, which I
think he's capable of, but it's so early in his development.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
This secondary has proven to be expert communicators too, though,
so I don't think it's a problem if you're having
a lot of bodies moving in and.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Out, he said sarcastically.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, I I I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I mean, I do know. You can't lose this game.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I think you can be vanilla against the rookie and
get away with it. But it would have been a
lot better if you give him a lot of different looks.
He was, but we know Flores did in London and
Gabriel was fine, didn't throw any picks, seem pretty composed
in the pocket.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
I think Gabriel is a really solid quarterback, not a starter,
but a guy that can come in and be a
really good backup in this league.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What if s gets in there in relief, either wins
the game or comes close as he's the start of
the next.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Week, Oh no doubt even if Shador does. Yet, do
you think do.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
You think the conflict and there clearly is a conflict
when when you hear the head coach, Kevin Stevanski, who's
a two time NFL Coach of the Year, a very
good coach, when you or him say he didn't know
Flacco was being traded, there's clearly maybe conflicts too strong
a word.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
But the owner and coach aren't on.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The same page at quarterback because, as I think is obvious,
the owner wants Sheedor to play.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
The owners the reason they drafted Shador.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
I think that was a clear reaction from the owner
too when Flacco was benched, him still being quarterback too,
and I think that probably rubbed has them the wrong way.
He was like, why are we still making the old
man anything but the emergency third string. He should just
be a glorified coach. And then he said, you know what,
I'm gonna tell my GM to trade Flacco then, because
if he's not here, he can't make.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Him the number two.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I think Stefanski should have shown some guts and put
Zappi in there as the backup quarterback.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Like we said yesterday, Tom there's only thirty two of
those jobs, and that said Stefanski is a guy who
could get hired, you know, pretty quickly. Maybe North Carolina
could fire Belichick and they could they could bring Stefanski
into to finish the season.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
I My dream scenario, like I said I think yesterday,
is that that Tomlin you know, gets fired or resigns
at the end of the season and Stefanski quits in
Cleveland because the the the conflict with the owner over
quarterback and comes right to Pittsburgh. I think this team
with Kevin Stefanski could go on a playoff run.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
No kidding, I just.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Want an offensive mind like that. And Arthur Smith is
an upgrade for Matt Canada, but he's not that level.
He's not a play is Tomlin's bitch? That's what No
that's what we're seeing already.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I mean, Arthur Smith had an offense that wasn't this prehistoric.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I mean right, it.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Featured the tight ends, but it used the tight ends
for something other than blockers. This is ridiculous. I'm sorry.
I go up on tangents about it all the time.
I wrote a column about it for the Trip trip
live dot com. But but this is ridiculous. Seventh offensive
lineman is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It's not the man.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
In my position could not afford to be made to
look ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It really isn't the full complement of the Arthur Smith offense,
especially when you look at the tight ends and how
he used guys like the Amy Walker in Tennessee, and
then furthermore when he had aj Brown and Corey Davis
on the outset at wide receiver. Those guys were deep
threats for Tennessee. They were bombing the ball down the field.
Of course, they had Derek Henry running football, so that changed.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
No One has his finger in every single pie with
what the Steelers do personnel wise, all the game plans,
both sides of the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
He is a megalomaniac, and I don't mean that in
a good way Stefanski.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Would absolutely change this offense for the better. Guys like
that would absolutely change this offense and bring it into
modern football. But since Tomlin wants to have his fingers
and all those pies, I think he feels threatened by
guys like that. I think that's been very clear.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Well when you put it that way, I think we
all want to have fingers and pies. But I got
a thing I'm to talk about later, maybe with Charlie Batch.
Tom does this remind you a little bit the way
they're deploying Rogers of when the Steelers fired Bruce Ariy
is because even though Ben was great under him as
a quarterback, it didn't protect him well enough. They were
worried about longevity with Ben. And I've often thought, no,
(24:04):
no offense to Ben, you know who, I had a
great career and I don't want to see him get hurt,
but you know, no risk at no biscuit. I think
if they had, you know, let Ben take a bit
more risk, maybe they would have won more. And I
think that's the case now with Rogers. I mean, what
would you rather have him do play seventeen games and
go nine and eight or play fourteen games?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
And win ten of those obviously the fourteen games, and
win ten and look like a legitimate I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
You're you're putting him at risk, and he's an old man,
but that's part of the job.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Here's the thing, though, I don't think Rogers is shying
away from that risk, nor do I. I don't get
the sense that he's the one that's also like, yeah,
protect me, I don't want to get hit that much.
And so many times you see old quarterbacks shy away
from getting hit.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
I don't get that sense from him.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, he's probably on a ton of drugs, right,
like he ayahuasca, percocet, like no, I am, He's on
a ton of pain killers out there.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I'm sure he thinks, oh yeah, why not.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Let's just no, let's not say that I did.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Sue Tommy Radio, but ayahuasca.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
For sure, we know that for a fact that he
at least does that off the field. I just think
that it's the team deciding for him.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
You know what I'm gonna I'm gonna backtrack on your behalf.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
If there's one guy I don't think takes unnecessary drugs,
I mean, he's an anti vaxxer.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
I don't know about that though. I think he's up
for the pain. Oh he likes the pain. He so
you like it dirty? Uh, But he's not. He's not
the problem here.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Like it's the coaching staff deciding for him or for themselves.
Like we don't want to have Mason Rudolph get out there.
But the point of having Mason Rudolph is you have
an upper tier backup that you can go to for
a couple games.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Do you think they see him as upper tier back
They do not. We see him in a different light
than the team does. Tom.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
I haven't yet noted today what a great night for
Philadelphia sports. The Eagles got got killed by the New
York Football Giants. The Phillies got eliminated in the most
embarrassing way possible. Like the comeback er to the pitcher
bases loaded two OTTs bottom of extra innings, and instead
of going first base for the simple play, he kind
of handcuffed real Mudo at home, who was waving the
(26:03):
catcher for Philly, pointing to first base to make the
play there, threw it away, The Dodgers walk it off,
and then the Flyers lost their opener.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
It was just terrific night.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
I didn't even know that part about the Flyers, so
that made it even sweeter. Who cares about them though
their garbage? The Phillies that picture, he just panicked right
because the ball came to him and he bobbled it
at first, but he had an eternity to love that
thing to first base. It wasn't just a handcuff of
real mood too. He like air mailed it over the umpires.
