October 9, 2025 • 46 mins
Max and Rob discect league power rankings and are joined by Gerry Dulac to chat about the state of the team.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
This is in the locker room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And we thank you very much for being with us
alongside Max Starks with Justin Miller at the controls.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm Rob King. It is a.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Thursday, which means that Jerry Dulac the cool breeze will
be breezing in at about ten twenty. So just in
a few moments here Max, how are you doing today,
my friend? Everything good?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I'm doing good man, I can't complain. The morning is
kicking off, the sun is coming out over here, just
crossed over four peaks officially, Sody way in my face
right now.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Always get always get confused.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So Europe, with my daughter living overseas, you know their
daylight saving time is not I think it's off by
like a week for us something like that. However, uh
for you, Arizona comes and goes. Are you three hours
or two hours difference?
Speaker 5 (01:22):
I am three hours right now?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
So you are seven am.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Cock doodle do my friend, yes, yes, cocka doodle do,
and getting the girls ready for school.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
They're not off yet proper.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
No, they're not off for fall break and they have
a half I.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Mean they're not off for school. They're not heading for
school yet. They're not.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
No, no, no, because their school, the school bus does
not come over here, so we drive. So it's a
fifteen minute drive in the morning. So they usually leave
around seven to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
All right, school starts at eight, so that will not
will not be handling those duties.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
No, No, Now, when the time does change and we
drop back, well we spring I guess for us.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
It's not a spring forward two hours.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Yeah, we fall into a two hour difference because we
never change our time. So yeah, so then I would
then have morning duty because our show wouldn't start till
eight a m.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Right, but you still will not have driving duties.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
No, that's what I'm saying. I'll have the morning drop
off duties.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Oh, because it'll be earlier, yeah because right, right, okay later.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, that math was tough for me. I did. I
didn't have.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
It's all good, Yeah, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I wasn't following on that one.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Okay, so how do you have these duties?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Oh so we're we're gonna get our AFC preview, look
forward to the weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Jaredy De is gonna be with us.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
We're gonna be looking at some of the key matchups
for Sunday between the Steelers and Browns. But usually on Wednesday,
I try to get to the NFL UH their power rankings,
which is different from the athletics. Usually teams off by
a couple of spots. Sometimes there's some large differences. But
I thought we would, you know, in honor of Jerry
do Lex, breeze through that now before we get Jerry
(03:02):
Dulac on the phone, and then we can turn our
attention to the Steelers in the AFC.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
So let's fire away quickly on that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Max and the top three teams, I think zero surprise.
The Lions are number one, Eagles number two, Bill's number three.
Any surprises, There.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
No surprises there. But I was surprised about two of
those three losing.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
So yes, that was only the surprise.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Tampa Bay moves up from seven to four, and so
you know, Baker Mayfield having a fantastic season. Mecca Abuca
is really paying dividends for them. They're the fourth ranked team.
No problems with that, you.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Now, no problem with that. Tampa Bay is on fire.
They do this every year. They have the most. They're
always gonna win the stats department. Let's see if Baker
Mayfield can win them multiple playoff games.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Number five on their rankings is the three and two
Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
Nope, okay, yep, sorry.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, you know they were.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I mean I think they're kind of going with the Well,
they're almost four and one. They almost beat Tampa who's uh,
who's obviously ranked fourth. They were ranked fifth last week
and did not move. So they were three and one,
lost to Tampa Bay late interception by Sam Darnold and
and with that they don't move.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Neither did Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
At number six to one, they were Ye.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Can't lose your spot on a bye.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
But oh yes you can. We'll get to that.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah, well here's my question. Yeah, here's my question. How
almost only counts on horseshoes and hand grenades? Hows it
counting football?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
It's a great question. Uh, you know, they tied Dallas.
You know Dallas. This is interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
We're gonna see what Dallas is all about. You know,
Dallas two years ago was a good team. Last year
they were terrible. And so I think, you know, everyone's saying, Okay,
it's a terrible team. I'm not a I'm not particularly
a believer, especially after they traded Parsons, but there are
a lot of people that think that Dallas is a
pretty decent team. I don't think I'm there yet. And
(05:21):
so Green Bays two and oh with a loss to
the Browns and a tie to the Cowboys. Yeah, and
I know they look so good in weak one, but
I want.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
To see more.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
They haven't looked good since, No, they haven't.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
The Rams fall down, Yeah, the Rams fall from four
to seven, and so you know they're they're talking about, uh,
you know, you lose to San Francisco, but.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
But you played well.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
There are a few plays away, it says, right here,
from being five and o, Max, you know what they
call that? They call that three and two. Yeah, when
you're a few plays away from five to oh, they
call that three and two.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
And that's once again hand grenades, hand grenades and horseshoes.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yep, So let me recap here. I just, you know,
thought of something.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
So Lions, NFC, Eagles, NFC Bills, a f C Bucks, NFC, Seattle,
NFC Green Bay, NFC Rams NFC. Six of the top
seven teams in these power rankings are in the NFC.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
That's called bias. I don't know, if I don't know
if anybody's number eight.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The Indianapolis Colts now speaking of a team that's almost
five and oh uh. You know, you tuck that ball
under your arm before you cross the goal line and
you're probably you know, if A d. Mitchell does that,
you're probably five and oh yeah, but you're not almost
your four and one, your eighth. But once again, Seattle
(06:55):
Seahawks three and two in front of a four and
one Indiana, and.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
We'll see they haven't played a tough schedule. I get it. YadA, YadA, YadA.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
They're already saying Indy legitimately could and perhaps should be
six and two or seven and one heading into Pittsburgh
in week nine.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I would imagine that would be the national game.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
If that's the case.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Washington Commanders are ninth. They move up two spots from
eleven to nine. They really pounded the Chargers. They took
it to them. That surprised they did that surprise, you know,
Quintin Johnson, you know the fumble that obviously cost him.
But you know, so they are nine, Denver ten, up
(07:38):
two spots from twelve to ten, Jacksonville at four and one,
they are eleven. They moved up two spots from thirteenth
to eleventh. Now, yeah, didn't they didn't They just beat
the Bills? They did, Okay, they beat the Chiefs, the
(07:58):
Chiefs of me. Didn't they just beat the chief the Bills.
They just beat the Chiefs, right, correct? Who are twelve
and you're four and one?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Right?
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, but you're alive.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
Consider what we were call legit?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, you're they're they're calling them a sage. They might
they must be saying it's a soft four and one.
You know, Max, When we started doing the research for
them for that preseason game, they were kind of my
they were kind of my darling.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
They were kind of my and we'll.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
See you know again, I could very well be wrong,
and it sounds like I'm crowing after the fact, but
I've talked about them on the on this show before.
You know, you bring in a new coach, you invest
everything in Trevor Lawrence, you add to the offense. So
You're just all in on the offense, you know what
I mean, You're like, let's go, man, let's see what
we got. You have two great receivers. Oh well, certainly
(08:48):
Brian Thomas is a is a second year guy. I'm
expecting Travis Hunter to be of that caliber. You have
a really good tight end, you have a good stable
of running backs. You have a quarterback you took first. Overall,
I think there's a lot to like about Jacksonville. I mean,
they're not I don't think they're a finished product, but
I think there's a lot to like about them.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
Yeah, it was a lot to like it.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
There's a lot of reason for optimism with them as well,
just because, like you said, a lot of resources have
been dedicated in the department of developing Trevor Lawrence and
getting this team to a level where they can go
out and compete consistently. And like you said, you made it.
(09:28):
You made a change for a new for a new
coaching staff. You know, welcome Liam Cohen and probably the
weakest du val call I've ever heard in my life.
But he's doing he's doing the job, and he's trying
to get it done and trying to bring this team
up to relevancy again, and because you have a lot
(09:48):
invested in that team, you want to see it paid dividends. Right,
You went to the well a number of times defensively,
now you made the offensive slash defensive haul. You made
a big splash in the draft with taking Travis Hunter
and trading with the Cleveland Browns for him. In fact,
you just traded again. You traded for Greg Newsom the
(10:10):
second and sent Tyson Campbell off. But we'll talk about
trades later. So, I mean, they're active, they're doing things,
and like you said, they're four and one right now,
so we can't argue against what the recipe.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
Is right now.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Okay, so twelve is your two and three Chiefs. They're
down three spots from nine to twelve. You know, I
still believe they're a good team, so I don't really
have a yeah. I mean, right now, they're not the
twelve best team, but you know you're I think there's
a little mixture of what they are now and what
we think they can be, because obviously, if it's what
they are now, you just go by the records. So
(10:46):
San Francisco moves up two spots from fifteen to thirteen.
And they're four and one. They're four and one, and
they're behind a well behind a Rams team that they
just beat with your backup quarterback. Okay, that's a enough
set on that. Fourteen is the Chargers. Boy, a lot
of Chargers are three and zero, and now they have
dropped six spots since last week. They are all the
(11:09):
way down to fourteen with a three and two record.
They really took a pretty good thumping last week. Your
Steelers can't go down in a bye week unless you're
the Steelers. They dropped from fourteen to fifteen with a
three and one record. Not a lot of believers in
the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams behind them, Minnesota Vikings sixteen.
They're up a spot of courses to others beat the Vikings.
(11:31):
The Texans vaulted four spots to seventeen. They improved to
two and three after just blowing out the Ravens. The
Patriots three and two. Didn't the Patriots just beat the Bills?