It was a terrible throw, like real mudo.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Had he even been set and wanting the ball to come,
would not have been ready for it, could not have
made the play.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
No chance.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
So you never say that that guy blew it for
the Phillies. And they scored one run to that point
in the game. But that's a tough spot.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Well, that error ended the series and eliminated the Phillies.
There's a lot of panic over the Eagles, who were
still fourign two and they just won the Super Bowl.
Is there any reason to like, you know, wonder if
there's a big problem there and if they're I mean, like,
you know, what's fun people are propping up Kansas City
and they're what two and three and they're they're dumping
(27:05):
on the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Who are four and two, And that's always kind of
been the case with the Eagles during their run here.
Like sirianni as a head coach has been to two
Super Bowls in three years and he's won one of
them against the Kansas City Chiefs. People want to fire
him all the time, Like last year he heard noise
about him.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
He's kind of a dink, right, I guess.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
But can you be a dink and win as much
as he does? Like, can you truly be a dink?
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
He does jaw with the fans. We had that last year.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Andy Reid does all those commercials like the great Google moglie. Yeah,
you know what any Reid reminds me of. If Wilford
Brimley were a football coach would be Andy Reid.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah, he would play Reid in the movie No Doubt.
Is he dead though?
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I think Brimley is dead, But Reid gives off that
like Pops five from the Natural.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Well, then cross him off. One oh five nine. The
X Spirits Sommer news for the Xsters Halloween cus on Thursday,
October thirtieth.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
The Cups set sail at eight pm with live music
from the Clintones playing All Your nineties Favorites. Ten dollars
and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold goes to
the Mariellamuth Foundation or in your crew for this twenty
one or older event and dressing your Halloween best to
score prizes all night. FOW Tickets are on seal now
at Gateway Clipper dot com. The Ex's Halloway on the
(28:23):
Gateway Clipper sponsored by Disaster Restoration Services. We'll see you
on October from the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
This report is sponsored by the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.
Lots of sunshine to start the weekend.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Today's high in the upper sixties, mostly clear overnight tonight
with low temperatures in the mid forties and Saturday partly too.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Pre game show with Mark Madden and Tom Offerman on
one oh five nine The X.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
We have confirmed Wilfrid Britley. His dad died five years ago.
Best remembered for his stint as the manager of the
baseball team in the natural and for playing the Postmaster
General on Seinfeldt. I mean he did a lot else,
but that's what jumped to mind with me. Connolences to
(29:15):
his friends and family. This segment this pregame show from
two till three brought to us by the personal injury
expert Schendrovi, Cenrovitch and Fishman. They've got your back, not
your wallet, Tom. What do we got for today's trifectum?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
First, I just have to say absolutely beautiful eulogy of
Wilford Brimley five years after he died.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Right right, I mean I'm still kind of teared up
in light of the fact I wasn't even sure he
was dead.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
All Right, my trifecta today, I got three things that
the Steelers offense can expose on this really good Browns defense.
Number three, I just have written down Devin Bush. Devin
Bush is the other inside linebacker opposite of the rookie Schwezinger.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Does he start for this? He does.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Jeremiah Wilsa Corramoa, their usual starter, has hurt pretty injuries
out for the year. His career might even be in jeopardy.
But Devin Bush is the starter. So just key on
Devin Bush. Target Devin Bush. He stinks. Number two the
short passing game. Matt Williamson turned me onto this. According
to Next Gen Stats, the Browns are twenty ninth in
the league against what they dictate a short passing game,
(30:17):
and that's Rogers's bread and butter for the Steelers is
get that ball out quick, do a lot of short stuff.
So if the Browns have problems with it, that plays
kind of right into the Steelers' hands. But the number
one advantage I see for the Steelers, it's the number
one advantage every team has against this Browns defense.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
They are last in the league in red zone defense.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
They give up a touchdown seventy eight percent of the
time that a team gets to the red zone.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
That's a big figure for what's considered to be a
pretty good defense up there in Cleve.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
But here's the thing. Most teams don't get to the
red zone against the Browns. It's a struggle to get there.
Just when you do, for whatever reason, you have success
against them. Steelers are operating right now at sixty nine
percent as far as red zone efficiency is concerned. That's
eighth in the league. So they're actually really good at
that top ten. I think that could be a huge
(31:05):
factor in this game. If they can get into that
red area, Rogers should be able to get in the
end zone.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Tom, what do you think specifically has to happen for
the Steelers to lose this game to the Brons.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Rogers is going to have to turn the ball over
a couple times, and that just seems so far fetched
to think that he'll do that. Maybe a Miles Garrett
blindside stripsack is how it happens. I just don't see
him throwing like multiple interceptions. And Judkins is going to
go off. If the Steelers lose, the Browns are going
to have to score some point. It's gonna have to
move the ball somehow on offense. It'll be with Judkins
(31:36):
having another big game. And you know what, I think
people out there are kind of just pretending the Steelers
rush defens is fixed because they hadn't been gashed like
they had been at the beginning of the year against Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
But it's not fixed yet, and Judkins is going to
be a pretty decent test.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Tom.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
What'd you make the Penguins game last night?
Speaker 1 (31:53):
I thought it was another decent effort, a systematic, buttoned
up effort against a pretty bad team.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
They played two pretty bad teams and beat them both.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Although the Rangers did bounce back and beat Buffalo last
night for a zip, which means Buffalo still sucks.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
It's buffalo.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
I thought it was awesome Gino finding the Fountain of
Youth at the start of the season. He looked like
a pool shark, didn't he on that pass to Brawsers
playing the angles like that. It was awesome and great
finish by Browsers too. It wasn't just you know, go
in and shoot a little stick handling there in front
of the net. So I thought it was just an
awesome game. I don't know how long Gino can keep
that up. In fact, that was all right, I mean
(32:29):
better now than never. Of course, I don't even really
expect him to keep it up, but maybe he doesn't
have to drop off too much right his level of play,
and that would still be very successful for the Penguins.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Well, they won't do this, for example, like if Rust
is ready tomorrow night, which he maybe he'll go right
back with Crosby and Raquel, which is not what I
would do.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
But I would keep Gino.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
With the two big wingers until it doesn't work, and
I'm sure they will tomorrow night no matter who's available,
because it's just such a different look. Like the Gino
scored on the power play, I mean it was out
of traffic was out of traffic, you know.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
What I mean.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
It's like, maybe maybe that can be something that he
reaps the benefit from being out there with that Godzilla line,
the two other six foot five guys.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
The power play looked good last night too. That looks
like there's carryover from last year to this year with
them kind of figuring things out. And Eric Carlson, I
mean it's two games, but he's been awesome for two games.
I mean, this is the Carlson we kind of hope
we get.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Well.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
No, there were a few more warning signs of the
hand grenade hockey, the usual Penguins version of Eric Carlson
last night. But yeah, he played well enough. I thought
Brunck was brilliant. I think the defense overall for a
defensive cord that sucks, especially on the left side, has
actually uh looked.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Okay, I am curious you brought this up. What happens
if for us is healthy and ready to go tomorrow,
which I kind of think he will be.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
He plays with sid and Raquel.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
There's no question you don't agree with that though, right,
But it doesn't matter because it doesn't know Vine. I
would play, I would try kindle with sit Coiven has
not had a great first two games. He's not been
bad in his efforts, certainly there, he just not sparkled.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
But so many times we said with Sullivan, you know,
a couple of games where a guy doesn't sparkle, and
it's done.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
We're not going to experiment anymore.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Given some run here with Sid, let him play ten
twelve games on that first line. You're right, it's going
to be Rust and Raquel. I would keep Coven in there.
I would keep that first line attack.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I would try Kindle there. Sure, I'd keep the first
line and second line intact. For now. I just go
Rust on the third line. Have him play Kendle's wing.
You know, I had a good name game last night.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
They scratched Tomasino after the game at New York because
you know, he's small potatoes. You don't have to worry
at all about developing him. He is exactly as good
as he's ever going to be. And they played Hollander,
the kid who they drafted, came over, went back to Sweden.
Now he's back in North America again, and he actually
had a good game. I think he had an insist.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
It's going back to what you said at the beginning
of the show. The staleness is gone. Right.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Oh, one thing I'm sure about is that Sullivan should
have been gone a couple of years ago, just to
get rid of the staleness this. This doesn't feel like
the same team. It doesn't feel like the same old,
same old. And as a result, however early and it is,
they're getting results that were unexpected.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Does it make you say, what if a little bit
not that they'd win a Cup if they had moved
on from Sullivan a little bit earlier, But maybe it's
not a three year playoff drout.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Maybe they win a series in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
I think if they had moved on was from Sullivan,
like around twenty twenty or twenty twenty one, they would
have won a playoff series. And no, I can't say that,
but I think they would have made the playoffs. They
would not have missed each of the last three years.
That's probably the best way to.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Put it, especially that one year where they tried almost
everything in their power to not make it.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
And it's that Carlson game against the Red Wings.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Remember well, yeah, idently gave up a loser point to Detroit,
But yeah, that whole year was just like they'd blow lead.
There were so many missed opportunities, not least on the
stretch that was two years ago, where they had chances
even the year before. Both years they had chances to
wrap up playoff spots with games they should have won
against weak opponents and did not do it.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Now, how do you think Jari played.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I think he was kind of nah in that it
wasn't like the Islanders beat him on any asling goals
for any of the three that they scored. But I
will say Jarry played a pretty good third period and
there were some testy moments there, some tip shots that
he came up big with on saves.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Yeah no, no, he battled the puck, but he also
battled twin. Kind of looks like a backup right one
oh five nine x
This is the Mark Maddon Show. You like it, you
love it, you want more of it? You can follow
me on Twitter at Mark Madden x uh. We are
going to talk a lot of Steelers and Brons today.
We got Tim Benz at three point thirty former Steelers
quarterback Charlie Batch at four pm. A few interesting developments
occurred during Thursday Night football. Actually, the New York Football
(00:26):
Giants killed Philadelphia, killed him.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Beat their ass up and knocked their ass out. Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Thirty four seventeen and Scatterbo, that rookie back for the Giants,
got ninety eight yards and three touchdowns on nineteen carries.
And the injured Twitter and the usual suspects. You're like,
they should have drafted Scattabo. Imagine that Steelers offense was Scatterbo.
If the Steelers offense at Scattabo, it'd be riding the
(00:55):
effing bench, just like Caleb Johnson. The Steelers should not
have drafted Scatabo. Caleb Johnson is a superior talent. He
went to the third round, scatabow in the fourth. The
Steelers should give Caleb Johnson more carries, a lot more carries.
(01:16):
Scatterbow in New York. It's like Judkins in Cleveland. The
Giants and Browns are playing rookie running backs and both
are succeeding the backs anyway, and the teams to me
seemed to be getting better. New York did just kill
Philadelphia last night. The Steelers are playing career backed upstick
running back and leaving their rookie running back on the bench.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Johnston is better than Scattabo, you know how. I know that.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Every team passed on Johnson two times, some three, every
team passed on Scattabo three times some four. H Johnson
is better than Scattabo, I have no but not if
you don't play him.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Not with you people.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I do know Scatabo has one thing to offer, and
that's these whites. And let's not kid ourselves in terms
of the way you knit. Would think that is a
big factor. Let's talking out of Tommy Radio. Tom do
you see my point? I'd play Johnson, not bitch about
not drafting Scatabo.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
You talked all week about the Browns have juice now
because they're playing rookies, not just the running back. The
rookie quarterbacks in there now, and they got a couple
of good rookies on the defensive side.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Of the ball. Giants are the same way.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Like the Giants have some juice, The fan base is excited,
the team is pointed in the right direction. I think
even more so than the Browns are, because their rookies
are better than the Browns rookies, not Scatabo and Judkins.
But Dart looks like he's got something as a quarterback.
I don't know exactly what his ceiling is, but he's good.
At least he's doing okay. I like his legs. He
scored that great running touchdown. And they got Abdul Carter,
(02:56):
the kid from Penn State on the defensive side of
the ball, who is just a phenomenal rookie as well.
Like just there is so many examples around the NFL
where you look at teams just playing their rookies and
they see great success out of them.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
They're giving themselves a chance to improve.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
The Steelers in Week eighteen will be the same as
the Steelers right now in Week six.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
They won't get better, They'll only get tired and injured.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And it's not just teams that are at the bottom
of the league right like the Giants and Browns that
have nothing to do this year but build for the future.
Look at the Buccaneers in a Mecca. Agbuca comes in
immediately their number one receiver, I mean Mike with.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Some pretty big names on that depth that receiver.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Like when Mike Evans was healthy, Baker was still going
to Egbuca more. And now with Evan's sidelines, that relationship
in chemistry is just gonna grow between the two of them.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
The best thing could happen for the Steelers would be
if either Warren or Gainwell suffered a season ending injury.