They did, Okay, three and two, they're eighteenth, Well, they
had them twenty third. So it's kind of I think
it's kind of like the NCAA rankings, Like once you're
(11:52):
in that, you know We just saw the top two teams,
you know, tumble out of the polls. But it's hard
to move up or down when you're going against bias
and luck. These rankings don't count. But it's kind of
a fun way to see what people think about people
who follow the league think about these teams. These aren't
set in stone, These aren't anything to get worked up about.
I just think it's an interesting snapshot of how people
(12:15):
perceive the league right now. Experts NFL dot com nineteen
the Bears, they go down to spot there two and
two of courses too, those are them coming up? The
Cowboys two, two and one, they are twentieth. Then the
Falcons are twenty first to two and two, and again
a lot of teams, you know, between say eight and
twenty two twenty one that could just be moved up
(12:37):
or down depending upon how you feel about a team.
And of course what was the team you had you gave, Oh,
you gave the note to Seattle way up there? They're
three and two, right, and they're fifth. I think in
the poll they could beat.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
And many how many four and ones? How many four
and ones that just beat higher ranked teams? Yeah, are
not falling paltry. Like you said the Patriots, come on
now right?
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Not moving on?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Are you saying the Seahawks are better than the Patriots?
I would really find the hard pressed.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
To believe that that many spots too. Like I like
the Seahawks. You know, the Seahawks have a really good defense.
I think there's some things to like about the Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
You know, and being actually good or two different things.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah, yeah, I think you know. I think we both
agree Seattle's too high right now. And if you put
him in there like the sixth spot or seven spot,
let's just say that for a placeholder or not, because
that's where they belong six through twenty two. I mean,
let's play pickup sticks, throw them up in the air
and grab one and say, okay, they're number six, they're
(13:40):
number seven. I just think there's I think there's a
tremendous amount of I would call it parody now, but
I think I would just call it uncertainty because I
don't know I it's parody or not. We'll find out
six seven weeks from now when we look at the records.
But there is just there are a jumble of teams
that could go into me in any direction, and I
(14:00):
think it's I think it's kind of fascinating. Twenty two
is the Ravens at one and four ahead of the
two and three Arizona Cardinals, just a debacle twenty one
and twenty one to three lead at a fifteen point
lead in the fourth quarter. You know the touchdown, the
(14:20):
touchdown where you drop the again, you drop the ball,
but like a week after it happened in Indianapolis, you
do the same thing and you drop the ball before
you get to the goal line, and it costs you
a win. I mean, Arizona should be three and two
and Indianapolis should be five and oh, but they're not
because of because of those particular plays. I mean really,
I think those are the plays you can point You
(14:42):
can't always point to just one play. But when you're
going for a touchdown and nobody's stopping you and you
don't score because you stop yourself, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
So it is. Arizona is twenty four. I beg your card.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Carolina is twenty fourth to two and three, followed by
the one and four saint the one in four Titans,
the two and three Bengals, dropping three spots from twenty
four to twenty seven. The New York Giants are twenty eighth,
the Cleveland Browns are twenty ninth, the Dolphins are thirtieth,
(15:18):
the Raiders are thirty first, the Jets are thirty second.
I'm gonna say something now, and not just because the
Steelers are playing the Browns this week, but right now,
at this moment, I think I would have the Browns
higher than a half dozen teams that are ahead of them.
(15:39):
I would have them ahead of Giants. I would have
them ahead of the Bengals. I would have him ahead
of the Titans. I would have him ahead of the Saints.
I would have him head of the Panthers. I think
Arizona maybe maybe not. I would have him ahead of
the Ravens. You know we're gonna break this matchup down,
but I don't think this is gonna be any walk
in the park.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I really don't.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Max No, it's not gonna be a walk in the park.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
And anybody that thinks is such, please stop being facetious.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
This this is a team that has some resources.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Now, granted, we could scratch our head at some of
the trays they made over the last two days and
say what are you doing? But you know this is
a team that has a clear plan. It is a
youth movement in Cleveland, and with youth brings exuberance, brings inefficiency,
but it's a team that doesn't know any different. With
(16:30):
that youth, you have a couple of you have veterans
there that do know what it is to be a
Cleveland Brown, but a lot of young guys that don't.
And you run some high powered guys, high drafted guys
to come in and be difference makers, and right now
they're falling in line. It's just not everybody's making consistent difference.
(16:51):
And you know, you got a new quarterback on a
second start, had a great showing overseas internationally in London,
and you've got a team that's that that that believe
as they can win. And so that's the one thing
you have to stomp out the belief or you absolutely
the Cardinals.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
You end up like the other guys in those moments.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
So agreed.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Jerry Dulac is going to be joining us coming up
next when we continue in the Locker Room, presented by
our neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro Shop on
Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
This is in the locker room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio. Presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Ah the Cool Breeze that is Jerry Dulac joining us,
presented by our neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
The F one.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Do how you doing today, my friend? Everything good?
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Well, Rob, I am, I'm my friend. I hope you're
doing well as well.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I am. Thank you, Jerry, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I wanted to ask you, and I've asked our previous guests,
just sort of an opening salvo here to get the
conversation started. What is your thoughts on where the Steelers stand.
We've seen, you know, we've gone through the rankings. The
Athletic has in thirteenth in the league, the NFL dot
com as in fifteenth. I don't really care about any
of that stuff. I just you know, where do you
(18:27):
think the Steelers are coming out of this break in
relation to where they want to be?
Speaker 3 (18:31):
And where they eventually want to be.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Well, you know, I mean there're three and one and
so could they be four? Oh yeah, But I thought
Seattle took it to them.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But I kind of.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Think they are where you would have expected them to be,
and I think they have taken care of business. Hey,
you know, in retrospect, when you look at how New
England played Buffalo the other day, that makes that New
England win up there look a little bit more impressive.
And then going to Ireland and rob for three and
a half quarters, that's the best they've looked. That looks
(19:08):
like the Steeler team that everybody, especially the defense, everybody expected.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Now.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
I know they had, you know, a couple of leaky
moments there at the end. You know, Minnesota's playing desperate,
they have nothing to lose, But for three and a
half quarters, they were dominated on both sides of the ball,
and that's what you want to see from the team.
And I think I think that was probably that swayed
a few people in terms of thinking, Okay, the Steeler
(19:34):
team is pretty good, because you know, Minnesota is not
a bunch of jumps. And so after I saw that,
did that change my opinion? Not necessarily because all along,
I have thought they were better than last year and
they were ten and seven, so I thought they were
at eleven and sixteen and so I'll stick with that.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
And they're on that track right now, totally with you
and I were in a we're in a huge minority.
I think when you talk about you know, Max and
National prognosticators don't have that.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I haven't seen one that I know. I haven't seen
one that does. And I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I think they're better across the board, and they were
ten and seven last year, so that means to me
they're going to be better.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
Right, That's right, And that's the way I've looked at
it all along from the beginning, and hey, nobody I
thought they were I thought they were ten and seven
team last year with a little luck eleven and six,
and they were looking like they were going to be
eleven and six at least heading into December, but they
had that skid and they ended up ten and seven,
And so I don't think eleven and six is unreasonable
(20:40):
at all. Yeah, their schedule is going to get tougher,
but you know, maybe they're going to get better. That
works that way too. Now you know the converse of
that is the Ravens. You know, the Rams are going
to be the fifth twenty twenty four playoff team they've
already faced this season, and so their schedule was brutal
and it's going to get easier. And conversely, the Steelers
(21:01):
will their schedule will get tougher. It's a long way
to go. But if you can build a two and
a half game lead on your chief nemesis right now,
then you know what that's that's a good thing because
they're gonna they're gonna need it later. Everybody's mindful of
what the history of December has meant for this team
for the last six years. Uh, you know, three game
(21:24):
losing streaks in December, actually five of the last seven
if you want to go back that far. But you know,
we'll see, we'll see what happens later in the year.
But they're off to a start that you would think
they would want to be. You know, Mike Tomlins said
the other day after the Ireland game, somebody asked him,
he goes, yeah, would we like to be four? And oh,
he goes, yeah, but we're not. We're three and one,
(21:45):
and your record says, uh, you know who you are?
And and I've always believed that they're three and one
football team. And I think it's because they've taken care
of the business. They've had to take care.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
And Jerry, I think you think you're right. I mean,
and you can only do what you can do. And
the fact that you got to sit idle and the
rest of your division, you know, took a step backwards,
and you were able to amass you know, a little
bit of a bigger cushion. I mean, that's all you
can ask for at this point. Right, we got through September.
(22:20):
Now we're about to face our first part of our
October slate, and we're about to get back to back
division games. So we're finally gonna step into the division
race a lot earlier than we did a year ago, right,
I mean, the last half of our season was packed
with nothing but division games. On top of that three
games and eleven days bs. But now you don't have
(22:41):
that looming over you later in the schedule. You know,
this is, for all intents and purposes, normal football this season.
So it's looking a lot better for them. But you know,
I think one of the biggest things is, you know,
of the bye, Jerry, would you say that this buy
was actually timely for the team considering the injury.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
That we had.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Max. First of all, I was a little worried about
you because you didn't do the intro. I didn't hear
from you.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
Well, you know, Rob is the leader. I just sit
in the sidecar.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I'm trying to if I jumped the gun, I apologize.
You know, we got Max's Max takes us in for
the second hour. Max takes us in for the bell lap.