Not wishing it on them, but if one did and
the other one got hurt so he couldn't play in
a game and they had to play Caleb Johnson and
I bet he'd come through.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think he would have come through against me Minnesota.
I mean the way that that offensive line was moving
the Minnesota Vikings, and he had the big jumbo package
in there to help in the run game. I think
Caleb Johnson would have had a really good game there,
would have had his coming out party.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I will say Scabow is a very powerful running back.
He's white. I mean he's like a bowling ball dart.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That rookie quarterback threw for butt ninety five and a
touchdown rush for fifty eight and a really nice running touchdown. Again,
It's just good to play rookies. Now, Tom, did you
watch Philadelphia lose to the New York Football Giants?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Did you watch what I'm talking about? I did?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I mean that was a convincing win by the Giants
and a really unconvincing performance by the Eagles. Here's a
great stat Jalen Hurts is twenty seven years old.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I would call him a running quarterback in particular.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He's good at it, but like that's not his bread
and butter, right, But because the tush push, he has
sixty rushing touchdowns already sixty And what did you.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Think of the four straight tush pushes to get into
the well?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
That has everybody now rallying to the side of the
bush push.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
We got some sound later from Steven A. Smith that
will play.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
But what if, like you threw a slant to aj
Brown for four consecutive big plays? What if you ran Barkley,
you know, wide, on four consecutive plays. Are you going
to ban plays that are used repetitively to succeed.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's a great point.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
This one looks a little bit more ugly than those
ones though, because it's just that scrum of bodies moving
forward a yard at a time. But you're right, like
people go to the well all the time on things
that are successful.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
So why ban the Eagles for something? They're more successful
than anybody? See?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
To me, it's power football, it's physical football. Do you
hear people asking about physical football?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Well, this is it. It's a bunch of men in
a pole. What's not like about that?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Now?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
What if you change the rule where you can allow
the defense to get leverage too and kind of push back,
because that's the disadvantage they have right now, Like a
linebacker can't go up on a d tackle and push
him back.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Ah, that's too bad.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
You don't.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
You don't change your rule because you know a play
on one side of the ball is working, you don't
even it up for the other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And no other team can do it. It's just one
team because they try, Yeah, and they always fail.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
H Philadelphia four and two and they looked bad. There's
zero undefeated teams right now, Tom, who's the best team
in the NFL?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Right this second? I got my ideas, let's hear right
this second, it's Detroit.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I know that They got beat pretty badly by the
Packers in Week one, but I think that's just week one.
They're my best team in the NFC. They've looked awesome,
but I don't trust them. So AFC is at Buffalo
for you.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, yeah, even.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Though they've not you know, got to where you know
what I agree with. We talked yesterday about potential MVP candidates,
right and Josh Allen's stats right now aren't great, but
by the end of the season he's gonna, you know,
have MVP stats and probably get another MVP.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Boy if he's the number one overall seed in the AFC,
like say they win fourteen games this year, and yeah,
he has stats that are commiserate with an MVP. It
will be hard for them to not go back to
back with him and give it to like a Baker
or a Jared Goff. Yeah, but they might do it
anyway to Golfer Baker, No, no, to ask That's what
I'm saying, and I'm saying it'll be hard for them
(07:01):
to not get.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
It right on. Yeah, I mean they like giving it
to name exactly.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
And then it would be the back to back thing too,
so they could be like Lamar's back to back, Allen's
back to back.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
You know what's greting about MVP conversation, Tom, whenever we
do it, whenever anybody on any platform does it, nobody
mentions anybody but quarterbacks. Is there anybody in the league
right now? Not a quarterback that should be in the
conversation besides Scatabo.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Right this second, besides scatterbo nothing comes to top of mind.
Last year's no other white guys, no other white guys.
Last year's Saque had a real good shot at it.
Like if we were ever gonna give it to a
non quarterback again, it was last year for Saque. It's
just a quarterback award.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I don't see them ever giving it to anybody else,
unless like a receiver pools of a two thousand yard season.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I don't see anybody getting it up.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Next, we're gonna talk about one of the most absurd
things I've heard proposed Bozo the columnist. You remember him,
Actually you probably don't. He thinks they should build a
statue of Cutch. Give me an effing break. X Okay,
Boso the columnists too wrote a sports column back in
(08:05):
the thirties. You've all forgotten that most of his readers
are dead, but he suggested on Twitter that the Pirates
should build a statue of Andrew McCutcheon when he retires.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I think that's absolutely absurd.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Being the best player of a generally crappy generation and
a non Hall of Famer, that should not get you
a statue. He's not Clemente, he's not Stargele, he's not Kinder,
he's not Wagner, he's not anything close to that. And
I understand you want to have events and you want to,
you know, make the best of what is a bad
and certainly thrifty situation in the Notting ownership era. But
(08:44):
I just would not do that now. To get back
to the Steeler game, it's difficult to come up with
Steeler storylines.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Steeler lines that actually is kind of catchy.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
It's difficult to come up with storylines for Sunday's home
game ninst Cleveland. Hopefully Shador plays now that he's confirmed
as the number two quarterback. I like Judkins, the rookie
running back for Cleveland. He could keep a minute with
a big game. His last three games have been one
hundred and ten, eighty two and ninety four yards.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Pretty good.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Dylan Gabriel isn't a savior. The rookie quarterback. He's okay.
Remember when Dick lebou was the Steelers defensive coordinator and
if the other team had a rookie quarterback, it was
game over, a death sentence, not no more. But this
high priced superstar defense the Steelers have, you can't lose
the rookie quarterback.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
At home, no way, when you can go to four and.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
One Garrett versus what is a storyline? How Garrett is
deployed against that seven minter offensive line is a storyline.
And maybe the Steelers offense changes it up a bit.
Maybe John New breaks out of Friarmouth, but more likely
John who I feel like Friarmuth is the number three
(09:59):
tight end. P Let's welcome now back to the microphone,
Tommy Radio. Tom what do you make of Bozo saying
cuts you get a statue? I mean, I'm trying not
to not Cutch what I say. No, but no, he's
just not in the class of the guys who have statues.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
It's why it's so absurd to say something like that,
because then you almost have to bash Cutch a little
bit unintentionally because it's it really It's hard to even
come up with the words to describe that kind of
idea going that far with it.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
To me, you either have to be Hall of Famer
to get a statue, or the best player in an
era where you won World Series, Stanley Cups, whatever, or
be just egregiously popular like Flurri.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I mean, flori fits the description of a bunch of
the above, all of the above. I mean, Cuts was popular,
but he wasn't like Florrie popular.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I think all statues need to fit the criteria almost
all of the above that you just laid out, Mark,
I don't think he can really be one or the other.
You got to be a Hall of Famer with championships
and just a genuine, you know, iconic figure as well
to be immortalized like that. I think the other things
that he said should happen to Cutch was retire his number.
That might even be a little bit too far, but
I get it. I'm cool with that. I can get
(11:11):
my head around it. Bug me, like a statue, would
they retire a lot of numbers? And then I guess
he said something about moving him into the front office.
McCutcheon doesn't want to do that, do you think he does.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Even if he does, what's any indication that he could could,
you know, be like an assistant GM. I mean, maybe
he could be like a glad hander. Maybe he could
be like Joe Lewis at the casino door.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I'm not saying that McCutchen, if that is the route
he would want to go post baseball, couldn't be a
good assistant GM. Just wouldn't be able to be a
good one here because no one's able to be a
good one here because you're handcuffed by the ownership.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Here's a stat de Fabo put out about the Steelers
using Spencer Anderson's the extra tackle. The Steelers are averaging
three point three yards per carry this season, which is crap.
It's absolute crap. When Anderson's out there, they're averaging four
point seven yards per carry, and that's being trumpeted, not
(12:01):
by the fab but by the usual suspects. Is justification
for using the extra tackle, for using the seven offensive linemen?
To me, it's okay, what do you expect with seven
offensive lineman out there? Of course the yards per carry
is gonna jump, But what else gets hurt?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, and I mean the sample size there has to
be so low right, because really only Spencer Anderson was
out there for one game as a big time role
player in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
That was n Yeah against the Vikings. And the Vikings,
I do see your point. The yards per carry should
go up.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Absolutely, It'd be a big problem if they were stuck
in neutral or not going up that dramatically. This week,
I'm interested to see how that run offense does against
that Browns rush defense, which you could argue is the
best rush defense in football.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I think that's another storyline.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Do the Steelers continue that momentum that they built in
the running game off of the Dublin win against the Vikings.
I don't think they do. I still think you see
the big package out there, the seven linemen more in
a protection aspect though, trying to just put three bodies
on Garrett whenever you can won't be to move bodies
in the running game. I don't know if they can
do that against this Browns defense.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Defebo does good work. That was a great stat.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
At the stat I wish I had had my column
which I wrote today for the trip about the seven
offensive lineman and so tom at the commercial break, I
will take that stat and put it in my column.
Facts aren't plagiarism. A turn of a phrase is now.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I mean like, I think the Steelers will give losing
this game their best shot, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
It's a great way to put it. I don't think
a couple of rookies can beat the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
I don't think Dylan Gabriel and Judkins at running back
can do enough to beat the Steelers. I don't think
the Brons can score enough points on the Steelers defense,
which is overrated. Might be missing Ramsey, although he practiced today,
so we don't yet know.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But I don't think they can score enough.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Browns are the only team in football I think this
year that haven't scored more than eighteen points in a game.
I mean there are For as great as their defense is,
their offense has been just as bad. I don't think
they can score enough to beat the Steelers. I do
see this game and entering the fourth quarter in doubt,
and maybe Steelers down three up by three tie games
something like that, and then I think Rogers is just
gonna kind of be like f this, here's a touchdown
(14:05):
to put it in doubt, and we're gonna win.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
The game. You know, it's funny, Like I was trying
to figure out ways the Browns could win, and I
looked at Nadjoku, who's a real good tight end, real big,
real good.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah, underrated, And people tend to say that.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
I hear everybody on Twitter, on on the beat team,
they say that Nadjokho kills the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
He doesn't.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
In fourteen games, he has forty nine catches and four touchdowns.
That's not onerous. That seems a bit low in fact.
And I look at their receivers, Bond and Judy. I
like them, but I don't even see a real number
one there. I see two number twos, don't you. I
see two number two's. Bond has potential to be a
number one. He didn't get drafted because he had sexual
assault things off the field.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Though no, no I know, I know, but like but
his stats, he's not a number one yet.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Well no, he gets the occasional deep ball, but otherwise
he really isn't, isn't used up, isn't doesn't have many catches.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
He does not.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
He was targeted a lot by Gabriel last week, though
I think he got there was only ten targets to
receivers last time the Browns played, and six of them
went to Bond. Forty percent of where Gabriel was looking
in the passing game was the tight ends and Djoku
and Harold Fannon Junior. I feel like that is just
safety blanket stuff from Stefanski, right, Like just big targets,
easy throws, and that's going to carry over the Steers Scar.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
That's smart. It is is a smart coach. Do you
think Shador plays Sunday only if Gabriel gets hurt? Nope.
I think at some point he gets in. You think
the owner goes to the sidelines.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
And what it shows up on the side and I
then to be tremendous. Uh hasl Yeah, put him in?
Put him in, or maybe him and Dion will show
up in the sideline Dean like put my kid in.
Uh but uh well, no, I I think the only
way Gabriel plays every snap is if they lead, uh
not come you know what I mean, Like if they're
in control of the.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Game, not the whole way, but in the second half.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
So you think if they're down by like a touchdown
in the fourth quarter, they'll throw Shador out there.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
I give they're done by two scores from the third
quarter on. He will definitely play. I'll say definitely then too.
If it's a game that's over already, with still probably
a fourth quarter left to play, why not pool that switch?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
See what you got in Shadoor. But if it's close,
you know, if.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
It's a game that the Steelers mess around with losing,
I don't see him pooling him.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Who's good on that Cleveland defense? Besides Garrett, who's the threat,
It is a good unit.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I think a lot of them are threat at Mkhil Collins,
the other guy, MALIEK. Collins is his name. He had
three sacks last week. He's on the defensive front with Garrett.