From now on, I guess I'm just gonna have to
lay out and let Max take us in for Jerry doult.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Well, I thought for a minute he might have missed
his tea time. But I'm glad to know that he
that he is there. You know, to what you're pointing up, Max,
I will say this. You know, while the Steelers are
where they are, you know, it's kind of it's kind
of a rare position for them when you look at
(23:49):
what's going on in the AFC North. And by that
I mean I went back and looked, and since Bill
Kauer became coach, so that's nineteen ninety two, they have
never been after five weeks in first place in the division,
where the other three teams in the division were all
below five hundred. Now that might just seem kind of trivial,
(24:09):
but I think it just put it points up that
they're in a positions that's pretty favorable right now. Again,
it's a long way to go. I'm certainly well aware
of that. It's like, you know, when people ask me
about you know, you know, how good are the Steelers
or how good are they going to be? I go,
let's just wait. I mean, I give it a I
don't give it four or five games. I give it
(24:30):
twelve to thirteen before I decide whether they're legit or not.
But they have put themselves right now in a favorable position.
Is the season over, of course not. But the Bengals
know Joe Burrow, you know about the dysfunctional Browns and
their situation. And the Ravens are one and four, so yeah, okay,
they had a tough stretch of schedule, but look at
(24:52):
their defense. They've allowed thirty seven or more points in
four of the five games, and so you know, and
we're seeing incremental steps with the Steelers. Their offensive line
has gotten better.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Max.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
You could you obviously have a better eye than I
and speak to that better than I can. But Broderick
Jones has been better. They're running game. You know, Arthur
Smith told me two weeks ago, he goes, he said,
believe it or not. He says, our offensive line in
our running game is, you know, are getting better. And
they prove that in Ireland.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
And so.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
I think when you look at those things and again,
incremental steps and still very early, but they put themselves
in a good, if not rare position. After five weeks.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
They are and it is a good spot to be in.
You have to take care of business. And you know,
the Browns, we haven't really had a chance to break
down this. Greg knew some trade. I think that they
probably like the fact they're getting Tyson Campbell for term.
They do pick up a you know, a sixth in
exchange for seven. They're trying to stockpile picks and you know,
(25:57):
early returns are there their draft class and this year
it looks good. You know, I thought, uh, you know,
I've watched several of the Browns games. I'm not complete
with my tape sessions yet, Jerry, but you know they
Joe Flacko I did not think look particularly sharp for
the Browns. And you know, listening to the game on
the On my drive back to Pittsburgh from Upstate New
(26:18):
York on Sunday, it sounded like Gabriel was moving the
ball more crisply, albeit a lot of you know, short
throws the tight ends. But Judkins is good. It's a
good defense. I expect this game, you know. I know
they traded flat going new some like I said, we
haven't broken that down yet, but I expect this to
be a stern test, like this is a good Cleveland defense,
(26:40):
and it's and it's an offense that can at least
run the football. I you know, I don't know if
they can protect Dylan Gabriel. I don't know how well
they can throw it, but they've got some things going
for him. Some teams don't have a couple of different
elements that are good. I think it's a very good,
very solid Browns defense, and I think it's a team
that can run the ball.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Max.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
First of all, he threw me for a loop when
he said he hasn't done his film review yet. I
don't what's film review. I don't know anything about. Second
of all, to your point about the Browns, they and
stockpiling draft picks for twenty twenty six, Rob I think
they have more draft picks for twenty twenty six than
you have clubs in your bag.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
I can tell you that a legal amount, Jerry, legal
amount of right.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
But I'm with you on the Browns defense, and I
think it's going to be a lower scoring game. I
think it's going to be one of the division typical
division games we see. I don't think it's gonna be
thirteen to ten. But yeah, yeah, the Browns defense is good.
They have a good coordinator, but they've had a couple
of games where they've allowed a lot of points as well.
(27:47):
So you know, as for the trade, I was a
little a little surprised, only because when I'm watching the
jag Jaguars the other night, they're raving about Tyson Campbell,
and yet Campbell was willing they were willing to trade him.
I don't know if Newsom was struggling or what. So
(28:08):
obviously they felt that was a better addition for them.
They also picked up another late draft pick, you know,
in terms to go to your point about stock stockpiling picks.
But you know, the Browns are one and four, and
they're one and four for a reason, and I don't know,
I'm having Elias check this. Maybe you guys have heard this.
I don't know. I don't know the last time a
(28:31):
team went into a game, an NFL game with two
rookie quarterbacks on the roster.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
And so.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Are they waiting to just try and get sha Door
Sanders into the game. I think that's the owners directive,
and I think that's what you're going to see eventually.
I don't mean Sunday, I just mean eventually here in
a couple of weeks. And also, you know, they probably
think maybe they think they're going to get Deshaun Watson
back this year as well. People keep forgetting a up.
(29:00):
He's still hanging out there. I don't know what his medical,
you know, prognosis is, but I think that's probably a
possibility for them as well. But and one last point
about Judkins, big time, big time player. Steelers really liked
him coming out of the draft, and he's showing why.
(29:21):
I know he had some issues obviously, but man, with
that training camp, without a preseason, what this guy's doing
very impressive.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Now.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
I think it's a youth movement and I kind of
said that in the opening segment, Jared, they are getting younger,
quicker and they're trying to offload as much potential salary
and like you said, value because Joe Flacco and they
got him for free, he was on the couch and
you got a fifth round pick for him, you know,
mid season, So there is a value to what they're doing.
(29:55):
Like you said, they amassing all of these picks. They
want to control the board. They want to control if
they're going to be bad this year. They want to
control and manipulate the top ten of the draft and
get exactly what they need. And they'll probably need a
left tackle or you know, or a younger tackle. They'll
need interior guard help because their guards aren't getting any younger,
(30:16):
and you know, they want to bolster whoever it is
emerges as that quarterback for them. They took two shots
at it. They figure at least one of them has
got to hit. You've already gotten rid of the two
veterans that were on your squad, right and you've got
draft pick compensation for them, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett,
So you know they are They are trying to play
a strategic game of I'm not sure if it's necessarily chess,
(30:40):
but it's definitely not checkers. I don't know if it's
like othello or backgammon or something. I'm not sure, but
they are moving in a direction that you have to
think they're trying to get rid of the old stigma
of the Browns always suck by bringing in a lot
of young guys who don't know any different. And so,
you know, I always caution people that it's you know,
(31:00):
don't never ever take the Browns for granted, but do
not look past just because you have a short week afterwards,
Like the goal is to go one to oh this week,
And you know, do you get that sense from the
locker room for being around there that this is there
is no overlooking that they are chiefly focused on this week.
Speaker 6 (31:19):
Oh yeah, I you know, Max, I think a lot
of that. I think a lot of that can kind
of get overrated, if not overblown. I've gotten no sense
that that's a case, especially after a bye week. And
by that I mean, you know, the way they played
in Ireland those three and a half quarters. I think
(31:41):
that was something to build on and I just think,
you know, coming off of that, I think it's more
I don't think it has anything to do with the
Browns as much as it has to do with what
they've been doing, step a little by little each week
that keeps getting better, and I think, you know, they're
(32:02):
looking more at what they're being able to do right
now than who they're playing or what the other team
might have to offer, the fact that it's a division
game match, you know, as well as I Mike Tomlin's
not letting any of them forget that it's a division
game and it's the Browns, and okay, it's not the Ravens,
(32:23):
it's not the old Browns rivalry going way way back,
but it's still division game. And you know, the Steelers
have won twenty one regular season games against the Browns
here in Pittsburgh, and I think part of that is
because the emphasis and you just look at the Steelers
record and division games the importance that Mike Tomlin places
on them. So no, I never get the sense that
(32:47):
or I'm getting the sense that that that is the
case here. As for the Browns in general, look, they
and the Jets. You know, it's neck and neck. It's
it's affirmed an Alley dar as to which is the
more dysfunctional franchise in football league. And I have a
hard time believing that the Browns have any kind of plan,
because how do you how do you obtain or sign
(33:09):
and get four quarterbacks and then trade the two veterans
if you have any kind of a plan. I don't
know what their plan is. I don't think I don't
think Kevin Stefanski knows what their plan is, judging from
his comments this week about them trading flackout. So they
they have never had a concrete plan. That's why they struggle.
(33:30):
That starts at the top. It starts with Jimmy Haslam,
which continues to blow my mind as former Stealer investor,
who you would think would have learned something in his
days being a part of the franchise and as obviously
learned nothing as to how to operate a franchise. And
it started with the Deshaun Watson Tobaccos debacles. So I
(33:52):
can't believe that the Browns have any kind of plan.
I don't know what they think that is, but whatever
it is, it has never proved to work because they've
never really had one. And I know I'm going on
and on about the Browns, but this is just what
I see year in and year, decade after decade going past,
you know, going back the past thirty years of what
(34:12):
the Browns have been, and I have a hard time
believing that they have some concrete plan to to get
better and to be uh, you know, one of the
one or two elite teams in the division, because they're
just not They're they're as far away from it as
you can get.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
A cool breeze on the way in and tempest on
the way out.
Speaker 6 (34:32):
Critical to be critical.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
You blew in and a cool breeze and came out
of a tempest on the other end.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I love it, Jerry. That's that's great.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
It came out of Rob. I came out of tropical storm.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
He did. That's right. Cool breeze to tropical storm. Well done, Jerry, dude.
Thank you very much. My friend. Will see you on
the south side. Rob.