Mason Graham's awesome, the the tackle for Michigani.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
He's good.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I always say this. He's good enough that you notice
him on the network fee He's awesome. You see him
throwing guys around.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
I think Harmon is going to be very good. But
that was the class of d tackles. In this class
was Mason Graham. I mean he's the instant star. I mean, no,
no knocking Harmon because it's early doors. But I don't
notice him. I see every Steeler game, every snap.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I don't notice Harmon, you know, since he got in
the lineup like I have Mason Graham and my limited
exposure watching.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
The Browns, and honestly, that's how it should be. Mason
Gram's a top five pick and was a great player
in college. Not to say Harmon wasn't Dell not to
out put Denzel Ward, obviously a really good corner. They
traded Greg Newsom, but their number one corners Denzel Award
and this rookie linebacker on the inside, Schwezinger. He's been
playing awesome for the Browns this year. Ano they're kind of,
you know, let's trust a rookie and see if it
(17:11):
pays off. And it's been paying off. So there's a
lot of dudes on this defense. It really is one
of the best defenses in football.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
I hope Mason Rudolph plays so Garrett can try to
brain him again with his own helmet.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I think there's a chance this might be the best chance.
You see Rogers get hurt so far this year. Although
the Steelers are gonna throw the ball.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Quick, Oh no, no, no, that moment's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Rogers goes down and stays down, and Rudolph got to
come in it's gonna happen sooner or later. Rodgers ain't
gonna play seventeen games. I said before the season, it'd
be great if he played fourteen.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yeah, and this is yeah, And this is just a
game where you have to kind of worry about it
because of Garrett and Graham and the elite Collins, the
guys up front like they hit hard and put weight
of body on the quarterback. I would love to see
the Rudolph versus Garrett rivalry play out one more time.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
I'd do the longest jarct thing. I'd drill him bright
and nots. If I were Rudolph, I would too. Yes,
it worked once, it should work again. One oh five nine,
the X.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
One O five nine, the X as your shot at eggs.
Drink cash money like that Lucho Dinero. I'm rich, rich, rich,
gim listen all day for your chance as some extra
cash on one oh five nine, it's the X time
now for your.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Doublem.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Talking to Tommy Radio tom Jalen, Ramsey did participate in
practice today, but when asked by the media afterwards if
he'd be playing Sunday against Cleveland, he said, quote unquote.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
We'll see. Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I feel if Ramsey doesn't play, the Steelers defense will
probably be vanilla.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
And I disagree with that.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I understand, but I think you should try to confuse
Dylan Gabriel him being a rookie quarterback for Cleveland and
I harke him back to the days where Dick Lebo
I mean a rookie quarterback. I figure what the record was,
but almost never beat him, like like it was like
three and thirty rookie quarterbacks against Dicklebou as the Steelers
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I agree with that, and with that in mind, when
you just like put Eckles in the Ramsey role and
just say be Ramsey today. You're not like, we don't
expect you to be that impactful, but just you know.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
What, it'd be a good beck because he's played all
over the secondary. No, I think would be great to
do it, but probably unprepared to do it. Is Joey
Porter junior coming back, but not now.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I just kind of want to stick Joey on the
outside too, Like, let's let Joey find his way as
an outside corner and maybe even for the entire season,
just get get him comfortable doing that before you really
start expanding his role. Eckles, I think, is the guy
that you just kind of plug in for Ramsey. Now,
the thing is, I don't think Eckles can play safety though,
so you have to do something else there where Ramsey
could drop back into the safeties.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
But but I'm fine with the thought thorn Hill or Clark.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
But if Eckles can't play safety, then you're asking guys
to do different things from snap to snap all over
the secondary. So so in a way, we've made the
argument for it it remaining vanilla, and like, maybe you
don't need to be anything bun vanilla to beat this
quarterback unless he has a real good game, which I
think he's capable of, but it's so early in his development.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
This secondary has proven to be expert communicators too, though,
so I don't think it's a problem if you're having
a lot of bodies moving in and.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Out, he said sarcastically.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, I I I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I mean, I do know. You can't lose this game.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I think you can be vanilla against the rookie and
get away with it. But it would have been a
lot better if you give him a lot of different looks.
He was, but we know Flores did in London and
Gabriel was fine, didn't throw any picks, seem pretty composed
in the pocket.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
I think Gabriel is a really solid quarterback, not a starter,
but a guy that can come in and be a
really good backup in this league.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What if s gets in there in relief, either wins
the game or comes close as he's the start of
the next.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Week, Oh no doubt even if Shador does. Yet, do
you think do.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
You think the conflict and there clearly is a conflict
when when you hear the head coach, Kevin Stevanski, who's
a two time NFL Coach of the Year, a very
good coach, when you or him say he didn't know
Flacco was being traded, there's clearly maybe conflicts too strong
a word.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
But the owner and coach aren't on.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The same page at quarterback because, as I think is obvious,
the owner wants Sheedor to play.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
The owners the reason they drafted Shador.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
I think that was a clear reaction from the owner
too when Flacco was benched, him still being quarterback too,
and I think that probably rubbed has them the wrong way.
He was like, why are we still making the old
man anything but the emergency third string. He should just
be a glorified coach. And then he said, you know what,
I'm gonna tell my GM to trade Flacco then, because
if he's not here, he can't make.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Him the number two.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I think Stefanski should have shown some guts and put
Zappi in there as the backup quarterback.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Like we said yesterday, Tom there's only thirty two of
those jobs, and that said Stefanski is a guy who
could get hired, you know, pretty quickly. Maybe North Carolina
could fire Belichick and they could they could bring Stefanski
into to finish the season.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
I My dream scenario, like I said I think yesterday,
is that that Tomlin you know, gets fired or resigns
at the end of the season and Stefanski quits in
Cleveland because the the the conflict with the owner over
quarterback and comes right to Pittsburgh. I think this team
with Kevin Stefanski could go on a playoff run.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
No kidding, I just.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Want an offensive mind like that. And Arthur Smith is
an upgrade for Matt Canada, but he's not that level.
He's not a play is Tomlin's bitch? That's what No
that's what we're seeing already.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I mean, Arthur Smith had an offense that wasn't this prehistoric.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I mean right, it.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Featured the tight ends, but it used the tight ends
for something other than blockers. This is ridiculous. I'm sorry.
I go up on tangents about it all the time.
I wrote a column about it for the Trip trip
live dot com. But but this is ridiculous. Seventh offensive
lineman is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It's not the man.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
In my position could not afford to be made to
look ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It really isn't the full complement of the Arthur Smith offense,
especially when you look at the tight ends and how
he used guys like the Amy Walker in Tennessee, and
then furthermore when he had aj Brown and Corey Davis
on the outset at wide receiver. Those guys were deep
threats for Tennessee. They were bombing the ball down the field.