Speaker 6 (34:53):
I called you earlier. I left your voice message. You
can listen to it and holler at me when you can.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I tried. I tried to call you back, but I
think you're on the I'll get to you. Thanks Jim.
You got it, man, all right, see man. Tuck to
you bye.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
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Speaker 1 (35:41):
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
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Speaker 3 (36:03):
And We thank you very much for being with us
and Max.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
We haven't gotten to this yet, but we've kind of
alluded to it a little bit. Your thoughts on this trade,
which sends Greg Newsom, former first round pick last year
of his deal to Jacksonville. Jacksonville kind of a win now,
mode for Tyson Campbell, for former second round pick who
(36:28):
signed a contract extension, has got a couple more years.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I think two and a half.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I believe it could be too, might be three and
a half, but he's got term left on his deal and.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
A swap of picks as well in this.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
So your thoughts on this, I would think midweek kind
of helps the Steelers, right. I would imagine they're gonna
have to get Campbell, you know, fired in there and
and and up to speed, and you know how much
he can handle of a defense and all that stuff.
I don't know how much of an adjustment that is,
so uh, let's get to that in a moment. But you're,
(37:05):
you know, you're kind of overarching view of this trade.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
It's a head scratcher because I get you like Tyson Campbell,
and you know you're getting a guy a little bit younger,
like you said upside, And I guess it doesn't really
matter defensively as a cornerback as much.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Because you know you're either you're in man, you're in zone.
There's only so many coverages you can call.
Speaker 4 (37:29):
He's played all the coverages, but it's going to be
that communication and how do you pass off when it
does become zone, when it's not man and you've you've
you've got to work and communicate with other guys in
the area. I would take a slight advantage for the Steelers.
I mean, I imagine if I'm Aaron Rodgers or somebody,
I would probably test that early because I know what
(37:50):
I have in Denzel war the opposite corner in this situation.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
I know what we have in the safety positions. So
I'm going to test.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
The newest guy, right the guy that's been here, the
lead trade goes through, has a day of a physical
and then you know, in practice. I mean, I can't
imagine he gets more than two practices in before he's
on the field. Now, granted he has played, he's played
the high level. He's also coming from a successful team
and going to a less successful team. So I don't
know what the mental state will be knowing that you
(38:19):
just got traded to a team. You just got traded
to a team with the inverse record of what you
came from. So you know, is there a little bit
of pistivity there with with that corner coming in? You know,
Greg Newsom probably probably clicking his heels down the yellow
Brick Road as he goes down to Jacksonville. Right now,
said man, I just got traded from a one to
four team to a four to one team. So let's
(38:40):
not even deal with the psychological. But from the physical standpoint,
Tyson Campbell is a quality guy. We saw, you know,
he played in the preseason against some of our guys.
I imagine he's not drawing DK Metcalf, who didn't play
in that preseason game. So if you are going with
the Roman, Wilson's your number two. He has familiarity playing
against that guy because he played directly against him. So
you know there is some of that, but I think
(39:03):
it's going to be, you know, more so how our
line deals with their defensive line. That could that that
dictates how good or bad a defensive back's day can be.
And so that has to be job one. You know,
if you're the Steelers, you can't worry about this trade.
If you're a coach, you look at it, but really
keep the main thing. The main thing. The main thing
(39:24):
is the front seven, right, so oh, for sure, handle
the front seven. You don't care who the dbs are
in those moments. But I think you know schematically, if
you are going to test in the air.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
You're probably gonna lean his way at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
You know, And I would say if I am Cleveland, Uh,
And again, I don't know how much they travel Denzel Ward.
I don't know if he just stays in that left
cornerback position or if he moves around. I've seen him
mostly in the left cornerback position, but maybe he moves
I don't know, Max, So I mean, if he did
move uh with DK Metcalf, that would be one thing.
(39:59):
If not, You're right, I would put DK Metcalf on
the left side and throw it to him if that's
where Tyson Campbell is going to be lined up on
the defensive right and the offensive left, and test him
and see how much he's you know, how much he's
up the speed and you know the calls that they've got,
you know, shifting from one defense to the other pre snap.
Aaron Rodgers is good at sussing that out anyway, But
(40:22):
whether that would be a factor, But you know, as
far as down the road, I could see where this
would make sense for Cleveland. If they think they're getting
a starting caliber cornerback and they've got him for several
more years, you got Denzel Ward. On the other side,
you pick up a little bit on the draft choice
(40:43):
side of things. I can see where you would talk
yourself into this week, notwithstanding you know this this sort
of actually no, I beg your pardon the picture. The
other way around, the Browns are giving up the sixth
and heading back the seventh. Uh so they're they're actually
(41:03):
this one is costing them a pick. But uh, you know,
Campbell has three and a half years of of contract left.
The Jaguars paid him an upfront amount of money, so
it's not going to kill their cap. It's gonna put
them in a pretty good cap position. You know, I
could see where they're pointing toward, you know what, I
(41:25):
think they believe can be a very quick turnaround. I
don't see that this really hurts the Browns long term.
And you know, again, a sixth or seventh you just
get I think that's what you gave up in the
Flacco Bengals deal. The pick they're getting back, by the way,
is the Eagles pick. So that's gonna be that seventh
(41:47):
round pick is it could potentially be the last pick
in the draft.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
It could be mister irrelevant.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
But I think that you know, I do wonder, and
I understand what Jerry's saying about not having a plan,
but has them came out, Jimmy has them. The owner
came out and said, we have to see what we
have in these young quarterbacks. I don't know if Deshaun
Watson's career in Cleveland is done or not, but he
wants to see what they have because they're gonna have
(42:12):
another high draft pick coming up this year and they
want to know whether they need to spend that on
a first round pick that at least on the surface,
and with the with the deals they've made to get
future draft picks, and even this deal to trade for
Tyson Campbell, sounds like a team that maybe finally is
putting together a plan for a you know, from their perspective,
(42:37):
hopefully quick turnaround.
Speaker 4 (42:40):
Well, I mean and and and and that's what you're hoping.
I mean, you know the issue that comes with that
is if there isn't a plan, if you're just offloading
for the sake of offloading, right, yeah, then you're like, Okay,
this is still the same old Browns, the same old
Browns that we're used to. But I do love the
fact that they are getting rid of resources that could
(43:04):
potentially help them down the road this season. So I'm
fine with you guys thinking about next year. I'm perfectly
fine with that. You know what, go ahead, keep thinking
about that next year. Don't worry about this week, worry
about next year. If the Browns keep on that type
of track, I'm all for it, because they they, like
the New Orleans Saints, just are kings of kicking things
(43:27):
down the road and thinking that in the future it
will get better and never living in the now or
never dealing with the most most recent And I think
that's what you're kind of seeing from this team. So
I hope that that's the plan. I hope the Steelers
don't fall into that trap. Let us in the media
fall into that trap. Let me fall in the trap,
Let Jerry fall in the trap. Don't do not let
(43:49):
a player or a coach inside that building a thirty
four hundred South Water Street think think about that aspect
of it, because that's where that's where you start to
get the quote unquote overlooking. But you heard from Jerry.
You know he's been around there. He hasn't felt a
sense of that. He's he's only seeing a team that's
getting ready for this week and this week only, And
(44:12):
that's the right mindset that you want to hear, especially
from guys who are in that locker room every day.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
It can't always be if you're Cleveland. It can't always
be somewhere over the rainbow. At some point you got
to walk through the gates of Oz and say we're here.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
You know what I mean. You can't just you can't
just keep.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Saying, oh, someday, we're gonna be fine, it's gonna get better.
But it does look to me from the outside like
they might, you know, the very very good rookie class,
and we're gonna get deep into the breakdowns of these matchups,
and Max, I think has already hit on the key
matchup in this game coming up in a little bit.
But at some point you got to draw a line
in the sand and say this is our team. You know,
(44:49):
the future is now. It is time to go now.
I guess my last question from this perspective would be
nobody even at one in four, and even if you're
a team that's not forecasted to be very good, and
the Browns are not forecasted to be very good, it's
tough in a locker room if you believe that, you know,
(45:12):
the higher ups have given up on the season. That's
not a good place to be. And one of two
things can happen. Now Again, I don't know if the
team feels that way or not. With his trade at
Greg Newsom and then the trade of Joe Flack earlier,
I don't know. I don't know how they feel. But
if they feel that, there's two responses that usually happen.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
One is.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
A team gets down and they're like, man, they don't
believe in us, how can we believe in us? The
other is that they're like, oh, yeah, that's what you think,
We'll show you. And and there are stories that happen
like that, right, you know, a team in baseball gives
up with the trade deadline and all of a sudden,
everybody gets mad and they win, you know, twenty one
of twenty four and now they're in the playoffs. You know,
(45:54):
we've seen that happen very recently in the sport of baseball,
and it can happen in other sports as well.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
So I think it'll be.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
Interesting to see if these moves have any psychological effect
for good or for ill.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
For the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 4 (46:09):
Yeah, we shall see and that's what Sunday's for, right
Sunday is to see can we actually get you in
a place where these things don't matter, and the fact
that we just need you to be the the old
Browns of old and not try and be this new
team save that for twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven season,
(46:30):
but for twenty twenty five twenty twenty six, I need you.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
To be the old Browns for now. Works for me.
Speaker 4 (46:34):
That's that's how I'm kind of looking at it, and
that's what and that's the way I'm hoping that it
comes comes to fruition.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
Well, Max has hit on what I think might be
the number one key matchup in this game, and we're
going to get to that in depth when we continue
in the Locker Room, presented by our neighborhood for Ward
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a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the locker room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
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Speaker 2 (00:27):
And we thank you very much for being with us
alongside Max Starks with Justin Miller at the controls.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm Rob King. It is a.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Thursday, which means that Jerry Dulac the cool breeze will
be breezing in at about ten twenty. So just in
a few moments here Max, how are you doing today,
my friend? Everything good?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I'm doing good man, I can't complain. The morning is
kicking off, the sun is coming out over here, just
crossed over four peaks officially, Sody way in my face
right now.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Always get always get confused.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So Europe, with my daughter living overseas, you know their
daylight saving time is not I think it's off by
like a week for us something like that. However, uh
for you, Arizona comes and goes. Are you three hours
or two hours difference?
Speaker 5 (01:22):
I am three hours right now?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
So you are seven am.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Cock doodle do my friend, yes, yes, cocka doodle do,
and getting the girls ready for school.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
They're not off yet proper.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
No, they're not off for fall break and they have
a half I.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Mean they're not off for school. They're not heading for
school yet. They're not.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
No, no, no, because their school, the school bus does
not come over here, so we drive. So it's a
fifteen minute drive in the morning. So they usually leave
around seven to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
All right, school starts at eight, so that will not
will not be handling those duties.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
No, No, Now, when the time does change and we
drop back, well we spring I guess for us.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
It's not a spring forward two hours.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Yeah, we fall into a two hour difference because we
never change our time. So yeah, so then I would
then have morning duty because our show wouldn't start till
eight a m.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Right, but you still will not have driving duties.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
No, that's what I'm saying. I'll have the morning drop
off duties.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Oh, because it'll be earlier, yeah because right, right, okay later.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, that math was tough for me. I did. I
didn't have.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
It's all good, Yeah, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I wasn't following on that one.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Okay, so how do you have these duties?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Oh so we're we're gonna get our AFC preview, look
forward to the weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Jaredy De is gonna be with us.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
We're gonna be looking at some of the key matchups
for Sunday between the Steelers and Browns. But usually on Wednesday,
I try to get to the NFL UH their power rankings,
which is different from the athletics. Usually teams off by
a couple of spots. Sometimes there's some large differences. But
I thought we would, you know, in honor of Jerry
do Lex, breeze through that now before we get Jerry
(03:02):
Dulac on the phone, and then we can turn our
attention to the Steelers in the AFC.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
So let's fire away quickly on that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Max and the top three teams, I think zero surprise.
The Lions are number one, Eagles number two, Bill's number three.
Any surprises, There.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
No surprises there. But I was surprised about two of
those three losing.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
So yes, that was only the surprise.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Tampa Bay moves up from seven to four, and so
you know, Baker Mayfield having a fantastic season. Mecca Abuca
is really paying dividends for them. They're the fourth ranked team.
No problems with that, you.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Now, no problem with that. Tampa Bay is on fire.
They do this every year. They have the most. They're
always gonna win the stats department. Let's see if Baker
Mayfield can win them multiple playoff games.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Number five on their rankings is the three and two
Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
Nope, okay, yep, sorry.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, you know they were.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I mean I think they're kind of going with the Well,
they're almost four and one. They almost beat Tampa who's uh,
who's obviously ranked fourth. They were ranked fifth last week
and did not move. So they were three and one,
lost to Tampa Bay late interception by Sam Darnold and
and with that they don't move.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Neither did Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
At number six to one, they were Ye.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Can't lose your spot on a bye.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
But oh yes you can. We'll get to that.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah, well here's my question. Yeah, here's my question. How
almost only counts on horseshoes and hand grenades? Hows it
counting football?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
It's a great question. Uh, you know, they tied Dallas.
You know Dallas. This is interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
We're gonna see what Dallas is all about. You know,
Dallas two years ago was a good team. Last year
they were terrible. And so I think, you know, everyone's saying, Okay,
it's a terrible team. I'm not a I'm not particularly
a believer, especially after they traded Parsons, but there are
a lot of people that think that Dallas is a
pretty decent team. I don't think I'm there yet. And
(05:21):
so Green Bays two and oh with a loss to
the Browns and a tie to the Cowboys. Yeah, and
I know they look so good in weak one, but
I want.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
To see more.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
They haven't looked good since, No, they haven't.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
The Rams fall down, Yeah, the Rams fall from four
to seven, and so you know they're they're talking about, uh,
you know, you lose to San Francisco, but.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
But you played well.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
There are a few plays away, it says, right here,
from being five and o, Max, you know what they
call that? They call that three and two. Yeah, when
you're a few plays away from five to oh, they
call that three and two.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
And that's once again hand grenades, hand grenades and horseshoes.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yep, So let me recap here. I just, you know,
thought of something.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
So Lions, NFC, Eagles, NFC Bills, a f C Bucks, NFC, Seattle,
NFC Green Bay, NFC Rams NFC. Six of the top
seven teams in these power rankings are in the NFC.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
That's called bias. I don't know, if I don't know
if anybody's number eight.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The Indianapolis Colts now speaking of a team that's almost
five and oh uh. You know, you tuck that ball
under your arm before you cross the goal line and
you're probably you know, if A d. Mitchell does that,
you're probably five and oh yeah, but you're not almost
your four and one, your eighth. But once again, Seattle
(06:55):
Seahawks three and two in front of a four and
one Indiana, and.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
We'll see they haven't played a tough schedule. I get it. YadA, YadA, YadA.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
They're already saying Indy legitimately could and perhaps should be
six and two or seven and one heading into Pittsburgh
in week nine.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I would imagine that would be the national game.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
If that's the case.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Washington Commanders are ninth. They move up two spots from
eleven to nine. They really pounded the Chargers. They took
it to them. That surprised they did that surprise, you know,
Quintin Johnson, you know the fumble that obviously cost him.
But you know, so they are nine, Denver ten, up
(07:38):
two spots from twelve to ten, Jacksonville at four and one,
they are eleven. They moved up two spots from thirteenth
to eleventh. Now, yeah, didn't they didn't They just beat
the Bills? They did, Okay, they beat the Chiefs, the
(07:58):
Chiefs of me. Didn't they just beat the chief the Bills.
They just beat the Chiefs, right, correct? Who are twelve
and you're four and one?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Right?
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, but you're alive.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
Consider what we were call legit?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, you're they're they're calling them a sage. They might
they must be saying it's a soft four and one.
You know, Max, When we started doing the research for
them for that preseason game, they were kind of my
they were kind of my darling.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
They were kind of my and we'll.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
See you know again, I could very well be wrong,
and it sounds like I'm crowing after the fact, but
I've talked about them on the on this show before.
You know, you bring in a new coach, you invest
everything in Trevor Lawrence, you add to the offense. So
You're just all in on the offense, you know what
I mean, You're like, let's go, man, let's see what
we got. You have two great receivers. Oh well, certainly
(08:48):
Brian Thomas is a is a second year guy. I'm
expecting Travis Hunter to be of that caliber. You have
a really good tight end, you have a good stable
of running backs. You have a quarterback you took first. Overall,
I think there's a lot to like about Jacksonville. I mean,
they're not I don't think they're a finished product, but
I think there's a lot to like about them.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
Yeah, it was a lot to like it.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
There's a lot of reason for optimism with them as well,
just because, like you said, a lot of resources have
been dedicated in the department of developing Trevor Lawrence and
getting this team to a level where they can go
out and compete consistently. And like you said, you made it.
(09:28):
You made a change for a new for a new
coaching staff. You know, welcome Liam Cohen and probably the
weakest du val call I've ever heard in my life.
But he's doing he's doing the job, and he's trying
to get it done and trying to bring this team
up to relevancy again, and because you have a lot
(09:48):
invested in that team, you want to see it paid dividends. Right,
You went to the well a number of times defensively,
now you made the offensive slash defensive haul. You made
a big splash in the draft with taking Travis Hunter
and trading with the Cleveland Browns for him. In fact,
you just traded again. You traded for Greg Newsom the
(10:10):
second and sent Tyson Campbell off. But we'll talk about
trades later. So, I mean, they're active, they're doing things,
and like you said, they're four and one right now,
so we can't argue against what the recipe.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
Is right now.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Okay, so twelve is your two and three Chiefs. They're
down three spots from nine to twelve. You know, I
still believe they're a good team, so I don't really
have a yeah. I mean, right now, they're not the
twelve best team, but you know you're I think there's
a little mixture of what they are now and what
we think they can be, because obviously, if it's what
they are now, you just go by the records. So
(10:46):
San Francisco moves up two spots from fifteen to thirteen.
And they're four and one. They're four and one, and
they're behind a well behind a Rams team that they
just beat with your backup quarterback. Okay, that's a enough
set on that. Fourteen is the Chargers. Boy, a lot
of Chargers are three and zero, and now they have
dropped six spots since last week. They are all the
(11:09):
way down to fourteen with a three and two record.
They really took a pretty good thumping last week. Your
Steelers can't go down in a bye week unless you're
the Steelers. They dropped from fourteen to fifteen with a
three and one record. Not a lot of believers in
the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams behind them, Minnesota Vikings sixteen.
They're up a spot of courses to others beat the Vikings.
(11:31):
The Texans vaulted four spots to seventeen. They improved to
two and three after just blowing out the Ravens. The
Patriots three and two. Didn't the Patriots just beat the Bills?