Of course, they had Derek Henry running football, so that changed.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
No One has his finger in every single pie with
what the Steelers do personnel wise, all the game plans,
both sides of the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
He is a megalomaniac, and I don't mean that in
a good way Stefanski.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Would absolutely change this offense for the better. Guys like
that would absolutely change this offense and bring it into
modern football. But since Tomlin wants to have his fingers
and all those pies, I think he feels threatened by
guys like that. I think that's been very clear.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Well when you put it that way, I think we
all want to have fingers and pies. But I got
a thing I'm to talk about later, maybe with Charlie Batch.
Tom does this remind you a little bit the way
they're deploying Rogers of when the Steelers fired Bruce Ariy
is because even though Ben was great under him as
a quarterback, it didn't protect him well enough. They were
worried about longevity with Ben. And I've often thought, no,
(24:04):
no offense to Ben, you know who, I had a
great career and I don't want to see him get hurt,
but you know, no risk at no biscuit. I think
if they had, you know, let Ben take a bit
more risk, maybe they would have won more. And I
think that's the case now with Rogers. I mean, what
would you rather have him do play seventeen games and
go nine and eight or play fourteen games?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
And win ten of those obviously the fourteen games, and
win ten and look like a legitimate I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
You're you're putting him at risk, and he's an old man,
but that's part of the job.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Here's the thing, though, I don't think Rogers is shying
away from that risk, nor do I. I don't get
the sense that he's the one that's also like, yeah,
protect me, I don't want to get hit that much.
And so many times you see old quarterbacks shy away
from getting hit.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
I don't get that sense from him.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, he's probably on a ton of drugs, right,
like he ayahuasca, percocet, like no, I am, He's on
a ton of pain killers out there.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I'm sure he thinks, oh yeah, why not.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Let's just no, let's not say that I did.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Sue Tommy Radio, but ayahuasca.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
For sure, we know that for a fact that he
at least does that off the field. I just think
that it's the team deciding for him.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
You know what I'm gonna I'm gonna backtrack on your behalf.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
If there's one guy I don't think takes unnecessary drugs,
I mean, he's an anti vaxxer.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
I don't know about that though. I think he's up
for the pain. Oh he likes the pain. He so
you like it dirty? Uh, But he's not. He's not
the problem here.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Like it's the coaching staff deciding for him or for themselves.
Like we don't want to have Mason Rudolph get out there.
But the point of having Mason Rudolph is you have
an upper tier backup that you can go to for
a couple games.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Do you think they see him as upper tier back
They do not. We see him in a different light
than the team does. Tom.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
I haven't yet noted today what a great night for
Philadelphia sports. The Eagles got got killed by the New
York Football Giants. The Phillies got eliminated in the most
embarrassing way possible. Like the comeback er to the pitcher
bases loaded two OTTs bottom of extra innings, and instead
of going first base for the simple play, he kind
of handcuffed real Mudo at home, who was waving the
(26:03):
catcher for Philly, pointing to first base to make the
play there, threw it away, The Dodgers walk it off,
and then the Flyers lost their opener.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
It was just terrific night.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
I didn't even know that part about the Flyers, so
that made it even sweeter. Who cares about them though
their garbage? The Phillies that picture, he just panicked right
because the ball came to him and he bobbled it
at first, but he had an eternity to love that
thing to first base. It wasn't just a handcuff of
real mood too. He like air mailed it over the umpires.
It was a terrible throw, like real mudo.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Had he even been set and wanting the ball to come,
would not have been ready for it, could not have
made the play.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
No chance.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
So you never say that that guy blew it for
the Phillies. And they scored one run to that point
in the game. But that's a tough spot.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Well, that error ended the series and eliminated the Phillies.
There's a lot of panic over the Eagles, who were
still fourign two and they just won the Super Bowl.
Is there any reason to like, you know, wonder if
there's a big problem there and if they're I mean, like,
you know, what's fun people are propping up Kansas City
and they're what two and three and they're they're dumping
(27:05):
on the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Who are four and two, And that's always kind of
been the case with the Eagles during their run here.
Like sirianni as a head coach has been to two
Super Bowls in three years and he's won one of
them against the Kansas City Chiefs. People want to fire
him all the time, Like last year he heard noise
about him.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
He's kind of a dink, right, I guess.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
But can you be a dink and win as much
as he does? Like, can you truly be a dink?
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
He does jaw with the fans. We had that last year.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Andy Reid does all those commercials like the great Google moglie. Yeah,
you know what any Reid reminds me of. If Wilford
Brimley were a football coach would be Andy Reid.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah, he would play Reid in the movie No Doubt.
Is he dead though?
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I think Brimley is dead, But Reid gives off that
like Pops five from the Natural.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Well, then cross him off. One oh five nine. The
X Spirits Sommer news for the Xsters Halloween cus on Thursday,
October thirtieth.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
The Cups set sail at eight pm with live music
from the Clintones playing All Your nineties Favorites. Ten dollars
and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold goes to
the Mariellamuth Foundation or in your crew for this twenty
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at Gateway Clipper dot com. The Ex's Halloway on the
(28:23):
Gateway Clipper sponsored by Disaster Restoration Services. We'll see you
on October from the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
This report is sponsored by the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.
Lots of sunshine to start the weekend.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Today's high in the upper sixties, mostly clear overnight tonight
with low temperatures in the mid forties and Saturday partly too.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Pre game show with Mark Madden and Tom Offerman on
one oh five nine The X.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
We have confirmed Wilfrid Britley. His dad died five years ago.
Best remembered for his stint as the manager of the
baseball team in the natural and for playing the Postmaster
General on Seinfeldt. I mean he did a lot else,
but that's what jumped to mind with me. Connolences to
(29:15):
his friends and family. This segment this pregame show from
two till three brought to us by the personal injury
expert Schendrovi, Cenrovitch and Fishman. They've got your back, not
your wallet, Tom. What do we got for today's trifectum?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
First, I just have to say absolutely beautiful eulogy of
Wilford Brimley five years after he died.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Right right, I mean I'm still kind of teared up
in light of the fact I wasn't even sure he
was dead.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
All Right, my trifecta today, I got three things that
the Steelers offense can expose on this really good Browns defense.
Number three, I just have written down Devin Bush. Devin
Bush is the other inside linebacker opposite of the rookie Schwezinger.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Does he start for this? He does.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Jeremiah Wilsa Corramoa, their usual starter, has hurt pretty injuries
out for the year. His career might even be in jeopardy.