They did, Okay, three and two, they're eighteenth, Well, they
had them twenty third. So it's kind of I think
it's kind of like the NCAA rankings, Like once you're
(11:52):
in that, you know We just saw the top two teams,
you know, tumble out of the polls. But it's hard
to move up or down when you're going against bias
and luck. These rankings don't count. But it's kind of
a fun way to see what people think about people
who follow the league think about these teams. These aren't
set in stone, These aren't anything to get worked up about.
I just think it's an interesting snapshot of how people
(12:15):
perceive the league right now. Experts NFL dot com nineteen
the Bears, they go down to spot there two and
two of courses too, those are them coming up? The
Cowboys two, two and one, they are twentieth. Then the
Falcons are twenty first to two and two, and again
a lot of teams, you know, between say eight and
twenty two twenty one that could just be moved up
(12:37):
or down depending upon how you feel about a team.
And of course what was the team you had you gave, Oh,
you gave the note to Seattle way up there? They're
three and two, right, and they're fifth. I think in
the poll they could beat.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
And many how many four and ones? How many four
and ones that just beat higher ranked teams? Yeah, are
not falling paltry. Like you said the Patriots, come on
now right?
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Not moving on?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Are you saying the Seahawks are better than the Patriots?
I would really find the hard pressed.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
To believe that that many spots too. Like I like
the Seahawks. You know, the Seahawks have a really good defense.
I think there's some things to like about the Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
You know, and being actually good or two different things.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Yeah, yeah, I think you know. I think we both
agree Seattle's too high right now. And if you put
him in there like the sixth spot or seven spot,
let's just say that for a placeholder or not, because
that's where they belong six through twenty two. I mean,
let's play pickup sticks, throw them up in the air
and grab one and say, okay, they're number six, they're
(13:40):
number seven. I just think there's I think there's a
tremendous amount of I would call it parody now, but
I think I would just call it uncertainty because I
don't know I it's parody or not. We'll find out
six seven weeks from now when we look at the records.
But there is just there are a jumble of teams
that could go into me in any direction, and I
(14:00):
think it's I think it's kind of fascinating. Twenty two
is the Ravens at one and four ahead of the
two and three Arizona Cardinals, just a debacle twenty one
and twenty one to three lead at a fifteen point
lead in the fourth quarter. You know the touchdown, the
(14:20):
touchdown where you drop the again, you drop the ball,
but like a week after it happened in Indianapolis, you
do the same thing and you drop the ball before
you get to the goal line, and it costs you
a win. I mean, Arizona should be three and two
and Indianapolis should be five and oh, but they're not
because of because of those particular plays. I mean really,
I think those are the plays you can point You
(14:42):
can't always point to just one play. But when you're
going for a touchdown and nobody's stopping you and you
don't score because you stop yourself, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
So it is. Arizona is twenty four. I beg your card.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Carolina is twenty fourth to two and three, followed by
the one and four saint the one in four Titans,
the two and three Bengals, dropping three spots from twenty
four to twenty seven. The New York Giants are twenty eighth,
the Cleveland Browns are twenty ninth, the Dolphins are thirtieth,
(15:18):
the Raiders are thirty first, the Jets are thirty second.
I'm gonna say something now, and not just because the
Steelers are playing the Browns this week, but right now,
at this moment, I think I would have the Browns
higher than a half dozen teams that are ahead of them.
(15:39):
I would have them ahead of Giants. I would have
them ahead of the Bengals. I would have him ahead
of the Titans. I would have him ahead of the Saints.
I would have him head of the Panthers. I think
Arizona maybe maybe not. I would have him ahead of
the Ravens. You know we're gonna break this matchup down,
but I don't think this is gonna be any walk
in the park.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I really don't.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Max No, it's not gonna be a walk in the park.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
And anybody that thinks is such, please stop being facetious.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
This this is a team that has some resources.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Now, granted, we could scratch our head at some of
the trays they made over the last two days and
say what are you doing? But you know this is
a team that has a clear plan. It is a
youth movement in Cleveland, and with youth brings exuberance, brings inefficiency,
but it's a team that doesn't know any different. With
(16:30):
that youth, you have a couple of you have veterans
there that do know what it is to be a
Cleveland Brown, but a lot of young guys that don't.
And you run some high powered guys, high drafted guys
to come in and be difference makers, and right now
they're falling in line. It's just not everybody's making consistent difference.
(16:51):
And you know, you got a new quarterback on a
second start, had a great showing overseas internationally in London,
and you've got a team that's that that that believe
as they can win. And so that's the one thing
you have to stomp out the belief or you absolutely
the Cardinals.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
You end up like the other guys in those moments.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
So agreed.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Jerry Dulac is going to be joining us coming up
next when we continue in the Locker Room, presented by
our neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro Shop on
Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
This is in the locker room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio. Presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Ah the Cool Breeze that is Jerry Dulac joining us,
presented by our neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
The F one.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Do how you doing today, my friend? Everything good?
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Well, Rob, I am, I'm my friend. I hope you're
doing well as well.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I am. Thank you, Jerry, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I wanted to ask you, and I've asked our previous guests,
just sort of an opening salvo here to get the
conversation started. What is your thoughts on where the Steelers stand.
We've seen, you know, we've gone through the rankings. The
Athletic has in thirteenth in the league, the NFL dot
com as in fifteenth. I don't really care about any
of that stuff. I just you know, where do you
(18:27):
think the Steelers are coming out of this break in
relation to where they want to be?
Speaker 3 (18:31):
And where they eventually want to be.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Well, you know, I mean there're three and one and
so could they be four? Oh yeah, But I thought
Seattle took it to them.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But I kind of.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Think they are where you would have expected them to be,
and I think they have taken care of business. Hey,
you know, in retrospect, when you look at how New
England played Buffalo the other day, that makes that New
England win up there look a little bit more impressive.
And then going to Ireland and rob for three and
a half quarters, that's the best they've looked. That looks
(19:08):
like the Steeler team that everybody, especially the defense, everybody expected.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Now.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
I know they had, you know, a couple of leaky
moments there at the end. You know, Minnesota's playing desperate,
they have nothing to lose, But for three and a
half quarters, they were dominated on both sides of the ball,
and that's what you want to see from the team.
And I think I think that was probably that swayed
a few people in terms of thinking, Okay, the Steeler
(19:34):
team is pretty good, because you know, Minnesota is not
a bunch of jumps. And so after I saw that,
did that change my opinion? Not necessarily because all along,
I have thought they were better than last year and
they were ten and seven, so I thought they were
at eleven and sixteen and so I'll stick with that.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
And they're on that track right now, totally with you
and I were in a we're in a huge minority.
I think when you talk about you know, Max and
National prognosticators don't have that.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I haven't seen one that I know. I haven't seen
one that does. And I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I think they're better across the board, and they were
ten and seven last year, so that means to me
they're going to be better.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
Right, That's right, And that's the way I've looked at
it all along from the beginning, and hey, nobody I
thought they were I thought they were ten and seven
team last year with a little luck eleven and six,
and they were looking like they were going to be
eleven and six at least heading into December, but they
had that skid and they ended up ten and seven,
And so I don't think eleven and six is unreasonable
(20:40):
at all. Yeah, their schedule is going to get tougher,
but you know, maybe they're going to get better. That
works that way too. Now you know the converse of
that is the Ravens. You know, the Rams are going
to be the fifth twenty twenty four playoff team they've
already faced this season, and so their schedule was brutal
and it's going to get easier. And conversely, the Steelers
(21:01):
will their schedule will get tougher. It's a long way
to go. But if you can build a two and
a half game lead on your chief nemesis right now,
then you know what that's that's a good thing because
they're gonna they're gonna need it later. Everybody's mindful of
what the history of December has meant for this team
for the last six years. Uh, you know, three game
(21:24):
losing streaks in December, actually five of the last seven
if you want to go back that far. But you know,
we'll see, we'll see what happens later in the year.
But they're off to a start that you would think
they would want to be. You know, Mike Tomlins said
the other day after the Ireland game, somebody asked him,
he goes, yeah, would we like to be four? And oh,
he goes, yeah, but we're not. We're three and one,
(21:45):
and your record says, uh, you know who you are?
And and I've always believed that they're three and one
football team. And I think it's because they've taken care
of the business. They've had to take care.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
And Jerry, I think you think you're right. I mean,
and you can only do what you can do. And
the fact that you got to sit idle and the
rest of your division, you know, took a step backwards,
and you were able to amass you know, a little
bit of a bigger cushion. I mean, that's all you
can ask for at this point. Right, we got through September.
(22:20):
Now we're about to face our first part of our
October slate, and we're about to get back to back
division games. So we're finally gonna step into the division
race a lot earlier than we did a year ago, right,
I mean, the last half of our season was packed
with nothing but division games. On top of that three
games and eleven days bs. But now you don't have
(22:41):
that looming over you later in the schedule. You know,
this is, for all intents and purposes, normal football this season.
So it's looking a lot better for them. But you know,
I think one of the biggest things is, you know,
of the bye, Jerry, would you say that this buy
was actually timely for the team considering the injury.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
That we had.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Max. First of all, I was a little worried about
you because you didn't do the intro. I didn't hear
from you.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
Well, you know, Rob is the leader. I just sit
in the sidecar.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
I'm trying to if I jumped the gun, I apologize.
You know, we got Max's Max takes us in for
the second hour. Max takes us in for the bell lap.
From now on, I guess I'm just gonna have to
lay out and let Max take us in for Jerry doult.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Well, I thought for a minute he might have missed
his tea time. But I'm glad to know that he
that he is there. You know, to what you're pointing up, Max,
I will say this. You know, while the Steelers are
where they are, you know, it's kind of it's kind
of a rare position for them when you look at
(23:49):
what's going on in the AFC North. And by that
I mean I went back and looked, and since Bill
Kauer became coach, so that's nineteen ninety two, they have
never been after five weeks in first place in the division,
where the other three teams in the division were all
below five hundred. Now that might just seem kind of trivial,
(24:09):
but I think it just put it points up that
they're in a positions that's pretty favorable right now. Again,
it's a long way to go. I'm certainly well aware
of that. It's like, you know, when people ask me
about you know, you know, how good are the Steelers
or how good are they going to be? I go,
let's just wait. I mean, I give it a I
don't give it four or five games. I give it
(24:30):
twelve to thirteen before I decide whether they're legit or not.
But they have put themselves right now in a favorable position.
Is the season over, of course not. But the Bengals
know Joe Burrow, you know about the dysfunctional Browns and
their situation. And the Ravens are one and four, so yeah, okay,
they had a tough stretch of schedule, but look at
(24:52):
their defense. They've allowed thirty seven or more points in
four of the five games, and so you know, and
we're seeing incremental steps with the Steelers. Their offensive line
has gotten better.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Max.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
You could you obviously have a better eye than I
and speak to that better than I can. But Broderick
Jones has been better. They're running game. You know, Arthur
Smith told me two weeks ago, he goes, he said,
believe it or not. He says, our offensive line in
our running game is, you know, are getting better. And
they prove that in Ireland.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
And so.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
I think when you look at those things and again,
incremental steps and still very early, but they put themselves
in a good, if not rare position. After five weeks.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
They are and it is a good spot to be in.
You have to take care of business. And you know,
the Browns, we haven't really had a chance to break
down this. Greg knew some trade. I think that they
probably like the fact they're getting Tyson Campbell for term.
They do pick up a you know, a sixth in
exchange for seven. They're trying to stockpile picks and you know,
(25:57):
early returns are there their draft class and this year
it looks good. You know, I thought, uh, you know,
I've watched several of the Browns games. I'm not complete
with my tape sessions yet, Jerry, but you know they
Joe Flacko I did not think look particularly sharp for
the Browns. And you know, listening to the game on
the On my drive back to Pittsburgh from Upstate New
(26:18):
York on Sunday, it sounded like Gabriel was moving the
ball more crisply, albeit a lot of you know, short
throws the tight ends. But Judkins is good. It's a
good defense. I expect this game, you know. I know
they traded flat going new some like I said, we
haven't broken that down yet, but I expect this to
be a stern test, like this is a good Cleveland defense,
(26:40):
and it's and it's an offense that can at least
run the football. I you know, I don't know if
they can protect Dylan Gabriel. I don't know how well
they can throw it, but they've got some things going
for him. Some teams don't have a couple of different
elements that are good. I think it's a very good,
very solid Browns defense, and I think it's a team
that can run the ball.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Max.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
First of all, he threw me for a loop when
he said he hasn't done his film review yet. I
don't what's film review. I don't know anything about. Second
of all, to your point about the Browns, they and
stockpiling draft picks for twenty twenty six, Rob I think
they have more draft picks for twenty twenty six than
you have clubs in your bag.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
I can tell you that a legal amount, Jerry, legal
amount of right.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
But I'm with you on the Browns defense, and I
think it's going to be a lower scoring game. I
think it's going to be one of the division typical
division games we see. I don't think it's gonna be
thirteen to ten. But yeah, yeah, the Browns defense is good.
They have a good coordinator, but they've had a couple
of games where they've allowed a lot of points as well.
(27:47):
So you know, as for the trade, I was a
little a little surprised, only because when I'm watching the
jag Jaguars the other night, they're raving about Tyson Campbell,
and yet Campbell was willing they were willing to trade him.
I don't know if Newsom was struggling or what. So
(28:08):
obviously they felt that was a better addition for them.
They also picked up another late draft pick, you know,
in terms to go to your point about stock stockpiling picks.
But you know, the Browns are one and four, and
they're one and four for a reason, and I don't know,
I'm having Elias check this. Maybe you guys have heard this.
I don't know. I don't know the last time a
(28:31):
team went into a game, an NFL game with two
rookie quarterbacks on the roster.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
And so.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Are they waiting to just try and get sha Door
Sanders into the game. I think that's the owners directive,
and I think that's what you're going to see eventually.
I don't mean Sunday, I just mean eventually here in
a couple of weeks. And also, you know, they probably
think maybe they think they're going to get Deshaun Watson
back this year as well. People keep forgetting a up.
(29:00):
He's still hanging out there. I don't know what his medical,
you know, prognosis is, but I think that's probably a
possibility for them as well. But and one last point
about Judkins, big time, big time player. Steelers really liked
him coming out of the draft, and he's showing why.
(29:21):
I know he had some issues obviously, but man, with
that training camp, without a preseason, what this guy's doing
very impressive.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Now.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
I think it's a youth movement and I kind of
said that in the opening segment, Jared, they are getting younger,
quicker and they're trying to offload as much potential salary
and like you said, value because Joe Flacco and they
got him for free, he was on the couch and
you got a fifth round pick for him, you know,
mid season, So there is a value to what they're doing.
(29:55):
Like you said, they amassing all of these picks. They
want to control the board. They want to control if
they're going to be bad this year. They want to
control and manipulate the top ten of the draft and
get exactly what they need. And they'll probably need a
left tackle or you know, or a younger tackle. They'll
need interior guard help because their guards aren't getting any younger,
(30:16):
and you know, they want to bolster whoever it is
emerges as that quarterback for them. They took two shots
at it. They figure at least one of them has
got to hit. You've already gotten rid of the two
veterans that were on your squad, right and you've got
draft pick compensation for them, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett,
So you know they are They are trying to play
a strategic game of I'm not sure if it's necessarily chess,
(30:40):
but it's definitely not checkers. I don't know if it's
like othello or backgammon or something. I'm not sure, but
they are moving in a direction that you have to
think they're trying to get rid of the old stigma
of the Browns always suck by bringing in a lot
of young guys who don't know any different. And so,
you know, I always caution people that it's you know,
(31:00):
don't never ever take the Browns for granted, but do
not look past just because you have a short week afterwards,
Like the goal is to go one to oh this week,
And you know, do you get that sense from the
locker room for being around there that this is there
is no overlooking that they are chiefly focused on this week.
Speaker 6 (31:19):
Oh yeah, I you know, Max, I think a lot
of that. I think a lot of that can kind
of get overrated, if not overblown. I've gotten no sense
that that's a case, especially after a bye week. And
by that I mean, you know, the way they played
in Ireland those three and a half quarters. I think
(31:41):
that was something to build on and I just think,
you know, coming off of that, I think it's more
I don't think it has anything to do with the
Browns as much as it has to do with what
they've been doing, step a little by little each week
that keeps getting better, and I think, you know, they're
(32:02):
looking more at what they're being able to do right
now than who they're playing or what the other team
might have to offer, the fact that it's a division
game match, you know, as well as I Mike Tomlin's
not letting any of them forget that it's a division
game and it's the Browns, and okay, it's not the Ravens,
(32:23):
it's not the old Browns rivalry going way way back,
but it's still division game. And you know, the Steelers
have won twenty one regular season games against the Browns
here in Pittsburgh, and I think part of that is
because the emphasis and you just look at the Steelers
record and division games the importance that Mike Tomlin places
on them. So no, I never get the sense that
(32:47):
or I'm getting the sense that that that is the
case here. As for the Browns in general, look, they
and the Jets. You know, it's neck and neck. It's
it's affirmed an Alley dar as to which is the
more dysfunctional franchise in football league. And I have a
hard time believing that the Browns have any kind of plan,
because how do you how do you obtain or sign
(33:09):
and get four quarterbacks and then trade the two veterans
if you have any kind of a plan. I don't
know what their plan is. I don't think I don't
think Kevin Stefanski knows what their plan is, judging from
his comments this week about them trading flackout. So they
they have never had a concrete plan. That's why they struggle.
(33:30):
That starts at the top. It starts with Jimmy Haslam,
which continues to blow my mind as former Stealer investor,
who you would think would have learned something in his
days being a part of the franchise and as obviously
learned nothing as to how to operate a franchise. And
it started with the Deshaun Watson Tobaccos debacles. So I
(33:52):
can't believe that the Browns have any kind of plan.
I don't know what they think that is, but whatever
it is, it has never proved to work because they've
never really had one. And I know I'm going on
and on about the Browns, but this is just what
I see year in and year, decade after decade going past,
you know, going back the past thirty years of what
(34:12):
the Browns have been, and I have a hard time
believing that they have some concrete plan to to get
better and to be uh, you know, one of the
one or two elite teams in the division, because they're
just not They're they're as far away from it as
you can get.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
A cool breeze on the way in and tempest on
the way out.
Speaker 6 (34:32):
Critical to be critical.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
You blew in and a cool breeze and came out
of a tempest on the other end.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I love it, Jerry. That's that's great.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
It came out of Rob. I came out of tropical storm.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
He did. That's right. Cool breeze to tropical storm. Well done, Jerry, dude.
Thank you very much. My friend. Will see you on
the south side. Rob.
Speaker 6 (34:53):
I called you earlier. I left your voice message. You
can listen to it and holler at me when you can.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I tried. I tried to call you back, but I
think you're on the I'll get to you. Thanks Jim.