But Devin Bush is the starter. So just key on
Devin Bush. Target Devin Bush. He stinks. Number two the
short passing game. Matt Williamson turned me onto this. According
to Next Gen Stats, the Browns are twenty ninth in
the league against what they dictate a short passing game,
(30:17):
and that's Rogers's bread and butter for the Steelers is
get that ball out quick, do a lot of short stuff.
So if the Browns have problems with it, that plays
kind of right into the Steelers' hands. But the number
one advantage I see for the Steelers, it's the number
one advantage every team has against this Browns defense.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
They are last in the league in red zone defense.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
They give up a touchdown seventy eight percent of the
time that a team gets to the red zone.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
That's a big figure for what's considered to be a
pretty good defense up there in Cleve.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
But here's the thing. Most teams don't get to the
red zone against the Browns. It's a struggle to get there.
Just when you do, for whatever reason, you have success
against them. Steelers are operating right now at sixty nine
percent as far as red zone efficiency is concerned. That's
eighth in the league. So they're actually really good at
that top ten. I think that could be a huge
(31:05):
factor in this game. If they can get into that
red area, Rogers should be able to get in the
end zone.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Tom, what do you think specifically has to happen for
the Steelers to lose this game to the Brons.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Rogers is going to have to turn the ball over
a couple times, and that just seems so far fetched
to think that he'll do that. Maybe a Miles Garrett
blindside stripsack is how it happens. I just don't see
him throwing like multiple interceptions. And Judkins is going to
go off. If the Steelers lose, the Browns are going
to have to score some point. It's gonna have to
move the ball somehow on offense. It'll be with Judkins
(31:36):
having another big game. And you know what, I think
people out there are kind of just pretending the Steelers
rush defens is fixed because they hadn't been gashed like
they had been at the beginning of the year against Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
But it's not fixed yet, and Judkins is going to
be a pretty decent test.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Tom.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
What'd you make the Penguins game last night?
Speaker 1 (31:53):
I thought it was another decent effort, a systematic, buttoned
up effort against a pretty bad team.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
They played two pretty bad teams and beat them both.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Although the Rangers did bounce back and beat Buffalo last
night for a zip, which means Buffalo still sucks.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
It's buffalo.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
I thought it was awesome Gino finding the Fountain of
Youth at the start of the season. He looked like
a pool shark, didn't he on that pass to Brawsers
playing the angles like that. It was awesome and great
finish by Browsers too. It wasn't just you know, go
in and shoot a little stick handling there in front
of the net. So I thought it was just an
awesome game. I don't know how long Gino can keep
that up. In fact, that was all right, I mean
(32:29):
better now than never. Of course, I don't even really
expect him to keep it up, but maybe he doesn't
have to drop off too much right his level of play,
and that would still be very successful for the Penguins.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Well, they won't do this, for example, like if Rust
is ready tomorrow night, which he maybe he'll go right
back with Crosby and Raquel, which is not what I
would do.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
But I would keep Gino.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
With the two big wingers until it doesn't work, and
I'm sure they will tomorrow night no matter who's available,
because it's just such a different look. Like the Gino
scored on the power play, I mean it was out
of traffic was out of traffic, you know.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
What I mean.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
It's like, maybe maybe that can be something that he
reaps the benefit from being out there with that Godzilla line,
the two other six foot five guys.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
The power play looked good last night too. That looks
like there's carryover from last year to this year with
them kind of figuring things out. And Eric Carlson, I
mean it's two games, but he's been awesome for two games.
I mean, this is the Carlson we kind of hope
we get.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Well.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
No, there were a few more warning signs of the
hand grenade hockey, the usual Penguins version of Eric Carlson
last night. But yeah, he played well enough. I thought
Brunck was brilliant. I think the defense overall for a
defensive cord that sucks, especially on the left side, has
actually uh looked.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Okay, I am curious you brought this up. What happens
if for us is healthy and ready to go tomorrow,
which I kind of think he will be.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
He plays with sid and Raquel.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
There's no question you don't agree with that though, right,
But it doesn't matter because it doesn't know Vine. I
would play, I would try kindle with sit Coiven has
not had a great first two games. He's not been
bad in his efforts, certainly there, he just not sparkled.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
But so many times we said with Sullivan, you know,
a couple of games where a guy doesn't sparkle, and
it's done.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
We're not going to experiment anymore.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Given some run here with Sid, let him play ten
twelve games on that first line. You're right, it's going
to be Rust and Raquel. I would keep Coven in there.
I would keep that first line attack.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I would try Kindle there. Sure, I'd keep the first
line and second line intact. For now. I just go
Rust on the third line. Have him play Kendle's wing.
You know, I had a good name game last night.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
They scratched Tomasino after the game at New York because
you know, he's small potatoes. You don't have to worry
at all about developing him. He is exactly as good
as he's ever going to be. And they played Hollander,
the kid who they drafted, came over, went back to Sweden.
Now he's back in North America again, and he actually
had a good game. I think he had an insist.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
It's going back to what you said at the beginning
of the show. The staleness is gone. Right.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Oh, one thing I'm sure about is that Sullivan should
have been gone a couple of years ago, just to
get rid of the staleness this. This doesn't feel like
the same team. It doesn't feel like the same old,
same old. And as a result, however early and it is,
they're getting results that were unexpected.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Does it make you say, what if a little bit
not that they'd win a Cup if they had moved
on from Sullivan a little bit earlier, But maybe it's
not a three year playoff drout.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Maybe they win a series in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
I think if they had moved on was from Sullivan,
like around twenty twenty or twenty twenty one, they would
have won a playoff series. And no, I can't say that,
but I think they would have made the playoffs. They
would not have missed each of the last three years.
That's probably the best way to.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Put it, especially that one year where they tried almost
everything in their power to not make it.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
And it's that Carlson game against the Red Wings.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Remember well, yeah, idently gave up a loser point to Detroit,
But yeah, that whole year was just like they'd blow lead.
There were so many missed opportunities, not least on the
stretch that was two years ago, where they had chances
even the year before. Both years they had chances to
wrap up playoff spots with games they should have won
against weak opponents and did not do it.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Now, how do you think Jari played.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I think he was kind of nah in that it
wasn't like the Islanders beat him on any asling goals
for any of the three that they scored. But I
will say Jarry played a pretty good third period and
there were some testy moments there, some tip shots that
he came up big with on saves.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Yeah no, no, he battled the puck, but he also
battled twin. Kind of looks like a backup right one
oh five nine x
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