You got it, man, all right, see man. Tuck to
you bye.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
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(35:25):
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Speaker 1 (35:41):
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
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Speaker 3 (36:03):
And We thank you very much for being with us
and Max.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
We haven't gotten to this yet, but we've kind of
alluded to it a little bit. Your thoughts on this trade,
which sends Greg Newsom, former first round pick last year
of his deal to Jacksonville. Jacksonville kind of a win now,
mode for Tyson Campbell, for former second round pick who
(36:28):
signed a contract extension, has got a couple more years.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I think two and a half.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I believe it could be too, might be three and
a half, but he's got term left on his deal and.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
A swap of picks as well in this.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
So your thoughts on this, I would think midweek kind
of helps the Steelers, right. I would imagine they're gonna
have to get Campbell, you know, fired in there and
and and up to speed, and you know how much
he can handle of a defense and all that stuff.
I don't know how much of an adjustment that is,
so uh, let's get to that in a moment. But you're,
(37:05):
you know, you're kind of overarching view of this trade.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
It's a head scratcher because I get you like Tyson Campbell,
and you know you're getting a guy a little bit younger,
like you said upside, And I guess it doesn't really
matter defensively as a cornerback as much.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Because you know you're either you're in man, you're in zone.
There's only so many coverages you can call.
Speaker 4 (37:29):
He's played all the coverages, but it's going to be
that communication and how do you pass off when it
does become zone, when it's not man and you've you've
you've got to work and communicate with other guys in
the area. I would take a slight advantage for the Steelers.
I mean, I imagine if I'm Aaron Rodgers or somebody,
I would probably test that early because I know what
(37:50):
I have in Denzel war the opposite corner in this situation.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
I know what we have in the safety positions. So
I'm going to test.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
The newest guy, right the guy that's been here, the
lead trade goes through, has a day of a physical
and then you know, in practice. I mean, I can't
imagine he gets more than two practices in before he's
on the field. Now, granted he has played, he's played
the high level. He's also coming from a successful team
and going to a less successful team. So I don't
know what the mental state will be knowing that you
(38:19):
just got traded to a team. You just got traded
to a team with the inverse record of what you
came from. So you know, is there a little bit
of pistivity there with with that corner coming in? You know,
Greg Newsom probably probably clicking his heels down the yellow
Brick Road as he goes down to Jacksonville. Right now,
said man, I just got traded from a one to
four team to a four to one team. So let's
(38:40):
not even deal with the psychological. But from the physical standpoint,
Tyson Campbell is a quality guy. We saw, you know,
he played in the preseason against some of our guys.
I imagine he's not drawing DK Metcalf, who didn't play
in that preseason game. So if you are going with
the Roman, Wilson's your number two. He has familiarity playing
against that guy because he played directly against him. So
you know there is some of that, but I think
(39:03):
it's going to be, you know, more so how our
line deals with their defensive line. That could that that
dictates how good or bad a defensive back's day can be.
And so that has to be job one. You know,
if you're the Steelers, you can't worry about this trade.
If you're a coach, you look at it, but really
keep the main thing. The main thing. The main thing
(39:24):
is the front seven, right, so oh, for sure, handle
the front seven. You don't care who the dbs are
in those moments. But I think you know schematically, if
you are going to test in the air.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
You're probably gonna lean his way at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
You know, And I would say if I am Cleveland, Uh,
And again, I don't know how much they travel Denzel Ward.
I don't know if he just stays in that left
cornerback position or if he moves around. I've seen him
mostly in the left cornerback position, but maybe he moves
I don't know, Max, So I mean, if he did
move uh with DK Metcalf, that would be one thing.
(39:59):
If not, You're right, I would put DK Metcalf on
the left side and throw it to him if that's
where Tyson Campbell is going to be lined up on
the defensive right and the offensive left, and test him
and see how much he's you know, how much he's
up the speed and you know the calls that they've got,
you know, shifting from one defense to the other pre snap.
Aaron Rodgers is good at sussing that out anyway, But
(40:22):
whether that would be a factor, But you know, as
far as down the road, I could see where this
would make sense for Cleveland. If they think they're getting
a starting caliber cornerback and they've got him for several
more years, you got Denzel Ward. On the other side,
you pick up a little bit on the draft choice
(40:43):
side of things. I can see where you would talk
yourself into this week, notwithstanding you know this this sort
of actually no, I beg your pardon the picture. The
other way around, the Browns are giving up the sixth
and heading back the seventh. Uh so they're they're actually
(41:03):
this one is costing them a pick. But uh, you know,
Campbell has three and a half years of of contract left.
The Jaguars paid him an upfront amount of money, so
it's not going to kill their cap. It's gonna put
them in a pretty good cap position. You know, I
could see where they're pointing toward, you know what, I
(41:25):
think they believe can be a very quick turnaround. I
don't see that this really hurts the Browns long term.
And you know, again, a sixth or seventh you just
get I think that's what you gave up in the
Flacco Bengals deal. The pick they're getting back, by the way,
is the Eagles pick. So that's gonna be that seventh
(41:47):
round pick is it could potentially be the last pick
in the draft.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
It could be mister irrelevant.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
But I think that you know, I do wonder, and
I understand what Jerry's saying about not having a plan,
but has them came out, Jimmy has them. The owner
came out and said, we have to see what we
have in these young quarterbacks. I don't know if Deshaun
Watson's career in Cleveland is done or not, but he
wants to see what they have because they're gonna have
(42:12):
another high draft pick coming up this year and they
want to know whether they need to spend that on
a first round pick that at least on the surface,
and with the with the deals they've made to get
future draft picks, and even this deal to trade for
Tyson Campbell, sounds like a team that maybe finally is
putting together a plan for a you know, from their perspective,
(42:37):
hopefully quick turnaround.
Speaker 4 (42:40):
Well, I mean and and and and that's what you're hoping.
I mean, you know the issue that comes with that
is if there isn't a plan, if you're just offloading
for the sake of offloading, right, yeah, then you're like, Okay,
this is still the same old Browns, the same old
Browns that we're used to. But I do love the
fact that they are getting rid of resources that could
(43:04):
potentially help them down the road this season. So I'm
fine with you guys thinking about next year. I'm perfectly
fine with that. You know what, go ahead, keep thinking
about that next year. Don't worry about this week, worry
about next year. If the Browns keep on that type
of track, I'm all for it, because they they, like
the New Orleans Saints, just are kings of kicking things
(43:27):
down the road and thinking that in the future it
will get better and never living in the now or
never dealing with the most most recent And I think
that's what you're kind of seeing from this team. So
I hope that that's the plan. I hope the Steelers
don't fall into that trap. Let us in the media
fall into that trap. Let me fall in the trap,
Let Jerry fall in the trap. Don't do not let
(43:49):
a player or a coach inside that building a thirty
four hundred South Water Street think think about that aspect
of it, because that's where that's where you start to
get the quote unquote overlooking. But you heard from Jerry.
You know he's been around there. He hasn't felt a
sense of that. He's he's only seeing a team that's
getting ready for this week and this week only, And
(44:12):
that's the right mindset that you want to hear, especially
from guys who are in that locker room every day.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
It can't always be if you're Cleveland. It can't always
be somewhere over the rainbow. At some point you got
to walk through the gates of Oz and say we're here.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
You know what I mean. You can't just you can't
just keep.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Saying, oh, someday, we're gonna be fine, it's gonna get better.
But it does look to me from the outside like
they might, you know, the very very good rookie class,
and we're gonna get deep into the breakdowns of these matchups,
and Max, I think has already hit on the key
matchup in this game coming up in a little bit.
But at some point you got to draw a line
in the sand and say this is our team. You know,
(44:49):
the future is now. It is time to go now.
I guess my last question from this perspective would be
nobody even at one in four, and even if you're
a team that's not forecasted to be very good, and
the Browns are not forecasted to be very good, it's
tough in a locker room if you believe that, you know,
(45:12):
the higher ups have given up on the season. That's
not a good place to be. And one of two
things can happen. Now Again, I don't know if the
team feels that way or not. With his trade at
Greg Newsom and then the trade of Joe Flack earlier,
I don't know. I don't know how they feel. But
if they feel that, there's two responses that usually happen.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
One is.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
A team gets down and they're like, man, they don't
believe in us, how can we believe in us? The
other is that they're like, oh, yeah, that's what you think,
We'll show you. And and there are stories that happen
like that, right, you know, a team in baseball gives
up with the trade deadline and all of a sudden,
everybody gets mad and they win, you know, twenty one
of twenty four and now they're in the playoffs. You know,
(45:54):
we've seen that happen very recently in the sport of baseball,
and it can happen in other sports as well.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
So I think it'll be.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
Interesting to see if these moves have any psychological effect
for good or for ill.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
For the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 4 (46:09):
Yeah, we shall see and that's what Sunday's for, right
Sunday is to see can we actually get you in
a place where these things don't matter, and the fact
that we just need you to be the the old
Browns of old and not try and be this new
team save that for twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven season,
(46:30):
but for twenty twenty five twenty twenty six, I need you.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
To be the old Browns for now. Works for me.
Speaker 4 (46:34):
That's that's how I'm kind of looking at it, and
that's what and that's the way I'm hoping that it
comes comes to fruition.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
Well, Max has hit on what I think might be
the number one key matchup in this game, and we're
going to get to that in depth when we continue
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